US2163989A - Fur stretching device - Google Patents

Description

June 27, 1939. c s -rz FUR STRETCHING DEVICE Filed May 12, 1937 ATTORNEY.

Patented June 27, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE,

Clarence Sturtz, Oconomowoc, Wis.

Application May 12, 1937, Serial No. 142,290

2 Claims.

My invention relates to fur stretchers and more particularly to the type of stretcher that is used by trappers for stretching the pelts of small animals, such as muskrats, or the like.

It is obvious to anyone familiar with the art that the prime requisite of a stretching device is to rigidly support the pelt in a manner that will cause it to be spread out and stretched to the proper proportions without causing wrinkles or folds in the pelt and without puncturing the pelt, or in any other manner, injuring it.

The object of my invention is to produce a device that will accomplish the aforesaid requirements in an efficient manner so that the operator may easily adjust the device to its required position without any tools or the knowledge of mechanics.

The invention consists of the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts heretofore described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the said drawing Fig. l is an illustration of a pelt in its stretched position applied to the device.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device showing the arrangement and operation of the various parts.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of an adjustable clamp as applied to the device showing the manner in which the clamp functions.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the clamp showing the arrangement of parts, and

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of a part of an adjustable clamp showing the method employed for contacting and holding the pelt.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views and referring now to the same, the character I represents a pelt applied over the side members II and II. These members II and II are pivotally joined at I2 by means of a rivet, or the like. There is a hinged member I3 of channelled construction pivotally mounted at I4 on the side member II' by means of a rivet, or the like. There are apertures I5 in the lower wall of the channelled member I3 and the side member II has a projecting prong I6 which engages the apertures I5 when the side member II is guided by the channel of the hinged member I3. A spring I! is shown engaging the side member II and the hinge member I3 and functions as a means to keep the projecting prong It in engagement with the aperture I5.

There are adjustable clamping members I8 provided with a looped section I9 which engage the side members II and II. The adjustable clamping members I8 consist of a pair of projecting arms, one of which is provided with an eyelet 20, the other with an engaging member 2|, the engaging member 2| being positioned at a 5 point central to the eyelet 20. The slidable loop 22 encircles the projecting members of the adjustable clamps I8 and when brought forward to the eyelet 20, causes the engaging member 2| to engage the eyelet 20.

In operation the hinged portion I2 of the device is inserted into the pelt I0 and the pelt I0 itself is brought down its entire length. The operator then spreads the side members II and II to the proper adjustment allowed by the pelt I0 and the projecting prong I6 is entered into one of the apertures I5 in the member I3.

The spring Il being of sufficient tension affords permanent engagement of the prong IS in one of the apertures I5. Next, the adjustable clamps I8 are brought into engagement with the ends of the pelt at 23 and 24 respectively. In Fig. 5 is shown the manner employed for clamping the ends of the pelt at 23 and 24 by means of the eyelet 20 and the engaging member 2I in the ad- 25 justable clamps I8. After this engagement on the pelt has been made, the operator slides the ad-- justable clamps downward on the members II and II toward the member I3 by means of the loop I9 on the member I8, engaging the side mem- 0 hers I I and I I. These loops I9, being of a slightly larger diameter than the size of the material constituting the members II and II' will cause the same to produce a clamping action which will retain them in a fixed position due to the coefiicient of friction of the loop I9 and the members II and II. In this manner as the pelt dries and cures, it will be prevented from wrinkling or pulling out of shape by the stretching action of the side members II and II', and the adjust- 40 able clamps IB.

In the chosen embodiments of my invention exemplified by the accompanying drawing there are present certain novel refinements and improvements not heretofore disclosed in the prior art and which will be hereinafter more fully referred to and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent in the United States, is: I

1. A device of the character described, comprising in combination a pair of side members pivotally connected at one end, a U shaped cross 7 member pivotally supported by one of said'side 5s members, a plurality of engaging means on said hinged cross member for contacting the other of said side members, a resilient means for retaining the depending end of said cross member in engagement with one of the said side members, and adjustable clamping members slidably engaging said side members for retaining a pelt or the like in a stretched position on said device without piercing holes into the pelt.

2. A device of the character described, comprising in combination a pair of side members pivotally connected at one end, a U shaped hinged cross member pivotally connected to one of said side members, said cross member provided with a plurality of engaging indexes, a projecting member on the end of one of said side members for engagement with said indexes, a resilient support for retaining said cross member in direct engagement with said projecting member, and clamping members for slidable contact with said side members, said clamping members provided with an eyelet on one end and projecting contact member on the other end for clamping the end of a pelt or the like when stretched over same without piercing said pelt. CLARENCE STURTZ

Images