Abstract: A support carrier for the drive shaft of a vertical venetian blind is disclosed for supporting the drive shaft intermediate its ends, particularly when the blind is open. The support carrier moves along the drive shaft to a predetermined stop point so that a number of support carriers may be used if necessary positioned at various points along the drive shaft. The drive shaft moves the support carrier through a slip clutch engaged with the drive shaft, which clutch is a disk in slideable engagement with the facing inner surfaces of the casing walls of the support carrier.

Abstract: A turn-over area having two folds is formed in a part constituted by a collar outside and an insert and is held together by seams. Fold formation is facilitated by making the insert in the turn-over area in which the strip, which is usually adhered to the collar outside has unstiffened strips in the area of the folds and another strip for the turn-over area. The first-mentioned strips can be replaced by cuts or perforations. The portion formed in this way can be pre-sewn, turned and stitched to the collar underside, in the same way as a one-piece collar. Despite the fact that the working and material expenditure is only a little greater than in a one-piece collar, the appearance is that of a two-piece collar, which is taken as an indication of the quality of the article of clothing.

Abstract: A rectangular sandwich panel comprises two skins with an insulating material, such as foam, sandwiched therebetween. Two spaced apart arms form a double tongue on each of two adjacent circumferential edges of the panel and a cooperable double groove is formed along the other two adjacent circumferential edges, whereby, without additional coupling means, the panel can be assembled on all sides by a tongue and groove connection with adjoining panels. At the corner of the panel, where two double tongues meet, the arms of the double tongues are cranked so that the spacing between the arms forming the double tongues is increased by the thickness of the arms, to accommodate the arms of double tongues of an adjoining panel.

Abstract: A tilter mechanism for the slats of a venetian blind in which a worm and wormwheel are mounted in a housing connected to a bracket, the wormwheel has an axial extension on each axial end provided with a recess which can receive selectively the end of a tilt rod, whereby the tilt rod can extend either to the left or to the right of the wormwheel. A spring clip holds the tilt rod in engagement with the recess in one of the extensions. A rotational control disc may also be provided which has two external abutments.This disc can be mounted on the other of the extensions, the abutments being engageable with stops on the bracket to restrict rotation of the control member and thus of the wormwheel. Radially outwardly extending keys are provided on each extension, one of these engaging the spring clip to hold the tilt rod in place, and the other engaging a notch in the rotation control disc to prevent the latter rotating relative to the wormwheel.

Abstract: The rotatable louver holder disclosed comprises a toothed gear having a hub and arranged for axial rotation about a vertical axis and a plastic hanger member having a hook at the bottom for engaging in an opening of a louver. The hanger extends upwardly through the opening in the hub of the gear and has lateral projections engaged in diametrically opposite low points on the upper edge (guiding surface) of the hub. External force applied to the louver causes rotation of the hanger relative to the hub as the projections ride up the guiding surface toward diametrically opposite high points thereon. Stops on the hub and on the hanger limit the rotational movement; however, if a predetermined excessive amount of force is applied to the louver, the stops on the hanger are resilient enough to permit them to ride past the stops on the hole. After removal of external force applied to the louver, the projections return to the low point of the guiding surface under the influence of gravity.

Abstract: A beam for supporting elongated panels from a fixed structure to provide a wall or a ceiling finish is disclosed having a generally U-shape, as shown in FIG. 2, with outwardly extending flanges (2) and downwardly extending mushroom-shaped connector lugs (3). Lugs (3) are cut from the material of the flange mid-way of the width of the flange (2) and said lugs are no greater in width than one-half the width of the flange (2).

Abstract: A suspended ceiling is disclosed having a plurality of spaced parallel elongated supports (14) suspended from permanent overhead structure. A plurality of panels (12) provide the ceiling face and are supported from the elongated supports (14) by means of holders (10). The holders (10) themselves are secured to the supports (14) by bent over lugs (20) passing through openings (40) in the support (14). Opposite edges of each panel (12) have support flanges (46,50) complementary to each other with one flange (46) being bent inwardly and downwardly (48) with respect to the panel (12) and the other flange (50) having a support portion (52) extending outwardly of the panel. The holders (10) have hook-like elements (26) which engage the inwardly and downwardly bent flanges (48) with the outwardly extending flanges (52) resting on top thereof.

Abstract: A panel assembly is disclosed as a covering for ceilings or walls comprised of a plurality of elongated panels (10) mounted to an underlying support member (13) by means of a two-part clamp (20, 21) comprising a generally hook-shaped securing member (21) and a locking member (20). The hook (30) of the securing member (21) engages behind a groove (12) along the edge of the panel and is mounted to the support (13) by means of the locking member (20) which engages behind an upstanding flange (18) on the support member (13). Each of the two parts (20, 21) of the clamp and the support member (13) have a uniform cross-section throughout their length to permit these parts to be extruded and cut to length.

Abstract: A panel construction, e.g. for wall or ceiling, in which a plurality of mutually parallel elongate support members, for example, of inverted T-shaped cross-section, have two parallel free longitudinal edges spaced apart from one another and elongate support elements which may, for example, be flat or channel section are carried by these support members. Clamps engage around the longitudinal edges of the support members and press the support elements against the support members and carry panel holding means which support a plurality of panels.

Abstract: A panel carrier and a panel construction incorporating such carrier suitable for forming or cladding walls, ceilings, and the like. According to one aspect there is provided a carrier for panels comprising: an elongated, deformable, strip-like base; a plurality of panel engaging elements connected to and extending outwardly from the base in spaced apart relation therealong; each said panel engaging element including a pair of panel engaging prongs, the element being constructed such that the distance between the prongs of each said pair remains substantially fixed regardless of deformation or flexure occurring in those portions of the strip-like base extending between the panel engaging elements.

Abstract: A clutch mechanism (9a, 9b) for a vertical venetian blind is disclosed in which a first clutch part (9a) is mounted for sliding relationship on, but non-rotatable with respect to, a rotatable drive shaft (8). A second clutch part (9b) has a cylinderical portion (9e) surrounding the hub (9f) of the first clutch part (9a). The second clutch part (9b) is mounted for rotation about and slidably movable along the axis of drive shaft (8). Toothed gear faces (10a, 10b) on clutch parts (9a, 9b) are engageable upon rotation of the drive shaft (8) to rotate a hook (14) carrying a slat (1b) to rotate the slat. The walls (2a, 2b) of the housing (2) are resilient to permit axial engagement and disengagement of the gear faces (10a, 10b). When the slat (1b) has reached the limit of its travel, a worm (11) on part (9b) engages a stop (15or 16), preventing further rotation of part (9e).

Abstract: A support bracket for a venetian blind headrail which is in the form of an open sided box structure including a side wall, with a top wall and a bottom wall connected to the side wall, a front wall having rearwardly extending top and bottom flanges connected to a forward portion of the top and bottom wall, respectively, by a vertical axis pivotal connection adjacent the side wall, a latch provided between the top and bottom flanges and the top and bottom walls, the latch locking the front wall in position when the front wall is moved sideways towards the side wall.

Abstract: A device for mounting the headrail of a vertical Venetian blind and for holding a valance to the headrail in which a bracket has the valance mounted on it and carries a rearwardly extending arm which is engageable in a rearwardly extending channel formed in a clip body. The clip can be hooked on to and snap in to elongate recesses in the front and rear flanges of the headrail and the clip carries members which mount the clip, the headrail and the bracket to a support thereabove. The clip also carries detents which engage in holes in the rearward arm of the bracket so that the position of the valance can be adjusted.

Abstract: A horizontal venetian blind and a valance bracket therefor, in which the bracket is formed as a unitary structure formed in one single piece, and including a main body dimensioned to bridge the gap between the rims at the top of the front and rear walls of the headrail of the blind, an end portion at one end of the body overlying one of the rims. One or more tongues are cantilevered from the body at a location spaced from the one end, the tongues being located below and extending away from the body at an acute angle thereto, either sideways or downwardly, and being resiliently engageable on the one rim of the blind. An abutment member extends downwardly from the body and has an inclined surface which lockingly engages under the other rim of the headrail and is urged thereagainst by the resilient interaction between the rim and the tongue or tongues. The valance support member is connected to the main body to depend in front of the headrail when the bracket is mounted thereon.

Abstract: A cord lock for a venetian blind lift cord, in which a fixed guide roller is mounted between front and rear plates, these plates being provided with generally H-shaped slots, the arms of the H being inclined towards one another upwardly, the slot accommodating, in the arms on one side, a locking roller slidable along the arms upon the cord rising to lock releasably the cord against the guide roller. The locking roller can be forced along the cross arm of the H onto the other arm, for use at the opposite end of the blind. A resilient wire separator for separating the lift cord from one another may be located on upstanding tabs provided with recesses on a curved edge surface, one of the recesses acting as a pivot point and the other as a locking recess.