Abstract: A vertically adjustable holder for interconnecting a carrier in a control system for a vertical vane covering for an architectural opening and a suspended vane includes two component parts which are rotatably adjustable relative to each other to increase or decrease the length of the holder and thus the spacing between the carrier and the suspended vane.

Abstract: A holder for interconnecting a carrier in a control system for a vertical vane covering for architectural openings with a suspended vane includes first and second parts with horizontally oriented engagement portions which are interconnectable at vertically spaced positions to move the parts between a plurality of adjusted vertical positions to adjust the spacing between the suspended vane and its associated carrier.

Abstract: A vertically adjustable holder for interconnecting a carrier in a control system for a vertical vane covering for an architectural opening and a suspended vane includes two component parts which are rotatably adjustable relative to each other to increase or decrease the length of the holder and thus the spacing between the carrier and the suspended vane.

Abstract: A cord tensioner for a guide cord of a cord-guided blind which has an upper rail, a lower rail and a blind material extending between the upper and lower rails and in which the upper rail, the lower rail or both is movable; the cord tensioner being attached to the upper or lower rail; and wherein the cord tensioner includes a compression spring and the guide cord engages the spring so that a pulling force on the guide cord compresses the spring.

Abstract: A holder for interconnecting a carrier in a control system for a vertical vane covering for architectural openings with a suspended vane includes first and second parts with horizontally oriented engagement portions which are interconnectable at vertically spaced positions to move the parts between a plurality of adjusted vertical positions to adjust the spacing between the suspended vane and its associated carrier.

Abstract: An elongate hollow rail for a fabric covering for an architectural opening, such as a bottom rail for a fabric roller blind or a top or bottom rail for a roman shade, having an upper portion with a lengthwise upper opening in the top of the rail and being characterized by a pair of lengthwise upper locking shoulders in the interior of the upper portion on walls on opposite widthwise sides of the upper opening, the upper locking shoulders being wedge-shaped and pointing inwardly of the upper portion and away from the upper opening, and the wall on a first widthwise side of the bottom rail extending above the wall on the opposite second widthwise side of the bottom rail about the openings and a method for attaching a fabric to a locking shoulder within an elongate hollow rail as described.

Abstract: A cord tensioner for a guide cord of a cord-guided blind which has an upper rail, a lower rail and a blind material extending between the upper and lower rails and in which the upper rail, the lower rail or both is movable; the cord tensioner being attached to the upper or lower rail; and wherein the cord tensioner includes a compression spring and the guide cord engages the spring so that a pulling force on the guide cord compresses the spring.

Abstract: An elongate hollow rail for a fabric covering for an architectural opening, such as a bottom rail for a fabric roller blind or a top or bottom rail for a roman shade, having an upper portion with a lengthwise upper opening in the top of the rail and being characterized by a pair of lengthwise upper locking shoulders in the interior of the upper portion on walls on opposite widthwise sides of the upper opening and/or the upper locking shoulders being wedge-shaped and pointing inwardly of the upper portion and away from the upper opening, and/or the wall oh a first widthwise side of the bottom rail extending above the wall on the opposite second widthwise side of the bottom rail about the openings and a method for attaching a fabric to a locking shoulder within an elongate hollow rail for a fabric covering for an architectural opening having a lengthwise upper opening in an upper portion of the rail, by the steps of securing the rail to a stationary support structure with its lengthwise upper opening facing upw

Abstract: A winding mechanism for controlling the retraction and deployment of an architectural covering, such as a window blind or shade having a winding element 12, about which the covering, or its lift cord or tapes are wound and unwound with rotation of the winding element about a first axis of rotation, and a fluid brake 40 for retarding the rotation of the winding element in at least one direction about the first axis. The fluid brake comprises a fluid tight compartment 42 containing a liquid and an impeller 46. The compartment and the impeller are adapted for relative rotation about a second axis, which can be the same as or coaxial with the first axis. Either the compartment or the impeller is operatively connected to the winding element. In operation the liquid rotates with the rotation of the compartment or the impeller about the second axis.

Abstract: A head rail for a vertical blind, the head rail being elongate and having a drive mechanism at one end for selectively tilting and retracting slats of the vertical blind along the length of the head rail, the drive mechanism including a rotatable tilt drive for tilting slats, a rotatable retract drive for retracting and deploying slats, and a transmission for rotating the tilt drive and the retract drive by means of a single rotatable source, wherein the transmission includes a clutch for rotating the tilt drive, the clutch incorporating a lost motion mechanism whereby, after a predetermined number of rotations in the same direction, transmission by the clutch to the tilt drive is disengaged and wherein the transmission includes a control gear which is located at a position along the length of the head rail so that it can be meshed with teeth of an external drive source.

Abstract: A releasable end stop is provided for an assembly of carriers and spacers that can be moved longitudinally within a head rail of an architectural covering, such as a covering for an architectural opening, and particularly a vertical venetian blind, wherein the end stop permits movement of operative components of the covering to permit cleaning and servicing of the control system for the covering.

Abstract: A carrier and spacer assembly for an architectural covering, such as a vertical Venetian blind, comprising a longitudinally-arrayed plurality of carriers that are slidably arranged for longitudinal movement along a longitudinally-extending tilt rod between open and closed positions. In the open position, the carriers are spaced apart along the tilt rod, and in the closed position, the carriers are adjacent to one another at a one end of the tilt rod. A mechanism is provided for pulling a first carrier along the tilt rod between the open and closed positions. A plurality of elongated spacers are disposed between the adjacent carriers, connecting them together along the tilt rod. Each spacer includes a leading end portion which extends towards the open position and engages a carrier and a trailing end portion which extends towards the closed position and engages an adjacent carrier.

Abstract: A head rail for a vertical blind, the head rail being elongate and having a drive mechanism at one end for selectively tilting and retracting slats of the vertical blind along the length of the head rail, the drive mechanism including a rotatable tilt drive for tilting slats, a rotatable retract drive for retracting and deploying slats, and a transmission for rotating the tilt drive and the retract drive by means of a single rotatable source, wherein the transmission includes a clutch for rotating the tilt drive, the clutch incorporating a lost motion mechanism whereby, after a predetermined number of rotations in the same direction, transmission by the clutch to the tilt drive is disengaged and wherein the transmission includes a control gear which is located at a position along the length of the head rail so that it can be meshed with teeth of an external drive source.

Abstract: A winding mechanism for controlling the retraction and deployment of an architectural covering, such as a window blind or shade having a winding element 12, about which the covering, or its lift cord or tapes are wound and unwound with rotation of the winding element about a first axis of rotation, and a fluid brake 40 for retarding the rotation of the winding element in at least one direction about the first axis. The fluid brake comprises a fluid tight compartment 42 containing a liquid and an impeller 46. The compartment and the impeller are adapted for relative rotation about a second axis, which can be the same as or coaxial with the first axis. Either the compartment or the impeller is operatively connected to the winding element. In operation the liquid rotates with the rotation of the compartment or the impeller about the second axis.

Abstract: A vertical blind (2) rail having an elongate channel (6) including a base wall (12) extending widthwise in a first direction between first and second base edges (14, 16), first and second side walls (18, 20) extending respectively from the first and second base edges to respectively first and second side edges (22, 24) in a second direction generally perpendicular to said first direction, first and second inturned flanges (26, 28) extending inwardly in generally said first direction from the first and second side edges respectively so as to define a slot (30) therebetween, wherein the vertical blind rail is formed by roll-forming a first elongate sheet into a cross-section partly conforming to the cross-section of an inner channel (10) of the blind rail, roll-forming a second elongate sheet into a cross-section partly conforming to the cross-section of an outer channel (8) of the blind rail, feeding the partly roll-formed first sheet for the inner channel into the partly roll-formed second sheet for the outer

Abstract: A head rail for a vertical blind, the head rail being elongate and having a drive mechanism at one end for selectively tilting and retracting slats of the vertical blind along the length of the head rail, the drive mechanism including a rotatable tilt drive for tilting slats, a rotatable retract drive for retracting and deploying slats, and a transmission for rotating the tilt drive and the retract drive by means of a single rotatable source, wherein the transmission includes a clutch for rotating the tilt drive, the clutch incorporating a lost motion mechanism whereby, after a predetermined number of rotations in the same direction, transmission by the clutch to the tilt drive is disengaged and wherein the transmission includes a control gear which is located at a position along the length of the head rail so that it can be meshed with teeth of an external drive source.

Abstract: A method of forming a strip-like mounting element (14a) in situ on a side of a flexible, preferably fabric, sheet (16) comprising the steps of proving a thermoplastic, preferably a hot-melt adhesive (14), in a heated state in a longitudinally-extending undercut groove (12) of a longitudinally-elongate receiving member (10), and pressing the side of the sheet (16) against the thermoplastic in a longitudinally-extending opening (13) in the groove (12). Whereby one side of the thermoplastic adheres to the sheet and an opposite side of the thermoplastic is removably positioned in the groove of the receiving member.

Abstract: An end cap and mounting support combination comprising an end cap (11, 111, 211, 311, 411) disengagably engagable with a support bracket (3) and one of the end cap and the support bracket being provided with: a laterally open slot (20, 120, 220, 320, 420) for accommodating an axially extending protuberance (21) on the other of the end cap and the support bracket; and closing means to prevent the protuberance from escaping from the laterally open slot; wherein the closing means comprises a rotatable locking collar (19, 119, 219, 319, 419) surrounding the laterally open slot and having a circumferential entrance opening (23, 123, 223, 323, 423) which can be aligned with the laterally open slot by rotation of the locking collar relative to the laterally open slot from a closed position to an open position, thereby selectively providing access to the laterally open slot through the circumferential entrance opening.

Abstract: A holder for suspending a vertical vane or the like in an architectural covering includes a male component connectible to the control system for the architectural covering and a female component connected to a vane of the architectural covering. The male and female components are releasably connected.

Abstract: A winding mechanism for controlling the retraction and deployment of an architectural covering, such as a window blind or shade having a winding element 12, about which the covering, or its lift cord or tapes are wound and unwound with rotation of the winding element about a first axis of rotation, and a fluid brake 40 for retarding the rotation of the winding element in at least one direction about the first vaxis. The fluid brake comprises a fluid tight compartment 42 containing a liquid and an impeller 46. The compartment and the impeller are adapted for relative rotation about a second axis, which can be the same as or coaxial with the first axis. Either the compartment or the impeller is operatively connected to the winding element. In operation the liquid rotates with the rotation of the compartment or the impeller about the second axis.