US2311245A

US2311245A - Stretching device

Info

Publication number: US2311245A
Application number: US342879A
Authority: US
Inventors: Pearl John
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1940-06-28
Filing date: 1940-06-28
Publication date: 1943-02-16
Anticipated expiration: 1960-02-16

Description

Feb. 16, 1943.` J. PEARL STRETGHING DEVICE Filed June 28 lll Patented Feb. 16, 1943 Unire sr OFFI@Y l 2 Claims.

This invention relates to stretching and drying means for curtains and other fabrics, having as its principal object the provision of apparatus constituting an improved means for imposing desired stretching forces upon limp materials such as curtains, during drying, to counteract shrinkage.

An important object of the invention is to provide such a stretching device which is of very simple and compact nature, which employs no pins or hooks which must be engaged with the fabric, such as are used with stretchers of conventional construction. My improved stretching apparatus is therefore designed to impose less strain upon and prolong the life of fabrics with which it is used.

A further object is to provide such a stretch- `ing device which occupies much less space than presently known curtain stretching devices, both during use and when stored.

Still another object is to provide such a curtain stretching device which utilizes the force of gravity to stretch the fabric, and, which may be conveniently suspended from any one of many suitable supports which may be found in every home, such as a door, curtain pole, clothesline, or the like.

Still another object is to provide such a stretching device which may very quickly be attached to and removed from curtains or other fabric to be treated, and which. does not mark or disturb the normal arrangement of the threads of the fabric, and which, further, imposes equal stretching effort upon all portions of the fabric, thereby eliminating the tendency to create unwanted scallops along the edges, such as are caused by stretching devices which rely upon hooking the material over pins, or the like.

It is also an object to provide such a curtain stretching device which is capable of accommodating and stretching several curtains at one time, and which will accommodate and properly stretch curtains whose dimensions are greater than those of the stretching device itself.

Still another object is the provision of improved supporting hook means for devices of the indicated character, which hook means is adapted to be folded out of the way when not in use, and which is adapted to project from the support in any of a plurality of positions, to enable the apparatus to be suspended conveniently from supports which extend in various angular directions with respect to the desired position of the curtain stretcher during use.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawing illustrat ing a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein similar reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a curtain stretching device constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing the same in use, and a curtain supported thereby, both the curtain and stretching device being centrally broken away.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken as if on the line 2 2 of Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows, but showing the supporting hcoks arranged in a somewhat different position and coacting with a support of different form.

Figure 3 is a bottom View taken as if on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows,- but on a larger scale and with portions between the clamping screws broken away.

Figure 4 is a front view of a portion of the upper clamping assembly, also centrally broken away.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the stretcher, in use and suspended from a door or like support.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of my improved supporting hook means removed from the stretching apparatus.

Figure '7 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line I-'I of Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawing: It will be seen that my improved stretching apparatus consists of a pair of clamping plate assemblies, I-IZ and IDA-IZA, one adapted to extend across the top edge and the other across the lower edge of the curtain or other fabric to be stretched. The lower clamp assembly is of substantial weight, and is suspended by the curtain or material. itself, serving to stretch it by its own weight, as the material dries. L

The back plate I0 of the upper assembly carries the threaded studs I4, adapted to project through slots I5 in the front plate, and to receive wing nuts, I8, by which the plates may be clamped together and against the interposed edge of a curtain or the like, indicated at 20.

The lower edges of the plates are indicated as provided with alined rolled beads 22. The slots I5 in the front plate are preferably L-shaped, so that after placing such plate on the studs it may be moved longitudinally to lock the plates against separation or vertical movement with relation to one another.

The lower clamping plates may be similar to the upper plates in construction, as shown, and adapted to be clamped along the lower edge of the curtain by means of like studs 14A and wing nuts I 8A. The plates are formed of relatively heavy gauge sheet metal, and preferably weigh about two pounds per square foot. This weight is sufficient to stretch the fabric amply when the upper assembly is supported in such manner as to allow the lower assembly to hang freely and impose its weight upon the fabric.

Hooks 25, of heavy wire, are secured to the upper clamping plate assembly to enable the same to be suspended from a suitable support, such as the rod 28. Holes 29, through which the hooks are passed, are formed in the back plate l0, these holes preferably being aligned with the slots I5, so that the portion of the hook which projects through the plate l will not interfere with the front plate I2. As shown in Figures 2, 6 and '7, the lower extremity of the wire of which the hook is formed is bent rearwardly in the plane of the hook, as indicated at 26, and thence laterally out of the plane of the hook, as indicated at 21. The end of portion 21 is swaged or otherwise deformed to prevent it from slipping through the hole 29. It will be apparent that the hook may be used with either the portion 26 or the portion 21 extending through the opening 29, or the angular juncture of portions 26, 21, so that the hook section 25 may extend either at right angles or parallel to the clamping plate assembly, or at any intermediate angle. When not in use, the hook may be swung downwardly about the portion 21 to lie behind the plate, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2.

The upper edges of the top clamping plate assembly and the lower edges of the bottom plate assembly are inclined inwardly to meet, and to space the portions of the plates through which the studs YI4--MA extend. This imparts such resiliency to the structure that danger of damaging the fabric when the screws are tightened is obviated.

In order to enable the device to be supported from the top of a door or the like, I provide the foldable bracket assembly best shown in Figures l and 5, comprising a pair of inverted hooks, 30,

embodiment of my invention herein disclosed is well calculated to adequately fulfill the objects and advantages primarily stated, it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible to variation, modication and change within the spirit and scope of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

l. A stretching device for curtains and the like comprising two clamp assemblies, one adapted to engage the material to be stretched along the upper edge and the other along the lower edge, releasable means for tightening such clamping Y assembly, the lower assembly being of substanformed of strap metal and adapted to fit over the top of a door, as 33, in the manner shown in Figure 5. Arms 35 project from the hooks, and are provided at their extremities with upwardly facing small hooked portions 36 in which the hooks 25 are adapted to be engaged. Arms 35 are preferably long enough to hold the suspended curtain clear of the knob of the door. At their inner ends the inverted hooks 30 are pivotally attached, as by means of rivets 31, to a strap 38, which not only spaces them in accordance with the spacing of the hoo-ks 25,` but also braces them to assist in maintaining them in position upon the door.

While it will be apparent that the illustrated tial weight, means for supporting the upper clamping assembly to allow the lower assembly to hang freely and impose its weight upon such material, each of said clamping assemblies comprising a pair of plate-like elements, a plurality of studs projecting from one of said plate-like elements, the other of said elements having a plurality of slots projecting inwardly from one edge and aligned with said studs, at least one of said plate-like elements being longitudinally channeled and arranged with its concave side facing the other, said studs extending through the channeled portion; and clamping elements engageable with said studs and adapted to overlie and bear against the slotted plate-like element to force said elements together and clampingly engage material placed therebetween, whereby tightening of said clamping elements may ilex said channeled plate-like element in a direction tending to flatten the same to vary the pressure applied to interposed material.

2. A stretching device for curtains and the like comprising a.I pair of clamping assemblies, one adapted to engage the material to be stretched along the upper edge and the other along the lower edge thereof, releasable means for tightening such clamping assemblies, the lower clamping assembly being of substantial weight, means for supporting the upper clamping assembly to allow the lower assembly to hang freely and impose its weight upon such material, each of said clamping assemblies comprising a pair of platelike elements, said releasable tightening means including a plurality of studs projecting from one of said plate-like elements the other of said elements having a plurality of slots projecting inwardly from one edge and aligned with said studs, and means for suspending the upper assembly, comprising a pair of hooks, each formed of wire and projecting loosely through an aperture in the plate-like element which carries said studs, said apertures being aligned with the studreceiving slots of the other element, whereby when said elements are assembled said hooks may also project through said slots, the lower `extremities of said hooks having portions slidable through said apertures and bent angularly in a substantially horizontal plane, whereby the hooks may be disposed in various angular relations with respect to said upper plate-like assembly.

JOI-IN PEARL.