An Improved Fastener, Chiefly Designed for Securing Window-sashes, Casements, and the like.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 18th May, 1887.
Specification Accepted, 15th July, 1887.
[Communicated from abroad by ALFRED HENRY CROCKFORD, of 213, 7th Street,
East Newark, New Jersey, United States of America, Inventor.]
An Improved Fastener, Chiefly Designed for Securing
Window-sashes, Casements, and the like.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to an improved fastener which is chiefly designed for securing
window-sashes, casements, French windows and the like.
One object of my said invention is to provide a cheap and efficient sash-fastener
which cannot be opened by a knife or similar instrument from the outside of the
window.
My said invention, moreover, comprises a novel construction and combination of
parts, whereby I am enabled to dispense with the use of screws, rivets, springs or the
like, with the exception of the screws required for securing the fastener to the sash.
My improved fastener comprises a bolt which is arranged to slide longitudinally in
a bracket designed to be secured to one sash or part of a window and which may be
caused to enter and engage with or be disengaged and withdrawn from a bracket or
box attached to the other sash or part of the window by partially rotating the said
bolt in one or the other direction.
My improved fastener is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which
Figure 1 is a plan, and
Figure 2 a front elevation of the said fastener.
Figure 3 is an end view of the same, shewing also part of the window-sashes in
vertical section.
Figure 4 is a plan of the bolt detached, and
Figure 5 is a plan of the bearing hereinafter described.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
a is a hollow bracket of brass or other suitable metal, which is to be firmly secured

page_text: to the lower sash A (Figure 3) by means of screws passing through the lugs b. The
said bracket a is formed with a groove a¹, one half of which is parallel to the front
edge of the bracket, and the other half whereof is of spiral form as shewn in plan in
Figure 1. c is a step or bearing which is fitted into the said bracket from the under-
side thereof, and is retained therein by projections c¹ on the said bearing fitting into
corresponding recesses in the bracket a; so that, when the said bracket is attached to
the sash, the said bearing is securely held in place. d is a bolt which is fitted loosely
between the step or bearing e and the bracket a, and is provided with a lever d¹ for
operating the same. The bolt dis, moreover, provided with a pin or projection &
arranged to work in the groove a¹ in the bracket a, and with another pin or pro-
jection d³ extending at right angles to the pin or projection & for the purpose
hereinafter described.
e is a bracket or box which is to be secured by means of screws to the upper sash B
(Figure 3) and is provided with a projection e¹ having an opening into which the
bolt d is adapted to slide. The projection e¹ of the said bracket e is made with an
inclined surface e³, so that, in the partial rotation of the bolt d as hereinafter described,
the projection d³ of the said bolt will, by its action upon the said inclined surface,
draw together the upper and lower sashes.
-
The operation of my improved fastener is as follows, that is to say -The bolt d is
shewn in its closed position. To effect the withdrawal of the said bolt from the bracket
or box e, the lever d¹ of the said bolt must be turned from right to left as indicated by
the arrow in Figure 2, through one half or about one half of a revolution. In this
movement of the said bolt, the projection d³ is brought opposite the inclined surface e
so that the sashes are released from pressure; the pin or projection d' then enters the
spiral part of the groove a¹ and, in the continued rotation of the bolt d, the said bolt is
disengaged from and drawn back clear of the bracket e, the bearing c being cut out as
at c², Figure 5, to allow the projection d³ to enter the bracket a and thus permit the
opening of the window.
To fasten the window, the bolt d is to be partially rotated in the reverse direction
to that indicated by the arrow in Figure 2. In this partial rotation, the said bolt is
first caused to slide forward into the bracket e and then to engage with the pro-
jection e¹ of the said bracket and, by its action upon the inclined surface e², to draw
the sashes closely together.
It will be seen that the fastener shown in the drawing consists of four parts, viz :-
The bracket a, the bearing c, the bolt d and the bracket e, and that these parts can be
readily connected or put together without the necessity for using screws, rivets,
springs or the like; and yet, when secured in place, none of the parts are liable to
become detached. Moreover the said parts may be made of cast metal and require no
filling the fastener can, therefore, be made very cheaply.
My improved fastener is well adapted for securing casements or French windows,
doors, and the like.
When my fastener is to be used for high windows, the bolt is sometimes provided
with two arms or levers so that it may be easily operated from the floor of a building
by means of cords attached to the said arms or levers. It may be made to serve as a
burglar alarm by so arranging the parts in connection with a battery and suitable
mechanism that, on the opening of the fastener, the lever d' will break or interrupt an
electric circuit and thus set a bell ringing.
It is obvious that the construction of my improved fastener may be somewhat
modified without departing from the nature of my said invention.
In some instances, I make expensive fasteners according to my said invention, the
parts being highly finished and accurately fitted together, and, if desired ornamented
in any convenient manner.
I sometimes make the bearing c reversible, that is to say, I make both ends thereof
alike so that it is immaterial whether it is placed in the bracket a in the position
shewn or turned end for end.
I can, moreover, provide other means than the lever shewn in the drawing, for
operating the bolt d.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I wish it understood that I claim :-
First. In a fastener for the purposes above specified, the employment of a bolt
which, when partially rotated in one direction, will slide into and engage with a
bracket or box, and, when partially rotated in the reverse direction, will be disengaged
and withdrawn from the said bracket or box, substantially as set forth.
Second. A fastener for the purposes above specified, formed of separate parts which
can be readily put together without the use of screws, rivets, springs or the like and
which, when the fastener is attached to a window, door or similar object will be
retained in place, substantially as set forth.
Third. The combination of a bracket having a groove one part of which is spiral
and the other part circumferential, and a bolt fitted to slide in the said bracket and
provided with pins or projections one of which works in the said groove and the other
of which is adapted to enter and engage with a bracket or box, substantially as, and
for the purposes, set forth.
Fourth. The improved fastener consisting of the parts constructed and combined
substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawing and operating
as, and for the purposes, specified.