Semi-adjustable shade and roller combination

Claim 1

A semi-adjustable roller shade, comprising: (a) a sheet of essentially flexible but non-stretchable material in the form of a shade cut to the width of a given one of several standard width increments, having top, bottom, and side margins; (b) a telescoping roller assembly comprising: an outer roller of sheet metal formed into an essentially uniform cylindrical shape on its outer surface with a lock-seam of several thicknesses of said metal extending inwardly on the inner surface thereof, and an inner roller of sheet metal formed into a cylindrical shape and dimensioned to fit into said outer roller in smooth sliding telescoping relation, and with a longitudinal groove in the outer surface thereof dimensioned to receive the lock-seam of the outer roller; (c) the length of the outer roller being slightly less than the width of a shade of the next narrower width increment, and the length of the inner roller being substantially more than the width dimensional difference between said given one standard width and said next narrower standard width; (d) said inner roller positioned in said outer roller and extending outwardly thereof sufficiently to make the length of said roller assembly at least equal to said given one standard width; (e) the top margin of said shade connected to said larger roller; (f) a split sleeve of essentially stiff but resilient sheet material having a thickness equal to the difference in outside diameter between said outer and inner rollers, mounted on said inner roller; (g) a flanged head having an outside diameter greater than the outside diameter of the outer roller mounted on the end of the inner roller opposite the outer roller such that said sleeve is held between the outer roller and the flanged head; and (h) the shade rolled up on said roller assembly, whereby the side margin of said shade overlying said split sleeve may be cut to give the shade a desired width between said one given standard width and the next narrower standard width with said sleeve supporting said shade material for cutting across the groove in said inner roller, and whereby said sleeve may then also be cut and sprung open to remove the cut portion from the inner roller, with enlarged flanged head, and the inner roller may then be pushed in without risk of pushing it in too far to provide a trimmed shade of the desired width.