Cord weight assembly
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to cord weights and more particularly, to a cord weight assembly for providing weighted tension to the draw cords of drapes, blinds and the like. 
     Although weighted devices are well known for maintaining draw cords in a relatively taut position, such cords are, nevertheless, subject to inadvertent movements or swinging which may be caused by any number of external forces such as wind through an open window or the like. Regardless of the causes of such movements, the same can cause damage to adjacent structure such as windows and walls, due to the impact of the weighted device thereagainst. 
     The foregoing problem is overcome according to the teachings of the present invention which provides a draw cord weight assembly so constructed and arranged as to prevent damage to adjacent walls and/or windows in the event of swinging contact therewith. 
     More specifically, the cord weight assembly of the present invention provides an elongated housing having end sections and a central section intermediate the end sections; means located in each of the end sections for selectively supporting a cord to be tensioned; a weight located in the central section; and a skirt fabricated of a resilient material and removably secured to the exterior of the housing selectively adjacent one of the end sections for cushioning contacts between the housing and adjacent structure in the event the housing is caused to swing into contact with such adjacent structure. 
     As will become apparent hereinbelow, according to a further feature of the present invention, the housing is formed of two identical halves, which are fitted together to define the end and central sections, and the skirt additionally functions to securely maintain the housing halves in their assembled, operative relationship. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a fuller understanding of the present invention reference should now be made to the following detailed description thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cord weight assembly of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2; and 
     FIG. 4 is a plan or end view of one of the two complementary housing halves that comprise the housing for the cord weight of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings, the cord weight assembly of the present invention is generally depicted at 10 and shown as comprising an elongated, generally cylindrical housing or casing 12 formed of two mating halves 14 and 16, which are of substantially identical construction and shiftable through 180° for the purpose of assembly in the manner to be described. 
     Housing 12 is comprised of three functional sections; namely, a pair of end sections 18 and 20, and an intermediate section or central section 22 located between the end sections. While end sections 18 and 20 are preferably functionally and structurally identical, they will now be referred to as upper and lower sections, respectively, as an aid to reference to FIGS. 1-3, wherein housing 12 is shown as depending vertically beneath looped cord &#34;c&#34;. Upper section 18 defines an upper cavity 24, which is bounded by housing top or end wall 26, of substantially convex form, and an interior partition 28 between the upper and central sections 18 and 22, respectively. Central section 22 defines a central cavity 30 bounded by partition 28 at its upper end and by a similar interior partition 30 at its lower end. Lower section 20 defines a lower cavity 32 bounded by partition 30 at its upper end and a housing bottom wall 34 of substantially convex form at its lower end. The top wall 26 and the bottom wall 34 are of identical construction and are provided with a pair of spaced openings 26a and 34 a, respectively and an annular peripheral lip or bead 26b and 34b, respectively. 
     As indicated earlier, housing 12 is formed of two complementary halves 14 and 16 and as such, one-half of walls 26 and 34, including one-half of the openings 26a and 34b and one-half of the annular lips 26b and 34b, and one-half of partitions 28 and 30 are formed as an integral part of half 14, whereas the other halves of each are formed as an integral part of half 16. These two halves 14 and 16 mate along the plane containing the seam &#34;S&#34; depicted in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. 
     Securing means is provided for by releasably joining halves 14 and 16 together in mating engagement. Such means is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 as being in the form of a transversely projecting boss 36 formed integrally with half 14 and preferably press or friction fitted into a transversely projecting tubular female member 38 formed integrally with half 16 within cavity 24. Such means also includes a similar boss 40 and mating tubular female member 42 arranged in lower cavity 32 and formed integrally with halves 16 and 14, respectively. It is to be noted that when the bosses and female members are in mating engagement, the outer peripheral adjacent surfaces thereof are so shaped as to provide annular guide or positioning channels 44 and 46, which are arranged in cavities 24 and 32, respectively, and bisected by the plane of seam &#34;S&#34;. The arrangement illustrated in the drawings is such that cord &#34;C&#34; is attached to housing 10 by being passed through one of the openings 26a, around channel 44 and through the other of the openings 26a; the cord being normally tensioned or maintained substantially taut by a suitable weight &#34;W&#34; located within and essentially filling central cavity 30. 
     To cushion housing 12 and prevent inadvertent swinging contacts thereof with adjacent structure, such as a window or wall surface, the lower section 20 is provided with a skirt or cushion device 48, which is formed from a resiliently deformable material. More specifically, skirt 48 comprises an upper, substantially cylindrical collar or sleeve portion 48a preferably closed at one end by a curved bottom wall 48b, which is substantially complementary in curvature to that of bottom wall 34; collar 48a being formed with an inwardly opening annular recess 48c, which is complementary in shape with lip 34b and arranged adjacent the juncture of collar 48a with bottom wall 48b. Skirt 48 additionally includes flexible outwardly flared or frusto-conically shaped base portion 48d arranged to extend from collar 48a radially outwardly beyond the cylindrical outer surface or periphery of housing 12 and axially downwardly beyond bottom wall 48b. The arrangement is such that the resilient skirt is securely but removably attached to lower section 20 of housing 12 with the recess 48c snap-fitted into engagement with annular lip 34b and the collar 48a disposed in surrounding relation to the lower section and preferably in snug or clamping engagement therewith. As will be apparent, the preferred construction of housing 12 illustrated in the drawings permits either of end sections 18 or 20 to be attached to or coupled with cord &#34;C&#34; with the other of such ends being attached to skirt 48. 
     Since the flared base portion 48d of the skirt extends beyond the housing 12, this portion will make contact with any adjacent structure, such as windows or walls, in the event cord weight assembly 10 is caused to swing sufficiently away from its normal plumb position. In this case the flexible and resilient nature of flared portion 48d will prevent marring or damage to such structure by simply flexing in response to any contact therewith. 
     It should be apparent that the skirt 48 may also perform the additional advantageous function of assisting the securing means described above in maintaining halves 14 and 16 in their assembled, operative relationship. In the absence of securing means of the type described, skirt 48 may be the sole means relied upon to releasably secure halves 14 and 16 in assembled condition. 
     The cord weight assembly may be fabricated of any suitable material as is well known to those skilled in the art. However, if the same is fabricated of a plastic material, it is clear that skirt 48 would be fabricated of a more resilient or softer material than the remainder of the assembly. 
     Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed and described, it is apparent that changes will obviously occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore intended that the present invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.