US2521980A

US2521980A - Autotilting venetian blind

Info

Publication number: US2521980A
Application number: US656968A
Authority: US
Inventors: Michael L Kesner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-03-25
Filing date: 1946-03-25
Publication date: 1950-09-12
Anticipated expiration: 1967-09-12

Description

Sept. 12, 1950 M. KESNER 2,521,980

AUTOTILTING VENETIAN BLIND Filed March 25, 1946 FIG 1 3 INVENTOR MICH L. KESNER BY Fly;

ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 12, 1950 UNITED STATES 2,521,980 I AUTOTILTING VENETIANBLIND Michael L. Kesner, Chicago, Ill.

Application'March 25, 1946, Seriai-No. 656,968

' s oiaims. (01.1 6 -170) ,..[his.. invention relates. to. improvements in Venetian blinds, and particularly to improvements in .the louvre tilting means for spring-' .operated blinds having a spring actuated roller for raising theblinds and lateral guide and re- .taining. members. along which the blind elements travel in their raising and lowering movement.

The mainobjects of thisinvention are to proyide an improved means .for automatically adjusting the angular settingof the louvers of .a Venetianblind when the blind. is moved up or down; to, provide such a means that is actuated by the elements which raise and lower the blind; to provide such a means that will cause full automatic adjustment of the louvre tilt with a minimum up or down movement of the blind; to providea Venetian blind in which the angular tilt of thelouvres is determined by the position to which'the blind is raised or lowered; to provide such'a device wherein thetilt of the louvres is locked by the setting of the blind in any up or down position; and to-provide a Venetian blind having automatically tilting louvres that are operated positively throughout the entire extent of up and down adjustment of the blind.

An'illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure '1 is a detailed view in elevation, showing the-improved Venetian blind.

*Figs.f2,"3 and '4 are views, taken on line 2-2 of f Fig. 1, showing the louvre tilting mechanism and the medial and extreme positions of louvre tilt.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 1 showing in dotted outline a tilted position of the blind louvres.

Fig. 6 is a view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1, to show the blind supporting bracket which is opposite the louvre tilting mechanism.

Fig. '7 is a sectional View taken on line 11 of Fig. 1, to show the lateral louvre guide arrangement, and

s Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 1, to show the blind position locking arrangement.

As shown in the drawings, the improved Venetian 'blind comprises an operating roller I, of comparatively heavy construction, and having an internal operating spring, shown only in Fig. 5, arranged in the usual manner for spring actuated curtain rollers and capable of readily lifting the entire blind; a louvre-type blind suspended from the roller !'by means of straps or tapes 2 which are secured to and wound around the roller l; lateralguide means 3 for the blind elements or louvres; control or governing means roller supporting means which include an autotilt mechanism, to be hereinafter described, 'for operating the louvres of the blind.

As'shown in Fig. 1, one end of the roller I is supported by a bracket members, mounted on a suitable frame 5 by means of a bolt or screw Ii, and having an aperture 1 arranged to receive the end of the roller spring tensioning shaft 8 in non-rotative relation. The bracket 4 is also provided with a doubly-curved, open-ended'slot 39. located in its forward edge and adapted to receive the pivot Hi of the respective end of the uppermost louvre or tilting bar ll of the blind. As shown the louvre, or pivot lodging end 9.! of the slot Q .is located below and a predetermined distance'forward of the aperture I, this distance being. substantially one-half the diameter of the roller I, so that the blind-lifting tapes 2 will hang directly downward from the roller surface. See Fig. 5.

"The opposite ends of the roller l and the tilt bar II are supported, in the same relationship as the first describedends, by a bracket I2 embodying the auto-tilt mechanism of the blind and secured to the frame 5 by means of a screw or bolt 13.

In the form shown, the blind suspended from the roller 1 comprises a plurality of horizontal slat-like louvre elements I l disposed, in theusual manner, between guide belts IE or ladder tapes which are secured, at their upper ends, to the tilt-bar i I. These guide belts extend downwardly from eachside of the tilt-bar and are provided with vertically spaced transverse louvre-supporting cross tapes it which extend between the forward and rear belts l5 and support the louvre elements I l in predetermined vertically spaced relationship. The lower ends of the belts [5 are secured to a blind operating and control bar ll, which is the bottom or lowest element of the blind and governs the adjustment of the blind against the action of the spring-roller l. The ends of the louvre elements I4 are mitered, as at 9.8 in Fig. 7, to fit into a V-shaped channel extending along the vertical inner face of the lateral guide members 3. These guide members 3 are securedto the frame 5 by any suitable means and preferably are padded as at l9; and the V-shaped channels are lined with a suitable relatively soft noiseabsorbing material so as to minimize any noise from'rattling and shifting of the louvre elemerits.

'The'straps or tapes 2, by which the blind is suspended, raised and lowered, are preferably formed of strips of flexible metal and have their upper ends secured to the roller I. These straps then extend downwardly through suitable slots formed in each louvre, as shown in Fig. 5, to the control bar I! where their lower ends are se-- cured.

The roller l is normally spring-tensioned, when the blind is extended, to turn in one direction and thus wind the lifting tapes 2 around the roller body and lift the control bar H, which, in its upward movement, picks up the louvre elements l4, one by one, in the usual manner of Venetian blinds. Such upward movement, however, is regulated by the control bar I! which is provided with a spring actuated friction member 28, at each end, shaped to engage tightly in the V- shaped groove of the respective lateral guide member 3.

As shown, each of the friction members 20 is mounted on the outer end of a respective control rod 2| which extends into the body of the control bar I! to a point near the center of the control bar where it terminates in a knob or handle 22 projecting, at right angles to the rod 2 I, through a suitable opening and cover plate 23. Suitable springs, not shown, are arranged to normally urge the control rods 2| outwardly from the ends of the control bar I! and force the friction members 20 into tight engagement with the respective guide members 3 to hold the control bar in any desired position against the raising action of the spring roller I. Thus to release the control bar and raise or lower the blind, it is necessary to pinch or pull together the two knobs or handles 22 and release the engaging pressure on the friction member 20. The spring roller I will lift the control bar, when it is released, and raise the entire blind as far as desired and any position of the blind can be had by releasing the knobs 22 at the desired place. When lowering the blind, the control bar I! is first released and the blind is extended by pulling the control bar downward against the tension of the roller 1.

As shown, the auto-tilt mechanism for the louvers of the improved Venetian blind is combined with the roller-supporting bracket l2 and, in the form shown, comprises a stub-shaft or extension 24, for the roller shaft 25, which is suitably journaled in a bearing portion of the downwardly projecting leg of an inverted angle bracket 26 welded or otherwise secured to the upper part of the bracket [2; a crank wheel or disc 2'! secured on the end of the stub-shaft 2d; a connecting arm or link 28; and a pivoted tilt-bar carrier 29.

The stub-shaft 24 is provided with an enlarged head or collar 30, recessed to receive the end of the roller shaft 25, and is provided with a set screw 3i by means of which the extension is locked or secured onto the shaft 25. The said recess and the end of the shaft 25 may be also square or otherwise shaped to key the two members together to assure that the roller shaft and the stub-shaft extension will always turn together. As shown, the downwardly projecting leg of the bracket 26 is spaced from. the bracket l2 and, within the said space, the crank wheel 21 is fastened onto the end of the stub-shaft 24 to turn therewith. The connecting rod or link 28 is eccentrically connected to the crank wheel 21 by a pivot 32, as shown in Figs. 2 to 4 inclusively, and extends downwardly to a pivot connection 33 eccentrically positioned at the inner side of the tilt-bar carrier '29. The carrier 29 is pivotally mounted on the bracket l2 by any suitable means, such as a. bolt 34, and is spaced from the bracket '4 l2 by a collar 35, so that the

pivot connections

32 and 33 of the link 28 will be substantially allned.

Thus as the roller I, roller shaft 25, stub-shaft 24 and crank wheel 21 turn, upon operation of the roller I, an oscillating movement is imparted to the tilt-bar carrier 29, .the roller shaft 25 being arranged to turn with the roller in the usual and well-known manner.

As shown, the tilt-bar carrier 29 is a substantially U-shaped member, one leg having a slot to receive and secure the respective end of the tiltbar I I and the other leg being pivotally mounted in the bracket l2. As will be apparent, the pivot connection 34 is located on the center line of the tilt-bar ll so that oscillation of the carrier 29 will be about the tilt-bar center line.

The medial and extreme positions of the tiltbar and its carrier, during rotation of the crank wheel 21, are illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. In Fig. 2 the crank wheel 2'! is in a midposition with the link pivot 32 in horizontal alinement' with the roller shaft center line, half-way between the upper and lower extremes. The dotted outline of the link 28 indicates the link position upon 180 of rotation from the position shown in solid outline. In either of these positions of the link 28, the tilt-bar l l is horizontally fiat or level and the louvres i i suspended on the guide belts 15 will be in a like position which is the position of maximum opening of the blind.

In Fig. 3 the crank Wheel 21 is shown after of upward rotation from the position of Fig. 2. This is the position of maximum upward movement of the linked side of the carrier 29 and the tilt-bar H is tilted about its center line or axis so that its inside edge is tipped downward to the maximum extent.

In Fig. 4 the crank wheel 21 is shown after being turned 90 downwardly from the position of Fig. 2, or from the position of Fig. 3. In this position the link 28 has shifted the carrier 29 to its maximum of downward movement and the tiltbar H is tilted so that its inside edge is tipped upwardly to the maximum extent.

ince the guide belts i5, hanging from either edge of the tilt-bar H and carrying the louvres It on the supporting straps or tapes l6, move up and down with the respective edges of the tilt-bar, the louvres it will assume the same tilting positions as the tilt-bar H (see Fig. 5). Thus, as with the usual arrangement and spacing of Venetian blind louvres, either maximum tilting of the tilt-bar will result in the louvres being turned to overlapping relation and the closing of the blind. Also any intermediate setting of the louvres may be had by simply controlling the extent of rotation or turning of the crank wheel 21 between the medial and extreme positions.

It will now be apparent from the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings that the blind may be lifted or lowered and stopped at either the extreme upward or downward posie tion, or at any intermediate position, by squeez ing or pinching the handles 22, shifting the control bar I! to the desired position, and then releasing the handles 22 which causes the springmovement to the tilt-bar carrier 29 through the connecting arm 28.

Thus, since any tilting or oscillating movement of the carrier 29 will automatically turn the tiltbar II and the louvres M, which are operably connected thereto, each revolution of the roller I will cause all of the louvres to turn through a complete cycle of oscillation, or of opening and v closing, and such oscillation will continue as long as the roller turns.

It is, therefore, a simple matter to raise or lower the blind to the desired level and then tilt the louvres in the desired direction and to the extent wanted, by merely adjusting the controlbar a small distance up or down until the desired tilt is accomplished.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described, it will be understood that details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A louvred blind comprising a roller extending parallel with the blind across the top of the same, means to turn said roller, a shaft extending from one end of said roller and adapted to turn therewith, a crank secured to said shaft, 2. pivoted tilt-bar, ladder tapes attached to said tilt-bar and adapted to support the louvres of said blind in spaced parallel relation with each other, a rigid connecting arm having one end mounted on said crank, and means pivotally connecting the other end of said arm and said tiltbar eccentrically relative to the tilt-bar axis.

2. A louvred blind comprising a spring roller extending parallel with the blind and across the upper end of the same, a shaft-extending from one end of said roller and adapted to turn therewith, a crank on said shaft, a pivoted tilt-bar disposed parallel with and below. said roller, a rigid connecting link having one end mounted on said crank, means connecting the other end of said link and said tilt-bar eccentrically relative to the tilt-bar axis, and a control member on said blind connected by flexible tapes with said spring roller and adapted to govern the turning action thereof.

3. A Venetian blind comprising a spring roller, a shaft extending from one end of said roller and arranged to turn therewith, a crank on said shaft, a tilt-bar pivoted at its ends and disposed in parallel relation to said roller, a link bar hav ing one end connected to saidcrank and the other end connected to said tilt-bar eccentrically of the pivot axis thereof, a control member, suspension tapes secured between said roller and control member and arranged to be wound on said roller, said roller being normally tensioned to wind said tapes and lift said control member, a plurality of spaced parallel louvres suspended from said tilt-bar and arranged to tilt therewith, and means to hold said control member in any desired position against the winding action of said roller.

4. A louvred blind comprising a roller lying in the same plane as and'adapted to suspend said blind, means to turn said roller, a louvre tilting member pivoted at its ends in parallel relation with said roller and having operating connection with the louvres of said blind, a shaft fixed to and extending from one end of said roller, and a crank on said shaft having a rigid link arm connected eccentrically to said tilting member to turn the same, said crank and link arm being actuated by turning said roller.

5. A louvred blind comprising a roller lying in the same plane as and adapted to suspend said blind, bearing means adapted to support said roller, means to turn said roller, a louvre tilting member pivotally supported at its ends in parallel relation with said roller and having operating connection with the louvres of said blind, a crank mounted at one end of said roller and connected for rotation therewith, and a rigid link arm on the crank eccentrically connected to said tilting member and adapted to oscillate the same upon rotation of said crank.

MICHAEL L. KESNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,661,709 Tate Mar. 6, 1928 2,164,556 Udstad July 4, 1939 2,231,778 Swanson Feb. 11, 1941 2,264,609 Ban n. Dec. 2, 1941 2,276,716 Cardona Mar. 17, 1942 2,428,197 Bertz et a1. Sept. 30, 1947 2,415,222 Spencer Feb. 4, 1947