Track assembly

April 21, 1964

Filed May 18, 1959

A. WEBER

TRACK ASSEMBLY

3,129,751

Sheets-Sheet 1

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April 21, 1964

3,129,751

A. WEBER

TRACK ASSEMBLY

Filed May 18, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2

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21 17

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3,129,751

Patented Apr. 21, 1964

United States Patent Office

3,129,751

TRACK ASSEMBLY

Alexander Weber, Zoliikofen, near Bern, Switzerland, assignor to Dr. Hans Beer, Bera, Switzerland, and Mrs. Emma Weber-Horisberger, trading as AWEPA, Zollikofen, near Bern, Switzerland

Filed May 18, 1959, Ser. No. 813,841

Claims priority, application Switzerland May 21, 1958

Claims. (Cl. 160—345)

The present invention relates to track assemblies.

More particularly, the present invention relates to that type of track assembly which is used for supporting draw curtains. For example, track assemblies of this type can be connected to a wall or ceiling so as to support draw curtains for movement to and from a position covering a window, doorway, etc. Of course, the track assemblies are not necessarily limited to a use with draw curtains and may have other uses.

Conventional track assemblies of this type have several disadvantages. Thus, it is extremely inconvenient to fix conventional track assemblies to a desired support surface. Where screw members extend through openings of the track structure into a wall or ceiling, the type of screw which can be used and the size thereof is limited by the size of the track, and also it is extremely difficult for one person to mount the track in a desired location. Thus, one person must hold a screw driver in one hand and with the other hand must hold not only the track itself but also the screw preparatory to applying the screw driver to the latter, and in addition to the difficulties involved in this operation it very frequently happens that the openings for the screws are not located at the desired positions which are convenient to the operator as well as those which are best adapted for the particular wall or ceiling.

One of the objects of the present invention is to overcome the above drawbacks by providing a track assembly of the above type which can very easily and conveniently be mounted at any desired location by a single person. Another object of the present invention is to provide a structure of the above type wherein, when the track is mounted at a desired location, the exterior of the track itself is visible and all fastening elements are hidden from view. Thus, in this way the fastening structure is protected by the structure against the possibility of injuring people or tearing fabric or the like with which the track may be associated.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a track assembly of the above type which can be reliably connected to any desired part of a wall or ceiling extending in any desired direction therealong and having any desired arrangement of pull cords.

With the above objects in view the present invention includes in a track assembly of the above type, an elongated channel having an exterior track portion and a pair of opposed side wall portions which respectively terminate in free side edges which are adapted to be located adjacent a surface of a support to which the channel is to be connected with the hollow interior thereof directed toward the support surface. These side wall portions of the channel fixedly carry in the interior thereof fastening projections in the form of longitudinally extending flanges. A fastener means is turnably connected by the operator to the surface of the support prior to applying the channel thereto, and this rotary fastening means is provided with a pair of wings which are opposed to each other and which are adapted to engage the flanges at the surfaces of the latter which are directed away from the support surface so as to hold the channel against the support surface. With this arrangement the fastener means itself is for the most part housed within the channel and of course the flanges which cooperate with the fastener means are also located within the channels and there are no exterior fastening elements which can be engaged so as to injure any person or object, for example, and also with this arrangement the operator first connects the fastener means to the support surface so that the channel ³ can then be very easily and quickly fastened thereto.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together ⁴³ with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in.which:

FIG. 1 is a transverse, sectional elevational view through a track assembly according to the present invention showing the latter connected to a support;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the structure of FIG. 1, FIG. 2 showing the structure as it appears when looking downwardly on the structure from the support surface;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a fastener element according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an end view of a fastener element according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a structure as it appears ³ when looking toward the interior of the channel of the invention, FIG. 5 showing how an extension strip cooperates with the channel;

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional illustration of the cooperation between a channel and extension strip of track assembly of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view illustrating the structure of a unit which includes a roll for guiding a pull cord;

_gg FIG. 8 shows the arrangement of pull cord units according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a transverse sectional view of another embodiment of a channel according to the present invention; and ₄₀ FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the structure of FIG. 9 showing how part of this structure may be cut away for a purpose described below.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the track assembly illustrated therein includes an elongated channel 1 which may be made of any suitable metal or plastic which can be extruded through a suitable die so as to have the configuration illustrated in FIG. 1. The channel 1 is provided with an exterior substantially central track portion la in which any suitable slide member is guided for longi₅θ tudinal movement along the track portion la of the channel 1, such a slide member being conventional and being connected to a curtain or the like so as to support the latter. At opposite sides of the track portion la the channel 1 is provided with the elongated grooves 7 which _gg are of substantially circular cross section and which serve to guide pull cords for movement longitudinally of the grooves 7, at least one of the pull cords being connected to the slide members which move along the track portion la so that by pulling on the pull cord the operator can ₆₀ shift the slide members along the track portion la to adjust the curtains which are carried by such slide members, as is well known.

As may be seen from FIG. 1, the channel 1 is provided with a pair of opposed side wall portions 5 and 6 which _6g respectively terminate in free edges which are located, when the channel 1 is mounted for use, adjacent to the surface 2 of a support such as a wall or ceiling. Thus, it will be seen that the free edge 8 of the side wall portion 6 of the channel is located in direct engagement with the ₇0 surface 2 of the support.

In accordance with the present invention channel 1 has fixedly, connected to its side wall portions 5 and 6 in

3,129,751 the interior of the channel 1 projections in the form of longitudinally extending flanges 3 and 4 which serve as elements to cooperate with a fastener means described below. As is apparent from FIG. 1 the free edge portion 8 of the side wall 6 extends beyond the flange 4 while 5 the flange 3 is located at the free edge of the opposite side wall portion 5 of the channel 1.

The structure of the invention includes one or more fastener means 9 which are adapted to be rotatably connected to the support at the surface 2 thereof. Each jq fastener means 9 is in the form of a substantially flat plate at least at its central portion 10. This central plate portion 10 of the fastener means 9 is formed with a bore through which a screw 11 passes into threaded engagement with the support so as to turnably connect the fas- 15 tener means 9 to the support for turning movement around the screw 11. Each fastener means 9 includes a pair of opposed wing portions 12 which are diametrically opposed to each other and which are adapted to engage the flanges 3 and 4 at the sides of the latter which are 20 directed away from the support surface 2, as is evident from FIG. 1, so that the fastener 9 serves in this way to fix the channel 1 to the support surface 2. The wing portions 12 of each fastener 9 respectively extend along a pair of helices and each fastener means 9 includes an 25 elongated lever 13 shown most clearly in FIG. 2.

The plurality of fastener means are first fixed by screws 11 to the support at the surface 2 of the latter with the plurality of fastener means 9 spaced at any desired distance from each other and located along any desired 30 path along which it is desired to place the channel or channels 1. After the user has mounted a plurality of fastener means 9 on the support, the plurality of fastener means 9 are placed in position shown at the right of FIG.

2. It will be noted that the wing portions 12 are of such 35 a size that they will be freely located between the flanges 3 and 4 so that the latter can easily pass over the entire fastener means with the exception of the lever 13 thereof, this lever 13 extending betw'een the flange 3 and the support surface 2 outwardly beyond the side wall 5, as is 40 evident from the right portion of FIG. 2. It will be noted that the diameter of the plate portion 10 of the fastener means 9 is smaller than the distance between the fastening flanges 3 and 4.

Thus, with the plurality of the fastener means 9 in the position shown at the right of FIG. 2, the operator need 45 only place the channel 1 against the surface 2, and then the operator can turn the several levers 13. These will be turned in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 2, so as to turn the levers 13 from the position shown at the right of FIG. 2 to the position shown at the left of 50 FIG. 2. As a result the levers 13 will become located to a greater degree between the channel 1 and the surface 2 and the spiral wing portions 12 will engage the flanges 3 and 4 and will press against the latter so as to securely hold the channel 1 against the surface 2. The levers 13 55 can be turned up to the position indicated at the left of FIG. 2 so that the entire fastener means is located between the channel 1 and the surface 2 with the entire fastener means as well as the flanges 3 and 4 hidden from view and out of the way of any possible catching on fabric 60 or on personnel so as to cause the undesirable injuries. The free end 14 of each lever 13 may be engaged with a screw driver, for example, when it is desired to remove the channel 1 from the supporting surface, and for this purpose an opening 15 may be provided at the free end 65 portion 14 of each lever 13 so that a pin may be inserted into the opening 15 to facilitate turning of the lever 13, such a pin being insertable after the lever 13 has been turned to a position where the hole 15 is located beyond the side wall 5 of the channel. 70

As is apparent from FIG. 1, while the free side edge 8 of the side wall 6 is in direct engagement with the surface 2, the free edge of the side wall 5 is spaced from this surface but presses against the several levers 13 which are themselves in direct engagement with the surface 2. 75

The channels 1 of the track assemblies of the invention may be open at their ends, and an extension strip 16 having a configuration shown in FIGS. 5-7 may be introduced telescopically into the channel 1 through an open end of the latter. As is apparent from FIG. 6, the extension strip 16 engages the base of the channel 1 in the interior of the latter, and the width of the strip 16 is such that the side edge portions of the strip 16 engage the flanges 3 and 4 at the sides of the latter which are directed away from the surface 2. In this way the channel 1 and the strip 16 cooperate with each other in such a way that the channel 1 guides the strip 16 for longitudinal movement with respect to the latter, and this strip 16 has upwardly directed longitudinal portions which at their top surfaces are adapted to engage the surface 2 so as to be further guided for longitudinal movement in this way.

The strip 16 is adapted to carry a unit 17 which is provided with a guide roll 22 for guiding the pull cord. Thus, as may be seen from FIG. 7, a screw 24 is threadedly connected to the extension strip 16 at a part of the latter which is located beyond the channel 1, and this screw 24 passes through an axial bore of a tubular member 23 which is formed integral with the exterior plate portion of the unit 17, as is evident from FIG. 7. This tubular portion 23 turnably supports the guide roll 22 for the pull cord which is adapted to pass around the guide roll 22, and it will be seen that with this arrangement the downwardly directed surface of the extension strip 16, as viewed in FIG. 7, engages the top surface of the guide roll 22 to prevent axial movement of the latter on the sleeve 23. Thus, it is possible with the screw 24 to fix the unit 17 of FIG. 7 to the extension strip 16 to an end of the latter, the threaded opening of the strip 16 which receives the screw 24 being shown at the right of FIG. 5. With the unit 17 fixed to the strip 16 the latter may be moved longitudinally with respect to the channel 1 so as to locate the unit 17 at any desired position with respect to the channel 1.

FIG. 8 illustrates the arrangement shown in FIG. 5 in further detail. As can be seen from FIG. 8, an additional member 17 is fixed to the end of the extension strip 16 projecting beyond one end of the channel 1. The member 17 is substantially in the form of a cap abutting with an upper edge thereof against the support face to which the elongated channel 1 is connected and with a hollow stem 23 against the bottom surface of the extension strip 16. A screw 24 extends through the hollow stem 23 and is screwed in a correspondingly threaded opening in the extension strip 16 to fasten the member 17 to the extension strip. Tumably arranged about the stem 23 is a guide roll 22 having an axis extending substantially normal to the support surface. The member 17 is provided at a portion thereof extending beyond the extension strip 17 with a downwardly directed opening in which a sleeve 25 having an opening 21 is fixedly mounted. This sleeve 25 is made from a material which is more resistant to wear than the member 17. The two runs of a pull cord 29 are guided in the groove of the guide roll 22 and the ends of the pull cord preferably extend through the opening 21 in the sleeve 25 to the exterior of the unit so that the pull cord may be operated properly.

Referring now to FIGS. 9 and 10, there is shown therein another embodiment of invention according to which the elongated channel of the invention is still provided with the fastening projections in the form of the flanges 3 and 4 which extend longitudinally along the channel fixed to the opposed side walls of the latter so as to cooperate in the above-described manner with the plurality of fastening means 9. The channel of FIGS. 9 and 10 includes an exterior track portion 26 along which slide members are adapted to glide, and in this case there are no pull cords and the articles such as curtains or the like which are supported from

3,129,751 such slide members are simply pulled by the user so as to arrange the curtains as desired the pulling on the curtains or the like moving the slide members along the track 26 in a well known manner. It will be noted that this track portion 26 of the embodiment of FIGS. 5 9 and 10 is located to one side of the channel of FIGS. 9 and 10, so that the base of the channel includes an elongated portion 27 of relatively large width which is located to one side of the track portion 26. In its upper face as viewed in FIG. 9, the base of the channel jo is formed with an elongated groove 29 for a purpose described below. The channel of FIGS. 9 and 10 is made of any suitable plastic or metal which can be bent by the user. Thus, if it is desired to extend the channel and the track portion 26 thereof along a path which is 15 not straight, it is only necessary to cut away a substantially sector-shaped portion of the channel to the right of the track portion 26 thereof, as viewed in FIG. 9, and FIG. 10 shows an edge 28 of such a sector-shaped cutout portion. Once such a part of the channel of 20 FIGS. 9 and 10 is cut away, it is possible to simply bend the channel so that track portion 26 thereof extends along a desired curved path, and the groove or longitudinal indentation 29 greatly facilitates the separation of the cut away part of the channel from the re- 25 mainder of the latter. Thus, with the embodiment of FIGS. 9 and 10 it is a simple matter to arrange the channel so that it extends along any desired path.

It is apparent that the above-described structure of the invention can be applied to any desired wall, ceiling 30 or the like for the purpose of supporting any curtains, panels, pictures, etc., for movement.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of track assemblies dif- 35 fering from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in track assemblies for supporting draw curtains or the like, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and struc- ⁴θ tural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.