Improvements in Self-acting Window-blind Apparatus.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Feb., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 2nd June, 1890-Accepted, 19th July, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Self-acting Window-blind Apparatus.
I HARRY SMITH WAINWRIGHT of Alfred House, Ashford in the County of Kent,
Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention has reference to self-acting window blind apparatus such as used for
railway carriage blinds wherein a roller to which the upper edge of the blind is
secured is so mounted that it can be rotated in one direction namely to wind up the
blind by the action of a suitable spring or springs and in the reverse direction by
pulling the blind to lower it and my invention has reference to the construction of
self acting window blind apparatus of this description with a retaining brake in which
a ball (or there may be more than one) is caused by the action of a spring to bear
against a surface formed with cavities recesses or indentations arranged in an annular
row concentric with the blind roller. With such an arrangement the pressure exerted
by the brake spring through the ball can be so adjusted as to cause the roller to be
prevented from rotating whether the blind be up or down or in any intermediate
position but so nevertheless that the blind can be either wholly or partially pulled
down or raised by hand and when released by the hand will remain practically in the
raised lowered or intermediate position to which it has been drawn or lifted. It will
be understood that when the blind is pulled to lower it the resistance of the brake is
overcome by the pull applied to the blind, and when the lower edge of the blind is
lifted the blind roller is rotated to wind up the blind by the action of the spring or
springs that normally acts or act to raise and wind the blind upon its roller.
In one arrangement a disc having in it a suitable seating for the ball is arranged
concentrically with the annular row of cavities or recesses and a cup or bearing is
employed to transmit the pressure of the brake spring to the ball.
Dated this 3rd day of February 1890.
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Self-acting Window-blind Apparatus.
I, HARRY SMITH WAINWRIGHT, of Alfred House, Ashford, in the County of Kent,
Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
My invention has reference to self acting window blind apparatus such as used for
railway carriage blinds, wherein a roller to which the upper edge of the blind is
secured, is so mounted that it can be rotated in one direction, namely, to wind up the
blind, by the action of a suitable spring or springs, and in the reverse direction by
pulling the blind to lower it, and my invention has reference to the construction of
self-acting window-blind apparatus of this description, with a retaining brake in which
a ball (or there may be more than one) is caused by the action of a spring to bear
against a surface formed with cavities, recesses or indentations, arranged in an annular
row, concentric with the blind roller. With such an arrangement the pressure exerted
by the brake spring through the ball can be so adjusted as to cause the roller to be
prevented from rotating whether the blind be up or down, or in any intermediate
position, but so nevertheless, than the blind can be either wholly or partially pulled
down, or raised by hand, and when released by the hand will remain practically in the

page_text: Taised, lowered, or intermediate position to which it has been drawn or lifted. It will
be understood that when the blind is pulled to lower it, the resistance of the brake is
overcome by the pull applied to the blind, and when the lower edge of the blind is
lifted the blind roller is rotated to wind up the blind by the action of the spring or
springs that normally acts or act to raise and wind the blind upon its roller.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. is a longitudinal central section of self acting window blind apparatus
according to this invention.
Fig. 2 is a view of the outer side of the disc carrying the brake ball.
Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively a side elevation and a view of the inner side of the
disc with spring holder carried thereby.
Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively a face view and a central section of part of one of
the roller brackets or supports formed with an indented or waved surface against
which the brake ball bears.
Figs. 7 and 8 are similar views to Figs. 5 and 6 respectively illustrating a modified
form of indented surface.
Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate a further modified form of indented surface.
Referring to Figs. 1 to inclusive, 1 is a tubular roller to which the blind is
attached. Within it is arranged a stationary rod 2, around which is wound or coiled
a spring 3, one end of which is secured to the rod and the other to the roller. The
rod 2, which passes through a hollow plug 1ª secured within one end of the cylinder
and for which it serves as a bearing, is held at one end in a suitable bracket 4, and at
the other end extends through a disc 5 secured within the roller. 6 is a disc formed
at one side of its centre, with a hole 7 and a seat 8 for a ball 9 forming part of a
retaining brake. This disc is secured to the roller 1 and has on its inner side a hollow
cylinder 10 containing a rod 11 with cup or bearing 12 for the ball, and a spring 13
that acts at one end against the cup or bearing 12 and at the other end against a back
plate 14 secured to the cylinder 10 in such a manner as to normally keep the ball to
its seat. 11 is a pin screwed or otherwise secured to the disc 6 at its centre. This
pin made of suitable material, for example steel, has a bearing in a fixed bracket 15
and at its outer end has rivetted upon it a washer 16 in such a manner that the pin
and washer can turn freely in the bracket 15 when the roller rotates. 17 is a
screw plug that closes the hole in which the washer 16 works. The surface 18 of the
bracket 15 adjacent to the disc 6 and against which the ball 9 acts as shown in Fig. 1
and over which it rolls when the blind is pulled down or wound up, is made of waved
form as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6, the grooved or indented parts of the surface
being arranged in an annular row concentric to the axis of the blind roller. The
pressure exerted by the spring 13 upon the ball is so adjusted that the resistance
offered by the indented surface to motion of the roller is sufficient to hold the blind
practically in any position in which it is left after being drawn down or lifted, but
not such as to prevent the blind being pulled down by hand, or wound up by the
spring 3 when its lower weighted edge is lifted. The action of the apparatus is as
follows:-
The blind is pulled down by hand against the action of the spring 3 which is
thereby partially coiled, and the drawing up of the blind when its lower edge is
lifted, is effected by the reaction of this spring, the blind when released being
retained practically in any position to which it has been drawn or lifted, by the
action of the ball against the indented surface 18.
The bracket 15 instead of having a waved surface 18 as just described, can be formed
with an annular row of cavities or recesses 18" of curved form in cross section as
shewn in Figs. 7 and 8 and in one or other of which the ball 9 rests when the blind is
released. Or the bracket may be made with an annular groove 18 of curved form in
cross section as shewn in Figs. 9 and 10 for the brake ball to run in.
Or the bracket may have a projecting part carrying the ball which acts against the
smooth or indented grooved or channelled periphery of the disc, the ball or balls being
enclosed between such disc and projection as in Fig. 11.
As will be obvious a retaining brake such as described may be arranged in various

page_text: ways. Thus the ball 9 with its spring attachment can be attached to the fixed
bracket 15 and the surface formed with cavities, recesses, or indentations and against.
which the ball acts, can be fixed to and revolve with the roller. Also two or more
balls may be used in any of the arrangements mentioned, each ball being acted upon
by a spring as described, arranged in a cylinder carried by, and to one side of the
centre of, the perforated disc 5. The ball 9 can with advantage be made about ths
of an inch in diameter and be of ebony, gun-metal, white metal, or steel, but gun-
metal is preferred owing to its smooth action, and non-corrosive qualities. The
recessed or indented surface against which the ball acts is also preferably of
gun-metal.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The construction of self acting window blind apparatus of the kind hereinabove
referred to, with a retaining brake in which a ball, or balls, is or are, caused by the
action of a spring or springs to bear against a surface formed with cavities recesses or
indentations arranged in an annular row concentric with the blind roller substantially
as and for the purpose hereinabove described.
2. The construction of self acting window-blind apparatus with retaining brake as
hereinabove described with reference to and shewn in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, or
modified as described with reference to Figs. 7 and 8 or as described with reference to
Figs. 9 and 10 or as described with reference to Fig. 11 of the drawings annexed.
Dated this 21st day of Nov 1800
HARRY SMITH WAINWRIGHT.
W. Lloyd Wise,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.