Newell Operating Company

Home Fashions, Inc.

Newell Window Furnishings, Inc.

Beatrice Companies, Inc.

Beatrice Foods

Robert J Voss

Louis G Valle

Kelly L Murphy

Otto Kuhar

Zeki Tuzmen

Donald W Luoto

Joseph E Cole

A system for adding weight to and/or balancing the bottom rail of a window covering includes one or more body members positioned within the bottom rail, and each body member having a plurality of sockets for receiving weights. In the most preferred form of the invention, the sockets are horse-shoe shaped and are adapted to receive elongate rods having a circular cross-section. The plurality of sockets in the most preferred embodiment include sockets located adjacent the front of the bottom rail when the body member is in place and other sockets arranged toward the rear. Weighting and balancing is achieved by placing one or more rods in selected ones of the sockets.

Bottom rail weight and balancing system

A system for adding weight to and/or balancing the bottom rail of a window covering includes one or more body members positioned within the bottom rail, and each body member having a plurality of sockets for receiving weights. In the most preferred form of the invention, the sockets are horse-shoe shaped are adapted to receive elongate rods having a circular cross-section. The plurality of sockets in the most preferred embodiment include sockets located adjacent the front of the bottom rail when the body member is in place and other sockets arranged toward the rear. Weighting and balancing is achieved by placing one or more rods in selected ones of the sockets.

A system for adjusting the length of lift cords used for raising and lowering a bottom rail of a window covering with respect to a head rail includes a receiving element for each lift cord located in the bottom rail and moveable along the length of the bottom rail. A locking element for each receiving element is arranged for being selectively inserted into the receiving element along the bottom rail. The lift cord is attached to one of the receiving element or the locking element. In its most preferred form, the window covering is a fabric window covering, such as a cellular window covering, the receiving element includes a channel which contains at least one cell of the fabric, and the locking element includes a wedge-shaped plate to be inserted into the channel.

Lift cord adjustment system

A venetian blind assembly is provided in which each of the slats are provided with at least two pairs of holes, with the pairs of holes being spaced from each other along the lengths of the slats and with the holes of each pair being located across the width of the slat from each other and adjacent to opposite edges of the slats. Each of the holes is connected to adjacent edges of the slat by a slit, whereby the rung cords of the ladder assembly supporting the slats may be inserted through the slits into the holes to retain the slats in a predetermined position. The lifting cords for the blinds are located beyond the edges of the slats, such that when the vertical cords of the ladder assemblies are vertically adjusted with respect to each other, the slats may be moved to a closed position wherein the lower edge of one slat engages the top surface of the other to more completely prevent the infiltration of light or sound or the movement of air therebetween. A downwardly extending projection is provided on the lower surface of the headrail, such that it is engaged by the upper surface of the uppermost slat to prevent the infiltration of light or sound therebetween when the slats are in their closed position.

Venetian blind

A safety tassel (10) for use with at least two vertically projecting pull cords (20,22) for a window covering is disclosed. The tassel (10) has at least two elements (12,14), each receiving and retaining a pull cord (20,22) and having an outwardly projecting gripping finger (30,36) for releasably interconnecting the other element (14,12) such that the elements (12,14) are detached from each other when outward forces transverse to the pull cords (20,22) are applied by the pull cords (20,22) to the elements (12,14).

Safety tassel for pull cords of window coverings

Modular component for a valance assembly

A skylight window covering has a frame affixed to the room vertical or ceiling walls with a central opening lying opposite the skylight. A length of pleated fabric has one end secured to the frame and an opposite end held by a movable rail with ends sliding along the frame. A helically grooved rod has its ends journaled at one end to a 90.degree. gear box and is threaded within a nut on the end of the movable rail such that rod rotation adjustably positions the rail and pleated fabric. Resilient supports prevent the rod from drooping and are temporarily moved aside as the rail moves therepast and immediately spring back to supporting position. Adjustment driving of the rod can be accomplished manually or by a handheld electric motor.

Skylight window covering and control means therefor

A pleated fabric window covering for an angular top or ceiling wall has the pleated fabric upper part cut at the required angle and the pleat lines are cut from the angular edge inwardly a fixed distance forming tabs. The tabs are overlapped and stapled to the upper rail flat surface. Manipulation of control cords positions the pleated fabric at any desired location below the upper rail lower end.

A-frame window covering mounting arrangement

A venetian blind tilter mechanism housing has a first surface which bears against the front wall of the headrail, and a longitudinally extending slot on the surface facing the headrail back wall forming a spring plate which fits under a downwardly turned headrail back wall edge securing the housing within the headrail. The tilter mechanism has a spur gear received onto a control axle for common rotation. The spur gear has a smooth peripheral portion extending for a substantial angular extent that lacks gear teeth with conventional gear teeth over the remainder. An elongated shaft with a worm gear extends upwardly into the housing through an opening in the headrail bottom wall for meshing engagement with the spur gear.

Tilter apparatus for a slatted window covering

A cord lock having a first movable pin at one side of the cord, the other side of the cord being supported by a fixed pin, the movable pin pinching or clamping the cord against the fixed pin. The movable pin has toothed end portions and splines in the central portion. The toothed end portions mesh with racks within a housing to maintain a constant attitude for the moving pin and the splines engage the cords. A rectangular guide slides into the open end of the headrail with a first molded plastic part fitting over the open end of the headrail and end of the guide. The cord lock housing fits onto the molded plastic part and is free to rotate within the part providing self adjustment of the cord during use.

Growing community of inventors

Fountain Valley, CA, United States of America

Robert J Voss