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In the average home in the 1850s, the wooden floor was likely
painted, sometimes adorned with a design. The invention of
linoleum in 1860 and the availability of large power looms
that could produce rolls of inexpensively decorated colored
carpet enabled homeowners to cover their floors. In most cases,
these coverings needed to be stretched and fitted in much the
same way current floor coverings are. This tool is very closely
related to carpet installers' tools used today.
From 1850 to 1890, there were over 200 patents granted for
carpet- and linoleum-stretching tools. The majority of these
used one of four systems to stretch the covering. The first
entailed using a clamping device and hauling it taut. A windlass
used with a cable or rope from a fixed point often supplemented
this method. The second was the toggle bar system—by having
a joint between the two points, one could apply pressure simply
by pressing down. This is still in use today and is most professional
carpet installers' preferred method. The third method, another one favored by today's carpet installers, was one in which the floor covering was stretched by striking the tool with the knee. The fourth involved using
a ratchet or eccentric arm that could move an arm against
the fixed point with a provision for detents. This is the
method used with the tool shown. Almost all of the systems
examined from that time period had aggressive hooks and barbs
or clamps to hold the covering. It should also be noted that
in some cases (as in this example) the holding point was intended
to be driven into the floor, much like a giant nail, with
no thought as to the unsightly damage. The new floor covering
would effectively obscure this harm.
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