Abstract: A hand protection system for use by individuals involved in de-mining operations to locate and identify buried anti-personnel mines is designed to provide a degree of protection to the hands of the operative while still enabling the hands to perform necessary operations such as manipulating a probe rod, clearing soil by use of the fingers, etc. In one form the hand protector is a trough-shaped shield which tapers to a rounded forward end and is adapted to fit over the back of the hand of the user, the shield being open on its underside so that the user's fingers can be manipulated. In another form the hand protecting shield is of conical shape having a hole through its narrow end through which a probe can be extended and manipulated by a hand received within the protector. The protector includes laminated layers of aramid fibers together with other tough blast resistant materials such as polycabonate.

Abstract: A take up reel for window blind cords, comprising a rotatably driven spool having a cord attachment member fixedly engaged thereto and spaced apart from a cord receiving surface of the spool. The member is adapted to alternatively slidingly engage a cord positioned within said device, when the device is in an unretracted position, and fixedly engage said cord when said device is in a retracted position. In a further aspect of the invention, a cord retraction device comprising a rotatably driven spool with an attachment member adapted to engage a cord thereto is provided, with the spool being further provided with a retainer rotatably engaged to an end thereof and adapted to retain the cord on a cord-receiving surface of the spool. The retainer is rotatable between first and second positions, wherein in the first position the attachment member is exposed for user access thereto, and in the second position, the cap cooperates with the spool to retain the cord on the cord receiving surface thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a curtain retainer. The curtain retainer is comprised of a retainer element having a pair of parallel elongate members having a gap therebetween and having inside and outside faces. A support is provided to support the retaining element from a wall, ceiling, head rail of a window blind or curtain, or the like. A plug is provided for insertion into and retained within the gap in the retaining element. The plug clampingly engages fabric of a curtain between itself and corresponding inside faces of the members. The plug is retained in a partly recessed position within the gap and is capable, in this position, of retaining the fabric sufficiently loosely to allow for positioning of the fabric in pleats or the like.

Abstract: The present invention is a link adapted to connect facing vanes of a vertical blind. Each of the links is comprised of an articulated arm engaged to said vanes by a cleat pivotally engaged to each end thereof. The articulated arm is comprised of first and second limbs, the first limb having a channel therein and the second limb having means to pivotally and slideably engage the channel. In a preferred embodiment, the channel is formed by an elongate loop extending from an end of the first limb, and the engagement means comprises a pin extending from the free end of the second limb, adapted to slideably engage the loop. The articulated arm is somewhat longer than the width of a single vane, in order to minimize the possibility of the edge of the vane becoming entangled in the joint between the arms.

Abstract: An arrangement of links is provided to connect the free ends of the vanes of a vertical blind. The links are comprised of a cleat portion adapted to engage a vertical blind and an articulated arm linking two cleats attached to neighboring vanes.

Abstract: A vertical blind with an arrangement for supporting a plurality of vanes comprised of an elongate blind head with a plurality of slidable vane carriers disposed therein, each adapted to rotate an individual vane about its vertical axis. Rotational movement of the vanes is effected by providing the blind head with a central rotatable tilt rod that engages a series of face gears disposed within each of the carriers. Each carrier also includes a pinion gear engaged by the face gear and mounted to a vane holder adapted to rotate within a clip provided on the carrier. The vertical blind may also include a plurality of slinding clips linking the carriers, the clips being readily removable from the carriers. The clips may include fastening arrangements which enable adjustment of the spacing between the carriers so as to provide a vertical blind capable of fitting within different dimensions. The vertical blind may also include a plurality of valence clips for attachment of a decorative valence.

Abstract: Improvements to a door frame are provided, comprising the provision of in a jamb member of the frame a slot that receive spaced apart legs of a hardware element, the said adapted to frictionally hold the position of the hardware element in the slot, and further comprising means for mounting the frame member to adjoining studs and headers by means of resilient elements adapted to provided angular adjustment of the members. There is further provided means to adjust the length of the frame elements by means of an extension element, which is used in combination with a decorative cover. A decorative trim element is further provided that resiliently mounts to the frame members and is adapted to press against the adjoining wall to provide a smooth junction therewith.

Abstract: A vertical blind, having a plurality of vanes and an elongate blind head with a plurality of slidable vane carriers disposed therein, is provided with a plurality of sliding clips linking the carriers, each clip adapted to be fully removable from the carriers. The clips have means to adjust the spacing between the carriers so as to provide a vertical blind capable of fitting within a particular dimension.