AN IMPROVEMENT IN PULLIES, APPLICABLE FOR RAISING AND LOWERING WINDOW BLINDS, MAPS, AND OTHER ARTICLES MOUNTED UPON ROLLERS, AND RETAINING THEM IN A GIVEN POSITION." PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Mitchell, of Sheffield, in the County of York,
Architect, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN PULLIES, APPLICABLE
FOR RAISING AND LOWERING WINDOW BLINDS, MAPS, AND OTHER ARTICLES
MOUNTED UPON ROLLERS, AND RETAINING THEM IN A GIVEN POSITION."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Mitchell at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th March 1860.
I, JOSEPH MITCHELL, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Architect, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN
PULLIES APPLICABLE FOR RAISING AND LOWERING WINDOW BLINDS, MAPS, AND
OTHER ARTICLES MOUNTED UPON ROLLERS, AND RETAINING THEM IN A GIVEN
POSITION," to be as follows:-
The Invention consists of an arrangement of one, two, or more pullies or
wheels placed in juxtaposition to each other; one or more of such pullies
or wheels being left rough or coated with india-rubber, or other material
yielding to slight pressure.
The Invention may be applied either by passing the cord or other substance
attached to the end of the roller between two or more of the said pullies or
wheels, which must be placed sufficiently near to each other to produce
pressure upon the cord or other substance attached to the roller, or by placing

page_text: one end of the roller between two of such pullies or wheels; the outer surfaces
of which must be brought sufficiently near to produce pressure on the end of
the roller, or by attaching the end of the roller to a wheel, the outer surface
of which must be pressed upon by one or more of such pullies or wheels.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Mitchell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th September 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
MITCHELL, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Architect, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Joseph Mitchell, Her special licence that I, the said Joseph Mitchell,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Joseph Mitchell, 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 "AN
IMPROVEMENT IN PULLIES APPLICABLE FOR RAISING AND LOWERING WINDOW BLINDS,
MAPS, AND OTHER ARTICLES MOUNTED UPON ROLLERS, AND RETAINING THEM IN A
GIVEN POSITION," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph
Mitchell, 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 Joseph Mitchell, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say:-
The Invention consists of an arrangement of one, two, or more pullies or
wheels placed in juxtaposition to each other; one or more of such pullies

page_text: or wheels being left rough or coated with india-rubber, or other niaterial
yielding to slight pressure.
The Invention may be applied either by passing the cord or other substance
attached to the end of the roller between two or more of the said pullies or
wheels, which must be placed sufficiently near to each other to produce
pressure upon the cord or other substance attached to the roller; or by placing
one end of the roller between two of such pullies or wheels, the outer surfaces
of which must be brought sufficiently near to produce pressure on the end of
the roller; or by attaching the end of the roller to a wheel, the outer surface
of which must be pressed upon by one or more of such pullies or wheels.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a side and Figure 2 an end
view of pullies for raising and lowering window blinds, and retaining them in
a given position, arranged in their most simple form according to my
Invention. a is a flanged pulley on the end of the blind roller, round which
the cord 6 passes; c, d, are pullies mounted on a bracket fastened to the
window frame. These pullies are coated with india-rubber, or other suitable
material, and have frictional contact with one another. The cord b is led
between the pullies c, d, and is gripped by them sufficiently to prevent the
blind from descending, except when pulled by a cord attached to it. Instead
of placing the pullies c, d, below the blind pulley, as just described, I sometimes
place them as shown in the view Figure 3, in which a is the blind pulley. In
this case the rollers act on or have frictional contact with the pulley, one above
and the other below it in order to keep the blind in any required position,.
and to prevent it from descending, except when drawn. Figure 4 is a view
of the pulleys c and d, fitted in a somewhat modified way to that before
described. The pulley c is mounted on a lever free to move about the point e;
f is a spring to press the pulley c into contact with the pulley d. The cord
passes between the pullies, as before described. By this arrangement the
pullies yield readily to the cord while the blind is being drawn down. Figure 5
is a section of the blind pulley, round which the cord passes; 9 is a socket for
the reception of the blind roller; h is a disc forming one flange to the pulley,
between which and the flange i the cord is wound. The disc is held to the
socket 9 by a pin or stud. Or instead of making this pulley of two parts, it can
be cast and made in the ordinary manner, although I prefer the method
described. The pulleys before described are applicable to raising and lowering
maps, and other articles mounted upon rollers, and retaining them in any
given position.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my improve-

page_text: ment in pullies applicable for raising and lowering window blinds, maps, and
other articles mounted upon rollers and retaining them in a given position.
The arrangement and method of action of two or more pulleys or wheels
substantially as herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Mitchell, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of September, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty.
JOSEPH MITCHELL. (L.S.)
JOSEPH MITCHELL. (L.S.)