Detachable Window Frame for Saving Life in Case of Fire.
Year: 1899

page_text: Detachable Window Frame for Saving Life in Case of Fire.
I, LUDWIG WEBER, of Uj-Verbasz, Hungary, Carpenter, do hereby declare the
nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
may
According to the present invention, the window with the frame or sash, form-
ing a box-uke whole is not fixed in the wall of the building, but
be
removed bodily therefrom and let down to the ground by suitable ropes or wires
or the like, so that in case of fire, persons living in the upper stories may release
the window from the wall and gradually let the same down to the ground after
having seated or otherwise secured themselves in the frame.
According to one form of carrying out my invention one or more pairs of
arms are pivotally attached at each side of the window frame and provided with
guiding segments which limit their movements round the pivot, so that when in
operation the said arms will extend horizontally from the window frame and
keep the same a certain distance up from the wall, so that the window when
lowered will run clear of obstacles on the wall such as facings, and the sills
of windows below.
The said window frame is supported at either side by means of cords or wires,
fixed to a point on the said arms, some little distance from the pivot of the same.
If more than one pair of arms is employed at either side of the window, the
second pair is mounted below the first and the cord is attached to the one member
of the lower pair and taken up through an eye on the corresponding member
of the upper pair. The two cords, one at either side of the frame are then
wound round a shaft mounted above the window, which is also provided with
a counterpoise, which winds up as the window cords unwind, and thus prevents a
too rapid movement of the said window downwards.
One member of each pair of arms is longer than the other and provided with a
hooked or bent round end adapted when the window is lowered to engage a guide
groove extending down the front of the wall of the building, whilst the shorter
member is provided with a foot, which rests against the face of the wall and
forms a supporting arm or strutt for the said hook, after the manner of a bracket
support.
The whole window frame is supported on rolls mounted beneath the bottom or
sill of the frame and may be retained in position in the wall when not required to
be lowered by any suitable means which may be easily disengaged. In case of
fire the said fastening may be disengaged, the window will roll out of its seat-
ing in the wall, and the cords being stretched by the weight of the frame will pull
the pairs of arms round into the horizontal position, the hooked
arm will engage the guide groove and the somewhat shorter arm of each pair
will fall slightly below the hook of the longer arm and resting with its foot
against the face of the wall will stay or support the whole frame. The person

page_text: may get into the window frame and work himself gradually down to the ground,
the counterpoise serving to prevent too rapid descent.
Dated this 25th day of August 1899
MARKS & CLERK,
Agents.
I, LUDWIG WEBER, of Uj-Verbasz, Hungary, Carpenter, do hereby declare the
nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
According to the present invention, the window with the frame or sash, form-
ing a box-like whole is not fixed in the wall of the building, but may be
removed easily therefrom and let down to the ground by suitable ropes or wires
or the like, so that in case of fire, persons living in the upper stories may release
the window from the wall and gradually let the same down to the ground after
having seated or otherwise secured themselves in the frame.
In order to render the present specification easily intelligible reference is had
to the accompanying drawing in which similar letters of reference denote similar
parts throughout the several views: -
Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing the window frame in position in the wall
and the surrounding parts of the wall in section, Fig. 2 is a part front elevation
of the window, Fig. 3 a plan of the window frame with the adjacent wall parts
in section and Fig. 4 a perspective part elevation showing the position of the
arms when the window is being lowered.
According to one form of carrying out my invention one or more pairs of
arms g, hand g³, h¹ are pivotally attached at d, d' at each side of the window
frame and provided with guiding segments f f which limit their movements
round the pivot, so that when in operation the said arms will extend horizontally
from the window frame (Fig. 4) and keep the same a certain distance up from
the wall, so that the window when lowered will run clear of obstacles on the wall;
such as facings, and the sills of windows below.
The said window frame a is supported at either side by means of cords or
wires c, fixed to points e, e¹ on the said arms, some little distance from the
pivots d d of the same. If more than one pair of arms is employed at either
side of the window, (2 pairs are shown in the drawing) the second pair g', h¹ is
mounted below the first and the cord is attached to one member g of the lower
pair at and taken up through an eye e on the corresponding member g of the
upper pair. The two cords c, one at either side of the frame are then wound
round a drum b mounted on a shaft mounted above the window, which is also
provided with a counterpoise m having cord which winds up as the window
cords unwind, and thus prevents a too rapid movement of the said window down-
wards.
One member g, g¹ of each pair of arms is longer than the other h h¹ and pro-
vided with a hooked or bent round end (Fig. 4) adapted when the window is
lowered to engage a guide groove j extending down the front of the wall of the
building, whilst the shorter member is provided with a foot k, which rests
against the face of the wall and forms a supporting arm or strutt for the said
hook, after the manner of a bracket support. On lowering the window the
hooked arm may be placed in the open upper end of the groove or rail j (see
Fig. 4).

page_text: The whole window frame is supported on rolls i, mounted beneath the
bottom or sill of the frame and may be retained in position in the wall when not
required to be lowered by any suitable means which may be easily disengaged.
In case of fire the said fastening may be disengaged, the window will roll out of
its seating in the wall, and the cords being stretched by the weight of the frame
will pull the pairs of arms g, h, g', h' round into the horizontal position, the
hooked arms g, gl must be placed in the guide groove and the somewhat shorter
arm h, h¹ of each pair will fall slightly below the hook of the longer arm and
resting with its foot k against the face of the wall will stay or support the whole
frame.
The person may get into the window frame and work himself gradually down
to the ground, the counterpoise serving to prevent too rapid descent.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1: The combination of a window having window frame detachably mounted
in the wall, means for suspending said window frame, and lateral lever armis
mounted at each side of the said frame and means for projecting them forward
when the window is lowered, to retain the said frame the required distance from
the front of the house substantially as described.
2: The combination of a window and frame detachably mounted in the wall
two pairs of arms pivotally mounted one above the other at each side of the said
frame, cords at each side of the window and drums mounted above the window
on to which said cords are wound, the said cords having their ends attached to
the longer hooked arms of each pair at suitable distance from the pivot, and means
at the front of the building to guide the said hooked arms, and a foot k to the
shorter arms to serve as a strut substantially as described.
Dated this 25th day of May 1900.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, and 25, Cross Street, Manchester
Agents.