CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHUTTERS AND SASHES FOR WINDOWS OF BUILDINGS, WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO HOTHOUSES OR CONSERVATORIES, AND CARRIAGES AND OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN THE MODE OF FITTING OR USING THE SAME
Year: 1837

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ELIJAH
LEAK, of Hanley, in the Parish of Stoke, and County of Stafford, Engineer
and Lathe Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS His late most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing
date at Westminster, the Twenty-third day of May, in the seventh year of His
reign, and in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-
seven, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Elijah Leak, His especial license, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said Elijah Leak, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, and such others as I, the said Elijah Leak, my executors, adminis-
trators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times during the term of years therein mentioned, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHUTTERS AND SASHES FOR WINDOWS OF BUILDINGS, WHICH
ARE APPLICABLE TO HOTHOUSES OR CONSERVATORIES, AND CARRIAGES AND OTHER
PURPOSES, AND IN THE MODE OF FITTING OR USING THE SAME;" in which said
Letters Patent is contained a proviso, obliging me, the said Elijah Leak, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe
and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately

page_text: after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the
same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Elijah Leak, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had to
the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon
that is to say):
My Invention of certain improvements in the construction of shutters
and sashes for windows of buildings consist, in the first place, in the adap-
tation of improved arrangements of mechanism, whereby the shutters of
windows may be raised and lowered or otherwise moved with greater ease and
expedition than by any other method at present known; and secondly, in
an improved construction of windows and sashes, by which I am enabled to
dispense with the ordinary counterbalancing weight and cord.
In the accompanying Drawings I have shewn a variety of modifications for
raising and lowering or otherwise moving the shutters; but I do not mean to
confine myself to the precise arrangements therein shewn, as the same may be
altered to suit different situations, the same means being employed in a dif-
ferent position to effect the same object; but I prefer the arrangements shewn
in the Drawings as being most simple and effectual: I have also shewn
shutters applied to different situations, and the mechanism employed for using
them, as the same may be most conveniently applied. And I may here
observe that my improved shutters may be applied either as inside or outside
shutters, without altering or disarranging the mechanism employed in moving
them.
Figure 1 represents a vertical section, taken through the framing of the
window, shewing the rack and pinion movement for raising the shutters,
which are arranged and constructed so as to rest side by side when they are
down, the shutters being represented as partly wound up. Fig. 2 is a ver
tical section of the same, taken through the window frame and shutters.
Fig. 3 is a similar section to Fig. 2, the shutters being represented down, and
in their case when it is wished to raise the shutters, motion is given to the
winch a, upon the axle of which a small bevel pinion 6 is placed, which takes
into another larger bevel wheel c, and upon the axle or shaft g of this
wheel is fastened another small pinion d, taking into the rack e, attached to
the side of the upper shutter f. The shaft g extends across the back part of the
shutter, turning in proper bearings, and upon the other end of it is placed
another pinion d*, taking into another rack e*. It will now be seen that as

page_text: the winch a is turned, rotary motion will be given to the several wheels and
pinions before mentioned, and by that means move the upper shutter f; and
when this shutter has been raised the distance shown in Figures 1 and 2, a
projecting ledge will come into contact with a similar projecting ledge h* on
the top of the lower shutter i, and by this means the lower shutter will be
raised until it is free from the shutter case or box. If desired, a hinge, lid, or
top may be adapted to the shuttle box, so as to be turned over and cover up
the entrance to the case, the lower shutter being let down to rest on this lid.
In order to prevent the upper shutter from running down when the winch is
taken off or let go, a ratchet wheel is placed on the axis of the pinion b,
having a pall or click taking into its teeth, thereby preventing its return; and
when it is desired to let down or lower the shutters, they are firstly to be raised
sufficiently to open the lid of the shutter case, and the pall or click is to be
taken out of the teeth of the rachet wheel; the shutters will then descend
with ease.
When the top shutter descends it brings the lower shutter with it
into the shutter box; the lid may then be turned over, and the whole will be
covered up.
Another modification of my improved shutters is shewn at Fig. 4, which
may be applied in situations where the former would be inconvenient or
impracticable. This Figure represents a front elevation, as seen from the
inside, the shutters being partly closed. In this modification the shutters
are adapted to the sides of the window, and slidden forwards and backwards in
grooves formed in the upper and lower timbers of the window framing, and
are moved by their separate racks and pinions, which, in this instance, are
applied to the lower part of the shutters, the shutters meeting in the middle of
the window. Fig. 5 represents a longitudinal vertical section of a window
frame in which there are two shutters adapted, the one descending and the
other ascending. In this arrangement the shutters counterbalance each other
as they are brought together. The two shutters are connected by a double
rack on each side, with one pinion working in their teeth, so that as one shutter
ascends the other descends, moving simultaneously, and meeting in the middle.
Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the same, shewing the pinion d working in the
double rack, e, e. This modification may also be made to work sideways (as
that in Fig. 4), the shutters being closed simultaneously, the wheel and pinion
being placed at one side only of the window, or in the middle. Figure 7
represents another arrangement, in which the window is protected by one
shutter only, it being raised from below. This arrangement is adapted for
situations where there is a cellar or kitchen below, and in order to admit light
into the lower or basement story, an aperture is made in the shutter, and fitted

page_text: with a door, to be opened when the shutter is down, and closed and fastened
with a bolt when up. In this Figure the rack and pinion movement is placed
in the middle of the shutter, but it may be applied with equal advantage at
both sides, as seen in Fig. 1, the same letters referring to similar parts, as in
the former Figures. j is the aperture for admitting light to the kitchen; the
door is hinged, and closes the aperture when the shutter is up, but when down
the door opens outwards and admits the light.
Having now described the first part of my Invention (viz), improvements
in the construction of shutters for windows of buildings, I would observe, that
as the same letters of reference denote similar or corresponding parts in all the
Figures, it will not be necessary to describe more minutely the construction,
adaptation, and working of all the different modifications of shutters herein
shewn, as any person may readily understand the construction and use of the
several parts by referring to the description of Figures 1, 2, and 3.
The second part of my Invention (viz¹), improvements in the construction
of sashes for windows, consists in the adaptation of what I call an "ebb or
waved rack," with springs to be used in place of the ordinary sash line and
counterbalancing weight. Figure 8 represents a front elevation of a window
sash and framing, part of the latter being removed to shew more distinctly my
improvements. a is the window sash, the framing of the window, with the
ebb rack formed or placed therein; c, c, are springs, having smaller rollers, d, d,
mounted in them; these rollers run over the projecting parts of the rack as
the sash is raised or lowered, and when the sash has been raised it may be left
at any required height, being there retained by the springs pressing the roller d
into the recesses of the rack, and thereby firmly holding it until it is again
moved. Fig. 9 is a similar view, but in this instance the ebb rack is formed
on the sash, the springs being stationary and fixed to the side of the window
framing. The springs, in this instance, act upon two levers, e, e, carrying the
rollers d, d, on their ends, the levers being pressed outwards against the ebb
rack by the springs. Fig. 10 is a view of a detached portion of the sash
frame, having a fluted rack made in it, with another description of spring.
Fig. 11 is a transverse section taken through the window, representing another
modification of the ebb rack; in this instance, the rack is formed upon the
front part of the sash, and the springs are stationary. The springs in all these
modifications are made of steel, but they may be made of any other suitable
metal, and also of any tough wood.
In conclusion, I would observe, that both my improvements are applicable
to carriage windows and other situations, and as they may be readily applied
by any mechanic, I have not thought it necessary to shew the further adap-

page_text: tation thereof in the Drawings, but I will remark that in applying my improve-
ments to carriage and such other windows for the purpose of opening and
closing the same, I propose to place a small rack up the middle bar of the
sash, after the manner shewn in Fig. 7, or to have two racks, one at
each side, as shewn in Fig. 1. And I also can adopt the second part
of Invention (viz.), the ebb rack and springs to the same purposes. These
improvements are also applicable to the moving of the sashes and windows of
hothouses or conservatories and many other places.
Having now described my improvements, and the manner of carrying the
same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not mean or intend to
claim as my Invention the application of the springs by themselves to window
sashes, as that has been before done, but what I claim as my Invention is,―
Firstly, the adaptation of rack and pinion movements to the raising and
lowering or otherwise moving shutters and windows, as above described and
set forth.
And secondly, I claim the construction and adaptation of racks, either ebbed,
fluted, or otherwise indented or corrugated in conjunction with the retaining
springs applied to windows and sashes for the purpose of retaining the sash at
at any required height, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Elijah Leak, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of November, One thousand eight
hundred and thirty-seven.
Inrolled the Twenty-third day of November, One thousand eight hundred
and thirty-seven.