US2822083A

US2822083A - Method and means for packaging vertical slat draw drapes

Info

Publication number: US2822083A
Application number: US568724A
Authority: US
Inventors: Oma V Horne; Louis J Velia
Original assignee: HUNTER DOUGLAS ALUMINUM CORP
Current assignee: HUNTER DOUGLAS ALUMINUM Corp
Priority date: 1956-03-01
Filing date: 1956-03-01
Publication date: 1958-02-04
Anticipated expiration: 1975-02-04

Description

Feb. 4, 1958 o. v. HORNE ET AL 2,822,083

METHOD AND MEANS FOR PACKAGING VERTICAL SLAT DRAW DRAPES Filed March 1, 1956 INVENTORS O/ /A 1 HORNE BY Lou/5 J. l/EL/A AGENT 2,822,083 METHOD ronmcnronse VERTICAL SLAT DRAW DRAPES O'ma V. Home, Riverside, an'dLoui's 'J. Velia, Sunnymead,

Calif assigriors to Hunter Douglas Aluminum Corporation, Riverside, Califl, a corporation of Delaware Application March 1, 1956, Serial No. 568,724 2 Claims- (Cl. 206-46) The present invention relates to the packaging of assembled vertical slat draw drapes for shipment, and more patricularly to the packaging or drapes of the type shown ahd described in the co-pending application of Paul Cureton, Serial No. 537,674, wherein vertical slats of crowned Venetian blind strip are hung from carriers that are slidably supported on a track attachedto the underside of a mounting board. The slats draw to the side of the blind,'and 'can'b'e titlted to anyangle.

One of the major problems in the marketing of such vertical slat draw drapes is the shipment of assembled drapes from the manufacturer to the dealer who does the installing. Heretofore, drapes that have been shipped in the assembled condition have sufier'e'd considerable damage by either having theslalts beco'r'ne disconnected from the carriers, or .by having the slats creased or bowed from being bent too sharply. As a result, manufacturers of such draw drapes have become discouraged from shipping assembled drapes, and have fallen back on the practice of shipping disassembled drapes which can easily be packed for safe shipment. However, this makes it necessary for the dealer to assemble the draw drape before installing it, which is a time consuming operation that adds considerably to the dealers cost.

A primary object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a method and means for packaging vertical slat draw drapes so that they can be shipped in the assembled condition without being damaged or becoming disassembled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive core, or former, to be attached to the mounting board of a vertical slat draw drape, around which the slats can be wrapped in gentle curves, so that they will not be creased or otherwise damaged by being bent around too small a radius.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 illustrates a typical draw drape of the type for which the present invention was designed;

Figure 2 shows the drape packed for shipment, using the method and means of the present invention;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view, taken at 33 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the cores, or formers, which are used adjacent each end of the mounting board to support the slats in smooth curves where the slats are bent down parallel to the mounting board, and where they are carried around one end of the mounting board to the opposite side thereof; and

Figure 5 is a view of the flat cardboard blank from which the core of Figure 4 is made.

In Figure l of the drawings, the draw drape illustrated is of the center pull type, and comprises a wood mounting board having an inverted track 11 attached to the nited States Patent 0 "ice 2,822,083 Patented Feb. 4, 1958 underside thereof. A plurality of carriers 12 are slidably supportedon track '11, and hanging from such carriers are slats 13 of crowned sheet metal Venetian blind strip. The slats and carriers are disposed in two groups, A and B, which are adapted to be drawn apart to opposite ends of the mounting board. In each of the groups A and B, the slats are connected together and are tilted in unison by laddertapes 14. At the right hand end of the mounting board is a tilter unit 15 which is operated by a control cord 16. The tilter 15 is connected directly to the ladder tape 14 of the adjacent slat group B to operate the same, and is connected to the ladder tape of the other slat group A through the agency of an idler pulley assembly 20. The idler pulley assembly is actuated from the tilter 15 by an endless cord 21 (see Figure 3). The center carriers of the two groups A and B are known as

master carrier assemblies

22 and 23, and these master carriers are connected to opposite courses of the endless cord 21. The master carriers have interlocking means which engage one another at the center of the blind to yieldingly lock the two groups of blind together.

When the draw drape of Figure l is to be shipped in the assembled condition, it is wrapped as shown in Figure 2 using two cores, or formers, 25 and two straps 26. Each of the cores 25 is as shown in Figure 4. In the preferred form of the invention, the core is made up from a cardboard blank 27 of the configuration shown in Figure 5. The blank 27 comprises a central rectangular section 30 which constitutes the top panel of a box 31. Projecting from opposite ends of the central section 30 are two

elongated tongues

32, 33. Tongue 32 terminates in a tab 34, while tongue 33 terminates in a stapling flange 35. A pair of

rectangular side sections

36 and 37 project from opposite sides of the central section 30, and each of these side sections terminates in a stapling flange 38. A pair of

rectangular end sections

40 and 41 project laterally from opposite sides of each of the

side sections

36, 37. When the blank is folded up along the score lines shown in broken lines in Figure 5, end section 40 of side 36 overlaps and is stapled to end section 40 of side 37. Likewise, end section 41 of side 36 overlaps and is stapled to end section 41 of side 37. Both of the end sections 40 have slots 42 provided therein which register with one another when the end sections are stapled together to provide a through slot, into which the tap 34 is inserted, as shown in Figure 4. The end sections 41 have

notches

43 and 44 provided in their outer edges, which register with one another when the end sections are stapled together to form the notch 43 in the box, as shown in Figure 3.

To assemble the cores 25, the

end sections

40 and 41 are bent up along score lines 4545 and 46.46, respectively. Next, the

sides

36 and 37 are folded up along the

score lines

47 and 48, respectively, and the overlapping end sections 40 are stapled together, as are the overlapping end sections 41.

The fully assembled drape is drawn open so as to accumulate all but four of the slats at each outer end. One of the assembled cores 25 is placed on the top surface of the mounting board (i. e., the bottom side of the inverted mounting board shown in Figure 2) and the flange 35 is made flush with the end of the board. Flange 35 is then stapled to the board. Tongue 32 is bent up in a smooth curve, and tab 34 is inserted into slot 42 in the end of the bov. The box 31 is lifted and carried around the stapled flange 35 to the underside of the mounting board 10, where it is inserted down over the tilter unit 15. The box 31 is moved toward the tilter end of the drape, until it rests against the tilter housing. Flanges 38 are then stapled to sides of the mounting board 10.

The second core assembly 25, with tab 34 inserted into the board so that the master carrier 22 is just to the left of the core box. Notch 43 is lined up with the traverse rod or track 11, and flanges 38 are stapled to the side edges of the mounting board. Starting with the accumulated slats of group B at the tilter end of the drape, the slats are wrapped as a unit in a clockwise direction around the right hand core assembly 25, and under the mounting board, with the concave side of the slats facing outwardly. The pull cord 16 of the tilter unit is wrapped around the slats and the mounting board to hold the slats in place while wrapping the other end of the drape.

As the other end of the blind a strip 26 is stapled to one edge of the mounting board just to the right of the left hand core 25. Next, the accumulated slats of group A at the left hand end of the drape are laid around the curved tongue 32 of the core and flat across the two core assemblies, concave side up. At the right hand end of the drape, the slats are wrapped around the curved tongue 33, to the opposite side of the mounting board and back along the length of the board on top of the first group of slats. A second strip 26 is wrapped around the slats adjacent the right hand end of the board and is stapled to the board to tie down the ends of the slats. The first strip 26 at the left hand end of the drape is also wrapped around the slats and its free end stapled to the board. The drape is now assembled in the condition shown in Figure 2, and is ready to be placed in a box or carton for shipment.

While we have shown and described in considerable detail what we believe to be the preferred form of the invention, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the shape and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the broad scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A vertical slat draw drape package comprising a mounting board, a track attached to the underside thereof, a plurality of carriers slidably mounted on said track, crowned sheet metal slats hanging from said carriers, said slats being accumulated at the end of said mounting board, means adjacent said carriers supporting said accumulated slats around a curve of diameter greater than the minimum diameter to which said slats can be bent without damage, said means bringing said slats substantially parallel to said mounting board and spaced therefrom, back-up means supporting said slats in a 180 degree curve around an end of said mounting board, whereby the slats are brought back along the top side of the mounting board, and means securing the free ends of said slats to said mounting board.

2. A vertical slat draw drape shipping package comprising a mounting board having a track attached to the underside thereof, a plurality of carriers slidably mounted on said track, crowned sheet metal slats hanging from said carriers, said slats being accumulated at the end of said mounting board, a supporting device attached to said mounting board adjacent said carriers and having a first curved portion carrying said slats around a curve of diameter greater than the minimum diameter to which said slats can be bent without damage, said first curved portion bringing said slats substantially parallel to said mounting board and spaced therefrom, a second curved portion on said supporting device carrying said slats in a 180 degree curve around an end of said mounting board, whereby the slats are brought back along the top side of the mounting board, and means securing the free ends of said slats to said mounting boards.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS