Abstract: An improved sectional overhead garage door with an integral automatic opener and closer which comprises a plurality of horizontal sections which are hinged together on opposite sides in alternate fashion and wherein the panels are made strong and light by providing parallel sheets of plastic aluminum or steel which are held along the edges with aluminum extrusions and where the hollow insides of the panels are filled with foam to provide rigidity and strength. The door as it is opened folds up like an accordian with adjacent sections folding back upon themselves so that a very compact unit is provided.

Abstract: An insulative window shade assembly of the roll-up type for windows or like openings comprises a flexible sheet of shade material essentially of the size in area of the window or other opening to be insulated. The flexible sheet of material in its inoperative position is contained in a header or casing mounted at the top of the opening and extending across the width of the opening. The casing contains a spring-actuated roller upon which the sheet of shade material is wound with the leading edge protruding through a longitudinal slot or opening in the casing. The system further provides two side guides or channels mounted at the sides of the window or opening, and in which the channels contain a pile fabric to seal the sides of the flexible sheet when unrolled to the operative or insulative position.

Abstract: A venetian blind tilt rod control system including a rotatable tilt rod and drive means for rotating the rod. Spring activated connection means operatively connect the drive means and tilt rod and a spring is provided for activating the connection means.

Abstract: A strip curtain for use over the opening of a display case comprising an elongated upper mounting member, a plurality of elongated flexible strips and a lower mounting member. Each of the strips includes a bead adjacent an upper end and the upper mounting member has an elongated groove for slidably receiving the beads so that the strips can extend from the upper mounting member with the longitudinal edges of the strips being adjacent. The lower ends of the strips are attached to the lower mounting member. An upper mounting member with the strips attached thereto can be hung on an adjacent mounting member to provide a large opening through the strip curtain for loading the display case.

Abstract: A coupling structure for a screen with a fixing rod comprises the screen having at its end a predetermined length of an accessory section provided with a pair of rigid engaging plates, and the fixing rod having a pair of curved side walls separated by an intermediate partition for forming a pair of coupling chambers. The pair of rigid engaging plates holding the accessory section therebetween are inserted and propped within the coupling chamber. The accessory section has a length enough to cover an outer face of the side wall for obtaining a good appearance.

Abstract: A slat rotatably supported at its ends has its mass center offset from the axis due to sag. A spring biased mass is attached to the slat for creating a torque when the slat is rotated which counterbalances the torque created by the offset slat mass center to minimize the drive force required to rotate the slat.

Abstract: A pulling device for a roll shaft for roller blinds or screens comprises a cord pulley situated in a housing provided with a passage opening for cord parts. A clamp is disposed in a chamber in said housing and about the said cord parts, said clamp becoming operative when turning the cord pulley by the weight of the blind or screen.

Abstract: A bi-fold door assembly for a building. The door assembly includes an upper door section and a lower door section hinged to one another together with a door track mounted in an upwardly and inwardly inclined position. Additionally, the bottom of the lower door section cooperates with the door track for guided raising and lowering movement of the bi-fold door. The door assembly may also include an automatic opener operatively associated with the upper and lower door sections. When provided, the automatic opener may include a battery powered electrical motor together with a battery operatively associated with a solar panel for recharging thereof.

Abstract: A panel having edge sealing means comprising an outer, soft and yieldable arcuate portion; and an inner relatively rigid portion by which the sealing means is mounted to the panel and which also provides structural rigidity for the panel edge.

Abstract: A foldable device is disclosed, particularly suitable for presenting exhibition displays or the like, which comprises a plurality of generally rectangular planar members, pivotally connected end-to-end in such a way that, in a folded condition of the device, the planar members lie in face to face engagement with one another. The pivotal connection between any two pivotally connected planar members comprises connecting members each pivotally connected with both the planar members for pivoting about respective axes co-planar with the planar members, and inter-meshing gear segments carried on the planar members and concentric with the respective axes.

Abstract: An insect protector for an opening in a building comprising a net material of greater dimension than the opening, permanently creased in the horizontal direction, draw cords operating through vertically disposed openings in the net to fold and to extend the net protector, a rod secured to the lower edge of the protector, and means to hold the excess length of the net protector against the lower rod in the extended position.

Abstract: A removable windshield protective device for application midway of the width of the windshield of a vehicle and having roller curtains capable of being withdrawn over the windshield from the center to each side of the windshield and attached thereto. The device employs spring-biased tabs on one end of the housing of the device for mounting the device adjacent the windshield by extending between the molding of the windshield and its glass and a tab at the other end for extending between the glass of the windshield and the dashboard of the vehicle.

Abstract: An improvement in a Venetian blind comprises a bottom rail in openable box form containing means for permitting easy adjustment of the length of the lift cords and slat ladders of the blind, and therefore the overall length of the blind, to adapt it to different window lengths. Preferably, the box comprises a horizontal lower bottom portion with closed bottom and upraised sloped sides and a horizontal upper portion with closed top and depending sloped sides, the latter usually fitting closely between the upraised sides. The two portions are releasably held together, as by removable pins extending therethrough. The lower edges of the depending sides can define inverted V-shaped keeper slots or the like to releasably retain the vertical string portions of the ladders. The upper portion may have apertures in the top down through which the lift cords pass.

Abstract: A curtain drawer arrangement comprises a curtain rail and a plurality of curtain runners and a motor-driven mechanism depending therefrom. The curtain rail is provided with a lead plate having a conductive lead line of a greater width and a conductive lead line of a smaller width. Brushes are disposed in the motor-driven mechanism and engage the lead line of a greater width. Another brush is disposed in the mechanism and engages the lead line of a smaller width. A collector is connected to a reversible motor. The motor-driven mechanism is also provided with tired wheels which rotate in response to the actuation of the reversible motor. A control panel for drawing or opening the curtain is connected with both the lead lines.

Abstract: A drapery or curtain structure having two or more panels adapted to be hung in a suitable known manner, wherein the juxtaposed vertical edges of the adjoining panels are formed having elongated pleats defined by a pair of sections, whereby the pleat sections of each panel are arranged to overlap each other in a locking manner by means of a securing device that is located within each pleat.

Abstract: A thermal insulation system for a window comprising a roller blind carried by a roller blind mechanism which is arranged to be fixed to a window frame above a window to be insulated. The blind is adapted to be detachably connectable to the window frame by means of touch fastener (Velcro) strips carried by the longitudinal side edges and the free transverse edge of the blind and mating touch fastener strips carried by the frame. A mounting mechanism for the roller blind enables it to be selectively displaceable for sealing the upper end of the blind.

Abstract: In a blind of the type having a plurality of parallel slats, said slats being simultaneously tiltable to any desired angle to adjust the amount of light admitted through said blinds, an improvement including a flexible tension means, such as a guy wire, along the length of the blind, perpendicular to the slats, and between a headrail and a basebar. The guy wire is tensioned such that the slats are supported and such that their edges are coplanar with each other. Means in the form of a ratchet are provided for maintaining proper guy wire tautness. The blind may be positioned in any orientation and yet continue to function as intended without sagging or drooping. A universal means is provided for adjusting the angle to which the slats are tilted. In this way, a blind positioned at an angle, such as on a ceiling, is as readily adjustable as a blind positioned on a vertical wall.

Abstract: A roller shutter door comprised of a plurality of horizontal panels with interengaged curled longitudinal edges to provide hinge action between the panels. There are strips of resilient material under a compressive load in the hinge joints to substantially eliminate slackness in the hinge joints. The invention also provides a method of assembling such doors, the method involving inserting a strip of resilient material in the curl of a first panel and applying a longitudinal load to the material to cause it to adopt a reduced cross-sectional size followed by the longitudinal insertion of the curl of a second panel into the curl having the stressed material therein and then releasing the load on the material to allow it to urge the curls of the interengaged panels into firm contact one with the other.

Abstract: A portable instant shade device provides protection against glaring sunlight at the interior of motor vehicles or boats. The main body of the device consists of a cylindrical casing housing the shade and the shade roller, which casing has a longitudinal slot at the bottom in which the shade passes through. At each end of the cylindrical casing is a cap which receives the end of the shade roller, holds the foldable grooved arms and provides attachment for the mounting means. The shade roller is a usual spring type, operated as an ordinary window shade. The portable instant shade may be easily mounted detachably with suction cups or any other ordinary clamping device to assure adjustability to any desired position for the purpose of shading the interior of motor vehicles or boats.

Abstract: A combination window shade and clutch assembly is provided to prevent over-tensioning of the spring motor of the window shade. The clutch assembly includes spool means connected to one end of the spring motor and cup means, both movable along the window shade dowel, and each having locking means formed to engage one another. The cup means engages retaining means formed in the rotatable housing of the window shade so that rotation of the housing is transmitted to the spool means through the cup means while their locking means are in engagement. The locking means of the cup means and spool means are operable to maintain engagement to permit tensioning of the spring motor a predetermined number of turns of the cup means and spool means together with window shade housing, and then disengage to prevent further tensioning of the spring motor without restricting rotation of the housing in such one direction.