An Improved Controlling Motion, applicable to Window Blinds, Map Rollers, and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 18th May 1895
Copalate Cannifination Loft 10th Feb 1806 Accented 16th May 1896
Complete Specification Loft, 19th Fah 1806 Accented 16th May 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Controlling Motion, applicable to Window Blinds,
Map Rollers, and the like.
1, GAVIN STRUTHERS ROBB, of 43 Carnarvon Street, in the City and County
of Glasgow, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has reference to new or improved devices for controlling the
motion of window blinds, map rollers and the like.
The disc is
As applied to a roller blind, the outer face of the cord pulley is formed of
corrugated, undulating wave-like or equivalent shape and a disc is mounted for its
correspondingly shaped surface to come in frictional contact therewith.
mounted loose by a square shaped boss or eye on it fitting over a square shaped
stud formed on a plate screwed to fixed frame of window, and a blade, spiral or
other spring or spring lever, is interposed to press the disc against the corrugated
face of cord pulley. The one end of window blind cord is attached to winding
pulley and the other end to the centre of lower edge of blind. As the pulley is
turned and the blind wound up the spring pressed disc will with frictional
compression act on the adjacent face of pulley and retain same in position at any
distance the blind is drawn up to; while the blind can be pulled down in the usual
manner and the spring disc will automatically act and retain it in the position at
which it is released.
When an endless cord is used the cord pulley would or may have its inner vertical
adjacent acting faces round which the cord acts of a corrugated or wave like shape,
so as to more effectually grip the cord when turning the blind roller, and this form
of pulley is specially applicable to Venetian blinds.
As applied to Venetian blinds the two cord pulleys would be formed in one piece
and be mounted on the round part of a spindle secured within a casing at top of
window. The corrugated or wave disc would be mounted by a square eye on a
square part of spindle to bear against the corresponding surface of pulley, and a
spring, preferably an india rubber block would be interposed between the disc and
side of casing. The releasing cords would be attached to the corrugated disc and
pass round guide pulleys and be then joined in a single pulling cord. As this
latter is pulled, it will draw the clutch disc from contact with the frictional surface
of blind raising pulleys and the Venetian blinds will then be lowered to the desired
extent, and on the hand cord being released the friction disc will automatically
clutch with the surface of pulley to hold the blinds in the required position.
Dated the 17th day of May 1895
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96 Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.

page_text: An Improved Controlling Motion, applicable to Window Blinds,
Map Rollers, and the like.
I, GAVIN STRUTHERS ROBB, of 43 Carnarvon Street, in the City and County
of Glasgow, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement in writing, that is to say :-
This invention has reference to new or improved devices for controlling the
motion of window blinds, map rollers, and the like, and whereby ratchet wheels and
controlling pawls are entirely dispensed with.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
same into practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended an
explanatory sheet of drawings in which the same reference letters are used to
indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown.
Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section, showing my improvements as applied
in connection with a window roller blind.
Figure 2 is a detached view looking on the face of cord pulley.
Figure 3 shows views of the disc adjacent to face of pulley, but looking on
opposite side to undulating surface.
Figure 4 shows views of the helical spring, and
Figure 5 is a view showing the segmental face at inner central part of housing
frame.
Figure 6 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 showing my improvements as
applied in connection with a spring automatically coiling roller suitable for a
railway carriage window blind, and Figure 7 is an edge view of same.
And
Figure 8 is a view illustrating my improvements as applied in connection with a
Venetian blind.
Referring to these drawings:-As applied to a roller blind as shown in Figures 1
to 5 the outer face of the disc a' of the cord pulley a is formed of undulating or
equivalent shape round the outer part d' of its surface, and recessed at a³, and a
disc b is mounted for its correspondingly shaped surface to come in clutch contact
therewith. The disc b is mounted loose by a boss or eye b' on it fitting over a
central stud d¹ in a plate formed in the inner end of a housing frame d screwed to
fixed frame of window and a spiral blade, or other spring or spring lever is
interposed to press the disc against the undulating face all of cord pulley disc a'.
The spring e shown in the drawings is a spiral spring having an eye el at its
one end secured by a screw to the segmental surface plate d, and an eye e similarly
screwed to the corresponding surface of disc b, projecting segments d² ² being
formed on these disc plates db respectively. The opposite end of window roller Å
is fitted with a disc g having an end spindle g' which in inserting or removing the
blind is passed through a slot g² in a boss g³ formed in a plate g* screwed to
fixed frame, this being done in a usual manner.
The one end f¹ of window blind cord f is attached to winding pulley a and the
other end to the centre of lower edge of blind F. As the pulley a is turned and
the blind wound up the spring pressed disc b will with clutch compression act on
the adjacent undulating face a" of pulley disc a' and retain same in position at any
distance the blind is drawn up to; while the blind can be pulled down in the usual
manner and the spring disc b will automatically act and retain it in the position at
which it is released.
When an endless cord is used the cord pulley would or may have the inner
vertical adjacent acting faces of the disc a¹ a round which the cord facts, of a
corrugated or wave like shape so as to more effectually grip the cord when

page_text: turning the blind roller, and this form of pulley is specially applicable to Venetian
blinds.
In applying these improvements to a spring automatic coiling up roller A, for
use such as in working railway carriage window blinds as shown in Figure 6, the
improved fittings with the undulating adjacent surface discs a¹ b, would be applied
at the one end of roller in the same marner as described in reference to Figure 1 ;
while a strong coiled spring H' would be fitted within a housing frame H at the
opposite end of blind roller in an ordinary well known manner to automatically
coil up the blind. A weight is fitted in a pocket F' at the lower end of blind F.
By this means the blind can be drawn down any desired distance and released when
the undulating surface discs a¹ 6 will retain same in the desired position; while by
lifting the weighted portion F1 of blind by hand, the spring H₁ will automatically
coil up the blind on the roller A. Projecting arms may if desired be formed on the
disc band pass through the end plate d where they would be jointed to a lever,
which would be actuated by a cord to disengage the clutch undulating surfaces a' b
and free the blind for the coiled spring HT to act, while the spring e will bring
them back into clutched position when the cord and lever are released. Instead of
automatically winding up the blind F it may be drawn up by a hand cord in an
ordinary manner.
Maps and the like may be mounted and wound on rollers in the same or in an
analogous manner to that shown in Figures 1 and 6.
In applying these improvements to Venetian blinds, as shown in Figure 8, the
undulating surface discs a¹ b, and their spring fittings would be fitted within a
housing frame at d in the same manner as in Figure 1, and the cord f he secured to
and coiled round a recessed part at f' of roller A for coiling the blind up, while
the other end of cord for pulling it down would be attached to lower centre part of
blind as at in Figure 1. The cords F2 which are interlaced through the tapes F³
of blind boards F are coiled at the parts A¹ round the roller A. By this means
the blind can be worked in an analogous manner to that described in reference
to Figure 1, the undulating surface discs a' b holding the blind in any desired
position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
clain is:-
In connection with window blinds, map rollers and the like, the forming of
undulating or equivalent surfaces on the outer parts of cord pulley and loose disc
respectively to control the motion of the blind, substantially as herein described in
reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated 17th February 1896.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96 Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.