AN IMPROVED SELF-ACTING FASTENER FOR FRENCH WINDOWS, DOUBLE DOORS OF BOOK-CASES, WARDROBES, CUPBOARDS AND THE LIKE
Year: 1884

page_text: DIECIFICATION
I, JOHN PARRY of the Eagle Foundry, Broad Street, Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Manufacturer, ‹lo hereby declare the nature of my Invention for "AN
IMPROVED SELF-ACTING FASTENER FOR FRENCH WINDOWS, DOUBLE DOORS OF
BOOK-CASES, WARDROBES, CUPBOARDS AND THE LIKE" to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to an improved self-acting fastener for French windows,
double doors of book-cases, wardrobes, cupboards and the like, and has for its object
to provide means whereby such windows or doors may be more readily fastened
and unfastened than heretofore.
The ordinary method of fastening such windows or doors is by means of sliding
bolts commonly called "thumb-bolts" or "flush-bolts" fixed to one of the windows
or doors at the top and bottom; the said sliding bolts entering corresponding holes
in the window-frame or door-frame. The other window or door is fastened by
means of an ordinary latch or lock.
The said sliding bolts are operated by hand and are often troublesome; but
according to my Invention the act of closing or opening the windows or floors
operates lever-bolts as hereinafter described and thereby fastens or unfastens the
windows or doors.
In carrying my Invention into practice I provide a case having a cover attached,
both preferably of metal. I let the said case into the top or bottom of the window-
frame or door-frame at that part where the two windows or doors meet when
closed. The cover of the said case is flush or nearly flush with the surface of the
window-frame or door-frame. Partly within the case I provide a pair of metal
bolts or catches having rounded or wedge-shaped heads which project through the
cover. Each bolt or catch rests on opposite ends of a lever contained in the case
and pivotted at or about its contre so that when one bolt or catch is depressed the
other rises. Within the case I provide two springs which act on each end of the
lever and maintain it in position.
To the edge of each of the windows or doors and at that part where they would
come into contact with their respective bolts or catches I fix a metal striking-
plate. The striking-plate of one of the windows or doors has a hole or recess

page_text: sufficiently large to admit its bolt or catch. The act of opening or closing this
window or door which I will call A, depresses its bolt or catch and when closed
allows it to shoot forward again into the hole or recess in the striking-plate and
so to hold the window or door closed. When the other window or door which
I will call B is closed the striking-plate fixed thereto depresses its bolt or catch and
by the action of the lever causes the other bolt or catch to rise further into its
striking-plate and to firmly secure or fasten the window or door A. Window or
door B is fastened by means of an ordinary latch or lock.
I affix my improved fastener either to the top or bottom, or to both top and
bottom of such windows or doors.
I, JOHN PARRY of the Eagle Foundry, Broad Street, Birmingham in the County
of Warwick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for "AN
IMPROVED SELF-ACTING FASTENER FOR FRENCH WINDOWS, DOUBLE DOORS OF
BOOK-CASES, WARDROBES, CUPBOARDS AND THE LIKE" and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
My Invention relates to an improved self-acting fastener for French windows,
double doors of book-cases, wardrobes, cupboards and the like, and has for its object
to provide means whereby such windows or doors may be more readily fastened
and unfastened than heretoforc.
The ordinary method of fastening such windows or doors is by means of sliding
bolts commonly called "thumb-bolts" or "flush-bolts" fixed to one of the windows
or doors at the top and bottom; the said sliding bolts entering corresponding holes
in the window-frame or door-fraine. The other window or door is fastened by
means of an ordinary latch or lock.
The said sliding bolts are operated by hand and are often troublesome; but
according to my Invention the act of closing or opening the windows or doors
operates lever bolts as hereinafter described and thereby fastens or unfastens the
windows or doors.
In carrying my Invention into practice I provide a case having a cover attached,
both preferably of metal. I let the said case into the top or bottom of the
window-frame or door-frame at that part where the two windows or doors meet
when closed. The cover of the said case is flush or nearly flush with the surface
of the window frame or door-frame. Partly within the case I provide a pair of
metal bolts or catches having rounded or wedge-shaped heads which project through
the cover.
Each bolt or catch rests on opposite ends of a lever contained in the
case and pivotted at or about its centre so that when one bolt or catch is depressed

page_text: the other rises. Within the case I provide two springs which act on each end of
the lever and maintain it in position.
To the edge of each of the windows or doors and at that part where they would
come into contact with their respective bolts or catches I fix a metal striking-
plate. The striking-plate of one of the windows or doors has a holo or recess
sufficiently large to admit its bolt or catch. The act of opening or closing this
window or door which I will call A, depresses its bolt or catch and when closed
allows it to shoot forward again into the hole or recess in the striking-plate and
to hold the window or door closed. When the other window or door which
I will call B is closed the striking-plate fixed thereto depresses its bolt or catch and
by the action of the lever causes the other bolt or catch to rise further into its
striking-plate and to firmly secure or fasten the window or door A. Window or
door B is fastened by means of an ordinary latch or lock.
I affix my improved fastener either to the top or bottom, or to both top and
bottom of such windows or doors.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer
to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of
reference indicating corresponding parts in all the corresponding Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings represents my improved solf-acting fastener as applied
to a pair of French windows or doors A and B.
Figures 2, 3 and 4 represent enlarged olevations in section of my improved
self-acting fastener.
Figures 5 and 6 are elovations and Figure 7 is a plan of the same.
Figure 8 is a view of the lover.
Figures 9 and 10 show the metal striking-plates.
Figure 11 is a view of one of the bolts or catches having a rounded head.
Figure 12 is a modification of the same having a wedge shaped head.
Figure 13 shews the application of a flat spring and Figure 14 india-rubber
springs to the bolts or catches instead of the spiral springs.
A and B represent a pair of French windows or doors, A being shewn closed
and B partly open, as in Figure 1, and C is the window-frame or door-frame. D is
the case and E the cover of my improved self-acting fastening let in flush with tho
window-frame or door-fraine C and secured thereto by the two screws a¹, a².
F', F are the two metal bolts or catches having either rounded heads as shown at
Figure 11 or wedge shaped heads as shewn at Figure 12 projecting through the
cover E. Cover E is secured to the case D by two rivets c, c². G is a lever
pivotted at or about its centre by the pin X having forked ends on which the two
inetal bolts or catches E, F, rest. HH are two spiral springs which act on
each end of the lever G and maintain it and the bolts or catches in position.
1 is a metal striking-plate attached to the window or door A by the two
screws b¹, b, having a hole in the centre for the bolt or catch to enter when the
door is closed. 1' is a metal striking-plate attached to the window or door B
by the two screws 63, 6, but made without a hole for the bolt or catch F.
The edges of the striking-plates 1' and 1' are bevelled off at those edges where they
come into contact with the bolts or catches.
The action of my improved fastener is as follows: The act of opening or closing
door A causes the striking-plate I¹ to depress the bolt or catch F as shewn in
Figure 2 and when the door A is closed as shown in Figures 1 and 3 the bolt or
catch F¹ is shot forward into the hole or recess in the striking-plate I' by the action
of the spiral spring Hand the window or door A is thereby held closed.
When window or door B is closed the striking-plate 1* depresses the bolt or
catch F as shown in Figure 4 and by the action of the lever Ġ causes the bolt or
catch F¹ to rise further through its striking-plate and thereby to firmly secure or
fasten window or door A. Window or door B is fastened by means of an ordinary
latch or lock.

page_text: When the wedge shaped bolts or catches, as shewn at Figure 12, are used it will
be evident that the holes in the cover E and in the striking-plate I must be of
rectangular form to suit them.
I sometimes use a flat spring d to act on the bolts or catches F1, F2, as shown at
Figure 13 or india-rubber springs e¹, e as shewn at Figure 14 instead of the
spiral springs H¹, H²
I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details
herein described and illustrated, as the samo may be varied without departing from
the nature of my 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:
In self-acting fasteners for French windows, double doors of book-cases,
wardrobes, cupboards and the like the application and use of a lever pivotted at or
about its centre and having a bolt or catch at each end and maintained in position
by a spring or springs substantially in the manner and for the purpose hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the Drawings.