MENTS IN AND RELATING TO CURTAIN FIXTURES
Year: 1885

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I LOUIS WEBER, a Citizen of the United States; residing at 218 Bedford
Avenue in the City of Brooklyn and State of New York, United States of
America, Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS IN AND RELATING TO CURTAIN FIXTURES" and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:—
My invention relates to that class of curtain fixtures wherein mechanism is
arranged within a slotted, tubular curtain-bar for moving a curtain or curtains
along the same. Fixtures of this character are shown and described in my
Complete Specification No 4536 of 1885, which may be referred to for a better
understanding of the class of fixtures to which my present invention belongs.
The object of my invention is to improve the construction of the travellers from
which the curtain is suspended, to improve the construction of the tubular bar, to
improve the construction of the clamps for gripping the curtain, and to improve
the socket support for the end of the bar all as is hereinafter described.
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In the annexed drawings which serve to illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a
vertical axial section of a curtain-bar provided with my improvements the two
travellers at the left being also in section. Figures 2 and 3 are transverse sections of
the bar taken in the planes respectively indicated by lines 2 - - - - 2 and 3
in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken in the plane indicated by the
line 4
4 in Figure 1. Figure 5 is a view of the underside of the end of the
bar, the right hand end being shown in this instance. Figures 6 and 7 illustrate
the construction of the end-socket for supporting the bar. Figure 6 is a section
on the line 6- - 6 in Figure 7 and Figure 7 is a section on line 7 - - - - 7 in
Figure 6.
A is a cylindrical tube, of any length, plain from end to end, and provided with
a slot a, in its under-side which extends the entire length of the tube. It is not
essential that the tube shall be cylindrical, but I usually give it this form. And in
lieu of drawing the tube continuous and afterward slitting it, I usually draw it
with an open slot. This, however is not essential. This simple tube may be cut
to any length to suit the place it is designed to occupy, and none of the other
features of the fixture will require any alteration. In the ends of the tube A are
fitted deep cups or end-pieces B and B¹, which have outwardly turned marginal
flanges b to take over the ends of the tube. These flanges are usually made to
come flush with the exterior face of the tube. The object in making the cups
deep is that they may receive blocks C, usually of wood to which may be secured
the ornamental end pieces or knobs usually applied to these bars when they are
mounted in brackets. On the lower faces of the cups are formed by swaging out
or stamping the metal, or otherwise, slight projections c, which engage the slot a
and gage its width. The cups are secured to the tube A by screws d, as seen in
Figure 5, one on each side of the slot.

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The pulley e is mounted in the frame e¹, and this frame is secured to the bottom
of cup B by a screw and nut. The pulleys, f are mounted in a frame f¹ which is
secured to the bottom of the cup B₁ by a screw and nut. To prevent this frame
turning, slight projections g, are struck up or otherwise formed on the bottom of
cup B¹ just above the said frame. D is the operating cord, the bight of which
passes around the pulley e. The two ends of the cord pass over the guide pulleys f
and down through an enlargement in slot a best seen in Figure 5. E, E are the
curtains, which are suspended from the bar in the manner I will now describe.
F, F are the common travellers, which are not in any way connected to the
operating cord, and of which any number may be employed according to circum-
stances and the width of the curtains. Each traveller comprises a ring-like frame h,
in which is rotatively mounted a spindle-like roller i A bail depends from the
frame h through the slot a, in the bar, and is provided with an eye k. I usually
construct the frame of the traveller by stamping it up from sheet-metal in two
like parts, each part comprising one half of the ring-like frame h, and one branch
of the pendent bail j, with an eye k formed in its lower end. The two parts of
the frame h overlap (see Figure 4) and are secured together by rivetting the ends
of the wire forming the non rotative axis of the roller i. The eyes k in the two
branches of the bail j are placed together, face to face, and secured together by an
eyelet, or some other convenient means, as soldering for example. The bail is
provided with lateral projections l, to prevent it dropping into the hollow of the
bar should the latter be turned upside down in handling. The roller i, is made
spindle-shaped or convex, in order that it may roll on the bottom of the bar (as
in Figure 3) over the slot a.
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G, G are the master travellers one for each curtain. These are constructed alike
and it will only be necessary to describe one. The master traveller comprises a
frame usually stamped from sheet metal, a bail pendent from the frame, a pendent
screw stem, a clamp to secure the traveller to one side of the operating cord, and
two spindle-like rollers which roll on the bottom of the bar over the slot in
the same.
I will describe the construction of this traveller more minutely. In a
plate of sheet metal, properly bent are formed the two eyes 1, 1, for the passage of
the operating cord, and parts of the said plate are turned down to form the four
lugs 2- 2 in which the axes of the rollers are mounted. 3 is a U-shaped
plate arranged between the eyes 1, 1, as best seen in Figure 2, and attached to the
plate forming the eyes. The bail 4, is formed in one piece with curved fenders or
guards 5 --- which are bent round and secured to the lugs 2 - 2 by the
riveting of the wires forming the axes of the rollers. 6- 6 are the rollers,
which are provided with convex faces in order that they may roll on the bottom of
the bar over the slot a. On the bail 4, is formed an enlargement or disc 7, to
prevent the bail dropping into the hollow of the bar, and on the guards 5, are
formed prongs 8 8 which, when the traveller F, and master traveller G, come
together, as seen in Figure 4, embrace the adjacent bail on F and tend to keep the
adjacent traveller F properly aligned. This last feature I do not consider essential.
9 is the screw-stem, which screws through a female screw formed in the plate
between the eyes 1 - 1. The outer or projecting end of this screw passes through
a hole in the disc 7, on the bail and it has a hook 10 formed on its lower or outer
end. The means for clamping the traveller G to the operating cord require but a
brief description; it does not form part of the present invention. The upper end
of the stem 9 has a loose, collared bearing in the end of a serrated lever 11, which
passes through one of the eyes 1, and is fulcrumed in the outer wall of the same.
When the stem 9, is screwed in, the serrated lever bites on the cord and secures it
in the eye, 1.
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On the tube A, at suitable intervals are fixed open rings m, m, and in these are
fixed hooks n, to receive a lambrequin H, shown in Figures 2 and 3. This feature
I do not herein claim. The lambrequin is arranged in front of the bar A, and is
designed to screen, from the front, the mechanism for operating the curtain along
the bar. As it is sometimes desirable to use lace curtains in connection with the

page_text: movable curtains E mounted on the bar, I provide the bar with projecting hooks o
at the back (that is, on the side next to the window,) to receive such lace curtains I,
as shown in Figure 3. These hooks are usually longer than the hooks, n, and
I usually secure them, also, to the rings m. The number of such rings and hooks,
and the spacing of the same, are optional, and will be governed by taste and
circumstances.
The clamps J, by which the curtains are suspended from the travellers, are all alike,
and a description of one will suffice. Each clamp comprises an outer button with a
pointed screw, an inner button with a female screw to receive the pointed screw
and a suspending link. I will describe it more minutely. 12 is the outer button,
made hollow of sheet metal as clearly shown in Figure 2. To this button is fixed
a pointed screw 13. The inner button is also formed hollow of two plates 14
and 15, the plate 14 having an inturned central flange 16, to form a tubular
passage which has a female screw to receive the screw 13. The suspending link 17,
has an eye in each end, or an eye and a hook, as shown. The screw 13 passes
through one eye and the hook 10, on the master traveller or the eye kc, on the
common traveller, engages the upper end of the said link. The curtain is clamped
as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3. A clamp similar to this is shown in my
former Specification N° 4536 of 1885 and I do not herein broadly claim such a
clamp..
Figures 6 and 7 show the end socket. In this construction, K is the diametrically
divided socket provided with an inturned flange p, and L is an end-socket which
slips over the end of the tubular bar A, and is secured thereto by screws or rivets.
This end-socket has an outwardly turned flange q, which takes behind the flange p.
In order to prevent rotation of the bar in the divided socket K which is very apt
to occur in the ordinary construction I provide the latter with a notch or recess r,
and form on the end-socket L, a rib 8, to engage the recess when the bar is
mounted, as clearly shown. The line x-x shows the division line of the
socket K.
The rings m, at the ends of the bar, seen in Figure 1, may be continuous or
endless, and these are usually provided with eyes or hooks 8', to which the outer
edges of the curtain may be fixed. In Figure 5 I have broken away the ring to
shew the construction it would otherwise obscure.
I am well aware that it is not new, so far as my present invention is concerned,
to provide the travellers of a curtain-fixture with rollers, and this I do not broadly
claim herein. I am not aware, however, that it has ever been proposed to arrange
the roller to travel over the slot in the lower side of the bar, or that such rollers
have been arranged tandem, as herein shown. It is obvious that the common
travellers might be provided each with two rollers arranged tandem and this
would be done by simply following the construction of the master-traveller, but
omitting the clamping device, and, by preference, also the eyes 1 - - - 1. I prefer, .
however, to use but one roller on the traveller F in order to economize space.
Having now particularly described and, ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim, in respect of curtain fixtures, is
1. The combination with the tube A, slotted throughout its length, of the deep
cups B, B¹, fitted into the ends of the said tube and provided with flanges, b and
projections c to gage the width of the slot in the tube and the blocks C, fitted into
the said cups the whole to form a curtain-bar, substantially as set forth.
2. The curtain bar provided with rings m, with hooks n, for a lambrequin and
with hooks o, on the opposite side from the hooks n, for the support of a lace
curtain, substantially as set forth.
3. A common traveller for a curtain-fixture, comprising a spindle-shaped roller, a
frame in which the said roller is mounted, and a pendent bail, all substantially as
described.

page_text: .
4. A common traveller for a curtain-fixture, comprising the spindle-shaped
roller i, the ring-like frame h in which the said roller is mounted, and the pendent
bail j, provided with projections and eye k, all substantially as set forth.
5. The combination with a tubular slotted curtain-bar, of a common traveller F
arranged in the hollow of the bar and comprising a roller arranged to travel along
the bottom of the bar and over the slot in the same, a frame in which the said
roller is mounted and a bail which depends from the said frame through the slot in
the bar, substantially as set forth.
6. The combination with a tubular slotted curtain-bar, and an operating cord
arranged therein, substantially as described, of a master-traveller comprising two
rollers arranged tandem to travel along the bottom of the bar, a frame in which
the said rollers are mounted, a bail which depends through the slot in the bar, and
a clamp whereby the traveller is secured to the operating-cord; snbstantially as set
forth.
7. A master traveller for a curtain fixture, comprising two rollers, arranged
tandem, a frame in which the rollers are mounted, provided with eyes for the
passage of the operating cord, à bail which depends from the said frame, a screw
stem from which the curtain is suspended, and a clamp operated by the said screw-
stem, whereby the traveller is clamped to the operating-cord, all of the said parts
being arranged substantially as set forth.
8. The master-traveller G, comprising a plate in which are formed the eyes 1, 1,
and which is provided with the lugs 2, 2, the plate 3, arranged between the eyes,
the bail 4 provided with the enlargement 7, the guards 5, 5, the screw-stem 9 and
the clamping-lever connected to the said screw-stem, all arranged substantially as
set forth.
9. The master-traveller G, provided with the guards 5, 5, provided with the
projections 8, 8 substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
10. The master traveller G, constructed as described, that is to say, the eyes 1, 1,
and lugs 2, 2 formed integrally of sheet metal, bent as described, the U-shaped
plate. 3 bent as described and secured between the eyes, the bail 4, and guards 5
formed integrally, bent as shown, and secured to the lugs 2, by rivetting the roller-
axes therein, the rollers 6, 6 mounted in the lugs 2, the screw stem 9, passing up
through the disc 7, on the bail and screwing through the plate between the eyes,
and the clamping lever 11, arranged in one of the eyes and coupled to the screw-
stem between the eyes, substantially as set forth.
11. The clamp J, comprising the outer button 12, the screw 13, fixed in the said
button, the inner button comprising the two plates 14 and 15, the plate 14 being
provided with the inturned flange 16 which has a female screw to fit the screw 13,
and the suspending link 17, all constructed substantially as set forth.
12. The combination with the tubular bar A, of the end-socket L, provided with
a flange q, and a rib 8, of the divided, flanged socket K, provided with a flange p, to
engage the flange q, and a recess r, to engage the rib 8, substantially as set forth.
13. Constructing curtain fixtures as described and shown.
J. C. MEWBURN,
169, Fleet Street, London,
Agent.