US2645282A - Venetian blind - Google Patents

Description

July 14, 1953 J. C. GRAU 2,645,282

. v BLIND Filed'June 21, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. JAIME $010M GPAU J. c. GRAU VENETIAN BLIND July 14, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 21, 1951 w R 0 Q V E 4 Z a W m 6 m2 .O O\ A ww Q M Q F M1 1: v 15 3 M a ATTOEA/EYS' Patented July 14, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE vnivr z 'flfifi iinmn Jaime Colom Grau, Tarrasa, Spain Application June 21, 1951, Serial No. 232,729

3 Claims. (c1. 160-133) This invention relates to Venetian blind construction.

In applicants copending application Serial No. 182,734, filed September 1, 1950, there was described a Venetian blind designed to be rolled up in a head box above the window and to accomplish which special plates joining the slats for vertical separation and pivoting were provided. There was also described in the aforesaid appli-- cation a water guard. Subsequently it was found that by incorporating areciprocal lock for the slats of the blind and a cam adjusting mechanism for rotating the slats from the vertical or closed position to a horizontal or open position and even intermediate positions, the blind would render an even greater service. The reciprocal locking mechanism and cam adjusting mechanism are the subject matter of subject application.

It is an object of the instant invention to provide a more substantial Venetian blind than heretofore known.

Another object is to provide a Venetian blind the slats of which when closed form a substantial closure for the opening but which also can be rotated or pivoted between the limits of a vertically closed position to a horizontal open position by merely reciprocating the blind slightly.

Other objects of the instant invention will become apparent in the course of the following specification.

In the attainment of these objectives, the opening which the Venetian blind is designed to cover is provided with a channel on each side for the full vertical height thereof. The channels are formed with spaced parallel inner and outer strips with the outer strip extended further into the opening than the inner strip. The blind is constituted of an upper and'a lower guide slidable in the channels and a plurality of slats vertically and pivotally adjustable intermediate the upper and lower guides. The corresponding longitudinal edges of the guides and slats are equipped with tongues and grooves to form a substantial closure when the slats are pivoted into a vertical plane substantially parallel to the plane of the guides. At the bottom of each channel is a reciprocal lock coacting with the slats, the tongue or bolt of the lock being automatically moved to the locked and unlocked positions of the slats in the vertical position by reciprocating the blind,

A cam adjustment mechanism for controlling the pivotal position of the slats intermediate the closed vertical and open horizontal positions is disposed in the bottom guide and is actuated by the reciprocal nwvsm nt oi the blind.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing by way of illustration a preferred embodimentof the inventive concept.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a Venetian blind with the slats in the vertical and closed position; 7

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of the blind shown in Figure l but on an enlarged scale;

Figure 3 is an end View of the blind shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 but with the slats and guides vertically separated;

Figure 5 is an elevational view of the cam adjustment mechanism for pivoting the slats from'a vertically separated position to a horizontal or open position orintermediate positions and constructed according to the principles of this invention, the position of the cams being shown in the vertically separated position of the slats;

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of a plate or cam in the cam adjustment mechanism shown in Figure 5;

Figure '7 is a detail perspective view of another of the cams or plates in the cam adjustment mechanism shown in Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a detail perspective view of still another of the cams or plates in the cam adjustment mechanism shown in Figure 5;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 5 but showing the position of the cams or plates when the slats have been pivoted. to the fully opened horizontal position;

Figure 10 is a plan view of the cam adjustment mechanism shown in Figure 5; V

Figure 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the channels in the sides of the opening for the slidable insertion of the blind;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the slot locking mechanism in each channel with the tongue or bolt retracted to the unlocked position of the slats;

Figure 13 is a front elevational view of the slat locking mechanism shown in Figure 12; and

Figure 14 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 12 but with the tongue or bolt extended to the locked position of the slats.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings where like reference numerals indicate like parts, reference numeral l0 indicatesva Venetian blind, H (Figs. 11 and 13) one of the two vertical channels for the slidable insertion of the blind in an opening, I2 the lockingmechanism for locking the slats in the closed vertical posiupper guide l5, and the intermediate slats l6.

The corresponding edges of the guides and slats are provided with coacting tongues and grooves so that when in the vertical position with the tongues and grooves'in operable engagement un der gravity the Venetian blind will form a more substantial closure than the known Venetian blind or even a sash. Because of the tongue and groove provision, it becomes necessary to make each slat and the guides vertically adjustable in order to pivot the .slats from the vertical closed to the horizontal open position. The upper and lower guides are vertically adjustable or separable from the contiguous slats but are not pivotal-in the channels. As illustrated and described in' the copending application, a bottom hinge I9 is attached to each end of the lower guide l4 with the hasp 21 thereof extended upwardly above the lower edge of the contiguous slat l6. Asfurther illustratedand described in the aforementioned copending application, the hasp 2 I terminates in ear portions 22 which are vertically adjustable in an opening in the hasp of another hinge 23 on each end of the contiguous slat. Each hinge 23 is pivotally attached along the upper. edge of the contiguous slat and is mortised in so as not to interfere with the complete closure of the slats in the vertical position. From the pivotal connection, the hasp of each hinge 23 extends outwardly and downwardly over the hasp of the corresponding hinge I9 longitudinally slidable in the 'hasp of the hinge 23. Adjacent theoutwardly directed portion of the hasp of each hinge 23 that is at the top of the slat; an opening is made for the slidable insertion of the hasp of a similar hinge on the next contiguous slat. A slightly modified form of hinge may be used for vertically adjusting and pivotally connecting the uppermost slat to the upper guide so that all the slats and guides are vertically separable and all the slats are pivotal about the upper edges thereof and about the guides.

As further pointed out in the copending application, a rigid linkage system 23 is provided for pivotally rotating the slats from the vertically separated position to an open horizontal position and even intermediate positions as follows; In each end of each slat at the bottom is a pivot pin 29 fastened therein by any suitable means. Each pin may be downwardly and outwardly directed or simply outwardly directed. Connecting each pin 29 of the lowermost slat to the lower guide is a plate 30 fastened as desired to the lower guide and through the upper end of which the pin 29 is rotatably inserted. Another plate 3| is thenv attached between the pins of the firstand second lowermost slats. In the bottom of the plate 3| is a slot I I through which the pin of the first lowermost slat is both slidably and rotatably inserted. The plate 3| at the top also has an opening for the rotatable insertion of the pin 29 of the second lowermost slat.

.By the described rigid linkage system connecting the ends of the slats, each slat can be rotated from the vertically separated position to a horizontal position merely by rotating the P 1 29 of the uppermost slat.

To maintain the blind in the opening with the slats designed to be pivoted from the closed to the open positions, the following construction was described and illustrated in the aforementioned copending application: On each side of the framedopening a similar vertical channel II is formed. The channel H is constituted of the outer strip 33 (Fig. 11) spaced-parallel from an inner strip 34 with the outer strip 33 extending inwardly, that is toward the center of the opening, a greater distance than the inner strip 34. The upper and lower guides l4 and I5 of the blind are slidable in the channels but the slats are extended only to the ends of the inner strip in order to pivot the slats.

With the slats and guides of the blind now vertically separable in the channels, the cam adjustment mechanism l3 for regulating the magnitude of the pivoting of the slats from the vertically separated position to the open horizontal and even intermediate positions is as follows: One end of a chain l8 (Fig. 1) is pivotally attached to the pivot pin 29 at one end of the uppermost slat and directed upwardly over a pulley 20, which may be attached to the top guide in a known manner, the chain thenbeing directed downwardly to the lower guide I4. Coacting with the free end of the chain and in the lower guide is the cam adjustment l3 constituted as follows: Between a front member 24 (Figs. 5 and 10) spaced parallel by any suitable means from a back member 25 (Fig. 10) are three plates or cams 26, 21, and 32. The plate 26 of arcuate form is pivotally disposed on the back member by the pivot pin 31 in a plane parallel to the plane of the lower guide. The plate 26 is held against falling under gravity by a pin 38 disposed in the back member 25 and coacting with the lower edge of the plate. A pin 43 is also disposed in the plate 26 adjacent the pin 38. spaced parallel arrangement with the plate 25 is the cam or plate 21 pivotally secured to the pin 31 at one end and at the opposite end protruding beyond the perimeter of the plate 26. In the protruding end of the cam 21 is an inverted L-shaped opening or slot 39. Slidably inserted in the inverted L-shaped slot is a stud 40 which is maintained also slidable only in a vertical position by being inserted also in the vertical slot 4| formed in the front member 24. On the cam 2'! is a pin 42 adjacent the other pins as illustrated. Coacting with the pin 42 and slidable on the cam 21 is the cam or plate 32. The cam 32 has a central opening 36 of arcuate form, the perimeter 'of which slides about the pin-42 under gravity when the stud 40 moves the cam 21 upwardly. The outer perimeter of the cam 32 is also of arcuate form and coa-cts with the pin 43 when the stud 40 is moved' upwardly in the slot 4| to vary the position of the stud relative to the longitudinal edges of the lower guide. The free end of the chain [8 is pivotally attached to the free end of the stud when the stud is at rest in the uppermost position of the slot 4| and the chain is taut and the'slats in the vertical position but separated.

Since the ends of the slats do not extend completely into the channels, the slats can be locked in the vertical position by adding to the inner strip 34 of each channel an extension, tongue, or

' bolt 44 reciprocal in each inner strip adjacent the side of the angle member being spaced parallel from the corresponding side of the outer strip while the other side of the angle member is turned at an angle of 90 thereto along a common edge and fitted around the inner edge of the inner and turned edge and a bracket 48' inwardly directed around the opening. Another bracket 49 is disposed on the tongue and inwardly directed in the bracket 48. A third bracket 35 is disposed on the inner surface of the bracket 48 and outwardly and thence downwardly directed adjacent the extremity over the bracket 49 on the tongue to provide bearings for a shaft 50 rotatably inserted between the inner surface of the bracket 48 on the angle iron and the downwardly directed extremity of the bracket 35 in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the tongue. A toothed wheel 5| is keyed to the shaft 50 with the teeth thereof protruding through an opening in the side of the angle member adjacent'the inner end of the inner strip and actually a continuation of the opening made in the side of the angle member opposed to the outer strip. The plane of the wheel is parallel to the plane of the tongue. A cam 53 in operable engagement with the bracket 49 on the tongue is keyed to the shaft 56 on the side of the wheel opposite the tongue. Another cam '52 in operable engagement with the tongue is keyed to the same shaft but intermediate the tongue and the wheel and in operable engagement with the tongue, the cams being :turned at 90, to each other. At both ends of the lower guide I4 of the blind is a catch 54 (Fig. 4)

in operable engagement with the teeth of the corresponding wheels but only during the upward movement of the blind.

Assume that the slats I6 are in the vertical position withthe tongues and grooves separated under gravity, that the lower guide I4 is at the bottom of the frame shown in Figure 12, and

that the retractile or reciprocable tongue 44 is in the retracted position as shown in Figure 11.-

When it is desired to lock the slats in the vertical position, the lower guide [4 is moved upwardly whereupon the catch 54 (Fig. 2) will also move upwardly into operable engagement with a tooth of the wheel 5 I. By continuing the upward movement of the lower guide l4, the wheel 5| will be rotated as well as the shaft 50 keyed thereto. As the shaft 50 rotates, the cam 52 in operable engagement with the U-shaped tongue 44 will force the tongue outwardly to form with the outer strip 33 a channel member in which the slats cannot be pivoted. The lower guide M can then be allowed to fall to the bottom of the frame with the slats locked since the catch 54 is so hinged that it will not actuate the wheel 5| on the downward movement. However, on the next upward movement of the lower guide, the catch 54 again in operable engagement with a tooth of the wheel 5|, will revolve the shaft '50 to move the cam 52 out of operable engagement with the U-shaped tongue while the cam 53 will be rotated into operable engagement with the bracket 49 on the tongue to draw the tongue inwardly and once again permit the slats to be rotated.

drum 55 may be actuated by a gear drive from a shaft 56 rotatably disposed in the side of the frame of the opening at the bottom with one of the links 51 in the side of the opening and concealed. Any suitable and similar means 58 and 59 may be used for attaching the upper guide to the drum 55. When moved upwardly by the means described or even electric motor means (not shown), assuming the slats are in the closed vertical position, the slats and the guides will become vertically separated from the tongues and grooves by virtue of the already described vertically adjustable means for the slats and guides and the vertical adjustable and pivotally connected means of the slats.- With the upward movement of the blind, each catch 54 on the lower guide will engage the corresponding toothed wheel 5] and, assuming the tongue to be in the extended position, that is the locking position of the slats, will revolve the toothed wheel and the cam coacting with the bracket on the tongue to move or retract the tongue into the inner strip or the channel adjacent the strip to free the slats for pivoting. The chain for pivoting the slats being taut in the starting position of the lower guide, will tighten and pivot the slats outwardly and pull the stud of the cam adjusting mechanism upwardly to pivot the cam 21 upwardly which will carry the cam 32 around to permit the stud to fall under gravity to a position lower than the starting position and prevent the slats from assuming the vertical position. Merely by repeating the reciprocal movement of the blind that is slightly so as not to actuate the tongue of the lock, the cams will be actuated until the wide open, substantially horizontal position of the slats is attained. By continuing the same steps, the slats can be pivoted to the closed position. With the slats and guides in the vertical position but spaced apart, the slats and guides will close under gravity. Another upward movement of the blind bringing each catch into operable engagement with the corresponding toothed wheel will pivot the tongue outwardly to lock the ends of the slats.

. It will be apparent that subject Venetian blind is subject to many variations and modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A Venetian blind comprising, in combination, a plurality of horizontal slats pivotally adjustable intermediate an upper and a lower guide, a channel member vertically formed on each side of an opening substantially covered by the blind, each channel member being defined by spaced parallel inner and outer strips with the outer strips extended further inwardly than the inner strips, the guides being slidably disposed in the channel members and the slats at both ends being adjacent the inner surface of the outer strips and spaced from the inner ends of the inner strips, a locking mechanism reciprocal in the inner strip of at least one channel member for releasably locking the slats in the vertical position thereof, a catch disposed at one end of the lower guide coacting with the locking mechanism in the upward movement of the lower guide, and a cam adjustment mechanism disposed on one end of the lower guide and adapted to move the slats intermediate the vertical and hori zontal positions thereof in the unlocked position. 2. A Venetian blind according to claim 1 in which the locking mechanism reciprocal in the inner strip of at least one channel member for releasably locking the slats in the vertical position thereof comprises an angle member of two sides, the sides of the angle member being turned along a common edge and forming an angle of substantially 90 with each other, means for securing one side of the angle member to the inner strip of the channel in spaced parallel arrangement with the outer strip, the turned side of the angle member being adjacent the inner end of the inner strip, the side of the angle member in spaced parallel arrangement with the outer strip having an opening formed therein adjacent the turned edge, the opening being continued into the turned side, a U-shaped tongue pivotally disposed on the side of the angle member in spaced parallel arrangement with the outer strip, and means for reciprocating the ton ue from a' position substantially flush with the end of the inner strip to a position substantially aligned with the inner edge of the outer strip, the means comprising a bracket disposed around the opening formed in the side of the angle memher in spaced parallel arrangement with the outer strip and rearwardly directed therefrom, a second bracket disposed on the tongue and extending into the first mentioned bracket, a third bracket disposed on the inner surface of the first bracket and forwardly and thence downwardly directed therefrom adjacent the inner end of the tongue, a shaft rotatably disposed between the first and third mentioned brackets in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the tongue, a toothed wheel keyed to the shaft, the teeth of thewheel protruding through the continuation of the opening in the turned side of the angle member, a cam keyed to the shaft on one side of the wheel and adjacent to and in operable engagement with the U-shaped tongue, a second cam keyed to the shaft on the opposite side of the wheel and in operable engagement with the second mentioned bracket, the cams being turned at 90 to each other, and a latch disposed on the lower guide, the latch being adapted to be brought into operable engagement with the teeth of the wheel in the upward movement of the lower guide.

3. A Venetian blind according to claim 1 in which the cam adjustment mechanism disposed on one end of the lower guide and adapted to move the slats intermediate the vertical and horizontal positions thereof when unlocked, comprises a plate of arcuate perimeter, means for 8 pivotally securing one end of the plate in the bottom guide in a plane parallel to the plane thereof, a pin disposed in the bottom guide coacting with the bottom edge of the plate and maintaining the plate stationary under gravity, a second pin disposed on the plate adjacent the first mentioned pin, a second plate of arcuate perimeter spaced from the first mentioned plate and coacting with the second mentioned pin, the second mentioned plate being pivotally disposed around the pivotal means for securing the first mentioned plate to the bottom guide, the second mentioned plate further protruding beyond the corresponding end of the first mentioned plate and having an inverted L-shaped slot formed therein adjacent the upper edge, the horizontal portion of the inverted L-shaped slot being outwardly directed, a stud slidably disposed in the slot and extended inwardly of the bottomguide, means for maintaining the stud vertically slidable in the bottom guide while moving in the slot, and a third pin disposed on the second mentioned plate adjacent the first and second mentioned pins; the cam adjustment mechanism further comprising a third plate slidably disposed on the second mentioned plate, the third mentioned plate having a central opening of arcuate form coacting with the third mentioned pin and further having an outer perimeter of arcuate form coacting with the second mentioned pin, the inner and outer perimeter of the third mentioned plate coacting with the second and third mentioned pins to vary the position of the stud relative to the longitudinal edges of the bottom guide, means for releasably locking the plates together, and flexible means intermediate the inwardly directed end of the stud and the pivotal adjustment means of one of the slats for varying the magnitude of the pivotal displacement of the slats when the stud is actuated by the upward movementof the blind.

JAIME COLOM GRAU.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 156,644 Martin Nov. 10, 1874 237,864 Hilgen Feb. 15, 1881 1,071,220 Elefant Aug. 26, 1913 2,323,612 Lombardi et al July 6, 1943

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