IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VENETIAN BLINDS BY WHICH THEY ARE RENDERED MUCH LIGHTER AND MORE CONVENIENTLY RAISED AND "
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Magnus Chevalier of Bank Chambers Westbourne
Grove London in the County of Middlesex Gentleman for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VENETIAN BLINDS BY WHICH
THEY ARE RENDERED MUCH LIGHTER AND MORE CONVENIENTLY RAISED AND
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Magnus Chevalier
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th February 1882.
ROBERT MAGNUS CHEVALIER of Bank Chambers Westbourne Grove London
in the County of Middlesex Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF VENETIAN BLINDS BY WHICH THEY ARE RENDERED MUCH LIGHTER AND MORE
CONVENIENTLY RAISED AND LOWERED."
My Invention has for its object the improvement of the blinds usually called
Venetian blinds, by rendering them much lighter and allowing them to be more
easily and conveniently raised or lowered.
I effect these objects by the use of wood specially cut or shaved employing for
this purpose a knife or plane set at an angle of 45° or thereabouts. I employ
timber newly cut and by subjecting same to a glutinous preparation, to be fully
described in the Final Specification-I season and harden the wood rendering it
perfectly impermeable to moisture and the action of the sun's heat.
The improvement in the construction of the blind consists in the movability of
the head lath which is suspended upon hooks by pivots or other contrivances to
which the tapes or ladders are affixed which enables the laths to be reversed in the
usual way thus avoiding the complicated method and use of the tilting lath.
A further improvement consists in the raising and lowering of the blinds by means
of a roller (spring or otherwise) containing collars or grooves into which the tapes
or metal cords, passing through the laths, are collected. Beneath the roller are
appliances for suspending and tilting the laths.
The glutinous matter is composed of glue and shellac dissolved and brought to
the consistency of ordinary paint or varnish. The dissolving liquid may be highly
rectified spirit as nearly anhydrous as possible say 96° of the centigrade-cuppro
ammonia of the highest strength even from 800° to 900° may be employed-The
method of using the glutinous matter is of the greater importance as it must be
applied as soon as possible after the timber to be employed is cut and the slip or
slice has been shaved from the log in this state the wood rapidly absorbs the
glutinous substance and this has the effect of seasoning and hardening it. If
necessary pressure may be used to hasten the operation.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Robert Magnus Chevalier in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th August 1882.
ROBERT MAGNUS CHEVALIER of Bank Chambers Westbourne Grove London in
the County of Middlesex Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION of
VENETIAN BLINDS BY WHICH THEY ARE RENDERED MUCH LIGHTER AND MORE
CONVENIENTLY RAISED AND LOWERED.
"
The object of my said invention is to render blinds made from laths light and
elegant in appearance combined with compactness when drawn up thus avoiding
the heavy and clumsy appearance so much objected to in Venetian blinds as
generally made and used
My invention consists in the use of wood specially cut or shaven to a thickness
of and from a twenty fourth to an eighth part of an inch as required I employ for
that purpose, a knife plain or saw whereby a saving of wood is effected I employ
timber newly cut and afterwards subjected to a preparation fully described in my
Provisional Specification The glutinous matter is comprised of glue and shellac
dissolved and brought to the consistency of ordinary paint or varnish.
The dissolving liquid may be highly rectified spirit as nearly anhydrous as
possible say 96°. of the centigrade-cuppro ammonia of the highest strength from
800° to 900°. may be employed The method of using the glutinous matter is of
importance as it must be applied as soon as possible after the timber to be
employed is cut and the slip or slice has been shaved from the log In this state
the wood rapidly absorbs the glutinous substance and this has the effect of
seasoning and hardening it Pressure may be used to hasten the operation
In the application of my improvements to the raising and lowering the blind
I use a roller (spring or otherwise) composed of wood or metal or other suitable
material or combination of either of length and diameter according to the size
and weight of the blind required, this roller has a pivot fixed to the centre of each
end allowing the same to work in brackets suspending or holding the same at one
end of this roller I arrange a groove or recess with collars or flanges leaving this
part of the roller of a smaller diameter this can also be made of wood inetal or
other suitable material as shewn in Figure 1. In order to avoid the usual
complication of many cords I aflix to this end one cord only as also shewn in
Figure 1 by which the roller is made to revolve and thus raise or lower the blind
attached thereto by means of cords or tapes passing through the laths in the
usual way and then fixed to the roller and the bottom lath so that when the roller
is put in motion these cords wind and unwind themselves round the same
The tapes or ladders holding the laths I suspend to a thicker lath shewn in
Figure 2 commonly called a tilting lath, this has a pivot affixed to each end by
which it is suspended on the brackets Figure 3 is a side view of one of the
brackets The bracket has a slot or opening at a Figure 3 so formed as to allow
of the tilting lath being drawn close up to the roller with the blind also a slot is
cut as shewn at b Figure 3 from the pivot holes so that the blind can be easily
lifted in and out of its position without the use of screws or other fixings
In addition to the above (for large blinds) I use a hollow or concave tilting lath
as shewn in Figures 4 and 5 Fig: 5 being an end view shewing also the roller
in position. The tilting lath is of a sufficient diameter to work freely over the
roller (by which the blind is drawn up as herein before described)-This lath may
be made of wood metal or simply of three or more metal or wooden rods-The
pins c, c (Figures 4 and 5) work in a quadrant d, (Figure 6) fixed at each end-

page_text: This tilting lath (Figures 4 and 5) has the two studs or bearings c. c so placed at
suitable distances apart at each end to guide it when turned in the curved
slot d To this lath the tapes or ladders holding the blinds are attached in the
usual way,
At one end of this tilting lath I run an endless cord either over a small grooved
pulley or other contrivance attached to the lath by which the turning or tilting of
this lath to the required angle either way is effected
Having thus described the nature of my said invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed I claim
The combinations of parts forming respectively my improvements in the
construction of Venetian blinds by which they are rendered much lighter and more
conveniently raised and lowered by the means and use of thin laths and the
method of preparing the same together with the mode of raising or lowering the
blinds by the use of a roller instead of small pulleys or other contrivances
hitherto used for that purpose as well as the method or methods of making
fixing and using the tilting laths as hereinbefore described and shewn on the
Drawings
In witness whereof I the said Robert Magnus Chevalier have hereunto set
my hand and seal this fourteenth day of August. in the year of our Lord