Drapery Carrier for a String Connected Carrier System

Interconnected drapery carrier systems of the type having a plurality of drapery carriers attached at spaced locations along a string are known. The drapery carriers have panel mounting means adapted for attachment to a drapery panel at spaced locations along the drapery panel heading, and the lead or spacing of the carriers along the string is selected so that the flexible string controls the spacing between the carriers when the drapery panel is closed to produce generally uniform pleats or folds in the drapery panel. When such drapery carrier systems are used on traverse rods, one end of the string is connected to a master carrier so that the master carrier draws a string of interconnected carriers along the rod when it is moved to a position to close the drapes.

In the string connected carrier system such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,434,524 and 3,951,196, the carriers are connected to the string at spaced locations therealong by being molded directly on the string. In the string connected carrier system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,522,621, buttons are molded on the string at spaced locations along the string and the buttons thereafter detachably connected to the carriers to control the spacing between the carriers. However, molding of parts such as drapery carriers or buttons at spaced locations along a string requires a more complex molding apparatus and the molding operation is also somewhat slower than molding similar parts without the string. In addition, the resistance to slippage of the molded part on string is dependent on the material used for the molded part and on the material and type of string. For example, if the string is a mono-filament type or if the string is of the multi-strand type having a very tight twist or braid, parts molded on the string sometime slip along the string and produce an undesirable variation in the spacing between adjacent carriers.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,196 discloses a string connected carrier system in which the string extends through a slot in the carriers and knots or beads are provided at spaced locations along the string to engage the carrier at opposite ends of the slot. However, this arrangement requires that the string be specially formed with the knots or beads at spaced locations therealong and increases the overall cost of the string connected carrier system.

It is an object of this invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior string connected carrier systems by providing a carrier which can be assembled on and locked to the string in any desired location along the string.

Another object of this invention is to provide a carrier which can be economically formed, assembled on the string and locked to a string, to provide an economical string connected carrier system.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a carrier means for supporting a panel for movement along a track and adapted for connection to a string to control spacing of the carrier means along the track, the carrier means including a carrier body having a key receiving cavity therein and a locking key adapted to be moved along a path into the cavity and integrally connected to the carrier body by a yieldable connecting means with the locking key aligned along the path with the cavity, the carrier body and locking key and yieldable connecting means being constructed and arranged to provide a laterally opening string receiving passage extending crosswise of the path to allow an intermediate portion of the string to be moved laterally into a position extending crosswise of the cavity, the yieldable connecting means being adapted to yield when a force is applied to the locking key in a direction to move the locking key along the path into the cavity whereby the locking key draws a loop of the string into the cavity and locks the loop of string to the carrier body.

These, together with other objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view through a drapery rod embodying a string connected carrier system constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the drapery rod of FIG. 1 and illustrating one of the string connected carriers in side elevation;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of a carrier prior to assembly and locking on a string;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the carrier of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the carrier of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the carrier of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view through the carrier taken on the plane 7--7 of FIG. 5 and illustrating assembly of a carrier on the string;

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view through the carrier taken on the plane 8--8 of FIG. 5 and illustrating assembly of the carrier on a string;

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view through the carrier illustrating the carrier locked on the string;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view through a rod illustrating another embodiment of the string connected carrier system;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the rod of FIG. 10 and illustrating one of the string connected carriers in side elevation;

FIG. 12 is an end elevational view of the carrier of FIG. 10 prior to assembly on a string;

FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of the carrier of FIG. 10 prior to assembly on a string;

FIG. 14 is a transverse sectional view taken on the plane 14--14 of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a longitudinal sectional view through the carrier taken on the plane 15--15 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 16 is a transverse sectional view through a further modified form of string connected carrier, illustrating the carrier assembled on a string, but not locked thereto; and

FIG. 17 is a longitudinal sectional view through the carrier of FIG. 16 illustrating the carrier locked on the string.

The carrier means 10 of the present invention are generally adapted for supporting a panel for movement along a track 11 and are adapted for connection to a string 12 which controls the spacing of the carrier means along the track. The interconnected carrier means are advantageously utilized to support a flexible panel such as a drapery on a drapery rod to draw the draperies to their closed position and to control spacing between the carriers when the drapery is closed to produce generally uniform pleats or folds in the drapery. It is apparent, however, that the interconnected carrier means can also be utilized to support rigid panels such as hingedly interconnected panels utilized in some folding doors, or louvers utilized in venetian type blinds. As used herein, the term "panel" is intended to cover both flexible panels such as draperies as well as rigid panels as described above. The string utilized to interconnect the carriers can be any elongated flexible element and may be a single strand string or a multiple strand string in which several strands are twisted or braided together. The track can be of various different constructions adapted to support the carriers for movement therealong and may comprise a drapery rod, a header or the like.

Reference is now made more specifically to the embodiment of the carrier means disclosed in FIGS. 1-9. The carrier means includes a carrier body 21 having a key receiving cavity 22 therein and a locking key 23 adapted to be moved along a path A into the cavity. The locking key is integrally connected to the carrier body by a yieldable connecting means 24 which supports the locking key in a position aligned along the path with the cavity. The carrier body, locking key and yieldable connecting means are formed by the molding in one-piece of a synthetic resin material and may, for example, be formed of an acetal resin. The carrier body, locking key and yieldable connecting means are constructed and arranged to provide a lateral opening string receiving passage 25 extending crosswise of the path of movement of the key to allow an intermediate portion of string 12 to be moved laterally into a position extending crosswise of the cavity, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The yieldable connecting means 24 is adapted to yield when a force is applied to the locking key in a direction to move the locking key along the path A into the cavity and the locking key draws a loop of the string into the cavity and locks the loop of the string to the carrier body, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 9. The locking key is preferably in the form of a plug having a non-circular cross-section, and the cavity 22 has a complementary non-circular cross-section to non-rotatably receive the plug when it is moved along the path A coinciding with the plug-cavity axis.

As shown, the plug has a generally rectangular cross-section with a first pair of opposed side faces 23a and a second pair of opposed side faces 23b extending between the side faces at 23a, a lead end face 23c and a trail end face 23d at the end opposite the lead end face. The cavity 22 also has a generally rectangular cross-section with a first pair of opposed side faces 22a spaced apart a distance to receive the side faces 23a of the plug therebetween, and a second pair of opposed side faces 22b spaced apart to receive the side faces 23b of the plug therebetween. Interengaging plug locking means are provided on the plug and carrier body for locking the plug in the cavity after it is inserted thereinto. The interengaging plug locking means includes integral wedge shape protrusions 23e on at least one pair of the opposed side walls 23b adjacent the lead end of the plug, and which protrusions diverge outwardly relative to each other and define a transverse locking shoulder 23f at the rear side of the protrusions. The inner end of the cavity 22 has wall portions 22e offset relatively farther apart than the side faces 22b and which define an inwardly facing transverse shoulder 22f at the inner ends of the side faces 22b. The plug has a V-shaped groove 23g extending into its lead end and disposed in a plane intermediate the wedge shape protrusions 23e, and the wedge shape protrusions are adapted to be cammed inwardly as the plug is pressed into the cavity. The protrusions 23e then move outwardly to engage the shoulders 23f on the plug with the shoulders 22f in the cavity to lock the plug in the cavity.

The carrier 21 has an upper end face 21a and the yieldable connecting means 24 comprises one or more, and herein shown as two, relatively thin web sections formed integrally with the carrier body 21 and plug 23 and which extend from the upper surface 21a at a location offset to one side of the center of the plug and cavity axis and which space the lead end 23c of the plug above the upper surface 21a of the carrier body to provide the aforementioned laterally opening string receiving passage 25. As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 8, the webs that form the yieldable connecting means 24 are integrally joined to the plug adjacent its lead end in a relatively small area designated 24a, and the size of the area is selected in accordance with the material from which the carrier body and plug are formed so as to be frangible or readily breakable when a force is applied to the plug along its axis in a direction to force the plug along the path A into the cavity. With this arrangement, the string 12, at any desired intermediate portion therealong, can be inserted laterally through the laterally opening passage 25 into a position between the lead end of the plug and the end face 21a on the carrier body, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, and the plug thereafter forced, either by a hand impact tool or by a press or the like, along its axis into the cavity. The yieldable connecting means 24 ruptures or breaks as the plug is moved downwardly and the plug draws a loop of the string into the cavity and locks the loop of the string to the carrier body. The V-shaped notch 23g in the lead end of the plug is arranged to receive the string and to laterally position and retain the string during movement of the plug into the cavity. In addition, the side walls 22a of the cavity are preferably provided with string receiving recesses 22g adapted to receive the loop of the string as it is drawn into the cavity. Preferably, the recesses 23g have a depth sufficiently less than the cross-section of the string such that the string is firmly clamped between the walls of the plug and the walls of the cavity. As best shown in FIG. 9, when the plug is inserted into the cavity, the string is drawn into a loop having four relatively sharp bends, and this provides a firm locking of the string to the carrier body. In addition, the V-shaped groove 23g in the lead end of the plug is preferably shaped to provide a wedge grip on the string.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-9, the carrier body is adapted to be slidably supported on spaced flanges 11a of the trackway 11. For this purpose, the carrier body has grooves 21b along opposite sides and extending in a plane transverse to the axis of the plug and cavity, adapted to slidably receive the flanges 11a to support the carrier for movement along the track. A panel support means 31 is provided on each carrier and, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the panel support means is mounted for swivel movement about an axis generally aligned with the plug axis. The carrier body 21 is provided with a lower support wall 21e that is spaced below the flange receiving grooves 21b, and which has a keyhole shaped opening 21f opening at one side of the carrier body. The panel supports 31 have a panel mounting means 31a at their lower ends and upper and lower head portions 31b and 31c at their upper ends that are spaced apart by a generally cylindrical connecting portion 31 d. The connecting portion 31d is dimensioned to be rotatably receivable in the circular portion of the keyhole shaped opening 21f, and the circular portion of the keyhole shaped opening extends through an arc of somewhat greater than 180.degree. to provide a restricted portion 21g dimensioned to allow the portion 31d of the panel support to snap into the opening 21f and releasably retain it in the opening. The upper and lower head portions 31b and 31c are arranged respectively to engage the upper and lower sides of the wall 21e to limit vertical movement of the panel support.

A modified form of interconnected carrier system is illustrated in FIGS. 10-15. The carrier system shown in FIGS. 10-15 is generally similar to that shown in FIGS. 1-9 and like numerals followed by the postscript' are used to designate corresponding parts. The carrier body 21' has a plug receiving cavity 22' formed therein and a plug 23' adapted to be inserted along an axis A' into the cavity and integrally connected to the carrier body by a frangible connecting means 24'. The plug has a lead end 23c' and a trail end 23d' and the frangible connecting means is formed integrally with the top wall 21a' of the carrier body, at one side of the cavity axis and supports the plug with its lead end 23c' spaced above the top wall of the carrier body to provide a laterally opening string receiving passage 25' extending crosswise of the plug-cavity axis between the top wall of the carrier body and the lead end of the plug to allow an intermediate portion of a string 12' to be moved laterally from one side of the axis into a position extending crosswise of the end of the cavity. As in the preceding embodiment, the plug has latch means 23e', 23f' arranged to engage a transverse shoulder 22f' at the inner end of the cavity 22', to lock the plug in the cavity when it is moved to a position as shown in FIG. 15.

The embodiment of FIGS. 10-15 differs from the previous embodiment primarily in the provision of rollers 35' for supporting the carrier means for movement along a trackway 11'. As best shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the rollers are adapted to engage and be supported on flanges 11a' on a track 11' and the rollers 35' are mounted on laterally extending trunnions 21b' conveniently formed integrally with the carrier body 21'. In the embodiment shown, the rollers 35' are of the anti-friction type and include an inner race 35a' and an outer race 35b', with anti-friction elements such as balls 35c' interposed between the inner and outer races. The inner race 35a' is retained on the trunnion as by a retaining rim 21c', and the ends of the trunnions are formed with a conical recess 21d' as best shown in FIG. 14 to allow the rim portions to deform inwardly when the rollers are pressed on the trunnions. As is apparent, it is not essential that the rollers be of the anti-friction type and the rollers may be solid rollers rotatably supported on the trunnions 21b'. A panel support 31' is provided on each carrier and in the embodiment shown is of the same form as that described at 31 in connection with the embodiment of FIGS. 1-9. The carrier body has a wall 21e' spaced below the underside of the rollers and a keyhole shaped opening 21f' formed in the wall for receiving the neck portion 31d' on the upper end of the panel supports. As in the preceding embodiment, the upper and lower head portions 31b' and 31c' on the panel supports are arranged to engage the upper and lower sides of the wall 21e' adjacent the opening 21f', to limit vertical movement of the panel supports relative to the carriers.

A further modified form of carrier means is illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17 and like numerals followed by the postscript" are used to designate corresponding parts. In this embodiment the carrier body 21" is formed with a plug receiving cavity 22" spaced downwardly from its upper end. A plug 23" adapted to be inserted along an axis A" into the cavity, is integrally connected to the carrier body by frangible connecting means 24". The plug has a non-circular and preferably rectangular cross-section similar to that previously described in connection with the other embodiments and the plug receiving cavity 22" similarly has a generally non-circular cross-section adapted to be non-rotatably received in the plug receiving cavity 22". The plug is supported by the frangible connecting means 24" in an enlarged upper cavity or passage 21m" in the upper portion of the carrier body. As best shown in FIG. 16, the upper passage 21m" has a cross-section substantially larger than the cross-section of the plug, to allow a tool to be inserted into the upper passage to depress the plug, and the frangible connecting means 24" is in the form of a thin web that extends between the plug and the walls of the upper cavity 21m". The frangible connecting means 24" supports the plug with its lead end 23c" above the plug receiving cavity 22" and, as shown, the trail end 23d" of the plug is spaced below the upper side 21a" of the carrier body. The carrier body is formed with a laterally opening notch or recess 25" at a location above the plug receiving cavity 22" and below the lead end 23c" of the plug, to allow an intermediate portion of the string 12" to be moved laterally from one side of the axis into a position extending crosswise of the upper end of the plug receiving cavity 22", as shown in FIG. 16. The frangible connecting means 24" is adapted to break when a force is applied to the trail end of the plug in a direction to move the lead end of the plug along the axis A" into the plug receiving cavity 22", so that the plug draws a loop of the string into the cavity 22" and locks the loop of the string to the carrier body, as shown in FIG. 17. As in the preceding embodiments, the plug has a generally wedge shaped locking means 23e" on its lead end defining a transverse shoulder arranged to engage and lock against a transverse shoulder 22f" at the inner end of the plug receiving cavity 22". The lead end of the plug is conveniently formed with a V-shaped recess or groove 23g" adapted to receive and locate the string 12" when the plug is moved into the plug receiving cavity. In the carrier illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17, the carrier body is adapted to be supported by rollers 35" on a trackway similar to that shown at 11' in the embodiment of FIGS. 10-15, with the rollers supported on trunnions 21b" formed integrally with the carrier body. The lower end of the carrier body is provided with a wall 21e" having a keyhole shaped opening 21f" similar to that described in connection with the preceding embodiments, and adapted to receive a panel support member similar to that shown at 31 and 31' in the preceding embodiments.

From the foregoing it is felt that the construction and use of the carrier means will be readily understood. The carrier body, plug and frangible connection are formed in one piece as by molding from a synthetic resin material and are molded separate from the string. The carrier body is formed with a plug receiving cavity and the plug is adapted to be moved along a path into the plug receiving cavity and is integrally connected with the carrier body by the frangible connecting means with the plug aligned along the path with the cavities. The carrier body, plug and frangible connecting means are constructed and arranged to provide a laterally opening string receiving passage between the lead end of the plug and the end of the plug receiving cavity so that an intermediate portion of a string can be moved laterally into a position extending crosswise of the plug receiving cavity. The plug can be then forced into the plug receiving cavity, as by a hand impact tool or by a press, and the plug draws a loop of the string into the cavity and locks the string to the carrier body. Since the plug is integrally connected to the carrier body, it is not necessary to provide a separate means for feeding or positioning the plug in relation to the carrier body during insertion of the plug into the plug receiving cavity. Further, the carriers can be positioned at any desired location intermediate the ends of the string. This facilitates formation of string connected carriers with different carrier spacing or pitch along the string and also facilitates formation of a string carrier system in which the spacing between adjacent carriers varies along the length of the string, for example as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,196.