Improvements in Devices for Holding the Hanging Cords of Pictures, and in the Manufacture of the same.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 19th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 30th Jan., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Devices for Holding the Hanging Cords of Pictures,
and in the Manufacture of the same.
I, JOHN JESSE JAMES, of the Firm of Dutson & Co. of Whittall Street
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the
nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object. an improved device for holding the cords of
pictures by which they are hung and in the manufacture of the same and which are
thereby rendered much more secure against displacement during dusting vibration
etc. etc.
I take a sheet or small disc of metal cut out to any ornamental or other
outline around its edge or on the face. I then raise the centre part and underwork
it in suitable tools so as to produce a projecting part on the outer face having a
groove or recess similar to a cord pulley around its raised edge or periphery from
wbich the superfluous metal is cut leaving the top quite open and the outer edge
rather flat. I then form a tongue from a strip or other piece of metal with a notch
dovetailed or curled part at one end which fastens into a corresponding notch or
dovetail in the turned over edge of the groove. This strip is sufficiently long to
cross the diameter of the raised opening and to project a distance beyond the
diameter as well, so as to allow the end to be turned over outwardly so as to form
a heel spur or spring which is kept in tension by its pressure against the finishing
disc cap which covers the raised recess and which is closed around the edge of the
raised part. This projecting spring falls into a notch or recess in the upper part
of the neck of the raised portion and has a normal tendency due to the heel spring
or spur to press inwards against the picture or other cord when hanging upon the
device and thus prevent the cord from moving and so throwing the picture out of
upright. The spring may be varied in form and character to answer the same
purpose and I may use it crosswise or more than one spring may be used. The
cap may be of any design or ornamentation and in any metal or color which
remark also applies to the base.
Another mode of finishing the device is to hinge a cap on one side of the disc
when raised and cut out as herein before described and having a nose piece formed
into a snap spring on the other side so that when the cord is put around the neck
while the cap is open, the cap is then closed upon the cord and the snap holds the
cord from moving. Instead of this snap or in addition thereto I may use a pointed
pin piece which pierces the cord and secures it against moving. In the case of the
device with the hinged cap I prefer to use a sufficient number of holes in the outer
flange for nailing it to the wall as there are four ways in which it may be erected
that is to say any one of four sides or points may be at the top.
Dated 10th of March 190s
GEORGE BARKER,
77 Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Devices for Holding the Hanging Cords of Pictures,
and in the Manufacture of the same.
I, JOHN JESSE JAMES of the Firm of Dutson & Co. of Whittall Street,
Birmingham in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer do hereby declare the
nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention has for its object an improved device for holding the cords of
pictures by which they are hung and in the manufacture of the same and which
are thereby rendered much more secure against displacement during dusting,
vibration etc. etc.
I take a sheet or small disc of metal cut out to any ornamental or other outline
around its edge or on the face I then raise the centre part and underwork it in
suitable tools so as to produce a projecting part on the outer face having a groove
or recess similar to a cord pulley around its raised edge or periphery from which
the superfluous metal is cut leaving the top quite open and the outer edge rather
flat.
I then form a tongue from a strip or other piece of metal with a notch dovetailed
or curled part at one end which fastens into a corresponding notch or dovetail in the
turned over edge of the groove. This strip is sufficiently long to cross the diameter
of the raised opening and to project a distance beyond the diameter as well so as to
allow the end to be turned over outwardly so as to form a heel spur or spring
which is kept in tension by its pressure against the finishing disc cap which covers
the raised recess and which is closed around the edge of the raised part. This
projecting spring falls into a notch or recess in the upper part of the neck of
the raised portion and has a normal tendency due to the heel spring or spur to
press inwards against the picture or other cord when hanging upon the device and
thus prevent the cord from moving and so throwing the picture out of upright.
The spring may be varied in form and character to answer the same purpose and
I may use it crosswise or more than one spring may be used. The cap may be
of any design or ornamentation and in any metal or colour which remark also
applies to the base.
Auother mode of finishing the device is to hinge a cap on one side of the disc
when raised and cut out as herein before described and having a nose piece formed
into a snap spring on the other side so that when the cord is put around the neck
while the cap is open, the cap is then closed upon the cord and the snap holds the
cord from moving. Instead of the snap or in addition thereto I may use a pointed
pin piece which pierces the cord and secures it against moving.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practical effect I have appended hereunto a double sized sheet of drawings
upon which I have illustrated the various stages through which my improved
device passes in coming to maturity but it must be clearly understood that I do not
confine myself to the exact number of the operations mentioned as it is possible to
use more or less of them and to vary the proceedure considerably.
Figure 1 shows a piece of sheet metal whether brass, iron, steel, or other metal
when it has passed through the first process or tools producing the rough form A
with its projecting buldge a'.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of Fio 1

page_text: Figure 3 shows the same piece A with the superfluous metal a severed from
the outer edge and the top of a' cut out leaving the hole a' and with the bulge a¹
more defined in shape.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of Fig. 3.
Figure 5 shows the same foundation piece A with the outer edge a* turned,
outwards leaving a hollowed.
Figure 6 is a side elevation of Fig. 5.
Figure 7 shows the foundation piece A slotted out at a to receive the nose of
the spring B and also cut out at a to receive the heel of the spring B.
Figure 8 is a side elevation of Fig. 7.
Figure 9 shows the spring B after passing through the first process of manu-
facture with the heel 6 and nose & roughly shaped as well as the centre portious b
and 6.
Figure 10 shows the spring B with the centre ears 63 and 64 turned up at about
right angles and also the tail 6 slightly shaped as better seen in side elevation at
Figure 11.
Figures 12 & 13 are plan and side elevation of the spring B showing the nose-
end 2 bent into rough shape.
Figures 14 and 15 are plan and elevation of the spring B bent into its finished
condition with the nose bent into such a shape as to form the bow with the
hollows and ready to be fixed into the foundation piece A.
Figure 16 shows the cap E after passing through the first process of manufacture
with the notches el and et cut out on opposite sides.
Figures 17 and 18 are plan and side elevation of the cap E when finished and
ready to close upon the neck a¹ of A.
Figure 19 is a front view of my improved device for holding the cords of pictures-
with a portion of the cord C shown locked in its position.
Figure 20 is a side sectional elevation of Figure 19 also showing the cord C in.
its proper locked position.
When the parts A, B, and E have passed through the processes hereinbefore-
described which may be more or less in number according to the quality of the
metal used and the finish required when completed, I then place the spring B with
the notched portions 65, 6 of the heel b' into the notch a of A so as to be locked
there when the cap E is closed upon the edge a of A. When the spring is so
fixed it is only necessary to close the edge of the cap E around the edge a of
the neck a¹ of A when the spring B will be securely fixed with its heel 6 bearing.
against the inside of the cap E which maintains the centre portion of the spring
with its hollows 6°, be constantly pressing against the cord C as its normal position.
and tendency as clearly shown in the sectional elevation Figure 20 and also at
Figure 19.
The device is secured to any wall or other position by pins or tacks driven into
holes H of which there may be any desired number. To liberate the cord C it is
only necessary to relieve the pressure of the spring by moving back the curl 67
which removes the pressure. The cap E may be made in any desired design as.
well as the other parts A and B.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
First. The improved device for holding the cords of pictures by which they are
hung and in the manufacture of the same substantially as and for the purpose
herein set forth and such as shown upon the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Second. The improved device for holding the cords of pictures consisting of a
foundation piece A with the spring B mounted therein with the finishing cap E so
that the spring will normally press upon the cord C so as to lock it in position
substantially as herein set forth and shown.

page_text: Third. In picture cord holding devices a spring mounted to press upon the cord
so as to lock it in position.
Dated this 18th day of December 1896.
GEORGE BARKER,
77 Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.