US2079831A - Curtain - Google Patents

Description

May ll, 1937. A; BAUER, JR., ET Al.

CURTAIN Filed Nov. 2o, 1955 2 sheets-sheet 1 v 5%- f 2. /ff/j.. f f o 9 :Kili-:t :1- 171/132 fJ/- -Jc/ o y I 1 V /f. l

May ll, 1937. A. BAUER, JR.. ET AL CURTAIN Filed Nov. 20, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gmc/who@ en/el It is Well knovvn that the PatentedMay 11, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENTI OFFICE 2,079,831 CURTAIN Andrew Bauer, Jr., Forest Hills, N. Y., and Robert WhewelLf New Bedford, Mass., assignors to 1 United Merchants & Manufacturers, Inc., New` `York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 20,1935, Serial No. 50,646

` 1 1 ciaim. (ci. 139-389) Our present invention` relates to window curtains and method of Weaving thesame.

Prior to our invention it has been the` general practice in the production of curtains to have the materials woven atthe millsof a.` single thickness according tolthe patterns and` types desired, and to provide in the process ,of Weaving a heavy filler thread across `the material at cer* maximum) and these curtainsafter Vthe ends are hemmed are sold throughthe stores and shops to the users. i i

hanging of the curtains in homes or other places Where `they are used involves considerable diiiicultyand tedious Work on the part of persons hanging them chieiiy because it is necessary to fold over one of the ends of the curtains to provide a tunnel or tube through which the curtain rods Vare inserted to support the curtain. Whenthe curtains are arranged in pairs it frequently happens that the first fitting in the home is not accurate due either to irregularities-'in the finishing of thecurtains by the manufacturers or to mistakes or "inaccuracies on the part` of the persons who make the folds to receive the curtain rod. J

Our present invention stated generally as `to method provides for the accurate weaving of i curtains, which during the weaving process, have formed therein tunnels or tubes to receive the curtain rods and arranged at predetermined intervals with meticulous exactitude lassured by the manipulation of the yarns vin the process of weaving on the looms, so that the pairs of curtains may be evenly and easily hung inthe home orother place of use without any Work on the part of the `user except inserting the curtain rods and securingthem on their usual supports `or brackets. l. f

Stated generally` as to the article, the invention resides in the provision of; curtains or drapes provided with at least one preformed tunnel .or tube toreceive the curtain rod, or Withfa plurality of such tubes permitting adjustment of the curtains according to diierentlf lengths `of Windows,'as Well as taking care of shrinkage which usually occurs when the curtains are laundered.

More specifically, and as will be hereinafter pointed out in detail, the process of weaving pro- The vides `for dividing `the vvarp threads into `separate groups at deiinite intervals, and Weaving certain of the weft or llerthreads in with the divided `Warps to provide `areas `of double fabric which constitute the tunnels or tubes to receive the curtain rods or other supporting elements. The

' l my 2,079,831

same warp threads .are utilized in Weaving theA body of thecurtain of` single thicknessbeyond Athe tubes ortunnels o1'` thcrebetvvecn.

Other or specic objects .of the invention `reside in so Weaving.. thecurtainswith the tunnels or tubes simultaneously fol'medfduringthc weaving process and providing finished or. smooth longitudinal edges to the curtains, which may be calleda prehem'." This may be accomplished by incorporating in the Warp heavy or relatively `thick yarns,

Another feature is the provision of specially grouped weft or `filler threadswith or without heavy or thickdecorative. filler threads to strengthen the tunnels or tubes `which receive the rods or supporting elements. `The foregoing and other objects `and advantages of the invention Willbe pointed out in detail and explained fullyduring the course of the following description of the accompanying drawings forming a part `of this application, Kand inA Which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a Window frame showing a pair of curtains embodying the invention hung thereacross on a supporting rod;

Fig. 2 is Va side elevation of the structure and `curtains shown in Fig. 1 illustrating how the curtains of Fig. 1 maybe shortened While providing a valance at the top;

Fig. 3 `is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of one ofthe curtains shownlin Fig. 1 illustrating particularly the formation of the rod receiving tunnel; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but in perspective, and with one of `the tunnels open and illustrating particularlyvthe-prehem or nished edge; p

.Fig 5 is an enlargedvertical sectional View 4through the topV ofthe curtain of Fig. 1 Vand one of the tunnels, further showingthe method loi? Weaving; p i p V Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 `showing a modification inrespect tothe method of Weaving to produce thetunnels; and

` Fig. 7 is `a view similar toFig. 5 taken through thevstructure of Fig. 6.V

Referring to Fig. 1 the numeral a window frame, at opposite sides of which and adjacent. the top are conventional brackets 9 to receive the ends of a curtain rod I0 in usual s designates manner so that curtains or drapes may be suspended across the window on the rod.

The numeral II designates the curtains each of which is of similar or identical design and construction so as to present an even or matched appearance both as to the length and decorative effect. As previously mentioned it is the construction of the curtains themselves and the method of weaving or producing the same which constitutes our present invention, and before proceeding with a detailed description of said construction and method of production, we would point out that the curtains in Figs. 1 and 2 are shown provided with three transverse tunnels or tubes each designated generally by the numeral I2 and each adapted to receive the curtain rod I0. In Fig. lthe curtains are shown suspended on thev rod IIl by inserting the rod through the uppermost tunnel I2, while in Fig.

2 the lcurtains are shown suspended on the rod by inserting the rod through the middle or intermediate tunnels I2. Obviously the curtains when suspended in the manner shown in Fig. l hang further below the lower end of the window frame than when suspended in the manner shown in Fig. 2. Thus the curtains may be readily adapted to different lengths of windows simply by inserting the rods through desired tunnels, and as is obvious in Fig. 2 when the rods are inserted through either of the lowermost tunnels, theupper ends of the curtains hang down to provide a decorative valance V. If desired, however, the downwardly hanging upper portion may be disposed behind instead of in front of the body of the curtains, thus eliminating' the valance while obtaining the desired length of curtains.

As previously mentioned, one of the principal generalobjects of the invention is the production of curtains such as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with either a plurality of tunnels or even a single tunnel to receive the curtainl rod so that'the curtains as purchased Amay be hung in the homes or other places of use without the necessity of measuring the windows and forming loops or hems in the tops ofthe' curtains to receive the rods or other supporting elements. Also as previously mentioned the fabric of which the curtains is made iscontinuously woven under accurate setting and operation of the looms, so that the tunnels which receive the rods, whether there be one, two, or more to a curtain, will occur at definite intervals. The web of` fabric v which contains the predetermined lengths is provided during the weaving process with the usual cutting guide threads hereinabove mentioned, (but not shown) so that the manufactucer of the curtains simply has to cut along the indicated lines and then hem over the cut edges as indicated by the numeral I3 in' Fig. 5 to obtain finished ends to the curtain. The tunnels are all located on corresponding pairs of curtains at exact predetermined distances from the cutting lines, and these relative distances are determined *by the setting of the harness of the looms.

In Figs. 3-5 the numeral I4 designates the warp threads which form the leno and the numeral' l'designates the filler or weft threads.

-the curtain rods.

parent, the invention may be practiced in connection with fabrics of various types and weaves, such, for instance, as voiles and plain weave.

Also `in Figs. 3-5 the numeral IB designates relatively heavy ller threads which are inserted at predetermined times and intervals preferably at the top and bottom of the tunnels which receive the suspending or supporting elements or rods. The use of the heavy filler threads I6 not only lends decoration, but also increases the strength .of the fabric, particularly in an open mesh or marquisette type made from relatively light warp and weft threads. Also as indicated generally by the numeral Il, certain of the weft threads I5 may be grouped relatively close adjacent the heavy filler threads I6, further increasing the decorative effect and strength of the curtain at the points where the rod receiving tunnels occur. Of course the grouping I'I and the use of the heavy filler threads I6 is optional as will hereinafter become more apparent.

We may also, and we find it desirable, incorporate in the fabric relatively heavy warp threads I8 along the longitudinal edges of the curtain or material from which the curtains are made, and if desired similar threads I9 in spaced relation t'o the threads I8 and parallel thereto. The warp threads I4 between the relatively heavy threads of yarns I8, I9 are shown relatively closely spaced along the longitudinal edges of the curtain both for decorative effect and to increase the strength of the material.

In Figs. 3-5 the transverse area or areas between the respective pairs of heavy filler rthreads or yarns I6 constitute the tunnel or tunnels designated generally by the letter T. It will be noted that these areas or tunnels are of double thickness providing a space S to receive The material above and below and between the tunnels where more than one tunnel is provided is of single thickness, and it is this method of weaving which provides the readyto-hang curtains.

VThe structure shown particularly in Figs. 3 and 4 is accomplished in the following manner. When weaving those portions of the web or material of single thickness the leno or warp is maintained undivided so that, for instance, there vmaybe twenty of the warp threads YI4 to the inch. However, when the points are reached where the tunnels are to be formed (determined by the setting of the harness) the leno or warp is divided into two groups so that there will be half as many of the threads I4 to the inch where the cloth is of double thickness to form the. opposite sides or walls of the tunnels. When the points are reached where the tunnels have been woven of predetermined dimension, the leno or warp is again brought together and manipulated to weave a fabric of single thickness. The above operation or method is continuous and may be accomplished either .with a single shuttle or with two shuttles. The preferred method consists in using one shuttle when weaving the cloth of single thickness, and bringing into use two shuttles when weaving the cloth of double thickness to form the tunnels. The reason for this being the preferred method is that smooth finished or prehemmed longitudinal --edges are obtained as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 where the ller threads I5 are engaged around the threads I8 on both walls of the tunnel as well as where the cloth is of single thickness. This is' indicated by the numeral 20 indicating on an exaggerated scale one of the loops wh're the iiller or weft threads engage" around the heavywarp threads at the side of the curtain.

In actual practice we have found that curtains 5 or drapes regardless of the nature of the material and woven. in accordance with the foregoing method possess great advantages over curtains finished in the homes or at other places of use by users, not only in the time and trouble saved l the users, but also in other important respects. Florl instance, the curtains may; be adapted to different lengths of windows and regardless of Y which of thetunnels are used, so long as the tunnels on the respective pairs are in alinement `lli on the same rod, an accurate and neat eiect is i obtained.

The use of the heavy ller threads or the grouping of the weft threads adjacent the tunnel is" optional, and of c ourse various decorative pat- 20 terns may be produced by practicing knownmethods of weaving as to the insertion of decorative ller threads to create designs.

In Figs. 6 and 'l wehhave shown a modification of the inventionwherein a single shuttle is used 25 between the points where the leno is divided andthere are no decorative or strengthening ller threads along the tunnels, although the same may be easily incorporated in the warp as should be obvious. 'Ihe same method is used to the extent 30 that the leno or warp is divided where the tunnels are formed. However, when a single shuttle is used in weaving both the single and double thickness of cloth or fabric, the tunnels are closed at their ends when the weaving is completed, so 35 that it is necessary to cut'certain of the filleror weft threads in order to open the ends of the tunnels to permit insertion of the rods. This is shown clearly in Fig. 6 where thenumeral 22 designates the cut ends of certain of the weft or 40 iiller threads I5' which correspond to the threads i of Figs. 3 and 4. Also in Figs. 6 and 7 the numerals Il' designatethe warp threads correspending to those Illof Figs. 3-5. The leno or warp is divided at 23, and as plainly shown in the 45 drawings the number of warp threads in the portions of the fabric where the thicknessis single are double the number of the threads across the channels where the leno is divided. 'I'he numeral 2l designates the loop ends of certain of the weft or filler threads i5' which are uncut, and as shown, every third weft or illler thread is severed at the ends of the tunnel under the method disclosed in connection with Figs. 6 and 7.

It should readily be apparent why the construction shown in Figs. 3-5 is preferable to that of Figs. 6 and 7, namely, that the longitudinal edges of the curtains are finished off instead of having frayed edges at the ends of the tunnels. However, the method generally, and the curtains constructed in vaccordance therewith. is the same under both embodiments of the invention because of the fact that .the tunnels or rod receiving channels are provided in or made a part of the curtains at the time of weaving the same, and whether there be one tunnel or channel to a curtain, or a plurality of tunnels or channels to a curtain, the same occur at` regular predetermineddntervalson the web determined by the setting of the harness of the loom. h

Another feature which we would point out is that the number of filler or weft threads which extend longitudinally across the channels, that is, the threadsi and I5', may be closely spaced together or more-closely spaced than the correspondlng threads on areas Where the cloth is of single thickness. This will also provide additional strengthk to the tunnels or channels.

-What we claim is: n

As a new article of manufacture a curtain or drape comprising a Woven fabric of single thickness throughout a major lportion thereof and having adjacent one end and at xed distances from the other kend a plurality of zones of double thickness arranged in parallel spaced relation relative to each other and `spaced apart by areas of single thickness, said zones of double thickness extending transversely across the curtain and constituting tunnels, any one of which may receive a rod or the like to hang the curtain.

`ANDREW BAUER, JR. ROBERT WHEWELL.

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