Curtain pleating tape

Abstract

 Band 10, which has pocketing 11, 12, 13 for curtain hooks (not shown) is formed with first draw cords 14, one adjacent each edge of the band 10, and second draw cords 15 also one adjacent each edge of the band 10, these two sets of cords being alternatively shortenable according to the kind of pleat required. Shortening of the first cords 14 serves to produce pencil pleats that is to say regular, closely adjacent pleats along the entire length of the tape 10. Shortening of the second cords 15 serves to produce french pleats that is to say alternate pleated and non-pleated sections along the length of the tape 10.

Description

[0001] This invention concerns curtain pleating tapes, that is to say tapes intended for sewing into or incorporated into the head margins of curtains to enable the curtains to be caused to assume a pleated configuration.

[0002] Curtain pleating tapes which produce so-called pencil pleating are already known. Such pencil pleating comprises regular, closely adjacent pleats along the entire length of the tape and curtain head margin attached thereto.

[0003] One known form of tape which produces pencil pleats embodies draw cords which pass from one side to the other of the tape at regular intervals so that short lengths of the draw cord float over the adjacent surface of the tape alternately at one side and then the other. Shortening of the draw cord causes successive portions of the tape (and the curtain head margin secured thereto) to be deflected alternately to one side and then the other of the line of the cords to achieve the pencil pleating with a median plane through the pleats and the pleating cords generally coincident with the non-pleated part of the curtain.

[0004] It is also known to provide a curtain pleating tape which embodies draw cords which appear and float at pre-determined intervals at one side of the tape only, the cords being incorporated into the tape, between.the floating portions thereof, for example by being accommodated in respective tunnels woven integrally into the tape. In this instance, upon shortening the draw cords the tape, and the curtain's head margin, 'is caused to deflect to one side only of the general plane of the tape in register with the floating parts of the draw cords thereby to produce the pencil pleats, which project to one side only of the general plane of the fabric.

[0005] It is also known, in such pencil-pleating-type curtain pleating tapes, to provide, for example, only a single draw cord, so it is not essential in this type of tape for there to be multiple draw cords for producing the pencil pleats which arise closely adjacent one another along the entire length of the tape.

[0006] Tapes are also known which produce so-called french pleating which comprises alternate pleated sections and non-pleated or substantially linear sections along the length of the curtain pleating tape and curtain head margin attached thereto. In such instance, the pleats normally project only to one side of. the general plane of the fabric.

[0007] Known curtain pleating tape which on shortening of its draw cords produces french pleats in the tape and the curtain head margin attached thereto usually has draw cords which appear on one side only of the tape in spaced apart groups of floating portions, the non-floating portions being incorporated into the tape, for example by being accommodated in respective tunnels woven integrally into the tape.

[0008] As hitherto proposed, however, there has not been any form of curtain heading tape so constructed that the user has the option of causing it alternatively to form pencil pleats or french pleats in the manner discussed. A user has always had to select the appropriate tape according to the type of pleat desired. An object of the present invention is to provide a construction of curtain pleating tape which enables the user to create either type of pleat selectively at will, so that only one type of tape needs to be provided for either, purpose and the user can, also, if desired, change a curtain from one type of pleat to the other.

[0009] With this object in view the present invention provides a curtain pleating tape comprising a woven, knit or crochet band having at intervals therealong hook-receiving pockets or openings, characterised in that the band incorporates first draw cord means (which may comprise a single draw cord or plural cords) which serve, upon shortening, to form the band into pencil pleats along its entire length, as well as second draw cord means which serve, upon'shortening to form french pleats, that is to say single pleats, or groups of pleats, at spaced-apart intervals along the length of the band.

[0010] Conveniently, the said other pair of draw cords serves to form the french pleats in groups of three, being a so-called "triple-pleat" tape.

[0011] For ensuring reliable shortening of the correct draw cord means according to the specific pleats required by the user, one of said cord means is preferably distinguished from the other by its visual appearance. This may be achieved, for example, by making one of said cord means substantially the same colour as the rest of the band, whilst the other cord means may be of a different colour or may comprise strands of two or more different colours twisted together.

[0012] The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to two practical embodiments thereof as shown in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that the following description is illustrative, and not restrictive of the scope of the invention. In the drawings:

Figure .1 is a fragmentary front view of a preferred embodiment of the curtain pleating tape of the invention;

Figure 2 is a similar view of the tape of Figure 1, but to a larger scale and with its first draw cord means shortened, thereby causing formation of pencil pleats;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing second draw cord means shortened, thereby causing formation of french pleats; and

Figure 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a second embodiment of the curtain pleating tape of the invention.

[0013] The first embodiment of the curtain pleating tape 10 of the invention as shown in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings comprises a relatively broad band of fabric being, for example, of the order of 7.5 cm in width. It is woven with synthetic yarns, the warps being relatively soft multi-filament yarns, e.g. of nylon, and the weft being of a monofilament yarn inserted from one side of the fabric and anchored by a selvage thread along the opposite edge of the fabric. The use of the monofilament weft provides for the tape to be stiffer in its transverse direction, and will, in use, contribute to the stiffness of the head margin of a curtain (not shown) to which it is attached as will be described later.

[0014] At intervals along the tape 10 integrally-woven hook-receiving pockets 11, 12, 13 are disposed in rows of three transversely of the tape so that the user can select between the three pockets 11, 12, 13 in each row when fitting curtain suspension hooks (not shown) therein according to the height at which the attached curtain is required to be hung.

[0015] The pockets 11, 13 are open at their ends and are formed of warp and weft threads in substantially the same arrangement as the remainder of the tape 10, while each centrally located pocket 12 is formed of floating sections of warp thread only.

[0016] First draw cord means comprise first draw cords 14 which are incorporated into the tape at a short spacing away from each longitudinal edge of the tape 10. Each such first draw cord 14 appears alternately at one side and then the other of the tape 10 over regular intervals, e.g. of the order of 1.5 cm each. These first draw cords 14 are, for example, of nylon of the same colour as the rest of the tape 10.

[0017] Second draw cord means comprise second draw cords 15 which are accommodated within respective integral draw-cord receiving tunnels 17, each of the said tunnels 17 being located respectively adjacent one of the first draw-cords 14. The second draw cords 15 appear on one side only of the tape 10 in spaced-apart groups of floating portions 16, its non-floating portions being accommodated in the respective tunnels 17. In each group there are three floating portions 16 each at least 2.5 to 3.0 cms in extent with a separating portion of 0·₂ or 0.3 cms between each portion 16 in the group, and a spacing of about 10· 0 or 11·0 cm between the adjacent groups. These second draw cords 15 are coloured to enable them readily to be distinguished from the first draw cords 14 by being composed of threads of different colours twisted together.

[0018] At predetermined positions along the tape 10, start marks 18 are incorporated. These marks may be woven into the tape 10, for example in a contrasting colour, and serve to assist curtain makers in ascertaining where to cut the tape 10 to ensure that they begin with a short section of tape 10 which will not produce pleats in the edges of the curtain.

[0019] In use, the tape 10 is secured in place along the head margin of a curtain incconventional manner simply by sewing closely adjacent to each edge of the tape 10. As previously mentioned, the tape 10 is laterally stiffened by its weft being of relatively stiff monofilamentary material, so it serves to provide a practical degree of stiffness for the head margin of the curtain.

[0020] The draw cords 14, 15 are anchored at one end, for example by tying them together, and the first pair 14 or the-second pair 15 of said cords is shortened according to the kind of pleats it is desired to produce. If the user requires the head margin to be drawn into pencil pleats as shown in Fig. 2 across the entire curtain width, this is achieved by shortening the first pair of draw cords 14, the second pair 15 being left unshortened. If on the other hand, triple pinch pleats or french pleats are required at spaced intervals across the head margin of the curtain as shown in Fig. 3, the first pair of draw cords 14 is left alone and the cords of the second pair 15 are appropriately shortened.

[0021] The invention is not confined to the precise details of the foregoing example and modifications may be made thereto.

[0022] In a first modification, instead of floating alternately at the one side and then the other of the tape, the first draw cords 14 are incorporated in such a way that each appears or floats at regular intervals at one side only of the tape 10, the cord portions therebetween being disposed within the thickness of the tape 10 for example being accommodated in respective tunnels woven integrally into the tape 10 and not appearing at the other side. Upon shortening of these first draw cords 14, pencil pleats are produced along the entire length of the tape (and of the curtain to which it is secured), in substantially the same way as shown in Fig. 2.

[0023] In a second modification, instead of there being two first draw cords for producing pencil pleating, (which may be in the manner described in the preceding paragraph), only a single said draw cord is provided, this being located, for example, approximately along the middle of the tape instead of adjacent one or other of the edges of the tape. This arrangement is used, and pleats its curtain, in the same way as the examples already described.

[0024] In further modifications the first draw cord means, the second draw cord means, or both comprise several draw cords arranged substantially parallel lengthwise of the tape 10.

[0025] In a further embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4 the tape 10, instead of incorporating spaced-apart hook-receiving pockets, is woven, knit or crocheted in such a way as to incorporate; at appropriate intervals, openings 17 for receiving curtain suspension hooks.

[0026] It will be understood that other modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. For instance, so far as concerns the second draw cords _'which form the french pleats, these may be arranged so that fewer than or more than three pleats occur in each group. Moreover successive groups may include different numbers of pleats. The tape 10 may, instead of being woven, be knit or crochet. Other variations are possible.

Claims

1. A curtain pleating tape comprising a woven, knit or crochet band having at intervals therealong hook-receiving pockets or openings characterised in that the band incorporates first draw cord means which serve, upon shortening, to form the band into pencil pleats along its entire length as well as second draw cord means which serve upon shortening to form french pleats, that is to say single pleats, or groups of pleats at spaced-apart intervals along the length of the band.

2. A curtain pleating tape as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that the first draw cord means comprises a pair of cords at a short spacing away from each longitudinal edge of the tape.

3. A curtain pleating tape as claimed in claim 1 or ₂ characterised in that the second draw cord means comprises a pair of cords at a short spacing away from each 'longitudinal edge of the tape.

4. A curtain pleating tape as claimed in claim 1 or 3 characterised in that the first draw cord means comprises a single draw cord located approximately along the'middle of the tape.

5. A curtain pleating tape as claimed in any preceding claim characterised in that the first draw cord means pass from one side to the other of the tape at regular intervals so that short lengths of the draw cord float over the adjacent surface of the tape alternatively at one side and then the other.

6. A curtain pleating tape as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 characterised in that the first draw cord means appear and float at predetermined intervals at one side of the tape only, the intervening non-floating portions of cord being incorporated into the thickness of the tape.

7. A curtain pleating tape as claimed in any preceding claim characterised in that the second draw cord means appear on one side only of the tape in spaced apart groups of floating portions, the non-floating portions being incorporated into the thickness of the tape.

8. A curtain pleating tape as claimed in claim 6 or 7 characterised in that the non-floating portions of the draw cords means are accommodated in tunnels woven integrally into the tape.

9. A curtain pleating tape as claimed in any preceding claim characterised in that the second draw cord means is adapted to form french pleats in groups of three.

10. A curtain pleating tape as claimed in claim 9 characterised in that the second draw cord means appear on one side of the tape only in spaced apart groups of three floating portions.

11. A curtain pleating tape as claimed in any preceding claim characterised in that the first draw cord means and the second draw cord means are distinguished one from the other by visual appearance.

12. A curtain pleating tape as claimed in claim 11 characterised in that one draw cord means is substantial: the same colour as the rest of the band whilst the other draw cord means is of a different colour.

13. A curtain pleating tape as claimed in claim 12 characterised in that the different coloured draw cord means is composed of threads of different colours twiste together.

14. A curtain pleating tape substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 or in Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings.

Drawing