IMPROVEMENTS IN BLIND ROLLERS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Edwin Ditchfield and Knott Hothersall, both of
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BLIND ROLLERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Edwin Ditchfield and
Knott Hothersall at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
6th January 1881.
JOHN EDWIN DITCHFIELD and KNOTT HOTHERSALL, both of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster. IMPROVEMENTS IN BLIND ROLLERS."
"
Our Invention relates to the rollers usually employed in connection with window
blinds, and consists principally in a novel method of attaching the blind web to
such rollers. The usual mode of attachment is to tack the blind or intermediate
tape to the periphery of the roller, and this involves an expenditure of time and
trouble which it is the object of our Invention to obviate. In carrying our
Invention into effect we employ the usual roller, and form therein at the periphery
and throughout its length an undercut groove or recess open at one end. The
upper end of the blind web is folded over and sewn so as to contain a tongue or
rod which extends throughout the breadth of the blind, and this tongue or rod
when thrust lengthwise into the undercut portion of the recess sustains the blind
in position. The blind can thus be attached or removed with comparatively little
trouble. The rollers can be mounted in the ordinary manner and may be made
either solid or in halves, and the undercut portion of the groove may be either
circular, square, or of any other suitable shape.
To prevent the cord from riding over the edges of the grooved pulley we arrange
a guide or eyelet at the centre of the grooved pulley and beneath its axis, and the
cord passes through the said eyelet or guide to the pulley. The guide may be
suspended freely from the roller axis, or it might be suspended from or fixed to
the window frame or any other suitable part. When the roller pulley is provided
with this guide the cord may be acted upon from different stand-points without
escaping from the pulley groove.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Edwin Ditchfield and Knott Hothersall in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 5th July 1881.
JOHN EDWIN DITCHFIELD and KNOTT HOTHERSALL, both of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BLIND ROLLERS."
Our Invention relates to the rollers usually employed in connection with window
blinds, and consists principally in a novel method of attaching the blind-web to
the roller. The usual mode of attachment is to tack the blind-web or intermediate
tape to the periphery of the roller, and this involves an expenditure of time and
trouble which it is the object of our Invention to obviate. In carrying our
Invention into effect we employ the ordinary solid wood roller, and form thereon
at the periphery and throughout its length an undercut groove or recess open at
one end. The upper end of the blind-web is folded over and sewn so as to contain
a tongue or rod which extends throughout the breadth of the blind, and this
tongue or rod when thrust through lengthwise into the undercut portion of the
recess sustains the blind in position. The blind can thus be attached or removed
with comparatively little trouble. The rollers can be mounted in the ordinary
manner, and the undercut portion of the groove may be either square or of any
other suitable shape. To prevent the cord from riding over the edges of the
grooved pulley we arrange a guide or eyelet at the centre of the grooved
pulley and beneath its axis, and the cord passes through the said eyelet or
guide to the, pulley. The guide may be suspended freely from the roller axis,
or it might be suspended from or fixed to the window frame or any other suitable
part. When the roller pulley is provided with this guide the cord may be acted
upon from different standpoints without escaping from the pulley.
And in order that the Invention may be the more readily understood, we have
caused to be appended hereto a Sheet of Drawings to which reference will now be
made, corresponding marks indicating similar parts. Fig. 1 represents a front
view of our improved blind roller; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of Fig. 1 with
the blind and tongue or rod removed therefrom; Figs. 3 and 4 are cross sections
of Figs. 1 and 2, and indicate more clearly the groove or recess; Fig. 5 is an end
view of the grooved pulley and guide. The roller a, turned or formed from wood
into a cylindrical, hexagonal, or other desired form, is formed with a groove or
recess 6 to receive the metal rod e on which the blind is suspended. The said
groove or recess b is formed in the solid roller, and may be of a round, triangular,
or other suitable shape in cross section, and is made to extend the entire length of
the roller. The blind c is turned over at its upper part and sewn or otherwise
connected with the blind at the part d, so as to form a loop to receive the said
tongue or rod e on which the blind is suspended. The tongue or rod e being
passed lengthwise into the groove or recess 6 at the part f. The opening of the
groove or recess b being closed by tightening up the end plate g against the end
of the roller on the boss i. On the opposite end of the roller a the pulley h over
which the cord ; is led is cemented or glued on the boss i'. The roller and blind
can now be mounted in the ordinary manner. When it is required to disconnect
the blind from the roller the end plate g is removed from the boss i, and the
tongue or rod e is free to be removed. The said wooden rollers may be of any
required length. The cord j is guided over the groove in the pulley through the
eyelet 7, which eyelet is suspended from the roller axis, but may be connected to
any other suitable part, as, for example, to the window-frame. The Invention is
equally applicable to the mounting of maps, plans, charts, and other analogous
purposes. In our Provisional Specification mention was made that the rollers

page_text: could also be made in halves, but we have since found this part not to be novel
and lay no claim thereto. We are aware that prior to our Invention blind rollers
have been formed of hollow metal tubes with a horizontal slot or opening for the
blind to pass through, but such rollers are expensive to make, and are moreover
objectionable. We would have it to be understood in conclusion that what we claim
as secured to us by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. Providing wooden blind rollers with a longitudinal groove or recess after
the same has been formed or turned from the solid material, substantially as
hereinbefore described and as illustrated in the Drawing.
Secondly. Providing the grooved pulley with a guide or eyelet, for the purpose
herein before described and as illustrated in the Drawing.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Edwin Ditchfield and Knott Hothersall,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Second day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.