Improvements in Spring-roller Blinds.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Spring-roller Blinds.
I, SAMUEL SMITH, of 16, Higher Chatham Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock, Man-
chester, Window Blind Maker, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
to be as follows:-
-
My invention relates to blinds which are wound upon a roller under the action
or recoil of a spring, in which as at present made and used the operating cord is
attached to the central part of the bottom edge of the blind, and with which there
is the liability to pull the blind too far down and cause it to become locked and
require someone to release the roller by hand.
According to my invention I remove the operating cord from the centre to the
side of the blind and fit a pulley on the end of the roller around which the cord
winds as the blind ascends, and off which it unwinds as the blind is lowered,
the winding and unwinding being from the back of the roller instead of the
front, as in ordinary blinds.
Such cord is of a length that in lieu of being fully unwound as soon as the
blind is fully lowered or completely unwound off its roller, it (the cord) has still
several coils on the pulley, hence with the blind fully lowered and in the position
in which with ordinary blinds it would be locked and require someone to get
up to the roller to release it, a pull of the cord will immediately start and release
the roller automatically.
To guide the cord and keep it from the casing, also from slipping off the
pulley and in a position handy for use, I provide a small
eye or bracket
through which the cord may pass, and for protecting the cord from friction or
abrasion and preventing it over-running itself, I provide the bracket or eye
with a small roller against and over which the cord may travel in lowering and
raising the blind.
An advantage of placing the cord at the side is that it is more accessible,
there is no liability to disturb or upset centre ornaments, and it renders the use
of roller blinds practicable for shop windows.
Dated this 15th day of August 1809.

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:
My invention relates to blinds which are wound upon a roller under the action
or recoil of a spring in which, as at present made and used, the operating cord
is attached to the central part of the bottom edge of the blind, and with which
there is the liability to pull the blind too far down, cause it to become locked,
and require someone to release the roller by hand.
According to my invention I remove the operating cord from the centre to the
side of the blind, and fit a pulley on the end of the roller around which the
cord winds as the blind ascends, and off which it unwinds as the blind is lowered,
the winding and unwinding being from the back of the roller, instead of the
front as in ordinary blinds.
Such cord is of a length that, in lieu of being fully unwound as soon as the blind
is fully lowered, or completely unwound off its roller, it (the cord) has still several
coils on the pulley, hence with the blind fully lowered and in the position in
which with ordinary blinds it would be locked and require someone to get up to
the roller to release it, a pull of the cord will immediately start and release the
roller automatically.
To guide the cord and keep it from the casing, also from slipping off the pulley
and in a position handy for use, I provide a small "eye" or bracket, through
which the cord may pass, and for protecting the cord from friction or abrasion
and prevent it over-running itself, I provide the bracket or eye" with a small
roller against, and over which the cord may travel in lowering and raising the
blind.
"
An advantage of placing the cord at the side is that it is more accessible, there
is no liability to disturb or upset centre ornaments, and renders the use of roller
blinds practicable for shop windows.
And in order that my said invention may be more clearly understood I have
hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front view of one end
of a spring roller blind fitted with my invention and shewing the blind raised.
Fig. 2 is a similar view with the blind fully lowered to the position in which
it is locked, or incapable of being raised by the pulling or jerking of the ordinary
cord.
Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate end and plan views of the roller bracket.
According to my invention I apply to the end of the blind roller (A) a
pulley (B) and around such pulley I coil a cord (C). This cord extends down
to a point near the lower part of the window, and, upon its being pulled, unrolls
itself off the pulley (B), rotates the roller (A), and unrolls or lowers the
blind (D). When the blind is lowered to the full extent, as shewn in Fig. 2,
there still remains one, two or three coils of the cord (C) around the pulley (B),
hence to release the check-action (which requires to be done by a slight rotation
of the roller (A), but which (as heretofore) cannot be done by a pull on the
blind itself, which hangs direct from the roller) the cord (C) is pulled to an extent
which serves to further rotate the roller (A) and thereby unlock the check-action
and allow the blind to rise.
The bracket (E) which supports the roller axis (A*) is formed in one piece with
an extension (F), which latter is formed with a bifurcated or U-shaped part (G)
for the reception of a small anti-friction roller (H). The cord (C) passes over
this roller as illustrated, and the relation of the roller to the pulley (B), is such
as to enable the roller to act as a guide for the cord, bring the cord to the front,
ensure of the cord being held on the pulley (B), prevent the cord over-running
itself on the said pulley, and apply a small drag or friction on the cord, which
allows for steady raising or lowering of the blind.
In Fig. 4 I shew the bracket (E) combined with a device for preventing the
blind overrunning itself when allowed to run up unchecked, and when so com-
bined two very serious drawbacks to spring roller blinds are overcome.

page_text: 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: In spring roller window blinds, a cord pulley (or set of flanges) on the
roller, one or more coils of a cord wrapped around such pulley when the blind is
fully lowered, a bracket for the same end of the said roller, an angular extension
on the said bracket with bifurcated portion a small roller carried by the said
bifurcated portion, and from the rear of the pulley and over which the said
cord travels in operating the blind, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
2 A bracket for spring-roller window blinds comprising a base, flange
extending at right angles from the said base with a hole in for the blind roller
axle, and an inclined extension from the said flange, the end of which is
bifurcated, a small axis across the said bifurcated portion, and a small anti-
friction roller on the axis, as and for the purposes set forth.
SAMUEL SMITH,
By John T. Wilson & Co.,
Agents.