US2132991A

US2132991A - Venetian blind

Info

Publication number: US2132991A
Application number: US165804A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mintz Louis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1937-09-27
Filing date: 1937-09-27
Publication date: 1938-10-11
Anticipated expiration: 1955-10-11

Description

o1. 11, 193s. NT2 2,132,991

VENETIAN' BLIND Filed Sept. 27, 1937 FITI 2 Z INVENTOR y /4 l Louis Mintz BY 7 S F1' .E "'Mf m j ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 11, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlCE Louis Mints, Cleveland, Ohio Application'September 27, 1937, SerialNo. 165,804

v 1 Claim.

This invention relates to Venetian blinds and has for its object to provide such a blind with a` supporting bar which is formed to provide a housing for the blind operating mechanism which provides a rigid support for the blind'which is of pleasing appearance and which can bereconomically manufactured.

AA further object is to provide a combined supporting bar and housing for the blind operating mechanism which is formed of a. material which matches the material of the slats which is of'a thickness corresponding substantially to the width of the slats and which is so constructed that when mounted in a Window frame it eiectuallyconceals the blind operating mechanism.

With the above and other objects in view the invention may be said to comprise the device as illustrated in the accompanying drawing,'herein after described and particularly set forth in the appended claims, together with such variations and modifications thereof as will be apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention appertains.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a Venetian blind embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the supporting bar which provides the housing for the blind operating mechanism, a portion of the bar intermediate its ends being broken away to show the mechanism mounted within the bar;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the supporting bar;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the supporting bar viewed as indicated at 4-4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line indicated at 5-5 in Fig. 2; y

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line indicated at 6 6 in Fig'. 2;

Fig. '7 is a side elevation of the guiding and locking device for the blind lifting cables;

v Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the device shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of oneof the bar-supporting brackets; and

Fig. 10 is a section taken on the line indicated at Ill-I0 in Fig. 9.

In Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing a Venetian blind embodying the invention is shown mounted upon the interior of a window frame I,

the blind comprising a top bar 2, slats 3 connected to suitable Slat-tilting strips 4 of fabric or other suitable exible material. The strips 4 extend vertically along opposite sides of the blind and are connected to opposite edges of the slats 3 so that, by raising the strips on one side and lowering the strips on`the other side, the slats 3 may be tilted to the desired angle. The upper end of the strips 4 are attached to drums 5 which are mounted upon a shaft 6 so that, when the shaft is turned in one direction or the other, the drums 5 turning with the shaft operate the strip's 4 t'o tilt the slats 3. 'I'he shaft 6 carries a worm gear l which meshes with a worm 8 totwhich is attached a sheave 9 operated by a cable I0. The ends of the cable I0 extend downwardly from the sheave 9 and the ends of the cable may be provided `with handles vI I. By meansof the cable I0 the shaft 6 may be turned in one direction or the other toimpart the desired angle of tilt in either direction to the slats 3.

Within the drums 5 pulleys I2 and I3 are pivotally suspended from the shaft 6 and receive cables I4 and I5 which extend down to the bottom bar of the blind adjacent opposite ends thereof. By pulling on the cables I4 and I5 the blind is'raised, collapsing the slats 3. Upon release of the cables I4 and I5 the blind is lowered by gravity. The drums 5 are provided with slots I6 n which accommodate the cables I4 and I5 in any angular position of the drums. The cables I4 and I5 extend over pulleys I 1 mounted in an end of the bar 2 beyond the end of the shaft 6 opposite that at which the cable I0 is located. The raising and lowering of the blind is accomplished by operating the cables I4 and I5, while the tilting of the slats is accomplished by the ca.- ble I0 in the usual and conventional manner.

The supporting bar 2 is a one-piece bar of rectangular cross section, preferably composed of a material similar to that of the slats 3, so that when painted the external appearance of the bar will correspond to that of the slats 3. The thicl'rness of the bar 2 corresponds substantially to the width of the slats 3 so that, when the slats are collapsed against the bottom of the bar 2 the edges of the slats are substantially flush with the outer face of the supporting bar 2. t' is preferred to construct the slats 3 and also the supporting bar 2 of wood. 'I'he side faces of the bar 2 are continuous smooth faces having no apertures or parts attached thereto, and the barr 2 is of a length to extend substantially the full length of the space between the side members of a window frame.` Y

' In order to house the actuating mechanismv within the bar 2 the bar is provided with drum-receiving recesses I8 and I9 which are spaced from the ends of the bar and which are spaced from each other. The recesses I8 and I9 are of a width v and depth such as to provide fairly thin bottom and side walls at the bcttom and sides of the bar.

The rigidity and strength of the bar is mainlof the bar.

tained, however, by reason of the fact that beyond the ends of the recesses I8 and I9 and between the recesses I6 and I9'the bar is weakened very little. The short thin-walled portions of the bar providing the bottoms and sides of the chambers I8 and I9 are cf relatively short length and, since these thin-wailed portions of the bar alternate with relatively stiff portions ci the bar, the bar is not greatly weakened by the mechanism-receiving recesses. By reason of its construction as above described the bar of the present invention needs to be of a width and depth but `little greater .than the drum diameter and has sufficient strength to support a wide blind withc-ut intermediate supports or braces.

Between the recesses I8 and I9 the bar is provided with a narrow channel 20 of less depth than the recesses I8 and I9 to receive the shaft 6 and the cable I4. The thick walls at opposite sides of the central channel 28 greatly stiffen the sides of the bar 2 and the thickened portion at the bottom of the channel 28 greatly stiiens the bott-om wall of the bar. The drum recesses I8 and I9 are provided withcable openings 2| directly beneath the shaft 6 through which the slot-lifting cables I4 and I5 pass. At opposite sides thereof the recesses I8 and i9 are provided with slots 22 through which the Slat-tilting strips 4 pass. The recess E3 is provided in the bottom with a slot 23 through which the cable I0 extends. I

The shaft 61s journaled at one end in a bracket 24 which is secured to the bottom of the recess I8 by means of screws 25 and the opposite `end of the shaft is journaled in a bracket 26 secured by screws 21 to the bottom of the recess I9. The

screws

25 and 21 are accessible from the open top of the recesses I8 and i9 so that the shaft 6,'

recesses |152 and I9 are of a depth such that the tops of the drums are belowthe lplane cf the top surface of the bar, sothat the actuating mechanism is completely housed within the bar and completely concealed when the blind is placed in the window frame.

The guard pulley I1 for the cables I4 and I5 is mounted in a iJ-shaped bracket 28. The end of the bar in which bracket 28 is mounted s provided with a laterally inclined slot 29l within which the U-shaped bracket 28 fits. The bracket 28 is of a width just sufcient to accomodate the roller I1, which is just wide enough to receive the two cables I4 and I5. The lateral inclination of the roller I1 is such as to permit'tloe con-l venient lifting of the blind by a pull on the cables I4 and I5 in a direction inclined outwardly from the vertical. The free ends of the U-shaped brackets 28 are provided withl horizontal flanges 38 whichrest upon shoulders on opposite sides of the upper edge of the inclined slots 29 which are provided by a wide channel in the top part The bracket is sectired in place by means of screws 3I securing the flanges 30 to the shoulders on which they rest. The screws 3l are also accessible from the top of the bar so that the bracket 28 is readily removable. 'I'he bottom 28 is entirely concealed when the blind is in place inthe window frame. The bracket 28 also reinforces the slotted end of the bar 2.

To keep the cables I4 and I5 side by side upon .the pulleys i1 the bottom of the bracket 28 is prot'ided with a central linger 32 which projects inwardly beneath the pulley I1 between the two cables I4 and I5. Means are provided for locking the cables I4 and I5 in the pulley I1 in any position of adjustment of the blind. The locking of the cables is effected by the shifting of the cables I4 and I5 laterally toward the adjacent edge of the blind after the desired adjustment is made. The locking member is a knurled roller 33 which is journaled i-n a U-shaped arm 34 which is niounted to swing upon a pivot 35. The pivot.

35 is mounted in the bracket 28 outwardiyof the pulley I1. The knurled roller 33 normally rests upon the bottom of the bracket 28, in which position of the roller ,the supporting arm 34 is inclined downwardly and inwardly from the pivot 35. In this position of the knurled roller its periphery is closely adjacent the cables I4 and I5 when the same are hanging vertically down from the pulley I1. When the cables I4 and I5 are moved outwardly against the knurled roller 33 they frictionaly engage with the periphery of the roller 33 and, as the cables move upwardly, cause the roller 33 to prem the cables I4 and I5 against the periphery of the roller 33 to press `the cables I4 and I5 against the periphery of the roller I1, firmly clampingthe cables I4 and I5 against further movement. Upward movement of the arm 34 is limited by a. lug 36 formed integrally with a side wall of the bracket 28. The 36 prevents upward movement of the arm 34 'beyond the clamping position.

The mechanism housing bar 2 has a close fit within the upper portion of a. window frame so that the top bar of the window frame will form bar 2 is supported by two rectangular thin metal brackets 31 secured in the upper inner corners of the window frame. The brackets 31 have flat side portions secured by screws 38 to the side bars of the window frame and are provided with short inwardly extending anges 39 along the top, rear and bottom margins thereof, the front u of these brackets being open to receive an end of the bar 2. The length of the bar 2 is such as to fit snugly between the side faces of the brackets 31 and the depth of the bar is such as to fit snugly between the top and bottom flanges of the brackets. Adjacent each end the bar 2 is provided on the under side with a projecting pin 48 which enters a slot 4I in the bottom flange of a supporting bracket and each bracket is provided with a hook 42 adapted to be moved into engagement with a pin 40 to lock the bar in the bracket.

Furthermore, it is to be understood that the particular apparatus shown and described is presented for purposes of explanation and illustration and that various modifications can be made without departing from my invention as defined in the appended claim.

What I claim is:

In a Venetian blind of the type provided with lifting cables and Slat-tilting drums carried by a shaft and connected through flexible members to the slats, a combined mechanism housing and head bar coinprising a wood bar having mecha*- msm-receiving recesses routed out from the top face thereof and openings through its bottom face for said cables and flexible members, said recesses comprising drum-receiving recesses spaced 2.182..1 epm longitudinally and located -inwerdiy of the ends ot the bar and a. narrowe and shcllower shaft-receiving recess across the space between A.

the drum recesses, said drum-receiving recesses being of a width and depth to 'provide drum-receiving chambers with relatively-thin side nnd bottom walls, said har having rigid end portions' and .a rigid portion of substantial lenlth between the drum recesses, the relatively lhort thin-walled portions beim intervened between and integral with mororluid portiomot the bnr whereby a housing bei' ofl rele.-

tiveiy smgllsiae and rlxidity is provided.