US2374591A

US2374591A - Venetian blind

Info

Publication number: US2374591A
Application number: US518479A
Authority: US
Inventors: William M Dunn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1944-01-14
Filing date: 1944-01-14
Publication date: 1945-04-24
Anticipated expiration: 1962-04-24

Description

,April'24, 1945 w. M. DUNN VENETIAN BLIND Filed Jan. 14, 1944 v INVENTOR. William M. Dunn BY FIG 2 ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 24, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VENETIAN BLIND I William M. Dunn, San Bernardino, Calif. Application January 14, 1944, Serial No.'51s,47s 3- Claims. (o1. 160-471) This invention relates to improvements in Venetian blinds. a V

It is the object of this invention. to produce a Venetian blind of an improved construction that is especially adapted to be made with metal slats, instead of the ordinary wooden slats.

Anotherobject of the invention is to produce a Venetian blind that shall be very inconspicuous when in open position and which will also close tightly.

A further object of the invention is' to produce a Venetian blind of such construction that'the openings usually provided in the slats for the lifting cords can be entirely dispensed with.

Another object is to produce a Venetian, blind of such construction that the tilting cords can be made of round material, if desired, andin which the lifting cords can be of very small diameter so as to be practically invisible when the blind is in full open position.

' A further object of this invention is to produce a Venetian blind of such construction that the slats can readily be unhooked from the lifting cords along one edge to facilitate cleaning.

A further object of the invention is to produce a Venetian blind provided-with an especially constructed hinge for efiecting a connection between the slats and the tilting cords.

The above and other objects that may become apparent as this description proceeds are attained by means of a construction and an arrangement of parts that will now be described in detail, and for this purpose reference will be had to the accompanying drawing in which the invention has been illustrated in its preferred form, and in which: a

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the blind in open position;

Figure 2 is a section taken 1, and shows the open position of the blind in full lines and a partially collapsed position by broken Figure 5 is a top plan view of a hinged member;

'Figure 6 is a view showing the hinge member in place on a tilting cord;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view showing the on line 2-2, Figure.

hinge member assembly'of Figure 6 connected to one of the slats;

Figure 8 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 5, but shows the tilting cord directly opposite from that shown in Figure '7; and

Figure 9 is a view showing the position of the parts before the slats are disconnected for cleaning. a

In the drawing reference numeral i0 designates a tilting board whose ends are provided with trunnions H.

These trunnions arejournalled in bearings in a bracket which has not been shown because the arrangement is old and well known. Reference numerals I2 and I3 represent pulleys that are mounted on the supporting brackets and about which the lifting cords l4 and i5 pass. Secured to theend of trunnion I I. is across piece It from the ends of which pull cords ll extend downwardly. The ends of the lifting cords l3 and It pass through a clamping pulley of the usual type, which has been designated by reference numeral it. At the bottom of the blind is a board or similar member it, which is somewhat heavier than the slats which havebeen designated by reference numeral 29. The slats-are :all the same size and shape and in the present embodh ment they have been shown as made from sheet metal. The edge of a slat along the right side I when viewed as in Figures 2 and 9 is rolled downwardly and inwardly, as designated by reference numeral 2! in Figure 7. At spaced intervals notches 22 are provided in the rolled edges. The other edges of the slats are bent reverse-1y into U-shape as shown by reference numeral 23, in Figures 2 and 9. The ends of the slats are provided with notches it for the reception of the lifting cords. It "will be observed from Figures 3 and 3a that the metal on opposite sides of the notches 24 has been onset in opposite directions for the purpose of providing as nearly as p ossible, a straight path for the lifting cord when the blind is in folded or closed position as shown in Figures 3 and 3a. The lifting cords may be of. the usual construction and have their lower ends secured to the ends of the bottom slat I9 at points 25. For the purpose of supporting the slats and tilting them, a plurality of pairs of tilting cords like those designated by reference numerals 26 has been provided. The upper ends of the tilting cords are secured to the tilting board Ill at points 21 and the lower .ends are attached to the bottom board is at points 28. For the purpose of eflecting a connection between the slats and the tilting cords, the latter are provided with hinge members which will now be described.

operatively I In the present embodiment the hinge members are formed from short pieces of wire which have been flattened so as to provide a central flat portion 29 that is connected with the round trunnions 30 by means of the inclined surfaces 3|.

The blanks shown in Figure 4 are bent around a suitable mandrel into the shape'shown in Figure 5 in which the trunnions 38 extend axially and in opposite directions, Before the blank is moved to the position shown in Figure 5, it is positioned on a lifting cord and adjusted to the right position after which it is closed, whereupon the hinged member will become firmly attached to the tilting cord. The hinge members are connected with the slats along the edge having the-roll 25 by first opehingthe latter slightly at each side of the notch 22 and inserting the trunnion's into the opening in the roll whereupon the material is then pressed back into position.

This forms a hinge that has sumcient rotary movement to accommodate either position of the slats and which is not detachable. Along the opposite side of the slats Where the material is bent into the U-shaped iold 23 the hinge members are readily inserted, either by first ofisetting the "tilting cords as shown in Figure 9, or by merely bending them in a manner quite apparent. The U-shaped openings marked 23 need not extend the entire length of the slat, but must be left in that position adjacent the notches 22, so as'to permit a ready detachment. The material between these U-shaped portions may be round, as indicated by reference numeral 2i.

It will be apparent that with this constructhey can be positioned quite close together and to the'further fact that such plastic is strong, the tilting cords can be made of comparatively small diameter and since they are also made from transparent material, they become practically invisible." When-the blind is turned with the slats in horizontal position, the blind becomes very inconspicuous when compared with the older plane of any slat.- The means for tilting and for lifting and anchoring has been shown more or less diagrammatically as the means shown is old and well known, with this exception that the lifting cords are positioned at the ends of the blinds only instead of being distributed throughout their length in the usual manner.

Blinds constructed in the manner described and shown on the drawing are more practical and -more attractive in their. finished form than the ordinary blind.

Attention is directed in particular to the construction employed for effecting a hinged con-- nectionbetweenthe slats and the tilting cord and to the fact that the slats can'readily be detached from the cords on one side for cleaning. When detached they will hang in overlapping position andcannot be opened without first re-' attaching them, which assures that they cannot be opened accidentally where a room isto be.

darkened for a considerable time. The slats can be made from any suitable metal or alloy and also from fiber or plastic, and when aluminum or other light weight metals or alloys are used, the blind will be of light weight.

Havingdescribed the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. In a Venetian blind having a plurality of slats, and means for supporting and tilting the slats comprising a plurality of pairs of cords, the cords of each pair being positioned at transversely opposite points, means for effecting a a hinged connection between the cords and the slats comprising hinge members secured to.,the cords, said members having a portion encircling the cords and a portion projecting laterally therefrom, the lateral portion having oppositely extending trunnions, the slats having a notch corresponding to each cord, the sides of the notches 410 having axially aligned openings for the reception of the trunnions.

2. A venetian blind comprising, a plurality of slats,'means for supporting the slats in spaced parallel relation, said means comprising a plurality of pairs of combined supporting and tilting" 1 cords, the cords of each pair being positioned at constructions having the wide ribbon lifting cords.

When the blind needs to be washed or cleaned, the parts are first moved into the broken line position shown in Figure 2, which corresponds to the position shown in Figure 9. When in this position the slats can readily be detached from the lifting cords on one side and allowed to hang vertically as indicated at X in Figure 2. When in this position they can be readily brushed and it is also possible to clean them by means of a hose, where the blinds are so positioned that the 'waterresulting from this method of cleaning will not be objectionable.

With this construction the slats canbe perfectly straight transversely and the folds or rolls along the edges can be very.s'mall,'thereby reducing to a minimum the obstruction when viewed in the transversely opposite points and means for effecting a pivotal connection between each cord and the adjacent edge of the slat comprising a hinge member havingan intermediate portion thereof encircling the tilting cord and provided with oppositely extending aligned trunnions, the slats having notches in their edges for tilting cords, the sides of the notches having openings for the reception of the trunnions,

3. A venetian blind comprising a plurality of metal slats, each provided in its edges with oppositely positioned notches, the sides of the notches having axially aligned openings, a plurality of tilting and slat supporting cords ar-' ranged in-pairs, each pair being positioned on opposite sides of the slats, one at each of the oppositely positioned notches, and means for effecting a tilting connection between the slats and the cords comprising a hinge member having one end provided with an opening through which a tilting cdrdextends, the otherend having oppositely extending aligned trunnions for engaging in the openings in the sides of a notch. I

noun.