US2031459A - Shade roller - Google Patents

Description

Mh. w3.

E. F. CHM/BLESS 2,9%,459

SHADE ROLLER Filed July 25, 1934 v l m m s n n n n nn Patented Feb. 18, 1936 LINTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHADE ROLLER Application July 25, 1934, Serial No. 736,819

17 Claims.

This invention relates to shade rollers of the 'type provided with a spiral spring for automatically winding up a shade carried thereby, and is more particularly concerned with locking mechanism for the roller, which will permit the roller to be rotated against the action ci the spring, but which will lock the roller against rotation under action of the spring under cer. tain conditions of use.

It is old to provide a shade roller with locking mechanism which will permit the roller to be rotated to raise or lower the shade, and which will be effective up to a certain velocity of rotation of the roller to automatically and positively lock the roller against rotation when the shade is released, thereby holding the shade in any adjusted position with respect to the roller.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide an improved shade roller combining the known form of locking mechanism with a second locking mechanism, separate and distinct from the beforeme-ntioned locking mechanism, which will become effective to lock the roller against rotation should the velocity of rotation of the roller rise a predetermined amount above the certain velocity of rotation of the roller at which the first mentioned locking mechanism becomes ineiective. In other words, up to a certain velocity of rotation of the roller, the first mentioned locking means will be effective to hold the roller against rotation, and, at a predetermined value above said certain velocity of rotation of the roller, the second locking means will become effective to hold the roller against rotation.

The said predetermined diierence in velocity of rotation represents the working range within which the two locking means are both ineffective so that the curtain may be run up by hand.

The foregoing object and others ancillary thereto are preferably accomplished as follows:

According to thepreferred embodiment oi the invention, a pair of diametrically disposed pivo ed pawls are pivoted at one end to one end of the shade roller for rotation there-with, thesey pawls, at their free ends, being adapted to engage in notches or recesses formed in the spring spindle of the roller for locking the roller against rotation with respect to the spindle. Up to a certain velocity of rotation oi the roller, these pawls are adapted to drop by force of gravity into the notches in the spindle and to lock the spindle to the roller, thereby holding the shade in any desired adjusted position. Above this certain velocity of rotation of the roller, however,

the centrifugal force acting on the pawls will overcome the force of gravity thereon and the above locking action cannot take place. It will be apparent, therefore, that should the shade suddenly escape from the hands of a person trying 5 to adjust the same, that the shade roller would immediately rotate at a relatively great velocity, thereby windingv the shade around the roller with great rapidity with probable injury to the shade and certain annoyance to the operator. To prel vent this uncontrolled escape, the shade roller of the present invention has been provided with a second separate and distinct locking mechanism which will become effective to lock the roller against rotation at a velocity which is a l predetermined amount above the velocity of rotation of the roller at which the pawls fail to lock the roller to the spindle thereof. There must be a certain difference of running movement or velocity of the shade roller between that at which the pivoted pawls become ineffective and that at which the second locking mechanism becomes effective, otherwise the shade could not be raised. This range of velocities in which the roller runs freely corresponds to the rate at which the operator would raise the shade under hand control.

The second locking mechanism comprises, preferably, a double cam disc, (a single or multiple cam being contemplated), which is rigidly secured to the spring spindle of the roller, this cam being disposed in a drum which is rigidly secured to the shade roller. A frictional locking roller or ball is carried by the inner surface of the flange of the drum and is adapted, upon a certain velocity of rotation of the drum and roller, to become wedged between the cams and the inner surface of the flange of the drum and thereby lock the shade roller against rotation with respect to its spindle. Where the velocity of rotation of the shade roller is such that the pivoted pawls are effective to lock the shade roller to the spindle, this frictional roller merely rolls along the ange of the drum, being held in the lower portion thereof by gravity. However, when the velocity of rotation of the shade roller rises above that which permits the pivoted pawls to be effective, the action of the centrifugal force, which holds the pawls out of engagement with the recesses in the spindle, immediately overcomes the force of gravity which holds the friction roller in the lower portion of the drum, and the roller is carried around with the drum and wedged between the flange thereof and the cam, thereby locking the shade roller against rotation with respect to the spindle. It will be apparent, from the foregoing, that the only free running movement of the shade roller will be in the range between the speed at which the pivoted pawls become ineffective and the speed at which the cam mechanism becomes effective to lock the shade roller to the spindle. In other words, the roller must rotate above a certain limit of low speed and below a certain limit of high speed,

for otherwise the shade roller will be locked against rotation. With the present device, the destruction of a shade by a too fast winding thereof upon the roller is eliminated, but the shade can be wound up by a relatively slow steady movement within certain limits, and if the movement of the shade is too fast or too slow, it will be locked.

The novel features that I consider characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of a specific embodiment thereof when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal view, partly in section, through one end of a shade roller embodying the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an end View of the shade roller shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end view of the cam locking mechanism taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1 and showing the inoperative position of the locking mechanism; and

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing the operative position of the cam locking mechanism.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, it will be seen that the shade roller I0, upon which the shade is adapted to be wound, is of' the ordinary and well-known cylindrical form. This shade roller may be formed of wood, or of any suitable metal, and is provided with an internal bore I2 for the reception of an internal spindle I3, around which is coiled a spiral spring I4. The spring |4 may be secured at one end, to the roller I0 in any suitable or preferred manner, and at its other end, the spring is fastened into a slot I5 in spindle |3 so that the roller may readily rotate about spindle I3 by action of the spring as is customary in spring rollers of this class.

Spindle I3 terminates closely adjacent the outer end of roller I3 and is provided with a stud I6 having a reduced portion I1, which extends into a bore I8 in spindle I3 and is rigidly secured therein in any suitable or preferred manner. Stud I6 extends outwardly from the end of roller I0 and projects through a central opening |9 in a flanged disc or drum 2|. A flange 22 is preferably formed on the drum 2| adjacent opening I3 to provide a bearing for stud I6. This drum may be formed of any suitable metal, and is disposed in abutting relation with the outer end of roller I0. Suitable tongues 23, struck out from wall 24 of the drum, are driven into the end of roller ID and serve to rigidly secure the drum to the roller for rotation therewith.

Disposed within drum 2| is a double cam disc, designated generally at 25, which may be formed of any suitable metal. This cam is rigidly secured to stud I6 for rotation therewith and is disposed on the stud closely adjacent wall 24 of drum 2|. The cam is in the form of a reverse curve and,

adjacent stud I6, is provided with pockets 26 and 2'| disposed oppositely of the convergent cam surfaces 28 thereof. These pockets are adapted to receive frictional rollers or balls 29 and 3|, respectively. The fixed cam disc 25 having a cam and pocket on each side of the stud, with a roller for each pocket, the shade roller I0 may be placed in its brackets with either side 32 of flattened portion 33 of stud I6 in an upward position. As shown in the drawing, the roller 29 is seated within pocket 26 of cam 25, and roller 3| is disposed beneath cam 25 and seats on flange 34 of drum 2| Roller 3| is adapted to engage the cam surface 28 of cam disc 25 and form a wedging action therebetween and the flange 34 of drum 2| and thereby lock roller I!) against rotation.

Roller 3| is maintained within drum 2| and prevented from moving laterally outwardly therefrom by means of a cup-shaped disc 36. This disc, which may be formed of any suitable metal, 20

has the flange 31 thereof abutting and seating on flange 34 of drum 2|. Inward movement of disc 36 is prevented by cooperating shoulders 38 and 39 formed on disc 36 and drum 2|, respectively, and outward movement of disc 36 is pre- 25 vented by an upturned flange 4| formed on the housing 42, the flange 31 of disc 36 abutting the inner surface of flange 4| of the housing. The housing 42, which encloses the drum 2| and disc 36, may be formed of any suitable metal and is rigidly secured to roller I0 as by crimping the inner ends 43 thereof into the outer surface of the roller.

Disc 36 also serves tosupport two pawls 45,

which are located on the disk at diametrically 35 opposite points. These pawls are pivotally secured at one end to the disc by means of pins 45, and at their free ends, the pawls are provided with projections 4l. These projections are adapted to engage in recesses 48 formed in an enlarged flange or boss 49, which is rigidly secured to stud I6. As the pawls 45 are mounted on disc 36 for rotation therewith, the engagement of the projections 4l in recesses 48 of boss 49, which is rigidly secured to stud I 6, will lock roller I0 against rotation.

The operation of the device withV the various parts normally in the position shown in Figures 2 and 3, is as follows:-

'Io cause the shade to descend, it is merely pulled downwardly at a sufficient rate of speed to impart a velocity of rotation to the roller which will cause the pawls 45 to fly outwardly under the action of centrifugal force and thereby release the pawls from the recesses 48 of boss 49.

When the desired position of the shade is reached, the velocity of rotation imparted to the roller is reduced until one of the pawls 45 drops into one of the recesses 48, under the influence of gravity, whereupon the roller will be locked with respect to spindle I3 and the shade will be held in the desired adjusted position. The roller 3| during such descending movement of the shade will remain in approximately the position shown in Figure 3 of the drawing, by reason of its own gravity, and will rotate in about such position by reason of its frictional contact with flange 34 of drum 2 Likewise, to raise the shade, it is first drawn down sufficiently to disengage pawls 45 from recesses 48 of bosses 49. The tension stored up in spring I4 by downward movement of the shade will then serve to impart sufficient velocity to roller I0 to Wrap the shade therearound. Also, the velocity of rotation imparted to roller I0 by spring I4 will be such that pawls 45 Will be held out of engagement with recesses 48 by centrifugal force until such time as the desired position of the shade is reached, whereupon a reduction in the velocity of rotation of the roller I will cause one of the two pawls 45 to drop into one of the recesses 48 by gravity and thereby lock the roller against further rotation. During such ascension of the shade, the roller 3| will remain in approximately the position shown in Figure 3 of the drawing, for the saine reasons previously set out.

It will appear from the foregoing that in normal operation of the shade, the pawl mechanism will be effective to automatically and positively lock roller IB against ro-tation with respect to spindle I3. Up to a certain Velocity of rotation of roller lll, therefore, pawls 45 will lock roller ||l to spindle I3. Above such velocity of rotation, however, the pawls will be ineffective, and the shade may be raised or lowered at will. This may be termed the free-runnng range of the shade. If the operator winds the shade up too fast or lets go of the shade, it will be obvious that the shade will rapidly wind itself around the roller 1- with possible destruction to the shade and annoyance to the operator. This is so, because within the free running range of the shade, pawls 45 are ineifective to lock roller IB to spindle I3. To overcome this difficulty, the free running range of the shade has, therefore, been conned within certain limits by the pawls 45 and the cam locking mechanism. If the shade is permitted to rise too fast, or if the operator lets go of the shade, roller Iii will have a velocity of movement such that the centrifugal force which tends` to hold pawls 45 out of engagement with recesses 48 on the stud II, will also be effective to carry roller 3| around with drum 2| and into wedging locking engageme-nt with cam surface 28 of cam 25, and lia-nge 34 of drum 2|. The roller 3| and earn will then be in the position shown in Figure 4 of the drawing, and roller I0 will be locked to spindle I3 against rotation. The amount of free Vrunning range permitted the shade will of course depend upon the design of cam 25. The cam may be designed so that roller 3| has relatively little movement with respect to the cam, in which case the cam mechanism will become effective almost immediately the pawl mechanism becomes ineffective, or roller 3| may have a relatively large amount of movement with respect to cam 25, in which case the free running speed of the shade will also be relatively large. To release roller 3| from locking engagement with cam 25, as shown in, Figure 4 of the drawing, the shade is merely pulled downwardly, thereby rotating drum 2| in a counter-clockwise direction, in which case roller 3| is carried out of engagement with cam 25 by drum 2|.

From the above, it will appear that with the present device, the roller must rotate above acertain limit of lo-w speed and below'another limit of high speed, for otherwise the roller will be locked against rotation for winding up the shade. Thus,

' the roller will be locked if the operator is careless or neglectful in attempting to wind the shade up too fast. With the present arrangement, the destruction or" the shade by a too fast winding thereof upon the roller is eliminated, but the shade can be wound up by a relatively slow, steady movement within certain limits, and if the movement of the shade is too fast, it will be locked.

Although I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, I am fully aware that many modifications thereof are possia spring shade roller,

-maintained below a certain low velocity, and

normally inactive locking roller and cam means associated with said shade roller and spindle and separate from said iirst named locking means whichA becomes active to lock said shade roller to said spindle when the speed of said roller exceeds a certain high velocity and the first named locking means has become ineffective.

2. The combination with a spring roller of a non-rotatable spindle for said roller, pawl means associated with said roller and spindle for positively and automatically locking said roller to said spindle when the speed of said roller is maintained below a certain low velocity, and locking roller and cam means associated with said spindle and shade roller and separate from said pawl means to lock said roller to said spindle when the speed of the roller exceeds a certain high velocity and the pawl means becomes ineffective.

3. The combination with a spring roller, of a non-rotatable spindle for said roller, a plurality of pawls associated with said roller for rotation therewith, a boss secured to said spindle and having a plurality of recesses therein, said pawls engaging in said recesses to positively and automatically lock said roller the speed of said roller is maintained below a certain low velocity, and cam and roller means associated with said spindle and shade roller and separate from said pawls to lock said roller to said spindle when the speed of the roller exceeds a certain high velocity and the pawls become ineffective.

4. The combination with a spring roller, of a non-rotatable spindle for said roller, means associated with said roller and spindle for positively and automatically locking said roller to said spindle when the speed of said roller is maintained below a certain low velocity, a drum associated with said roller for rotation therewith, and locking roller and cam means associated with said drum and said spindle for locking said drum to said spindle when the speed of said roller and drum exceeds a certain high velocity and the rst named locking means becomes ineffective.

5. The combination with a non-rotatable spindle for said roller, means associated with said roller and spindle for positively and automatically locking said roller to said spindle when the speed of said roller is maintained below a certain low velocity, a drum associated with said roller for rotation therewith, a cam carried by said spindle, and locking roller means cooperating with said drum and said cam for locking said spindle to said roller when the speed of said roller exceeds a certain high velocity and the first named locking means becomes ineffective.

6. The combination with a spring roller, of a non-rotatable spindle for said roller, means associated with said roller and spindle for positively and automatically locking said roller to said spindle when the speed of said roller is maintained below a certain low velocity, a drum associated with said roller for rotation therewith, a cam carried by said spindle, and a roller member to said spindle when spring roller, of a disposed in said drum and adapted for wedging locking engagement with said drum and cam to lock said spring roller to said spindle when the speed of said roller exceeds a certain high velocity and the rst named locking means becomes ineffective.

7. The combination with a spring roller, of a non-rotatable spindle for said roller, means associated with said roller and spindle for positively and automatically locking said roller to said Spindle when the speed of said roller is maintained below a certain low velocity, a drum having an annular flange associated with said roller for rotation therewith, a cam carried by said spindle, and a roller member disposed in said drum and seating on the flange thereof, said roller member being adapted to have wedging locking engagement with said cam and the iiange of said drum to lock said spring roller to said spindle when the speed of said roller exceeds a certain high velocity and the first named locking means becomes ineffective.

8. The combination with a spring roller, of a non-rotatable spindle for said roller, means associated with said roller and spindle for positively and automatically locking said roller to said spindle when the speed of said roller is main tained below a certain low velocity, a drum having an annular flange associated with said roller for rotation therewith, a cam carried by said spindle, and a roller member disposed in said drum and seating on the flange thereof, said roller member being normally inactive when the speed of the spring roller is maintained below a certain lo-w velocity, and becoming active to move into wedging locking engagement with said cam and the flange on said drum and thereby lock said spring roller to said spindle when the speed of said roller exceeds a certain high velocity and the first named locking means becomes ineffective.

9. The combination with a spring roller, of a non-rotatable spindle for said roller, means associated with said roller and spindle for positively and automatically locking said roller to said spindle when the speed of said roller is maintained below a certain low velocity, a drum having an annular flange associated with said roller for rotation therewith, a double cam having a plurality of pockets therein carried by said spindle, a plurality of locking rollers disposed in said drum, one of said rollers normally seating in one of said pockets and another of said rollers normally seating on the flange of said drum in each of two diametrically opposite kpositions of the spring roller, said locking roller member being adapted to have wedging locking engagement with said cam and the flange of said drum to lock said spring roller to said spindle when the speed of said spring roller exceeds a certain high velocity and the first named locking means becomes ineffective.

l0. The combination with a spring shade roller of a non-rotatable spindle for said roller, locking means comprising a drum secured to said roller for rotation therewith, a cam secured to said spindle, wedging means disposed in said drum and cooperating with said drum and said cam for locking said roller to said spindle when the speed of said roller exceeds a certain high velocity, means disposed in said drum for retaining said wedging means therein, and means associated with said last named means and said spindle to lock said roller to said spindle when the speed of said roller is below a certain low velocity.

1l. The combination with a spring shade roller of a non-rotatable spindle for said roller, a stud secured to said spindle and extending outwardly therefrom, locking means comprising a drum secured to said roller for rotation therewith, a cam secured to said spindle, wedging means disposed in said drum and cooperating with said drum and said cam for locking said roller to said spindle when the speed of said roller exceeds a certain high velocity, means disposed in said drum for retaining said wedging means therein, a plurality of pivoted pawls carried by said last named means, and a boss having recesses therein secured to said stud, said pawls engaging the recesses in said boss under the influence of gravity to lock said roller to said spindle when the speed of said roller is below a certain low velocity.

12. The combination with a spring shade roller of a non-rotatable spindle for said roller, a stud secured to said spindle and extending outwardly therefrom, locking means comprising a drum secured to said roller for rotation therewith, a cam secured to said spindle, wedging means disposed in said drum and cooperating with said drum and said cam for locking said roller to said spindle when the speed of said roller exceeds a certain high velocity, a flanged disc disposed in said drum for retaining said wedging member therein, cooperating means on said disc and said drum for restraining lateral inward movement of said disc with respect to said drum, a plurality of pivoted pawls carried by said disc, and a boss having a. plurality of recesses therein secured to said stud, said pawls engaging the recesses in said boss under the iniluence of gravity to lock said roller to said spindle when the speed of the roller is below a certain velocity.

13. The combination with a spring shade roller of a non-rotatable spindle for said roller, a stud secured to said spindle and extending outwardly therefrom, locking means comprising a drum secured to said roller for rotation therewith, a cam secured to said spindle, wedging means disposed in said drum and cooperating with said drum and said cam for locking said roller to said spindle when the speed of said roller exceeds a certain high velocity, a flanged disc disposed in said drum for retaining said wedging member therein, cooperating means on said disc and said drum for restraining lateral inward movement of said disc with respect to said drum, a housing secured to said spring roller, an inturned flange on said housing, said flange cooperating with the flange of said disc to restrain lateral outward movement of said disc with respect to said drum, a plurality of pivoted pawls carried by said disc, and a boss having a plurality of recesses therein secured to said stud, said pawls engaging in said recesses under the influence of gravity to lock said roller to said spindle when the speed of the roller is below a certain velocity.

14. The combination with a spring shade roller of a non-rotatable spindle for said roller, a stud secured to said spindle and extending outwardly therefrom, locking means comprising a drum having an annular flange secured to said roller for rotation therewith, a cam secured to said spindle, a roller member disposed in said drum and seating on the flange thereof, said roller member being normally inactive when the speed of the roller is maintained below a certain low velocity and becoming active to move by centrifugal force into wedging locking engagement with said cam and the flange on said drum and thereby lock said spring roller to said spindle when the speed of said spring roller exceeds a Cil certain high velo-city, means disposed in said drum for retaining said roller member therein, a plurality of pivoted pawls carried by said last named means, and a boss having recesses therein secured to said stud, said pawls engaging the recesses in said boss under the influence of gravity to lock said roller to said spindle when the speed of said roller is below a certain low velocity.

15. In combination, a spindle with a attened end having two positions of engagement with a bracket and held against rotation thereby, a shade roller rotatable with respect to said spindle, and means comprising a cam member on the spindle and cooperating wedging means operable in each position of said spindle in said bracket for preventing too rapid rolling of said shade up on said roller.

16. In combination, a spindle with a flattened end having two positions of engagement with a bracket and held against rotation thereby, a shade roller rotatable with respect to said spindle, a cam member held against rotation by said spindle and having a pair of cam portions, and a pair of locking roller members carried by said shell member, one of said roller members being cooperable with one of said cam portions in each of the positions of said spindle in its bracket whereby to lock the roller against rotation at too rapid speed in the direction in which the shade is rolled up on said roller.

17. In combination, a spindle with a flattened end having two positions of engagement with a bracket and held against rotation thereby, a shade roller rotatable with respect to said spindle, a shell secured to the end of the roller for rotation therewith, a cam member on the spindle, wedging means carried by said shell member and cooperable with said cam member to lock said roller against too rapid rotation in either of the two positions of said spindle in said bracket, a member for retaining said wedging means in said shell, and means carried by said last member for locking said roller to said spindle when the speed of said roller is relatively low.

ERSYL F. CHAMBLESS.

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