Abstract: The method starts with bringing the stack of slats to be assembled into a standby position. The slats are then removed from the bottom of the magazine and stepwise provided with connecting elements having hooks which are then engaged with loops provided on carrier strips of the shutter. Thereupon, the hooks are bent to close and the slats are moved downwardly by steps. After suspending the last slat, the carrier strips are cut through above the last slat, so that on a conveyor provided below, the assembled shutter forms a stack to be removed. This process is continuous, so that in immediate succession, the assemblage of a further shutter begins.

Abstract: A metallic link for a blind slat having a flange comprises a head portion with a suspension aperture for receiving a supporting loop, and with stop shoulders applying against the outer wall of the flange. Integral with the head parts is a clamping ring portion having at least one cutting edge on its front end. Initially, the clamping ring is straight and longer than the width of the cavity formed by the flange. Then, the ring portion is driven through the outer wall of the flange, up to the stop shoulders of the head. As the cutting edge 5 pierces the inner wall of the flange, the clamping ring undergoes a permanent deformation and buckles so that its sides are bent out and the ring becomes firmly clamped in the flange. Except for a ram for driving the link in, no other tool is needed.

Abstract: A venetian blind comprises a windup drum for a lifting strap firmly fitted to a drive shaft. Lateral hub portions of a drum are provided with teeth which serve as contact surfaces for two setting straps. Supporting twines for tiltable slats are suspended from the setting straps whose both ends are connected to the associated one of the other strap by connecting plates which act as stop members. Bearing brackets of the drive shaft, accommodated in a supporting housing of the blind, are provided at their bottom with guide webs, for the setting straps and the lifting strap. Stop lugs provided on a bearing bracket in the housing, cooperate on one side with the connecting plate and on the other side with an engaging member of setting strap. During lifting of the blind, the lugs limit the open position of the straps, and during lowering of the blind, they set the predetermined oblique position of the slats.

Abstract: A venetian blind construction for the operation of blind slats which are interconnected by supporting elements comprises a housing with a sprocket wheel rotatably mounted in the housing. A sprocket chain defines a tension member for the blind slats and it has one end adapted to be connected to the lowermost slat and it is engaged over the sprocket wheel and is movable by the driving movement of the sprocket wheel to adjust the blind slats. The housing has first and second chain-guiding passage portions and a sprocket portion overlying the sprocket which effect the guidance of the chain toward and away from the sprocket and around the sprocket without permitting any buckling-out of the chain in its movement path.

Abstract: A venetian blind comprises at least two spaced apart support cables and a plurality of slats disposed at spaced locations along the support cables and having respective front and rear edges which are respectively engaged for relative rotation on coupling heads for each edge of the slats mounted on the respective cables in pairs at spaced locations along the lengths thereof. The coupling head also has cable-engagement means in the form of a supporting ring which connects the coupling to the cable in a manner permitting relative rotation therebetween about an axis which is substantially at right angles to the axis of the pivoting of the slats. The construction includes fold-initiating means which are associated with the cables between the coupling heads and which are effective to fold the cables in a preselected fold intermediate the lengths of the cables between the coupling head.

Abstract: The shutter includes a curtain formed of elongated bars hinged to one another at longitudinal edges and guided at their ends in laterally spaced guide grooves extending along opposite sides of an opening to be controlled by the shutter. A rotatable member is mounted in an upper receiving zone, such as a lintel above the opening, and the rolling bar curtain is trained about this member for direction reversal during raising and lowering. The laterally spaced guide grooves extend along the peripheral portion of this rotary member and are then branched to form branch guide grooves extending downwardly from the rotatable element into a recess formed in the lintel or the like. Guide elements, such as pins or rollers on the ends of each bar, cooperate with the branch guide means to conjointly guide the bars to form at least one vertical pile of bars superposed in horizontal orientation in the recess, responsive to raising of the curtain.