US496777A

US496777A - Carpet-stretcher

Info

Publication number: US496777A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1893-05-02
Anticipated expiration: 1910-05-02

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OEErcE.

LOUIS E. EHRGOTT, OF MENDON, ILLINOIS.

CARPET-STRETCH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 496,777, dated May 2, 1893.

Application iiled June l, 1892. Serial No.435,200. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS E. EHRGOTT, of Mendomin the county of Adams and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carpet-Stretchers; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and eiact description of the same, ref erence being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to that class of carpet stretchers, adapted to be placed beneath the carpet, and by co-operating with the tloor and under side of the carpet, to stretch the same when pressed down by the operators knee or foot, the object of the invention being to provide a simple device, not at all liable to slip and with which the liability of tearing or injuring the carpet is greatly reduced. l

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device constructed in accordance with my present invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the manner of using the device.

Like letters of reference indicate the saine parts in both figures.

Heretofore, stretchers of this character, have been made composed of a single piece, with teeth at one end adapted to engage the floor and ine teeth or holding projections at the opposite end adapted to engage the under side of the carpet.

In operation the carpet is tacked along one edge and the stretcher placed in an inclined position beneath the opposite edge with the teeth on its ends co-operating with the floor and carpet as before intimated,then'pressure being applied by the operator to the upper edge of the stretcher by pressing the foot or knee against the carpet over the same, and the stretcher will act as a lever of the third order, and in its downward movement, draw the carpet taut, a tack or other device being then inserted in rear of the stretcher to hold the carpet in place.

So far as the construction and operation are concerned, my present device is quite similar to the above, but instead of providing the stretcher, which I shall herein term the stretcher lever A, with teeth at the lower edge, I now mount it on a base B, and provide the latter with holding points or teeth C, on the lower side, usually simple, conical or pointed, pins. The connection between the stretcher lever and base is a pivotal one, and is formed by side arms D rigidly connected to the sides ot' the stretcher lever and having their lower ends curved toward one side and united to the sides of the base by pivotal pins or a through bolt. The curvature of the arms uniting the stretcher lever and base, it will be noted, permits said lever to turn down flat as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, thus securing a wider range of movement than would otherwise be possible. At the upper end of the stretcher lever, a series of fine holding teeth f are preferably provided, and surrounding vthem is a piece of soft rubber G or similar elastic material which, while it permits the points to enter the carpet whenpressure is brought upon the same, serves to free said points almost entirely from the carpet as soon as the pressure is relieved. The advantage of this is apparent, for while the points will hold securely when the device is in operation, they do not remain embedded in the carpet deep enough to prevent the ready withdrawal or removal of the device, and there is little or no danger of tearing or injuring the carpet.

The device is preferably constructed of wood, although it is obvious that metal 'may be employed if desired, and inasmuch as great strength is necessary, the arms or the pivotal connection between the base and stretcher lever should be made ot' metal in every instance.

The base section, it will be noted, is somewhat extended and the stretcher lever is united thereto at about the center, thus a firm hold upon the iioor is always insured, and if there should be indications of slipping when the lever has reached a point near the limit of its downward movement the operator can, by pressing on the rear ot' the base at once overcome such tendency and cause the device to hold securely.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- IOO base and lower end of said arms, substan` tially as described.

LOUIS E. EHRGOTT.

Vitnesses:

L. E. EMMONS, L. E. EMMONS, Jr.