[1]Patented Aug. 1, 1944 2 1 3 5 4 2 8 0 3 , UNITED @,ST-ATE-S PAT@ENT OFFICE 2i;354,803 VENETIAN BLIND r.obert B.. E@an- S'-, Grossia Pointe, Mich. Aipplication December 30, i642, Serial No. 470,581 26@Claims. (Cl. 160@168) This ii-ivention relates to Venetian blind8, cit to shades or screens of this type, @ and its primary objects are to pro,,7ide an !improved bliiid in vvhich the design and also the operatiori are materially simplified, so that while it 'ls copabl6 5 of all necessary or desii'able operatiot@ ;- Yet@ th@ total number of parts, includin.a:all:fitting@@4nd the like, is reduced to a rninimuin, to @'rovide a blind in which no hardware at 9, - 11 is iequ - ired, so +,hat, if necessary cr desirable as in the pr6g- 10 ent war emergency, no metal parts, everi tac s o,r the like, need be used, and also lesser@amotintg of cord and textile materials are requi'red; to provide 9, blind which, due to itssimplici.ty, is , ch6aii to manufacti-ire and also saves the ultimate cus- :15 t(mer since he may buy it as a pack6g ' e of . @the right lengths and nur-qber of slats, flexible holders ai-id cord to fit his window and readil3@ p@t@ it together and install it himself; to. pr6 , vido ail easily installed blin d of this type %@rhi6h is also .90 convenient and easy to take down aii@ take ai)@rt for cleaning; a,nd to provid6 an improved-Venetian blinrl in which the ole@bi nd', in uding all wh cl c,perating crjrds or the like, is stisrend d -from frame or jambs, and thence down the @side of @the jambs to be secured. Accordingly@'it@@is-a@il object of the present invention to have the,unitary cord means nOt only collOLpsibly: hoist the , slovts but prevent endwise displacenient of the slats, ere@ are other cords or some other means to tip or@ tilt the sla-ts. It is an object of this @invention :to elimina'ue the necessity for siich extrb, iilti@ng means and to provide a single' ineans forb6th of these functions, particularly a sinklel Uni- n5 tary f.exible means such as a cord br cords to raise and collapse the slats and @ also to til't them or hold them in tilted po8itionsi Also in the usual type,of Verietian blind,%@ as ment'ioned above the series of slotg rests @6n: bff -@@40 set riings of a tapo ladd@r suspended from:@a top member which has hardware or m 6tt@l@ end' PiV6ts which are held in metal brackets fixed@ to @the window frame or oh a top cross member which is secured to the window frame, and its two spaced; hoist cords extend from the IoN#ermost rail.:6r sla-t up t-hrough transversely elbngqted slotg in the slats to pulleys, sheaves or the like on the tilt.able top member and then to other pulloys or the and also serve to tilt the slats or@. hold t-hem.in their horizontal or tilted positions, and, in aodition, serve as a stop Qr guide to prevent the blind from swinging or being swayed by the wind outwardly or away from the window or its frame. Thus, according to my invention, @ there @ niay be only a single centrally, positioned:hoist, aad.,tilt cord or, if desired, two or more such cords -or lengths spaced ap rt, which may, if desired, @be 4 under@.the ladder, tapes as usup@l; but my cord or 0 p rds slidably engage @he top rail or some,latera ly oitset @part thereon tc> form -a tilt,ing- levler. This may be do,ne@ for I example; I by passing. the cord up throu a hole through the top rail and then over its top face and directly do*n along, and normally engaging, the front or outer face of the blind to restrain it from swaying, the lower end of the cord being adjustably secured at or. adjacent the window sill. Thus, the whole blind is flexibly suspended from a removable tiltably mount6d:@ top rail which may be mounted. on the inside or outside of the window or the like, and there are n(> pulleys,:guides or the like on the upper portion of the window frame, and, the top Iike on the upper side pbrtioh of the window: 50 knot or the like with a slot opening in from the side for ready removal of the cord. prev.en,tiix g the unsightly piling up of the cord when the blind is colla-psed. ,Also, if desired, the single coi-d 6r the spacedapart cord lengths may have. intedral or con4e6ted lengths 6f anti-@sway and tilting egrd extending down along both faces of the blind to thus tilt the blind in either. direction.fr om the horizontal ancl to restr@in sway in either direction. Preferably, part or all of the @weight of the bottom rail is carried by engaging a knot or other removable abutment on the hoist cord which has an upper knot or abutinent engaging the top rail to prevent the cord from slipping, to thus space the bottom rail from the sill and make the blind @ of @ the right height, and. to provide a, normal tension in the seati,engagi ng ,,hoist cord to always hold the slats agai@ist endwise displaceme nts. Preferably, the hoist cord receiving opening in,@he bottom rail has asquare shouldered countersun k opening to receive the the top rail which is, in turn, tiltably m6unted,-'.25 rail itself acts. as a cord actuating tilting lever. so '@hat it and the rest of the lilind suspended Wh.ile the lower or secured portion of the cord therefrom can be conveniently@ put in place or o,r c,ords may be left free, they may also b,e connecte removed. d to the bottom rail, or integral 'with or In the usual types of Venetian blinds, iii @ad- knottpd; , to the cord portion extending, down dition to the cords for collapsing the slats th : @30 through the slats. to form@ a closed loop, thus It is another object,of this inventiont o provide improved hardwarel ess and readily removabl e @@pivot al,mountin g for the top rail @which will:also permit, the@ top rail to @extend, full length be-
[2]2,354,803 tween the side jambs of the window frame. Thus, I am eliminating the above mentioned usual pivots fixed on the ends of the top rail to be received in metal brackets mounted on tlae window jambs, by providing pivot pins (which may 6 be short lengths of wooden dowel pins or the like to save metai as at present) fixed into suitable holes drilled in the upper side iambs and removably received in bearing-forming openings cut into the ends of the wooden top rail, both or only 1( one of these openings.having a preferably narrow throat opening through the bottom face of the rail so that the rail, with its suspended slats, e hoist c.ord to Pass therebetween; while in the sinipler forms of my invention the flexible ladder may be 6ntirely of c6id or of tape. In any @ case, it is secuied by having either the c@oss rungs or the side portions of the flexible ladd6r - pinched -60 and thus f=l@ and removably held in nar@ow grooves or slots in the top and bottom rails, , thiis reqtiiring no extra part@. -Where I use only a single central hoist qnd tilt 6ord, br where several such cords are not concealed u - nder the :ffex- 65 ible ladders, the wide tape ladders with the alternate bffset rungs ar6 not necessary, so that I may use a ladder of cord or tape with no offset rtmgs. Of course, if desir&d, the combined hoist and tilt c6rds'may be donceali@d under the ii.,31ia 1 70 wide tapes which'may be secured by being pinched into siots, as not6d above. Other and more detailed objects and advantages, feattires - or inher@ent cap@bilities will be apparent frbm the appended claims, from thp fo@- 70 pivot pins. In this connection, I may provide, a closure or gate means for the pivot entry throat or throats to prevent the top rail coming off the pivots in case it is tilted too far or too hard; In another form the bearing opening may be elongated transversely of the top rail or eniargbd 20 so that it may partake of: a combined slidiilg@and pivotal movement as it tilti and @lidts aloiig this track wbich may be straight or preferably curved or a @ cam track which may b6 of various curvE@@- I tures and 'designs @alth6ugh at present I @prefer i5 to provide a@ do)@nwardly concave- track or CAM slot so that the biind will more re@dily remain in its horizontal liosition under th6'influ6nees of gravity and friction and -may be'tilted in either direction (as b3@@ I c6rds) so:that'the top rail Arid f,3,-o the susp@nded blind slid6s alonit the PiVots@ tb occupy fhe ends of I these cain slots or enlarged be,%ring open gs Thus, by properly proportioning _th6 pa,rts'. the blind may be made to stay ih its horiz6ntal or@ eith6r tilted position witholit '35 being held there in which ca,@e it would be uiinecessar@ to. ddiustably @66ute the lower portions of the tilt cord exc@pt for the anti-sway f6ature. Further, I nlay use a simplei, enlarged, roun I d:hble oliening to give a latbral move-,,;- for this bearing - 4,0 ment of the t6p rail as it tilts and such a'liole may be bored oi drilled,@ instead of being r6uted. In connecti6n *lth the adjustable securing of the low,er.portions of this hoist and tilt 6ord, -I have PTovided.several simple arraiigements, al-@45 though I contemplate that any of the many known or suitable coid or top-gripping devices may be employed here. It is another object . of this invention @to provide an improved form of slat-holding flexible 60 ladder with fastening means to secure it to the end rails. Tn the usual V6netian blinds, the wi,de tape ladders are -se.cured to th6 top and bottom rails by staples, tacks, or the like, and slat-holdlowing more detailed description of the invention and modifications thereof, and the accomPanying drawings, in which: Flg. 1 is a front elevation of a window frame with a mounted Venetian blind in accordaiiec with this invention; Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. I shown in larger size and with portions broken away; Fig. 3: is a view similar to Fig. '4 but showirg the blind:held in tilted position; Mg. 3a is a view similar to Mg. 3 but showIng the bearing openings laterally offset so that Mg. 4 is a top plan view of the mounted top rail with portions broken away; Mg. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Mg. 6 is a top plan view of the bottom rail with portions broken away; Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 7@--l of Plg. 6; Fig. 8 is a partly broken away plan view of one of the slats; Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. I showing certain modifications in another embodiment of this invention; Mg. 10 is an enlarged partially broken away se.ctional view taken on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9; ]Fig. 11 is a partial section taken on the line 1-1 I Of Fig. 9; Fig. 12 is a section taken on the line i 2-12 of Fig. 9; Fig. 13 is an enlarged detail elevational view showing the rope grip more clearly; Mg. 14 is a sectional view of the top rail takeii on the ime 14-14 of Fig. 10; Mg,. @ 15 is a view siniilar to Fig. 1 s)-lowing ce rtain;modifications in a third embodiment of this invention; Fig 15a is a view similar to the upper portion of Fi@. 15 but showing the use of knots 227; Fig. 16 is an enlarged, partially broken, away sectional view on the line 16-16 of Fig. 15; and Mg. 17 is a section taken on the line 17-17 of Mg. 15. Referring in more detail to- the drawings, the flrst embodiment selected to illustrate this invention is shown in connection with a conventional window and frame comprising the usual side frame parts or jambs I and 2 preferably with the sash or casement guide pieces 3 and 4 on their facing inner sides (to normally engage the inner side or face of the blind), the sill or bottom member 5 and the lintel stop or top may be easily set down on or lifted off the,se... ihe blind is normally tilted, as shown; ing rungs ;ire @liernatel@ 6ffsei 6 permit th 55 -member 6 The blind comprises a series of slats I 0 which may be of various materials, including metal, plastic, paper, etc., as known in the art, and of various forms and shapes within the purview of this invention; but preferably they are painted or natural finished wooden slats. Similarly, the heavier end slats or the tiltable top rail 12 and the bottom rail 13 may be of various materials qnd shapes, but preferably are of wood, as shown, and are the same length and width as the slats. but are considerably thicker and heavier, the weight of the flexibly suspended bottom rail 13 aiding and holding the blind in its proper horitilted, or partly raised positions and aidIng in holding the slats against lateral or endwise displacement, as hereinafter explained. Obviously, the extra thickness and strength of these end slats provide for the several slots and recesses thetein without unduly weakening tbom7 oud permit the top rail to carry the -rest
[3]2,354,803 of the biind. Preferably, but :not necessarily, the top and @bcittom rails 12 and 13 are identical, except for or before they receive their @recesses @and/or the like' As shown:in -klig. 2. the cross section of the end rails 12 and: 13,is :generally rectangular, with the -inner and@ @ outer edges or sides symmetrically roiinded ok curved on arcs of a circle, @6r other suitable curvatilres, :as shovm at 15, to thus give a more i3leasing effect by -the rounded corners, to give a@better tilting action as the flexible ladders and the cords wind and unwind on opposite sides as the :slats @and rails are tilted by preventing too sharp a; bending of these flexible members andby somewhat:redueing the change in the distance between the: tWo :1,15 vertical runs or sides: of the flexible. ladders as the blind is tilted. However, it will be appreciated that the precise@forms of these end rails may be materially changed within the @brooder purview of my @invention.@.@ Fot@ example, I don- @ @20 template that the bottom rail@ -,may be omitted in some designs and that th6 top rail may be round or of other shapes. The spaced-apart or flexible ladders to @ support the slats in i peiced relation and permit -25 their tilting are preferably ma@de of cord or twine, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, or they mav be of narrow or the usuai wide tape, a8 shown in Fig. 9 and Mg. 15. The cord ladder side p6rtions 14 any desired or conventional maner, as by:being woven, braided or twisted in to'th6 side pottions or by being knott6d as at 16d to the side@ portions 14, @ all as #ill be well: undei@tood by: those familiar with the formihg of: nets and other articles of edrdage. As shown, the slats 10 merely rest on the flexible rungs 16 whidh @ are spaced a,part vertically @slightly less than the width of the slats. In one exaniple which has proven satisfactory (the embodiment sho-,vn, in Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive) th -e, slats -are 2 inches wide, the width of the nings or the spaces betwoen the sides bf the ladder is @1/8 inch greater than the width of the slats, and the vertical spacing of the slats is % inch less than the slat width.@,,-,45 The cord of the ladder parts 14 and 16'is twisted corded twine comparable with No. 16 medium grade Seine twine. The end slats 12 and 13 and the flexible ladders 50 14-16 are removably secured together by the @ narrow slots or grooves 17 which tightly r6ceive the pinched end portions of @lie :@exible ladders. When used, the knob @ i 6a will prevent slipping in these grooves. @ These@ sl(jts 17 are@ spaced to match the desired positions of the ladd6rs e@nd 55 are preferably milled into the wood of th6@ rai Is, so as to extend transversely @ dorripl6toly bcross the top face of the tOp rail and across the bottom face of the bottom rdil. The de@th of these siots 17 may vary but should be suffidieht to fl ' rmly 60 hold the ladder portions and, as shown her6, 'is a,bout one-half the thicknes.,3j6f the:end @ails, or 3/8 of an inch. The vvidth''6f-the@e @lots is@su-ch to b@ 'ford d -' to that the cords or tapes ave e in them to be tightly pinched. As - v@iil'be I under- 65 stood. the wood will spring slightly to give dn elastic spting actioti and a flrm frictional grip. In this first eriabodiment, the Width (if the slo@s is .004.". Since the slots 17 are on opposite sides have the cord. cr6ss rungs 16 secured thereto in; t3o is withdrawn from the bottom rail and also the --theeiid portions of.!the sides f4 of the@ladder@6r the end cross rung 16 itself,may be pinched.into -the,slots.- @ As shown, the slots 17 in the top rail r(@ceive@ the first rungs of the flexible ladder, - U) while the slots 17,iii the bbttom rail receive the -.erids@ df the. side rungs of the@ ladder, which may be overlapped if desired to take care of any excess length and to give a better grip. Als6, :@carrying the@ bottom rail by the side rungs of the 10 ladder pennits the spacing of the bottom rail to be -adjusted with respect to the next slat above it.; The bottom:rail 13 has a centmlly positioned @hoist cord hole 18 extending therethrough from its top,to its bottom @face a@nd having the @countersunk bottom portion 19 opening in frorti@ its bottom -face, with the preferably square cut or flat shoulders 20 which have been found to be iinportant in, properly holding the lower knot 2 6. Pref erbbly, the hole 18 is@ the end of a routed-in slot 21 opening in from the back edge of the rail (the edg6 toward the window). The slot 21 ex@tends from top to @bottom of the rail and is only slightly wider than the hoist cord used, to thus 4permit the.cord to be withdrawn from the bottom rail without untieing the the end knot 26. This has been found to make the assembly and take:down considerably more convenient, as the knot@26 can be:more easily untied when the cord knot:cati be more accurately positioned when it 'can be itied-. in the cord *hile alongside of the @bbttom rail.and @then @slid into place. The top rail 12 has @a similar or corresponding hol6@22;extending from its top to its bottom face and having the upper countersunk or enlarged knot-receiving portion 23 which may b6 etit in various ways, for example:with the sloping shoulders, @, as shown. For one hoist cord, hole 22 ispositioned centrally of the length of the top tail, and while hole 22 may be positioned centrally of the width of @ the top rail, yet where, as in this particular@ embcidiment, the blind cati be held -in @only: one extreme tilted p osition as by the tilt cord coming dowh only on the outer face of the blind, I prefer to have hole 22 offset toward the front or outer edge of the top rail, as showli, particularly.when no closures, such as plugs 40 are used since this offset helps to prevent the rail coming off the pivots. The cord 25 has a plurality of functions. @it serves as the hoist cord to collapse the slats by raising them @from the bottom rail,, it serves to tilt the slats -and hold them in tilted position; it holds the slats in alignment against endwise movements since the portion of the cord Vassing through the slots 24 is always tensioned 8@nd thtis will restrain or engage the edges bf the slots 24 upon any appreciable end*is6 m--ovements I of the slats. F:urther, when its lower end or lower p6ris secured, that portion of the 6ord extending dowii along the front (or the back) facb' o@f the blind will@prevent the blirfd frolij swin'gipg lat6rallv out ftom the wind'ow @ on its fr@Lm&@ It will be.understood.that nornially the blirid, particularly when its slats are in hotizont@l l@ositio'n', will test against and be eiiga@ed with po@tion@ of the window frame, such as 3 and 4, or 'else @viih the window @itself, so that the blind cannot swing of the end rails from the load bn the cord i)ot- 70. inwardly towards the Ivindow. Also, the secured tions 14, the beiids in the cord around the s-d6s cord portion oxtending along the ou@er face@ 6f of the end rails will give a sort of snubbing; or thl:i blind will preveit it from swinging oiitw@td, frictional action to aid in"holding the cords and sinbe when the slats are horizontal, this outer prevent their pulling out secured cord ijortion will normglly engage them In securing the ladders@ to -,the end: rails, oither 75 and when @ the slats are @ tilted the' I I r e @ m a y b & - a
[4]4 2,354,803 -little clearance, but no appreciable swinging or or else permanently secured once the cord is ,swaying movement of the blind will be permitted. made up in the factory or home for a particular In assembling the blind for installation, the blind installation. ,cord 25 is passed: through the slots 24 of the The last or end knot 30 is positioned to hold aligned slats@ (which may be inserted, beneath r) the. slats in extreme tilted position; that is, in flexibl6 ladders which-are mounted on the in- the embodiment shown with the outer edges of stalled top rail), and-the knots 26 and 27 ari3 the slats tilted down wLIe tho knot 29 will hold then tied. Preferably, the knot 26 is tied first at the slats in intermediate or half-collapsed posior adjacent one end of the cord, the cord is tion, and the knot 28 will hold them in fully colthreaded through slots 24, and the knot 27 is then 10 lapsed position. Obviously, more knots may be tied and spaced at the proper distance to posiprovided if more adjusting positions are desired. tion the bottom rail Properly above the sill 5 It wiR be understood that in assembling the to determine the desired height of the:blind and blind the @nd knot 26 may be tied loosely or withparticularly so. that the cord 25 carries pa@t oir out pulling it up tight, so that later this end knot all of:the weight of, the bottom rail 13. Thus, 15 26 may be accurately positioned by sliding the the portion of the cord 25 passing through the cord out through the throat 21 and adjusting th e slots 24 of the slats will always be tensioned. final position of the knot. Of course, all or only part of the weight of 13 A er passing through the hole 22 in the top ,may be thus carried, so long as there is suffi- rail, the cord is turned over the top of the top cient tension in the cord 25 to hold the slats 20 rail and comes directly down the outer or front against endwise movements. side of the blind to be adjustably secured as @ Thus, as shown in Fig. 1, the knots 26 and 27 just explained. It wiH be noted that this blind of the cord 25 support part of the weight of requires no pulleys, guides, sheaves or the like the bottom rail 13 when the slats are in horifor the cord to be mounted in the upper portion zontal, tilted, or collapsed positions, so that the 25 (>f the window frame, and it will be seen that the portion of the cord between these knots will encord, by.passing through and over and thus engage the sides of the slots 24, which are not gaging the top rail itself, makes use of the top rail very much wider than the cord, to thus preverit as, a lever arm for tilting the same. It will, of any appreciable endwise displacement of the slatg. course, be apparent that this may be accomIt will, of course, be understood that the cord@ 30 plished in other ways by having the cord engage slats and end rails may be assembled in varioiis parts or members carried by the top rail. As WaYs. For example, the knot 26 can be tied first, shown, it wiU be apparent that this effective the other end of the cord fed through, and the lever arrn has a length of one-half of the width remaining knots then tied. of the top rail, although it will be appai@ent that It will be seen that in taking the blind down, 35 this may be varied if desired. .as for cleaning, it will only be necessary to unThe top rail is readily removably and tiltably tie the knot 26 in order to completely remove mounted on the pivots 37, which in this particular all the slats and the end rails. As explained embodiment are two short two-inch lengths of above, the knot 26 can be more accurately posiwo(>den dowel pins which are of Port Orford tioned at just the right point on the bottom rail 40 cedar and 25/84" in diameter and are tightly because of the open throat 2 1. driven into slightly smaller holes suitably drilled @ - After the cord 25 is threaded thrbugh the slats or bored at the desired point of suspension by and knots 26 and 27 are tied, the series of knots the householder, with one inch protruding. The 28,729 and 30 are tied in their proper positions, opposite ends of the top rail have pivotroceiving which can be readily determined by trial with @'45 bearing openings 35 in the form of end slots which the blind in place. These knots are removably also open out through the bottom face of the top engaged and held by securing means 31-31 to rail, so that the rail may be readily instMIed or thus hold the blind in various tilted or collapsed removed by being set down on or lifted up from positions. To avoid the use of any hardware '' io the fixed pivot pins' the securing means may, as shown here, be in the form of two wooden dowel pins 3 1- 31 which are driven into holes suitably bored in the sill 5 and spaced apart just enough to pass the cord .25 but to grip the knots or other projection's thereon. This type of securing means for the cord embodying fixed abutments or walls tb engage -a knot or other projection on the cord, has certain advantages since it gives a positive, non-slip grip and will cause less fraying or wearing of the cord (particularly if a cheaper type of cord is used) than, certain other types of cord securing meaiis which may be used, such as a spring or friction clamp or grip to pinch the cord and thus hold it- in any desired position without any knots or other projections. It is within the broader purview of my in,@ention to employ, in lieu of knots such as 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 or the sirnilar knots in the other eni.bodiments, other forms of projections on the cords such as molded-on projections of plastic or the like, clamped or clipped on projectioris, and others as will be known or apparent to those skilled in such arts. The projection 26 should be removable while the others may be removable In this first specific embodiment, the olienings 35 simply supply easy or loose bearings for the pivots 37 and with the pivot center offset upwardly from the center of the top rail, and in operation, the arrangement and the weight of the t,i5 suspended blind will cause the blind, when unrestrained, to merely return to or nearly to its horizontal slat or untilted Position. Thus the blind :must be held in the extreme tilted position and will return to the horizontal, except for the effect 60 of friction in the bearings, which last is not particularly important as the slats may be set in the horizontai position or in desired slightly or partly tilted positions by manually moving the bottofn rail, the ladders, or the hoist-tilt cord. 65 Preferably, these slots 35 have a keyhole-type cross section or an enlarged inner partISr circular portion (here it is specifically 15/32" diameter) to form an easy or loose fitting bearing for the pivgts and so that the - narrower entrance throat 36 has 70 a relatively close fit just sufficient to pass the Pivot dowels 37, to thus Permit free tilting 'of the top raU and to prevent the rail from being tilted too far, so that the pins will come ouf of the throat 36. Slots 35, 36 may be r - outed into 75 the wood of the top. rail. Thus, this relatively
[5]the -several. drawings, @may, be considered as also silowing.s4dh-outs,id6 inouiitiiigs,with the front face@ or. edges. being considbred ag the outqr face or edges. Also, whe-re the Vvindow frgme -is not '@vioE@ pnoug4 for pro]@6t.positionifig of. the. pivots, IL may,, -of c ouise, A'tt@ch suitable. brackets or the like to carry@ t@e@,pivots, all..'a.s is well known in Summai,izing, the ihstallati,6iil- a @ blihd - having, been pur:c'lia@sed as..a knb6k-@do,*ii pa0ka-ge. with l@lie.'ri@lit j@umbe@-:oi- iength@ 'Of @la;ts,. etid rails, -ahd.hoist tilt, cord, opet positioiis jtist tb: erniit suffitient P, pins 3,T,-are dtiven in.. Properly spaced holes for the'!3in@ inay i)@-- &@lled: and these pins forced. in.' It tiII be n6ted that these OP6rations ea be done iri any n. ord6r. 'iftie. si@ts,.are slipi)ed,in bdtwe6n the rungs of the fexibie laddefs,and the upper and lo@#er ends of ihe.ladders are s6ci@red t6 the,to and bottom p r.@lils ih.,th6ir gi0oves 1,7,, " pieviouslk- de@eril@ed. With: th6 slats @ligned, and, if,d6@ired co'ml@acted, the. cord .2 5 is fitted thkoiigh their slots 24 aiid the 26 mak lie tentativel@ or loosely tied. Then. the top rail 12: is s6t down on- its pivots @,nd the knoi 27 is tied at the7 correct ]@osition, or-, if desired, the top rail may be mount6d with the flexibie ladders attached and the slats-and hoist tilt cord then put into position. As me3@tioned the knot 26 may be moved or used to make a final adj.ustmeilt of- height and tension here. Then the bt@ier -tilted and raised position kriot@ such as 28, 20,-'3 P Positi6lis as deterq arle @tied in their pro er mined. by test, and the i-nsfallatioii is complete. It -will b6. a@i)brent- that removal iub I stantially the revers6;of these operai;ions; hbwever oiily iiaot 26 ne'ed be und6ne in. oider to slfp , out ill with the inner@slat edges p inting down when only ito oi @ the slats for thorough. cleaning, 6r th e like. In. Figs. 9 t6 14 illustr ti g. a n certain modificatiobs in a second embodiment of this invention, the several parts are, the same as in the fi@st 6mbodimient except as otherwise noted and- the ieference numbers for @ part which'have similar f@n@iions Qr, are @ analogous to those of th first e embodiment are-the same plus' I 00. in these figures, the - slat I I 0, the bottom rail I 1 3 nd the a pivots 137 are the same as-the corre'sponding parts are in the flist modificetion. The flexible ladders may be in the form of the ladders.of -narrow tape (:1/2'. wide ag shown) with 'the% sides I 1 4 and the. non@offset- cross rungs I 1 6, these ladders being,secured into grooves II 7 with two, end rails as.- d6se-ribed above lor ladders @4-7i6. It will be@ a parent that either the tape p ladder sides or rungs-,ea b pinched into si I ots n _ e 7 which wi11 be of the proper width. -0 nly one centrali hoist-tilt cord is shown as in F-igs. I to .8,, but as illustrated here. the otherwise similar hole 122 in the top @ rail II 2 is: also centered@ between the back and@ front edges of th6 rail, particularly since in this second modi fication,@ the blind slats may I?e@ horizontal or be -iD extreine position in either direction @WMIE @h aye fully extended by having the hoist tilt co @dy -.Such as; i 2 5, inclu r de a @ o r t i o n 1 2 5 a e x t e n d P . , ing down :along the ot@her face or back of the blind to.be a-djustably secured like the portio 6xtending down@ the frGnt of the blind as deed ab6v erib e. T h u s, it w ill b e s e e n, th at - @ b y th e use@,of ;hoisttilt "cord Pottions down both faces 'th e r ) i o @ i c i 6 d - - a @ b l i l i d - - @ ' w h i c h i s b i a s e d s o t h a t it i @ o r m a l l r e t u r i i @ , - i 6 , 6 r , n e a r l Y , t o t e h o r i z o n t a l Y ' ' h pn-.the out4ide of windows,-or 6ther @ 6peini;@g'@-, -azio g ,tpt,pgsit on as in Rg.,l and- which maiv -be tilte c i na,rrow throat aids in preventing the top -rail coming off the pivots when the co@d- is, pulled too@ hard. It will, of course, be understood that different forms of pivots and bearings may,be employed. Obviously, pivots 6f strong -material, 5 such as metal pins when available, may I be of smaller diameter and the bearing opening will also be correspondingly smaller. V%rhile the top rail wifl generally stay on @its, pivot pins 37 in ord ary usage in raising, the 10 blind, yet in order tb prevent the to-o rail. being 1 accidentally pulled off due, for example, to, too hard or quick a pull on the cord so that the top. rail is bounced up or tilted too far,@ I may, if de-. sired, provide a simple reniovable closur@, 1@5 to prevent the rail from accidentaliy comipg,off- ' and yet to permit the blind tG be.-easily taken down, as for cleaning., Thus,: I may; emplc@y-, a, removable closure plug 40 which- is pushed into the throat 36, as from the bottom face of the 20 rail. As shown, these wo-oden plug 40--ai-e.of a generally rectangular shape and are arran@@o, to be readily removed and yet to fit tightly in-this throat by a tig@it frictional fit or@ 4y, q4gh@ly springing apart its wooden sides with a wedge action. While a plain- tight friction fit will .,suffice preferably the plugs are given a slight taper or wedge shape so that the inner facev 3 1: which lies along the pin 37 is slig4tly narrower than the exposed face 32 for easy entranee and a wedge action to give a frictional fit. Also, @ this plug may be slightly tapered longitudinal@lyso that its outer end 43 is slig4@ly,wider laterally than its inner end 44 to give a, tig4t or wedge fit. Of course, it will be understood that othe :desigas 35 .,r ... . , of closures may be emp@oyed here, including the gate @hown in Fig. 15. It will be seen that the tGp rail 12 and its suspended slats can only be tilted in one - direction. or 0, one pull cord is used and the bearings@is' @'a'r'er-positioned centrally of the width of the top rptl, as shown. However, tWs arrangement @piay p@ readi modified, as shown in F-ig. Pg, so-that the same- bearing openings 3 5' are@ offset. latera 1Y @P- 4 Z-; ward the front or outer@ edge of the top @rail so that it will normally hang in extreme tilted.popition, with its inner edge up, 4s shown in Fig. 3a where the- cord 25' is loose or untensioned and i@e suspended slats will be@ tilted. Thus, the one ,50 cord iength on @he ou'ter face may then be emPlGyed to hold the top rqii 4nd slats-, in- intermediate tilted positions, in horizontal@ posi@ion or in the other extreme tilted position, @and fur.@ there pull on this same cord will start ' - t( ' Y collapse 51 the blind in its second extreme tilted angqlar position. It will be apparent, that-. the c ay Pr-o-. m be held by the pegs 3,1 and a suitab le,number.,of knots, as in Fig. 1, or by some other:suita-ble@ pord grip device. 00 It will also be seen that my simplei h@trdware.; less, removable pivotal mounting which is formed in part by the wood or material of ths -top- r@ail ,itself also permits the top rail to be, of full length; that is, it can extend the full distance@ be@tw en t@,5 q the side jambs -so that it lightly engqge@ them es - them, thus,per-mitting & neater or nearly engag installation and making measurements for-flt,tingbythehouseholderconsiderabl easier.,Also. Y. ,no. header board or the like is, necessary and, nO 7 sppeial or s6parate tiltili@ mechaiiismis requir@ed. As will -be apparent, the several blinds of this .in,@ention also may be fuU. lengtli and mounted in doors or.other open:ings,.thek m6y be mo'u'-nte'd
[6]portion this iybe oi pivoial mountin@ s6 that th6 top r@Lil an,d the suspended slats will normally rernbin in@ aiiy desired or adjusted tilted position, even when th6 cords 125 or 125a are not tensioned; Upbn reflection, it will become apparent that thege results may be accomplished in Various wa@s. A -shbwn here, the bearing open@ ings 135 are laterally enlarged or elongated relative to the pivot pin size and the top or upper surfaces 6f- the bearing provides a laterally extending track orpreferably a dowriwardly @ concave curved cam surface for the pivot. Preferably op6ning 135 is a round hole so it can be bored or drilled, which is easier than routing. "and 4. is Specifically, here the 3/4" thick top rail 112 has hole 135 of %" diameter for the same 2'-Y84"@ diameter pivots as shown in Mg. 1. As will be seen, the bearin@s 135 are relatively larger than bearings' 35. Vari6us proportions may be used for different types and designs of blinds, and the specific proliortions are given here to give a clea@er understanding bf certain satisfactory designs. As the top rail is tilted either way by a pull Oii@the ladders, on the slats, or on the cords 125 or 125a, the top rail will als6 shift or slide laterally as it tilts so that its center of gravity and that of the suspended blind is offset laterally with respect to the pivots. The curvation of the top surface of the opexiing 135 or the relative curvatures of 135 and 137 may be such, as illustrated here, that the blind will@ stay in any tilted position, due to this lateral offset or sliding action, the weight of the suspended blind and friction in the bearings. In order to reduce the possibility of the top rail 112 being pulled off its pivots, I may make one end bearind With6ut any side or bottom entrance throat.and the other bearing will have uch:a @throat. , Thus, instead of two such throats, as in Flg. 1, where the top rail can be simply set @traight down oii its pivots here I will first place the loos6 and entirely close or non-throat bearing 135 over its@ pivbt pin and then set the other bearing down on its pin through its entry slot or ihroat ' 1 36, which will just pass the pin 137 a@ described above. Although I may em@loy a clbsure for the entry throat, yet, because of the inuch smaller possibility of accidental removal of th6 top rail, I do not jilustrate such a ciosure in this particular embodiinent. Thi@ installation and the operation of this embodiment will'@ be generally similar to that of Flgi@ 1, except for the@ above rioted or apparent diff@r-erices.7 15 t6 @ 17, iilustrating certain othei 'ftiodifleations in a third embodiment of the invention, 'th6@ s6ver@Ll i3arts are the sarne as in the Previou@ embbdiment, ex66pt as otherwise noted, and the reference characters for parts which h-Ove similar functions to those of the first 6ma r e th e s a m e pl u s 2 0 0. Particularly in the case of wider blifids, ff. fii6y be desirhble to employ two or more s I pa e - @ho' c d i s t - tilt cords or rail engaging c6rd porti6nsl uch as the two leg@ of cord 225. While retaiiiing- a-nurhber 6f the features and advantages of this invention, @ it ig also possible to ha -ve theie hoist-tiit portions 225@mounted under,and @concealed by the conventional *ide ta@e l@dde'rs 214 @n@ @beiwe'en th6 Ilisil@lbfi-set narrow6r - taP :@u@igs 2 1.8 as is e c6nveritional i'n -ihe installation@ of the@ usual s edsimple@hoist cords. kitiioilgl@ ittviii,be .pac ap@Ar6rit @ that @ ifie ho t- ii co,'id i s t i h e r e m a y @ e l a r g e t i l t a n g l e s a n d I m a y @ a l s o : a r r a n @ - e o r p r 6 - 7 5 f t i @ @ ' d 6 @ u p o f s e v e - r a l - p l e c 6 s o r - l e n g t h s s u i t a b l y c o h . fo the extent desired In either dir@ction by pulling dowii. the Appropriat6 coid. por@ion 125 or@ 125a and -tlie bliiid may be tiltbd or collapsed b either@li6n(Uing cord portion. Also the -portioii 125a, when secured and ten@ 5 8ionpd, will serv e to restraiii the blind against swa@ing or swinging in this direction and, ds shown, the blind may be restrained against swing@@ ing in@either direction or thus held in both dir6ctions Whe@.n both handling - coid portions are ten@ 10 8ioned as when the blind is. lowered or i@artly rals6d. Cord portion 125a will be-d6sirable ior this, reason where the blind does tiot iiormally @est'@'against guide - - surfaee',s,iich 6s, window frame boj?tion's 3' - 'lli@, @poriion - I i5d may be 'rnad@ in varioils wa@@,s, for, example, it mdy, be knotted- intb ' the cord' 125 at the knot 127, or abbve @ihis krio@ as shown at 127a. Also as shown here, theld6se free eiid or ends of the- hoist-tilt@@66rd, *hich 20 t6uld as shown-in Fig. 1, pile up -on th6 floor as the blind was c6llapsed, may. be elimi-nated by forming, in effedt, @ a @ clos8d loop. Thus, the free ends of the cords may@ be secured to flie lower face of the bottom rail 113, or preferably 25 and as shown, these ends ate knotted as at 126@ to the lower end of the cord 125@, below knot'126, so that @ as the blind is raised or collapsed by i25 or 125a, or both, the otherwis6 free ends of the cord being raised to preveiat loose or piled 50 up ends. In lieu of knots or other projections 6r -the like on the hoist-tilt cord to give a definite and limited number of tilted and raisedpositions"a@ in@ Fig. 1, we may, as sh6wn here" omit dll hold.- 35 ing knots or the like on the cord 125" except , of co I urse, for the knots 126 @@,nd@ 127,,and if desired, knots 126a and 127a. In fhis@ 6a@e the cbrd may be held in any-6nia of an, infinite -nuinber of adjusted po-sitions'of tilt 6r coll@apse for 40 the blind, by a suitable cord or rope gripping device which may be any one I of' the various known types or of the d esigri shown at 13 1. This coid grip, indicated as 61 whble by 13 t and ,which may be of plastic, metal or wood,, iS 45 screwed down on the windo* sill as shown,'- and is formed to'have a generally horizont@Ll but slightly upwardly directed and inwardly @convbrging slot 132 opening froin one side . As will be apparent, either or both cord portions 125 aiid ro 125a may be passed throiigh this slot from opposite sides, as shown in Mg. 10. The upward pilll on the cords will tightly pinch them int6 this upwardly directed- and tapering or I converging slot or groove 132, which has rounded @ideg or 55 edges to reduce wear or fraying of the ' c6rds. Preferably, the cord portions are lbrig @ 6nou gh so that there are slack or loose @ portions@ be@ tween grip 131 and the knot 126a. A@ *ill -be seen, the width of slot 132 is abbut equal toor 00 preferably slightly less than the width of th6 bottom rgil so that the cords will extend straight up. In the top rail pivotal mounting of Mg. 1 the openings 35 are@ upwardly offset and ar6 @5 merely loose or easy bearirigs for the pivots, so that when unrestrained, the blind is 'normally biased to return toward its horizontal slat position and thus must be held in slat tilted positi6ns. However, in the present embodiment I shbv@ gne 70 form of a preferred pivotal mounting@,f6r the top rail or other top m6rnber tb @give, a' combiiie@d pivotal and lateral sliding inotion io th6 - top 'tail as it is tilted. @ Thus I m6,y more,r6adil@'obtaiii
[7]n ected by knots or otherwise,@ 1 preier io have the main portion consist of only one length@ 225, which may be considered as being in the form of an inverted U, with its legs extending down through and engaging the sides of the laterally elongated slots 224 (to thus restrain the slats against end-wise movements when these cord portions are tensioned, as described above), and -,vith the lower ends of the U or the free ends of the cord knotted as at 226 to be received in openings 218 having th6 portions 219 and 220 and the side or back et-itry throat 221 all as exi)lained in connection with the embodiment of Flg. 1.@ -The legs of the U- of this cord @225 pbss betweer@ the conventional alternately 6ffset narrow tape ruiigs 2 16 a d then through - the spa6ed top,: rail @ holes 2 @ 2 which are positioned centrally above@the centers of the ladders; I-Iowever, thO t6P@ of the inverted U of this cord lies along and engages the portion of the top rail between:the holes 222 so that as shown in Fig. 14, upper knots are not esse@tial here to hold the bottoin -rail and - to always tehsion@the cord 225 by reason of tho lower end kn6ts 226@ I-Iow6ver, as:an@aid in getting the two sides of the blind of equal height, I may employ knbts 227 to engage in these holes 222 as sho@vn in:Fig. 15a, as the knot 27 engage@ in hole 22. If desired, the ladders 214 may be secured to the rails by pinching grooves 217 as shown in the embodirr-ent of Fig. :@ 1. Here-, however, the grooves 217 in the top and bottom rails are offse-t-, slightly to one side or the other from' holes 222 or from the centers of the tapes to conform to the offset narrow tape tungs 216 which@iire t , ightly pinched into these gro6vesi for example-, by being forced into the'grooves by a knife 'edge or th , Li;like. In o@der to get the proper,spacing between the adjacent slats and the, end rails, I may as shown, centrally, cut the end cross rungs@ 216-of'the@le@dder@l @o@-that the ends. are- separated when in grooves 2i7, thus getting the same effect@as though the end rungs of the ladder were wid6r spaced than the other rungs to conform to the greater thickness of the@ends rails. While this third embodiment@ may be designed like the first embbdiment with gimilar pivot bearings and the cord or cords to give a one-wa3t tilt or to pull only on one edge of the top rail, yet I prefer to have: suitably attached hoist-tilt cord portions extending both down the front and back sides: of the blind so that it may be secured against accidental dislodgment in any desired tilted or raised position and normally held in its central or horizontal position. I Instead of having spaced cords extending down in front: and back or outside, of the @ladder tapes, l@ pref er to 1 have one or a single length of cord 2 2 5 a I suitably attachedi to cord 2 2 5 intermediate and @ preferably, centrally @et,we,en, the holes 22i by su@table knots such as@227a, whereby the free ends of t.his cord 225a are knotted together and to cord 225, leaving a closed loop or bight hangin-g down below and around the bottom rail 213, there being sufficient slack so that either or. bot]A sides or runs may be adjustably secured in a suitable iol@e grip meinber, such as 231, which may be identical tQ 13 I., Thus I have i llustrated'hbre a somewhat different form of closed loop than the@'oiie showi@ iii tho s@colid erlibodiment,-slince he I re, instead of being attached,to the bottom rail t th 0 or o e portions of the @ord c ming down throulgh the slat8, the handling cord portions are conliected to each ot-her to form a. closed 7 loop hangink free'and, riinning under the bottom tail. 854)663 As the@ blind @is tobised or collap@ed, the @inverted U top of cord 2 2 5 will change f rom a straight length into a V form with a decreasing apex angle which will be on one face, or the ot e@ pending on which handling cord is pulled. Tnus, as in the second embodiment, thb blind here may be tilted or held tilted in either direction and may be raised by either of the handling cord portions. While the blind is partly 10 rai-sed or collapsed, I may tension both the inner and outer handling cord portions by passing two turns of the cord through the grip member-231' fr6m opposite sides. In connection with this third embodiment,@@'I' 15 have illustrated another possible variant of? a pivot bearing to give combined sliding and tilt-@ ing moti6n. Here opening 235 is in the form of a laterally elongated slot with rounded ends and a@:flat@@top 235a parallel- to the iaces of the rail 20 which has a centrally located part cylindrical re-@4 cess 235b which will receive and-thus hold the pivot pi@ to normally retain the blind in:its horizontal or nearly horizontal position. Upon I a certain amount of tilting, the recess 235 will@ 25 come off the pin 237 and the top rail will move laterally until the pivot pin 23T is held in the rounded end of the slot@ Thus, in this particular design, a blind may be horizontal or slightly tilted in either direction and then will go to 30 either extreme tilted position. It will be apparent that this blind wiII remain in its horizontal or nearly horizontal position or in its extreme tilted positions without being otherwise retained, as explained in connection with the previous em35 bodiment. Here, as in the second embodinient; I have shown the bearing opening 235 at one end as being closed, while the opening at the othor end has the pivot entry throat 236, so that the top rail is installed as ex.plained in connecti6n 40 with the second embodiment. It will be seen that pivot pins are offset @bove the entry plane of the t6p rail in all Gf the em.@ bodiments shown to get a more stable mounting and that in all forms sh6wn the bottom rails 45 may be identical with the top rails except for the different openings. obviously, the top rails may be thicker to provide more room for the bearings and the bottom rails may be quite thin, or only slats, if the cord tensioning feature is not desired. 50 If desired, I may employ a closure for this entry thrgat 236 which may be in the form of'a swinging gate consisting of a plate 240 of any suitable material swingable on a pivot pin 246, so that it may be moved from open to closed liosition and may be retained closed by'means 5t; such as a detent 247, or merely by @having the pivot pin (which may be a nail or screw) pressed in tightly enou.-h to give sufficierit friction. . As will be apparent, the blinds of the second 60 and third emb,odimei-its may be tilted or @raised by pullin@ on:the inner or outer handling cord portions. Also, I intend to include several connected cords when I refer to a cord or a common cord or the like in the claims or elsewliere herein, 65 unless I specify otherwise. As will be apparent, the installation and opei-ation here are essentially the same as in the pre:@@ vious embodiment, with :the differences b.-ing noted above, or obvious. 70 It will also be understood by those skilled ih@ this a,rt that the several featur-3s ard n-iodification8 illustrated here w-ay b6 used in thc-- other embodiments shown here ot iray be emT,)Ioyed iyl various other combinations, and that the several 76 il@lu8trat'ed erAliddimen'Ls 6f this in-@erti6n aria@ not,
[8]intended as limiting, since the invention may comprehend various arrangements, modifications, and other features without departing from the spirit and teacwngs of this disclosure or the scope of the appended claims@ 5@ I
