IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR Apparatus TO BE EMPLOYED AS A PROTECTION FOR THE OPERATIVE WHEN CLEANING AND PAINTING WINDOWS AND BUILDINGS ON THE OUTSIDE, WHICH MAY ALSO BE EMPLOYED AS A SUN BLIND, A FIRE ESCAPE, a Flower STAND, AND FOR SCAFFOLDING, AND FOR OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1875

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John James Kennedy at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st.
April 1875.
I, JOHN JAMES KENNEDY, of Great Brunswick Street, in the City of
Dublin, Ireland, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR Apparatus TO BE EMPLOYED AS A PROTECTION FOR
THE OPERATIVE WHEN CLEANING AND PAINTING WINDOWS AND BUILDINGS ON THE
OUTSIDE, WHICH MAY ALSO BE EMPLOYED AS A SUN BLIND, A FIRE ESCAPE, a Flower
STAND, AND FOR SCAFFOLDING, AND FOR OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES," to be as
follows:
In carrying my Invention into practical effect I make three holes, one
in the centre and one in each corner of the frame or woodwork above the
sash, through to the inside of room, and close to the ceiling and top of
the architrave; or the holes may be made in the wall or any convenient
part above said window. I then make three holes, one in each corner
and one in the centre of the frame or woodwork at the bottom sash close
to the window sill; said holes go through from the inside to outside of
window. I then screw two metal plates with tapped holes in the centre
exactly opposite the two corner holes in the frame, close to the window
sill, and screw in a piece of metal tube in each corner plate aforesaid the
desired length. I then secure a metal plate with a hole not tapped in.

page_text: the centre opposite the centre hole close to the sill. I then screw threo
metal plates with holes in the centre on the frame or woodwork below
said bottom sash inside, taking caro to have the holes opposite to the
said plates outside near the window sill, so that the ends of the wire rope
or other suitable material may be passed freely through from the outside
to the inside. I then put on each plate inside a metal cover with a slot the
size of the rope, which comes exactly opposite the hole in the bottom plate;
said cover plays laterally on a pivot running through both plates at the
ond, and fastened by a thumbscrew at the other end. The ends of the rope
have fastenings, knobs, or loops, so that when they are required to be:
fastened inside they are passed through the tubes at each corner and the
hole in the centre to the inside, the cover on the plate is raised up
laterally, the wire rope passed through the slot and then pressed down
and screwed at the other end, the knob or loop or fastening on the end of
said rope resting on the plate prevents it coming out. I do not confine
myself to any particular fastening on the end of said rope inside.
For the centre protection or fire escape I take a piece of wire rope the
desired length and strength, with knobs, loops, or fastenings on the ends.
and coil and fasten it round two hooks or fastenings at a convenient
distance at the side of the architrave or behind the shutters, and put one
end on the top of the said architrave, and out through the said centre
hole in the frame, and bring it down to the bottom of said window and
pass it through the hole in the centre plate into the inside, and fasten as
aforesaid. When the operative is going outside, the bottom end is
released and passes through a loop that is secured by a belt round the
waist, and put it in through the hole at the bottom as aforesaid and
fastened inside.
For the side ropes I take a piece of wire rope or other suitable
material the desired length and strength, with fastenings on the ends,
and put each end out from the inside through the holes in the corners of
the top frame as aforesaid (or any convenient place in the wall or fitting
above said window), and bring each end down the outside of the window,
and pass each end through the tubes at cach corner and fasten inside as
aforesaid.
In building new houses provisions can be made for said fittings.
To form the sun blind shade or protection for the operative I take a
piece or pieces of strong sail canvas or other suitable material the desired
size, and sew it up each side so as to form a hem; I then run up a piece

page_text: of tube through said hem each side, or I sometimes use instead of the
tubes metal oyelots or fastenings fixed to each side of the canvas; I then
release the ends of the said ropes that run through the tubes and put
them through the tubes in the canvas and adjust the blind in its place;
I then put the said ends of the rope through the corner tubes and fasten
inside as aforesaid. Instead of canvas I may sometimes use fancy metal
or net work fastened each side of ropes by screws, springs, or by other
means.
When a cheaper protection is required I make a hole each side of the
sash frame a few inches from the top, and put in a round tube with
fittings and screws at the end and piece of wire rope looped on it for the
operative to hold by.
In forming the shade I do not confine myself to any particular place
in the window for putting the holes for the tubes; I may sometimes have
them only half-way down the side of the windows.
When the fire escape is not required I only use the rope in the centre
without being coiled round the side, which rope runs on a pulley and
through a metal plate fastened on a piece of wood on the top of the
architrave or frame of the window; I also use a piece of rope coming
down as aforesaid that can be held by the hand as support.
In building new houses pulleys and tubes could be fitted in at the top
of windows for said fittings.
> For the fire escape I pull out one of the hooks or fastenings that hold
the wire rope at the side of the architrave, and pull down the rope and
fasten at the bottom of the window as aforesaid. I then get one of the
pieces of canvas that is used for the blind, having metal eyelets each side,
I put it round the body and lace it with the said wire rope, the end is
then thrown into the street, and by means of a slight protection for the
hands a person can slide himself down, as the canvas band supports him
under the arms.
I also have loops coming down a short distance from the top, so that
ropes could be fastened to them in cases where the fittings below would