Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Oct., 1886
Complete Left, 30th Aug., 1887
Complete Accepted, 28th Oct., 1887
Thanxingsthorpe Northampton do nereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists of a new form of Window Blind Fitting, the sides, top &
bottom of which are formed of Tubes, either round or square or such other suitable
form, the top tube or roller being slotted the whole length & to have suitable movable
ends to admit of the Blind.
To fix the Blind one end of the Roller has to be removed & the edge or hem of the
Blind inserted along the aforesaid slot & the end replaced to the Roller, & to secure
the Blind in the Slot a small comb shape wedge is placed through the slot & hem of
Blind of suitable distances apart.
The Tubes forming the sides to be slotted up the whole length at side & also half
way up the front, & to have lugs on for fixing to Windows or elsewhere, the slots at
side acting as guides for the Blind, such Blind having a suitable Bar across the Bottom
sufficient to balance the weights in side tubes, such Bar having its ends projecting into
the side slots of tubes, the Blind Roller running in a small recess formed in the top
end of side tubes.
The front slot on each tube is for receiving an ordinary Button connected with the
Balance weights in the side tubes by a small screw or rivet such balance weights
being so arranged to run on either metallic or other suitable Tapes & so revolve the
Blind Roller either up or down with the action of a persons hand, the said Tapes
been metallic can be adopted to Window sashes & all things to which they are
applicable.
The advantages claimed for this kind of Fittings are :-
1st. It requires no tacks, or any of the ordinary, Brackets, Cords &c. &c. as
now used.
2nd. It cannot be blown about, will stop in any position being balanced & further
it can be securely fixed in any position by tightening the Button on the front of
side tube.
Dated the 26th day of Ontahan 1000

page_text: I ISRAEL DRAKEFORD Senior now residing at High Street, Kingsthorpe, in the
County of Northampton Leather Merchant 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 relates to Improvements in the method and means of mounting and
arranging roller window blinds and the fittings for raising and lowering the same and
has for its object to provide a simple and ready means of actuating the blind while
dispensing with all the cords nails or tacks and other similar gear which have hereto-
fore been in use and in order that my invention may be the more easily understood I
will proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings.
For this purpose I mount the top and bottom part of the blind a Figure 1 on
rollers b and c respectively which are hollow metal tubes having a narrow longitudinal
slot of about the thickness of the material of the blind formed therein. I insert the
blind material into this slot laterally the edge or hem (at the top and bottom) being
doubled over or having a lathe or rod inserted therein (or a simple wedge may be
used) to prevent the blind drawing through the slot and thus securing the blind
material to its roller without the use of nails or tacks or sewing it thereon.
Into each of the ends of the top roller 6 I insert the projecting end or axis of a
revolving drum or pulley d and e and rigidly secure these pulleys on or to the
roller b.
The roller b thus arranged is mounted in suitable bearings in or on or over a vertical
box or casing (advantageously a metal tube mounted vertically) constructed-or
arranged on or in each side of the window sash or frame. In each of the vertical
tubes and f a suitable metal weight h is suspended on a flat tape or band i (formed
either of metal or other suitable material) one end of which is secured to the top of
the vertical tube (or to the window frame g) while the other end passing under a loose
roller m mounted on the weight is secured to and wound upon its respective drum on
the top roller, the tape i¹ suspending the weight in the second tube f being arranged
in a similar manner except that it is wound on the drum or pulley d on the other end
of the top roller b in the opposite direction and thus the pull of these two suspended
weights is in opposite directions and the weights being equal consequently they
counterbalance one another and the blind a remains stationary.
To one of these weights h a projecting arm is attached which travels freely in a
perpendicular slot in the vertical tube and having a handle or knob ¹ formed or
mounted thereon for actuating the blind.
A perpendicular slot may also be formed in each vertical tube f and f¹ exactly
opposite to each other to serve as a guiding slot or guide for the bottom roller c of
the blind a the ends of said roller being made so as to pass into these guiding
slots in which they can freely travel up and down-while preventing the blind from
being blown about or otherwise easily moved out of its proper position.

page_text: The operation of the apparatus is as follows:
The weight h having the handle attached thereto is at the bottom of its tube or
casing while the tape of the other weight is wound round its own drum several
times and thus has drawn up and suspends its weight about half way up the vertical
tube-the blind is now fully drawn up.
By grasping the handle or knob and lifting the weight attached to it the
pull thereof on its tape ¹ is removed while the other suspended weight h having now
no counter balance against it immediately unwinds its tape i off the drum e and in
doing so revolves the top roller b and lets down the blind a while at the same time
winding up the other tape ¹ on the other drum d. The blind is now down and the
position of the weights and their respective tapes exactly reversed.
To raise the blind it is only necessary (by putting enough pressure on the handle /
to overcome the slight friction of the parts) to pull the handle or knob down whereby
it unwinds its tape off its drum d and so revolves the blind roller b in the opposite
direction and winds up the blind and at the same time the tape i of the other weight h.
It will be obvious that the cycle may be arranged inversely-that is to say so that
pulling down the handle will pull down the blind and by raising the handle raise
the blind.
The various parts may be made of any suitable materials or combination of materials
and mounted and ornamented in any desired or convenient manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would remark that
I make no claim to any of the parts separately which are well known and in common
use but what I claim is
1. In roller window blind fittings the combination of a top blind roller having a
drum or pulley mounted at each end thereof with weights suspended on tapes-one end
of each of which is wound on said pulleys in the opposite direction so that their pull
is in the opposite direction and the unwinding of one causes the winding up of the
other tape substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
2. The improved apparatus or fittings for raising and lowering window blinds the
parts being arranged combined and acting substantially in the manner and for the
purposes herein before set forth.
Dated this 30th day of August 1887
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Patentee.