Improvements in Apparatus for Raising and Lowering Venetian Blinds.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Sept., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 15th June, 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 7th Sept., 1888
Improvements in Apparatus for Raising and Lowering Venetian
Blinds.
1, WILLIAM HEAD of 1 Pine Avenue, Bournemouth West, in the County of
Hampshire, Coal Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-'
A wooden or other Roller with Screw, or Screw and Drum at one end, and spindle
at the other, is supported by two Iron or other Brackers on which the Screw and
Spindle rest and on which they revolve.
The Cords of the Blind being attached to the Roller, the Blind is drawn up by
pulling the active cord, which has previously been wound round the Roller or the
Drum from back to front. By pulling the active cord the Screw gives the Roller a
movement to the right, thus causing the Blind Cords to wind evenly and truly round
the Roller and the Blind is raised. To let down the Blind give the active cord a
slight pull to loosen the cord from the Clip, then allow it to pass steadily between the
thumb and fingers. By the action of the Screw the Roller has received a backward
movement to the left and causing the active cord to wind evenly and truly round the
Roller or Drum again ready for action.
In connection with the Bracket supporting the right hand end of Roller is a single
cord Clip which most effectually secures the active cord and stops the Blind at any
point required. The Clip is self-acting by means of a weighted Lever which lifts a
Bar placed above.
The Clip is so placed as to receive the active cord by means of two pulleys when
it is attached to the Roller, but direct from the Drum when a Drum is used.
Conical Screws, fixed on an Iron Rod can be adopted instead of the Roller; in this
case the cords would work on the Conical Screws, while the same principle is main-
tained throughout.
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C 0
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100

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Raising and Lowering Venetian
Blinds.
I, WILLIAM HEAD of 1 Pine Avenue, Bournemouth, in the County of Hampshire,
Coal Merchant 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 :-
:-
A wooden or other Roller with Spindle, or Spindle and Drum at one end and a
Screw at the other is supported by two Iron or other Brackets or Blocks firmly
screwed to the Window Frame on which Brackets or Blocks the Screw and Spindle
rest, and on which they revolve.
The cords of the Blind being attached to the Roller, the Blind is drawn up by
pulling the active cord which has or should be previously wound round the under
side of the Roller or the Drum from front to back. By pulling the active cord, the
screw gives the Roller a movement horizontally to the right, thus causing the Blind
cords to wind evenly and truly round the Roller while the Blind is being raised. It
is held in this position by the cord Clip which is immediately under the Drum, when
a Drum is adopted.
To lower the Blind it is necessary to give the active cord a slight pull sufficient to
loosen or release it from the grip of the Clip, then allow it to pass steadily between
the Thumb and Fingers.
By the action of the Screw in lowering the Blind, the Roller has now received a
backward movement to the left, causing the active cord to wind evenly and truly round
the Roller or Drum again ready for a repetition of the action of drawing up the
Blind.
In connection with the Bracket or Block supporting the right hand end of Roller
is the single Cord Clip, which most effectually grips the active cord, and stops the
Blind at any point required.
The Clip is partially self-acting by means of a weighted Lever, which lifts or raises
one end of a clipping Bar placed above it. The said Lever is weighted at one end
only, the other end being light, with an aperture or hole in it through which the active
cord is made to pass after it leaves the Drum, when a Drum is used. Between the
said aperture or hole and the pin or rivet which forms a fulcrum on which the lever
works, is placed a loose connecting bar or link, which connects the lighter end of
Lever with the under side of the outer or front end of the Clipping Bar. It will be
readily understood that when the weighted end of Lever is down, that the lighter end
is up, and of course carries with it the connecting Bar or Link together with the outer
or front end of Clipping Bar which would then clip or pinch the cord against the inside
of the front part of the case which covers the Clip; but when the cord is pulled the
effect is reversed, the cord is immediately released and can be worked at
pleasure.
The Clip is so placed as to receive the active cord by means of two pulleys or wheels
when it is attached to the Roller, but the active cord is received direct from the Drum
when a Drum is used.

page_text: It may be well here to remark that as Venetian Blinds are naturally rather heavy,
it is desirable, when stopping the Blind, to do so gently and not with a jerk; this is
done by simply standing back a little distance from the Window, when, if the
operator ceases pulling, the cord is clipped. This cord should be very strong.
Having now particularly described my Invention for "Improvements in Apparatus
for raising and lowering Venetian Blinds," and the manner in which the same may
or can be worked, I will now proceed to show how an ordinary Mechanic or Carpenter
may fix the same and appropriate the apparatus to ordinary Venetian Blinds_now in
use or new ones at any time to be fixed, and in order to make it more plain, I attach
Drawings as reference, that is to say :-
Screw the Bracket, a, which has the Cord Clip attached to it to the under side of
the top Bar of Window Frame so that the Cord Clip shall come to within half an inch
of the right hand edge of the Venetian Blind, k.
Take measurement from the shorter end of the same Bracket, a, to about one inch
to the left of the left hand Blind cord, e, this will give the required length of the
Roller, c.
Screw the other Bracket or Block, b, four inches to the left of the length of Roller,
in a line with Bracket, a.
Drive the Screw, f, into one end of Roller, c, and the Spindle, g, into the other,
(after having made holes to receive the same) in such a manner as to obtain a correct
and true revolution of the Roller.
Place the Roller, c, in the Brackets or Blocks, a, and, b, passing the plain Spindle, g,
through the Drum, d, at the same time while the latter is held within the Bracket, a,
the active cord, h, having first been fastened to, and wound on it as directed from
left to right.
Now place the Roller, c, against the left hand Bracket or Block, b, and then attach
all the Blind cords, e, e, e, to it.
Lastly, pass the active cord, h, direct from the Drum through the Clip, and then
through the aperture or hole in the lighter end of the Lever, and the apparatus is
ready for action.
I would observe that should there not be sufficient room in the Window Frame
for this arrangement of the apparatus, the active cord, h, must be attached to the
Roller, c, and conveyed by wheels or pulleys direct through the Clip as shown in the
Drawing. In this case the plain spindle, g, should be cut or left about four inches
long, and the Drum, d, would not be required at all.
I would observe further, that this Invention can be applied to any blinds or curtains
which are drawn up from the bottom.
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 :—
1st. A Screw, or any arrangement to answer the purpose, or take the place of a
Screw for shifting or moving the wooden or other Roller horizontally from right to
left, and vice versa in its backward or forward revolutions.
2nd. The use of a wooden or other Roller for the Blind cords to wind on, together
with a Drum, when it is convenient, for the active cord to wind on.
3rd. The Cord Clip as described and as shown in Drawings, particularly the
arrangement of the Lever, Connecting Bar or Link, and the Clipping Bar.
4th. The general arrangement of the whole apparatus as shown in Drawings or any
modification of the same.
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