IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING ROLLERS FOR WINDOW BLINDS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gordon Donaldson Peters, of Bunhill Row, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING ROLLERS FOR
WINDOW BLINDS."
Sealed the 1st November 1878, and dated the 20th May 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gordon Donaldson Peters
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th May 1878.
_GORDON DONALDSON PETERS, of Bunhill【Row, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING ROLLERS FOR WINDOW BLINDS."
This Invention relates to a window-blind roller of that class in which a spring is
provided to roll up the blind, or to hold it in any desired position, and is designed
chiefly to provide an improved stopping or holding device on the roller, whereby
the blind may be held in any desired position against the tendency of the spring to
roll it up, but which device may be released instantaneously, when desired, by
merely pulling down the blind a short distance and releasing it, upon which the
latter will be immediately rolled up by the action of the spring. This device is so
constructed and arranged that, provided the spring actuating the roller is of
sufficient strength to draw up the blind when released, the latter will remain in
any position in which it is placed without its being necessary to adjust the tension
or force of the spring to the weight of the blind, or vice versa. There will be no
tension upon the spring, excepting when it is actually operating to draw up the
blind, which is a great advantage, as it will remain for a longer time in effective
working order than is the case with balanced blinds, in which the spring is in a
constant state of tension against the weight of the blind.
A further advantage arising from the use of this device is, that by simply altering
the position of the roller in its brackets or supports, the same roller may, if
desired, be used as a balanced roller, that is to say, one in which the blind and the
spring will balance each other in any position.
In carrying tho said Invention into practice I take a hollow roller and fit a
helical spring therein, as usual. A spindle passes through this spring, the latter

page_text: being attached at one end to the said spindle, and at the other end to the interior
of the roller. The spindle extends through the head or end of the roller to fit into
one of the brackets, and has a lateral projection which catches against a part
provided for it on the inner side of the head or end of the roller when the latter is
taken out of its brackets, this arrangement being provided to prevent the spring
from becoming unwound when the spindle is released from the bracket. The
spindle is so placed that it can slide longitudinally a short distance within the
roller, so that, when it is desired to adjust the latter for use, the projecting end of
the spindle is fitted into its bracket, and pressure being applied the spindle slides
inward, and the pin or pivot at the other end of the roller may be fitted into the
other bracket. By this operation the lateral projection catching in the head or end
of the roller is pushed so far inward that it gets clear of the said head, and the
spring is thus released and ready to operate.
The aforesaid spring within the roller always tends to keep the end of the
spindle pressed outside the head or end of the roller as far as it is designed to
project. The projecting end of the spindle has a longitudinal depression or groove
on one side to receive a small metal ball. The head or end of the roller is fitted a
short distance within the latter, so that the roller projects beyond the head, thus
leaving a circular space. Within this space I fit a metal plate having pieces or
guides so formed that, upon the roller revolving slowly in the direction for winding
up the blind, the aforesaid ball will be wedged in the longitudinal groove within
the spindle end, but when the spindle revolves rapidly the ball will be kept in a
recess within the guides and above the spindle. The angles formed by these guides
or pieces is such that when the roller revolves in the opposite direction, that is to
say, when the blind is being pulled down the ball will not become wedged. The
effect of this arrangement is that if the blind is pulled down and then gently released
the ball in the groove becomes wedged against an angle of one of the guide pieces
by the effort of the spring to wind up the roller, and so the blind remains in the
desired position.
When it is desired to roll up the blind all that is necessary to be done is to pull :
down the latter a short distance and release it suddenly, whereupon the spring acts
quickly, causes the roller to revolve rapidly, and this rapid rotation prevents the
ball from falling into the groove, and therefore it cannot be wedged until the
rotation ceases.
The said Invention further comprises a device for preventing the unwinding of
the spring when the roller is taken from the brackets in a spring roller not provided
with the longitudinally sliding spindle above described, and I construct this device
as follows, that is to say:-On the end of the spindle which projects from the roller I
rigidly fix a collar of brass or other suitable metal, and in a projecting part of this
collar I provide an aperture, into which I fit loosely one end of a piece of metal
made in the form of a hook at the other end, the hook-shaped part falling around
the spindle between the roller and the brass collar. Part of the metal of this piece
which is attached to the collar is cut away, so as to form a projection or shoulder,
which is designed to catch against either one of three pins projecting from the end
of the roller, according to the position of the catch or shoulder when the roller is
taken down. This device remains inoperative during the time the blind is in
use, but as soon as the roller is removed from the brackets the spring in its
efforts to uncoil causes the spindle to commence to rotate rapidly, which rotation
has the effect of throwing out the hooked-shaped piece attached to the collar,
and the aforesaid shoulder catches against one of the three pins, and the spring is
held from uncoiling.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Gordon Donaldson Peters in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th
November 1878.
GORDON DONALDSON PETERS, of Bunhill Row, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING ROLLERS FOR WINDOW BLINDS."
This Invention rolates to a window blind roller of that class in which a spring is
provided to roll up the blind. The said Invention is designed chiefly to provide an
improved stopping or holding device on the roller, whereby the blind may be hold
in any desired position against the tendency of the spring to roll it up, but which
device may be so arranged and operated that by merely pulling down the blind a
short distance and releasing it, the said blind will be immediately rolled up by the
action of the spring. This device is so constructed and arranged that, provided the
spring for actuating the roller is of sufficient strength to draw up the blind when
the same is released, the latter will remain in any position in which it is placed,
without any adjustment of the tension or force of the spring to the weight of the
blind, or vice versa. There will be no tension upon the spring, excepting when it is
actually operating to draw up the blind, and the blind-actuating apparatus will
therefore remain for a longer time in effective working order than is the case with
balanced blinds, wherein the spring is kept in a constant state of tension by the
weight of the blind.
A further advantage arising from the use of this device is that by simply altering
the position of the said roller in its brackets or supports the same roller may, if
desired, be used as a balanced roller, that is to say, one in which the blind and the
spring will balance each other in any position.
In the accompanying Drawing I have illustrated the manner in which the said
Invention is carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a side view partly in longitudinal section of a roller constructed
according to my Invention, and shewing the said roller in its brackets.
Figure 2 is a transverse section on the line x, x, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a similar section with the parts in a different position.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of one end of the said roller, shewing the same
removed from its brackets.
Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, shew portions of the mechanism or apparatus of the said roller
detached.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the Drawing.
I take a hollow roller a, preferably formed of wood, and fit a spiral or helical
spring b therein. A spindle c passes through this spring b, the latter being attached
at one end to the said spindle, and at the other end to a spring socket piece d inside
the roller a. The end c¹ which is formed or fixed on the spindle c passes through the
head or end a' of the roller a, to fit into one of the brackets f, and is provided with
a special and peculiar stopping device, as herein-after described. The said spindle c
has a lateral projection or fin c, which is so arranged that when the roller a is
taken out of its brackets this tin will engage with the shoulder g₁ of a stop
collar g provided on the inner side of the head or end a¹ of the said roller; this
arrangement prevents the unwinding or uncoiling of the spring b when the
spindle c is released from the said brackets. The spindle c is so arranged, and has
its end so fitted in the socket d, with its end bearing against the spring d' therein,
that it is capable of sliding longitudinally a short distance within the roller a; and
when it is desired to adjust the latter for use the projecting end c' of the spindle c
is fitted into the bracket f, and pressure being applied to the spindle c it slides
inward, and the pin or pivot h at the other end of the roller a may then be fitted
into the other bracket f. By this operation the projection or fin c is pushed so
far inward that it will be clear of the shoulder of the aforesaid stop collar g, the
spindle c being then free to turn and operate, as herein-after described.

page_text: The said spring d¹ within the socket d always tends to keep the ends of the
spindle c pressed outward to its full extent from the head or end of the roller, so
that the same will be securely held in its brackets, when properly placed in the
same. The said projecting end c¹ of the spindle c has a longitudinal channel or
groove c² on one side, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 8, to receive a small metal
ball . Within the end or head of the roller I fit a metal piece j, which has flanges
or guides so formed that when this piece j is properly arranged upon the end c¹ of
the spindle, if the blind is drawn down any distance and released gently, the
aforesaid ball i will be wedged in the longitudinal groove in the said spindle end,
between the same and the flange j', as shown in Figure 3, and will thus keep or
hold the blind in the position which it then occupies. But if the said spindle is
turned or rolled up rapidly the ball i will be raised and kept in the recess
between the said flanges or guides, and away from the spindle, as shewn in
Figure 2, and will then not act to stop the rolling up of the blind by the tension of
the spring b. The angle formed by these flanges or guides is such that when the
roller a revolves in the opposite direction, that is to say, when the blind is being
pulled down, the ball will not become wedged, and will therefore offer no obstruction
to the downward movement of the blind. If the blind is pulled down slightly and
then gently released, the ball i lying between the surface of the groove c³ and an
angle or corner of one of the flanges or guides ¹, becomes wedged in this position
by the effort of the spring to wind up the roller, and so the blind descends to and
remains in the desired position, as above described.
OLD
When it is desired to raise or roll up the blind all that is necessary is to jerk or
pull down the latter slightly and release it suddenly, whereupon the spring bacts
quickly, causes the ball to move into the recess, as above described, and the roller
to revolve rapidly, and its rapid rotation prevents the dropping of the ball i from
the said -recess into the groove c³, and therefore the said ball cannot be wedged
until the rapid rotation of the roller ceases. Instead of the ball or sphere I may
use a cylindrical roller, which should be of such a length as to prevent its turning
over in the groove c².
The said Invention further comprises a device for preventing the unwinding of
the spring when the roller is taken from the brackets in a spring roller not provided
with the longitudinally sliding spring above described, and I construct this devico
as follows, that is to say :- -On the end of the spindle which projects from the roller I
rigidly fix a collar of brass or other suitable metal, and in a projecting part of this
collar I provide an aperture, into which I fit loosely one end of a piece of metal
made in the form of a look at the other end, the hook-shaped part falling around
the spindle between the roller and the brass collar. Part of the metal of this piece
which is attached to the collar is so cut away as to form a projection or shoulder,
which is designed to catch against either one of three pins projecting from the end
of the roller, according to the position of the catch or shoulder when the roller is
taken down. This device remains inoperative during the time the blind is in
use, but as soon as the latter is removed from the brackets the spring in its efforts
to uncoil causes the spinille to commence to rotate rapidly, which rotation has
the effect of throwing out the hook-shaped piece attached to the collar, and the
aforesaid shoulder catches against one of the three pius, and the spring is beld and
kept from uncoiling.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. In a spring blind roller the device comprising the small ball or roller
arranged in combination with the grooved end of the spindle and the flanged piece
within the end or head of the blind roller, and operating as and for the purpose
specified.
Second. In a spring blind roller the small spring fitted, in the socket which
receives the inner end of the spindle, and which spring is arranged to act on the said
spindle in combination with a projection on the said spindle and the stop collar or
equivalent devices, as and for the purposes specified.

page_text: Third. A spring blind roller provided with the aforesaid ball or roller device in
the end of the same and the interior spring and stop collar, arranged and operating
in combination with the other parts of the said apparatus, as and for the purposes
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gordon Donaldson Peters, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.