Curtain Track System

Abstract

A Curtain Track System including an elongate drive member rotatable about its longitudinal axis and provided with a plurality of drive sleeves having continuous helical trackways on the surfaces thereof, and curtain support members having wheels at one end supporting them on a support track within a housing surrounding the drive member. The curtain support members are so positioned on the support track as to allow them to run along the track longitudinally of the system. The other end of each curtain support member extends outwardly of the housing through a slot in the wall of the housing to a point at which they are attached to a curtain, and the positioning on the support track is also such that each curtain support member will pivot under the weight of the curtain, about its point of contact on the support track into a position where means on each curtain support member will be in driving engagement with the drive member and whereby upon motion of a curtain support member being inhibited disengagement of the curtain support member from the helical trackway will occur.

Description

This invention relates to a curtain track system, and more particularly to a system where conventional cord systems are not used for drawing individual curtain support members along the track to open and close the curtain.

Furthermore, whereas this specification will be directed particularly to the use of the track system in relation to opening and closing curtains or drapes, it may be used in situations where partitioning either flexible, or having flexible joints between rigid members, is required to be opened and closed from one or both ends.

Furthermore, whereas the invention does not require conventional cord systems to actually draw the curtain supports along a curtain rail, curtain cord may be used to actuate the novel means of this invention which move the curtain support members along a support track.

With known curtain track systems the curtain is supported by support members which in turn are supported for movement along a support rail, or are connected to wheels which are mounted to move along a support rail. The support members are moved by hand along the rail to draw the curtain open or closed, or may be moved by means of a length of curtain cord connected to the support member most remote from the end of the curtain track where the curtain accumulates when open. Upon pulling on the curtain cord the support member is pulled towards the end and meets each intervening support member in turn to push all supports to the end of the curtain track.

Such systems have inherent disadvantages in that with continual use the cord becomes worn, and may break, requireing complete replacement of the cord throughout the whole system. Furthermore, most systems do not compensate for undue strain that may be imparted to the system should it jam, or the operator tend to overload the system after it has reached either the fully opened or closed position, which operations damage the cord itself, or any connections between the curtain support members and the curtain.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome some or all of the problems associated with known curtain track systems.

The invention therefore envisages a curtain track system comprising at least one elongate drive member rotatable about its longitudinal axis and provided with a helical trackway on the surface thereof, at least one curtain support member, the, or each, said curtain support member being provided with trackway engaging means to engage and co-operate with said helical trackway on said drive member, with the, or each, said curtain support member being provided with means whereby said curtain can be attached thereto, and means to rotate said drive member whereby the, or each, said curtain support member will ride along in engagement with said helical trackway and be movable out of engagement with said trackway when movement of the curtain support member is inhibited.

The basic construction provides for a curtain in the open position to be gathered at one end of said curtain track system, with one support member attached to a portion of the curtain remote from the end of said curtain track system whereby upon rotation of said cylindrical drive member the curtain support member engaging said helical trackway will move along said helical trackway and along a support track means carrying said portion of the curtain with it, until it reached the other end of, or a desired position in, said curtain track system where said curtain will be fully, or partly, extended and the tension generated therein will prevent the curtain support member moving any further on said helical trackway.

Preferably the curtain support member is held on said helical trackway be being pivoted into engagement with said helical trackway about said support track means by virtue of the weight of the curtain hanging from the other end of said curtain support member. However, upon the curtain reaching its fully extended position, or its fully gathered position, the tension generated in the curtain will overcome the trackway engaging force generated by the weight of the curtain, and the curtain support member will disengage from, and ride over, the helcial trackway whilst the cylindrical drive member continues to rotate.

Preferably the cylindrical drive member is surrounded by a housing coextensive with the member and provided with a longitudinal slot through a wall thereof, through which the, or each, curtain support member passes, whilst for heavy loads the support track means is provided in the housing and is in the form of a passage of box-shaped cross-section extending along the length of the housing in one of the inner corners thereof, with a slot formed in a lower wall of the housing through which the curtain support members pass. The end of the, or each, curtain support member within the housing is provided with a support wheel for rotational movement about an axle shaft, which wheel runs along and supports the curtain support member, and thus the curtain, on the inner surface of the lower wall of the passage in the housing.

Alternatively a more simpler construction for heavy loads may envisage a construction, which instead of a box-shaped cross-sectional passage, utilises a shelf provided inside the housing upon which the, or each, wheel travels. An upstanding flange may be provided on the edge of the shelf to prevent the wheels running off, or disengaging from, the shelf.

For lighter loads the support track means provided in the housing may be provided with a beading along one edge of the slot through the wall of the housing, with each curtain support member being provided with means approximately midway between its ends to engage and pivot it on the beading providing said track means.

Alternatively for even better support of the curtain support members on the housing both the support track means described for heavy loads, and that described for light loads, could be provided in the housing.

Alternatively the support track means may be provided at a position outside, but adjacent, the housing, whilst the curtain support members are so positioned and dimensioned, as to extend outwardly of the housing so that the means for engaging the support track means will be engaging relationship with the support track means.

Preferably the extreme end of the helical trackway may be formed to taper out, whereby the trackway engaging means on the curtain support members will roll around a smooth cylindrical surface at the end of the cylindrical drive member.

The means on the end of the curtain support member for engaging the helical trackway may be such that engagement between it and the helical trackway does not extend beyond half the circumference of the cylindrical drive member, so that the engaging end may be readily forced out of engagement and ride over the helical trackway when the support member reaches the point of maximum extension, or gathering, for the portion of the curtain to which it is attached.

Preferably the helical trackway is in the form of a helical groove, and the engaging means is in the form of a half, or less than half, nut. If required the pitch between the helical groove may be made relatively short such that the engaging means overlaps two or more grooves and is provided with two or more engaging thread portions.

Alternatively the helical trackway may be formed by a helical rib extending around, and along, the cylindrical drive member whilst the engaging means is a groove in the end of the support member.

Preferably the groove in the drive member or the curtain support member has sloping sides to allow the mating rib or thread portion to easily slide out of engagement when required.

Preferably the means to rotate the cylindrical drive member is an electric motor provided with means for reversing the direction of rotation to allow opening and closing of the curtain.

Alternatively the means to rotate the cylindrical drive member may be a continuous cord, part of which is wound around a drum connected via a gear train to the cylindrical drive member, with the remainder of the cord hanging down on either side of the drum and extending down alongside the one end of the curtain. Upon pulling in one direction by hand the drum, and thus the cylindrical drive member, will be caused to rotate causing the curtain to open whilst pulling in the other direction causes reverse rotation and thus closing of the curtain.

Preferably a simple gear transmission is provided between the driving means and the cylindrical member.

A more practical extension of the basic idea of the curtain track system of this invention may be to provide a cylindrical drive member formed with two helical trackway portions one right and one left handed extending from either end of the track system to meet in the middle. This provides for curtains in two parts being drawn together to a closed position from each end of the trackway as the cylindrical drive member is rotated in one direction.

A still further extension is to provide a programmed opening sequence for curtains extending over a long length of track systems whereby a multiplicity of curtain sections are provided. The cylindrical drive member is, in such circumstances, provided with a multiplicity of helical trackway portions along the length of the curtain track with alternate right and left handed helical trackway.

As the cylindrical drive member rotates in one direction each of the sections of curtains are drawn together whilst rotation in the other direction draws the curtains apart.

Preferably the cylindrical drive member is formed by a rod or conduit onto which a number of helical trackway members or scrolls in the form of cylindrical sleeves are pushed. The inside of the sleeve may be formed with splines to form tight engagement with the rod or conduit, and allows easy relative movement longitudinally of the rod for axially pushing the sleeves into place on the rod. However, at the same time they substantially prevent relative rotational movement between themselves and the rod.

Each scroll or helical trackway member is of a convenient length whereby a required length of trackway can be produced by supplying and combining together the necessary number of scrolls or trackway members. One end of each scroll or trackway member is provided with means to engage corresponding means formed in the end of an adjacent scroll or member whereby accurate location of adjacent ends to allow the groove or rib of one scroll or trackway member to load directly into that of the adjacent scroll or member is achieved.

The required number of scrolls or trackway members may be combined together and slipped into the require length of pipe or donduit. Where two sections of curtain are to be drawn to gether from opposite ends of the curtain track system a section of left hand helical trackway is built-up for one end of the system and a section of right hand helical trackway for the other end which sections are then pushed onto the rod or conduit.

In a system where a number of curtain sections are drawn together in programmed sequence over a long length of trackway the required number of right and left hand sections are built-up and pushed onto the rod or conduit.

Preferably the means for attaching each curtain support member to the curtain are merely holes in the curtain support members with attachment means of the normal type linking it with the curtain.

Preferably the means of pivotally mounting the curtain support members on the support track means for for the light load situation, where the support track means is provided by a beading on one edge of the slot in the housing and a slot of cylindrical section is formed in the curtain support member opening out of the member, the member is slipped onto the beading longitudinally from either end of the housing but cannot be disengaged transversely of the beading.

Furthermore, the above disclosed feature of the, or each, curtain support member being pivotally supported on the support track means and held in engaging with the helical trackway by the weight of the curtain, which is overcome when tension in the curtain reaches a particular value causing the support member to ride over the helical trackway, could be dispensed with and a curtain support member straddling the drive member in combination with a trackway engaging dog biased into a trackway engaging position, which dog would remain in the engaging position until such time an open or closed position is reached whereby it would be forced out of the trackway by the pressure of the side of the trackway on the dog and ride over the helical trackway.

One preferred embodiment of the invention as particularly arranged for curtain closing from both ends of the curtain track system, and for carrying heavy or light loads, will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1, is a general view of a curtain track system according to one preferred form of the invention.

FIG. 2, is an end sectional view of the system of FIG. 1, showing the housing, the helical track means and one of the curtain support members or hangers.

FIG. 3, is an end sectional view of the system showing the housing, the helical track means and an intermediate bearing.

FIG. 4, is a sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 5, is a sectional view taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6, is an end view of the housing of the system, showing the combined end cap and end bearing support.

FIG. 7, is a front sectional view of part of the system at one end thereof showing the helical track means and an accumulation of curtain support members or hangers,

FIG. 8, is a view of a curtain support member or hanger showing in particular the side thereof normally adjacent the helical track means,

FIG. 9, is an end sectional view of the system, showing the drive end support bearing and a splined drive sleeve at the end for connection via a gear system to a manually operated, or powered, drive means,

FIG. 10, is a sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 9,

FIG. 11, is an end sectional view of an alternative form of the invention, showing the housing, a modified form of helical track means, an intermediate bearing, and one of a modified form of curtain support member or hanger, and

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along line 12-12 of FIG. 11.

Referring to FIG. 1, the curtain track system generally indicated as 1, comprises a housing in the form of a tubular hollow box of generally square cross-section having a top wall 3, two downwardly extending side walls 4 and 5, and a lower wall 6 having a slot 7 formed wherein providing a through passage along the full length of the housing 2.

Supported within the housing 2 to extend along approximately the whole length thereof is a cylindrical drive means 10 for the curtain support members or hangers 11 by which means the support members or hanger 11 are driven to move along a support track means in the form of a ledge 12 provided within the housing.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 2 to 4, the cylindrical drive means 10 comprises a drive shaft 13 in the form of a metal rod or conduit. A plurality of scrolls or drive sleeve members 14 are provided around and coaxial with the drive shaft 13 in firm fitting engagement therewith. It is anticipated that each scroll or drive sleeve member 14 will be approximately six inches long, and a series of members 14 will be capable of being joined end to end to make up the desired length of drive sleeve required.

A helical groove 15 is formed in the surface of each drive sleeve members, which groove 15 is of a generally V-shaped cross-section. In order to provide a continuous helical groove 15 where a number of drive sleeve members 14 are joined together accurate location of adjacent joining ends of individual members 14 must be achieved so that the helical groove 15 on one member will run into the helical groove 15 in an adjacent member. This is achieved by providing at one end of each member a generally L-shaped extension 16 in an inner edge 17 of which the helical groove terminates. A corresponding L-shaped notch 18 is provided in the other end of each member adjacent one edge 19 of which the other end of the helical groove terminates. When the L-shaped extension 16 on one member 14 is fitted into the L-shaped notch 18 at the other end of the adjacent member 14, the helical groove 15 terminating in the extension 16 is aligned with, and runs directly into, the helical groove 15 terminating in the notch 18 of the end of the adjacent member 14.

Any number of scroll or drive sleeve members 14 may be joined end to end to provide a continual scroll or drive sleeve having a continuous helical groove 15 along the drive shaft 13.

In this embodiment where it is intended that the curtain be in two sections which are drawn together from each end of the curtain track, a plurality of scrolls or drive sleeve members 14 having left hand helical grooves 15 are provided extending from one end to approximately the central portion of the curtain track, whilst extending from the other end a plurality of scroll or drive sleeve members 14 having right hand helical grooves 15 are combined to extend along to meet the left hand section at the central portion. Such a construction allows the curtain support members (to be later described) for each end section of the curtain, to move in opposite directions when the drive shaft 13 rotates in a particular direction.

The interior of each scroll or drive sleeve member is formed with a plurality of axially extending ribs which form a close fit with the drive shaft, but allow for any variation between the outside diameter of the drive shaft and the inside diameter of the sleeve member. The ribs are generally of a relatively insignificant height, and are not shown in the drawings.

The axially extending ribs allow the members 14 to be pushed onto the drive shaft 13 from one end with as little effort as possible, but generally prevent rotation of the sleeve 14 relative to the shaft 13 under normal operating conditions. The assembled drive means 10 is supported in the housing at each end, and at spaced intervals there-along by end and intermediate bearing members.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 3 and 5, the intermediate bearing members are provided at approximately 18 inch intervals along the length of the housing, or at whatever interval provides convenient and suitable support for a particular length of curtain track system. Each intermediate bearing member generally consists of a block 20 of plastics material, having a slot 21 therein for receiving a rib or ledge 22 extending inwardly of the housing for locating the intermediate bearing member in the housing. The face of each bearing member adjacent the drive means 10, for which it is to provide support, has a cylindrical recess 23 provided therein, which recess partially surrounds the drive means over an included angle of more than 180.degree. so as to positively retain and support the drive means.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the end cap 9, including an end bearing support, and provided at one end of the housing comprises a flat end cover portion 24 from the inner face of which extends an end bearing support portion 25 including a ledge 26 which abuts underneath the rib 22 on the inside of the housing 2 to locate the end cap in the housing. The bearing support portion includes a circular recess 27 for receiving, and providing a bearing support for, one end of the drive means 10.

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, a further end housing support 28 is provided at the driven end of the drive means, and is shaped and located in a similar fashion to the bearing support portion 25 included as part of the end cap 9 at the other end of the housing. At the driven end of the drive means a cylindrical drive member 29 is provided, internally ribbed to allow driving engagement with the drive shaft 13 at this point, and further including adjacent the extreme end thereof a plurality of splines 30 for engagement with a corresponding notched output shaft from a manually operated pulley drum or a combination gear box and reversable electric motor such as 31 and 32 in FIG. 1.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 2, 7 and 8, the curtain support member or hangers 11, are generally L-shaped and are suspended in the housing 2, by means of a support wheel 33, rotatable about an axle 34 held in a hole in the upper end of the member or hanger 11 and positioned to ride along the ledge 12. The hanger 11 includes a dog-leg section 35 approximately mid way along the vertical leg 38 of the L-shape. The dog-leg section includes a ridge 36, which in operation will nestle within the helical groove 15 in the sleeve members 14 in driven engagement therewith. The lower end of the vertical leg 38 extends outwardly of the housing 2 through the slot 7 in the lower wall 6 of the housing 2. The other leg 39 of the L-shaped hanger 11, outside the housing, extends substantially horizontally and includes a hole 37 for the receipt of a curtain support ring (not shown).

Referring particularly to FIG. 8 of the drawings there is shown the side of the hanger 11 normally adjacent the drive means, which includes the ridge 36 which in operation nestles in the groove 15 and is formed at an angle to correspond with the angle of the helical groove 15. Those hangers 11, which would normally co-operate with a reverse helical groove would include a ridge 36 angled in the opposite direction.

It will be observed particularly from FIG. 2 that each hanger 11, will pivot about the point of contact between the support wheel 33 and the shelf 12, and the weight of the curtain acting through its point of connection to the hanger at the hole 37, will pivot the hanger into a position whereby the ridge 36 engages the helical groove 15 to be driven along the shelf 12 by the drive means 10 as it rotates. The ridge 36 of the V-shaped section corresponds substantially with the helical V-groove 15 in the drive sleeve 14. The curved dog-leg section extends for approximately one-sixteenth of the circumference of the drive sleeve 14. A plurality of such curtain support members or hangers 11, are suspended from the track means and are attached at spaced intervals along the upper edge of the curtain, and include a plurality of left hand support members for the left hand drive sleeve at one end of the curtain track and a plurality of right hand support members for the right hand drive sleeve at the other end.

With the curtain in the open position, the curtain portion at one end is gathered together with its support members or hangers 11 adjacent one end of the track as shown in FIG. 7. Upon rotation of the drive shaft 13, and thus the drive sleeves 14, the support members or hangers 11 in engagement with the helical groove 15 begin to move along on the ledge 12, as shown in FIG. 7, until all the hangers have been drawn along the system such that when the support member or hanger 11 closest the end has been drawn from the end sufficient to tension the curtain material between it and the end of the system to impose a force of a value greater than that applied to the hanger by the weight of the curtain the ridge 36 will merely ride out of the helical groove 15 and over the helical groove moving underneath it as the drive members 14 continue to rotate. When the next adjacent support member reaches a distance from the aforesaid hanger 11 sufficient to tension the curtain material between it and the aforesaid hanger and thus the end of the curtain track system it too rides out over the helical groove against the weight of the curtain hanging therefrom, and so on until the curtain is fully drawn where the last support member behaves likewise.

The same operation is repeated for the curtain section being drawn in from the other end of the curtain track as the drive sleeve rotates.

Reversal of the rotation of the cylindrical drive means 10 causes the support hangers 11 to re-engage the helical groove 15 and draw the curtain portions apart and toward each end of the track system.

The housing may be attached to a support structure for the system, by means of screws or bolts passing through holes provided in the upper flat portions 40 and 41 forming parts of the top wall 3.

The drive shaft may be rotated by means of a reversible electric motor 32 through a gear transmission 31, or alternatively by means of an operating cord looped several times around a drive drum connected to the drive means via the cylindrical drive member 29. Pulling of the cord in one direction causes rotation and opening of the curtain whilst pulling of the cord in the opposite direction reverses the rotation and closes the curtain.

If required idler sections may be provided at each end of the curtain track on the drive sleeve and between the right and left hand drive sections of the sleeve, whereby curtain supports adjacent each end, and between the left and right hand sections, may run out of the groove and ride around the circumference of the idler sections. The cylindrical member 29, being ungrooved automatically provides an idler section adjacent the drive end of the system.

When large areas are to be covered by a curtain which is split into several individually openable and closable sections, the opening and closing sequence may be programmed by providing a series of alternative left and right hand drive sleeves sections 14. Rotation of the drive shaft 13 in one direction will open each curtain section simultaneously whilst reversal rotation will cause closing simultaneously.

As previously mentioned as an alternative the helical trackway may be provided by a helical rib extending around and along, the cylindrical drive member whilst the engaging means is a groove in the end of the support member. Such an alternative is shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, which are similar to the views of FIGS. 2 and 4 and where appropriate the same reference numerals are used. In this alternative embodiment the groove 15 in the drive sleeve members is replaced by a helical rib 42, whilst the mating ridge 36 in the hanger 11 is replaced by a groove 43. The intermediate bearing members 20' are longer in this embodiment in order to provide sufficient bearing support along the top of the rib 42.

In a second preferred form of the invention the hangers 11 are not supported via the wheel 33 on a shaft 12, but instead each hanger is supported on a beading formed along the edge of the slot 7. The beading extends along the full length of the slot in the housing to provide the track means upon which curtain support members are supported and run.

In this second embodiement each curtain support member has a central semi-cylindrical section of substantially semi-circular cross-section for engaging the beading providing the track means, with a curtain connecting section extending away from one side and a drive sleeve engaging section extending away from the other side. The semi-cylindrical centre section engages and rides along the bead providing the track means on the housing. The cylinder is nearly complete but has a passage opening out of the section so that the member may be slid onto the bead at one end of the housing but cannot be removed by forcing the member laterally of the beading. Extending downwardly from the central portion is the curtain connecting section simply in the form of a flat section integral with the central section and provided with a hole at the extreme end for the receipt of normal curtain attachment means such as a curtain ring.

Extending upwardly from the centre section, into the interior of the housing, is the drive sleeve engaging means in the form of a curved engaging section corresponding substantially with the curvature of the drive means and having formed therein a rib of V-shaped section corresponding substantially with the helical V groove in the drive sleeve. The curved section extends for approximately one-sixteenth of the circumference of the drive sleeve. The operation of the system of this second embodiement is similar to that described for the first embodiement

In a third form of the invention the supporting track means of both the first and second forms of the invention may be combined in the one track system.

Preferably the housing is made from extruded metal material such as aluminium, the drive shaft from metal tubing or conduit, the scroll or drive sleeve members bearing members, end caps and the curtain support members from plastics materials, such as nylon, whilst the gear transmission or the drive drum, whichever is used, are also of plastics material. Also the housing including one or both form of track means may be an extruded heavy duty plastic section.

Normal curtain cord may be used when operation via a drive drum is utilised.

It is to be understood that the invention includes any modifications that would be envisaged by a person skilled in the art which do not depart from the spirit of the invention and any such modifications are to be considered within the scope of the invention.

Claims

I claim:

1. A curtain track system comprising an elongate drive member provided with a helical trackway on the surface thereof, means to rotate the drive member about its longitudinal axis, a plurality of curtain support members, helical trackway engaging means on at least one of said curtain support members to engage and cooperate with said helical trackway on said drive member, curtain attaching means carried by each of said curtain supporting members, a support track for each of said curtain support members about which said at least one support member pivots between a trackway engaging position under the weight of a curtain attached thereto and a trackway disengaging position when movement of said at least one curtain support member is inhibited and the force of the weight of the curtain attached thereto is overcome.

2. A curtain track system according to claim 1, wherein the elongate drive member is surrounded by a housing co-extensive with the member, said housing being shaped to provide a longitudinal slot through a wall thereof, through which each curtain support member passes.

3. A curtain track system according to claim 2, wherein said support track is formed within said housing, and a wheel engagable with said support track rotatably mounted on each of said curtain support members.

4. A curtain track system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the support track is positioned in said housing to allow each said curtain support member to pivot about the point of contact between said wheel and support track in a plane transverse of said housing.

5. A curtain track system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said elongate drive member includes an inner drive shaft connected to said means for rotating said cylindrical drive member, and at least one drive sleeve positioned about said inner drive shaft, and wherein said helical trackway is provided in the circumferential surface of said at least one drive sleeve.

6. A curtain track system as claimed in claim 5, including a plurality of said drive sleeves forming at least one drive sleeve section, cooperating connector means at the ends of said drive sleeves, said cooperating connector means being so aligned that when the drive sleeves are united to form a drive sleeve section the helical groove in one drive sleeve is aligned with the helical groove in an adjacent drive sleeve.

7. A curtain track system as claimed in claim 6, wherein there are two drive sleeve sections, wherein one of said drive sleeve sections is provided by at least one drive sleeve having left-handed helical trackways, and the other of said drive sleeve sections is provided by at least one drive sleeve having right-handed helical trackways, and wherein the curtain support members cooperating with said drive sleeve sections are formed to engage and cooperate with the helical trackway in the particular drive sleeve section with which they cooperate, whereby the system will allow opening and closing of two curtain sections one at each end of said system.

8. A curtain track system as claimed in claim 7, including idler sleeve sections having cylindrical external surfaces provided at either end of said system.

9. A curtain track system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said helical trackway comprises a V-shaped groove and the trackway engaging means comprises a compatible V-shaped rib angled to suit the helix of the trackway with which it cooperates.

10. A curtain track system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said helical trackway comprises a V-shaped rib and the trackway engaging means comprises a compatible V-shaped groove angled to suit the helix of the trackway with which it cooperates.

11. A curtain track system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means to rotate said elongate drive member comprises a reversible electric motor.