IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLIANCES FOR RAISING, HOLDING, OR LOWERING BLINDS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Furness, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Brassfinisher, and James Robertshaw, of the same Place, Merchant,
T
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Furness and James
Robertshaw at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th July
1881.
"
GEORGE FURNESS, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Brassfinisher,
and JAMES ROBERTSHAW, of the same Place, Merchant. IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPLIANCES FOR RAISING, HOLDING, OR LOWERING BLINDS."
The Invention relates to improvements in appliances for raising, lowering, or
holding in any required position the blinds ordinarily suspended from rollers, as
is well understood. The roller is provided at each end with a stud, and is supported
in position by brackets. The bracket mounted on the right of the roller is cast or
formed with a suitably shaped slot, a guide eye for the cord to pass through from
the pulley, and a stud or projection which arrests the motion of the blind. The
pulley is cast or formed with a ratchet of four or more teeth which come in contact
with the said stud or projection when the cord is released, and stops the blind in
any required position, that is to say-The blind when unwinding from the roller
causes the said stud to roll to one end of the slot, which brings one tooth of the
ratchet in contact with the said projection and stops the further unwinding of the
blind. If it is required to unwind the blind to its full extent the operator puts
an amount of tension on the cord and prevents the stud rolling up the said slot.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Furness and James Robertshaw in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 18th January 1882.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
GEORGE FURNESS, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Brassfinisher,
and JAMES ROBERTSHAW, of the same Place, Merchant.
APPLIANCES FOR RAISING, HOLDING, OR LOWERING BLINDS."
The Invention relates to improvements in and connected with appliances
employed for raising, lowering, or holding window blinds usually suspended from
rollers, as is well understood. To one end of the said roller a metal disc, cast or
formed with a stud and flange, is connected thereto by screws, and to the other
end thereof a second disc is connected having slots or openings formed therein
through which screws pass. A suitably shaped star-wheel or ratchet wheel cast
or formed with any suitable number of teeth is cast or formed with a stud and
projecting boss having a slot therein to receive one end of a cord. The said boss
abuts against the said metal disc when fixed in position. The said boss is also
formed with recesses which receive the screws employed to connect the said ratchet
or star wheel with the said disc and roller. The said stud or pin of the star or
ratchet is supported by a metal bracket. The bracket (usually mounted on the
right of the roller when in position) is cast or formed with a suitably shaped slot,
in which slot the said ratchet stud is permitted to roll to and fro when the blind
is acted upon. The said bracket is also cast with a guide eye through which the
cord from the said boss passes, the object being to prevent the cord over-riding
the boss on which it is wound. The said bracket is also cast or formed with a
projecting stud or pin, against which a tooth of the ratchet wheel comes in contact
when it is required to stop the blind in any required position.
And in order that the Invention may be more fully understood, we have
caused to be appended hereto a Sheet of Drawings marked with letters of reference,
to which Drawings reference will now be made. Fig. 1 represents a front view,
and Fig. 2 a plan of a blind roller with the improved connected fittings or
appliances in position for raising, holding, or lowering the blind suspended there-
from; Fig. 3 represents the blind roller detached, with the ends thereof in section,
and shows more clearly the manner of connecting the discs and ratchet-wheel to
the end of the roller; Fig. 4 represents the bracket for supporting the stud in the
end of the roller; Fig. 5 represents the ratchet wheel when disengaged; Fig. 6
represents the manner of connecting the end of the cord to the boss of the ratchet
wheel; Fig. 7 represents a side view of the ratchet wheel boss and screws for
fastening same to end of roller; Fig. 8 represents a side view of the metal disc
screwed on to end of roller, and against which the boss of ratchet wheel abuts; Fig. 9
represents a plan of the same. The blind a is attached to the roller b in any
suitable manner. To the ends of the said roller b metal clips c, d, are secured by
means of screws. The ratchet wheel e having in this example five teeth is cast
with a boss f, which abuts against the end of the roller, as seen in Fig. 3, being
held by means of screws which lay in suitably shaped recesses formed on the
periphery of the boss, whereby an even cylindrical surface is obtained. The
bracket fis cast or formed with a projection g and with a slot h. The blind when
free to run down or unwind from the roller causes the said projection g to advance
in the slot h, which action brings one or the other of the ratchet teeth into contact
with the projection g, and the further unwinding of the blind is instantly arrested.
The said bracket f is also cast with a shoulder having formed therein an eye, into
The manner of
which an eyelet is fit in order to reduce friction on the cord.
connecting the cord with the boss of the ratchet wheel is seen more clearly in

page_text: Fig. 6, in which it will be seen that the boss is split to receive and hold a knot
formed on the end of the cord. The blind can be lowered to any required extent
by the action of the cord, which is such that when slightly pulled causes the stud m
to slide in the slot, and the ratchet teeth to move out of contact with the pro-
jection g and the blind is free to unwind. When the cord is liberated the rotation
of the roller causes the stud m to advance in the slot, which action brings one or
the other of the ratchet teeth in contact with the projection g, and the further
unwinding of the blind is instantly arrested. It will be readily understood that
the appliances are equally applicable to the raising, holding, or lowering of maps,
plans, charts, or other analogous appliances.
Having now described and illustrated the nature of the said Invention, and
means for carrying the same into effect, we would have it to be understood that
we claim,-
First. The formation and combination with a blind roller of the boss f with the
ratchet wheel e for the purpose specified.
Secondly. The manner of and means for connecting the ratchet e with the end
of the roller b, substantially as described and illustrated in the Drawings.
Thirdly. The manner of connecting the cord i to the boss of the ratchet wheel e,
which boss forms a spool on which the cord is wound.
Fourthly. The combination with the bracket g of the slot k, projection g,
eyeleted guide eye l, for the purpose specified.
And, Lastly. The general arrangement and combination of parts, substantially as
described and as illustrated in the Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Furness and James Robertshaw,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty fourth day of
December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty
one.
GEORGE FURNESS.
(L.S.)
Signed and sealed by the
said George Furness
and James Robertshaw
in the presence of
HUGH G. GRANT,
FERDINAND BOSSHARDT,
JAMES ROBERTSHAW. (L.S.)
Manchester.