US2801689A - Vertical slat venetian blind antirattle clip - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 6, 1957 A. J. TOTI 2,801,689

VERTICAL SLAT VENETIAN BLIND ANTI RATTLE CLIP Filed March 15, 1954 1 N VENTOR F I 6.4 ANDREW J. TOTH ATTORNEY United States Patent VERTICAL SLAT VENETIAN BLIND ANTIRATTLE CLIP This invention relates to Venetian blinds and has for ,its object the prevention of the slats from rattling when open and subject to some angles of wind blowing through the open slats. The invention is applicable to Venetian blinds of the ordinary variety in which the slats extend horizontally and also to the type in which the slats hang vertically from their upper ends, particularly as the latter type being made of much longer slats and generally supported at their upper ends only, being more adapted to rattle} when open as this is their most unstable position. The invention may be said to comprise a special clip to grip the edges of adjacent slats.

The invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal cross section of a vertical slat Venetian blind, or a vertical cross section of a horizontal slat Venetian blind, showing several slats turned to open position and with two of my special clips in place each holding two slats from rattling.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the clip of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view to that of Fig. 1 but showing the slats tilted and with the clips automatically released at one end from the slats but still in position to automatically engage it if the slats are again tilted to the dotted open position.

Fig. 4 shows more of the slats tilted to closed position and with several of the clips in place on the slats in position released from the adjacent slats to be engaged when the slats are again opened.

The clip comprises a strip, preferably of thin sheet metal 1 (tho it may be of plastic or any stiff resilient material), and which strip is bent or folded over as at 2 and 3 to form two open slots 4 and 5 at opposite ends extending substantially at right angle to the body to engage over the edges or margins respectively of two adjacent slats 6.

The slats 4 and 5 are preferably formed by doubling the strip of metal back and forth as indicated in the drawing to form a snug frictional slat gripping slot 4 at one end, and a free slat receiving slot 5 at the opposite end, With an outwardly flared lip 7 to guide a fluttering slat into its slot automatically as the slats are tilted from the partially closed slanted position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 to the dotted line position.

It is not all Venetian blinds that rattle but sometimes one or more slats at a windy side of a house, or when the window at which they are used is open, and the wind blows through at some particular angle, they will start rattling, and in such a case a few of clips are quickly applied to the edges of slats most aifected, by simply pushing the shortest L-shaped split ends 2 over the edges of the shaking slats and whereupon the wider split end 3 will automatically engage over the edge of the next adjacent slat.

The slats of the blind may be of any type, flat, arched, or ribbed, and the slots in the clips made of a size to receive them and function as described.

The clips should be applied to the far side edges of the blinds and will then be quite invisible from the room side. Any number may be applied as may be required, and they may be staggered in height, so as to tie the third slat shown in Fig. 1 to the second one shown in that figure.

When the slats are all folded or tilted to entirely closed position as shown in Fig. 4 the clips may still remain in position if desired. If the clips are applied to the forward edges of the slats they must have their tightly fitting or gripping slots 4 applied to the edge of the slat which swings to carry the open slot 5 away from the run of the blind as indicated in the released position 5' in in Fig. 3. Since the slats themselves are highly resilient and the clips are preferably of springy metal, the free slot 5 will automatically disengage its slat when the slats are moved close together.

It is obvious that the clips may be of various forms, and made of various materials including bent out of wire, single or double to the form substantially shown in the drawings, and any similarly functioning clip is intended to be covered in my appended claims whether termed a clip or by any other name.

I claim:

1. In combination, a Venetian blind provided with vertically arranged turnable slats, an anti-rattle clip extending horizontally across at least two adjacent slats intermediate their length, said clip provided at one end With a slot frictionally gripping a slat to support the clip in horizontal extension, and provided at the opposite end with a slot in position to freely receive another slat as the slats are opened, and swing out of engagement with the latter slat from the frictionally gripped slat as a fulcrum, when the slats are turned toward closed position.

2. In a structure as set out in claim 1 said clip being of spring sheet material bent to provide a frictional slat gripping slot at one end and a Wider slot at the opposite end substantially parallel with the gripping slot.

3. In combination, a Venetian blind provided with vertically arranged turnable slats, an anti-rattle clip, comprising a strip of stiff material extending horizontally across at least two adjacent slats intermediate their length, means at one end of said strip arranged to grip opposite sides of one slat adjacent the edge firmly to hold the strip in place in horizontal extension, and means at the opposite end of said strip adapted to freely engage and disengage another slat respectively as the slats are opened and closed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 471,427 Lavallet Mar. 22, 1892 2,153,893 Johanson Apr. 11, 1939 2,256,107 Zadek Sept. 16, 1941 2,532,487 Faulkner Dec. 5, 1950 2,755,854 McIntire July 24, 1956

Images