CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDOW SASHES AND SASH FASTENERS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Whittle, Engineer, of Smethwick, in the County
of Stafford, Thomas Greaves and James Newman, Jewellers, both of
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDOW SASHES AND SASH FASTENERS."
Sealed the 21st January 1879, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Whittlo, Thomas
Greaves, and James Newman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 2nd July 1878.
WILLIAM WHITTLE, Engineer, of Smethwick, in the County of Stafford,
THOMAS GREAVES and JAMES NEWMAN, Jewellers, both of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick. CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDOW SASHES AND SASH
FASTENERS."
Our improvements may be used jointly or separately as may be preferred, and
consists :-
Firstly. In the construction of ordinary window sashes whereby every facility is
given for the perfect cleaning of the glass on both sides, and consists in so forming
ordinary window sashes that they are capable of being moved up and down, but at
and through the botton of each frame we pass a horizontal pin on which the frames
work, running through the whole width of the sash frames, and the two ends of the
said pins work into a separate portion of the frame, which also slides up and down
with the sash frame, and at or near the top of each sash frame we have a suitable
fastener or fasteners for securing the same. Thus it is evident that when the sash
or sashes is unfastened at the top they can readily be dropped down (working as it
does on the pin before described) to a horizontal position, and held at any suitable
angle to facilitate the cleaning of both sides of the glass, but particularly the outside
one, as the inside surface of the glass can be cleaned when the sashes are in a
vertical position.

page_text: In the case of very high buildings this must be a very great desideratun, as the
cleaning of windows from the outside must be fraught with great danger to the
cleaner, while in this case it gives every facility for thoroughly cleaning, and which
can all be done by the cleaner from the inside.
Secondly. Our improvements in ordinary sash fasteners consist as follows:-We
cast or form the bar of the fastener hollow or otherwise, instead of solid as is now
usually the case, and through the said hollow bar we insert a pin or screw from the
front; the back end of the said pin or screw works into a small hole tapped at the
back of the sash fastener for receiving it. By this means the window is rendered
doubly secure, for when the hollow bar is brought in the ordinary position for
fastening, the pin or screw has only to be turned a few times at the front to secure
the same in position (or the pin may be made self acting by means of a suitable
spring), at the same time securing the two sashes in close contact with each other,
thereby preventing all noise and unpleasantness from the rattle and shaking of the
sashes which frequently takes place in windy weather, when the window cannot
be opened or the hollow bar pushed aside by any means until the screw or pin
is unscrewed, withdrawn, or otherwise released. But the same object, that of
better securing windows over the ordinary sash fasteners, can be arrived at by
other equivalent means than those described, as, for instance, we take the ordinary
sash fastener, and by securing a suitable small metal projection to the insido
window sash, having a small hole through it, we can so form the thumb part of the
ordinary fastener, having a screw or projecting pin at the end, that when the bar of
the fastener is drawn in the usual position for fastening, the said screw or pin can
be screwed or pressed into a suitable recess formed in the metal projection or plate
before mentioned; or the catch may be made self acting, rendering it impossible to
open or lift the window from the outside, the said screw or pin completely securing
the bar of the fastener, entirely preventing its being pushed or forced back by the
insertion of any instrument or other means applied on the outside and inserted
between the sashes.
The application of such means to ordinary sash fasteners afford, in most cases, a
ready means of stealthy ingress.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Whittle, Thomas Greaves, and James Newman in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st January 1879.
WILLIAM WHITTLE, Engineer, of Smethwick, in the County of Stafford,
THOMAS GREAVES and JAMES NEWMAN, Jewellers, both of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick. "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDOW SASHES AND SASH
FASTENERS."
Our improvements may be used jointly or separately, as may be preferred, and
consist :-
Firstly. In the construction of ordinary window sashes whereby every facility is
given for the perfect cleaning of the glass on both sides, and consist in so formings
ordinary window sashes that they are capable of being moved up and down, but at
and through the bottom of each frame we pass a horizontal pin on which the frames
work, running through the whole width of the sash frames, and the two ends of the
said pins work into a separate portion of the frame which also slides up and down
with the sash frames; and at or near the top of each sash frame we have a suitable
fastener or fasteners for securing the same. Thus it is evident that when the sash
or sashes is unfastened at the top they can readily be dropped down (working as it
does on the pin before mentioned) to a horizontal position and held at any suitable
anglo to facilitate the cleaning of both sides of the glass, but particularly the outside,
as the inside surface of the glass can be cleaned when the sashes are in a vertical
position.
In the case of very high buildings this must be a very great desideratumn, as the
cleaning of windows from the outside must be fraught with great danger to the
cleaner, while in this case it gives every facility for thoroughly cleaning, and which
can all be done by the cleaner from the inside.
Secondly. Our improvements in ordinary sash fasteners consist as follows:-We
cast or formn the bar of the fastener hollow or otherwise instead of solid, as is now
usually the case, and through the said hollow bar we insert a pin or screw from the
front; the back end of the said screw or pin works into a small hole tapped at the
back of the sash fastener for receiving it. By this means the window is rendered
doubly secure, for when the hollow bar is brought into the ordinary position for
fastening, the screw or pin has only to be turned a few times at the front to secure
the same in position (or the pin may be made self acting by means of a suitable
spring), at the same time securing the two sashes in close contact with each other
(thereby preventing all noise and unpleasantness from the rattle and shaking of the
sashes which frequently takes place in windy weather), when the window cannot
be opened or the hollow bar pushed aside by any means until the screw or pin is
unscrewed, withdrawn, or otherwise released. But the same object, that of better
securing windows over the ordinary sash fasteners, can be arrived at by other
equivalent means than those described, as, for instance, we take the ordinary sash
fastener, and by securing a suitable small metal projection to the inside window
sash, having a small hole through it, we can so form the thumb bit (or part of the
ordinary fastener), having a screw or projecting pin at the end, that when the bar
of the fastener is drawn in the usual position for fastening, the said screw or pin
can be screwed or pressed into a suitable recess formed in the metal projection or
plate before mentioned; or the catch may be made self acting, rendering it im-
possible to open or lift the window from the outside, the said screw or pin completely
securing the bar of the fastener, entirely preventing its being pushed or forced back
by the insertion of any instrument or other means applied on the outside and
inserted between the sashes.

page_text: The application of such means to ordinary sash fasteners affords, in most cases, a
ready means of stealthy ingress.
But as our Invention will be best understood by referring to the Drawings here-
unto annexed we will proceed to describe the same, reference being made to the
figures and letters marked thereon.
Fig. 1 is a sectional plan shewing our improvements in window sashes; Fig. 2 is
a vertical section of the same taken through the dotted line a, b, of Figure 1, but
broken off for convenience of space; while Fig. 3 is a vertical section completo; of
which Fig. 4 is merely a front elevation, but with the sash frames shewn in a closed
vertical position.
Figures 3 and 4 are drawn to a smaller scale.
The same parts are marked with the same letters of reference throughout our
description.
A is the inside, and B the outside of the frame of the window; C, Figure 1, shows
in section the lower sash frame, and D the upper or outside sash frame, the two
being free to move up and down in suitably formed grooves running the whole
length of the pulley stile F, the said grooves being formed in the pulley stile.
E, E, are separate strips from the pulley stile and sash frames, and work up and
down in suitable V shaped grooves, marked N, N, in the stile F before referred to,
but are attached to the said frames C and D at or near the bottom by the pins
shewn in dotted lines at Figure 1, and in edge view at Figure 3, the said pin or
pins being marked G in each Figure respectively. The said pins may run through
the entire width of the window frame if desired. These pins form the axes or
pivots on which the window frames work.
The front sash is slightly rounded at the extreme ends of the bottom rail to clear
a portion (in opening) of the pulley stile F, and the top or outside one is also so
treated to clear the edge of the outside lining marked J, as shown by the dotted
lines at the bottom of the frames, marked C, Ď, at Figure 3.
At or near the top of the loose pieces marked E are secured the sash cords 3
working over the pulleys marked H, H, shewn in plan at Figure 1, and in side
elevation at Figure 3; the said sash cords working over the said pulleys are attached
to the balance weights, marked II., shown in plan at Figure 1. J and Kare merely
the inside and outside linings to the sash frame; L, the back lining, and N the strip
forming the partition for the weights to work in the balance box. Thus it is sclf 3
evident that as the sash frames are moved up and down to which the sliding pieces
marked E beforo referred to are attached by the said pins, the said loose pieces
being actuated upon by the sash cords and weights, that the window frame or frames
can be moved up and down as may be desired, the loose pieces E working up and
down in the V shaped grooves marked N, shewn in Figure 3, formed in the before- 4
mentioned pulley stile F.
In Figure 3 the sash frames D and C, shown in section, are represented at an angle
with the window frame for better shewing in elevation the loose pieces E and the
grooves or recesses N in which they work, also the sash cord and pulleys H, and
pulley stile F.
By referring to Figure 3 it will be seen that the sash can be opened to any
suitable angle and there held by the catches or stops marked O, shewn in the front
elevation Figure 4, or by the means of a quadrant attached to the window frame or
other suitable means, and both can slide up and down and be retained in any
desired position; P is merely the bottom or sill of the window.
5

page_text: It will be thus readily scen and understood by again referring to Figure 3 that
the sash frames formning the window can be readily retained in any suitable vertical
or angular position; this in itself must be a very great desideratum, affording as it
does such a ready means for the ingress and egress of fresh and vitiated air, and the
top window sash can be pulled down in a vertical position, and the bottom sash
thrown in an angular position, the bottom rail or bar of the top sash can be drawn
below and lap the top rail or bar of the lower sash so as to aduiit fresh air into the
room without placing the occupants in a direct draught, and who consequently thus
avoid to a much greater extent the danger and risk of taking cold than in rooms
which have the ordinary window sashes.
Our improvements in window sashes also give great facilities for the ventilation
of room, the cleaning of windows, and for thoroughly repainting and readily
repairing the same.
Secondly. Our improvements relate to sash fasteners, the form and shape of which
differs but very little from those in every day use; but to enable our improvements
in such to be better understood we will describe the same as exhibited in the
Drawings.
Fig. 5 is a plan of the sash fastener complete; Fig. 6 is a side view, and Fig. 7,
merely a front view of the same.
Q, Q, Figure 5, are merely the meeting bars of an ordinary window with a sash
fastener attached thereto, shewn in position through the bar or portion marked R,
which we cast or otherwise form hollow out of suitable tubing or otherwise, and
which works on the pivot or axis marked S which is seen in plan at Figure 5, also
in dotted lines in Figures 6 and 7, and marked with the same letters of reference,
which bar is actuated by a metal spring as in ordinary fasteners, and is shewn in
dotted lines in Figure 5, and in elevation in Figure 7 marked with the letter T; in
the said hollow bar the pin marked U shewn at Figures 5, 6, and 7, works, provided
with a suitable shoulder and screwed some distance at the end.
On the back plate of the fastener marked V, shewn in plan at Figure 5, we tap a
small hole marked W in which the pin U works; thus it will be readily seen that
we have only to pull the fastener into the position shewn and apply a slight pressure
to the pin or thumbscrew U, and give it a few turns, when the sashes will be firmly
fastened and secured by the pin being screwed into the back V, as the screwing of
the said pin into the back of the fastener before referred to has the effect of bringing
the two sash bars forming the window into close contact and holding them rigidly
together, thus preventing all unpleasantness caused by the rattling and noise from
the shaking of the window in windy and stormy weather, and which is also often
caused by the shrinking of the wood of which the windows are made, and at the
same time preventing the fastener from being pushed back by the insertion of
anything between the bars of the window; their being brought so close together
also prevents any thin instrument for actuating on the bar being inserted between
them.
On reference to the Drawings it is readily seen that the fastener can be
casily realeased or unfastened by unscrewing the pin marked U (but not otherwise)
and drawn out in the position shown at Figure 5, and the part marked R (which
works on the axis S before referred to) being pushed back at a right angle to
the position shewn (which is effected by simply applying the finger and thumb to
the knob at the end of the screw U or the knob X, both shewn in Figures 5,
6, and 7) when the window or casement is then in a position to be opened.
Having now described our Invention and the manner of giving effect to the same,
we wish it particularly understood that we do not confine ourselves to the exact
details as herein set forth, described, and exhibited, as the same are capable of great
diversification, but what we do claim as of our Invention and wish to protect under
these our in part recited Letters Patent are, the making and forming of window

page_text: sashes and sash fasteners for giving effect to the purposes herein described, set
forth, and illustrated.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Whittle, Thomas Greaves, and James
Newman, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Thirtieth day of
December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-eight.
Witness,
ALFRED PERRY, C.E.,
Handsworth,
Birmingham.
WILLIAM WHITTLE. (L.S.)
THOMAS GREAVES.
JAMES NEWMAN.
(L,S.)
(L.S.)