Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Retaining Window Sashes and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Retaining Window Sashes
and the like.
We, WILLIAM ARTHUR STEVENS, and ARTHUR HERBERT Buss, both of 128,
Cambridge Street, Warwick Square, in the County of London, Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to means or apparatus for retaining sliding sashes and
the like in any desired position in their frames of the kind in which a spring
actuated stop on the interior of the window frame engages with a wavy or
corrugated rack or with countersunk holes or concavities or equivalent apparatus
on or in the sash frame or vice versa.
Devices of this character as heretofore made and used are defective either by
being so fixed that the stop is exposed to wet draining from the sashes or frames
or by the parts being so shaped as to be subjected to an unnecessary amount of
wear in use whereby they quickly deteriorate and the device becomes useless for
its purpose.
The object of our invention is so to construct and fit apparatus of the kind
herein before referred to as to obviate the defects indicated.
Our appliance consists of a stop of special form actuated by a coil spring and
working in conjunction with a curved path also of special formation.
The face of the stop is made of a simple or compound curvilinear shape in the
vertical plane and straight in the horizontal plane. This stop is furnished with
guides for regulating its back and forward motion and preventing it from
jambing in the metal case in which it is fitted. In the metal case is an open steel
coil spring bearing on the rear of the stop and on the back of the metal case.
The stop face is so curved in the vertical plane as to cause the lines of force when
the spring is under compression to be as nearly as possible parallel to the axis
of the spring.
The case containing the spring actuated stop is secured in a countersunk hole
in the interior of the window frame, and the curved path is formed on or secured
to the sash frame or vice versa.
The curved path is formed by curves in reverse directions with intervening
straight parts. These straights are in such positions as to form an irregular path
which causes the spring to be compressed with a less traverse of the sash when
descending than when ascending. The object of this differential rate of com-
pression of the spring is to reduce as much as possible the amount of external
force required either to raise or to lower the sash.
Dated this 15th day of October 1897

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Retaining Window Sashes
and the like.
We, WILLIAM ARTHUR STEVENS and ARTHUR HERBERT Buss, both lately
residing at 128, Cambridge Street, Warwick Square, in the County of London,
Engineers, and now of 4, Denbigh Street, Warwick Square, aforesaid, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement..
This invention relates to means or apparatus for retaining sliding sashes and
the like in any desired position in their frames of that kind in which a spring
actuated stop on the interior of the window frame engages with a wavy or
corrugated rack or with countersunk holes or concavities or equivalent apparatus
on or in the sash frame or vice versa.
Devices of this character as heretofore made and used are defective either by
being so fixed that the stop is exposed to wet draining from the sashes or frames
or by the parts being so shaped as to be subjected to an unnecessary amount of
wear in use whereby they quickly deteriorate and the device becomes useless for
its purpose.
The object of our invention is so to construct and fit apparatus of the kind
hereinbefore referred to as to obviate the defects indicated.
Our appliance consists of a stop of special form actuated by a coil spring and
working in conjunction with a curved path also of special formation.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a partly sectional elevation showing
part of a railway carriage window sash and frame with our invention fitted thereto
the sash being three parts up, and Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same with the
sash still further up; Fig. 3 is an inside elevation of the window frame alone
showing the spring stop fitted in the groove in which the sash slides. The same
letters of reference where they occur are used to denote the same or corresponding
parts in all three figures.
A is a metal stop the face a of which is made of a curvilinear shape in the
vertical plane, generally as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and straight in the horizontal
plane as shown in Fig. 3. This stop is fitted in a metal case B comprising a back
plate ba turned up lower end 6, a straight upper end 62 having a groove b³
therein and a right angled face plate 64. The stop A is provided at its upper end
with a tongue or guide piece a¹ which engages in the groove 63 in the upper
end of the case B, and at its lower end with a hole which is made to align with
corresponding holes in the turned up lower end 6' and the back plate b when the
stop is in position in the case B. The device is secured in a recess formed in the
groove in the frame C, by means of screws or the like 66 passed through
the face plate 4 and through the three aligned holes in the lower end of the
stop A and case B, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. 65 is a washer of any suitable
sound-deadening material which is interposed between the under side of the face
plate 6 and the tongue or guide piece a¹ on the stop, and is secured by the upper
screw 66. Inside the curved face a of the stop is a recess a² in which lies one end
of an open coil spring E the other end bearing on the back plate b of the metal
case B.
The curved path is formed on or secured to the outer edge of the sash frame I)
and is made by curves d and d¹ in reverse directions with intervening straight
parts ². These straights lie in planes inclined to the vertical and form as it were
a series of wedges which are connected by the curves d and d and which are so
disposed that the thin part of such wedges is at the upper end and the thick part
at the lower end. From this construction it follows that in pushing the sash

page_text: up the spring E in the stop A is gradually compressed as the inclined straight
part passes thereover until the maximum compression of the spring is reached
when the outward curve d' is adjacent to the curved face a of the stop, after which
the curved face a enters the inward curve d, the tension on the spring being then
at its minimum, and the gradual compression is again brought about by the
succeeding straight part 2. On lowering the sash however the reverse operation`
takes place, the maximum compression of the spring being quickly effected when
the sash is being lowered so as to pass the curved path from the inward curve d
to the outward curved, after which the compression of the spring gradually
lessens as it passes the intervening inclined straight part until it reaches its
minimum compression at the succeeding inward curve d, after which it is again
quickly compressed to its maximum and so on. The object of this differential
rate of compression of the spring is, to reduce as much as possible the amount
of external force required to raise the sash, and to effect its support.
The stop a is so formed and fitted in its case B as to cause the lines of forces
when the spring E is under compression to be as nearly as possible parallel to the
axis of the spring and to avoid as far as practicable any unequal distribution
of friction.
The curves and and the face a of the stop are so shaped as to effect in
combination with the spring E the support of the sash, and to admit of its descent
as may be required.
The amount of friction between the stop and curved path will of course vary
according to the weight of the sash to be supported, and to provide for this we
may either employ a stronger or weaker spring E as required or slightly vary the
curvature of the stop face or both.
It will be understood that the curved path may be if desired on the edge or inner
or outer face of the sash and the stop correspondingly fixed in the frame; or
the stop may be fixed in the edge or inner or outer face of the sash and the
curved path correspondingly formed on the frame, but we find the
arrangement shown in the drawings well adapted for the purpose. Also
that the arrangement may be fixed to one or to both sides of the sash and
frame as required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
-
1. Means or apparatus for retaining window sashes and the like comprising a
stop having a curvilinear face and a tongue or guide or guides, said stop being
mounted in a case fitted in the frame or sash and having grooves to receive the
tongue or guides, a spring in said case bearing on the rear of the stop, and a
curved path formed or fitted on or in the edge or faces of the sash or on or in the
frame, consisting of reversely curved parts joined by inclined straight parts,
arranged to operate substantially as and for the purposes herein before set forth
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. Means or apparatus for retaining window sashes and the like comprising
a spring stop and a double curved path having intervening inclined parts mounted
in the frame and sash to operate substantially in the manner hereinbefore described
with reference to the accompanying drawings and for the purposes stated.
F. W. GOLBY,
36, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agent for the Applicants.