IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING CLOTHING AND OTHER ARTICLES IN SHOP WINDOWS AND OTHER PLACES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson, of the Firm of Wm. P.
Thompson and Co., Patent Agents, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO
APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING CLOTHING AND OTHER ARTICLES IN SHOP
WINDOWS AND OTHER PLACES." A communication from abroad from Paul
de Ligne, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd May 1881.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Firm of Wm. P. Thompson and Co.,
Patent Agents, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and 323,
High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
AND RELATING TO APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING CLOTHING AND OTHER ARTICLES
IN SHOP WINDOWS AND OTHER PLACES." A communication from abroad by
Paul de Ligne, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium.
In stands and other apparatus at present in use for displaying articles of clothing,
a considerable amount of time is expended in altering or adjusting them to the
height or position required, and it is chiefly to expedite the dressing of shop
windows that this my Invention is designed.
In arranging a stand for displaying hats, boots, shoes, and other articles usually
placed on a fixed support, adjustable as regards height, and preferably as regards
angular position, I make the top of such shape as is best suited to carry and
display the article for which it is designed, but separable and movable from the
stand. The head of the stand is provided with numerous holes pierced at different
angles, into any of which a peg on the top fits and can be made to revolve. The
top can thus be placed at any angle at right angles to any of these holes. In place
of the peg on the top and hole in the stand the mechanical equivalent of a peg in

page_text: the stand and holes in the top could be used or other mechanism for attaching the
top in any position, such as a ball and socket joint, but I prefer the one first
mentioned. The stands are usually made telescopic with a set screw. Now the set
screws are apt to get lost, to strip the thread, to stick, or break, and at best take a
long time to set. I therefore make the rod of the stand with an india rubber cork
or other elastic washer at its lower end in the stand or longer tube, and capable of
exerting considerable friction against the sides of the tube: At the same time at
the end of the tube through which the smaller rod passes I arrange a packing or
cap which steadies the rod and adds to the friction. By this means I get sufficient
friction to hold the rod in any position as regards height, that it may be adjusted
to and can do away with the expense of making the head' revolve, as the upper rod
can be adjusted to face any direction by simply screwing it round in its socket.
If however a stand be employed to show lay figures instead of merely brackets or
busts to support the clothing I make it of less height, and the head instead of
revolving on the stand oscillates upon it to any convenient angle. The two lay
figures are then placed one at each end of the head, and are made with spring
joints, so that no movement of the head shall permanently displace any part, the
parts regaining their normal position if forced or shook out of it. Where trousers
are shown without lay figures, to prevent the legs hanging down out of shape, I
construct a light frame of thin brass or steel band; this I make in two parts to
slide telescopically into each other so as to fit any pair of trousers, and with a
small pin at back and front to hold it. Instead of the notched rod holders at
present in use I make a smooth straight rod holder, preferably square or
rectangular in section. Upon this slides a bracket with holder for the rod and set
screws to fix both rod and bracket when in position; or in place of these the
holder can be a double or slotted bar, and the bracket can have a stud progecting
through the slot and armed with a winged nut. The rod can be clamped with a
set screw.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Phillips Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 23rd November 1881.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Firm of Wm. P. Thompson and Co.,
Patent Agents, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and 323,
High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
AND RELATING TO APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING CLOTHING AND OTHER ARTICLES
IN SHOP WINDOWS AND OTHER PLACES." A communication from abroad by
Paul de Ligne, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium.
In stands and other apparatus at present in use for displaying articles of clothing,
a considerable amount of time is expended in altering or adjusting them to the
height or position required, and it is chiefly to expedite the dressing of shop
windows that this my Invention is designed.
1st. In arranging a stand for displaying hats, boots, shoes, and other articles
usually placed on a fixed support, adjustable as regards height, and preferably as
regards angular position, I make the top of such shape as is best suited to carry
and display the article for which it is designed, but separable and movable from
the stand. The head of the stand is provided with numerous holes pierced at
different angles, into any of which a peg on the top fits and can be made to
revolve. The top can thus be placed at any angle at right angles to any of these
holes. In place of the peg on the top and hole in the stand the mechanical
equivalent of a peg in the stand and holes in the top could be used.
In the Drawings, Fig. 1 shews this arrangement applied to a shoe stand to be
placed in two positions, level and slanting; Fig. 2 shows it applied to a parralel
rod bracket in which the bracket can stand in three positions. What I believe to
be new and claim under this head is a combination of a pin on one part, with a
group of two or more sockets at different angles, or single socket capable of
holding the pin at two or more different angles with the horizon for the purposes
described.
2d. The stands are usually made telescopic with a set screw. Now the set screws
are apt to get lost, to strip the thread, to stick or break, and at best take a long
time to set. I therefore make the rod, if round, with an india rubber cork or other
elastic washer on their end in the stand or larger tube, and capable of exerting
considerable friction against the sides of the tube; at the same time at the end of
the tube through which the smaller rod passes I arrange a packing or cap which
steadies the rod and adds to the friction. By this means I get sufficient friction
to hold the rod in any position as regards height, that it may be adjusted to and
can do away with the expense of making the head revolve as the upper rod can be
adjusted to face any direction by simply screwing it round in its socket.
Fig. 3 shows a stand for the patent hat displaying apparatus now largely sold by
McIlvenna and Company, of Hilton Street, Manchester. A is the lower tube;
B, the upper or sliding one; this is provided with a screw C, and nut D at the end,
and a cork or rubber washer or series of leather washers E. By adjusting the
screw any desired amount of compression can be given to the cork. Under this
head all I consider new is the application of a cork or equivalent washer to
telescopic stands for displaying articles, in the manner and for the purposes set
forth.
3rd. If a stand be employed to show lay figures instead of merely brackets or
busts to support the clothing, I make it of less height, and the head instead of
revolving on the stand oscillates upon it to any convenient angle. The two lay
figures are then placed one at each end of the head, and are made with spring

page_text: joints, so that no movement of the head shall permanently displace any part, the
parts regaining their normal position if forced or shook out of it. For the joints of
the figures I prefer to make them of a strong india rubber tongue with sufficient
elasticity to wag in the case of the neck with a shake, and to be pressed back and
yet regain their normal position when the pressure is removed, so that while
seesawing the head will nod, and the legs appear to act exactly as those of a living
child. This apparatus is shown in Figure 4.
What I claim as new under this head is the combination of lay figures with
flexible or elastic joints, and a see saw for the purposes described.
4th. Where trousers are shewn without lay figures, to prevent the legs hanging
down out of shape I construct a light frame of thin brass or steel band; this I make
in two parts to slide telescopically into each other so as to fit any pair of trousers,
and with a small pin at back and front to hold it.
Fig. 5 shows this arrangement; A, A, are the telescopic joints; and B, B, the
small pins. Under this head I claim as new the telescopic joints, the pins in
conjunction with the ring, and indeed appliance substantially as and for the
purposes described.
5th. Instead of the notched rod holders at present in use I make a smooth
straight rod hold, preferably square or rectangular in section; upon this slides a
bracket with holder for the rod, and set screws to fix to the rod and bracket when
in position or; in place of these the holder can be a double or slotted bar and the
bracket can have a stud projecting through the slot and armed with a winged nut.
The rod can be clamped with a set screw. Fig. 2 shews this arrangement, in
which A is the smooth straight rodholder, and E the moveable bracket with set
screw B to hold it in place, and set screw C to hold the rod.
I claim as new under this head the apparatus substantially as and for the
purposes described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Phillips Thompson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty second day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.