Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2 '~71~
STRIP BLIND
The invention relates to a strip blind with displaceable, in
a track with a longitudinal slot, runners in each of which
a rocking shaft, which is operationally connected with a
cogged wheel and a strip hook, is arranged, and which are
connected with each other by an arrangement for
translational and rotational adjustment of strip hooks,
wherein the end of the strip blind is fixedly connected to
the end of the track and the beginning of the strip blind is
provided with an adjustment mechanism.
In a known strip blind, the runners, which have a relatively
complicated construction and on which the strips hang,
are displaced translationally by a chain or a cord guided in
the track, which chain or cord is guided about a roller at
the end of the track and, at the opposite end, project out
of the track as an operational loop. Strip-shaped spacers or
connecting cords, which are stretched between the strips as
chains, are arranged between the runners. For pivotal
movement of the strips, a worm drive including a cogged
wheel, which is arranged on a vertical rocking shaft for a
strip hook and is drivingly connected with a worm arranged
on an axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the
track, can be provided in each runner. The worms of all
2 ~ ~ S 7 ~ i, `3
runners are aligned relative to each other and are all
supported on a notched shaft which extends in the
longitudinal direction of the track and, upon rotation,
drives synchronously all worms in a respective selected
rotational direction~ The worms can slide along the notched
shaft in both directions along the track, At one end of the
notched shaft, a drive gear is arranged over which a looped
operational cord is guided (DE 30 29 179 Al, DE 33 03 715
Al, DE 38 25 911 Al, and DE 39 07 043 Al).
Such strip blinds consist of many exceptionally expensive
parts, in addition, the worm-cogged wheel drive in each
runner includes a sliding clutch. Mounting of such strip
blinds is especially difficult when standard tracks, which
do not pass in a conventional window opening, should be
installed, especially when before placement, the delivered
track should be brought to appropriate mounting dimensions.
Such mounting can be made satisfactory only by experienced
and skillful workers.
Also known is a strip blind including runners, which are
displaceable in the blind track, a drive element for
displacing a runner in the track, rotatable swivelling axles,
which carry the strip and are arranged on the runners, and a
worm drive on each runner, which rotates upon actuation of
3 2 ~ 8 ~
the drive element and is engaged with its counter part of
the swivelling axle, wherein the drive element is a cord
which is releasably force-lockingly engages a belt pulley in
each runner and connects the belt pulley with the worm drive
(DE 38 22 727 Al).
Here, the slide clutch in each runner is replaced by the
releasable force-locking engagement of the cord with a belt
pulley connected with the worm drive and, in accordance
with a preferred embodiment, formed as one piece with the
worm drive and coaxially therewith. The cord causes
rotation of tne belt pulley and thereby of the worm
drive, whereby the strips are synchronously pivotally
displaced about their vertical axes. In both end positions,
the swivelling axles engage respective stops, so that no
further rotation of the swivelling axles and, therefore, of
the belt pulleys is possible. Only the belt pulley and,
thus, the runners will be entrained by the cord, so that
they will be collected into a pack at one end of the blind
track.
While in the ]cnown strip blind, both the rotational movement
oE the strips and the translational movement of the runners
by only one drive element, namely, a cord displaceable in a
~ :~ ;i 7 ~
track, is possible, it however, requires a very costly
construction of the runner. Each runner has a vertical
rocking shaft arranged therein and to which a strip is
attached. Inside the runner housing, a cogged wheel is
supported on the rocking shaft and meshes with a worm
wheel supported on a shaft that extends transverse to the
rocking shaft in the runner housing. Outside of the runner
housing, a belt pulley, which cooperates with the cords, i9
supported on the worm wheel shaft. The cord itself is
guided about reversing rollers at each end of the track and
can also drive one of the cranks.
In another blind, in which also both the translational
movement of the runners and the rotational movement of the
strips are effected by one drive element, the runner is also
arranged on a track and carries a respective freely
suspended strip on its vertical rocking shaft, which is
rotated by a cogged wheel and the rotation of which is
limited by stops, and wherein the cogged wheels which are
connected with respective rocking shafts by slide clutchers,
are engageable with drive bodies, which have a counterpart
toothing and are displaceable in the blind track, for
displacing and pivoting the strips. The drive body
consists of an endless, flexible elastic drive band which is
guided, at both ends of the track, about reversing rollers
~`v~
and has an inner run engageable with the cogged wheels and
an outer return run displaceable on both respective sides of
the blind plane along the track (DE 27 29 491 C2)
Though in this strip blind, the drive band, without an in-line
worm drive, directly engages the cogged wheels of the
runners, a slide clutch between the cogged wheel and the
working shaft is still necessary. In addition, at each end
of the track, reversing rollers should be provided, and the
drive band requires a complicated cross-section of the track
for guiding both the working run and the idle run of the
drive band.
Accordingly, the object of the invention is a strip blind
the separate elements of which can by simply shaped and
wherein both the translational movement of the runners and a
rotational movement of the strips is effected only by one
drive element, without need for a second additional drive
element.
It has been found that this object, for a strip blind of the
above-described type, can be simply achieved by nlaking the
cogged wheel a component part of the rocking shaft, with the
teeth of the cogged wheel engaging the teeth of opposite
toothed segments each of which is supported on an end of a
~71g~
connecting element provided with a connecting strip, and the
free end of which is formed as a driver for an adjacent
runner.
According to the invention, the connecting elements, in a
drawn condition of the strip blind, form two oppositely
displaceable chains of connecting elements the toothed
segments of which operationally connect the cogged wheels of
all runners with each other. Due to this connection, the
movemen~ of one chain of connecting elements in one
direction causes, by means of cogged wheels pivotably
supported on the vertical rocking shafts in the runners,
movement of equal length of the opposite chain of connecting
elements in the opposite direction. During these opposite
movements, the cogged wheels displace all runners and,
thereby, the supported on them strips, synchronoulsy by the
same respective angle. The cogged wheels and the toothed
segments are so dimensioned and connected with each other
that, with the strips extending exactly transverse to the
track, the middle teeth, e.g., seven teeth of each toothed
segment, engage in opposite spaces of the cogged wheel, and
that with movement of chain of connecting elements in
opposite directions, all strips, in their end positions,
pivot by 90 into a closed position, and, with movement out
of the mid-position, pivot by another 90 into another
r ' r~
closed position. In these closed positions, narrow regions
adjacent to the longitudinal edges of the strips, lie close
to each other. In addition, resilient stops on the toothed
segments abut corresponding limiting stops on the runners.
It should be clear that any angle of the strips can be
established with the chains of connecting elements.
Other features of the invention are disclosed in subclaims.
According to claims 23-27, the cogged wheel of the last
strip hook is located in a borehole of an end member, the
cross-section of which corresponds to the cross-section of a
normal runner and which is attached to the track end. The
cogged wheel of the first strip hook is located in a
tensioning member, the cross-section of which also
corresponds to the cross-section of a runner, and wherein,
in the first embodiment, the first strip hook is combined
with an operational stub. By movement of the operational
stub, the opposite chains of connecting elements in the
track are displaced by the cogged wheel of the tensloning
member and thereby the cogged wheels in all runners are
displaced by a corresponding rotation of the operational rod
This is possible because of a particular construction of the
runners and the connecting elements recited primarily in
~ ~r ~
claims 1, 2, 9, 10, 12, 1~, 23, 24.
~By means of the operational rod, the tensioning element and
the runners can be pushed together, at the end of the track,
to form a pack. By displacement of the tensioning member in
opposite directions, first, the tensioning member and then
the following runners are pulled out of the pack, with the
drivers at the free ends of the connecting strips contacting
the guide and support angles according to claim 13.
Thus, the conDecting elements perform multiple functions:
They form a component part of drive elements of a chain of
connecting elements for translational movement of the
runners and for rotational movement of the strips, and they
assume additionally the function of spaces between the
separate runners.
The structuxe of the connecting elements is rather simple.
Likewise simple is the structure of the cogged wheels and
the rocking shafts inside the runners, as well as the
structure of connecting elements between the strip hooks and
the rocklng shafts, which are primarily recited in claims 2,
3, ~ and 15.
2fJ~7~S~
A:Lso, the cross-section of the track can be made rather
s:;mple.
The features of the runners recited in claims 18 and 19,
indicate that a number of runners necessary for a strip blind
can be assembled, before their insertion into the tack, in a
pack, whereby the time of mounting the strip blind is
substantially reduced in comparison with the time required
when each runner is separately inserted in the longitudinal
slot of the track.
The simple construction of separate units of the strip blind
according to the invention not only reduces the initial
costs, but also enables manufacturing and installation of
the strip blind by non-specialists. The addition, the strip
blind can be installed by lay persons in a ~'Do-it-yourself
way~, with a result that the strip blind according to the
invention is especially.suitable for offering in a handyman
market.
Instead of the operational rod, an arrangement according to
claims 29 and 30, for effecting the translational movement
of the runners and the rotational movement of the strips,
can be used as a single drive element insertable into the
tensioning member, with retention of the constructional
l o
r-- t ~
elements of the strip blind and with operating the strip
blind with one chain.
A particular characteristic of the above described
embodiments consists in that a reliable pivoting of all
strips of the strip blind is insured only then when it is
completely drawn out and its tensioning member is locked at
the beginning of the track. Thereby, the tension in the
chains of connecting elements, which is necessary for proper
operation of the strip blind is produced.
The features of claim 32-37 make it possible to insure
pivoting of the strips also when the strip blind is only
partially drawn or is open.
The embodiment examples of the inventio~ U~
cliscussed below with reference to the drawings.
The drawings show:
Fig.l a perspective general view,
Fig.2 a cross-sectional view through a track with a
front view of a runner,
Fig.3 a schematic plan view of the track without the
upper wall,
Fig.4 an exploded view of a runner with connecting
ele~ents,
Fig.5 a perspective view of a runner,
Fig.6 a cross-sectional view of a runner shown in Fig.5,
Fig.7 a plan view of a connecting element,
Fig.8 a side view of a portion o~ a connecting element
shown in Fig. 7,
Fig,9 a perspective view of a tensioning member,
1 2 ~ " ~ 7 ~
Fig. 10 a perspective view of an end member,
Fig.ll a constructional detail,
Fig.12 a constructional detail,
Fig.13 a cogged wheel,
Fig.14 a partially cross-sectional side view of a
tensioning member of the second embodiment,
Fig.lS a plan view of Fig. 14,
Fig.16 a cross-sectional view through Fig. 15,
Fig.17 a pair of connecting elements that enable lateral
movement of strips in a non-locked position of
the strip blind, and
Fig.18 a principle representation of runners for a strip
blind with strips, which are able to pivot
in a non-locked position of the strip blind.
A strip blind 1, which is schematically shown in Fig. 3,
l3
2 f~ o 7 ~
is drawn from above, includes, in a ~nown manner, strips 2.
In Fig. 3, four strips are shown. According to the
invention, the strip blind may include any arbitrary number
of strips.
The strip blind run in a manner that will be explained
later, in a track 6, the cross-sectional view of which is
shown in Fig. 2. In the view, shown in Fig.3, the upper
wall 12 is removed. The tack 6 has a beginning 7 and an end
8. The end 3 of the strip blind 1 is connected with the end
8 of its track in a manner that will be discussed later.
The beginning 4 of the track is formed by a tension member
101, which will be separately discussed later, with
reference to Fig. 9. The end 3 of the strip blind 1 is
formed by an end member 101, which in the shown embodiment
is identical to the tensioning member lOl. The end member
101 is connected with the end 8 of the track, in a preferred
embodiment, it is screwed in.
The track 6, the cross-section of which is shown in Fig. 2,
has side walls 10 having upper portions 11, which are bent
upwards and are connected with each other by the upper wall
12. Projected rim portions 13, which are provided on
opposite sides of the upper wall 12, extend over the upper
portions 11. The rim portions 13 are used for attaching
~ 3 ~
the track 6 to a ceiling. A longitudinal slot 15, which is
limited by slot walls 16, is provided in the bottom of the
track 6. The slot walls 16 are topped by guide bars 17 with
inner edges 18.
The track 6 is closed at both its ends with end caps 20,
shown only schmatically in Flg. 3, which will be discussed
in detail with reference to Fig. 1. Each end cap has a side
wall 21 and an intermediate wall 22 with a threaded borehole
23. The end cap 20 has an end wall 24 with projecting rims
25, which end wall closes the track 6 at the sides in an
appropriate manner. Inside the track 6, the end caps 20 end
with inner walls 26 with backward regions 27, the purpose of
which will be discussed in detail later in connection with
Fig. 1. For stabilizing the seating of the end caps 20
inside the track, side webs 28 are provided.
The strips, which are not shown in Fig. 1, are attached to
runners 29 between the tension member 101 and the end member
101, which runners will be discussed in detail below, in
connection with Figs. 1, 2, 5, and 6. Each runner consists
of an upper part 30 with an upper surface 31 and a bottom
part 32 with a botton~ surface 33. The runner 29 has a
borehole 34 extending therethrough which, when the runner is
inserted in the track 6, extends vertically. Fig. 6 shows
~ , 7 7
that the borehole 34 has an upper diameter 35 and a lower
diameter 36, The upper part 30 and the lower part 32 are
connected with each other by a front connecting web 37 and
a rear connecting web 38, between which the borehole 34 is
provided. Side slide channels 39, for the inner edges 18 of
the slide bars 17, are provided in the runner 29 sidewise of
the longitudinal slot 15 of the track. Fig. 2 shows the
cooperation of the slide channels 39 with the inner edges 18
of the slide bars 17.
Above the slide channels 39, on both sides of the runner,
there are provided side shoulder 57 which slides on the
slide bars of the track 6.
Each runner has guide groves 40, which extend parallel to
the side shoulders 57, for toothed segments 82 provided on
connecting elements 77, which will be discussed later. ~he
guide grooves 40 have side walls 41 and bottom surfaces 42.
In the~, longitudinal slots 43 are provided. Figs. 1,4 and
5 show that the guide grooves are limited each by a stop 45,
the purpose of which will be discussed latter.
Above and bellow the guide groove 40, there are provided
respective upper and lower channels 46 and 47, the purpose of
which likewise will be discussed later.
16
2.,~7 8,
The cross-section of the runner is designated with a numeral
4~ (Fig. 2). The front side 58 of each runner 29 ends with
a fork-shaped clamp piece 50 having two fork arms 51 with
side walls 52. Above the fork-shaped clamp piece 50, there
is provided an adapter 53 which is received in a opening 60
on the back side 59 of the front runner. The fork-shaped
clamp piece 50 and the adapter 53 of the runner are adapted
to be assembled with the runner 29 before its mounting in the
track 1. For facilitating the assembly, the fork arms are
tapered in a forward direction. In the assembled condition
of the runners 29, the adapters 53, which are on the front
sides 58 of the runners engage in the openings 60 on the back
sides 59 of the runners. Due to this, the time of insertion
of the runners 29 in the longitudinal slot 15 of the track 6
is reduced.
Each runner 29 receive, in the borehole 34, a rocking shaft
formed of a cogged wheel 68 and a hook 62 for a strip. The
cogged wheel 68 is shown separately in detail in Fig. 13. It
consists of gear rim 69 having a diameter 70 and teeth 71.
In an assembled condition, a swivelling ring 72 is arranged
above the gear rim 69. In the assembled condition, the
cogged wheel has a pin hole 73 with an inner wall 74
extending vertically therethrough. Slots 75 with catches 76
are provided in the inner wall 74. In the pin hole, an
2~g71l~5
insertion pin 66 can be inserted, in the assembled condition.
Beneath the insertion pin 66, a clip hook 63 for a strip is
attached thereto. Above the clip hook 63, a swivelling ring
64 having a diameter 65 is arranged. The insertion 66 ends
at the top with resilient catch tangs 67. In connection with
Fig. 4, it is clear that the cogged wheel 68 is inserted
from above, in the borehole 34 of the runner until the
bottom surface of the gear rim 69 abuts the transitional
surface from the larger upper diameter 35 to the lower
smaller diameter 36. This prevents the cogged wheel from
slipping through the borehole 34 during operation. Then,
the insertion pin 66 of the strip hook 62 is inserted into
the pin hole 73 until the resilient catch tangs 67 are
locked behind the catches 76 at the end of the slots 75 in
the pin hole 73 of the cogged wheel 68. Thereby a reliable
connection between the cogged wheel 68 and the strip hook
62 is provided, and the pivot axis of the strip 2 is
defined.
In the mounting condition, the teeth 71 of the gear rim 69
of the cogged wheel 68 extend through the longitudinal slots
43 in the bottom surfaces 42 of the opposite guide gooves 40
in each runner 29.
The separate runners 29 are connected with each other by
2 ~, 7 ~
the connecting elements 77. The connecting elements include
each a connecting strip 78 with opposite slide edges 79 which
can be chamfered at least on one side. An end of the
connecting strip 78 is provided with a base 80 with a side
wall 81 from which teeth 83 of a toothed segment project.
In the shown embodiment the toothed segment has seven teeth.
The teeth 83 of the toothed segment 82 have such dimenslons
that they can easily mesh with the teeth 71 of the gear ring
69 of the cogged wheel 68. Fig. 2 shows that in the end
region of the base 80, there is provided, for each toothed
segment 82, a resilient stop 84 that cooperates with the
stop 45 at the end of the guide groove 40 in the runner 29,
to reliably limit the movement of the connecting elements 77
relative to the runners when the pivotal movement of the
strips 2 is finished. Above and below each segment 82,
reinforced slide edges 85 are provided on the connecting
elements 77. The reinforced slide edges 85 slides in the
channels 46 and 47 (Fig~ 2) in the runner.
The dimensioning is such that the teeth 83 of the toothed
segments 82 mesh with the teeth 71 of the gear ring 69 of
the cogged wheel 68.
On the back side of the toothed segments 82, there are
19
2~7~$;~
provided guide and stop angles 86 with guide channels 87 in
which, in the mounted condition, the slide edges 79 of the
connecting strips 78 of the connecting elements 77 slide.
The guide and stop angles 86 are formed so that they are
abutted by a driver 89 at the free end of the connecting
strip 78, whereby it is possible, by operating the
tensioning member, to pull out individually separate runners
of a jointly displaceable pack of runners at the end of the
track.
The connecting strips 78 of the connecting elements are
provided each with a longitudinal slot 68 which enables,
as shown in Fig~ 11, to clip the connecting strips 78 in the
upper and lower guide channels 46, 47 of the runners 29. As
shown in Fig. 7, catches 90 are provided on the driver 89.
In distinction, e.g., of the driver 89 shown in Fig. 4, the
driver shown in Fig. 7 has a slot 91. As shown in Fig. 4,
the slide edges 79 of the connecting strips 78 can be
provided with chamfers 92 which facilitate clipping of the
connecting elements 77 in the runners.
Fig. 9 shows a guiding strip holder 93 with a clip hook 94
for the first strip 2 of the strip blind 1. The clip hook
94 has an eyelet in which an operating rod can be hanged
up. Above the clip hook, a swivelling ring 95, a
~ ~ ~ 7: (g ~
swivelling ring 96, and a cogged wheel 97 are arranged. A
swivelling axial stub 98 is arranged above the cogged
~heel 97. The combination, shown in Fig. 9, is formed as
a single piece, according to the preferred embodiment.
This piece is inserted into the tensioning member 101,
which is shown in Figs. 1 and 9. The operating rod 99 has
a suspension hook 100 for engaging in the eyelet of the clip
hook 94. The tensioning member 101 has a cross-section 109
which is the same as that of a runner, the cross-section 49
of which is shown in Fig. 2. The tensioning member 101 is
also provided on both sides with guide grooves 40 for the
toothed segments 82 of the connecting elements 77.
The construction is similar to that discussed in connection
with the runner 29. Only, in the bottom surfaces of the
guide grooves 40, longitudinal slots 102, which are longer
then the longitudinal slots 43 of the guide grooves 40, are
provided.
In the shown embodiment, the tensioning member and the end
member 101 are identical. Both members are provided with
threaded openings 103. In the tensioning/end member 101,
there is provided a borehole 34 which was discussed in
connection with the runner 29. This borehole 34 is not used
for any purpose in the tensioning member 101. In the end
21
~` ~t ~ ~ ' ~ r,
menlber 101, however, as can be seen in the right portion of
Fig. 1, a rocking sha~t, consisting of a cogged wheel and a
strip hook, is inserted in the borehole 34, in a manner that
was discussed in the description of the runner.
Both the tensioning member 101 and the end member 101 have a
second borehole which is formed as an elongate hole 106.
This elongate hole 106 is a part of a vertical retainer 104
shown in Fig. 12. This retainer 104 serves for receiving
the one-piece clip hook 94 with an eyelet, which was
discussed in connection with Fig. 9. Because of the
one-piece structure, the cogged wheel and the strip hook
cannot be fitted together, as described. In order not
to make the end member 101 too big, the retainer 104 is
provided, in which the one-plece clip hook 94 with an
eyelet can be inserted through a guide slot 105. As shown
in the lower portion of Fig. 12, the guide slot 105 is made
so narrow that the swevelling ring 96 of the clip hook passes
therethrough only under pressure. In the assembled
condition, the cogged wheel 97 is located in the cavity 107
for the cogged wheel, and the swivelling ring 96 is located
in t.he cavity 108 for the swivelling ring.
The description of the end member 01, which is shown in Fig.
10, is unnecessary because it is identical to the described
22
~71~ ~
tensioning me~ber 101. For attaching the end member to the
end 8 of the track 6, there is provided, as shown in Fig.
].0, a screw 110 with a washer 111.
OPERATION
After the length of the track 6 and, thereby, the necessary
number of runners 29 is determined, the runner train is,
e.g, assembled in such a manner that the toothed segments
82 of the connecting elements 77 are inserted into the guide
grooves 40 of the runners 29 and are so ligned up that the
cogged wheel 68 can be inserted from above into the borehole
34 of the runner 29. This must insure that opposite teeth 71
of the gear rim 69 engage in the middle tooth space between
teeth 83 of the toothed segments 82.
Then, the insertion pin 66 is inserted in the pin hole 73 of
the cogged wheel from beneath, so that a coupling between
the cogged wheel 68 and the toothed segments 82 is
established and a desired swiveling of the cogged wheel 68
is insured by displacement of the opposite connecting
elements 77 in opposite directions.
Thereafter, the connecting strips of the connecting
2 v v 71~ ~
elements 77 are clipped, by using the resilience provided by
the longitudinal slots 88, in the guide grooves 40 behind
the guide and support angles 86 of the adjacent front runner
29 in the runner chain.
In the guide grooves of the tensioning/end member 101, there
are provided longitudinal slots for teeth of cogged wheels
68 and 97, which are connected with these members. The
toothed segments 82 with the teeth 83, the resilient stops
84, the reinforced slide edges 85 as well as the guide and
support angles 86, but without the following connecting
element 77, are inserted in the tensioning member 101.
These toothed segments transmit, by their guide and support
angles 86, the swivelling of the cogged wheel 97 to the
respective first connecting elements 77 in the chain of
pairs of connecting elements. The clip hook 94 with an
eyelet for the first strip, as it was discussed in
connection with the Fig. 12, is inserted in the tensioning
member 101.
The toothed segments 82 of the last connecting elements 77
in the chain of connecting elements cooperate with the
cogged wheel 68 of the last strip of the strip blind 1 in
the same manner as toothed segments 82 of other connecting
elements with the teeth of the cogged wheels 68 of the
24
2~,~`7~ ~G
runners 29~
In the mounted condition, all runner 29 of the strip blind
1 are displaced to the end 8 of the track 6 as a pack, which
is displaced to the end 8 of the track by means of the
operational rod 99 of the tensioning member 101. The
tensioning member 101 pushes the following runners 29 one
after another until forming of the pack of the runner 29 ls
finished. With this, the connecting elements 77 are pushed
together, whereat a configuration of connecting strips 78,
base 80 and toothed segment 82, which is shown in Fig. 8,
facilitates joint displacement. With a relatively small
number of runners, the pushed together connecting elements
77 have only a small sidewise protrusion, so that the track
cross-section shown in Fig. 2 is satisfactory. When,
however, the number of runners of a strip blind is
important, under circumstances, a track 6 with a larger
cross-section, e.g., as shown in Fig 1, is preferred.
When the strip bind is closed, the tensioning me~ber 101 is
pulled, by means of the operational rod 99, to the
beginning 7 of the track 6, whereat the guide and support
angles 86 associated with the toothed segments 82 in the
tensioning n~ember 101, entrain the drivers 89 of the
first connecting elements 77 to which the toothed segments
82 and the cogged wheel 68 of the first runner are
connected. In this way, all runner 29 are pulled out of the
pack one after another until the tensioning member is in its
position at the beginning of the track 6 and is retained
there, under circumstances, by a clamp device, not shown.
The drivers of all connecting elements 77 abut the guide
and support angles 86. The swivelling action of the
operational rod 99 is transmitted to all strip hooks 62 of
the runner train.
In the above described embodiment, the tensioning member 101
is combined with the operational rod 99 by which, in the
above-described manner, both the translational movement and
the rotational movement is transmitted to the runners 29 and
the strips 2, respectively, by means of the connecting
elements 77.
Figs. 14-16 show another tensioning member 112 the elements
of which enable transmital of translational and rotational
movements to chains of connecting elements 77 movable in
opposite direction. Fig. 14 show a cross-sectional view
through track 6 and the tensioning element 112 which
provides for movement of chains of connecting elements 77 by
means of a chain 117. A cogged wheel 68, together with the
swivelling ring 72 and the insertion pin of the first strip
26
~"~7 ~
hook 62, 63, are inserted in the borehole 34 from beneath.
The cross-section 113 of the tensioning member 112
corresponds to the cross-section 49 of a standard runner 29.
In the tensioning member 112, there is provided, in a
longitudinal direction, a threaded member 123 which in the
shown embodiment is formed as a screw 123 with a head 12~.
On the threaded member 123, a roller 115 with an inner
thread is mounted, about the circumference 116 of which an
endless chain 117 is displaced. Fig. 15 shows that this
endless chain 117 includes a suspended operational loop 118,
a closing run 119, and an opening run 120. The chain runs,
as it is shown in Fig. 16, inside the track 6, at the end of
which a reversing roller 121 is driven. The chain can also
be displaced through a corresponding reveresing channel, not
shown, in the end cap 20. By pulling the closing run 119,
the tensioning member 112, shown in Fig. 15, is displaced
leftwards whereby, as in the first embodiment, the runners
29 are also pulled to the left. A friction force between the
chain 117, the roller 115 with the inner thread, and the
screw 123 is a necessary precondition for this leftward
movement of the tensionining member 112 and the runners 29.
When the tensioning member 112 is locked at the beginning of
the track 6, further pulling of the closing run 119
overcomes the above-mentioned friction force, and the roller
115 swivells. Because the threaded member of the
2~,~7 ~
screw 123 inside the tensioning member 112 cooperates with a
rotation-preventing element 114, the screw or the threaded
member 123 can move in the longitudinal direction inside the
tensioning member 112. With a respective construction of
the tensioning member 112, the left end of the threaded
member can extend through an opening 126 in the front side
of the tensioning member 112. Axial displacement of the
roller 115 is prevented by a ~top 127. The first connecting
element 77 of a chain of connecting elements is fixedly
connected with the rotation-preventing element 114 or the
thxeaded member 123, so that the axial movement of the
threaded member 123 is transmitted to the chain of
connecting elements. As it has already been described in
connection with the first embodiment, the movement of one
chain of connecting elements will be transmitted, by the
cogged wheels 68 in the runners 29, into the movement of the
second chain of connecting elements in an opposite
direction, whereby all strips 2 of the strip blind 1 will
synchronously pivot. By pulling the opening run 120 of the
endless chain 117, the tensioning member 112 in Fig. 15 is
pulled rightwardæ whereby, as in the flrst embodlment, all
runners 29 are pushed together for forming a pacX of runner
at the end of the track 6~ At that, all strips should be
moved laterally in a direction transvers to the track 6.
2~
~ J' ~) 7 i ~ `.
Fig. 17 shows that he connecting strips 78 of the connecting
elements 77 are provided, shortly before the catches 90 of
the drivers 89, with brake knobs 54. The distance between
the catch 90 and an adjacent edge of the brake knob
54 corresponds to the width of the guide and support angle
86 ~hich passes into this space. An elongate slot 55 is
provided in the connecting strip 78 between the brake knobs.
The elongate slot 55 can be formed as slot 91, and it is
widened and open backward. The dimensioning of the slots
55 and 91 defines the brake force between the guide and
support angle 86 and the braking knob 54 when the guide and
support angle 86 slides past the braking knob 54.
Fig. 18 shows a cam 48 at the end of each fork arm Sl, a
recess 44 in the bottom surface 33 of a runner 29 and the
tensioning me~ber, an a run-on curve 56 between the back side
59 of the runner 29 and the recess 44. When the runners 29
and the tensioning member 101 are pushed together at the end
8 of the track 6 to form a pack, all cams 48 are engaged in
the recesses 44 of forward runners 29. As a result, the
respective friction forces between the following each
other runners 29, the end member lOl and the tensioning
7 ~
member are bigger then the friction forces between the brake
knobs 54 and guide and support angles 86.
Upon pulling of tensioning members 101, 112 and separate
runners 29 from the runner pack, a respective connection
between the following runner 29 and the runner 29 which is
located in front of it in the pack, is retained until the
guide and support angles 86 pass over the brake knobs 54,
abut the catches 90 of drivers 89 and effect a pull.
Because the guide and support angles are locked between the
catches 90 of the drivers 89 and the brake knobs 54,
stable chains of connecting elements are formed, which
enable pivotal movement of all strips 2 of a partially
closed strip blind and which are preserved also when the
runners 29 are pushed together to form a pack.
