IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO VENETIAN BLINDS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Anne Roberts, of Bootle, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO
VENETIAN BLINDS."
Sealed the 23rd October 1874, and dated the 27th April 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Anne Roberts at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with her Petition, on the
27th April 1874.
I, ANNE ROBERTS, of Bootle, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
APPLICABLE TO VENETIAN BLINDS," to be as follows:―
In the manufacture of Venetian blinds it is the practice to stitch or
sew the cross tapes upon which the laths rest to the side tapes which
support the whole, but it is found in practice that the stitchings con-
necting the cross tapes to the side tapes give way, and are worn out by.
the constant friction and weight of the laths. The cross tapes have also
been woven in one piece with the side tapes, but this is also found

page_text: inconvenient in practice from the difficulty in getting the cross tapes
correctly spaced.
This Invention relates to manufacturing Venetian blinds without
stitching or sewing of any kind, and consists in connecting the cross
tapes to the side tapes by a metal stud, fastener, rivet, or eyelet, which
is made to pass through the doubled over ends of the cross tapes and
through the side tapes, and is rivetted or fastened on the inside, thereby
securely fastening the cross tapes to the side tapes, so that the cross
tapes can never become detached from the side tapes unless the cross
tapes wear out.
By preference I use studs with rounded or bevelled heads so that
they will not rub against or injure the laths; or studs with ornamental
heads (enamelled, embossed, or otherwise decorated) may be used,
thereby embellishing and adding to the appearance of the blind.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Anne Roberts in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 24th October 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANNE
ROBERTS, of Bootle, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Anne Roberts, Her special licence,
that I, the said Anne Roberts, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Anne Roberts, my executors,
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 "IMPROVEMENTS
IN AND APPLICABLE TO VENETIAN BLINDS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Anne Roberts, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their

page_text: hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 Anne Roberts, 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 :-
In the manufacture of Venetian blinds it is the practice to stitch or
sew the cross tapes upon which the laths rest to the side tapes which
support the whole, but it is found in practice that the stitchings con-
necting the cross tapes to the side tapes give way and are worn out by
the constant friction and weight of the laths. The cross tapes have also
been woven in one piece with the side tapes, but this is also found
inconvenient in practice from the difficulty in getting the cross tapes
correctly spaced.
This Invention relates to manufacturing Venetian blinds without
stitching or sewing of any kind, and consists in connecting the cross.
tapes to the side tapes by a metal stud, fastener, rivet, or eyelet, which
is made to pass through, over, or round the doubled over ends of the
cross tapes and through the side tapes, and is rivetted or fastened on the
inside, thereby securely fastening the cross tapes to the side tapes, so
that the cross tapes can never become detached from the side tapes unless
the cross tapes wear out.
Studs with rounded or bevelled heads may be used, so that they will..
not rub against or injure the laths; or studs with ornamental heads,
cnamelled, embossed, or otherwise decorated may be used, thereby,
embellishing and adding to the appearance of the blind.
The foregoing being the nature, object, and purposes of this my
Invention, I will now proceed to describe more in detail how the same
may be carried out into practical effect, and for that purpose I have
hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings sufficiently illustrative of my.
Invention as to enable any practical person to carry the same into effect.
Like letters and figures denote similar parts throughout the various.
views.
The combined tapes being the vertical tapes, and the cross tapes used

page_text: in Venetian blinds for supporting the laths are known to the trade as
"ladders" for Venetian blinds, and it is especially the object of this
Invention to construct these "ladders" without stitching.
"
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of
a "ladder for Venetian blinds constructed according to my Invention; 5
Figure 2 is a section through A, B, Figure 1; Figure 3 is an outside.
view of Figure 1; Figures 4 and 5 are also outside views of Figure 1.
Figure 6 shows portion of ordinary "ladder" with laths in section,
as will be understood.
Figure 7 is an elevation of a stud or fastener especially adapted to be 1
used in the construction of "ladders," according to this Invention;
Figure 8 is a plan of Figure 7 when fastened.
Figure 9 shows a round headed stud or fastener.
Figure 10 shows a flat stud or fastener.
Figure 11 shows an eyelet stud or fastener.
Figure 12 shows a rivet stud or fastener.
1
Figure 13 shows the method of applying a fastener, such as that
shown at Figure 7, round or over the cross tape.
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, are shown full size; Figures 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, 12, and 13, are exaggerated views of fasteners suitable to put my
Invention into practical effect.
2
Upon referring to the Drawings the lines a indicate a portion of the
side tapes of a "ladder" for Venetian blinds; bare the cross tapes.
Now heretofore these tapes a and b have been stitched or woven together
at the points c, Figure 6, but it is found in practice that the stitchings 2
connecting the tapes a and b give way and are worn out by the friction
and weight of the laths d, Figure 6. The tapes 6 have also been woven
in one piece with the tapes a, but great difficulty has been found in
practice in correctly spacing the distances of the tapes.
Now this Invention consists in connecting the tapes 6 to the tapes a 3
by a metal stud, fastener, rivet, or eyelet at the point c, Figure 1. The
stud, fastener, rivet, or eyelet is made to pass through, over, or round
the double ends of the tapes 6 passing through the side tapes, and is
rivetted or fastened on the inside e, thus fastening the tapes 6 to the
tapes a, so that they can never become detached unless they wear out.
b
3

page_text: Any suitable style of fastener may be used for accomplishing the
object of this Invention. They may be made with flat heads, round
heads, or ornamental heads, as shown at f, Figures 3, 4, and 5. They
may be enamelled, embossed, or otherwise decorated, or they may
illustrate a device such as a cross, star, or flower, as will be understood.
A simple and very efficient fastener is illustrated at Figures 2, 3, 7, 8,
and 12, which fastener will suitably accomplish the object of this Inven-
tion. It is a plain piece of metal with projections sufficiently far apart
as to embrace the width of the cross tape, shown at e, Figure 2. The
ends h, Figures 7 and 8, are made to pass through the side tape a, as
shown at Figure 13, and then fold over and hold the cross tapes to the
side tapes. The folding projections ½ are provided with a burr which
may be caused by a stamped hole or otherwise, which burr holds the
tapes together when the fastener is compressed.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature, object, and
purposes of this my Invention, and shown how the same may be
carried into practical operation, I would have it understood that I do
not confine myself to any particular dimensions as to the width of tapes
to be used, nor do I confine myself to the shape or size of the fasteners
to be used, as the same may be considerably varied without departing
from my Invention, but what I claim as my Invention and secured to
me by Letters Patent as aforesaid is, the improvements in and applicable
to Venetian blinds, which consists in connecting the side tapes and
cross tapes forming the "ladders" of Venetian blinds by means of a
metal stud, fastener, rivet, or eyelet, which is made to pass through,
over, or round the ends of the cross tapes, and through the side tapes
and fasten, thereby securing the cross tapes to the side tapes without
stitching or weaving, substantially in the manner and for the purpose
described in the before-going Specification.
In witness whereof, I, the said Anne Roberts, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of October in the
year of our Lord, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.