Help! My roller blind won't roll up.

rosie383

My bathroom roller blind is happy to roll down, but the mechanism seems to be stuck for rolling back up. It has one of those plastic chain-type pulleys. I have taken the blind down and have been fiddling with the mechanism and it only wants to go one way.
I have been looking on-line to see if I can find a site somewhere to show me how to fix it, but can't find one. I no longer have the instructions for the blind as it was put up quite a while ago.
Any help would be appreciated please.

ormus

they are very simple devices, not much can go wrong. if it goes down it should go up too.
theres no spring or locking device on them.

the chain may have come out of the guide?

rosie383

The chain is very firmly in the guide, but will only go one way.

rosie383

I took the plastic mechanism apart, and there is a metal bit like a coil around the inside with a tiny bit at the end of the coiled metal part which is sticking out and allowing the chain to pull only a few centimeters in one direction, and freely in the other direction, IYKWIM!

rosie383

Had another wee fiddle. The metal 'spring' which is wound around the plastic inner tube, will move freely around in one direction, but resolutely refuses to move the other way. It just looks like a smoothly wound spring on a smooth piece of plastic, but why would it move in one direction but not the other? I can't see any reason for it.

rosie383

It is definitely a spring and looks as if there should be a wee bit sticking out on the other end too, but it appears to have broken off. Looks as if I probably have to buy a new mechanism, as I doubt I would be able to get just a spring which is an exact size.
Just wondering if it would work without the spring?

rosie383

Looks as if I have fixed it. Took the spring off and it is running freely now. Amazing what you can do with a screwdriver and a bit of fiddling when you are sitting at the computer waiting for replies!!!!!
Going to put it back up, so the moment of truth!!

rosie383

Moment of truth...... well, it freely goes up and down now. But it doesn't know when to stop!!!! Think the spring bit may be an essential part after all. May have to get a new bit.

ormus

well my plastic chain blind, has no spring nor any locking device.
very odd.
my old type pull down blind, did have a coil spring inside it.

rosie383

If I put it up, or down, very gently, get it to where I want it, and then don't move it, it will stay put.
Looks like I will be on blind duty from now on!!!!!!!! Woe betide anyone else who touches it!:p