CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE AND CONSTRUCTION OF WINDOW BLINDS, SCREENS, SHUTTERS, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES, PARTS OP WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1843

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
JOHN NEWBERY, of King William Street, in the City of London, Artist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Sixth day of July, in the seventh year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
George John Newbery, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said George John Newbery, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, and such others as I, the said George John Newbery,
my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein
mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE AND CONSTRUCTION OF WINDOW
BLINDS, SCREENS, SHUTTERS, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES, PARTS OP WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso, obliging me, the said George John Newbery,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe
and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in Her Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately

page_text: after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the
same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
George Jolin Newbery, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon, that is to say :-
My improvements in the manufacture and construction of window blinds,
screens, shutters, and other similar articles consist,-
First, in the employment of perforated sheets of leather, vellum, parchment,
painted or varnished paper, cloth, silk, and other textures, for the construction
of roller blinds. The perforations I make through the said materials in every
variety of ornamental forms or devices, by cutting or stamping them with
suitable tools. I also employ perforated leather, vellum, parchment, painted
or varnished cloth, silk, and other textures, as screens or shades for the face
under any circumstances where such articles may be required; the perforated
materials above mentioned may also be employed for making screens or
curtains for beds, for protection against mosquitos or other winged insects in
hot countries.
Second, in the peculiar adaptation of sheets or plates of metal or any of the
above-mentioned materials which have been perforated or have interstices
through them made by any other means, such as woven wire blinds, which
peculiar adaptation consists in combining two or more of such plates or sheets
together in a frame or on rollers, or by other suitable means, so as to render
them capable of sliding independently one upon the other for the purpose of
partially or wholly closing up the interstices or perforations of one sheet by the
intervention of the solid or opaque parts of the other sheet, and which perforated
plates of sheets of metal or other material may, if desired, be covered or glazed
with talc, glass, or other transparent or semi-transparent or colored media, in
order to give additional effect or beauty to the blind, screen, or shutter when light
is intercepted thereby. If woven wire is the material used for the construction
of this description of blind, certain parts of the surface of each sheet must be
covered with some opaque substance, such as paint or paper, and this opaque
substance may be applied to the blinds either in lines or so as to form any
ornamental design.
Third, in the construction of double blinds or screens made one half of thick
and the other half of thin material, as of leather and painted cloth and muslin
or other thin and semi-transparent material. These double blinds or screens

page_text: I make by joining the ends of the thick and thin material in an endless band,
and distending the band upon parallel rollers, and by rolling or passing the
band over the rollers I partially or wholly exclude the light of the window, as
may be required.
Fourth, by forming blinds from sheets of corrugated or embossed leather,
paper, or stiffened woven textures, or cloth with a paper surface upon it, con-
nected by paste or cement, or by the application of paper pulp in its flui.l
After the fabric or material has been passed through the corrugating
rollers or embossing apparatus, its figure may be protected by the application
of drying oils or varnishes.
state.
Fifth, the employment of corrugated strips of metal for the construction of
the laths of Venetian blinds, and which may be perforated if required. These
perforated laths may be covered with talc or other semi-transparent media
applied on the surface or between two laths combined, and with which semi-
transparent media various colours may be introduced to improve the ornamental
appearance of the blind. And in forming the ladders in which Venetian laths
are mounted, I employ leather, prepared in any convenient manner so as to
render it impervious to atmospheric action, and which leather may be embossed
and gilt, or painted if desired. Instead of connecting the side tapes of the
ladders together by sewing the transverse pieces thereto, as is generally the
case, I wholly or partially employ india-rubber to effect this object, whereby
greater strength is obtained; and sometimes, in place of the leather side tapes
above mentioned, I employ strips of india-rubber or india-rubber webbing; or,
in constructing such roller blinds or other flexible blinds made of strips of metal,
or cane, or other material without ladders, I connect the strips together by
means of longitudinal tapes arranged at suitable distances apart, and in which
indian-rubber forms a part. One of my modes of carrying out this part of my
Invention is as follows:-I take any convenient number of longitudinal tapes,
according to the desired width of the blind, and, having arranged them in
parallel lines, at proper distances apart, I lay the strips of metal or cane across
the tapes at right angles thereto and at convenient distances; I then take a cor-
responding number of longitudinal tapes furnished with india-rubber cement,
and place the cemented side on to the face of the under tape, the strips of
metal or cane being between them; then by pressing the two tapes together
the laths or strips of metal are secured.
. Sixth, the peculiar mode of perforating sheets of leather, paper, and woven
texture for the formation of blinds, screens, shutters, and other articles, which
forms one of the features of my Invention. The material being pressed down
upon the face of an engraved plate, block, or roller of metal by any of the

page_text: methods usually employed, so that a great portion of the material may be
imbedded in the recesses of the plate, block, or roller; my improvements
consist in then shaving off the elevated parts by means of a sharp cutting tool,
so as to produce interstices in the material corresponding with the raised parts
of the plate, block, or roller. This may be done by passing a straight bevilled-
edged knife with a rapid vibrating motion over the surface, taking care to
keep the sheet down accurately upon the plate, block, or roller; or it may be
done by a bevelled-edged circular knife, except when the roller is used, or by a
rotary spiral cutter acting on the plate, block, or roller. In order, however, to
explain this part of my Invention more clearly, I have shewn in the accom-
panying Drawing several methods I employ for effecting the above object.
Figs. 1, 2, and 3 represent one mode of effecting this object by means of a
straight bevilled edged knife to which a rapid vibrating action is communicated
as the knife passes over the work, or the work is made to pass under the knife.
Fig. 1 represents a plan view of the machine; Fig. 2, a longitudinal vertical
section; and Fig. 3, a transverse vertical section of the same.
The framing
and bed of the apparatus is shewn at a, a, a; and bis the knife or cutting
instrument, having a rapid vibratory movement given to it in a horizontal
direction by means of a crank c, and in order to keep the knife steady, it works
through a groove in the side framing, as seen in the Figures. A plate dis
placed immediately in front of the knife and lies flat on the fabric or material
to be operated upon, for the purpose of keeping it in close contact with the
embossing block e, e, which is covered with the material to be shaved or cut.
In this apparatus the embossing block, covered with the embossed material,
is made to travel under the knife or cutting instrument by means of the
screwed shaft f, which passes through a block in the end framing, and by
communicating motion thereto in any convenient manner, the block e is
gradually drawn forward. Instead of moving the block e as above described, the
knife or cutter and plate d may be made to traverse by means of a similar
apparatus, the embossing block remaining stationary. In place of a flat
embossing block as above shewn, I sometimes employ an embossing roller, on
to or into the interstices or recesses of which the material to be embossed is
pressed or forced by a paper roller, as is well understood, and the vibratory
knife or cutter is made to act against the surface of the embossed roller and
cut away the projecting parts of the embossed material, as above described.
Figs. 4, 5, and 6, represent another arrangement of parts to effect this object,
in which a rotary circular cutter of a peculiar construction is employed in
place of the vibratory one represented in the former Figures. The other parts
of the apparatus are arranged in a similar manner to that described in

page_text: reference to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and as similar letters of reference are placed
on corresponding parts, no further description of this machine will be required.
Fig. 7 represents a transverse section of a machine in which a spiral cutter is
employed. This cutter may be made to act against either a flat surface or
rollers, as above mentioned.
Seventh, in a mode of producing transparent blinds, having one general
ground colour, and the devices formed thereon in white, which may be after-
wards colored. To effect this object, I first draw, paint, or print the pattern or
device upon the plain sheet (which has been previously prepared with clear
varnish) with some opaque material, mixed up with gum or with treacle alone,
or mixed with color, and when that is set, I paint or wash over the whole
surface of the sheet with the ground color mixed in oil or varnish, and when
this paint or varnish has become dry, I moisten the sheet with water, by which
means I am enabled to dissolve and wash off the material mixed with the gum
or treacle, and thereby leave the device clean and white. The painting or
staining of the sheets of paper and other prepared textures for blinds with the
ground color may be effected by passing them between a pair of rollers
covered with felt or other suitable padding and supplied with the desired
color. This part of my Invention I also apply to forming or producing the
ground color of paper hangings; in order to effect which I place two sheets of
paper back to back, and then pass them through the color trough or between
padded rollers charged with the colour, whereby a more even tint is produced.
Eighth, I emboss fabrics in imitation of silk serge, and employ the same for
blinds;
this material may be painted or varnished, and may also be applied to
the making of stock linings and hat linings.
Ninth, I produce a new fabric resembling silk serge, made of a mixture of
cotton and silk, saturated with drying oils and oil varnishes, and apply the
same to the manufacture of window blinds, also to stock and hat linings.
Tenth, in order to prevent the frames of blinds, screens, shutters, and window
sashes from rattling in their frames by the wind, I place upon their edges or in
the groove of the window beads bands or stuffing made of india-rubber, secured
by strips of metal or wood, or in place of india-rubber I employ woollen felt,
protected by india-rubber or other convenient cement, or metallic or other
springs, extending from top to bottom. Figures 8 and 9 in the accompanying
Drawings represent one method of carrying this part of my Invention into
effect. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of a window frame with my improve-
ments applied thereto, and Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional view of the same.
The clastic material, consisting either wholly or partially of india-rubber or
any of the other materials above mentioned, is represented at h, h, and the

page_text: cords and weights at i, i, j, j. The beads h, k, which retain the window frames
in their places, may be made inoveable, in order that the frames may be
removed from their places when they require cleaning. In some cases I can
dispense with the use of lines and weights, as the elasticity of the padding h, h,
is such as to offer sufficient resistance to prevent the window frame from
running down; I also employ india-rubber strips in its simple or combined
state, to fix between the edges of French window and other sashes, in the manner
in which corded list is used for the purpose of excluding the wind. This
material will from its elasticity imbed itself more closely to the aperture and
make the room more air-tight. This same part of my Invention may be
applied with equal advantage to room doors and screens. When an india-
rubber webbing is employed, the elastic strands must be thrown in transversely
instead of longitudinally, as is generally the case, so that the web may be
expanded in a horizontal direction and keep the cord in close contact with the
door or window.
Eleventh, I also manufacture shades or screens for covering pits, and frames
for green-houses by uniting paper and cloth together by any convenient method;
the same being afterwards saturated with tar, oils, and resinous gums, and other
waterproof substances, which manufacture of the above combined materials
and textures I also employ for packing goods for shipping.
Twelfth, I also employ painted and ornamented waterproof silk, muslin, or
linen blinds to insert into the sides and roofing of canvass booths, tents, and
marquees for the purpose of admitting light and giving additional beauty and
decoration to the interior.
My improvements consist, thirteenthly, in producing what is termed illumi-
nated gilding upon silk, cotton, linen, paper, and other pervious materials
which will admit of staining through by the application of colours or dyes
at the back of the gilt figure. The gilt ornament is applied to or produced.
on the surface of the fabric in any convenient manner, and the colours or
staining materials are applied at the back of the ornament, so as to shew
through at the face of the fabric. The ornamental fabric thus produced may
be employed for blinds, screens, or any other purposes, such as book-binding,
to which such fabric is applicable.
Fourteenth, I also imitate the true Chinese or Indian style, blending colours
in painting flower or ornaments on blinds or screens, by the following method
of using the brush or pencil by which the painting is produced. One brush
being charged with any particular colour, the shades are produced by dipping
the side of the brush only in the darker colour, and applying the brush in such
a way that the shade fails or is deposited on the side of the first colour,

page_text: according to the desire of the artist.
Imis mode or painting is applicable to
paper-staining and other purposes of decoration.
Fifteenth, I manufacture outside blinds or screens of leather, prepared in
the following manner, a coat of india-rubber solution is applied to either side
of the leather, and when dry, a second coat of caoutchouc mixed with oil.
rendered extremely drying, and deprived of its staining and fatty properties.
When this coat is dry, the third and finishing coats are given with common
oil paint of any colour. This material when finished is applicable to a variety
of other useful purposes, such as for the manufacture of gaiters, bags, capes,
cart covers, &c.
Sixteenth, I construct blinds or screens for green-houses for the purpose of
keeping out frost and maintaining the house at an equable température, by
mounting two or more sheets of water and air proof linen or other fabric in
suitable frames, so arranged as to allow spaces of from one inch to two inches
deep between each surface. These frames are either connected to the ordinary,
glass sash frame or may be used in place thereof. The medium which I
prefer, when glass is not used, is strong linen on the outside, and thinner fabrics
for the interior, the whole being saturated with varnishes that will resist the
atmospheric action, and for this purpose I prefer colourless shell lac mixed
with caoutchouc.
Seventeenth, in the employment of glass drops, lustres, pateras, and other.
glass ornaments, or other transparent or semi-transparent media for hanging.
blinds, vallances, or fringes, such glass or other ornaments being used either
alone or in connection with the ordinary style of silk or worsted fringe.
Eighteenth, I employ substances for blinds, screens, or shutters, perforated in
a direction lateral to the surface, so as to afford air and some degree of light to
the room, at the same time that the rain falling thereon would not pass through.
Flexible blinds may also be constructed on this principle in the following
manner, viz., a woven texture is to be obtained, of which the warp or longitu-
dinal strands or threads are formed hollow, as in the material commonly known
as bobbin; these hollow strands are connected together by the weft or shoot in
the process of weaving, and this fabric thus formed is covered on each side with
a layer of caoutchouc so as to be rendered waterproof. The double fabric is
then cut transversely into strips of any convenient width, and these strips are
lapped one upon the other, so that part of the under side of one comes in con-
tact with part of the upper side of the other, in the same manner as the tiles or
slates of a roof. These strips are then made to adhere together by means of
pressure, and when finished a ventilating india-rubber fabric or tube cloth is
produced, through which rain will not pass, if it be so exposed to the open air

page_text: that the lowest ends of the tubes are placed outside. These tubes may be large
or small, to suit particular purposes, and made of various other substances, such
as straw; and metallic tubes, round, flat, or of any form, may be employed and
cemented together by various suitable means, so as to adapt the principle to
stiff shutters, or to hats, bonnets, &c. Fabrics manufactured upon this principle
would form a good flexible material for linings for garments, and be suitable for
tent roofs requiring ventilation. The idea of a ventilating waterproof garment
made of india-rubber, and which has been so long and anxiously sought for,
would be thereby obtained. In order to give greater effect to this manufacture,
I submit the fibrous cloth, straw, metal, or other material to any of the known
solutions, which when dry render the materials therein steeped repellant to
water, and by overcoming the capillary attraction prevent any water from
percolating through. Two woven fabrics may be cemented, sewn, or otherwise
united together by longitudinal connection at convenient distances, parallel to
each other, instead of using hollow bobbins or tubes, such double fabric to be
cut transversely into strips and joined up in the manner above described.
Nineteenth, I employ spring clips for retaining the blinds and curtains to
windows. These clips are made to extend all round the window, and are sup-
ported by bearings to which springs are attached, so as to act at convenient
distances apart upon one end of the lever which forms the clip. The blinds
being made of air-proof materials, and wide enough to cover the beads of the
sash, is drawn down, and the sides introduced under the edge of the clip, which
by means of the spring is made to close upon the blind and press it firmly upon
the bead, which bead may, if requisite, be furnished with an elastic bedding (as
a strip of woollen cloth) for the clip to shut down upon; dwarf window curtains
may be conveniently suspended by such an apparatus being fixed across the
sash. The spring clip above described is shewn in section at Fig. 10 of the
Drawings is the clip which holds the blind down, and m is the spring which
keeps it in contact therewith.
Another useful part, and the last part of my Invention, is to apply leather,
such as has been described for window blinds, to the covering of hall floors,
staircases, and other places. The leather, after being embossed, and painted
or stained, gilt, or perforated, is to be saturated with substances to increase
its durability and protect it from the effects of damp. One of the materials
for saturating may be drying oil and salts of copper in any proportions.
In witness whereof, I, the said George John Newbery, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-four.
GEORGE JOHN (L.S.) NEWBERY.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Sixth day of January,
in the year above mentioned, the aforesaid George John Newbery came before
our Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained, in form above written.
And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of
the Statute in that case made and provided.