IMPROVEMENTS IN VENETIAN BLINDS AND SHUTTERS
Year: 1870

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to Jesse Ascough, of Handsworth, in the County of
Stafford, Commission Agent, for the Invention of “ IMPROVEMENTS IN
VENETIAN BLINDS AND SHUTTERS."
"
Sealed the 1st November 1870, and dated the 6th July 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jesse Ascough at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th July 1870.
I, JESSE ASCOUGH, of Handsworth, in the County of Stafford, Com-
mission Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN VENETIAN BLINDS AND SHUTTERS," to be as follows, that is
to say :-
The object of this Invention is to supply the means of converting the
ordinary Venetian blinds, whether of wood, metal, or other material, into
an efficient shutter, thus affording the requisite security to windows or
other openings without other shutters.
This I effect by hinging to the jamb linings on either side of the
window narrow vertical flaps which fold back when out of use, and

page_text: when required fold forward over the ends of the blind laths on either
side, in which position they may be fixed by small flush bolts in the
back of the flaps shooting into the jamb linings or by ordinary shutter
bars extending from the back of one flap across the window on to and
engaging in a catch on the back of the opposite flap, and a cotter pin
may pass through this shutter bar through the lath of the Venetian
blind and into a meeting rail or bar of the sash or casement.
Or by another plan the blind may be pressed against the sash or
casement by employing a vertical bar or bars running the height of the
window and removeable when not required; this bar would be sunk in a
hole in the sill or dado of the window and similarly in the soffit or head,
and may be secured further by a cotter pin at about mid height screwing
through the rod, the lath, and into the meeting rail or bar. It may also
be furnished with collars at suitable distance apart to prevent the raising
of the lowest lath.
Or by another method a fillet may be attached to the jamb linings of
the window at such a distance from the ordinary sash bead as to form
with such sash bead a groove of sufficient width to house the ends of the
blind laths without impeding the turning, raising, or lowering of the blind,
and the blind when down being fastened by a hook or catch or any
other similar contrivance at the bottom to the sill or dado the blind is
secured.
Or again I propose to employ open jointed tubes attached to the jamb
linings, and I fix upon each end of each lath a metal clip furnished with
a stud, the head of which is received into the tube at top or bottom, but
will not escape through the open joint, perfect freedom of action being
ensured for the turning, raising, or lowering of the blind fixing it as a
shutter by cotter pins through the tube and if required through the lath
into the meeting rail or bar.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Jesse Ascough in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 3rd January 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JESSE
ASCOUGH; of Handsworth, in the County of Stafford, Commision Agent,
send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of July in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-fourth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Jesse Ascough, Her special licence that I,
the said Jesse Ascough, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Jesse Ascough, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for “IMPROVEMENTS IN VENETIAN BLINDS AND
SHUTTERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Jesse
Ascough, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Jesse Ascough, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement that is to say :-
The object of my Invention is to supply the means of converting the
ordinary form of Venetian blind, whether of wood, metal, or other
material, into an efficient shutter, thus affording, the requisite security
to windows or other openings without the use of other shutters.
This I effect in various ways, which will be better understood by
reference to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and the letters and figures
marked thereon.
Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 1, represent in elevation and plan an ordinary
window fitted with my improvements. (a) is a Venetian blind of the usual
description shewn as down; this I convert into a shutter by hinging to
the jamb linings of the window on either side narrow vertical flaps (6)
of wood, metal, or other suitable material, which are made to fold back:
when out of use, and when required fold forward so as to cover the ends
of the laths of the blind on either side, in which position they may be
fixed or secured by small flush bolts in the back of the flaps (b) shooting

page_text: into the jamb linings or by an ordinary shutter bar (c) extending from
the back of one flap across the window into and engaging in a catch
on the back of the opposite flap, and as a further security a cotter
pin (d) may pass through the shutter bar (c) through the lath of the
Venetian blind, and into the meeting rail or bar of the sash or casement,
or as shewn in Figure 1 a hook and eye fastener (e) may be employed,
the eye being secured upon the bottom bar lath of the blind, and the
hook or catch upon the sill or dado of the window.
It will be seen in the plan Figure 2 that one side flap is shewn open
or folded upon the laths as when in use, and the other folded back into
the jamb lining or casing.
Figures 3 and 4 shew in elevation and plan my improvements as
applied to a Venetian or French casement window; in this instance the
side flaps or shutters (f) are furnished with a shutter bar (g) to each,
which in fastening cross each other as shewn, and tend to support more
effectually the laths of the blind up in position, which may be further
assisted by a cotter pin or screw (h) Figure 3 passing through the
meeting point of the bars (g) through the lath of blind and into the
meeting rail of the casements, and as an additional security from the
laths of the blind being raised from without I purpose employing screw
pins such as (i) Figure 3 passing through the bottom rail lath and into
the sill or base of the window. The shutter bars I have described may
be arranged so as to fasten across the bottom or at any covenient
height of the window as desired.
Figure 5 shews in plan an arrangement by which the side shutters or
flaps (k) may be suitably hinged so as to fold forward and lie back
when not in use and present if desired the appearance of a portion of
the window architrave. Again as shewn in plan Figure 6 a fillet (1) may
be attached or hinged to the jamb linings of the window at such a
distance from the ordinary sash bead as to form with such bead a groove
of sufficient width to house the ends of the blind laths without impeding
the turning, raising, or lowering of the blind, and when required to
secure the blind as a shutter the hinged fillet (7) may be turned inwards
so as to compress the laths of the blind together, at the same time
securing them from being drawn out sideways, the fastening of the
blind being effected by any of the contrivances already described or by
other suitable means.

page_text: An effectual method of securing the vertical flaps or shutters in.
position against the blind and with or without the addition of a cross
bar or cotter pins is by the use of a sliding vertical rod bolt worked by
a suitable handle at its bottom end and notched or cut out at certain
distances in its length to allow of the free passage of knuckles or pro-
jections upon the hinges of the vertical flaps when required, whilst to
secure the vertical flaps rigidly upon the blind the sliding vertical rod
bolt is pulled down so as to close over the knuckles or projections
upon the hinge portions of the vertical flaps and thereby securely lock or
bolt the parts.
By another method, as shewn in elevation Figure 7, I dispense with
the vertical flaps or shutters described, and employ a vertical bar or
bars (m), running the height of the window and removeable when not
required. The bar or bars (m) may be sunk into a suitable hole or recess
in the sill or dado of the window, and similarly in the soffit or head, and
I may further be secured by a cotter or screw pin (n) at a suitable
height. The bar or bars (m) may also be furnished with one or more
collars or projections to prevent the raising of the lowest or any of the
laths of the blind; or again, as illustrated in the portion of Figure 8
marked (A) and in detached sectional view Figure 9, I purpose using
open jointed tubes such as (0) attached to the jamb linings of the window
or other opening, and I fix upon the end of each lath a metal clip (p),
having a stud or socket ball (r), the head of which is received into the
tube (o) at top or bottom, but will not escape through the open joint,
perfect freedom of action being ensured for the turning, raising, or
lowering of the blind; or, as shewn in the portion of Figure 8 marked (B)
and in detail sectional view Figure 10, the ends of the blind laths.may be
perforated as at (s) so as to pass on to a vertical fixed rod (t) on either
side of the window; or instead of perforating the ends of the blind laths,
rings may be attached thereto to slide upon the rod as shewn in the
portion of Figure 8 marked (C) and in detail Figure 11, or the ends of
the blind laths may be cut in a similar manner to the arrangement shewn
in the part of Figure 8 marked (D) and in detail Figure 12 to slide upon
the fixed vertical rods. The object of these arrangements is to confine
the ends of the laths and prevent their being slipped out of place, at
the same time allowing the necessary freedom for the working of the
blind.
Figures 13 and 14 represent in part section and plan an arrangement

page_text: the flap, so as to take the end of each lath when it is desired to use
the blind as a ventilator or to obtain a fixed amount of light, and at the
same time rendering the laths secure from displacement.
The descriptions of improved Venetian blinds shewn in Figures 8, 9,
10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 are more specially adapted for invalid chambers
or bed rooms where shutter blinds are required. The vertical flaps or
shutters may also be entirely cut out or grooved as illustrated in Figure
15 for the purpose of confining the ends of the blind laths, or may have
studs or raised parts upon their surfaces as at Figure 16, so that in
securing the blinds the impingement of the raised studs or projections in ]
various parts of the blind will prevent the raising of the laths when the
blind is secured.
Figures 17 and 18 shew forms of bars to be used in place of the bar or
bars (m), Figure 7, when desired, the serrated bar, Figure 18, effectually
preventing any raising of the blind laths.
The hinged vertical flaps I also purpose serrating as shewn in
Figures 19, 20, and 21, it will be obvious this arrangement forms a very
secure means of fastening the laths and preventing any displacement
until the vertical flaps are released.
]
By the employment of the vertical flaps I have described the use of 2
any other shutters is dispensed with, whilst the flaps can be made
sufficiently narrow for the purpose of my Invention as to become a part
of the jamb lining or of the architrave of the window, and without
causing any material difference in the appearance of the window when
finished.
2
Referring to Sheet 2, Figure 22 represents a sectional view of an
improved form of lath I purpose using when desired in combination with
my improved fastenings. I form upon and along the edges of the laths
knuckles or beads (a), which when the blind is closed fit into and upon
each other for the purpose of preventing a knife or other instrument 3
being passed under and between the laths so as to cut the cords, or I
form along the edges of the laths a metal binding or clip of suitable
form to prevent the cutting of the laths.
Figure 23 is another improved form of lath perforated in the centre
for the cord and also upon either side for the tapes, so that when the 3
laths are closed for securing they will sufficiently overlap cach other as
to cover and protect the tapes.

page_text: Figures 24 and 25 illustrate in closed and partially opened views
sections of a series of laths made by preference of metal having metallic
or partially metallic cords and tapes, and which when closed protect the
outer tape from being cut or otherwise injured. This form of lath may
be suitably employed for blinds and shutters in cases where window or
other openings are not glazed, and by perforating the bent edges of the
laths a current of air will be constantly admitted to the shop or other
apartment and a ventilating medium obtained.
Figure 26 shews a blind constructed with such description of laths
and applied to a shop window; the one half of the blind is shewn drawn
up, and the other half down for closing as a shutter. The outside effect
of a shutter blind so closed is shewn in part elevation Figure 27; it will
be observed that the outside tapes are not seen, but are protected by
the form of the laths. If desired in raising and lowering a blind or
shutter of this description I may employ a wormed vertical shaft (b),
Figure 26, worked by a suitable handle or other means from below, and
upon which shaft works a tapped collar or nut (c) secured to the lowest
lath so that as the shaft is turned either way the blind or shutter will be
simultaneously raised or lowered.
Figure 28 shews a method of arranging the pulley cords of Venetian
blinds more particularly those which extend across a wide opening.
Instead of the raising and lowering cord being brought down at the side
I suitably arrange the small pulleys centrally and bring one cord over
each pulley so as to raise or lower the blind from the centre. In
practice I find this method very much facilitates the working of heavy
blinds, and in using my improved vertical flaps or shutters I can thus
clear the cords from entanglement with such flaps or shutters whilst the
blinds are not so liable to get out of order as when arranged in the
ordinary manner; and by securing a small hook in the lowest lath or
bar of the blind and forming knots in the cords I can make the blind
self-supporting to a certain height, the blind being drawn up, say half
way, I pass the cord on to the hook when the blind will hang securely
suspended until required to be released.
Figure 29 shews a method of attaching the tapes to the side edges of
the laths by means of pins or rivets so as to dispense with the cross
tapes usually employed to support the laths.
I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise
form of any of the improved parts shewn, as they will necessarily differ

page_text: according to the requirements of the window or other openings to which
my improvements may be applied.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jesse Ascough, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
JESSE ASCOUGH. (L.S.)