CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BLINDS OR SHADES. FOR WINDOWS OR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1826

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
BARLOW FERNANDEZ, of.. Norfolk Street, in the County of Middlesex, Gentle
man, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth,.
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-sixth day of May, One thousand eight hundred and
twenty-six, in the seventh year of His reign, did for Himself, his heirs. and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said James Barlow Fernandez, His.
especial licence that I, the said James Barlow Fernandez, my exors, adiñors,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Barlow Fernandez, my exors,
admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others; from time to
time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales; and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF BLINDS OR SHADES. FOR WINDOWS OR OTHER PURPOSES;"
in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, obliging me, the said
James Barlow Fernandez, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to bo
inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited. Letters Patent,
as in and by the same, relation being thereunto had, will more fully and at
large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
James Barlow Fernandez, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly
described and ascertained in and by the Drawings hereunto annexed, and the
following description thereof (that is to say):-
My improvements consist, first, in the application of an elongating and con-
tracting apparatus, by means of which blinds or shades are supported in the
position required; secondly, an apparatus for removing the shade, &c. without
taking down the case or drawing screws; thirdly, a slide to raise or lower the
blind or shade; and, fourthly, an improved cap and fastening for the roller.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Tho
The apparatus for supporting the blind or shade consists of cross pieces of
metal or other suitable material connected in the centres and ends by means
of studs or otherwise. Fig. 1 represents the apparatus elongated; Fig. 2, the
apparatus contracted; Fig. 3 shews an application of this apparatus to a shop
window blind; and Fig. 4, an application of the apparatus to a small window
blind. The blind may be held in any position by means of a cord (as is the
usual practice), and supported by the apparatus above described.
apparatus for taking down the blind or shade is shewn in Figs. 5 and 6. I is
the top of the case; a, a, are two screws driven in balf way; K. is the pulley
lath, to which the roller is fixed or otherwise; in this lath are made two or
more holes in the centres of dovetailed grooves, to correspond with the screws
in the top; through these holes the heads of the screws pass freely. To fit
the dovetailed grooves H made in the lath, a slide L is made (shewn in
Fig. 6), so that when the lath is placed against the top the screw heads pro-
ject through the holes in the lath, and by sliding the slide L home the lath
will become firmly fixed. The slide for raising and lowering the blind is con-
structed as follows:-G, Figs. 4 and 7, is the slide, to which are fastened two
friction wheels b, b, and by means of the cord attached to the top at c the slide
is raised or lowered. This slide is made to act in a groove on the inside or
other convenient part of the case. The improved cap to roller is shewn in
Figs. 8 and 9. f is the axle of the roller; 9 is a ratchet wheel, slid on the
axle, but allowed to turn; h is a spiral or worm spring, contained within
the socket at the end of the roller; is a metal plate affixed to the spring.
In lowering the blind the click or catch i takes into the ratchet wheel and
prevents its turning, and the plate 7 being forced up against the wheel g, by
means of the spring h, produces friction sufficient to retain the blind in any
position; and in returning the blind back into the case no resistance will be
5

page_text: given as the click or catch will pass over the back way of the ratchet whee
The fastening, Fig. 10, for the roller consists of a case m, and a rest for the
axle n;
one of these fastenings is placed on the side of the window, and
when the blind is to be put up, the rest n is pushed back, and the axle is
placed in the case; and then the rest being let go, a spring forces it forward
and prevents the blind from falling.
I claim as my Invention in the construction of blinds and shades,-
First, the application of the clongating and contracting supports.
Secondly, the apparatus for removing the blind, &c. without taking down
the case or drawing screws.
Thirdly, the slide G.
And, fourthly, the improved cap and fastening to the roller, as described in
Figs. 8, 9, & 10.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Barlow Fernandez, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of May, in the year of
Inrolled the Fifteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and twenty-six.