Year: 1888

page_text: I ANNA HUFFER, of Jeffersonville, in the county of Wayne, and State of Illinois,
United States of America, School Teacher and Dress Maker, 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 improvements in window blinds and it has for its objects
to provide means whereby a shade or blind may be adjusted to cover all or any
desired part of the window and thus allow the light to enter either at the top or
bottom to any desired extent.
With this object in view the invention consists in a certain novel construction and
arrangement of devices which will be hereinafter more fully described in connection
with the accompanying drawings wherein
Fig. 1 is a front view of a window provided with my improved blind or shade.
Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the same..
Fig. 3 is a detail view of the roller and the guard which is attached thereto.
Figs. 4 and 5 are views of modified forms of the guard composed of wire.
Fig. 6 is a view of another modified form of the guard adapted for use with spring
rollers.
Referring by letter to the drawings
A designates the frame of the window to which, on opposite sides at the top are
attached the buttons or knobs B B.
C, C, represent ratchet cord-tighteners which are attached to the sides of the frame
respectively, below the said buttons or knobs and they may be of any desired form.
DD represent endless cords, which are arranged vertically and pass around one
of the buttons or knobs and one of the cord tighteners.
These endless cords are provided with the loose cords E E having tassels on their
ends by which the said endless cords are operated.
G represents a roller which is mounted at its ends in the depending ears I I of the
guard H, which latter may be made of either metal or wire which is flattened at its
The said depending ears I I are provided with bearings i. i. in which are
mounted the trunnions K which are secured to the ends of the roller.
ears.
The ends of the guard are secured to the endless cords D D so that when the

page_text: :
latter are moved the roller is raised or lowered. I preferably attach the guard to
the cords by forming perforations in the ends of the latter, and after passing the
cords therethrough knot them on the upper and lower sides of the guard as seen in
the drawings.
The blind or shade, L, is not attached to the roller, but merely passes thereover
and its ends are provided with depending cords M M. It will be seen that the ears
of the guard prevent the blind or shade from slipping laterally from the roller or
becoming twisted, and the body of the guard holds the shade from being lifted from
the roller and thus displaced.
The operation of the blind or shade is as follows:-When it is desired to cover
the upper half of the window the roller is drawn to the top of the frame and the
shade is arranged so as to hang equally upon both sides of the roller.
To cover the lower half of the window the roller is lowered to the center of the
frame by means of the endless cords.
When the entire window is to be covered, the roller is raised and the end, of
the shade adjacent to the window is drawn down as far as desired.
If it is preferred to have the entire window open, the curtain shade or blind may
be rolled up by hand and tied with the cords M which are attached to its ends.
In Figs. 4 and 5 are illustrated guards which are formed of wire. In Fig. 4, the
ends of the guard are bent down and then towards each other to form spindles which
are adapted to be inserted in sockets in the ends of the roller, the said depending
arms being sprung apart to insert the spindles. Small integral coils or eyes are
formed on the top of the guard in which are adapted to be engaged the ends of the
cords D. In Fig. 5, the said coils or eyes are omitted.
Fig. 6 shows a form of the guard formed of wire which is adapted to be applied
to spring rollers. One of the ends is provided with a horizontal spindle similar to
those before described and the other end is provided with small vertical slot which
is adapted to engage the stud on the roller which is attached to the spring. This
guard also provided with integral loops or eyes in which to engage the ends of
the cords.
This device, as will be seen from the foregoing is simple, easily operated and may
be very cheaply manufactured.
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. The combination with the window-frame, of the buttons B B, the cord tighteners
below said buttons, the endless cords passing around the buttons and the cord-
tighteners, the guard H secured to said endless cords and having depending perforated
cars, the rollers journaled in said ears, and the curtain passing loosely over said
roller and depending from the same in front and rear thereof but not connected
thereto as set forth.
2. The combination with the window frame, of the buttons B B the cord
tighteners CC, below the buttons, the endless cords passing around the buttons and
the cord-tighteners, the guard H having the endless cords passed through its ends and
secured thereto, the said guard being further provided with the depending perforated
ears, I, the roller G, journaled in the said ears the curtain passing over said roller but
not connected thereto and the cords M, attached to ends of the curtain, as specified.
Dated this 12th day of July 1888.
BERNHARD DUKES,
226, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.