Venetian blind with worm gear tilting assembly

Claim 2

In a venetian blind assembly having slats tiltably supported by tapes, in combination, a. a head rail; b. a tilt rod, extending within and longitudinally of said rail and operatively connected to the tapes, for tilting the slats by rotation of the tilt rod about its axis; c. means, mounted in said head rail, for supporting said tilt rod for rotation about its axis within said head rail; d. an elongated, generally cylindrical gear, disposed in coaxial relation to said tilt rod at one end thereof, said gear comprising i. a first shank portion having a socket formed coaxially therein and opening at one end thereof for receiving said one end of said tilt rod and engaging the same such that rotation of the gear effects rotation of the tilt rod, said socket terminating inwardly in a seat within said shank portion, and ii. a second portion, disposed in side-by-side relation to said shank portion along a common axis therewith, bearing on its outer periphery a plurality of gear teeth, said socket terminating short of the position of said teeth along said common axis; e. housing means mounted in said head rail for rotatably supporting said shank portion of said gear; f. a worm journalled in said housing means in meshing relation to said gear teeth for driving said gear; and g. manually movable means connected to said worm for rotating said worm; wherein the improvement comprises: h. said gear further including another shank portion disposed on the side of said second portion opposite to said first portion coaxially therewith; i. said housing comprising opposed fixed walls having coaxial openings in which said shank portions of said gear are respectively journalled; j. said second portion including said gear teeth having an external diameter equal to the minimum external diameter of said first portion; and k. each of said shank portions projecting through the housing wall in which it is journalled and being enlarged externally thereof for preventing axial displacement of said gear relative to said housing.

Claim 3

A blind as defined in claim 1, wherein said gear comprises a first body including one of said shank portions and a second body interfitting with said first body and including said second portion and the other of sAid shank portions, said second portion including said gear teeth having an external diameter equal to the minimum external diameter of said other shank portion, and said bodies being respectively inserted through said housing wall openings into interfitting relation to each other.

Claim 4

A blind as defined in claim 1, further including a stop plate fixedly mounted in said head rail adjacent the end of said tilt rod remote from said gear for arresting axial displacement of said tilt rod away from said gear.

Claim 5

In a venetian blind assembly having a plurality of tapes, slats tiltably supported by said tapes, a bottom rail suspended by said tapes beneath said slats and a lift cord secured to the bottom rail at spaced points for lifting said bottom rail, in combination, a. aa head rail; b. a plurality of rolls respectively secured to the upper ends of said plurality of tapes within said head rail; c. means, supported by said head rail, for engaging and supporting each of said rolls within said head rail for rotation about a common axis extending longitudinally of said head rail; d. a tilt rod, extending through and beyond said rolls coaxially therewith, supported by and engaging said rolls such that rotation of said rod rotates said rolls; e. means for locking said lift cord in a selected position, fixedly mounted within said head rail adjacent one end of said tilt rod, said locking means including a fixed plate facing said one end of said tilt rod for arresting axial displacement thereof toward said locking means; f. gear means for rotating said tilt rod, comprising elongated, generally cylindrical structure having first and second shanks and a toothed portion intermediate said shanks aligned in succession along said common axis, said first shank having a socket formed coaxially therein and extending only within said first shank, said socket opening through an end of said first shank and terminating in a seat within said first shank, said toothed portion bearing gear teeth on its outer periphery, said socket receiving and engaging a second end of said tilt rod for rotation therewith and said seat arresting axial displacement of said tilt rod toward said gear, said socket terminating short of the position of said teeth along said common axis, and said toothed portion including said teeth having an external diameter equal to the minimum external diameter of said first shank; g. a housing fixedly mounted in said head rail and rotatably supporting said first and second shanks of said gear means; h. a worm journalled in said housing in meshing engagement with said teeth of said gear means for driving said gear means; and i. manually movable means connected to said worm and depending from said head rail for rotating said worm; j. said first and second shanks respectively projecting beyond said housing in opposite directions and respectively having enlarged ends external to said housing for preventing axial displacement of said gear means relative to said housing.

Claim 6

In a venetian blind assembly having a plurality of tapes, slats tiltably supported by said tapes, a bottom rail suspended by said tapes beneath said slats and a lift cord secured to the bottom rail at spaced points for lifting said bottom rail, in combination, a. aa head rail; b. a plurality of rolls respectively secured to the upper ends of said plurality of tapes within said head rail; c. means, supported by said head rail, for engaging and supporting each of said rolls within said head rail for rotation about a common axis extending longitudinally of said head rail; d. a tilt rod, extending through and beyond said rolls coaxially therewith, supported by and engaging said rolls such that rotation of said rod rotates said rolls; e. means for locking said lift cord in a selected position, fixedly mounted within said head rail adjacent one end of said tilt rod, said locking means including a fixed plate facing said one end of said tilt rod for arresting axial displacement thereof toward said locking means; f. gear means for rotating said tilt rod, comprising elongated, generally cylindrical structure having first and second shanks and a toothed portion intermediate said shanks aligned in succession along said common axis, said first shank having a socket formed coaxially therein and extending only within said first shank, said socket opening through an end of said first shank and terminating in a seat within said first shank, said toothed portion bearing gear teeth on its outer periphery, said socket receiving and engaging a second end of said tilt rod for rotation therewith and said seat arresting axial displacement of said tilt rod toward said gear, said socket terminating short of the position of said teeth along said common axis, and said toothed portion including said teeth having an external diameter equal to the minimum external diameter of said first shank; g. a housing fixedly mounted in said head rail and rotatably supporting said first and second shanks of said gear means; h. a worm journalled in said housing in meshing engagement with said teeth of said gear means for driving said gear means; and i. manually movable means connected to said worm and depending from said head rail for rotating said worm; j. said first and second shanks respectively projecting beyond said housing in opposite directions and respectively having enlarged ends external to said housing for preventing axial displacement of said gear means relative to said housing.

Claim 7

A blind as defined in claim 4, wherein said gear means structure comprises a first body including one of said shanks, a second body including the other of said shanks and said toothed portion, said toothed portion including said teeth having the same external diameter as said other shank one of said bodies further including a portion interengaging with the other of said bodies for holding said bodies in coaxial relation; and wherein said housing includes opposed end walls having coaxial circular openings through which said bodies are respectively inserted.

Claim 8

A blind as defined in claim 5, wherein said tilt rod and said socket are hexagonal in cross-section.

Claim 9

A blind as defined in claim 4, wherein each of said tapes comprises a pair of flexible stringlike tape elements each having a free upper end with a ferrule secured thereto; and wherein each of said rolls comprises i. a molded rigid plastic body including a cylindrical shank with an axial bore For receiving and engaging said tilt rod, and a central flange projecting radially of the shank, said flange having two peripheral notches, the upper ends of both elements of a tape being respectively inserted in said notches with said ferrules disposed on one side of said flange, said flange further having a radial projection positioned in opposed relation to said notches; and ii. a molded rigid plastic cap press-fitted over said flange from said one side thereof for enclosing the ferrule-bearing ends of the tape elements, said cap having an end with a central opening through which said shank projects, said cap further having a skirt with a notch receiving said radial projection.

Claim 10

In a venetian blind assembly including a. a plurality of tapes each comprising a pair of flexible stringlike tape elements each having a free upper end with a ferrule secured thereto; b. a plurality of slats tiltably supported by said tapes; c. a bottom rail suspended by said tapes beneath said slats; d. a lift cord secured to the bottom rail at spaced points for lifting the bottom rail; e. a head rail; f. a plurality of rolls respectively secured to the upper ends of said plurality of tapes within said head rail; g. means, supported by said head rail, for engaging and supporting each of said rolls within said head rail for rotation about a common axis extending longitudinally of said head rail; h. a tilt rod, extending through and beyond said rolls coaxially therewith, supported by and engaging said rolls such that rotation of said rod rotates said rolls; i. means for locking said lift cord in a selected position; and j. manually operable means for rotating said tilt rod; the improvement which comprises: k. each of said rolls comprising a molded rigid plastic body including a cylindrical shank with an axial bore for receiving and engaging said tilt rod, and a central flange projecting radially of the shank, said flange having two peripheral notches, the upper ends of both elements of a tape being respectively inserted in said notches with said ferrules disposed on one side of said flange, said flange further having a radial projection positioned in opposed relation to said notches; and l. each of said rolls further comprising a molded rigid plastic cap press-fitted over said flange from said one side thereof for enclosing the ferrule-bearing ends of the tape elements, said cap having an end with a central opening through which said shank projects, said cap further having a skirt with a notch receiving said radial projection.

Claim 11

In a venetian blind assembly including a. a plurality of tapes each comprising a pair of flexible stringlike tape elements each having a free upper end with a ferrule secured thereto; b. a plurality of slats tiltably supported by said tapes; c. a bottom rail suspended by said tapes beneath said slats; d. a lift cord secured to the bottom rail at spaced points for lifting the bottom rail; e. a head rail; f. a plurality of rolls respectively secured to the upper ends of said plurality of tapes within said head rail; g. means, supported by said head rail, for engaging and supporting each of said rolls within said head rail for rotation about a common axis extending longitudinally of said head rail; h. a tilt rod, extending through and beyond said rolls coaxially therewith, supported by and engaging said rolls such that rotation of said rod rotates said rolls; i. means for locking said lift cord in a selected position; and j. manually operable means for rotating said tilt rod; the improvement which comprises: k. each of said rolls comprising a molded rigid plastic body including a cylindrical shank with an axial bore for receiving and engaging said tilt rod, and a central flange projecting radially of the shank, said flange having two peripheral notches, the upper ends of both elements of a tape being respectively inserted in said notches with said ferrules disposed on one side of said flange, said flange further having a radial projection positioned in opposed relation to said notches; and l. each of said rolls further comprising a molded rigid plastic cap press-fitted over said flange from said one side thereof for enclosing the ferrule-bearing ends of the tape elements, said cap having an end with a central opening through which said shank projects, said cap further having a skirt with a notch receiving said radial projection.