US2526393A

US2526393A - Venetian blind bracket

Info

Publication number: US2526393A
Application number: US674265A
Authority: US
Inventors: Nelson Harry
Original assignee: LORENTZEN HARDWARE Manufacturing CORP
Current assignee: LORENTZEN HARDWARE Manufacturing CORP; LORENTZEN HARDWARE MF'G CORP
Priority date: 1946-06-04
Filing date: 1946-06-04
Publication date: 1950-10-17
Anticipated expiration: 1967-10-17

Description

Oct. 17, 1950 H. NELSON I ,5 6,393

VENETIAN BLIND BRACKET Filed June 4, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR J/arrg .li/elsozz M,MM

ATTO R N EY$ VENETIAN BLIND BRACKET Filed June 4, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. [2

32 flarrigfi zrozz 1" L9. 1 BY W, M+M

ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 1 950 VENETIAN BLIND BRACKET Harry Nelson, New York, N. Y., assignor to Lorentzen Hardware Mfg. Corp., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 4, 1946, Serial No. 674,265

12 claims. (01. 248264) This invention relate to Venetian blinds, and more particularly to a so-called installation bracket for removably supporting the blind in position adjacent to a window or door.

A Venetian blind is essentially an assembly of superimposed slats, so suspended and articulated together that the assembly can be collapsed and extended to raise and lower the blind, and that the slats can be tilted to vary the light openings between them. Usually the assembly of slats is suspended from a headbar on which is mounted the elevating and tilting mechanism. This arrangement permits installation and removal of the blind as a unit; and the usual practice is to removably support the ends of the head-bar on so-called installation brackets which have been secured to the window jamb.

Various forms of installation brackets are now in use. Some of them are quite satisfactory, particularly certain brackets used for supporting conventional wooden head-bars. However, certain limitations and disadvantages inhere in the installation brackets heretofore used for so-called inclosed metal heads, such heads being metal head-bars which are hollow and which inclose the elevating and tilting mecha-' either the front or the side of the jamb of a window frame, which neatly receives the headbar without unsightly gaps, and which is composed of parts adapted for manufacture by stamping from sheet metal.

My invention is clearly defined in the appended claims. In the claims. as well as in the description, parts are at times identified by specific names for clarity and convenience, but such nomenclature is to be understood as having the broadest meaning consistent with the context and with the concept of my invention as distinguished from the pertinent prior art. The best form in which I have contemplated applying by invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this spec-' ification, in which: L Fig. 1 is an isometric view of the bracket,

viewed from one side, with the retainer open; Fig 2 is an isometric view of the bracket;

viewed from the opposite side, with the retainer open;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of with the retainer closed;

Fig. 4- is a 'top plan view, partially in section, with the retainer closed; Fig. 5 is a left side elevation, with the retainer closed; Fig. 6 is a right side elevation, with there tainer closed;

Fig. 7 is an isometric View of a fragment of. the retainer showing the pivoted end thereof ;j Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view taken on the; line 88 of'Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the upper right-handlcorner portion of the bracket, showing the retainer in partly opened position; Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9, showing the, retainer in fully opened position; Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary side ele vation of the lower night-hand corner portion of the bracket, showing the retainer in nearly, closed position; Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11, showing the retainer in fully closed position; and

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. '7, showing a modified retainer. The brackets are made and used in pairs, one bracket for the left-hand end of the headbar,- and one for the right-hand end of the head bar. The bracket shown is for the left-hand end of the head-bar, and it will be understood that the other bracket of the pair is of the same construction but of opposite hand.

The bracket consists of three parts, which for convenience will be called the body, the retainer,

the bracket,

' and the pivot. The body, which is designated and a vertical marginal flange 20.

to the side of a window jamb; and flange 28 i provided with

holes

22, 22 to receive screws for securing the bracket to the front of a window jamb. 'Between holes 22, 22 a filler is pressed forwardly a distance equal to the thickness of the head of a round-headed screw such as would sometimes be used for securing the flange 29 to the front. of the window jamb. When the bracket is mounted on the side of a jamb, there are no screw heads at

holes

22, 22 and the filler 24 then acts as a stop to correctly position the rear face of t e ead-b r.

The retainer I6 has a flange 25 pivoted'at I! to the upper right-hand corner of the plate I8.

Extending perpendicularly to flange 25 is aflange 25 which, when the retainer is closed, engages the front face of the head-bar and thereby retains the head-bar on the bracket. This flange may be transversely corrugated to nest with fluting on the front of the head-bar, such as the fluting shown in my copending application Serial No. 601,671, flledJune 26, 1945, now Patent No. 2,455,135.

The pivot pin I'I occupies'a fixed position in plate I8 and passes through a slightly arcuate slot 2'! in retainer flange 25, the slot being disposed as shown. This pin-and-slot connection allows the retainer It to move forwardly as it is swung into open position. The retainer is provided with a laterally extending finger 28, and as the retainer approaches open position (see Fig. 9), this finger strikes an incline 29 which is formed on the upper edge of plate I8. As opening movement is continued, the retainer I5 rocks about finger 28 and the finger slides down incline 29 until the fully open position is reached; see Figs. 10, 1 and 2. This rocking movement about finger 28 provides strong leverage tending to slide the retainer I6 forwardly on pin Il'. This forward movement is utilized in frictionally clamping the retainer in open position, as will now be pointed out.

As shown in Figs. '7 and 8, the retainer flange 25 is provided adjacent to the slot 2? with a zone 30 which is pressed laterally away from plate [8. When portion 21a of slot 2! engages the rivet ll, the retainer I6 swings freely. However, as the retainer shifts forwardly, under the rocking action of finger 28 on incline 2S, portion 21b of the slot engages the rivet and increasing I wedging or clamping pressure is applied between the head of rivet I! and the plate I8. This holds the retainer in open position. With the retainers of both brackets held in open position, one man can readily put the head-bar in place, having both hands free to handle the blind. By introducing a narrow band of severance s as shown in Fig. 13, zone 36 is subdivided into two resilient portions 30a and 3% which improve the holding action in retainer-open position.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 11 and 12, the free end of the retainer It is formed with a springy integral latching tongue 3| having a rounded nose portion 32. As the retainer is moved into closed position, the nose engages the forward portion of flange I9 and the tongue is thereby flexed upwardly. In fully closed position the nose 32 snaps into a rectangular hole 34 in flange I9 and holds the retainer closed. The hole 34 lies close against plate I8. ing this hole that it will extend a short distance up plate I 8 as shown, proper clearance for the latching tongue is insured and visual inspection of the latching hole is facilitated. As shown more particularly in Figs. 4 and 1, the forward By so stampedge of flange I9 is rectangularly cut away at 35,. so that a screw driver or similar instrument usable as a lever can be inserted from beneath to pry the closed retainer into unlatch-ed position.

Fig. 3 shows in greatly exaggerated degree how the forward edge of plate I8 may be bowed to cause the flange 25 of retainer is to hug the plate I8. When rivet I! is set, it tends to so dis-- pose the retainer as to cause flange 25 thereof to extend along the line a:-y. Of course the bow-- ing of plate I8 is, in practice, kept so small that the retainer can be readily closed under the flexibility and looseness of parts which exist. However, the bowing of the front edge of the plate biases the lower end of the retainer toward plate I8, thereby causing the retainer flange 25 to hug the plate despite a measure of looseness or loosening of the rivet IT. This not only insures a sightly appearance, but maintains the retainer in proper lateral position for engagement of latch 3| with hole 34.

It will be seen that the bracket is exceedingly simple, being composed of two sheet metal stampings and a rivet. The retainer hugs plate; [8, and filler 24 insures that there will be no appreciable gap between flange I6 and the for-,- ward face of the head-bar, The arrangement of retainer I6, including its pin-and-slot connection, is such that it can be readily opened and closed, even when mounted on the side of a jamb very close to the top of the window frame, and even when the head-bar extends substantially t e full height of plate I8.

I claim:

1. A bracket for supporting a Venetian blind, said bracket comprising: a plate having a projecting lower flange adapted to support the headbar of a Venetian blind, and a retainer swingably mounted adjacent to the upper front corner of i said plate for retaining a Venetian blind headbar on said lower flange, said retainer having an inwardly-directed flange overlapping said plate in parallel relation when the retainer is in closed position, and said inwardly-directed flange having a slot extending substantially across the lower portion thereof, forming a relatively long, narrow, resilient latching tongue at the bottom of said retainer adapted to engage said lower flange when said retainer is in closed position.

2. A bracket for supporting a Venetian blind, said bracket compri=ing2 a relatively flat plate having a projecting lower flange adapted to support the head-bar of a Venetian blind, and a retainer swingably mounted adjacent to the top front corner of said plate for retaining a Venetian blind head-bar on said flange, said mounting comprising a pivot secured to one of said members and passing through a slot in said other member, and an ext n-ion at he top of said retainer overlying the upper front corner portion of said plate and adapted to engage said plate portion upon swinging movement of said retainer and thereby cause relative linear movement between said pivot and said slot.

3. A bracket for supportin a Venetian blind, said bracket comprising: a relativel flat plate having a projecting lower flange adapted to support the head-bar of a Venetian blind, a retainer for retaining a Venetian blind head-bar on said lower flange, and a pivot secured adjacent to a front corner portion of said plate and swingably mounting said retainer thereon, said pivot passll'lg through a slot in said retainer, and a lateral extension, on the'retainer adjacent to the pivot of said plate upon pivoting movement of said retainer and thereby cause relative linear movement between said pivot and said slot.

Abracket for supporti'nga Venetian'blind,

said bracket comprising: a relatively flat plate having a projecting lower flange adapted to support the head-bar of a Venetian blind, and a retainer swingably mounted adjacent to the top front corner of said plate for retaining a Venetian blind head-bar on said lower flange, said mounting comprising a pivot secured to one of said members and passing through a slot in the other of said members, material near one end of said slot being adapted to frictionally engage the other member upon sliding movement to dispose said pivot at said slot end, and an extension at the top portion of said retainer overlying the upper front corner portion of said plate and adapted to engage said plate portion upon swinging movement of said retainer whereby relative sliding movement to dispose said pivot at said slot end is effected upon movement of said retainer to open position.

5. A bracket for supporting a Venetian blind, said bracket comprising: a relatively flat plate having a projecting lower flange adapted to support the head-bar of a Venetian blind, and a retainer having a laterally-projectin flange for retaining a Venetian blind head-bar on said lower flange and having an inwardly-directed flange overlapping said plate in parallel relation when the retainer is in closed position, said retainer being swingably mounted adjacent to the upper front corner of said plate and said in- 6 Abracket for supporting a Venetian blind, said bracket comprisingz a plate having a projecting lower flange adapted to support the headbar of a Venetian blind, a retainer swingably mounted adjacent to the top front corner of said plate for retaining a Venetian blind head-bar on said lower flange, said mounting comprising a pivot secured to one of said members and passing through a slot in the other of said members, material near one end of said slot being adapted to frictionally engage the other member upon sliding movement to dispose said pivot at said slot end, and means, including an extension of said retainer overlying the upper front corner portion of said plate and a cooperating cam surface projecting above the upper margin of said upper front corner, for effecting such sliding movement as said retainer is swung to open nonretaining position.

9. In a Venetian blind supporting bracket of the type in which a vertical plate is provided with a laterally-projecting blind-supporting flange and a retainer has one end thereof swingably mounted adjacent to a front corner of the plate,

said bracket comprising: a relatively flat plate having a projecting lower flange adapted to support thehead-bar of a Venetian blind, and a retainer having one end swingably mounted adjacent to a front corner of said plate fo retaining a Venetian blind head-bar on said lower flange, said retainer having an inwardly-directed flange overlapping said plate in parallel relation when the retainer is in closed position, and said inwardly-directed flange having a slot extending substantially across the free end portion thereof, forming a relatively long, narrow, resilient latching tongue at the free end of said retainer and adapted to engage a portion of said flange when in closed position.

'7. A bracket for supporting a Venetian blind, said bracket comprising; a plate having a projecting lower flange adapted to support the headbar of a Venetian blind, a retainer swingably mounted adjacent to the top front corner of said plate for retaining a Venetian blind headbar on said lower flange, said mounting comprising a pivot secured to one of said members and passing through a slot in the other of said members, material near one end of said slot being adapted to frictionally engage the other member upon sliding movement to dispose said pivot at said slot end, and means for effecting such sliding movement as said retainer is swung to open non-retaining position.

the retainer having an inwardly-directed flange overlapping said plate in parallel relation when the retainer is in closed position; the improvement which comprises said inwardly-directed flange having a slot extending substantially across it at the free end of the retainer, forming a relatively long, narrow, resilient latching tongue adapted to engage a complementary formation and latch the retainer in closed position.

10. In a Venetian blind supporting bracket of thetype in which a vertical plate is provided with a laterally-projectin blind-supporting flange and a retainer has one end thereof swingably mounted adjacent to a front corner of the plate, the retainer having an inwardly-directed flange overlapping said plate in parallel relation when the retainer is in closed position; the improvement which comprises one of said plate and inwardly-directed flange being provided, adjacent to the swingably-mounted end of the retainer, with a lateral ofiset operative to set up frictional holding action between the plate and retainer, said lateral oifset being inoperative when the retainer is in the initial stages of open- ,ing movement and becoming operative as the reflange being inclined and, upon closing of the retainer, coacting with said blind-supporting flange.

to force the retainer upwardly.

12. In a Venetian blind supporting bracket of .the type in which a vertical plate is provided with a laterally-projecting blind-supporting flange and a retainer is provided with an inwardly-directed flange overlapping said plate in parallelrelation when the retainer is in closed position, the upper end of said inwardly-directed flange being provided with a downwardly-inclined slot pierced by a pin attached to the plate;

the improvement which comprises the lower end.

2, 26, 93 7 8 of said inwardly-directed flange being inclined UNITED STATES PATENTS and, upon closing of the retainer, coacting with said blind-supportin flange to force the retainer Number Name Date upwardly with respect to said pin. Lmdemann 1936 HARRY NELSON 2,200,510 LOIGIltZBIl May 14, 1940 5 2,255,32 Mintz Sept. 9, 1941 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: