IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR WINDOW SASHES AND CASEMENTS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Greenfield, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Brass Worker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR
WINDOW SASHES AND CASEMENTS."
aled the 10th May 1878, and dated the 21st November 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Greenfield at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st November 1877.
JOHN GREENFIELD, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Brass Worker.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR WINDOW SASHES AND CASEMENTS."
My Invention consists of the construction and arrangement herein-after described
of the parts of fastenings for window sashes and casements.
By my Invention the fastening is self-locking, the act of locking drawing the
sashes or casements closely together, and the fastening bolt is so protected that
it cannot be pushed back by a knife or instrument inserted between the sashes or
casements.
I will describe my Invention as applied to the fastening of window sashes. To
the meeting rail of the lower sash a rectangular or other shaped case is secured by
means of a fixing plate, the said fixing plate and case being made by preference in
one piece. In the said case a sliding bolt works, the said bolt being pressed into
its fastening position by a coiled or other spring; the inner end of the bolt is bevilled
on its under side. The inner end of the case in which the bolt works projects over
the meeting rail of the upper sash, and the end of the overhanging part of the said
bolt case is inclined. This overhanging end of the bolt case is open at bottom, and
has a rectangular slot in its top. When the fastening bolt is in its shot position,
its bevilled end projects into the open overhanging end of the bolt case.
The spring
sliding bolt is withdrawn by the hand operating directly on a knob or head
external to the end of the case, or by the action of a lever on the external end of
the bolt.
The other part of the fastening fixed on the meeting rail of the upper sash
consists of a vertical staple or catch carried by a fixing plate, by which it is secured

page_text: to the upper sash. Under the cross bar or head of this vertical staple or catch the
bevilled end of the spring bolt engages. That face of the said staple nearest the
overhanging bevilled end of the bolt case is flat while the opposite face is inclined.
The staple is of a shape and size proper to enter the overhanging end of the bolt
case, and to partly pass through the slot in the said case.
As the meeting rails of the two sashes approach one another in the act of closing
the window, the vertical staple on the upper sash enters the open bottom of the pro-
jecting or overhanging end of the bolt case on the lower sash. As the staple enters
the bolt case, the inclined outer face of the said staple bears against the inclined
inner face of the overhanging end of the bolt case, and the head of the said staple
passes through the slot in the bolt case. The two sashes are thereby drawn closely
together by the action of the inclined parts described of the fastening. The flat
face of the staple at the same time acting upon the bevilled end of the bolt presses
the latter back, and when the window is closed, the opening in the staple is
presented to the said bolt, and the latter is shot forward by its spring, and made
to engage under the cross bar or head of the staple. The self-locking of the two
sashes is thus effected, the said sashes being at the same time drawn closely
together.
To release the sashes it is only necessary to pull outwards the projecting end of
the bolt, or act upon it by means of a lever, when the bevilled end of the bolt is
withdrawn from under the head of the staple, and the sashes are unfastened and the
window may be opened.
Instead of effecting the drawing together of the sashes by the means described, a
contraction may be made near the inner end of the bolt case, so as to leave a head
or dovetail at its extreme end. The staple is in this case provided with an inclined
groove, in which as the lower sash approaches its lowest position, the dovetail carried
by it engages, and the said dovetail travelling down the inclined dovetail groove
draws the sashes tightly together.
In applying my Invention to casements, I construct and arrange the parts of the
fastening substantially as described with respect to a saslı fastening.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Greenfield in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th May
1878.
JOHN GREENFIELD, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Brass Worker.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR WINDOW SASHES AND CASEMENTS."
My Invention consists of the construction and arrangement herein-after described
of the parts of fastenings for window sashes and casements.
By my Invention the fastening is self-locking, the act of locking drawing the
sashes or casements closely together, and the fastening bolt is so protected that it
cannot be pushed back by a knife or instrument inserted between the sashes or
casements.
I will describe my Invention as applied to the fastening of window sashes. To
the meeting rail of the lower sash a rectangular or other shaped case is secured by
means of a fixing plate, the said fixing plate and case being made by preference in
one piece. In the said case a sliding bolt works, the said bolt being pressed into
its fastening position by a coiled or other spring; the inner end of the bolt is bevilled
on its under side. The inner end of the case in which the bolt works projects over
the meeting rail of the upper sash, and the end of the overhanging part of the said
bolt case is inclined. This overhanging end of the bolt case is open at bottom, and
has a rectangular slot in its top. When the fastening bolt is in its shot position, its
bevilled end projects into the open overhanging end of the bolt case.
The spring
sliding bolt is withdrawn by the hand operating directly on a knob or head
external to the end of the case, or by the action of a lever on the external end of
the bolt.
The other part of the fastening fixed on the meeting rail of the upper sash consists
of a vertical staple or catch carried by a fixing plate, by which it is secured to the
upper sash. Under the cross bar or head of this vertical staple or catch the bevilled
end of the spring bolt engages. That face of the said staple nearest the overhanging
bevilled end of the bolt case is flat, while the opposite face is inclined. The staple
is of a shape and size proper to enter the overhanging end of the bolt case, and to
partly pass through the slot in the said case.
As the meeting rails of the two sashes approach one another in the act of closing
the window, the vertical staple on the upper sash enters the open bottom of the pro-
jecting or overhanging end of the bolt case on the lower sash. As the staple enters
the bolt case, the inclined inner face of the said staple bears against the inclined
inner face of the overhanging end of the bolt case, and the head of the said staple
passes through the slot in the bolt case. The two sashes are thereby drawn closely
together by the action of the inclined parts described of the fastening. The flat face
of the staple at the same time acting upon the bevilled end of the bolt presses the
latter back, and when the window is closed the opening in the staple is presented
to the said bolt, and the latter is shot forward by its spring, and made to engage
under the cross bar or head of the staple. The self-locking of the two sashes is thus
effected, the said sashes being at the same time drawn closely together.
To release the sashes it is only necessary to pull outwards the projecting end of
the bolt, or act upon it by means of a lever, when the bevilled end of the bolt is
withdrawn from under the head of the staple, and the sashes are unfastened and the
window may be opened.
Instead of effecting the drawing together of the sashes by the means described, a
contraction may be made near the inner end of the bolt case, so as to leave a head or
dovetail at its extreme end. The staple is in this case provided with an inclined
groove, in which, as the lower sash approaches its lowest position, the dovetail carried

page_text: by it engages, and the said dovetail travelling down the, inclined dovetail groove
draws the sashes tightly together.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing the
manner in which my Invention may be performed.
Figure 1 represents in plan of upper side, and Figure 2 in side elevation, a window
sash fastening constructed according to my Invention, the sashes to which the
fastening is applied being represented closed and fastened together; Figure 3
represents a vertical section of Figure 2; and Figure 4 represents the same view as
Figure 3, but with the sashes open and unfastened.
Figure 5 represents in plan the two parts of the fastening detached from the
sashes; and Figures 6 and 7 represent elevations of opposite ends of the fastening,
the two parts being engaged or fastened together.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of the
Drawing.
a is the meeting rail of the lower sash, and b the meeting rail of the upper sash.
'On the meeting rail a the rectangular case c is secured, in which case the sliding
bolt & works, the said bolt being pressed home or into its fastening position by the
coiled spring e around the rod of the bolt, the said spring bearing at one end against
the said bolt, and at its other end against the closed end of the case c.
The spring
sliding bolt d is withdrawn by the hand pulling outwards the knob or head f on the
external end of the rod of the bolt; or instead of a knob or head fa lever may be
used for withdrawing the bolt. A stop g on the bolt case working in a slot in the
bolt, limits the motion of the latter (see the sections, Figures 3 and 4). The inner
end of the bolt d is bevilled as represented, and the inner end c² of the bolt case c
projects over the meeting rail b of the upper sash, the face of the overhanging part c²
being inclined. The overhanging part of the bolt case is open at bottom, and
has a rectangular slot in its top, the bevilled end of the bolt d, when the latter is in
its normal position, projecting into the overhanging part c² of the bolt case, as seen
in the sections Figures 3 and 4. The staple or catch fixed on the meeting rail b
of the upper sash, with which the spring bolt d and overhanging part c² of the
bolt case c engage, is marked h. The said staple or catch h consists of a vertical
plate, having an opening i in it, the inner face of the said staple being flat, and the
opposite or outer face inclined as represented.
By an examination of the Drawing it will be seen that the staple h is of a size
and figure proper to enter the overhanging part of the bolt case c, and to partly
pass through the slot in the top of the said part c³.
The action of the fastening is as follows:-When the sashes are opened the parts
of the fastening occupy the respective positions represented in Figure 4. As the
meeting rails a, b, of the two sashes approach one another in the act of closing the
said sashes, the vertical staple h enters the open bottom of the projecting or over-
hanging end c² of the bolt case c. As the staple h enters the bolt kc, c², the inclined
outer face of the said staple bears against the inclined inner face of the overhanging
part of the bolt case, and the head of the staple passes through the slot in the
said bolt case, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3. The two sashes a, b, are thereby
forcibly drawn together by the action of the inclined parts described of the fastening.
On the staple entering the part of the bolt case, its flat inner face bears against
the inclined end of the spring sliding bolt d, and presses back the said bolt, and when
the window is closed the the opening i in the staple comes opposite the bevilled
end of the said bolt, and the latter is shot forward, and its end made to snap into
the said opening i in the staple, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3, and thereby
fasten the sashes. The self-locking of the two sashes is thus effected, and the said
sashes are at the same time drawn closely together.
By the bevilled or acting end of the bolt & being situated within the overhanging
part c² of the case, the said bolt is prevented from being pushed backed by a knife
or instrument inserted between the sashes.

page_text: To unfasten the sashes, the knob or head f on the end of the bolt & is pulled out-
wards, when the bevilled end of the bolt is withdrawn from the opening i in the
staple h, and the sashes are unfastened and may be opened.
Instead of using a staple and overhanging part of the bolt case of the kind
described and represented for drawing together the two sashes, a conical staple and
conical overhanging part on the bolt case may be used. This modification of my
Invention is represented in plan in Figure 8, side elevations in Figures 9 and 10, and
parts of the saine detached in Figure 11. The conical staple is marked k, and the
bollow conical overhanging end of the bolt case for engaging with the said conical
staple is marked l.
The spring bolt d may be worked either by a knob or head f projecting from the
end of the bolt case, as illustrated in Figures 8, 9, and 11, or working on the top of
the case, as illustrated in Figure 10. The action of this fastening is the same as
that of the fastening first described, and corresponding parts are marked with the
same letters of reference.
The fastening Figure 10 may be modified by making a cross slot in the bolt case
for the stem of the knob f to enter, when the said knob is turned through a
quadrant; by this motion the bolt d is locked. The bolt in this modification is made
cylindrical.
Figures 12, 13, and 14, represent another arrangement of my Invention for
drawing together the sashes; Figure 12 representing a plan of the fastening with
the sashes fastened together, and Figure 13 a side elevation of the same with the
sashes unfastened; Figure 14 represents a side elevation of the fastening detached
from the sashes. In this arrangement the staple m is furnished with an inclined
groove n, and the inner end of the bolt case is contracted, so as to form a head or
dovetail p.
When the sashes are closed, the head or dovetail p on the end of the bolt case c
engages with the inclined groove n in the staple m, the uprights q, q, of the staple
entering the grooves r, r, in the sides of the head p of the bolt case c. By the
travelling of the head p of the bolt case down the inclined side of the groove n in
the staple m, the two sashes are drawn forcibly together. The spring sliding bolt d
takes into an opening in the staple m to fasten the sashes as before described.
In applying my Invention to casements, I construct and arrange the parts of
the fastening substantially as described and illustrated with respect to a sash
fastening.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention of
improvements in fastenings for window sashes and casements,―
First. The construction and combination or arrangement of parts herein-before
described, and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, of the accompanying
Drawing, for drawing together and fastening the two sashes or casements, that is
to say, making on the end of the bolt case an inclined projecting or overhanging
part marked c, and constructing the staple or catch h, i, in the manner described
and illustrated, whereby on the closing of the sashes, the said staple or catch enters
the projecting or overhanging part of the bolt case and draws closely together the
two sashes or casements, the construction of parts described for drawing together
the sashes or casements being used in combination with a spring sliding bolt arranged
as described and illustrated, which said bolt snaps into the staple and fastens the
sashes or casements simultaneously with the drawing together of the said sashes or
casements.
Secondly. The modification of the parts for drawing together the two sashes or
casements herein-before described, and illustrated in Figures 8, 9, 10, and 11, of the
accompanying Drawing.
Thirdly. The modification of the parts for drawing together the two sashes or

page_text: casements herein-before described, and illustrated in Figures 12, 13, and 14, of the
accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Greenfield, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
JOHN GREENFIELD. (L.S.)