IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING SHUTTERS OR BLINDS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin William Bunnett, of Deptford, in the County
of Kent, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING
SHUTTERS OR BLINDS."
Sealed the 7th September 1866, and dated the 14th March 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin William Bunnett
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th March 1866.
I. EDWIN WILLIAM BUNNETT, of Deptford, in the County of Kent, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
REVOLVING SHUTTERS OR BLINDS," to be as follows:-
IN
In the Specification of Letters Patent granted to my late father, dated the
12th of April 1862. No. 1054, it was proposed that the laths of revolving
shutters should be capable of movement, so that such might be used as Venetian
blinds (or as Louvre boards), and my improvements relate to arranging and
operating such description of shutters and blinds so as to obtain simplicity and
For this purpose
elliciency of action combined with economy of construction.
the laths to be capable of the desired movement are connected as heretofore,
or otherwise, at their upper surfaces or edges to hinges or chains. and at or

page_text: towards their lower edges they are connected together by links, bands, or
chains, so that a movement of one of them to an inclined direction will cause a
corresponding inclined movement to those below so connected, or to all of
them so connected, when the connection at or towards their lower edges is by
rigid links. In order to produce this simultaneous inclined movement of a
series of laths the groove in which the shutter or blind slides is first opened by
the turning back of a part thereof, as explained in the said former Specification,
or otherwise, or it may be by a sliding of such part of the groove, and then by
leverage acting on pivots or otherwise on one of the laths to incline it, when
those below or others of them will be raised. If desired, the laths may be
inclined in the opposite or other direction by the connection and action of
them being changed. The laths may be flat, curvilinear, rectilinear, or inter-
locking, as desired, and made of wood or metal.
The improvements are applicable to revolving shutters or blinds, irrespective
of the direction of their coiling.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edwin William Bunnett in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 14th September 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWIN
WILLIAM BUNNETT, of Deptford, in the County of Kent, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Ilerself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Edwin William Bunnett, Her special licence that I, the said Edwin
William Bunnett, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Edwin William Bunnett, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING
IN REVOLVING SHUTTERS
SHUTTERS OR BLINDS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Edwin William Bunnett, ny executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature

page_text: of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I. the said Edwin William Bunnell, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :--
.
.
In the Specification of Letters Patent granted to my late father, dated the
12th April 1862, No. 1054, it was proposed that the laths of revolving
shutters should be capable of movement, so that such might be used as Venetian
blinds (or as louvre boards), and my improvements relate to arranging and
operating such description of shutters and blinds so as to obtain simplicity and
efficiency of action combined with economy of construction. For this purpose
the laths to be capable of the desired movement are connected as heretofore,
or otherwise, at their upper surfaces or edges to hinges or chains, and at or
towards their lower edges they are connected together by links, bands, or
chains, so that a movement of one of them to an inclined direction will cause
a corresponding inclined movement to those below so connected, or to all of
them so connected, when the connection at or towards their lower edges is by.
rigid links. In order to produce this simultaneous inclined movement of
series of laths the groove in which the shutter or blind slides is first opened
by the turning back of a part thereof, as explained in the said former Speci-
fication, or otherwise, or it may be by a sliding of such part of the groove, and
then by leverage acting on pivots or otherwise on one of the laths to incline it,
when those below or others of them will be raised. The laths may be flat,
curvilinear, rectilinear, or interlocking, as desired, and be made of wood or
metal.
But that the Invention may be fully understood I will, by the aid of the
accompanying Drawings, proceed to describe means pursued by me.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure shows a sectional view, Figure 2 a back view, and Figure 3 a
plan view of parts of a revolving shutter or blind arranged according to my
improvements, showing such parts in the position they assume when closed.

page_text: a. a, are the laths, which may be in their cross section of a flat or rectilinear,
or curved or curvilinear, or other form. 'These laths are connected at their
upper edges by hinge joints b' to the plates b. and the plates bare by hinge
joints connected to the spindle or roller upon which the laths are wound or
coiled. Each of the laths a is at its lower edge and at its opposite ends also
provided with a pin or projection c. which passes into and connects adjoining
ends of links d. d, by which, according to my improvements, the front edges of
the laths a are connected or linked together: e is a groove formed between
the projections and g, within which one of the ends of the laths moves, the
opposite ends of them moving in a like groove. The projection is fixed and
stationary. The projection 9 is moveable and may be capable of turning on
hinges or pivots g, or it may be slided backwards so as to alter the width of
the groove e.
As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3. the projection is closed,
leaving only a narrow groove e just sufficient for the passage up and down of
the ends of the laths forming the blinds or shutters when closed.
In Figures 4 and 5 this moveable piece g is shown open, so as to leave a
wider groove for the ends of the laths when those laths are to be used as
"louvre boards." By the laths being connected together by separate hinge
joints at their front edges from those at the back edges it will be evident that,
when those hinge connections are rigid, by producing an inclination to any one
of the laths a corresponding inclination will be produced to all the others in
the same direction as indicated by Figure 4.
According to one arrangement shewn this inclination is effected at the
time desired by the pins at the outer edges of the upper lath a being
extended so as to be capable of resting in and being supported by chairs h in
the grooves e, and then by giving the links b connected to their upper edges a
slight further downward movement in the direction of the arrow, Figure 4, the
laths will be opened louvre form. as shewn.
Another method of producing a corresponding effect is shown by Figure 6.
In this case the upper ends or pivots are supported in chairs h formed on the
ends of levers i, which are capable of turning, as shown by dotted lines, on axes
of motion i, and they may be actuated by rods or bands . If desired the
outer pieces (which with the pieces g form the sides of the grooves e) may
be moveable, as described in respect of the pieces g.
Figures 7 and 8 shew separate views of different forms of links d.
- Figure 9 shews an arrangement in which the projection g in place of turning
upon pivots or hinge joints g' is capable of sliding to and fro, as indicated by
the plain and dotted lines of this Figure. It is moved and held forward by
the end of a lever j, which turns upon a centre of motion is acted upon

page_text: by a rod or connection, whilst this projection has a tendency to move
backwards by means of a spring or by its own weight acting by inclined
grooves on fixed pins.
The blinds or shutters thus far described are shown to be formed of metal;
they may, however, in a similar manner be formed of wood.
Figures 10 and 11 shew two sections, and Figure 12 a back view of shutters
arranged to carry out my improvements as particularly adapted to forming the
laths of wood. In this case the laths a are at their upper edges connected by
staples, nails, pins, or pivots b' to bands of leather, or web, or other connection
of wire or chain b. whilst the front edges are connected by pins d' or other
suitable connections to other bands of leather, or of web, or of chain d, which
may be similarly operated to give them the louvre form to what has already,
been explained in respect of Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5.
Figures 13 and 14 shew a spring roller adapted to winding up wood shutters
or blinds of the kind described.
A is the square journal of the roller fitting into the bracket E; B, the
ratchet on the end of the spring roller C, and D a pall fixed on the bracket E,
and taking into the teeth of the ratchet B. If desired, the laths may be
inclined in the opposite or other direction by the connection and action of them
being changed.
The improvements are also applicable to revolving shutters or blinds,
irrespective of the direction of their coiling.
Having thus described my improvements, and means which I adopt in
carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise arrangements shewn and described, so long as the peculiar
character of the Invention be retained; but what I claim is, the mode of
obtaining the effect of louvre boards to revolving shutters and blinds by the
application thereto of connections to the front edges of the laths, and the acting
upon such connections or parts of the laths, in manner substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin William Bunnett, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirteentli day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
EDWIN WILLIAM BUNNETT. (L.S.)