US2687171A - Venetian blind construction - Google Patents

Description

1954 H. s. ROSENBAUM 2,687,171

VENETIAN BLIND CONSTRUCTION Filed July 27, 1951 INVENTOR BY in. U Ftcks ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 24, 1954 UNITED s'rrss TENT OFFICE VENE'EIAN BLIND CONSTRUCTION Application July 27, 1951, Serial No. 238,802

ll Claims. 01. ice-17s) This invention relates to a cord and tape lad: der fastener particularly adapted for fastening the lower ends of tape ladders and operating cords of Venetian blinds to the bottom rail of such blinds.

A Venetian blind ordinarily comprises a tilt bar, a bottom bar or rail, and pairs of vertical tapes depending from the tilt bar so that they face each other. The tapes extend downwardly the entire length of the blind and are fastened to the bottom bar or rail. Evenly spaced cross bars are provided between each pair of tapes to support the slats. These slats have holes therethrough adjacent the tapes to permit the passage of a blind raising cord which is fastened to the bottom rail and extends upwardly over pulleys usually positioned adjacent to the tilt bar. By rotating the tilt bar, the slats may likewise be tilted so as to maintain a substantially parallel relationship with the tilt bar and the bottom bar or rail.

Heretofore, it has been customary to secure the ends of the tapes permanently to the bottom rail as by drawing the ends of the tapes about the bottom rail and securing the ends thereto by means of tacks, screws or other means. In recent years, Venetian blinds have been constructed of metal slats and bottom railsas distinguished from the previously used slats and rails formed of wood, thereby making it difiicult to secure the ends of the tape ladders and the operating cords readily to the bottom rails in an inconspicuous manner which will permit quick attachment and detachment of these elements.

It is an object of the invention to provide means for attaching a cord and tape ladder to,

the upper surface of a bottom rail of a Venetian blind which means is concealed from view and does not mar the appearance of the blind.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cord and tape ladder attaching means for aVenetian blind wherein the attaching means is formed as a detachable plate.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cord and tape ladder attaching means for a Venetian blind wherein the plate includes a latch arrangement for securing the cord in position.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cord and tape ladder attaching means wherein the plate further includes means for securing the tape thereto.

Other objects and the nature and advantages of the instant invention will be apparent from 2 the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing the cord and tape ladder fastener attached to the bottom rail;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device in attached position;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device in the cord releasing position, with the device in the unit releasing position shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 4 is a section taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section taken along the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 4 showing the device in process of being assembled to the bottom rail; and

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of the device re-- moved from the bottom rail.

More specifically, according to the present invention, there is provided a longitudinal slot on the uppersurface of the bottom rail at each point where the tape ladder and cord is to be attached thereto, and a device capable of securely but detachably gripping the lower end of the tape ladder and cord is inserted into the slot and securely but detachably fastened to the bottom rail.

Inthe drawing, the numeral It) refers generally to a Venetian blind having a bottom rail H joined by vertical tapes l2 to a tilt rail (not shown). The vertical tapes I 2 are joined by cross bars or members l3. As shown in Fig. 5, the bottom rail II is hollow and consists of an elongated strip of sheet metal bent to a substantially rectangular cross section by overlapping the longitudinal edges as at [4. The lapped surface is utilized as the lower surface thereof, and the upper surface is provided with a plurality of slots [5 in positions corresponding to the points at which the tape ladders are to be attached. As illustrated, the slots i5 extend longitudinally along the rail and are rectangular in shape. The upper and lower surfaces of the bottom rail can be shaped as rounded surfaces, as shown in the drawing, to provide a more pleasing appearance to the resulting blind.

The fastener device It, illustrated in Fig. '7, comprises a curved surface i7 curved in an arc corresponding to the curve of the upper surface of the bottom rail. Opposite lateral. edges i8, B9 of the curved surface are bent downwardly at 90 to form flanges l8, It. The central.

portion of flange. l8 has an extension 20 integral therewith that is bent outwardly to a substantially horizontal position. The width of extension is somewhat less than the width of slot 15 in the bottom rail so that extension 25 can be readily inserted therein. A bayonet slot 2| is provided in flange 8 at each side of extension 2S, for a purpose to be described hereafter.

The curved surface 1'! is. provided with a cord opening 22 therein that" is relatively wide at the outer end adjacent to edge I8 and relatively narrow at the inner end adjacent to the center of the curved surface 1?. The wider opening is sufficiently wide to permit passage of the knotted end of the cord, whereas the narrow opening is merely wide enough to permit passage of the cord itself but not the knotted. end thereof. Adjacent to the outer end of cord opening 22, a portion of curved surface i7 is bent upwardly and then flattened as at 23 to form a catch it. The catch 23 is located adjacent to the flange i3 and has a width approximately the same as extension 20.

Flange I9 is cut away at the central portion 25 and is adapted to receive a latch assembly 26 therein. The latch assembly 26 is hinged to the surface ll adjacent to the flange I9 so that the entire latch assembly 26 can be swung upwardly about the hinge to the position shown in Fig. 7 and downwardly to the operative position adjacent to the surface 11. The latch assembly 26 comprises a hinge portion 2'! and a latch portion 28 which are pivotally attached to one another to permit horizontal rotation of the latch portion 28 with respect to the hinge portion 21. The hinge portion 2 includes a pair of loops 29 adapted to pass through small openings at in the curved surface H adjacent to the flange iii to provide the hinge. An extension 3i extends outwardly from the hinged section, and a flat portion 32 extends inwardly. The latch portion 28 is pivotally attached to the flat portion 32. The latch portion 28 is in the general shape of a semi-circle having a cutaway portion 33 at the center thereof. A knob 34 is provided along a portion of the circumference thereof for use in actuating the latch. When the latch assembly 26 is in its operative position, flat against the curved. surface I! as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the outer surface of the latch portion 28 passes under the catch 24 and is retained therein. In this position, the cutaway portion 33 of the latch is in alignment with the narrower inner portion of the cord opening 22 with the wider outer portion of the cord opening covered so that the resulting opening near the center of the curved portion H has a diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the cord. The extension 3| on the latch assembly extending outwardly therefrom is of a width slightly less than the width of the slot 55 in the bottom rail and is adapted to pass through the slot 15. When the extension Si is swung downwardly about hinge loops 29 until in a vertical position, extension 20, at the opposite end of the device, can then be inserted into the slot E5, as shown in Fig. 6, and the entire device swung downwardly until extension 3! has passed into the slot IE at the opposite side thereof. The catch assembly is then swung downwardly to the curved portion 11, at the same time rotating extension 3| to a horizontal position beneath the curved portion IT to prevent its removal therefrom.

A U-shaped member 35 has a pair of legs 36, 31 somewhat longer than the width of the vertical tape and a connecting portion 38 having a width slightly greater than the cutaway portion 25 in flange Hi. The connecting portion 33 passes through the loops 29 beneath curved sur face I"! and is thus rotatably hinged with respect to both curved surface I1 and latch assembly 25. The legs 36 and 3! are adapted to extend across beneath curved surface I! and pass into bayonet slots '2! to retain the U-shaped member '11 locked position. The U-shaped member 35 is preferably made of thin material so that the outer ends of the legs 3 31 are resilient and engage the bayonet slots tightly.

The method of assembling and utilizing this device will now be described. Loops are provided at the lower end of each vertical tape [2 by folding back a portion of the tape and sewing, stapling or otherwise securing it. The U-shapsd member is released from. the bayonet slots and swung downwardly from surface IT. The loop at the end of each vertical tape is inserted over a leg of the U-shaped member and the ends of the legs are inserted into the bayonet slots, thus securing the ends of tape ladder to the fastener device with the ladder extending upwardly therefrom. The latch assembly is next swung up wardly to the position shown in Fig. 7. Extension 29 is now inserted into one side of the slot I5 in the bottom rail as shown in Fig. 6. The en tire fastener device is then swung downwardly toward the bottom rail with the extension3l entering the slot l5. At this point, the latch assembly is swung downwardly to curved portion [1, thus swinging extension 3! into the hollow portion of the bottom rail beneath the upper surface thereof. The knotted end of the cord can now be inserted into cord opening 22 at the wider portion and the cord moved over to the narrow portion thereof. The latch portion 28 is now rotated until the end thereof passes beneath the catch 24 to a fully locked position. In this posi tion, the operating cord cannot be removed since the knot at the end thereof will not pass through the resulting narrow cord opening. The fastener device is retained rigidly against the top surface of the bottom rail by the two extensions thereon. The ends of the tape ladders are engaged beneath the curved surface i'i within the bottom rail by the U-shaped member, with the vertical tapes passing out and upwardly at-opposite sides of the device.

The tape ladders passing along opposite sides of the device tend to conceal the device so that although it is readily accessible, it is unseen and does not mar the appearance of the blind.

When it is desired to remove the operating cord alone, so that individual slats can be removed without removing the tape ladders, the latch portion is swung horizontally about its vertical pivot axis to the cord releasing position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, in which position the end of the latch portion is still retained by the catch, however, the wider portion of the cord opening in the surface it is exposed, thus permitting removal of the knotted end of the cord.

in the bottom rail. This releases the bottom rail. By releasing the U-shaped member legs from the bayonet slots and swinging the memall times free to be removed and adjusted as necessary during the assembly operation. The completed assembly can be readily removed enber about its hinge, the tapeladder ends can be removed from the legs and released.

tirely, or if desired, the operating cord alone can I be removed without removing the balance of the assembly.

' It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a Venetian blind having a bottom rail and employing a tape ladder and an operating cord, said bottom rail having a slot in the upper surface thereof, a plate adapted to be disposed transversely across the upper surface of said bottom rail, said plate having a width corresponding to the length of said bottom rail slot, an extension integral with said plate and extending outwardly therefrom horizontally in a plane lower than the upper surface of said plate, said extension being slightly narrower than the width of said bottom rail slot, a member pivotally attached to said plate and having a portion extending outwardly therefrom in a direction opposite to said first extension in a plane lower than the upper surface of said plate, said member being capable of rotation from a vertical to a horizontal position while said plate is in a horizontal position, whereby/said plate can be attached to the upper surface of said bottom rail by inserting said extension into said bottom rail slot below said upper surface of the plate and moving said second member from a vertical to a horizontal position with the extending portion below said upper surface of the plate.

2. In a device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said plate has a cord opening therein wide enough at one end to permit passage of the knotted end of said operating cord, and narrow enough at the other end to permit passage of the cord itself but not the knot thereon, and means for closing the wide end of said opening so that only the narrow end of said opening remains open, whereby removal of the knotted end of said cord is prevented when the closure means have been actuated. I

3. In a device in accordance with claim 1,

including means for locking said member into its horizontal position thereby preventing removal of said plate from said bottom rail.

l. In a device in accordance with claim 3, wherein said plate has a cord opening therein wide enough at one end to permit passage of the knotted end of said operating cord, and narrow enough at the other end to permit passage of the cord itself but not the knot thereon, and means for closing the wide end of said opening so that only the narrow end of said opening remains open, whereby removal of the knotted end of said cord is prevented when the closure means have been actuated.

5. In a device in accordance with claim 1, said plate having a cord opening therein wide enough at one end to permit passage of the knotted end of said operating cord, and narrowenough at the other end to permit passage of the cord itself but not the knot thereon, a catch on the upper surface of said plate, a latch pivotally attached to said member about a vertical axis when the member is in its horizontal position, said latch being adapted to be rotated to a locked position wherein the latch is retained by said catch and closes the wide end of said cord openmg.

6. In a device in accordance with claim 1, including a U-shaped member rotatably attached to said plate in such a. manner that the legs of said member are free to rotate with respect to said plate beneath the upper surface thereof,

each said leg being adapted to engage the lower end of one vertical tape of said tape ladder to fasten the end of said tape ladder to said bottom rail, and the portion connecting the legs of said U-shaped member acting as the pin for pivotally attaching said member to said plate.

7. In a device in accordance with claim 1, said plate having a cord opening therein wide enough at one end to permit passage of the knotted end of said operating cord, and narrow enough at the other end to permit passage of the cord itself but not the knot thereon, a catch on the upper surface of said plate, a latch pivotally attached to said member about a vertical axis when the member is in its horizontal position, said latch being adapted to be rotated to a locked position wherein the latch is retained by said catch and closes the wide end of said cord opening, said latch being so shaped that it may be rotated from a position wherein it is retained by said catch and the wide portion of said cord opening is closed, to an intermediate position wherein it is still retained by said catch but the wide portion of said cord opening is not closed, and to an unlocked position wherein it is not retained by said latch and the wide portion of said cord opening is not closed.

8. In a Venetian blind having a bottom rail with a slot formed in the upper surface thereof, a plate disposed transversely across the upper surface of said bottom rail and retained thereon, said plate having an operating cord opening formed therein with a wide and narrow end, a latch assembly hinged to said plate, said latch assembly including a hinge portion having an extension integrally formed therewith in a plane lower than the upper surface of said plate, said extension adapted to extend into said slot for securing said plate on said bottom rail, and a latch portion pivotally secured to said hinge portion and adapted to be rotated over the upper surface of said plate to "cover the wide end of said cord opening thereby retaining the knotted end of said cord beneath said plate.

9. In a Venetian blind as set forth in claim 8, a U-shaped member pivotally secured to the lower surface of said plate in such a manner that the legs of said member are free to rotate with respect to said plate, each of said legs engaging the lower end of a tape ladder thereby fastening said tape ladder to said bottom rail and the portion connecting the legs of said U-shaped member acting as the pin for attaching said hinge portion to said plate.

10. In a Venetian blind as set forth in claim 9, wherein said plate has a pair of bayonet slots formed therein for receiving the free ends of said legs, thereby locking said U-shaped member in position against said plate.

11. In a Venetian blind having a bottom rail, a plate adapted to be secured to said bottom said plate having an opening formed therein with a Wide end and a narrow end, extension means formed integral with said plate adjacent said opening and extending outwardly from said plate in a plane lower than the upper surface of said plate to engage said bottom rail, latch means pivotally secured to said plate on the end opposite said extension means, said latch means including hinge means having a second extension formed integral therewithv extending outwardly therefrom in a plane lower than the upper surface of said plate, said hinge means adapted to be moved from a vertical to aihorizontal position thereby moving said second extension into engagement with said bottom rail, and a latch pivotally secured to said hinge means and adapted to be moved over said wide end of said openingwhe'n said plate is positioned on said bottom rail.

References Cited in theme of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,376,990 Wright May 29, 1945 2,508,7 2 Bell May 23, 1950 2,529,229 Sherwood Nov. 7, 1950 2,561,141 Schaefer July 17, 1951 2,574,609 Appelbaum Nov. 13, 1951 2,594,806 Rosenbaum Apr. 29, 1952 2,600,062 Lorentzen June 10, 1952 2,624,086 Schaefer Jan. 6, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 3,851 Great Britain 1901 10,799 Great Britain 1912

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