Improvements in and connected with Window Blinds.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Aug.. 1899-Accepted, 16th Dec., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Window Blinds.
I, HERBERT MARSHALL STURGIS, Gentleman, residing at No. 3932, Balti-
more Avenue, in the City of Kansas City, County of Jackson, 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 particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:―
My invention relates to improvements in and connected with window blinds
adjusters; and it consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement
of parts, hereinafter described and claimed.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a window with my improved window blind
adjuster in position thereon. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken
approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view
taken approximately on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail
sectional view taken approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an
end elevation of the adjusting roller made use of in carrying out my invention.
Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of a bracket made use of in my improved adjuster.
Fig. 7 is a plan view of the right-hand end of the curtain supporting bar.
Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view taken approximately on the line 8-8
of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken approximately on the
line 9-9 of Fig. 1.
This
In the construction of my improved adjuster, I make use of a longitudinally
adjustable roller 1. the same being composed of two rods or rollers of wood or
analogous material, the same being of the same diameter and length and the
meeting ends of said two members slide into a metallic tube 2, and screws 3 are
passed through said tube into the meeting ends of the members 1 to rigidly
connect said tube and members. By removing the screws 3 and moving the
portions of the roller 1 inwardly or outwardly, said roller may be adjusted to
different widths of windows. Upon the left-hand of the roller so constructed
is arranged a plate 4, the same being held in position by an axially arranged pin 5,
the outer end 6 of which forms a trunnion or journal upon the roller 1.
trunnion or journal is rotatably arranged in a suitable bracket 7 fixed upon the
upper left-hand corner of the window-casing. Arranged upon the upper right-
hand corner of the window casing and in horizontal alinement with said bracket 7
is the bracket seen in Fig. 6, the same comprising a rectangular plate 8.
on the outer edge of which projects forwardly an integral arm 9, and integral
with the forward end of said arm and projecting inwardly or toward the bracket 7
is the lug 10, the same being oval in cross-section and provided in its top with
the notch 11, and passing longitudinally through said lug immediately below
said notch is the circular aperture 12. Upon the right hand end of the roller
previously described is arranged a ring 13, with the outer face of which is formed
integral the laterally projecting centrally arranged flange 14, and integral with

page_text: and projecting outwardly from the opposite side of said ring 13 is a concentric
flange 15 which engages directly upon the right-hand end of the roller 1.
Removably located in the center of this ring 13 is the plate 16, the same being
provided with a flange 17, which is normally positioned directly against the
outer face of the ring 15, said flange extending to the flange 14. Passing through
the center of this plate 16 and into the right-hand end of the roller 1 is a pin 18,
the outer portion of which formis a trunnion or journal 19 for the right-hand
end of the roller, said trunnion or journal being positioned in the aperture 12
which performs the function of a journal-bearing.
Formed through the edge of the flange 17 and through the ring 13 just outside
the flange 15 is an aperture 20, the purpose of which will be presently shown.
Pivotally held upon pins 21 which are seated in the flange 17 are the gravity
pawls 22, the rectangular lugs or points 23 of which project inwardly toward
the journal or trunnion 19, and when the roller is properly positioned in its
bearing, said rectangular lugs or points alternately engage in the notch 11 of
the lug 10.
The operating cord 24 has its upper end passed through the aperture 20 pre-
viously mentioned, and a knot is formed in the end so passed through in order
to prevent the pulling through of said cord, and a ring or tassel 25 is carried by
the lower end of said cord, which cord when unwound from the roller 1 reaches
approximately to the bottom of the window casing.
The means I employ for carrying the shade roller comprises a pair of straight
bars 26, the same being bent from suitable sheet-metal and being of inverted
U-shape in cross-section, one of said bars being slightly smaller than the other
in order that it may telescope and slide therein. and passing around the center
of the meeting or overlying portions of the members is a rectangularly bent
clip. 27. the inwardly bent ends 28 of which bear directly against the under side
of the lowermost one of the members forming the bar, and a set-screw 29 is
passed through the top of said clip and bears directly on the upper side of the
top one of said members. When said set-screw is tightened, the two portions
of the bar are very rigidly clamped together and a very stiff bar is thus provided
to carry the blind roller. Removably arranged in the ends of the members
of this bar are the depending ears 30, in which denending ears are arranged the
trunnions or bearings of the ordinary (shade) blind-carrying roller on which
operates in the usual manner the ordinary window-blind (shade) 31.
Formed in the ends of the members forming the bar 26 are the longitudinally
extending slots 32, and adiustably located in said slots 32 are the downwardly
bent ends 33 of cord retaining clips 34. there being screws 35 passed through
said clips and engaging in nuts 36 located within the inverted U-shaped mem-
hers forming the bar 26. The cords 37 extend between the roller 1 and the
(shade) blind carrying bar and have their upper ends secured in any suitable
manner to the roller 1, and said cords are wound upon said roller in a direction
opposite to that in which the cord 24 is wound upon said roller, and the lower
ends of said cords 37 are engaged by the cord clips 34 carried by the bar 26.
The operation is as follows:
The cords 24 and 37 being wound upon the roller 1 in different directions,
the cords 37 will be entirely wound upon said roller 1 when the cord 24 is entirely
unwound, and when in this position the (curtain) blind roller will be held in the
desired position at the top of the window-casing and just above the upper end of
the upper sash. The blind operating upon an ordinary blind roller can then
be raised or lowered in the usual manner. When the blind roller is thus held
in position, one of the pawls 22 has its point or rectangular lug 23 resting in
the notch 11 of the lug 10; thus the roller 1 is held against rotation and the
bar 26 carrying the blind roller is retained in an elevated position. When it is
desired to lower the bar 26 and blind roller so as to shade or cover the lower
portion of the window. the operator engages the cord 24 and gives the same
a slight pull downwardly. This movement disengages the lug or point of the

page_text: lug 22 that is engaged in the notch 11 and as soon as this movement takes place,
the bar 26 and blind roller will descend by gravity as the operator allows the
cord 24 to pay out between the thumb and fingers. In so doing the roller 1
will rotate and the cords 37 will unwind therefrom and at the same time the
cord 24 will wind up on the roller 21.
When it is desired to stop the bar 26, the operator only has to stop the cord 2+,
and in so doing the roller 1 is prevented from rotating and the point of one of the
pawls 22 will engage in the notch 11, thus the bar 26 carrying the blind roller
will be retained at the position desired below the top of the window and the
blind can now be unwound from the roller in the usual manner so as to shade
or close that portion of the window between the bar 26 and the bottom of the
lower sash. The positions assumed by the bar 26 and blind as last described
is shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1.
When it is desired to elevate the blind roller and bar 26, the operator manually
engages the cord 24 and pulls the same downwardly and in so doing, the roller 1
rotates in such a direction as to rewind the cords 37 thereon and unwind the
cord 24 therefrom.
In a window blind adjuster of my improved construction, the various parts can
be very quickly and easily adjusted to fit windows of different widths, the device
is very easily operated, will not easily get out of order, and the cords will wind
upon the roller very evenly and the blind therefore, will not sag at either end.
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. In a window blind adjuster, a pair of brackets secured to the upper portion
of the window casing, in one of which brackets is formed a notch, a roller
rotatably arranged in said brackets, pawls pivotally secured to one end of said
roller, the points of which engage in the notch to prevent the rotation of the
roller in one direction, cords wound upon said roller, a blind carrying roller
carried by the lower ends of said cords, and an operating cord wound upon the
first mentioned roller in a direction opposite to that of the first mentioned cords,
substantially as specified.
2. In a window blind adjuster, a pair of brackets secured to the top of the
window casing, in the top of one of which brackets is formed a notch, a longi-
tudinally adjustable roller rotatably held in said brackets, a plurality of pawls
pivotally arranged at one end of said roller, the points of which pawls engage
in the notch to prevent the rotation of the roller in one direction, an operating
cord secured to and arranged to wind upon said roller, a pair of cords secured
to and arranged to wind upon said roller in a direction opposite to that of the
first mentioned cord, a longitudinally adjustable bar carried by the lower ends
of the last mentioned cords, and a blind carrying roller rotatably carried by said
bar, substantially as specified.
3. In a window blind adjuster, a pair of brackets secured to the upper portion
of the window casing, in one of which brackets is formed a notch, a roller
rotatably arranged in said brackets, which roller comprises a pair of alined
members, a tube connecting the meeting ends of said alined members, a plate
secured to one end of said roller, a plurality of pawls pivotally arranged upon
said plate, the points of which pawls engage in the previously mentioned notch,
an operating cord fixed to and arranged to wind upon the roller, a pair of cords
fixed to and winding upon said roller in a direction opposite to that of the first
mentioned cord, a bar comprising a pair of telescoping members carried by the
lower ends of aid pair of cords, hangers removably carried by the ends of said
bar, and a blind carrying roller rotatably arranged in said hangers, substantially
as specified.
4. In a window blind adjuster, a roller comprising a pair of alined members,
a tube in which the meeting ends of said alined members are arranged to slide,

page_text: a plate fixed upon the outer end of one of said members, a pin passing through
said plate, a ring arranged upon the outer end of the opposite member, a plate
arranged against the outer face of said ring, a plurality of pawls pivotally carried
by said plate, and a pin passing through said plate to lock said plate and ring upon
the end of said roller, substantially as specified.
Doted the 16th day of August 1809