Pleat forming device

W. HACHTEL

PLEAT FORMING DEVICE

Dec. 29,1970

Filed Sept. 10, 1968

3,550,184

Sheets-Sheet 1

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3,550,184

W. HACHTEL

PLEAT FORMING DEVICE

Dec. 29, 1970

Filed Sept. 10, 1968

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INVENTOR

BY . .,,

United States Patent Office

3,550,184

Patented Dec. 29, 1970

3,550,184 PLEAT FORMING DEVICE Wilhelm Hachtel, 6994 Niederstetten, Germany Filed Sept. 10,1968, Ser. No. 758,797

Claims priority, application Germany, Sept. 15, 1967, 5

1,271,923 Int. Cl. E05d 13/02 U,S. CI. 16—87.2 11 Claims

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A hanging arm which supports a curtain, drape or the like is connected at its upper region to a hanger which is guided by a curtain rod. An upwardly pointed pleat hold- 15 ing arm extends from the lower region of the hanging arm and is moveably connected thereto.

This invention relates to a device for forming pleats on drapes, curtains or the like, and more particularly to hangers insertable in tracks of curtain rods and hanging bars pivotably connected at the upper ends thereof to the hangers and pivotable perpendicularly to the pulling direction of the curtains.

Such devices are used to produce unusually decorative pleats. Usually their relatively long arms are inserted into pockets formed in wide pleat bands, in which one skips a certain number of pockets between arms. If the device has, for example, four arms, the two outer arms can be inserted into the first and sixth pockets. A single pleat is thus produced. If a triple pleat is to be obtained, one inserts the first arm in the first pocket, the second arm in the fifth pocket, the third arm in the eleventh pocket and the fourth arm in the sixteenth pocket.

In order to be able to deflect'the curtain perpendicularly to the pulling direction, for instance when opening a door or a window or only to better examine the quality of the curtain material (by gripping the lower end of the curtain and pulling it toward oneself), an articulated connection has been provided between the hanger and the arms, so that the hangers will not cant in the guide tracks of the curtain rod and the relatively long arms will not bend. Such a curtain rolls well in the pulling direction even when it is gripped by hand and pulled obliquely thereto.

One shortcoming in pleat forming devices heretofore is that the pleats, although very decorative, always have the same form, regardless of whether the curtain is drawn all the way, pushed back all the way, or opened partially.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a pleat forming device in which the pleat breathes so to speak, that is, when the curtain is pushed back the pleat is very narrow, but becomes the more voluminous the more the curtain is drawn.

This object is accomplished in the present invention in that from the lower region of the hanging arms upwardly pointing pleat holding arms extend and that the hanging arms are pivotably connected with the respective pleat holding arms. The hanging arms dr pleat holding arms are inserted in a wide pleat band and are parallel with one another and perpendicular when the curtain is pushed back all the way. When, however, the curtain is drawn, a pull occurs in the pleat band whereby the pleat holding arms form a larger and larger angle with the hanging arms and as a result the upper region of the pleats open slowly.

Advantageously, the transition between the hanging arms and respective pleat holding arms has a cross-section reduction. Thereby an articulated connection is obtained in a simple manner between the hanging arms and the pleat holding arms, which yields to the pull in the pleat band without the hanging arms or pleat holding arms bending due to this pull.

Advantageously, at least one strap is provided, which is fastened to the hanger and in the region of the free end of the respective pleat holding arm. By such a strap, the angle of opening of the pleats can be limited. Moreover, this strap can absorb a part of the pull in the pleat band.

Advantageously, the strap is formed integrally with the hanger and has at its free end an eyelet which can be snapped onto the free end of the respective pleat holding arm. This makes the strap undetachable and it needs to be fastened in use only at one point, namely at the pleat holding arm. Moreover, the hanger and the eyelet can be spray coated in one operation.

Advantageously, the pleat holding arms have a fiuted profile. Due to this profile they are given sufficient stiffness without having to use substantially more material. Moreover, the fluted profile can be formed so that because of its spring force it lies tight in the pockets of the pleat holding band.

Advantageously, the fluffed profile has openings at its base. A fixing arm is provided which is insertable in the fluted profile and has hooks that can engage in the openings. Owing to this, it is also possible to fasten curtains which do not have a pleat band to the hanging arms or pleat holding arms. This use masters the forces occurring in the devices according to the invention, and the fixing arm contributes to the stiffness of the pleat holding arms and may do so for the hanging arms as well.

Advantageously, the fluted profile and the fixing arm have on opposed faces a sawtooth-type profile. This ensures that the openings and the hook always remain in engagement.

Advantageously, the fluted profile has in cross-section a circumference of more than 180 degrees and tapers conically toward its lower region. A corresponding selfretaining core is insertable into the fluted profile. This arrangement has proved successful for curtains, in particular, light curtains, which do not have a curtain band. By virtue of this self-retention feature, the core does not lift out of the fluted channel.

Advantageously, the core consists of rings of different radii. This increases the self-retention and improves the assurance that the curtain is retained.

Advantageously, the core has a handle at its wide end. It can then be pulled out of the fluted profile without difficulty and without tools.

Other objects and features of the invention will be evident from the following detailed description taken together with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a hanger inserted in a curtain rod shown broken away, under which unhooked hanging arms and pleat holding arms are arranged.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view according to lines 2—2 in

FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3—3 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1, of a second embodiment of the invention.

3,550, 3

FIG. 5 is a sectional view according to lines 5—5 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a pleat holding arm, shown in section, of a further embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a pleat holding arm, shown in section, of a _rfurther embodiment of the invention. ⁰

FIG. 8 is a side view of a fixing arm.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of region A in FIG. 7 with the fixing arm in hooked position.

FIG. 10 is a transverse section through hanging arms ₁₀with fixing arms inserted.

FIG. 11 is a longitudinal section through another embodiment of pleat holding arm.

FIG. 12 is a side view of a core for the pleat holding arm according to FIG. 11. 15

FIG. 13 is a sectional view along lines 13—13 in FIG. 11 with the core inserted, on a larger scale.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 a hanger 10 is inserted by its rollers 11 in a track 12 of a curtain rod 13.

The legs of the hanger 10 have necks 14 and heads 15 20 representing hinge pins molded to them. In addition, the right leg has a strap 16 molded to it which carries at its free end an eyelet 18.

Also, there are provided two parallel hanging arms 19, which carry at their upper end an eyelet 20 which can 25 be pushed over one of the heads 15 and then hang by the upper eyelet portion on the respective neck 14. This hinge connection permits pivoting the hanging arm 19 in the counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3 with neck 14 as the pivot point, without the hanger 10 having to 30 follow this pivotal movement.

In the upper region the hanging arms 19 present bulges 21, whereby the pockets of the curtain band are expanded in places and thus do not slip on the hanging arms 19. At their lower end the hanging arms 19 are inter-connected 35 by a yoke 2’2. In addition, two horns 24, two holders 25, and two pleat holding arms 26 originate from the yoke 22. The horns 24 serve to give support to the pleat so that it hangs down outwardly. Moreover, one can retain the middle pleat edge between the horns 24 in the case of 40 double pleats, for example. The holders 25 may have the curtain band hooked into them. Also spacers or a cord may be fastened to them.

The pleat holding arms 26 have at their lower end a cross-section reduction 28, so that they can be pivoted _4gabout this cross-section reduction 28 as center of rotation, namely the pleat holding arm 26 at left in FIG. 1 rotates counterclockwise and the right pleat holding arm rotates clockwise. The free end of the pleat holding arms 26 carries a small head 27 onto which the eyelets 18 can be ₅θ snapped. When the pleat is fully opened, strap 16 is entirely stretched and the pleat holding arms 26 have their maximum deflection.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a somewhat different hanger 10 is provided. A double-T rod is 55 used as curtain rod 13. The necks 14 with heads 15 point outwardly and can be hooked into identical eyelets to the eyelets 20 in the first embodiment. The hanging arms 19 are also designed the same. The pleat holding arms 26 are designed in the form of a fluted channel which has a GO shallow arch. When these pleat holding arms 26 are inserted into the pocket of a curtain band, the radius of the channel becomes smaller and the pleat holding arms 26 stick fast in the pockets. For additional assurance, a hole 29 is provided, by means of which the curtain band ⁶⁵or the curtain can be sewed on.

For fine lace tulles a pleat holding arm 26 according to FIG. 6 is suitable, to which the tulle can be sewn by means of the holes 29. If the curtain has no curtain band, one can use a pleat holding arm according to FIGS. 7, 8 and 9. It too, has a fluted profile. On the base of the fluted channel, openings 30 are provided, the precise form which is evident from FIG. 9. 75

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A fixing arm 31 can be inserted in the pleat holding arm 26 and presents hooks 32 which have the form shown in FIG. 9. Lastly the fluted profile and the fixing arm 31 are provided on opposed faces with a sawtooth type profile 34, 35. As is evident particularly from FIG. 9, the fixing arm 31 cannot move upward, so that the hook 32 cannot disengage from the opening 30 or respectively from the heel 36 thereof. In the representation according to FIG. 9, some clearance was drawn between the profiles 34 and 35, which is taken up by the curtain material and whereby the ratchet effect is further increased.

In the case of the pleat holding arm 26 according to FIG. 11, the curtain material needs to be neither pierced nor sewn. As is seen from FIG. 13, the fluted profile has in cross-section a circumference of more than 180 degrees. As seen in FIG. 11, the fluted profile tapers conically toward the lower end. A one piece core 38 may be inserted in the pleat holding arm 26 and consists of a number of rings 39 and is conical similar to the fluted profile of the pleat holding arm 26, At its upper end a handle 41 is provided, to prevent the core 38 from being inserted into the pleat holding arm 26 too far and by which one can pull the core 38 out again without difficulty. If a curtain is to be fastened to the pleat holding arm 26 according to FIGS. 11-13, one wraps the core 38 with material half around. As the core 38 is of knurled conformation, the material does not slip against it. Thereupon one pushes the core 38 plus material into the pleat holding arm 26.

Naturally, the above described fastening devices, which master the special requirements of a breathing pleat, may be applied to the hanging arms 19 as well. As shown in FIG. 10, these hanging arms 19 need not necessarily be single arms. FIG. 10 shows a transverse section through a hanging device. Three parallel bars 42, 43, 44 are provided, which are rigidly connected together and present pockets 46 and 47 accessible from the right. Into these pockets 46, 47 fixing arms 48, 49 can be inserted and thereby retain material. The fixing arms may be designed similar to the fixing arm 31 of FIG. 8. In the pockets 46, 47 the fixing bars 48, 49 are held by heads 51 and by projections 52. Additionally, an arrangement of sawtooth profiles according to the profiles 34, 35 of FIG. 9 may be provided.

As seen in FIG. 4, the pleat holding arms 26 need not always lie parallel with the hanging arms 19 in the position of rest. Moreover, by connecting together only one hanging arm 19 and one pleat holding arm 26, one can also produce unsymmetrical pleats.