US2908327A

US2908327A - Pull cord for roll-up awnings

Info

Publication number: US2908327A
Application number: US666989A
Authority: US
Inventors: Macy Donald
Original assignee: Artcraft Venetian Blind Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Artcraft Venetian Blind Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1957-06-20
Filing date: 1957-06-20
Publication date: 1959-10-13
Anticipated expiration: 1976-10-13

Description

Oct. 13, 1959 D MACY 2,908,327

PULL CORD FOR ROLL-UP AWNINGS Filed June 20, 1957 Kw MM db m we 9/ M 0. a

United States Patent PULL CORD FOR ROLL-UP AWNINGS Donald Macy, Richmond Heights, Mo., assignor to Artcraft Venetian Blind Manufacturing Company of St. Louis, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application June 20, 1957, Serial No. 666,989 7 Claims. (Cl. 160- 133) This present invention relates generally to cord attachments, and more particularly to a novel pull cord for rollup awnings. A problem that has persisted in the roll-up awning art is that of providing a suitable pull cord attachment by means of which a cord can be attached to the awning for lowering it against the spring bias which tends to keep the awning raised. At least one source of difliculty has lain in previous attempts to attach the cord to the spring cylinder in a manner to dispose at least part of the cord, or its attachment, within the cylinder where it could interfere with movement of the spring mechanism. The present invention, however, contemplates an attachment which engages the flexible curtain of the awning at a point adjacent the cylinder, or which may, if desired, be attached externally of the spring cylinder itself. 7

Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel pull cord for roll-up awnings which may be attached externally of a spring cylinder.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel pull cord for roll-up awnings which may be attached to a flexible awning curtain adjacent to a spring cylinder.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel pull cord for roll-up awnings which may be attached at any selected point over the width of the awning without the necessity for providing special holes or the like in a particular location.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel clip engageable with various portions of a roll-up awning and having spring clamp means for securement of a pull cord.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel pull cord attachment which is economical to construct, simple to install, and which is adapted for accommodation within the rolled-up portion of a roll-up awning.

The foregoing, along with other objects and advantages, will be apparent from the following description of a specific embodiment of the invention as depicted in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a pull cord clip conforming to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the clip;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the clip;

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are views similar to Figures 1, 2 and 3, respectively, but showing the clip with an attached pull cord;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the clip and attached cord engaged with the flexible curtain of a roll-up awning; and

Figure 8 is a side elevation drawn to reduced scale illustrating the manner in which the pull cord of the present invention functions to retain the roll-up awning in a lowered position.

Directing more particular attention to the details of the drawing as indicated by reference numerals, the numeral 10 designates a pull cord clip for attaching a cord 12 to a roll-up awning designated generally as 14.

"ice

The clip 10 is preferably fabricated from an elongated strip of sheet metal, and, as clearly illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 .of the drawing, an end portion 16 of the strip is turned upwardly and the free end then reversed to form a hook. A preferred form for this upturned portion 16 is shown clearly in Figures 2, 5 and 7.

The remaining portion of the clip 10, designated 18 in the drawing, is left in its original flat state, but has

notches

20 and 22 formed therein for retaining the cord 12. The

notches

20 and 22 are of similar size and shape, the shape including an inner terminus of circular form and a transverse portion having one side flared, as is clear from the several views of the drawing. The circular termini 24 are located on the longitudinal center line of the clip 10.

The cord 12 is secured to the clip 10 by inserting a portion adjacent one end first in the notch 20 so as to dispose the cord in the circular end portion of the notch and then inserting an adjacent portion of the cord into the notch 22 in similar fashion. As indicated in Figure 5, the flat cord retaining portion'lS of the clip 10 may be twisted transversely to accommodate the cord 12. The twist is preferably made in a direction which will cause spring tension to provide a positive clamping action of the sides of the

notches

20 and 22 against the cord 12.

Formed as above described, the clip 10 and attached cord 12 are particularly adapted for use with a roll-up awning of the type shown in Figures 7 and 8. In these figures, a spring cylinder 26 supported by pivoted arms 28 has a flexible curtain 30 hooked over an extended lip 32. The curtain 30 comprises a plurality of relatively narrow slats that are interfitted along their edges so as to make up an articulated curtain that can be rolled up onto the roller 26. A spring 34 acts continuously to bias the roller 26 in a clockwise direction tending to roll the curtain 30 thereon and to raise the roller 26 itself through pivoted movement of the arms 28. Roll-up awnings of the foregoing type are fully disclosed in applications of Harry Nelson bearing Serial Numbers 569,900 and 632,184, filed January 27, 1956, and January 2 1957, respectively.

As clearly illustrated in Figure 7, the clip 10, above described, has its hook portion 16 engaged over a rolled edge portion of the lowermost slat of the curtain 30, the other edge of this slat being engaged over the lip 32 of the roller 26.

As is clear from Figure 8, the cord 12 may be hooked, as at 36, to hold the awning 14 in lowered position against the tendency of the spring 34 to return it to an up condition. When, on the other hand, it is desired that the awning should be raised partially or completely, the cord 12 is unhooked thereby enabling the roller 26 to rotate under the influence of the spring 34 so as to roll up the flexible curtain. At the same time, the clip 10 and its attached cord 12 will be rolled inside the curtain 30, the shape of the hook 16 being clearly such as to accommodate the necessary articulation between the clip 10 and the rolled edges of the slots forming the curtain 30.

It will be observed from Figure 7 that the direction in which the cord 12 and clip 10 pull the curtain 30 when the awning 14 is in its down position is such, not only to maintain the desired position of the awning 14, but to maintain the hooked tension of the lowermost curved edge of the curtain 30 over the lip 32 of the cylinder 26. Thus, there is no tendency for these paits to become disengaged, as there might be were the clip 10 to be engaged directly with the roller 26.

Clearly, there has been provided a pull cord for roll-up awnings which fulfills the objects and advantages sought therefor.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing have been given only by way of illustration and example. It is further to be understood that changes in the form of, the elements, rearrangement of parts, and substitution of equivalent elements, all of which will be apparent to those skilled in the art, are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention, which is limited only by the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1; In a roll-up awning, a flexible multi-element curtain having projecting hook means joining said elements, a spring roller attached to said curtain for removably receiving said curtain, and a pull cord attachment for controlling the Winding and unwinding of the curtain on the roller, said pull cord attachment comprising a length of flexible cord and a clip removably secured to said cord, said clip having hook means for removable engagement with said hook means of said curtain at a point remote from said roller.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the awning curtain comprises a plurality of consecutively articulated slats, an end slat of the curtain having articulated connection to the spring roller, said clip having articulated connection with said end slat.

3. In a roll-up awning mountable upon a surface, a plurality of articulated slats comprising a flexible curtain, each slot provided with edge portions of adjacent slats, a roller for receiving said awning when rotated in one direction, and a pull cord attachment for rotating said roller in a direction opposite to said one direction, said pull cord attachment comprising a flexible cord attached to a clip, said clip including a portion interlocking with a predetermined pair of said interlocking edge portions whereby tensile force on said cord will tend to rotate said roller in said opposite direction and extend said awning from said roller.

4. The awning of claim 3 wherein said edge portions '4 1 comprise interlockable rolled hook portions and said clip portion comprises a hook interlockable with a pair of interlocked rolled hook portions.

5. The awning of claim 4 wherein said hook of said clip is of a size to be interlockable between said pair of interlocked rolled hook portions.

6. A clip for use with an articulated slat curtain comprising a plurality of thin slats with edges rolled more than and with the rolled edge of one slat rockably interfitted onto the rolled edge of the next slat in a man ner to enable the curtain to be rolled up and down; the clip comprising an end portion shaped in a hook curved at least about 180, and sized to engage around the outside of the rolled edge of a first slat, within the inside of the rolled edge of a second slat interconnected with the first slat; and a portion, projecting from the first portion, and having recesses to receive a flexible cord.

7. The clip of claim 6, wherein the projecting portion has two recesses extending to the edge of the clip and shaped to receive a cord woven through them, and to hold it against slippage.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 427,287 Wood May 6, 1890 479,509 Heaphy July 26, 1892 1,653,586 Remhof Dec. 20, 1927 1,701,793 Nelson Feb. 12, 1929 1,750,271 Kasan Mar. 11, 1930 2,678,687 Armstrong May 18, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 652,433 France Oct. 23, 1928