US463746A - Carpet stretcher and tacker - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) v

'I'. KEOGH 8v G. BLOCKMAN.

CARPET STRETCHER ANDYTAGKER.

No. 463,746. Patentedmov. 24, 1891.

. NrTnD STATES PATENT union,

THOMAS KEOGII AND CHRISTOPHER F. LOOKMAN, OF SPRINGFIELD, OI'IIO.

CARPET STRETCHER AND TACKER.

SPECIFICATION forming `part of Letters Patent No. 463,746, dated November 24, 1891. Application filed January 16, 1891. Serial No. 377,987. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that we, THOMAS KEOGH, a citizen of the United States, and CHRISTOPHER F. LOOKMAN, a citizen of the Dominion lof Canada, both residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carpet Stretchers and Tackers, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements for stretching and holding carpet and tacking the same to the floor, the special object -of our invention being to provide a simple device of novel construction adapted to be held in the hand of the operator and while so held to engage with a carpet for stretching the same and at the same time holding a tack in such 'a position that as the carpet is properly stretched the tack may be forced through the same and hold it in the position in which it has been stretched by the operator. Ve attain this object by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of a device embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a partial longitudinal sectional View of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line Qc in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a top or plan view in detail of the tack-holding device.

Like parts are indicated by similar letters j of reference in the several views.

In the said drawings, A represents-the handle of the device, which may be formed integral, and B the supporting-frame connected to said handle or cast integral therewith, as the case may be. The supporting-frame B is preferably provided with a central longitudinal opening B', in which is located a swinging arm C, pivoted at a by a suitable pin or rivet to the frame B, and provided on its outer or free extremity with a curved downwardly-extending projection b, with an enlarged head b'. The supporting-frame B is provided at its forward end with a transverse housing B2, cored or otherwise hollowed out to form a pocket B3, the side walls of which are extended up to form projecting flanges c. lVithin the pocket thus formed within the housing B2 are pivoted swinging jaws D and D', the pivotal point cl of each beinglocated near the top, and the front edge of each of said jaws being each formed with a tapered concave depression d' on its inner face and on the outside with a stop projection d2, adapted to come in contact with the top of the end walls of the pocket B3 and form a stop for the same when the lower ends of said jaws are closed together, as shown in Fig. 3. The jaws are held normally in this position by small springs d3, which extend from suitable pockets in said jaws to the end walls of the housing B2. The downwardly-extending projection b on the swinging arm O is formed on the arc of a circle struck from the center of the pivotal point c, and isadapted as the arm is moved about its pivotal center to be guided by the sides of the longitudinal opening B in the supporting-frame and pass between the jaws D' and D2 and press the same outwardly, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. This swinging arm C is normally held in a raised position by a spring a', resting at ythe bottom on the supporting-frame B and at the top against the bottom of the arm C, a small projection a2 on said armbeing adapted to come in contact with the supporting-frame B and limit the movement of said arm.

On the bottom of the transverse housing B2 and alongthe front edge thereof are placed a series of engaging projections e, which are made sufficiently sharp at their outer extremities to engage with the carpet or other fabric to be stretched. In operation these projections are forced intol the fabric to be stretched, and by a pressure on the handle the fabric is moved to the desired point. The tack is in serted between the jaws D and D', and when the carpet or other fabric has reached a point where it is desirable to have it fastened a stroke on the head b' of the swinging arm O forces the tack through the jaws into the carpet, the said jaws opening as the tack is forced through, at the same time forming a guide therefor to hold it in an upright position.

It will be understood that the jaws are normally closed and that the tack may be inserted therein at any time and remain therein during the time the carpet is being pushed or stretched to the desired position, it being ready to receive the blow transmitted to the head b' at any time, which thus drives the tack into the carpet and secures it immediately back of the point at which it is engaged by the projections on the housing. v

It is obvious that the device may be constructed entirely of metal, or the operating parts may be of metal and the handle of wood. A claw E may be employed at the outer eX- tremity of the handle, if desired, which, when formed of metal, may be cast integral therewith. By having' the jaws pivoted at their front and top edges a slight movement only of the jaws is produced at this point as the lower end of said jaws are opened or'closed. The tapered conical depressions in said jaws are adapted, when placed adjacent to each other, to form guides for the tack, which hold itin vertical position as it is being forced through said jaws by the action of the projectiou Z).

As shown, the arm C and its projection Z) are intended to be used with a hammer or other device by which a blow is imparted to the head h; but it is obvious that it may be modified, so that the arm C may be struck with the hand or operated in any other suitable manner to drive the tack through the holding-jaws l) D.

The transverse housing B2, which supports the holdin gj aws, is preferably arranged at an acute angle to the base-lineof the supportingframe B, the projections e being placed as near the front edge of the base of said housing as practicable. rlhis construction, together with the curved form of the projection h, permits thecarpet to be forced up against the wall or base-board, while the outer extremity or head of the hammer stands considerably removed from said wall or base-board, so as to secure freedom in operating said arm when tacking the edge of a carpet close to a vertical wall or base-board.

It is obvious that the device admits of various modifications in its mechanical constructions, and we do not, therefore, limit ourselves to the exact constructions shown and described, but claim as our invention- In a carpet tacker and stretcher, the con1- bination, with a supporting-frame having at one end a suitable handle and at the other a transverse housing, of movable jaws arranged in said housing and supported on pivoted bearings which pass transversely through said jaws near the top, said jaws being provided with tapered concave depressions on their adjacent faces adapted to form a tapered pocket between the same and provided on the opposite sides with stopproj-ections adapted in a normal position to close the top of said housing, springs in said housing below said stop projections to hold the jaws in their normal position, and a swinging projection adapted to pass through said jaws, substantially as specifled.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 12th day of January, A. l). 1891.

THOMAS KEOGH. CHRLTOPHER l. LOCKMAN. lVitnesses:

Guns. I. WELcu, l?. M. Jonas.

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