Background of the Invention
Conventionally, a pair of curtains are suspended from a staight curtain rod by carriers which are slidable on the curtain rod to join the curtains together end-to-end at the center. Accordingly the abutting ends of the curtains are liable to open and form a clearance, failing to shut out the light from outside or to obstruct the view from without.
In order to overcome this problem, the specification of British Pat. No. 8,797,750 discloses an invention wherein a straight curtain rod is employed in combination with another curtain rod having a bent end. Because of the necessity of bending the end, therefore, the proposed device is not convenient to use at the site of installation.
Summary of the Invention
An object of this invention is to provide a device for interconnecting curtain rods comprising two connecting rails arranged side by side in a horizontal plane and each bent laterally by a distance corresponding to the width of the rail, so that when interposed between and joined to the curtain rods, the device permits the free ends of curtains to overlap each other.
Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the type described wherein each of the connection rails has an open outer end which can be readily joined to the end of corresponding straight curtain rod without the necessity of working the end of the curtain rod.
Other objects of this invention will become apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description.
Brief Description of the Drawings
FIG. 1 is a front view showing an interconnecting device according to this invention as it is installed for use;
FIG. 2 is a view partly broken away and showing the device as it is seen from below; and
FIG. 3 is a view in section taken along the line II--II in FIG. 2.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment
As shown in FIG. 2, the device of this invention comprises two connecting rails 12, 14 joined together side by side and has outwardly open opposite ends to be joined to straight curtain rods respectively. The rails 12, 14 are of the same construction and each include a straight portion 16 having a straight track and an open outer end, a bent portion 18 continuous with the straight portion 16 and bent sidewise by a distance equal to the width of the rail, and an extension 20 extending straight from the bent portion in parallel to the staight portion 16 and having a stopper 22 at its terminal end. The track of each of the rails 12, 14 is formed by bending its side walls 24 inward toward each other to provide opposed support portions 26 defining therebetween an opening 28 for guiding the movement of carrier 36.
The straight curtain rods 32 is provided with a track having the same dimensions as the track of the rail 12 or 14 of the device 10. The device 10 is interposed between, and fixedly joined by connectors 30 to, the opposed ends of two staight curtain rods 32 aligned end-to-end on a widow frame 34, with the track of each of the rails 12, 14 in alignment with the track of corresponding curtain rod. The curtain 38 suspended from the carriers 36 is then movable continuously from the curtain rod 32 to the track of the device.
The carrier 36 includes at its upper end a running member 37 fitted in the opening 28 of the track and in engagement with the support portions 26 and is connected, at its lower end, to a hanger 40 attached to the curtain. The hangers 40 are equidistantly arranged on the upper hem of the curtain.
Thus when the straight curtain rods 32 are mounted on a window frame as spaced apart by a distance equal to the length of the device 10 and are then joined to the device, a curtain rail rod assembly including a junction can be readily installed in place, without any necessity of working the end of the curtain rod 32. Since the straight curtain rod needs only to be cut to a length in conformity with the width of window, the present device is very easy to install.
Other features of the advantages of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The embodiment described above can of course be modified without departing from the inventive spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims.