Abstract: A bead-chain drive system for operating and positioning a window shade comprises a roller having a window shade mounted thereon, the roller being urged by the weight of the window shade in a direction to lower the shade. The drive system further includes a sprocket for driving the roller that is driven by a bead-chain, trained about the sprocket. The bead-chain includes a chain length urged toward the sprocket by the weight of the shade applied to the roller and the sprocket. The drive system also includes a bead-chain retainer having a holding device operative to hold at least one of the beads of the chain length against movement toward the sprocket to position the window shade and from which the chain length can be easily freed upon movement thereof away from the sprocket.

Abstract: A screen-operating device for use in a roller blind having a braking mechanism consisting a brake-drum secured to a bracket, a coil spring fitted on the brake-drum, a disk loosely mounted on the coil spring and integrally coupled with a screen-roll on which a screen is wound, and a cord-pulley mounted on the disk. The coil spring has their both ends inserted in an opening in the disk and the cord-pulley has its inner tung inserted between the both ends in the opening. Torque from the cord-pulley side acts on either of the both ends to loosen the coil spring and then rotates the screen-roll to raise and lower the screen. But, any torque from the screen side acts on the end to fasten the coil spring on the brake-drum and is immediately braked.

Abstract: Security proof shutter structure applicable to windows, doors, store or garage fronts, utilizing slats constructed of steel or the like. A special S-shaped spring linkage means is secured to respective ends of the slats. The lower hook of each linkage means being engaged with the upper hook of the adjacent linkage means to provide a rotatively operative linkage between adjacent slats without fixed attachment.The hooked linkage is well adapted to independently install or remove any one slat on site and to independently control by sliding the closing of the louvre spacing between adjacent slats or moving apart from each other. The louvre spacing between adjacent slats can be progressively closed or opened. The full lowering takes place with opened louvre spacing and by continued lowering the progressive closing of the louvre spacing between adjacent slats will take place. The winding around the upper roller takes place with fully opened louvre spacing.

Abstract: A collapsible awning frame for mounting in front of an opening in a window, door, or the like. The frame receiving an awning thereon. The frame is characterized by having a rigid structure which can withstand high winds. Also, the frame provides sufficient room to allow windows and doors to be opened outwardly for receiving outside air. Further, the frame and awning can be quickly folded adjacent the opening by loosening only a pair of lock screws.

Abstract: An insulating shade including a channel-type frame which is designed to be permanently installed on the prime window frame. The shade assembly which is mounted in the frame includes a pair of rollers which are geared together so as to rotate simultaneously and simultaneously either take up or play out the shade material. The rollers with the shade are supported on bearing plates which in turn are hung on spring brackets that snap into the channels permanently secured to the window frame. A cord operated pulley carries a gear which in turn drives the two rollers so as to raise and lower the shade. Weather stripping is secured inside the channels of the frame, which cooperate both with the sides of the shade itself and the weighted roller at the bottom of the shade to prevent cold air from flowing about the shade.

Abstract: A locking device for cords to hold a pleated shade or a venetian blind at a selected elevation comprises a U-shaped channel member and a housing covering one end of the channel member. A cradle integral with the channel member supports an axle on which congruent U-shaped cord-locking members are pivoted. The inner cord-locking member has a slotted bottom portion through which the cord extends to be gripped by the outer cord-locking member when the cord is pulled in one direction by the shade or blind, the cord-locking members releasing the cord in response to reverse tension. The cord is threaded through an opening in the bottom of the channel member and through the cord-locking members before assembly of the channel member and the housing together. The channel member and the housing have interlocking means to hold them attached to each other after assembly.

Abstract: A mounting assembly for use in movably suspending a folding closure from a curved track. The mounting assembly has a wheel assembly for running on the track and a connecting member for connecting the wheel assembly to the closure. The wheel assembly is rotatable about the connecting member, and means are provided for limiting the rotational movement of the wheel assembly about the connecting member to prevent the wheel assemblies from turning sideways in the curved track while traversing it.

Abstract: Improvement in shielding windows having at least two panes, which form an enclosed space by means of a frame, in which space a shield is arranged to adjustably shield the window opening completely or partly. The shield is extendable and retractable out of and in to a storing position in the space, one end of said shield being fixed to a storing device and either the other end or said storing device being fixed to a piston disposed between the panes. The piston is displacable along the panes and corresponds to the cross-section of the space. Either the storing device or the other end is fixed to the frame so that displacement of the piston will cause a relative displacement of the two ends of the shield (extension or retraction). A pressurized air conduit opens into the space on one side of the piston and a second conduit opens into the space on the other side of the piston.

Abstract: A drive control apparatus interconnects with a venetian blind slat ladder assembly for positioning the blind slats at any desired angular relationship and includes a detent that is moved during slat positioning and when a limit stop is reached exerts a back pressure onto the drive apparatus. When the back pressure exceeds a predetermined amount, this causes the drive shaft to overcome a retarding leaf spring pressure and thereby slip rather than drive the slat ladders.

Abstract: Covers for windshields, side windows, and rear windows of automobiles each comprising a covered sheet material resistant to snow, water, ice and sleet of size and shape to overlie the portion of the glass to be protected from accumulations of snow, ice, and sleet when the automobile is left standing outside in stormy and freezing weather, and a band or cord attached to the cover for holding the same in place and adapted to be horizontally disposed outside of the automobile over the area to be protected and having its two ends extending through a door or doors of the automobile with portions of the band or cord pinched between the adjacent door and door frame when said door is closed against said door frame whereby to hold the covers in place with ends of the band fastened in the interior of the automobile whereby when the doors are locked the ends of the holding band are protected against unwanted tampering.

Abstract: An improved arrangement for releasing a theatrical fire curtain is described having a mechanical coupling including a gear means which is automatically disengaged upon the occurrence of combustion to enable a fire curtain to descend and cover a proscenium opening.

Abstract: A rodent barrier system adapted for use with respect to a vertically closing door in a warehouse or other storage facility wherein the door moves downwardly to a closed position over a railroad track. The door rodent barrier includes channel members mounted on the inside of the rails of the railroad track, each channel member having a groove therein for receiving a detent portion of a complementary configuration, such detent portion being part of a barrier plate mounted onto the vertically closing door. In the closed position, the detent portions of the barrier plates are nested into the channels in the channel members thereby preventing the passage of rodents between the rails of the railroad track and the closed door.

Abstract: A window covering device for use with framed windows of varying sizes includes an elongated support rod having a slot therein for receiving an end of a piece of shade material, a support bracket being provided for each end of the elongated support rod, structure associated with one end of the elongated support rod to permit easy length adjustment thereof for sizing to various sized window frames, and additional structure in the form of a projection from each support bracket for permitting quick installation and securement of the support brackets to a window frame by means of U-shaped staples of sufficient size to fit over the projections.

Abstract: The assembly comprises first and second tracks of extruded polyvinyl chloride plastic which, when interfaced, become a hinged clamp. When snapped or clamped together, the tracks tighten and securely clamp fabrics of varying weights. By providing relatively elongated tracks, the installation of the fabric is greatly facilitated in that extended marginal edges of the fabric can be clamped in a single clamping motion. There is no need for a special tool requiring successive stuffing of the fabric into a biased slot and the labor and time involved therewith.

Abstract: A roller blind structure of the kind comprising an elongated tubular member, having secured thereto one end of a fabric web and being rotatably mounted in elongated openings in two spaced apart brackets so as to allow said tubular member to be also displaced towards and away from a window or the like and further having a flanged reel secured to said elongated member and a cord which has one end thereof secured to said reel and wound up in a direction opposite to the winding direction of the web. A cover with elongated upper and lower walls is provided to form an elongated recess for receiving the flanged reel in a manner to allow it to be displaced with the tubular member. The cover further has in the lower wall thereof an elongated opening permitting the passage of the cord in a substantially vertical direction independent of the actual displacement position of the reel.

Abstract: A roller assembly fitting device for selectively locking the retraction of the pivot, which is inserted in a bore in a mounting bracket to support the roller assembly in both brackets. The device has a roller-end sleeve fixed to the roller assembly, a guide sleeve rotatably mounted in the roller-end sleeve, a pivot retractably mounted in the guide sleeve, and a coil spring interposed between the guide sleeve and the pivot to bias them in opposite directions. The guide sleeve has its radial projection for selectively fitting engagement with axial and peripheral grooves formed in the outer periphery of the pivot. The pivot is retractable when the guide sleeve is in the first position in which the projection is in the axial groove but locked when the guide sleeve is in the second position in which the projection is in the peripheral groove.

Abstract: There is disclosed a device for attachment to a free margin of flexible webbing material, as for example, a map, wherein the device comprises an elongated mounting strip to which the free margin of flexible webbing material may be affixed and a rigid elongated substantially hollow holder element having an open end, an outer wall, and a longitudinal slot within the outer wall having a width approximating the thickness of the webbing material. The outer wall is continuous in cross-section circumferentially from one edge of the slot to the other edge of the slot. The holder element further includes elongated rib means within the holder element extending substantially the entire length thereof. The rib means defines an aperture communicating with the slot and is shaped to accommodate the mounting strip lengthwise through the open end with the webbing material extending through the slot.

Abstract: A drapery support system includes a conventional rod adapted to slidably support a plurality of carriers. Each carrier has an upper section that engages the rod and a downwardly depending section taking the form of a U-shaped plate with the outer section of its bight secured to the upper section so that the two plate-like arms project downwardly. The arms extend parallel to one another and normally to the axis of the rod and are spaced along the axis of the rod. Holes formed through the two arms act as female sections of a snap fastener to receive a pair of male snap fasteners secured at spaced points along a tape joined to the upper edge of the drape. The spacing between a pair of male snap fasteners on the tape exceeds the distance between the two arms of the carrier so that the drape section between the fasteners extend freely in a drape-like roll.

Abstract: A sliding folding door of double-walled construction with the sliding door including a plurality of leaves interconnected by shaped connecting rails. The doors are adapted to be foldable or pivotable about vertically extending pivots disposed inside the connecting rails. Each of the connecting rails includes two cylindrical walls that have a quarter-circle cross section and extend along the connecting rail, with center points of their radius of curvature being arranged in the pivots. Each cylindrical wall has opposed thereto a crosspiece that extends along a long side of the respective door leaves.

Abstract: A folding door having panels pivoted about vertical axes, top and bottom pivot assemblies, the bottom assembly comprising a bracket mountable beneath the door. The bracket defines a track along which a pivot block is guided. A sleeve is mounted in a vertical opening of the door and a pivot pin threaded into the sleeve, which pin is vertically adjustable relative to the door. The block has a vertical opening therein and the pivot pin has a lower end thereof extending therethrough. The pin and block have vertical teeth which are engaged when the pin is moved relatively downward onto said block and are disengaged when the pin is moved relatively upwardly. The pivot block and the bracket have vertically engageable teeth such that when the block is moved downwardly onto the bracket, the teeth are engaged, and when moved upwardly, the teeth are disengaged.