GB2111877A

GB2111877A - Curtain track

Info

Publication number: GB2111877A
Application number: GB08220350A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stuart Basil Sherman; Stephen Robert Sherman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-12-23
Filing date: 1982-07-13
Publication date: 1983-07-13
Also published as: GB2111877B

Abstract

A curtain track bending machine comprises a frame (15); a curved former (17) having a groove therein for containing a curtain track (10); a pair of blocks (28;29) disposed one each side of the former for engaging the opposite side of the track (10) and a mechanism to move the blocks in unison relative to the former to bend the curtain track around the curved working surface of the former. The mechanism comprises a lead screw (19) having a pair of spaced nuts (22,23) thereon and at least two sets of rigid link arms (25;26) connecting each block (28,29) to both of the nuts (22 23) whereby rotation of the lead screw causes the nuts to move linearly therealong which causes the blocks to move relative to the former to bend the curtain track. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Curtain track This invention relates to shaping curtain track parti cularly for fitting around bay windows.

A commonly used curtain track comprises a steel channel-shaped section having a generally flat base portion and side wall portions projecting generally upwardly from the base portion and then towards one another leaving a space therebetween defining a slot leading into the channel section through which curtain track fittings can project. Such a curtain track will be referred to hereinafter as "curtain track of the type described".

A commonly used form of curtain track of the type described is sold underthename"Kirsch Regular" and comprises convex, generally semi-circular side wall portions when viewed in cross-section. This track is sold in straight lengths. When it is desired to fit such track around a bay window the track is bent on site into the required configuration to suit a particular window. However, hitherto, this track is bent in a plane passing centrally through and perpendicular to the base portion of the track. The interior of the track is first fitted with a suitable packing strip which has a portion projecting through the slot which leads into the interior of the track. The track is then bent by hand around a shaped curved former.

The track however can only be bent by this method in one direction such that the base portion of the channel is on the outside of the bend. Bending in the opposite direction results in buckling or other deformation of the track. This limitation means that the track can only be bent to suit the bay recess itself but a reverse bend cannot be produced to allow the track to extend from the bay recess along adjoining wall portions. This therefore prevents the curtain being moved completely from the bay recess to lie against the adjoining wall portions which is desirable not only to provide a neater appearance but also to allow more light into the room when the curtains are drawn back.

The present invention in one aspect enables this limitation of the above described methods to be overcome by bending the curtain track in a plane parallel to the base section of the track so that bends in either direction can be made. The opening slot into the channel cross-section of the track therefore extends along the underside of the track when in position, rather than along the rear edge of the track as in the previous arrangements referred to above. A different type of curtain track fitting is then used, for example a "button-slide" runner having a downwardly projecting connection loop, rather than the presently used runners having a downwardly extending pivoted arm with an aperture or loop at its lower end to receive the curtain hooks.

The invention therefore includes a curtain track of the type described which is bent at one or more locations along its length in a plane parallel to the base portion of the curtain track section. The invention further includes a method of forming a curtain track of the type described, including providing a packing to generally fill the interior of the curtain track cross-section at the region of the required bend and bending the track in a plane parallel to the base section of the curtain track cross-section, with sections of the track at the position of the required bend and preferably also on each side thereof contained within a groove in a curved former and preferably also within engagement means on each side of the former.

However, the invention is not limited to bending a curtain track of the type described in said plane parallel to the base portion of the curtain track and indeed provides a curtain track bending apparatus which in various embodiments can permit bending curtain track in said plane passing perpendicular to the track base portion or said plane parallel to the track base portion or bending in either one of such planes.

The invention provides an apparatus for bending curtain track comprising a body part, e.g. a frame, having a former with a curved working surface and at least one groove in that working surface extending in the direction of the length thereof for containing a portion of curtain track of the type described at the position of a required bend therein; engagement means for engaging and preferably fully containing portions of a track, which extends in use through said groove, on the side thereof remote from the former and at positions on each side of the former; and means for causing relative movement between the former and said engagement means so as to effect bending of said track around the former.

In a preferred embodiment, an apparatus for bending curtain track may comprise a body part, e.g.

a frame, a former having a curved working surface and at lest one groove in the working surface extending in the direction of the length thereof for containing a curtain track of the type described at the position of a required bend therein, a pair of blocks each having a working surface with at least one groove therein for containing portions of said curtain track, means to mount the former and the blocks on said body part with the groove(s) in the former and the or corresponding grooves in the blocks lying generally in the same plane with one block disposed on each side of the former, preferably in a symmetrical arrangement with respect to the former, and means to cause relative movement between said blocks on the one hand and said former on the other hand such that a track, which extends in use through the, or corresponding, grooves in the former and in the block with the former engaging one side of the track and the blocks engaging the opposite side of the track, is bent around the former.

In a preferred construction according to the invention, the former is secured, preferably by releasable means, to said body part in a fixed relationship therewith, and the blocks are mounted on said body part by a mechanism which is operable to effect movement of the blocks in unison so as to cause bending of the track as aforesaid. In such constructions, each block may be mounted on the body part# by at least one pair of rigid link arms which are pivotably connected to that block and are connected at or adjacent their other ends to actuating means mounted on the body part for linear movement along a line extending generally radially of the curved working surface of the former at a position thereon for initial engagement with a track to be bent, the arms being connected to said actuating means at locations spaced along said line.

According to a feature of the invention, said actuating means may comprise a pair of internally screw-threaded members mounted on a lead screw, the axis of which extends along said line, with a respective one of said pair of link arms being connected to each such member, the arrangement being such that rotation of the lead screw causes said threaded members to move therealong in a fixed spaced apart relationship. In some constructions two pairs of each set of link arms may be provided to connect each block to each of the screw threaded members.

The blocks and the former may be detachably mounted on said body part so that they can be replaced by other blocks and formers adapted to accommodate different sizes of curtain track of the type described. In other embodiments a plurality of corresponding sets of grooves may be provided in the former and in the blocks and adapted to contain different types of curtain tracks. The sets of grooves may be adapted to locate corresponding sizes of curtain track for bending in either of the aforesaid planes.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates a cross-section of curtain track of the type described; Figure 2 is a front elevation of a machine in accordance with the invention for bending the curtain track; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional detail of a portion of the former of the apparatus of Figure 2; Figure 4 is an end view of a portion of the machine of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a diagrammatic plan view of a second embodiment; and Figure 6 is a diagrammatic side view of the machine of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a curtain track 10 of the type described which comprises an elongate strip of metal having a generally channel-shaped cross-section which comprises a base portion and a pair of semi-circular side wall portions projecting from the base portion, the free ends of the side walls being spaced apart to define an elongate slot in which button-type slide runners 11 can be engaged. Curtain cords connected to a master runner for drawing curtains which are suspended from a series of button slides 11, are contained within the interior of the channel-shaped track 10.

The bending machine shown in Figures 2 to 4 comprises a main frame 12 having upper plate 13, a pair of side struts 14 and 15 which diverge from one another in the downward direction (as viewed in Figure 1) and rigidly support at their lower end a lower plate 16. A shaped former 17 having a flat upper surface and a curved working surface 18 is secured to the underside of plate 16 by a pair of Allen bolts. A groove 18 which is shaped so as to correspond to and completely contain the outer cross-section of the track 10 to be bent by the machine, extends along the working surface of the former 17.

A vertical lead screw 19 extends through an aperture in the upper plate 13 and a boss 20 thereon and at its lower end engages in an aperture in the lower plate 16 of the frame. The lower end of the lead screw 19 is located with respect to the lower plate 16 to prevent detachment therefrom while allowing free rotation of the lead screw. For this purpose a circlip could be provided in a peripheral groove in the lower end of the lead screw 19 to engage the underside of the plate 16. A handle 21 is provided at a head portion of the lead screw 19 to assist rotation thereof.

A pair of nut members 22,23 are threadably located on the lead screw. Each nut member has two pairs of location arm members 25,26. These arms pivotally locate a pair of engagement blocks 28, 29 which cooperate with the former 17 to effect bending of the track. Block 28 is pivotally connected by a pair of arms 25, one at each side of the block, to the nut member 22 with one of each set of those arms being pivotally connected on a respective side of the nut member. The block 28 is similarly connected to the nut member 23 by a pair of arms 26 which are pivotally connected at one end thereof to the nut member 23, one on each side thereof, and towards their other ends are pivotally connected about the same axis as arms 25 to the block 28, one on each side of the block.The block 29 is similarly connected to each of the nut members 22,23 by a similar pair of arms 25 and a similar pair of arms 26. Each block member has a working surface provided with a groove 30 therein which is shaped to correspond to and completely contain the track member.

The former 17 and the engagement blocks 28,29 are preferably made of a plastics material, for example Delrin.

In order to bend a length of curtain track as shown in Figure 1, a packing is provided within the crosssection of the track at the required position of the bend. The packing generally comprises a pair of elongate coil springs 31,32 which are located within the track 10 and a number of shims in the form of elongate steel strips which are engaged between the springs to cause the springs to pack out against the curved sides of the interior of the track. Generally five or six such shims are used.

The track is then positioned in the machine to engage in the groove in the former 17 and in the grooves in the blocks 28 and 29. The lead screw 19 is then rotated in order to draw both blocks in unison upwardly relative to the former whereby the track is bent about the former in a plane parallel to the base portion of the curtain track section. This is continued until the required angle of the bend is produced.

Some allowance must be made for "spring back" of the track after bending so that the track is initially bent to a slightly greater angle than required to allow for this spring back. A scale may be provided along the frame adjacent to the lead screw, the scale being marked to indicate different degrees of bending corresponding to different positions of the nut members 22,23 along the lead screw 19. In this way precise bending of the track can be achieved without any special skills being required of the operator.

A number of legs (not shown) are preferably provided to form a free-standing apparatus. For example three legs may be provided, two bolted to the frame 12 and the other to the former 17.

The former 17 and the blocks 28,29 are attached in position by wing nuts to allow easy detachment thereof for replacement by another set of a former and a pair of blocks having different sized grooves therein in order to take a different dimension of curtain track.

A bending machine according to another embodiment of the invention and as illustrated in Fiugres 5 and 6 is basically similar to that shown in Figures 2 to 4 except that the former and cooperating former blocks are formed with a plurality of sets of corresponding grooves to allow selective bending of different sizes of curtain track and also bending in different planes through the curtain track. Similar parts in the two embodiments have been given the same reference numerals.

The frame 13,14,15 is, in the embodiment of Figures 5 and 6, provided with three legs 30,31,32 which support the bending machine in a horizontal plane. The former 17 of the first embodiment, which has a single track containing groove, is replaced by a pair of superimposed formers 33,34 having working surfaces 35,36 of different curvature. Different shaped grooves 38,39 are formed in the working surface 35,36 respectively and a further groove 40 is defined by a recess formed in the lower edge region of the working surface 35 and the juxtaposed side surface of the lower former 34. The grooves 38,39 and 40 are sized and shaped to receive different sizes of curtain track for bending in a plane parallel to the base portion of the curtain track in the case of the groove 38 and in a plane perpendicular the base portion of the curtain track in the case of grooves 39,40.As the overall thickness of the formers 33,34 is greater than that of the former 17 the nuts 22,23 are replaced by brass blocks 41,42 which have threaded bores adjacent their upper ends to receive the lead screw 19.

The blocks 28,29 of the first embodiment are replaced by blocks 50,51, each comprising a pair of superimposed elements 52,53 formed to define grooves 54,55,56 which generally correspond to grooves 38,39,40 in the formers 33,34.

A scale 43 is secured on the frame along the lead screw 19 to indicate the different degrees of bending associated with various positions of the brass blocks 41,42 along the lead screw 19 which is marked by a pointer 44 provided on block 41 so as to cooperate with the scale.

Although three different sets of grooves are provided in this embodiment, other embodiments of the invention may have different sets of grooves as required. Furthermore the former and the blocks 50,51 could be fabricated as a one-piece construction if desired. Other standard forming tools, such as punches, could also conveniently be mounted on the frame of the bending machine.

CLAIMS (Filed on 14 Dec 82) 1. An apparatus for a bending curtain track comprising a body part having a former with a curved working surface and at least one groove in that working surface extending in the direction of the length thereof for containing a portion of curtain track of the type described at the position of a required bend therein; engagement means for engaging portions of a track, which extends in use through said groove, on the side thereof remote from the former and at positions on each side of the former; and means for causing relative movement between the former and said engagement means so as to effect bending of said track around the former.

2. An apparatus for bending curtain track, comprising a body part, a former having a curved working surface and at least one groove in the working surface extending in the direction of the length thereof for containing a curtain track of the type described at the position of a required bend therein, a pair of blocks each having a working surface with at least one groove therein for containing portions of said curtain track, means to mount the former and the blocks on said body part with the groove(s) in the former and the or corresponding grooves in the blocks lying generally in the same plane with one block disposed on each side of the former, and means to cause relative movement between said blocks on the one hand and said former on the other hand such that a track, which extends in use through the, or corresponding, grooves in the former and in the block with the former engaging one side of the track and the blocks engaging the opposite side of the track, is bent around the former.

3. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the former is secured to said body part in a fixed relationship therewith, and the blocks are mounted on said body part by a mechanism which is operable to effect movement of the blocks in unison so as to cause bending of the track as aforesaid.

4. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 3 wherein each block is mounted on the body part by at least one pair of rigid link arms which are pivotally connected to that block and are connected at or adjacent their other ends to actuating means mounted on the body part for linear movement along a line extending generally radially of the curved working surface of the former at a position thereon for initial engagement with a curtain track to be bent, the arms being connected to said actuating means at locations spaced along said line.

5. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 4wherein said actuating means comprise a pair of internally screw-threaded members mounted on a lead screw, the axis of which extends along said line, with a respective one of said pair of link arms being connected to each each of said screw threaded members, the arrangement being such that rotation of the lead screw causes said screw-threaded members to move therealong in a fixed spaced apart relationship.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. marked to indicate different degrees of bending corresponding to different positions of the nut members 22,23 along the lead screw 19. In this way precise bending of the track can be achieved without any special skills being required of the operator. A number of legs (not shown) are preferably provided to form a free-standing apparatus. For example three legs may be provided, two bolted to the frame 12 and the other to the former 17. The former 17 and the blocks 28,29 are attached in position by wing nuts to allow easy detachment thereof for replacement by another set of a former and a pair of blocks having different sized grooves therein in order to take a different dimension of curtain track. A bending machine according to another embodiment of the invention and as illustrated in Fiugres 5 and 6 is basically similar to that shown in Figures 2 to 4 except that the former and cooperating former blocks are formed with a plurality of sets of corresponding grooves to allow selective bending of different sizes of curtain track and also bending in different planes through the curtain track. Similar parts in the two embodiments have been given the same reference numerals. The frame 13,14,15 is, in the embodiment of Figures 5 and 6, provided with three legs 30,31,32 which support the bending machine in a horizontal plane. The former 17 of the first embodiment, which has a single track containing groove, is replaced by a pair of superimposed formers 33,34 having working surfaces 35,36 of different curvature. Different shaped grooves 38,39 are formed in the working surface 35,36 respectively and a further groove 40 is defined by a recess formed in the lower edge region of the working surface 35 and the juxtaposed side surface of the lower former 34. The grooves 38,39 and 40 are sized and shaped to receive different sizes of curtain track for bending in a plane parallel to the base portion of the curtain track in the case of the groove 38 and in a plane perpendicular the base portion of the curtain track in the case of grooves 39,40.As the overall thickness of the formers 33,34 is greater than that of the former 17 the nuts 22,23 are replaced by brass blocks 41,42 which have threaded bores adjacent their upper ends to receive the lead screw 19. The blocks 28,29 of the first embodiment are replaced by blocks 50,51, each comprising a pair of superimposed elements 52,53 formed to define grooves 54,55,56 which generally correspond to grooves 38,39,40 in the formers 33,34. A scale 43 is secured on the frame along the lead screw 19 to indicate the different degrees of bending associated with various positions of the brass blocks 41,42 along the lead screw 19 which is marked by a pointer 44 provided on block 41 so as to cooperate with the scale. Although three different sets of grooves are provided in this embodiment, other embodiments of the invention may have different sets of grooves as required. Furthermore the former and the blocks 50,51 could be fabricated as a one-piece construction if desired. Other standard forming tools, such as punches, could also conveniently be mounted on the frame of the bending machine. CLAIMS (Filed on 14 Dec 82)

1. An apparatus for a bending curtain track comprising a body part having a former with a curved working surface and at least one groove in that working surface extending in the direction of the length thereof for containing a portion of curtain track of the type described at the position of a required bend therein; engagement means for engaging portions of a track, which extends in use through said groove, on the side thereof remote from the former and at positions on each side of the former; and means for causing relative movement between the former and said engagement means so as to effect bending of said track around the former.

6. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 wherein

two pairs of each set of link arms are provided to connect each block to each of the screw-threaded members.

7. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the blocks and the former are detachably mounted on said body part.

8. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein a plurality of corresponding sets of grooves are provided in the former and in the blocks and adapted to contain different sizes of curtain tracks respectively.

9. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 8, wherein at least two of said sets of grooves are adapted to locate corresponding sizes of curtain track for bending in planes which are parallel to and perpendicular to base portions of the track, respectively.

10. A curtain track bending machine, comprising: (a) a body part; (b) a former provided on the body part and having a curved working surface and at least one groove in the working surface extending in the direction of the length thereof for containing a portion of a curtain track at the position of a required bend therein; (c) a pair of blocks each having a working surface with at least one groove therein for containing portions of said curtain track, the blocks being disposed substantially symmetrically one on each side of the former with the groove(s) in the former and the or corresponding grooves in the blocks lying generally in the same plane; (d) a lead screw, the axis of which lies along a line extending generally radially of the curved working surface of the former at a position thereon for initial engagement with a curtain track to be bent; ; (e) a pair of internally screw-threaded members mounted on said lead screw for movement along the lead screw on rotation thereof, in a fixed spaced apart relationship; and (f) at least one pair of rigid link arms for connecting each block to said screw-threaded members, the link arms of each pair being pivotally connected to the respective block at or adjacent one end of the link arms and being connected at or adjacent their other ends to the screw-threaded members respectively.

11. An apparatus for bending curtain track, which apparatus is substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures 1 to 4 or Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.