Travelling Hangers for Doors, Curtains, and Overhead Tracks.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 6th Oct., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Travelling Hangers for Doors, Curtains, and Overhead Tracks.
I, JAMES THOMAS MCCABE, residing at 160 Huron Street, in the City of
Toronto in the County of York and Province of Ontario, Canada, Builder, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The object of this invention is to provide a frictionless travelling hanger for
doors, curtains and overhead tracks, by means of which the article to be movably
hung or supported can be moved over the required predetermined and arranged
space with as sinall an expenditure of applied force as possible; and the invention
consists essentially of an overhead rail in the form of a tube having a longitudinal
slot extending preferably from end to end of the same, formed at the lower extremity
of the vertical diameter of the tube, the opposite meeting edges of the tube being
curved into the form substantially as shown in the drawings in order to provide two
rounded tracks for the ball bearing portion of the hanger to travel upon, and also.
in providing the hanger or support with a travelling ball preferably of hardened
steel which will revolve independent of the remaining parts of the hanger during
the travel of the same from end to end of the slot or over the required and
predetermined space: the device being constructed and arranged as hereinafter set
forth and more particularly pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings :
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device showing it employed as a door hanger.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the carriage.
Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the tubular rail.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the device showing it employed as a curtain
hanger.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the track showing the pivotal hanger
and the adjusting hanger for the track.
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the pivotal hanger for the track.
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the adjusting hanger for the track.
Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the device employed in conjunction with a
travelling ladder.
Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view of the carriage and track, shown in Fig. 8.
Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view of the carriage and track shown in Fig. 8.
Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the carriage shown in Figs. 9 and 10.
Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the curtain pin employed in Fig. 4.
Like numerals and letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the
Specification and drawings.
-
As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings the device is employed for the purpose of
hanging a door, and it consists essentially of a tubular rail 1 composed of metal
having a slot 2 extending longitudinally from end to end thereof. Within the tubular
rail and located one on either side of the slot 2 are two rounded tracks 3, along
which travel the balls 4 of the hanger 5. The hanger in this instance is shown to
In the
consist of a case 6 provided at each end with a depending arm 7.
middle of the case 6 is a stop 8 to prevent either one of the halls passing the
middle of the case during the travel of the hanger. Between the case 6 and
the tracks 3 are located the balls 4, and it might here be stated that in order to
securely hold the balls 4 the case 6 partially encloses the upper part of the balls.
The balls 4 are made preferably of case hardened or chilled steel, and it is advisable,
when possible, to harden the tracks 3 in order that there will be as little friction as

page_text: possible between the ball and the track. It is advisable also to provide the under
side of the case 6 with two beads 6, along which travel the upper part of the
balls 4 in order that there will be as little friction as possible between the balls and
the case 6. Each of the arms 7 is secured to the plate 9, and the plates 9 are in
turn fastened to the top of the door. It might here be stated that the hanger 5 is
composed of the parts above mentioned, namely, the case 6, the arms 7 at either
end of the case, and the plate 9. It will be noticed by reference to the drawings
that the middle part of the tubular rail 1 is supported in an adjustable bifurcated
hanger 12 which forms the fulcrum for the tubular rail 1, and upon which the said
rail is balanced when levelling the same. The hanger 12 is provided with a screw
threaded stem 13, one end of which is fitted into and works through a screw threaded
collar 14 fastened to some convenient part of the frame of the door or structure.
It is by means of this screw threaded stem that the hanger is rendered adjustable,
and the object of making the hanger adjustable is for the purpose of adapting one
set of the hangers for all sizes and styles of doors and door frames, and by this
means dispense with the necessity of having to construct a set of hangers for any
particular piece of work. The end of the rail 1 is supported by an adjustable
bifurcated hanger 14 provided with a screw threaded stein 15 having an enlarged
head 16 sunk in a counter sunk recess 17 in the inner face of the hanger 14. The
head 16 is fitted to receive a screw driver or other lever for turning purposes, and
the stem 15 is formed separably from and passes through an opening in the hanger 14.
The end of the stem 15 enters a screw threaded collar 18 fastened to the framework
of the door or other part of the structure. By means of the hanger 14 the end of
the rail can be raised or lowered until the rail is perfectly level, and after the
rail has been levelled the set screws 19 in the hanger 14 are adjusted until their
pressure securely holds the end of the rail in the banger. The space between the
forks of each of the hangers 12 and 14 is equal to or slightly greater than the
width of the slot 2, and the object of bifurcating the hangers 12 and 14 is for
the purpose of providing this space in order that the hanger can freely travel from
end to end, if necessary, of the rail without receiving any opposition whatever from
the said hangers. The device as shown in Figs. 4 & 12 of the drawings is to be
employed as a curtain hanger, and it consists in this case of a ball 4 and a curtain
pin 22 having a coil 21 formed integral with the pin 22. It will be noticed that
the ball 4 is circumferentially grooved, and in this groove sits the coil 21; it will
also be noticed that the ball 4 projects sufficiently beyond the coil 21 to bear upon
the tracks 3. The balls 4 in this instance travel along the tracks 3 from
end to end thereof similarly to the balls hereinbefore described. When the
device is to be employed as a curtain hanger any predetermined or suitable
number of balls and pins may be employed. I do not however contine
myself exclusively to the employment of the device as a door hanger or curtain
hanger, as I may if I so desire employ the same principle and virtually the
same construction for the purposes of an overhead rail, or any similar device.
In Figs. 8, 9 and 10 the device is shown employed in conjunction with a
travelling ladder, the rail 1 having the slot 2 within it, and the rounded
tracks 3 and the hangers supporting the tube are the same as that hereinbefore
described. The carriage in this instance consists of a shell a of any suitable
form having a partition mediately located within the same, and connected to the
sides of the shell. Between the partition and the top and bottom of the shell a
is sufficient space to receive the balls 4 and between the sides of the partition b and
the ends of the shell a is sufficient space to permit the balls to pass. It will be
noticed that the bottom portion of this carriage is so cut away as to permit the
balls 4 to run upon the tracks 3 in order that the carriage during its travel from
end to end of the tube, can be relieved from unnecessary friction. Depending from
each end of the shell, which constitutes one of the parts of the carriage, are two
arms cc which are connected to the top of the ladder d.
I do not make any claim as to the particular construction of the carriage, or the
purpose for which the device is to be employed.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The travelling hanger hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 5
of the accompanying drawings.
2. The travelling hanger hereinbefore described and illustrated in Fig. 3 of the
accompanying drawings.
3. The travelling hanger hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figs. 8, 9, 10
and 11 of the accompanying drawings.
4. The travelling hanger hereinbefore described and illustrated in Fig. 12 of the
accompanying drawings.
5. The travelling hanger hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, and 7
of the accompanying drawings.
6. In a travelling hanger for doors, curtains &c., the combination of, a track, a
series of independently moving balls running upon said track, and means for inde-
pendently attaching the supported object to the balls, substantially as specified.
7. In a travelling hanger for doors, curtains &c., the combination of a track
composed of a tube having a longitudinal slot formed therein, and a bearing surface
arranged on either side of the longitudinal slot and balls travelling along said
bearing surfaces, and the supported object carried by said balls substantially as
specified.
8. In a travelling hanger for doors, curtains &c., the combination of a track
composed of a tube having a longitudinal slot formed therein, a curved bearing
surface arranged on either side of the longitudinal slot, bearing balls travelling
along said bearing surfaces, a hanger supported and carried by said balls, substan-
tially as specified.
9. In a travelling hanger for doors, curtains &c., the combination of a track
composed of a tube having a longitudinal slot formed therein, and bearing surfaces
arranged on either side of the slot bearing balls running upon the bearing surfaces,
a carriage supported by said bearing balls, a depending arm from the carriage, and
means for attaching the depending arm to the object to be supported.
Dated this 28th day of April 1894.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.