IMPROVEMENTS IN FIXINGS OR ACTIONS APPLICABLE FOR RAISING AND LOWERING WINDOW BLINDS, SUNSHADES, MAPS, AND THE LIKE
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM UNSWORTH at the office for patents 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the
County of Lancaster, architect do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FIXINGS OR ACTIONS APPLICABLE FOR RAISING AND LOWERING
WINDOW BLINDS, SUNSHADES, MAPS, AND THE LIKE" to be as follows:-.
When the full
The invention has for its object a brake and bearing roller in one so that the
blind, map, sun shade, or other article. can only be run down when the cord is
actually being pulled. In place of an ordinary bearing, a bearing hinged with a
single double hinge spring or equivalent device at back, and fastened by a screw and
coiled or other spring in front, acts as a brake and bearing in one.
pressure of the spring is on, it acts as a brake, when that pressure is relieved the
blind runs free in its bearing. The pressure is taken off the spring by the blind
cord itself, for the cord is caused to pass through or over a projecting loop or piece
on the hinged part of the bearing projecting beyond the perpendicular line that the
cord would naturally take when hanging. By pulling on the cord vertically, this
bar is pressed back against the pressure of the spring, and the blind freely unrolls
till the string being relaxed the spring puts on the brake.
WP. THOMPSON & Co.,
Per J. O. O'Brien,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I WILLIAM UNSWORTH Office for Patents 6 Lord Street Liverpool Lancashire
Architect do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
FIXINGS, OR ACTIONS APPLICABLE FOR RAISING AND LOWERING WINDOW-BLINDS,
SUNSHADES, MAPS AND THE LIKE, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The invention has for its object a brake and hanger or fixing in one so that the
blind, map, sunshade, or other article can only be run down when the cord is
actually being pulled.
It is best described by aid of the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a
front elevation, Figure 2 an end elevation and Figure 3 a plan.
In these A is the blind. B roller. O supporting lath. D hanger. This latter
is formed of the upper part D' with joint E and projecting lug F and of lower
part G jointed to same at E. The lower part G acts with D₁ as a bearing for the
roller and is continued outward at f parallel with lug F and provided with a hole
through which passes screw g; round this screw is coiled spring H and by
screwing said screw more or less into F the lug f is forced with more or less
pressure towards F against the force of the spring, thus putting a pressure on the
bearing, e is a slotted metal lip projecting from fand through this the cord J passes
from its terminal knot in roller pulley K as shown. The bearing D¹ G is round a
journal or pulley I secured on the cord pulley K. J is the cord one end attached
to roller pulley K by passing through a hole therein and knotted on the other
side, or by other suitable means. The other end is attached to the bottom of
blind A.
The mode of action is as follows:
The screw g being tightened up sufficiently to put a slight compressive strain on
spring H, the latter conveys an equal upward pressure to the lower bearing G and
a corresponding friction on the pulley between the arms D¹ and G. This friction
prevents unaided the weight of the blind from causing the roller to revolve. If
however the blind be already wound up a slight extra pull by the hand on the
cord will cause the roller to revolve, and the blind to run down as this extra pull
overcomes the force of the spring and pulls down the arm G sufficient for the roller
to revolve freely, the motion stopping at any point the instant the hand pulling
ceases through the friction being again applied. Exactly in proportion as the blind
is unwound, the cord is wound up on pulling K. To draw up the blind, all that
is required is to pull vertically or nearly so on the cord, which is wound on the
pulley, the pull pulls down slotted arm e.and the whole lower portion G of the
hanger against the force of the spring H, and thus takes the frictional strain off
the bearing, and exactly as the cord descends, the blind rises. The instant however
the hand pull is withdrawn, the spring exerts its force and again applies frictional
pressure to the bearing, preventing the blind falling by its own weight alone.
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 roller blind apparatus in which the bearing acts alternately in the capacity
of a brake and a bearing and in that of a bearing alone, and a single cord is used
to draw up the blind and take off the brake simultaneously releasing the brake the
moment the pulling strain ceases, substantially as described.
2nd. The combination, substantially as and for the purposes described, of the
following parts; the rigid bearing D the hinged bearing G having the screw g and

page_text: spring H or their mechanical equivalents, causing bearing D¹ to act also as a brake,
and the slotted end e of the lower part of the bearing, so placed that the cord has
to bend at an angle in it, by which means any vertical pull on the cord below e
must be resolved in part on to a pull on e, tending to counteract spring and take
off the friction.
3rd. The manufacture of fixings or actions applicable for raising and lowering
window blinds, sunshades, maps and the like substantially as described, by which
means simplicity of action, cheapness and durability of construction are combined
in a degree I have never seen equalled.