IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPING AND RELEASING SPRING AND OTHER ROLLER BLINDS
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Frederic William Hudson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 20th February 1872.
I, FREDERIC WILLIAM HUDSON, of No. 227, Blackfriars Road, in
the County of Surrey, Tin Barrel Maker, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPING AND RELEASING
SPRING AND OTHER ROLLER BLINDS," to be as follows:
—
The Invention consists of a wedge acting against the roller or flanges
attached thereto so as to stop the blind directly the wedge is brought
in contact therewith, and so that the roller will revolve freely so long as
the wedge is not touching it, but directly the wedge comes in contact
with the roller it causes it to stop.
"
The manner in which I intend to apply the wedge to the roller blinds
which are known as "common rollers is as follows:-At one end of
the roller I have two brass flanges (as in the rollers now in use), between
which the cord rolls up. At each end of the roller there is an ordinary
bearing which revolves in the brackets. The bracket at the flange end
of the roller has the lower end turned up so as to form a ledge for the
wedge to slide upon. The wedge which I intend to apply to the

page_text: common rollers is a flat piece of metal bent up in the shape of a wedge,
thin at one end and open at the other, with holes at each end. The
bottom of the wedge has a groove running between the two holes to
admit the end of the check line. When the roller is in the brackets
the flanges come exactly above the turned-up end of the bracket.
Between the flanges and the turned-up end of the bracket I apply the
wedge, the thin part being at the front of the blind. I have two lines
or cords, one on the flanges, used for pulling up the blind, which line
runs through the hole in the front part of the wedge. The other line
(which I term the check line) runs in the groove between the turned-up
end of the bracket and the wedge, and hangs down with the other line,
and being fastened to the hole at the back of the wedge brings the
wedge in contact with the flanges by pulling the line. When the line
which is attached to the flanges is pulled it keeps the thick or open
end of the wedge away from the flanges, so that the blind will revolve
freely, but when the check line is pulled it draws the thick end of the
wedge under the flanges, which keeps the blind from running down
until the wedge is pushed back. By these means the blind is maintained
in any position.
"
"
"
The manner in which I intend to apply the wedge to the blinds
known as 66
spring roller blinds" is as follows:--On the square end of
the rod upon which the roller revolves (called the " 'cap end" of the
spring) I fix a piece of metal in the shape of an eccentric" by means
of a square hole therein, made to fit the square end of the rod. The
wooden block which revolves with the barrel upon the rod is driven
into the barrel about half an inch, so as to admit of the " eccentric
and the wedge (herein-after mentioned) being level with the end of the
tin roller. Between the " eccentric and the inside of the roller I
apply a wedge, the outside of which is in shape like the roller, so that
about half the diameter of the roller touches the wedge when in
contact with the roller. The inner part of the wedge slides round the
"eccentric" in a channel or groove. The wedge is made to taper, and
so as to be thin at the top and thick at the bottom. At the thin end of
the wedge the check line is attached, so that by pulling the said check
line it causes the thick end of the wedge to slide up between the
"eccentric" and the tin roller, which movement stops the roller from
revolving. By drawing the blind down it causes the wedge to slide
round the eccentric from the roller, thereby allowing the roller to
revolve freely.
*
"

page_text: One important improvement resulting from my Invention is, that the
working of the blind with the before-mentioned action is noiseless. This
I claim as part of my Invention.
Another very important improvement in my Invention is, that the
action is inside the roller, thereby allowing the cloth of the blind to be
brought within a quarter of an inch of the bracket. This I claim also
as part of my Invention.
I have described the wedge in the flat and curved forms only, which
forms I prefer to use for the different rollers before mentioned.
My Invention, however, is the application of the wedge by pressure
between a stationary and a revolving substance, the effect of which is
when applied to stop the roller, and this I claim in whatever shape,
form, or material it may be made.