IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING SHUTTERS AND BLINDS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Clark, of Gate Street, Lincoln's Inn
Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer & Revolving Shutter Manu-
facturer; for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING SHUTTERS
AND BLINDS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH.”
Sealed the 29th July 1859, and dated the 8th February 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th February 1859.
I, ALEXANDER CLARK, of Gate Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer & Revolving Shutter Manufacturer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING SHUTTERS
AND BLINDS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates, first, to making revolving or rolling metal shutters or
blinds in sheets of steel or other metal instead of forming them of a com-
bination of laths or strips, as heretofore.
I employ sheets of metal of such substance as to permit of their being
rolled or coiled up into a suitable space; and in order to render them more
pliable in one direction and rigid in the other, I corrugate them, which may
be to a greater or lesser extent, as may be required. I also propose to
perforate the metal to render it more pliable. If necessary, the shutters or

page_text: blinds may be coiled or rolled up by means of the ordinary gearing or
apparatus now in use, or they may be self-coiling, according to my Invention
patented and bearing date 21st Nov. 1856, and be pushed up and down
without machinery or gearing of any kind, for which arrangement they are
particularly adopted, in consequence of their extreme lightness.
Secondly, to making revolving or rolling shutters or blinds of a fibrous
flexible inaterial in sheets combined with strips of steel or other metal or
metal wire; the metal strips or wire may act as springs, or may be introduced
for strength only..
Thirdly, to the employment of an endless bands of steel or other metal to
communicate motion to the rollers of revolving shutters or blinds instead of
chains, either simply as a strap or with the addition of holes taking on pins or
teeth on the riggers also for raising revolving shutters or blinds when coiled
below windows instead of the pitch chain heretofore used.
Fourthly, to the use of strips or bands of tempered steel for conuecting
revolving shutters or blinds to the rollers on which they coil, instead of the
chain as ordinarily used.
Fifthly, to making revolving metal shutters or blinds of a series of laths or
strips, having a curl or semicircular curve along such edge, the convex of which
curved edges are placed in contact to form the shutter; these laths are held
together by a narrow strip of metal similarly curved at the edges and placed
in a reverse position to the main laths or strips, and so that the narrow strips
will embrace the curls of two adjoining strips & hold them securely together.
These parts are interlocked & united by sliding the one into the other in the
direction of their length, and they may be so formed and united as to impart
great tendency to coil themselves up.
Sixthly, to forming snail, or volute grooves in continuation of the side
grooves, in which revolving shutters or blinds are held & slid, whereby I am
enabled to coil up & uncoil such shutters or blinds simply by pushing them up
or pulling them down.
8th August 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
CLARK, of Gate Street, Lincoln's Inu Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Revolving Shutter Manufacturer, send greeting.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
CLARK, of Gate Street, Lincoln's Inu Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Revolving Shutter Manufacturer, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Alexander Clark, Her special licence that I, the said Alexander
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Alexander Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING SHUTTERS AND BLINDS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander
Clark, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Clark, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon; that is to say :-
My Invention relates, first, to making revolving or rolling metal shutters or
blinds of sheets of steel or other metal instead of forming them of a com-
bination of laths or narrow strips, as usual heretofore. In order that such
sheet metal blinds or shutters shall possess sufficient pliability to roll or coil up
and unroll readily, as required, I use metal comparatively thin, and which in
its flat state would not possess sufficient strength of resistance more especially
for the purposes of shutters; to render them sufficiently rigid, I corrugate the
sheets in a direction transversely to the direction in which they are to be
rolled or coiled up, thus the shutters, although sufficiently pliant to roll up in
a small space, yet possess great strength and power of resistance as a shutter
or blind by reason of the corrugations in one direction. By this means a light,
strong, and secure shutter is produced, and being of solid metal, is free from
any interstices or joints common in coiling wood and metal shutters and blinds.
If it is desired to use comparatively thick metal for shutters, it may be
rendered inore pliant at places where the coil is smallest by perforating the

page_text: metal in the manner of perforated blinds, which perforations may be also
useful in admitting light when the shutters are closed; they may also be
perforated over the entire surface, if desired, in the manner of perforating zinc
blinds, and this especially if used for rolling or coiling blinds. These corru-
gated sheet metal shutters may also be rendered self-coiling in the manner of
the self-coiling shutters for which I received the grant of Letters Patent
bearing date 21st day of November 1856, and duly specified under that Patent,
in which shutters and blinds are rendered self-coiling by steel springs applied
thereto, which impart a constant tendency to roll and coil up; and further,
these sheet shutters if of steel may themselves possess the elasticity and spring
to coil or roll up.
The second part of my Invention relates to making revolving or rolling
shutters and blinds of fibrous material combined with strips of steel or other
metal or of wire interlaced or woven with the fibrous material, or it may be
paper stuff made as millboard, combined therewith. In making these shutters,
I prepare the woven wire in the form of the shutter or blind required, or it
may be strips of steel or other metal, interlaced with each other, and
subsequently apply pulp stuff, which combines and incorporates therewith, so
as to form a sheet of material, which I press and complete in the manner of
millboard, which sheet of material may be applied as a shutter or blind. The
sheet of material may be further corrugated, if desired, to give it stiffness in
one direction, but still retaining its pliability in the other. Instead of applying
the fibrous material in the form of pulp, I sometimes weave it in the manner
of weaving course fabrics, interweaving the metal strips or wires so as to be
enveloped in the fibrous material.
The third part of my Invention consists in the application of an endless
band of steel or other metal to communicate motion to the roller used for
winding up revolving shutters and blinds, either simply as a strap over pullies
or with the addition of holes in the endless band taking on to teeth or pins ou
the pullies; I also use such endless bands of metal with holes and teeth or
pins above mentioned for the purpose of raising up and lowering revolving
-shutters which coil up. below the window or other opening closed thereby, for
which purpose it has been usual heretofore to employ pitch chains.
Fourthly, my Invention consists in the use of strips of tempered steel to
connect revolving shutters or blinds to the rollers on which they are coiled or
rolled up in lieu of the chain by which they are usually attached. For this
purpose I terminate the chains or connecting links of revolving lath or strip
shutters at the extreme laths; to the extreme lath or strip, or it may to be
two or three at the edge nearest the roller, I rivet or otherwise secure the ends

page_text: of a sufficient number of strips of tempered steel of a temper suitable for
springs, and I rivet the other ends of these strips to the roller to which the
shutter is to be connected. These strips are less expensive, stronger, and
more enduring than the chain usually employed.
The fifth part of my Invention consists in making revolving metal shutters
and blinds of a series of laths or strips, having a curl or semicircular.curve
along each edge, the convex of which curved edges are placed in contact to
form the exterior of the shutter or blind; these laths are held together by a
narrow strip of metal similarly curved at the edges, and placed in a reverse
position to the main laths or strips, and so that the narrow strips will embrace
the curls of two adjoining strips, and hold them securely together. These
parts are interlocked and united by sliding the one into the other in the
direction of their length. The laths or strips so combined and formed may, if
desired, possess sufficient tendency to coil themselves up.
The sixth part of my Invention consists in forming snail or volute grooves
in continuation of the side grooves, in which revolving shutters or blinds are
held and slid, whereby I am enabled to coil up and uncoil such shutters
simply by pushing them up into or pulling them down out of such volute
grooves.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 of the annexed Sheet of Drawings represents a front view of part of
a shutter constructed according to the first part of my Invention, and Fig. 2
an edge view of the same; it is simply a plain sheet of metal (steel by
preference), which, if the shutter winds up at the top or bottom, I corrugate
in a horizontal direction, that is to say, the corrugations run horizontally, and
so that the ends thereof will be received in the side grooves in which the.
shutter slides and is held. In case the shutters are of too great extent to be
formed of one sheet of steel, one or more sheets may be united together by
rivetting, brazing, soldering, or otherwise making the junction in the same
direction as the corrugation. The sheet metal is simply corrugated by means
of rollers, or by stamping or pressing, as well understood in corrugating sheet
metal.
In Figs. 1 and 2 the corrugations are represented as simply convex and
concave alternately, but other forms of corrugation may be adopted, an
example of which is represented in Figs. 3 and 4, Fig. 3 being an edge view,
and Fig. 4 a face view; this is corrugated so as to resemble somewhat the
ordinary lath shutters, other forms of corrugations, however, may be adopted
according to the effect desired to be produced.

page_text: In Figs. 1 and 2 I have représented the corrugated shutter a, a, furnished
with springs b, b, whereby to render it self-coiling, as described in the
Specification of the Pafént herein-before referred to. These springs I rivet
at intervals, as represented and which springs have a tendency to coil or roll up
the shutter in the space desired when it is raised by any suitable power.
Fig. 5 represents a corrugated shutter a, a, in section applied to a window;
"it will be observed it slides in-grooves o, one at each side of the window, as
usual. This shutter is furnished with the springs b to render it self-coiling, as
before mentioned, and described in the Specification of Patent herein-before
referred to; it is furnished with a stout bar dat bottom, as usual, while at top
it may be quite free or fixed throughout its breadth to a roller or shaft fitted
loose in a bearing at each end, in which it is free to rotate, so that the shufter
when pushed up from below coils itself up on the roller. If the shutters are
large and heavy or without the springs b, they may be wound
up on the
'roller or shaft by means of the gearing applied thereto, as in ordinary, or it
may be by apparatus such as herein described, and represented in-the
Drawings.
In most cases where 'the springs 6 are used, a shaft or roller on which to
wind up the shutter is not required, as the self-coiling shutter will coil or roll
itself up in the circular recess without any such auxiliary, and as represented
in Fig. 5.
Fig. 6 is an illustration of the third part of my Invention. c is the roller
or shaft on which the shutter winds, and g the pulley fixed thereon. I com-
'municate motion to this pulley and shaft by an endless steel or other metal
strap h, which encircles the pulley i mounted on the winch handle shaft below.
This shaft is furnished with a ratchet and pall to hold it in any position
désired. The strap h may be plain or furnished with holes, as represented,
which take on pins or teeth projecting from the pullies.
Fig. 7 represents another application of the steel strap, as applied to
räising revolving shutters which coil up below the window or other opening.
k, l, are the pullies, over which the strap passes: The pulley 7 at each side of
the shutter may be fixed on one shaft, if possible, or they may be on studs,
and the two top pullies / fixed on one shaft, one at each side of the shutter.
Motion is cominunicated to one of the pullies by a screw wheel m fixed on
its axis, which is driven by an endless screw n and winch, as represented.
The shutter a, a, is fixed by its top bar p to the endless steel or other metal
straps, disposed one at each side of the shutter, so that as motion is com-
municated to these straps to raise or lower that side of them, the shutter will
be thereby raised or lowered at same time. The shutter is represented in this

page_text: Figure as being self-coiling intrecesses f, as described with referenceito Fig. 5.
Instead of the shutter being self-coiling and rolling apas représentedţit-maybe
rolled up on the shaft connecting the two pullies/ateither side of the window
in cases where such shaft is admissibleinwhen so rolledupion the shaft, the
springs bare of course unnecessary.
Figs. 8, 9, and 10, represent a new manufacture of lath on strip metal
shutters, Fig. S being an end view, Fig. 9 a front view, and Fig. 10 a back
view. A and B represent the parts detached. This shutter consists simply
of metal laths or strips drawn throughout their length somewhat of the form
shown in the cross section, that is, with a curl 2, 2, on each edge, so that they
will interlock, as represented. I prefer to form the small inside strip B of
steel and thinner than the strip A of iron; and I arrange it so that the piece B
clips the two adjoining laths A, A, together with some force, whereby they
have a tendency to assume the position shown dotted, and so that the shutter
coils without any motion in the joints, and simply by the elasticity and bending
of the metal pieces B; this also imparts the necessary power and tendency for
self-coiling, or may simply facilitate rolling them up. The several parts when
so prepared are united by sliding the interlocking parts together, as repre-
sented, the parts A forming the exterior of the shutter. The parts B may be
continuous and of same length as the laths, or in short pieces and placed at
intervals throughout the breadth of the shutter. These shutters move in side
grooves, and are secured to a roller or shaft on which to wind them by gearing
as well understood. A bottom bar may or may not be necessary as a finish to
the shutter.
.1
Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate the last part of my Invention, which relates to
the application of snail or volute grooves r to coil up revolving shutters. These
grooves I form in continuation of the side grooves of the shutters, either by
coiling up in the proper form a bar of wrought iron, or it may be by castings,
as represented, which are fixed in position to receive the side edges of the
shutter when coiled up. These volute grooves r may be adapted to shutters
rolling up above or below the window or opening, or for coiling shutters
moving horizontally, being suitable to receive any description of revolving
shutters of wood or metal laths or strips, or the solid metal corrugated shutters
herein described, and represented in the Drawings, Figs. 11 and 1, 2, 3, & 4,
all such shutters simply requiring to bepushed up or down, being constrained
to follow the volute or snail groove, & to coil themselves up as required.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―

page_text: First, the construction, and manufacture of revolving or coiling corrugated
sheet metal shutters or blinds; herein-before described.
v. Secondly, the manufacture of revolving shutters or blinds of fibrous material
combined with wirework or strip metal, as herein before described...
Thirdly, the application of an endless strip or band of steel or other metal
to the winding up or otherwise actuating revolving shutters and blinds, as
described.
Fourthly, the application of strips of tempered steel for the purpose of
connecting lath or strip metal revolving shutters to the rollers on which they
-are-wound.
Fifthly, the construction and manufacture of lath metal shutters, as herein
described, and represented in Figs. 8, 9, and 10 of the Drawings hereunto
-annexed.
Sixthly, and lastly, the application of snail or volute grooves to revolving
shutters, for the purposes and as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of August, One thousand eight
'hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
W. CLARK, Patent Agent,
53, Chancery Lane, London.
ALEXANDER CLARK. (L.S.)