An Improved Roller for Blinds, Curtains, and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 15th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 23rd Nov., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Roller for Blinds, Curtains, and the like.
I, ERNEST THOMAS HEADECH, of Eastwell Park, in the County of Kent,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a new or improved form of roller for blinds & the
like, & is constructed after the following manner.
The roller consists of two or more lengths of wood, (or any material suitable)
which, when prepared & fitted together, shall, by pushing on a ring or collar at
each end, clamp any blind or similar material between said lengths or pieces,
thereby superseding tacks or sewing.
I may construct a roller after the following manner, & which roller I should use
for very long lengths:
--
I take a piece of wood, cut to length, turn it quite round, then saw up its centre
for the whole length, afterwards planing off the rough on flats, then groove a semi-
circular channel up centre of each flat, so that when the two flats are put face to
face, a circular hole is cut the whole length of the roller. The core is now made
either of a length of metal rod, tube, or wood or any material thought suitable,
& is cut about an inch longer each end than roller, and is turned at each extremity
to allow of its running round in a supporting bracket, over the ends of roller is
pushed, a couple of rings or collars, one collar carrying a pulley wheel to hold a
cord for raising & lowering blind. Supposing a short roller is required, I do not
require a strengthening core the ordinary substance of the roller being sufficient to
carry weight of blind. The roller is then made in unequal halves, one half being
exactly similar to the half of a cored roller, & the other half being shaped with a
semicircular ridge running the whole length of roller half, it is clear that it fulfills
the principle of the cored roller. The ends of this last mentioned roller, carry
collars made after the manner of a cap carrying a projecting stud to run in the
supporting brackets, one collar also carrying the customary pulley wheel.
For lengths of rollers over 5 feet, a rigid steel clip may be fitted in centre of
finished roller, to prevent same from spreading apart under strains.
Reference is made to drawings accompanying Specification.
Fig. 1. shewing complete roller, as constructed with separate core.
Fig. 2. shewing section of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3. shewing complete roller as constructed on second method.
Fig. 4. shewing section of Fig. 3.
Fig. 5. shewing the roller as used for theatre curtains & drop scenes.
Dated this 27th der of November 1891
ERNEST THOMAS HEADECH,
Eastwell Park, Kent.

page_text: An Improved Roller for Blinds, Curtains, and the like.
ERNEST THOMAS HEADECH, of Eastwell Park, Ashford in the County of
Kent, 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 :-
This invention has reference to a new or improved form of roller for blinds
curtains, or any similar article, which is suspended from a rod or roller, the object
of the invention being to obviate the wear & tear caused by the usual method of
securing blinds & the like to the rollers by means of metal tacks, nails, or sewing.
Also the saving of time in removing blinds & the like from the roller for cleaning.
This roller consists of two or more lengths of wood, or any material suitable,
which, when prepared & fitted together, shall, by pushing on a ring or collar at
each end, clamp any blind, curtain or the like between said lengths or pieces, the
material being fixed by friction alone, as will be seen from the construction, which
is as follows-Type No. 1. Taking the material of roller in the rough, I rip same
into strips of proper size & length. Two strips are then taken, & one side of each
is planed. The planed side is then run under a grooving cutter, which cuts a
groove the entire length of the strip. The groove may be semicircular or of
other form, though I prefer a semicircle. The groove is in the centre of the strip,
so that when the two strips are placed face to face a circular hole is cut through.
A core is now made either of a length of metal rod, tube, or wood, it is cut a
little longer than the pair of grooved strips, & is of course the same shape or
section as the groove cut in the strips, the core is then placed between the strips
& the whole is run through a set of rounding cutters, leaving the strips finishe'l
with the exception of just easing the ends. A finish is given to the ends of core 30
as to allow of their turning in a pair of supporting brackets (which need no
comment being of the ordinary type, & not connected with this invention.
Or I may construct a roller which call Type No. 2. This roller has a fixed
core. Supposing a short roller is required, I do not require a strengthening core
as made in preceding type of roller, the ordinary substance of the roller being
sufficient to carry weight of blind. The roller is made in unequal halves or strips,
one half being exactly similar to the half of a separate core roller, & the other
half being shaped with a corresponding ridge to fit into the groove of the first
half. Thus it will be seen that if these two strips or halves are put together,
they fulfil the principle of the first roller, which is to clamp the material of blind
by friction. The clamping rings are slightly different in this form of roller being
in the shape of a cap of metal carrying a projecting pin or stud at each end, one
cap also carrying the customary pulley wheel. In using this roller, the clamping
rings are taken off, the blind or other material is laid over the one half with its
edge just beyond the edge of the first half, the second half is then placed evenly
upon it & the rings are pushed on the ends, clamping the blind firmly between
Baid halves.
If necessary, as in very heavy theatre curtains or drop scenes, I may use a
different combination of grooves & ridges, or grooves & movable cores by
constructing the strips or segments to carry more than one groove, or ridge each.
In this way by multiplying the strength of the material in roller, & by adding to
the number of grooves & corresponding ridges, a roller may be made to hold any
weight which may be applied to it. The more grooves & ridges, the more friction
is applied to material clinched between them.
Refering to drawings,
Fig. 1 shews separate cored roller complete.

page_text: Fig. 2. shewing fixed core roller.
Fig. C. section through roller end.
Fig. 3. method of securing blind in roller.
Fig. 4. shewing section of collars or caps as used on fixed core roller.
Fig. 5 shewing various ways of shaping grooves & ridges in this invention.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of this my said
invention, & in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. In a roller for blinds & the like which is composed of two or more strips or
segments carrying a central core, around, or over which the material of the blind
or the like is laid. The pressure necessary to grip the blind between said strips,
being applied by means of a clamping ring or collar at each end.
a fixed
2. In the combination of a roller for blinds, curtains & the like with
core consisting of a cylindrical or otherwise shaped rod, which is divided longi-
tudinally into two segments or strips, carrying a projecting ridge or ridges on the
one half, and an equal number of corresponding grooves on the other half in
which the ridge or ridges shall fit. The blinds or similar article being clamped
between said ridges & grooves by means of clamping rings or collars at the ends
as described & as shewn by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 14th day of August 1895.
ERNEST THOMAS HEADECH,
Eastwell Park, Ashford, Kent.