GB2138672A

GB2138672A - A device for controlling the opening and closing curtains or drape

Info

Publication number: GB2138672A
Application number: GB08401202A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Grazia Forrer
Original assignee: Micheletti Francesco & Co Sas
Current assignee: Micheletti Francesco & Co Sas
Priority date: 1983-02-23
Filing date: 1984-01-17
Publication date: 1984-10-31
Also published as: BE898825A; FR2541105A1; GB8401202D0; CH657031A5; DE3402122A1; GB2138672B; IT8305124A0; ES529547A0; ES8502326A1

Abstract

A mechanical device for controlling the opening and closing curtains or drapes of the type which have two portions (1, 2) which are movable in opposite directions to one another, the device comprising a rotatable rod (3) which is supported in a support section member (4) and which, in use, lies in a horizontal plane, the rod (3) carrying two threads (5, 6) each having one or more starting points, the two threads (5, 6) crossing one another over substantially the entire length of the rod (3) and being of opposite hands, at least two slider members (11, 12) mounted on the rod (3) so as to be non-rotatably displaceable thereon, the first slider member (11) being constrained to follow one of the threads (5) on the rod and the second slider member (12) being constrained to follow the second thread (6) so that the slider members (11, 12) move axially along the rod (3) in opposite directions to one another and, depending on the direction of rotation of the rod (3), cause the curtain to be opened or closed, the slider members (11, 12) being attached to the two portions of the curtain by grippers. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A device for controlling the opening and closing of curtains or drapes The present invention relates to a device for opening and closing curtains or drapes of the type which have two portions which are moved in opposite directions to one another.

Cords, suitably mounted on guide pulleys and having one end attached to a grip or button attached to one portion of a curtain and a second end attached by means of another grip or button to a second portion of the curtain, are generally used for controlling the opening and closing of curtains or drapes, particularly curtains or drapes which have two curtain portions which move in opposite directions to one another. These devices are well-known and make use of a length of tape which is normally attached to the curtain to control its gather, either by connecting the buttons or grips to it or through the positioning of the tape.

Devices for controlling curtains of the panel or strip type, which devices include a threaded rod to permit the horizontal movement of the panels or strips and, if appropriate, means for orientating the panels or strips, either in association with or independently of, the opening and closing of the curtains are also known. In these mechanisms, however, the control rod only has a single thread.

Accordingly, all the panels or strips are moved simultaneously in one direction to open the curtair and simultaneously in the other direction to close the curtain. Similar known mechanisms are not, however, suitable for the control of curtains or drapes in which opening and closing of the curtain necessitates the movement of the two portions in opposite directions to one another.

The present invention therefore seeks to provide a device for controlling the opening and closing of curtains or drapes of the type having two portions which are moved in opposite directions to one another in a simple and efficient manner.

According to the present invention, there is provided a mechanical device for controlling the opening and closing of curtains or drapes of the type which have two portions which are movable in opposite directions to one another, the device comprising a rotatable rod which is supported in a support section member and which, in use, lies in a horizontal plane, the rod carrying two threads each having one or more starting points, the two threads crossing one another over substantially the entire length of the rod and being of opposite hands, at least two slider members mounted on the rod so as to be non-rotatably displaceable thereon, the first slider member being constrained to follow one of the threads on the rod and the second slider member being constrained to follow the second thread so that the slider members move axially along the rod in opposite directions to one another and, depending on the direction of rotation of the rod, cause the curtain to be opened or closed, the slider members being attached to the two portions of the curtain by gripper means.

One practical embodiment of a device in accordance with the present invention wiil now be described in greater detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a front elevational view, partially in section, of a device for opening and closing curtains, in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a transverse section taken along the line Il-Il in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a threaded rod and of curtain retaining means mounted on the rod which form part of the device of the present invention.

Figure 4 shows a first embodiment of a section member designed to support and enciose the threaded rod shown in Figures 1 and 2, and Figure 5 shows a second embodiment of a section member for supporting and enclosing the threaded rod.

In Figure 1 , there are shown the two portions 1 and 2 of a curtain which is opened and closed by moving the portions 1 and 2 in opposite directions to one another. A control device in accordance with the present invention comprises a rotatable threaded control rod 3 which is supported in a section member 4. The member 4 is designed so as to be mounted with its longitudinal axis in a horizontal plane. Thus, it may be mountable either directly or indirectly on the ceiling of the room or onto a pelmet provided above the window in front of which the curtain is hung.

The threaded rod 3 has a first helical thread portion 5 having one or more starting points. As shown, the thread portion 5 is a right-handed thread. The rod also has a second helical thread 6, again having one or more starting points, which is of the opposite hand to the first thread, in the present case, left-handed. The two threads 5 and 6 do, however, have the same pitch so that they cross one another a number of times over the entire length of the rod 3. The rod 3 is supported in its end regions by means of supports 7 formed in a channel-like portion 8 of the supporting section member 4. If desired or necessary, further supports 7 for the rod 3 may be provided intermediate the ends of the rod. The channel 8 has a longitudinally extending aperture formed in its lower region. One end of the rod 3 has a roller or pulley 9 keyed thereto, over which a chain or cord 10 passes.This chain or cord 10 can be moved so as to control the rotation of the rod 3 in either of its directions of rotation and thus controls the desired movement of the two portions 1 and 2 of the curtain.

Two slider members 11 and 12 are displaceably mounted on the rod 3 but cannot rotate about the rod. These members 11 and 12 may, as shown, each comprise a sleeve portion having an arm 11' 12' respectively which extends through the longitudinal aperture formed in the base of the channel-shaped portion 8 of the support section member 4. This prevents rotation of the slider and causes it to be guided longitudinally along the threaded rod 3. These slider members 11, 12 or, more precisely, the arms 11' and 12' are fitted with gripper members 13, 14 or other suitable means for holding the ends of the two portions 1 and 2 of the curtain which are adjacent one another when the curtain is closed.The sliders 11 and 12 each have at least one internal tooth or an internal helically threaded portion 1 5 and 1 6 respectively which engage the right-handed and left-handed threads 5 and 6 respectively of the rod 3.

In this way, when the rod 3 is rotated in one direction by means of the action of the chain or cord 10 on the roller or pulley 9, the sliders 11 and 12 simultaneously move in opposite directions, that is to say, away from one another to open the curtain. When the rod 3 is rotated in the opposite direction, the two sliders 11, 12 move towards one another to close the curtain.

To ensure the support of the two portions of the curtain, attachment and support units 17, such as gripper elements, which slide loosely along the same threaded rod 3 as the slider members 11, 12 or slide along a suitable groove in the support section member 4, are attached to the curtain at desired intervals.

Similarly, the support section member 4 may have any suitable cross-section, such as those shown in Figures 2, 4 and 5. The choice of the cross-section is dependent upon the manner and position of attachment thereof to the ceiling or to the pelmet or valance.

Accordingly, therefore, the opening and closing of curtains can be controlled simply and rapidly by utilising a single rod 3 having a righthanded thread 5 and a left-handed thread 6 which can be rotated in either direction.

Claims

1. A mechanical device for controlling the opening and closing of curtains or drapes of the type which have two portions which are movable in opposite directions to one another, the device comprising a rotatable rod which is supported in a support section member and which, in use, lies in a horizontal plane, the rod carrying two threads each having one or more starting points, the two threads crossing one another over substantially the entire length of the rod and being of opposite hands, at least two slider members mounted on the rod so as to be non-rotatably displaceable thereon, the first slider member being constrained to follow one of the threads on the rod and the second slider member being constrained to follow the second thread so that the slider members move axially along the rod in opposite directions to one another and, depending on the direction of rotation of the rod, cause the curtain to be opened or closed, the slider members being attached to the two portions of the curtain by gripper means.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which each of the slider members comprises a sleeve in which the threaded rod is located, and each is provided with an arm member connected to the sleeve, each arm extending through and being guided by a longitudinal slot formed in the lower region of the support section member, thereby permitting lateral movement of the slider members but not rotation thereof.

3. A device as claimed in claims 1 or 2, in which each slider member has at least one internal tooth or threaded portion, the internal tooth or internal threaded portion of one slider member engaging a first of the two threaded portions of the rod and the internal tooth or internal threaded portion of other slider member engaging the other of the two threaded portions of the rod.

4. A device as claimed in any preceding claim in which the support section includes a channelshaped portion for receiving the threaded rod whilst permitting the rod to rotate, the channelshaped portion including a longitudinally extending aperture in its lower region.

5. A device as claimed in any preceding claim in which the means for attaching and supporting the curtain and which are fitted with gripper devices, are fitted ioosely on the threaded rod.

6. A device for controlling the opening or closing of curtains as claimed in claim 1 constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.