US2158762A - Curtain - Google Patents

Description

May 16, 1939. A. E. PHELAN 2,153,762 I CURTAIN Filed Feb. 17, 1951 V ZmaEsTerZyPbeZd 22 Patented May 16, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to window curtains and has particular relation to those curtains which are provided with rullles.

In the making, hanging and laundering of the usual type of window curtains, great care has to be exercised in order that the curtains when hung will present a proper appearance. Rufiles, when applied to the main body of the curtain, often do not look well after laundering because of the difficulty in making a smooth surface adjacent the inner edge of the rufile where it is attached to the main body of the curtain. And no matter how well the ironing work is done, the ruiile presents a darker appearance at its inner 15 edge where it is gathered or plea-ted, than does the adjacent surface of the main body of the curtain. In addition, the gathering of the curtain to the window frame, usually below its middle, causes a much darker portion when viewed from the inside of the room.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of an improved window curtain.

Another object of the invention is the production of a window curtain which while not losing its artistic value will reduce to a minimum the diiierence in light transmission in different portions of the window-covered by the curtain.

A further object of the invention is the production of a curtain the ruffle of which has a 30 smooth, unpleated and ungathered edge where attached to the main body of the curtain.

A still further object of the invention is the production of a curtain having a cut-in portion at one side, thus reducing the amount of material to be drawn to one side of the window frame.

Another and still further object of the invention is the provision of a curtain having a ruflie and valance which are cut on the bias.

Other and further objects of the invention will 40 be apparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the complete specification and claims.

Referring to the drawing wherein I have illustrated an embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a View of my invention as applied to a single curtain.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the curtain body.

Fig. 3 is a lay-out for the cutting of the ruffle and valance strips.

Fig. 4 is a plan of the complete rufiie and valance strip.

Similar reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the specification and claims.

In preparing the main body of the curtain, the material is cut to the proper width and length, allowing for the ruffles, casing and heading. The main body of the curtain which I have designated III in the drawing may be provided with a rectangular section between corners H and I2 as shown in Fig. 2. A cut-away portion as I3 is provided for the tie-back effect, producing, preferably, a rectangular portion between corners i4 and I5 as shown on Fig. 2. A rounded portion as at I6 may be provided at the lower corner below the cut-away portion [3. Between the rounded portion l6 and the corner ll, the bottom is shown as being straight.

The strips for the valance [9 and ruiile l9 are cut of the desired width on the bias, preferably, a true bias. The method of cutting the valance and rufile strips is shown in Fig. 3, wherein l8 represents the strip of uncut material and I9 the bias-cut strips cut on an angle of 45 from the side edge of the strip l8. These strips are pieced together as shown in Fig. 4, to produce the required length.

The outer edge of the curtain body l0 and the outer edge of the rullle I9 and the lower edge of the valance [9 are first hemmed. When hemming the valance and ruffle, the hem should be stretched slightly to allow the stitching to give with the material and also to give a slight fullness to the free edge of the ruffle l $1 and valance Is in the completed curtain.

It has been found to be preferable for the rufile at its top, to have a tapering effect. To bring this about, the angular end of the ruffle strip I9 is utilized. The straight edge 202| which is substantially or exactly parallel with the threads of the strip I9, is sewed to the main curtain body beginning at the point where the lower portion of the casing is to be located, the corner at 2|, being slightly rounded as shown in dotted lines on Fig. 4.

As the ruille l9 is sewed to the main body ID of the curtain, the material is eased but without any substantial gathers. This sewing of the ruille edge continues to beyond the point 2|. Beyond the point 2|, the ruffie strip will be secured with its bias edge to the edge of the curtain. The sewing of the ruflle l9 to the main body ill, continues in the manner described until a point adjacent the curved portion i6 is reached. From this point great care is needed to ease the ruflle as much as possible, to a point beyond curved portion l6 without any substantial gathering, to give the desired fullness to the ruffle. When the ruffle is secured to a point beyond the curved portion IS, the rufile is eased slightly and sewed on out to the corner I1.

The casing and heading are now formed. The upper rectangular portion of the curtain body is folded over and sewed in place, the upper portion forming the heading l, and the lower portion forming the rod casing lo as shown in Fig. 1.

When the heading and easing are finished, the valance It!* is sewed in position, easing slightly.

Curtains made according to this invention, have many advantages over the ordinary curtain. In the ordinary curtain, the thick folds at the tieback give a bunching effect and appear to be thickened at this point. In the curtains made in accordance with this invention, the lack of buchiness due to the cut-away portion, gives the curtain at and below this point, an appearance of a uniformity of thickness with the upper portions of the curtain. This uniformity of thickness is furthered by the lack of gathers of the ruille and valance on the curtain-body edge.

By the smooth continuous surface between the curtain body and rufile and between the curtain body and valance, the effort in ironing the curis reduced to a minimum. This is due to the fact that the iron can pass from one surface to the other without being hampered by the usual gathers along this line.

This curtain may be made of any suitable mate al. I have found that excellent results may be obtained by the use of organdie.

In describing the invention, I have gone into considerable detail as to the construction of the illustrated embodiment. It is to be understood, however, that the description and drawing are merely illustrative and that modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and within its scope as claimed.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A curtain for windows and the like comprising a body portion having a window-side edge. and a bias-cut ruffle having a bias-cut edge attached to the body portion on the bottom edge of the curtain and extending along and attached to that edge of the body portion opposite to the window-side edge, the rufile and body portions each having smooth portions adjacent to and throughout the line of attachment.

2. A curtain for windows and the like, comprising a body portion having a window-side edge, the edge opposite to the window-side edge being cut in where the curtain is to be held back, and a bias-cut rufile having a bias-cut edge attached to the body portion on the bottom edge of the curtain and extending along and attached to that edge of the body portion opposite to the windowside edge, the rufile and body portions each having smooth portions adjacent to and throughout the line of attachment.

3. A curtain for windows and the like comprising a body portion having a window-side edge, a bias-cut ruffle having a bias-cut edge attached to the body portion on the bottom edge of the curtain and extending along and attached to the edge of the body opposite to the window-side edge, the rufiie and body portions each having smooth portions adjacent to and throughout the line of attachment and a bias-cut valance at the top of the body portion, the valance and body portions being smooth adjacent their line of attachment.

ALMA ESTERLY PHELAN.

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