Year: 1889

page_text: I, JAMES GODFREY WILSON of Fort Washington, in the City, County and State
of New-York, in the United States of America, 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:-
My invention has reference to improvements in means for operating venetian
blinds, and has for its object to provide durable and effective means for supporting
and operating the slats, and furthermore to ensure the uniform folding of the
hangers which support said slats, and also to cause the latter, in their various
positions, to lie perfectly regular and even with respect to each other.
With these ends in view, my invention consists in a flexible sheet metal hanger
adapted to support the slats and to automatically fold in one direction only, when
the blinds are raised, and furthermore, in the details of construction and combination
of elements such as will be hereinafter fully set forth and then specifically designated
by the claims. In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention
appertains may understand fully how to make and use my improvement, I will proceed
to describe the same in detail, referring by letter to the accompanying drawings
forming part of this specification, and in which:
Figure 1 is a sectional end elevation of a portion of a blind embodying my
invention, the slats being open.
-
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a sectional end elevation, showing the slats closed.
Figure 4 is an end elevation showing the blind raised.
Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional elevation of a detail part.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a portion of a hanger detached.
Figure 7 is a similar view of a modification.
Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional elevation of a detail part of said modification.
Figure 9 is an end elevation showing the slats of such width as to extend over the
links, the slats being open.
Figure 10 is a similar view showing the slats closed.

page_text: Similar letters indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.
I will not enter into any description of the method of securing the blind or the
arrangement of the cords and pulleys for operating to elevate or adjust the slats,
as my present invention has no reference thereto, but resides wholly in the
construction of the hangers which support the said slats.
Prior to my invention, in the construction of Venetian blinds, the slats were
supported upon tapes attached at each end to vertical parallel strips of flexible
fabric but such fabric was necessarily of such a flimsy nature, that when the
slats were elevated, the said strips would fold irregularly, some of the folds extending
outward and others inward, thus presenting a very bad effect; again, the inward folds
of said strips extend between the slats, and do not permit the latter to lie closely
together when the blind is elevated.
The advantages of my improvement will be readily understood from the following
description.
Each hanger is composed of sheet metal sections A hinged. together at a.
There
are two parallel strips of these hinged setions, and extending between said strips are
cross pieces B, which are connected with the pintles of every alternate hinged
connection by suitable links, C, which are hinged to the said pintles and to the
cross pieces.
The sections which intervene between said cross pieces B are prevented from
folding inwardly by stop lips D, which project from one of said sections in such a
manner as to abut against the other when the hanger is in its normal position, as
shown in figures 1 and 2, the object of which will be presently explained. Instead
of using links as C for joining the cross pieces B to the hinges a of the sections A,
the cross pieces can be hinged directly to the pintles of said hinges a, as represented
at figures 7 and 8. In this case the sections, directly beneath the pivotted extremities
of the cross pieces, are cut away, as seen at E (figures 7 and 8) to enable the said
cross pieces to be swung approximately in a vertical plane to their closed position.
Two hangers, such as described, are arranged to support the slats F of the blind,
which slats rest on the cross pieces B in the usual manner, and the latter are
provided with elongated openings b, which register with corresponding openings c
in the slats for the accommodation of the cords G for raising and lowering the
blind.
By giving to the hanger the stiffness necessarily embodied in the metallic structure
hereinbefore described, a positive and uniform operation of the slats and hanger is
effected. In closing the slats, supported by the hangers shown in figures 1 to 7, I
am enabled to shut them against each other in almost a vertical plane, as the links C
accommodate themselves to this position.
The hanger shown in figures 7 and 8 will permit the slats to fold in approximately
a vertical plane, since the cutting away of the sections at E, below the cross pieces,
permits the latter to extend partially through said sections.
If desired the slats can be made about equal in width to the combined lengths
of the cross pieces and links, as shown in figures 9 and 10, so that there can be no
lateral play of the slats.
The lips D prevent the sections between the cross pieces from assuming a vertical
normal position, see fig. 1, so that it will be readily understood that when the said
cross pieces as raised, (see figure 4) said sections will invariably fold outwardly and
not obstruct the slats.
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 hanger for Venetian blinds consisting of a series of hinged metallic sections
in combination with cross pieces hinged to opposite alternate hinges of said series,
substantially as described.
2. A flexible metallic hanger for Venetian blinds, the sections of which are
restricted to fold in one direction, substantially as described.

page_text: 3. In a hanger for Venetian blinds, the combination with a series of parallel
hinged metallic sections, of cross pieces connected to said sections by intermediate
pivotted links, substantially as described.
4. In a hanger for Venetian blinds, the combination of the parallel hinged
metallic sections, the short links having their upper extremities pivotted to opposite
alternate hinges of said sections, and the cross pieces pivottally attached to the lower
ends of said links, substantially as described.
5. The combination of the hinged metallic sections with the cross pieces suspended
therefrom by flexible connections, substantially as described.
6. The herein described hanger for Venetian blinds, comprising two strips each
made up of a series of hinged metallic sections, a series of cross pieces having a
hinged connection with the alternate opposite hinges of said strips and stop lips
to limit the movement of the sections between said cross pieces, whereby the
outward folding of said sections is insured, substantially as described.
7. The combination with the parallel hinged sections, of the slat supports,
consisting of a series of hinged or linked sections, the opposite extremities of said
series being pivotted to opposite alternate hinges of said parallel sections, substan-
tially as described.
Dated this 26th day of February 1889.
t
JAMES GODFREY WILSON.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings,
Agents.