IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE ACTION OF SPRING-ROLLERS FOR WINDOW-BLINDS "
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gordon Donaldson Peters, of Bunhill Row, in the City
of London for an Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING
THE ACTION OF SPRING-ROLLERS FOR WINDOW-BLINDS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gordon Donaldson Peters
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th January 1883.
GORDON DONALDSON PETERS, of Bunhill Row, in the City of London,
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE ACTION OF SPRING ROLLERS FOR
WINDOW-BLINDS"
This invention relates to spring rollers for blinds, and consists in various novel
contrivances whereby I greatly increase the efficiency, durability, and convenience
of such blinds.
One part of my said invention consists in the combination with the roller of
pawl or catch mechanism, which, according to the manner in which the blind is
manipulated, will hold the same in any desired position, or will release the blind so
that it will be rolled up by the action of the spring.
For the purpose of this part of my invention I attach to one end of the roller,
a plate of iron or other suitable material, which plate has on it ribs or flanges so
arranged as to form between them radial grooves. Each of these grooves forms a
guideway for the reception of a sliding piece of iron or other metal which constitutes
the pawl or catch. I prefer to employ two of these sliding catches arranged
diametrically opposite each other at the end of the roller. The said roller, as
usual, is mounted on an iron or other rod or bar which is to be fixed or stationary
when the blind is in use; the roller is capable of rotating freely on this rod
except as it is restrained and held by the spring. One end of the said rod projects
through the end of the roller whereon the sliding catches are mounted, and this
projecting part of the rod is furnished with two projections or shoulders which are
designed to act in combination with the said sliding catches as follows, that is to
say, when the said rod is properly fixed in its place the radial surfaces of these
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page_text: shoulders are in a vertical line and in such a position relatively to the grooves or
guideways, and sliding catches, that during the rotation of the blind-roller, each
sliding piece or catch, as it passes above the rod, tends, by its own weight, to drop
in front of the radial surface of the upper shoulder. And if, when the blind is in
uso, it is held so that the roller rests in this position; or if the blind is allowed to
move slowly while the catch is in this position, the latter will drop in front of the
said shoulder and will arrest the upward movement of the blind. But if, when
the parts are in this position, the blind is pulled down slightly and released
quickly the impetus imparted to the roller by the spring will cause the shoulder
to raise the catch, and the accelerated motion of the roller, if it is not further
restrained, will then prevent the dropping, of the catch so that the blind will be
drawn up.
I prefer to use a spiral spring surrounding the said central rod, and attached at
one end to this rod and at the other end to the roller.
The principle of action of my invention is as follows, that is to say, the weight
of the blind tends always to counteract the action of the spring which winds up
the blind, but it is obviously necessary that the spring should overcome the
resistance of the blind, otherwise the latter would not be drawn up. In the above
described apparatus the weight of the blind is temporarily assisted by the catch or
pawl whose resistance, added to that of the blind at every half revolution of the
roller, makes a total resistance which, when the blind is manipulated in the manner
described, will be sufficient to check the coiling up of the blind, but will not be so
great as to prevent the ready release of the same when desired.
According to a modification of my invention I provide temporary additional
resistance for stopping the rotation of the roller and thereby retaining the blind in
any required position, by the action of gravity exerted, by, and upon, the roller
without the intervention of a pawl or catch or equivalent mechanical device. For
this purpose I use a tubular roller of brass or other suitable material, weighted or
loaded on one side of its axis by having on this side a rib or extra thick portion
extending longitudinally from end to end of the roller. I prefer to form the said
roller of a metal tube which has the additional thickness or rib formed in the
rolling of the same. The said tube is then cut to the required length and
provided with suitable bearings at its ends. It is mounted upon a fixed rod or
bar, and a spiral or coiled spring is so arranged within the said roller as to exert
thereon the necessary action for rolling up the blind when in use. The action of
the blind, if properly manipulated, will be as above described.
A tube made in the manner above described may be advantageously used for a
balanced blind.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Gordon Donaldson Peters in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th July 1883.
GORDON DONALDSON PETERS, of Bunhill Row, in the City of London,
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE ACTION OF SPRING-ROLLERS FOR
WINDOW BLINDS
"
This invention relates to spring-rollers for blinds, and comprises various novel
contrivances whereby I greatly increase the efficiency, durability and convenience
of such blinds.
The principle of action of my invention is as follows, that is to say, the weight
of the blind tends always to counteract the action of the spring which winds up
the blind, but it is obviously necessary that the spring should, under certain
conditions, overcome the resistance of the blind, otherwise the latter would not bo
drawn up. In the apparatus constructed according to one part of my invention
the weight of the blind is temporarily assisted by a catch or pawl or equivalent
device, whose resistance added to that of the blind at every half revolution of the
roller, makes a total resistance which, when the blind is manipulated in the manner
hereinafter described, will be sufficient to check the coiling up of the blind but
will not be so great as to prevent the ready release of the same when desired. For
this purpose I combine with the roller one or more pawls, catches or clutches
which, according to the manner in which the blind is manipulated, will hold the
same in any desired position or will release the blind so that it will be rolled up by
the action of the spring.
According to a modification of my invention I provide temporary additional
resistance for stopping or preventing the rotation of the roller and thereby
retaining the blind in any required position by the action of gravity exerted by,
and upon, the roller. For this purpose I use a tubular roller of brass or other
suitable material weighted or loaded on one side of its axis as bereinafter
set forth.
My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of one end of a spring. roller
constructed according to the said invention
Figure 2 is an end elevation thereof, and
Figure 3 is an end elevation showing the roller inserted in a supporting
bracket.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section illustrating a modification of the said invention,
and
Figure 5 is a transverse section of the same.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section and
Figure 7 an end view illustrating another modification of my invention.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the drawing.
:
A represents a plate of iron or other suitable material attached to one end of
the roller B, which plate has on it ribs or flanges a so arranged as to form
between them radial grooves b. Each of these grooves forms a guideway for the
reception of a sliding piece c of iron or other metal which constitutes the pawl or
catch; I prefer to employ two of these sliding catches arranged diametrically
opposite each other. The said roller, as usual, is mounted on an iron or other rod
or bar d which is to be fixed or stationary when the blind is in use and for this
purpose is preferably fitted in a supporting bracket d³ as shown in Figure 3. The
roller is capable of rotating freely on this rod except as it is restrained and held

page_text: by the spring and the catches or pawls. One end of the said rod projects through
the end of the rollor whereon the sliding catches are mounted, and this projecting
part d' of the rod d is furnished with two projections or shoulders e which are
designed to act in combination with the said sliding catches as follows, that is to
say, when the said rod is properly fixed in its place the radial surfaces of these
shoulders are in a vertical line and in such a position relatively to the grooves or
guideways and sliding catches that during the rotation of the roller each sliding
piece or catch, as it passes above the rod, tends by its own weight to drop in front
of the radial surface of the upper shoulder. And when the blind is in use it is
held so that the roller rests in this position; or if the blind is allowed to move
slowly as the catch approaches this position the latter will drop in front of the said
shoulder and will arrest the upward movement of the blind; But if, when the
parts are in this position, the blind is pulled down slightly and released quickly
the impetus imparted to the roller by the spring will cause the shoulder to raise
the catch, and the accelerated notion of the roller, if it is not further
restrained, will then prevent the dropping of the catch so that the blind will
bé drawn up.
I prefer to use a spiral spring surrounding the said central rod and attached at
one end to this rod and at the other end to the roller.
In the modification of my invention illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, I employ an
excentric on the fixed spindle in combination with a clutch device consisting of
two pieces which extend across and rest in notches in the collar h, their inner
ends being connected with the coiled spring which actuates the blind as above
described. When the spring is coiled up or tightened on the spindle it causes the
said clutch pieces to close upon and hold the excentric f. In using this form of a
my invention the balance-weight (with which the blind is usually provided) when
not raised by hand acts in conjunction with the said clutch so that the latter holds
the excentric and prevents tho winding up of the blind, but when the blind is
relieved of tho weight which tends to pull it down the clutch is overcome by the
spring which then operates to wind up the blind.
According to the modification of my invention illustrated in Figures 4 and 5;
the roller B consists of a tube of brass or other suitable material having on one
side a rib or extra thick portion B', extending longitudinally from end to end of
the roller; I prefer to form the said rib or thick portion in the operation of rolling
or drawing the tube. The said tube is then cut to the required length and 3
provided with suitable bearings at its ends. It is mounted upon a fixed rod or bar
and a spiral or coiled spring is so arranged within the said roller as to exert thereon
the necessary action for rolling up the blind when in use. The action of the blind
if properly manipulated will be as above described.
A tube made in the manner above described may be advantageously used for a 4
balanced blind.
Having thus fully described my said invention and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I do not claim generally or irrespectively of
the peculiar novel features of my invention the employment, in combination with
a spring roller-blind, of pawls, clutches, or other devices for restraining or 4
preventing the winding up of the blind, but I claim the improvements hereinabove
specified for facilitating the action of the spring rollers of window-blinds, that is
to say:
First. The combination, with a spring roller, of shoulders or projections on the
roller-spindle and of one or more pawls or catches each of which is arranged to 5
slide in a groove or guideway at the end of the roller, which pawls or catches
operato in such a manner that they will either engago with the said shoulders or
projections or will pass clear of the same, according to the manner in which the
blind is manipulated, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Second. The modification of my invention wherein I employ an excentric in 5
combination with a clutch or clutches connected with the spring substantially as
described with reference to Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings

page_text: Third. The modification of my invention in which I form the roller with a rib
or equivalent device whereby the said roller is weighted or loaded on one side of
its axis, so that according to the manner in which the blind is manipulated it will
either be drawn up by the force of the spring or held in any desired position,
substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Gordon Donaldson Peters have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Seventh day of July in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.
GORDON DONALDSON PETERS (L.s.)