Abstract: Lower end portions of the life cords of a Venetian blink assembly are retained within the bottom rail of the assembly by a helical tension spring that is normally in an unexpanded or unloaded condition when the bottom rail is moved toward or away from the top rail by manipulating the lift cords. When the bottom rail is held in fixed position relative to the top rail, the lower end portions of the lift cords can be pulled from within the bottom rail to expand the spring so as to apply a user controllable tensioning force on the lift cords which are then locked in position. The now tensioned lift cords serve to maintain and stabilize the position of the ladder and slat structure of the blind assembly where it is mounted in a moving vehicle, for example, or where it is inclined from a vertical plane.

Abstract: Lower end portions of the lift cords of a Venetian blind assembly are retained within the bottom rail of the assembly by a helical tension spring that is normally in an unexpanded or unloaded condition when the bottom rail is moved toward or away from the top rail by manipulating the lift cords. When the bottom rail is held in fixed position relative to the top rail, the lower end portions of the lift cords can be pulled from within the bottom rail to expand the spring so as to apply a user controllable tensioning force on the lift cords which are then locked in position. The now tensioned lift cords serve to maintain and stabilize the position of the ladder and slat structure of the blind assembly where it is mounted in a moving vehicle, for example, or where it is inclined from a vertical plane.

Abstract: A venetian blind assembly having a plurality of slats supported by two slat support means. The assembly is adapted to be connected at opposite ends extending parallel to the slats to fixed frame members. Each slat support means includes a longitudinal side member having means to support the slats. Resilient means are provided for imparting tension into all of the longitudinal side members during tilting of the slats whereby the blind assembly may be oriented in a number of different positions including inclined and horizontal positions without sagging.

Abstract: A tilting roll and tilting roll assembly for the ladder means of a venetian blind for the ladder cord or tape of a venetian blind in which the roll which is rotatable within a base about the longitudinal axis of the roll includes a first pair of opening portions which are circumferentially spaced from one another, one cord or tape of the ladder passing over the top of the roll into engagement with one of the opening portions and the other tape or cord passing over the top of the roll from the other side and engaging the other opening portion. A second pair of opening portions is provided axially spaced from the first to enable the ladder tape or cord to be mounted on the opposite side of a lift cord.

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 venetian blind headrail installation bracket including a body having first and second body portions. The first body portion includes an outwardly facing supporting member adapted to support a first edge of a U-shaped headrail. The second body portion has a slot-like opening therein. A spring member having an extended portion thereon is supported on one side by an abutment means on the first body portion and on an opposite side by the extended portion extending through the slot-like opening. The extended portion is adapted to support a second edge of the headrail.

Abstract: A tilter mechanism for the slats of a venetian blind in which a worm and wormwheel are mounted in a housing connected to a bracket, the wormwheel has an axial extension on each axial end provided with a recess which can receive selectively the end of a tilt rod, whereby the tilt rod can extend either to the left or to the right of the wormwheel. A spring clip holds the tilt rod in engagement with the recess in one of the extensions. A rotational control disc may also be provided which has two external abutments.This disc can be mounted on the other of the extensions, the abutments being engageable with stops on the bracket to restrict rotation of the control member and thus of the wormwheel. Radially outwardly extending keys are provided on each extension, one of these engaging the spring clip to hold the tilt rod in place, and the other engaging a notch in the rotation control disc to prevent the latter rotating relative to the wormwheel.

Abstract: A support bracket for a venetian blind headrail which is in the form of an open sided box structure including a side wall, with a top wall and a bottom wall connected to the side wall, a front wall having rearwardly extending top and bottom flanges connected to a forward portion of the top and bottom wall, respectively, by a vertical axis pivotal connection adjacent the side wall, a latch provided between the top and bottom flanges and the top and bottom walls, the latch locking the front wall in position when the front wall is moved sideways towards the side wall.

Abstract: A device for mounting the headrail of a vertical Venetian blind and for holding a valance to the headrail in which a bracket has the valance mounted on it and carries a rearwardly extending arm which is engageable in a rearwardly extending channel formed in a clip body. The clip can be hooked on to and snap in to elongate recesses in the front and rear flanges of the headrail and the clip carries members which mount the clip, the headrail and the bracket to a support thereabove. The clip also carries detents which engage in holes in the rearward arm of the bracket so that the position of the valance can be adjusted.

Abstract: A horizontal venetian blind and a valance bracket therefor, in which the bracket is formed as a unitary structure formed in one single piece, and including a main body dimensioned to bridge the gap between the rims at the top of the front and rear walls of the headrail of the blind, an end portion at one end of the body overlying one of the rims. One or more tongues are cantilevered from the body at a location spaced from the one end, the tongues being located below and extending away from the body at an acute angle thereto, either sideways or downwardly, and being resiliently engageable on the one rim of the blind. An abutment member extends downwardly from the body and has an inclined surface which lockingly engages under the other rim of the headrail and is urged thereagainst by the resilient interaction between the rim and the tongue or tongues. The valance support member is connected to the main body to depend in front of the headrail when the bracket is mounted thereon.

Abstract: A cord lock for a venetian blind lift cord, in which a fixed guide roller is mounted between front and rear plates, these plates being provided with generally H-shaped slots, the arms of the H being inclined towards one another upwardly, the slot accommodating, in the arms on one side, a locking roller slidable along the arms upon the cord rising to lock releasably the cord against the guide roller. The locking roller can be forced along the cross arm of the H onto the other arm, for use at the opposite end of the blind. A resilient wire separator for separating the lift cord from one another may be located on upstanding tabs provided with recesses on a curved edge surface, one of the recesses acting as a pivot point and the other as a locking recess.

Abstract: A venetian blind and a tilting mechanism for fitting in a venetian blind headrail for tilting the slats of a venetian blind, in which a rotary drive shaft having a worm drivingly engages a rotary wormwheel, these parts being enclosed in a housing which is formed as a one-piece stamping of two identical mirror image parts which are hinged with a solid hinge to one another, and are provided with bearing parts on each portion which together form a rotary bearing for the drive shaft and worm and rotary bearing for the wormwheel, the mounting bracket serving to hold the two housing portions together in the closed position of the hinge and retain the mechanism as a single assembly.

Abstract: A support bracket for a venetian blind headrail, intended to be mounted intermediate the ends of the headrail, in which a rear wall has a top wall extending forwardly therefrom with a hook member at the front engageable under the front rim of the headrail. The rear of the headrail rests on a bottom wall and a downward projection from the top wall lies immediately in front of the rim of the rear flange of the headrail to prevent forward movement of the headrail, the rear surface of the projection being located rearwardly of the front of the bottom wall.

Abstract: A cord locking mechanism is described for a venetian blind for locking the flexible blind lifting and lowering member in any selected position by gripping the member between a guide and a serrated locking pin movable toward and from the guide; a helper member is movable toward and from the locking pin when in its unlocked position in order to insure engagement of the flexible member with the locking pin and movement of the locking pin into a locking position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a metal strip into a shape having a transverse concave, convex bow, for example, for forming slats for venetian blinds. The strip material is fed into the nip of a pair of forming rolls having complementary concave and convex peripheral surfaces, to provide the bow. In order to ensure that the resulting bowed strip is formed without any twist, the strip is fed along a substantially straight path upstream of the forming rolls, and the direction of this straight path is adjustable in a plane passing through the nip and parallel to the axes of the forming rolls.