US2056823A - Window shade - Google Patents

Description

R. BROWN WINDOW SHADE Oct. 6, 1936.

Filed Aug. 19, 1955 INVENTOK Passe-r iBeow v BY a ATTORNEYS i ll| 5 Patented Oct. e, 1936 Robert Brown, New York, N'. r.

Application August 19, 1935, Serial No. 36,811

8 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in window shades and has for one ofits objects to provide an improved shade of practical and economical construction wherein the shade is capable of being wound upon a roller when in raised position and in which the shade is provided with a plurality of louvers adapted for adjustment to closed and open positions.

Another object is to simplify the construction of the shade by the elimination of gearing and tive view of the base of the shade, one of the louvers and the operating means therefor.

In order that the shade of the present invention may be wound upon the ordinary type of spring roller, such as indicated by the numeral 4, the principal elements of the present shade including the base 5 and louvers 6 are made of flexible 'material such as the ordinary shade cloth, oil cloth, imitation leather, paper or any other material suitable for the purpose. Said base 5 is of rectangular formation with one of its ends suitably secured to the roller 4 and its other or free end reenforced by a wooden strip 1 to impart rigidity to said end as in the ordinary curtain. The center of the flexible base 5 is cut away to provide the enlarged opening d which allows light "and air to pass through the curtain when the louvers 6 are adjusted to open position.

The several louvers 6 are so mounted upon the inner surface of the base 5 that when the same are in closed position, as shown in Figure 2, the lower edge of each louver overlaps an upper edge of the next adjacent one so as to effectively close the opening 8. In order to so arrange the louvers, each one of them is provided with a pair of hinges 9 disposed on opposite vertical sides of the opening 8 and adapted to receive portions of a small rod or pintle III which is extended through an opening formed in the upper longitudinal edge of the louver by doubling the material of the latter as indicated at II. Thus each louver is hingedly connected to the base 5 for swinging movements relative thereto so that the louvers may be adjusted to closing position relative to the opening 8 or raised to different open positions depending upon the amount of ventilation and light desired to pass through said opening.

A simple and eflicient means is provided for adjusting the louvers and maintaining the same in various open positions. Said means, asshown, consists of two flexible strips l2 of any suitable material each of which has its intermediate portion extended over the roller 4 and passed through a guiding eyelet l3 thereon so that the ends of each strip will be disposed on opposite sides of the base 5 of the curtain. The portion M of each operating strip i2 which extends downwardly from the roller '4 on the inner side of the curtain is provided at intervals with the hinge elements l5 each of which is adapted to be connected to the lower edge of one of the louvers 6. Said lower edge is doubled upon itself as indicated at Hi to form an opening through which a small rod H is extended and said edge is cut away as indicated at, I8 to receive the hinge member I 5 through which said rod I1 is extended. The opposite portion IQ of each operating strip i2 extends on the outer side of the base 5 and is unattached thereto. Said portions 19 extend the full height of the curtain and may have their lower extremities projecting below the strip 1 so that said extremities may be readily grasped and pulled downwardly when it is desired to adjust the louvers to an open position. When such a pull is exerted upon the operating strips the same will slide through the guiding eyelets l3 and thus exert an upward pull upon the lower edges of the louvers 6. To releasably secure said louvers in an adjusted open position the lower portion I9 of each operating strip is provided with a series of vertically aligned openings 20 any one of which is adapted to receive a hook 2i carried by the reenforcing strip l at the bottom of the curtain. Should it be desired to adjust the louvers to their closing position relative to the opening 8, the lower ends of the portions l9 are disconnected from the hooks 2i, whereupon said louvers will move downwardly and outwardly, by gravity, until the same are in their overlapping relation shown in full lines in Figure 2. When raising the entire shade, the louvers are first adjusted to their closing positions and the shade is then manipulated to cause the spring roller 4 to wind the same thereon, this winding operation being possible because 01' the flexible nature of the base 5 and louvers i which permits said elements to be coiled upon the roller.

What is claimed is:

1. In a window shade, a flexible base capable of being wound upon a roller and having an opening therein, a plurality of louvers also of flexible material and windable upon said roller, means to hlngedly connect said louvers to said base, means connecting the free edges of the louvers together, and a flexible strip connected to said last means for moving the louvers relative to said opening.

2. In a window shade, a flexible base capable of being wound upon a roller and having an opening therein, a plurality of louvers carried by said base and movable to open and closed positions relative to said opening, and one or more flexible strips extending along the inner and outer sides or said base and over said roller and connected to said louvers so that the same can be moved to open positions when a pull is exerted upon said strips.

3. In a window shade, a flexible base capable of being wound upon a roller and having an opening therein, a plurality of louvers carried by said base and movable to open and closed positions relative to said opening, one or more flexible strips extending along the inner and outer sides of said base and over said roller and connected to said louvers so that the same can be moved to open positions when a pull is exerted upon said strips, and cooperating means on said base and strips for releasably maintaining said louvers in their open positions.

4. In a window shade, a flexible base capable of being wound upon a roller and having an opening therein, a plurality oi. louvers also of flexible material and windable upon said roller,

means to hingedly connect said louvers to said base, one or more flexible strips extending upwardly along the outer side of said base, over said roller and downwardly along the inner side of said base, means to hingedly connect the latter portions of said strips to said louvers so that a pull upon the first-named portions of said strips will adjust said louvers to-open position, and cooperating means on said base and said flrstnamed portions of the strips to releasably maintain said louvers intheir open positions.

5. In a window shade, a flexible base capable of being wound on a roller and having an opening therein, a plurality of louvers carried by said base and movable to open and closed positions relative to said opening, and means extending over the roller and connected with the louvers for moving the same relative to the opening.

6. In a window shade, a flexible base capable of being wound on a. roller and having an opening therein, a plurality of louvers carried by said base and movable to open and closed positions relative to said opening, and means slidable relative to the base and connected with the louvers for moving the same relative to the opening.

7. In a window shade, a flexible base capable of being wound upon a roller and having an opening therein, a plurality of louvers carried by said base and movable to open and closed positions relative to said opening, and one or more flexible strips extending along a side of the base to the roller and connected to said louvers so that the same can be moved to open positions when a. pull is exerted'upon said strips.

8. In a window shade, a flexible base capable of being wound upon a roller and having an opening therein, a plurality of louvers carried by said base and movable toopen and closed positions relative to said opening, and one or more flexible strips connected with the louvers and extending upwardly therefrom to a point adjacent the roller for moving the louvers relative to the opening.

ROBERT BROWN.

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