IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STAIR RODS
Year: 1848

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SELAH
HILER, of New York, in the United States of America, Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
5 Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Fifteenth day of
April, One thousand eight hundred and forty-eight, in the eleventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Selah Hiler, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Selah Hiler,
my exors, admiors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Selah Hiler,
my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STAIR RODS;" in which said
Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said Selah Hiler, should cause
a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto
had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Selah Hiler, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof :-
Stair rods, as their name implies, are used to keep carpets on stairs, so
that the carpet is kept into the angle formed between each successive step
and riser. This has hitherto been effected by the use of round rods, each end
of which enters a small eye driven into the angle between each step and riser
at each edge of the carpet. This mode is objectionable, because the shoe
toes of persons ascending, or the heels of those descending the stairs, or the
act of sweeping the stairs, frequently gives such rods an endwise motion, that
passes them out of one eye, loosening the carpet, so that it can slip under a
person descending the stairs and cause them to fall; bending the rod and
sometimes drawing the eye are frequent accompaniments of such accidents.
My Invention and improvements are intended to. remove these inconveniences
by placing buttons or cleat-ended button pieces in the angle either on the
inner face of the step, or the lower face of the riser at each edge of the
carpet, and forming rods in the shape of a flattened ellipse, part of one side
of which is removed, so that the cleated ends or edges of the button pieces
admit the lower portions of the ellipse to pass between them, or to use
rods made as segments of circles, each end of which passes into a staple
driven into or screwed on the stair or riser at each edge of the carpet; but in
either mode of shaping them the rods so made are each to be formed of two
pieces of metal, the inner one of thin plate or sheet or hoop iron, the outer
one of thin sheet brass, German silver, or any other metal of an acceptably
ornamental character, and such rods are to be made by passing the strips of
the two metals of which they are formed through metal dies, having drawing
holes so shaped that their exterior lines form the opening at the entering side
large enough to receive the two plates of metal. The hole then receives a
forming block or template dovetailed into the bottom of the die block, so that
the exterior shape of the hole in the die, and of the block placed therein,
operate conjointly to shape both pieces of metal, and at the same time to roll
or lap the edges of the ornamental metal around and slightly over the edges
of the iron that forms the stock or the strength of the rod itself, thus forming
a light, strong, cheap rod for these purposes, free of the inconveniences of the
common rod as now used.
The means of effecting these improvements are shown in the Drawing
accompanying and forming part of this Specification, wherein the Fig. 1 is
a full-sized elevation of a die block, with a template die within, as fitted to

page_text: form eliptical-sectioned stair rod for this use, shewn as 'at the end, where the
material is enter'd in. Fig. 2 is a like elevation at the back end, where the
material is fully reduced to form, as drawn through between the block and
template. Fig. 8 shews a vertical section, as through the line A, B, of
Fig. 1 and 2, with the two metal plates forming the rod, scen as if passing
through. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section or plan through the line C, D, of
Figs. 1 and 2. In all these four Figs. E is the body of the die block with a
tapering hole a. The base of this holė is formed as a tapering slide, with
dovetailed edges to receive the dovetailed base of the tapering template c.
When thus formed the block and template are to be properly placed and
secured on a drawbench, similar to that well known and used for drawing
tubing, and the materials that are to be formed entered in as shewn in Fig. 3,
so tapered that one end of each strip of metal passes sufficiently through
the die block E for the drawing pincers to take a firm hold on what
becomes the outside and inside strips of thin metal to form the stair rod.
And on the application of competent power to the drawing pincers, these
draw the two strips of metal through the die block, and the conjoint operation
of the form given to the hole a and to the template die c laps the edges of the
ornamental outer and thinner material' round the edges of the iron strip that
forms the stock or strong portion of the stair rod, and shapes both pieces of
inaterial so that they come through the die block in the form shewn section-
ally. in Fig. 6, already referred to as a flattened ellipsis; with part of one side
removed.
.
The Fig. 5 shews a die block F, and tapering hole a, with a tapering
template e, in all other respects the same as the first-described die block and
template; but the form of the hole and template such that these produce a stair.
rod shaped sectionally; as shown in Fig. 7, as a segment of a small circle.
In the Figs. 6 and 7, 1, beneath the Figure; denotes the iron body of the
rod, and 2 above, denotes the brass or other ornamental metal coating of the
rod from which it will be seen that the thin plate of ornamental metal
being 'wider than the iron body, is turned over the edge in the drawing opera-
tion in a manner that secures.it'on to the body. A long rod thus formed is to
be cut off in the required lengths in the following manner:-Into a fly press
or other convenient machanical means that will give a vertical motion, a
block f is to be secured, 'formed' as shewn in plan in Fig. 8, and sectionally in
Fig. 9; with a long narrow mortice 3 running lengthwise through the centre;
across the block a countersink is made slightly tapered from the middle, so
that the edges of the mortice in the centre fit the edges of the back of the
rod, shewn in Fig. 6, sec Fig. 9, and the bottom of each countersink is

page_text: further removed to form a groove for the dovetail piece of a cutter die i.
This die is made tapering slightly, and so that the inner edge next the
mortice 3 shall fit the inside of the rod, shewn in Fig. 6; and a cutter die thus
constructed is to be secured in each countersink either by screws or rivetts
with the widest end flush with the edges of the mortice 8, which is to receive
a steel plate g, formed as a cutter with a hollow in the lower edge of the
form of the convex side of the rod with a sharp square edge, and on each side
of this the plate is left to form two points 4, 4, that are long enough to remain
in the mortice and guide the plate 9, which is secured by screws 5 to a head h,
shewn sectionally and endwise in the duplicate, Fig. 9, and this is secured into
the punch stock in a press. When thus fitted, a rod is to be slid on over the
dies i, i, to any requirted length, and the cutter head made to descend into the
slot 8, first cutting through the convex side of the rod against the edge of the
dies i, i, then cutting the returned part of the rod through against the edges 6
of the block f, removing a short piece of the rod; the cutter g is then to be
withdrawn sufficient to pass the rod along another length, and these operations
are again to be repeated, the points 4, 4, of the cutter remaining in the mortice 3
to guide the cutter vertically. Fig. 5 shews, by dotted lines, a variation in the
dies, so that the convex die, instead of being keyed, is made on the edge of a
bead, which lies in a mortice in the main die, and may have a key or set screw
or lever to bring the parts into close contact in case any inequalities occur in
the thickness of the material operated on, or the die may be divided through the
middle for the same purpose, and this construction is equally applicable to those
shown in Fig. 1, 2, 3, and 4.
The Fig. 10 shews the means of cutting off the rod shewn in Fig. 7; in
this, k is a block secured in the bed of the press, and is a cutter secured by
a plug or bolt m into the upper part of the press. The cutter is formed with
a cutting edge 8, to fit the concave side of the rod; and points 7, 7, guide the
cutters; and the block k is made with a concave cutting edge 9, to receive the
convex side of the rod which is passed through between the points 7, 7, and on
the downward motion of the press, the rod is cut off at the required length
between the edges 8 and 9, and rods thus formed are to be polished in the manner
next described. A wheel of wood or metal is to be formed, as shewn section-
ally in Fig. 18, with a lip on each edge of the exterior surface inclosing a large
shallow groove, and a smaller shallow groove on the surface. Into these
grooves common tailors' listing, as cut from woollen cloth, is to be laid, as
shewn at o, and sewed together, and when in use, this covering is to be sup-
plied as needful with common pumice stone dust or brick dust moistened
with oil or water in the wider groove, and with the wheel in a tolerably rapid

page_text: rotation; each stair rod is to be laid with the concave side on a bar of iron, which
prevents their bending; one end of this with the stair rod is to be grasped by
the hand of the workman, the other end put to slide under a roller above the
polishing wheel with the surfaces and edges of the stair rods on the woollen
list, and this, with the pumice stone dust or brick dust, will first take off any
roughness of the surface, and the same method is to be followed by placing
the rod in the smaller groove, only that is to be used with rotton stone dust
and oil, and these operations will give an equal polish to the rod as the work-
man moves the rod on the wheel; this method is found in practice quicker and'
more equally effective for this work than the best buffing wheel now in use.
The wheel is cheaper, made more easily, and cheaper kept in repair and use
than the usual wheel faced with buff leather, and covered with emery or
other similar substances; and men who are mere laborers and have not before
been at such work, are able to work as effectively and polish the rods as
well as those of higher mechanical attainments, so that by these successive
and closing improvements in the manufacture of stair rods, a better article
is furnished to the public, at quite as cheap a rate as is now charged for the
article for which these are substituted.
Fig. 11 shews a button formed to go in between the edges of the rod.
shewn in Fig. 6. This has a screw to secure it into the back of the step
or bottom of the riser at each edge of the carpet, and when in place the
stair rod is to be slipped on over the buttons, and all is secured in place.
Fig. 12 shews a fastener for the rod shewn in Fig. 7, which is about half
an inch wide, and is to be screwed on the stair at each edge of the carpet,
and the rod slipped through between the points securing all in place, and
presenting a handsome appearance, and being permanent and strong in use.
And it will be seen that the sizes and proportions of the parts may be varied
to produce rods of various sizes and forms, and that these or any other
competent fastenings for such rods may be let into stone stairs, and securely
leaded in as now usually practised.
What I claim as new and of my own invention is, the construction and
application of the dies formed as shewn in Fig. 1, 2, 3, and 4, with a hole
so shaped as to receive à die or template of such a form that the two act to
turn the edges of a thin sheet or strip of ornamental metal around the edges
of a strip of iron or other metal, and also to turn the edges of both, and
make the outer surface convex or flat, and sectionally a flattened ellipse,
with part of one side removed to form stair rods, substantially in the manner
and with the effect described and shewn.
I also claim the construction and application of the die shewn in Fig. 5,

page_text: to turn the edges of a sheet or strip of ornamental metal over the edges of a
strip of sheet or hoop iron or other metal, and to form the ornamental side
convex as shewn in Fig. 7, substantially as described and shewn.
I claim the construction and application of the cutters 9, dies i, i, and
cutting edges 6, shewn in Fig. 8 and 9, for the purpose of cutting off 5
lengths of rods made as shewn in Fig. 6, substantially as described and shewn.
I also claim the construction of the cutters k and I, see Fig. 10, with
cutting edges 8 and 9, applied to cutting off rods of the form shewn in
Fig. 7, substantially as described and shewn..
I finally claim the facing polishing wheels with common woollen list, and 1
using pumice stone dust or brick dust and rotton stone dust thereon and
therewith, substantially in the manner described and shewn as a cheap and
effective substitute for what are usually known as buffing wheels faced with
leather, and used with emery and other similar substances.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Thirty- 1
first day of May, in the year One thousand eight hundred and forty-
eight.
Taken and acknowledged by Selah Hiler
(party hereto), at- New York, in the
United States of America, this 31st
SELAH (L.s.) HILER.
Taken and acknowledged by Selah Hiler
(party hereto), at- New York, in the
United States of America, this 31st
day of May, 1848, Derore me,
SELAH (L.s.) HILER.
ANTH. BARCLAY,
Her Britannic Majesty's Consul at New York.