Untitled record

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N. PETERS. PHOTO-UTHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D C.

United States Patent Office»

LEWIN A. COLBERT, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

IMPROVED PAPER WINDOW-SHADE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 53,786, dated April 10, 1866.

To all whom it may concern: '

Be it known that I, Lewin A. Colbert, of Baltimore city and State of Maryland, have invented a new and Improved Mode of Makin θ· Paper Window Blinds or Shades, together with their Appurtenances; and that I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in strengthening and making semi-transparent paper shades, or paper to be used for shades, by binding them on the sides, top, and bottom, and oiling and varnishing them in the manner and with the mixture hereinafter mentioned, and to have said curtains or shades roll up between compound spring-rollers to keep the same always smooth and steady, said spring-rollers inserted in a box to serve as an ornamental cornice and keep the dust off the curtains or shades, and to have a single or endless cord for rolling the curtains attached to the roller, with a loaded tassel to balance the same; or, if I use an endless cord to roll the curtain, I then make use of a slide-knob with a gum-elastic strap attached, to keep the cord always tight, so that it will not be affected by the weather, which all cords are by the present attachments.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

First, for the paper curtain or shade I take anj^r thin tough Manila paper for the same, and oil it on both sides with a thin coat of boiled linseed-oil, adding to each quart of oil one-half gill each of bright copal varnish and spirits of turpentine and one-half ounce of patent driers, and whatever tint in the mixture I may fancy. When the curtain is dry, I then embellish it any manner I like, or not. I then give it a second coat of my solution, made of one part boiled linseed-oil and three parts of bright copal or dammar varnish, and the windowshade will be finished, translucent, and with a beautiful gloss.

The paper shades of present manufacture must be treated as follows: First, coat them on both sides vyith a mixture of three-fourth parts of boiled linseed-oil and a one-fourth part of copal varnish, and when dry second-coat them on both sides with my solution, as stated above for the Manila shades; and if I wish all the colors to remain unchanged, I coat each side with a white-glue size compound of one ounce of the glue melted in a pint of hot water, and in that case the shade or curtain only wants the second or enameling coat, o.ne of three parts varnish and one part of boiled linseed-oil, as stated above. I then glue on each edge of the curtain, on both sides, strips of tape or its equivalent from a half to one inch wide, for an additional strengthener. I then girth the upper and lower curtain-rollers with muslin or other similar stuff that will answer the purpose, leaving the two spare edges, after they have girthed the roller, projecting up about one inch. I then open the projecting cloth and glue the paper curtain in between firmly; or I can use a hemispherical roller with muslin glued in between; and it will then stand as much abuse and wear (except puncturing) as a muslin curtain.

Secondly, for the rollers and appurtenances I inclose in a cornice-box or on brackets alone a compound spring-roller with metal axles inserted in the ends, A being the wood rollers, of suitable size for curtains; B, the springs in which the axles of the upper rollers play, said springs always pressing the upper roller down hard on the under one.

C is the cleats of metal or hard wood, with slots in which the axles of the lower curtainroller play, and which can be taken out at pleasure, or slots can be cut into the brackets without the aforesaid cleats.

D is the spool-like groove cut in the roller in which the cord rolls. E is the loaded tassel attached to the cord that rolls the curtain up.

F is the slide knob or hook sliding in the hollow box, with a gum strap attached to the lower part on the inside of said box and to the sliding knob or hook, to keep the endless cord, if used, always tight, which may be applied to all window-shades now in use.