US2645281A

US2645281A - Fascia board and end fitting therefor

Info

Publication number: US2645281A
Application number: US27773A
Authority: US
Inventors: Nelson Harry
Original assignee: LORENTZEN HARDWARE Manufacturing CORP
Current assignee: LORENTZEN HARDWARE Manufacturing CORP
Priority date: 1948-05-18
Filing date: 1948-05-18
Publication date: 1953-07-14
Anticipated expiration: 1970-07-14

Description

July 14,1953

. I H. NELSON FASCIA BOARD AND END FITTING THEREFOR I Filed May 18, 1948 INVENTOR HARRY NELSON BY 4 W+M HIS ATTORNEYS Patented July '14, 1953 FASCIABOARD AND END FITTING THEREFOR Harry Nelson, New York, N. Y., assignor to Lorentzen Hardware Mfg. Corp., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 18, 1948, Serial No. 27,773 (Cl. 16038) 11 Claims.

This invention relates toVenetian blinds and more particularly to fascia boards used in conjunction with such blinds.

It is customary to provide a fascia board or valance extending in front of the usual head bar and tilt bar of a Venetian blind, to conceal these and certain related parts and thus enhance the appearance of the blind. The fascia board or valance, which is a wide strip of small thickness, is often carried by the so-called installation brackets which support the head bar of the blind.

In the above-described organization, a fascia carrier is provided on the front of each of the installation brackets for supporting the ends of the fascia board. The fascia board carrier is usually pivoted to a front corner of the installation bracket and may comprise a front flange and one or more fingers or flanges behind and generally parallel to the front flange for retaining a fascia board therebetween. An installation bracket embodying this form of carrier is shown in the accompanying drawings and is also shown and described in my copending application S. N. 623,970, which has matured into Patent No. 2,473,293.

Fascia boards have commonly been made of wood, but fascias or valances have also been made of sheet metal. When made of sheet metal, they have in common parlance still been called fascia boards; and such terminology will be used herein.

The fascia carriers of the installation brackets which have been referred to previously are adapted for wooden fascia boards of rectangular cross section. In the form shown of the present invention, metal fascia boards having inturned upper and lower edges have been adapted for use with the same installation bracket without any change whatsoever in the bracket. This is accomplished by the provision of an end fitting for each end of the metal fascia board, the fitting telescopically engaging with the fascia board and building the end portions of the board to suitable thickness for proper engagement of the fascia board with the installation brackets. In addition, these end fittings are provided with deformable flanges for retaining the ends of a curtain rod that is supported behind the fascia board, the curtain rod serving to support curtains in the usual manner. For convenience, the fitting and fascia board are described herein as in their oriented installed position.

Among the objects of the present invention are to provide an end fitting for a metal fascia board that will adapt the fascia board for use with an and economies of construction, manufacture and use will more definitely appear from the detailed description to follow.

My invention is clearly defined in the appended claims. In the claims, as well as in the description, parts may be identified at times 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 my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the organization of a Venetian blind installation bracket, a portion of a fascia board and a curtain rod, the end fitting of the present invention being assembled with the fascia board. In this view, the fascia board carrier of the bracket is in open position.

Fig. 2 is a perspectiveview, on a larger scale, of the end fitting shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view, on the scale of Fig.

2, of the end portion of the fascia board organization shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

panying drawings, only the left-hand bracket and left-hand end portion of the fascia board has been shown. It is to be understood that the organization at the other end of the fascia board is similar, the installation bracket there used being the same as shown in the accompanying drawings but of opposite hand.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the present invention is shown applied to an organization including an installation bracket generally indicated as H] and a fascia board assembly designated as a whole by II. The installation bracket [9 is provided with a fascia board carrier i2 pivoted to the lower front portion of the bracket body l3. 7 This fascia board carrier comprises a side flange l4 pivotally connected with the bracket body l3 and a front flange l5, the carrier being adapted to be oscillated between the positions shown in Figs. 5 and 6; A pair of rear fingers or flanges I6, l6 project from the side flange l4 behind and generally parallel to the front flange I5. The front flange [5, rear flanges I6, l6 and a bottom flange I! which projects rearwardly from the front flange serve to retain the end portion of the fascia board assembly I I. The installation bracket I0 is similar to that disclosed in my copending application S. N. 623,970 to which reference is made for a more detailed description of the bracket and its use for supporting a conventional fascia board. The fascia board assembly ll consists of a fascia board strip 9 and two end fittings such as 29. The board 9 is formed from a relatively rigid metal strip of indeterminate length which is cut to the length desired. This fascia board has a channel-shaped cross section as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, the strip being formed with longitudinal edges l8, 18 which are turned rearwardly and then inwardly as shown in Fig. 4. This gives the board, when viewed from the front, much the appearance of a wooden fascia board. The rearwardlyand inwardly-turned edges 18, I8 of the fascia board not only enhance its appearance, but also contribute materially to the rigidity of the board. In addition, longitudinal beads or corrugations i9 extending along the front of the fascia board further enhance its appearance and further reinforce the board. 7

To adapt the end portions of the fascia board 9 for engagement with the fascia board carrier l2 of the installation bracket [0, the end fitting 20, best shown in Fig. 2, is employed. The end fitting 20 is adapted to be telescoped into the ends of the fascia board 9 for this purpose.

The end fitting 20, which is reversible for insertion into either end of the fascia board, comprises a sheet metal body having a flat face or flange 2! adapted to lie transversely along the rear side of the fascia board 9 and within the inturned edges [8, I8. A flange 22, which is substantially perpendicular to flange 2|, extends rearwardly from the flange 2| and closes substantially the entire end of the fascia board 9. The flange 22 extends rearwardly sufficiently so as to engage the ends of the inwardly-turned edges 18, I 8 of the fascia board 9 (Figs. 3' and 4) and thus limit telescoping movement of the end fitting 20 within the end of the fascia board. A pair of inwardly-turned

rear flanges

24, 24 extends from the rearward edge of the flange 22 behind and generally parallel to the face 2| of the end fitting. These flanges havea general T form, being attached'by the stem of the T to the flange 22. The proportions of the end fitting 20 are suchthat when it is applied to the end of the fascia board 9 the total thickness between the front face of the fascia board and the rear of the

flanges

24, 24 is approximately equal to the thickness of a wooden fascia board customarily used with Venetian blinds and shown in my above-mentioned application S. N. 623,970. The relationship of the assembled end fitting 29 and fascia board 9 to the fascia board carrier l2 will be explained later. a

The

outer ends

25, 25 of the

flanges

24, 24 are stepped forwardly toward the face 2| of the end fitting so that these ends of the flanges may be inserted beneath the inturned edges l8, l8 of the fascia board 9. To facilitate such insertion, the entering

corners

25, 26 of these flanges are inclined forwardly toward the face 2| of the end fitting 20. Preferably the parts are so proportioned that upon the end fitting 20 being telescoped into the end of the fascia board 9, the

flanges

24, 24 are flexed toward flange 2| and, due to the resiliency of the end fitting, frictional holding engagement is established between the end fitting and the fascia board.

The fascia board assembly ll, having an end fitting 20 in each end of the board 9, may be inserted within the fascia board carrier 12 of the installation bracket l9 when the fascia board carrier is in open position as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. To insert the fascia board assembly, the front face of the board is placed on the rear face of the front flange 15 of the carrier and the fascia board assembly slid edgewise into the carrier between the front flange and the flanges l6, l6 until the board engages the bottom flange H of the carrier. This insertion of the fascia board assembly II is accomplished similarly to the insertion of a conventional wooden fascia board.

Upon insertion of the fascia board assembly ll into the carrier [.2 as shown in Figs 1, the mid portionsof the. flanges24, 24 are located directly beneath the flanges l6, it of the carrier l2, thereby retaining the fascia board against the front flange [5 of the carrier.

The two end fittings 23 of the fascia board assembly are also adapted to retain a curtain rod 21 if desired, this curtain rod extending along the rear side of the fascia board 9 and between the rearwardly-extending

flanges

22, 22. of the end fittings 20, 28. Each end. fitting 26. is initially formed with the

flanges

24, 24 and their confronting ends 29, 29 in the relationship shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. To prepare the end fitting.

to receive the curtain rod, the upper end 29 is bent forwardly out of the way to the position shown in Fig. 6, and the lower end- 29 is bent rearwardly sufiiciently to receive the curtain rod as shown in Fig. 6; 'If the lower end 29- is bent correctly, it will receive the curtain rod with a snap engagement.

The bending of the confronting ends 29, 29 of the

flanges

24, 24 to receive the curtain rodis done at the time of installation, rather than at the time of manufacture of the end fittings, be-

cause the end fittings at the two ends are dumaking it unnecessary to manufacture and stock different forms of installation brackets for use with wooden and metal fascia boards.

I claim: 1. An end fitting for adapting a sheet metal Venetian blind fascia board having rearwardly and inwardly-directed longitudinal edgeportions extending throughout its length and defining the top a'nd bottom and rear faces thereof for support by, a bracket having spaced, generally paral-, lel fascia board engaging flanges, said end fittingcomprising a metal stamping having spaced, generally parallel flanges telescopically engageable with the fascia board with one flange lying against the front face of the fascia board and a pair of resilient rear flanges adapted to be engaged beneath the inturned longitudinal edges of the fascia board and projecting centrally from the ends of the fitting for engagement by a fascia board engaging flange 0f the bracket. I j 2. An end fitting for a sheet metal Venetian blind fascia board having a flat front face and rearwardlyand inwardly-directed longitudinal edge portions extending throughout its length and defining the top and bottom and rear faces thereof, said end fitting comprising a sheet metal stamping having a front flange and a pair of spaced, aligned, generally parallel resilient rear flanges adapted to be telescoped Within the end of the fascia board with the front flange against the front face of the fascia board and the rear flanges adapted to be engaged beneath the inturned longitudinal edges of the board, said rear flanges extending centrally from the ends of for fitting to form an extension of the rear face of the fascia board, and an end portion joining the front and rear flanges of the fitting and projecting beyond the rear flanges to limit the telescoping movement Within the end of the fascia board.

3. An end fitting for a sheet metal Venetian blind fascia board having a flat front face and rearwardlyand inwardly-directed longitudinal edge portions extending throughout its length and defining the top and bottom and rear faces thereof, said end fitting comprising a sheet metal stamping having a front flange and a pair of spaced, aligned, generally parallel resilient rear flanges, each rear flange extending to an end of the fitting, the fitting being adapted to be telescoped Within the end of the fascia board with the front flange against the front face of the fascia board and the rear flanges engaged beneath the inturned longitudinal edges of the board, said rear flanges extending centrally from the ends of the fitting to form an extension of the rear face of the fascia board and having inwardly-directed inner end portions for receiving and supporting a curtain rod behind the fascia board.

4. An end fitting for a Venetian blind fascia board, said fitting comprising a metal stamping adapted to telescope within the end of a sheet metal fascia board having rearwardlyand inwardly-directed longitudinal edge portions extending throughout its length and said end fitting having front and side flanges for extending across the rear face and the end respectively of the fascia board and a pair of rear flanges extending behind and generally parallel to the front flange and joined to the rear edge of the side flange intermediate of their length, the outer end portions of the rear flanges being located at the ends of the fitting and engageable beneath the inwardly-directed edges of the fascia board.

5. An end fitting for a Venetian blind fascia board, said fitting comprising a metal stamping adapted to telescope Within the end of a sheet metal fascia board having rearwardlyand inwardly-directed longitudinal edge portions extending throughout its length, said end fitting having front and side flanges for extending across the rear, face and the end respectively of; i

- at the ends of the fitting and stepped towards the front flange for engagement beneath the inwardly-directed edges of the fascia board and the inside end portions of said flanges being deflectable to engage a curtain rod between one of the rear flanges and the front flange of a the fitting, I

' 6. A fascia board assembly, comprising a sheet metal fascia board having rearwardlyand inwardly-directed longitudinal edge portions extending throughout its length and defining the top and bottom and rear faces thereof andan end fitting having a pair of spaced, generally parallel flanges telescoped within an end of the fascia board and lying against the front and rear faces thereof, and rearward one of the'pair of spaced flanges extending centrally of the fascia board to form an extension of the rear face thereof.

7. A fascia board assembly, comprising a sheet metal fascia board having rearwardlyand inwardly-directed longitudinal edge portions extending throughout its length and defining the top and bottom and rear faces thereof and an end fitting having a pair of spaced, generally parallel flanges telescoped within an end of the fascia board and resiliently engaging the front and rear faces thereof, the rearward one of the pair of spaced flanges extending'centrally of the fascia board to form an extension of the rear face thereof, and an end flange joining the spaced flanges and engaged with the end of the fascia board to limit the telescoping of the fitting within the fascia board.

8. An end fitting for a Venetian blind fascia board, said fitting comprising: a unitary sheet metal stamping adapted to telescope within an end of a fascia board having rearwardlyand inwardly-directed longitudinal edge portions extending throughout its length, said end fitting having front and side flanges for extending across the rear of the front face and the end of the fascia board, respectively, and a pair of rear flanges extending behind and generally parallel to the front flange and joined to the rear edge of the side flange at a point remote from the outer ends thereof, the outer end portions of the rear flanges being located at the ends of the fit-' ting and stepped towards the front flange for engagement beneath the inwardly-directed edges of the fascia board.

9. An end fitting for a sheet metal Venetian blind fascia board having a flat front face and rearwardlyand inwardly-directed longitudinal edge portions extending throughout its length and defining the top and bottom and rear faces thereof, an end fitting comprising a unitary sheet metal stamping adapted to telescope within an end of the fascia board, said fitting having a flat front flange adapted to lie against the front face of the fascia board, a side flange adapted to extend across and substantially close the end of the fascia board, and a pair of resilient rear flanges extending from the rear edge of the side flange in generally parallel spaced relation to the front flange, the outer ends of said rear flanges terminating adjacent the ends of the front flange and being connected to the side flange remote from said outer ends.

10. A fascia board assembly, comprising a sheet metal 'fascia board having a front face portion and rearwardlyandinwardly-directed longitudinal edgeportions extending throughout its length and defining the top and bottom and rear faces thereof, and an end fitting having a pair of spaced, generally parallel flanges telescoped within an end of the fascia board and resiliently engaging the front and rear faces thereof and an end flange joining the spaced flanges and engaged with the end of the fascia board to limit the telescoping of the fitting within the fascia board, an outer end of the rearward one of the pair of spaced flanges being engaged beneath the inwardly-directed edge portion of the fascia board at an end thereof, said rearward flange extending centrally of the rear side of the fascia board and having its surface lying in a plane substantially further from. the front face portion of the fascia board than the inwardly-directed edge portions 7 of said board.

the rear of the front face and theend of the fascia board, respectively, and a pair of rear I flanges extending behind and generally parallel to the front flange and joined to the rear edge of the side flange at a point remotefrom theouter ends thereof, said front and rear flanges being telescoped within an end of the fascia board and resiliently engaging the front and rear faces thereof, the outer end portions of the rear flanges being stepped towards the front flange and en-- gaged beneath the inwardly-directed edges of the fascia board, the rear flangesextending centrally of the rear face of the fascia board and having their rear-surfaces lying in a plane substantially furtherfrom the front'face portion of the fascia board than the inwardly-directed edge portions of said'board.

HARRY NELSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,138,502 Nordstrom et al. Nov.29, 1938 2,296,625 Bird etal Sept. 22, 1942 2,324,454; Huff July 13, 1943 2,375,247 Rebholz May 8, 1945 2,565,447 Andresen Aug. '21, 1951