US2620026A - Supporting bracket for venetian blind tilt rods - Google Patents

Description

a w. mm T 0 m H M Q V u 6 a w k 2 W w E M/ Y B Dec. 2, 1952 M c RUTLEDGE SUPPORTING BRACKET FOR VENETIAN BLIND TILT RODS Filed Dec. 3. 1951 Patented Dec. 2, 1952 SUPPORTING BRACKET FOR VENETIAN BLIND TILT RODS Melvin C. Rutledge, Riverside, Calif., assignor to Hunter Douglas Corporation, Riverside, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application December 3, 1951, Serial No. 259,668

2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to Venetian blinds and more particularly to blinds employing a channel-shaped headrail with rolled edges which carries a tilt rod for supporting and tilting the blind.

The major object of the invention herein disclosed is to provide means for facilitating the rapid assembly and dis-assembly of a tilt rod and readrail without special tools or equipment. This object is accomplished generally by providing a tilt rod supporting bracket which is frictionally heldbetween spaced opposed portions of a channel-shaped headrail and has an unobstructed bearing portion permitting the tilt rod to be placed therein and subsequently confined by adjustment of a retaining member to permit free oscillation of the tilt rod in its bearing but preventing inadvertent removal thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide bracket means of the type described which can be formed as a one-piece stamping from metal sheet material, thereby obviating any assembly operations in the construction of the bracket. While stamping is the presently preferred method of forming the bracket, it will be understood of course that it can be molded or otherwise formed of any suitable material which provides the requisite strength and resilience.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a tilt rod supporting bracket which has the ability to hold itself in operative position on the headrail without additional retaining or securing means.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a bracket having the foregoing qualities and characteristics, which can be manufactured cheaply and rapidly as a mass production item, and which therefore can be sold at a very low price.

These and othg objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a perspective utility view showing a channel-shaped headrail with a portion cut away to show the bracket and a tilt rod. installed in place;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view showing the headrail in section and the bracket in elevation at the start of the installing operation;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showin the bracket fully installed; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the bracket showing in phantom lines the alternate position of the tilt rod retaining tab.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, the numeral It! indicates a channel-shaped headrail having a bottom wall I I and side walls I 2 and I3, the upper edges of the side walls being rolled inwardly as indicated at M, and I5 respectively. In the presently pre ferred form, the headrail is formed of aluminum and is of course of a length corresponding to the width of the Venetian blind to be installed. It will be understood that the headrail is supported by suitable brackets or other supporting means (not shown) adjacent the window, doorway'or other aperture to be covered.

A tilt rod [6 of generally square cross-section, preferably with beveled corners is supported in a substantially central position longitudinally of the headrail to receive tape-holding rolls or other means for supporting and operating the Venetian blind tapes. Since these latter items form no part of the invention, they are omitted from the drawing.

As seen best in Fig. 4, the tilt rod supporting bracket indicated generally by the numeral 20, is right-angular in shape, being substantially L-shaped in horizontal cross-section, the short side of the L comprising a vertically extending attaching plate or base member 2| from which a supporting arm 22 in plate form extends normally thereto. The base member 2| is adapted to engage and lie against the inner face of one of the side walls of the headrail with the lower and upper ends of the base member, 23, 24, respectively, wedged between the bottom of the headrail adjacent the side wall and the opposed upper rolled edge, as seen best in Fig. 3. For this purpose, the lower end portion 23 and the upper end portion 24 of the base 2| are preferably bent inwardly and the overall length of the base 2| is such that the resilience of the end portions 23 and 24 will cause the bracket to wedge securely between the bottom wall II and the rolled edge I l. The angularity of the lower end 23 is such that it tends to bite into the bottom wall llto thereby assist in holding the bracket in place. The angularity of the upper end portion 24 is such that it can be conveniently inserted under the rolled edge l4 and will wedge securely against the upper inner face thereof when the base 2! is pushed laterally against the wall l2.

The tilt rod-supporting arm 22 is preferably in the form of a plate providing a cantilever beam with increased vertical cross-section towards: the base member for maximum supporting strength, and is provided at its outer end with a semi-circular notch having a flattened face to provide a 3 bearing 25 for the tilt rod. A movable tab 26, which can conveniently be in the form of a rectangular plate formed from the bracket blank by stamping, is joined to the upper edge of the arm plate 22 by a relatively narrow neck section 21, which because of the ductility of the material used, permits bending at the neck section to allow the tab to be swung from its inoperative position shown in full lines in Fig. 4 to the operative position shown in phantom line in said figure, i. e., the

tab can be swung from a position in the vertical plane of the arm 22 to a position normal to said plane. It will be noted that the tab is spaced above the bearing 25 sufficiently to permit free rotation or oscillation of the tilt rod l6 mounted in the bearing but at the same time close enough thereto so that the rod cannot be removed vertically without moving the tab to its inoperative position.

As a further means of insuring adequate contact and engagement between the base member 2] .and the rolled edge M ,of the headrail, an instruck finger 28 may be provided in the upper portion ofthe base 2 l the finger sloping inwardly and downwardly at a slight angle toward the base. The proportions of the members are such that when the :base 2| is finally seated in its assembled operative position against the side wall l2, the finger28 resiliently bears against and cooperates with the resilient rolled edge of the headrail. For additional stiffening of the bracket, the angular corner thereof may be'dimpled as indicated by the numeral 29.

"The bracket 20 is initially in the condition shown in solid lines in Figs. 2 and 4, with the tab 26 bent-at right angles to the arm plate 22. The bracket isassembled into the headrail H] in the man-nershown in Fig. '2; the upper end portion 24 of the base being inserted upwardly into the gap between the edge of the rolled portion l4 and the wall I2 to engage the inside surface of the roll, While the lower end 23 of the base rests against the bottom Wall H 'of the headrail. The bracket is then pressed back against the wall l2, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, causing the bent upper and lower end portions 24 and 23 to spring, or flex, permitting the bracket to assume the vertical position shown in Fig. 3 with the upper end 24 in firm enga'gement with and exerting resilient pressure against the edge roll I4 and with the lower end 23 resiliently and frictionally engaging the h-eadrail base H. As mentioned, the lower end portion 23 has a relatively sharp edge which will dig slightly into the headrail base II, but not enough. to prevent ready removal of the bracket when the same is pried out by a screw driver or the like. The 'tilt rod I6 is then dropped into place onthe bearing .25, after which the tab 26 is'bent out straight to the position shown in Fig..3,thereby confining the rod I6 from above to prevent vertical removal thereof from the bearing 25.

While the presently preferred form of the .in-

4 vention shown herein is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it will be understood that modifications and variations may be made within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A tilt rod supporting bracket for use with a channel-shaped Venetian blind head rail havin a; bottom and upwardly turned side walls, said side walls being rolled inwardly along their top edges, said bracket comprising a vertical base disposed tolie flat against one of said side walls, said base having a resilient, inwardly inclined end portion at the lower extremity thereof, the top end portion of saidbase projecting up into the rolled edge of said one side wall, and the bottom end portion bearing against the bottom of said head rail, said base having a vertical dimension slightly greater than the inside dimension of said head rail from the bottom to the inside surface of the edge roll, so that said resilient lower end portion is elastically bent when the base member .-is pressed back against said one side wall, causing said lower end portion to bite into the inner surface of the head-rail to wedge said bracket tightly in place, and an arm extending out from said base toward the center of said head rail, said arm having a bearing portion to receive a tilt rod.

2. .A tilt rod supporting bracket for use'with a channel-shaped Venetian :blind head rail having a bottom and upwardly turned sidewalls, said side Walls being rolled inwardly along their top edges, said bracket comprising a vertical'base disposed to lie flat against one of said side walls, said base having resilient, inwardly inclined end portionsat the top and bottom extremities thereof, the top end portion being engageable in the rolled edge of said'one side wall, and the bottom :end portion bearing'against the bottom of said headrail, said base having a-vertical dimension slightly greater than the inside dimension of said head rail from .the bottom to the inside surface'of the-edgerolls, s that said resilient inclined end portions are elastically bent when the base member is pressed back against said one side wall, causing said end portions to bite into the inner surface of the head rail to wedge said bracket tightly in place, and bearing means attached to said baseforrotatably supporting a tilt rod.

MELVIN C. RUTLEDGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED. STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,247,321 Stuber June 24, 1941 2,455,135 Nelson Nov. 30, 1948 2,494,858 Burns Jan. 1'7, .1950 2,534,080 Stuber Dec. 12), 1950

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