Improvements in and relating to Means for Opening Windows in Case of Fire or Emergency.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 25th Mar., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Means for Opening Windows in Case
of Fire or Emergency.
I, EDWARD WALSH, Junior, a Citizen of the United States, residing at
4100, N. Main Street, City of St. Louis, State of Missouri, United States of
America, Manufacturer, 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, and illustrated in the accompany-
ing drawings, wherein
Figure 1 is a sectional view, illustrating two windows, the lower being opened,
and the upper closed;
Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the opener;
Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the same, and
Figure 4 is a sectional view, showing the window partially opened.
This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in window openers,
the object being to provide means whereby factory and other windows may be
opened when out of reach of a ladder, by a stream of water from the outside.
With this object in view, the invention consists in arranging a fixed hood in
position on the building against which a stream of water is thrown, and deflected
downwardly into a pocket secured to the window sash, so that the force of the
water will tend to move said sash in a direction to open the same.
In the drawings, A indicates the upper sash of a window, and B the lower
sash. On the top rail of the sash A, is secured a pocket C, preferably formed
with opening c in its bottom, so that, should any water remain in said pocket
after the window is lowered, the water will run through the opening, thus pre-
venting freezing of the water in said pocket.
D indicates a hood fixedly secured to the window framing, or to the building,
said hood being practically inverted, that is, so arranged that, when a stream
of water is directed against the inner face of the hood from beneath, said water
will be directed downwardly into pocket C, its force being utilized to lower
the upper sash of the window.
Pocket C is so arranged that the water will temporarily accumulate therein,
as shown in Figure 4, so that its weight will assist in lowering the upper sash.
The hood and pocket can be attached to any window, no special provision
being necessary therefor in the construction of the window sash or the frame.
In the use of what is known as wire glass, while such glass acts as a fire re-
tarder, it is impossible to break the glass by a stream of water from a hose, and,
for that reason, it is necessary that some provision he made by which a window
can be opened to permit the water to be introduced from the outside. The heat
is sometimes too great to admit of manual manipulation of the window, and,
therefore, I have devised this means for accomplishing this result, and utilize
the stream of water directed against the under side of the hood, which, in turn,
directs the water into the pocket, the force of the water opening the window.
The inner wall d of the hood is continued downward some distance, so that

page_text: the water will have a straight fall in leaving the hood. The hood D may be
extended outwardly as far as necessary, to receive the stream of water from the
hose.
I am aware that minor changes in the construction, arrangement, and com-
bination of the several parts, of my device, can be made and substituted for
those herein shown and described, without, in the least, departing from the
nature and principle of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a
window opener, the combination with a fixed hood, of a pocket
arranged on the window sash, said hood and pocket being so arranged relative
to each other, that a stream of water directed against said hood will be delivered
into the pocket, its force opening the window; substantially as described.
2. In a window opener, the combination with an inverted hood fixedly mounted
on the building, of a pocket partially or wholly beneath said hood, said pocket
being mounted on the window sash, substantially as described.
3. The combination with a fixed hood, of a pocket mounted on the window
sash partially or wholly beneath said hood, said pocket being provided with
drip openings in its bottom; substantially as described.
4. The combination with a window sash, of a pocket Carranged thereon, and
a fixed hood D having an inner vertical wall d; substantially as described.
5. The combination with a window sash, of a pocket carried thereby for re-
ceiving water and adding weight to the sash to lower the same; substantially
as described.
6. The combination with a window sash, of a pocket carried thereby for
receiving a weight, and a hood co-operating with said pocket; substantially as
described.
Dated the 14th day of February 1899.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
Chartered Patent Agent, London.
For the Applicant.