US2807322A

US2807322A - Vertical slat venetian blind suspension

Info

Publication number: US2807322A
Application number: US408851A
Authority: US
Inventors: Andrew J Toti
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-02-08
Filing date: 1954-02-08
Publication date: 1957-09-24
Anticipated expiration: 1974-09-24

Description

p 1957 A. J. TOT] 2,807,322

VERTICAL SLAT VENEITIAN BLIND SUSPENSION Filed Feb. 8, 1954 IN VEN TOR ATTORNEY United States Patent VERTICAL SLAT. VENETIAN BLIND SUSPENSION Andrew J. Toti, Modesto, Calif. Application February 8', 1954,,Serial N0. 408,851

Claims. (Cl. 160-168) This invention relates toVenetian blinds in which the individual slats hang vertically from special suspension means at their upper ends, particularly to improvements in the construction of such suspension.

In the present construction'the slats are each suspended to hang vertically from a horizontally extending track or baralong which the slats may be traversed or moved bodily toward one or both ends of. the track, at a window or door opening, and the slats may he turned, each on a vertical axis, to open or close the spaces. between the slats.

manner of suspending the slats for simultaneous turning while at the same time preserving; their traversing movement, while maintaining unusual. stability at any point of adjustment. Other advantages and details of the preferred construction will appear in the accompanying description and drawings.

In the drawings---- Fig. l is a cross section of the traverse track and supporting rock bar taken along the line 1-1- of Fig. 2 and with a slat suspended from a bracket depending from a carrier which slides in the track in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. l showing a portion of the track cover bar and with four slats suspended therefrom, the slats being indicated in open position-that is-extending transversely of the track, and spaced apart as far as they will go.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged drawing of the bracket or hanger and the hanger stem depending therefrom with the upper end of a slat secured'thereto.

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

Fig. 5 is a side view of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a cross section of Fig. 3 taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the hanger stem.

Fig. 8 is a side view of a hanger bracket of modified form and hanger stem with spur gear attached.

Fig. 9 is a cross section of Fig. 8 taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is an elevation of a hanger bracket of modified form having an arcuate lower wall, with a hanger stem supported thereon.

Fig. 11 is a cross section of Fig. 10 taken across the line 11-11 thereof.

Briefly described the invention is somewhat similar to the vertical slat suspension shown in my copending patent application filed under Serial No. 300,064 on date of July 21, 1952, inasmuch as it is operated to open and close the slats by rocking the traverse track or outer supporting bar or split pipe enclosing it, but in detail is considerably different as will presently appear.

The traverse track is herein indicated at 1, it is reinforced by a circular bar or pipe-like member 2 to which it is securely attached as by soldering, spot welding, or riveting so as to form a rigid unit with the, track 1.

The present improvement has to do with the particular The track is of the overhead conventional form in having confronting lower edges 1 along which slide the grooved carriers or sliders 3, which may be solid blocks, pressed of sheet metal or other material, or of wire, all as now well known in the art. The bar or pipe member 2 is slotted along its underside as at 4 and suitably mounted for transverse rocking motion as on end pivots 5 under any pull cord or worm wheel control as at 14 now well known in the art, and as shown in my copending patent referred to. Rigidly attached to by any suitable means and depending from the sliders or carriers 3 are special brackets 6 having spaced side plates 7 suspended from which is a hanger stem 8 the lower end 8' of which is suitably formed and adapted for attaching to the upper end of a slat 9 by any suitable means, but here shown as by centrally notching the upper end of the slat as at 9' and passing the end of the slat up into a slot 10 in the lower end 8 of the stem and passing a small cotter pin 11 through and spreading the two ends of the cotter, so as topreferably make a rigid tho easily removed connection of the slat and hanger stem and one which is self centering. The suspension of the hanger stem to the bracket comprises a ball-like head or knob at the upper end of the stem 12 with a reduced size neck 13 below it loosely engaged by a'rounding edged seat 14 carried by the bracket and with the stem extending down between the spaced bracket Walls to the slat. 9 below so-that the slat can be moved between the walls of the bracket and also turned or revolved on the ball-like suspension above. The slats may be of any material, fiat, crowned, or ribbed, as well known in the art.

The seat for supporting the ball-like knobor head at the upper end of the stem is preferably formed of lips 15 struck out of the side walls 7 and slanting slightly downward toward the free and rounded edge opennig 16 which embraces the reduced neck 13 of the stem, also the opening formed is preferably somewhat elliptical so that the ball-like portion of the stem will always seek a central position due to gravity pull of the depending slat.

The spaced side walls 7 of the bracket are preferably made rigid as by a couple of spacing shoulder rivets 17 or their equivalent, tho it of thick metal their secure attachment to the slider will sufiice. Near the lower end of the bracket the stem 8 carries several (preferably three) laterally projecting pins 18, which function similarly to the teeth of a spur gear and engage in holes 19 formed in one side wall of the bracket. These holes are arranged along an arcuate line struck from the ball suspension of the stem so that as the" stem with its rigidly attached slat is swung in the plane of the bracket walls on the ball suspension, these pins 18 will engage the holes 19 successively and turn the stem and the slat on the axis of the stem, or conversely, if the track is rocked either to right or left to swing the bracket at an angle, the weight of the slats will hold the slats vertical While the moving bracket when rocked either way by the rocking of the track will gradually turn the slats to about degrees either Way, and the rocking gear'14 or friction of mounting the track bar, or any desired locking means, will hold the slats at any position of adjustment until the bar is rocked back to central position as they gradually assume the open position shown in Fig. 1.

The several projecting pins 18 shown in Fig. 6 may extend directly from the hanger stem 8 if it be thick enough, or the stem may be enlarged at that point, or the pins may extend from a small collar or hub pressed over or secured to the stem (as the gear hub 20 of Fig. 8), or the entire stem as shown in Fig. 7 may be integral. Instead of the Patented Sept. 24, 1957 t of the side plates 7 of the bracket, as indicated in Figs. 8 and 9 and with the opposite side plate forming a guiding edge 23 against the hub of the gear. Of course the gear teeth and guide formed on the bracket are on a curved line as are the holes-shown for the pins 18 in Fig. l and Fig. 3.

A further modification of the arrangement for turning the stem as the track is rocked is indicated in Figs. 10 and 11 wherein the bracket takes a form including a curved bottom wall 24 with a slot 25 in it curved as in Fig. ll and through which slot at reduced part of the stem 8 hangs with an elongated knob like, upper end 26 slidably sup ported by the edges of the slot 25 in the curved bottom plate so it will always seek the bottom central position from the weight of the slat, and when the bracket is tilted or canted by rocking the track either way the knob will slide to lowest position at either side as the case may be, and in so doing will'swing around the curved slot 25 and turn the slat carried by the stem 8 as described, and when the elongated knob gets to the end of the slot it will strike the end wall of the bracket and turn parallel therewith as indicated at 26 in Figs. 11 and 10, or enough to close the slats. A slight hump 27 in the lower wall 24 at opposite ends of the slot assure proper return of the elongated knob. The curved wall adjacent the slot should be formed to maintain the elongated knob substantially horizontal as the bracket is canted.

As indicated in Fig. 1, either one or both of the bracket walls may extend above the slider as indicated at 28 to provide any desired shape of connection for the usual limit spacing tapes or carrier sliding cords 29, or other slat limit spacing device desired.

Having thus described my improvements in a vertical slat opening and closing control which at the same time preserves the traverse movement of the slat suspending sliders or carriers, and some of its possible variations, what I claim is:

1. In a vertical slat blind suspension of the type including carriers engaging and movable along an overhead transversely rockable track and from which carriers the slats are respectively wholly suspended from their upper ends, the improvement which comprises carriers slidably engaging an overhead track, a rigid stem extending downwardly from each carrier to a slat and adapted for securing to the upper end thereof for turning therewith on a vertical axis, and universal joint means formed on each carrier and stem suspending said stem from the carrier whereby the carrier may be canted transversely of the Cir track when the track is rocked the slats and their stems will always hang vertically by their own weight and thereby cause relative motion between the stem and the carrier, and means carried by each stern cooperating with its carrier arranged to turn the stem and its slat on a vertical axis operated by said relative motion of the stem and carrier as the carriers are canted.

2. In a structure as set out in claim 1, said universal joint means comprising a ball-like portion on the upper part of said stem seated in a socket carried by said carrier.

3. In a structure as set out in claim 1, said universal joint means comprising .a ball-like portion on the upper part of said stem seated in a socket carried by said carrier, and means for turning the stem as the carriers are canted comprising cooperating gear-means on the stem and carrier operated by the relative movement of the parts as stated. 7 w p V 4. In a structure as set out in claim 1, said universal joint means comprising a ball-like portion on the upper part of said stern seated in a socket carried by said carrier, said socket supported between two spaced guides between which guides the stem may swing bodily along a path transversely of the track only, and the means for turning the stem as the carriers are canted comprising cooperating gear-means on the stem and carrier operated by the relative movement of the parts as stated.

5. For a vertical slat blind of the character described means for suspending the slats from their upper ends respectively comprising a rigid stem arranged at its lower end for rigid attachment to the upper end of a slat and project upwardly therefrom, said stem provided with a knob at its upper end, a cooperating carrier adapted to traversably engage an overhead track and provided with a socket to suspend said stem by said knob to form a universal joint therewith, guide means depending from said carrier guiding the stem to a bodily swinging movement transversely of the track while free to turn on itsvertical axis, and cooperating gear means on said stem and carrier arranged to turn said stem positively on its axis as said stem is relatively so swung in respect to the carrier.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,377,746 Bell June 5, 1946 2,503,441 Kamm Apr. 11, 1950 2,591,775 Bopp et al Apr. 8, 1952 2,604,159 Wright July 22, 1952 2,625,219 Peck Jan. 13, 1953