Untitled record

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N.PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PERCHES MILES, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

WINDOW-CURTAIN FIXTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 16,989, dated April 7, 1857.

To dll whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Purches Miles, of the city and county of Hartford, in the State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful 5 Improvement in Curtain-Fixtures, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which—

Figure 1 represents a front elevation 10 showing my improvement as applied to a window, the front part of the bracket and spring being removed; and Fig. 2 a vertical section of the roller taken through the red line a? a? of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a plan 15 of the underside of the bracket and spring, showing the application of the latter to the flanged sides of the pulley, the band being removed, and the roller broken off; and Fig. 4 a vertical transverse section of the same, 20 through the line x a? of Fig. 3, looking toward the bracket.

On rolling up and unwinding window shades it not unfrequently happens that the cord or band which, operates them from some 25 derangement of the lower pulley is thrown from the upper one, causing trouble and inconvenience to the party raising it at the time; this being more especially the case with that class in which the lower pulley is 30 dispensed with, and to which mine more immediately belongs. The roller also on being operated is exceedingly liable to end play, and unless very rigidly supported, which in light work like this is a difficult 35 matter to accomplish, is very apt to slip out of its socket or bearing and fall to the ground, involving both time and trouble in replacing it.

To remedy these defects is the object of 40 my invention, and it consists in arranging a spring in front and another in rear of the roller between or resting upon the flanges of that end forming the pulley over which the band passes; as these springs rest upon pro45 j ections formed on the inner faces of the flanges or bear upon their edges and the band or cord passes between them and the pulley it will readily be seen that they will prevent the band from being thrown or cast 50 from the pulley; while their pressure upon the flanges will hold the shade at any re quired height. It will also be seen that as the springs are rigidly secured to the lips of the bracket at one end, and their other bears on the projections formed on the 55 inner surface of the flanges, that they will prevent any end play of the roller.

In the accompanying drawing E represents a bracket in the rear side of which a hole is cast' forming a bearing for the jour- 60 nal of the roller/cj. This bracket is provided with two lips (a) by which it can be fixed either between the casings or on the face of the window. To these lips are secured springs (D) so shaped in this instance 65 as to fit loosely between the flanges (B) and bear upon the circular projection formed on their inner surface, these springs serving the threefold purpose, of keeping the band in place; supporting the shade at any required 70 height; and preventing the roller from having end play.

In the use of springs bearing upon the roller sufficiently hard as to be able by their friction to support the curtain at any re- 75 quired height, it will readily suggest itself to the mind of any one conversant with these matters, that the usual pulley and ratchet to tighten the belt or cord to yield the requisite friction to revolve it, is im- 80 practicable_ as it would interfere with and impede their action in their capacity of supports to the shade. And as it is desirable to dispense with the simple cord secured atone end to the roller, which involves the 85 necessity of either drawing the shade down by its lower extremity (which has a tendency both to tear and soil it) or else the use of another cord upon the other extremity of the roller for this purpose. I remove these 90 difficulties by using as a cord, a band of tape (A) or other suitable material of the necessary width, having a series of metal eyelets (&lt;?) secured in it about an inch apart, or at such a distance as will correspond, with 95 a series of pins or teeth (e) projecting from the surface of the pulley (ri) which take into them. This band and armed pulley being particularly useful where the curtains are large and heavy, preventing slipping &amp;c. 100 to which it would otherwise be liable.