A NEW OR IMPROVED SASH FASTENING FOR THE DOORS AND WINDOWS OF RAILWAY AND OTHER · CARRIAGES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Rickett, of Northfield, in the County of Worcester,
Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED SASH
FASTENING FOR THE DOORS AND WINDOWS OF RAILWAY AND OTHER
· CARRIAGES."
Sealed the 13th December 1878, and dated the 19th June 1878.
Sealed the 13th December 1878, and dated the 19th June 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Rickett at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th June 1878.
THOMAS RICKETT, of Northfield, in the County of Worcester, Mechanical
Engineer. "A NEW OR IMPROVED SASH FASTENING FOR THE DOORS AND
WINDOWS OF RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES."
The object of my Invention is to construct the sash fastenings of the windows
and doors of railway and other carriages, so that the sashes may be easily raised
and lowered and yet remain firmly fixed in any position to which they may have
been brought.
In constructing the said fastening, according to my Invention, I provide two or
more springs which are fixed on the sash frame at its vertical sides. These springs
press against the sides of the grooves in which the sash slides with sufficient force
to hold the sash securely in any position to which it may have been brought. The
upper ends of these springs project a little beyond the top of the sash, and are bent
or doubled, the thickness of the doubled part being less than the thickness of the
sash. A light spindle or axis is carried along the top of the sash or let into it, and
is mounted in bearings on the sash. The ends of this spindle are flattened, and
are situated in the bent or hooked ends of the springs. In the middle of the
spindle is fixed a projecting lip by which the sash is raised and lowered.
The action of the fastening is as follows:-When it is desired to raise the sash
the hand is placed under the projecting lip and the said lip pressed upwards. The
lip spindle turns in its bearings through a small angle, and the upper corners of
the flattened ends press against the hook or return ends of the "springs, drawing
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page_text: the springs inwards or more nearly parallel to the sash. The pressure of the springs
against the grooves in which the sash slides is relaxed and the sash can be easily
raised. When the sash has been raised to the height required the hand.is removed
from the lip. The pressure on the lip ceases, and the springs immediately resume
their grip on the frame, and retain the sash firmly in its position.
When it is desired to lower the sash a slight pressure on the top of the lip brings
into play the lower corners of the flattened ends of the spindle, which relax the
springs in the manner already described. The sash now descends so long as the
pressure is maintained on the lip, but by removing the hand when the sash has
descended to the desired position the springs resume their grip and the sash is
firmly held in its position. In consequence of the leverage of the lip being nuch
greater than that of the flat ends of the spindle, a slight pressure on the lip suffices
to relax a strong spring. There is very little wear on the frame, inasmuch as the
springs are out of action when the sash is in motion.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Rickett in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th
December 1878.
THOMAS RICKETT, of Northfield, in the County of Worcester, Mechanical
Engineer. " A NEW OR IMPROVED SASH FASTENING FOR THE DOORS AND
WINDOWS OF RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES."
The object of my Invention is to construct the sash fastenings of the windows
and doors of railway and other carriages so that the sashes may be easily raised
and lowered and yet remain firmly fixed in any position to which they may have
been brought.
In constructing the said fastening, according to my Invention, I provide two or
more springs, which are fixed on the frame of the sash at its vertical sides. These
springs press against the sides of the grooves, in which the sash slides, with sufficient
force to hold the sash securely in any position to which it may have been brought.
The upper ends of these springs project a little beyond the top of the sash, and are
bent or doubled, the thickness of the doubled part being less than the thickness of
the sash. A light spindle or axis is carried along the top of the sash or let into it,
and is mounted in bearings on the sash. The ends of this spindle are flattened and
are situated in the bent or hooked ends of the springs. In the middle of the spindle
is fixed a projecting lip or finger plate, by which the sash is raised and lowered.
The action of the fastening is as follows:-When it is desired to raise the sash
the hand is placed under the projecting lip, and the said lip pressed upwards. The
lip spindle turns in its bearings through a small angle and the lower corners of the
flattened ends press against the hook or return ends of the springs, drawing the
springs inwards or more nearly parallel to the sash. The pressure of the springs
against the grooves in which the sash slides is relaxed and the sash can be easily

page_text: raised. When the sash has been raised to the height required the hand is removed
from the lip. The pressure on the lip ceases, and the springs immediately resume
their grip on the frame and retain the sash firmly in its position.
When it is desired to lower the sash a slight pressure on the top of the lip brings.
into play the upper corners of the flattened ends of the spindle, which relax the
springs in the manner already described. The sash now descends so long as the
pressure is maintained on the lip, but by removing the hand when the sash has
descended to the desired position, the springs resume their grip and the sash is
firmly held in its position.
In consequence of the leverage of the lip being much greater than that of the
flat ends of the spindle a slight pressure on the lip suffices to relax a strong spring.
There is very little wear on the frame, inasmuch as the springs are out of action
when the sash is in motion.
Having explained the nature of my Invention I will proceed to describe, with
reference to the accompanying Drawing, the manner in which the same may be
performed.
Figure 1 represents in front elevation; Figure 2, in vertical section; and
Figure 3, in horizontal section, a railway carriage or other door and window, the
fastening of the sliding sash of which is constructed according to my Invention.
Figures 4 and 5 represent end clevations of the sash and frame in which it
works, and Figure 6 represents a plan partly in horizontal section of the same, the
said Figures 4, 5, and 6 being drawn of the full size. In Figure 4 one of the
springs of the sash fastening is represented in action and in Figure 5 drawn out of
action, the said Figure 5 exhibiting the manner in which the ends of the lip spindle
or axis operate upon the springs to release the sash.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,-
and 6.
a represents the frame of the door and window in the parallel grooves a³, in
which frame the sash a slides; d, d, are the springs fixed on the sides of the
sash and moving with it, the upper flat parts of the said springs, in their normal
positions, pressing against the sides of the groove a* in the frame a², and holding
the sash in the position to which it has been brought. The upper ends of the.
springs d, d, are doubled or bent into a hook form, the end of the hook or return
part taking into a recess in the top of the sash; a is the spindle or axis for
releasing the sash, the said spindle resting on or seating itself in a curved seat inade
along the top of the sash (see Figures 4 and 5) and turning in the bearings c, c.
Fixed to the middle of the spindle a is a projecting lip or finger plate b, the end
knuckles of which work between a middlc knuckle carried by a flap fixed to the
front of the sash.
The spindle a passes through the said middle knuckle, which assists in supporting
it. By an upward or downward pressure of the hand on the lip or finger plate
the spindle a may be turned through a small angle for releasing the sash. The
ends a³, as, of the spindle are flattened or cut away, as seen in Figures 4, 5, and 6,
the flattened or cut-away ends working within the hooked or doubled ends of the
springs d, d.
When the sash is at rest it is supported in the window frame by the pressure of
the springs d, d, bearing against the sides of the grooves a, in which the said sash
works; when, however, it is wished to release the sash, for raising or lowering it,
the hand presses the lip or plate b either upwards or downwards; the spindle a is,
thereby made to turn in its bearing through a small angle, and either the top or
bottom angles of the flattened ends a of the said spindle are made to bear upon
the return ends of the spring d, in the manner illustrated in Figure 5. By the
action of the flattened ends as of the spindle a upon the return ends of the
springs & the said springs d are drawn inwards from the grooves a³ and made to lie
nearly parallel to the sash, as seen in Figure 5; the sash is thus released, and is
free to be raised or lowered. On removing the hand from the lip or plate 6 the
springs & take their normal positions, and by their pressure against the grooves in

page_text: which the sash works support the said sash in the position to which it has been
brought. The back motion of the return ends of the springs & pressing upon
the Battened ends a³ of the spindle a causes the said spindle to take its original
position.
By my Invention the act of raising or lowering the sash by pressure on the lip
or finger plate b releases the sash, and the removal of the pressure from the said lip
or finger plate causes the said sash to be fixed in its raised or lowered adjusted
position.
Instead of arranging the springs at the sides of the sashes, as described and
represented, they may be arranged at the edges of the sashes. In this case I
employ springs, a spindle, and a releasing lip or finger plate of the kind described,
but the parts for taking the springs out of action, so as to release the sash, are
constructed in the following manner:-On each end of the spindle an oblong arm
or collar is fixed, each arm or collar having in its inner face an angular or V shaped
recess. The face of the recess at right angles to the angular face is semi-circular.
The bent or return end of each spring has an angular or V shaped figure. The
ends of the lip spindle are cylindrical, and pass through holes in the return ends of
the springs. In the cavity formed between the recess in the collar or arm on the
spindle and the angular-shaped return end of the spring a loose steel ball or
sphere or a roller is inserted. When the lip spindle is turned through a small angle
the collar or arm on its end has a like motion, and the ball or sphore by a rolling
motion travels up or between the parallel inclines on the collar and the bent or
return end of the spring. By the travelling of the balls or spheres at each end of
the sash they press inwards the bent or return ends of the springs, and cause the
pressing parts of the springs to be drawn from the frame in which the sash slides
and release the sash. When, however, the pressure is removed from the lip on the
spindle the elasticity of the return ends of the springs press the balls or spheres
into their normal positions, and the springs again press upon the frame and support
the sash..
This arrangement is particularly applicable to carriage doors in which the sashes
work in taper guides in the frame, in order to use the "fence" or heading over
which the bottom of the sash may be dropped, and I have represented in the
accompanying Drawing the said arrangement as applied to such doors.
Figure 7 represents in elevation a carriage door to which this modification of my
Invention is applied; Figure 8 represents a vertical section and Figure 9 a hori-
zontal section of the same.
Figure 10 represents a vertical section of a portion of the sash and its frame, and
the fastening mechanism drawn of the full size, and Figures 11 and 12 represent
horizontal sections of the same, Figure 11 representing the fastening mechanism in
its normal position, and Figure 12 the same after the sash has been released.
is the sash working in taper guides or grooves in the frame of the door;
d, ³, are the springs carried by the said sash, the said springs being situated at the
edges of the sash instead of at the sides, as before described.
The releasing parts of the fastening consist of the spindle a and the lip plate b,
as in the first-described arrangement, but on each end of the spindle a is an oblong
arm or collar f, having a recess inclined or V shaped in one direction, and semi-
circular in the other direction, of the kind and having the figure best seen in
Figures 10 and 11, the inclined faces of the recesses in the collars f being opposite
angular or inclined faces on the return ends d³ of the springs.
g is the loose ball or sphere contained in the space between the inclined faces of
the collar and spring end at each end of the sash. The cylindrical ends of the
spindle a pass through the holes in the spring ends d³.
When the sash is at rest, the parts occupy the respective positions represented in
Figures 10 and 11; that is, the ball or sphere g is situated in the widest part of
the space between the collar and spring end d. When, however, the lip or finger
plate b on the spindle a is pressed upwards for raising the sash, and the spindle
partly rotated; the collar fmoving with the said spindle takes the position repre-

page_text: sented in Figure 12; that is to say, as the collar f moves through a small angle it
causes the loose ball or sphere g to travel by a rolling motion between the inclined
face h of the said collar and the parallel inclined face i of the spring end d³. The
said spring end is thereby pressed inwards by the motion of the ball or sphere g
aud the spring d is withdrawn from the stile, and the sash released, as will be
understood by an examination of the said Figure 12. The action described takes
place at both ends of the spindle a. When the lip b is pressed down for lowering
the sash, a similar action takes place, the ball or sphere working between the
other inclined faces of the collar f and spring end d. Thus the act of lifting or
lowering the sash by pressure upon the lip or plate b releases the sash, and the
removal of the pressure from the said lip or plate fixes the sash.
Although I have represented in the accompanying Drawing what I consider to
be the best arrangements for transmitting the angular motion of the lip spindle a
to the return or hooked ends of the pressing springs of the sash, yet I do not limit
myself thereto, as other equivalent arrangements may be employed. For example,
the motion of the lip spindle a may be transmitted to the return ends of the
springs by means of one or more links set at an angle, or by a triangular strut,
but I prefer to use the arrangements of parts described and represented in the
Drawing.
In the first-described arrangement of my Invention, two springs may be employed
at each side of the sash instead of one spring, as represented, one spring on the
interior face of the sash and the other on the outside faco, but generally a single
spring at cach side of the sash is sufficient.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner in which the
samo is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention
the new or improved sash fastening for the doors and windows of railway and
other carriages, herein-before described, and illustrated in the accompanying Draw-
ing; that is to say, a sash fastening consisting of two or more springs, constructed
and working substantially as described, the said springs being carried by the sash
and pressing against the sides or ends of the grooves in the sash frame for retaining
the sash in any position to which it is brought, the said springs being taken out of
action or their pressure on the sides or ends of the grooves relaxed by the act of
raising or lowering the sash by means of mechanism, constructed and operating
substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Rickett, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
THOMAS RICKETT. (L.S.)