Improvements in or connected with Means for Raising, Lowering, and Retaining Roller Blinds.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 13th Apr.. 1897-Accepted, 15th May, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Means for Raising, Lowering,
and Retaining Roller Blinds.
We, WILLIAM FORD, of No. 43, Norroy Road, Putney, in the County of
Surrey, Gentleman, and GEORGE PATERSON, of No. 68, Cassidy Road, Fulham.
in the County of Middlesex, Railway Carriage Fitter, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in or connected with means for raising,
lowering and retaining roller blinds.
Many devices have been suggested for raising, lowering, and retaining roller
blinds, but the only one which appears to have come into general use is the well
known device in which a pawl carried by a fitting engages a ratchet wheel fixed on
the roller whilst the cord passes through an eye ou the tail of the pawl.
This device answers its purpose fairly well, but there is always the objection
that the person operating the blind has no direct control over the pawl so that it is
difficult to adjust the position of the blind in the manner described.
Now, the object of the present invention is to obtain a simple and inexpensive
device which, whilst performing all the functions of the device lastly hereinbefore
referred to, is adapted to be placed in a position accessible to the operator so that
he can readily adjust the position of a blind to a nicety, whilst, at the same time,
the device will be more or less silent in its action.
In carrying the invention into effect, the blind roller is provided with the
ordinary grooved wheel or pulley to receive the cord but beneath the pulley at
the lower part of the window frame is mounted a device consisting of a fitting or
bracket which is secured to the window frame and provided in its overhanging
part with a vertical hole or other guide through which the blind cord passes.
Beneath this overhanging part is pivotally mounted frame within which is
loosely mounted a roller and the blind cord, after passing through the hole or guide
of the bracket, is passed over the top of the roller, under the same, and then over
the cord and under the roller through an eye or guide located below the frame
beyond which point it is provided with a button or tassle.
By this arrangement of parts, the weight of the blind will raise the pivotted
frame until the roller jams the cord against the overhang of the bracket, thereby
securely fastening the cord against running out and thus holds the blind in the
position to which it may have been raised.
In order to lower the blind, it is only necessary to depress the pivotally mounted
frame by means of a thumb piece carried thereby, when the jam will be destroyed
and the cord will be free to run.
Although the method herein before described of mounting the cord upon the
roller of the pivotted frame is the preferred one, it will be understood that the same
object might be achieved by passing the cord several times around such roller and
thence away through the eye or by grooving or roughening the roller, or by the
employment of other friction creating devices whilst still retaining the principle of
the pivotted frame raised into a position to jam the cord by means of the weight
of the blind, the lower edge of which may be weighted.
In some cases, in order to render the device quicker in action, the pivotted frame

page_text: may be normally held in its raised position by means of a spring so that the device
will not be altogether dependent upon the weight of the blind.
Or, by reversing the position of the bracket and causing the cord to pass through
suitable guides upwardly to the roller of the pivotted frame the downward motion
of the blind may cause the downward motion of the pivotted frame and thus the
gravity of the latter will assist the action of the device.
The improvements connected with the rollers for blinds consist in mounting a
metal cap and disc at each end thereof and in lieu of the ordinary cord wheel we
employ two of such discs secured together centrally a short distance apart by a
short inetal rod or bar to which the cord is attached and on which it is wound.
The pins by which the roller is suspended project from the discs at the ends.
The body of the cap is cut away or slotted to allow of the blind being secured
to the wooden roller by pins or other fastenings.
Dated this 13th day of June 1896.
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in or connected with Means for Raising, Lowering,
and Retaining Roller Blinds.
We, WILLIAM FORD, of No. 43, Norroy Road, Putney, in the County of
Surrey, Gentleman, and GEORGE PATERSON, of No. 68 Cassidy Road, Fulham,
in the County of Middlesex, Railway Carriage Fitter, 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:-
Our said invention relates primarily to improvements in or connected with means
for raising, lowering, and retaining roller blinds.
Many devices have been suggested for raising, lowering and retaining roller
blinds, but the only one which appears to have come into general use is the well
known device in which a pawl carried by a fitting engages a ratchet wheel fixed on
the roller, whilst the cord passes through an eye on the tail of the pawi.
This device answers its purpose fairly well, but there is always the objection
that the person operating the blind has no direct control over the pawl so that it is
difficult to adjust the position of the blind.
Now, the object of the present invention is to obtain a simple and inexpensive
device, which, whilst performing all the functions of the device lastly hereinbefore
referred to, is adapted to be placed in a position accessible to the operator so that
he can readily adjust the position of a blind to a nicety, whilst, at the same time,
the device will be more or less silent in its action.
In carrying the invention into effect, the blind roller is provided with the
ordinary grooved wheel or pulley to receive the cord but beneath the pulley at
the lower part of the window frame is mounted a device consisting of a fitting or
bracket which is secured to the window frame and provided in its overhanging part
with a vertical hole or other guide through which the blind cord passes.
Beneath this overhanging part is pivotally mounted a frame within which is
mounted a roller or bar, and the blind cord, after passing through the hole or guide
of the bracket, is passed around the roller or bar and if desired through an eye or
guide located below the fra:ne beyond which point it is provided with a button or
tassle.
By this arrangement of parts, the weight of the blind will raise the pivotted
frame until the roller jams the cord against the overhang of the bracket thereby

page_text: securely fastening the cord against running out and thus holding the blind in the
position to which it may have been raised.
In order to lower the blind, it is only necessary to depress the pivotally mounte:1
frame by means of a thumb piece carried thereby, when the jam will be destroyed
and the cord will be free to run.
Although the method herein before described of mounting the cord upon the roller
of the pivotted frame is a convenient one, it will be understood that the same
object might be achieved by passing the cord several times around such roller and
if desired around itself and thence away through the eye or by grooving or
roughening the roller. or by the employment of other friction creating devices
whilst still retaining the principle of the pivotted frume raised into a position to
jam the cord by means of the weight of the blind, the lower edge of which may be
weighted.
In some cases, in order to render the device quicker in action, the pivotted
frame may be normally held in its raised position by means of a spring so
that the device will not be altogether dependent upon the weight of the
blind.
Or, by reversing the position of the bracket and causing the cord to pass
through suitable guides upwardly to the roiler of the pivotted frame the down-
ward motion of the blind may cause the downward motion of the pivotted frame
and thus the gravity of the latter will assist the action of the device.
And, in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, we will proceed, aided by the accompanying drawings, more fully
to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1. is a vertical section of a window having the present invention applied.
thereto.
Figure 2. is a side elevation of the fastening device separately.
Figure 3. is a front elevation thereof.
Figure 4. is a horizontal section taken on the line 1.-1. of Figure 2., and,
Figure 5 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 2-2. of Figure 3.
In the several figures in which like parts are indicated by similar letters of
reference, Figures 2. to 5. are drawn to an increased scale with respect to
Figure 1.
a. represents the window frame, represents a bracket fixed thereto, c represents
the blind roller which is provided with the ordinary grooved wheel or pulley c¹ to
receive the cord d, and c2 represents the blind.
Beneath the pulley c¹ and fixed to the window frame at the lower part thereof
is 'fixed a device consisting of a fitting or bracket e. which is secured to the window
frame a. by means of screws as will be readily understood, and the overhanging
part of the bracket e. is provided with a vertical hole e' therethrough or in the
case of a skeleton bracket any other suitable form of guide might be employed in
lieu thereof through which the blind cord d passes.
a
Beneath the overhanging part of the bracket e. is pivotally mounted at
frame. within which is loosely mounted a roller 1, and the blind cord d. after
passing through the hole or guide el of the bracket e. is passed one or more times
around the roller f2 and it thence passes through an eye or guide e² located below
the frame f. beyond which point the cord d. is provided with a button or tassle d¹
or the eye or guide e' might if desired be dispensed with.
By this arrangement of parts, the weight of the blind 2 will raise the pivotted
frame f. upon its axis f' until the roller f2 jams the cord d against the overhang of
the bracket e, as represented more particularly in Figure 5, thereby securely
fastening the cord d against running out and thus holding the blind c in the
position to which it may have been raised.
In order to lower the blind c, it is only necessary to depress the pivotally

page_text: mounted frame f. by means of a thumb-piece f³ carried thereby as represented
by the dotted lines in Figure 2. when the jam will be destroyed and the cord d.
will be free to run.
In order to render the device quicker in its action, the pivotted frame f. is or
may be normally held in its raised position by means of a spring fso that the
device will not be altogether dependent upon the weight of the blind c².
Although the method herein before shown and described of maintaining the cord
upon the roller and pivotted frame f. is a convenient one, it will be understood
that the same object might be achieved by passing the cord d. several more times
around the roller 72 and if desired around the cord itself, and thence away through
the eye e² or by grooving or roughening the roller so as to obtain a better grip
of the cord d, or by the aid of other friction creating devices, whilst still retaining
the principle of the pivotted frame f. raised into position to jam the cord d. by
means of the weight of the blind c² the lower edge of which may, if desired be
weighted by means of a heavy lath c³.
The device may be further modified by reversing the position of the bracket e.
and causing the cord to pass through suitable guides upwardly to the roller fof
the pivotted frame f, the downward motion of the blind c in this case causing the
downward motion of the pivotted frame f. and thus the gravity of the latter will
assist the action of the device.
This latter arrangement is simply an inversion of the parts represented in the
drawings and will be readily understood by a competent mechanic and for that
reason it has not been thought necessary to give separate illustrations thereof.
By the means hereinbefore described, a simple and inexpensive device is obtained,
which, whilst answering all the purposes of the ratchet wheel aud pawl commonly
employed in connection with blind rollers is placed in such a position as will be
accessible to the operator for manipulation or repairs, whilst, at the same time, it
possesses the great advantage that it is practically silent in its action.
It will be obvious that the device herein before shown and described may also
be employed as a fastener or holder for ropes or cords for marine or other
purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
A cord fastener or retainer, comprising a bracket or the like formed with an
overhanging part, a tubular or other guide in the overhang for the cord, a frame
pivotally mounted below the overhang, a roller or bar mounted in the frame or a
like device and around which the cord is passed, the pull of the cord if desired
assisted by a spring jamming or nipping the cord between the roller and the
overbang, substantially as herein showu and described.
Dated this 13th day of April 1897
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicants.