US1913710A - Curtain stretcher - Google Patents

Description

June 13, 1933. w. T. HUFF CURTAIN STRETCHAE'IR Filed Jan. '7, 1931 curtains, to dry them d tension that Patented Jun 13, 1933 i i i ii onto I i y new ews l Application ar a san ar 7, s n n soft-149.

the structure aswell as the means andmode of, operation of curtain stretching devices whereby theywill not only be cheapened in construction but will be more efficient in use, capable of being easily and quickly applied,

This invention relates to curtainstretchers for stretching curta-ins of the lace or net Varietyafterlahndering. a 1 f i It is customary after launderihgl-ac'e or net elated elem.

they will not materially take up or shrink and in order that they maydry in a smooth, flat condition without wrinkles. The usual h practice has been to mount the curtains while 0 wet in a stretcher frame adjusted to prede- Jterminedsize; in: which the curtainsareheld iby heing engaged with hooks or pins along their-margins; The shrinkage ofsthe curtain in drying causes scallops "orpoints to be formed on themargins of ithecurtain where engaged with the retaining hooks or pins of the stretcherframe, affording an unsightly appearance,.and Jmanytimes causing tearing of the curtain material. h

1t isnot-i entirely new ,to stretch curtains by T; suspending them; 1 fnorna support 1 with Weights attachedto the lower end of the curtain and to this end weightilo'ds haveheen i. emp y d wh are int uc d nth-rough h 11 marginal t em o h cu t i r ithe t p a d bottom. Howeyerlnot ellcurtains are proyicled-withterminal' hems. V Hence such meth- 1011 is netun v rs l yap li le- 1 Inthe present inventi ne ther-e arecontemopposite en; s of the curtain be stretched,

one of these clamp elements atleast being a h {tretching efiectwhen the, anditsen 'i Leas d iPfie e sp nde T e amp fli o wev r for thelopposlte endsjof -the curtain i en i a '1 som what a in the i a Ipresentembodimentcomprise lengths of mate l b t e e 'e l l r theme w to $3119" *smnezuiy parallelism to rem 31 pair ofclamp 1 memb r 9f 1 si bsten ell y" fl t P hap hnd jofsuiiicientflen th to extend entirely across the curtain} to e engaged. U shaped a a prin c ps, are Pr vi ed holdmg [clamp arms n engagement with the curtain.

a suspended.

5 The object oft-he invent-ionis 10 simplify memb en e e w h t ad pted to efiect a uniform stretchingaction, andunlikely to get out "oirepair. L A furtherobj cc of the invention is to proiiicle stretching means which is applicable to curtains of all types whether provided with terminal hems, with "fringe" or otherwise "shapedi A further object of the invention is to provide stretching means which if desired can be introduced through the terminal hems as has been heretofore the practice, or which maybe engagedexteriorly of suchhemmed endl Aiturther object of theinventioii is toprovide duo-functional spring clips which not only serve to hold the stretcher members in engagement with the curtain but also" serve 'as hangers to suspendithe curtain fronian overheadsupport or line. A

VViththe above primary and other incidental objects in View as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention consists of the features of construction the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation, or theirequivalents *as liereinafter dc scribedaud set forth in the claims? a i p 'Referring 'to the accompanying drawing wherein isshown the preferredbut obviously not necessarily the only iorm of embodiment oflt'he invention, Fig. 1 is a perspective View j of a curtain to hichhasbeenapphedthestretcher devices forming the subj ect matter hereof. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of one f the clamp members removed from the curtain. Figs'ss ancl4 areperspectiyeviews of spring clips ifor securing the clamp inembers in enbe encased in suitable material such as celluloid, pyroxylin or the like which will protect the curtain against discoloration. The arms of the clamp member 2 are preferably slightly divergent when released from the curtain as is shown in Fig. 2 and are flexibly and resiliently interconnected by the bight portion 3 which is preferably though not necessarily formed into a circular eye. The adj acent faces of the clamp arms are flat and hence do not mar the curtain to which the clamp is,

attached. In applying the stretching device the end of the curtainis introduced between V the clamp arms and is secured at one side by applying thereto a spring clip 4, the bight of which possesses sufiicient tensionto contract the clamp arms upon the end of the curtain introduced therebetween. The curtain is then stretched transversely of the curtain or in line .With the clamp member 2 and a second spring clip 4 is applied to the free ends of the arms of the clamp 2. to contract the arms into clamping throughout the entire Width of the curtain. To insure secure hold of the clamp upon the curtain, an additional clip 5 may be introduced at a mid length point of the clamp. A similar clamp member 2 is applied in like manner to the opposite end of the curtain 1.

andsecured by the spring clips 5. The clips 4 employed at the ends of the upper clamp member have one side extended as at 6 and reversely bent to form a hanger hook by which the curtain with its engaged stretcher clamps may besuspended from-a line or overhead support. The bight of the clips 5 applied to the clamp elementat the lower end of the curtainis sufficiently deep to clear any fringe-which may be carried by the curtain and extend beyond the clamp element 2. The

curtain with the attached clamps being suspended from an overhead support, the weight of the lower clamp element is sufficient toaf ford the necessary stretching action and maintain the curtain material tight or under tension while drying.

While the clamp members 2 are preferably formed from flat bar stock as before men- ,tioned, these'clamp arms may be of other cross sectional contour, as for example semicircular or even round. Likewise while the preferred method of applicationis exteriorly of the curtain hems which are clamped be: tween the arms 2, the elements 2 may be introduced through the terminal hems of the curtain as has heretofore been effected inwhich case the spring clips are unnecessary.

From the above description it will beap- 1 not limited to the specificfeatures shown, but

that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise the preferred form of several modes of putting the invention into ef feet and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims. 7,

7 Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Means for stretching curtains and the like, comprising two U-shaped clamp members .of sufiicient length to extend transversely across the entire curtain, each end of which is to beengaged'in one of the said clamps, one ofthe 'clamps'being of sufficient Weight to afford stretching strain to the curtain whensuspended, and suspension means carried by the clamp within which the upper end of the curtain is engaged by which the curtain and engaged clamps may be supported. V

2. A pair of elongated curtain clamps, each comprising a single'length of material reversely bent upon itself substantially in parallelism and of sufficient length to extend transversely of'a curtain and entirely thereacross, one ,end of which is engageable in each of the clamps,.and hanger means carried by one of the clamps for engagement with a support to suspend the curtain therefrom with the other clamp supported entirely by the curtain which 'is sub]ected to stretching effect by the weight of said second clamp.

3. As an article of manufacture, a curtain clamp comprising a single length'of material reversely' bent upon itself substantially in parallelism and of sufficient length to extend transversely entirely across a curtain to be stretched, and means for holding the substantially parallel portions of the clamp in vclamping engagement with a curtain introduced therebetween. f I

4. As an article of manufacture, a curtain clamp comprising a pair of members extending substantially in parallelism and of sufiicient length to extend transversely entirely acrossithe curtainjto be stretched, one end of one of said members being fixedly attached to one end of the other. member, the other ends of said members being free but resiliently urged toward each other, and means for holding the ubs tantidlly parallefmembers of the clamp in clamping engagement with a curtain introduced therebetween.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 31st day of December A. D.

WALTER T.

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