An Improved Device for Securing Window Sashes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Nov., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Aug., 1898-Accepted, 3rd Sept., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Device for Securing Window Sashes.
We, JOIN WILLIAM BARNES WRIGHT, Tailor, and JANE ANN WRIGHT, both of
Albert Road, Middlesbrough-on-Tees, in the County of York, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a device for securing window sashes the main object
in view being to secure the sashes together whether the window is closed or par-
tially open for ventilation.
The nature of the invention will be understood from the following description.
A spring pivotally mounted on the lower sash is adapted to engage with a rack on
the upper sash when the spring is turned up to the erect position into one of the
notches of the rack. It is a matter of selection of the particular notch in the
rack whether the window is wholly closed or to what extent it is open as if for
ventilation, the interlocking being in one direction only so that whilst the sashes
can be readily moved in the directions which would close the window, all move-
ment in the opposite or overlapping direction which would open the window
further is prevented until the spring is disengaged from the rack. This can only
be done from the inside by turning the spring on its pivot to the right or left
until the free end thereof is clear of the rack. Each sash is then free of the
other as to the extent or direction of its movement as in a window of ordinary
construction. Where vertical bars are used as partition bars in the sash the rack
would be conveniently attached to one of these, otherwise a rack could be
attached to one or both stiles of the upper sash, the teeth being set to lock the
spring in the overlapping direction only. The spring is preferably mounted in
the cross cut of a block the cross cut supporting it in the erect position and
guiding it with the requisite incline into the notches of the rack. When in the
locked position the spring is preferably detained there by means which are
impossible of access from the outside. What we propose as suitable for this
purpose is a detent bar with two arms extending from a cross bar like the crank
of an engine, the cross bar fitting into a hole bored across the mounting block
of the spring in a line parallel to the movement of the spring about its pivot, so
that when the arms are turned down they extend across the said cross cut and
prevent the spring from being turned over clear of the rack in either direction.
This catch or detent bar can be made to act automatically by any suitable or
well known means such as a spring coiled round the cross bar thereof with a
tendency to pull the arms down across the cross cuti
Special advantages of the construction as above described are that whilst the
sashes are fastened so that they can not be further opened from the outside, the
securing device does not prevent the window from being closed, but locks
the sashes together in the closed or any other position to which they may be moved
in the direction of closing, that is to say that the device acts as a fastener in one
direction only and has no effect on the movement of sashes in the opposite or

page_text: closing direction. Furthemore the device is simple and easily manipulated and
not liable to get out of order.
Dated this 30th day of October 1897.
G. J. CLARKSON,
Chartered Patent Agent, Stockton-on-Tees and Hull,
Agent for the Applicants.
We, JOHN WILLIAM BARNES WRIGHT, Tailor, and JANE ANN WRIGHT, both of
Albert Road, Middlesbrough-on-Tees, in the County of York, 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:
This invention relates to a device for securing window sashes, the main object
in view being to secure the sashes together whether the window is closed or par
tially open for ventilation.
And in order that our invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into effect, we will proceed to describe the same with reference to the annexed
sheet of drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front or inside elevation of a window
fitted with a sash fastener constructed according to our invention, corresponding
to which Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation taken on line
showing a rack fixed to the partition bar of the upper sash for locking the two
sashes together with the window closed or partly open; and Figs 3 and 4 are
enlarged detail views of the device and illustrating modifications of the catch or
detent bar hereinafter described.
of Fig. 1
In the drawing a represents the lower sash and 6 the upper sash. c is a spring
pivotally mounted at c¹ on the cross bar of the lower sash and adapted to engage
with a rack d on the partition bar of the upper sash when the spring c is turned
up to the erect position (as shown by full lines) into one of the notches of the
rack d. It is a matter of selection of the particular notch in the rack whether
the window is wholly closed or to what extent it is open as if for ventilation, the
interlocking being in one direction only, so that whilst the sashes can be readily
moved in the direction which would close the window, all movement in the oppo-
site or
overlapping direction which would open the window further is prevented
until the spring is disengaged from the rack except that both sashes can obvi-
ously be moved as one structure in either direction within the limts of the
window frame. This disengagement of the spring from the rack can only be
done from the inside by turning the spring c on its pivot cl to the right or left
until the free end thereof is drawn clear of the rack as shown by the dotted
lines in Fig. 1. Each sash is then free of the other as to the extent or direction
of its movement as in a window of ordinary construction. Where vertical bars bl
are used as partition bars in the sash, the rack would be conveniently attached
to one of these, otherwise a rack could be attached to one or both stiles 363 of
the upper sash, the teeth being set to lock the spring in the overlapping direc-
tion only. The spring is preferably mounted in the cross cut or kerf e¹ of a
block e, the cross cut supporting it in the erect position and guiding it with the
requisite incline into the notches of the rack. When in the locked position the
spring is preferably detained there by means which are impossible of access from
the outside. What we propose as suitable for this purpose is a detent bar f with
two arms ff extending from a cross bar like the detached crank of an engine

page_text: shaft, the cross bar fitting into a hole bored across the mounting block e of the
spring in a line parallel to the movement of the spring about its pivot, so that
when the arms fif are turned down they extend across the said cross cut and
prevent the spring from being turned over clear of the rack in either direction.
This catch or detent bar can be made to act automatically by any suitable or well
known means such as a spring coiled round the cross bar thereof with a constant
tendency to pull the arms down across the cross cut. In order to prevent the
spring from being tampered with such as by inserting a knife between the
sashes from the outside to open the window, we prefer to extend the block e at e³
so as to project beyond the bottom sash; this also affords an additional holdfast
to the mounting block by passing a screw therethrough.
Referring to Fig. 3, which is an enlarged detail view of a modification of the
catch or detent bar, in order to afford additional security to the dwelling when
locked up or unoccupied, we make the detent bar f continuous and extending
across the block e in the form of a bridge so that a pin or screw y can be inserted
into the block to rigidly lock the detent bridge and prevent the spring c being
disengaged from the rack.
Fig. 4 illustrates a further modification of the catch or detent bar, in which
a set screw his passed through an extension et of the block e and pivotally secured
to the detent bridge f so that by turning the set screw the detent bar is adjust-
ably locked or raised as desired.
Special advantages of the construction as above described are that whilst the
sashes are fastened so that they cannot be further opened from the outside the
securing device does not prevent the window from being closed in the ordinary
way, but locks the sashes together in the closed or any other position to which
they may be moved in the direction of closing, that is to say that the device acts
as a fastener in one direction only and has no effect on the movement of the
sashes in the opposite or closing direction. Furthermore the device is simple and
easily manipulated and not liable to get out of order.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is :-
1. A window sash fastener consisting of a block such as e into the cross cut or
kerf of which is pivotted a spring such as c, and a detent bar or bridge such as f
adapted to turn like a crank within a hole bored crosswise through mounting or
block e all combined, arranged and operating as and for the purpose substantially
as specified with reference to the accompanying drawing.
2. In combination with a window sash fastener as covered by the preceding
claim the use of a rack or notched device provided on the upper sash by which
the two sashes can be locked together with the window partly open substantially
as described and specified.
Dated this 30th day of July. 1898.
G. J. CLARKSON,
Chartered Patent Agent, Stockton-on-Tees & Hull.
Agent for the Applicants.