IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FITTINGS & METHOD OF HANGING WINDOW SASHES TO FACILITATE THEIR
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Gurman, of Onslow Road, Southampton, in
the County of Hants, Builder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE FITTINGS & METHOD OF HANGING WINDOW SASHES TO FACILITATE THEIR
"
Sealed the 28th February 1862, and dated the 18th September, 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Gurman at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 18th Septem-
ber 1861.
JOHN GURMAN, of Onslow Road, Southampton, in the County of Hants,
Builder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE FITTINGS & METHOD OF HANGING WINDOW SASHES TO FACILITATE THEIR
REMOVAL POR CLEANING, & OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
My improvements relate, first, to the fitting and hanging of window sashes
in such manner that they can be readily removed from the frames for cleaning
and other purposes without the necessity of disturbing the beads. To effect
this I form what I term a pocket in one side of the window frame, similar
to what is sometimes made to get at the counterbalance weights. I make
such pocket somewhat longer than the one of the sashes and of pieces
jointed together in their length, the upper one having a spring catch and
the lower one fitting into a step or socket, and whereby such pieces are
released and slide out of and into position. In this pocket piece I also
comprise part of the bead that separates the sashes, so that when the pocket
The
piece is removed a part of the bead of same length also comes out.

page_text: pocket piece having been removed the inside sash is slid into position
embraced by the pocket and may be there moved laterally to an extent of
say of an inch, which is sufficient to clear the bead on the opposite side
and the sash so removed from the frame. In order to detach the cords readily
I secure a metal piece to the end of the cord, which piece has a globular
enlargement at the end; this is received in a socket fixed to the sash
from which it may be readily detached in the manner of a door chain.
In the piece attached to the cord, I form a hole or socket to receive the
end of the cord, which I secure thereto by a binding screw. The outside
sash may also be slid to position opposite the pocket, into which it may be
moved laterally, being first moved inwards a little on the pocket side for
which it is free, the mid bead being removed at that point as before-mentioned.
The attachments of the cords aro as before, and in this way both sashes are
readily capable of removal.
The next part of my improvements relates to the fitting of sashes which
balanco each other. For this purpose I use cords with suitable metal attach-
ments such as before-described, and at the one end I apply a regulating screw
which can be turned at pleasure to regulate the length of the cord to allow
for expansion and contraction thereof, and ensure the simultaneous closing
of the upper and lower sashes. The pullies over which the cords pass to
connect the two sashes are situated in the mid bead or bead disposed between
the two sashes. I form the bracket or piece in which such pullies are
mounted with a part to form the continuation of such bead, and so give the
whole a perfect appearance.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Gurman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th
March 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GURMAN, of Onslow Road, Southampton, in the County of Hants, Builder,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Gurman, Her special licence that I, the said John
Gorman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the

page_text: said John Gurman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE FITTINGS AND METHOD OF HANGING WINDOW SASHES TO FACILITATE
THEIR REMOVAL FOR CLEANING, AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Gurman, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Gurman, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
My improvements relate, first to the fitting and hanging of window sashes
in such manner that they can be readily removed from the frames for cleaning
and other purposes, without the necessity of disturbing the beads. To effect
this I form what I term a pocket in one side of the window frame similar
to that which is sometimes made to get at the counterbalance weights. I
make such pocket somewhat longer than one of the sashes and fill it with
pieces jointed together in their length, the upper end having a spring catch
and the lower one fitting into a step or socket (or vice versa), by which means
such pieces may be released & slid out and into position; the sash at the
time being in a suitable position. In this pocket piece, I also comprise part
of the bead that separates the sashes, so that when the pocket piece is removed
a part of the bead of same length also comes out. The pocket piece having
been removed the inside sash is slid into the position embraced by the
pocket, and may be there moved laterally to an extent of say three quarters.
of an inch which is sufficent to clear the bead on the opposite side, and
the sash so removed from the frame. In order to detach the cords readily,
I secure a metal piece to the end of the cord, which piece has a globular
enlargement at the end, this is received in a socket fixed to the sash from
which it may be readily detached in the manner of a door chain. In the
piece attached to the cord I form a hole or socket to receive the end of the
cord, which I secure thereto by one or more binding screws. The outside

page_text: sash may also be slid to position opposite the pocket, into which it may be
moved laterally, being first moved inwards a little on the pocket side, for which
it is free, the mid or parting bead being removed at that point as before-men-
tioned. The attachments of the cords are as before described, and in this
way both sashes are readily capable of removal.
The next part of my improvements relate to the fittings of sashes which
balance each other. For this purpose I use cords with suitable metal attach-
ments such as before described, and at the one end I apply a regulating screw
which can be turned at pleasure to regulate the length of the cord to allow
for expansion and contraction thereof and ensure the simultaneous closing of
the upper and lower sashes. The pullies over which the cords pass to connect
the two sashes are situated in the mid bead or bead disposed between the
two sashes. I form the bracket or piece in which such pulley is mounted
with a frame or part to form the continuation of such bead and so give the
whole a perfect appearance and ensure the necessary strength.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
In the Drawings annexed are represented, at Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
9, 10, and 11, the several parts of a window frame fitted and furnished according
to my Invention; with reference to the sashes, I have thought it unnecessary
to represent a face view, they being precisely like ordinary window sashes.
Fig. 1 represents a vertical section of the frame showing the left hand
side thereof, in which I fit the pocket piece a, seen separately at Figs. 2 &
3, Fig. 2 being a face view of the pocket piece, and Fig. 3 an edge view
of the same, this is fitted in a recess b, b, cut in the frame in which it. is held
by the inclined upper end, and the spring catch cat foot; it will be observed
that it is in two pieces hinged together at d, the parting bead e also is formed in
the pocket piece a, and comes out with it in order that the same pocket may
answer for removing both sashes. It will be readily understood that the
pocket piece when inserted fills up the recess and completes the grooves and
parting bead for the sashes like an ordinary window frame; f is a holo
for access to the weights, which is covered by the pocket piece a; on the other
side of the frame (see Fig. 4) is a pocket y, in which a filling piece m, seen
separately at Fig. 9, is fitted as usual for access to the counterbalance
weights, this side frame is the same as in ordinary. Fig. 5 represents an
edge view of part of a sash, showing my improved method of attaching the
cords; and Fig. 6 represents a separate view of the fastening; g is a socket
in which the end of the cord is fixed by means of a binding screw or screws h,
this socket has a ball 'n at the lower end, received in a plate i, fixed to the

page_text: sash from which plate it may be readily removed through the hole k, and
so detached, l is a groove in the sash for the cord and socket piece g. It will
be easily understood that the sashes may be removed from their positions in
the frame by simply sliding up the inner sash above the hinge d, releasing
catch c, and then drawing down and so removing the pocket piece a. The
inner sash is then lowered to the level of the pocket recess b, and moved in
a lateral direction about an inch, the opposite side of the sash may be then
withdrawn from between the frame, and the sash so removed. The cords
can at same time be detached if desired by removing the balls of sockets
g, g, from plates i, i. The outer sash can be withdrawn in like manner by
moving it first to the position where the parting bead is removed, then moving
that side of the sash into the front groove where it may be moved laterally
into the recess b, and so escape from between the beads. The reverse action
replaces the sashes, which it is unnecessary to further particularize. Fig. 7
represents a window frame fitted with a long pocket piece a, separately shown
at Fig. 8, it is furnished with two joints d, d, and is intended to be used for
windows having the inner and lower sash longer than the upper and outer one.
In this case it is only applied so as to take out one sash, the other may be
cleaned in its place, but which it is very awkward to do as applied heretofore.
Fig. 19 represents a similar pocket piece a, with a single joint d, as before.
Fig. 10 represents a transverse vertical section of part of a window frame
fitted with counterbalance sashes furnished with fittings according to my
Invention. Fig. 11 is a horizontal section of the same; o, p, are the sashes
which are fitted and slide in their grooves exactly as ordinary counterbalance
sashes. Fig. 12, represents a transverse vertical section of the window
frame with the sashes removed, showing the pocket b, while Fig. 13 represents
the opposite frame; the pocket piece is separately represented at Fig. 14,
a face view, and in Fig. 15, an edge view so far as this is concerned, and
the removal of the sashes, it is the same as before-described, with the
exception that the pocket piece a, is fitted to withdraw from above instead
of below the sash as before. q is the cord to which both sashes are attached;
one is attached by a fastening like that before-described and represented
by letters g, h, i, n & k at Figs. 6 & 18, which need not be repeated; the
other is attached by a similar socket piece and screw g and h, but which is
furnished with a loop for connecting with a hook r, this hook screws into a
metal piece and plate s, separately represented at Fig. 16, which is fixed to
the other sash. By screwing the stem of the hook r further into or out of
the piece s, the tension of the cord can be adjusted to suit and insure the
shutting of the window sashes simultaneously, and can be readily used to

page_text: compensate for any expansion or contraction of the cord that may tako
place. w, Fig. 10, represents my improved pulley and frame of counter-
balance window sashes, it is also represented separately at Fig. 17; v is
a metal plate by which it is fixed, and a bridge piece raised from the
plate v, this bridge picce forms a continuation of the parting bead of the frame
and serves to support one end of the pin or axis of the pulley w. These fittings
applicable to counterbalance sashes, may be applied independently of the other
arrangements first herein described for removing the window sashes.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare, that what I claim as my Invention to be protected
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First, forming a recess or pocket in the side of the window frame to allow
the sashes to be moved laterally and so withdrawn from between the beads,
as and for the purposes herein-before described, and also furnishing such recess
with pocket or filling piece to complete and perfect the grooves as required
for the sliding of the sashes.
Secondly, the attachment of the suspending cords to window sashes by parts
described and represented at Fig. 6.
Thirdly, the regulating hook and screw, represented at Fig. 16, applied to
connect the suspending cord to balance window sashes as and for the purposes
herein-before described.
Fourthly, forming the plate which supports the pulley over which the cords
of balance window sashes is suspended with a metal bridge piece to form a
continuation of the parting bead, as represented at Fig. 17 & herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Gurman, have bereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
W. CLARK, Patent Agent,
58, Chancery Lane,
London.
JOHN GURMAN. (L.S.)