Abstract: A venetian blind including vertically-extending slat-supporting ladders is described. Each ladder comprises (i) first and second vertical members connected by cross-rungs, (ii) slats, each slat being supported on a cross rung of each ladder, (iii) an adjusting mechanism for pivoting the slats about their longitudinal axes by moving the vertical members in opposite directions, (iv) a vertically-extending auxiliary tilt cord that is adjacent to the first vertical member, and (v) an engagement mechanism on the auxiliary tilt cord and the first vertical member for moving the first vertical member at an intermediate location along its length upwardly with upward movement of the auxiliary tilt cord to adjust the angular pivot of a section of the cross-rungs connected to the first vertical member above or below the intermediate location.

Abstract: A venetian blind including at least two vertically-extending slat-supporting ladders, each ladder comprising first and second vertical members connected by a plurality of vertically-spaced cross-rungs, a plurality of horizontally-arranged slats, each slat being supported on one of the cross rungs in each of the ladders and between the first and second vertical members, an adjusting mechanism for commonly pivoting each of the slats about its longitudinal axis by moving the first and second vertical members of the ladders in vertically opposite directions, a vertically-extending auxiliary tilt cord that is adjacent to a first vertical member of a ladder and can be moved upwardly, engaging means, on the auxiliary tilt cord and the adjacent first vertical member of the ladder, for moving the adjacent first vertical member at an intermediate location along its length upwardly with upward movement of the auxiliary tilt cord, so as to adjust the angular pivot of a section of the cross-rungs connected to the first ve

Abstract: A cord spool for an architectural covering, such as a Venetian blind, having a rotatable central shaft for opening and closing the covering. The cord spool includes a circumferential surface, about which an operating cord can be wound that can be driven in opposite directions to open and close the covering. The spool is arranged so as to regulate or prevent an F(pull) gradient when pulling on one end of the operating cord to open the covering; and has a variable coupling connected to the central shaft and the circumferential surface for automatically actuating the regulating or preventing operation when the torque on the central shaft, exerted by the window covering, is greater than the torque on the circumferential surface, exerted by the operating cord as it is being pulled to open the covering.

Abstract: A venetian blind including vertically-extending slat-supporting ladders is described. Each ladder comprises (i) first and second vertical members connected by cross-rungs, (ii) slats, each slat being supported on a cross rung of each ladder, (iii) an adjusting mechanism for pivoting the slats about their longitudinal axes by moving the vertical members in opposite directions, (iv) a vertically-extending auxiliary tilt cord that is adjacent to the first vertical member, and (v) an engagement mechanism on the auxiliary tilt cord and the first vertical member for moving the first vertical member at an intermediate location along its length upwardly with upward movement of the auxiliary tilt cord to adjust the angular pivot of a section of the cross-rungs connected to the first vertical member above or below the intermediate location.