Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Dec., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 14th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 19th Oct., 1888
I GORDON DONALDSON PETERS, of Moorgate Works, Moorfields in the County of
Middlesex, Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows --
My invention relates to spring-rollers for window-blinds of the kind or class
wherein a friction device is employed for counteracting a balance weight attached to
the blind.
My said invention is designed to increase the efficiency of such spring-rollers and to
provide for the adjustment of the said friction device to regulate the amount of force
required to pull down the blind.
My improved spring-roller comprises a tube having arranged therein a rod or
spindle around which the spring is wound or coiled and which is held stationary in
suitable brackets so that the tube may rotate upon it. A short spindle is fixed in one
end of the aforesaid rod or spindle and has fitted to rotate thereon a collar formed
with holes or cavities in which are placed pins or pawls. These pins or pawls extend
either partly or entirely through the said collar in the latter case they are made
with elongated slots through which the said short spindle is passed.
A ring or socket provided internally with ratchet-teeth is also fitted upon the said
short spindle, so that it is free to rotate thereon. The collar carrying the pawls is so
arranged that it extends within the said ring or socket and the said pawls will fall by
gravitation into engagement with the said teeth. The said ring or socket fits and is
secured in one end of the aforesaid tube.
A washer of leather or other suitable material is placed upon the said short spindle,
between a collar or shoulder on the said short spindle and the collar carrying the
pawls, and the said collar is pressed against the said wasber by a spring surrounding
the said spindle and secured thereon by means of locking nuts screwed upon the said
spindle. When the blind is pulled down, the pawls engaging with the ratchet-teeth
in the said ring or socket cause the collar in which the said pawls are carried to
rotate with the said ring or socket. It is obvious therefore that a considerable amount

page_text: of friction must be overcome in pulling down the blind. By turning the said locking
nuts in one or the other direction, the friction spring may be compressed or permitted
to expand and the amount of friction to be overcome in pulling down the blind thus
increased or diminished.
The balance weight attached to the blind is sufficiently heavy to resist the tendency
of the roller-spring to draw up the blind, but not sufficient to overcome the friction
between the said collar and washer. To raise the blind it is only necessary to lift the
balance weight, the roller spring will then draw up the blind, the pawls sliding over
the teeth of the ratchet-ring or socket.
It is obvious that I can, if desired, use other means than those above described for
adjusting the tension of the friction-spring for the purpose of regulating the amount
of force required to pull down the blind. Moreover instead of the pawls carried by
the collar as above described, I may use pawls carried by the aforesaid ring or
socket and adapted to engage with ratchet-teeth on the said collar.
Dated this 14th day of December 1887.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements relating to Spring-rollers for Window-blinds.
I, GORDON DONALDSON PETERS, of Moorgate Works, Moorfields, in the County of
Middlesex, Manufacturer, 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 :-
My invention relates to spring-rollers for window-blinds of the kind or class
wherein a friction-device is employed for counteracting a balance-weight attached to
the blind, so that the blind will remain in any position to which it is adjusted.
My said invention is designed to increase the efficiency of such spring-rollers and
to provide for the adjustment of the said friction-device to regulate the amount of
force required to pull down the blind.
My improved spring-roller is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section, and
Figure 2 a transverse section on the line a, a, Figure 1, and
Figure 3 is a side elevation showing a rod or spindle hereinafter referred to.
a is a tube or hollow roller having arranged therein a rod or spindle b, around which
the spring c is wound or coiled, and which is held stationary in suitable brackets & so
that the tube or roller may rotate upon it.
A short rod or spindle e is fixed in one end of the rod or spindle so that it forms
a continuation of the same, and has fitted to rotate upon it a collar f formed with
holes or cavities in which are placed pins or pawls g. These pawls may extend
either partly or entirely through the said collar; in the apparatus shown in the
drawing, they extend through the collar and are made with elongated slots through
which the rod or spindle e is passed. A collar is preferably screwed upon the
end of the spindle and fits loosely within the tube or roller a.
A ring or socket / provided internally with ratchet-teeth is firmly fixed in one end
of the tube or roller a and is fitted upon the spindle e, so that it is free to rotate
thereon. The collar carrying the pawis g is so arranged that it extends within the
said ring or socket, and, as the said collar rotates, the pawls g will fall by gravitation
into engagement with the said teeth.
A washer of leather or other suitable material is placed upon the spindle e between
a collar or shoulder e¹ thereon and the collar f carrying the pawls; the said collar fis
pressed against this washer i by a spring surrounding the spindle e and secured
thereon by means of locking-nuts 1, screwed upon the said spindle.
When the blind is pulled down, the ring or socket h rotates with the tube or
roller a in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 2 and, one or other of the
pawls g engaging with a tooth in the said ring or socket, the collar frotates therewith.
It is obvious, therefore, that, in pulling down the blind, a considerable amount of
friction must be overcome between the collar and washer i. By turning or adjusting
the locking-nuts 1, in one or the other direction, the friction-spring k may be
compressed or permitted to expand, and the amount of friction to be overcome in
pulling down the blind thus increased or diminished as desired.

page_text: The balance-weight, attached to the blind is made sufficiently heavy to resist the
tendency of the roller-spring e to draw up the blind, but not heavy enough to over-
come the friction between the said collar and washer. To raise the blind, it is only
necessary to lift the balance-weight, the roller-spring will then draw up the blind, the
teeth of the ratchet-ring or socket h sliding over the pawls g.
It is obvious that I can, if desired, use other means than those above described for
adjusting the tension of the friction-spring for the purpose of regulating the amount
of force required to pull down the blind. Moreover, instead of the pawls carried by
the collar as above described, I may use pawls carried by the aforesaid ring or socket
and adapted to engage with ratchet-teeth on the said collar.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it understood that
I claim -
First A spring-roller having a fixed rod or spindle upon which are fitted to rotate
a ring or socket fixed in the tube or roller and a collar held in frictional contact. with
a washer on the said rod or spindle, and which is provided with suitable means for
connecting the said ring or socket with the said collar when turned in one direction,.
whilst permitting its rotation independently of the said collar in the reverse direction,
for the purposes above specified.
Second A friction-device for a spring-roller, comprising a collar fitted to rotate
upon a rod or spindle, an adjustable spring for keeping the said collar in frictional
contact with a washer of leather or other suitable material on the said rod or spindle, a
ring or socket and means for connecting the said collar and ring or socket, substantially
as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Third The improved spring-roller consisting of the parts constructed and combined
substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawing and operating
as, and for the purpose, above specified.
רכת החוה ברק
G. D. PETERS.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings,. London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
ከሰ
September
1000.