Curtain lowering apparatus and method

A method of operating a curtain lowering apparatus directed to cleaning and maintaining a curtain suspended above a floor and near a wall, the apparatus having a first, not-lowered position above the floor, and a second, lowered position above the floor, the method comprising the steps of:

• suspending the curtain, which is attached to at least two curtain rod rings, from the curtain rod;
• configuring at least two apparatus rod supports, each apparatus rod support having a support bracket mounted to the wall and a bracket arm extending substantially perpendicularly from the wall, the at least two rod supports directed to support the at least two curtain rod rings and to displace the curtain from the wall;
• configuring a drive unit to drive at least two drive cables, with respective ones of the drive cables routed through respective ones of the apparatus rod supports and the respective ones of the drive cables further connected to the respective ones of the curtain rod rings;
• wherein the drive unit includes:
• a first drive motor having a drive axle having a drive axis extending longitudinally through the drive motor and aligned coaxially with the drive axle, the drive axle having a first end and a second end, upon which drive axle elements are axially configured;
• and an electronics and communication unit, with the first drive motor, the drive axle, and the electronics and communications unit configured within an enclosure and the at least two apparatus rod supports are not configured within the enclosure and the at least two apparatus rod supports and the first drive motor are not directly connected;
• wherein the drive axle elements include:
• spacers located at the first end and at the second end, and an equal number of bias springs, spools, drive discs, and friction pads, all of which are located between the spacers;
• whereby the curtain rod is alternately maintained at the first, not-lowered position and at the second, lowered position.