An Improvement in the Manufacture of Venetian Blinds, Shutters, and other similar Appliances, and in the Mode of Raising, Lowering, Opening, Closing, and Adjusting the same.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 16th May. 1888
Complete Specification Left, 14th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted. 23rd Mar., 1889
An Improvement in the Manufacture of Venetian Blinds, Shutters,
and other similar Appliances, and in the Mode of Raising,
Lowering, Opening, Closing, and Adjusting the same.
FREDERICK WILLIAM THORP of St. Mary's Chambers Solicitor and WILLIAM
HENRY TULLEY of No. 1 Milton Terrace Shipowner both in the Borough of Kingston
upon Hull do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In adding to each end of the laths or slats of the Venetian blinds shutters or other
similar appliances a small stud or pin and in affixing to the top or each side of the
window or other place where the said Venetian blinds shutters or other similar
appliances are used or to the Venetian blinds shutters or other similar appliances
themselves a pair of mechanical appliances worked in connection with each other each
consisting of a slot or guide in connection with which is affixed a worm or other
mechanical appliance driven by a pulley or other motive power whereby each of the
said studs or pins are separately gathered into or carried out of the said slot and the
said Venetian Blinds shutters or other similar appliance are so raised lowered opened
or closed.
They claim by such invention that
(1) The Venetian blinds shutters or other similar appliances fitted with it are
raised lowered closed and opened from the top instead of from the bottom as is
usual.
(2) That the Venetian blinds shutters or other similar appliances fitted with this
invention give more light and air, are more sightly and convenient and less liable to
get out of repair.
FRED. W. THORP.
W. H. TULLEY.

page_text: An Improvement in the Manufacture of Venetian Blinds, Shutters,
and other similar Appliances, and in the Mode of Raising,
Lowering, Opening, Closing, and Adjusting the same.
FREDERICK WILLIAM THORP of Saint Mary's Chambers Solicitor and WILLIAM
HENRY TULLEY of 15 Milton Terrace Shipowner both in the Borough of Kingston
upon Hull do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention relates to Venetian blinds, shutters, screens and other similar
appliances and to the mode of raising lowering opening closing and adjusting
the same.
Hitherto the Venetian blinds at present in use, have been raised and lowered by
means of two or more cords each cord having one of its ends made fast to the bottom
or lowermost lath of the blind and being thence led or passed upwards through holes
or perforations in each remaining lath of the blind to the top and thence over pulleys
to the side, and thence downwards to a catch or fastening.
In raising a Venetian blind by these means the laths of the blind are collected
together and raised consecutively from the bottom or lowermost lath thus as the blind
is raised forming an increasing unsightly and inconvenient bunch or collection of
laths at the bottom of the blind. And it is contended that by reason of such bunch.
or collection the light and air are prevented from passing through that portion of the
blind. And that the necessary opening and closing of the blind by the canting
levelling or flattening of the laths is much impeded.
It is also contended that in raising or lowering a Venetian blind by these present
means great difficulty is experienced in keeping the blind horizontal and level and that
the cords have to be unfastened and refastened at great inconvenience each time the
blind is raised or lowered. And it is also contended that such cords are constantly
breaking or getting out of order whereby the blind is rendered temporarily useless.
By this our Invention the objections difficulties and defects above referred to are
entirely overcome.
We now proceed to describe our said invention reference being made to the accom-
panying drawings and the figures and letters marked therein, similar letters in:licating
corresponding parts throughout..
In this our invention we use the ordinary woven tapes or ladders and laths now in
use in Venetian blinds, but such woven tapes or ladders and laths are in our invention
made and constructed with such additions and alterations as hereinafter.appear.
We make and use the woven tapes or ladders with each cross piece or step made
double so as to take between such double cross piece or step the laths in manner
hereinafter described.
In Figure 1 "A" are the woven tapes or ladders and "B" are the double cross
pieces or steps.

page_text: We make and use the laths Figure 1 "C" without the usual cord holes or per-
forations and we pass each lath through the double parts of its respective cross pieces
or steps "B" in the woven tapes or ladders "A" and there fasten it, so that it cannot
slip or fall out of the woven tapes or ladders and whereby each lath has a direct upper
and lower bearing.
To the centre of each end of each lath and in a straight line therewith we make or
attach a small stud projection or pin as shown in figure 1 "D."
These studs, projections or pins may be either made as part of the original laths or
may be separately made of metal, wood or other convenient material and afterwards
affixed to the laths in any effective manner.
In figure 1"D" these studs, projections or pins are shown as separately made and
afterwards affixed.
To the top of the sides of the window or other place where the Venetian blind is
intended to be used or to the sides of the upper thick lath or affixing board of the
Venetian blind itself or to the sides of a frame made specially for the purpose we
affix a pair of mechanical appliances figure 2 "E." (hereinafter fully described) one
being affixed on each side as shown in figure 2.
Each of the mechanical appliances above referred to consists of a metal or wooden
case or hollow cylinder, figure 3, having the slot or open cut "F" in the front or
side of it (whichever may be the more convenient for affixing the particular appliance)
and which slot or open cut is at the bottom or lower end of the case made wider or
bevelled so as to form a pair of receiving or guiding jaws "G."
Within this case or hollow cylinder is affixed in the bearings "H" a metal or
wooden worm or screw, figure 4, such worm or screw having not less than two or
more complete turns in it and having the pitch made to exactly correspond with the
distance between the before described studs projections or pins "D" when the before
described laths "C" are fastened in the woven tapes or ladders A."
The worm is driven within the case or hollow cylinder, Fig. 3, by means of a driving
rod "K" to the upper end of which is fixed a bevelled cog-wheel "L" or other con-
venient driving appliance.
In fitting the worm or screw in the case or hollow cylinder, the worm or screw is at
the bottom or lower end of the case or hollow cylinder and is so fitted that it works
easily with its face close to the inner side of the slot or open cut in the case or hollow
cylinder.
In constructing the worm or screw and the case or hollow cylinder, the case or
cylinder is made of such greater length than the worm or screw as will allow all the
studs projections or pins of the laths to be collected as is hereinafter described, in that
part of the slot or open cut of the case or hollow cylinder as is above the worm
or screw.
In this our invention a pair of the before mentioned mechanical appliances are used
together, such pair being accurately geared together by the connecting rod, fig. 5 "M"
and the bevelled cog-wheels "N." Such gearing being so adjusted that the grooves
of the worm or screw where it meets the slot or open cut of its case or hollow cylinder
is upon the same level.
"
By means of the connecting rod "M" and the bevelled wheels "L" and "N the
worms or screws are driven accurately together the motive power being supplied by the
pulley "O" affixed at the end of such connecting rod "M" or by means of a further con-
necting rod bevelled wheels and crank handle as shown in figure 6, or by such other
mechanical power as may be found convenient. Figure 7 is a section of the case or
hollow cylinder and worm at "X." "Y." Figure 2 is a drawing of a window with
blind attached.
Having described this our invention we now proceed to describe its operation.
The pair of mechanical appliances having been so fitted as aforesaid the blind is
hung level at its full extent from the top of the window, frame, or other place with
the studs, projections or pins of the two or more upper laths in the slots or open cuts
of the upper part of the cases or hollow cylinders and the studs projections or pins of
the two, three or more of the following laths in the lower parts of the slots or open cuts

page_text: with their heads or ends within the grooves of the worms or screws as shown in
section "XY" figure 7, the remaining laths hanging in the usual way.
or screws
The blind is raised by turning the pulley or other driving power whereby the
connecting rod M M and the bevelled wheels L. N. drive the worms
within the cases or hollow cylinders, whereby the studs projections or pins within the
grooves of the worms or screws are consecutively raised up the slots or open cuts
and delivered into that part of the case or hollow cylinder above the worm or screw.
Thus bringing up the remaining portion of the blind whereby the studs projections
or pins of each lath are.in their turn consecutively guided or directed by the receiving
or guiding jaws G, G, into the upper part of the case or hollow cylinder until the
whole blind is raised.
The blind is lowered by reversing the action of the pulley or other motive power
whereby the studs projections or pins are consecutively delivered out of the slot or
open cut by the reverse action of raising the blind.
Having raised or lowered the blind to the desired position, it requires no
fastening.
The blind is closed or opened in any position it may then be in, by means of the
studs projections or pins then in the grooves of the worms or screws forming a pivot
or pivots upon which the remaining portion of the blind hangs whereby the laths
may be levelled flattened or canted to any angle.
This our invention may be applied not only to Venetian blinds but to all shutters.
screens and other similar appliances whether hung fixed or set horizontally, perpen-
dicularly vertically or in any other position.
The advantages of this our invention are
1. The avoidance of the unsightly and inconvenient bunch or collection of laths at the
bottoms or lower ends of Venetian blinds as at present used.
2. The non-obstruction of the light and air by such bunch or collection of
laths.
3. The dispensing with the ordinary cords of Venetian blinds.
4. The avoidance of the inconvenience of fastening and unfastening, on raising and
lowering.
5. The non liability to get out of repair.
6. Greater convenience and facility in raising and lowering opening and
closing.
:
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
The improved tapes or ladders, studs pins projections or pins; mechanical appliances
and other improvements substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this Thirteenth day of Fah1000