AN IMPROVED METHOD OF HANGING OR SUSPENDING BLINDS FROM BLIND ROLLERS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Parkes Matthews, of Wolverhampton, in
the County of Stafford, Furniture Dealer, for the Invention of " AN
IMPROVED METHOD OF HANGING OR SUSPENDING BLINDS FROM BLIND ROLLERS,
Sealed the 17th April 1866, and dated the 21st October 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Parkes Matthew.
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 21st October 1865.
I, SAMUEL PARKES MATTHEWS, of Wolverhampton, in the County of
Stafford, Furniture Dealer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF HANGING OR SUSPENDING BLINDS FROM
BLIND ROLLERS, AND IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SUCH ROLLERS," to
be as follows:-
The first part of my Invention relates to a new or improved method of
hanging or suspending the blind from the roller to which it is attached.
For this purpose a longitudinal groove is made in the roller sufficiently
large to admit a piece of cane or wire (or other suitable material), upon
which the blind is then suspended by means of loops or rings. Metal or
elastic bands having been previously placed round the roller at convenient
distances, the cane or wire (or its substitute) is slid along the said groove,
picking up the loops or rings which are attached to the top of the blind as
it passes along. By these means the blind is fixed or removed at pleasure,
and stitching or tacking, or any of the usual means by which blinds are
now attached to their rollers, are dispensed with.

page_text: The second part of my Invention has reference to an improved method
of lengthening the roller, so that it may fit a larger window than that for
which it was originally intended. I propose to effect this by furnishing
each end of the roller either with a "gibbet slide" or with a "socket
slide," (these are technical terms, which are readily understood by any
person conversant with the trade,) the said slides. being extended at
pleasure by means of an extending screw with which the roller is fitted,
The third part of my Invention is an improved method of keeping the
blind at any required height, I have no rack pulley, but inside the slide,
which is attached to one end of the roller, I enclose a spiral spring. The
effect of this spring is naturally to press the slide outwards, and a blind
end having several points or projections upon the outer part thereof being
fitted to this slide, the said points or projections take into corresponding
grooves or recesses in the plate from which that end of the roller is
suspended, By means of the spring grip just described the roller is held
firmly in any required position.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Samuel Parkes Matthews in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th April 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
PARKES MATTHEWS, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Samuel Parkes Matthews, Her special licence that
I, the said Samuel Parkes Matthews, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Samuel Parkes Matthews, my exe-
cutors, 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 IMPROVED METHOD
OF HANGING OR SUSPENDING BLINDS FROM BLIND ROLLERS, AND IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF SUCH ROLLERS," upon the condition (amongst others)

page_text: that I, the said Samuel Parkes Matthews, 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 Samuel Parkes Matthews, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement (that is to say):-
The first part of my Invention relates to a new or improved method of
hanging or suspending the blind from the roller to which it is attached.
For this purpose a longitudinal groove is made in the roller sufficiently
large to admit a piece of cane or wire (or other suitable material), upon
which the blind is then suspended by means of loops or rings. Metal, elastic,
or other suitable bands having been previously placed round the roller at
convenient distances, the cane or wire (or its substitute) is slid along the
said groove, picking up the loops or rings which are attached to the top of
the blind as it passes along. By these means the blind is fixed or removed
at pleasure, and stitching or tacking, or any of the usual means by which
blinds are now attached to their rollers, is dispensed with.
The second part of my Invention has reference to an improved method
of lengthening the roller, so that it may fit a larger window than that for
which it was originally intended. I propose to effect this by furnishing
one or both ends of the roller either with a gibbet slide or with a socket
slide, the said slides being extended at pleasure by means of an extending
screw with which the roller is fitted, or by other similar or equivalent
mechanical means.
The third part of my Invention is an improved method of keeping the
blind at any required height. I have no rack pulley, but inside the slide,
which is attached to one end of the roller, I enclose a spiral or helical wire
spring. The effect of this spring is naturally to press the slide outwards,
and a blind end having several points or projections upon the outer parts
thereof being fitted to this slide, the said points or projections take into
corresponding grooves or recesses in the plate from.which that end of the
roller is suspended. By means of the spring grip just described the roller
is held firmly in any required position.
It will be seen from what has been said that my Invention offers several
very important advantages. amongst which may be mentioned that the sam

page_text: roller may be easily made to fit any size window with exactness, that by
the means herein-before described a blind may be removed and another
one fixed with the greatest ease in the shortest possible time, and without
any sewing, stitching, or tacking being needed. I am enabled also to bring
the edges of the blind quite close to the casing of the window, and by the
use of the spring grip herein-before described the roller is held firmly in
any required position. When it is desired to release the roller and to
lower the blind, nothing more is needed than to press the spring grip
inwards, which may be easily done by means of a cord which is attached
to the blind end.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same may be performed, I wish it to be understood that, without
limiting myself to the precise details herein-before described, (as these may
to some extent be varied or modified without departing from the nature of
my said Invention,) I desire to claim as the Invention to be protected by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent,-
First, the mode or manner of forming a groove in the roller as herein-
before described.
Second, the use of the cane or wire (or its substitute) placed therein,
and the metal, elastic, or other bands or clips which are placed round the
roller, as herein-before described.
Third, the mode or manner of adjusting and regulating the length of
the roller by means of the gibbet slide or socket slide, the exact positions
of which are determined by a regulating screw or other similar mechanical
equivalent, as herein-before described.
Fourth, the spring grip, which is actuated by a spiral or helical spring,
and which renders a pulley rack unnecessary, as herein-before described.
Fifth, the combination of all the improvements as a whole substantially
as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Parkes Matthews, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
G. R. HOLLAND.
SAMUEL PARKES MATTHEWS. (L.s.)