Abstract: A headrail for a venetian type blind has reversible modular controls that can be easily switched from the right side of the blind to the left side of the blind or vice versa by the installer. The headrail has an elongated body having a base, a first sidewall and a second sidewall. The first and second sidewalls are spaced apart, generally parallel and attached to the base. Each sidewall has a slot sized to receive a plug or a fitting through which the lift cords and tilt cords or hook for a tilt wand pass. The slots are opposite one another and of a same size. One changes the controls from one end of the headrail to the opposite end of the headrail by moving the lift cords and tilt cord or hook from one slot to the other slot.

Abstract: Clamps are provided for shortening a venetian type blind to fit windows of different lengths. The clamp has two portions connected by hinge. The two portions are fastened together on a lift cord and ladder below the slat at the desired shortened length. At least two clamps are used to shorten the blind. After the clamps are applied the blind is shortened by removing that portion of the blind below the clamps. This can be done by releasing each lift cord from the bottomrail and pulling the lift cord from the bottomrail through the slats to be removed. The excess slats are removed. Then the ladders are detached from the bottomrail, shortened and reattached to the bottomrail. The lift cords are then reconnected to the bottomrail and the clamps are removed. Alternatively, the clamps which grip the ladders and lift cords can be attached to the bottomrail.

Abstract: A tilt rod support for a Venetian blind includes a U-shaped base plate including at least one through hole, and a rolling member mounted on the base plate and located above the through hole. A slat tilt adjustment cord extends through the through hole and slidably abuts the rolling member. The rolling member can be used to prevent the slat tilt adjustment cord from constantly contacting the solid edge of the through hole in order to protect the slat tilt adjustment cord.

Abstract: A system for reversibly rotating a shaft for operation of the control system in a covering for an architectural opening includes two relatively linearly moveable members at least one of which has a low friction component engaging a helical path on the other so that linear movement of the members causes relative rotation to drive the rotatable shaft of the control system.

Abstract: A wand (10) for operating the rotatable drive (93) of a venetian blind (90); rotatable drive (93) including a drive post (95) having a horizontal bore (97) therethrough or a drive hook (93). Wand (10) includes an elongate handle (20) having a longitudinal axis (28) and including a connector (30) including a clevis (40) adapted for connection to rotatable drive (93). Clevis (40) includes a pair of posts (42) having a bore (46) therethrough, posts (42) spaced for receiving therebetween drive post (95), and a pin (50) for disposition in bore (46). A hook drive (60) is pivotally attached to pin (50) in clevis (40) and includes a bore (67) therethrough adapted to receive and rotate hook (94). Handle (10) includes axially extending external threads (21) and a hand-operated nut (23) interacting with threads (21) for rotating wand (10). Pin (50) includes one or more of protuberances (55) and a hollow (56). Protuberances (55) are disposed in the space between posts (42) when pin (50) is disposed in post bore (46).

Abstract: A tilter for horizontal slotted blinds which incorporates a hollow housing (22) and lid (34) constructed of a thermoplastic. A spool (48) and gear (50) are attached to a shaft (46) which is retained by the housing and lid. The spool gear intermeshes with a reduction gear cluster which in turn drives a gear driven sleeve (68) through which a tilt rod (74) penetrates. A pair of lines or cords (32) are wound around the spool and hang beneath the blind head rail (28) for manual blind slat tilting. By pulling downward on a selected line the tilter rotates the tilt rod, which in turn rotates conventional drums upon which ladders are attached. The slats of a blind are tilted by gears which are selected to have a ratio that decreases the necessary throw of the line to achieve a full 180 degree tilt of the blind with minimal movement.

Abstract: A slatted blind (10) includes a headrail (12) with a pair of ladder cords (16, 18) depending therefrom with slats (14) supported on the wefts (44, 52) extending between the warps (42a,b, 50a,b) of each cord and further includes a tilt mechanism (20) to extend one warp of each cord and to retract the other in order to tilt the slats. The preferred tilt mechanism (20) includes a pair of slides (60, 62) positioned on the bottom wall (26) of the headrail (12). The ends of the warps (42a,b, 50a,b) are coupled with the slides (60, 62) on opposed sides of respective cord holes (82, 90) defined through the slides (60, 62) and extend therethrough and also through respective cord openings (30, 32) in the bottom wall. Back and forth shifting of the slides (60, 62) along the bottom wall (26) alternately extend one warp of each cord and retract the other in order to tilt the slats.

Abstract: A ladder cord drum for use in a venetian blind comprising a housing mounted on an actuating or tilting shaft of the blind. The housing is formed having tongues on which ends of side strands of a ladder cord are impaled, whereupon the tongues are locked to the housing.

Abstract: A window blind (10) has a headrail (12) housing a tilt assembly (18) and a plurality of slats (14) having opposed external longitudinal edges (36). The blind (10) has a sleeve (28) extending from the tilt assembly (18) to a bottommost slat (14) along the external longitudinal edges (36) of each slat (14). Each slat (14) has a clip (38) that engages the external longitudinal edges (36) of each slat (14). A loop (40) is positioned around the clip (38) and through a pair of openings (48) in the sleeve (28) to connect the sleeve (28) to the each slat (14). A lift cord (30) extends from the headrail (12) to the bottommost slat (14) along the external longitudinal edge (36) of each slat (14) where it is connected to the bottommost slat (14). The lift cord (30) is within the sleeve (28).

Abstract: A new retractable blind pull for automatically retracting a cord after use. The retractable blind pull includes a cylindrical housing having a front face, a back face and a cylindrical side wall therebetween. The cylindrical side wall has an aperture therethrough exposing a hollow interior. The aperture receives a free end of a mini-blind cord therein. A spool is rotatably disposed within the hollow interior of the cylindrical housing between the front and back face thereof. The spool includes a forward flange, an intermediate flange and a back flange. A space between the forward flange and the intermediate flange is disposed below the aperture in the cylindrical side wall of the cylindrical housing with the mini-blind cord wrapping around the spool between the forward flange and the intermediate flange. A coil spring is wrapped around the spool between the intermediate flange and the back flange for rotation of the spool thereby retracting the mini-blind cord therearound.

Abstract: A window blind (10) is disclosed having a headrail (12) housing a tilt assembly (18) and a plurality of slats (14) having opposed longitudinal edges (36). The blind (10) has a sleeve (28) extending from the tilt assembly (18) to a bottommost slat (14) along the longitudinal edges (36) of each slat (14). Each slat (14) has a clip (38) that engages the longitudinal edges (36) of each slat (14). A loop (40) is positioned around the clip (38) and through a pair of openings (48) in the sleeve (28) to connect the sleeve (28) to the each slat (14). A lift cord (30) extends from the headrail (12) to the bottommost slat (14) along the longitudinal edge (36) of each slat (14) where it is connected to the bottommost slat (14). The lift cord (30) is within the sleeve (28).

Abstract: A slat angle adjusting device is provided for a Venetian blind includes a headrail substantially U-shaped in section with two side walls each having an upper bent portion extending inwardly and downwardly therefrom. The adjusting device includes a body received in the headrail, a positioning member fixedly mounted on an upperside of the body and having two C-shaped forked ends each securely mounted on a corresponding one of the two upper bent portions of the headrail, and a roller rotatably mounted in the headrail and attached to and located outside of the body.