Improvements in Window Blinds.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Feb., 1898-Accepted, 14th May, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Window Blinds.
I, HERBERT MARSHALL STURGIS, Gentleman, residing at No. 4123, Pleasant Street,
in the City of St. Louis, State of Missouri, U.S.A., do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to improvements in window blinds; and it consists of the
novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter shown,
described and claimed.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved window blind roller and the upper
end of the blind carried thereby. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the bracket that
sustains the right-hand end of my improved roller, which view is taken looking
in the direction indicated by the arrow. in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the
right-hand end of my improved window blind roller. Fig. 4 is a sectional view
of the right-hand end of the roller. Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of the tape-
guide of which I make use. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken approximately
on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is an end elevation of a modified form of the
roller of which I make use. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the ratchet used in
this modified form. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken approximately on the
line 9-9 of Fig. 7. Fig. 10 is a view in perspective of the bracket used in connec-
tion with the modified form of the roller.
Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, 1 indicates a window
blind of the ordinary construction, the same being wound upon a roller 2, which
roller is sustained by the brackets 3 and 4, which brackets are similar to each other,
with the exception that the right-hand bracket 4 is provided with an enlarged
plate 5, in the centre of which is formed an aperture 6 in which the right-hand
end of the roller rotates.
The tape-guide 7 consists of a semicircularly bent arm, the lower end 8 of which
is turned at right angles relative the body portion, and a slot 9 is formed in said
bent end. The upper end 10 of the tape guide is bent laterally and in the same
direction as is the lower end 8, and the tape guide thus constructed is pivoted at a
point near its center to the inside face of the plate 5 by means of a screw or rivet 11.
The tape druni at the right-hand end of the roller comprises the circular body 12,
through which is formed a slot 13, and the flange 14 is formed integral with the
right-hand end of the body 12, and extending laterally from the center of the
outside face of the flange 14 is a circular body 15, in which is formed a pair of
oppositely arranged notches 16. A circular lug 17 is formed integral with, and
extends laterally from, the center of the face of the body '15, said lug 17 operating
in the aperture 6. An integral pin 18 extends laterally from the left-hand face
of the body 12, and said pin is driven into the right-hand end of the roller 2 after
a disk 19, equal in diameter to the flange 14, has been placed against the end of
said roller 2. In this manner the tape drum is formed, said tape drum and other
parts just described being a fixed part of, and operating with, the roller 2.

page_text: A centrifugal hook 20 is pivoted at its rear end to a point near the edge of the
inner face of the plate 14, and when said hook is thrown outwardly by centrifugal
force, it is thrown into a position where it engages the end of the outwardly turned
upper end of the tape guide 7. Pivoted to the inner face of the plate 5 at a point
above the center of said plate is a pawl 21, the tooth 22 of which normally engages
either one of the notches 16 of the circular body 15 when the roller is in operative
position.
The tape 23, which is used in operating my improved roller, is wound upon the
circular body 12 between the plate 19 and the flange 14 in a direction opposite to
that in which the shade is wound, and said tape 23 depends from the front of the
tape drum and passes through the slot 9 formed in the outwardly turned end 8
of the tape-guide 7.
In the modified form of my improved blind roller seen in Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10,
the tape drum comprises the mating semicircular bodies 24, which bodies are
provided with the integral flanges 25 on their edges, which mate to form the side
disks of the drum, and said mating bodies 24 are held together by a screw 26 that
passes through said mating bodies and through the pin 27 which is driven into
the right-hand end of the roller 2. Semicircular face flanges are formed integral
with the outer face of the mating right-hand flanges 25, and thus form a circular
recess in which is located a plate 29 that carries a pair of pivoted pawls 30, each
of which is provided with a tooth 31.
A ratchet 32 is provided with a flange 33 at its rear end which is normally located
behind the plate 29, and said ratchet 32 is provided with a longitudinal bore
through which the pin 27 passes, and a pair of notches 34 are oppositely arranged
in the periphery of said ratchet, and said ratchet is provided with the squared
outer end 35. When this construction is made use of, a bracket, such as is shown
in Fig. 10, and provided with the rectangular notch 36 in its upper end, takes the
place of the bracket 4 previously described. When this modified form is made use
of, the squared end 35 of the ratchet rests in the rectangular notch 36 of the
bracket, and the inner end of the operating tape is clamped between the mating
halves of the tape drum. It is essential that the stiffening strip at the lower end
of the blind 1 be weighted in any suitable manner, so that when the ratchet, hold-
ing the blind up, is released, said blind will readily descend.
Owing to the manner in which the tape 23 is wound upon the drum, when the
blind 1 is pulled downwardly, said tape will be wound upon said drum. When said
blind is allowed to gravitate downwardly, the ratchet which comprises the circular
body 15, having the notches 16, will rotate so rapidly as that the tooth 22 of the
pawl 21 will not have time to drop into one of the notches 16 until the blind is
brought to a stop; then the tooth 22 will pass into one of said notches 16 and the
blind will be held at the desired height.
When it is desired to elevate the blind, or roll the same up, the operator pulls
downwardly upon the tape 23 and in so doing, the ratchet is rapidly rotated and
the tooth 22 of the pawl is continuously pushed out of the notches 16 until the pull
upon the tape is stopped. Should the pawl 21 become accidentally released from
either one of the notches 16, or should the tape 23 become detached from the
operator's hand while manipulating said tape, and said blind should start to unroll
very rapidly, the hook 20 would be thrown out by centrifugal force and catch the
outwardly turned upper end 10 of the tape guide 7, as indicated by dotted lines in
Fig. 3, thus bringing the blind to a sudden stop. This device prevents the blind
from accidentally unrolling of its own accord.
The operation of the modified form of my improved device may be readily under-
stood from an inspection of the different views, the only difference between said
modified construction and the one already described being that the ratchet is loosely
mounted upon the pin 27, and said ratchet is held in the notch 36 and the pawls 30
operate around said ratchet during the rotation of the roller.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A window blind roller mounted for rotation, a tape drum arranged at one end
of said roller, a tape wound upon said tape drum in a direction opposite to that of
the blind, a ratchet carried by said tape drum and a pawl pivoted in a fixed position
in such a manner as that its point engages the notches of the ratchet, substantially
as specified.
2. In a device of the class described, a blind roller arranged for rotation in
suitable brackets, a tape drum fixed to one end of said roller, a tape wound upon
said tape drum in a direction opposite to that of the blind, a ratchet carried by said
tape drum, a pawl pivoted to one of the roller supporting brackets, the tooth of
which pawl engages the notches of the ratchet, a tape guide pivoted to the bracket,
the upper end of which tape guide is bent laterally, and a hook carried by the tape
drum, which hook is arranged to swing outwardly by centrifugal force and to
engage the outwardly turned end of the tape guide, substantially as specified.
3. In a device of the class described, a roller, a disk placed against one end of
said roller, a pin passing through said disk and into the roller, a circular body
formed integral with the pin, a flange carried by the outer end of said circular
body, a ratchet formed integral with the outer face of said flange and a lug formed
integral with the end of the ratchet, substantially as specified.
4. In combination with a rotatably mounted blind roller carrying pivoted pawls,
a ratchet held against rotation at the end of the blind roller and in the path of
travel of the teeth of the pawls, substantially as specified.
5. In a device of the class described, a ratchet comprising a circular body, a
flange formed integral with one end of said body, in which body are formed
oppositely arranged notches, the outer end of said body being squared in the manner
set forth and for the purposes stated.
6. The combination with a blind roller rotatably mounted and carrying a tape
drum at one end, to which tape drum are pivoted pawls, of a ratchet held against
rotation, which ratchet is provided with oppositely arranged notches in which the
teeth of the pawls engage, substantially as specified.
7. In a device of the class described, a blind roller arranged for rotation, a
spindle rigidly fixed in one end of said blind roller, a tape drum rigidly carried by
said spindle, pawls pivoted to said tape drum and a ratchet loosely mounted upon
the end of said spindle and held against rotation, in which ratchet is formed
oppositely arranged notches for the reception of the teeth of the pawls, substan-
tially as specified.
Dated the 4th day of February 1898
HIGDON, LONGAN & HIGDON,
Agents for Applicant.