US2756816A

US2756816A - Unitary structures for venetian blinds

Info

Publication number: US2756816A
Application number: US438396A
Authority: US
Inventors: Aaron A Radel; Phillip W Katz
Original assignee: GLOBE VENETIAN BLIND CORP
Current assignee: GLOBE VENETIAN BLIND Corp
Priority date: 1954-06-22
Filing date: 1954-06-22
Publication date: 1956-07-31
Anticipated expiration: 1973-07-31

Description

July 31, 1956 A. A. RADEL EI'AL UNITARY STRUCTURES FOR VENETIAN BLINDS Filed June 22, 1954' FIG.3

FIG.

FIG. 2

INVENTORS AARON A. RADEL PHILLIP W, KATZ BY Sta AT TORNEY United States PatentO UNITARY STRUCTURES FOR VENETIAN BLINDS Aaron A. Radel and Phillip W. Katz, Baltimore, Md., assignors to Globe Venetian Blind Corporation, a corporation of Maryland Application June '22, 1954, Serial No. 438,396 Claims. ((31. 160-173 This invention relates to unitary structures of tape clips, tapes, and slats for use in Venetian blinds and to blinds including such unitary structures whereby a simplified blind is obtained that may be readily assembled and disassembled and yet provides a sturdy structure in use.

In prior art Venetian blinds a great variety of tape clips, slats and bottom rails have been associated to give the blind structure. In most of such structures the tape clip, the bottom rail cover slat, and the bottom rail are separate elements each of which has to be successively and individually positioned with respect to the other. Such arrangements require separate adjustment of each element after positioning so that a number of steps of assembly or disassembly are required in assembling or disassembling operations for repair, for cleaning or for any other purpose. And frequently, it is necessary to make the parts of special cooperating contour or construction in order that they may be fitted together in a predetermined pattern. Not only do such structures thus require a large number of steps to take such blinds apart or to put them together, but they require special machining operations to provide predetermined positioning or cooperating parts, and often unnecessarily complicated assembly steps.

Among the objects of the present invention is included Venetian blinds in which the tape clip and bottom rail cover slat constitute a unit for holding the ladder tapes, thus providing simplified structure and correspondingly ready assembly and disassembly.

Further objects include such structures in which the cooperating elements may be produced by unitary stamping operations.

Still further objects include a structure where the clip will anchor the cord and tape within the bottom rail fixed in position where desired and at the same time permit for easy removal of the bottom rail or simple disassembly and reassembly of the blind.

Still further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the more detailed description set forth below, it being understood that such more detailed description is given by way of illustration and explanation only, and not by way of limitation, since various changes therein may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

In connection with that illustrative more detailed disclosure the drawing shows the following:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the tape clip;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the clip;

Figure 3 is an assembly of the tape clip, bottom rail cover slat, and ladder tape into a unit; and

Figure 4 shows the unit of Figure 3 and the bottom rail associated therewith.

In accordance with the present invention, the tape clip, and bottom rail cover slat constitute a unit. They are utilized together and cooperate to hold the ladder tapes in position to permit such tapes to be placed readily at the desired position when the blind is assembled and held fixed in the set position; and to permit simple disassembly for 2,756,816 Patented July 31, 1956 "ice cleaning, adjustment of tape length, repair or other operation and just as simple reassembly. Such unit with the tapes in set position may have the bottom rail placed thereon without in any way disturbing the set position of the elements associated together in such unit, and similarly the bottom rail may be removed without necessitating any disarrangement of the clip, cover slat, and ladder tapes unless their separation is desired. Such a structure gives a great many advantages both in manufacture and utilization that will more readily appear after consideration of the preferred illustrative structure shown in the drawing.

As there shown, the tape clip (Figures 1 and 2) includes top portion 1 desirably of slightly arcuate cross-section having two side walls 2 depending from top portion 1 walls 2 being substantially vertical. Each wall 2 has a diagonally upturned lateral flange 3, the outer'edge 4 of each flange being inturned to provide an elongated securing element for the bottom-most slat of the blind. The clip is desirably provided with a cord receiving opening or slot 5. Such tape clip may desirably be stamped out of metal by a simple and economical stamping operating.

The clip is constructed for use with bottommost slat or cover slat 6, the arcuate contour of top portion 1 of the clip desirably matching the transverse contour of slat 6 so that they may come into close contact, edges 7 of slat 6 being held below inturned edges 4 of the clip. Thus tape clip and slat constitute a unit and usually two clips will be spaced apart on the slat, the elements being held together in use but may be sold disassembled as a unit for ultimate utilization. Slat 6 will be provided with a cord receiving opening or slot 8 adapted to aline with slot 5 in a clip, so that where two clips are positioned on one slat, the latter will have two slots 8, each one of which coact with a clip slot 5.

Ladder-tape 9 having usual vertical tape elements 19, cross-tapes 11, and slats 12 is held in position by inserting tape ends 13 in the V-shaped channels 14 and snapping cover slat 6 in position engaging against top portion 1 of the clip, with tapes 10 wedged between slat edges 7 and the recesses formed by inturned edges 4. A secure unit assembly is thus obtained. Cord 15 may then pass through opening 8 in cover slat 6 and opening 5 in the clip and knotted at 16 in the usual way. Bottom rail 17 may then be positioned by sliding it on longitudinally over the clip-cover slat unit without disturbing the position or adjustment of clip, tape, cord and cover slat. Rail 17 is provided with bottom 18 and sides 19 to form a channel member with each side 19 having inturned edge 20, the depth of the channel being such that with inturned edges 20 being placed in contact with edges 4 of the clip, bottom 18 of rail 17 engages securely against shoulder 21 formed between wall 2 and flange 3 to hold the bottom rail securely in position.

A Venetian blind structure thus obtained gives an economical, simple but sturdy structure in which the tape clips position the tapes and cords securely in the desired position. The lengths of tapes and cords may be readily positioned as desired and securely fixed in any set position. Access to the cord for knotting or otherwise fixing its length is easily obtained.

Because the clip anchors the cord and tape into a unitary structure with the cover slat, unitary positioning of clip, cover slat, tape and cord within the bottom rail is readily obtained without disturbance of the relation of the several elements with respect to one another. Thus it is easy to remove the bottom rail or to position it, and simple to take the blind apart for any desired purpose such as cleaning, adjustment of tape or length of tape or cord, or for repair, or for reassembly. The spring tension of the cover slat against the inturned edges of the clip, insures positive positioning, ready adjustability, and sturdiness without complex securing elements or multifarious assembly steps. 7 The number of associated parts is reduced to an absolute minimum without necessity of unusual machining or stamping operations. Such simplicity permits clips, slats, and bottom rails to be produced by stamping and related operation-s readily and economically carried out. The cover slat is secured in position and held fixedly so that uncovering of the bottom rail does not take place and a pleasing appearance is always presented by the assembled blind. There are no projections or lugs on clips, slats, or rails to require special manufacturing operations or to strike against surfaces of the elements with consequent damage to structure or appearance.

The unit of clips, cover slat, tapes, and cords, slides into the bottom rail, retains the tape in exact alinement by the positioning of the clip against the ladder of the tape, the unit utilizes the cover slat for this purpose and not the bottom rail, the slat is positioned by the contoured clips, the ends of the tape are concealed, positive engagement of parts is obtained eliminating any possibility of the tape being pulled out, and importantly the tape is kept removed from the edge of the bottom rail so that the tape cannot be inadvertently or accidentally pulled out or cut or misaligned. It also permits easy removal by sliding the bottom rail off to shorten the blind, to replace tapes, for cleaning, or any other operation. Reassembly is readily accomplished in any adjusted position.

Having thus set forth our invention, We claim:

1. In a Venetian blind, a unit including a tape clip and cover slat in combination, the tape clip comprising a top portion, side walls depending therefrom, a diagonally upturned flange on each side wall, an inturned edge on each upturned flange for gripping a Venetian blind tape between said slat and said edge, and the cover slat removably positioned on said clip with the slat in contact With the top portion of the clip and the edges of the slat engaging against the inturned edges on the upturned flanges, said unit adapted to be enclosed at its sides and bottom by a bottom rail member.

2. A unit as set forth in claim 1 in which the clip has a cord receiving slot and the slat has a cord receiving slot alined with the slot in the clip.

3. A unit as set forth in claim 1 in which a ladder tape is held in position in the unit with a vertical tape member secured between each slat edge and a coacting inturned edge on an upturned flange.

4. In a Venetian blind, a unit as set forth in claim 3 and a bottom rail member having upper edges which ride over the upturned flanges of the unit.

5. In a Venetian blind, a unit as set forth in claim 1 and a bottom rail member having upper edges Which ride over the upturned flanges of the unit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,598,575 Martin et al May 27, 1952 2,618,329 Nelson Nov. 18, 1952 2,627,917 Lind Feb. 10, 1953