IMPROVEMENTS IN CORNICE POLES AND IN CURTAIN SUSPENDERS AND IN THE MODE OF MANUFACTURING PART OF THE SAME WHICH NEW MODE IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Frederick Grimmett and Joseph Cook both of
Birmingham in the County of Warwick for an invention of IMPROVEMENTS
IN CORNICE POLES AND IN CURTAIN SUSPENDERS AND IN THE MODE OF
MANUFACTURING PART OF THE SAME WHICH NEW MODE IS ALSO APPLICABLE
TO THE MANUFACTURE OF OTHER ARTICLES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Frederick Grimmett
& Joseph Cook at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th April
1882.
CHARLES FREDERICK GRIMMETT and JOSEPH Cooк, both of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick "IMPROVEMENTS IN CORNICE POLES AND IN CURTAIN
SUSPENDERS AND IN THE MODE OF MANUFACTURING PART OF THE SAME WHICH
NEW MODE IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF OTHER ARTICLES
"
Our invention has for its object improvements in cornice poles and in curtain
suspenders which are very much more elegant in appearance than the ordinary
safety pins now used, and also in the mode of manufacturing the cornice rings of
such suspenders which new mode is also applicable to the manufacture of rings,
armlets, and other articles used for other purposes
We will now describe that part of our invention relating in particular to cornice
poles but which may be also used for other purposes such as bed hangings door
hangings and indeed almost wherever curtains are required to be used:-We
surround the pole or rod with a coiled wire This wire runs part of the way with
a right hand coil and part of the way with a left hand coil. The extremities of
the coils have a finer pitch than the centre part where the two coils meet together in
one. Now we thread on to these coils suitable suspenders such as we shall hereafter
describe or ordinary safety pins for the attachment of the curtains so that one
suspender hangs upon each coil or every other coil as found most convenient. One
extremity of each curtain is also made fast to the end of the pole or rod. The coils
are attached to the poles or rods generally by a central bearing and two end

page_text: bearings, and an arrangement is attached to the end or ends of the coil to receive
a cord similar to a blind cord, the cord having suitable stops to regulate its distance
of travel. Now immediately the coil is turned round both the curtains are carried
inwards or outwards as the case may be in a regular proportion to each other—
This proportion cannot possibly vary because the pitch of the wire when once fixed
remains constant, and thus the curtains are always carried back and made to retain
a most elegant and regular appearance in regard to the folds. It will be evident
that this device will be suitable for either one or more curtains according to the
circumstances of each case. The coils may be made of solid metal wire or of
hollow tubes such as will be more fully explained hereafter in regard to pole rings.
The coils may be made sufficiently strong to bear the weight of the curtains without
the usual pole or rod.
We also surround the cornice poles or rods with a coil of light wire or tubing
which extends when at rest only along a part of the said pole or rod and we attach
a suitable appliance such as a cord to draw over the curtain by the extension of
the coil of wire or tubing or other section of coil. The curtain either springs back
into its place when liberated or it may he arranged to draw back.
Our curtain suspenders as most ordinarily used would be made in the upper part
of a round ring formed from sheet metal, generally by the new mode hereafter
to be more fully explained, the ring being cut through one part of its circumference
for the purpose of allowing the bottom part of the suspender to be more readily
joined on to it. The bottom part of the suspender would ordinarily be formed by
bending round one piece of brass or other wire so as to form at its upper end a
bow suitable for slipping over the beforementioned ring and the lower part of the
wire or ends would be bent round into a large and small bow something like the
two legs of a pair of tongs with a natural tendency to spring open due to the twist
of the upper portion of the wire. The curtain or other similar article to be sus-
ponded would be placed between these two lower ends and they would then be
drawn together by a suitable ring fitting around both legs which would slide up
and down drawing together or liberating the said legs. The elegant and ornamental
appearance is given to the suspender by attaching to the outside a suitable metal
or other cover such as a leaf or other suitable design which may indeed form the
front leg in itself. Where solid rings are used we make the lower part of the
suspender on the ring itself but we prefer the upper part being made specially and
split through In cases where it is desired to attach our suspenders to existing
rings of cornice poles we form the upper part of the suspender of a new form with
a suitable book or safety hook or other arrangement such as a split oye or swivel
which enables it to be attached to an eye such as are at present provided on
cornice pole rings, but we prefer to make the attachment as before explained
because there is less liability of the fastoner twisting around and becoming
unsightly In other cases we reverse the fastener and place the hook in the cornice
rings One neat form of detachable fastener we make from one piece of wire by
turning the hook near the middle of its length and twisting the wire round into a
little coil at the root of the back leg to form the spring, the front leg carrying the
ornament as before set forth-Another way would be to fasten a hook at the back
of the ornamental plate and then to twist the wire fastener round as a pin which
would make it act something like the pin of a brooch.
The upper parts of the fasteners or rings we generally make from a strip of thin
brass or other metal which we manufacture in the following manner:—We place
in a lathe or other suitable machine a shaft having a deep spiral hollow. We then
attach to a slide rest or other arrangement a die and also a flexible mandril-We
then take a strip of brass or other metal and draw it through the die and over the
flexible mandril at the same time coiling it upon the shaft. The shaft may be
round, oval, or other shape and it may either be made with a spiral grove or not as
desired and to suit varying conditions such as the quality of the metal to be dealt
with.
The, flexible mandril is of course a most important feature in the process for

page_text: without ample flexibility the tube or other coil could not be wound evenly on a
shaft. We therefore make our flexible mandril from a number of thin strips of
metal, the total number being shaped in cross sections to the internal shape of the
tube required whether round or otherwise. The thin layers as they bend around a
shorter or longer curve adapting themselves in length by sliding upon the several
surfaces according to the diameter of the coil required These mandrils are suitable
for forming other sections besides round and oval, indeed their range of usefulness
is very wide.
Hollow spiral springs and other springs are so made with great
When the coil is made we run a saw through it crosswise which leaves a number
of rings and these may be connected together by various devices at the ends so as
to open or twist sideways sufficiently to pass over the cornice poles.
facility

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Frederick Grimmett & Joseph Cook in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 7th October 1882.
CHARLES FREDERICK GRIMMETT and JOSEPH Cook both of Birmingham in the
County of Warwick "IMPROVEMENTS IN CORNICE POLES AND IN CURTAIN
SUSPENDERS AND IN THE MODE OF MANUFACTURING PART OF THE SAME, WHICH
NEW MODE IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF OTHER ARTICLES
"
Our Invention has for its object improvements in cornice poles and in curtain
suspenders and also in the mode of manufacturing the cornice rings of such
suspenders which new mode is also applicable to the manufacture of rings armlets
and other articles used for other purposes.
We will now describe that part of our invention relating in particular to cornice
poles but which may be also used for other purposes such as bed hangings, door
hangings and indeed almost wherever curtains are to be used. We surround the
cornice pole or rod A, A, A Figure 1 with a coiled wire. This wire runs part of
the way with a right hand coil b, b and part of the way with a left hand coil b', b'.
The extremities of the coils have a finer pitch than the centre part C where the two
coils meet at the washer or ring c. Now we thread on these coils suitable
suspenders such as we shall bereafter describe, or ordinary safety pins or other
arrangement for the attachment of the curtains so that one suspender hangs upon
each coil or every other coil as found most convenient according to the length and
pitch of the coil used and the width of the window and curtain used. In the case
illustrated by Figure 1 the curtain night be hooked to the six fine pitched coils nt
each end as marked at the left end 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. The coils may be attached
to the poles or rods by a central bearing c and two and bearings c' and c. These
bearings may have their outer circumference grooved to receive a suitable cord or
chain similar to a blind cord with suitable stops or other convenient arrangement
to regulate the distance of travel. For instance in the case illustrated by Figure 1
the cord would be of sufficient length to turn the coil five times round upon its
contre, or with the pole so that hook 1 would be by that means carried along to
the coil marked 6. Indeed the right side of the polo is numbered as the hooks
would be when the curtain was carried to cover one side of the window vis 1º, 2º,
3°, 4º, 5º and 6°. In other cases the outer part of each curtain would be hooked
outside the support or be otherwise made fast so that the outer end would not
move, indeed the coil might finish at the outer ends with a simple ring not
inclined to the axis of the polo. The action is as follows: Supposing a cord or
other arrangement to hang over the pulley c¹ or so as to revolve the coils by
friction. Immediately the coils are turned round both the curtains will be carried
inwards or outwards as the case may be in a regular proportion to each other.
Tbis proportion when once fixed cannot possibly vary because the pitch of the
wire when once fixed remains constant and thus the curtains are carried backwards
and forwards in the same relation to each other and are made to retain an elegant
and regular appearance. The effect of the variable pitch of the coils is to open out
and close the folds of the curtain at the same time as it is drawn over. It will be
evident that the device would do for one curtain only instead of two by simply
using a coil of one hand only instead of a left and right coil. The coils may be
made of solid metal wire, or of hollow tubes such as will be more fully explained
hereafter in regard to pole rings. Figure 2 illustrates, a modification of the above
plan where a solid wood pole is surrounded by a metal coil of special section as
shown by F. In this case the suspenders & or hooks or other device for carrying
the curtains would be threaded into the groove c. This special coil F would be

page_text: made by the machinery hereafter to be described for making cornice pole rings.
The coils may be made sufficiently strong to bear the weight of curtains without
an inner rod or pole and they.may be hollow and of oval round or other section
according to desire. Another modification is shown by Figure 3 which is a solid
pole having a groove H cut into it which would vary in pitch as previously
explained for Figure 1. In this case it would be necessary for the rings to be
made to hang in the groove at the top of the pole which would be easily
accomplished by an internal projection inside the upper portion of the cornice ring,
indeed a little friction roller on a pin would answer the purpose, the under side
of the ring carrying an eye or other device to receive the suspenders.
We also surround cornice poles or rods with a coil of light wire or hollow tubing
which extends when at rest only along a part of the pole at each end say something
like that shown by 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 in Figure 1. To these coils we attach a suitable
appliance such as a cord to draw over the curtains by the extension of the coil or
coils whether solid or otherwise; the cord being then tied or secured to keep the
coils from springing back. Immediately this coil or other device is liberated the
curtain or curtains will of course spring back into their normal position.
Our curtain suspenders as most ordinarily used are illustrated by Figure 4 the
upper part consisting of a ring K formed from sheet metal. The ring is cut
through its circumference at i for the purpose of allowing the bottom part J of the
suspender to be more readily joined on to it by opening the slot i. The bottom
part of the suspender may be made in a very great many various forms and ways
but one very suitable plan is to take one piece of brass or other wire which is bent
round about its middle to form the bow through which the ring K passes the two
ends being bent round to form the legs and circular points.j and j¹ of the tongs for
holding the curtain. The coil creates a tendency for the legs to always open,
but they are held tightly together by the slip ring ³, The curtain or other article
to be suspended is placed between the end j and j and these ends are drawn
together by the slip ring 3. An elegant and ornamental appearance may be given
to such suspenders by attaching to the outer leg a suitable metal or other cover
such as a leaf L or other design as Figure 5 which might if desired form the front
leg of the clip. When solid rings are used we make the lower part J of the
suspender on the ring itself but we prefer the upper part being made specially and
split through. In cases where it is desired to attach the J part of our suspenders
to cornice poles already fitted with solid rings we form the top part of the J portion
with a suitable hook or other arrangement such as a split eye or swivel safety hook
which enables it to be attached to an eye such as are at present provided on the
rings of cornice poles but we prefer to make the attachment as before explained
and illustrated by Figure 4 because there is less. liability of the fastener twisting
round and becoming unsightly. In other cases we form the K or upper portion
with a hook upon which the lower or J portion may be easily hung. One neat
form of the J part when detached is produced from one length of wire by turning
a hook of the double wire near the middle of its length and twisting the wire
round into a coil at the root of the back leg to form the spring for opening the back
leg, the front leg carrying the ornament as before set forth. Another way would
be to fasten a hook at the back of the ornament plate itself whether it consists of
a leaf or otherwise and then to twist the wire fastener around a cross pin which
would act much the same as a brooch pin.
:-We
The upper ring or K part of the suspenders we generally make from a strip of
thin brass or other metal which we manufacture in the following manner:-
place in a lathe or other machine M, M such as shown by Figure 6 side elevation
and Figure 7 end elevation a shaft N having a deep spiral hollow N cut upon its
circumference. We then attach to a slide rest Pa die R which is illustrated in
section by Figure 9 and a flexible mandril S, S which passes through the die R
until its curved end S2 reaches the position indicated by the point of the arrow T.
The strip of brass or other metal U is then drawn over this mandril on to the
revolving shaft N which is shown with a tube in the groove extending from

page_text: n ton. The shaft N may of course be made round, oval or other shape and it
may be either made with a spiral groove or a plain shaft according to the strength
and quality of the metal used and other varying conditions.
The flexible mandril S Figure 8 is of course a most important feature in the
process because without ample flexibility the tube or other coil could not be
wound evenly on the shaft. We therefore make our flexible mandril partly from
a number of thin strips of metal as shown at S and in cross section by Figure 10
which may of course bo oval round or other desired shape to the internal sectional
shape of the tube required. The thin layers as they bend round a shorter or longer
curve adapting themselves in length by sliding upon the surfaces of one another
according to the bend of the mandril which will be regulated partly by the
diameter of the coil required and partly by the thickness and strength of the
metal to be coiled. We are aware that strong metal strips can be coiled without
our flexible mandril but the groat advantage in the use of our mandril is that it
enables us to coil metal very much thinner than can be otherwise accomplished,
the fact being that the curved mandril delivers the tube on to the shaft sufficiently
far to prevent it collapsing and thus we are enabled to produce cornice rings much
lighter and cheaper than has hitherto been possible. After making a coil of
hollow tube we run a fine saw through the coils which cuts them into split rings
which we fasten together in various ways such as that shown by Figure 11 with
the socket V carrying an eye or hook for the part J to be attached to or to carry
the ordinary safety pins. Or they may be left quite plain to twist aside over the
cornice pole.
These mandrils are suitable for forming many sections besides round and oval
indeed their range of usefulness is very wide for making various articles requiring
similar treatment to that described for making cornice rings.
Having now described our said Invention we would have it understood that
we do not confine ourselves to the exact details described because they may
be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention, but what we do
claim is
First The use of an external spiral of variable pitch for cornice poles and
other similar purposes, for the purpose herein set forth and as illustrated by
Figures 1, 2 and 3.
Second-The curtain suspenders composed of the parts K and J and as herein
set forth and as illustrated by Figures 4 and 5.
Third The new mode of manufacturing light coils by means of the shaft N in
combination with the flexiblo mandril S and as set forth.
Fourth-The flexible mandril S formed by a number of small sections and as
set forth.
Fifth-The improvements herein set forth and illustrated by the drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Joseph Cook have hereunto set my hand-and
seal this sixth day of October in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty two..