This invention relates to a method and apparatus for use in hanging curtains.

Curtains are generally slidably mounted to a curtain track, which may be in the form of a pole, rod or rail. The curtains are attached to the track by means of hangers having a hook for engaging the curtain and a runner for slidably engaging the track. The hangers may be formed as a one-piece or as two separate pieces, with the user having to attach the hook to the runner.

Curtains can be difficult to hang, especially if the curtain track is positioned in an awkward or high location, or if the curtains are heavy or long.

W093/17609 discloses an arrangement for sliding curtains into or out of a curtain track, the arrangement comprising a downwardly curved device which can be fitted to a gate at one end of the track. The device curves downwardly from the gate and is provided with a one-way catch at its lower end. In use, a curtain is lifted up to the lower end of the device and one-piece hangers of the curtain are then fed one-at-a-time into the device past the catch, whereupon they can be slid upwardly along the device until they reach the curtain track. A disadvantage of the above-mentioned arrangement is that the curtain still has to be lifted up into a position where the hangers can be fed into the device, which is almost as difficult as feeding the curtain hangers directly onto the track itself.

I have now devised a method of hanging curtains and an apparatus for use in the method, which alleviates the above-mentioned problems.

In accordance with this invention, as seen from a first-aspect, there is provided a method of hanging a curtain on a curtain track, the method comprising:

• providing a loading device in the form of an elongate track;
• Slidably engaging the upper end of the curtain with the loading device by means of hangers;
• lifting the loading device up to the curtain track with the curtain slidably mounted thereon,
• aligning one end of the loading device with an end of the curtain track;
• sliding the hangers off the loading device onto the track; and
• detaching the device from the track.

The curtain is slidably attached to the loading device at a low level and accordingly, the need to lift up the curtain and then engage it with the track by intereconnecting hangers one-at-a-time is avoided. It will be appreciated that it is relatively straightforward to slide the curtain off the loading device and on to the track, even if the track is positioned in an awkward or high place, or if the curtains are heavy or long.

Preferably the device is aligned with the end of the track by engaging a formation on one end of the device with a complementary formation on the end of the track.

Preferably the device is aligned with an inner end of a first section of the track, which is aligned with, but spaced apart from a second section of the track, the method further comprising fitting a bridging track between said sections once the curtain has been slid off the loading device and on to said first section of track.

In this manner, the curtain can be slid onto the track at a point remote from the opposite ends of the track, which ends may be difficult to access or may be fitted with finials, end stops or pull mechanisms etc.

Preferably the loading device is held at a substantially horizontal attitude, when sliding the curtain off the device onto the track.

Also in accordance with this invention, as seen from a second aspect, there is provided an apparatus for hanging curtains, the apparatus comprising a curtain track having a first track section, a second track section, a bridging track section detachably interconnecting opposed inner ends of said first and second track sections and a loading device in the form of an elongate track for engaging said inner end of said first track section when the bridging section is disconnected therefrom.

Preferably one end of the loading device is cranked to allow the end thereof to be positioned between the opposed inner ends of the first and second sections of track.

Preferably one end of the loading device is provided with a formation for engaging a complementary formation on the inner end of said first section of track.

Preferably said formation on the loading device comprises an axial projection for engaging into a socket formed in the end of said first section of track.

Preferably the bridging sections comprises a projection on one end for engaging into a socket formed in the end of one of the sections of track and a further projection on its opposite end for engaging into a socket formed in the end of the other section of track, said further projection being slidable inwardly and outwardly of the bridging section.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of an example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view from below of a curtain track of an apparatus in accordance with the present invention for use in hanging curtains, when fitted to a window;
• Figure 2 is a similar view of the curtain track of Figure 1, showing the bridging track thereof disconnected therefrom;
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of the bridging track section of the curtain track of Figure 1;
• Figure 4 is a perspective view of a loading device of the apparatus in accordance with the present invention; and
• Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view, illustrating how a curtain track is slid from the loading device of Figure 4 onto the track of Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown a curtain track 10 fitted to a wall 11 over a window 12. The track 10 comprises a pair of elongate centre sections 13, 14 which are interconnected by a shorter bridging section 15. L-shape end sections 16, 17 extend from respective outer ends of the centre sections 13, 14 and curve through 90° towards the wall 11.

The underside of the track 10 is flat and comprises a pair of parallel-extending channels 18, 19 for respectively slidably receiving the hangers (not shown) of inner and outer curtains. It will be appreciated that the track 10 may comprise only one channel and may be of any longitudinal shape or length to suit the window or aperture to which it is fitted.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, the centre sections 13, 14 of track and the bridging section 15 are formed of extruded aluminium or other suitable material and comprise an identical hollow profile, which defines longitudinal-extending channels 18, 19, as well as various longitudinal-extending passages 21-25.

A pair of fixed fingers 26, 27 extend from one end of the bridging section 15 out of respective passages 24, 25 disposed over the channels 18, 19 respectively.

A catch 28 extends out of the central passage 22 at the opposite end of the bridging section 15. The catch 28 is slidably mounted in the passage 22 and an actuator 30 projects from the side of the catch 28 through a slot 29 formed in the bottom wall of the bridging section 15.

When the track 10 is assembled, the fingers 26, 27 of the bridging section 15 extend into the corresponding passages 24, 25 in one of the central sections 13 of track. Similarly the catch 28 of the bridging section 15 extends into the corresponding passage 22 in the other central section 14 of track. It will be appreciated that the bridging section 15 can be detached from the track 10 by sliding the actuator 30 to retract the catch 28 out of engagement with the central sections 13, 14 of track, so as to define a gap 20 between the two central section 13, 14.

Referring to Figure 4 of the drawings, a loading device 30 of the apparatus comprises an elongate channel-section member of extruded aluminium or other suitable material. One end of the device 30 is cranked through 45°, the length of the cranked end being shorter than the width of the gap 20 in the track 10. The device 30 comprises a longitudinally extending channel 31 of complementary cross-sectional shape to the channels 18, 19 in the track 10.

A plurality of fingers 32-34 extend out of the cranked end of the device 30 from internal longitudinally extending passages bounding the channel 31 therein. The channel 31 is open at its opposite ends, although a gate or catch may be provided to close one or both ends.

Referring to Figure 5 of the drawings, a curtain C can be slidably engaged with the loading device 30 using a plurality of hangers (not shown), which extend between the upper edge of the curtain C and the channel 31. The loading device 30 is then lifted upwardly together with the curtain C, whereupon its cranked end is engaged with an exposed end of one of the central sections 13 of track, such that the channel 31 in the device 30 is aligned with one of the channels e.g. 19 in the central section 13 of track.

The curtain C is then slid off the loading device 30 and onto the central section 13 of track. This process is then repeated for each curtain to be hung. The bridging section 15 is then re-fitted to close the gap 20 between the track sections 13, 14.

The bridging section 15 and loading device 30 may vary in shape and form according to the type and construction of the curtain rail track.

It will be appreciated that the apparatus makes it easy to hang heavy or lengthy curtains in difficult elevated positions, since the curtains only need to be fitted to the loading device at a ground level, whereupon the loading device can simply be lifted up into a position whereby the curtain can be easily slid off the loading device 30 and onto the track 10.