US2172459A - Shade roller fixture - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 12, 1939. w F SMITH 2,172,459

SHADE ROLLER FIXTURE I Filed April 6, 1 938 Mwonmzvs,

Patented Sept. 12, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIeE '7 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in shade roller fixtures, and has particular relation to improvements in the type of shade rollers wherein the roller does not include r. any spring, the construction being such that as the shade is drawn down rotation of the roller is frictionally resisted and a string, strap or the like is wound on a pulley or drum connected to the roller whereby on such string, strap or the a like being pulled to unwind it the shade is wound on to its roller, and also when said roller is so rotated by the string to raise the shade this frictional resistance is automatically and entirely released.

15 An object of the invention is to provide a shade roller fixture including means for frictioning the rotation of the shade roller as the latter is rotated in a direction to unwind or lower a shade carried thereby and for releasing .said friction 20 as the roller is rotated in a direction to wind the shade thereon, in which such means is free of springs and the like whereby to have long useful life.

Other objects and advantages Will become ap- 25 parent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it is to be understood that the invention 30 is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall withthe scope of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view showing a shade 35 roller in its fixtures in a window casing;

Fig. 2 is a central sectional view on an enlarged scale showing the ends of the roller and the end supporting fixtures;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the right hand 40 fixture from the casing engaging side thereof;

Fig. 4 is a view of the left hand fixture of Fig. l the back or casing engaging plate thereof being removed as along the line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 45 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the frictioning means in a released position; and

Fig. '7 is an elevational view With a part broken away, and taken as looking into the inner end 50 of the left hand bracket or fixture.

Briefly the invention comprises a complete improved arrangement of shade roller supports in which the controlling mechanism is so constructed and arranged that when a roller is in position it 55 will be frictionally held against being rotated by the downhanging portion of the shade and its appurtenances, and in which this friction is automatically and entirely released when a cord attached to a pulley or spool of the device is pulled to rotate the roller in a direction to raise the 5 shade, and the operators pull will, therefore, have to overcome only the downhanging weight of the shade, instead of both this weight and the friction generally found in devices of this character. 10

Referring in detail to the drawing the shade roller [0 comprises a plain cylindrical body preferably of wood to which the upper end of the shade material l l is secured as by tacks, staples, or the like. A trunnion pin has its shank i2 driven into the right hand end of the roller l0 and the exposed end l3 of this pin is received in the slot M of the bracket or fixture l5. In the other or' left hand end of the roller is a pin it having an end portion ll preferably rectangular in cross section so as to have a driving fit in a similarly shaped opening I8 in the face I9 of a pulley unit (see Fig. '7), to be described, so that the roller and the pulley unit are connected to rotate together.

The mentioned pulley unit in its preferred form comprises a pair of similar flanges 20 and 2! whose hub portions are press-fitted on to a central cup-shaped shell 22 having in its portion [9 the opening l8 above referred to, and having its barrel portion journaled on a hub 23 formed on a base plate 24 constituting the means whereby the entire left hand fixture may be secured to the window casing, as by passing fastening means such for example as screws 25 through the perforations 26 in the plate. The pulley unit is free to rotate in either direction on the hub 23, and the roller 10 being attached to the unit through the end I! of the pin 16 may rotate in either direction with the pulley unit.

A casing 21 encloses the pulley unit above referred to and is preferably secured to the base plate 24 as shown by the ears 240.. In order to prevent the shade material from rotating the roller by virtue of the weight of the unwound portion of such material, means are provided for frictionally resisting rotation of the roller in a direction to permit of unwinding of the shade. therefrom. Such means includes an annular flange 28 on the inner end of the cup-shaped shell 22 and occupying the space between the pulley flange 20 and the inner surface of the base plate 24. Annular flange 28 is about an annular flange or shoulder 29 on the base plate 24.

Within the casing 21 and between the barrel '55 portion thereof and the flange 28 of the cupshaped shell 22 is a metal block 30 provided with a lug 3| entering a notch in the casing to hold the block in position. Block 30 l1as an upwardly expanding tapered recess 32 between the flange 28 and the inclined wall 33 of the block. A friction or wedging roller 34 is located in this recess, and the wall 35 of the recess is so located as to hold the roller 34 in the proper position to apply to the pulley, and thus to the shade roller ID, the right or desired friction whereby to have the shade H supported in any position to which it may be adjusted, but this wall 35 prevents the roller from moving downwardly sufficiently to carry it to a position where it would lock the pulley against rotation.

The wall 33 of the block 30 is slightly tapered whereby its lower end is closer to the flange 28 than is its upper end. Therefore as the wedging or friction roller 34 moves into the lower portion of the recess the roller is brought against the flange 28 to apply the proper friction thereto for the purpose set forth. On movement of the shade roller Iii in a direction to Wind the shade about such shade roller the pulley flange 28 moves in the direction indicated by the arrow 36 in Fig. 6 and carries the wedging or friction roller 34 upwardly in the recess 32 relieving the frictional pressure on the flange 28 and permitting free rotation of the roller in this direction.

A cord 31 has its upper end secured to the pulley flange 2| as by a knot 38. With the described arrangement it will be apparent that as the shade II is drawn downwardly or off the roller Ill the latter will berotated and will cause rotation of the pulley unit above described. Unwinding of the shade will cause the pulley unit to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow 39 in Fig. 4. The pulley rotating as described will cause the cord 31 to be wound about the pulley. Thereafter when it is desired to raise the shade the cord is pulled or drawn downwardly with the result that it causes the pulley to rotate in' the direction of the arrow 36 of Fig. 6 whereby the shade is Wound onto the roller I0.

While the pulley is rotating in the direction of the'arrow 39 (Fig. 4) there is a tendency for the pulley flange 8 to carry the 'Wedging roller 34 downwardly in the recess 32 whereby to have the roller crowded against the flange and impart a friction to the pulley. This friction serves to keep vthe shade in any position of adjustment and unwound and is not desired when the shade is being rewound on the roller 10.

With the described construction as the cord 3 is pulled and the pulley rotates in the direction of the arrow 36 (Fig. 6) the pulley flange 28 is moving up wardly and tends to carry the friction roller 34 with it. Thus the roller is moved upwardly sli htly away from its lowermost position as to the position of Fig. 6 and no longer presses against the pulley flange 28 to resist its rotation. Therefore the shade is easily rewound on the roller [0 when desired. The upper arm 43 of the block 38 will prevent any such upward movement of friction roller 34 as would carry the roller out of the recess 32. 1

It will be aparent that as the roller 34 thrusts against the pulley flange 28 the latter is forced against the shoulder 29 of the base plate 24. The disc or roller 34 being circular has only a line contact with the flange 28. If it is desired to increase the frictional action of the flange 28 on the shoulder 29 the latter may be cut away or reduced as at 4| so as to provide two spaced contact points 42 and 43 engaged by the flange 28 when the latter is forced toward the shoulder 29 by the action of the friction roller 34. Therefore instead of the flange 28 having only asingle line contact with the shoulder 29 it has contact with such shoulder at the two points 42 and 43 and therefore exerts a considerable pressure thereon. The greater the distance between the points 42 and 43, as long as such distance is less than the inside diameter of the flange 28, the greater will friction isapplied to the latter and such friction continues while the shade is down whereby there will be no casual unwinding of the shade due to the weight of its unwound portion. However, when the cord 3! is pulled to rewind the shade the friction is automatically relieved so that the operator does not have to overcome the friction in addition to the weight of the unwound portions of the shade when rewinding the latter.

Attention is particularly direc'ted'to the fact that the frictioning means of the invention does not involve any spring means acting on the wedging or friction roller 34, but only the solid block 38 keeping the roller in place and cooperating with it to have it forced against the pulley flange 28 at the proper times to give the desired frictional action. Thus there are no parts to break or become useless because of repeated flexing or the like.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a shade roller fixture of the character described, a stationary base plate including a hub, a pulley adapted to be'connected with a shade roller and rotatable on said hub, a flexible hand pull on said pulley, a casing enclosing said pulley, a block mounted on said casing and having a recess provided with an open side facing a part of said pulley, a wedging roller in said recess, said recess having a slightly inclined wall opposite said open side whereby as the pulley rotates in one direction said roller is caused to engage against the pulley to friction it and as the pulley rotates in the opposite direction such frictional engagement is released, and the end wall at the narrower end of the recess being more steeply inclined to form a limit stop for the wedgingroller to prevent its locking the pulley against turning.

cess having a slightly inclined wall opposite said open side whereby as the pulley rotates in one direction to unwind a shade on the shade roller said friction roller is caused to engage against the pulley and friction the same and as the pulley is rotated in the oppsite direction under action of the hand pull such frictional engagement is released, and stop means at the narrower end of said recess to limit movement of. the Wedging roller and prevent its locking the pulley against movement.

3. In a shade roller fixture of the character described, a casing having a notch, a pulley adapted to be connected with a shade roller and rotatable in said casing and having a laterally projecting annular flange, a separate block having a lug entering said notch to hold the block fixed, said block having a wall inclining toward said flange, a wedging roller between said wall and said flange to cooperate with the inclined wall to resist turning of the flange, and means to limit movement of the roller to prevent locking of the flange against turning.

4. In a shade roller fixture of the character described, a base plate, a pulley rotatable on said base plate and having a laterally projecting annular flange, said pulley adapted to be connected with a shade roller, a fixed rigid block having a wall inclining toward said flange, a wedging roller between said wall and said flange to cooperate therewith to resist turning of the pulley in one direction, a flexible hand pull connected with the pulley to turn it in the opposite direc-- tion, and means limiting movement of said roller along said wall in a direction to wedge against said flange to prevent locking of the pulley against turning.

5. In a shade roller fixture of the character described, a base plate, a pulley adapted to be connected with a shade roller and rotatable on said plate, a fixed rigid block having a wall inclining toward a, portion of said pulley, a wedging roller between said wall and said portion of the pulley to cooperate therewith to frictionally resist turning of the pulley in one direction, a flexible hand pull connected with the pulley to turn it in the opposite direction, and said block including an integral part at the end of said wall nearest to the pulley to limit movement of the roller in the direction to cause the roller to wedge against the pulley and positioned to prevent the roller moving far enough to lock the pulley against turning.

6. In a shade roller fixture of the character described, a base plate, a pulley adapted to be connected with a shade roller and rotatable on said plate, a fixed rigid block having a wall inclining toward a portion of said pulley, a Wedging roller between said wall and said portion of the pulley to cooperate therewith to resist turning of, the pulley in one direction, a flexible hand pull for turning the pulley in the opposite direction, and said block including integral portions at each end of said wall and limiting movement of the roller therealong, said limiting portion at the end nearest the pulley being positioned to prevent the roller from looking the pulley against movement.

7. In a shade roller fixture of the character described, a base plate, a pulley adapted to be connected with a shade roller and rotatable on, said base, a. fixed rigid block having a wall inclining toward said pulley, a. wedging device movable between said wall and the pulley to engage the latter and friction the same as it is rotated in one direction, means to limit the Wedging action of said device to prevent its locking the pulley against turning, and a flexible hand pull for turning the pulley in the opposite direction.

WILLIAM F. SMITH.

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