Improvements in Appliances for Raising and Lowering Window Blinds.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 31st May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 28th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 13th Apr., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Appliances for Raising and Lowering Window
Blinds.
We SIDNEY EDGAR SPENCER of 6 Bow Lane in the City of London.
Accountant and THOMAS FRANKLIN SPENCER of 6 Bow Lane in the City of
London, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Our invention applies more especially to Venetian blinds the object being to
keep the laths of the blind in a horizontal position when the blind is raised or
lowered and by means of a pulley and a single cord to lessen the weight and
reduce the friction when raising the blind.
To effect this and carry out our invention we construct a split pulley block made
with a flat top about the width of a blind lath, and about three eights of an inch
in thickness, having a groove cut across inside each jaw of the block to hold the
blind cord. This groove is parallel to the top and sides of the block and at right
angles to the axis of the pulley pin, and is made at the upper part of the block.
Below the groove we insert a set screw to bring the jaws of the block together and
so secure in the groove the loop formed by the blind cord when placed there..
In the lower part of the block a pulley is hung in the usual way, a cord is passed
over the pulley one end of which may be secured to the side of the window frame,
and the other end when not being operated with to a cleat in any convenient part
of the window frame.
In applying our invention to a Venetian blind we in the first place lower the
blind to its fullest extent, one end of the cord is pulled through until the loop is
brought up to the top lath, the block is then placed in position and the set screw
tightened, the surplus cord cut off and a fresh knot tied. A cord is then passed
over the pulley and one end secured by nailing or other means to the window
frame, the appliance is then ready for use.
Now by pulling and tightening the cord on the pulley the blind will be raised, and
by slackening the cord the blind is made to descend. When required in any
intermediate position the cord can be fastened to the cleat.
It is obvious that only half the power is required to raise the blind by the inter-
vention of the pulley and single cord, and it is impossible for the blind to deviate
from the horizontal, or be drawn up other than at right angles to the sides of the
window.
Dated this Thirty-first day of May 1894.
J

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Appliances for Raising and Lowering Window
Blinds.
We SIDNEY EDGAR SPENCER of 6 Bow Lane in the City of London,
Accountant, and THOMAS FRANKLIN SPENCER of 6 Bow Lane, in the City of
London, Engineer 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:―
Our invention applies more especially to Venetian blinds the object being to
keep the laths of the blind in a horizontal position when the blind is raised or
lowered, and by means of a pulley or pullies and a single cord to lessen the weight
and reduce the friction when raising or lowering the blind.
In order to thoroughly explain our invention we refer to the accompanying
drawings upon which similar letters of reference refer to corresponding parts in
the various figures.
In carrying out our invention we construct a split pulley block "A," Fig. 1, made
with a flat top about the width of a blind lath and about three eights of an inch in
thickness having a groove "B" cut across inside each jaw of the block to hold the
blind cord. This groove is parallel to the top and sides of the block and is made
at the upper part of the block, below or above this groove we insert a set screw "C"
to bring the jaws of the block together and so secure in the groove the loop formed
by the blind cord as will be described. In the lower part of the block a pulley is
bung in the usual way (or when required for a heavy blind, more than one pulley
may be used), this pulley being used to raise and lower the blind by a single cord
and thus considerably lessen the exertion of the operator in raising it.
In the drawings
"
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the split block Fig. 2, a section of the same through
the line " x y Fig. 3, half the split block in elevation showing the attachment of
the blind cord.
Figs. 4 and 5 show a sketch of a Venetian blind with the position of the split
pulley block A when the blind is lowered, and when drawn up halfway.
In adjusting the appliance the blind should be first drawn down as shown in Fig. 4,
and placed level, the blind cord at "A" should then be pulled through until it is
within half an inch of the top lath of the blind as shown at "b" the pulley block should
then be opened sufficient to admit of the loop formed by the blind cord being fixed in
the groove, and the set screw C tightened, a fresh knot tied at "A," and the surplus
cord cut off. The single cord "c" is then secured to the window frame at "d" or
other convenient position and passed over the pulley "D" the single cord may be
left of sufficient length for the pulley end to be within reach and may be fastened
when the blind is raised to a cleat "f" at the side of the window frame.
Now by pulling the cord "c" on the pulley the blind will be raised, and by
slackening the cord the blind descends, when required in any intermediate position
such as shown in Fig. 5, the cord may be secured to the cleat "f." It is obvious
that by the application of more than one pulley the power required to draw up the
blind is lessened.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is;
1. A split pulley block with one or more pullies and a groove therein as above
described to retain a blind cord for the purpose of raising or lowering a blind in a
horizontal position.

page_text: 2. The method of adapting a blind cord in combination with the split pulley block
for the purpose above described.
3. The combination and application of the various parts and devices as above
described for the purposes named irrespective of size or of material employed.
Dated this 28th day of February 1895.
SIDNEY EDGAR SPENCER.
THOMAS FRANKLIN SPENCER.