US2614623A - Venetian blind head bar organization - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 21, 1952 NE I 2,614,623

.VENETIAN BLIND HEAD BAR, ORGANIZATION Filed Jan, 18, 1950 2 Sl-lEETS-SHEE'I l \NVENTOR HARRY NHSO/V BY A I M -244 HIS ATTORNEYS Oct. 21, 1952 H. NELSON 2,614,623

' VENETIAN BLIND HEAD BAR ORGANIZATION Filed Jan; 18, 1950 2 sums-sum 2 INVENTOR HARRY M5; 50

mfir' h HIS ATTORNEYS blind.

Patented Oct. 21,1952 1 VENETIANjELIND HEADBAR v ORGANIZATION I jl larry-z Nelson; New York,

e en ari war v M -i C rn-,2,

12% o. as -i n r m aco nq a of N w Yor Seria -N 13 18 nrglicatibnla ua y 1 'In -certainforms of enclosed heads, the head bar is} forr'nedof; a sheet metal channel having .openings-formedindts bottom wall for passage of theladder'tape'branchesand the lift cordsand tilt c'ords* of -the Venetian blind. Theuladder tapes "of the blind are suspended from tape rockers which 'aremounted atintervals along a tilt rod, 'running lengthwise-of the headbar one tape rocker being provided foreach ladder tape of the Tilt rod cradles alie' provided-{to support the tilt rod adjacenteach tape rofker. The tilt rod cradles for} the laddertapes which have a lift cord-associated therewith are also' provided with acord-guide pulley to; facilitate leading the lift cord alongjthe head bar and to afcord lock fitting adjacent an end 'thereofa' This general y type of headbarnssemblyis more fully" disclosed in my SIN. 778,002,'filed October depending application- 4, 1947. v

' I-n the form of removable slat-blind here shown,

the slats inayberemovedfrom-the blind without firstiwi-thdrawing'the lift cords from the slats, the lift cords-of the blind of-- the; present invention being 'reeved through notches fornfledyalong the edgesof 'thesl'ats. In sucha; construction, it is desirable'to have" the cord guide pulleylocated at'the s'ideof the cradle ratherthan-located above the longitudinalcenter line of the slats as in the usual construction. Qne

alongthe forwardedge (toward the oprator) of the slats and the'otherliftcord is --positioned 'aliong the' rear edge of the slatsto prevent tilting 01' -t1i8-b'dtt 0m bethby the lift cords.

' Among'the objects of xth'e present invention is *to prov'ide an improved'tilt rod cradle for rerhovableslat blinds of fth'e general type here shown that provides 'arnpleclearance for free passageof the lift cords, that'i's reversible end for end soithat rightsand'lefts are not'required', and that'is. dependable and long-lived and manufactured:;of-a single sheetg metal-stampingiv Another aob'jectnis to generally improve head bar organizations for; certain types of removable slat blinds, and tilt rodcradlesytherefor.

;Furtiher subjects objects relating. to details and -economie s;..of; construction manufacture and use; will; mere; :definitelyiappear from the detailed description to;follow. 1 'j In: the form shown of, :the present invention, the t; rod, cradle comprises astamped: sheet -metal' tbodyi havingia base, portion-"adapted to be monnted mjthe nsidetbottom wall o'fiachannel- .shancdqIheald bartand-zzancunstanding leg portion w lift cord'is' positioned the base.

the head bar.

at. one end for I supporting theqtllt'rod. tionprojecting from' one side oithe c d My invention is clearly claims. In the claims, as well: as in the descrip.- tion, parts are at times identified -by--speciflc namesfor clarity and convenience, butsuchwnomenclature is to-be understood as. havingzthfi broadest meaning consistent with ,the.;context and with the concept of my invention asjdlstinr guished from the pertinent prior art. Theqbest form in which I have. contemplated applying my invention is. illustrated in. the accompanying drawings forming part of the specification in which:

Fig. l is a perspectiv incorporating the. present invention; portions of the front wall of the head ibaran'd' ofithe ladder tapes being broken away to shoW details of? con-,- struction. I i

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective ofthe cradle-receiving portion of the head bar;

Fig. 3 is atop plan view of one of the tilt-rod cradles. i'

Fig. 4 is a sideelevation of th'e 'ti1t-rod cradle. A section of lift cord is shown reeved through the cradle. the cord and pulley being positioned for use at-the right end of thehead bar.

' Fig. 5 'is a right'end view of the tiltsrod cradle.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the other side of the tiltrod cradle. A sectionof lift cord isvshown reeved through the cradle and the cradle, pulley and cord are positioned for use at the -lei-tend ofthe head bar.

Fig. 7 is a development ofthe cradleJbod-y stamping, showing its relation to adjacent'cradle body stampings during manufacture.

Referring now to 1, the removable slat blindtherein'shown includes a channel-shaped sheet me al hea ar '0, e the. o mw ll; H of which. aseri o fitt nssat mq nied to provide. e o e t g mech n sm of t l nd These fittings include a cord lock {2 at the right end of theheadba-r, a pair of tilt rod cradles-l4, l4, ne l ate d a n h end; of? he (new bana aa til-te th i en o t e nd ba -v. Atiit rod 11 e ten s. ensthwisecisthe TbAILQ RG-Z JSE QQPQ T' QQL andgirotated;byathat,. .e

defined inthe appended viewl'of' a Venetian blind placement of the slats. the slats are individually removable for cleaning and supported by the tilt rod cradles l4, 14. A tape rocker I6 is: mounted on the tilt rod adjacent each tilt rod cradle l4, the tape rockers being adapted to receive the upper ends of the ladder tapes l9, l9. This organization is generally similar to that shown in my copending application Ser. No. 778,002.

The lift cords20, 20 are reeved in the blind with one lift cord (in this instance the right one) being located in front of each of the slats 22 of the blind and the other lift cord being reeved in rear of the slats of the blind. The lift cords lie between a vertical branch of the ladder tapes I9,

l9 and the slats 22 and preferably the edges of the slats are slightly notched to partly receive the lift cords so as to prevent fortuitous dis- In this type of blind,

without disconnecting thelower ends of the lift cords 20,20 from the bottom bar 24.

The lift cords 20, Zil are brought upwardly through the bottom wall ll of the headbar, one adjacent the front and one adjacent the rear wall of the head bar so that the lift cords will run straight from the head barto the bottom bar.

Each'tilt rod cradle I4 of the present invention comprises a single-piece sheet metal stamp ing having a generally flat base 25. The base 25 may be provided with a pair of shallow elongated notches 26, 26, one on each side thereof, for reception of tabs 21 and 28, 28 (to be described later), which are struck up from the bottom wall of the head bar and bent down against the cradle base. The shallow notches 26, 26 may be interrupted as indicated in Fig. 2 for convenience of stamping the body of the cradle and to provide clearance for the lift cord 20 reeved through the cradle.

Raised beads 32, extending parallel to the notches 26, 26, and located inwardly a short distance from the notches, serve to reinforce the base against bending and serve as surfaces againstwhich the head bar tabs may be bent to hold the cradle in position. A longitudinal, upwardly-pressed corrugation 33 extending for the length of the-base 25 between the notches 25, 26 further reinforces the base against bending.

A laterally-extending portion 34 of the cradle base, extending centrally from one side thereof, may be folded upwardly and then back upon itself in parallel-spaced relation to form a boxlike pulley housing 35 having open ends and bottom, the space between the side walls 36 and 31 of the housing accommodating a pulley 39. The edges of the housing 35 are slightly flared to prevent fraying of the lift cord 20 reeved through thecradle. Preferably, the laterally-extending portion 34 of the base extends within the marginal limits of the base itself, interrupting one of the notches 26, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 7, the metal being severed in a continuation of the extending portion 34 to permit forming the housing 35 over one of the notches 26.

The side walls 36 and 3! of the pulley housing are provided with aligned or registering inverted V-shaped slots 4!], these slots being centered on the transverse center line of the base. Preferably, each of these slots is slightly wider at its mid-portion and tapers towards each end. The slots 4!), 40 receive a rivet 4|, this rivet serving as an axle for the pulley 39. The rivet 4| is not clinched tightly against the side walls of the housing 35 but is free to be shifted along the slots 40, 40, the rivet passing freely along the central portion of each slot but wedging in the end portions of the slots so as to prevent rotation of the rivet in pulley:

Eaclr tilt rod cradle I4 is provided with a substantially vertical upstanding leg 42 at one end of the base 25, this leg having a tilt rod bearing 44 at its upper end and located on the longitudinal center line of the cradle. The bearing 44 may comprise an outwardly projecting flange to provide an extended area for receiving the tilt rod I5.

Theupper part of the vertical leg 42 is provided with arigid tab 45 opposite the bearing 44 which is bent-inwardly and back upon itself in generally parallel spaced relation. This tab is provided to limit endwise movement of the associated tape rocker 5, as explained in my application S. N. 110,517, filed August 16, 1949.

The upp r front portion of the leg 42 is provided with a pair of outwardly extending parallel tabs 46 and 41, the tab 46 being somewhat longer and located a little higher than the tilt rod bearing 44. The location and proportions of the tabs .6 and 41 are such that, after insertion of the tilt rod I5 in the cradles l4, [4, the portion 49 of the leg 42, including the tabs 46 and, may be bent outwardly through thus locating the tab 46 just above the tilt rod to retain it in the bearing 44 and placingthe tab 41 across the end of the tilt rod l5 to prevent its endwise movement. The tilt rod terminates just to the right of the right hand cradle [4.

Since the tilt rod [5 is commonly received within the tilter [3, it is usually unnecessary to restrain the tilt rod I5 against movement upwardly from the tilt rod bearing 44 except at the cradle 34 further removed-from the tilter, and it is only at such cradle that the tilt rod end stop tab 41 can function. However, the tab 46 of the other cradle l5 may be bent independently of the tab 41 to a position overlying the tilt rod bearing, if desired. V

A large, forwardly opening notch 50 of the form indicated in Figs. 5 and 7 is formed in the leg 42 on the same side of the cradle as the pulley housing 35. The notch 50 provides ample clearance for passage lift cords 20, 20 so as to permit free running of the cords when raising and lowering the blind. Reeving of the lift cords 20, 2.0 is also facilitated by the notch 50, since the cords need not be passed through apertures in the upstanding legs of the tilt rod cradles as in'some constructions. An outwardly-extending guide tab 5| may be provided at the rear of the notch 50 to provide a smooth bearing opposite the lift cord so as to prevent possible fraying of the cords in. the event they should at times run against the rear wall of the notch. This construction is shown in my'aforementioned copending applications. N. 110,517.

The upwardly-pressed bead or corrugation 33 of the cradle base may be carried around the bend and into the leg 42 to reinforce the iniuno tion against. bending, while the portion ofthe leg 42 reduced in width by the notch 50 may be reinforced by an inwardly-directed flange 54 extending along its rear edge.

The lower edge of the notch 50 is so formed so as to eave a short flange 55 extending upwardly from t e base 25, this flange being in the plane of the leg 42. This flange is not high enough to interfere with passage of the lift cords and serves to stiffen the base 25 against'bending. A corresponding flange 56,,which may be slightly higher and still not interfere with the lift cords, is located at the opposite end of the base 25.

the slots upon rotation of the These flanges aid in reinforcing the base of the cradle.

The cradles l4, Hi, the cord lock l2 and the tilter l3 are held in place along the bottom wall of the head bar H] by tabs which are struck up from the bottom wall of the head bar, the tabs being bent down against portions of their bases. This general method of securing the operating fittingsto the head in my copending patent application S. N. 778,002. A portion 53 between the tabs 28, 28 may be cut away to provide clearance under the pulley housing for passage of the lift cord.

The cradle 14 adjacent the left end of the head bar Ill is turned end for end or reversed to place the pulley housing adjacent the rear wall of the head bar, as indicated in Fig. 1. of both cradles are moved to the right (towards the cord lock l2) before the lift cords 28, 20 are reeved so that the cords will lead down opposite the transverse center line of the cradles, the pulley axle 4i resting at the rightends of the slats 40, 4B in each instance.

To reeve the lift cord into a complete blind assembly, the right hand branch or lift cord 20 is passed through the pulley assembly of the right hand cradle (adjacent the front wall of the head bar) downwardly between the vertical branches of the right hand ladder tape and anchored to the bottom bar. The left hand branch or lift cord 20 is led rearwardly of the right hand branch past the open notch of the right hand cradle, reeved through the pulley housing of the left hand cradle (adjacent the rear wall of the head bar), passed downwardly between the vertical branches of the left hand ladder tape, and anchored to the bottom bar.

I claim:

1. A tilt rod cradle for Venetian blinds of the enclosed-head type in which the lift cords are reeved between the slats and supporting ladder tapes, said cradle comprising: a stamped metal body having a base portion adapted to be mounted on the bottom wall of an enclosed head bar; an upstanding leg at one end of the base portion adapted to receive a tilt rod, the leg having an open notch on one side thereof providing clearance for passage of the lift cords of the blind; a side portion of the base on the same side as the notch being folded upwardly and back upon itself in spaced parallel relation to form a pulley housing, the side walls of the pulley housing having registering inverted V-shaped slots extending across the transverse center line of the cradle, a cord pulley within the housing and a pulley axle received in the slots and mounting the pulley,

(the pulley axle being shiftable within the slots to position the pulley at either side of the transverse center line of the cradle.

2. A tilt rod cradle for Venetian blinds of the enclosed-head type in which the lift cords are reeved between the slats and supporting ladder tapes, said cradle comprising: a stamped metal body having a base portion adapted to be mounted on the bottom wall of an enclosed head bar; an upstanding leg at one end of the base portion adapted to receive a tilt rod, the leg having an open notch on one side thereof providing clearance for passage of the lift cords of the blind; a side portion of the base on the same side' as the notch being folded upwardly and back upon itself in spaced parallel relation to form a pulley housing, the side walls of the pulley housing having The pulleys 39 bar is more fully disclosed registering slots extending across the transverse center line of the cradle, a cord pulley within the housing and a pulley axle received in the slots and mounting the pulley, the pulley axle being shiftable Within the slots to position the pulley at either side of the transverse center line of the cradle.

3. In an enclosed head bar assembly for Venetian blinds, a sheet metal channel, a tilter mounted at one end of the channel, a cord lock mounted at the other end of the channel, and a pair of identical tilt rod cradles mounted on the channel between the tilter and-cord lock, each of said cradles having a lift cord pulley mounted at one side of thebase, one of the cradles beingv turned end-for-end to provide for reeving one lift cord through the bottom of the channel adjacent the front wall of the head bar and the other lift cord through the bottom of the channel adjacent the rear wall, the pulley of each cradle being mounted for shifting movement longitudinally of the head bar.

4. In an enclosed head bar assembly for Venetian blinds, a sheet metal channel, a tilter mounted at one end of the channel, and a cord lock mounted at the other end of the channel, and a pair of identical tilt rod cradles mounted on the channel between the tilter and cord lock, each of said cradles having a lift cord pulley mounted at one side of the base, one of the cradles being turned end-for-end to provide for reeving one lift cor-d through the bottom of the channel adjacent the front wall of the head bar and the other lift cord through the bottom of the channel adjacent the rear Wall, the pulley of each cradle being mounted for shifting movement longitudinally of the head bar between opposite sides of the transverse center line of the cradle.

5. A tilt rod cradle for Venetian blinds of the enclosed-head type in which the lift cords are reeved between the slats and the supporting ladder tapes, said cradle comprising: a stamped metal body having a base portion adapted to be mounted on the bottom wall of an enclosed head bar; an upstanding leg at one end of the base portion adapted to receive a tilt red, the leg having an open notch on one side thereof providing clearance for passage of the lift cords of the blind; a side portion of the base on the same side as the notch being formed to provide a pulley housing having two parallel vertical side walls, the side walls of the pulley having registering slots extending across the transverse center line of the cradle base portion, a cord pulley within the housing and a pulley axle received in the slots and mounting the pulley, the pulley axle being shiftable within the slots to position the pulley at either side of the transvers center line of the cradle.

HARRY NELSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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