GB2108557A - Roller blind - Google Patents

Abstract

A blind (2) is mounted on upper and lower hollow rollers (3, 4). The upper roller (3) is supported by a fixed first cord (15a) passing through the roller such that the roller can be moved up or down on the cord to vary its vertical position. A fixed second cord (15b) passes through the lower roller (4) such that this roller can be rotated to move the roller up or down the second cord whilst rolling the blind on or off. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Window shading apparatus This invention relates to the basic idea of positioning a roller type of window screen vertically in a window frame to change its effective area of screening is old in the art.

Various devices have been patented and those known to the applicant at the time which are considered to be the closest prior art are summarized briefly below.

U.S. Patent No. 394,737 (Thiel) utilizes an ordinary roll-up type of window shade and instead of mounting it at the top of the window opening provides guide rods at the sides of the window with a pulley and rope arrangement to raise and lower the screen roller to any desired position.

U.S. Patent No. 938,207 (Brown) discloses the use of angle iron brackets at the sides of the window providing rails on which L-shaped plates are permitted to ride, the plates holding the roller in position which may be altered by the use of suitable rope and pulley arrangements mounted on the window frame and attached to the sliding slide plates holding the roller.

U.S. Patent No. 1,303,678 (Joseph) discloses the use of horizontal metal slats to hold the screen roller, which are positioned vertically in the window screen by means of chain and sprocket combinations, provision being made to hold the chain in a given position and consequently provide for changing the location of the roller.

U.S. Patent No. 4,202,395 (Heck) utilizes vertically movable bars with zig-zag panels in between, the bars being changeable in location by means of parallel cords which in turn cause the bars to act on the slats after the manner somewhat of a venetian blind. The cord arrangement is of parallelogram configuration.

U.S. Patent No. 785,806 (Hopkins) uses a hollow roller through which cords pass connecting with sliding crossheads moving in vertical grooves which hold the roller and hence the shade in a proper horizontal position.

My new and improved screen and roller combination, as my previous invention, departs from the traditional screen arrangement using two rollers which the connecting screen is rolled and unrolled to change the area of screening. The screen is supported in any desired position by a cord arrangement which permits the entire screen to be raised and lowered and the area of the screen to be varied without the use of pulleys, chains, ropes or springs.

The present invention provides window shading apparatus comprising a screen mounted on an elongate, hollow support member and an elongate, hollow lower member which can be rotated to roll-up the screen on the lower member, first and second cords each of which has its fixed ends at opposite lower sides of a window frame and each of which longitudinally passes through the interior of a corresponding one of the upper and lower members, through fixing points at opposite upper sides of the window frame and back through the same member, such that the upper member is held in its vertical position by the first cord and can be raised and lowered relative to the cord and the lower member is held in its rotary position by the second cord and can be rotated to roll up the screen.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings wherein:~ Figure 1 is a front elevation of a window frame showing a screen arrangement according to the invention installled inside the frame; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram for better understanding of the method of mounting cords in the arrangement; Figure 3 is a partial isometric view showing the top of a window frame with the arrangement installed on its outer face; Figure 4 is an end view of an angle bracket for turning and holding the cords when used inside the frame as in Fig. 1; Figure 5 shows an adjustable knob for turning and holding the cords when the system is installed on the face of a window frame as in Fig. 3; and Figure 6 shows how the screen may be fastened to a roller.

Referring now to the Figures and especially first to Fig. 1 there is seen a typical window frame 1, a screen 2, an upper roller 3 and a lower roller 4. The ends of screen 2 may be fastened to rollers 3 and 4 respectively by any suitable means e.g. "Velcro" (R.T.M.) fasteners or by the preferred method which I describe below and is illustrated in Fig. 6.

At the ends of roller 3 are positioned caps 9 which form a part thereof. In each of caps 9 there is drilled an upper hole 1 Oa and a lower hold 1 Ob, the function of which is set forth below. On lower roller 4 are positioned caps 11 in which are drilled concentric holes 12 whose function is also set forth below. Angle brackets or hooks 1 3c in Fig. 1 or 1 3b in Fig.

3, which are shown in greater detail in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 respectively, are positioned at the top of the window frame for passage and holding of cords. The ends of the cords are secured by any suitable anchor means at the bottom of the frame as shown at 14.

Attention should now be had to Fig. 1 in conjunction with Fig. 2 to understand the method of installing the cords. Two separate cords designated 1 5 a . ' 1Sb are provided.

The first cord 1 5a extents from its anchor point vertically to hole 1 Ob in the cap 9 of upper roller 3. The first cord passes through the interior of this roller and out the opposite end through the upper hole 1 0a and then upwards to the bracket or hook 1 3b or 13c.

The first cord then proceeds horizontally across the top of the window frame 1 to the opposite bracket or hook 1 3b, 1 3c and then downwardly to the upper hole 1 0a in cap 9 on upper roller 3. From there, the first cord passes through the interior of the roller and out through the lower hole 1 0b at the opposite end and thence downwardly to the other anchor point 14 at the bottom of the window frame.

The second cord designated as 1 5b extends from an anchor point 14 upwardly to the concentric hole 12 in a cap 11, through the lower roller 4 and out through the other concentric hole 12 and thence upwardly to bracket hook 1 3 b, 13 c. From there, the second cord extends horizontally to the opposite bracket or hook and then downwardly to the concentric hole 12 in cap 11 at that side of the frame. The cord continues through roller 4, out the opposite end of roller 4 through concentric hole 12 and back down to the opposite anchor point 14. The cords are all held in suitable tension by the anchor means 14.

Only two cords are required, which makes it easy to maintain the proper tension.

Looking at Fig. 4 there is seen the angle bracket 1 3c of Fig. 1 having holes 33 for fastening the window frame 1 and a slot 32 for passage of the cords.

In Fig. 5 there is seen in detail of the hook or knob 1 3b of Fig. 3, which is screwed into the window frame as shown by means of hexagonal nut 34. A washer 35 and "acorn" nut 36 serves to hold the cords in fixed position when proper tension has been established.

Referring now to Fig. 6 there is seen one of the rollers, either 3 or 4, with its caps 9 or 11. In this embodient these caps are equipped with an additional hole 62. Each roller is equipped with a longitudinal slot 63, throughout its length, positioned adjacent the holes 62. The screen 2 is made with a hem 64 to accommodate a sliding rod 61. In this embodiment the hemmed end 64 of the screen 2 is inserted into slot 63 and then rod 61 is inserted through one hole 62, through the hem of screen 2 and then out the hole 62 at the opposite end. This serves to offer a positive engagement between the edge of screen 2 and the roller 3 or 4 and at the same time makes it readily removable for washing or cleaning of the screen 2.

Upper roller 3 is placed in the highest possible position in window frame 1 by merely physically moving the roller upwards.

The first cords 1 5a slides through the hollow interior of upper roller 3 while maintaining tension throughout the system. Screen 2 is then attached to roller 3 preferably by the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 6. Screen 2 is then stretched out to its fullXlingth and its lower edge engaged with rotating roller 4. To change the effective screen length of screen 2, bottom roller is then merely rotated by hand causing the screen to wind up on the roller periphery. When thus shortening the screen, the lower roller 4 will move upwards and the cord 15b being concentric will permit this movement upwards along the length of the cords while maintaining tension against the anchor means 14. Any desired amount of screening may be obtained depending upon how much the screen is rolled up on lower roller 4.

To vary the position of the screen vertically in the window opening in order to locate the effective-screening area in the desired elevation, roller 3 is grasped and is physically moved upwards and downwards. In this case, the cord 15a passing through the holes 1 0a and 1 Ob and the upper roller 3 both slide through the roller and maintain its position because of the tension and friction of the cords brought about by their passage through the hollow interior or roller 3 and the tension maintained by anchor means 14. In this manner any desired amount of window area may be screened and the location of the screened area positioned vertically at any desirable point, the rollers 3 and 4 being maintained in position by the action of the cords.

Claims (4)

1. Window shading apparatus comprising a screen mounted on an elongate, hollow upper support member and an elongate, hollow lower member which can be rotated to roll-up the screen on the lower member, first and second cords each of which has its fixed ends at opposite lower sides of a window frame and each of which longitudinally passes through the interior of a corresponding one of the upper and lower members, through fixing points at opposite upper sides of the window frame and back through the same member, such that the upper member is held in its vertical position by the first cord and can be raised and lowered relative to the cord and the lower member is held in its rotary position by the second cord and can be rotated to roll up the screen.

2. Window shading apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein first hollow member has closed ends each provided with a pair of holes one above the other, the first cord passing from a lower hole at one end to an upper hole at the other end and also from the upper hole at said one end to the lower hole at the other end and wherein the second hollow member has closed ends each provided with a central hole, the second cord passing twice through said central hole.

3. Window shading apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein each elongate hollow member is cylindrical and has end caps provided with the holes.

4. Window shading apparatus according to Claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein each elongate member has a longitudinal slot receiving a marginal edge of the screen, the marginal edge having a hem which receives a rod, the rod passing through apertures in the ends of the elongate member.