US700951A

US700951A - Curtain-fixture.

Info

Publication number: US700951A
Application number: US6142101A
Authority: US
Inventors: Albert Leach
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1901-05-22
Filing date: 1901-05-22
Publication date: 1902-05-27
Anticipated expiration: 1919-05-27

Description

No. 700,95. Patented May 27, I902.

A. LEACH.

CURTAIN FIXTURE.

(Application filed May 22, 1901.)

(No Model.)

nuummuuumuu- I I u l 1 L me noams Parana: 601.. waYmuwo, WASNINGTON. n. c.

UNriEn STATES PATENT CFFIcE.

ALBERT LEACH, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CURTAIN-FIXTURE.

SPEGIFICeTION forming part of Letters Patent No. 700,95 1, dated May 27, 1902. Application filed May 22, 1901. Serial No. 61,421. (No model.)

To (tZZ 1071/0727, it natty concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT LEACH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brockton, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Curtain-Fixtures; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the in-' vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to an improvement in curtain-fixtures of the type comprising a spring actuated roller upon which the curtain is rolled up.

It has heretofore been proposed to provide a curtain-fixture of the type referred to in which the weight of the curtain is balanced by the tension of the spring for actuating the roller, so that the curtain will remain in any position on being unrolled from its roller and will be rolled up on the roller when the lower portion of the curtain is raised to relieve the spring from a portion of the weight of the curtain. So far as I am advised as to the state of the art, however, curtain-fixtures of the type referred to are defectivein that they act to counterbalance the weight of the curtain through only a relatively small portion of its entire movement, so that the range of movement which can be imparted to the curtain when in use is limited. Prior curtain-fixtures of this type are also defective in that they are not provided with a simple and efficient means for adjusting the tension of the spring to exactly counterbalance the weight of the curtain.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved curtain-fixture which will act to counterbalance the Weight of the curtain through a large portion or the whole of its movement, whereby the range of movement which can be imparted to the curtain when in use is increased.

Another object of my invention is to provide a curtain-fixture having a simple and efficient means by which the tension of the spring can be easily adjusted to counterbalance the weight of the curtain.

With these objects in view my invention consists in the devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and claimed, the advantages of which will be obvious from the following description.

A curtain-fixture embodying my invention comprises a spindle or other suitable means for rotatably supporting the roller to which the curtain is securedand a spring connecting the roller and spindle arranged to be put under tension when the roller is rotated by drawing the curtain therefrom. In order to cause the curtain to be counterbalanced throughout a greater range of movement than is possible when the spring alone or the spring and a constant friction are depended upon as a counterbalance, a friction device is provided for retarding the rotation of the roller'and means whereby the friction pro duced by said device is varied as the roller is rotated. The friction device thus acts to supplement the weight of the curtain or to control the action of the spring and can be arranged to exert the necessary friction to cause the curtain to be counterbalanced by the spring throughout the greater portion or the whole of its movement.

While my invention, broadly considered, may be embodied in many diiferent constructions, the construction illustrated in the draw* ings and hereinafter described embodies my invention in the best form at present known to me and possesses advantages in simplicity of construction, certainty of operation, and convenience of adjustment which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. In such construction the friction device is arranged to be actuated by the spring which connects the roller and spindle, so that the friction produced varies with the tension of the spring. Connections other than the spring are also provided between the friction device and the roller for actuating the friction device when the roller is rotated to increase or diminish the friction produced by the actuation of the friction device by the spring. By this construction the friction device can be actuated to produce the requisite amount of friction to cause the curtain to be balanced throughout its entire movement. The connections above referred to are arranged to allow the roller to be rotated without actuating the friction device through said connections, whereby the amount of friction produced at any time during the revolution of the roller can be varied as desired.

As a means for adjusting the tension of the spring a feature of my invention contemplates providing stop devices connected to the roller and spindle for limiting their relative rotary movement under the tension of the spring and means whereby the roller and spindle can be relatively adjusted to vary the tension of the spring-without changing the relative position of the stop devices. While this feature of myinvention is not limited to any particular construction, it is embodied in a simple and efficient form in a fixture comprising the features of invention above described by utilizing certain parts of said fixture as stop devices, as will hereinafter appear.

A preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of the upper portion of a window-casing with a curtain supported thereon by a curtain-fixture embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of one end of the curtainroller, showing the devices which constitute an embodiment of my invention in elevation. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of'the roller shown in Fig. 2 and the devices carried thereby removed from its supporting-bracket, and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 1, 1 indicates a windowcasing to the upper portion of which are secured brackets 2 and 3, which support the ends of the roller to which the curtain 4 is secured. The left-hand end of the curtainroller is supported in the usual mannerby a pin upon the end of the roller, said pin being journaled in a hole in the bracket 2, while the right-hand end of the roller is supported by the bracket 3, as will be hereinafter described.

Referring now to Figs. 2 to 5, 5 indicates the curtain-roller, to the right-hand end of which is secured a plate 6. The end of the roller5 is bored axially to provide a hole to receive the coiled spring 7, which actuates the roller to roll up the curtain and to receive the other parts of the fixture to be described. The right-hand end of the roller is supportedin the bracket 3 by means of a spindle 8, the outer end of which is provided with a flattened portion 9, which is received in a vertical slot in the bracket 3, so that the spindle is held from rotation in the bracket. The

inner end of the spindle 8 is rigidly connected dle Sis secured to the rod 10 by means of the bent end of a wire 13, which passes through a hole in the end of the spindle and through a sleeve 14, secured to the rod 10 and extending over the end of spindle 8. Journaled on the spindle 8 is a threaded sleeve 15, which extends through the plate 6 at the end of the roller. The sleeve 15 is provided with a flange 16, located inside of the plate 6, and the flange is connected to the plate by means of a pin 17, secured to the flange and projecting through one of a series of holes 18 in the plate. Mounted on the sleeve 15 is atraveling nut 19,which is held from rotation with the sleeve by means of the wire 13, which passes through an opening in the nut. One end of the coiled spring 7 is secured to the block 11, and the other end is secured to the nut 19, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2. In the construction so far described it will be seen that the sleeve 15 is connected to roller 5 and rotated therewith and that the spring 7 is so arranged that when the end 9 of spindle 8 is removed from bracket 3 the. spindle will be rotated with relation to the roller in a direction to cause the nut 19 to travel toward the sleeve 14, and the relative movement of the spindle and the roller will be stopped when the nut 19 reaches the end of the thread of the sleeve 15 or contacts with the end of sleeve 14. The nut 19, the means for limiting its travel, and the sleeve 15 therefore constitute stop devices connected to the roller and spindle for limiting their relative movement under the tension of thespring, so that when the spindle 8 is removed from the bracket 3 the spring 7 will not entirely run down. In order to adjust the tension of spring 7, I have provided means whereby a relative rotation can be imparted to the roller and spindle without changing the relative position of the nut 19 and the sleeve 15. This means consists of the detachable connection between the flange 16 and plate 6, formed by the pin 17. The flange 16 is normally pressed toward the plate 6 to cause the pin 17 to engage one of the holes 18 by means of a coiled spring 20, surrounding the sleeve 15 and interposed between the flange 16 and a yoke-shaped plate 21. The sleeve 15 passes through this plate 21, the ends of which are secured to the plate 6. When the end 9 of spindle 8 is removed from the bracket 3, the spring 7 can be adjusted by pushing in the spindle 8 until the pin 17 is disengaged from one of the holes 18 and by then rotating the roll or spindle, the parts afterward being locked in their adjusted position by the engagement of the pin 17 with one of the holes 18. ment can be conveniently effected while the spindle is supported in the bracket 3 by moving the roller 5 endwise to disengage the pin 17 from one of the holes 18 and by then rotatin g the roller. The relative endwise movement of the spindle and roller is permitted by the sliding engagement of the inner end of rod 10 with the socket in block 11, the inner end of the rod being at a sufficient distance from the bottom of the socket when the The adjust-- parts are in normal position to permit this movement.

It is practically impossible to provide a spring the tension of which will vary proportionately with the weight of the curtain throughout any considerable movement of the curtain. I have accordingly provided a friction device for retarding the rotation of the roll and connections between the friction device and the roller, whereby the friction device is actuated when the roller is rotated. By means of this friction device the effect exerted by the spring is varied as desired, so that the weight of the curtain is counterbal anced by the spring throughout a wide range of movement. In practice the spring and friction device can be so adjusted as to cause the curtain to be balanced throughout its entire movement. The friction device shown in the drawings consists in the wire 13, one end of which is bent to form the fastening means for securing the spindle 8 to the rod 10, as has been described, being pivoted in the sleeve 1 1 and the end of the spindle 8, while the other end of the wire 13 is bent to partially surround the sleeve 15. The wire 13 passes through the nut 19, which tends to rotate upon the sleeve 15 under the torsional action of the spring 7, turning the wire 13 slightly in its support in the sleeve 14 and spindle S, which forces the other end of the wire against the sleeve 15. The friction exerted by wire 13 on the sleeve 15 increases with the tension of the spring, as will be obvious, and it also increases as the nut 19 travels outward on the sleeve and the distance from the pivotalpoint of wire 13 to the point of application of the power increases. The friction device therefore is actuated in two waysfirst, by the spring 7 as its tension increases when the curtain is drawn down, and, second, by the movement of the nut 19 along the sleeve 15. Since the amount of friction produced varies with the position of the nut 19 on the sleeve 15, the friction can be varied by disconnecting the sleeve 15 from the roll 5, as hereinbefore described, when the spindle is supported in the bracket 3 and by rotating the roll while so disconnected. It will be noted that by so rotating the roll while the spindle is supported in the bracket 3 the tension of spring '7 will not be varied except by the rolling up or unrolling of the curtain so long as the spindle is not removed from the bracket, the tension remaining the same for any given position of the curtain. It will thus be seen that the effect of the friction device can be varied without varying substantially the tension of the spring, the outward movement of the nut 19 to which the end of the spring 7 is secured being of slight extent in comparison to the length of the coiled spring 7. The sleeve 15 is held from endwise movement on the spindle 8 by means of the projecting shoulders of the flat portion 9 of the spindle and the end of wire 13, which passes through the spindle 8. To positively prevent a rotation of sleeve 15 when the roller is disconnected therefrom, the end of the sleeve may be provided with a shallow notch to engage one of the inturned portions of the bracket 3 at the edge of the slot in the bracket, as will be obvious.

The operation of the devices above de scribed has been sufficiently indicated to be readily understood without a separate description thereof.

In the embodiment of my invention above described the end of the roller is rotatably supported by means of a spindle; but it is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the exact form of supporting means shown and that except as limited by the language of the claims the term spindle used in the claims is to be construed as covering any means adapted to be connected to and rotatably support the roller. It is also to be understood that my invention is not limited to the specific form of friction device 1101' to other details of construction.

Having thus indicated the nature and scope of my invention and having specifically described the preferred embodiment thereof, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A curtain-fixture, having, in combination, a roller, a spindle, a spring for actuating said roller, and a friction device for retarding the rotation of the roller actuated by the spring and constructed and arranged to increase the friction as the tension of the spring increases, substantially as described.

2. A curtain-fixture, having, in combination, a roller, a spindle, a spring connecting the roller and spindle, stop devices connected to the roller and spindle for limiting their relative rotating movement under the tension of said spring, and means for relatively adjusting the roller and spindle to vary the tension of said spring without changing the relative position of said stop devices, substantially as described.

3. A curtain-fixture, having, in combination, a roller, a spindle, a spring connecting the roller and spindle, a friction device, and connections between the friction device and roller for actuating the friction device when the roller is rotated o'nthe spindle, constructed and arranged to be rendered inoperative by the operator while the curtain is wound upon the roller, substantially as described.

4:. A curtain-fixture, having, in combination, a roller, a spindle, a spring connecting the roller and spindle, a screw threaded sleeve mounted on the spindle and connected to the roller, a traveling nut mounted on the sleeve and connected to the spindle, and means for disconnecting the roller and sleeve to allow a rotation of the roller to adjust the tension of the spring, substantially as described.

5. A curtain-fixture, having, in combination, a roller, a spindle, a spring connecting the roller and spindle, a screw threaded sleeve mounted on the spindle and connected to the roller, a traveling nut mounted on the sleeve, and a friction device acting to retard the rotation of the roller actuated by said nut, substantially as described.

6. A curtain-fixture, having, in combination, a roller, a spindle, a spring connecting the roller and spindle, a screw threaded sleeve mounted on the spindle and connected to the roller, a traveling nut mounted on the sleeve, a friction device acting to retard the rotation of the roller actuated by said nut, and means for disconnecting the roller and sleeve, substantially as described.

7. A curtain-fixture, having, in combination, a roller, a spindle, a screw-threaded sleeve mounted on the spindle and connected to the roller, a traveling nut mounted on the sleeve, a spring connecting the roller and nut, and a friction device mounted on the spindle and arranged to be engaged and actuated by the nut to retard the rotation of the roller, substantially as described.

8. A curtain-fixture, having, in combination, a roller, a spindle, a friction device and disconnectible means between the friction device and roller for actuating the friction device when the roller is rotated on the spindle constructed and arranged to be disconnected by the operator while the curtain is wound upon the roller, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT LEAOH.

Witnesses:

FRED O. FISH, ALFRED H. I-IILDRETH.