Improvements in Curtain or Blind Fixtures.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 1st May, 1894-Accepted, 9th June, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Curtain or Blind Fixtures.
I, IRVIN WILLIAMS, of Nelson, in the County of Saline, and State of Missouri
United States of America, Gentleman, 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 curtain fixtures and it has for its object to provide
certain improvements in curtain fixtures whereby the curtain and curtain roller
can be raised or lowered separately or together at the same time, thereby
providing novel and efficient means for covering and uncovering the top as well
as the bottom portion of a window in order to secure the necessary light and
ventilation. To this end the main and primary object of the invention is to
provide a curtain fixture having an automatically raising and lowering curtain
shade and roller.
With these and other objects in view which will readily appear as the nature of
the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction,
combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated
and claimed:
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a curtain fixture applied to a window frame.
Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged central longitudinal sectional view of the curtain roller and
its appurtenances.
Fig. 4 is a detail in perspective of the non-rotative shaft sleeve and its cap.
Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective of the winding wheel or pulley which carries
the check pawls.
Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view of a modified construction of the
fixture employing a single spring.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, A represents a curtain roller of the
ordinary construction formed of either metal or wood, said curtain roller being
partially or entirely hollow to accommodate the shaft devices therein. The said
curtain roller accommodates at opposite ends thereof the bearing disks B, both of
which are provided with the inwardly extending prongs b, engaging the ends of
the roller so as to turn therewith, and one of said bearing disks is additionally
secured in place by the ordinary metal cap b', which provides means for gaining
access to the interior spring devices in the usual manner. Both of said bearing
disks are centrally perforated but the disk held in place by the cap b' is further
provided with the inwardly extending bearing neck C, and the attaching eye c, at
the inner base of said neck.
The opposite bearing disks B, and the roller A support the longitudinal roller
shaft D. The shaft D extends longitudinally through the entire roller and is
provided at a point intermediate of its ends with a central attaching collar E,
located inside of the roller, while the opposite extremities of the shaft D project
beyond the ends of the roller and are squared as at e. The squared ends e, of the
longitudinal shaft are adapted to receive the grooved winding wheels or pulleys,
securely fitted onto said shaft ends and having attached thereto the lower ends of
the hanging cords or tapes f, the upper ends of which are secured to suitable
points of attachment f¹ at the top and one side of the window frame X, thereby
providing a support for the roller while at the same time winding and unwinding
D

page_text: on the wheels or pulleys F, to provide means whereby the roller can be raised and
lowered to cover and uncover the top portion of the window.
The ordinary roller or curtain spring G is arranged within one end of the
roller A, and is attached at one end to the attaching eye c, of one of the end disks
and at its other end to one of the central attaching lugs g, of the non-rotative
shaft sleeve H.
The non-rotative shaft sleeve H is fitted in one end of the roller to form a
bearing for that end of the same as well as for the longitudinal wheel or pulley
shaft D, which freely turns within the sleeve, and said sleeve is adapted to have
the inner end thereof work at one side of the central attaching collar E, of the
shaft, and is provided at a point near the outer end thereof with the bearing
shoulder h, which works against the inuer end of the inwardly-extending bearing
neck C of one of said bearing disks B. As is clearly shown in the drawings, the
non-rotative shaft sleeve H is provided with two central attaching lugs g, and to
one of these lugs is attached one end of the lifting spring I, the other end of
which is attached to the central attaching collar E, of the shaft, to provide for
raising and lowering the roller together with the curtain by simply the tension
thereof and the tension of this lifting spring I is sufficiently stronger than the
spring G so as not to be affected by the tension of the latter spring.
The non-rotative shaft sleeve H which extends a distance within the curtain or
shade roller is provided at a point just outside of one end of the roller with the
pawl notches J, formed on opposite sides thereof and adapted to be engaged by the
ordinary arresting pawls K. The arresting pawls K are pivoted to the necked
bearing disk B at one end of the roller and are designed to arrest the motion
thereof in order to check the curtain shade L at any height. It will be apparent
that the curtain shade L is operated in the ordinary manner by simply winding
and unwinding the same on the roller by grasping the curtain with one hand and
easing up the ascent and descent of the curtain when it is desired to arrest the
same at any point, by allowing the pawls K to come into engagement with the
sleeve notches J. The sleeve K carries upon the outer extremity thereof at one
end of the roller A a cylindrical wheel cap M which wheel cap fits over and
encloses the winding wheel or pulley located at that end of the roller, and said
wheel cap is provided with a top perforation m, through which passes the cord or
tape winding and unwinding on the wheel or pulley enclosed by the cap. The said
shaft sleeve is further provided with a notched hub N, which is an extension of
the main body of the sleeve and projects to a point slightly inside of the wheel
cap mounted thereon, and the notches n, therein are disposed in a position corre-
sponding to the notches Joutside of the wheel cap, but are adapted to be
engaged by the check pawls O; pivoted to one side of the winding wheel or
pulley located at that end of the roller and providing means for checking the roller
in any adjusted position.
A duplicate cylindrical wheel cap M₁ similar to the wheel cap of the shaft
sleeve is located at the opposite end of the roller to that in which the spring
devices are arranged, and is provided with a short offstanding bearing neck P
loosely embracing one of the shaft ends at one side of the pawlless wheel or
pulley.which it embraces and said duplicate wheel cap is also provided with a top
perforation n' through which passes the cord or tape winding or unwinding on the
wheel or pulley enclosed thereby.
Although the construction just described embodies the main principles of my
invention and will work with great efficiency nevertheless if it is desired to insure
the steady working of the fixture both of the cylindrical wheel caps M and M' may
be provided at their rear sides with the short guide tubes Q. These guide tubes Q
are adapted to loosely slide on the vertical guide or slide rods q, secured to opposite
sides of the window frame X, and extending from the top thereof to a point near
the center of the frame, and providing means for holding the fixture steady to the
window frame and preventing it from blowing about but it will be obvious that
other suitable guide devices might just as advantageously be employed.
-

page_text: A pull cord R is secured at its upper end to one of the non-rotative wheel caps-
and is provided at its lower end with a finger ring S by means of which it may be
readily grasped in order to raise and lower the roller independently of the curtain.
By grasping the pull cord R and pulling down on the same, the roller can be
lowered against the tension of its lifting spring I in a similar manner to the raising-
and lowering of the curtain shade Litself and when the roller has reached the
point desired, the pull cord is eased up in order to permit the check pawls O to
engage the pawl notches n, in the sleeve hub N, thereby providing means for
holding the roller stationary in its adjusted position. To raise the roller, the pull
cord is drawn down until the pawls O disengage the notches n, and then the pull on
the cord is quickly released in order to permit the roller to be lifted under the
tension of the spring I as will be readily understood. It may be further observed
that the roller may also be raised and lowered by the curtain itself, and to do this.
it is simply necessary to allow the pawls K to lock or engage in the notches J and
then by pulling on the curtain the roller can be raised or lowered inasmuch as the
curtain will then act in the same capacity as the pull cord.
While I have specifically described my improved curtain fixture as operated in
connection with two springs G and I respectively, it will be understood by those
skilled in the art that the fixture might be modified so as to employ only one spring,.
which may be made to serve the functions of both of the springs G and I. It will:
be obvious that one end of the ordinary roller or curtain spring G may he extended!
to have its inner end attached to the roller shaft D, at E, where the lifting spring I
is connected because the springs G and I are substantially continuations of each
other, and their connection to the non-rotative sleeve H provides for the use of two
springs of different tensions so that the raising and lowering of the roller may:
always be positively insured without depending upon the roller spring.
In the event of the employment of one spring the shaft sleeve H is still prevented
from rotating by reason of the weight of the fixture, and the guide part thereof
and the roller may be raised and lowered in substantially the same manner as
described, as long as the tension of the single spring is sufficiently strong to turn.
the roller shaft D, in the same manner as turned by the spring I. In the one
spring modification the fixture is operated as already described.
The modified construction just described is clearly illustrated in Fig. 6 of the
drawings in which the arrangement of a single spring is plainly shown, and it
is to be observed that, since the employment of a single spring would dispense
with the connections at the points g, on the non-rotative sleeve H, this sleeve
need not be as long as the one illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, but may
be shortened up to the bearing shoulder h, thereof, at one side of which is the
shaft collar or shoulder Y which is formed on the shaft D, to properly hold
the parts of the fixture in position in the modified form and with this exception
and the use of a single spring the construction shown in Fig. 6 is identical with
that shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.
Changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may
be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the
advantages of this invention.
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. In a curtain fixture, the combination of a hollow shade roller provided with
an ordinary roller spring and arresting pawls, a longitudinal winding shaft
extending through the roller, winding wheels or pulleys attached to the extremities
of the shaft beyond the roller erds, the hanging cords or tapes, a separate and
independent roller lifting spring arranged within the roller and connected with the
shaft extending therethrough, and a suitable check attached to one of the winding
wheels for checking the rotation of the shaft, substantially as set forth:
2. In a curtain fixture, an ordinary spring actuated spring roller, a shaft

page_text: arranged longitudinally in the roller and having winding wheels or pulleys at its
extremities, a shaft sleeve located at one end of the roller and loosely embracing
the shaft and provided with separate pawl notches in its outer end, the roller lifting
spring arranged within one end of the roller and connected to said sleeve and to
the shaft, the hanging cords or tapes and the pawls affixed at one end of the shade
roller and to one of the wheels or pulleys, said pawls being adapted to engage the
notches in said shaft sleeve to check the roller and also the shade thereof,
substantially as set forth.
3. In a curtain fixture, a hollow shade roller carrying a curtain shade, bearing
disks attached to opposite ends of the roller and one of which is provided with an
inwardly-extending bearing neck, a longitudinal shaft having winding wheels at its
extremities a non-rotative shaft sleeve located within one end of the roller and
having a shoulder working against the inner end of said neck, a cylindrical wheel
cap enclosing one of the winding wheels, and pawl notches at both sides of said cap,
a duplicate non-rotative cylindrical wheel cap loosely mounted on the other end of
the shaft, the curtain spring connected to one end of the roller and to said shaft
sleeve, a stronger lifting spring attached to said shaft sleeve and to the shaft,
pawls pivoted to one of the end bearing disks of the roller and to one of said
winding wheels and adapted to engage the pawl notches in said shaft sleeve and
suitable guides for the fixture, substantially as set forth.
4. In a curtain fixture, an ordinary spring actuated shade roller, a shaft arranged
longitudinally in the roller and having winding wheels at its extremities, non-
rotative wheel caps enclosing said winding wheel and provided at one side with a
guide tube, suitably arranged check devices, the hanging cords or tapes, the pull
cord attached at one end to one of said cylindrical wheel caps and the opposite
stationary slide rods loosely receiving said guide tubes, substantially as set forth.
5. In a curtain fixture, the combination with the hollow shade roller, of a shaft
arranged longitudinally in the roller, winding wheels or pulleys attached to the
extremities of the shaft, a spring arranged within the roller and connected to the
shaft, a non-rotative shaft sleeve located in one end of the roller and having a
cylindrical wheel cap enclosing one of the winding wheels and pawl notches at both
sides of said cap, a duplicate non-rotative wheel cap loosely mounted on the other
end of the shaft, the hanging tapes, pawls pivoted to one end of the roller and to
one of said winding wheels and adapted to engage the pawl notches at both sides
of the sleeve wheel cap, and suitable guides for the fixture, substantially as set
forth.
Dated this 1st day of May 1894.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.