Improvements in and relating to Window Awnings.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 19th Mar., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Window Awnings.
I, JOHN MEIGGS EWEN, of 1129, The Rookery, Chicago, County of Cook, State of
Illinois, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of my invention 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 supports for prism light canopies, and has for its object to
provide a new and improved support for such canopies of which the following is a
description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein is shown
a perspective view of a series of canopies provided with supports embodying my
invention.
When a very large prism light canopy is used, the canopy is necessarily of great
weight and hence difficult to handle. It is also necessary to wash the canopy
occasionally in order to prevent its efficiency from being decreased by the accumulation
of dirt. The object of my present invention is to provide means whereby these
canopies can be easily reached for washing or other purposes without the difficulty
and inconvenience of changing their position, and at the same time to provide a
strong, artistic support.
As illustrated, I have shown a series of heavy canopies A A in proximity to each
other, each provided with a supporting device comprising a ladder B, so arranged
that the person who is to wash the canopy may easily reach it. In cases where the
ladder B cannot be easily reached from the window, provide a ladder C leading
thereto as shown. The canopies are placed in position and normally held in such
position by the supporting ladders, the whole so arranged that a person can easily
reach the canopies by means of the ladders and clean their surfaces or perform any
other operation desired.
It is of course evident that a single canopy may be provided with one or more
ladder supports and I have only shown the ladders in connection with a series of
canopies for the purpose of showing that a single ladder may be utilized for two
canopies.
A further feature of my invention is to secure the ladder intermediate between
the adjacent prism plates, so that the cleaner when he mounts the ladder will be in
proper position to clean either the whole or a portion of each of the adjacent prism
plates. In this way the bars or braces, which must extend from somewhere near the
corner of each prism plate down to the wall below, become the side pieces of the
ladder. This spacing of the canopies is a necessary result incident to the construction
of buildings and the interval between the two windows is ordinarily just about
sufficient for the ladders.
I have not attempted to show any details whatever and the parts may be said to be
diagrammatically shown. Neither have I attempted to show proportions or exact
relations of the parts. It is also evident that the construction and arrangement of
hese ladder supports may be changed at will and will depend upon the conditions to
be met.

page_text: 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 :-
combined prism light canopy and support, substantially as shown and