Apparatus for manipulating a multiple panel screen

Claim 1

An apparatus for manipulating a multiple panel screen and comprising: a. an elongated head piece for supporting a plurality of flexible panels forming the screen; b. a first means for connecting the top ends of said panels to said head piece in spaced parallel relation to one another; c. a rotatable member operatively connected to said head piece for rotating the head piece on its longitudinal axis for initially shifting said panels vertically with respect to each other and then for rolling the panels onto said head piece for rolling up the screen; d. a second means for initially rocking said member for rocking said head piece for altering the vertical positions of said panels with respect to each other; and e. a third means for first disconnecting said member rocking means from said rotatable member and then for rotating said member for winding up said panels on said head piece for rolling up the screen.

Claim 2

An apparatus for manipulating a multiple panel screen and comprising: a. an elongated head piece for supporting a plurality of flexible panels forming the screen; b. a first means for connecting the top ends of said panels to said head piece in spaced parallel relation to one another; c. a rotatable member operatively connected to said head piece for rotating the head piece on its longitudinal axis for initially shifting said panels vertically with respect to each other and then for rolling the panels onto said head piece for rolling up the screen; d. a second means for initially rocking said member for rocking said head piece for altering the vertical positions of said panels with respect to each other; and e. a third means for first disconnecting said member rocking means from said rotatable member and then for rotating said member for winding up said panels on said head piece for rolling up the screen.

Claim 7

An apparatus for manipulating a multiple panel screen and comprising: a. a first and a second bracket spaced apart and a stud carried by said second bracket; b. a worm gear rotatably mounted on said stud and having an integral hub; c. a roller-shaped elongated head piece having one end rotatably mounted on said hub and having a pin extending into an opening in said worm gear for connecting the two together so that said head piece and worm gear will rotate as a unit, the other end of said head piece being rotatably supported by said first bracket; d. a plurality of flexible panels having apertures therein and means for connecting the top ends of said panels to said head piece in spaced parallel relation to one another; e. a spring biased elongated carriage having one end pivotally connected to said second bracket and rotatably supporting a shaft which carries a worm that is yieldingly held in mesh with said worm gear, said carriage rotatably supporting a pair of pulleys positioned at the opposite end of the carriage from its pivotal connection with said second bracket; f. means for rotating said worm for rotating said worm gear and rocking said head piece for shifting said panels vertically with respect to each other for controlling the light and visibility through the apertures in said panels; g. said worm gear having an integral chain-receiving gear whose center is concentric with the center of said worm gear; h. a chain having a portion passed over said chain-receiving gear so that a movement of the chain portion contacting with said chain gear will rotate said chain gear, worm gear and head piece about their common axis, said chain having first and second chain portions passed around said pulleys and depending therefrom; i. whereby a pull on the first chain portion designed to rotate said chain gear, worm gear and head piece in a direction for winding up said panels on said head piece, will first exert a downward pull on its associate pulley and carriage for swinging said carriage about its pivot for freeing said worm from said worm gear, and a further pull on said first chain portion will rotate said chain gear, worm gear and head piece for rolling up said panels on said head piece to the desired extent.

Claim 8

An apparatus for manipulating a multiple panel screen and comprising: a. a first and a second bracket spaced apart and a stud carried by said second bracket; b. a worm gear rotatably mounted on said stud and having an integral hub; c. a roller-shaped elongated head piece having one end rotatably mounted on said hub and having a pin extending into an opening in said worm gear for connecting the two together so that said head piece and worm gear will rotate as a unit, the other end of said head piece being rotatably supported by said first bracket; d. a plurality of flexible panels having apertures therein and means for connecting the top ends of said panels to said head piece in spaced parallel relation to one another; e. a spring biased elongated carriage having one end pivotally connected to said second bracket and rotatably supporting a shaft which carries a worm that is yieldingly held in mesh with said worm gear, said carriage rotatably supporting a pair of pulleys positioned at the opposite end of the carriage from its pivotal connection with said second bracket; f. means for rotating said worm for rotating said worm gear and rocking said head piece for shifting said panels vertically with respect to each other for controlling the light and visibility through the apertures in said panels; g. said worm gear having an integral chain-receiving gear whose center is concentric with the center of said worm gear; h. a chain having a portion passed over said chain-receiving gear so that a movement of the chain portion contacting with said chain gear will rotate said chain gear, worm gear and head piece about their common axis, said chain having first and second chain portions passed around said pulleys and depending therefrom; i. whereby a pull on the first chain portion designed to rotate said chain gear, worm gear and head piece in a direction for winding up said panels on said head piece, will first exert a downward pull on its associate pulley and carriage for swinging said carriage about its pivot for freeing said worm from said worm gear, and a further pull on said first chain portion will rotate said chain gear, worm gear and head piece for rolling up said panels on said head piece to the desired extent.

Claim 12

An apparatus for manipulating a multiple panel screen and comprising: a. a first and a second bracket spaced apart and a stud carried by said second bracket; b. a worm gear rotatably mounted on said stud and having an integral hub; c. a roller-shaped elongated head piece having one end rotatably mounted on said hub and having a pin extending into an opening in said worm gear for connecting the two together so that said head piece and worm gear will rotate as a unit, the other end of said head piece being rotatably supported by said first bracket; d. a plurality of flexible panels having apertures therein and means for connecting the top ends of said panels to said head piece in spaced parallel relation to one another; e. a spring biased elongated carriage having one end pivotally connected to said second bracket and rotatably supporting a shaft which carries a worm that is yieldingly held in mesh with said worm gear, said carriage rotatably supporting a pair of pulleys positioned at the opposite end of the carriage from its pivotal connection with said second bracket; f. means for rotating said worm for rotating said worm gear and rocking said head piece for shifting said panels vertically with respect to each other for controlling the light and visibility through the apertures in said panels; g. said worm gear having an integral gear whose center coincides with the center of said worm gear; h. a spur gear rotatably carried by said second bracket and meshing with said integral gear on said worm gear and being much smaller in diameter than said worm gear; i. said spur gear having an integral chain-receiving gear whose center is concentric with the center of said gear; j. a chain having a portion passed over said chain-receiving gear so that a movement of the chain portion contacting with said chain gear will rotate said chain gear, spur gear, worm gear and head piece, said chain having first and second chain portions passed around said pulleys and depending therefrom; k. whereby a pull on the first chain portion designed to rotate said chain gear, spur gear, worm gear and head piece in a direction for winding up said panels on said head piece, will first exert a downward pull on its associate pulley and carriage for swinging said carriage about its pivot for freeing said worm from said worm gear, and a further pull on said first chain portion will rotate said chain gear and spur gear for causing the larger diameter integral gear with the worm gear to rotate at a much slower speed and thereby causing the head piece to revolve at a slower speed for rolling up said panels on said head piece to the desired extent.

Claim 13

An apparatus for manipulating a multiple panel screen and comprising: a. a first and a second bracket spaced apart and a stud carried by said second bracket; b. a worm gear rotatably mounted on said stud and having an integral hub; c. a roller-shaped elongated head piece having one end rotatably mounted on said hub and having a pin extending into an opening in said worm gear for connecting the two together so that said head piece and worm gear will rotate as a unit, the other end of said head piece being rotatably supported by said first bracket; d. a plurality of flexible panels having apertures therein and means for connecting the top ends of said panels to said head piece in spaced parallel relation to one another; e. a spring biased elongated carriage having one end pivotally connected to said second bracket and rotatably supporting a shaft which carries a worm that is yieldingly held in mesh with said worm gear, said carriage rotatably supporting a pair of pulleys positioned at the opposite end of the carriage from its pivotal connection with said second bracket; f. means for rotating said worm for rotating said worm gear and rocking said head piece for shifting said panels vertically with respect to each other for controlling the light and visibility through the apertures in said panels; g. said worm gear having an integral gear whose center coincides with the center of said worm gear; h. a spur gear rotatably carried by said second bracket and meshing with said integral gear on said worm gear and being much smaller in diameter than said worm gear; i. said spur gear having an integral chain-receiving gear whose center is concentric with the center of said gear; j. a chain having a portion passed over said chain-receiving gear so that a movement of the chain portion contacting with said chain gear will rotate said chain gear, spur gear, worm gear and head piece, said chain having first and second chain portions passed around said pulleys and depending therefrom; k. whereby a pull on the first chain portion designed to rotate said chain gear, spur gear, worm gear and head piece in a direction for winding up said panels on said head piece, will first exert a downward pull on its associate pulley and carriage for swinging said carriage about its pivot for freeing said worm from said worm gear, and a further pull on said first chain portion will rotate said chain gear and spur gear for causing the larger diameter integral gear with the worm gear to rotate at a much slower speed and thereby causing the head piece to revolve at a slower speed for rolling up said panels on said head piece to the desired extent.