IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDOW BLINDS, AND IN SPRINGS APPLICABLE TO WINDOW BLINDS, DOORS, AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1848

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
SMITH, of Kentish Town, in the County of Middlesex, Window Blind
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Sixteenth day of
December, One thousand eight hundred and forty-eight, in the twelfth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Edward Smith, my exors, admors, and assigns,
Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said Edward Smith, my exors, adññors, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Edward Smith, my exors, adñiors, or assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDOW BLINDS, AND IN
SPRINGS APPLICABLE TO WINDOW BLINDS, DOORS, AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES;"
in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said Edward
Smith, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court
of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the

page_text: date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Edward Smith, hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, are fully ascertained and described in and
by the present Specification thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say:
My Invention, in so far as it regards "window blinds," has reference to what
are called "roller blinds," and consists in certain improved modes or means of
raising and lowering such blinds, however such blinds may be constructed in
other respects; and my improvements in springs "applicable to window
blinds, doors, and other like purposes," consist in the application thereto of a
description of springs (commonly called torsion springs, never hitherto used
for this purpose, though possessing (probably) greater power than springs of
any other sort to effect the quick raising or lowering of blinds, or the quick
opening or shutting of doors, or the quick change of position of any other
matters or things similar in their construction and uses, such, for example, as
curtains, screens, roller maps and plans, &c.
My improved modes or means of raising or lowering roller window blinds
are two in number.
The first consists in dispensing with the spring ordinarily used to press the
paul on the ratchet wheel which controls the action of the roller. I effect
this by weighting the short or inner end of the paul, as shewn in Figure 1 of
the annexed Drawings, so that when it is desired to cause the paul to catch
into the teeth of the ratchet it is only necessary to relieve it of part of the
weight of the cord and tassel by holding it up by the hand. The operation is
thus perfectly noiseless..
The second improvement under this head of my Invention consists in a
more convenient method of pulling the endless cords, by which the blinds are
raised and lowered. The details of this method are exhibited in Figure 2.
A is the roller; B, an internal toothed grooved pulley affixed to one end of the
roller C is the bracket; D, an endless wire or other cord, which takes into
the grooved pulley at top, and at bottom runs upon a spring or common rack
pulley E. F is a tasseled cord which is affixed to the buckle joining the ends
of the cord. The advantages gained by this arrangement are that a much
smaller pulley can be used on the end of the roller, and the hand in pulling up
the blind has therefore to move through a much less space than is the case
where a large pulley is employed. The tasseled cord besides is much more
convenient to lay hold of than when the endless cord alone is employed.

page_text: With respect to the torsion springs, which constitute the other branch of
my Invention, I desire it may be understood that I prefer in all cases making
the said torsion springs of vulcanized india rubber, as being a more perma-
nently elastic material than any other with which I am acquainted, and much
less liable to get out of order, but that they may be made also of strips of
metal, or of metal wire, or of whalebone, or of catgut, and of various other
substances more or less elastic or pliable; and I do not therefore restrict
myself to the employment of any particular substance in the construction of
the said springs.
In Figures 3, 4, and 5, of the annexed Drawings I have shewn how such
torsion springs may be applied to a window roller blind. Figure 3 is an
external elevation of the roller; Figure 4, a longitudinal section of Figure 3;
and Figure 5, a cross section on the line a, b of Figures 3 and 4. A is the
roller, which is composed of two parts, A' and A³. A' is a solid cylinder of
wood (or it may be of any other suitable material); and A³, a metal tube,
which is affixed to one end of A', which is recessed at that end for its reception,
so that both parts of the roller may be externally in one straight line. C is a
wooden plug with metal cap Ca, which is inserted into the outer end of the
tubular part A³. D is a ratchet wheel, which is affixed to the outside of the
cap C; E, a box which contains the spring and short arm of the paul or
click F, Fig. 5, and is fitted upon the ratchet wheel by means of a fixed
spindle D, which passes through the centre of the ratchet wheel, and also
through the cap Ca and plug C, and extends a little way beyond the latter into
the interior of the tube A2. The spindle Da projects at its outer extremity
through the box E, and terminates in a square piece which fits into a corre-
sponding aperture in the bearing bracket G' (neither the box nor spindle being
intended in any case to revolve). Cb is a cap attached to the outer end of the
part A of the roller, and has a short round spindle Db, which takes into
a circular hole in the bracket G³. The axes, therefore, upon which the
roller revolves are the spindle D at one end (when the ratchet wheel
is released from the paul), and the spindle Db at the other, only that
in the former case the roller turns round the axis, while in the latter
the roller and axis revolve together. I is the torsion spring, which consists
of a thick strip of vulcanized india-rubber enclosed within the tubular piece
A. At one end this spring is made fast to a block or plug inserted into the
inner end of the tube, and at the other end to the fixed spindle D* of the click
box E: When the roller is pulled round, and the blind drawn down, an
operation to which the click F offers no resistance, the revolution of the roller
causes necessarily a twisting or torsion of the strip of vulcanized india-rubber.

page_text: because one end only (the inner end) revolves with the roller, while the other
(that attached to the spindle Da) is fixed. The moment, however, the click
I is released, the powerful tendency which the torsion spring has to return to
its original position comes into full play, and causes the roller to revolve in the
contrary direction, and thereby raises the blind.
Figures 6, 7, and 8 shew different forms which may be given to the
vulcanized rubber torsion spring. In Figure 6 it is square in its cross section,
and looped at the two ends, to afford an easy means of attaching it; in
Figure 7, two strands or cords are employed; and in Figure 8, which is a
cross section of the spring, a hollow tube or pipe is used.
In Figure 9, I have shewn how the torsion spring may be applied to doors.
A is part of the door; B, the door post; C, the spring box or tube containing
the piece of vulcanized india-rubber, partially twisted, to give it greater power.
The india-rubber is affixed at bottom to the end of the tube with which it
revolves, and at top to the fixed spindle D, by which it is held stationary.
E is an arm which projects from the spring box, and presses against the door.
When the door is opened, the arm E causes the spring box to be turned
round, and the india-rubber inside of it to receive a still further twist. The
india-rubber occupies the place and fulfils all the duties of the coiled steel spring
generally employed in back springs for doors.
Figure 10 exemplifies the application of a torsion spring to a double acting
spring, that is, to a spring for closing a door either outwards or inwards.
A is the door; B, the spring box (partly in section); C, a pin, which is stepped
in the plate D, which is affixed to the floor. E is a bearing which rests upon
the top of the pin C, and upon which it reposes as a centre on which the door
may turn this bearing forms the upper end of the spring box. F is a collar
which is affixed to the pin C, and, like it, cannot turn round.. G, G, are two
thick strips of vulcanized india-rubber, which are securely attached to the
bearing E at top, and to the collar Fat bottom. When the door is either
pushed outwards or inwards, the india-rubber springs are thereby twisted
more or less each on its own axis; and the moment the door is relieved from
pressure, the natural tendency of the springs to resume their normal position
causes the door to close. To encrease the power of the springs, they may be
partially twisted previously to being fixed in their places, the one to the right
hand, and the other to the left, as represented in the Drawing. From the
preceding exemplifications it will be readily seen how torsion springs may be
applied to all purposes like to the raising or lowering of blinds or opening or
shutting of doors; no other modifications being in any case necessary than
such as any competent workman will be able to supply.
:

page_text: And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that the improvements which I
claim as constituting my said Invention are as follows:-
First, I claim the employment in roller window blinds of pauls weighted at
one end, whereby the springs ordinarily used are dispensed with, as before
described.
Second, I claim the employment, in roller window blinds, of a supple-
mentary end cord attached to the usual endless cord, for the purpose of more
conveniently raising and lowering the same.
Third, I claim the application of torsion springs to window blinds and
doors, as before exemplified, and to all other like purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Smith, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of June, One thousand eight
Enrolled the Sixteenth day of June, in 'the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-nine.