Headrail hardware for hanging window coverings

A lifting mechanism comprising a cylinder;

• bracket means to support said cylinder;
• rotation means;
• said cylinder being slideably connected to said rotation means to allow torque to be transmitted between said rotation means and said cylinder while still permitting lateral movement of said cylinder relative to said rotation means;
• two or more camming surfaces;
• one lift cord attached to said cylinder and bearing against each of said camming surfaces responsive to rotation of said cylinder for wrapping themselves around said cylinder and for alone moving said cylinder in a first lateral direction at a rate determined solely by the pitches of said camming surfaces and the diameters of said lift cords;
• and two or more guiding surfaces so disposed in relation to said lift cords that rotation of said cylinder so as to unwrap said lift cords from said cylinder causes each of said lift cords, while unwrapping to bear against a respective guiding surface to produce a component of tension in said lift cord, parallel to the axis of said cylinder for alone causing said cylinder to move in a second, opposite lateral direction.

A pulling mechanism comprising a cylinder;

• bracket means to support said cylinder;
• rotation means;
• said cylinder being slideably connected to said rotation means to allow torque to be transmitted between said rotation means and said cylinder while still permitting translational movement of said cylinder relative to said rotation means;
• a camming surface;
• a cord attached to said cylinder and bearing against said camming surface such responsive to rotation of said cylinder for wrapping itself around said cylinder and for alone moving said cylinder in a first translational direction at a rate determined by the pitch of said camming surface and the diameter of said lift cord;
• and a guiding surface disposed so that rotation of said cylinder so as to unwrap said cord from said cylinder in a first translational direction at a rate determined by the pitch of said camming surface and the diameter of said lift cord;
• and a guiding surface disposed so that rotation of said cylinder so as to unwrap said cord from said cylinder causes said cord, while unwrapping, to bear against said guiding surface to produce a component of tension in said lift cord, parallel to the axis of said cylinder, for alone causing said cylinder to move in a second, opposite translational direction.