IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR HOLDING AND RELEASING THE CORDS OF VENETIAN AND OTHER BLINDS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Lewtas, of the City of Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, Window Blind Manufacturer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR HOLDING AND RELEASING THE
CORDS OF VENETIAN AND OTHER BLINDS."
Sealed the 7th July 1868, and dated the 10th January 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Lewtas at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th January 1868.
I, JOSEPH LEWTAS, of the City of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Window Blind Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR HOLDING AND RELEASING
THE CORDS OF VENETIAN AND OTHER BLINDS," to be as follows:-
To the framework surrounding the Venetian or other blind I attach
a small frame having two stationary rods or wires, one for carrying
three pulleys or rollers, and another for carrying two levers or catches.
The double cord used for raising or lowering the blind passes over two
pulleys and over the two levers, and over the third pulley is passed a
single cord and connected to a cranked wire jointed to the levers.
When the single cord is loose the double cord can be pulled in either
direction and raise or lower the blind, and when the single cord is pulled
the cranked wire turns the levers, so that their ends press the double

page_text: cord against the top of the small frame, thereby effectually holding the
cord and preventing any change of the blind. When the blind has to
be raised or lowered the single cord is loose and the double cord pulled,
so as to turn back the levers for removing the bite and give freedom to
the said double cord. When required I reverse the positions of the
levers, so that they turn downwards to press the double cord against
a bottom plate of the small frame.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the Joseph Lewtas in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th July 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
LEWTAS, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Window
Blind Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Joseph Lewtas, Her special license that I,
the said Joseph Lewtas, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Joseph Lewtas, 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 "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR HOLDING AND RELEASING
THE CORDS OF VENETIAN AND OTHER BLINDS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Joseph Lewtas, 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 Joseph Lewtas, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the Figures on
the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters of reference
marked thereon (that is to say)
:-
For holding and releasing the double cord of a Venetian blind of the
ordinary width I attach to the top rail a small frame having a stationary
rod or wire for carrying three pulleys, and another rod or wire for
carrying two levers or catches. (The double cord for raising or lowering
the blind passes over two of the pulleys and over the two levers; and
over the third pulley is passed a single cord connected to a cranked wire
or its equivalent for acting on the levers. When the single cord is loose.
the double cord can be pulled in either direction, and raise or lower the.
blind, and when the single cord is pulled the levers are turned so that
their ends press the double cord against the top of the small frame,
thereby effectually holding the cord and preventing any change of the
blind. When the blind has to be raised or lowered the double cord is
pulled to turn back the levers for removing the pressure, and then
freedom is given to the said double cord. When required I reverse the
positions of the levers, so that they turn downwards to press the double
cord against a bottom plate of the small frame. In Venetian blinds of
greater width having three or more cords there are as many levers
or catches as cords, and an additional pulley for guiding the single
tightening cord, and for roller blinds I employ similar levers or catches
for tightening the cords..
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are side
views with an outer plate removed, and Fig. 3 an end view of one
arrangement of my improved apparatus for holding and releasing the
cords of Venetian blinds; Fig. 4 a detached view of one of the parts;
Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19, different
views of slight modifications of the same; and Figs. 20, 21, 22, and 23
are views of the apparatus adapted for roller-blinds.
In the various Figures relating to Venetian blinds, a represents the
small frame which is connected to the top rail; b, the double or triple
blind cords; c, the pulleys for guiding them; d, the levers or catches;
e, the single tightening cord; f, the pulley for guiding it; g, the rod or
wire carrying the: pulleys; and h, the rod or wire carrying the levers -
or catches. To the levers d, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, is jointed a cranked wire
i shewn detached. in Fig. 4, and to the link of this wire is knotted 'thie

page_text: tightening corde, which passes over the pulley f, and has at its end
a tassel, knob, or handle in a convenient position.
Fig. 1 represents the double cord when loose for enabling the blind
to be raised or lowered, but in Figs. 2 and 3 the double cord is fast, it
being held by the ends of the levers against the top of the small frame,
the levers having been turned to that position by means of the cranked
wire and tightening cord, and the double cord remains fast until it is
pulled to remove the pressure and allow the levers to fall away from the
cord.
In Figs. 5, 6, and 7, k represents another description of cranked wire
for acting on the levers d. This wire is in the form of a crank with its
ends pivotted in the sides of the small frame, and to the part is knotted
the tightening cord e. Fig. 5 represents the positions of the parts when
the double cord is loose, and Figs. 6 and 7 the positions when the cord
is fast.
In Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11 the pulleys and levers are adapted for a wide
Venetian blind having a triple cord b, there being plates m between the
pulleys for preventing the cords from coming off, and instead of the
cranked wire for acting on the levers the tightening cord is connected to
a hinged plate n working on a pin o fixed to the sides of the small
frame.
In Figs. 12 and 13 p represents a grid or fork for preventing the
cords from coming off the pulleys, which grid can either form part of
the small frame or.be fixed to it.
In Figs. 14, 15, and 16 the pulleys work on the ordinary pin q in
the top rail r, and the levers d and cranked wire i work in a small
frames fixed to the top of the rail and the cranked wire shewn in
Figs. 5, 6, and 7, and the hinged plate in Figs. 8 and 9 may also be
used for acting on the levers d.
In Figs. 17, 18, and 19 the positions of the levers d and cranked
wire i are reversed, the blind cords 6 being pressed against a bottom
plate t in the small frame a, and instead of the cord e being used for
tightening it is employed for loosening. The ends of the levers d fall by
their own gravity and press the blind cords against the plate t, as shewn
in Fig. 18, but when the cord is pulled it pulls the cranked wire and
raises the levers, as shewn in Fig. 17, thereby loosening the blind cords
for enabling the blind to be raised or lowered as required.

page_text: In Figs. 20, 21, 22, and 23 I represent the application of the levers or
catches for holding the cords of roller blinds. On the bracket v, Figs. 20
and 21, which is fixed to the top of the window frame or to a top rail,
there are lugs , into which is fixed a pin x carrying a lever or catch y,
to which is connected the tightening cord z. The ordinary blind cord a'
passes between the end of the lever and the inner end of the bracket,
and when the tightening cord is pulled and the lever pressed against
the blind cord the blind is held in any required position, and when
the blind cord is pulled the pressure of the lever is removed, and the
blind cord is free to allow the blind to drop or to be raised and after-
wards held as required.
In Figures 22 and 23 the bracket is adapted to be fixed to the side of
the window frame, but the tightening cord and lever are similar to those
before described.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be
understood that I claim the various improved combinations of swing
levers and cranked wires or hinged plates worked by separate cords for
holding or releasing the cords of Venetian blinds, and also the improved
combination of lever and cord for holding the cords of roller blinds, as
all such improvements are herein described and illustrated in the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Lewtas, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Ninth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Signed, sealed, and delivered
by the within-named Joseph
Lewtas, in the presence of
G. SEPTIMUS HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
JOSEPH LEWTAS. (L.S.)