Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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~ACKGROUND OF T~E INVENTION
The present invention relates to a drapery track assembly
for supporting drapes and a draw cord and pulley assembly for
opening and closing the drapes.
A common drapery track assembly consists of elongated
rods having channels for guiding the draw cord and brackets
attachable to the track for mounting to a wall. Thus, the
track and bracket are exposed except in a single track
assembly when the upper edge of the drapes extends above the
10 track and the hook attachments are made below the upper edge,
in which case only the ends of the track assembly are exposed.
The brackets of such assemblies, however, are generally made
in three pieces, one of which is screwed to the wall, one to
the track and a third member attached to the other two. The
15 assembly of such systems is time consuming and hence costly.
U.S. Patent No. 3,818,544 issued on June 25, 1974 to
Helmer et al discloses an extruded plastic draw track assembly
attachable either to a wall or to a ceiling with an integral
valance to cover the portion which attaches to the drape. A
20 support bracket Eor the track is necessary when the track is
to be supported from a wall. The support bracket is oE the
same cantilevered structure as the track and is attached to
the track by a screw~ Consequently, even with the support
brackets the structure has a tendency to bend downwardly and
25 narrow the slot in which the sliders move. Provision is made
for supporting webs but clearly such webs complicate the
extrusion process. Also, the integral valance limits the use
of the particular color and finish to that which the plastic
valance is given during the extrusion process. No provision
30 is made in Helmer et al for capping the ends of the track or
for continuing draw track ends around a corner.
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German A~slegeschrift No. 1,159,605 published December
16, 1963, the Applicants for which are Rudolf Storzbach et al,
discloses a track assembly which appears to be adapted only
for mounting to a ceiling but which does include a valance
holder removably attached to the track. The different track
embodiments disclosed by Storzbach have no inner horizontal
strengthening walls extending across from one side to the
other, other than on the upper outer horizontal wall. They
do, however, have a lower outer wall which appears to be glued
to the track. Thus, if the track material were plastic, it
would have a significant tendency to bend with a set of drapes
installed. The draw track in the aforesaid German Application
moreover are each a single unitary piece in cross section
having a fixed number of tracks. Thus, for example, a double
track unit cannot be made from a pair of single track units.
Consequently, it is necessary to stock track for each type of
track system required.
German Offenlegungschrift No. 2,302,829 published July
25, 1974 by Rieger discloses the use of a single track. having
lips on opposed vertical sides for releasable locking
engagement with clamps having snap receptacles on either side.
A wall board attachable to a wall also has a lip for
releasable snapping engagement with the clamps.
Alternatively, the clamps have a screw aperture for attachment
to a ceiling. There are no inner strengthening walls on the
Rieger tracks consequently there is a tendency for the slider
track slots which support the drapes to narrow, particularly
in a double track configuration when wall mounted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention there is provided a drapery
track assembly which includes an extruded inside track having
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exterior walls defining a substantially rectangular cross
section and interior strengthening walls extending across the
exterior walls. A slot is formed in a bottom exterior wall
which is adapted to slidably receive a plurality of sliders
and a pair of master drape carriers for supporting hooks
carrying opposed leading edges of a set of drapes~ Pulley
blocks are each couplable to ends of the inside track for
rotatably supporting sheave wheels which are adapted to
receive a draw cord therearound.
Preferably the assembly includes an extruded outside
track having exterior walls defining a substantially
rectangular cross section and an interior strengthening wall
extending across at least two of the exterior walls with an
elongated slot formed in the bottom exterior wall. A
receptacle connector may be formed on an inside exterior wall
for removable engagement with the receptacle of the inside
track. The outer exterior wall may have an outside track
receptacle for removable engagement with the receptacle
connector of the valance and may be adapted to receive the
pulley blockS-
Preferably the outer exterior wall has a receptacle andthe assembly includes a extruded valance having a receptacle
connnector for removable engagement with the receptacle of the
inside track. The valance holder may include upper and lower
channel receptacles on a side opposite the receptacle
connector for receiving and holding an elongated panel
therein.
The bottom and top exterior walls of the inside and
outside tracks may be substantially in common respective
notional planes when the outside track receptacle connector is
engaged with the inside track receptacle.
~ screw panel wall extending up from an inner vertical
wall of the inside track beyond the top exterior wall is used
to form a screw panel for mounting the inside track to a wall.
The assembly may also include a thin track having
exterior walls defining a substantially rectangular cross
section, an interior strengthening wall extending across two
of the exterior walls, an elongated slot in the bottom
exterior wall for receiving the sliders, an inside exterior
wall having a receptacle connector for removable engagement
with the receptacle of the inside and outside tracks and an
outside wall having a receptacle for removable engagement with
the receptacle connector of the valance.
Advantageously, the receptacle of the inside and outside
tracks are each formed by an outwardly and upwardly projecting
L-shaped bent lip while the receptacle connectors of the
inside and outside tracks and the valance holder are formed by
outwardly and downwardly projecting bent L-shaped rims.
Preferably the assembly includes a pair of spaced apart
outwardly and upwardly projecting L-shaped lips on the outer
vertical exterior walls of the inside and outside tracks and
corresponding outwardly and downwardly pairs of spaced apart
bent L-shaped rims on the inner vertical walls of the inner,
outside and thin tracks and well as on the valance.
Mounting brackets may each be snugly slidably insertable
into an end of the narrow track between the top wall and the
interior horizontal strengthening wall with the brackets each
having a vertical screw plate portion for mounting to a
surface transverse to the narrow track.
By arranging the interior strengthening walls as outlined
above, maximum strength is developed across the track assembly
against any tendency to bend downwardly due to weight applied
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by an attached set of drapes. By providing for lips and rims
on the vertical walls of the tracks themselves, the need for a
separate bracket to interconnect adjacent tracks is
eliminated. Additionally, maximum resistance to bending and
subsequent narrowing of the track is also obtained.
The assembly requires only screws to mount it either to a
wall or to a ceiling. There are no screws or interconnecting
fasteners required to interconnect one track with anotherO
Provision of opposed L-shaped lips and rims ensures a tight
grip by one track to another.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In drawings of the preferred embodiment of the invention,
Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of the drapery track
assembly;
Figure 2 is a view of the pulley block and an end of an
inside track showing the inter-relationship of the pulley with
the track;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a master carrier
showing the draw cord attachment;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of an ordinary carrier;
Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a corner piece and a
portion of a valance connected theretoi and
Figure 6 is a perspective view of an end wall mounting
clamp and an end of an outside track showing the
inter-relationship of the bracket and track.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS
An inter-connected track assembly 10 is illustrated in
Figure 1 which consists of a pair of coupled inside tracks 12
and a coupled outside track 16. To the outside track 16 there
is affixed a valance holder 18. The inside track assembly has
an outer wall 24, an inner wall 26, a top wall 28 and a bottom
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wall 30 forming a generally rectangular structure. Below the
top horizontal wall 28 is an interior horizontal strengthening
wall 20 which extends from the inner wall 26 to the outer wall
24. Proximate the outer wall 24 there i5 formed in the bottom
wall 30 a slot 32. Integrally connected between the interior
horizontal strengthening wall 20 and bottom wall 30 is a
vertical interior strengthening wall 22. On each side of the
slot 32 there are rail ledges 36 and 38. The slot 32
communicates with an interior channel 34. On the outer wall
are two L-shaped outwardly and upwardly protruding lips 40 and
42 and on the inner wall 26 there are two corresponding
L-shaped outwardly and downwardly protruding rims 41 and 43
defining receptacles 44 and 46, respectively. The receptacles
44 and 46 on one track slidingly matingly receive the
corresponding lips 42 and 40, respectively, on another piece
of track.
The outside track 16 is comprised of exterior inner and
outer vertical walls 58 and 60, respectively, and exterior top
and bottom horizontal walls 59 and 57, respectively.
Elongated slot 66 is formed in the lower wall 59 and is
defined by shelves 62 and 64 on either side. The inner wall
58 has a pair of spaced apart outwardly and downwardly
protruding L-shaped rims 54 and 5S which are positioned to
register with corresponding lips 40 and 42 of the inside
track. Slot 66 communicates with an elongated channel 68 of
generally the same dimensions as channel 34. Each of the
slots 32 and 66 are identically dimensioned to slidably
receive sliders 52. On the outer wall 60 there are two
outwardly and upwardly protruding lips 70 and 72. A valance
holder 18 having a pair of spaced apart outwardly and
downwardly protruding rims 74 and 76 are positioned to
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register with lips 70 and 7~ and position the valance holder
in either one of two vertical positions. On the side of the
valance holder 18 opposite the lips 74 and 76 are a pair of
upper and lower channels, 80 and 84, respectively, defined by
overhanging valance lips 78 and 82. Lip 78 is wider than lip
82 so that a panel (not shown) may be inserted in channel 80,
sufficiently far so that the bottom of the panel can clear lip
82 and can be dropped into channel 84 so that the top of the
panel does not fall below lip 78.
At the end of an elongated track assembly it is necessary
to provide a pair of pulleys in order to accomodate a draw
string or cord that is responsible for moving the drapes.
Figure 2 illustrates the method of assembly of the pulleys in
the present invention. Pulley block 86 is a generaLly
U-shaped channel section having a pair of rails 88 and 89
projecting transversely outwardly from the open end of the U.
On one end of the block 86 below the rails 88 and 89 are
downwardly projecting stop portions 90 and 92. Proximate the
stop portions there are open sections 91 and 93 which are
adapted to accomodate sliders 52. A portion of the pulley
block 86 is broken away to show how a pulley wheel 98 is
journalled to the pulley block by means of a pin 96. A second
pulley wheel or sheave may be installed by being journalled by
means of a pin (not shown) through aperture 94 on either side
of block 86. The rails 88 and 89 are adapted to be snugly
slidably insertable into channel 34 on top of ledges 36 and 38
thereof. the pulley block 86 is inserted up to stops 91 and
92, and holds the slider 52 in place on the ledges 36 and 38.
Normally a pulley block 86 is inserted in either end of an
elongated track.
Figure 3 illustrates a standard master carrier 100,
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having a pair of rails 116 and 118 on either side of a central
channel 108. The central channel accomodates a cord 106 which
passes down through apertures in the bottom thereof (not
shown) and is wound around a downward depending tongue 110
through slots 112 and 114 in a bent column 103. At either end
of the arm 103 are apertures 102 and 104 for receiving hooks
which attach to the tops of the drapes. The master carriers
100 are attached to respective leading edges of a set of
drapes in opposed positions on the associated ledges 36 and
38.
An ordinary slider 52, illustrated in Figure 4, consists
of a pair of rails 120 and 122 on either side of a central
channel 123 through which is passed a draw cord. An outwardly
depending pair of wings 124 and 126 are disposed below the
rails 120 and 122. At the bottom of the spacer 52 there is a
downward depending finger 128 with a hook receiving aperture
130.
Figure 5 illustrates a valance holder 132 comprised of a
central panel 142 and a pair of wing panels 140. At both the
top and the bottom of the holder 132 are a pair of exposed
outwardly projecting tabs 134 and 136 at the bottom thereof
and 138 and another one (not shown) at the top thereof. The
tabs are adapted to snugly slide into corresponding channel
receptacles 80 and 84 of the valance holder 18. In the event
that the valance is continued around a corner or extends only
over a portion of a wall it is possible to provide a finished
appearance by using the corner cap to join orthogonally
intersecting valances 18 at their ends. It is also simple to
return the valance holder to the wall to which the track runs
parallel by simply cutting a section of valance holder to
length and inserting it into the channel receptacles 80 and 84
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of the latter.
It is also possible to use outside track 16 by itself and
to mount it to an end wall transverse to the track 16. To do
this there is provided a bracket 144 having an insertable
plate 146 and a wall mounting plate 148 at right angles to the
plate 146. The plate 148 has a pair of screw holes 150 and
152. Insertable plate 146 is snugly slidably insertable into
channel 158 bounded by top horizontal wall 57 and interior
strengthening wall 56.
In use, the draw track assembly can simply be attached to
a wall by means of the extended portion 48 of the inner wall
26 of an inside track 12 by means of screws. To the lips 40
and 42 there can be engaged corresponding lips 55 and 54 of
outside track 16. Ordinarily for a wall mounting, valance
holder 18 would be positioned such that rim 76 would be
engaged with lip 70. A pulley block 86 with pulleys
journalled thereto and a spacer 52 inserted in openings 90 and
93 and in rails 88 and 89, respectively, would be slid into
channel 34. A draw cord ordinarily would previously be looped
around the pulley that is within the pulley block 86 before
insertion. Also prior to snugly slidably inserting the last
pulley block, sliders 52 and master slider 100 are to be
inserted along shelves 36 and 38 of slot 32. With the cord
looped around the pulleys and attached to the master sliders
and around the tension pulley (not shown) hooks are then
attached to the holes 130 in the sliders 52, 102 and 104 in
the master slides 100. The drapes are then attached to these
hooks.
A panel of a desired finish dimensioned to fit within the
valance holder 18 would be slid up into upper channel 80 until
the lower edge of the panel cleared lip 52 and dropped into
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lower channel 84. This avoids the necessity of sliding the
channel alon~ one edge of the valance holder 18. If a return
to the wall is required or a corner is to be rounded, a corner
cap 132 may be attached to a valance holder 18 at either end
thereof and a section of valance holder from a stock of such
piece may be cut and attached to tabs 134 and 138 so that the
section that has been cut mounts flush to the wall. The
latter section would be supported by the valance holder 18
through corner cap 132. Alternatively, a second section of
track supported in the same way as the first may be coupled to
the corner cap providing a continued appearance around the
corner.
Should it be desired to cover the screw rail 48 from
view, a valance holder 18 may be snapped into position such
that lip 74 engages lip 70.
In the event that a double track system is required, it
is simply necessary to add a second inside track section 12 to
the first section. Otherwise, the assembly and construction
of each track is identical.
In the event a ceiling mounted structure is required,
during the extrusion process of the inside tracks 12 it is
possible to remove the screw rail 48 of the inner wall and
mount the entire structure flush to the ceiling by insertion
of screw slots 32 and 66 through interior walls 20 and 56 and
outer top horizontal walls 28 and 57. In the latter case,
however, it is necessary to stock inside tracks 12 which have
both the extended interior wall 48 and those which the latter
has been taken off during the extrusion process.
In some instances it will be useful to use the outside
track 16 as a single track system without a valance, in such
places as a mobile home where there are space limitations. In
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this case it is possible to either screw the outside track 16
into the ceilin~ or to mount it to an end wall by us2 of
brackets 144.
It is appreciated that when used in a commercial premises
it is possible to insert advertising in a valance holder in a
commercial premises. It will be seen that the present system
has the wide flexibility to make it applicable to a wide
variety of purposes.
Other modifications, departures and variations lying
within the spirit of the invention, and scope as defined by
the appended claims, will be obvious to those skilled in the
art.
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SUPPLEMENTARY DISCLOSURE
. _
The present supplementary disclosure relates to a drapery
track assembly consisting of one or more elongated tracks for
mounting on a wall or ceiling and adapted to receive drapery
track hardware for mounting drapes thereon.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is
provided a drapery track assembly which includes an extruded
inside track having exterior inner and outer vertical walls
and exterior top and bottom walls defining a substantially
rectangular cross section. The interior horizontal wall
extends across the inner and outer vertical walls while pairs
of spaced apart interior vertical walls extend across the
bottom and interior horizontal walls and the interior and top
walls. The bottom wall has an elongated slot formed therein
between the pair of spaced apart vertical interior walls. The
outer vertical wall has a receptacle while the inner wall has
an extended portion extending above the top wall forming a
screw panel for mounting the inside track to a wall. A
plurality of sliders and a pair of master drape carrier
slidably engage with the slots of the inside track. The drape
carriers are used for supporting hooks carrying opposed
leading edges of a set of drapes. Pulley blocks are each
couplable to ends of the inside track for rotatably supporting
sheave wheels adapted to receive a draw cord looped
therearound.
Advantageously, the assembly includes an extruded outside
track having exterior inner and outer vertical and top and
bottom walls defining a substantially rectangular cross
section. An interior horizontall wall extends across the
inner and outer vertical walls. Pairs of spaced apart
vertical interior walls extend across the bottom and interior
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horizontal walls and the interior horizontal and top wall. An
elongated slot is formed in the bottom wall between the pair
of spaced apart interior vertical walls for slidable
engagement with the sliders and drape carriers. The outer
vertical wall has a receptacle and the inner wall a receptacle
connector such that the receptacle connector on one section of
the outside track removably matingly engages both the
receptacle of another section of the outside track and the
receptacle of a section of inside track in horizontal
alignment. The ends of a section of the outside track are
adapted to snugly slidably receive the pulley blocks.
Preferably the extruded valance holder has a receptacle
connector on one side thereof for removable mating engagement
with the connectors o~ the inside and outside tracks and
opposed upper and lower channel receptacles on the other side
thereof for receiving and retaining an elongated panel.
Preferably the receptacles are each formed by a pair of
spaced apart outwardly and upwardly bent L-shaped lips on the
outer exterior wall of the inside and outside tracks and the
receptacle connectors are a pair of spaced apart outwardly and
downwardly L-shaped rims on the inner wall of the inside and
outside track and on the valance.
The assembly may include a corner holder having a first
means for attachment to an end of a first valance holder and a
second means for attachment to an end of a second valance
holder oriented at ~0 degrees to the first valance holder.
Advantageously, the assembly includes a thin track having
exterior wall defining a substantially rectangular cross
section, an interior strengthening wall extending across two
of the exterior walls, an elongated slot in a bottom exterior
wall for slidably receiving these sliders, an inside exterior
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vertical wall having a pair of spaced apart elongated L-shaped
outwardly and downwardly bent rims and an outer exterior
vertical wall having a pair of spaced apart elongated L-shaped
outwardly and upwardly bent lips. The rims are removably
matingly engagable with the lips of the inside and outside
tracks and the lips are removably matingly engagable with the
rims of the inside and outside tracks and rims of the valance
holder.
The interior vertical strengthening walls which extend
from the bottom wall to the top wall on either side of the
elongated slot resulting in a considerable enhancement of the
overall resistance to deformation of the inside and outside
tracks. ~oreover, by providing a sufficient spacing between
the outer wall of the outside track and the slot in the bottom
wall, one requires only to assemble two tracks in order to
provide a double drape assembly. By providing for a small
inclination in the upwardly and downwardly projecting rims and
lips, it is possible to provide a much tighter engagement
between one track and a connected second track as well as
facilitating engagement and disengagement of the two tracks.
By utilizing a thin track between an inside and outside
track one can make a triple drapes system or, alternatively,
by utilitizing an elongated wall bracket one can simply mount
the thin track against a wall in applications where space is
limited.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 7 is a cross sectional view of a two track drapery
track assembly;
Figure 8 is a cross sectional view of a lip of a track;
Figure 9 is a cross sectional view of a wall bracket;
Figure 10 is a perspective view of a portion of a wall
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bracket mounted to a wall with a coupled track; and
Fiyure ll is a cross sectional view of a thin track.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS
A two track assembly 200 as illustrated in Figure 7 is
consisting of an inside track 207 coupled to an outside track
209. The inside track consists of a top wall 208 and a bottom
wall 216 together with an inner wall 203 and an outer wall
225, The inner wall 203 is extended above the top wall 208
and below the bottom wall 216 to form elongated screw panels
202 and 204 respectively. Projecting outwardly and upwardly
from the outer wall 225 are a pair of spaced apart L-shaped
lips 218 and 220. Extending between the inner wall 203 and
the outer wall 225 is a horizontal interior strengthening wall
210. Extending between the top wall 208 and the horizontal
strengthening wall 210 are a pair of interior vertical
strengthening walls 206 and 212. The latter walls continue
below the horizontal interior strengthening wall 210 and
extend vertically downwardly to the bottom wall 216 by means
of vertical wall portions 214 and 21S. The latter are in line
with walls 212 and 206, respectively. An outside track 232
having the similar cross section to the inside track is
coupled to the latter by means of outwardly and downwardly
projecting L-shaped rims 224 and 226 engaging lips 218 and
220, respectively. The top wall 228 and bottom wall 230 of
the outside track 209 are alignment with the top wall 208 and
the bottom wall 216 of the inside track 207. On the outer
wall of the outside track 209 are a pair of spaced apart
outwardly and upwardly projecting lips 234 and 236,
respectively which are removably engagable with corresponding
rims 238 and 239, respectively of a valance holder 240. On
the opposite side of the valance holder to the rims 238 and
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239 are formed a pair of opposed channels ~46 and 252 by means
of outward 244 and downward 242 projecting portions and
outward 248 and upward 250 projecting portions, respectively.
Along the bottom of the valance holder 240 is formed an
elonyated ledge 254 the opposed channels 246 and 252 are
adapted to receive a panel of a desired finish. The channel
246 is deeper than the channel 252 so that a panel can be
first fit into channel 246 and then dropped into channel 252
so that the top of the panel is still contained within channel
246.
An elongated slot 222 formed between the vertical
interior walls 214 and 215 of the inside track 207 are
slidably engagable with sliders 52 and also master drape
carriers (not shown). A similar slot in the outside track 209
also is slidably engagable with sliders 52 provide a
supporting system for inside and outside drapes (not shown).
Illustrated in Figure 8 in cross section is a portion of
a lip of either the inside or outside tracks formed of a wall
surface 223 and a lip surface 221 of a lip 220. The lip
surface 221 is out:wardly inclined to provide an upward
diverging channel width. The rims of the outside track and
valance also have a corresponding inclination so that the rims
and lips can be more easily engaged and disengaged.
Figure 9 illustrates in cross section a wall bracket 260
which is an elongated strip having a pair of outwardly and
upwardly projecting L-shaped lips 262 and 264. As shown in
Figure 10 by mounting the bracket 260 to a wall 261 by means
of screws 263 spaced therealong the track 270 (see Figure 11)
having outwardly and downwardly projecting rims 286 and 288
can engage the lips 262 and 264 of the bracket and be held
adjacent to the wall 261.
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A thin track section 270 who~e cross section is
illustrated in Figure 11 consists of an inner wall 278, an
outer wall 271 and a horizontal strengthening wall 276
interconnecting the latter two. A top wall 274 extends
between the inner wall 278 and the outer wall 271. The bottom
wall 272 has an elongated slot 280 formed therealong. On the
inner wall 278 there is formed a pair of spaced apart
outwardly and downwardly projecting L-shaped rims 286 and 288
and on the outer wall 271 a corresponding outwardly and
10 upwardly pair of spaced apart L-shaped lips 282 and 284, The
latter section can either be introduced between the inside
track 207 and the outside track 209 to form a third drape
supporting structure or connected to a wall bracket as shown
in ~igure 10. The latter system would be appropriate to
applications such as mobile homes where space limitations
exist.
The ledge 254 on the valance holder 240 is included to
allow an alternative use of the valance holder as a drop to
enclose pipes or lights. A panel can be supported in part by
the ledge 254 and in part by a strip mounted along the wall
(not shown).
The wall bracket 260 also has alternative uses such as a
means for supporting brackets attachable to cups or various
paraphenalia that may conveniently be hung from a wall.
25 Alternatively, bracket 260 may be fitted onto the lips of the
outermost track of an assembly of tracks to act as a valance,
