A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING WINDOW-CURTAINS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Henry of Edinburgh in the County of Mid
Lothian North Britain, Cabinetmaker for an invention of "A NEW OR
.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Henry at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th May 1882.
ROBERT HENRY of Edinburgh in the County of Mid-Lothian, North Britain,
แ
Cabinetmaker A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING
WINDOW-CURTAINS,"
This Invention which relates to a new or improved arrangement or construction
of apparatus for opening or pulling back and for closing or drawing forward
window curtains, consists of the usual curtain pole on which rings are placed to hang
the curtains to. At the back or in front of the pole and preferably on a level with
it a rod extends parallel to the pole throughout its length. The rod is screwed with
both a right and left hand screw thread these screws meeting or nearly meeting at
the centre and from thence extending in opposite directions to the end of the rod.
On the curtain rings eyes are made through which the screwed rod passes and in
each of the said eyes a pin is situated which enters the screw thread on the rod.
On one end of the screwed rod a pulley is fixed and another pulley is secured to
the batten or other convenient part of the window casing and over these pulleys
an endless cord is passed. By pulling the said cord the screwed rod is caused to
rotate and the curtain rings are moved along it and along the curtain pole hori-
zontally towards or from the centre of the window thereby closing or opening the
window curtains.
All the curtain rings may have eyes passed over the screwed rod as set forth or
a few of them or the rings only at the outer edge of each curtain may be so
constructed and operated.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Henry in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th November
1882.
ROBERT HENRY of Edinburgh in the County of Mid-Lothian, North Britain
A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING WINDOW
CURTAINS.
My said Invention, which relates to a new or improved apparatus for opening
or pulling back and for closing or drawing forward window curtains, consists of
the usual curtain pole on which rings are placed to hang the curtains. At the back
or above the pole but preferably on a level with it a rod extends parallel to the
pole throughout its length. The rod is screwed with both a right and left hand
screw thread these screws meeting or nearly meeting at the centre and from thence
extending in opposite directions to the ends of the rod. On the ring for each
curtain near the centre of the pole an eye is made through which the screwed rod
passes and in each of the said eyes a pin is formed or fixed which enters the screw
thread on the rod. In order to perfect the working of the method the ring is
provided with a cross piece as hereinafter more particularly described.
On one end of the screwed rod a pulley is fixed and another pulley is or may be
centred on the batten rod or other convenient part of the window casement and
over these pulleys an endless cord; by which the apparatus is actuated is passed.
And in order that my Said Invention may be properly understood, I now
proceed more particularly to describe the system, mode or manner in, or under
which the same is or may be used or carried out in practice reference being had to
the annexed sheet of drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon.
On the drawings Figure 1 is a plan and figure 2 a transverse section of the
arrangement. A is the usual curtain pole, and B, the screwed rod, the screw threads
on which may either be cut into the rod as shewn or raised upon it. These threads
extend in opposite directions as seen at figure 1 from the centre C, to the ends of
the rod. To hang the curtains to a series of rings D are placed on the pole A, and
the ring E, nearest the centre of the pole and which is the "master"
" or actuating
ring under my Invention, is formed with a cross piece F, the form of which is seen
more particularly at figure 2 which piece bears on the top side of the pole A, only,
and in drawing the curtains either to close or open them lessens the friction of the
master rings E, upon the said pole A.
Another ring G, is placed on each of the screw threads of the rod B, the said
ring having a pin or tongue a, which enters the screw thread and also a tail piece b,
projecting towards the ring E. A strap c, passed over each of the rings E, connects
the rings E, and G together the said strap being held in position by a cottar pin d,
or its equivalent passed through it and through the tail 6 of the ring G.
On one end of the rod B, a pulley H is fixed and by a cord passed over the said
pulley the apparatus is actuated so as to open or close the curtains.
The master ring E, instead of being a single ring as seen at figures 1 and 2 may
⚫ be constructed as shewn at figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, that is to say two rings
may be connected together by the bearing piece F, and by a plate or bar e, the said
rings being connected to the tail 6 of the ring G by a strap c, which latter is
passed over the plate e and is consequently together with the tail b, placed at
right angles to the position shewn at figures 1 and 2. With this arrangement
a plate is or may be attached to the double master ring which plate has eyes g,
formed or fixed in it to hang the curtains to, and, when the curtains are closed, in
order that the edges of them may come close together or overlap, the plate f, and
one of the eyes g may project beyond the master ring as seen at figure 3.

page_text: This double form of master ring having the bearing bar F, besides being
employed for the purposes of my said Invention is also applicable to be used with
the object of reducing friction and causing the rings to slide more easily on curtain
poles and especially on poles for Oriel, semi-circular, or bay windows in cases where
the curtains are drawn by cords or by hand in the usual manner
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the system mode or manner in or under which the same is or
may be used or carried out in practice I would observe in conclusion that I am
aware that previous to the date of my said hereinbefore in part recited Letters
Patent apparatus had been devised for opening and closing window curtains and
in which the curtain pole itself had a screw thread formed on its exterior surface
or was made hollow with a screw at its interior and that the curtain rings were
geared with the said screws. These forms of apparatus have been found defective
by reason of deficiency in the master rings employed. It is therefore to be under-
stood that my said Invention consists in the new or improved master rings
constructed substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn on the sheet of
drawings hereunto appended and in the employment of the same in conjunction
with a screwed rod separate from and situated out with an ordinary curtain pole
as set forth.
In Witness Whereof I the said Robert Henry have hereunto set my hand
and seal this 20th day of November in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two