IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDOW SASHES AND SHUTTERS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James l'igott Pritchett the younger, of the
City of York, Architect, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WINDOW SASHES AND SHUTTERS."
Sealed the 2nd March 1854, and dated the 2nd September 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Pigott
Pritchett at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 2nd September 1858.
I, JAMES PIGOTT PRITCHETT the younger, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDOW SASHES AND
SHUTTERS" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates more particularly to that description of shutter.
and window sash the parts of which are suspended by cords or chains.
which pass over pullies above, the shutters or sashes being counter-
balanced by means of weights attached to the other end of the cords or
chains. The present improvement consists in making one part or half
of the shutter or sash counterbalance the other part or half by suspend-
ing the two parts from the ends of the same cords or chains, so that
when one part of the shutter or sash, such as the lower half, is raised,.
the upper part is caused to descend, and in the case of shutters to meet

page_text: at half way. The two parts of the shutters may thus be made to work
in the same groove, and form a neater joint than when worked in
separate grooves. Window sashes may also be made, to work in the
same groove, but it will be more convenient to mount them as at
present in different grooves, and when they are connected together and
counterbalanced in the way proposed it will be seen that the lower part
of the window cannot be opened without opening the upper part at the
same time. This is an advantage, as ventilation is always better effected
by opening the upper as well as lower part than if only the lower part is
opened. The same counterbalancing principle may be applied to roller
shutters made of iron, in which case one half of the shutter must be
attached to the upper roller, and the other half to the lower roller; the
counterbalance is effected by means of a cord or chain, one end of which
is wound round one roller, and the other end round the other roller,
so that when the shutter is either opened or closed, raised or lowered,
the cord may unwind from one roller and wind on to the other roller.
The advantages incidental to and resulting from my improvement are,
that economy of space is effected, and economy of time and facility in
working the shutters or sashes is obtained, as well as economy in first
cost of construction and of materials employed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Pigott Pritchett in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 2nd March 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JAMES PIGOTT PRITCHETT the younger, of the City of York, Architect,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Fler reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said James Pigott Pritchett, Her
special license that I, the said James Pigott Pritchett, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James

page_text: Pigott Pritchett, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should.at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully inight
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDOW SASHES AND SHUTTERS," upon
the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Pigott Pritchett, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Pigott Pritchett, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
This Invention relates to that description of shutter and window
sash the parts of which are suspended by cords or chains that pass
over pullies above the shutters or sashes, and are counterbalanced
by means of weights attached to the other end of the cords or chains.
By means of the present improvement I am enabled to dispense with
these counterbalance weights by causing one part or half of the shutter
or sash to counterbalance the other part or half. This object is effected
by suspending the two parts of the sash or shutter from the ends of the
same cords or chains, so that when one part of the shutter or sash, such
as the lower half, is raised, the upper part will be caused to descend, and
vice versa. The shutters or sashes will by this means be made to meet
half way, and thus form a butt joint. The two parts of the shutters
may thus be made to work in the same groove, and form a neater joint
than when worked in separate grooves. Window sashes may also be
made to work in the same groove, but it will sometimes be found more
convenient to mount them as at present in different grooves, and when
they are connected together and counterbalanced in the way proposed
it will be seen that the lower part of the window cannot be opened

page_text: without opening the upper part at the same time. This is an advan-
tage, as ventilation can always be better effected by opening the upper
as well as lower part than if only the lower part is opened. The sanie
counterbalancing principle may be applied to. roller shutters made
of iron, in which case one half of the shutter must be attached to
the upper roller, and the other half to the lower roller; the counter-
balance is effected by incans of a cord or chain, one end of which
is wound round one roller, and the other end round the other roller,
so that when the shutter is either opened or closed, raised or lowered,
the cord may unwind from one roller and wind on to the other
roller. The advantages incidental to and resulting from my improve-
ments are, that economy of space is effected, and economy of time and
facility in, working the shutters or sashes is obtained, as well as economy
in first cost of construction and of the materials employed.
In order, however, that my Invention may be clearly understood I
have shewn in the accompanying Drawing various views of the manner
of constructing, arranging, and hanging shutters and saslics according
to my improvements.
i
Fig. 1, is a transverse vertical section taken through a window show-
ing the shutters in their boxes when out of use, and the sashes closed.
Fig. 2, is a similar sectional view drawn upon an cilarged scale of
those parts of the sash and shutter to which the improvements are
applied. Fig. 3, is a longitudinal section shewing the manner of con-
necting the two shutters or sashes together one cord on each side.
«,'a*, are the upper and lower halves of the shutters, and' which are
made, to run in the sanie groove. b, b, are the upper and lower window
sashes. At the top of the upper shutter, on cach 'side, and at the bottom
of the lower shutter, also on .cach side, are fixed in any convenient
manner arms c, c, Fig. 3, to the ends of which are secured the cords'd.
The cord d, passes from the lower shutter up the box e, over the pulley f
at the upper part thereof, and is secured to the end of the arm c, of
the upper shutter, as shown in Fig. 3. The window sashes are hung
in precisely the same manner, and both sashes and shutters are made
to incet in the centre, as shewn in Fig. 1.
It will now be understood that as both shutters and sashes are hung

page_text: or suspended from the same pulley and cord, that when the lower one
is raised or the upper one lowered, the other one will be raised or
lowered simultaneously, and the sashes or shutters opened or closed, as
the case may be. The principle of a counterbalance suspension may
be applied to sashes of the ordinary construction, even when hung in
separate grooves, as will be seen by referring to Fig. 4. The same
letters are marked on corresponding parts, as in Figures 1, 2, and 3, but
in this instance it will be seen that no box or case will be required to
receive the upper and lower sashes when they are separated by opening
the window, as when the window is opened the sashes will pass in front
of each other as usual.
Having now described my improvements in window sashes and
shutters, and the best means with which I am at present acquainted
for carrying the same into effect, I claim, in conclusion, the arrange-
ment herein shewn and described, or any mere modification thereof, of
hanging or suspending shutters or sashes so that the parts thereof may
be made to balance each other, and act simultaneously with greater
ease and less friction than when hung separately, as is usually the case,
such suspension being effected by means of cords, chains, or ropes
passed over pullies, and placed in the side boxes of the window frames
so as to be out of sight, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Pigott Pritchett, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the First day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
J. P. PRITCHETT, JUN. (L.S.)
Witness,
H. B. JOHNSON,
St. Helen's Square,
York.