Year: 1885

page_text: I BENJAMIN GREEN SKIPWORTH of 40 and 42 Queen Victoria Street in the
City of London, Outfitter do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of my invention is to produce a window fastener which automatically
secures the window when the sashes are closed so that all that is necessary is to
close the window in the ordinary way and when the sashes come together, or the
meeting rails meet they are automatically securely fastened and cannot be opened
from the outside, but from the inside the sashes can be opened when required,
while at the same time the fastening is effective and simple both in construction
and action.
According to my invention I fit a plate to the outer meeting rail which plate
may for further security extend down the inner face of the frame rail.
From the inner edge of this plate there extends another plate or standard in an
upward direction which may be bent over at top and extend downwards at an
angle to the upright plate. The standard and angle piece when extended forming
the shape of a letter A; the base is bent at right angles to the upright plate and
the tail of same is passed through a slot in the upright or standard, or the tail
piece is forked so that when the bottom of the angle piece is pressed the same may
be brought flush with the upright piece. But the angle piece may be rivetted or
otherwise secured to the standard and the base or tail piece may also be connected
to the angle piece. The whole may be made of spring steel. The normal position
of the angle piece is in the extended position and when so extended the base
projects over the lower meeting rail and prevents the sash from moving. To open
the sash, press the angle piece up to the upright plate and parallel therewith and
just lift the sash till it catches the edge of the angle piece when the lower sash can
be raised or the upper sash lowered as desired, the fastening returning to its
normal position as soon as the meeting rails have passed one another.
Provision is made for bringing the angle piece flush with the standard by for
example a lever which may be operated by a cord or chain when required or the
lever may be worked on the meeting rail itself. On closing the sashes as soon as
the meeting rails are flush with one another the angle piece comes out over the
adjacent meeting rail and neither sash can be opened till the angle piece is pushed
back.

page_text: Provision may also be made for securely and automatically locking the fastening
when it is in position by the base of the fastener pressing on a projection on the
meeting rail which projection enters a slot in the base of the fastening or the
reverse action may take place by a clip on the base of the fastening entering a slot
in the meeting rail and in this way the fastening or angle piece of same cannot be 5
pushed back parallel with the standard until the catch is withdrawn by pressing
on a button or otherwise.
There may be one or several of such fasteners to each window.
A New or Improved Self-acting Window Fastener.
I, BENJAMIN GREEN SKIPWORTH of 40 and 42 Queen Victoria Street, in the
City of London, Outfitter 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:—
The object of my invention is to produce a window fastener which automatically
secures the window when the sashes are closed so that all that is necessary is to
close the window in the ordinary way and when the sashes come together, or the
meeting rails meet, they are automatically securely fastened, and cannot be opened
from the outside; but from the inside the sashes can be opened when required,
while at the same time the fastening is effective and simple, both in construction
and action.
And in order that my invention may be clearly understood I will proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is a
transverse section of the meeting rails of a window sash showing a window
fastener constructed according to my invention, applied thereto. Figure 2 shows &
plan of same. Figure 3 shows the sash fastener in position to allow the window to
be opened. Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section, and Figure 5 is a plan of a
similar sash fastener applied to a window sash. Figure 6 is a vertical transverse
section of another arrangement of my sash fastener; Figure 7 is a perspective view
of this latter sash fastener detached from the frame; Figure 8 is a sectional side
elevation of another form of sash fastener; Figure 9 is a front elevation of same,
and Figure 10 shows same fastener when in position to allow window being
opened, and Figure 11 shows in perspective a similar fastener to that shown at
Figure 7 attached to the frame.
The same letters of reference refer to like parts in all the figures,

page_text: According to my invention I fit a plate A to the outer meeting rail B which
plate A may for further security extend down the inner face of the said frame
rail B. From the inner edge of the vertical upward extension of the plate A there
extends another plate C in an upward direction bent over at top, and extending
downwards as shown in Figure 1 at an angle to the upright plate, the angle piece,
when extended, forming the shape of a letter A. The base of the plate C is bent
at right angles or nearly so to the upright plate, and the tail of same is passed
through a slot in the upright edge or lug A¹ of the plate or bracket A, or the tail
piece is forked so that when the bottom of the angle piece C is pressed the same
may be brought flush with the upright piece or edge of the bracket A. The angle
piece C as shown in Figures 1 to 3, is rivetted or otherwise secured to the standard
or vertical edge of same, and the base or tail piece may also (although not so
shown) be connected to the angle piece C, or the angle piece C may be formed in a
piece with the standard or edge A. The whole, in the latter case may be made of
spring steel, but in the one illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the angle piece only
is shown as consisting of spring steel rivetted to the edge A¹. The normal position
of the angle piece C is the extended position as in Figures 1 and 2 and when so
extended its base projects over the lower meeting rail B¹ and prevents the Bash
from moving. To open the sash it is necessary that the angle piece C should be
pressed or brought up to the upright A¹, and parallel therewith, and then the sash
may be lifted until it passes or catches the edge of the angle piece, and either the
lower sash B' can be raised, or the upper sash B lowered as desired; the fastening
angle piece C returning to its normal position as soon as the meeting rails have
passed one another. Provision is made for bringing the angle piece C flush with
the standard or upright A¹ by, for example, and as shown in Figures 1 to 11, a
rock lever D mounted on a pivot supported by the wing piece A³, the lower end of
the lever D having secured to it the tail end of the angle piece C; and this lever D
may be operated by a cord or chain when required as shown at Figures 4, 5 and 6,
or the lever may be worked by hand on the meeting rail itself as shown in
Figures 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9 10 and 11. From the foregoing description it will be seen
especially with reference to Figures 4, 5, 7 and 11, that the lever D may be formed
in a piece, or secured, or fixed directly, with the angle piece C, and be swung from
the pivot or rock shaft D' between the wing pieces A³, all as aforesaid; the angle
piece being provided with a stop tail piece C¹ limiting the distance it is forced
outwards by the spring which may be an independent one as shown at F, when it
is desired, that the angle piece be not itself formed of spring steel. Figures 4 and 5
are shown provided with a standard E carrying a sheave El, and is fixed to the
inner meeting rail plate E' which plate, it may be remarked projects slightly over
the rail plate A of the outer meeting rail preventing it being tampered with from
the outside by say a knife or other instrument. Instead of a separate spring F
being employed I may, by bending the lever D, and increasing its weight, cause the
angle piece to return to its normal position and secure the sash by gravity acting
on the lever D. On closing the sashes, as soon as the meeting rails are flush with
one another, the angle piece C comes out over the adjacent meeting rail and
neither sash can be opened until the angle piece C is pushed back.
Figure 6 shows the lever D attached to the inner rail B¹ the angle piece C being
fitted upon the outer rail B, and provided with a spring F. The lever D is
provided with a weighted tail piece and pivotted on standard D¹ as shown. Upon
drawing the lever back the tail piece of same presses the angle piece C back upon
its spring F and holds it, thereby allowing the sashes to be opened. Upon releasing
the lever the angle piece C assumes its former position by action of spring F and
effectually prevents the window being opened from the outside. Figure 7 shows
the same fastener as at Figure 6 but provided with a lever arm D to be worked
direct by hand in lieu of cord and lever fitted to lower sash frame as shown in
Figure 6.
At Figures 8, 9 and 10 the fastener or angle piece C and the lever D are
supported upon separate pivots as at Figure 6 and the angle piece C is forced out
>

page_text: by a separate spring as at Figures 4 and 5; the. lever D and the upper portion of
the angle piece Care shaped in such manner that when the window is to be opened
the lever D is first moved from the position at Figure 8 to that shown at Figure 10.
The incline D¹ of the lever will thus act on the projecting part C* of the angle
piece C until the projection C* comes into the recess D' of the lever when the
angle piece and the lever will remain in the position shown at Figure 10.
On the lower sash being raised or the upper one lowered the sash rail B¹ will
come in contact with the bent end of lever D and releases same when the fastener
resumes its normal position as at Figure 8.
By this arrangement both hands are left.free to raise or lower the sashes as the
case may be, which is requisite with heavy frames.
Provision may also be made for securely and automatically locking the fastening
when it is in position by the base of the fastener pressing on a spring projection
on the meeting rail which projection after being depressed would rise and enter a
slot in the base of the angle piece of the fastening, or a reverse action may take
place by a clip on the base of the fastening entering a slot in the meeting rail
plate E and in this way the fastening or angle piece of same cannot be pushed
back parallel with the standard until the catch is withdrawn by pressing on a
button or otherwise.
There may be one or several of such fasteners to each window.
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:-
In automatic and self acting window fasteners, the employment of an angle
piece C and parts connected therewith as herein described operated by a lever D
for undoing the fastening, which latter securely locks the sashes when closed, all
substantially as, and for the purposes set forth.