Venetian Blind

Abstract

The front and rear sidepieces of the ladders are connected to front and rear horizontal runs of a tilt cord at eyelets which are spaced along the horizontal runs. The tilt and lift cords may be connected to individual spool members of a cord-operating unit. The blind is adapted to be combined with a window having metal framing and, where the window has spacing glazings, the ladder-and-slat assembly is adapted to be located between the glazings. The spool members of the cord-operating unit are located at a distance from the horizontal runs of the tilt cord and are adapted to be located in a channel of the window framing.

Parent Case Text

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation-in-part of my original application Ser. No. 6,395 filed Jan. 28, 1970, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,703,920. Additionally the present application is related to application Ser. No. 277,022 filed Aug. 1, 1972; that application, like the present application, is a continuation-in-part of my original application Ser. No. 6,395 filed Jan. 28, 1970.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Although Venetian blinds are now highly developed, the cost of various component parts has been higher than is desirable, and the space required for the more reliable and durable blinds has been greater than is desirable. Also most Venetian blinds, and particularly the more reliable andsatisfactory ones, have not been well adapted for being combined with windows having metal framing, particularly if these windows were double glazed and it was desired to locate the ladder-and-slat assembly of the blind between the glazings. In various instances only very limited space is available for installation of a Venetian blind. The prior Venetian blind constructions and arrangements that have been for use in severely limited space have been constructions and arrangements which left much to be desired as regards speed and ease of assembly and installation and also as regards reliability and durability after installation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The Venetian blind of the present invention can be manufactured and installed at low cost, having in mind the reliability and operating characteristics that the blind affords. Moreover the blind of the present invention can be combined readily with a window having metal framing, the ladder-and-slat assembly of the blind being placed between the glazings if the window has double glazings.

Among the freatures and aspects afforded by the presently preferred forms of the invention are: The slat-tilting means includes a tilt cord which is shiftable longitudinally of itself and has one or two horizontal runs to which eyelets are affixed. The upper ends of the ladder sidepieces are provided with barbs which are inserted through the eyelets to connect the ladder sidepieces to the tilt cord. The portion of the tilt cord to which the eyelets are affixed is preferably of finely stranded stainless steel. Cord-operating means is operatively connected to the horizontal runs to shift them longitudinally of themselves to tilt the slats of the blind. The cord-operating means is located at a distance from the horizontal runs and cord, which is considered to be part of the tilt cord, connects the horizontal runs to the cord-operating means.

Among other features and aspects afforded by certain presently preferred forms of the invention are: A single cord-operating unit is operative for manipulating the lift cords as well as the tilt cord. The tilt cord and the lift cords are operatively connected to individual spool members of such cord-operating unit. A common operator is in continuous torque-imparting relation to both of the spool members, and slippage is provided at the tilt-cord spool-member upon full tilting being reached. Additionally, slippage is provided between the common operator and both the lift-cord spool-member and the tilt-cord spool-member upon full raising of the blind being reached. The cord-operating unit includes means which acts as a brake that obviates fortuitous lowering of the slats due to their weight. The connection of the horizontal runs of the tilt cord to the tilt-cord spool-member includes a length of cord that engages the spool member at an intermediate portion of such length, and the connection of the vertical runs of the lift cords to the lift-cord spool-member includes a length of cord that is secured to the lift-cord spool-member at one end of such length. The two spool members are rotated by a shaft that is in continuous torque-imparting relation to each of the spool members, and the shaft is journalled in a bearing block which is adapted to be mounted on the framing of the window.

Cord which is drawn taut connects the horizontal runs of the tilt cord to the remotely located tilt-cord spool-member; and the invention affords quick, convenient and reliable securing of such cord to retain it taut. To this end there is provided an elongated sheet-steel cord-connector which is channel shaped in cross section; one cord end may be knot secured to one end of the connector and, after the cord has been drawn taut, the confronting cord end or portion is secured to the connector by suitable quick-connection facilities with which the connector is provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS, WHICH SHOW THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a top plan view, with portions broken away, of a first Venetian blind in accordance with the invention. The tassels for the tilt cord and the tassel and anchor for the lift cord are omitted; for these see FIG. 2. Window-frame structure and glazings with which the blind may be associated are indicated diagrammatically in dot-dash lines.

FIG. 2 is a view, with portions broken away, taken generally on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1. Visible portions which hang from the head of the blind are shown fragmentarily, and an anchor for the lift cords is shown diagrammatically. Window-frame structure and glazings with which the Venetian blind may be associated are indicated diagrammatically in dot-dash lines.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical section on the line 3--3 of FIG. 2 showing the head channel and also showing the cord-guide unit through which the line 3--3 passes. A lift-cord fragment and a fragment of the ladder-and-slat assembling are indicated in dot-dash lines.

FIG. 4 is a plan view, to a larger scale than FIGS. 1 and 2, showing the lower die of an eyelet-setting tool with an eyelet in position for setting and with a fragment of a single tilt cord in position to receive the eyelet as it is set.

FIG. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5--5 of FIG. 4, with the upper die of the setting-tool added.

FIG. 6 is a plan view, with portions broken away, showing a looped single-tilt-cord with four eyelets affixed thereto as prepared for incorporation into the first Venetian blind as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged vertical section on the line 7--7 of FIG. 6, showing the eyelet clinched to the single tilt cord of FIGS. 1, 2, and 6.

FIG. 8 is a vertical section on line 8--8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view, with portions broken away, of a second Venetian blind in accordance with the invention. The means for manipulating the tilt and lift cords are omitted.

FIG. 10 is a view, with portions broken away, taken generally on the line 10--10 of FIG. 9. The ladder-and-slat assembly of the blind is omitted, but depending fragments of the ladders and the associated lift cords are shown. The means for manipulating the tilt and lift cords are omitted.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross section on the line 11--11 of FIG. 10, the lift and tilt cords being omitted.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary view on the line 12--12 of FIG. 11, portions of the tilt cord and portions of the lift-cord means being indicated in dot-dash lines.

FIG. 13 is a plan view, with portions broken away, showing a looped double-tilt-cord element with four eyelets affixed thereto as prepared for incorporation into the second Venetian blind as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged section on the line 14--14 of FIG. 13, showing the eyelet clinched to the double tilt-cord-element of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a top plan view, corresponding to FIG. 4, showing a fragment of the double-tilt-cord element of FIG. 13 in position to have an eyelet clinched to both of the branches of the double tilt-cord element.

FIG. 16 is a top plan view of the lift-cord equalizer, a cord fragment being indicated in dot-dash lines.

FIG. 17 is a sectional elevation showing in vertical section a fragment of a metal-channel which constitutes one of the jambs of metal window framing, e.g. the framing of the sash. The plane of the section is perpendicular to the expanse of the window opening. The tilt cord of FIGS. 9 and 10 and also the lift-cord means of FIGS. 9 and 10 are shown extending downwardly in the channel and operatively connected to a cord-operating unit which is attached to the channel.

FIG. 18 is a top plan view of the tilt-cord spool-member, to which the tilt cord is shown connected in FIG. 17, a fragment of the tilt cord being included in FIG. 18.

FIG. 19 is an elevation looking from the left of FIG. 18, with a diagram added to indicate the manner in which the tilt cord is wound about the tilt-cord spool-member before that spool member is put in place in the cord-operating unit.

FIG. 20 is a largely diagrammatic top plan view, with portions broken away, of a third Venetian blind in accordance with the invention. Various parts are in exploded relation and relevant relationships are indicated by broken lines. Omitted are certain lift and tilt cord connections between the head of the blind and the remotely-located cord-operating unit; for these see FIG. 21.

FIG. 21 is a largely diagrammatic view, with portions broken away, taken generally on the line 21--21 of FIG. 20, parts being in exploded relation similarly to FIG. 20.

FIG. 21A is a front elevation of the presently preferred connector, for the cord, that is shown in FIG. 21.

FIG. 21B is a view in section of the presently preferred connector, taken on the line 21B--21B of FIG. 21A.

FIG. 22 is a fragmentary top plan view, largely diagrammatic, showing a portion of the cord-operating unit with the tilt cord in a position that differs from the position that is shown in FIG. 20.

FIG. 23 is a top plan view of the eyelet-carrying portion of the tilt cord, with the eyelets affixed thereto.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of a sheet-metal eyelet-providing stamping preparatory to being affixed to the tilt cord.

FIGS. 25, 26 and 27 are large scale diagrammatic views illustrating the use of a punch and die to attach the eyelet-providing stamping of FIG. 24 to the tilt cord. The eyelet and the tilt cord are seen in cross section in FIGS. 25 and 26, and the tilt cord is seen in elevation in FIG. 27 which is taken generally on the line 27--27 of FIG. 26.

FIG. 28 is a top-plan detail-view showing the tilt cord and thereto affixed eyelet as removed from the die of FIGS. 25-27.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS THAT ARE PRESENTLY PREFERRED

The presently preferred embodiments of the invention, taken collectively, afford all of the features set forth in the summary of the invention and afford additional features which will be apparent from the drawings plus the description plus the claims. Except as may be otherwise indicated, the description hereinafter that is prior to the claims refers to one or more of the particular forms of the invention that are shown in the drawings; it does not necessarily refer to any other form or forms in which the invention may be embodied. The claims, however, do embrace other forms in which the invention may be embodied. The best modes thus far contemplated of carrying out the invention are disclosed. Nevertheless the disclosure is by way of illustration and example, since other specific modes are possible and it is left to the manufacturer and/or the user to dispense with any feature or features that are not needed for his purpose.

Reference will now be had to FIGS. 1-8, which deal with the first Venetian blind that is disclosed. A ladder-and-slat assembly is designated as a whole by 40 and includes sheet-metal slats 41 which are supported by two "string" ladders each of which is designated as a whole by 42. The ladder-and-slat assembly is suspended beneath a horizontally-extending support or head that is designated as a whole by 44. The head that is shown may be considered as consisting of the sheet-metal channel 45 and the thereto-attached units and elements which guide the tilt cord and the lift cords.

Above the ladders 42 the head 44 has duplicate cord-guide units, each designated as a whole by 46. Space on the drawing being limited, the reference characters for the units 46 are divided between the two units to some extent. Each cord-guide unit 46 has a U-shaped sheet-metal body 47 that is nested as shown within the head channel 45, the bottom 47a of the cord-guide-unit body being against the bottom 45a of the head channel and the sides 47b and 47c of the cord-guide-unit body being against the sides 45b and 45c of the head channel. The bottom 47a of the body of each of the guide units 46 is attached to the bottom 45a of the head channel by three conventional metal eyelets 48, 49, and 50. These eyelets, which may be considered as part of the cord-guide unit 46, pass through the bottom 47a of the cord-guide body and thence through the bottom 45a of the head channel. The eyelets 48, 49, and 50 also do cord guiding, as will be explained. A sleevelike cylindrical roller 51 is on a shaft which extends between the sides 47b and 47c of the U-shaped cord-guide-unit body 47. Two sleevelike cylindrical rollers 52 and 53, each about half of the length of roller 51, are end-to-end on another shaft which extends between the two sides 47b and 47c of the cord-guide-unit body 47. To facilitate free turning of the rollers 51, 52, and 53, four annular beads 47d are pressed out from the sides 47b and 47c and loosely confront the adjacent ends of the rollers.

At its right-hand end in FIGS. 1 and 2 the head 44 and a cord-guide unit which is designated as a whole by 56. The cord-guide unit 56 has a sheet-metal body 57 which is nested within the head channel but a portion of which projects forwardly through a cut-out in the front wall 45b of the head channel. The body 57 of the cord-guide unit 56 has six walls, viz., a bottom wall 57a which is against the bottom wall 45a of the head channel, side walls 57b and 57c which are against the side walls 45b and 45c of the head channel, an end wall 57d which extends across the end of the head channel, a top wall 57e which is spaced upwardly from the bottom wall 57a and a small vertical-wall 57f which depends from the top wall 57e and is laterally spaced from the end wall 57d as is best seen in FIG. 2. A sleevelike cylindrical roller 58 is on a horizontal shaft which extends between the side walls 57b and 57c. Sleevelike cylindrical rollers 59 and 60 are on vertical shafts which extend between the bottom wall 57a and the top wall 57e. A nonrotating cylindrical guide 61 is on a horizontal rivet which extends between the end wall 57d and the small vertical wall 57f. To facilitate free turning of the rollers 58, 59, and 60 their ends may be loosely confronted by pressed-out annular beads similar to the beads 47d of the cord-guide units 46. The cord-guide unit 56 is secured to the head channel by eyelets 64, 65, 66, and 67 which pass through the bottom wall 57a of the cord-guide unit and thence through the bottom 45a of the head channel. The eyelet 67, however, is a long tubular eyelet which also passes through the top wall 57e.

A tilt cord is designated as a whole by 68. It is shiftable longitudinally of itself by pulling on one or the other of tassels 69 and 70 which are on the two ends of the tilt cord. The tilt cord has a vertical run 68a, a front horizontal-run 68b within the head channel 45, a rear horizontal run 68c within the head channel 45, and another vertical run 68d. Between the vertical run 68a and the front horizontal run 68b the tilt cord is guided through two 90.degree. turns by guide 61 and roller 59. Between the front and rear horizontal-runs 68b and 68c the tilt cord is guided through a 180.degree. turn by pulley 69, whereby the front and rear horizontal runs are movable in opposite directions. The pulley 69 is mounted on the bottom 45a of the head channel and is rotatable on a fixedly-positioned vertical axis. Between the rear horizontal-run 68c and the vertical run 68d the tilt cord is guided through two 90.degree. turns by roller 60 and guide 61.

Affixed to the front horizontal run 68b of the tilt cord there are two conventional sheet-metal eyelets 71 which are spaced apart by a distance approximately equal to the distance between the two ladders 42. Like eyelets are affixed to the rear horizontal run 68c, being designated by 72 and being spaced apart by approximately the same distance. The manner of affixing the eyelets 71 and 72 to the tilt cord will be explained.

Each ladder 42 (see particularly FIG. 3) has cord-like sidepieces, the front sidepiece being designated 42a and the rear sidepiece being designated 42b. The slats 41 rest on crosspieces or rungs 42c which extend between the side-pieces 42a and 42b. The sidepieces 42a and 42b of each ladder extend upwardly into the cord-guide unit 46 that is above the ladder. The front sidepiece 42a passes through the eyelet 50 and is guided thereby, after which it passes over the top of roller 53 and thence toward the nearby eyelet 71. The rear sidepiece 42b of the ladder passes upwardly through the eyelet 48 and is guided thereby, after which it passes over the roller 52 and extends toward the nearby eyelet 72.

The upper end of each ladder sidepiece is provided with a sheet-metal fitting 74 which will be called a barb. Viewed as in FIG. 1, the left-hand half 74a of the barb is tubular, and the right-hand half 74b is channel-shaped. The tubular half 74a is crimped around the end portion of the cordlike sidepiece 42a or 42b of the ladders and is also provided with a pair of sharp indentations as at 75c which augment the attachment of the barb to the sidepiece 42a or 42b. The upper ends of the ladder sidepieces 42a and 42b are connected to the horizontal runs of the tilt cord by inserting the barbs 74 lengthwise through the tilt-cord-affixed eyelets. Once the barb has been passed completely through the eyelet, pull on the sidepiece is at the center of the length of the barb, whereby the barb positions itself crosswise of the eyelet as seen in FIG. 1 and secures the end of the ladder sidepiece to the tilt cord.

The front sidepieces 42a of the ladders are connected to the front horizontal run 68b of the tilt cord, and the rear sidepieces 42b of the ladders are connected to the rear horizontal run 68c of the tilt cord, all as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. When the tassel 69 is pulled downwardly the front horizontal-run 68b of the tilt cord is shifted to the right and the rear horizontal-run 68c is shifted to the left, whereby the front sidepieces 42a of the ladders are lowered and the rear sidepieces 42b of the ladders are raised thereby tilting the slats 41 forwardly. When the tassel 70 is pulled downwardly, the tilt cord is shifted in the opposite direction and the slats 41 are tilted rearwardly.

The eyelets 71 and 72 are conventional sheet-metal eyelets, all of which are alike and all of which are affixed to the tilt cord in like manner before the cord is installed; see FIG. 6. As the eyelet is "set" or crimped, a semicircumference of the eyelet is crimped about the tilt cord. The crimping is done with a conventional eyelet-setting tool having a lower eyelet-receiving die and having an upper die which is brought down against the small end of the eyelet. To the conventional lower die there is added a sleeve which embraces that die, the sleeve being diametrically slotted to receive and position the tilt cord for the crimping of the eyelet about the tilt cord. In FIGS. 4 and 5 one of the eyelets 72 is in position on the lower eyelet-receiving die 75. The die 75 has been supplemented by a metal sleeve 76 which embraces the die 75 and is provided with two diametrically opposite slots 76a. The rear run 68c of the tilt cord is shown in place in the slots 76a, passing in a semicircle around the tubular portion of the eyelet as shown in FIG. 4. The eyelet is crimped in conventional manner by bringing down the upper die 77, thereby "setting" or crimping the eyelet with a semicircumference of the eyelet crimped about the cord branch 68c. In FIG. 7 the crimped eyelet is seen in section taken longitudinally of the cord. In FIG. 8 the eyelet is seen in section taken transversely of the cord.

The ladder-and-slat assembly 40 of the blind will ordinarily have a suitable bottom bar at the bottom, from which two lift cords extend upwardly through the slats for raising and lowering the slots. The two lift cords may be, and usually are, provided by a continuous length of cord having two branches extending from a bight. Each branch is ordinarily referred to as a lift cord, and it will be convenient to consider that there are two lift cords even though the two cords may be provided by two branches of a continuous cord.

Associated with each ladder 42 there is a lift cord 78 which extends upwardly into the cord-guide fitting 46 that is above the ladder. Each lift cord 78 passes through eyelet 49 and is guided thereby, after which it passes over the roller 51 of the associated cord-guide unit 46. The lift-cord 78 which comes up into the left-hand cord-guide unit 46 (FIGS. 1 and 2) continues to the right and also passes over the roller 51 of the right-hand cord-guide unit 46. From the roller 51 of the right-hand cord-guide unit 46 the two lift cords 78 continue to the right, pass over the roller 58, make a 90.degree. bend about the roller 60, make another 90.degree. bend about the cord guide 61, and then hang down in the front of the blind where the two lift cords are jointly attached to a tassel 79 by which the lift cords are pulled in and payed out to raise and lower the slats of the blind. When the slats are raised or partially raised, the lift cords can be secured by any suitable means. One securing means that may be used is a cord-gripping anchor, shown diagramatically at 80, which is attached to the framing of the window and about which the lift cords may be wound.

The term "window" will be used as embracing the opening in the building wall proper, the framing which lines such opening, the glazing or glazings, and the framing (if any) which is interposed between the glazings and the framing which lines the opening in the building wall.

The blind of FIGS. 1-3 is adapted to be combined with a window by securing the head 44 to a lintel of the framing, the expanse of the ladder-and-slat assembly confronting the glazing in the case of a single-glazed window, and the ladder-and-slat assembly being between the glazings in the case of a double-glazed window. As seen in FIG. 1, the left-hand end of the head has a hole 45d in the bottom of the head channel through which an attaching screw may be inserted to attach the left-hand end of the head to the lintel. As also seen in FIG. 1, the right-hand end of the head has a hole 45e through which an attaching screw may be inserted to attach the right-hand end of the head to the lintel. The hole 45e extends through the bottom 45a of the head channel and also through the bottom and top walls 57a and 57e of the body 57 of the cord-guide fitting 56.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 the framing and glazings of a double-glazed window with which the blind may be combined are indicated diagrammatically in dot-dash line. The lintel of the framing is a channel 81 having its open side directed downwardly, and the jambs of the framing are channels 82 and 83 having their open sides directed toward one another. The head 44 of the blind is nested within the lintel-channel 81; it is attached thereto by means of screws inserted through the holes 45d and 45e, as has been explained. The window has inside and outside glazings which are indicated diagrammatically, the inside glazing being designated by 85 and the outside glazing being designated by 86. The anchor 80 for the tilt cords, which has already been referred to, is attached to the jamb 83.

Reference will now be had to FIGS. 9-16 which deal with the second Venetian blind that is disclosed, these figures being on Sheet 2 except for FIGS. 11, 12, and 16 which are on Sheet 3. The cord-operating unit of the second blind isn't shown in any of these figures and will be described after FIGS. 9-16 have been discussed.

The second Venetian blind has features in common with the first Venetian blind. Both have a head consisting essentially of a sheet-metal head-channel and the thereto-attached units and elements which guide the tilt cord and the lift cords. Both have the same ladder-and-slat assembly, both have a head channel made from the same channel stock, both have a tilt cord with front and rear hotizontal runs in the head channel, both have the sidepieces of the ladders connected in the same way to the horizontal runs of the tilt cord, and in both the head has similar cord-guide units above the ladders. Some reference characters used for the first Venetian blind are applied to identical parts shown in figures relating to the second Venetian blind.

In the second Venetian blind the ladder-and-slat assembly (not shown) is suspended beneath a horizontally extending support or head that is designated as a whole by 144. The head 144 consists essentially of the sheet-metal channel 145 and the thereto-attached units and elements which guide the tilt cord and the lift cord. The channel has bottom wall 145a and side walls 145b and 145c.

Above the ladders (not shown) the head 144 has duplicate cord-guide units each designated as a whole by 146. These cord-guide units are the same as the cord-guide units 46 shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 except for the omission of the rollers 52 and 53 and their common shaft. Reference characters have been carried over from FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 to FIGS. 9 and 10 to designate the parts of the cord-guide unit 146 which are the same as the parts of the cord-guide unit 46 including the eyelets which attach the bodies of the cord-guide units to the bottom of the head channel.

In FIGS. 9 and 10 the front and rear horizontal runs of the tilt cord, though double cords instead of single cords, are provided with the same eyelets as in FIGS. 1 and 2. In FIGS. 9 and 10 the front and rear sidepieces of the ladders come up through the eyelets in the bottoms of the cord-guide units and are connected to the front and rear horizontal runs of the tilt cords in the same way as in FIGS. 1 and 2, even though the rollers 52 and 53 of FIGS. 1 and 2 are missing and the sidepieces of the ladders proceed directly from the eyelets 48 and 50 to the eyelets 72 and 71. Reference characters from FIGS. 1 and 2 have been carried over to FIGS. 9 and 10 to designate the same parts as regards the side-pieces of the ladders and their connection to the horizontal runs of the tilt cord.

As its right-hand end in FIGS. 9 and 10 the head 144 has a cord-guide unit which is designated as a whole by 156; see also FIGS. 11 and 12. As viewed in FIG. 10 the cord-guide unit 156 includes a formation which is T-shaped but turned on its right side, this formation being composed of a horizontal flange 156a and a vertical flange 156b. The cord-guide unit 156 also includes a cylindrical boss 156c which projects to the right from the vertical flange as viewed in FIGS. 9, 10, and 12. The flanges 156a and 156b and the boss 156c may be fabricated from sheet metal, may be die-cast in one piece of metal, or be molded in one piece of suitable plastic. The cord-guide unit 156 also includes one or more eyelets or tubular rivets 156d (one shown) by which it is attached to the right-hand end of the head channel 145, the flange 156a being beneath the head channel and the attaching eyelets or rivets passing through the flange 156a and the bottom wall 145a of the head channel.

The vertical flange 156b extends upwardly and downwardly from the horizontal flange 156a, closing the end of the head channel and also depending beneath the head channel. The cord-guide unit 156 is formed with guideway passages for the passage of cords through the vertical flange 156b and thence longitudinally through the boss 156c, so that the cords can extend outwardly and downwardly from the free end of the boss. In FIG. 11 these guideway passages are seen endwise, looking down the length of the head channel toward the vertical flange 156b; in FIG. 17 these guideway passages are seen endwise, looking in the opposite direction. Close to the bottom of the head channel there are two guideway passages 156e and 156f. At a somewhat higher level there is a guideway passage 156g. As these three guideway passages proceed toward the free end of the boss 156c, their bottom surfaces curve downwardly to provide smooth downward-and-outward exits for the cords coming from the head channel and extending through the guideway passages.

Below the head channel the cord-guide fitting 156 is provided with a horizontal bore 156h which leads from the free end of the boss 156c and extending longitudinally through the boss and thence through the vertical flange 156b. The bore 156h is counterbored at 156i, the counterbore extending through the vertical flange 156b and for a distance into the boss 156c.

The tilt cord is designated as a whole by the reference character 168 which is in the lower-right corner of FIG. 10. The tilt cord 168 is a composite, which is composed of two tilt-cord elements that are connected together end-to-end. One of the tilt-cord elements is shown separately in FIG. 13 and is designated as a whole by 168'. The other tilt-cord cord element is the loop that is hanging down at the right edge of FIG. 10 and is designated as a whole by 168". The tilt-cord element 168' is formed from a single length of cord that is doubled and looped as shown in FIG. 13. The two ends of the single length of cord are fastened together in any suitable manner as by being passed through a tubular sheet-metal fastener 87 that is crimped about the overlapped end-portions of the cord. When installed in the head 144 the tilt-cord element 168' makes a 180.degree. turn around pulley 169 and has front and rear horizontal runs in the head channel, the front horizontal run being designated by 168b and the rear horizontal run being designated by 168c. By virtue of the tilt-cord element 168' the tilt cord 168, in the front and rear horizontal runs 168b and 168c, is a double cord with side-by-side cord-branches.

The eyelets 71 and 72, at which the upper ends of the ladder sidepieces 42a and 42b are connected to the horizontal runs of the tilt cord, are crimped about the side-by-side cord-branches of the double cord in the front and rear horizontal runs 168b and 168c. The eyelets 71 and 72 are all alike, and they are affixed in the same manner by the eyelet-setting tool that is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 15, which corresponds with FIG. 4, shows one of the eyelets 72 in position on the lower eyelet-receiving die 75. The two side-by-side cord-branches of the rear horizontal run 168c are shown in place in the two diametrically disposed slots 76a in the sleeve 76. Between the two slots 76a each of the two branches of the rear horizontal run 168c is shown passing in a semicircle around the tubular portion of the eyelet 72, one cord branch passing around one-half of the tubular portion of the eyelet and the other cord branch passing around the other half of the tubular portion of the eyelet. When the eyelet is set by bringing down the upper die 77 (FIG. 5), substantially the entire periphery of the eyelet is crimped about the two side-by-side cord-branches, one-half of the periphery being crimped about one of the side-by-side cord-branches and the other half of the periphery being crimped about the other of the side-by-side cord-branches; see FIG. 14 which shows a crimped eyelet and the two cord-branches, all in section on the line 14--14 of FIG. 13.

The cord-guide pulley 169 is slidably mounted on the head channel 145 so that the pulley can be shifted between the full-line position and phantom-line position shown in FIG. 9. This affords slackening and tightening of the tilt cord for a purpose that will be explained. The pulley 169 is captive on a vertically-disposed headed-shaft 169a that is movable along the longitudinal slot 145f in the bottom of the head channel. Suitable clamping means, which is operable from beneath the head channel, serves to clamp the shaft 169a in adjusted position along the slot 145f. The clamping means shown includes a clamping screw 169b which passes through the slot 145f and is threaded into an axial bore in the shaft 169a. Upon being tightened, the screw 169b pulls the lower end of the shaft 169a tightly against the bottom of the head channel, thereby clamping the shaft in adjusted position along the slot 145f. The screw 169b may be kept centered with respect to the width of the slot 145f by means of an interposed washer 169c that is provided with a rectangular protuberance 169d which fits into the slot 145f and has a height somewhat less than the thickness of the bottom wall 145a of the head channel.

From the pulley 169 the front and rear horizontal runs 168b and 168c of the tilt cord extend lengthwise of the head 144, passing under the rollers 51 of the cord-guide units 146. At the right-hand end of the head, as viewed in FIGS. 9 and 10, the front horizontal run 168b extends through the guideway passage 156f (FIGS. 11 and 17) and hangs down from the free end of the cylindrical boss 156c for a short distance as shown in FIGS. 9, 10 and 17. The rear horizontal run 168c of the tilt cord extends similarly to the right-hand end of the head, where it extends through the guideway passage 156e (FIGS. 11 and 17) and hangs down from the free end of the cylindrical boss 156c for a short distance as shown in FIGS. 9, 10 and 17. The two ends of the tilt-cord element 168" are connected to the two ends of the double tilt-cord element 168' in any suitable manner, e.g., in the manner shown in FIG. 17 with the aid of tubular sheet-metal fasteners 87.

The Venetian blind of FIGS. 9 and 10 has lift-cord means including two lift cords 178 which are shiftable lengthwise of themselves to raise and lower the slats. The two lift cords 178 extend from the bottom bar of the ladder-and-slat assembly (not shown), upwardly through the slats (not shown), through the eyelets 49 into the head 144, over one or both of the rollers 51, through the guideway passage 156g (FIGS. 11 and 17) in the boss 156c, and then hang down from the boss. The two lift cords 178 are provided by a continuous length of cord having two branches extending from a bight 178a (see also FIGS. 12 and 16). With the ladder-and-slat assembly of the blind fully lowered before the blind is installed, the two lift cords 178 are pulled slack-free and the bight 178a formed at the point along the length of cord which provides equalization of the two lift cords 178 for horizontal suspension of the bottom bar of the ladder-and-slat assembly.

A pulley 88 (FIGS. 10, 12 and 17) is rotatably mounted in a frame 88a which is vertically movable beneath the boss 156c. Either before or after the bight 178a is formed, the two lift cords 178 are passed under the pulley 88 as shown; then the bight 178a is passed backwardly through the boss 156c, being inserted through bore 156h (FIGS. 17 and 12) and thence through the counterbore 156i. A two-legged equalizer 89 is passed between the two lift cords 178 and placed astride of the bight 178a as indicated in FIG. 16. Then the two lift cords 178 are pulled through the bore 156h, whereupon the equalizer 89 nests in the counterbore 156i and the bight-adjacent ends of the two lift cords 178a are anchored to the head-bar-attached fitting 156. A cord 178b, which is part of the lift-cord means, is attached as shown to the pulley frame 88a and extends downwardly therefrom. When the cord 178b is pulled downwardly the bottom bar of the blind is raised in 2:1 ratio, i.e., the bottom bar is raised two inches for each inch that the cord 178b is pulled down.

The second Venetian blind that is disclosed is illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, which figures omit the means for manipulating the tilt and lift cords. The tilt and lift cords are manipulated by a cord-operating unit which is located at a distance from the horizontal runs of these cords in the head 144 of the blind. Such cord-operating unit is attached to framing of the window with which the Venetian blind is combined; see FIG. 17, where the cord-operating unit, designated as a whole by 90, is attached to such framing. The cord-operating unit 90 is also dealt with in FIGS. 18 and 19.

The two Venetian blinds herein disclosed are adapted to be combined with existing single and double-glazed windows --including single and double-glazed windows in which fabricated metal framing lines the opening in the building wall, with or without framing interposed between the glazings and the framing which lines the opening in the building wall. Many of the fabricated metal framings are made of aluminum; and many have a lintel and have jamb-channels which extend vertically downwardly from the ends of the lintel, the bottom walls of the two jamb-channels being toward each other. The second Venetian blind herein disclosed is particularly well-suited for combining with such a window; the framing of the window need not be disturbed except for making in it two round holes of reasonable size for receiving parts of the blind, plus three small holes for receiving attaching screws.

In FIG. 17 the blind of FIGS. 9 and 10 is combined with a window having fabricated metal framing which provides a horizontal lintel at 130 and vertical jamb-channels 131 (one shown) which extend downwardly from the ends of the lintel. The head channel 145 of the head 144 (FIGS. 9 and 10) extends along the length of the lintel 130, being closely adjacent to the bottom face of the lintel. The ladder-and-slat assembly (not shown) hangs beneath the head channel 145. The bottom wall 131a of each jamb channel 131 is toward the edge of the space which receives the ladder-and-slat assembly, while the front and rear side walls 131b and 131c of each jamb channel are directed away from the edge of the space which receives the ladder-and-slat assembly. Close to the upper end of the jamb channel 131 shown in FIG. 17 a hole 131d has been provided through the bottom wall 131a of the channel formation of the jamb channel. The boss 156c which projects from one end of the head channel 145, the right-hand end in FIGS. 9 and 10, makes a sliding fit with the hole 131d and is telescoped therein, whereby the end of the head channel is supported. The opposite end of the head channel 145 is supported by an attaching screw (not shown) which is inserted through the hole 145d (FIG. 9, left-hand end) and threaded into the lintel 130.

The cord-operating unit 90 is considered to be part of the Venetian blind; it has a tilt-cord spool-member 91 which is individual to the tilt cord 168, and a lift-cord spool-member 92 which is individual to the lift cords 178. These two spool members, which are cylindrical, are rotatable with a cylindrical shaft 93; however, there is slippage between the shaft 93 and the tilt-cord spool-member 91 while the ladder-and-slat assembly of the blind is being raised or lowered. The tilt-cord spool-member 91 is a separate member which is mounted on the shaft 93. The lift-cord spool-member 92 is part of the shaft itself. Spool member 91 spans the space between the discs 94 and 95, which have confronting planar faces. Spool member 92 spans the space between discs 95 and 96, which also have confronting planar faces. The discs 94, 95 and 96 rotate with the shaft 93, each disc being in non-slip relation to the shaft.

The tilt cord 168 includes the double-cord portion 168' (see also FIG. 13) and the single-cord portion 168" (see also FIG. 10, lower right-hand corner). The double-cord portion 168' is connected to the tilt-cord spool-member 91 by the length of cord which constitutes the single-cord portion 168". The spool member 91 has parallel chordal slots 91a and 91b with which the cord 168" makes a tight fit (FIGS. 18 and 19). Before the tilt-cord spool-member 91 is mounted on the shaft 93, an intermediate portion of the cord 168" is connected to the spool-member 91 by forcing short lengths of the cord 168" sidewise into the slots and placing the intervening length of cord against the cylindrical surface of the spool member 91 (FIGS. 18 and 19). From the upper end of slot 91a as the slot stands in FIG. 19 the cord 168" is wound one or two convolutions about the spool member 91, proceeding clockwise as indicated by the arrow 91c. From the upper end of the slot 91b the cord is wound one or two convolutions about spool member 91, proceeding counterclockwise as indicated by the arrow 91d. When the slats of the blind are untilted the tilt-cord spool-member 91 is in the rotative position of FIG. 17 and approximately equal amounts of cord 168" are wound, in opposite directions, on the tilt-cord spool-member 91.

The disc 94, which functions in conjunction with the disc 95, is a friction drive which is interposed between the tilt-cord spool-member 91 and the shaft 93 and its crank 110. Upon rotation of the crank 110 in either direction the tilt-cord spool-member 91 is driven through the friction drive (disc 94) and the tilt cord 168 is shifted longitudinally of itself and tilts the slats of the blind. The slats having been fully tilted in either direction, the movement of the tilt cord 168 and the tilt-cord spool-member 91 are brought to a halt. Any continued movement of the tilt cord 168 will be brief; it will raise the ladder-and-slat assembly until the top slat 41, now fully tilted though shown untilted in FIG. 2, will strike the bottom of the head channel 145 (FIG. 10) and prevent any further movement of the tilt cord 168 and tilt-cord spool-member 91.

In addition to serving as a friction drive, the disc 94 serves as a brake also. The slats having been tilted to any desired position and the crank 110 released, fortuitous rotation of the crank 110 and shaft 93 is obviated by a brake disc 97. The disc 94 now serves as a brake; it prevents fortuitous rotation of the tilt-cord spool-member 91 on the shaft 93, thereby preventing fortuitous tilting movement of the slats.

To raise or lower the slats of the blind, the cord 178b is reeled in or payed out by the lift-cord spool-member 92 which is part of the shaft 93. Full tilting of the slats is effected by a relatively small amount of rotative movement of the tilt-cord spool-member 91, and thereupon the rotation of the spool member 91 is automatically brought to a halt as has been explained. During such full tilting of the slats the lift-cord spool-member 92 effects only insignificant raising or lowering of the slats as a result of the rotation of the crank 110 and shaft 93 to tilt the slats. Sufficient continued rotation of the crank 110 and shaft 93 effects the reeling in or paying out of the cord 178b which is needed for whatever raising or lowering of the slats is desired. The crank 110 is a common operator for rotating the tilt-cord and lift-cord spool-members 91 and 92, and the crank is in continuous torque-imparting relationship to both of these spool members. The tilt and lift cord spool-members are in nonslip relationship to the tilt and lift cords.

For additional disclosure pertaining to the cord-operating unit 90 and/or relating thereto see the parent application Ser. No. 6,395, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,703,920, and particularly FIGS. 20, 21, 22, 26 and 27 thereof and description in connection with those figures.

FIGS. 20-28 hereof deal with the third Venetian blind that is disclosed. The ladder-and-slat assembly of the blind is designated as a whole by 340 and is positioned beneath a horizontally-extending support or head that is designated as a whole by 344. The ladder-and-slat assembly includes a series of upwardly-crowned sheet-metal slats 341 and a bottom bar 341a that are supported and articulated together in known manner by two or more "string" ladders, each of which is designated as a whole by 342. The ladder-and-slat assembly 340 may conform to the ladder-and-slat assembly that is disclosed in Lorentzen et al. U.S. Pat. 3,425,479 dated Feb. 4, 1969, with the bottom bar 341a and its fittings and arrangement conforming to the bottom bar and its fittings and arrangement that are disclosed in Lorentzen et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,485,286 dated Dec. 23, 1969. The head 344 that is shown may be considered as consisting of the upwardly-opening U-shaped sheet-steel channel 345 and the thereto attached units which guide the tilt cord, guide the lift cords, and guide the head-entering portions of the sidepieces of the ladders 342.

Above the ladders 342 the head 344 has two cord-guide units that are each designated as a whole by 346. The cord-guide units 346 are duplicates, though the left-hand unit 346 is integrally connected to a pulley unit 346'. Each cord-guide unit 346 has a U-shaped sheet-steel body 347 that is nested as shown within the head channel 345, the bottom 347a of the cord-guide-unit body being against the bottom 345a of the head channel and the sides 347b and 347c of the cord-guide-unit body being against the sides 345b and 345c of the head channel. The bottom 347a of the body of each guide unit 346 is attached to the bottom 345a of the head channel by three conventional metal eyelets 348, 349 and 350. These eyelets, which may be considered as part of the cord-guide unit 346, pass through the bottom 347a of the cord-guide-unit body and also through the bottom 345a of the head channel. The eyelets 348, 349 and 350 also do cord guiding as will be explained. A rivet-like shaft 351 extends between the sides 347b and 347c of the U-shaped cord-guide-unit body 347. The shaft 351 has a smooth cylindrical surface for cord guiding; and the shaft consitutes a cord guide, as will be explained. Each end of the rivet-like shaft 351 is suitably prevented from retractive movement through the side 347b or 347c, for example, by upset or enlarged ends that are nested in outwardly-facing annular grooves that are impressed at 347d from the metal of the sides 347b and 347c. The shaft 351 may make a tight fit with the sides 347b and 347c, and thereby be nonrotatable. Alternatively, the shaft 351 may make a loose fit with the sides 347b and 347c, and thereby be rotatable.

At its right-hand end in FIGS. 20 and 21 the head 344 has a cord-guide unit which is designated as a whole by 356. The cord-guide unit 356 has a U-shaped sheet-steel body 357 that is nested as shown within the head channel 345, the bottom 357a of the cord-guide-unit body being against the bottom 345a of the head channel and the sides 357b and 357c of the cord-guide-unit body 357 being against the sides 345b and 345c of the head channel. The bottom 357a of the body of the cord-guide unit 357 is attached to the bottom 345a of the head channel by two conventional metal eyelets 358 and 359. These eyelets, which may be considered as part of the cord-guide unit 356, pass through the bottom 357a of the cord-guide-unit body and also through the bottom 345a of the head channel. At its right-hand end in FIGS. 20 and 21 the bottom wall 357a of the cord-guide-unit body is formed into a convex semicylindrical cord-guiding surface SC' that spans the space between the front and rear walls of the cord-guide-unit body 357. Through the bottom 357a of the cord-guide unit 356 there is a screw hole 345e which registers with a like hole (not shown) through the bottom wall 345a of the head channel; a screw (not shown) is inserted upwardly through these registering holes to attach the right-hand end of the head 344 to the soffit of a window frame or window opening.

Longitudinally of the head channel 345, the front and rear walls 357b and 357c of the cord-guide-unit body 357 extend well beyond the right-hand end of the head channel 345 (FIGS. 20 and 21). Spanning the space between the front and rear walls 357b and 357c, and positioned beyond the right-hand end of the head channel 345, there is a rivet-like shaft 361 which constitutes a cord guide and which has a smooth cylindrical surface for guiding the cord. The shaft 361 is the same and is mounted the same as the shaft 351 of each cord-guiding unit 346. The description and comments in connection with shaft 351 apply in connection with shaft 361.

The pulley unit 346' is integral with the cord-guide unit 346 and, in FIGS. 20 and 21, extends to the left therefrom. The body 347' of the pulley unit is a sheet-steel channel that is nested in the head channel 345 and is a continuation of the channel 347 which constitutes the body of the adjacent cord-guide unit 346. A stub shaft 364 is affixed to and projects vertically upward from the bottom wall of the pulley unit 346'. Captive on the shaft 364 there is a freely rotatable plastic or metal pulley 369. The pulley 369 has a peripherial groove 369a which receives the tilt cord of the blind. Through the bottom of the pulley unit there is a screw hole 345d which registers with a like hole (not shown) through the bottom wall 345a of the head channel; a screw (not shown) is inserted upwardly through these registering holes to attach the left-hand end of the head 344 to the soffit or lintel of a window opening.

The tilt cord of the third Venetian blind is designated as a whole by the reference character 368, which is in the lower-right corner of FIG. 21. The tilt cord 368 is a composite that is composed of an eyelet-carrying portion 368' (shown separately in FIG. 23) and connecting portions and connectors by which the eyelet-carrying portion is connected to a cord-operating unit that is located at a distance from the eyelet-carrying portion.

The tilt cord 368, and more especially the eyelet-carrying portion 368' thereof, has front and rear horizontal runs 368b and 368c within the head channel 345. Between the front and rear horizontal runs 368b and 368c the tilt cord is guided through a 180.degree. turn by the pulley 369, whereby the front and rear horizontal runs move in opposite directions when the tilt cord is shifted longitudinally of itself.

Connected to the front horizontal run 368b of the tilt cord there are sheet-metal eyelets 371, one for each ladder 342, which are spaced apart by a distance that is at least approximately equal (and preferably is equal) to the spacing of the ladders. Like eyelets are connected to the rear horizontal run 368c, being designated by 372 and being correspondingly positioned and spaced as is perhaps best seen in FIG. 23. The manner of connecting the eyelets 371 and 372 to the tilt-cord runs 368b and 368c will be explained. The connecting portions and connectors of the tilt cord will be explained also.

Each ladder 342 has cordlike sidepieces, the front sidepiece being designated 342a (FIGS. 20 and 21) and the rear sidepiece being designated 342b (FIG. 20). The slats 341 rest on the crosspieces or rungs of the ladders 342, as is well known and has been mentioned in connection with FIG. 3. Each front sidepiece 342a extends upwardly into the head 344 through an eyelet 350 and is guided by the eyelet through a turn of approximately 90.degree., after which it extends generally horizontally to the nearby eyelet 371. Similarly the rear sidepiece 342b of the ladder extends upwardly into the head 344 through an eyelet 348 and is guided by the eyelet through a turn of approximately 90.degree., after which it extends generally horizontally to the neearby eyelet 372. The upper end of each ladder sidepiece is provided with a sheet-metal barb 374 which is the same as the barb 74 in FIGS. 1, 2, 9, and 10. The barbs 374 are inserted through the eyelets 371 and 372 --connecting the front and rear sidepieces of the ladders 342 to the front and rear horizontal runs of the tilt cord 368, the same as the corresponding connections in FIGS. 1, 2, 9 and 10.

The Venetian blind of FIGS. 20 and 21 has lift-cord means which includes two lift cords that are shiftable lengthwise of themselves to raise and lower the slats. The two lift cords 378 extend from the bottom bar 341a, upwardly through conventional rout holes (not shown) in the slats 341, into the head 344 through eyelets 349 that guide the lift cords through 90.degree. turns, after which the lift cords extend horizontally to the right-hand end of the head (FIG. 20), over the cord-guiding surface SC' and thence downwardly under the pulley 388, and back upwardly to a bight 378a, (FIG. 21) which embraces the transverse shaft 361. The two lift cords 378 are provided by a continuous length of cord having two branches which unite at the bight 378a. The two branches which constitute the two lift cords 378 are installed by threading them through the blind from the bight 378a.

The pulley 388 (FIG. 21) is rotatably mounted in a U-shaped sheet-metal frame 388a which is vertically movable beneath the shaft 361. A cord 378b, which is part of the lift-cord means, is attached as shown to the pulley frame 388a and extends downwardly therefrom. When the cord 378b is pulled downwardly the blind is raised in 2:1 ratio, i.e., the bottom bar 341a is raised two inches for each inch that the cord 378b is pulled downwardly.

The tilt and lift cords are manipulated by the cord-operating unit 390 (FIGS. 20 and 21) which corresponds to the cord-operating unit 90 in FIG. 17 and which is located at a distance from the horizontal runs of these cords in the head 344 of the blind. In FIGS. 20 and 21 the cord-operating unit 390 and elements and structure associated therewith are shown in exploded relation to a vertical plane adjacent to the right-hand end of the head 344, and dotted lines are used to indicate diagrammatically the relevant continuations.

The blind of FIGS. 20 and 21 is adapted to be combined with a window by securing the head 344 to the soffit or lintel, the expanse of the ladder-and-slat assembly 340 confronting the glazing in the case of a single-glazed window, and the ladder-and-slat assembly being between the glazings in the case of a double-glazed window. In FIGS. 20 and 21 the framing and glazings of a double-glazed window with which the blind may be combined are indicated diagrammatically in dot-dash lines, the framing being fabricated metal framing. The lintel of the framing is a channel 381 having its open side facing downwardly, and the jambs of the framing are channels 382 and 383 having their open sides facing toward one another. The head 344 of the blind is nested in the lintel-channel 381, being attached to the lintel by screws through the holes 345d and 345e as has been explained. The window has inside and outside glazings which are indicated diagrammatically, the inside glazing being designated by 385 and the outside glazing being designated by 386.

The blind of FIGS. 20 and 21 is adapted to be combined with a window having the fabricated metal framing that is shown in FIG. 17, being substituted for the blind that is shown in FIG. 17. The head 344 is attached by screws, as hereinbefore mentioned, the lintel 130 of FIG. 17. Preparatory to attaching the head 344 to the lintel 130, the cord guide 361 and at least a portion of the cord guide SC (FIGS. 20 and 21) are inserted through a suitable opening that has been provided through the bottom wall 131a (FIG. 17) of the channel formation of the jamb channel adjacent to the top of the jamb, the opening corresponding to the hole 131d in FIG. 17. The cord-operating unit 390 (FIGS. 20 and 21) is substituted for the cord-operating unit 90 of FIG. 17, the unit 390 being attached to the front wall 131b of the jamb channel by screws that correspond with screws 101 and 102 in FIG. 17 and one of which is indicated at 301 in FIG. 20.

The Venetian blind of FIGS. 20 and 21 hereof may also be combined with windows having other specific metal framings, e.g., the fabricated metal framings that in parent application Ser. No. 6,395, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,703,920, are disclosed in connection with FIGS. 28-31, 33 and 35 thereof --the blind of FIGS. 20 and 21 hereof being substituted for the blinds there disclosed.

The cord-operating unit 390 is considered to be part of the Venetian blind. The unit 390 has a tilt-cord spool-member 391 which is individual to the tilt cord 368, and it has a lift-cord spool-member 392 which is individual to the lift cords 378. These two spool members, which are cylindrical, are portions of a one-piece metal shaft 393. There is slippage between the tilt-cord spool-member 391 and the tilt cord 368 while the ladder-and-slat assembly of the blind is being raised or lowered, as will be explained. Integral checks 394, 395 and 396, having circular inner and outer peripheries, complete the two spools.

The spools shaft 393 is journalled in a bearing block 400 that has a cylindrical boss 400a which projects through a circular hole that has been provided previously in the front wall of the jamb channel 383. Screws (one indicated at 301) attach the bearing block 400 to the jamp channel. The disc-like check 396, which is integral with the shaft 393, has a flat face which confronts the inner end-face of the bearing block. The shaft 393 extends through and beyond the bearing block 400. In front of the bearing block the shaft 393 carries a resilient friction-washer 398, a crank 410, and nuts 303, 304, 305 and 306 all of which are threaded onto the shaft.

The nut 303 adjustably clamps the axially-resilient washer 398 against the flat outer face of the bearing block 400. The nut 304 is a lock nut for the nut 303. The crank 410 includes a radial arm 410a which is pierced adjacent to its inner end by the shaft 393. The arm 410a is essentially a flat strip of flexible but relatively hard nylon. The nut 305 adjustably clamps the nylon arm 410a against the nut 304. The nut 306 is a lock nut for the nut 305. Those faces of the nuts 304 and 305 which confront the crank arm 410a are made flat and smooth or, alternatively, metal washers that are flat and smooth are interposed between those faces and the crank arm 410a. The crank-arm hole 410b which receives the shaft 393 is preferably lined with a metal bushing (not shown) that has an axial length which is somewhat less than the thickness of the crank arm.

For reasons which will be explained, one or two quick connectors 321 or 322 are included in the tilt cord 368. The connectors 321 and 322 are alternatives, and one of each is shown in FIG. 21 merely by way of illustrating each one. Each of these connectors is a shallow channel that is stamped in one piece from sheet steel, the channel formation of the two connectors being the same (see also FIGS. 21A and 21B). The connectors 321 and 322 are each symmetrical about a central cross-sectional plane. Adjacent to each end of each of the connectors 321 and 322 there is a hole h the diameter of which is only a little larger than the diameter of the cord that is to be connected. At its center point the connector 321 is drilled and tapped to receive a round-head machine-screw 321a. The head of the screw is adapted to enter the channel formation of the connector, with the periphery of the head extending close to the side walls of the channel as shown in FIG. 21. The connector 322 is provided with upper and lower pairs of edge notches, "upper" and "lower" referring to the various dispositions as they are seen in the drawing. One notch of each pair is designated by n and the other by n'. As the notches are traversed from their open ends to their closed ends they incline toward their companion holes h. The connectors 321 and 322 suitably connect the confronting upper and lower cords, variations in the specific manner of connection being feasible.

Referring to the connector 321 as shown, the upper and lower cords are threaded from the back through the upper and lower holes h. The upper cord end is then knotted at k to prevent withdrawal. The lower cord is drawn through the lower hole h as desired by way of reducing the effective length of cord, and then the lower cord is looped around the stem of screw 321a. The screw is then tightened down to secure the lower cord by clamping the cord within the channel formation of the connector 321.

Referring to the connector 322 as shown in FIG. 21, the upper and lower cords are threaded from the front through the upper and lower holes h. The upper cord end is then knotted at k to prevent withdrawal. The lower cord is drawn through the lower hole h as desired by way of reducing the length of cord and then the lower cord is secured by being wound as follows: from the back of lower hole h, around the lower end of the connector 322 at a point that is to the left of hole h, upwardly on the front of the connector to the lower notch n', through the lower notch n' adjacent to the closed end thereof, downwardly on the back of the connector and around the lower end of the connector at a point that is to the right of the hole h, and upwardly on the front of the connector and thence through the lower notch n adjacent to the closed end thereof. The notches n and n' are of decreasing width as traversed from their open ends to their closed ends, the cord freely entering the notches at their open ends but being grippingly held by the sides of the notches when the cord is forced sidewise to a position adjacent to the closed ends of the notches.

Sheet steel 0.050 inch thick has been used for connector 321, which has a tapped hole for screw 321a. Sheet steel 0.050 inch thick has been used for connector 322 also, but thinner sheet steel is contemplated.

The head 344 of the blind is attached to the soffit or lintel of the window framing, and the cord-operating unit 390 is ordinarily installed in a jamb channel at a distance from the head. The connection of the lift cords 378 to the lift-cord spool-member 392 can be such as to leave a little slack in the lift cords when the bottom bar 341a rests on the window sill. The lower end of the cord 378b (FIG. 21) is threaded through a diametrical hole 392a at the inner end of the lift-cord spool-member 392 and then the lower end of the cord is knotted at 378d to prevent withdrawal. The knot is drawn into an appropriate counterbore at the end of hole 392a. The upper end of the cord 378b is fished upwardly and is suitably attached to the pulley frame 388a, undue slack being eliminated and excess length of the cord 378b being cut off. Rotation of the crank 410 winds the cord 378b on the lift-cord spool-member 392, taking up any slack and then raising the blind.

The eyelet-carrying portion 368' of the tilt cord (see also FIG. 23) has terminal eyelets E and E', each of which is lined with a smaller eyelet e to prevent possible cutting of cord that is tied to the eyelets E and E'. In the particular arrangement shown in the drawing the tilt cord 368 includes (a) the eyelet-carrying portion 368', (b) portions 368d and 368e which are tied to the eyelets E and E' and extend to the connectors 321 and 322, (c) the connectors 321 and 322, and (d) a portion 368" which extends from the connectors 321 and 322 and which is wrapped a plurality of turns about the tilt-cord spool-member 391. In FIG. 20 the cord portion 368" is shown as being wrapped approximately six turns about the tilt-cord spool-member 391. The tilt-cord spool-member 391 constitutes a friction drive to the tilt cord portion 368" and hence a friction drive to the entire tilt cord 368 to tilt the slats of the blind. Therefore the tilt cord 368 of the installed blind needs to be taut.

The tilt cord portions 368d and 368e are made of such length that the connectors 321 and 322 will be in an accessible location when the head 344 of the blind has been attached to the soffit or lintel of the window framing. The mid portion of the tilt cord portion 368" is wrapped the desired number of turns about the tilt-cord spool-member 391 and, in connection with the installation of the cord-operating unit 390 in the jamb channel, the two branches of the tilt cord portion 368" are fished upwardly for attachment to the connectors 321 and 322. The branch of cord portion 368" which confronts the cord portion 368d is secured to the connector 321 in the manner that has been explained. Then the cord portion 368e and the confronting branch of cord portion 368" are drawn toward each other to pull the tilt cord 368 taut, whereupon the confronting branch of the cord portion 368" is secured to the connector 322 in the manner that has been explained. It will be seen that the attachment of the branches of tilt cord portion 368" to the connectors 321 and 322 are of such characters that the connectors afford quick release of the confronting cord portions for readjustment and quick reconnection of the confronting cord portions in readjusted relation.

With some installations there is sufficient accessibility to make it feasible to use but a single quick connector in the tilt cord 368. In such case the cord portion 368" is omitted. The depending end of tilt cord portion 368d is attached to the top of a connector, a connector per connector 322 being presently preferred over a connector per connector 321 regardless of whether one or two connectors is being used. The tilt cord portion 368e is continued to and wrapped the desired number of turns around the tilt-cord spool-member 391, being then continued back up and into confronting relation to the cord portion 368d. The confronting runs of the cord portions 368d and 368e are then drawn toward each other to pull the entire tilt cord 368 taut, whereupon the confronting run of cord portion 368e is secured to the lower part of the connector in the manner that has been explained.

The tilt-cord spool-member 391 with the tilt cord portion 368" wrapped around it is a friction drive which is operatively interposed between the tilt cord 368 and the shaft 393 and its crank 410. With the slats 341 untilted, and upon rotation of the crank 410 in either direction, this friction drive shifts the tilt cord 368 longitudinally of itself and tilts the slats 341 by pulling up the ladder side-pieces 342a or 342b that are at one face of the blind and paying out the ladder sidepieces 342b or 342a that are at the other face of the blind. The slats having been fully tilted in either direction, movement of the tilt cord 368 will be brought to a halt. Any continued movement of the tilt cord 368 will be brief; it will raise the ladder-and-slat assembly 340 until the top slat 341, now fully tilted though shown untilted in FIG. 21, will strike the bottom 345a of the head channel and prevent further movement of the tilt cord 368. Slippage between the tilt-cord spool-member 391 and the convolutions of tilt cord portion 368" will permit continued rotation of the crank 410 to raise (or lower) the blind if that be desired.

The slats 341 having been tilted to any desired extent or left untilted, and the crank 410 released, fortuitous rotation of the crank 410 and shaft 393 is obviated by a shaft brake which will be explained. With the shaft 393 held against rotation by such brake friction drive provided by the tilt-cord spool-member 391 now serves as a slat-tilting brake; the friction drive prevents fortuitous longitudinal movement of the tilt cord 368, thereby preventing fortuitous tilting movement of the slats 341.

To raise or lower the blind the cord 378b is reeled in or payed out by the lift-cord spool-member 392 which is part of the shaft 393. Full tilting of the slats 341 is effected by a relatively small amount of rotative movement of the tilt-cord spool-member 391, and thereupon further tilting movement of the tilt cord 368 is brought to a halt as has been explained. During such full tilting of the slats 341 the lift-cord spool-member 392 effects only insignificant raising or lowering of the slats as a result of rotation of the crank 410 and shaft 393 to tilt the slats. Sufficient continued rotation of the crank 410 and shaft 393 effects the reeling in or paying out of cord 378b which is needed for whatever raising or lowering of the blind that is desired. The crank 410 is a common operator for rotating the tilt-cord and lift-cord spool-members 391 and 392, and the crank is in continuous torque-imparting relation to both of these spool members. The tilt and lift cord spool-members 391 and 392 are in continuous cord-operating relation to the tilt and lift cords and afford movement of these cords so long as they are free to move.

As the tilt cord portion 368" is driven by the spool member 391 and end convolution of the cord portion 378" may move against the check 394 and 395. Moving against the cheek 394 or substantially against it, the end convolution drops into peripherial groove 391a (FIGS. 20 and 22); this inhibits the next-to-the-end convolution from moving under the end convolution, which could start the convolutions pilling up against the cheek 394. Similarly if the convolution at the opposite end moves substantially against the cheek 395; that end convolution then drops into the peripherial groove 391b (FIG. 20). This condition is illustrated in FIG. 22, in which the peripherial groove 391b (seen in FIG. 22) is hidden by the convolution that is adjacent to cheek 395.

As the cord 378b is reeled in the spool member 392 it can be expected to move closely adjacent to cheek 395 at times and closely adjacent to cheek 396 at other times. These cheeks are provided with hemispherical projections 395b and 396b which, when the cord 378b moves closely adjacent to the cheeks, strikes the cord and pushes it away to thereby inhibit the cord from piling up against the cheek.

The bearing block 400 may be made of suitable metal or plastic, hard nylon being presently preferred. The spool cheek 396 confronts the inner flat face of the bearing block, being separated therefrom by a friction disc or washer 397. A flat-faced clamping nut 303 is threaded onto the shaft 393 from the outer end of the shaft and confronts the flat outer face of the bearing block 400, being separated therefrom by a friction disc or washer 398. The friction discs or washers 397 and 398 are brake means which impose a drag upon the rotation of the crank 410 and shaft 393. When the crank is released after partially or fully raising the blind, the drag imposed by the friction discs 397 and 398 prevents reverse rotation of the shaft 393 and crank 410 and thereby obviates fortuitous lowering of the blind, i.e., the ladder-and-slat assembly thereof, due to its weight.

The friction discs or washers 397 and 398 are each of suitable type and made of suitable material. At least one of these washers, for example the washer 398, is of a type which affords resilient yielding in an axial direction to a marked extent when the washer is axially loaded. By sufficiently tightening the clamping nut 303 and locking it with the nut 304 the discs or washers 397 and 398 are axially loaded and held loaded to the extent needed to cause the drag which they exert to be sufficient to obviate fortuitous lowering of the blind, even when the blind is fully raised.

The nut 305 is tightened against the outer face of nylon crank arm 410a and locked by nut 306. Sufficient clamping pressure is applied by nut 305 to obviate slippage between the crank arm 410a and the shaft 393 while the blind is being fully raised. However, this clamping pressure is set low enough to enable the crank to slip in the event that rotation of the crank 410 be forcibly continued after the blind has been fully raised. Thus the clamped inner end of the crank arm 410a constitutes a friction drive which protects the lift cords of the blind against breakage in the event of forcible continued rotation of the crank after the blind has been fully raised.

As cord for the tilt cords and the lift-cord means of the blinds herein disclosed, use may be made of suitable non-metallic commerical cord of small diameter and high breaking strength. In this category braided cord such as is sometimes used for fishing lines, having a diameter of approximately 0.050 inch and which is scarcely stretchable, is presently preferred. However, the slats of the blind may fail to maintain parallelism if the tilt cord undergoes slight stretch in the eyelet-carrying portion thereof, to which the ladders are attached; and objectionable stretch in the eyelet-carrying portion of the tilt cord is likely to occur in the case of a blind which is tall and heavy and/or has long slats requiring more than two ladders, for example four or more ladders. With such a blind it is also likely that there will be heavy upward pull at times on the lift cord spool. To better support the shaft 393 in case of such heavy upward pull an end bearing 393a (FIG. 20) may be provided for the shaft. The bearing 393a is mounted in any suitable manner on the rear wall of the jamb channel 383.

FIG. 24 shows a one-piece sheet-metal stamping F, which may be of copper or brass, that is used to provide the eyelets 371, 372, E and E' (FIG. 23). The stamping F has a loop formation F.sub.1 which constitutes the eyelet. A sheet-metal portion F.sub.2 extends outwardly as shown from the eyelet; and two spaced fingers F.sub.3 and F.sub.4 project as shown from the sheet-metal portion F.sub.2.

The eyelet F.sub.1 is affixed to the portion 368' of the tilt cord 368 by bending the fingers F.sub.3 and F.sub.4 into holding engagement with the cord. It is presently preferred to so bend the fingers F.sub.3 and F.sub.4 that the ends of the fingers will be contiguous to the cord and in holding engagement therewith. This may be done with a punch and die arrangement such shown in FIGS. 25-27.

For eyelets 371 and 372 of the eyelet-carrying tilt cord portion 368', the cord is inserted sidewise into the die and the longitudinal slot 326a of the vertical pin 326, which is tapered as shown. The point on the cord at which the center of the eyelet 371 or 372 is to be located is placed at the center or axis of the pin 326. A stamping F is impaled on the pin 326 (see particularly FIG. 27) with the free ends of the fingers F.sub.3 and F.sub.4 resting against the curved faces 325a and 325b of the die 325. The fingers F.sub.3 and F.sub.4 are astride of the cord. When the punch 327 descends it forces the stamping F downwardly and the die faces 325a and 325b curl the fingers F.sub.3 and F.sub.4 toward each other, forcing the ends of the fingers into firm holding engagement with the cord 368' as is best seen in FIG. 26. Stampings F are likewise used to provide the terminal eyelets of cord portion 368' but, since the terminal eyelets E and E' are somewhat beyond the ends of the cord portion 368', the cord will not extend to the pin 326 while the terminal eyelets are being affixed to the cord.

Each blind herein disclosed is thin, and is well suited for combination with a double-glazed window. The slats may be 1 inch wide and the head channel may be 1 inch wide and three-eighths inch high. Suitable known materials are used throughout. Rolled aluminum slats are presently preferred for the ladder-and-slat assembly of the blind. Rolled sheet steel is presently preferred for the head channel. Stamped sheet steel is presently preferred for the bodies of the cord-guide units that are affixed to the head channel.

The eyelet-carrying portion 368' of the tilt cord is preferably of finely stranded stainless steel as stated in the second paragraph of the Summary of the Invention but may be partly non-metallic, having core strands or other strands which are of metal.

Claims

I claim:

1. A Venetian blind having a ladder-and-slat assembly suspended beneath a support and having means for tilting the slats, the slat-tilting means including a tilt cord which is shiftable longitudinally of itself, and the tilt cord having a horizontal run adjacent to the support and to which a side-piece of each ladder is connected --wherein the improvement comprises:

eyelets along the horizontal run of the tilt cord,

peripheral portions of the eyelets being crimped about the tilt cord and thereby affixing the eyelets thereto,

and barbs on the upper ends of such of the ladder sidepieces as are connected to the tilt cord,

the barb-equipped ends of the ladder sidepieces being inserted through the eyelets and the barbs preventing fortuitous disengagement of the ladder sidepieces from the eyelets.

2. A Venetian blind as in claim 1 in which the tilt cord has front and rear horizontal runs that are movable in opposite directions --wherein the improvement additionally comprises:

eyelets along the front and rear horizontal runs of the tilt cord,

peripheral portions of the eyelets being crimped about the tilt cord and thereby affixing the eyelets thereto,

and barbs on the upper ends of the front and rear sidepieces of the ladders,

the barbs on the front sidepieces of the ladders being inserted through the eyelets on the front horizontal run of the tilt cord,

the barbs on the rear sidepieces of the ladders being inserted through the eyelets on the rear horizontal run of the tilt cord,

and the barbs preventing fortuitous disengagement of the ladder sidepieces from the eyelets.

3. A Venetian blind as in claim 2 wherein the improvement additionally comprises:

the tilt cord, for at least a portion of its length, is a double cord and side-by-side cord-branches in at least the eyelet-affixed portions of the horizontal runs,

and the eyelets are crimped about both of the side-by-side cord-branches.

4. A Venetian blind as in claim 3 wherein the improvement additionally comprises:

the eyelets having approximately half of their peripheries crimped about one of the cord-branches and approximately half of their peripheries crimped about the other of the cord-branches.

5. A Venetian blind as in claim 3 in which the improvement additionally comprises:

cord-operating means which is operatively connected to the double-cord portion of the tilt cord to shift the double-cord portion longitudinally of itself for tilting the slats of the blind.

6. A Venetian blind as in claim 3 wherein the improvement additionally comprises:

cord-operating means which is located at a distance from the horizontal runs of the tilt cord,

and a length of cord, which constitutes part of the tilt cord, connects the double-cord portion of the tilt cord to the cord-operating means.

7. A Venetian blind as in claim 6 in which there is lift-cord means for the slats --wherein the improvement additionally comprises:

the cord-operating means is operative for pulling in and paying out the lift-cord means,

and the lift-cord means is operatively connected to the cord-operating means whereby the slats of the blind may be raised and lowered in response to actuation of the cord-operating means.

8. A Venetian blind having a ladder-and-slat assembly suspended beneath a support and having means for tilting the slats, the slat-tilting means including a tilt cord which is shiftable longitudinally of itself, and the tilt cord having a horizontal run adjacent to the support and to which a sidepiece of each ladder is connected --wherein the improvement comrpises:

eyelets along the horizontal run of the tilt cord and affixed thereto,

and barbs on the upper ends of such of the ladder sidepieces as are connected to the tilt cord,

the barb-equipped ends of the ladder sidepieces being inserted through the eyelets and the barbs preventing fortuitous disengagement of the ladder sidepieces from the eyelets.

9. A Venetian blind as in claim 8 in which the tilt cord has front and rear horizontal runs that are movable in opposite directions --wherein the improvement additionally comprises:

eyelets along the fromt and rear horizontal runs of the tilt cord and affixed thereto,

and barbs on the upper ends of the front and rear sidepieces of the ladders,

the barbs on the front sidepieces of the ladders being inserted through the eyelets that are affixed to the front horizontal runs of the tilt cord,

the barbs on the rear sidepieces of the ladders being inserted through the eyelets that are affixed to the rear horizontal runs of the tilt cord,

and the barbs preventing fortuitous disengagement of the ladder sidepieces from the eyelets.

10. A Venetian blind as in claim 8 wherein the improvement additionally comprises:

the eyelets are of sheet metal,

the loop formations of the eyelets are connected to sheet-metal fingers,

and the fingers are bent into holding engagement with the tilt cord.

11. A Venetian blind as in claim 9 wherein the improvement additionally comprises:

the eyelets are of sheet metal,

the loop formations of the eyelets are connected to sheet-metal fingers,

and the fingers are bent into holding engagement with the tilt cord.

12. A Venetian blind as in claim 9 wherein the improvement additionally comprises:

the eyelets are of sheet metal,

sheet-metal portions extend outwardly from the loop formations of the eyelets,

sheet-metal fingers project from such outwardly-extending portions,

the fingers are bent to position the ends of the fingers contiguous to the tilt cord,

and the ends of the fingers are in holding engagement with the tilt cord.

13. A Venetian blind as in claim 8 in which the tilt cord has front and rear horizontal runs that are movable in opposite directions --wherein the improvement additionally comprises:

eyelets along the front and rear horizontal runs of the tilt cord and affixed thereto,

the front and rear horizontal runs to which the eyelets are affixed being runs that are made of metal or have metal strands,

and barbs on the upper ends of the front and rear sidepieces of the ladders,

the barbs on the front sidepieces of the ladders being inserted through the eyelets that are affixed to the front horizontal run of the tilt cord,

the barbs on the rear sidepieces of the ladders being inserted through the eyelets that are affixed to the rear horizontal run of the tilt cord,

and the barbs preventing fortuitous disengagement of the ladder sidepieces from the eyelets.

14. A Venetian blind as in claim 13 wherein the improvement additionally comprises:

the eyelets are of sheet metal,

the loop formations of the eyelets are connected to sheet-metal fingers,

and the fingers are bent into holding engagement with the tilt cord.

15. A Venetian blind as in claim 13 wherein the improvement additionally comprises:

the eyelets are of sheet metal,

sheet-metal portions extend outwardly from the loop formations of the eyelets,

sheet-metal fingers project from such outwardly-extending portions,

the fingers are bent to position the ends of the fingers contiguous to the tilt cord,

and the ends of the fingers are in holding engagement with the tilt cord.

16. A Venetian blind as in claim 9 wherein the improvement additionally comprises:

tilt-cord-operating means which is remote from the horizontal runs of the tilt cord,

and cord, which constitutes part of the tilt cord, connects the eyelet-carrying horizontal runs to the tilt-cord-operating means,

slippage being provided upon full tilt being reached.

17. A Venetian blind as in claim 16 in which there are lift cords having vertical runs --wherein the improvement additionally comprises:

lift-cord-operating means which is adjacent to the tilt-cord-operating means,

the vertical runs of the lift cords being connected to the lift-cord-operating means.

18. A Venetian blind as in claim 9 in which there are lift cords having vertical runs --wherein the improvement additionally comprises:

a cord-operating unit which is remote from the horizontal runs of the tilt cord,

the cord-operating unit including both tilt-cord-operating means and lift-cord-operating means,

cord, which constitutes part of the tilt cord, connects the eyelet-carrying horizontal runs of the tilt cord to the tilt-cord-operating means,

and means connects the vertical runs of the lift cord to the lift-cord-operating means.

19. A Venetian blind having a ladder-and-slat assembly suspended beneath a support and having means for tilting the slats and means for lifting the slats, the slat-tilting means including a tilt cord which is shiftable longitudinally of itself, the tilt cord having front and rear horizontal runs movable in opposite directions adjacent to the support and to which the sidepieces of the ladders are connected, and the slat-lifting means including lift cords having vertical runs --wherein the improvement comprises:

eyelets along the front and rear horizontal runs of the tilt cord and affixed thereto,

barbs on the upper ends of the side pieces of the ladders,

the barbs being inserted through the eyelets and preventing fortuitous disengagement of the ladder sidepieces from the eyelets,

a cord-operating unit which is remote from the horizontal runs of the tilt cord,

the cord-operating unit including tilt-cord-operating and lift-cord-operating means,

means connects the horizontal runs of the tilt cord to the tilt-cord-operating means,

and means connects the vertical runs of the lift cord to the lift-cord-operating means.

20. A Venetian blind as in claim 19 wherein the improvement additionally comprises:

a common operator for the tilt-cord-operating means and the lift-cord-operating means.

21. A Venetian blind as in claim 20 wherein the improvement additionally comprises:

the tilt-cord-operating means and the lift-cord-operating means are rotary,

and the common operator is in continuous torque-imparting relation to both the tilt-cord-operating means and the lift-cord-operating means.

22. A Venetian blind as in claim 19 wherein the improvement additionally comprises:

a rotary common operator for the tilt-cord-operating means and the lift-cord-operating means,

the common operator is in continuous torque-imparting relation to both the tilt-cord-operating means and the lift-cord-operating means,

and slippage is provided at the tilt-cord-operating means upon full tilting being reached.

23. A Venetian blind as in claim 22 wherein the improvement additionally comprises:

slippage is provided between the common operator and the cord-operating means upon full lifting of the blind being reached.

24. A Venetian blind having a ladder-and-slat assembly suspended beneath a support and having means for tilting the slats, the slat-tilting means including a tilt cord which is shiftable longitudinally of itself and has front and rear horizontal runs that are movable in opposite directions and to which the sidepieces of the ladders are connected --wherein the improvement comprises:

cord-operating means which is located at a distance from the horizontal runs of the tilt cord,

and cord means, which functions as part of the tilt cord, operatively connects the horizontal runs of the tilt cord with the cord-operating means,

said cord means including (a) confronting cord portions which can be pulled toward each other to draw the tilt cord taut, and (b) a quick connector for functionally uniting the confronting cord portions after the tilt cord has been drawn taut.

25. A Venetian blind as in claim 24 wherein the improvement additionally comprises:

the quick connector affords quick release of the confronting cord portions for readjustment and quick reconnection of the confronting cord portions in readjusted relation.

26. A Venetian blind as in claim 24 wherein the improvement additionally comprises:

the cord-operating means includes a friction drive to the cord means that connects the horizontal runs of the tilt cord to the cord-operating means.

27. A Venetian blind as in claim 26 wherein the improvement additionally comprises:

the frictional drive is a spool member about which cord of the cord means is wrapped.

28. A Venetian blind having a ladder-and-slat assembly suspended beneath a support and having means for tilting the slats, the slat-tilting means including a tilt cord which is shiftable longitudinally of itself and has front and rear horizontal runs that are movable in opposite directions and to which the sidepieces of the ladders are connected --wherein the improvement comprises:

cord-operating means which is located at a distance from the horizontal runs of the tilt cord,

cord means, which functions as part of the tilt cord, operatively connects the horizontal runs of the tilt cord with the cord-operating means,

and the cord-operating means includes a flexible manually-operated crank arm for driving the cord-manipulating part of the cord-operating means.

29. A Venetian blind as in claim 28 wherein the improvement additionally comprises:

the flexible crank arm is made of plastic and is frictionally clamped to form a friction drive to the cord-manipulating part of the cord-operating means.