Raising and Lowering Window Blinds.
Year: 1885

page_text: Raising and Lowering Window Blinds.
I JOHN EBENEZER HOPKINSON, of N° 15 Walbrook, in the City of London,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
TILE CONSTRUCTION OF ROLLERS AND APPARATUS FOR RAISING AND LOWERING
WINDOW BLINDS to be as follows:-
My invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of rollers and
apparatus for raising and lowering window blinds, particularly applicable to the
blinds of railway carriage windows, but which may also be applied to blinds of
other description; it consists in the combination of one or more elastic friction
discs, together with a ratchet or a friction wheel, with a hollow roller, the said
friction discs being securely fixed upon an axle within the roller, which axle, by
virtue of the friction or ratchet wheel, can only revolve in one direction.
In applying my invention to those rollers in which the blind is raised by the
operation of a cord, I propose to attach to one end of the aforesaid hollow roller, a
suitable cord pulley, through which an axle is arranged to. revolve freely, and upon
this axle I'secure at suitable distances one or more elastic discs or washers designed
so as to fit closely the inner surface of the roller; the opposite end of the axle being
provided with a friction or a ratchet wheel for the purpose of limiting the revolution
of the axle and disc to one direction.
With this arrangement applied, it will be understood that on pulling down the
blind the roller is caused to revolve or slide upon the elastic discs or washers, these
latter, together with the axle, being rigidly held from turning by the action of the
friction or ratchet wheel upon the outer end of the axle.
To raise the blind, the cord is pulled, whereby the pulley and roller are caused
to revolve in an opposite direction, carrying around with them the elastic discs and
axle which are now free to revolve.
When it is required to apply my improvements to those rollers in which the
raising of the blind is effected by the action of a spring, I dispense with the cord
pulley above described and substitute in lieu thereof a spiral or helical spring, one
end of which is attached to the roller and the other to one of the supporting
brackets.
1 1002

page_text: Raising and Lowering Window Blinds.
I JOHN EBENEZER HOPKINSON, of No 15 Walbrook in the City of London,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROLLERS AND APPARATUS FOR RAISING AND LOWERING
WINDOW BLINDS and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of rollers and
apparatus for raising and lowering window blinds, particularly applicable to the
blinds of railway carriage windows, but which may also be applied to blinds of
other description; and the objects of my improvements are to facilitate the raising
and lowering of the blind and its retention at any desired point.
My improvements consist in the combination of one or more clastic friction discs
(which may be of india rubber, or of metal, or of any suitable material, and be set
upon the axle in any convenient manner) together with a ratchet or friction wheel
with a hollow roller, the said friction disc or discs being securely fixed upon an
axle within the roller, which axle by virtue of the friction or ratchet wheel can only
revolve in one direction.
The mechanical arrangements by which I attain the objects of my invention
will be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawing upon
which
Figure 1 represents an elevation of my improved roller operated by a spring.
Figure 2 being a longitudinal section through the same.
Figure 3. is an end view of one of the roller brackets showing friction wheel and
pawl for locking axle.
Figure 4 is an end view of the opposite bracket with square hole for reception
of bush.
Figure 5 illustrates the arrangement for operating my improved roller by
a cord.
Figure 6 represents a modification of the elastic disc.
A is the elastic friction disc-B the spindle or axle-C screw thread formed upon
same D nut for securing and adjusting disc-E roller-F friction or ratchet
wheel-G pawl for engaging with same-H plug to which spring is attached-
I spiral spring-K bush-L the bracket for supporting roller-M opening in
bracket for bush-N cord pulley-O plate fitting end of roller-P the cord.
The elastic friction disc or discs or washers A secured on the axle B by screw C
and nut D, or in any suitable manner, are made so as to fit closely the inner surface
of the roller E, the opposite end of the axle being provided with a friction or
ratchet wheel F, for the purpose of limiting the revolution of the axle and disc or
discs to one direction. By this arrangement it will be seen that in pulling down
the blind, the lower end of which is weighted, the roller is caused to revolve or
slide upon the elastic disc or discs or washers A; these latter together with the
axle being rigidly held from turning by the action of the pawl G engaging with

page_text: the friction or ratchet wheel F upon the outer end of the axle B. The roller E in
turning carries with it the plug E, together with the end of the spring I attached
thereto, the other end of this spring being firmly held within the bush K fitted in
the opening M of the bracket L.
It will be understood that the friction of the disc or dises A against the inside of
the roller E will retain the blind at any position to which it is drawn, but that
directly the weighted end of the blind is raised the action of the spring I causes
the roller E to revolve in the opposite direction, the friction disc or discs A together
with the axle B and wheel F being also free to revolve, and the blind thus winds
up until its weighted end is released. •
When it is desired to raise this improved blind by means of a cord as illustrated
Figure 5 of the drawing, the plug H, spring I, and bush K are dispensed with and
the cord pulley N and plate O substituted. The cord P attached to the plate is
passed over the pulley N as shown. As with the spring roller this pulley blind is
lowered by pulling the blind, the end of which need not necessarily be weighted.
To raise the blind the cord is pulled and the pulley N, plate O, and roller E
revolving operate the blind as above described.
I do not limit myself to any particular number of elastic discs, as these will be
regulated by the width of the blind and other considerations; and as illustrated
Fig. 6 of the drawing the elasticity may be obtained by the use of elastic branches
or arms carried by the axle B; the object being that an elastic disc or discs, either
in one piece or in sections, shall act upon the inner surface of the roller E, as and
for the purpose specified.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a roller bind, the elastic disc A. set on the axle B, in combination with the
friction or ratchet wheel F and pawl G, the whole arranged to operate substantially
as described.
2. In a spring roller blind, the bush K. on the axle B, in combination with the
bracket L having the square hole M for the purpose of securing the outer end of
the spring I, substantially as described.
3. In a roller blind having the elastic disc A, providing the axle B with the
screw thread C to receive the nut D, whereby the disc is secured and adjusted
substantially as described.