Patent ID: 8776859

Claim:
A safety device for use with a control loop of a window covering, the control loop having a pair of vertical runs and an end loop, comprising: a rigid elongated housing configured to be mounted in a fixed vertical orientation adjacent one side of the window covering and defining a longitudinal channel therein configured to receive portions of the pair of vertical runs and the end loop of the control loop within the channel, the elongated housing having an access opening located at an upper end thereof through which the control loop extends into the longitudinal channel and being dimensioned in vertical length so that the pair of vertical runs are exposed above the elongated housing so as to be accessible by a user's hand, with the access opening being located within a range of about 48 inches to about 60 inches above a floor configured to support the user; a tension member mounted within the channel and fixed in vertical location relative to the elongated housing, the tension member being configured to engage the end loop of the control loop to effectively provide tension to the control loop; and an alignment member mounted within the channel and fixed in vertical location relative to the elongated housing, the alignment member comprising a cross-shaft extending generally horizontally across the channel and being spaced vertically from the tension member, the alignment member being configured to separate the pair of vertical runs of the control loop within the channel to effectively align the control loop within the elongated housing.