IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING WINDOW BLINDS OR SHADES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
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Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING WINDOW
BLINDS OR SHADES." A communication from abroad by Henry
Luther Hall, of New York, United States of America. <
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Sealed the 21st January 1873, and dated the 25th July 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
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at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 25th July 1872.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co.;
5 Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
ADJUSTING WINDOW BLINDS OR SHADES," a communication, to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to window blinds or shade fixtures, and is
D. designed to afford a more perfect means for adjusting the same than has
heretofore been attained, the end in view being secured by producing
substantially both a rotary and a vertical movement of the roller.
on which the blind or shade is fastened by pulling a single cord.

page_text: The support for the blind consists of a smooth turned roller which is
sustained at each end by bearings or holders clutching upon an endless
cord, the latter being upheld and retained in position upon pulleys in
brackets and the tightening pulley; all of these pulleys are fastened to
the casing.
The said roller is provided at each end with projecting pivots for an
axis. These pivots are provided centrally with a depression or grooved.
ring which fits a corresponding inwardly swelling depression in the
holders, this device serving to prevent the disengagement of the axle
from the holders after they have been placed in position, and screwed
the axle and cord. The said holders are made preferably of sheet
metal; they have peculiarly shaped open slots, and are bent into the
desired form. The said holders are hooked upon the cord by one of the
open slots, the cord being slipped into the same and also into another of
the slots, passing along the back of the holder to the third slot, where it
again passes in between the two parts or jaws and out at the end by a
upon
notch.
All the slots being open at one end the holder can be secured at any
point upon the cord after it is placed in position upon the pulleys with-
out passing the end of the cord through, the slots. The holder is also
provided with a stud, upon which is cut a thread screw. One end of
this stud is rivetted to the back part of the holder and the opposite end
passes through a hole in the front portion or leaf of the said holder.
Upon this screw-thread works a nut, which serves to press the two jaws
or leaves of the holder together upon the axle and cord.
The office of this endless cord which supports the roller is to raise the
blind and roller bodily, and it is adjusted by first passing the end of the
cord under the pulley in one bracket, thence up over the middle pulley,
thence across over the front pulley in the other bracket, thence down
around the tightening pulley, then up over the rear top pulley, crossing
under the other top pulley to a junction with the other end of the cord.
This arrangement of the cord upon the pulleys gives the inside and.
outside plies respectively a uniform and joint movement.
Another endless cord is adjusted in position by first passing one end of
the cord from left to right under the pulley in the tightener at the
lower part of the window casing, and thence up over the second back
pulley, thence down behind the roller, making a turn around its rigid

page_text: pulley on the roller and forming a junction with the opposite end of the
cord. The office of this cord is to raise and lower the blind from the
bottom, and also to revolve the roller when raised or lowered by the first
cord, which winds up the blind when the roller is lowered from the top,
and unwinds the same when the roller is raised to the top without
changing the position of the bottom of the blind, thus producing both a
rotary and a vertical movement of the roller by pulling the said first
cord.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 24th January 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patents Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, 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, excrcise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING WINDOW BLINDS OR SHADES," a communication to
me from abroad by Henry Luther Hall, of New York, United States of
America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Robert Lake, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification:
This Invention relates to window blind or shade fixtures, and is
designed to afford a more perfect means for adjusting the same than has
heretofore been attained, the end in view being secured by producing
both a rotary and a vertical movement of the roller on which the blind
or shade is fastened by pulling a single cord.

page_text: shaped open slots b, d, e, and are bent in the form shown in Figures 2
and 3. The said holders are hooked upon the cord by the open slot. b,
the cord being slipped into the same and also into the slots d, passing
along the back of the holder to the slot e, where it again passes
in between the two parts or jaws and out at the end by the
notch p.
All the slots being open at one end the holder can be secured at any
point upon the cord after it is placed in position upon the pulleys,
without passing the end of the cord through the slots. The holder C is
also provided with a stud w, upon which is cut a screw thread. One
end of this stud is riveted to the back part of the holder and the opposite
end passes through a hole in the front portion or leaf of the holder, as
illustrated in Figure 2. Upon the screw-thread works a nut k which
serves to press the two jaws or leaves c, c', of the holder C together upon
the axle and cord F.
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The office of the endless cord F, which supports the roller L, is to
raise the blind and roller bodily, and it is adjusted by first passing the
end of the cord F from left to right under the bracket D, thence up from
over the middle pulley g in bracket B, thence across over the front
pulley in the two sheaved bracket A, thence down around the pulley r
in the tightening pulley E', then up over the rear pulley in the bracket A,
crossing under the other top pulley and over the pulley 7 in the bracket B
to a junction with the other end of the cord. This arrangement of the
. cord upon the pulleys gives the inside and outside plies respectively a
uniform and joint movement, that is to say, they descend or ascend as
the case may be, by pairs, and the holders C, C, may be secured to either
pair.
The endless cord G is adjusted in position by first passing one end of
the cord under the pulley in the tightener E², shown at the lower right
side of the window casing H, and thence up over the back pulley v in
the bracket B, thence down, passing behind the roller L, and making a
turn around its rigid pulley S on the right hand side of the said roller,
and forming a junction with the opposite end of the cord. The office of
the cord G is to raise and lower the blind or shade from the bottom, and
5 also to revolve the roller L when raised or lowered by the cord F, which
winds up the blind when the roller is lowered from the top, and unwinds
the same when the roller is raised to the top without changing the

page_text: position of the bottom of the blind; thus producing both a rotary and a
.vertical movement of the roller by pulling the cord F.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim,―
First. Controlling both the rotary and vertical movements of the
aforesaid roller by means of a single hand cord, arranged as herein
described.
Second. A pulley S in combination with a roller L, sustained in the
manner herein described, for the purpose of receiving a cord to rotate :
the said roller.
Third. In combination with the pulley S the cord G, for the purpose
specified.
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Fourth. The pulleys and combined with the cord G for the purpose
specified.
Fifth. A holder C, of the construction herein described, either in
combination with an endless cord F or otherwise arranged for the
purpose specified.
Sixth. Combining two endless cords G and F with a roller L, for the
purpose specified,
Seventh. The cord F in combination with the tightener E³, arranged
in the manner set forth and for the purppose specified.
Eighth. The tightener E³ in combination with the cord G, arranged as
herein set forth and for the purpose specified.
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In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here- 2
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of January,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-three.
Witness,
W. J. LOWE.
Wª. ROB™. LAKE. (L.S.)