provements in the Manufacture of Metallic Brackets for Supporting Cornice Poles and Rods, Roller Blinds, and Shop Window Shelves, and for other Purposes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 7th May, 1889
"omplete Specification Left, 27th Jan, 1890-Accepted, 1st Mar., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Improvements in the Manufacture of Metallic Brackets for
Supporting Cornice Poles and Rods, Roller Blinds, and Shop
Window Shelves, and for other Purposes.
We WILLIAM HENRY TONKS of the firm of William Tonks and Sons of Moseley
Street Birmingham in the County of Warwick Manufacturers and JOHN BURN of
Sturge Street Sparkhill near Birmingham aforesaid Tool Maker do hereby declare the
nature of thus Invention to be as follows
-
Our invention consists of the processes or combinations of processes hereinafter
described for making from sheet brass or other strong and ductile sheet metal or allov
the supporting brackets of cornice poles and rods roller blinds shop window shelves and
other articles
We will describe our invention as applied to the manufacture of a cornice pole
bracket
We cut out at a press a strip or blank of sheet biass (preferably) having a breadth
double that of the aims of the bracket to be made and by a cut or incision we divide
the blank at its middle for about two thirds of its length. There is thereby formed
two branches connected by the undivided part or end of the blank of the original
breadth One of the two branches is next bent out of the plane of the other branch
and a curved figure given to it and at the same time troughed so as to increase
its rigidity and strength This curved and troughed branch constitutes the lower
arm of the finished bracket By inother operation the straight branch of the blank
is curved outwards and then bent twice at right angles The last named branch
constitutes the upper arm of the finished brachet and from the curved part one halt of
the semi-circular seat for the cornice pole is made The solid or undivided part
of the partly made bracket is next bent or folded along its middle and the folded parts
closed upon one another so as to give a double thickness of metal at that part
By the last described operation the upper arm is bent outwards and the two arms
are now arranged on either side the double part of the bracket
The doubled or folded part of the bracket is next curved upwards so as to form with
the curved part of the upper arm adjacent to the said doubled part the semi-circular
seat of the bracket in which seat the cornice pole rests The bracket is finished by
forming at the ends of the two arms countersunk holes for the fixing screws and also
a hole at the outer end of the curved seat for fixing the pole in the said seat
Both arms of the bracket may be troughed instead of the lower arm only as before
described
A bracket is thus formed from a single blank or piece of sheet brass the bending or
fashioning of the shit or divided blank being effected by the operation of dies or tools
worked in a press.
In making according to our invention a shop window bracket for supporting shelves
and other flat articles the upper arm is made straight instead of having a curved seat
in it and both the inner and outer ends of the said upper arm are hent at right
angles.
In making a roller blind bracket according to our invention we make it from
stronger sheet metal than that from which cornice pole and shop window brackets
are made. In this case instead of taking a blank of double the breadth of the arms of
the finished bracket we take a blank of the same breadth as the arms of the bracket but
of double the thickness of the said arms and we split or divide the thick blank parallel
to its faces through about two thirds of its length so as to form two branches
from which the arins of the bracket are shaped the ends of the said branches being bent
nearly at right angles and expanded and countersunk screw holes made in them.

page_text: The solid or undivided part of the blank is perforated by piercing or drilling and
constitutes the eye in which the pivot or axis of the blind roller turns
The last described method of manufacture may also be applied to cornice pole ind
other like brackets in which more than ordinary strength is require
Dated this 7th day of May 1889.
W. T WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Metallic Brackets for
Supporting Oornice Poles and Rods, Roller Blinds, and Shop
Window Shelves, and for other Purposes.
We, WILLIAM HENRY TONKS of the firm of William Tonks and Sons of Moseley Street
Birmingham in the County of Warwick Manufacturers and JOHN BURN of Sturge
Street Sparkhill near Birmingham atoresaid Tool Maker do hereby declare the nature
of our invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement
1
Our invention consists of the processes or combinations of processes herem after
described for making from sheet brass or other strong and ductile sheet metal or alloy
the supporting brackets of cornice poles and rods, roller blinds, shop window shelves
and other articles
We will describe our invention as applied to the manufacture of a cornice pole
bracket.
We cut out at a press a strip or blank of sheet brass (preferably) having a breadth
double that of the arins of the bracket to be made and by a cut or incision we divide
the blank at its middle for about two thirds or three quarters of its length. There is
thereby formed two branches connected by the undivided part or end of the blank of
the original breadth One of the two branches is next bent out of the plane of the
other branch and a curved figure given to it and at the same time troughed so as to
increase its rigidity and strength This curved and troughed branch constitutes the
lower arm of the finished bracket. By another operation the straight branch of the
blank is curved outwards and then bent tw ce at right angles The last named
branch constitutes the upper arm of the finished bracket and from the curved part one
half of the semi-circular seat for the cornice pole is made The solid or undivided
part of the partly made bracket is next bent or folded along its middle and the folded
parts closed upon one another so as to give a double thickness of metal at that part.
By the last described operation the upper arm is bent outwards and the two arms
are now arranged on either side the doubled part of the bracket The doubled or
folded part of the bracket is next curved upwards so as to form with the curved
part of the upper arm, adjacent to the said doubled part, the semi-circular seat of
the bracket in which seat the cornice pole rests The bracket is finished by forming
at the ends of the two arms countersunk holes for the fixing screws and also a hole at
the outer end of the curved seat for fixing the pole in the said seat
Both arms of the bracket may be troughed instead of the lower arm only as before
described.
In making according to our invention a shop window bracket for supporting
shelves and other flat articles the upper arm is made straight instead of having a
curved seat in it and both the inner and outer ends of the said upper arm are bent at
right angles.
In making brackets according to our invention in which greater strength is
required than in the cornice pole and shop window brackets herein before described
instead of taking a blank of double the breadth of the arms of the finished bracket we
take a blank of the same breadth as the arms of the bracket but of double the
thickness of the said arms and we split or divide the thick blank parallel to its faces
through about two thirds of its length so as to form two branches from which the

page_text: arms of the bracket are shaped the ends of the said branches being bent nearly at
right angles and expanded and countersunk screw holes made in them
We will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the
manner in which our invention is to be performed
In making a cornice pole bracket (or other similar bracket) according to our
invention we cut out from sheet brass or other ductile sheet metal or alloy a blank
having the form represented in Figure 1 the part a having a breadth double that of
the arms of the bracket to be made and the end part being slightly wider than the
other part a
The part a of the blank is divided at its middle by a longitudinal cut
or incision into two branches c, d connected to the undivided wider part or end bas
represented in Figure 2 The ends of the branches c, d having been pierced with
holes the said branches have by a series of shaping operations the form given to them
represented in plan and side elevation in Figure 3, that is to say, the branch c is
bent out of the plane of the other branch d and bent twie at right angles at c², c³,
the part being also curved, and the branch d is curved downwards and at the same
time troughed so as to increase its rigidity and strength. By a further operation the
arm d is also troughed and the solid or undivided part of the partly made bracket
bent or partly folded along its middle as represented in Figure 4 which Figure
represents elevations of the partly made bracket tiken at right angles to one another
By a further operation the halves of the part are completely folded upon one
another as represented in Figure 5 and the two arms c, d brought into the same plane
so that they are now arranged on either side the doubled or folded part of the
bracket as represented in the said Figure 5. By a further operation the folded parts
at b are compressed upon one another and consolidated and a convex figure given to
the underside of the compressed and consolidated parts at- as represented in Figure 6
the underside of the parts at b Figure 6 having now the same external curvature in
cross section as the lower arm d of the bracket
The folded and consolidated part at Figure 6 is next curved upwards so as to
form with the curved part 2 of the upper arm c adjacent to the part b the semi-
circular seat of the bracket for the cornice pole o rod to rest in as represented in
Figure 7 where the seat for the cornice pole or rod is marked b
The termination of
the curved seat having been cut off and shaped a hole is drilled and tapped in it
at e for receiving the binding or holding screw of the pole or rod as represented in
Figure 8 and the bracket is finished by counter-inking the holes at g, g in the ends
of the arms c, d for rece.ving the heads of the fixing screws by which the bracket is
secured in its place
A bracket is thus made from a single blank or piece of sheet brass (or other sheet
metal) the bending or fashioning of the shit or divided blank represented in Figure 2
being effected by the operation of dies or tools worked in a press
In making a sheet metal bracket for supporting shelves or other flat articles in
which bracket the upper arm is made straight we proceed in the following manner.
We take a blank of sheet metal having the shape represented in Figure 9 and
marked a, band divide it into two branches c, d as represented in Figure 10 The
end of the branch c which forms the straight upper arm of the finished bracket is bent
downwards at right angles to the other part as seen at and the said arm c is
troughed
The other branch d is bent downwards and curved and troughed The partly made
bracket after the last described operations is represented in plan and side elevation in
Figure 11. One halt of the broad unslit part 6 of the partly made bracket is next
partly folded or doubled upon the other half of the part bas represented in Figure 12
and by another operation the complete folding or doubling of the parts at 6 is effected
as represented in Figure 13 the last described operations inverting the position of the
arm c (Figure 11) so as to bring the angle piece above the arm c as represented in
the said Figure 13 instead of under it The folded or doubled part 6 of the bracket
is next flattened on its upper side and curved on its under side and the folds or
doublings at consolidated as represented in Figure 14. Through the folded or
doubled and consolidated end of the part 6 a hole is next made for receiving the fixing
b

page_text: screw by which the fixmg of the shelf to the bracket is effected The ends c and d
of the two arms c d are provided with screw holes for securing the bracket in its
place
In making a cornice pole or rod bracket from a split or divided thick blank according
to our invention we take a blank of the hind represented in Figure 15 the sand blank
having the same width as the arms of the bracket to be made but of double the
thickness of the said arms The thick blank Figure 15 is split or divided parallel to
its faces through the greater part of its length so as to form two branches or arms c d
joined by the solid or undivided part The divided or split blank Figure 15 being
held vertically its two branches c d are opened out or separated and the said branches
operated upon by shaping tool, so as to give the opened out branches the shape
represented in Figure 16 the two arms c d of the partly made bracket being joined to
the solid part which has not been operated upon The ends of the arms c d having
been pierced the solid part is curved upwards and its underside rounded by the
operation of other tools to form with the partly curved arm c the seat for the rod or
pole as represented in Figure 17.
The bracket thus made is finished in the ordinary way.
This arrangement may be applied to the manufacture of shelf brackets roller blind
brackets and other like brackets
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is to be performed we declare that we
claim as our invention
First The process or combination of processes herein before described and
illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings for the
manufacture from sheet bra-s or other hard and ductile sheet metal or alloy of brackets
for supporting cornice poles and rods and for other purposes, also the modified process
or combination of processes herein before described and illustrated in Figures 9, 10,
11, 12, 13 and 14 of the accompanying drawings for the manufacture of shop window
brackets and other like brackets for supporting shelves and other flat articles.
Secondly The modified process or combination of processes herein before described
and illustrated in Figures 15, 16 and 17 of the accompanying Drawings in which the
brackets are made from thick sheet metal blanks split or divided parallel to then faces
through the greater part of their length as described and illustrated.
Dated the 25th day of January 1890.
WILLIAM HENRY TONKS.
JOHN BURN.