CERTAIN IMPROVED METHODS OF RAISING AND LOWERING WINDOWS AND WINDOW BLINDS, AND OPENING AND SHUTTING DOORS, WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE RAISING AND LOWERING OF MAPS, CURTAINS, AND OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1841

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
WARD ANDREWS, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, Ironmonger,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Second day of February, in the fourth year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said William
Ward Andrews, Her especial licence that I, the said William Ward Andrews
my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Ward
Andrews, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, the Islands of Jersey,
Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and also in all Her said Majesty's
Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVED METHODS
OF RAISING AND LOWERING WINDOWS AND WINDOW BLINDS, AND OPENING AND
SHUTTING DOORS, WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE RAISING AND LOWERING OF
MAPS, CURTAINS, AND OTHER ARTICLES;" and whereas by a certain Disclaimer of
a part of the said Title of the said Patent entered with the Clerk of the Patents
of England, and dated the Thirtieth day of July One thousand eight hundred.
and forty-one, the said Title was altered to "Certain Improved Methods of
Raising and Lowering Window Blinds, and Opening and Shutting Doors;"
and whereas in the said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the
said William Ward Andrews, by an instrument in writing, under my hand
and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Inven-.

page_text: tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the
same to be enrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in part
recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had,
will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Ward Andrews, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention,
as regards window blinds, to consist :-
First, in raising roller window blinds by the application in a peculiar manner
to the end of the roller of a pinion acted upon by a multiplying cogged wheel,
which wheel has a line or cord wound round a barrel or drum cast upon it
in such manner that when the cord is pulled so as to unwind, every consequent
turn of the wheel causes several revolutions of the pinion and of the roller with
it in a contrary or winding up direction, so that when a very short length of
cord has been pulled down or unwound off the drum, a long length of blind
has been raised or wound upon the blind roller.
Secondly, in lowering the said blinds and causing them to remain at any
height by affixing a friction spring collar herein-after described round the axis
of the blind roller, with a click or paul acting against it in such manner that,
when the blind ceases to be raised, the click acts against the friction ring and
prevents the weight of the blind from causing it to unwind again, while the
extra force which may be applied by the hand when it is required to draw
down the blind overcomes the power of the click and friction spring collar, and
causes the axis of the blind roller to revolve within the friction spring collar
notwithstanding the click has a tendency to oppose its so doing sufficient to
prevent the mere weight of the blind overcoming it, though not sufficient to
resist the additional power of the hand when applied to draw the blind down.
And,
Thirdly, in fixing all the machinery (to which the power is applied which
raises and lowers the blind) to a side cheek, covered by a case or box separate
from the blind roller with the axis of the pinion (which forms also the axis of
the roller) projecting from the said box, and (being squared) entering into.
a square mortice formed to receive it at the end of the blind roller, thereby
preventing all downward pressure upon the axis of the blind roller, as in
common roller blinds.
And I, the said William Ward Andrews, do hereby further declare the
nature of my said Invention as regards doors to consist in hanging the door
on a vertical shaft or pintle below, with a toothed pinion at the bottom of the
said pintle, and steadying the door above by means of a vertical cone or pivot

page_text: working into a conical cup formed to receive it, and in two methods of causing
the toothed pinion at the bottom of the vertical pintle below to be acted upon
by springs through the medium of a toothed or cogged excentric or a rack, in
such manner as to keep the door always closed; except when force is applied
to keep it open.
And in further compliance with the said proviso, I, the said William Ward
Andrews, do hereby describe the manner in which my said Invention is to be
performed by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
Drawings annexed, marked respectively A and B, and to the figures and
letters marked thereon, similar letters being used in all the Figures to denote
similar parts wherever they occur.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A AND B.
And first, with reference to Window Blinds.-Figure 1 represents a front
view of a roller window blind mounted on my improved methods. A1, A2, are
two metal cheeks serving for end supports for the axes of the roller. B is the
blind, supposed to be down or unwound. The axis of the roller which rests in
the support A' is an ordinary round pin, fixed immoveably on the end of the
roller, being soldered to or cast with a brass cap or socket, which receives the
end of the roller (which I propose to make of wood) to which it is screwed.
C is a screw pin (shown more distinctly at Figure 2) to keep the axis in its
support or bearing A', and which screw is removed when it is required to take
down the roller. D is another brass cap or socket screwed on to the other end
of the roller, and has a square mortice formed in it (better shown in the end
view Figure 3) to fit on to and over the square of the axis E of a toothed
pinion, to be hereafter explained. F is a box or case fitting over and con-
cealing the mechanism by which the blind is wound up and screwed to the
support A². Figure 4 is a front view and Figure 5 an end view of the said
case, shewn separately. Figure 6 is a front view of the mechanism aforesaid
and the support A*, to which it is attached. E is the squared part of the axis
of the pinion G, which squared part forms also, as has been before shewn, the
axis of one end of the blind roller. The pinion G gears into the toothed
wheel H, which is furnished with a drum or barrel J, over which the cord K
is wound; and when it is required to draw up the blind, the cord K must be
pulled and thus unwound, which will of course cause the wheel H to drive the
pinion, and with it the roller, in an opposite direction; and the greater the
wheel H is made in proportion to the pinion G, the shorter the length of cord
will be which will require to be wound upon the barrel J; but it will be
evident, that if there were only provision made for winding up the blind, its

page_text: weight would unwind it again the moment the pull on the cord was relaxed;
and to prevent this, I have therefore made the metal spring cut ring, shown
separately at Figure 7. This ring is made a size smaller than the axis of the
pinion G, and therefore must be opened at the cut L, in order to be put over,
and so on to the axis of the pinion: once there and allowed to collapse upon
it, the boss at M comes in contact with the click or paul N, and the weight of
the blind not being sufficient to cause the roller to turn the axis of the pinion
round in the ring, it holds the roller at whatever height the blind is rolled up
to; but when it is required to draw down the blind, the power of the hand is
sufficient to force the axis of the pinion G round in the ring, which is held fast
by the click N, while, when the axis of the pinion G is turned in the contrary
direction to wind up the blind, the spring cut ring revolves with it, lifting
up the click at every revolution, and thus meeting with no impediment.
Figure 8 is a side section of the said mechanism, showing also its application
to the end of the blind roller by means of the square E, of the axis of the
pinion G, entering into the square mortice made to receive it in the cap
at the end of the blind roller.
And now, secondly, with reference to Doors.-Figure 9 represents a plan of
the mechanism by which doors are kept shut, and require less force to keep open
on my improved method; the said mechanism is inclosed in an oil-tight box
which it is intended shall be always kept full of oil, and is to be let into the floor
under or into the sill of the door and level with the floor. There is a plain top
or cover over the box, which is here removed in order to shew the mechanism.
P is an upright shaft or square pintle (shewn better in Figure 10). On this
pintle the door is hung, a metal plate with a square hole in it being screwed on to
the bottom of the door to receive it (as seen also in Figure 10, and marked Q),
and the pintle passing up a few inches into the bottom cross stile of the door,
so that whenever the door is opened an action is caused on the pintle, which is
thus moved round. At the bottom of this pintle is the pinion O, which takes
into the cogged excentric R; that excentric turns on a centre at S, and is
furnished with two friction rollers T and T, acting against the cross plate U,
which cross plate is kept up to the friction rollers by the two spiral springs
V, V, while it keeps its rectangular position, with reference to the springs, by
means of the bottom plate W, which is formed in one piece with the cross
plate, and has, it will be seen, three pins working through it in slots to keep
it steady, and to guide its motions. Now from this arrangement it will be
evident, that if the door be pushed open in the direction of the arrow, it will
cause the pintle with its pinion to turn in the same direction, and this will
cause the excentric to turn in the opposite direction, and thus bring the

page_text: friction roller T to bear against and push forward the cross plate U, so as to
contract the spiral springs V, V, which, when the force by which the door is
pushed open is no longer applied, will cause the door to resume its shut
position. X is a small spring to aid in checking the door in its shut position,
and in fixing exactly the line the door is to take when shut, and is acted upon
by the stud or tooth Y, which forms a part of the pintle. The spiral springs
V, V, are coiled round rods Z, Z, to steady them, and which work through
the cross plate U. Figure 10 is a vertical section of Figure 9, shewing also
part of the lower cross stile of the door and the bottom door plate. Figure 11
is a plan of the bottom door plate, and Figure 12 is a separate elevation
of the pintle P, with its pinion O and stud Y. This pintle, it will be
seen, works upon a pivot in a conical socket in the bottom of the box.
Figures 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18, are separate views of various pieces
composing Figure 9, and Figure 19 is a plan of the box and its mechanism,
shewing its position when the door is open, and when it will be observed
the cross plate U has been pushed forward upon the rods Z, Z. Figure 20
is a plan of the box with its cover on, and of a part of the door, and of the
bottom door plate when the door is open. But it now becomes necessary to
shew how the door is supported at its upper end; and, inasmuch as my
Invention as it regards doors is a complete substitute for the ordinary hinges,
Figure 21 shows the arrangement by which the head of the door is supported.
a is a conical socket in a plate of metal let into and screwed upon the top of
the door, while 6 is a similar plate in some respects, to be let into and screwed
to the lintel or door frame over the door. This last-named metal plate is
furnished with a screw plug d, having a conical end capable of being screwed
up or down at pleasure by means of the collar e, pierced with holes at its side
to put a turning lever in, the plug being screwed round till it turns quite up
into the lintel. The bottom of the door, having been previously placed upon
the pintle below, is brought under the plug above, and the plug is then screwed
down till its conical end enters into the conical socket made to receive it in the
plate, which is fixed on to the top of the door, and thus the door is completely
hung and hinged. Figures 22, 23, 24, and 25, show the different parts of this
mechanism for the top of the door separately. Figures 26, 27, 28, 29, 30,
and 31, show another method of carrying out my improved principle, the
5 oil-tight box, the pintle P, and pinion O, being the same as before, but
the toothed rack f being substituted for the excentric R, and the spiral springs
being both placed upon the same rod Z, and in a line with each other, instead
of being placed upon two rods and side by side as before. The spring 9 and
indent also are here substituted for the spring X and stud Y, before shown,

page_text: while the stud m here shown, fixed to the rack f, is substituted for the cross
plate U, described in the last Figure. The bottom plate of the door for the
pintle to pass through is the same here as in the former Figure, and the
arrangement of the top of the door is also precisely the same. Figures 27
and 28 show a plan and a section of the mechanism when the door is open;
and the result of the application of either of the plans for doors herein-before
described will be, that though it will require a strong push or pull to overcome
the first resistance, yet as the door opens the resistance will diminish so that
the effort to keep the door open will be much less than the effort to open it in
the first instance, which is the reverse of the effect produced in this respect by
ordinary door springs.
Now whereas I claim as my Invention the Improved Methods of Raising and
Lowering Window Blinds, and of Shutting and Opening Doors, herein-before
described; and such my Invention being, to the best of my knowledge and
belief, entirely new, and never before used within that part of Her said Majesty's
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, Her said
Dominion of Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, the Islands of
Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, nor in any of Her said
Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, I do hereby declare this to be my
Specification of the same, and that I do verily believe this my said Specifica-
tion doth comply in all respects, fully and without reserve or disguise, with
the proviso in the said herein-before in part recited Letters Patent contained;
wherefore I do hereby claim to maintain exclusive right and privilege to my
said Invention.
In witness whereof, the said William Ward Andrews hath hereunto
set his hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-one.
Signed, sealed, and delivered, by the
within named William Ward
Andrews, in the presence of
W WARD (L.S.) ANDREWS.
E. B. TATTERSHALL, Sol',
Great James St,

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Thirty-first day of July, in the
year of our Lord 1841, the aforesaid William Ward Andrews came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Second day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and forty-one.

page_text: In the Matter of Letters Patent granted to William Ward Andrews,
of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, Ironmonger, for
"CERTAIN IMPROVED METHODS OF RAISING AND LOWERING WINDOWS AND
WINDOW BLINDS, AND OPENING AND SHUTTING DOORS, WHICH ARE ALSO
APPLICABLE TO THE RAISING AND LOWERING OF MAPS, CURTAINS, AND
OTHER ARTICLES," and bearing date at Westminster, the Second day
of February, One thousand eight hundred and forty-one.
DISCLAIMER entered by the said William Ward Andrews, pursuant to
the provisions of an Act passed in the fifth and sixth years of the reign of
His late Majesty King William the Fourth, intituled "An Act to amend
the Law touching Letters Patent for Inventions."
I, the said William Ward Andrews, do hereby declare, that since the
granting of the said Letters Patent as aforesaid, I have discovered that my
Invention will not so conveniently apply to the raising and lowering of windows
as to make it worth while to include this part of my Invention in my Patent,
and that the concluding words of my said title (that is to say), the words next
following, "which are also applicable to the raising and lowering of maps,
curtains, and other articles," are not governed by their right antecedent, but
should have followed next after the words "window blinds," and before the
words "and opening and shutting doors;" and, moreover, that the said words,
if placed so as to be preceded by their right antecedent, are too vague, general,
and ambiguous, and altogether unnecessary and superfluous; and for these
reasons, I, the said William Ward Andrews, do hereby disclaim the following
words of the title of the said Letters Patent, that is to say, the words "windows
and," and also the concluding words "which are also applicable to the raising
and lowering of maps, curtains, and other articles" in the said title.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this Thirtieth day of
July, One thousand eight hundred and forty-one.
Signed by the said William Ward
Andrews, in the presence of
W WARD ANDREWS.
E. B. TATTERSHALL
Great James St,
Bedford Row,
Sol.