Improvements in and relating to Blinds, Shutters, Soreens, and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 30th July, 1896-Accepted, 24th Oct., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Blinds, Shutters, Soreens, and
the like.
I, LOUIS RAPPAPORT of Breslau in the German Empire, 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:-
This invention relates to blinds, shutters, screens and the like which consist
of parallel laths or staves pivoted at their ends to suitable bars or supports.
The accompanying drawings, to which I refer hereinafter, illustrate modified
forms of shutters or screens constructed according to my invention.
Figures 1, 14, 18, and 1° represent a simple form of shutter or screen which may
be adapted for closing a window or similar opening. It consists of two uprights or
supports a and d to which are pivoted at c a series of laths or staves b. The laths
are so mounted upon the supports and the supports are so formed that the laths may
overlap one another as shewn. One of the supports, say a, is fixed in place
and the other, d, is moved up or down to open or close the shutter. Figures 1
and 1 illustrate the shutter when it is out of use and Figures 1B and 1° represent
it respectively in its half closed and in its closed positions. When the shutter is
open and out of use the staves b overlap one another, when it is in use they may
slightly overlap or come edge to edge, or they may be of such dimensions that a
small open space is left between them. In the open position the supports a and d
are in the same plane. The moveable support, can he moved, if desired, to either
side of the fixed support a. For some purposes it may be advantageous to so mount
both the supports of the blind or screen that the staves may be turned into a
position when they are out of use in which they are parallel to the position
occupied by them when in use. Such a modification is shown in Figures 5 and 54
where the supports a and d are hinged or pivoted to a fixed part, and this
modification is especially valuable for some purposes, as any water collected when
in use is thus allowed to run off.
Figures 2, 24, and 2B, represent a form of screen or the like the laths of
which are arranged at some distance apart so as to form a grid or grate. Figures 2
and 24 show it in front and edge elevation respectively in its out of use position,
and Figure 3 illustrates it in its balf closed position in dotted lines and in its closed
position in full lines.
The support a may have more than one series of laths or staves secured to it and
may be arranged either vertically or horizontally as represented in Figures 3, 34
and 4. In Figure 34 a single vertical support a is shown provided with two series
of laths 6 each series being pivotted to a separate second support d. One series is
moved upwards and the other downwards and the staves are of a length equal to
the width of the window or other opening to be closed. In Figure 4 is represented
an opening closed by two shutters or screens each of which has a fixed support a
carrying two series of laths. The fixed supports are placed horizontally at the
top and bottom of the opening respectively and the laths of each series are of
length equal to half the height of the opening. The directions in which

page_text: the different series must be moved to open or close is evident from the drawings.
The two shutters in conjunction may, if desired, be used with their fixed supports
in a vertical position.
In Figures 6, 64, and 6B is illustrated a shop front having the doorway B covered
by a single series of laths and the window A by a double series. The shutters
here shown differ from those previously shown and described in the fact that
the supports a and d are not in the same plane when the shutter is open or out, of
use, but they enter the same plane when the shutters are closed. The pillars f g
and h serve as boxes or covers for the shutters when out of use and may if desired
be provided with doors. Parts of the shutters when open enter the pits or
troughs C, D, the openings to which are covered by plates i and k. The plates are
moved horizontally, by the gearing 7 if desired, to allow the shutters to be closed,
and are then replaced. The bottoms of the shutters are then supported by
the plates and can not be opened until the latter are again removed. Shutters so
constructed are simpler and cheaper than those at present ordinarily in use and do
not diminish or obstruct the space or the opening they are to cover.
In Figures 7 to 7" a further modified form of shutter is.shewn provided with a
locking or steadying device and arranged so as to be capable of swinging outwards
or inwards. Such a form is specially applicable as a window blind. The vertical
support is provided with the movable staves,-two series are shewn,-which are
moved to their open positions in the directions of the arrows. In the frame of the
shutter or blind opposite to the support a are slots m and n which receive the
supports d when the shutter is closed. The frame may be pivoted at o and may
be swung outwards or inwards and held in place by a hook or other device p
as shewn in Figure 7^.
Figure 8 illustrates several of the series of staves and their supports hinged or
pivoted together at g so as to form a screen which may assume any desired shape.
It will of course be understood that blinds, shutters, screens and the like
constructed as described may be employed for other purposes than those set forth
and that other modifications and combinations of the different parts may be used
without departing from the spirit of my invention. The laths may be constructed
from any suitable rigid or elastic material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. A shutter, blind, screen or the like, consisting of a series of laths or staves
pivoted or movably connected to two opposite supports, constructed arranged and
operating substantially as described and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
2. A shutter, blind or the like, consisting of a series of laths or staves movably
connected to two opposite supports one of which is fixed in place, constructed
and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
3. In a shutter or blind constructed as described, slots or equivalent locking
devices formed in the frame opposite to the fixed support for the reception of the
movable support or supports, substantially as herein before set forth and as
illustrated by the accompanying drawing.
4. A shutter, blind, or the like constructed as described and mounted within a
swing frame, substantially as herein before set forth and as illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
5. A shutter, blind, or the like, consisting of a series of laths or staves movably
connected to two supports one end of each of which is hinged or movably connected
to a fixed part so that the staves in their open position occupy positions parallel to
those occupied by them in their closed positions, substantially as hereinbefore
described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 6. Shutters, blinds, screens and the like, constructed arranged and operating
substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 20th dor of Lule A D 1806
W. E. HEYS & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.