IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR CARRIAGE CURTAINS AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Zenas Winslow Chapman, of the City,
County, and State of New York, United States of America, Surgeon
Dentist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR
CARRIAGE CURTAINS AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES.”
Sealed the 21st June 1872, and dated the 26th December 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Zenas
Winslow Chapman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with his Petition, on the 26th December 1871.
I, WILLIAM ZENAS WINSLOW CHAPMAN, of the City, County, and
State of New York, United States of America, Surgeon Dentist, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FASTENINGS FOR CARRIAGE CURTAINS AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES," to be as
follows:-
With all the efficient fastenings heretofore made great annoyance has
been occasioned by the rattling and noise of the adjacent parts, or in
instances when this was remedied it was at great expense or incon-
venience. My present improvements afford a cheap and easily made
fastening conveniently and quickly attached and expeditiously fastened
and unfastened, durable in its character, and entirely free from noise.

page_text: The construction of my fastening is as follows:-I form a cylindrical
or other shaped cap of thin metal or other suitable material about half
its length, slightly tapering towards the top which is closed, and having
a flange at its lower end. A slot is made through one side of this cap,
through which a catch projects. Into this cap I slide the said catch, a
ring of wire that is fitted tightly within the cap being strung through a
hole at its upper end, in this way making the hinge joint. The said
ring is kept in place by a semi-cylindrical stop which is inserted into the
cap until its upper end presses snugly against the ring. Into the cap is
next inserted a metallic or other suitable spring in such manner as to
cause the catch to project outward excepting when it is pressed in when
being used or in fastening or unfastening. The lower end of the said
catch projects slightly downward so that the projection will be forced
out with the catch and exert an elastic pressure on the grommet of the
curtain, and thus prevent rattling. And when the fastener is intended
to hold two curtains a small bearing is inserted in a slot formed in the
cap immediately. below the aforesaid catch to afford an elastic bearing
similar to the projection of the catch, and thus prevent rattling; or the
elastic bearing may be pivoted to vibrate in the slot. This bearing is
kept in position by a small spiral or other spring, one end of the said
spring entering a hole formed in the stop plate, thus holding it in place.
until forced in by the pressure of the curtain or grommet. The afore-
said catch is formed on its inner edge with a small notch or seat, in
which one end of the spring rests, so that when the catch is pressed
inward the spring will not only be pressed together, but will be some-
what shortened and thus increase its elastic force.
When the several parts are inserted in the interior of the cap I apply
to the base or open end of the cap a common wood screw having a
metal cup-shaped washer around it which covers the flange on the cap,
and the said washer is firmly set down upon the flange.
In order to use the fastener above described I make a grommet of two
parts which are formed of metal or other suitable material. One of
these parts has attached to it two or more clinching pins which are
formed of wire and soldered to one of the parts of the said grommet.
The other of the said parts is provided with holes suitably formed for
the reception of the said clinching points. Through the curtain is then
punched a hole. To the inner side of the curtain an annular disc of
rubber, leather, or other suitable material is applied. The carriage

page_text: curtain and disc are pierced for the reception of the clinching points
which protrude through them, and the holes in the other part of the
said grommet when they are folded over or clinched firmly hold the
curtain and annular disc between the two parts of the same. The hole
when punched through the curtain and the hole in the disc leave an
interior rim projecting all around beyond the edges of the opening in
the metallic grommet so that when the curtain is slipped over the catch
or fastener no rattling is produced. The grommet supports and
strengthens the curtain, and the inner rim keeps the grommet from
contact with the body of the fastener.
If the fastener is to be applied to a curtain or other flexible founda-
tion the upper surface of the upper metallic part of the said grommet is
formed with a recess into which the base of the cap is fitted, the edge
of the said recess being then turned down and upon the said base, thus
holding the cap in place; or the base of the cap or fastener and the
upper half of the metallic grommet may be made of one piece of metal
or be soldered together; or the base of the cap or fastener may be pro-
vided with clinching points which will extend through the curtain and
through the under metallic grommet where they may be clinched; or
the metallic grommet may be slipped over the fastener until the edges
of the hole in the said grommet snugly press against the base of the
fastener, and in this way hold it firmly in place.
If it is desired to attach the fastener to a metal rail or other metal
foundation, the base of the fastener is provided with a tubular extension
having screw threads cut therein so that a screw passed through a hole
drilled in the metallic foundation and screwed into the said projection
will hold the fastener firmly in place; or the said projection may be
passed through the hole of the rail and the end spread forming a rivet
head.
30 SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Zenas Winslow Chapman in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 25th June 1872.

page_text: ZENAS WINSLOW CHAPMAN, of the City, County, and State of New
York, United States of America, Surgeon Dentist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Zenas Winslow Chapman, Her
special licence that I, the said William Zenas Winslow Chapman, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Zenas Winslow Chapman, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR
CARRIAGE CURTAINS AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Zenas Winslow Chapman, my execu
tors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Zenas Winslow Chapman, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawing forming part of this Specification :-
In all efficient fastenings heretofore made great annoyance has been
occasioned by the rattling and noise produced by the adjacent parts, or

page_text: Figure 21 is a plan of a radiated blank; Figure 22 is a side elevation
of the cap for the said blank; Figure 23 is a plan of the said cap.
Figure 24 is a plan of the grommet, showing one method of attaching
a leather thong for an anti-rattler.
Figure 25 is a plan of grommet shewing anti-rattling surfaces and
clinching points.
Figures 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, and 40
illustrate various methods of attaching non-metallic substances to the
grommet as anti-rattlers.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawings.
.
I form a cylindrical or other shaped cap a of metal or other suitable
material slightly tapered towards the top which is closed and having a
flange at its lower end, see Figure 4. A slot is made in one side of this
cap a, through which the catch 6 projects. Into this cap I slide the
catch piece b, having a ring of wire c fitted within the cap strung
through a hole at its upper end, in this way making the hinge joint, as
clearly indicated in Figures 4, 11, and 17. The ring c is kept in place
by a curved stop plate d, which is inserted into the cap a until its upper
end presses snugly againt the ring c, or the same may be soldered to
the interior of the fastener or otherwise. Into the cap a is next inserted
a metallic or any other suitable spring e in such manner as to cause the
catch 6 to project outward, excepting when it is pressed in when being
used or in fastening or unfastening. The lower end of the catch 6 is pro-
jected slightly downwards so that the projection will be forced out with
the catch, and exert an elastic pressure on the grommet of the curtain,
and thus prevent rattling. And when the fastener is intended to hold
two curtains a small bearing f is inserted in a slot formed in the cap
immediately below the catch 6 to afford an elastic bearing similar to the
projection of the catch 6, and thus prevent rattling; or the elastic
bearing may be pivotted to vibrate in the slot. This bearing is kept in
position by a small spiral or other spring g, one end of the said spring
entering a hole or resting over a small teat formed in the stop plate, thus
holding it in place. The catch 6 is formed on its inner edge with a
small notch or seat h, into which one end of the spring rests, so that
when the catch is pressed inward the spring will not only be com-
pressed but will be somewhat shortened, and its elastic force will be
increased.

page_text: When the several parts are inserted in the interior of the cap I apply
to the base or open end of the said cap a common wood screw, having
around it a metal cup-shaped washer which covers the flange on the
cap a, when by a tool the said washer is firmly set down upon the said
flange, or the screw head may be corrugated, and like corrugations
formed in the cup-shaped washer, so that when the screw is placed
within it a small disc placed over the top of the screw will hold it in
place.
To use the fastener above described I make a grommet of two parts,
(see Figure 6,) which are formed of metal or other suitable material.
One of these parts has attached to it in any desirable way, for instance,
as shewn in Figures 6 and 7, two or more clinching pins formed of
wire of the shape shewn in Figure 20, and then soldered to one of the
parts; or allowing the points to protrude through holes in the grommet
for that purpose as shewn in Figure 27. The other of the said parts is
provided with holes suitably formed for the reception of the said clinching
points. Through the curtain is then punched a suitable hole. To the
inner side of the curtain an annular disc of leather, rubber, or other
suitable material is applied. The carriage curtain and disc are pierced
for the reception of the said clinching points which protrude through
them, and the holes in the other part of the grommet when they are
folded over or clinched, in this way firmly holding the curtain and
annular disc between the two parts of the said grommet. The hole
when punched through the curtain and disc is smaller than the hole in
the grommet, and thus leaves an interior rim projecting all around
beyond the edges of the opening in the metallic grommet, so that when
the curtain is slipped over the catch or fastener no rattling is produced.
The grommet supports and strengthens the curtain, and the inner rim
keeps the grommet from contact with the body of the fastener.
If the fastener is to be applied to a curtain or other flexible or thin
foundation the upper surface of the upper part of the said grommet is
formed with a recess, into which the base of the cap a is fitted, the
edges of the said recess being then turned down and upon the said
base, thus holding the cap in place; or the base of the cap or fastener
and the upper half of the metallic grommet may be made of one piece
of metal or be soldered together; or the base of the cap or fastener may
be provided with clinching points which will extend through the curtain

page_text: or the metallic grommet may be slipped over the fastener until the edge
of the hole in the said grommet snugly presses against the base of the
fastener, and in this way holds it firmly in place, or they may be secured
in any desirable manner.
In order to avoid any rattling that might be occasioned when the
metallic surfaces of the grommet or grommet and flange of the cap are
brought together by buttoning the curtains, I perforate the grommet B
with a series of holes k, into which is woven a small leather thong m,
the exposed surface of the leather acting as a cushion for a super-
incumbent grommet, or in case of a single curtain for the base or flange
of the fastener to rest on. By this means all rattling of the parts is
avoided. Or instead of weaving the leather thong as above mentioned
india-rubber or other suitable substance may be interposed in any con-
venient way between the surfaces of the grommets or the grommet and
base of the fastener. Several forms of rubber or other substance for
this purpose are shown, or the base or flange of the fastener may be
armed with a cushion for the same purpose.
If it is desired to attach the fastener to a metal rail or other metal
foundation, the base of the fastener is provided with a tubular extension,
having screw threads cut therein, so that a screw passed through a hole
drilled through the metallic foundation and screwed into the said pro-
jection will hold the fastener firmly in place; or the said projection may
be passed through the hole of the rail, and the end formed into a rivet
head. It will be best in some instances to make the base of the fastener
concave so that it will snugly fit around the rail or other foundation, or
to provide it with projections to enter the rail for the purpose of pre-
venting the uncrewing of the fastener.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it understood that I do not limit myself to
any particular way of forming the cap a, nor to any particular shape,
size, or mode of applying the catch b, and I claim,―
First. A fastening for carriage curtains and other purposes when the
catch ring is retained in place by a curved stop plate in the manner
described, or when the ring upon which the catch is secured is soldered
to the tubular cap.

page_text: W. Z. W. CHAPMAN. (L.s.)