Automatic shade

March 7, 1939.

E. VAN BOSCH ET AL 2,149,481 automatic shade

Filed Jan. 27, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1

<img file="US2149481A_D0001.tif" />

March 7, 1939.

E. VAN BOSCH ET AL

2,149,481

AUTOMATIC SHADE

Filed Jan. 27, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2

<img file="US2149481A_D0002.tif" />

March 7, 1939.

E. VAN BOSCH ET AL

AUTOMATIC SHADE

Filed Jan. 27, 1936

2,149,481

Sheets-Sheet 3

<img file="US2149481A_D0003.tif" />

<img file="US2149481A_D0004.tif" />

Patented Mar. 7, 1939

2,149,481

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,149,481 AUTOMATIC SHADE Edward Van Bosch and Reinhold H. Hoffman, Chicago, HL; said Edward Van Bosch assignor to Maurice Van Bosch, Chicago, HL

Application January 27, 1936, Serial No. 61,021

Claims. (CI. 156—17)

The invention relates to window shades.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved window shade with improved automatic raising and lowering mechanism which is con5 trolled by weather conditions, such as temperature or light.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel fea10 tures which are hereinafter set forth and are more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view, partly in elevation and partly 15 in section, of a shade embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 2—2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3—3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail vertical section through a pair of vanes on an enlarged scale. Fig. 5 is a side ele20 vation of the automatic coupling device between the electric motor and the gearing for raising the shade. Fig. 6 is a section on line 6—6 of Fig. 5. Fig.7 is a detail showing the electromagneticallyreleased brake for the raising and lowering mech25 anism. Fig. 8 is a section on line 8—8 of Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective of one of the vanes and its connecting-chains. Fig. 10 is a diagram of the electrical connections for thermostatically and manually controlling the shade. Fig. Il ls a 30 diagram of a modification illustrating the connections for controlling the operation of the shade automatically by means of a photoelectric cell.

The invention is exemplified as applied to a window comprising a frame 15 which may be of 35 any suitable construction, and upper and lower sashes 16 and 17 slidably mounted in the frame. The shade is illustrated as applied on the outer side of the window, and comprises a vertical series of vanes Ί 8, preferably of sheet metal. Each vane 40 is provided at either end with a projecting pintle 19 on its medial longitudinal axis. Vertical anglebars 20 are secured to the side of the frame IS to form channels for vertically guiding the pintles. These pintles 19 are preferably secured in out45 struck tongues 21 in the vanes and project into guideways formed in the bars 20. These channels and pintles serve to guide the vanes vertically and to retain them against transverse bodily movement. The inner and outer margins of the entire 50 series of vanes are connected for uniform tilting by chains 22. Rings 23 extend through and are fixedly secured in the vanes. The cross-wires 24 of the chains 22, which are formed of looped wire, extend through the rings 23. Rings 23 are nor85 mally split to receive the cross-wires 24 and then closed to retain said wires, and to pivotally connect the margins of the chains and the vanes.

The uppermost vane 18 is held against vertical movement in the channels 20, having affixed thereto a shaft 25. Manually-operable mecha- 6 nism for tilting, the vanes to Open and close the shade comprises, a handle 28 fixed to a shaft 27 which is journaled in lugs 28 and has affixed thereto a worm 29, a worm-gear 30 engaged by worm 29 and fixed to the lower end of a vertical 10 shaft 31, a bevelled pinion 32 fixed to the upper end of shaft 31 and a bevelled pinion 33 fixed to the shaft 25 of the upper vane. This mechanism is preferably placed in a recess provided in the wall at one end of the window-frame and the 15 handle 26 is located within convenient reach.

Mechanism for raising and lowering the shade comprises a transverse shaft 36 which extends across the upper position of the window and is journaled in bearings 37 which are fixed to the 2® frame 15; drums or spools 38, which are fixed to said shaft; and metal tapes 39, which have their lower ends pivotally connected to the lowermost vane, extend vertically through central slots 40 in all of the other vanes and have their upper 25 ends secured to the drum or spools 38, respectively. When the drums 38 are rotated in one direction, the tapes 39 will be wound thereon and will, commencing with the lowermost vane, serially lift the vanes until they have all been lifted and 3® brought together adjacent the uppermost vane. When the drums 38 are released to rotate in the opposite direction, the vanes will be lowered by gravity. During this raising and lowering movement, each vane will be guided vertically by its @5 pintles 19 and between channels in bars 20. If desired, the lowermost vane may be weighted or made of sufficient weight to insure the lowering of the vanes by gravity.

Mechanism for operating shaft 36 to raise the so shade by power from an electric motor 41, comprises a clutch composed of a member 42 which is operatively connected to the motor shaft and a coacting clutch-member 43; a shaft 44 coaxial with the shaft of motor 41 mounted in a bearing 45 45 and to which member 43 is fixed; a pinion 46 fixed to shaft 44; and a gear 47 fixed to shaft 36. A spring 48 normally holds clutch-members 42, 43 apart so that shaft 44 is normally uncoupled from clutch-member 42 and the motor. Clutch- 50 member 42 is connected to the shaft of motor 41 by a pin 49, which is fixed to said shaft and a helical slot 50 formed in the hub of member 42. When the motor 41 is operated, pin 49 will engage the walls of the helical slot 50 and move clutch- 55

3,149,481 member 42 axially into engagement with clutchmember 43. When the motor stops, spring 48 will move clutch-member 42 axially to uncouple it from the driven member 43. This exemplifies _e means for automatically coupling the motor to the driving mechanism when the motor is started and uncoupling the motor therefrom when the motor stops, so that the motor will, except during the lifting operation, be uncoupled from the 10 lifting mechanism.

The shade is held in raised position by a brake or holding-means which comprises a grooved drum or pulley 51 fixed to shaft 44 and a brakeshoe 52 pivotally supported at 53. A solenoid 15 magnet 54 has its armature connected by a link 55 to brake-shoe 52 to shift the shoe to release the drum 59. The shoe is normally held by gravity against the drum 51 or may be so held by a spring 52». The magnet 54 is controlled by 20 means hereinafter described.

Means for automatically controlling the operation of the motor to cause it to stop when the shade has been raised comprises a screw 57 on shaft 36, a nut 58 threaded to said screw and suit26 ably held against rotation and a high-limit switch 59 which is opened by an adjustable screw on nut 58. A low-limit switch 68 is adapted to be opened by an adjustable screw on said nut when the shade is lowered.

The invention also comprises means for automatically controlling the raising and lowering of the shade by weather conditions such as changes in temperature or light. For automatically controlling the raising and lowering of the shade by 35 temperature, a thermostat 62 is provided in a suitable semi-spherical shell 62^a which is placed in position to be exposed to heat from the sun. The mechanism for raising and lowering the shade and the electrical control devices are pref40 erably enclosed in a box 63 placed adjacent the top of the window-frame 15 and over the shade. This switch-mechanism comprises a double throw-switch lever 100; a pair of switch contacts 68 adapted to be bridged by lever 100 and an as45 sociated pair of contacts 64 adapted to be simultaneously bridged by said lever for setting the control for automatic operation; a pair of switch contacts 67 adapted to be bridged by lever 100 for manual control of the shade; a push-button switch 65 for manually controlling the raising of the shade, and a push-button switch 66 for manually controlling the lowering of the shade. When the lever 100 is in its neutral position, both the manual and automatic controls are inopera55 tive. When lever 100 is shifted to close circuits through contacts 64, 68, respectively, the shade will be automatically controlled by the thermostat 62. When lever 100 is shifted to close a circuit through contacts 67, the shade will be manually controlled by switches 65, 66. The control mechanism also comprises an electromagnet 69 for conjointly controlling a group of normally-open switches 70, 71, 72 and a normallyclosed switch 73. Magnet 54, which controls the brake 52, operates a switch 84. A transformer 78, 78^a is provided to reduce the voltage in the line connected to motor 41 for the control circuits.

When the shade is to be automatically con70 trolled, the lever 900 will be set to close circuits through switch-contacts 68 and 64, respectively. Electric motor 49 is inclined in a circuit between the line wires 76 and 77 in which is included the normally-open switch 70. Assuming the shade 75 to be lowered and the temperature changes suf ficiently to actuate thermostate 62 and shift it to the left in response to sufficient lowering of temperature to make it desirable to raise the shade, a control circuit will be established as follows: transformer-coil 78, conductor 79, switch-con- 5 tacts 68, conductor 80, switch-contacts 64, conductor 81, thermostat 62, conductor 87 in which the helix of magnet 69 is included, high-limit switch 59 and conductor 83. This circuit will energize magnet 69 and shift its associate group 10 of switches, including switch 70, which will close the line-circuit through the motor 51 to cause the motor to operate. Simultaneously, the following circuit will be established through magnet 54 to cause it to release the normally-set 15 brake 52, viz: transformer-coil 78, conductor 85, switch 72, conductor 86, and the conductor 83 in which the helix of magnet 54 is included. When the helix of magnet 69 is energized, it will also close switch 79 to provide the following circuit 20 for keeping magnet 69 energized independently of the thermostat, viz: conductor 71», switch 79, conductor 7l^b, conductor 87, in which the helix of magnet 69 is included, and high-limit switch 59. This circuit will be interrupted at the high- 25 limit switch 59 when the shade is fully raised.

Brake 52 will be held released and the motor 41 will, through the lifting mechanism wind up the tapes 39 to raise the shade until the nut 58 opens the high-limit switch 59. When the shade 80 has been raised and limit-switch 59 has been opened by nut 58, the circuit through magnet 69 will be interrupted at said switch and this will open the motor-circuit at switch 70. It will also interrupt the circuit for the brake-releasing 35 magnet 54 at switch 72. The brake will then be applied to the lifting mechanism to hold the shade raised and the motor will be automatically uncoupled from the lifting mechanism. When the temperature rises to make it desirable to 40 lower the shade, thermostat 62 will be operated to close the following circuit, viz: transformer-coil 78, conductor 79, switch-contacts 68, conductor 80, switch-contacts 64, conductor 81, thermostat 62, conductor 88, low-limit switch 60 and con- 45 ductor 83, in which the helix of magnet 54 is included. This will energize magnet 54, which will release the brake to permit the shade to fall by gravity, the motor then remaining uncoupled from the lifting mechanism and magnet will 50 simultaneously close switch 84. As a result of closing switch 84, a circuit will be established to keep magnet 54 energized until the shade has been lowered and low-limit switch 60 is opened by nut 58. The circuit for keeping magnet 54 55 energized during this lowering cycle independently of thermostat 62 will be as follows: conductor 80, conductor 89, switch 73, conductor 90, switch 84, conductor 82, low-limit switch 60 and conductor 83 in which the helix of magnet 54 is in- 60 eluded. When the low-limit switch 60 is opened, the last-described circuit will be opened to deenergize magnet 54 and to set the brake.

When it is desired to manually control the operation of motor 49 to lift the shade, the 65 switch-lever 100 will be shifted to cut out contacts 64, 68 and close switch-contacts 67 so that magnets 69 and 54 can be controlled from pushbuttons 65, 66 independently of the thermostat. When it is desired to raise the shade, push-but- 70 ton switch 65 will be closed, which will establish the following circuit: transformer-coil 78, conductor 79, switch-contacts 67, conductor 909, push-button switch 65, conductors 902, 87, magnet 69, and high-limit switch 59, so the magnet 7β

3,149,481 3 will operate its associated group of switches, including 10, which closes the motor-circuit. Simultaneously, a circuit for releasing the brake will be established as follows: conductors 79, 8S, 5 switch 12, conductor 86' and conductor 83, in which the helix of magnet 54 is included. When the up-button is released, the motor will stop and the brake will be set, unless the switch-button is kept depressed until the shade reaches its 10 high limit, at which time the circuit will be interrupted by the high-limit switch 59.

When it is desired to lower the shade under manual control, the push-button switch 66 will be closed to establish a circuit as follows: trans15 former-coil 18, conductor 104, switch 66, conductor 88, low-limit switch 60 and conductor 83, in which the helix of magnet 54 is included, so that the brake will be released and permit the shade to be lowered by gravity until the switch 20 66 is released or until the low-limit switch 60 is opened by a nut 58. By means of switches 65, 66, the shade may be partially raised or lowered to any desired extent or to any desired intermediate position between the high and low limits. 25 When switch 61 is closed, switch-contacts 64 and 68 will be open to cut out the circuits for holding the circuits for the magnets 69 and 54 closed until they are opened by the high and low-limit switches.

Mg. 11 illustrates a modified form of the invention in which a photoelectric or light-sensitive cell 92, which is exposed to sunlight, is used for controlling the shade in lieu of a thermostat. This cell is supplied with current from a battery 35 93 in a circuit which includes a helix 94. Helix 94 operates a switch 95 which is connected in a circuit which includes a battery 96 and the helix 91 of a magnet which is adapted to operate a switch 98. Switch 98 controls circuits the same as heretofore described in connection with the thermostat, the contacts of said switch being connected to conductors 88, 81 and 81 as shown. In this modification the cell 92 is actuated by sunlight to operate the magnet 94 to close the cir_4S cult for the magnet 97 which will operate the ⁴⁰ switch 98 to establish circuits through conductor 87 as hereinbefore described for automatically lowering the shade. When the sunlight is insufficient to actuate the cell 92, these circuits will _r be interrupted and switch 98 will close the circuits through conductor 88 as heretofore described for operating the motor 41 to raise the shade.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may .. be modified within the scope of the appended ^a claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.