Blinds, Shades and Shutters - Fixing vertical blinds

Hi,
This forum seems to have much less traffic compared to others!

anyway, I have these long vertical blinds (spanning 5 windows, about 20').

http://i794.photobucket.com/albums/yy225/tnkrer/longblinds.jpg

Not too high though. about 5'. I have inherited those with the house. So no idea of the manufacturer. I have never seen such blind design and my Google searches to find description of this design have been in vain. (I am sure that's because I don't really know the right keywords). They have two strings (part of a whole string I believe) in the middle.

http://i794.photobucket.com/albums/yy225/tnkrer/closedblind.jpg

When one is pulled the blinds come closer, when other is pulled, they sort of go farther. That doesn't always work, but I can push/pull those blinds also and the open string length will change. Currently they do not close completely. The picture shows the most they can close.

Also I assume that the metal chain in the left can be used to rotate the blinds to let light in. That is not working either.

http://i794.photobucket.com/albums/yy225/tnkrer/blind-sidechain.jpg

So how do these blinds work? What are they called? and how can I fix these?

Thanks

A 20 foot long single track vertical blind?

I've installed quite a number of vertical blinds in rentals. The biggest home center varieties I think are like 104 inches. Normally the 2 strings are located together on the one side. But it looks from your bottom pic that only 1 string is designed to be at the left. Can you tell by looking up into the end on the right side of the track that that is where all that loose string in the middle should really be located at? I can't imagine any of that string being located in the middle. The string should instead of being 2 seperate strings(like your pic makes it look dangling there in the middle), be as one loop of string like on the left. That is why I think that maybe it(the strings hanging in the middle) is all supposed to go towards the right, and form a loop over there.

Some specialty company likely installed this if this is indeed a special one-track set up(and not 2 separate ones butted together). You could try calling a drapery shop to see if they have some clue as to where that even came from, and if they have the working knowledge on these.

ok if it were me walking up to these blinds i would first look up where that chain is coming out, next to it near another pully you should see that white string.. The excess white string hanging down the middle is slack from what use to be your cord loop.. find the string on the end and pull it down to get back your loop.. as of now its missing the weight or pully attached to the wall to keep it in place. once you have gotten your cord loop back i would give the chain a little tugn harder than you normally would.. If it clicks like a gear is skipping then this is good news for you.. This means the track and its clips will correct themselves if given the chance. if this is the case you will now want to remove all the slats from the track. this is very easy with an old credit card by sticking it up in this clothes pin like contraption to wedge the nub out from the holes in your slat (you will see). once your slats are off you should be able to pull on the chain and these things should correct themselves and all be pointing in the same direction. you can then re attach your slats and you should be all good.

Thanks ecman51` and BLD!

So you are suggesting that this is just like most other vertical blinds we see. The white string should be on one side and should be able to open or close the blind.

I have working vertical blinds on the french door to the deck. I will check the mechanism on it and compare it to this one and try to fix it like you have suggested.

I will update with success/failure :)