US1989240A - Metal slat for venetian blinds - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 29,1935. I c, 1,989,240

METAL SLAT FOR VENETIAN BLINDS Filed July 28, 1932 2 sheets sheet l INVENTOR. WITNESS (kai-Zes NayiZZ- Wat m v g W A TTORNE Y.

c. E. MAGiLL Jan. 29,1935.

METAL SLAT FOR VENETIAN BLINDS Filed July 28, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y NVENIZO W/T E55 Cfidflciif a I v ATTORNEY.

slat for use therein.

Patented Jan. 29, 1935 UNITED STATES 1,989,240 METAL sm'r ron vnmrrnm BLINDS Charles E. Magill, Pittsburgh, Pa., Aluminum Company of America,

assignor to Pittsburgh,

. a., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July as, 1932, Serial N 625,278

4 Claims. (on. 156-17) The invention relates to Venetian blind construction and to a new and improved form of It is particularly directed to the provision of a metallic Venetian blind.

The advantages of metal as a substitute for wood in the construction of Venetian blinds have heretofore been appreciated by workers in this art. It has been proposed to make such metallic blinds from aluminum, chiefly because of its lightness, durability, and good appearance. The aluminum Venetian blind has not, however, found general acceptance by architects and builders because of certain disadvantages inherent in the structures heretofore proposed.

It being recognized that an aluminum or other metal slat for Venetian blinds should possess a certain degree of stiffness throughout its length, this desideratum has been sought by means of corrugated and flanged designs. Such designs have not been found altogether satisfactory, however, since they do not possess the desired amount of stiffness together with the proper degree of flexibility, and in addition they are somewhat unsightly in appearance. Furthermore, the use of the metallic slat designs evolved prior to the time of the present invention has necessitated the development of a new form of support which has led to the proposal of metallic ladder tapes hinged or otherwise secured to the edges of the metal slats. This is an expensive construction and one which is not always desirable. I

It is an object of nw invention to provide a metallic Venetian blind which overcomes the disadvantages just enumerated and which combines the advantages of the metal blind with those of its wooden predecessor. A further object is to provide a metal slat for Venetian blinds which is simple in design, easy to fabricate, and

which possesses the general outward appearance of a wood slat.

A more specific object is to provide an aluminum Venetian blind the component parts of which are adapted to the usual type of suspension and which at the same time yields the advantages inherent in a bright aluminum surface of high heat reflectivity with low heat emissivity. Other objects and advantages will be quite obvious from a consideration of the design which I have devised, such as greater durability, resistance to deterioration by the elements, and freedom from splitting and warping. I

Certain of these will appear in connection with the following description of a preferred embodiment of my invention in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse section through a window sash showing my improved Venetian blind mounted thereon; Fig. 2 is a view to an enlarged scale of the upper end of a Venetian blind installation similar to that shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view, parts being broken away, showingthe elements of my Venetian blind in partially assembled relationship, the ladder tapes and other details of construction being omitted in order to more clearly illustrate the essential features of my design; and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view through a blind slat taken through one of the apertures provided for the lifting cords illustrating a pre-' ferred embodiment of the invention. Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are detail transverse sectional views through the head bar, tilting bar and bottom bar, respectively.

In the drawings likereference numerals have been used to designate like parts throughout the description thereof.

In Fig.1 the Venetian blind has been shown installed behind a conventional form of sash designated generally by the reference numeral 1. This construction forms no part of the present invention and will therefore not be described in detail, it being understood that the Venetian blind as shown is applicable to any of the well known forms of sash. The blind consists, in its general assembly, of a head bar 2 which is secured to the sash in anyconvenient manner, as by means of the bracket 3. Below the head bar 2 is suspended by means of brackets a tilting bar 4. This tilting bar 4, a bottom bar 5 and intermediate slats 6 are secured together in spaced relationship by means of the ladder tapes 7.

The usual. lifting cords 8 and tilting cords 9, together with the necessary sheaves, are provided, and the lifting and tilting -mechanism may be of the type which is well known to those familiar with the art.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2, it should be noted that the ladder tapes 7 comprise side members 10 and cross members 11. The slats 6 rest loosely upon the cross members 11 and are guided or positioned by the side members 10. Since the ladder tape is usually made of cloth fabric, it is desirable that the design of the slat be such as to present no rough edges or sharp corners to wear or cut through the fabric. To this end I have conceived the idea of making the slats in the form characterized by its flattened seamless tubular cross section with rounded lateral edges 12 for engagement with a ladder tape. The curved side walls 12 join together the substantially flat upper and lower walls 13.

. This design of slat is advantageous from a number of standpoints, .fl rst of all from that of,

ease of manufacture. It can be produced from ordinary extruded, drawn, or extruded and drawn aluminum tubing by drawing the same through a suitable die which serves to flatten it out into the form shown. The resulting article is light and at the same time possesses the requisite still!- ness so that it will retain its shape and not bend or sag in use. The smooth edges of the slat which, as has been noted, will not cut the supporting tapes, give to the slat a smooth appear-- ance closely resembling that of the wood slat. The bright surface of the metal, which may be enhanced by polishing if so desired, possesses the characteristic of high heat reflectivity and low emissivity which renders it peculiarly adaptable for use in blind construction.

Referring now to Fig. 3, in which the component parts of the blind are shown in greater detail, I prefer to make the tilting bar 4 and bottom bar 5, as well as the intermediate slats 6, of hollow construction. The tilting bar 4 and intermediate slats 6 are provided with elongated apertures 14 in the upper and lower walls thereof to receive the lifting cords 8. These apertures 14 are elongated in form in order to allow the bars to tilt without interference with the lifting cords. Lifting cords 8 are carried up" through a slot 15 in the head bar 2, passing through suitable sheaves mounted therein. The

head bar 2 may conveniently be formed of wood ered with the slats in the inclined position there would be likely to be considerable wear on the lifting cords, but this is effectually prevented by the design disclosed in Fig. 4.

While in the interest of clarity I have described my invention with reference to particular embodiments and have employed specific language, I have no intention of excluding any equivalents or minor variations of the invention set forth.

I claim:

1. A metal slat for Venetian blinds having a flattened tubular cross section with rounded latteral edges for engagement with a ladder tape and being provided with apertures in the flattened walls thereof to receive lifting cords, the edges of said apertures being flanged inwardly.

2. A metal slat for Venetian blinds having a ,tubular cross section with substantially flat upper and lower walls and curved side walls adapted to be supported on fabric tapes, said upper and lower walls being provided with apertures the edges of which are flanged inwardly.

3. A metal slat for Venetian blinds'having a tubular cross section with substantially flat upper and lower walls and curved side walls adapted to be supported on fabric tapes, said upper and lower walls being provided with apertures the edges of which are flanged inwardly, the edges of the apertures in the upper wall meeting the edges of the apertures in the lower wall to form tubular guides for lifting cords.

4. A metal slat for Venetian blinds having a flat tubular cross section with flat upper and lower walls connected by curved sidewalls presenting a smooth outer surface, said curved side walls being arcuate in cross sectionand said upper and lower walls tangent with the arc of each side wall, said flat upper and lower walls arranged in parallelism 'and. in closely spaced rela@ tionship, and oppositely disposed elongated apertures in said upper and lower walls.

CHARLES E. MAGILL.

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