Improvements in Window-blind Mechanism.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 24th July, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 24th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 29th May, 1897
Improvements in Window-blind Mechanism.
I. WILLIAM SAMUEL LAYCOCK of Victoria Street Works, City of Sheffield,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
My present invention has for its object to simplify the mechanism of self-winding
blind rollers, such for example as are used for the windows of railway vehicles and
the like, being improvements upon my prior Patent No. 3344 of 1882.
I propose to use a metallic tubular roller to which the blind is attached, supported
at each end by brackets.
In one end of the roller I fix a short double bearing secured to the roller, through
which a shaft or axis (which projects from the bracket before mentioned) passes and
upon which the roller can turn. An adjustable frictional grip is constructed by a
fixed plate upon the axis on one side of the bearing and a coiled spring with regulating
screw nuts upon the other.
The roller is rotated by means of an internally situated coiled spring, wound round
a shaft supported at its inner end by a fixed bearing-block to which the coiled spring
is secured at one end, the other end being secured to the said shaft in any suitable
manner, the extreme end of the shaft passes through a round hole in the end plate of
the roller, and fits into a square or obloug hole in the bracket which forms the fixed
point of resistance for the coiled spring.
The shaft or axis of the friction mechanism before described, is provided with a
small ratchet toothed wheel fixed upon its extreme end inside the hollow of the bracket,
and is controlled in one direction by a gravity pawl which is pivotted to the side of
the bracket, and engages with the ratchet wheel.
30
1000
I WILLIAM SAMUEL LAYCOCK of Victoria Street Works, City of Sheffield
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same has to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
My present invention has for its object to simplify the mechanism of self winding
blind rollers, such for example as are used for the windows of railway vebiclos,
being improvements upon my prior Patent No. 3344 of 1882.
These improvements are illustrated in the annexed sheets of drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is the bracket containing the catch and ratchet wheel, the cap being
removed

page_text: Fig. 2, front view of bracket, and section of end of roller showing the friction
brake.
Fig. 3, shows a modification of the catch motion with the friction brake, and end
views.
Fig. 4, the reverse of Fig. 3.
Fig. 5, bracket with drop catch pin, and ratchet wheel.
In carrying my invention into practice, I use a metallic tubular roller A, to which
the blind is attached, supported at each end by brackets, of which only one is shown
and is marked B.
In one end of the roller A, I fix a short double bearing C, which is secured to
the roller, and through which a short shaft D, connected with the bracket B, passes,
and upon which the roller A, can be turned in either direction.
An adjustable frictional grip between the roller and the shaft is made by means of a
boss or collar E, pinned to the shaft, and its face held against a leather washer F,
bearing against the end plate of C, by the pressure of the coiled spring G, against the
nuts H, by which the adjustment is made. "
The roller is rotated by an internal coiled spring as is well understood, and it is
therefore not shown.
The shaft D, is fitted with a small toothed wheel I, located within the bracket B,
and a pawl J, having a segmental extension K, which acts as a weight, is pivotted in
such a position that it will engage with the ratchet wheel I, by its gravitating action
as the wheel revolves.
In the modification illustrated in Figs. 3 & 4, I use a spring catch L, to engage with
the ratchet wheel 12. F2 is the leather washer, and E, is the boss or collar. The
adjustable grip spring with its nuts not shown in Fig. 3 for the sake of distinctness,
are seen in Fig. 4 which is the opposite side of Fig. 3.
Fig. 5, shows a compact form of bracket B, and a simple construction of a gravity
pawl or catch J2 which is merely a short pin passing vertically upwards within a
tubular chamber M, upon the bracket.
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 improvements in self winding window blind mechanism as hereinbefore
described, and set forth in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.
2. The modified arrangements of the mechanism of self winding window blinds, as
herein before described, and shown in Figs. 3, 4 & 5, of the annexed drawings.
Dated the 7th day of April 1897.
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,
Bank Buildings, George Street, Sheffield, Agent for Applicant.