Roller Blinds.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Apr., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 17th May, 1887.
Roller Blinds.
J, GEORGE FURNESS, of 40 Caunce Street, Blackpool in the County of Lancaster,
Brass Finisher, 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 to improvements and appliances for raising holding or
lowering roller blinds, and has for its object to simplify the construction and increase
the efficiency of the same.
The improvements relate in the first place to roller blinds actuated by friction and
consists in the combination of a brake with the roller or cord spool, actuated partly
by a spring and partly by the pull of a cord fixed to the roller or spool and passed
through the eye of a lever, or being fixed to the same.
The improvements relate in the second place to roller blinds actuated by means of a
ratchet wheel and powl or lever, and cord fixed to the roller or spool, and consists in
pivoting such lever either in front of, or below such ratchet wheel, to the bracket in
which the respective end revolves, so as to partially encircle the teeth of the wheel and
prevent the cord from getting entangled.
The improvements relate in the third place to the cord spool of such appliances and
consists in a novel construction of the spool and manner of attaching the same to the
roller.
The improvements relate in the fourth place, to the brackets in which the plain end
of the roller revolves, and consists in a certain construction which prevents the pivot
from accidentally leaving its bearings or slot.
And in order that my invention may be better understood I have caused to be
appended hereunto two sheets of drawings marked with letters of reference indicating
like parts in the various figures.
Fig. 1 Sheet I is a side elevation of an appliance complete. Figs. 2 & 5 are end
views of the brackets carrying the plain end of the roller. Fig. 3 a longitudinal section
of a portion of the roller and spool, and Fig. 4, a side elevation of the pivot belonging
to the same.

page_text: Fig. 8 is a side elevation of Fig. 5. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the cord spool end
of Fig. 1. and Fig. 7 a section at x-x of the same.
Fig. 9 Sheet II, is an end, and Figs. 10. & 11, side, elevations of the spool end of
the roller and Fig. 12 a longitudinal section of the same.
Fig. 13 is an end view showing the roller provided with the ratchet arrangement,
and Fig. 14, a side elevation of the same.
Fig. 15 is another end view, & Fig. 16 a cross section of a ratchet arrangement
& ratchet respectively.
A is the roller, B the blind, C the spool, D the cord, E the bracket in which the
plain end, and F the bracket in which the spool end of the roller revolves.
Referring to the first part of this invention and to Figs. 1. 6 & 7 Sheet I, the outer
side of the spool C, forms a pulley a, against which is pressed by means of a spring b,
a brake a', pivoted at a² to the bracket F, and formed with a bent lip a³.
The free end of the brake a¹ is actuated upon by the lever e formed with a nose c²,
and pivoted at c¹ to the bracket F, on the cord D, which is suitably fastened to the
spool C and passes through an eye e³ formed in lever c, being pulled by the operator,
which causes the brake a¹ to leave the pulley a, the spool C to wind up the cord D and
the blind B to be lowered.
When the cord D is released the brake a' comes at once into action by reason of the
spring b, thus stopping the roller from further lowering the blind B.
The blind B is raised again by winding the cord D off the spool C which during the
lowering of the blind B has wound itself on the spool C.
The blind B may also be lowered by being pulled down by hand and raised by means
of a volute spring e, see Figs. 9 & 10 Sheet II. which is suitably fixed to the bracket F
and to a spoolf, rotating on the stud f1 of the bracket F.
The spool C is as usual provided. with a cord D, which winds itself on the same
when the blind is lowered, at the same time causing the volute spring e to be
wound up.
On the side of the bracket F at g is pivoted a small bell crank lever g³, one arm of
which actuates upon a stud 92 fixed to the brake a¹, the other end having a pull
cord D attached which latter on being pulled causes the bell crank lever g to
move the brake a¹ away from the pulley a, thus permitting the blind B to rise through
the action of the volute spring e which winds the cord D from the spool () onto the
spoolf until the cord D¹ is released.
Referring to the second part of my invention and to Figs. 13 & 14, Sheet II, the
lever h acting as a powl for the ratchet wheel i of the spool C is pivoted at /¹ in
front of the ratchet wheel i so as to partially encircle the same, and prevent the
cord D from coming entangled on its travel from the spool C to the eye e³ of the
short arm of the lever h.
The same result is also obtained by pivoting the lever h and h³, below the ratchet
wheel to the bracket F, as shown in Fig. 15, which latter is provided with a catch h²
for the purpose of limiting the forward movement of the powl end of the lever h.
In both cases, where the cord D, which is fastened and wound onto the spool C is
pulled by the operator, the pressure exerted onto the arm of the lever h provided with
e, causes the powl end of the lever h to rise or move away from the ratchet
wheel i thus disengaging the same and permitting the blind to lower until the cord D is
released by the operator.
an eye
Referring to the third part of my invention and more particularly to Figs. 3 & 4
Sheet I, 12 & 16 Sheet II, the groove of the spool C is made narrower inside than
outside by forming the sides c, a or i hollow & curved so as to get more space for
the cord between the roller & pivot end, which will also prevent the cord from
running off the sides of the same, as heretofore has been the case.
It also facilitates the drilling and countersinking of the hole in the side c*, through
which the screws or nails o are driven diagonally at the proper angle.
The spool C is fitted together by placing the sides a or i against the boss c³ cast on
the side & passing through the centre a pin k.
This pink also serves as pivot for the spool C, and is formed with a shoulder k³ near

page_text: one end, which comes to bear against the side a, the other end being rivetted internally
on the boss c.
Instead of securing the sides a or i & ct, of the spool C together, respectively, by a
central stud k, the same may be fastened together by means of two or more rivets 1, as
shown in Figs. 12 & 16 Sheet II in this case however, the sides a or i, are formed
with a pivot, & when used for the appliance shown in Fig. 10, Sheet II, the side c
is formed with a square hole ¹ for the reception of the square stud 12 of the
roller end 13.
The spool C fitted together is attached to the roller A see Fig. 3, Sheet I, by driving
two or more nails or screws o diagonally through the side and into the roller A,
which forms a very strong attachment.
To facilitate the driving in of the screws or nails o, the side a is formed with a
corresponding number of openings o¹.
Referring to the last part of my improvements and Figs. 1 & 2 Sheet I, the bracket E
in which the pivot of the plain end of the roller A revolves, is formed, instead of with
a straight vertical slot and open at the top, with a slot m closed at the top and open at
the side above the centre of the pivot, which opening is protected by an arm or
branch m', which prevents the pivot from leaving the bracket E accidentally.
The same object may be attained by forming the bracket E with an outwardly
inclined slot m open at the top, and by pivoting to the bracket F at m³ a hook shaped
lever n, which, on the pivot of the roller A being inserted, moves backwards, and self-
actingly adjusting itself, locks the pivot of the roller A in the required position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim, is ;-
In an appliance for raising, lowering, or holding roller blinds;
1st. The roller A having a cord spool C and pulley a in combination with a brako a¹
acting onto the pulley a by means of a spring b, and taken off the same by
means of a lever c actuated by means of the cord D attached to the spool C of the
roller A, substantially as set forth.
2nd. The spool C or pulley a, brake a¹ and spring b specified in the preceding claim
in combination with the lever g¹ actuating the brake a¹, on the cord D fixed to the
lever g, being pulled, and a volute spring e rotating a spool fand winding onto the
same the cord D from the spool C of the roller A substantially as set forth.
3rd. Pivoting the lever either in front of or below the ratchet wheel i, to the
bracket F so as to partially encircle the ratchet wheel i for the purpose specified
and substantially as set forth.
4th. The formation of the spool C and connecting the pulley or ratchet wheel
part a or respectively, to the boss c5 of the side c¹ of the same, by means of a
central stud k serving as a pivot, or by means of two or more rivets 1, substantially
as set forth.
5th. Forming or providing the slot m of the bracket E with a stationary or movable
guard m¹ for the purpose specified substantially as set forth.
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
4, Corporation Street, Manchester,
Agents to Applicant.