improvements in Kollers of Window Blinds, and in Contrivances for Retaining the Cords for Raising such Blinds.
Year: 1885

page_text: improvements in Kollers of Window Blinds, and in Contrivances
for Retaining the Cords for Raising such Blinds.
I, JOSEPH WYATT HANCOCK, of Francis Street, Stoneygate Road, Knighton, in
the County of Leicester, Gasfitter, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
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This invention relates, first, to improvements in furniture which is fixed at one
end of the rollers of window blinds, and in connection with which is arranged a
cord for the purpose of raising the said blinds, and, secondly, to an improved con-
trivance for retaining the outer end of the cord so that the blind may be secured
at any desired height.
The roller, to which the furniture herein before referred to is applied, is made of
wood and at one end thereof is a short spindle on which are mounted two dished
discs, in the following manner. One of the said discs is placed on the spindle with
its concave face outwards, and the other is arranged with its concave face inwards,
a short length of tube being placed on the spindle in order to keep the discs at the
desired distance from each other; four screws, pins or nails are then passed through
holes round the centres of the discs into the end of the roller, whereby the whole is
firmly fixed in position. The cord is attached at one end to one of the said screws,
pins or nails or to any other suitable part of the said furniture, and when the blind
is raised the cord is out to its full extent and is held at its opposite end, as will be
well understood, but when the blind is lowered, which may be effected automatically
by the weight thereof blind, the cord, having been released, is wound round the
said four screws, pins or nails and between the two discs, by the revolution of
the roller.
The contrivance, for retaining the cord, hereinbefore referred to as constituting
the second part of this invention, is constructed of a plate of metal having a slot in
the upper part thereof and an aperture below, the same being separated by a bar.
The lower part of the slot is of considerable size whilst it decreases to a point at the
top. The plate is secured at its top and bottom ends to the frame of the window
and the centre of the said plate is bent outwards. In the upper face of the said
bend is the said slot, which is sufficiently large at its lower or outer end to allow of
the free movement of the cord within it, whilst it decreases in size to a point at its
upper or inner end, that is to say, that end which is nearer to the frame of the

page_text: window. In raising the blind the cord is released by being pulled forward into the
larger part of the said slot, and, when it is desired to secure the blind in position, the
cord is placed, or drawn, into the narrow end of the slot and any upward movement
of the same is thereby prevented. When two cords are required, as in venetian
blinds, it will be readily understood that two slots of the nature hereinbefore
described are formed in the plate. The cord which passes through the slot in the
upper part of the bend of the plate also passes freely through an aperture in the
lower part of the said bend, a bar, at the angle or outer part of the bend, separating
the slot from the aperture. In some cases, the said slot and aperture are formed
by cutting one piece out of the plate and are then separated, the one from the
other, by a bar fixed across the plate at the extremity of the bend.
Dated this thirteenth day of October One thousand eight hundred and

page_text: Improvements in Rollers of Window Blinds, and in Contrivances
for Retaining the Cords for Raising such Blinds.
I, JOSEPH WYATT HANCOCK, of Francis Street, Stoneygate Road, Knighton in
the County of Leicester, Gasfitter, 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, first, to improvements in furniture which is fixed at one
end of the rollers of window blinds, and in connection with which is arranged a
cord for the purpose of raising the said blinds, and, secondly, to an improved
contrivance for retaining the outer end of the cord so that the blind may be secured
at any desired height.
The roller, to which the furniture hereinbefore referred to is applied, is made of
wood and at one end thereof is a short spindle on which are mounted two dished
discs, in the following manner. One of the said discs is placed on the spindle with
its concave face outwards, and the other is arranged with its concave face inwards,
a short length of tube being placed on the spindle in order to keep the discs at the
desired distance from each other, four screws, pins or nails are then passed through
holes round the centres of the discs into the end of the roller whereby the whole
is firmly fixed in position. The cord is attached at one end to one of the said
screws, pins or nails or to any other suitable part of the said furniture, and, when
the blind is raised, the cord is out to its full extent and is held at its opposite end
as will be well understood, but when the blind is lowered, which may be effected
automatically by the weight thereof, the cord, having been released, is wound
round the said four screws, pins or nails and between the two discs, by the
revolution of the roller.
The contrivance, for retaining cords herein before referred to as constituting the
second part of this invention, consists of a plate of metal the centre of which is
bent or arched, the ends thereof being flat so as to be convenient for attachment
to the window frame or other desired surface by means of screws, so that the bent
or arched portion of the plate projects outwards from the surface to which the
latter is attached. Near one end of the plate is a button hole shaped aperture or
slot, that is to say, an aperture having one end of sufficient size to allow of the
free movement of the cord within it whilst it decreases to a point at the opposite
end, and near the other end of the plate is an aperture of sufficient size to allow
the cord to pass freely through it. The said button hole shaped aperture is
arranged so that the pointed end thereof is situated above the other end. In some
cases, I form the said apertures by cutting one piece out of the body of the plate
and dividing the hole thus formed by a cross bar. The original hole must be of
such a shape that when divided, as lastly stated, one portion thereof will constitute
a button hole shaped aperture whilst the remaining portion will form an aperture
for the free passage of the cord.
In raising the blind the cord is released from the pointed end of the button hole
shaped aperture by being pulled into the larger part of the latter, and, when it is

page_text: desired to secure the blind in position the cord is placed, or drawn, into the said
narrow end and any upward movement of the same is thereby prevented. When
two cords are required as in venetian blinds, two apertures or slots of the nature
hereinbefore described are formed in the plate. The cord which passes through the
button hole shaped aperture near one end of the bend of the plate also passes freely
through the aperture near the opposite end of the said bend, a bar, at or near the
centre of the bent portion, separating the button hole shaped aperture from the
aperture last mentioned.
I will now proceed to refer to the accompanying drawings from which the nature
of my said invention will be more clearly understood. The same letters indicate
like parts in all the figures. Figure 1. is a front view of a blind showing the
improvements in the roller furniture and the improved contrivance, which con-
stitute respectively the first and second parts of this invention; the blind a. is
shown down, b. is the contrivance for retaining the cord for raising the blind, and
d. is the roller. Figure 2. is an end view of one of the dished dises c. Figure 3.
is a detached view of one end of the roller showing the furniture, at the end of
the same, for raising the blind, c. c. are the dished discs, e. e. e. are nails or rivets
securing the same to the roller, f. is the spindle on which the discs are placed,
and g. is the tube on the said spindle, between the latter. This figure shows the
blind raised, and the cord consequently unwound.. Figure 4. is a front view of the
improved contrivance b. for retaining a single cord, and Figure 5. is a similar view
of a like contrivance constructed for use in connection with two cords. Figure 6.
is a side view of the said contrivance b.
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
First. The improved furniture fixed at one end of rollers of window blinds
consisting mainly of two dished discs, the whole being arranged as hereinbefore
described.
And Secondly. The contrivance for retaining cords the same being constructed
substantially as herein before described.
Dated this thirteenth day of July One thousand sight hundred and sighty air