US3605852A

US3605852A - Venetian blind having rotatable head assembly

Info

Publication number: US3605852A
Application number: US804781A
Authority: US
Inventors: Francis Vecchiarelli
Original assignee: Alcan Aluminum Corp
Current assignee: Novelis Corp
Priority date: 1969-03-06
Filing date: 1969-03-06
Publication date: 1971-09-20
Anticipated expiration: 1988-09-20
Also published as: GB1250864A; DE2010721A1; FR2039574A5

Abstract

A VENETIAN BLIND INCLUDES A TUBULAR HEAD ASSEMBLY WHICH IS ROTATABLY MOUNTED AT ONE OF ITS ENDS IN A CORD LOCK ASSEMBLY HAVING THEREIN A VERTICALLY MOVABLE LOCKING PIN WHICH AUTOMATICALLY GRIPS AND LOCKS THE CORD WHEN THE LATTER IS RELEASED AFTER THE BLIND HAS BEEN LIFTED. LIFT CORDS PASS THROUGH THE CORD LOCK ASSEMBLY AND INTO THE TUBULAR HEAD ASSEMBLY AND THROUGH SPACED SLOTS IN THE WALL OF THE TUBULAR HEAD ASSEMBLY. TILT CORDS ARE ATTACHED TO THE HEAD ASSEMBLY. ONE END OF THE TUBULAR

HEAD ASSEMBLY IS MOUNTED IN A FIRST MOUNTING BRACKET WHICH SUPPORTS THE CORD LOCK ASSEMBLY AND HOLDS IT AGAINST ROTATION. A SECOND MOUNTING BRACKET WHICH SUPPORTS THE OTHER END OF THE HEAD ASSEMBLY HAS MOUNTED THEREIN A TILT GEAR ASSEMBLY, SAID OTHER END OF THE TUBULAR HEAD ASSEMBLY IS SEPARABLY CONNECTED TO THE TILE GEAR ASSEMBLY IN TUBULAR HEAD ASSEMBLY ROTATING RELATION.

Description

p 20, T971 F. VECCHIARELLI VENETIAN BLIND HAVING ROTATABLE HEAD ASSEMBLY 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. FK/M/Uf VfCffl/AREZZ/ Filed March 6, 1969 ATTORNEY VENETIAN BLIND HAVING ROTATABLE HEAD ASSEMBLY Filed March 6, 1969 p 1571 F. VECCHIARELLI 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. F64/UC/S VECC/l/AEHL/ A m/wey P 0, 1971 F. VECCHIARELLI VENETIAN BLIND HAVING ROTATABLE HEAD ASSEMBLY 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 6. 1969 INVENTOR. fiA/VC/S VEC'CHMPELL/ A TOIQA/EV United States Patent Oifice Patented Sept. 20, 1971 3,605,852 VENETIAN BLIND HAVING ROTATABLE HEAD ASSEMBLY Francis Vecchiarelli, River Edge, N.J., assignor to Alcan Aluminum Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio Filed Mar. 6, 1969, Ser. No. 804,781 Int. Cl. E06b 9/26 US. Cl. 160-168 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A venetian blind includes a tubular head assembly which is rotatably mounted at one of its ends in a cord lock assembly having therein a vertically movable locking pin which automatically grips and locks the cord when the latter is released after the blind has been lifted. Lift cords pass through the cord lock assembly and into the tubular head assembly and through spaced slots in the wall of the tubular head assembly. Tilt cords are attached to the head assembly. One end of the tubular head assembly is mounted in a first mounting bracket which supports the cord lock assembly and holds it against rotation. A second mounting bracket which supports the other end of the head assembly has mounted therein a tilt gear assembly; said other end of the tubular head assembly is separably connected to the tilt gear assembly in tubular head assembly rotating relation.

This invention relates to venetian blind structures and particularly to a novel venetian blind structure having a rotatable tubular head assembly through which the lift cords pass and to which tilt cords are connected, and to the adjuncts thereto.

It is a purpose of the invention to provide a structure which can be embodied to particular advantage, but not so limited, in a blind which employs slender cords in lieu of the usual tape in its tape ladder structure and lift cord structure, and in which the blind slats may be of substantially less width than those of the conventional venetian blind.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The conventional venetian blind structure includes a head rail of rectangular cross section which provides a stationary enclosure consisting of side walls and bottom in which a rotatable tilt rod and other components of the blind are mounted. A structure such as described is shown in Vecchiarelli US. Pat. No. 3,156,295. The head rail is removably mounted on wall or window brackets. Since all of the blind control and operating mechanism is mounted in the head rail and since the weight of the head rail itself, for a window of average size, may be substantial, installation and removal of conventional venetian blinds for the purpose of cleaning and repairing, for example, may be difiicult. It is, therefore, the principal purpose of this invention to provide a separably demountable venetian blind structure which is relatively simple and light in weight. Moreover, it is a purpose of the invention to completely eliminate the conventional stationary head rail and to mount the tilt gear assembly in a separate blind mounting bracket thereby reducing to a minimum the number of parts mounted in or on the head assembly itself, achieving an optimum simplicity of structure, providing the means to separably remove and replace the components of the operational mechanism, and reducing its weight to the lowest possible point.

The invention can be more fully understood and its purposes, advantages, and objectives more fully appreciated by reading the following detailed specification in light of the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, with parts broken away to show underlying structure, of a preferred form of the venetian blind, its mounting brackets and control cords;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, partly in section, taken on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to that of FIG. 2, showing, however, the tubular head assembly in rotational position necessary for inserting the end of the head rail assembly into its mounting bracket;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view showing a section of the tubular head assembly, a cord lock bushing, and a cord lock assembly;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a metallic liner for the cord lock assembly;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view in section of the venetian blind with portions of the slats and bottom rail broken away;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view through the bottom rail and first slat, taken on line 7--7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a transverse sectional view through the cord lock assembly, taken on line 88 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a transverse sectional view through the tubular head assembly and the first two blind slats, taken on line 99 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a tape retainer, a fragment of the tubular head assembly, and a lift cord guide;

FIG. 11 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 1111 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view including a tilter housing, a tilter bracket, a tilter timer and associated parts;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a tilter mechanism employing an operating wand in lieu of tilt cords;

FIG. 13A is an exploded view of the portion of FIG. 13 by which an operating wand is connected to a tilt worm;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary view of a venetian blind showing the tilter mechanism, its operating cords and the blind in open position;

FIG. 14A is a vertical sectional view through tilt cord guides and a tilt cord drum shown in perspective in FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is a view similar to that of FIG. 14, however, showing the position of the tilter cords when the slats of the blind are closed;

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary view of the assembly showing its mounting pintle and the operating cords therefor;

FIG. 17 is an enlarged view partly in section of the lift cord arrangement; and

FIG. 18 is an enlarged view, partly in section, showing the tilt cords.

In FIG. 1, a venetian blind, in which the invention herein is embodied, is illustrated as including a tubular head 10. This tubular head is preferably formed of a length of ordinary metallic tubing which is slotted in a circumferential direction at predetermined points along its length to accommodate the lift cords. The head tube 10 is preferably formed of aluminum. The head assembly is adapted to be mounted in a pair of

wall brackets

12 and 14. The bracket 12, for purpose of distinction, may be referred to as the cord lock bracket and bracket 14, for similar reason, may be referred to as the tilter bracket. Each of the

brackets

12 and 14 has a pair of horizontal slots 13 and 15 as shown in the

brackets

12 and 14, respectively (FIGS. 1 and 3) for receiving an inturned edge 17 of a valence of facia member 17a (FIGS. 1 and 2) which is shown in part in FIG. 1 and in section in FIG. 2.

The specific construction of the tubular head assembly and its associated mechanism is more fully shown in the longitudinal sectional view of FIG. 6. One end of the head tube is fitted with a cord lock assembly sleeve 16 which is adapted to rotate freely on the neck 18 of a cord lock assembly 20. The sleeve is preferably held in the head tube by circumferential swaging 19. The elements of the cord lock assembly, as more clearly shown in FIG. 4, include the tubular neck 18 which is adapted to seat in the cord lock assembly sleeve 16, and it terminates in a housing 22 in which the cord locking mechanism is mounted. A metallic washer 23 is interposed between the inner face of the housing 22 and the sleeve 16.

The neck 18 of the cord lock assembly has a pair of

slots

24 and 26 extending through the free end thereof in an axial direction which impart some flexibility to the neck and permit its entry into the cord lock assembly sleeve and its retention therein after assembled. The neck 18 has a circumferential flare 28 at its free end adapted to engage the end 30 of the cord lock assembly sleeve 16 (FIG. 6).

Extending outwardly from the housing 22 (FIG. 4) is a mounting pintle 32 adapted to engage the cord lock bracket 12. The mounting pintle 32 is rectangular in cross section and is elongated with special

recessed slots

33 and 35 to adapt it to variations in the spacing of the

wall brackets

12 and 14. Within the housing 22 (FIGS. 4, 6 and 8) is a fixed cord lock tube 34 and a cord lock pin 36. The cord lock tube 34 guides the

lift cords

38 and 38a into the interior of the head tube 10. These cords pass between the cord lock tube 34 and the cord lock pin 36. The cord lock pin 36 is guided for movement toward and away from the cord lock tube 34 in a pair of slots 40 and 42 formed in the housing 22. As more fully shown in FIG. 8, the cord lock pin 36 is retained in the respective slots by

heads

44 and 46, and the pin itself is preferably formed with axial ribs 48- to more positively grip the lift cords (see FIG. 8). The pin 36 is longer than the width of its housing in order to avoid binding thereof against the Walls of the slats in case movement of the pin within the slots is not completely even.

As clearly shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the housing 22 of the cord lock assembly has a pair of

internal grooves

21 and 21a facing each other from opposite walls of the housing. The cord lock tube 34 has its ends mounted in the housing side walls of these grooves and consequently the opposite ends of the cord lock tube 34 extends into the

respective grooves

21 and 21a. This relationship is of substantial advantage in a blind wherein the lift cords are relatively slender strands because as the cords move about the lock tube, the cords will be held against entrance and pinching between the ends of the cord lock tube and the adjacent wall of the housing. Thus, the cord lock provides recesses to accept the ends of the roller and to additionally guide the cords away from its ends to help prevent binding and pinching of the cords.

A further feature which contributes to reliability of operation is found in the fact that the slots in which the cord lock pin 36 operates are closely adjacent the end wall 23 of the cord lock assembly housing. Thereby, the cord lock pin 36 is capable of acting as a cord locking wedge as it moves upwardly in its slots, receiving support from the end wall 22a of the housing and throughout its entire length thereby enabling the pin to be made of relatively light weight, yieldable material, such as aluminum, for example.

It can be seen from the foregoing that as the

lift cords

38 and 38a are pulled downwardly, the cord lock pin 36 will drop in the slots of the housing thereby freeing the lift cords for manipulation. However, as soon as the lift cords are released, the upward movement thereof will carry the cord lock pin 36 upwardly in the housing slots and tightly engage the lift cords between it and the cord lock tube 34, thereby securely locking the lift cords in position. This structure and operation constitute an improvement over the pivoted pawl which is customarily employed as cord lock means in the conventional venetian blind, since the operation is instantaneous and automatic, and contrary to the conventional structure, does not require the operator to bring the cord into engagement with the locking means as is so often necessary when the conventional cord locking pawl is employed. The natural resiliency of the lift cords and their small but inherent stiffness cause the cords to swing outwardly as the Weight of the venetian blind slat assembly falls by gravity and engage the cord lock pin which, because of its light weight and its ribbed surface, immediately responds to this action and is lifted into cord-locking position, creating a crush-proof condition. Therefore, the operator, by merely releasing the cords, is assured of almost immediate locking of the blind in position.

A supporting web 50 (FIGS. 2 and 3) of the cord lock bracket 12 has formed therein a dihedral slot aperture 52 having a horizontal entry slot 54 which is not substantially wider than the narrow cross-sectional dimension of the stud 32. The stud is rotated into a position in which it is properly aligned with the entry slot 54, as shown in FIG. 3, and when completely moved into the dihedral slot 52, it is again rotated so that one edge thereof is seated in a base recess 56, and a face of the stud rests against a face surface 58 of the dihedral slot, as shown in FIG. 2. It can be seen that the head assembly is thus securely mounted in the bracket, and the cord lock assembly is positively held against rotation and is secured against inadvertent dislodgement.

The shape of the key hole aperture 52 when the blind is locked in position assures accidental upward movement of the pintle 32 and consequent disengagement of the blind. The point 57 of the dihedral slot about which the pintle 32 must pivot is engaged by the pintle 32, when completely inserted into the slot, at a point on the pintle which is less than half its width, so that as soon as the head assembly is released, the weight of the blind being eccentric to the point 57, will cause the blind to rotate into the position, as shown in FIG. 2, and automatically lock it in place. The first manipulation of the lift cords will firmly seat the blind in the bracket 12.

It. is contemplated that the cord lock assembly be a molded plastic member. In case a relatively soft plastic is used for this purpose, it is desirable to protect its inner Wear surfaces by using a metal insert 60 which is illustrated in detail in FIG. 5, and also to provide minimum frictional surface against which the cords will rub to provide for less effort in operation of the blind and to reduce wear by abrasion of the operating cords which may deteriorate by reason of continued lift cord passage therethrough.

The tilter bracket 12, as more fully shown in FIGS. 6 and 12, provides an enclosure for a tilter housing 62 in which is mounted a tilter gear 64 which is engaged with a worm 66 thereby providing a control which is irreversible under weight of the blind itself. The shaft of the worm extends beyond one edge of the housing 62 where it is formed with a drum 68 to which a pair of

tilter operating cords

70 and 72 are attached. The titler housing is freely received within the bracket 12 and can be readily removed therefrom, and is so constituted as to prevent counter rotation of the tilter assembly and to assure firm control of the tilt. This capability is due to a separable tilter drive shaft 74 whose outer end 76 is adapted for insertion into a hub aperture 78 of the tilter gear. The inner end 80 of the tilter drive shaft is separably engaged with a tilt limit ring 82. which has a pair of

stop fingers

84 and 86 adapted to engage a stop 88 extending inwardly from the web 90 of the tilter bracket. This serves to limit and control the rotation of the tubular head assembly in both directions during the blind slat tilting operation to suit the requirements of the purchaser.

Intermediate its ends, the tilter drive shaft 74 (FIG. 12) has formed therein a flanged collar 92 which is adapted to rest on a bearing surface 94 formed in the aperture 96 in the tilter bracket web 90. The outer flange 98 of the collar 92 describes not substantially more than a semi-circle such that the tilter drive shaft may be freely inserted through the aperture 96, but when the same is seated therein and rotated through a half turn, the flange 98 will hold it in place by engagement with the bracket wall below the bearing surface 94. From what has been said thus far, it should be apparent that the tubular assembly is mounted on the

brackets

12 and 14, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, and the tilt

gear operating cords

70 and 72 are manipulated, the head assembly 10 will rotate since the head assembly is freely mounted for rotation on the cord lock assembly 20, while the latter remains stationary by reason of being held by the cord lock bracket 14.

The bottom rail 100 of the blind is supported by two or

more life cords

38 and 38a, for example, which are threaded through the cord lock assembly 20 and emerge from the head rail at respective elongated spaced

slots

106 and 108 in the wall of the head tube 10, then pass through apertures 110 in the blind slats, finally being attached to the bottom rail 100 where they pass through nylon bushing 111 to protect them from abrasion. The

slots

106 and 108 are substantially elongated in a circumferential direction to permit full 90" rotation of the tubular head assembly 10 in both directions without interfering with the lift cords. This slot arrangement also eliminates any inter-positioning of structural elemenst between the face tapes providing maximum closure of the slat at the very top as is not possible with usual metal head rail assembly.

The slats 112 (FIG. 2) are supported by a ladder 114 consisting of equally spaced rungs 116 extending between pairs of

side cables

118 and 120. In the illustrative embodiment, two such pairs are shown attached to the head tube 10. The method of attaching the tilt cords to the head tube is best shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. A tape retainer 122 encircles substantially half the circumference of the head tube and is fixed thereto by a pair of

tongues

124 and 126 at its extremities. The tongues coincide with the extremities of the circumferential

head tube slots

106 and 108 and are bent inwardly into the slots and against the inner face of the tubular head assembly to hold them in place. The

side cables

118 and 120 are trained about the side cable retainers 122 and are fastened by means of tabs 128 and 139 which are bent inwardly against the cords at the opposite ends of the retainer. The side cables descend from the head assembly and are fastened to the bottom rail 100 at opposite edges thereof, as more clearly shown in FIG. 7. By this means the side cables are accurately, firmly and quickly secured in place providing for more uniform and precise tilting of all slats in unison.

Within the head tube 10 (FIG. 6) are cord guides 132 and 134 by which the

lift cords

38 and 38a are guided in their passage through the

respective slots

106 and 108. The specific form of the lift cord guides is shown in FIG. 10 which, it may be assumed, illustrates the lift cord guide 134. The guide may conveniently be a molded plastic element having a cord passage 136 which may be provided with a wear resisting insert 138. The base of the guide has a groove 140 formed therein on a radius corresponding to that of the head tube. The groove 140 tightly embraces one edge of the circumferential slot in the head tube (as shown in FIG. 6). This provides a simple method for inserting and mounting the guides.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the cord guides, as in the case of the guide 134 shown in FIG. 10, are formed with

slender ears

141 and 143 which are somewhat resilient. This adapts the guides very nicely to head tubes which may vary slightly in diameter. Moreover, if the

cars

141 and 143 are slightly compressed, as they are inserted through the tube slots, they will spring back into engagement with the inner wall of the tume, as shown in FIG. 9, and thereby hold the guides more firmly in position. The cord guides provides for self centering of self centering of the lift cords within the tube thereby eliminating the eccentric forces which will unbalance the tilt action due to the weight of the blind at various angles of the tilt.

The blind is raised and lowered by manipulating the lift cords 3'8 and 38a. Any desired position of the blind is maintained by engaging the cord lock pin 36 with the lift cord, as explained above. The bottom rail 1% and the slats 112 are tilted by differentially manipulating the

tilt cords

70 and 72 of the respective pairs.

The invention, although not limited to such use, is particularly usefully embodied in a blind in which the ladders and side cables are formed of slender strands, such as braided polyester, and the slats of the blind, while not so limited, are preferably not substantially more than half the width of the slats currently employed in conventional blind structures. The tubular head assembly lends itself particularly well to such construction since its diameter can easily be matched to width of the slats that are to be employed.

The form and construction of the bottom rail is best seen in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 7, wherein is illustrated the tubular rail member having

latch shoulders

144 and 146 formed in opposite faces thereof. A separate snap-on cable clip 148 having

edge flanges

150 and 152 is associated with each pair of side cables. When the snap-on clip is assembled with the tubular rail member 142, as shown in FIG. 7, the

edge flanges

150 and 152 will spread as they pass the latch shoulders 144 and 146 and then spring back against the side walls of the tubular rail member to hold the two elements together. As seen in FIG. 7, the side cables 118 and are trained about the tubular rail member 142 and the snap-on clip 148 is then applied to the tubular rail member thereby clamping the side cables between the two elements of the bottom rail. If the bottom rail is inverted and the side cables are brought about the outer surface of the snap-on clip 148 and thereunder, the same bottom rail will be adapted to use in blinds ha'ving slightly wider slats.

As shown in FIG. 6, the cable clips 148 which secure the side cables to the bottom rail do not extend the full length of the bottom rail but are not substantially longer than required to secure the ladders to the bottom rail. This arrangement facilitates the adjustment of the relationship between the bottom rail and the tilt cord ladders upon which the individual slats rest. In a venetian blind construction, wherein the side cables comprise a slender strand, such as braided nylon, or polyester, there is some tendency for the cables to stretch, particularly near the bottom of the blind where the bottom rail exercises its greatest influence. When these cables are subject to a stretching force, the several bottom slats of the blind may be separated from each other further than de sirable, and the blind at its bottom may not close completely. This condition can be corrected by imparting an initial permanent tilt to the bottom rail which serves to project the last few slats upwardly at an angle so that they will have an adequate overlap when they are closed, and so that their apparent spacing is the same as throughout the blind.

The cable clips 148 being individual to the several slat ladders can easily be removed, one at a time, for the initial permanent adjustment of the tilt of the bottom rail in respect to the other slats.

The construction of the bottom rail being of tubular lock seam construction permits the use of thinner gage sheet metals more effectively in providing a strong bottom rail which is necessary for the function of a large blind since the weight of the entire slat assembly is carried by the bottom rail during the lifting process between the points where the lift cords attach to the bottom rail. The sagging or bending of the bottom rail being the most visible section of the blind in a lifted position causes the blind to be less neat and attractive to the eye.

FIG. 13 illustrates a modified tilter mechanism 154 which is especially adapted for operation by a wand 156 which is in the form of a rigid decorative rod coupled to the shaft 158 of the worm 160 by means of a link 162 fixed to the worm shaft by a large headed screw 169. The tilter mechanism 154 is in all respects similar to the tilter mechanism 62, previously described, having. as it does, a tilter gear 164 within a housing 166 which is operated by the worm 160. The position of the ladder has been shifted to the side of the tilter gear 164 to locate it as required for operation by the wand-type operating rod 156.

The specific construction of the connection between the Wand 156 and the shaft 158 is shown in FIG. 13A. The shaft 158 has a fiat surface 159 having formed therein a screw hole 161 and having projecting from its face a semi-circular boss 163. In assembling the wand 156 to the shaft 158, the link 162 which has a gap 165 is passed through an aperture 167 at the end of the wand 156. The upper end of the link 162 is then seated on the boss v163 of the shaft 158 and the screw 169 which has a large head is then driven home into the aperture :161 of the shaft 158. The head of the screw is sufliciently large to span the opposite legs of the link 162 and thereby hold the link firmly in position. The aperture 167 in the wand 156 embraces the link 162 quite tightly so that rotational movement between the wand and the link is avoided yet the wand is free to swing about the link in a vertical plane.

In passing, it may be appropriate to notice some additional details which contribute to the quality and utility of the structure. In FIG. 12, one face of the inner end 80 of the tilter drive shaft has an index mark 170 which is turned downwardly in order to effect an initial insertion of the tilter mechanism into the bracket and the hub of the tilter gear. The tilter drive shaft is then given a onequarter turn which puts it into operative position.

Also, as shown in FIG. 12, the outer end 80 of the tilter drive shaft is adapted to cooperate with an aperture 172 of a bushing 174 which is fixed in one end of the head tube by swaging, as shown at 176 in FIG. 6. Assembly of the sleeve 174 and the head tube 10 with proper regard to the

lift cord slots

106 and 108 of the head tube is facilitated by forming the outer end of the sleeve 174 with a collar 178 which is cut back through substantially half of its circumference to form a pair of

shoulders

180 and 182. The end of the head tube 10 is similarly but inversely formed with

shoulders

186 and 188. Thus when the bushing 174 is inserted into the end of the head tube, it can be rotated until the respective shoulders 180182 and 186-188 are in engagement with each other thus assuring that the rotational position of the bushing is correct and unchangcable.

The connection between the cord lock end of the tube 10 and the sleeve 18 (FIG. 6) is somewhat similarly effected. As shown, the sleeve 18 is positively secured to the tube by forming a circular indentation 18a therein, and upon assembly of the tube 10 and the sleeve 18, a circular indented groove is formed in the head tube in a correlative position with respect to the corresponding groove in the sleeve. This provides for locking the sleeve against shifting in a longitudinal position without compressing the elastic plastic material of the sleeve which would thereby alfect the inside diameter of the sleeve and create undesirable frictional forces against rotation of the head tube.

The structure herein is also marked by improved tilt cords and lift cords, as more fully illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 18. As explained in connection with FIG. 12, the tilt mechanism has a drum 68 which is an extension of the worm 66 and which is externally accessible for attaching a pair of tilt cords and 72. The drum is dimensionally coordinated to the dimension of the tilt cords so as to provide a specific number of turns to be accommodated on the face of the drum which allows full rotational tilt of the head tube. With the relationship so established, the cords are always caused to lie in sequence on the drum face and without tangling. The cord guide elements are so positioned that each cord, as it wraps around the surface of the drum, cannot rise above its neighbor, yet has sufiicient freedom to move as to not cause friction to develop in the operation of the tilter.

FIG. 14A, which is a vertical sectional view through the drum 68 and the guide slot for the

tilt cords

70 and 72, will illustrate the foregoing operation. The drum 68 has an axial cavity 69 and a pair of radial apertures, one near the outer end of the drum which is shown in FIG. 14 at 71, and a similar radial aperture near the base of the drum (not shown). The

tilt cords

70 and 72 are threaded through said apertures and a knot 73 is formed at the mid-point of the lift cords. The knot assures that there will be no slippage of the tilt cords at either extremity of their movement.

As shown in FIG. 14A, 21 pair of tilt cord guides and 77 underlie the drum 68. These guides are so configured that an entrance slot 79 is constricted beyond the diameter of the drum 68 and then sloped upwardly as the guides approach the drum. This serves to hold the

tilt cords

70 and 72 in a stable position and project them toward the face of the drum as they are manipulated.

Since it is contemplated, in its presently preferred form, that the invention be embodied principally in a venetian blind having slats not substantially more than 1" in width, and since these slats will ordinarily be manipulated, in tilting, raising and lowering by operating cords that are in all respects quite slender, steps must be taken to prevent both the tilt cords and the lift cords from becoming tangled, or twisted. To this end, both sets of cords are maintained free of tangles, or twist, by resort to guide

beads

190 and 192, as pertaining to the tilt cords and the lift cords, respectively.

The tilt cord head 190 has an internal bore 194 which opens through the bottom end of the bead. A pair of

cord passages

196 and 198 are provided in the opposite end of the bead for the

respective tilt cords

70 and 72. The tilt cord 70 has a knot 200 (FIG. 18) formed in the end thereof against which the bead 190 is adapted to rest. The tilt cord 72 passes through the cord passage 198 and through the bore 194 of the bead 190 to a length sufficiently great to permit a complete blind tilting movement. This latter cord also terminates with a bead 202 having a bore 204 opening through the bottom end of the bead. The cord 72 passes through a cord passage 206 in the top of the bead 202 to which it is attached by a knot 208. Therefore, by grasping the beads 190 and 20.2 and sliding the head 1% along the cord 72 in a direction toward or away from the bead 202, the blind can be tilted as may be desired without any danger of the two cords becoming inter-twined with each other or angled, as normally does happen on all present day venetian blinds utilizing separate tilter mechanism operated separately by pendant cord ends.

Much the same consideration is applied to the

lift cords

38 and 38a, with, however, notable exceptions. The

lift cords

38 and 38a pass through a single cord passage 210 in the upper end of the bead 192 and through the bore 212 of the bead which opens through its bottom end. The

cords

38 and 38a, in effect, are formed of a single strand terminating at its free end in a loop 214. This loop may be formed at any desirable height and is adapted to be connected with a second loop 216 by inter-engaging the two loops as shown in FIG. 17. The ends of the second loop 216 pass through a cord passage 218 in the top of a bead 220 which has an internal bore 222 opening through the bottom end of the bead. The ends of the loop 216 are knotted together, as shown at 224, to retain the bead 220 in position at the end of the second loop such as to completely conceal the knot 224. After the

loops

214 and 216 have been inter-engaged, as shown in FIG. 17, the blind is levelled by adjusting the loop 214 in either direction, as indicated by the arrow 226; the

loops

214 and 216 are then drawn tightly together and the bead 19-2 is pulled down tightly over the resulting knot, such that the bead 192 completely conceals the knot and prevents untying or slippage thereof, as shown in FIG. 16.

There is little or no danger that the

loops

214 and 216 will slip under these conditions and the blind will consequently remain level. Moreover, the arrangement has the great advantage of ease of manipulation in achieving the initial blind leveling adjustment. Yet another advantage of the arrangement is that the blind will usually be raised and lowered by grasping the bottom loop cords which may consequently become soiled but which can be very quickly replaced simply by replacing the bottom loop.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that the venetian blind structure illustrated and described herein has the outstanding virtue of rapid and easy assembly and disassembly. Its various components can be separated from the structure as a whole with the greatest of ease for inspection or replacement.

While the novel features of the invention have been illustrated and described in connection with a specific embodiment of the invention, it is believed that this embodiment will enable others skilled in the art to apply the principles of the invention in forms departing from the exemplary embodiment herein, and such departures are contemplated by the claim.

I claim:

1. A venetian blind comprising a tubular head assembly, means adapted for rotatably mounting said tubular head assembly, means for imparting rotational movement to said head assembly, said last named means comprising a tilt gear mechanism including an operating worm having a stem extending therefrom, operating means connected to said stem, a passage at the axis of said tilt gear adapted to receive a pintle extending from one end of said head assembly, a bracket having an inner web adapted to receive and hold said tilt gear mechanism, a pintle receiving passage in said web of said bracket, a separable pintle extending from one end of said head assembly and into said pintle receiving passage, said pintle having a semi-circular collar adapted to enter said pintle receiving passage and engage the inner face of said web, thereby holding said pintle against inadvertent separation from said web.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,008,499 11/1911 Thompson 160344 2,091,033 8/1937 Dodge 160168 2,158,826 5/1939 Lorentzen 160-168 2,234,804 3/1941 Murray 160--172X 2,544,184 3/1951 Rosenbaum 160-177 2,555,709 6/1951 Sherwood 160168 2,689,607 9/1954 Loucony 160 -177 2,737,235 3/1956 Hediger 160170 PETER M. CAUN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 160176