Improvements relating to Ornamental Blinds or Screens.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 2nd May, 1890-Accepted, 28th June, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Ornamental Blinds or Screens.
I, RICHARD DAVID SANDERS, of Hillside House, Berkhamsted, in the county of
Hertford Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
My invention relates to that class of ornamental blinds or screens which are con-
structed of a number of strips of wood or other suitable material connected together
in such a manner as to allow of their being extended or contracted in length.
Such blinds or screens as usually constructed have the strips of which they are
composed jointed together by means of rivets so that they work upon the principle of
the lazy-tongs and they possess the disadvantage of sagging or stretching at the middle
part when extended.
The object of my invention is to produce a blind or screen which shall be free from
this objection and to this end I connect a series of strips together at alternate ends so
that when the blind or screen is extended it is of zigzag form. Through the middle
of all the strips I advantageously pass a string, wire or its equivalent one end of which
is attached to one side of the blind and the other end of which is free so that when the
blind is applied to, say, a window the string or wire can be strained sufficiently tight
to support the whole of the strips at one height and prevent them from sagging out-
wards. Each side of the blind is provided with an eye or the like to allow of its
being attached to the window frame as usual.
A blind of this description can be produced for a very moderate sum as the con-
struction is so simple and the cost of material so small when compared with those of
blinds or screens as hitherto made.
In some cases the laths instead of being connected as hereinbefore described are
connected by wire or other springs of any suitable form.
Dated the 2nd day of November 1880
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Ornamental Blinds or Screens.
I, RICHARD DAVID SANDERS, of Hillside House, Berkhamsted, in the county of
Hertford, Engineer, 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 :-
My invention relates to that class of ornamental blinds or screens which are con-
structed of a number of strips or laths of wood or other suitable material connected
together in such a manner as to allow of their being extended or contracted in length.
According to my invention I provide improved blinds of this kind the construction
of which will be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
Figures 1 and 2 are a side and end elevation respectively showing one form of
ornamental blind or screen constructed according to my invention, the strips or laths
being cut out of one piece of wood.
Figure 3 is a vertical section shewing one of the means I adopt for preventing the
blind or screen from dropping in the middle when applied to a window sash or the
like.
Figure 4 is a view illustrating a suitable method for forming the said blind or
screen.

page_text: Figure 5 is a side elevation of an ornametal blind or screen constructed according
to my invention from a number of strips or laths connected together by springs.
Figures 6 and 7 are a side and an end elevation respectively of one form of spring
suitable for connecting the laths of the blind.
Similar reference letters indicate similar or corresponding parts throughout the
drawings.
I will first describe the blind or screen illustrated in figures 1, 2 and 4, in which,
a, a represent the strips or laths which may be made separately, the strips being con-
nected at b, b. In practice, however, I find it advantageous to take a piece of
wood of the required size and thickness and form it with a number of saw cuts
alternately from each side as shewn at figure 4, the saw cuts being marked a and e¹
respectively. The piece of wood thus cut can then be extended so that the strips
assume a zigzag form as shewn by figure 1. d is a string (or a wire or its equivalent
may be used) which passes through holes in the strips as shewn. One ende of this
string is knotted or attached to one side of the blind, and the other end is free, so
that, when the blind is applied to, say, a window, the string can be strained sufficiently
tight to support the whole of the strips, or the string may be attached to hooks on the
window at both sides. f,frepresent the usual eyes to enable the blind to be attached
to a window frame.
-
Instead of employing a string (or wire) as above described, I sometimes fix a bar or
ledge g to the lower part of the window sash, as shewn in figure 3, the top of the said
bar being inclined so as to form a groove to receive and support the lower ends of the
strips which are cut to fit the said groove..
I will now describe the blind or screen illustrated at figure 5, a, a representing the
strips or laths which in this arrangement are placed edgewise to one another, each
strip being formed with holes h, h to allow of the strips being connected together by
suitable springs i, i constructed as shewn in the detached views at figures 6 and 7
although other suitable springs can be employed.
The use of springs for connecting the laths together allows of the blind being
extended or contracted as required.
In some cases I advantageously employ a supporting bar or ledge in the manner
described with reference to figure 3.
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. A blind or screen consisting of a number of strips or laths formed out of one
piece or connected together in such a manner that, when extended, they have a zigzag
form, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in figures 1, 2 and 4 of
the accompanying drawings.
2. The combination with a blind or screen constructed as described in claim 1, of a
string d or its equivalent passing through the strips or laths, or of a supporting bar or
ledge in the manner and for the purpose, substantially as herein before described
and illustrated in figures 1 and 2 and figure 3 respectively of the accompanying
drawings.
3. A blind or screen consisting of a number of strips or laths connected together by
suitable springs, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in figure of
the accompanying drawings.
4. The manufacture and use of the improved blinds or screens, substantially as
herein before described and illustrated in figures 1, 2 and 4 and in figure 5 respectively
of the accompanying drawings.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.