US2134283A - Sun-blind - Google Patents

Description

SUN BLIND Filed Nov. 8, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet l Dona d Kilb "WE a -J Oct. 25, 1938. A. L. JONES ET AL sun BLIND Filed NOV. 8, 1937 n 3 A. JONES ET AL 2,134,283

SUN BLIND Filed Nov. 8, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 25, 1938.

SUN BLIND Filed Nov. 8, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 J1 J0 J2 A. JQNES ET'AL. 2,134,283

Patented Oct. 25, 1938 SUN-BLIND Arthur Linley Jones, Roundhay, Leeds, and Donald Kilbey Smith,

Chingford, England Application November 8, 1937, Serial No. 173,360

- In Great Britain November 13, 1936 l 6 Claims. This invention relates to improvements in sun blinds and the like and more particularly to sun blinds for shop fronts.

In the normal construction of a shop blind it is b usual to lower and raise the blind by means of a Dole, which action requires some considerable efiort on the part of the operator, often making it a difiieult matter for a female shop assistant to raise or lower the blind apart from the fact that the operator has to go outside the shop into What may be inclement weather.

One object of the present invention is to pro vide a blind structure which may be raised and lowered from within the shop without requiring 1'5- heavy manual exertion on the part of the operator. v

Another object of the invention is to provide a blind structure which may be lowered and raised wholly or partially by gravity.

The above and other objectsof the invention will become apparent from the following description.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into eifect, two constructions thereof are hereinafter more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings which are given by way of example only and not of limitation.

' In these drawings: Figure l is a side sectional elevation of a shop front incorporating one construction of blind mechanism, I

Figure 2 is a plan viewof theblind me hanism showing the blind extended, V

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the blind roller,

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line IV-ZV of Figure 2 shown on an enlarged scale, and

Figure 5 is a similar view taken on the line 40 V-V of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is an end view of a modified construction, and

Figure '7 is a front section view of one end thereof.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings, the blind I is attached at one end to a blind roller 2 and at the other end to a lath 3 supported by a pair of'hinged arms 4, 4 and 5, 5. The arms 4, 5 are mutually pivoted and pivotally connected both to the lath 3 and to a cross-bar 6 journalled in brackets l, 8 mounted on the back of the blind-box. Adjacent each end the crossbar 6 carries fast therewith toothed segments 9 and ill respectively.

Adjacent the bracket 1 is a second bracket ll.

A shaft l2 journalled in the brackets "I. and II carries a toothed wheel l3 in mesh with the teeth of the segment 9 and also a further toothed wheel M. A similar auxiliary bracket i5 is mounted adjacent the bracket 8 and a shaft [6 similar to the shaft I2 is 'journalled in those brackets. Toothed wheels ll, 18, similar to the toothed wheels l3, M are mounted on the shaft I6.

A transverse shaft I9 is journalled in the four brackets H, 'l', 8, l5, and fast thereon are a pair of similar toothed Wheels 20, 2| meshing respectively with the toothed whee1s l4 and 18. Also, fast on the shaft l9 isa toothed wheel 22 meshing with a toothed wheel 23 on a shaft 24 also iournalled in the brackets 8, IE, to form a chain of reducing gears. The toothedwheel 23 meshes with a toothed wheel 25 having a hollow boss 26 which extends loosely into the fiange'dend 2' of the blind 'roller 2i h A bevel toothed wheel 21 fast on one end of the shaft l9, meshes with a bevel toothed wheel 28 on a-shaft 29 which is adapted. to be rotated through the bevel gears 39),3l by means of a The other end of the blind roller 2 is a tight fit on aflange'd element 33 on the flange of which are teeth 34 engaging teeth 35'on a plate 35. Both the plate 36 and toothed 'wheel 25 are free to rotate on the spindle 31 which is secured to the brackets l and 8. l The spindle3l has a threaded portion 38 on which are mounted a pair of nuts 39, 43. The nut 39 may rotate independently of the boss 26 while the nut 40 is adapted to rotate therewith, although it is free to move with respect thereto axially along the spindle. The nut 39 has a projection 39' adapted to engagea corresponding projection 40" on the nut 40. To the nut 39 is madefast one end of a coil spring llfthe other end'of which is secured to the element 33. To regulate the tension of the spring 4|, a nut 42 on the threadedportion 43 of the spindle 31 is slackened oft'and the plate 36 is displaced to remove its teeth 35 out of engagement with the teeth 34 of the element 33, whereupon the lat ter is rotated to impart the desired tension to the spring 4| when the nut 42 is retighte'ned to bring about re-engagement of the teeth 34, 35.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: The crank handle 32 is rotated to impart rotation to the shaft i 9 thereby rotating the toothed wheels 20,. 2| and with them the toothed Wheels I movable blind box 50.

tated and thereby the toothed wheels I3 and I! to displace the segments 9 and I0. At the time the segments are brought to the position shown in Figures 4 and 5, the arms 4, 4 and 5, 5 are inclined downwardly and the weight of the lath 3 tends to cause them to extend due to gravity. During the rotation of the shaft I6 the toothed wheel I8 is rotated and thereby the toothed wheel 25 through the reducinggears ll, 22 and 23. Rotation of the toothed wheel 25, rotates the nut 40, due to its engagement with boss 26, and by its engagementwith the threads 38 causes it to move towards the right as seen'in Figure 3. The projection 40' leaves the projection 39 whereupon the blind roller 2 is free.

to rotate. As the blind runs out, the rotation of the element 33 increases the tension of the spring 4|, the efiect of which is to cause-rotation of the nut 39 and cause it also to move axially of the spindle towards the right as seen in Figure 3. When the projection 39' re-engages the projection 40 further movement is arrested whilst the spring 4| is still under tension thus keeping the blind taut,

To retract the blind, the'crank handle is rotated in the opposite direction when the arms 4, 4' and 5, 5 are elevated to an upwardly inclined position, as shown in chain line in Figure '1, when they tend to collapse due to gravity. The rotation of the toothed wheel 25 in the opposite direction causes the nut 40 to move axially towards the left and with it the nut 39 due to the engagement of the projections, 39', 4B. tension of the spring 4| is thereby increased and this causes rotation of the, blind roller to wind on the blind, the increase in tension being discounted by the movement of the roller.

Limit stops or hydraulic checks of known construction may be employed to restrict the opening of the arms 4, 4aand 5, 5'.

In a modified construction shown in Figures 6 and '7, the blind box is mounted'for bodily rotation, about pivots 5|, within a fixed casing 52, The blind lath 53 is connected by arm 54 to lattice or lazy-tong arms 55 carried by depending brackets 56 mounted on the front of the The blind extends from the lath 53 over a roller 51 loosely mounted on the bosses 58, 59 of bearing members 60, 6| extending through the end walls 50a, 50b of the movable blind box 50.

On a stub shaft 62 are mounted gear wheels 63, 64 adapted for mutual rotation. The toothed wheel 64 meshes with 'a toothed ring t5 of a ratchet or one-way device 66 on the member 6'1. This member 61 has an extension 68 of square section upon which is mounted a nut 69 having a peripheral thread engaging internal'teeth on the boss 58 of the members 60. A spring 10 is made fast to the blind roller 51 and to the nut 69.

The lath 53 is maintained in close position by a spring-urged catch taking over the edge of the front wall of the blind box 50. On the inside of that wall is mounted a spring-urged sliding member 12, whilst a similar member 13 is mounted on the bottom of the fixed casing. The adjacent ends of the members '|3, 12 are chamfered or sloped suchthat when the element 13 is displaced to the left, as seen in Figure 6, it

. moves the member 12 upwardly to raise the catch the weight of the lath and the slight downward inclination of the lattice or lazy-tong arms. 55

is such that the lattice or lazy-tong arms extend.

The

As the blind I is reeled off the roller 51, the tension of the spring 10 is increased thereby causing rotation of the nut 69 and with it the parts 68, 61, 65, 64. During this rotation, due to the engagement of the nut 69 with the teeth on the boss 58, the nut 69 moves towards the right as seen in Figure 7. The arrangement is such that the nut 69 strikes against the member 10 and is arrested thereby just before the blind is completely unwound whereby tension is maintained on the spring which keeps the blind taut. The element 13 is moved by a spring-urged rod 14 connected to bell crank lever 15 to which is connected a depending rod 16 disposed within the shop which may be operated manually to rock the bell crank lever to displace the member 13 and element 12 to release the'catch H, in order to lower the blind.

The ram 11 of a hydraulic cylinder 18 is piv otally connected to the blind box 50 and when it is desired to retract the blind, fluid is introduced into the hydraulic cylinder by a suitable control to cause movement of the ram which, in turn, rocks the blind box 50 about the pivots 5| to raise the lattice or lazy-tong arms 55 to a generally upwardly inclined position whenthey tend to retract due to gravity.

As the blind box 50 swings about the pivots 5|, the toothed wheel 63 meshes with a toothed rack 19 secured to the end wall of the fixed casing.

' This engagement causes rotation of the toothed wheel 63 and with it rotation of the toothed wheel 64, in an anti-clockwise direction. This toothed wheel rotates the toothed ring 65 and by engagement of the ratchet 66 rotates the member 61 in' a clockwise direction. This causes reverse travel of the nut 69 which increases the tension of the spring 10. The increase in tension of the spring brings about rotationof the roller 51 to cause winding on of the blind I.

When the blind is fully rolled up and the lath has abutted the front of the blind box 50 with the catch 1| engaged, the fluid is allowed to escape from the hydraulic cylinder and the blind box allowed to return to the normal position shown in Figure 6. During this reverse movement the toothed wheels 63, 64 are rotated in clockwise direction and likewise the toothed wheel 64 which, however, idles with respect to the members 61 so that theblind is not payed out.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described by way of example and various modifications'or alterations may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention'as defined by the ap- 55 pended claims.

We claim:

1. A sun blind, including alath, supporting arms therefor, and means adapted to rock said arms to a downwardly inclined position to cause extension thereof and to elevate said arms to an upwardly inclined position to cause retraction thereof due to gravity.

2. In a sun blind, a blind roller, extension arms and a lathsupported thereby, means opera generallyupwardly inclined position to cause retraction of the arms also due to gravity.

3. In a sun blind, a lath, pivoted arms supporting said lath, means on said arms for displacing the same about a horizontal axis into a generally downward direction to cause the same to extend by gravity or into a generallyupwardly inclined position to cause retraction of the arms also due to gravity, and means operable to displace said means.

4. In a blind construction, a lath, hinged arms supporting said lath, toothed segments on the ends of said arms, mutually rotated toothed wheels meshing with said segments and means for rotating said wheels to rock said segments to incline said arms into a generally downward direction to cause them to open by gravity or to incline them into a generally upward direction to cause them to retract also by gravity.

5. In a blind structure, a lath, supporting arms therefor, a transverse bar supporting'said arms,

5 toothed segments on said bar, toothed wheels meshing with said toothed segments and means for rotating said toothed wheels to cause rotation of the segments about the axis of the bar to incline said arms into a generally downward direction to cause them to open by gravity or to incline them into a generally upward direction to-cause them to retract also by gravity.

6. A sun blind, including a lath, a pivoted blind box, hinged arms connecting said lath and said blind box, catch means operable to release said lath to extend said arms by gravity, and. means for rotating said blind to elevate said lath and arms to cause retraction of the latter.

ARTHUR LINLEY JONES. DONALD KILBEY SMITH.

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