Improvements in or relating to Venetian Blinds and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Venetian Blinds and the like.
I, ARTHUR CILARLES DOWNING, of 3, Oakfield Road, Stroud Green, London.
N., Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a new or improved method of and
means for attaching the ladder tapes of Venetian and other lath blinds to the
top and bottom laths or rails, whereby the use of nails, screws, or stitches is
avoided and the operation of attaching the tapes to the laths greatly facilitated.
According to this invention, the ends of the tape are securely clamped between
a clip, plate, or coupling, and the lath or rail, the inner surface of such clip,
plate or analogous fitting being barbed, spiked burred or otherwise roughened
to engage with the tape.
Preferably, the clip is made to engage with the edges of the lath or rail and
is provided with a space or a slot in which or through which the tape passes
beneath or over the lath or rail and between the spikes and the rail, the tape
being thus held securely by such spikes or burred or roughened surface. The tape
is preferably arranged so that there is a tendency for it to cause the clip to grip
the lath or rail more tightly, so that extra strains on the tapes would help to
retain the clips, plates, or couplings in place.
In some cases the plate is provided at each end with a pivoted clip adapted
to grasp the lath when the tape is in tension.
The inner end of the pivoted clip is formed with prongs so that when the tape
is passed through the slot in the plate the arrangement acts as a buckle, the
tension on the tape forcing the clip into position.
In a modification, the plate is provided with a wire or other portion hinged
thereto, the whole arranged to completely encircle the lath or rail; but it will
be understood that I do not confine myself to the arrangements described, the
essential feature of the invention being, securing the tapes to the top and bottom
laths of Venetian and other like blinds without the use of nails, screws, or the
like, and without stitching.
1000
Improvements in or relating to Venetian Blinds and the like.
I, ARTHUR CHARLES DOWNING, of 3, Oakfield Road. Stroud Green, London,
N., Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what
[Price 8d.1

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:--
The object of my invention is to provide a new or improved method of and
means for attaching the ladder tapes of Venetian and other lath blinds to the
top and bottom laths or rails, whereby the use of nails, screws, or stitches is
avoided and the operation of attaching the tapes to the laths is greatly facilitated;
also, the general appearance of the tape ends are improved thereby.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and
ascertained, reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings in which
similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 is a plan, Fig. 2 an underside view, Fig. 3 a sectional elevation and
Fig. 4 an end view of one form of clip or fastener constructed according to my
invention.
Fig. 5, 6 and 7 illustrate another form and Figs. 8 and 9 show a suitable
modification for heavy blinds. Fig. 10 is a detail view.
According to my invention the ends of the tape are securely clamped on to
the lath or rail by a clip, plate or other fastening formed of metal, celluloid
or other suitable material, the inner surface of the fastening being barbed,
spiked, burred or otherwise roughened to engage with the tape or formed with
transverse slots through which the tape is threaded and secured in position
thereby.
Referring to the form shown by Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, a is a plate (of a suitable
springy substance) which is formed with a semi-circular bend at opposite
ends as shown in Fig. 3 and between which the lath or rail is clipped. dis
a slot formed in the plate at each end through which the ends of the tape are
passed. ce are barbs for engaging and retaining the tape, f being a recess for
accommodating the knot of the cord. A rim or flange is preferably formed on
both edges of the plate for strengthening and ornamental purposes.
"
In Figs. 5, 6 and 7, another form is shown in which the clips are pivoted
to the plate a In this case the clips are formed approximately as shown in
Fig. 6 in a flat or rough state; h are the pivots and represents a barbed, spiked,
or analogous buckle pronged end. Fig. 7 is a plan view of a portion of the plate
showing the rim or Hange g, in which (at ) the clips are pivoted. The general
arrangement of this modification is shown in Fig. 5 by dotted lines, the end of
the tape being threaded through the open end of the plate a and becoming
engaged with the pronged end of the clip_b.
Fig. 8 is an elevation and Fig. 9 is a plan view of another modification
suitable for use on heavy blinds or in places where blinds are subjected to
extremely rough handling. The clips are integral with the plate or one or
both may be hinged thereto; one of the clips is provided with a wire or other
portion hinged thereto and adapted to embrace the other clip as shown by
the drawings. In this case the clip-plate and its hinged portion completely
encircle the lath or rail and frustrates any attempt to disengage the tape there-
from, except by releasing the hinged portion k.
All the elips or fasteners shown on the drawings are for the bottom lath or
rail, but by substituting an eyelet hole for the recess of the various forms may he
employed for the top lath or rail in a reversed position.
It will be seen that when the tape is in position and engaged by the clip or
fastener, the tendency of gravity or pulling strains is such as will cause the
clip or fastener to more tightly grip the lath or rail.
Although I have described and shown three methods of carrying out my
invention I do not limit myself to these nor to the particular construction shown,
as the essential feature of my invention consists in securing the tapes in position
by clips or analogous fasteners in the attachment of which no nails, screws,
stitches or the like are employed or required.
Similarly, I sometimes employ transverse slots 7 (Fig. 10), formed with or
5
5.

page_text: without the barbs or spikes e, for the purpose of securing the tape, the latter
being threaded as will be readily understood from the drawing.
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:-
1. A fastener for securing the ends of ladder tapes to the top and bottom rails
or laths of Venetian blinds and the like, without the use of nails, screws or the
like and without stitching, substantially as set forth.
2. A fastener for the purposes described consisting of a plate a with clip or
bent ends b, slots d, barbs, spikes or other roughened surface e, recess or eyelet
hole and with or without the rim or flange g. substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated by Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings.
3. A fastener for the purposes described, consisting of a plate formed with rims
or flanges y, a pair of clips pivoted to the plate and provided with a barbed,
spiked, pronged or other suitable part i. substantially as herein before described
and illustrated by Figs. 5. 6 and 7 of the drawings.
4. A fastener for the purposes described, consisting of a plate barbed, spiked or
otherwise roughened, and slotted at each end, clip ends (which may be hinged
to the plate) and a wire or other portion k, substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated by Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings.
5. In fasteners of the description glaimed and herein before describe the
combination therewith of transverse slots formed with or without barbs or spikes,
through which slots the tape is threaded, substantially as herein before described
and illustrated by Fig. 10 of the drawings.
DE){} ALL
1000