Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
MULTI-PURPOSE WINDOW TREATMENT SUPPORT DEVICE
Thls appllcatlon ls related to co-pendlng Canadlan Patent
Appllcatlon No. 2,097,882 flled June 7, 1993 entltled Wlndow
Treatment Support Devlce.
BACKGROUND
1. Fleld of the Inventlon
The present lnventlon relates ln general to flxtures and
devlces for supportlng and posltlonlng wlndow curtalns and
draperles and ln partlcular to a unlversal support devlce for
supportlng varlous lengths of curtaln and/or drapery materlal or
fabrlc ln an unllmlted number of dlfferent decoratlve treatment
arrangements.
2. The Prlor Art
Curtaln and drapery flxtures, traverse rods, supports, rlng
bars and the llke are known whlch are deslgned to support, shape,
arrange and posltlon curtalns or drapes ln an orderly and
speclflc manner. Wlth these prlor-art devlces, llttle or no
varlatlon ln wlndow treatment appearance 18 posslble except by
(1) substltutlon of dlfferent-coloured or dlfferent-lengthed
curtalns or drapes whlch would stlll be supported ln the speclflc
manner dlctated by the deslgn of the support elements, or by (11)
replaclng the support elements wlth ones deslgned to create a
speclflc but dlfferent wlndow treatment appearance.
Other support devlces are known whlch wlll cause unpleated
curtalns or drapes to assume a pleated or folded posltlon when
afflxed to such supports, but agaln there ls llttle varlatlon
posslble ln the overall appearance of the wlndow treatment as
substltute drapes wlll stlll appear pleated and folded drapes
wlll stlll appear folded, even though thelr length or colour may
be changed.
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210~712
In these prior-art devices, it is customary to mount a
separate support element for draperies, for valances, for sheers
and the like, resulting in a plurality of mounting devices of
different types and lengths all being mounted at the top of the
area being decorated. Utilization of a number of mounting elements
at a single area or location is expensive, the mounting elements
are crowded closely together, usually one in front of the other,
and difficulty is encountered in installing and removing the
various materials for cleaning.
SUMMARY OF THE 1NV~N 110N
The present invention resides in an elongated relatively-flat,
multi-purpose window treatment support device and mounting means
for securing the support device in a vertical position above and a
spaced distance in front of a window or area to be decorated.
lS The window treatment support device has a plurality of
material-receiving apertures therein whereby a single length, or a
number of lengths, of llnh~ -~ or finished curtain or drapery
material or fabric may be simply and easily hung, arranged and
displayed in a wide variety of decorative arrangements without the
need for clips, pins, hooks or catches, yet such material or fabric
is easily removable for washing or cleaning. This is accomplished
by passing the ends or an intermediate part of the fabric lengths
through one or more material-receiving apertures in the support
device and then loosely draping or fluffing out the material to
conceal the support device and to create any of a number of
decorative treatment arrangements.
By providing material-receiving apertures of different sizes
and shapes, the multi-purpose window treatment support device will
simultaneously support and display fabrics and material of
different thicknesses and bulkiness.
7 ~ 27
By provldlng materlal-recelvlng apertures wlth V-shaped
notches, the present lnventlon wlll slmultaneously support and
dlsplay heavy fabrlcs as the V-shaped notches automatlcally grip
and hold the fabrlc agalnst sllppage whlch could occur wlth heavy
fabrlcs that are not secured by cllp8 or other retalnlng means.
The multl-purpose wlndow treatment support devlce lncludes
a transverse element or stralght rod whlch ls posltloned below
the materlal-recelvlng apertures and whlch may be utlllzed to
support portlons of the draped materlal that has already been
passed through the materlal-recelvlng apertures from elther the
front or back of the support devlce to provlde addltlonal
artlstlc wlndow treatment arrangements. These transverse
elements may also be utlllzed to support flat panels of llght-
fllterlng materlals such as sheers, whlch heretofore were mounted
on separate rods, usually behlnd the well-known traverse rods and
valance supports.
In accordance wlth one aspect of the present lnventlon,
there ls provlded a wlndow treatment support devlce for holdlng
and supporting drapery and curtaln materlals ln a wlde varlety
of non-unlform decoratlve treatment arrangements comprlslng ln
comblnatlon; an elongated non-expanslble rlgld member of a
generally rectangular cross-sectlonal conflguratlon havlng at
least one flat surface thereon; mountlng means for posltionlng
and malntalnlng sald elongated rlgld member a spaced dlstance ln
front of an area to be decorated wlth the flat surface of sald
elongated rlgld member lylng ln a vertlcal plane; and sald
elongated rlgld member havlng a plurallty of materlal-recelvlng
apertures spaced along the length thereof and arranged ln flrst
-- 3
.. ..
2~ ~7 ~ 2
Ind second rows wlth each materlal-recelvlng aperture extendlng
through the sald elongated rlgld member at rlght angles to the
flat surface thereof, and wlth each materlal-recelvlng aperture
havlng a separate contlnuous encloslng slde wall.
In accordance wlth another aspect of the present lnventlon,
there ls provided a wlndow treatment support devlce for holdlng
and supportlng varlous lengths and wldths of drapery and curtaln
materlals ln a wlde varlety of non-unlform decoratlve treatment
arrangements comprlslng ln comblnatlon; an elongated non-
expanslble rlgld member of a generally rectangular cross-
sectlonal conflguratlon havlng a flat front surface and a flat
back surface; mountlng means for posltlonlng and malntalnlng sald
elongated rlgld member ln front of an area to be decorated wlth
the sald flat front and back surfaces of sald elongated rlgld
member lylng ln respectlve parallel vertlcal planes; sald
elongated rlgld member havlng a plurallty of materlal-recelvlng
apertures spaced along the length thereof and arranged ln flrst
and second rows wlth each materlal-recelvlng aperture extendlng
through the sald elongated rlgld member at rlght angles to the
sald flat surfaces thereof, and wlth each materlal-recelvlng
aperture havlng a separate contlnuous and enclo~lng slde wall~
and the sald mountlng means posltlonlng and malntalnlng sald
rlgld elongated member a spaced dlstance ln front of the area
belng decorated for the unrestrlcted passage of drapery and
fabrlc materlal from the back surface of the elongated rlgld
memberthrough the sald materlal-recelvlng apertures to the front
surface thereof.
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2~ ~7 11 ~
In accordance wlth yet another aspect of the present
lnventlon, there ls provided a wlndow treatment support devlce
for holdlng and supportlng drapery and curtaln materlals ln a
wlde varlety of non-unlform decoratlve treatment arrangements
comprislng ln comblnatlon; an elongated non-expanslble rlgld
member of a generally rectangular cross-sectlonal conflguratlon
havlng at least one flat surface thereon; mountlng means for
posltlonlng and malntalnlng sald elongated rlgld member a spaced
dlstance ln front of an area to be decorated wlth the flat
surface of sald elongated rlgld member lylng ln a vertlcal plane;
sald elongated rlgld member havlng a plurallty of materlal-
recelvlng apertures spaced along the length thereof wlth each
materlal-recelvlng aperture extendlng through the sald elongated
rlgld member at rlght angles to the flat surface thereof and wlth
each materlal-recelvlng aperture havlng a separate contlnuous and
encloslng slde wall; and an elongated fabrlc support rod
posltloned a spaced dlstance from the sald elongated rlgld member
and extendlng longltudlnally of and parallel thereto.
In accordance wlth a further aspect of the present
lnventlon, there ls provlded a wlndow treatment support devlce
for holdlng and supportlng drapery and curtaln materlals ln a
wlde varlety of non-unlform decoratlve treatment arrangements
comprlslng ln comblnatlon; an elongated non-expanslble rlgld
member of a generally rectangular cross-sectlonal conflguratlon
havlng at least one flat surface thereon; mountlng means for
posltlonlng and malntalnlng sald elongated rlgld member a spaced
dlstance ln front of an area to be decorated wlth the flat
surface of sald elongated rlgld member lylng ln a vertlcal plane;
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.~
7 1 2
and sald elongated rlgld member havlng a plurallty of materlal-
recelvlng apertures spaced along the length thereof wlth each
materlal-recelvlng aperture extendlng through the sald elongated
rlgld member at rlght angles to the flat surface thereof and wlth
each materlal-recelvlng aperture havlng a separate contlnuous and
encloslng slde wall; flrst and second coaxlally allgned fabrlc
support rods extendlng longltudlnally of and ln spaced parallel
relatlonshlp wlth sald elongated rlgld member; and means for
detachably supportlng the opposlng ends of sald coaxlally allgned
fabrlc support rods.
In accordance wlth yet a further aspect of the present
inventlon, there ls provlded a method for creatlng decoratlve
treatment arrangements utlllzlng a relatlvely flat elongated
support devlce havlng a row of spaced-apart materlal recelvlng
apertures extendlng along the length thereof and havlng an
elongated fabrlc rod posltloned a spaced dlstance from and
parallel to sald row of apertures, the method comprlslng the
steps of; foldlng a plurallty of sectlons of a flrst length of
decoratlve materlal; passlng the folded sectlons through
respectlve apertures ln the support devlce wlth the folded
portlon of each sectlon pro~ectlng forward of lts respectlve
aperture; artlstlcally arranglng the materlal ln selected ones
of the pro~ectlng folded portlons to form decoratlve shapes;
foldlng and passlng other selected ones of the pro~ectlng folded
portlons through the openlng between the sald row of apertures
and the support rod to form a valance forward of the support rod;
and mountlng the support devlce and fabrlc thereon ln a vertlcal
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~ ~ ~ 87 ~ 2
plane ln front of the area to be decorated wlth the sald
decoratlve shapes faclng forwardly therefrom.
In accordance wlth yet a further aspect of the present
lnventlon, there ls provlded a method for creatlng decoratlve
treatment arrangements utlllzlng a relatlvely flat elongated
support devlce havlng a row of spaced apart materlal recelvlng
apertures extendlng along the length thereof and havlng an
elongated detachable fabrlc rod posltloned a spaced dlstance from
and parallel to sald row of apertures, the method comprlslng the
steps of; foldlng a plurallty of sectlons of a flrst length of
decoratlve materlal; passlng the folded sectlons through
respectlve apertures ln the support devlce wlth the folded
portlon of each sectlon proiectlng forward of lts respectlve
aperture; artlstlcally arranglng the materlal ln selected ones
of the pro~ectlng folded portlons to form decoratlve shapes; and
detachlng the elongated fabrlc rod from the support devlce,
passlng the fabrlc rod through hemmed openlngs of a second length
of materlal and re-attachlng the fabrlc rod to the support devlce
wlth the second materlal downwardly extendlng therefrom.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present lnventlon wlll be better understood from the
followlng detalled descrlptlon of several embodlments of the
lnventlon when consldered ln connectlon wlth the accompanylng
drawlngs ln whlch5
Flg. 1 ls a front elevatlonal vlew of one embodlment of the
lnventlon shown posltloned wlth respect to a wlndow whlch wlll
recelve decoratlve treatment;
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., .
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Flg. 2, taken along llnes 2-2 of Flg. 1, ls a slde
elevatlonal vlew of the embodlment of the lnventlon dlsclosed ln
Fig. l;
Flg. 3 ls an enlarged front vlew of a portlon of the
embodlment shown ln Flg. l;
Flg. 4 ls a front vlew of a plctorlal representatlon of the
wlndow area ln Flg. 1 decorated wlth fabrlc or drapery supported
on the lnventlve support devlce;
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210~12
Fig. 5 is a side view of a pictorial representation of the
window treatment shown in Fig.4;
Fig. 6 is a front view of a portion of another embodiment of
the invention with integrally formed support arms;
Fig. 7 is a front view of a portion of still another
embodiment of the invention showing a single row of material-
receiving apertures;
Fig. 8 is an enlarged front view of a further embodiment of
the invention showing two rows of differently sized and differently
sh~re~ material-receiving apertures;
Fig 9 is a front elevational view of the support device shown
in Fig. 1 with a removable transverse element or fabric support
rod;
Fig. 10, taken along lines 10-10 of Fig. 9, is a side
elevational view of the central support element for the removable
fabric support rod;
Fig 11 is a front elevational view of the support device shown
in Fig. 1 with a multi-element fabric support rod which is
separable at its center;
Fig. 12, taken along lines 12-12 of Fig. 11, is a perspective
view of the central support element for the multi-element fabric
support rod;
Fiq. 13 is a front elevational view of the support device
shown in Fig. 1 with a fabric support rod which is integral with
the window treatment support device;
Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a splicing sleeve which has
been placed on and moved into splicing position on one section of
the fabric support rod of Fig. 13 which has been severed; and
2~ ~712
Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a yieldable clamp suitable
for attachment to various sections of the support device of Fig. 1
to receive and hold removable fabric support rods.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings, the embodiment of the invention
shown in Figs. 1 through 5 will now be described. In these
drawings, like reference numerals will represent corresponding
elements.
It is to be noted that while the various embodiments are
described in connection with window treatments, the inventive
support device i8 equally useful in providing decorative treatments
for walls, alcoves, doorways and the like.
As best seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the window treatment support
device 10 is an elongated, relatively narrow flat structure and is
shown mounted above and in front of window 20 by laterally
extending mounting elements 30 having one end secured to a
supporting structure such as wall 21 and the other end engaging
upper rail 14 to support and maintain support device 10 in a
vertical position.
While mounting element 30 is shown as a cup hook with the
threaded end 31 screwed into wall 21, it could be attached to the
wall by a butt plate or other securing means. Also, the
semicircular hook end 32 could be V-shaped or rigidly attached to
the upper rail 14 as long as support device 10 was mounted
vertically. Still further, the length of shank 33 of mounting
element 30 is not critical as long as it is of sufficient length to
permit space for the drapery material or fabric to pass between
support device 10 and wall 21. Alternatively, device 10 could be
suspended from the ceiling or attached to movable floor uprights.
210871~
As best seen in Figs. 1 and 3, support device 10 comprises a
first series of tear-shaped material-receiving apertures 11
arranged in side-by-side relationship with each material-receiving
aperture 11 having a semicircular base 18 and an opposing V-shaped
notched section 19 upwardly directed, and comprises a second series
of similarly shaped material-receiving apertures 12 arranged in
side-by-side relationship with each material-receiving aperture 12
having a semicircular base 18A and opposing V-shaped notched
section l9A downwardly directed. A similarly shaped corner
material-receiving aperture 13 with its V-shaped notched section
directed upwardly is located at each end of the series of material-
receiving apertures 11. The upper and lower peripheries of the flat
support device 10 are bounded by respective upper and lower rails
or strengthening structures 14 and 15.
It is to be noted that the rails 14 and 15 and the walls
~efin;ng material-receiving apertures 11, 12 and 13 are rigidly
constructed and secured together to prevent any movement
therebetween. Also, while these rails and walls are shown in Fig.
3 with a circular cross-section, the entire device 10 when viewed
from either end has a rectangular cross section. However, it is to
be noted that the rails and walls in Fig. 3 could have square or
rectangular cross-sectional shapes as shown in Figs. 6 through 8
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Also,
while support device 10 is illustrated as having twenty five
material-receiving apertures, the number and sizes of material-
receiving apertures could be increased or decreased to fit various
sized areas which might be selected to receive decorative
treatment.
The openings 17 formed from the abutment of the walls of
material-receiving apertures 12 with the upper rail 14 provide a
suitable space for the semicircular hook end 32 of mounting element
30 to engage and mount support device 10 in a vertical position.
210~:12
When heavy drapery fabric or material is used, additional mounting
elements 30 may be used to engage upper rail 14 intermediate its
ends to prevent any possible distortion of support element 10 from
the weight of the fabric.
Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, a brief description will be
given of one example of the use of the inventive device for
decorative treatment of the window shown in Fig. 1.
In the particular treatment being described, the length of
the fabric 40 to be used is generally determined by adding the
lengths of the two sides and top of the treatment being planned,
plus approximately one foot for each material-receiving aperture 11
or 12 that will be used, plus approximately one yard for each
corner of the window treatment. The decorator will maintain the
middle of the selected length of material in the center of support
device 10 and will pass one foot of looped material from the back
of device 10 to the front thereof through an end material-receiving
aperture 12 and then pass one yard of looped material through the
adjacent corner material-receiving aperture 13. The r ~in;ng
material on the half-length that is being arranged will hang or
drape in folds 43 or puddle on the floor. The other half-length of
the material 40 is similarly looped through the other end material-
receiving aperture 12 and corner material-receiving aperture 13.
The material looped through material-receiving apertures 12 is
billowed out to form ruffle 41 and the material looped through
material-receiving apertures 13 is arranged in the form of draped
sleeves 42. Finally, slight adjustments are made to provide
symmetry between both sides of the decorative treatment.
Decorative material may be passed through the material-
receiving apertures while the support device 10 is vertically
mounted but many users prefer to do most of the decorative
arrangements while the support device is flat on a work table, for
example.
2~ 7l~
It is to be noted that the material looped through any of the
material-receiving apertures may be again looped and passed between
rail 115 and the fabric support rod 150 shown in Fig. 9, or passed
between rail 215 and the fabric support rod 270 shown in Fig. 11,
or passed between rail 305 and the fabric support rod 370 shown in
Fig. 13. This material looping over the fabric support rods in
addition to being passed through the material-receiving apertures
permits numerous unique decorative treatments by creating double
draped sleeves, for example.
While two or more contrasting types of fabric can be used,
only one type of fabric is illustrated and while numerous of the
other material-receiving apertures 11 and 12 can be used to support
the fabric, only the corner material-receiving apertures 13 and
immediately adjacent material-receiving apertures 12 are used in
the Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 pictorial representation. However, it can be
seen that an unlimited number of decorative treatments can be
created by using different ones of the material-receiving
apertures, with or without utilizing the fabric support rod~, and
by arranging the looped material in different lengths and forms.
Referring now to Fig. 6 of the drawings, the embodiment there
disclosed will be described.
The window treatment support device 60 differs from support
device 10 of Fig. 1 in that the walls between adjacent material-
receiving apertures of support device 60 are of a rectangularly-
shaped cross-sectional configuration and in that the mounting
bracket 66 and stablizing bracket 68 are an intergal part of the
upper and lower rail sections 64 and 65.
The window treatment support device 60 is mounted on the wall
or window area by hooking notch 67 over a nail or screw which is
appropriately secured to the wall. The stablizing bracket 68 aids
in maintaining the support device in a vertical position, and if
desired, the free end thereof may be rigidly secured to the wall.
210~7~2
The material-receiving apertures 61, 62 and 63 of Fig. 6 are tear-
shaped with a semicircular base and opposing V-shaped notch and are
arranged in side-by-side relationship, all as described in
connection with respective material-receiving apertures 11, 12 and
13 of Fig. 3.
A support device 70, shown in Fig. 7, is specifically designed
for window treatments using heavy or bulky material in that only
one series of side-by-side material-receiving apertures 72 are
provided and such apertures have their V-shaped notches downwardly
ext~n~ing. As previously pointed out, the weight of the free ends
of heavy or bulky fabric will tend to pull the short looped
portions out of the material-recéiving apertures. This problem has
been overcome by providing the material-receiving apertures with
the noted V-shaped notches which wedge portions of the fabric
together and thus prevent easy retraction of the looped material
unless it is deliberately moved out of the gripping notch. The
longer looped length of fabric used to form sleeves has relatively
equal weight on both sides of material-receiving aperture 73 so
that the looped fabric has little tendency to pull out of its
captivating aperture. While window treatment support device 70
shows an opening 77 for receiving, for example, a hook end such as
shown on mounting bracket 30 of Fig. 3, it is to be understood that
device 70 could have a mounting bracket similar to bracket 66 of
Fig. 6.
Some window treatments may use two or more fabrics with
different prints, colors or weaves, or such window treatments may
use heavy fabrics together with sheer fabrics. The window treatment
support device 80 shown in Fig. 8 is specifically designed for
supporting both heavy-weight and light-weight material. As pointed
out in connection with the description of support device 70, the
loop-receiving apertures 72 with downwardly extending V-shaped
notches securely hold heavy fabrics in position. Thus, window
treatment support device 80 contains a series of side-by-side
loop-receiving apertures 82 for receiving heavy or bulky fabrics.
2las7l2
Support device 80 also includes a series of side-by-side loop-
receiving apertures 81 of generally circular configeration through
which light-weight or sheer material may be looped without the
t~n~lency of the loops to be pulled out of their apertures as the
free ends of such material does not exert much downward force. The
circular apertures 81 encompass less area that the tear-shaped
apertures 82 and thus less opening is visible when a small volume
of sheer fabric is passed therethrough.
As pointed out hereinbefore, it is customary to provide
separate support rods or devices for sheer fabrics since the
support rods for sheer materials are preferably straight as sheer
or light filtering fabrics are usually hung as flat panels without
cluster~ of folds or thick gatherings of material. Drapery support
devices or valance support devices are usually designed to arrange
materials in decorative arrangements and it is common for such
devices to have non-linear configurations which are unsuitable for
the flat panels of sheer materials.
Referring to Figs. 9 through 15, a number of further
variations of the support device of Fig. 1 to support both flat
panels of sheer material and decorative arrangements of drapery
materials will now be described. While not shown in Figs. 9, 11 and
13, it is to be understood that the support devices 100, 200 and
300 may be mounted in a vertical plane by the mounting means such
as those described in connection with Figs. 1 through 8.
Support device 100 comprises a first and second series of
material-receiving apertures 111 and 112 arranged in side-by-side
relationship with a pair of end apertures 113, all as generally
disclosed and described in connection with Figs. 1 and 3. In Fig.9
however, the semicircular base 123 of each of the end apertures 113
has a short stub or pin 125 extending horizontally therefrom in
opposing relationship to each other and parallel to lower rail 115.
-- 10 --
2108712
A hollow fabric support rod 150 of a length slightly shorter than
the distance between the opposing sidewalls 123, is supported at
its ends by studs 125 being manually positioned into the hollow
portion of the rod. Rod 150 is slightly flexible along is axis and
after the hollow end is slipped over one stud 125, the rod is
flexed or bowed intermediate its ends sufficient for the free end
of the rod to be guided to encircle the other stud 125. While rod
150 is shown as a hollow tube, it could have a solid cross-section
with openings at its ends. Conversely, the ends of the fabric
support rods 150 could contain projections adaptable to pass
through corresponding opening~ in the sidewalls 123 of device 100.
As best seen in Fig. 10, rod support element 160 has an S-
shaped configuration with the curved upper portion 161 partially
encircling the sidewall 118 of centrally located aperture 111 and
the curved lower portion 162 partially encircling rod 150. The rod
support element 160 is easily positioned over rod 150 and the
sidewall 118 of aperture 111 by hooking the curved upper portion
161 over the sidewall 118, slightly flexing rod 150 in a direction
toward bottom rail 115 and then hooking the curved lower portion
162 over rod 150.
In order to install sheers or light-filtering fabric on
support device 100, the rod 150 is flexed in the direction of
bottom rail 115, the rod support element 160 is removed from
encircling relationship with rod 150, rod 150 is then flexed
intermediate its length to disengage one of its ends from stud 125,
and the other end is then removed from the other stud. Once removed
from support device 100, rod 150 is then fed through the hemmed
opening of one or more panels of fabric to be hung. Thereafter rod
150, with the sheer panels supported thereon, is flexed
sufficiently to engage the studs 125 after which it is again flexed
to permit rod support element 160 to be positioned to support rod
150 at its midpoint.
21Q~
If an odd number of panels of sheer material is placed on rod
150, it may be necessary to pass the lower curved section 162 of
support element 160 through the hemmed material of the center panel
in order for element 160 to properly engage rod 150. In order to
remove the panels, the support element 160 is unhooked and the rod
is flexed and removed from the studs 125.
Referring now to Figs. 11 and 12 of the drawings, another
embodiment of the invention will be described.
In this embodiment, the semicircular base 223L of the end
aperture 213L has a flexible rod 270 extending laterally therefrom
toward the center of support device 200 and similarly the
semicircular base 223R of end aperture 213R has a flexible rod 280
extending laterally therefrom toward the center of support device
200, with the free ends of rods 270 and 280 being supported by the
curved portion 262 of rod supporting device 260 which is integrally
formed with lower rail 215.
In order to install sheer fabrics on support device 200, the
free end of support rods 270 and 280 are each flexed upwardly and
outwardly to disengage them from the curved portion 262 of rod
supporting element 260. Thereafter, the h~ ?~ openings of one or
more panels of sheer material are passed over rod 270 and similarly
the hemmed openings of one or more other panels of sheer material
are passed over rod 280. Both rods 270 and 280 are then flexed to
again seat the end portions of such rods within the curved portion
262 of rod support element 260. The reverse procedure is followed
to remove the sheer panels when desired.
In Fig. 13, a support fabric rod 370 is provided which is
parallel to lower rail 315 of support device 300 and which extends
between the semicircular base 323L of end aperture 313L
and the semicircular base 323R of end aperture 313R. The ends of
rod 370 are rigidly and non-removably secured to respective ones of
such end apertures and the middle of rod 370 is rigidly and non-
removably secured to lower rail 315 by link 360.
2~712
In order to support panels of sheer material, the rod 370 is
severed at each end near the point where it is connected to the end
apertures and the free ends thereof are flexed to permit the
passage thereover of the hemmed opening of panels of sheer
material. After the sheer material is supported on rod 370, a
sleeve element 390, having an inside diameter slightly larger than
the outside diameter of rod 370, is each passed over the respective
free ends of the rod. The severed ends of the rods are then re-
aligned and the sleeves 390 are positioned as shown in Fig. 12 to
prevent the sheer panels from sliding off the severed ends of
support rod 370. To remove the panels, the sleeve is moved away
from the point of rod severance, the rod is flexed and the sleeve
and sheer panels are removed.
A yieldable clamp 490, such as shown in Fig. 15, could be
attached by suitable means to the front of the support devices 100,
200 or 300 at the various points where the support rods of Figs. 9
through 13 are attached to the respective end apertures. Under such
arrangements, the ends of support bars having sheer materials
supported thereon could be readily snapped into and securely
engaged by the clamps 490.
It is to be noted that the presence of sheer or other material
on the fabric support rod will not preclude material already passed
through the material receiving apertures from being further looped
over the fabric support rod as hereinbefore described.
While several embodiments of the invention have been disclosed
and described, it is to be understood that numerous changes may be
made to the inventive device without departing from the scope and
spirit of the invention as set out in the appended claims.
