Improvements in Apparatus for Cleaning Window Panes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 27th June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 27th Apr., 1891-Accepted, 20th June, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Cleaning Window Panes.
We THOMAS CUTHBERT BELL Senior Commercial Traveller, 31 Jefferson
Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, and THOMAS CUTHBERT BELL Junior Commercial
Traveller 32 Church Street Newcastle upon Tyne do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to a machine or apparatus for cleaning the outsides
of window panes from the interior of rooms, to prevent accidents, and for cleaning
the same generally from dangerous and difficult positions.
The base of this invention consists of an angular frame or block in shape like a
printer's plain capital letter L with the vertical and horizontal portions of about
equal length, the breadth and thickness being about half these dimensions.
To the horizontal end at the left-hand side a handle will be fixed to hold in the
left hand, the bend or inner angle will be placed generally on the bottom of the
window sash, the vertical end will thus be placed outside of the window while
the holding handle will be inside the room.
Through the block a passage and hole will be made commencing at the lowest
part of the horizontal end and terminating at the vertical end, this passage will be
wide at the entrance and gradually decreasing in diameter to the size required for
a flat or round lath or rod to be passed through it..
This passage through the block will be at its entrance, and on the sole or bottom
portion of the horizontal arm an open passage or hollow as far as the middle of the
vertical end of the block or frame, and will then turn upwards through the vertical
end so that the top or roof of this passage and the hole up through the vertical end
will form the segment of a circle, and the working rod when at rest will hang
through the vertical end, but when pulled by the operator towards him by taking
hold of the bottom part will press against the side of the hole and the sloping roof
of the passage, and describe the segment of a circle when in motion.
This flat lath or round rod will be called the working rod and will be provided
with a bend like a walking stick handle at the bottom part, it will be worked by the
right hand up and down inclining backwards and forwards. To this rod an irregular
square flat slab will be attached, about four inches long by three inches broad, and
as thin as its requirements will allow.
One and sometimes two uprights or rods will be fixed in the vertical end of the
block, in length from two feet and upwards, these will be flat round or angular and
will be when in position parallel to the window panes.
Between these uprights or rods when two are used, and behind the upright when
one is used the passage and hole through the block will terminate.
The flat slab will be perforated from edge to edge transversally with two holes
or passages when two uprights are used, and with one hole only when one upright
and down the uprights,
upon
is used. These perforations are for the slab to work
the cleaning cloths being on the slab will rub against the glass in cleaning.
up
The slab sides will be indented midway to allow of the cleaning cloths to be kept
in position when wrapped around the slab, and a hole or eye will be made in each
of the four corners of the slab for fixing purposes also.
The portion of the working rod in the block when working will describe the
segment of a circle, the resistance of the straight flexible rod to the circularity of
the passage will be overcome by placing metalic or glass bearings inside the passage,
also rollers similar to a sewing thread reel on the points of greatest resistance.
One of these rollers will be placed behind the uprights at the vertical end of the
block, and will be concave or depressed in the middle and covered with a vulcanized

page_text: india-rubber band to enable the smooth flat or round working rod to bite the rollers
and carry them around.
When extra long windows have to be cleaned from either the outside or inside, or
when windows are placed so as not to be in workable proximity to the operator, or
when they are fixed windows not movable by cord or pully, or the strength of the
operator is not sufficient to hold a heavy machine in the left hand as might be the
case with a small girl, the machine can be worked from and resting on the bottom
of the window frame instead of from the bottom of the sash. And as the first of
these reasons will necessarily require an increased length of the uprights, the length
of the working rod will have to be increased also. And as an extra length of
working rod may be inconvenient to manipulate a loop or endless cord or belt will
be used instead of the working rod, and passed around the roller in the block at
the foot of the uprights, and from this roller to a similar roller or pully at the top
of the uprights. This cord or belt to be worked in a similar manner to the working
rod with an up and down motion, to this cord or belt the cleaning slab will be
attached.
The cleaning slab will be so attached to the working cord or belt as to slide up
and down upon it, and it will slide up and down on the working rod also by means
of a similar belt being placed on the working rod so that the slab will have two up
and down motions at the will of the operator, but in the case of a single upright
being used an extra passage will be required in the slab transversally behind the
one previously mentioned, and when two uprights are used an extra passage will be
required between the two first mentioned, these extra pašsages being made for the
working rod, belt or lath respectively.
It is obvious that this machine is intended to be used from any position desired
by the operator with ease and safety, but the upper and lower surfaces of the
horizontal portion of the frame or block will be formed principally to fit either the
top or bottom of the window sash, and the bottom of the window frame so as to
catch the edge of any of these parts when placed in position.
Dated this 25th day of June 1890.
THOMAS CUTHBERT BELL, SENIOR.
THOMAS CUTHBERT BELL, JUNR.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Cleaning Window Panes.
We THOMAS CUTHBERT BELL Sen' Commercial Traveller 31 Jefferson Street
Newcastle on Tyne and THOMAS CUTHBERT BELL Jun Commercial Traveller
99 Stanhope Street Newcastle on Tyne do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
This invention has reference to a machine or apparatus for cleaning window panes
on the outside parts from the interior of rooms to prevent accidents and for cleaning
the same generally from dangerous and difficult positions without ladders and steps
generally used for the purpose.
The basis of this invention consists of a block in shape something like a printer's
plain capital letter ✓ with the vertical and horizontal parts of about equal
lengths.
The length breadth and thickness of these vertical, and horizontal parts will vary
in size according to the dimensions of the sashes of the windows to be cleaned, that
is if the sashes of the windows be about 3 inches square on the top, and bottom
parts, the block in the vertical and horizontal parts will on the bend or inner angle
be about the same dimensions.
To the horizontal end of this block, will be a handle fixed either to the right or
left of the block to suit the operator in working from the top or bottom of the sash,

page_text: but principally placed on the left hand side.-The inner angle when placed on the
bottom of the sash will thus cause the vertical end of the block to be outside, and
the handle will be inside the room.
On the bottom or sole of the block two feet or projections will be placed from
half an inch high and upwards as required, one on the right and one on the left side
of the bottom of the block, these feet will be about as broad as they are required
to be high, and being on the bottom of the horizontal arm of the block will com-
mence about a quarter of an inch from the vertical end to about the same distance
from the horizontal termination.
These feet or projections will be at the part nearest the vertical end of the block
sloping (backwards), and are for the purpose of bearing against the sloping edge
bottom of the upper window sash when it is put down to clean the bottom part of
the glass in the bottom sash which must be done to clean the glass in the bottom
sash on the outside, the upper sash being brought nearly full down, and the bottom
sash raised a little up will thus allow the operator to clean the outside, and the
slope on the feet will meet and bear against the counter slope on the bottom of the
upper sash so that the operator may not break the window by the extreme vertical
end of the block bearing against the glass.
In describing the block with handle and feet attached we suppose it to be in
position on the bottom of the window sash.
The handle of the block, and the part the bottom of the sash comes down on we
call the inside or horizontal portion, and the vertical end we will call the outside
part, for a clear and proper description of this invention we are compelled to give
an idea of the kind of windows to be cleaned, and describe the mode of working on
account of the variety of styles of windows, and the differences of size in their
construction, also the number of panes varying from two to as many as twenty four
and often more.
Through the block a passage and hole will be made commencing at the lowest or
bottom part of the horizontal end, and terminating.at the vertical end, this passage
will be wide enough for a flat or round lath or rod to be passed through it, this
lath to be called the working rod.
This passage or hollow on the bottom of the horizontal part of the block will
extend to about the middle of the vertical end, and will then turn upwards through
the vertical part so that the roof of this hollow in the horizontal part and its
continuity in the hole up through the vertical part will form the segment of an
imperfect circle, and the working lath or rod when at rest will hang through the
vertical end, but when worked up and down by the operator and pulled towards
him by taking hold of the bottom of the rod which will be furnished with a handle
like the bend on a walking stick the working rod will bear against the roof of the
passage and hole through the block and describe the segment of a circle when in
motion.
The resistance of the straight flexible rod to the circularity of the passage when
the rod is in motion we overcome by placing small rollers where required on the
points of greatest resistance, one of these rollers covered with vulcanized india
rubber will be placed in a recess in the block at the back part of the vertical end,
and nearly at the top of the same just behind the working rod as it comes upwards
out of the block so that the working rod will bear against this roller when the
operator pulls the handle of the rod towards him, and the rod being of flexible
material will not break with the strain of bending.
A single piece of lance or other wood or material will be used in getting the
thinness strength and flexibility required to form the working rod, but to get the
utmost strength and flexibility combined in forming some of the working rods,
particularly where the window sole or stool projects much into the room, and is
nearly on a level with the bottom of the sash and glass we combine two or more
thin laths to form the rod, the extra laths not being joined at one end so that they
may accommodate themselves to their different relative positions when it is
necessary to bend them much.

page_text: The hole up through the vertical part of the block near the extreme vertical end
will be nearly a square passage right through except the small recess where the
roller is fixed, and also except where the roof of the hollow on the horizontal part
joins the vertical hole, this junction being cut away at the angle forms a ĉuṛve
against which the working rod bears when in motion.
The circularity given to the whole passage through the block by this curve
upwards enables the operator to easily work the rod up and down inclining the
bottom part towards him when down, and from him when up, the small roller near
the top of the extreme end of the outer or vertical part helps to keep the working
rod in a vertical position, any resistance caused by the curve we overcome by
smooth metallic lining to the roof of the curve when the block is formed of wood of
a soft nature.
A lath and sometimes a double lath will be fixed perpendicularly in the front
part of the vertical end of the block, the single lath will be about an inch wide, and
the double lath in the divided parts will be about half an inch wide, these will be
called the uprights single and double and will be placed in the top part of the
vertical end so that when the "block is in position on the bottom of the sash the
uprights will be as near to, and as parallel to the glass as possible on the outside.
The extreme end of the block will be cut away sloping slightly towards the
bottom part, so that the block may be as small as its requirements will admit of the
limited space between the glass in each sash when they are parallel to each other
requiring us to economize every fraction of an inch in the construction of this
apparatus.
When a double upright is used the two side lengths will be joined at the top end
by a piece being placed between them to keep them apart about an inch in length
and kept together by a thin addition being joined to cach side of the flat surface of
this junction so that the working rod will glide up and down between the two sides
of the double upright. The bottom ends of the double upright having their
foundation at each side of the front of the passage through the block, and the single
upright will have its foundation at the middle of the front of the passage, and the
working rod will glide up and down behind it. The uprights will be set in their
foundations so as to be straight or lean backwards or forwards at their tops
according to the thickness of the sashes so as to regulate the pressure of the top
parts on the glass.
To the tops of the working rod irregular square flat slabs will be fixed varying in
size, and as thin as their requirement will admit of from a quarter of an inch and
upwards, and for cleaning some formation of windows this slab will be attached to
the working rod so that it can slide up and down on it by being laced on a soft belt
fixed to the top and bottom part of the working rod, these different ways of fixing
this slab we find as necessary as having a single and double upright on account of
the greatly different positions windows are placed in, and the great difference in
their modes of construction and sizes and numbers of panes in each sash.
This before mentioned slab will be in shape and formation as follows:--An
irregular square with the corners rounded off, the four edges indented midway with
a sweeping fall and rise from corner to corner to allow of the cleaning cloths to be
kept in position when wrapped around it, and a hole or eye in each of the four
corners about an inch in diameter to allow of the ends of the cleaning cloths to be
passed through for fixing purposes also.
It will have a passage from edge to edge transversely through it wide and deep
enough to allow of the upright and working rod to pass through it easily.
The slab will be placed on the single or double uprights respectively by passing
the uprights through the transverse passage in the slab,-to keep the slab as small
as possible we have one passage through it only for either a single or double
upright.
The slab thus placed will work up and down upon the uprights and the working
rod will then be passed through the block and the top end fixed to the slab, the
transverse hole in the slab being wide enough for the two legs of the double upright

page_text: and the working rod between them also, with a double upright we will be able to
keep the slab as thin as possible which will be necessary in cleaning windows with
the space between the glass in the upper and lower sashes very narrow when they
are parallel to each other, and for iron barred windows also, with a double upright
the slab will be screwed to the top of the working rod right through the two sides
of the slab.
In fixing the top of the working rod to the slab with a single upright the working
rod will be fixed to one side of the slab only as the single upright will occupy the
opposite inside space for the slab to slide up and down on, the slab on the single
upright will generally have to be thicker in its formation but smaller laterally,
particularly in cleaning windows of old fashioned designs with a great multiplicity
of panes, we then fix the slab to the working rod by lacing the slab to a soft belt
fixed to the working rod at the top and bottom.-We lace the slab to the belt by
making two slits in the flat side of the slab near the middle, these slits go through
the side into the transverse passage through the slab, we pass one end of the belt
through one slit and bring it out at one end of the transverse passage, we then
repeat this operation with the opposite end of the belt and bring it out at the other
end of the transverse passage, the slab will thus be laced to the belt and can be
moved up and down on the belt and yet be fixed to it,-the slab will then be placed
on the working rod and the belt fixed to the top and the bottom parts thereof upon
which it can be moved up and down to any position or altitude desired at the will
of the operator who will be enabled to clean some windows of the old fashioned
kind-by this arrangement of the apparatus; not to be come at without cleaning
them from the outside even with a single upright and the slab fixed to the top of
the working rod.
A square pad about a quarter of an inch thick of felt or any spongy material we
affix to the slab so that it can easily and quickly be put on and taken off by being
laced on to the slab, this is for washing the glass before using the cleaning cloths,-
one end of a flat lace is first sewn to the front of the pad at the middle of the left
or right hand side about an inch from the edge, and the corners of the slab and pad
are laced through the pad to each other. Figure 1, in the drawings shews the back
of the pad laced to the four corners of the slab so that the pad can be quickly
attached or separated by tightening or slackening the free end of the lace and each
corner fold, the lace being permanently kept laced on the pad so that less trouble is
experienced.
For cleaning extra long windows from the inside of rooms it is obvious that extra
long uprights and working rods would not be manageable or easy to handle, in fact
it would be impossible to get them into the small space between the parallel sashes,
for these windows we employ the soft belt only and dispense with the working rod
the slab to be laced to the belt as hereinbefore described.
The belt will be furnished at each end with a flat wooden handle about five inches
long by one broad and about as thick as will allow it to pass through the block, the
belt ends being fixed in the centre of the smallest part of these handles similar to a
dinner knife handle when rivetted to each side of the iron.-Each end of each
handle will have a curved indenture to keep in position any superfluous belt
wrapped longways around it.-The belt will thus form when the two handles are
grasped in the hand an endless belt.
Two pieces of wood from two to three inches long by about the same thickness
and as broad as the tops of the window sashes, will be rounded on the tops from the
backs to the fronts and grooved in the centre for the belt to work on, and with a
ridge on each end, these will be termed sheaves, to the two sides of the one intended
for the top of the bottom sash a piece of sheet zinc or other malleable sheet metal
will be attached as guides to keep the sheaves on the sashes, falling an inch or more
below the wood part of the sheave, the counter part of this will only have one side
furnished with this guide, but will be furnished with a screw having its head in the
centre of the sheave and the half of the screw projecting outwards from that side

page_text: without a guide fall, so as to screw it to the sheave before noted, thus combined
they are intended for the tops of both sashes when they are level with each other
in cleaning the outside of the top sash.
These sheaves are for the belt to slide up and down on, in cleaning extra long
windows, in cleaning the bottom sash only one sheave will be used, the two sided
one, when cleaning the outside of the top sash the two combined will be required,
the operator by regulating the screw on the single sided sheave and occasionally
widening and compressing both the metallic sides of the other sheave will be able
to accommodate one pair of sheaves to many different sashes the two sided one
being made a maximum width.
The two sided sheave being placed on the top of the bottom sash the flat handle
of the belt will be passed between the two nearly parallel sashes, the upper one
being set a little below the bottom one so that the sloping end of the feet of the
block may meet the slope on the edge of the upper sash, and the vertical end of the
block will be between the panes in the upper and lower sashes, the handle of
the belt will be passed through the block either around or in front of the small
roller within the inside top of the vertical end and into the room.-The belt will be
thus placed around the window sash working on the sheave and through the block,
the slab and pad, or slab and cleaning cloths being laced on the belt.
The short uprights on the block when using the belt without a working rod must
always be a double upright, and will be furnished with a roller similar to the roller
in the block, at the top end inclining to the side of the upright nearest the panes to
press against the belt when in motion up and down so as to press the slab and pad,
or slab with cleaning cloths attached thereto against the panes,-the handle of the
block being depressed or elevated and pulled towards the operator so as to influence
the pressure of the slab against the panes.
When the top of the upright is too thin and fragile to carry a roller a projection
on the same position a roller would have occupied will have to be substituted having
a rounded face like a roller cut in two longways to press against the belt.
We adopt long uprights only when we have space to use them which we find not
possible to do when cleaning the outside of extra long windows from the inside of
rooms, but the long uprights we use in combination with the other parts of the
apparatus to correspond in cleaning the side of windows next to the operator when
they are placed (to a limited extent) higher than the operator thus doing away with
any danger from using short ladders or steps-the washing pad we then attach to
the slab on the opposite side to that used when cleaning the outside of panes from
the inside of rooms.
It is obvious that this apparatus is intended to work from any position desired by
the operator with ease and safety-but the slopes of the angle on the vertical and
horizontal parts of the block are formed to fit and catch either the top or bottom
parts of the window sashes when placed in position upon these parts-the bottom or
sole of the block being shaped as much as possible to fit the bottom of the window
frame when the feet of the block rest on the outward slope of the frame, the slope
on the outer end of the feet being for the purpose already hereinbefore explained.
Figure 1. in the accompanying drawings represents C the soft belt with one
handle B attached, and the pad K laced to the slab D and the slab laced to
the belt.
Figure 2 represents, D the slab on the double upright I, and the working rod H
fixed to the slab, the vertical part of the block F and the horizontal end E with
the foundation of the handle of the block A on the left hand side G the handle of
the working rod when home and when drawn out, and H the working rod.
Figure 3 represents, the bottom surface of the block, M the feet, N the slope on
the feet, the handle of the working rod, & A the handle of the block.
Figure 4 shows the single and double sided sheaves J joined together with screw
regulator between them.
Figure 5 gives a side view of the outside & interior of block with edge of slab D

page_text: attached to working rod H when home and when drawn out, L the small roller in
vertical part of block, F vertical part of block, E horizontal side portion of the
same, G the handle of working rod, and A the handle of the block.
Having now particularly described the construction of our said invention and the
formation of its several parts, and in what manner the same have to be made use of
we declare that what we claim is :-
First The employment of a block with a handle and two small feet attached
thereto and a small roller inside as herein described with a half circuitous passage
through this block for a lath or working rod to move up and down through the
block, & the occasional combination of a belt to this working rod, & the use of a
belt through the block without a working rod respectively.
Second-The use of a slab fixed to the top of the working rod for the attachment
of cleaning cloths, & for the use of a belt laced to this slab, and fixed to the top &
bottom of the working rod, and for the use of a washing pad laced to the slab as
herein described.
Third The use of single & double uprights fixed in the block to work in com-
bination with the slab, and working rod, or slab, and belt, and pad, or slab & belt
and pad and working rod respectively.
Fourth The use of sheaves for the tops of the two sashes of the window to be
used in combination with the belt and double upright with the roller attached to
the top side thereof when the belt is moved up & down through the block and
around the window sash, & the use of the slab as constructed and as attached to
the belt.
Fifth The improved apparatus for cleaning window panes on the outside from
the interior of rooms & for cleaning window panes generally when they are in
difficult positions to reach by the cleaner with ease & safety in their different styles
sizes, and positions as hereinbefore described in this Specification, & illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 25th day of April 1891.
THOMAS CUTHBERT BELL, SENR.
THOMAS CUTHBERT BELL, JR.