US2207605A - Venetian blind - Google Patents

Description

July 9, 1940. E, E* WOLFE 2,207,605

VENETIAN BLIND Filed April 22, 1938 :'iatenicd July 9, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Metal Tape Company, Los corporation o! California Calif., a

Application April 22, 1938, Serial No. 203,493

The present invention relates to and has l'or an object the provision of a Venetian blind which readily lends itself to a iire-proof, all metal construction anording the advantages ot simplicity, inexpensiveness, longer life and greater durability, as compared with the usu'al wooden or non-metallic Venetian blind.'

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a Venetian blind oi' the character described l which is so constructed and arranged that it may be readily and easily installed thru the use of simply constructed spring brackets which support the blind under tension, whereby the slats are held against unintentional movement out of li adjusted position, and the blind is detachably secured in placerelative to a window or the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide an all metal Venetian blind wherein the slats are joined by links and are constructed and arranged I in such manner that upon turning a hand wheel or like grippingmember amxed to the lowermost or one of the lower slats, all of the slats maybe simultaneously turned or tilted as desired.

A further object is to provide a Venetian blind of the character described, which will not collapse when stood on end against a support, whereby the mounting and removal of the blind may be more readily and easily eiected.

I have shown in the accompanying drawing a 80 preferred form of Venetian blind embodying my invention, subject, however, to modification within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Referring to the drawing:

35 Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of Venetian blind constructed and mounted in place in accordance with this invention; l

Fig. 2 represents an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the blind, particularly showing the man- 40 ner of mounting the same with the lmeans for turning the slats on their axes; y

Fig. 3 represents a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of line 3-3 of Fig. 1, particularly showing the manner in which thespring 45 brackets support the blind structure under tension;

Fig. 4 representsa sectional view taken on the plane of line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

As shown in the accompanying drawing, the

50, present embodiment oi the inventioncomprises a Venetian blind made of a plurality of like slats i connected with one another by means of rigid links 2 which are hinged thereto and hold the slats one above the other in assembled formation 56 and permit of the tilting thereof. The upper and lower slats are provided with trunnions 3 `and 4 adapted to be engaged with spring metal brackets I and l secured to the window frame 'I or like structures, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.' These brackets are installed so that they will be placed 5 under tension when the blind is supported thereby, as particularly shown in Fig. 3, and therefore the blind 'structure is placed under tension at the joints of the links and slats whereby the slats will effectively resist wind pressure and other lo forces which would cause unintentional movement thereofv out oi adjusted or set position. Fluthermore this tension also sets up frictional holding forces at the trunnions for the same purpose, yet upon appropriate turning of hand l5 Iwheels 8 xed to the outer ends of the trunnions 4 on the lowermost slat, the entire group of slats may be tilted as desired, as is customary in Venetian blinds.

It is now seen that the blind of this invention, in view of the construction thereof and the rigid links, will substantially maintain its form without collapse when stood on one end and rested against a wall or like upright support, and therefore may be quickly and easily mounted upon and removed from the brackets. In this connection it is to be noted that the brackets may be readily mounted in place to provide for a convenient installation of the blind without requiring the services of skilled labor or the use off any flxtures or devices other than four of the brackets so positioned as to be placed under tension when the trunnions 3 and 4 are mounted thereon, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Preferably the slats are made of sheet metal and excepting the uppermost and lowermost thereof, each slat is formed of a single strip of metal having rolled edges deiining tubular beads 9. Pins I0 are frictionally held in these tubular beads and extend across recesses II formed in the slats so as to serve as hinge or pivot members for the links 2. y These links are made of at and substantially rigid metal bars and each has a tongue I2 at one end and a-slot I3 at its other end whereby the links will be alned when pivoted on the pins I0 in the recesses Il, as shown in Fig. 1. It is seen that the tongues I2 engage in the slots Il whereby to add rigidity, yet permit of the necessary hinge or pivotal action. The ends of the links are rolled to form eyes or tubular beads I3' corresponding to the tubular beads 9 on the slots, and for reception of the pins III, as shown in Fig. 2. y

The uppermost and lowermost slats are preferably made of two like metal sections laid one 55 on theother, and spot welded or otherwise united.

The upper section has its longitudinal edges rolled tofform the tubular beads 9. The beads 9 on these slats abut the longitudinal edges of the other sections of said uppermost and lowermost slats, as shown in Fig. 3. 'I'he two sections of said uppermost and lowermost slats have complementary portions I4 extending longitudinally thereof to form sockets for the trunnions 3 and 4 and to provide reinforcing ribs on opposite sides of said slats. The trunnions 3 and 4 are secured in place by pins l5 or other suitable fastening means.

To -provide for retention of the trunnions 3 and 4 on the brackets 2 the latter have hookshaped and semi-cylindrical terminals I6 and the trunnions are spool-shaped in that they are provided with flanges or shoulders I1 and I8 for engaging the side edges of said terminals I6. The trunnions 4 are hooked under the portions I6 of the lower bracket 4, whereas the trunnions 3 are rested upon the upper sides of the upper bracket 5, as shown in Fig. 3, whereby they place said brackets under tension for the purposes described.

I claim: A

1. A Venetian blind including a plurality of slats, links pivotally connected with and holding said slats in predetermined spaced relation to one another as a blind unit, trunnions on the uppermost and lowermost slats, and resilient blind supporting members in tensioned engagement with said trunnions for setting up tensional stresses at the pivotal connections of said links with said slats.

2.fA Venetian blind including a plurality of superposed slats, links disposed between and pivotally connected with said slats for holding them spaced and assembled for corresponding tilting thereof as a blind unit, and resilient means for supporting said blind unit with the pivotally connected parts thereof in tensioned frictional engagement with one another to prevent unintentional movement thereof.

3. A Venetian blind including a plurality of slats, means pivotally connected with and holding said slats in predetermined spaced relation to one another as a blind unit, trunnions on the uppermost and lowermost slats, and resilient blind supporting members in tensioned engagement with said trunnions for setting up tensional stresses at the pivotal connections of said slats.

'4. A venetian build including a `plurality of superposed slats, rigid links disposed between Y I andpivotally connected with said slats for holding them spaced apart and tlltably assembled as a blind unit. trunnions on the uppermost and lowermost slats and fixed spring metal blind supporting brackets in tensioned engagement with porting brackets in tensioned engagement with said trunnions for effecting a tensioned frictional engagement of the links and slats thruout the blind structure,` the trunnions on the uppermost slat being mounted upon the uppermost brackets and the trunnions on the lowermost slats being engaged beneath the lowermost brackets, said links being alined in vertical columns adjacent ends of said slats and having intertted tongue and slot terminals.

6. A Venetian blind including a plurality of in spaced relation to one another as a blind unit,

attaching means on the uppermost and'lowermost slats, and blind supporting members for engaging said attaching means, at least one of said members being resilient and in tensioned engagement with its associated attaching means for supporting the blind unit under tension.

'7. A Venetian blind including a plurality of slats, means connecting and holding said slats in spaced relation to one another as a blind unit, attaching means on the uppermost and lowermost slats, and blind supporting members for detachably engaging said attaching means; vat least one of said members being resilient and in tensioned engagement with its associated attaching means for maintaining the blind unit under tension and permitting the attaching means on the lowermost slat to be detached whereby the entire unit may be swung outwardly with the attaching means on the uppermost slat serving as the axis.

ERNEST E. -WOLFE.

30 f slats, means connecting and holding said slats

Images