Improvements in Drip Troughs for Windows.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 26th Feb., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Drip Troughs for Windows.
I, JOHN WHITEN MERRY, of Mount Ayr, in the County of Newton, and State of
Indiana, United States of America, Doctor of Medicine, 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 improvements in drip-troughs for the inside of window
sashes. The objects are to provide a cheap and efficient trough for show windows
and the like, where it is necessary to catch the condensed moisture dripping from
the panes and conduct the same away to prevent damage to the contents of the
windows; and secondly to provide a trough which can be readily secured to the
face of any window sash, and can be readily removed.
With these and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in
certain new and useful combinations and arrangements of parts to be hereinafter
fully described and claimed, and clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,
in which-
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the lower portions of the sashes of a bay-window, show-
ing the improved trough in place.
Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the window sash and trough, showing the
latter before it is secured in place.
Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the trough secured in position.
Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the drip-trough.
Like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout all of the figures of the
drawings.
1, 1, 1, designate the lower cross-pieces of the sashes forming the bay window
and 2, the panes of glass set therein. While the invention is illustrated as applied
to a bay window, usually constructed for show purposes in stores, it will be understood
that it may be readily applied to any form of window. Across the faces of these
cross-pieces is channeled a V-shaped groove 3, extending, as shown, in a slanting
manner from either right to left or vice-versa, for a purpose to be hereinafter dis-
closed. This groove is plainly shown in Figures 2 and 3.
Into this continuous, slanting, V-shaped groove 3, is inserted, one for each window-
sash, a trough 4. This trough is formed from a blank of spring metal and is bent
upon itself, longitudinally of its length, as at 5; and the upper portion giving
a longitudinal curvature, as at 6, to produce a gutter. The under portion 7, of this
trough extends in V-shaped manner to a point short of the vertical plane of the
edge S, of the gutter. This portion 7, is bent to form a longitudinal flange 9, and
is perforated at intervals, as 9*, to receive fastening devices 10, securing the same
to the face of the sash, after the edge 8, has been inserted in the V-shaped groove 3,
as is clearly seen in Fig. 3 of the drawing.
These troughs, overlap at the corner of the bay-window in order to provide a con-
tinuous drain from the right or left hand side to the opposite side, and at the lowest
point of the inclination of this trough is provision for the drainage of the same.
This may be as shown in the drawing, a drain, 11, passing from the trough through

page_text: a perforation in the sash to the outside of the window, or a suitable receptacle
placed beneath the end of the trough to catch the drip.
The manner of securing this improved trough to the face of a window sash, after
the same has been properly channeled, may be in one of two ways; first, as herein-
before mentioned, by inserting the edge 8, into the V-shaped groove 3, when it
will have the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, and the forcing the underlying
portion 7, against the tension of the spring metal-up to the face of the sashi
where it may be secured by the fastening devices 10, as seen in dotted lines. The
tension of the spring metal operates to maintain the curved portion of the gutter 6,
immovably in place against the sash, with the edge 8, firmly pressed into the
V-shaped groove; second, the underlying portion 7, may be secured to the sash
with the curved portion of the gutter 6, out of the groove, as seen in dotted lines
in Fig. 3, and said curved portion or gutter may be forced into position, with its
edge in the groove 3. As in the first instance, the tension of the spring metal
will maintain the portion 6, in said position.
This completes the description of this invention and from the same, in connec-
tion with the accompanying drawings it will be readily discerned that I have
provided a very simple and highly efficient drip-trough, which may be readily
attached to any window, that the same is devoid of complexity and that it obviates
the necessity of attachment before the insertion of the window panes or removal
of the panes if it is desirable to attach a trough to the sash.
I do not desire to limit myself to the precise details of construction herein shown
and described, but reserve to myself the right and privilege of equivalents or to
change the construction within the bounds of mechanical ingenuity without
departing from the spirit of this invention.
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 a grooved window-sash, of a drip-trough, comprising
a gutter and a diverging portion, the later of which is designed to be attached to
the face of the sash and the other to be maintained in engagement with the groove,
in said sash, by spring tension.
2. The combination with a grooved window-sash, of a drip-trough formed of
spring metal and bent upon itself, longitudinally, to form a gutter and a diverging
portion, the latter designed to be attached to the window-sash, and the former to
enter the groove and to be retained therein by spring tension.
3. The combination with a grooved window-sash, of a drip-trough, comprising a
gutter and a diverging portion, the latter of which is designed to be attached to
the face of the sash and the other to be maintained in engagement with the said
groove, in the sash, by tension, and means for relieving the drip-trough of the liquid
collected thereby.
Dated this 24th day of November 1897.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.