Improvements in or relating to Blind Rollers.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Mar., 1891-Accepted, 4th Apr., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Blind Rollers.
A communication from Dr. J. A. TURNER, Surgeon Dentist, 232, 6th Avenue,
New York, United States of America.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E., 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 contemplates an improvement in blind or shade rollers for
window blinds, curtains, awnings etc., and the object sought to be accomplished is
to so arrange the parts as to produce a cheap, simple and effective roller, on
which the blind is wound without the use of springs, and which can be adjusted
at any height desired, without loss of time or other inconvenience.
Referring to the accompanying drawings;
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the complete device, showing it applied to a
window with the blind attached;
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through one end of the roller;
Fig. 3 an end view; and
Fig. 4 a detail view of one of the open screw eyes.
The reference letter A indicates the stick or roller and B the blind or curtain
which is secured thereto in any suitable manner.
On the ends of the stick A. are placed discs or collars C and D, the inside
dises C having central perforations or bores of diameters equal to that of the
stick so that they can be slipped over the same and adjusted thercon to the
positions desired, which positions should be near the opposite edges of the blind
so that said discs will act as guides to keep the blind straight while it is being
wound upon the roller.
The outside discs D are fitted against the end of the stick and have central
perforations through which pass screws E into the stick, said screws being pro-
vided with a head F between which and said discs smooth portions are left
which act as trunnions for the roller.
These trunnions are carried in hooks G which are driven or screwed into the
window casing at the proper position for the roller.
It will be seen that the inside and outside discs form between them spools, and
upon the latter the operating cords H are adapted to be wound.
To the lower ends of these cords are attached counterbalancing weights I and
when the cord on one end is wound upon its spool the other cord is unwound
which arrangement is effected by winding the cords in opposite directions upon
the roller.
Screw eyes J are fastened into the casing just below the spools, and each
consists of a screw portion K and an open eye L one end of which passes the
other as seen more clearly in Fig. 4, so that the cord can be inserted through
it at the side without the necessity of removing the weight.
When constructed as thus described the operation of the roller will be as
follows;-
After the discs, screws, hooks and screw eyes have been adjusted as previously
described and the cords and weights attached, it will be seen that upon pulling
down the cord which is wound upon the roller the latter will be revolved and
the blind wound upon it, and drawn up to the desired height or adjustment; but
at the same time the opposite cord will be proportionately wound upon the
opposite end of the roller and the weight on its lower end will be drawn up,
which will counterbalance the opposite weights and the blind will thus be held at

page_text: the position to which it has been brought. The office of the screw eyes J is to
cause the cords to wind evenly upon their respective spools although the draft
upon them may not be quite perpendicular.
The blind can be arranged to roll up at the bottom in the same manner, being
held up by weighted cords which run over pulleys attached to the window frame;
and this device can be likewise applied to an awning by passing the cords through
suitable apertures in the casing so that they can be manipulated from the inside
of the house.
The weights are so adjusted according to the weight of the blind or awning
that when the draft of the cord ceases the blind stops and remains in the position
to which it has been brought. The time and trouble usually experienced in
working a spring roller are thus saved and morcover by dispensing with springs,
the device is rendered more durable as a spring is likely to break and render
the whole device inoperative.
It is evident that the arrangement of parts might be varied in many slight
ways which would naturally suggest themselves to a skilled mechanic without
departing from the spirit of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
In a blind roller the combination with a roller bearings in which it is adapted
to revolve and a blind secured to the roller of cords secured at each end of the
roller each wound thereon in a direction opposite to the other and a counter-
balancing weight attached to each cord either of which weights is adapted to
ascend while the other descends in the raising and lowering of the blind sub-
stantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 20th day of February 1891.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.