Year: 1888

page_text: declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
The roller upon which the blind, curtain or the like is wound or supported is carried
at one end by a bracket, at the other it is supported in a box containing the gearing
hereinafter described.
On that journal of the roller which runs in the box a pinion is mounted so as to gear
with a wheel engaging with another pinion provided below a spring barrel. The barrel,
and the contained therein, serve for counteracting the weight of the blind or the like
and of the rod with which it may be weighted.
The second pinion above referred to is actuated by a toothed segment or by a rack;
the toothed segment carries a pivotted angle-piece one end of which is, by a spring
pressed against the wheel between the two pinions when the whole mechanism is at
rest.
The other end of said angle piece terminates in two plane inclined faces against
which the end of a lever bears.
A stud or button is provided, capable of acting upon the angle piece so that the
latter being moved in one direction or the other the blind &c. is released and carried
upwards by the spring or may descend in putting tension upon the spring.
BERNHARD DUKES,
226, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: I FERDINAND MATTHEY, Engineer, of St. Imier in the Swiss Republic, do hereby
declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FITTINGS FOR
BLINDS, CURTAINS, AND THE LIKE" and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described & ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The roller upon which the blind, curtain or the like is wound or supported is carried
at one end by a bracket, at the other it is supported in a box containing the gearing
hereinafter described.
On that journal of the roller which runs in the box a pinion is mounted so as to
gear with a wheel engaging with another pinion provided below a spring barrel. The
barrel and the spring contained therein serve for counteracting the weight of the
blinds or the like and of the rod with which it may be weighted.
The second pinion above referred to is actuated by a toothed segment or by a rack;
the toothed segment carries a pivotted angle-piece one end of which is, by a spring
pressed against the wheel between the two pinions when the whole mechanism is at
rest. The other end of said angle-piece terminates in two plane inclined faces against
which the end of a lever bears.
A stud or button is provided capable of acting upon the angle piece so that the
latter being moved in one direction or the other the blind &c. is released and carried
upwards by the spring or may descend in putting tension the spring.
This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the entire arrangements.
Fig. 2 shows the internal arrangements enclosed in the box B, portions of the gearing
being removed.
Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through box B.
Fig. 4 a vertical section through the same.
Fig. 5 is a detached part.
It will be seen from these drawings that the roller A receives its motion through
the pinion C (fig. 1) from the toothed wheel D. On referring to figs. 2, 3 & 4 it will
be seen that the wheel D has in front teeth cut to gear with the pinion C. At the
back it is serrated so that the serrated face of the hinged piece U (figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5)
may be able to prevent motion of the wheel D when pressed against the same.
At the back of wheel D there is a spring barrel F containing an ordinary clock
spring and this serves to counterbalance the weight of the blind and blind roller whilst
the wheel E fixed on the same spindle as D receives motion from the rack N where-
with it gears. See figs. 2, 3, and 4. The gearing is so arranged that when the rack N
has moved from one extreme position to the other the roller A is caused to make a
sufficient number of revolutions completely to wind up, or let down the blind attached
thereto.
On the face of the rack N bearings I are provided and carry a piece O.
The rack N is, together with the lever L free to swing on the pin or stud G
(figs. 1, 2, & 3). The upper part of the lever L has a recess and at its extreme end the
lever carries a roller K. P (figs. 2, and 4) is a spring mounted upon the rack N as

page_text: shown. It presses against the underside of piece O forcing the latter against the
serrated, hinged piece U and pressing the latter against the serrated rim of the
wheel D.
The action of the entire mechanism is as follows: The parts being in their normal
position the lever L is moved to one side, say to the left. The lever is free to move a
little distance from the centre before carrying the rack with it but in so doing it will,
by the roller at K, act upon the piece U as follows:
The piece O has at its top a projecting portion O¹. The projecting portion has two
inclined faces forming angles with a centre-line from front to rear as well as from side
to side.
Now when the lever L is swung on its centre, it tends to move the piece O sideways.
This piece can not however yield in that direction but there is some play from back to
front and the roller at K acting as a cam upon the inclined surface which it touches
allows the piece O to release the piece U and the latter falls away from the serrated
edge of the wheel D and this sets the wheel free. In its further movement the lever L
will ultimately carry the rack N with it, this will act upon the spur wheel E. The
wheels E and D having one axle in common will rotate together and (through
pinion () the roller A is wound up or let down.
If at any point in its travel the lever L is released, the spring P, pressing upon
the piece O, forces the same to assume its normal position with reference to the
roller at K the piece U is once more pressed against the wheel D and stops further
motion.
The blind may thus by a complete or partial movement (in either case a short
movement) of the lever L be entirely raised or lowered or be fixed midway at any
suitable point.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1.) The improved fitting for blinds, curtains and the like consisting in a pinion C
attached to the journal of a roller and the wheel D (with which the pinion gears)
enclosing the spring F and connected with the pinion E so that the rack N may
act upon the wheel D and by it upon the roller.
2.) In a roller fitting consisting in the wheel D gearing with the pinion C and
carrying the pinion E driven by a rack N, the piece O, combined with spring P
and released when required by the lever L acting upon the parts O and U as set
forth.
3.) In a fitting for blinds curtains and the like the combination of a wheel D
forming a barrel for the spring F and driving the pinion C on roller A with the
rack N, angle piece O and lever L as shown in the drawings.
Dated this 28th day of January 1889.
BERNHARD DUKES,
226, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.