An Improved Venetian Blind.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 29th Oct., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by THE ALBANY VENETIAN BLIND COMPANY, of
317 & 319, North Pearl Street, Albany, New York, U.S.A., Manufacturers.]
An Improved Venetian Blind.
I, REGINALD WALTER BARKER, of Monument Chambers, King William
Street, London, Middlesex, Patent Agent, 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 :-
The invention relates particularly to the pulleys over which pass the cords for
raising and lowering the slats of Venetian blinds, the object being to improve such
pulleys to the end that the slats will respond to the cords more smoothly and with
precision and the hangers of the pulleys be prevented from marring the bar from
which they are suspended.
The invention consists in the novel construction hereinafter particularly described,
and defined in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in
all the figures.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a Venetian blind embodying my invention.
Fig. 2 is a detail view, partly in section and on an enlarged scale, of a portion of
the upper bar and its immediate appurtenances, including my improved pulleys; and
Fig. 3 is a sectional perspective view, the section being indicated by the line 3 3,
Fig. 2.
The blind shown in Fig. 1, is, in the main, in accordance with the invention
disclosed in United States Patent to J. E. Phillips, dated January 1, 1884,
No. 291,222; but my improved pulleys are applicable to other forms of Venetian
blinds. In the form shown there is a frame or cornice A, provided at its top rail
with depending hooks B, the latter engaging the journals c, formed on the top
bar C, the blind-slats D being suspended in spaced positions from said bar by
strips E of webbing. In some cases hooks B are screwed into head jamb of the
window, thus avoiding the use of cornice A. At one end of the bar C a pulley C¹
is secured, over which passes the cord F, whereby the bar C, and consequently the
slats D, may be tilted.
The cords G, by which the slats are raised and lowered, pass over a pulley H at
the opposite end to the pulley C¹ and over pulleys H', which are suspended from the
bar Cintermediate its ends, the said cords G passing thence downward through
the slats D to the bottom one of such slats. With the exception of the pulleys H H¹
and their means of suspension, as hereinafter described, the above parts are in
accordance with the Patent of J. E. Phillips above referred to.
The hangers H2 of the pulleys H H are formed, preferably, from a single piece
of metal bent upon itself, forming at the bend an eye h, a shank h¹ below said bend,
and a fork or spaced ends h³ below said shank, the pulley being held by a pin k*
between said spaced ends. Projecting from the members of the shank h³, at right
angles thereto, are wings h³, formed, preferably, by bending outward the metal
forming such shanks.
The upper end of each hanger H2 of the pulleys H₁ is let into a transverse recess
or slot c, formed in the under side of the bar C, which recesses are intersected by
A wire
concave recesses c³, formed longitudinally in the upper side of said bar.
nail or like device H³ is passed into the upper recesses c² to pass through the eye h
of the hanger, thereby suspending the hanger in secure position, while permitting
it to retain the vertical position when the bar C is rocked to tilt the slats. The
wings h, it will be seen, bear against one wall of the slot c¹ when the cords G are

page_text: drawn upon and protect the said wall from any injury by the hangers, and also prevent
the hangers from twisting. Further, in the tilting of the bar C the broad surface
presented by the wings will prevent the hangers from catching in the walls of the
recesses.
By this improvement the operation of the blind are more positive and attended
with less inconvenience, and the pulley hangers can in no way mar the bar from
which they are suspended. The shank of the end pulley H is reversed, its wings
lying against the wall or end c³ of the bar C, as the strain is inward on such
hanger. The upper part of the bar C overhangs at this end and is provided with
a plate C³, which is secured thereto, and a nail H* or the like, passed through said
plate, through the eye of hanger, and into the wall c³, serves to suspend the
said hanger.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination, in a Venetian blind, of a top bar, slats suspended from said
bar and operating cords for the slats, the bar being formed with recesses in its under
side, and pulleys for the operating cords, the hangers of the pulleys being pivotally
suspended from the bar within the recesses therein and having its shank provided
with wings projecting at right angles thereto, substantially as described.
2. The combination, in a Venetian blind, of a top bar, slats suspended therefrom
and operating cords for the slats, the said bar having transverse recesses in its
under side and intersecting longitudinal recesses in its upper side, hangers carrying
pulleys for the operating cords, the hangers having wings thereon for the purpose
specified, and securing devices for said hangers, substantially as described.
3. As a new article of manufacture, a pulley for the cords of Venetian blinds,
the hanger of the pulley having an eye at its upper end adapted to receive a pivot
pin for pivotally suspending the pulley, and a guard wing below the eye, said wing
ranging at right angles to the axis of the eye, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
Dated this 29th day of September 1892.
REGINALD W. BARKER.