Improvements in Curtain Sticks or Bottom Rods for Window Blinds.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 22nd Dec., 1894
Improvements in Curtain Sticks or Bottom Rods for Window
Blinds.
A communication from THE BRUSSELS TAPESTRY COMPANY, of Chauncey,
Westchester County, New York, U.S.A., Manufacturers.
I, CHARLES AUBREY DAY of 321, High Holborn, in the County of London,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said 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 relates to certain improvements on the curtain stick for which
U.S. Letters Patent were granted to Gilbert L. Bailey and Warren W. Cole,
dated February 16th, 1892, No. 468,861; and the objects of my improvements are
first, to provide means for greater freedom of action in the curtain stick; and
second, to prevent the rattling of the travelling guides when a car is in motion; all
as hereinafter set forth.
I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing,
in which
Figure 1, is a front view of a portion of the curtain stick, in its normal position
and with a part cut away, to better show my improvements.
Figure 2 is a similar view, but with the stick placed in an oblique position.
Figure 3, is a top view, which better shows the travelling guide, and the window
frame guide in which it slides.
Similar figures refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
Each end of the tubular stick 2 is provided with a loosely fitting guide-rod 5,
extending within said stick and, projecting slightly therefrom. A travelling guide,
or shoe 6, of any desired length, and T-shaped, in cross section, (see Figure 3) works
in a rabbetted groove in the upright guide 7, fixed on the side of the window frame 9.
The body part of said travelling guide projects out from said groove and is pivoted
to the outer end of the guide-rod 5.
A coiled spring 8, is placed within the tube 2 and between the inner ends of the
two rods; which spring, acting against the inner ends of said rods, serves to hold
the travelling guides 6 against the window frame, or upright guides, thus preventing
any rattling of said guides, when the car, to which they may be attached, is in
motion, and, at the same time, creating a frictional resistance to the action of the
winding up spring roller, to which the top of the curtain is attached. Spring 8 is
of such length as to act on the travelling guides only when the curtain stick is
in the normal position seen at Figures 1 and 3; but, whenever one end of said
stick may be suddenly raised, the rods 5 are drawn away from the spring 8, by means
of the travelling guides, and are released from its pressure; as clearly shown at
Figure 2. This permits the elevated end to easily drop back, or the opposite end
to be easily raised by the spring roller, so that the stick will resume a horizontal
position, when the hand is removed.
The pivotal joint 5", between each of the guide-rods and its travelling guide 6,
makes available a closer fitting, and a more desirable form of, travelling guide, and
gives a freer movement to the curtain stick when lifted on an angle.
A detailed description of the operation of the extensible curtain stick may be
found in the aforementioned Patent to Bailey and Cole.

page_text: 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 :-
:-
First. The combination, with a curtain stick; a sliding rod projecting from the
end thereof; and a travelling guide, adapted to engage with a guide on the frame
of a window, of a pivotal connection between said travelling guide and said sliding
rod; all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Second. The combination of a hollow curtain stick; guide-rods which slide in
and project from the ends of said stick; travelling guides which engage with fixed
guides of the window frame; and hinge-joints connecting said guide-rods and said
travelling guides, all-substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Third. The combination with the curtain stick; the sliding rods; and upright
guides on a window frame, of the travelling guides having body-parts that
project from said upright guides; and hinge-joints between said projecting body-
parts and the outer ends of said guide-rods; all substantially as hereinbefore set
forth.
Fourth. The combination with a tubular curtain stick; guide-rods projecting
from the ends thereof; travelling guides connected with said guide-rods; and
guides, on the frame of a window, with which said travelling guides connect,
of a spring, located intermediately of the inner ends of said guide-rods, and
operating thereon, substantially as herein before described, for the purposes set
forth.
Dated this 6th day of November 1894.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.