Improvements in or connected with Window Sashes, and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 9th Dec., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Window Sashes,
and the like.
Shutters,
I, GEORGE BARNES, of No. 230, Kerferd Road, Albert Park, near Melbourne,
in the Colony of Victoria, Inventor, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion 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 window sashes, shutters, and the like, and it pro-
vides contrivances which will remedy the defects inherent to the cords and sash
weights generally in use, and enable the sashes, shutters, or the like, to be held,
or secured, at any desired height, and to be swung into the room for cleaning
purposes, or repairs, or which will enable the sashes, shutters, or the like, to
be entirely removed from the frame.
It is applicable to the window sashes, shutters, or the like, of ordinary build-
ings, or to the sashes, or shutters, of railway carriages, tramcars, and the like.
The arrangement according to my invention comprises a twisted, or screw-
threaded, rod having on it spiral threads, or projections, of steep pitch, some-
what after the fashion of what are commonly known as Archimedean twist drills,
and engaging with a nut, or traveller, or nuts, or travellers, on the side, or sides,
of the sash frame, shutter, or the like, so that the said sash, shutter, or the
like, cannot be raised, or lowered, without rotating the rod.
One end of the said rod is connected to a spiral spring in such manner that,
when the sash, shutter or the like, is lowered the said spring is wound up,
and consequently will afterwards tend to rotate the twisted rod and thus raise
the sash, shutter, or the like. By adjusting the strength of the spring the
weight of the sash, shutter, or the like, can be counterbalanced to a nicety.
One side of the sash, shutter, or the like, is hung upon the said rod so as to
form a pivot to enable the said sash, shutter, or the like, to be swung into the
room and the said rod is fitted into a squared, or equivalently formed socket
piece to which the end of the aforesaid spiral spring is attached. This con-
struction enables the said rod together with the sash, shutter, or the like, to be
removed from the frame without affecting the spring, a ratchet and pawl being
provided for preventing backward rotation of the said socket piece when it is
desired to remove the said sash, shutter, or the like. Means are also provided
for locking the sash, shutter, or the like, in any desired position.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I will describe it more
particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings shewing it applied
to window sashes.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a window with sliding sashes provided with
devices according to this invention.
Figure 2 is a similar view with parts removed to shew the mechanism.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 Figure 2 shewing the sashes
swung into the room.
Figures 4 to 9 shew details as hereinafter referred to.
The same letters of reference indicate the same, or corresponding parts, in all
the fours

page_text: A represents rods which are twisted, or provided, with quick, or steep, spiral
threads, and which are of any suitable shape in cross section (but preferably
square, as illustrated in Figures 6, 8 and 9) so long as the requisite threads can
be formed upon them and a nut, or traveller, B, can be arranged to engage with
them. These nuts, or travellers, B, are secured to the sash whilst the rods A
are mounted in fixed bearings on the frame work of the window. One rod is
used on one side only of each sash, as illustrated in Figure 3, when it is desired
to swing the sashes inwards; although, if preferred, a rod may be used on each
side of the sashes in cases where it is not desired to provide for swinging the
sashes inwards; or the rod may be so mounted as to support the sash from the
centre instead of from one, or both, of its sides.
A spiral spring C is secured to one end, or both ends, of the rods A, and
arranged in such manner that, when the window is lowered, the said spring, or
springs, will be coiled up and will therefore subsequently assist in raising the
sashes which are arranged to slide in vertical guides in the usual manner and
not allowed to rotate with the rod.
Provision is made for throwing back a part of the window frame so as to
allow the sashes to be swung inwards in order to clean the outside of the glass,
or for any other purpose, as illustrated in Figure 3. D D represent hinged flaps
forming part of the window frame and capable of being thrown back as indi-
cated in Figures 2 and 3 so as to admit of the sashes being so swung inwards.
The lower sash is wider than the upper sash to allow the upper sash to be
swung inwards after the lower sash has been so moved, as illustrated in Figure 3.
The edge of the upper sash is rabbeted as illustrated at F and works behind a
parting bead G which extends down to about the centre of the window frame.
This may if preferred be dispensed with, the lower sash being used for the
purpose of keeping the upper sash is position.
The lower end of the rod A is mounted in a bearing formed by two plates H H
as illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 7 so that when one of the said plates is removed
the end of the said rod can be dropped into a hole, or recess, I, in the window
frame when its upper end can be drawn down out of engagement with the
socket piece J to which the spiral spring C is attached and around which it is
coiled. This socket-piece is formed with a ratchet wheel K with which a pawl L
can be engaged when it is desired to disconnect the rod and sash from the
remainder of the window and its counter-balancing mechanism.
In order to rigidly lock the sash in the closed, or opened, or partially closed,
or partially opened, positions, I provide an axially oscillating lock-bar E
journaled in bearings and having laterally projecting locking finger or fingers E¹
at its inner end portion which can be brought into, or out of, engagement with
the rod A by partially rotating the bar, as will be clearly understood by
reference to Figures 8 and 9. The outer end of the bar is provided with a
thumb-piece, or handle, E³, by which to operate it. Two fingers El are shewn
in the drawings, spaced apart so that they will embrace the spirally threaded
shaft, or engage opposite flattened portions thereof, as best seen in Figure 9.
When the lock-bar is turned to swing its locking finger, or fingers, El into
engagement with the rod A, the said rod is held stationary, and, as the nut
cannot now traverse the shaft, the sash is locked in any position to which it
may have been brought. This is very advantageous in sash-balances of the
character referred to, as the sash can be safely left open for ventilation. As the
lock-bar is journaled in place, it is always in position for use and cannot become
lost, or displaced.
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:-
1. The combination with window sashes, shutters and the like, of a screw
threaded. or twisted. rod. having a spring, or springs, attached to it in such a

page_text: way that the said spring, or springs, always tends, or tend, to rotate the said
rod in the direction required to raise the window, in combination with a sash,
shutter, or the like, having one side mounted upon the said rod so that it can be
swung inwards for cleaning, or other purposes, the window frame being fitted
with hinged flaps to admit of this, substantially as, and for the purposes, herein-
before described.
2. The combination with window sashes, shutters, and the like, for securing
them in any desired position, of a screw-threaded, or twisted, rod and an oscil-
lating lock-bar, or key, (such as EE) arranged so that it can be engaged with
the said rod to prevent its rotation; substantially as, and for the purposes,
herein before described.
3. The combination with window sashes, shutters, and the like, of a screw
threaded, or twisted, rod, having a squared, or equivalently formed, end, or
projection, engaging in a squared, or equivalently formed, opening, or recess,
in a socket piece to which a spiral counter-balance spring is attached, and around
which it is wound; substantially as, and for the purposes, herein before described.
4. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting means for counter-
balancing and securing window sashes, shutters, or the like, and for enabling
them to be swung aside, or removed from the frame; substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 17th day of October 1800
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.