Abstract: There is disclosed herein an upwardly acting overhead door which is adapted to be rolled along an L-shaped track between a substantially vertical closed position and a substantially horizontal storage position. The door includes a plurality of adjacent laterally-extending door panel sections in edge-to-edge arrangement and hinge sets for interconnecting adjacent panel sections along adjacent lateral edges.Each of the hinge sets includes a male member and a female member. The male member is secured to the lower edge of the upper adjacent door section and the female member is secured to the upper edge of the lower of said adjacent door section. The male and female members define a hinge knuckle which interconnects the male and female members, and thus hingedly interconnects the door sections along the lateral edges thereof.

Abstract: An interior window cover assembly is provided for selective insulating sealable closure of a window opening so as to prevent air infiltration and reduce heat transfer therethrough. The window cover assembly is provided with a pair of vertically oriented spaced-apart track assemblies adapted for opposed sealable engagement with the vertical sides of a window frame. A horizontally oriented spring-actuated window cover roller assembly is pivotally mounted across the top of a window frame in abutting engagement with the upper ends of the track assemblies. A flexible insulating window cover member having a sill closure bar across the bottom thereof is selectively extendable downwardly from the window cover roller assembly so as to cover the window opening. The vertical edge portions of the flexible cover member extend into grooves provided in the track assemblies and are movable therealong as the sill closure bar is moved downwardly to draw the window cover member over the window opening.

Abstract: A panel assembly including at least two panels and one or more connectors is disclosed in which the individual panels are provided with peripheral slots or channels which have contiguous walls which grasp connectors and serve to join two adjacent panels. The connectors are provided with slot penetrating ends and are dimensioned to be gripped within the slots.

Abstract: A Venetian blind has U-shaped mounting rail with lead-in holes for ladder-tapes, cords and slat operating means. The Venetian blind comprises an operating shaft and bearing blocks, bearing bushings, hold-down means, a driving device therefor, and a cord lock. These details are designed as snap-in components adapted to be mounted in said mounting rail without necessitating the use of any special mounting means. The operating shaft is non-rotatable relative to and extends through the bearing bushings and is locked against axial displacement, on the one hand by means of an abutment face provided on said hold-down means at one shaft end and, on the other hand, by means of the shaft driving device at the other end of the shaft.

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 roll control mechanism of a retractable awning assembly includes spring clutches to operatively control the rotation of the roll bar in each of the two opposite rotational directions. Selective locking to prevent unrolling or extension of the canopy in one situation or to prevent the rolling or winding up of the canopy in another situation is achieved. A selector device for controlling the operation of the spring clutches is located on the support arm intermediate the top end connected to the roll bar and the bottom end adapted for contacting a support surface. Control of the roll control mechanism during set-up of the awning assembly is conveniently achieved. A support locking mechanism is also included within the selector device for fixing the length of two telescope support members of the support arm. Fixing the operative length occurs simultaneously as the roll control mechanism is controlled.

Abstract: A vane pocket cover for taking up the bottom end of a vane of a vertical blind, preferably including an additional weight, whereby the cover has protruding parts near the front and rear wall centers offset with respect to each other, for simple connection of vane interconnecting means. The cover is easily engageable by being pushed over a folded vane bottom end that could enclose a weight whereby the vane material stretches through the cover and out through a slit. The cover versions are especially designed for do-it-yourself purposes and concentrate on ease of assembling and vane length adjustment.

Abstract: A profile rail for affixing a flexible, sheet-like structure such as a canvas, onto a substantially flat carrier or plate has a substantially U-shaped cross section and two flanges, by means of which it can embrace an edge of the carrier, and comprises a series of teeth or projections. To make possible an easier and more rapid attachment of the canvas to the carrier and subsequent removal of the canvas therefrom the teeth of the profile rail are provided in at least one circumferentially extending line on the outside of the arcuate web of the U-rail.

Abstract: An enclosure assembly is provided comprising a plurality of panels, a frame defining a path mounting the panel assemblies for edgewise sliding movement across an opening through the frame, and a plurality of lengths of flexible material or screen joining adjacent panel assemblies along the track. Pairs of adjacent panels are relatively movable along the path between closed positions with the pairs of panels in edge-to-edge contact across the opening in the frame, and spaced positions with some of the panel assemblies spaced along the path and extending across the opening with the screen tensioned across the spaces between the panels; and can be moved to a position with all of the panels out of the opening.

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 shaft. The spool means and cup means are provided with clutch means in the form of mating, tapered locking surfaces adapted 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 surfaces are in engagement.

Abstract: A protective cover for a machine bed comprises a plurality of cover boxes telescopically slidable relative to one another and a locking mechanism comprising two pawls by means of which the smallest cover box may be locked to the end of the machine bed or to the largest cover box. The locking mechanism is distinguished by a simple structure and lightness in weight and may be retrofitted to already existing covers.

Abstract: A housing for a venetian blind tilter mechanism. The housing comprises a single piece integrally molded body having apertures in the walls of the body serving as bearing journals for a tilter shaft having a worm gear thereon and serving as bearing journals for a worm wheel in meshing engagement with the worm gear.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a bearing bracket for outer-wall Venetian blinds. The bearing bracket comprises a lifting roll (4) and a turning roll (13), these rolls being connected by a coupling (11, 19, 20) which during rotation of the lifting roll (4) in varying directions causes the turning roll (13) to be moved to various predetermined positions of adjustment for the skewing of the blind laths. The predetermined positions of adjustment corresponding to a completely open, completely closed and slightly open Venetian blind. The coupling (11, 19, 20) comprises a ratchet wheel (11) having two rows of ratchet teeth and two pawls (19, 20) for cooperation with one row each of ratchet teeth on the ratchet wheel (11). When rotating the lifting roll (4) the turning roll (13) is carried to the position corresponding to the predetermined positions of adjustment for the skewing of the blind laths.

Abstract: A lightweight frame for stretching or blocking fabric material comprising elongated metal side frame elements detachably coupled together at their adjacent ends by a coacting pair of corner elements which are selectively expandably movable and contractibly movable relative to one another, so as to increase or decrease the frame size. Rotatable actuators coacting with the corner elements provide for the selective expansion and contraction of the corner elements relative to one another, to thereby cause said expansion and contraction of the frame. By providing a series of different lengths of side frame elements, substantially different frame sizes can be expeditiously provided. The paired corner elements and the coacting side frame elements have means thereon for rapidly detachably coupling the frame and corner elements together, as well as for rapidly securing fabric material to and removing fabric material from the frame proper.

Abstract: A winding mechanism for rolling and unrolling an articulated shutter curtain, the winding mechanism comprising a tubular drum with a plurality of integral, spaced-apart arms protruding from its exterior surface. The shutter curtain is attached to one of the arms such that rotation of the tubular drum rolls up the curtain from an extended position or rolls down the curtain from a rolled-up position. More particularly, each arm is alternatively provided at one end with either a rod-like or socket-like projection extending along an edge thereof for slidable interconnection with the rod-like or socket-like projection extending along an edge of the top slat of the shutter curtain. In addition, each arm portion is provided with an arcuate land portion for supporting the shutter in a rolled-up fashion. The tubular drum from which the arms protrude is formed with two half cylindrical elongated members which are slidably engaged by longitudinal bent-over interlocking portions disposed along each edge of the members.

Abstract: Adjustable drapery traverse rods provided with a motor driven means for moving master carriers utilize a uniformly perforated drive tape and sprocket combination. Because of the perforations in the drive tape, the tape does not form a smooth curve when bent. The drive sprocket is thus adapted to allow the drive tape to lie flush against the sprocket as the tape passes over the sprocket over a wide range of tape tensions and, thereby, to drive the tape smoothly and noiselessly.

Abstract: A sun blind for window openings having at least one of the upper and lower edges disposed, at least in part, at other than the horizontal, is disclosed. In one embodiment, the upper edge of the window opening is disposed at other than the horizontal, for example, at a slant, and the sun blind includes an upper rail conforming to the outline of the upper edge of the window opening and a rod fastened to the upper rail spaced apart from the upper rail. The rod is threaded through spaced apertures in the sun blinding member and retains the sun blinding member and a lower rail attached to it. The rod is clamped to the upper rail by fastening clips slidably disposed in the upper rail. Suitable cords are arranged for moving and guiding the sun blinding member. The sun blind can be used in window openings having slanted, peaked and arch-shaped upper or lower edges, for example.

Abstract: An energy efficient garage door construction comprising a plurality of interconnected door sections. Each of the sections includes a pair of symmetrical metal panels forming the opposed sides and long edges of the section, and an expanded polystyrene core flanked by a pair of wooden stiles with the metal panels adhesively bonded to the core and stiles. The metal panels form oppositely facing recesses along one side edge and tongues along the other side edge so that adjacent panels interfit to create a baffle effect. The wooden stiles give the door sections extra strength and rigidity, while also serving as a reinforcement plate for mounting locks and other door hardware on the end portions of the door sections.

Abstract: A privacy screen module is disclosed that is free standing and may be joined with similar modules to make up a screened area. The screen module comprises a self-supporting stand having a hexagonal shape with parallel sides and a pair of end faces at each end, the pair of end faces having an included angle not greater than about 90.degree., frame having a nontransparent screen surface, the frame having upright members extending from the included angle of the stand, the upright members positioned such that a second screen module can be placed at an angle of up to about 90.degree. on either side from an in-line position adjacent the first screen module, and the upright members of the first and second screen modules retain the same minimum distance apart.

Abstract: In partitions with round edged panels arranged in edge-to-edge abutting relation with one another and having glides near their respective lower edges, snap-on bottom connectors span the inter-panel joints by being snapped onto the glide stems. The connectors are flat plates with open sided latch portions for engaging the stems and having detents spaced from one another a distance slightly less than the distance between the remote edges of the engaged stems when the panels are in abutting relation with one another. The compressibility of the panel edges and/or the resilience of the system permit a snap interference fit of the connectors on the stems to hold the panels firmly in compressive edge-to-edge engagement with one another. Lock nuts secure the connectors in place. The connectors may be installed and removed readily with the panels in their normal upright partition forming positions, for convenient removal and substitution of panels after the system has been assembled.