Draw-fold curtain, screen and the like control assembly

Claim 1

A CHAIN OF LINKS FOR FACILITATING THE FOLDING OF CURTAINS, FOLDING-WALLS AND THE LIKE, LONGITUDINALLY GUIDABLE IN AN UNFOLDED STATE TOWARD A FOLDING STATION HAVING A LINK OBSTRUCTION THEREAT, SAID CHAN COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF LINKS, MOVABLE MEANS MOUNTED UPON ALTERNATE LINKS, SAID MOVABLE BEING SO ADAPTED AND ARRANGED AS TO (A) ENGAGE WITH MEANS ON THE LINK NEXT ADJACENT THOSE UPON WHICH SAID MOVABLE MEANS ARE MOUNTED AND, (B) MOVE INDEPENDENTLY OF THE LINKS UPON WHICH THEY ARE MOUNTED, WHEREBY WHEN SAID CHAIN IS IN EXPANDED OR STRETCHED CONDITION CONSEQUENT UPON THE APPLICATION OF A TENSILE EFFORT APPLIED THERETO, SAID MOVABLE MEANS AND SAID MEANS ON THE LINKS NEXT ADJACENT, ARE IN INTERLOCKED RELATIONSHIP UPON THE APPLICATION OF A COMPRESSIVE EFFORT APPLIED TO SAID CHAIN, AND WHEREBY (A) SAID CHAIN IS CAUSED TO MOVE AS A UNIT IN LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING, RIGID CONDITION TOWARD SAID OBSTRUCTION AND (B) EACH INDIVIDUAL LINK THEREOF, AS IT REACHES ITS END OF POSSIBLE TRAVEL DUE TO PRESENCE OF SAID OBSTRUCTION AT SAID FOLDING STATION, IS CAUSED SUCCESSIVELY TO COLLAPSE OR FOLD, WHEREBY SAID CHAIN MAY BE CONVERTED FROM SAID RIGID CONDITION INTO FOLDED CONDITION ONLY AS AND TO THE EXTENT THE LINKS THEREOF ARE PREVENTED FROM FURTHER LONGITUDINALLY GUIDED MOVEMENT DUE TO SAID OBSTRUCTION, AND AT SAID FOLDING STATION.