Abstract: A multi-purpose blind cut-down apparatus for cutting a blind having a head rail and closure elements. The cut-down apparatus has a blind holding plate with a blind component opening and a closure element opening for holding the head rail and closure elements in position for cutting. The cut-down apparatus uses a closure element cutting bar moveable relative to the holding plate for cutting the closure elements extending through the holding plate. The cutting bar has an die opening for receiving a cutting die on a cutting die plate. The die opening and cutting die receive the head rail of the blind and cooperate to cut the head rail by moving the cutting die plate relative to the holding plate. The cutting bar moves in a linear path while the die plate moves in an arcuate path, both the cutting bar and die plate are moved by a transmission element moveable relative to the holding plate.

Abstract: A shutter having a generally rectangular frame with side frame members and top and bottom members, of hollow thermo-plastic construction, and having a plurality of hollow thermo-plastic blades extending horizontally from one side frame to the other, and having blade end members with pivot axles extending outwardly at each end received in bearing holes in the side frames, the holes being located at predetermined spacings along the shutter frames, so as to provide a pleasing appearance and to permit complete closure of the shutter when the blades are rotated closed, and the shutter blades being connected by means of a pull bar, the pull bar being connected to the shutter blades along one end of each of the blades, and connections pivotally connected with the end members of one end of each of the blades, and coupled to the pull bar.

Abstract: A louvre, for use in a louvre shutter and having a generally hollow elongated aerofoil shape, defined by upper and under exterior walls, intermediate support walls between the upper and under exterior walls, for holding the shape of the upper and under exterior walls, an end closure member for each end having a body with a profile generally corresponding to the aerofoil shape defined by the upper and under exterior louvre walls, and a pivot axle extending from an outside surface for mounting the louvre rotatably, a plurality of frictional fingers formed on the inside surface formed of the body and located so as to inter-engage with portions of the support walls of the louvre. Also disclosed is a shutter comprised of such louvres, and having side frames between which such louvres are mounted in parallel spaced apart location.

Abstract: An apparatus for trimming the width of blinds of the type having a headrail, and a bottom rail and blind slats, and having a support body with a headrail opening, and a bottom rail opening, and a blind slat opening the blind components being insertable into their openings from one side of the support body, a die plate located adjacent to the support body, a headrail cutting recess, and a bottom rail cutting recess in the die plate, guides on the support body for the die plate, enabling the die plate to move relative to the headrail and bottom rail openings between two positions. A modified apparatus can be used to trim the width of a vertical blind having a headrail and control rods.

Abstract: A plurality of elongated thermoplastic bar members, each bar member defining a pre-determined width, and a pre-determined thickness which is less than its width, and each bar member being made up of an outer facing panel, and an inner wall and intermediate spacer walls extending between the facing panels and inner walls at intervals, and defining therebetween generally elongated passageways, and at least some of the bars having interlock formations formed on the exterior of the facing panels, so that adjacent bars may be interlocking together, the interlock formations defining continuous tongue and groove slide members, permitting one bar member to slide relative to its adjacent bar members, and at least one of bar members having one panel free of the interlock formations, so as to provide a smooth finished exterior surface.

Abstract: A combined tilt and lift control, for use with a window covering having slats suspended by ladder tapes connected to the slats, and slat lift elements for raising and lowering the slats and a tilt and lift control rod for operating the combined tilt and lift control, the tilt and lift control having a drum for securing and operating the ladder tapes and defining a hollow interior, a lift element opening in the drum bearings, a lift reel rotatably mounted in the drum, a two way rotation control connecting between the lift reel and the drum so that operation of the tilt and lift control rod between predetermined limits will be transmitted to the drum to cause movement of the ladder tapes and tilting of the slats, and so that movement of the tilt and lift control rod beyond such limits, will release the lift reel from the drum and cause operation of the reel independently of the drum.

Abstract: A flexible, storable suspended shutter having the general appearance of a rigid shutter door frame having a head rail, shutter blade suspensions and raise cords, shutter blades assemblies having two ends, substantially coextensive with the ends of the head rail, two sets of blade suspensions, each having upright portions with inner and outer edges, and the upper ends secured to the head rail, and with the outer edges coextensive with the ends of the head rail to simulate a door frame, each shutter blade assembly being supported by respective suspensions, in parallel spaced apart generally horizontal relation, and end openings in the shutter blade assemblies, with the raise cords extending through the openings. Also disclosed is a shutter blade assembly having a blade member, openings at opposite ends of the blade assembly for receiving the raise cords, and suspension engagement members on the blade members, for engagement by portions of the suspension means.

Abstract: A pull bar connector for a shutter bar of a shutter having blades with a hollow interior and a pull bar, and having, a body, a locking device interengagable with the pull bar, to secure the body to the pull bar, the body having a free end, a first integral toggle rigidly extending on one side of the body and, a second toggle rigidly extending on a second side of the body aligned on common axis with the first toggle, for insertion into and rotation within the hollow interior of a blade.

Abstract: A louvre shutter or door, of a type having a rectangular frame work, consisting of side frames and top and bottom frames, and slats extending from side to side and hollow extrusions forming the side frames, defining inner walls and outer walls, and side walls pivots at each end of the slats, recesses in the inner walls the side frames, with pivot of the slats extending through respective recesses, gears secured to the pivots extending through recesses in one of the side frames, and, a rack interconnecting the gears so that movement of one of the slats, will be transmitted to all of the slats. Also disclosed is a louvre shutter for a fanlight with wedge shaped slats, having a variable profile.

Abstract: Apparatus for the manufacture of blinds of the type having a head rail, a plurality of ladder tapes, plurality of blind slats, and raise cords passing through the blind slats, by which the blind slats may be drawn upwardly toward the head rail, and wherein the apparatus has a die support for passage of strip material along an axis therealong for the formation of blind slats, a plurality of die units mounted on the die support, at least some of said die units being moveable therealong, the die units being aligned with one another along the strip path, the die units being operable to procure their selective operation to form openings in the strip material at pre-selected spaced points, a cut off die for cutting off a pre-selected length of the strip material to form a blind slat, and slat threaders located downstream of the dies for threading a slat through the ladder tapes. Also disclosed is threader apparatus which is moveable laterally relative to the axis of the strip material.

Abstract: A drape or blind assembly having a headrail in which there is disposed a shaft, on rotation of which the position of the drapes or blind slats is adjusted, and a transmission mechanism having a housing and a drive gear supported by the housing in the headrail with the drive gear coaxial with the axis of the shaft and a rigid one piece coaxial coupling coupled between the shaft and the gear so that normal rotation of the drive gear causes rotation of the shaft. If, however, the drive gear is rotated past a predetermined rotational position, a stop member generally provided on the coupling engages an abutment member to prevent further rotation of the shaft. To prevent damage to the mechanism in such a situation, the mechanism includes a recess defined by first drive surfaces and resilient arms having complementary second drive surfaces.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a window covering having a head rail from which the window covering is suspended, having a rotatable control shaft along the length of the head rail, attachment drum bodies on the shaft at spaced intervals for attachment of the suspension cords, openings in the drum bodies for receiving the cords, a slot formed along the drum bodies by which they may be positioned on the control shaft, and a window covering incorporating such a control apparatus.

Abstract: An end support for use with a window covering assembly including a head rail having two ends, and the end support having two identical end support structures each end support structures having a generally rectangular open-sided boxlike structure having an end wall, a back wall meeting the end wall generally at a right angle, and two generally horizontal spaced-apart side walls, the side walls being joined to adjacent edges of the end wall and the back wall, the side walls, and the back wall defining free edges, the free edges, in turn, defining a generally three-sided rectangular opening for receiving an end of the head rail, and the side walls defining further free edges which, together with the free edge of the end wall, define an open side of the boxlike structure, through which an end of the head rail may be inserted and removed, and, a moveable closure swingably mounted on the boxlike structure adjacent the free edge of the end wall and swingable between open and closed positions, and a lock for locking

Abstract: Support brackets for use with a window covering having a head rail head rail, each support bracket having a generally horizontal body defining forward and rear edges, an attachment plate for securing the body to a building, forward engagement members formed on the body member, and engageable with a forward edge of the head rail, a clamp slideably supported by the body slideable between forward and rearward positions, a clamping hook on the clamp adjacent a rearward end engageable with the rearward side of the head rail, when the clamping member is moved rearwardly, the forward edge of the clamp being manually moveable so that it may be manually operated to and fro, and an interlock interengageable between the clamp and the body to hold them locked in the rearward position.

Abstract: A torque-limiting angle drive for blinds and having a housing, first and second bearings on the housing defining respective first and second rotational axes, a drive member rotatably supported in a bearing and having drive formations, a driven member rotatably supported in another other bearing, stops to define ends of a predetermined arc of rotation of the driven member, a plurality of driven formations on the driven member at spaced intervals therearound and, slipping formations arranged on one of the drive member and the driven member located so that when the driven member reaches one or other end of its arc of rotation, one or other of the slipping formations is disengaged whereby to provide a slipping action when the drive member is over-rotated.

Abstract: A drape or blind assembly having a headrail in which there is disposed a shaft, on rotation of which the position of the drapes or blind slats is adjusted, and a transmission mechanism which comprises a drive gear and a coupling adapted to be coupled to such a shaft so that rotation of the drive gear normally causes rotation of the shaft. If, however, the drive gear is rotated past a predetermined rotational position, a stop member generally provided on the coupling engages an abutment member to prevent further rotation of the shaft. To prevent damage to the mechanism in such a situation, the mechanism includes a recess defined by first drive surfaces and a resilient arm means having complementary second drive surfaces. On continued rotation of the drive gear after the stop member has engaged the abutment member, the resilient arm means flexes to permit relative rotation of the first and second drive surfaces.

Abstract: A corner junction assembly for use with two adjacent lengths of window covering track has a bearing ring making a captive frictional fit in a bearing hub to permit relative rotation of those two parts. The corner junction assembly is adapted to be connected to the ends of the adjacent lengths of the tracks. The corner junction assembly also facilitates the transmission of movement from a control such as a control cord or rod, in one of the lengths of track to a control in the other length of track.

Abstract: A cord lock unit is provided for use in a drape assembly having vertically movable drapes or in a horizontal blind assembly having a plurality of horizontal blind slats suspended from a header unit for vertical movement. Such assemblies comprise a pair of spaced apart pull cords for moving such drapes or blind slats vertically. The cord lock unit is designed so that it can be inserted into an opening in a header unit of such an assembly. Such a cord lock unit comprises a first portion larger than the opening in the header rail and a second portion secured to the first portion and dimensioned so as to be insertable through such opening. The unit also comprises resilient engagement means adapted to be deflected during insertion of the second portion to permit such insertion and resiliently to return to a position after such insertion so as then to retain the cord lock unit in position within the opening.

Abstract: A clutch assembly for a venetian blind and having a drive member, a driven member, a first engagement device on the drive member, a second engagement device on the drive member, adapted to cooperate to transmit rotation to the blind, and the first and second engagement devices being disengageable in response to over-rotation to discontinue transmission of rotation to the blind. Also disclosed is a connector coupling for connecting between a venetian blind gear drive and a venetian blind wand, and having a pair of resilient fingers, the fingers being received in an opening in a gear drive shaft.

Abstract: A blind apparatus comprising at least two tracks having adjacent ends meeting at a corner defined therebetween, the tracks defining two opposite ends remote from such corner, a rotation shaft for each track, a lead traveller in each track, moving along a lead traveller path of predetermined length from an open position at one end of the path to a closed position at the other end of the path, pluralities of travellers, forming groups, associated with respective lead travellers, each traveller having a rotatable slat shaft and being connected to a rotation shaft whereby upon rotation of the rotation shaft, the slat shaft may be rotated, adjacent travellers in the same group being connected by links, each lead traveller being connected to an adjacent traveller in its respective group by a further link, a .[.flexible.].