Patent ID: 8544522

Claim:
A window covering comprising: a first rail; window covering material attached to the first rail, the window covering material moveable from a retracted position to an extended position, the window covering material having a top portion adjacent the first rail and a bottom portion opposite the top portion; a first lift cord extending from the first rail to the window covering material; a second lift cord extending from the first rail to the window covering material; at least one first spacer cord extending from the first rail to a position adjacent to the bottom portion of the window covering material; a plurality of first hitches extending from the at least one first spacer cord, each of the first hitches encircling a portion of the first lift cord; at least one second spacer cord extending from the first rail to a position adjacent to the bottom portion of the window covering material; and a plurality of second hitches that extend from the at least one second spacer cord, each of the second hitches encircling a portion of the second lift cord; wherein each of the first hitches engages the first lift cord to grip and hold the first lift cord when the first lift cord moves a predetermined distance horizontally away from the at least one first spacer cord to prevent the first lift cord from further horizontal movement away from the at least one first spacer cord independent of the at least one second spacer cord; and wherein each of the second hitches engage the second lift cord to grip and hold the second lift cord when the second lift cord moves a predetermined distance horizontally away from the at least one second spacer cord to prevent the second lift cord from further horizontal movement independent of the at least one first spacer cord.