Improvements in Movable Partitions or Screens for School or other Rooms or Halls.
Year: 1897

page_text: This Print is in accordance with the Original Specification as it stands after
Amendment (under Section 11 of the Patents, &c. Act, 1883) as required by
the decision of the Comptroller General of the 22nd day of July 1898.
Improvements in Movable Partitions or Screens for School or other
Rooms or Halls.
I, WILLIAM JOHNSON, of 27, Parkfield Avenue, Claughton Road, Birkenhead,
in the County of Chester, Joiner and Builder, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object a screen or partition for school or other rooms
or halls for dividing them when required into separate rooms or compartments.
The invention is designed to dispense with the costly revolving shutters or
screens hitherto so much used, and to provide instead a partition which when in
use will go transversely or otherwise across the room or hall to divide it, but
which when not required for use can be shifted so as to lie close to one of the walls
where it is out of the way.
In carrying my invention into effect, the plan I prefer is to provide a series of
frames which are by preference constructed with wood panels below and with
glass panels above. The frames are of such a number that when placed edge to
edge they will stretch across the room or hall which it is required to divide. Each
frame except one or more is provided with rollers, which roll on a stationary rail
placed at a sufficient height from the floor, the frames being suspended from this
rail and capable of being rolled from end to end thereof. In the case, for example.
of a transverse partition, the rail on which the frames travel passes from one side
of the room transversely across it, then curving at right angles passes longitudinally
along the room in close proximity to the side wall. Along this rail the frames
are conveyed by hand power, and they are adapted not only to travel along the
straight portions of the rail but also travel round the curve which joins the two
straight parts. This result is arrived at by providing the rollers with a swivel or
pivot which enables them to turn on a vertical axis and so take the curve casily
In the floor I provide a slot or groove following approximately or nearly the path
of the rail above, and on the bottom of the door I provide a pin or roller which
engages in this groove or slot and keeps the frames in their proper position so as
to resist lateral pressure. The frame or frames which is or are not suspended
from the rail is formed as a hinged door in close proximity to the wall. The space.
if any, between the frames at top and the ceiling or roof of the room or hall is
filled up with a permanent partition. To partition up a room, each frame is
rolled into position, so that they shall collectively form a partition or barrier
across the room, the frames at opposite ends being provided with a bolt or other
suitable device for locking them in position and keeping them stationary. The
hinged door or doors, which when not in use lie flat against the wall, are then
closed forming a complete partition. When not required for use, the door is

page_text: opened so as to lie flat against the wall, the bolts withdrawn and the frames rolled
along until they lie in proximity to the wall of the building, glass panels above
allowing the pictures or other objects on the wall, if any, being seen through the
glass, or permitting light if there are windows behind to pass through. It is
obvious that slides may be used instead of rollers if so desired.
Dated this 14th day of Annil 1807
Improvements in Movable Partitions or Screens for School or other
Rooms or Halls.
I, WILLIAM JOHNSON, of 27, Parkfield Avenue, Claughton Road, Birkenhead,
in the County of Chester, Joiner and 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:-
This invention has for its object a screen or partition for school or other rooms
or halls for dividing them when required into separate rooms or compartments.
The invention is designed to dispense with the costly revolving shutters or screens
hitherto so much used, and to provide instead a partition which when in use will
go transversely or otherwise across the room or hall to divide it, but which when
not required for use can be shifted so as to lie close to one of the walls where it is
out of the way.
On the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a transverse section of a schoolroom with my improved partition or
screen in position;
Figure 2 a sectional plan view with the partition removed so as to lie close
against one of the walls of the room.
Figure 3 a longitudinal section of a portion of a schoolroom with the partition
in its position when not in use that is in the same position as shown in Figure 2;
Figure 4 is an enlarged edge view of one of the partition doors
Figure 5 the arrangement for locking the respective sections to prevent lateral
movement.
In carrying my invention into effect, the plan I prefer is to provide a series of
sections or frames A which are by preference constructed with wood panels a
below and with glass panels a¹ above. The frames are of such a number that
when placed edge to edge they will stretch across the room or hall which it is
required to divide as shown in Figure 1. Each frame except one or more is pro-
vided with rollers B, which roll on a stationary rail C placed at a sufficient height
from the floor, the frames being suspended from this rail and capable of being
rolled from end to end thereof. In the case, for example, of a transverse partition,
the rail C on which the frames travel passes from one side of the room transversely
across it, then curving at right angles as shown in Figure 2 passes longitudinally
along the room in close. proximity to the side wall D. Along this rail the frames
are conveyed by hand power, and they are adapted not only to travel along the
straight portions of the rail but also travel round the curve & which joins the two
straight parts. This result is arrived at by providing the rollers B with a swivel
or pivot E, Figure 4, which enables them to turn on a vertical axis and so take
the curve easily. In the floor I provide a slot or groove F following approximately
or nearly the path of the rail above, and on the bottom of each frame A I provide
a pin G or roller which engages in this groove or slot and keeps the frames in their

page_text: proper position so as to resist lateral pressure. The frame or frames which is or
are not suspended from the rail is formed as a hinged door H in close proximity
to the wall. The space, if any, between the frames at top and the ceiling or roof
of the room or hall is filled up with a permanent partition I. J are handles by
means of which the frames are moved along and K catches for locking the frames
together.
To partition up a room, each frame A is rolled into position, so that when
placed together edge to edge and interlocked by the tongues L engaging in the
grooves M, Fig. 5 they shall collectively form a partition or barrier across the
room, the frames at opposite ends being provided if desired with a bolt or other
suitable device for locking them in position and keeping them stationary. When
in this position, there will be found to be still a passage left between the end of
the partition and the wall, where the rail C curves, and this is filled by the hinged
door H which when closed makes the partition complete.
When the partitions are not required for use, the doors H are opened so as to
lie flat against the wall, the bolts withdrawn the frames A separated and rolled
along until they lie in proximity to the wall of the building where they are out of
the way, glass panels above allowing the pictures or other objects on the wall, of
any, being seen through the glass a', or permitting light if there are windows
behind to pass through. It is obvious that slides may be used instead of rollers B
if so desired, and the frames or sections A. could if desired be moved to either sides
of the room, or some to each side, the rail being in that case arranged accordingly.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood
that I am aware of the Specification of Charles Strapps No. 7820 of 1896, and I
lay no claim to anything described and claimed therein, but I declare that what
I claim is -
1. The improvement in suspended or sliding partitions employed in school
rooms and the like to divide them into compartments, and which, when not
required, are slid back so as to lie close to the wall, consisting in forming these
partitions of a series of separate rigid sections detached from each other so that
they can be moved with ease, in combination with locking devices, whereby when
they are placed in position they can be locked together into a rigid partition, and
in combination with a rail placed at a considerable distance from the ceiling,
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In movable partitions or screens of the kind set forth, the combination there-
with of a hinged door or doors H adapted to lie flat against the wall or fill the space
between the ends of the partition and the walls and so make the partition complete,
substantially as described.