IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FASTENING, RELEASING, AND PREVENTING THE RATTLING OF WINDOW SASHES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Crocker Cross, of Dewsbury, in the County
of York, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FASTENING,
RELEASING, AND PREVENTING THE RATTLING OF WINDOW SASHES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Crocker Cross
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th December 1881.
BENJAMIN CROCKER CROSS of Dewsbury' in the County of York. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FASTENING, RELEASING, AND PREVENTING THE RATTLING
OF WINDOW SASHES."
This Invention relates to sliding or sash windows, and it has for its object novel
methods of constructing and arranging fastenings to be attached or connected to
such windows in such manner that the window sash is automatically retained in
any desired position, either closed or more or less open, and cannot be moved from
the outside in whatever position it may be left.
In order to put my livention in operation I fix by screws or other convenient
means a plate preferably of brass or other metal to the inner side of the pulley
style or frame of the window. This plate has through it an opening through
which can protrude a knob or projection attached to or formed upon one extremity
of a flat metallic spring the other end of which rivetted or otherwise attached to
the back of the plate.
The spring is bent or formed so that when in its normal position the knob or
projection is withdrawn, but when the spring is pressed against the back of the
plate the knob or projection is protruded through the opening in the latter.
At the back of the plate are formed or attached guides in which moves vertically
up and down parallel with the plate a flat bar having an opening in it of such size
and shape that when the bar is drawn down the spring and knob can recede
through it, whilst when the bar is drawn up the lower edge of the opening bends

page_text: forward the spring and thus protrudes the knob or projection through the opening
in the plate.
I arrange a spiral or other spring or a weight and connect it to the moveable
bar in such manner that it draws up the latter with force sufficient to bend the
spring and cause the knob to protrude in the manner already described, and in the
edge of the window sash I make one or more holes into which the knob or pro-
jection enters and prevents the sash from moving up or down. Or a metal plate
having such hole or holes may be screwed or otherwise fixed to the edge of the
window sash.
To the moveable bar I connect a wire, chain, or cord, the lower end of which is
brought down and attached to a moveable hinged board or to a lever connected
with it such moveable baard forming part of or arranged upon the floor in front
of the window in such manner that the weight, or the pressure of the foot, of any
person standing in front of the window depresses the board and thus causes the
moveable bar to be drawn down and the knob or projection to be withdrawn from
the edge of the window sash which can then be raised or lowered as desired. Both
the upper and lower window sashes may be fitted with apparatus of the kind
described either worked separately, or connected together so that they are operated
simultaneously.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-When the moveable board is
depressed by the weight or the pressure of the foot of any person standing in front
-of-the-window-the-moveable-bar-is-drawn-down-and-allows the flat spring to
withdraw the knob or projection from either of the holes in the edge of the sash
in which it happens at the time to be, and the sash can be raised or lowered as
desired. When the pressure is removed, the spiral spring or other spring or weight
draws up the moveable bar which forces back the flat spring the knob or projection
upon which enters either of the holes in the edge of the sash which may be
opposite to it. Or, if neither of the holes be in a suitable position, the knob
remains pressing upon the edge of the sash until the movement of the latter up or
down brings one of the holes opposite to it, when the knob enters and retains the
sash in such position until pressure is again applied to the moveable board or lever.
If therefore the window be closed or partly open, it can not be opened by any
person outside it, pressure upon the moveable board or lever inside being first
necessary.
Instead of a moveable board as described, a separate lever operated when desired
by the foot may be used.
The pressure of the knob or projection against the edge of the sash prevents the
latter from rattling and in order more completely to prevent it from rattling when
closed prefer to make the lower corners or edge of the lower sash and the upper
corners or edge of the upper sash slightly taper, and I make or fit corresponding
taper edges to the inside and outside beads of the window frame. In this way the
window is prevented from rattling during high winds.
By my Invention a window may be left open a few inches either at the top or
bottom with perfect safety.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuanco of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Benjamin Crocker Cross in the Great Seal Patent Office ou the
19th June 1882.
"
BENJAMIN CROCKER CROSS, of Dewsbury in the County of York. IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FASTENING, RELEASING, AND PREVENTING THE RATTLING
OF WINDOW SASHES."
My Invention relates to ordinary sliding or sash windows, and it has for its
object novel methods of constructing and arranging fastenings to be attached or
connected to such windows in such manner that the window sash is automatically
retained in any desired position, either closed or more or less open, and cannot be
moved from the outside from any position in which it may have been left.
In order to put my Invention in operation I fix to the inner side of the sash
pulley style or frame of the window, by means of screws or other convenient
means, a plate preferably of brass or other suitable metal.
This plate has through it an opening through which can be made to protrude a
knob or projection attached or formed upon one end of a flat metallic spring, or of
a metallic plate, the other end of which is rivetted or otherwise fixed, or hinged,
to the back of the plate. The spring or plate is formed so that when in its normal
position the knob or projection is withdrawn, but when the spring or plate is
pressed toward the back of the plate it is protruded through the opening in the
lutter. At the back of the fixed plate are formed or attached guides in which
moves vertically up and down parallel with the plate, a, bar having an opening
through it of such size and shape that when the bar is drawn down the spring or
hinged plate and knob can recede through it whilst when the bar is drawn up the
lower edge of the opening presses forward the spring or hinged plate and thus
protrudes the knob or projection through the opening in the fixed plate.
Or, the sliding bar may have transverse bars across it, one being situated inside
and the other outside the spring or hinged plate, so that one of these transverse
bars draws back the latter when the sliding bar is depressed whilst the other forces
it forward when the sliding bar is raised.
One or more spiral or other springs or a weight are connected to the sliding bar
in such manner that they draw the latter up with force sufficient to cause the knob
to protrude in the manner described through the opening in the fixed plate, and in
the edge of the window sash I make one or more holes into which the knob or
projection enters and prevents the sash from moving up or down.
A metal plate
having a corresponding hole or holes may be screwed or otherwise fixed to the edge
of the window sash.
I connect to the sliding bar described a wire, chain, or cord, the lower end of
which is brought down and attached to a moveable hinged board, or to a lever
connected with such moveable board, forming part of or arranged upon the floor in
front of the window in such manner that the weight or the pressure of the foot of
any person standing in front of the window depresses the board or lever and
causes the sliding bar to be drawn down and the knob or projection to be
consequently withdrawn from the edge of the window sash which can then be
raised or lowered as desired.
The accompanying Drawings are in illustration of my Invention. In Sheet 1,
Figure 1 is a plan of the apparatus removed from the window. Figure 2 is a
section through the line A, B, in Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a sectional elevation
through the line C, D in Figure 1. Figure 4 is an elevation of a window having
the apparatus fitted to both the upper and lower sashes. In Sheet 2, Figure 5 is a
side elevation and Figure 6 a corresponding section of part of a window having
the apparatus applied to it. The same letters of reference indicate the saine parts
in the several Figures. a is a flat metal plate screwed to the frame b of the window.

page_text: c is a knob or projection upon the upper end of a plate d turning upon the hinge e
and capable of protrusion through a hole in the plate a. is a bar sliding in
guides g, g', and having a transverse bar h outside and a second transverse bar h'
inside the hinged plate d. Spiral springs i, ', are shewn connected to the bar f
and drawing it up into the position shewn in Figure 1. In Figure 6 are shewn
holes 1, 1, 1, in the edge of the window sashes, these holes being protected by
corresponding perforated plates m, m³, screwed above them. In Figures 4, 5 and 6,
m is a wire or cord attached to the lower ends of the sliding bars and connected
to the levers o, p, (Figure 4), so that when the outer end of the lever P is depressed
the sliding bars are drawn down, the springs i, i, being extended.
The artion of the apparatus is as follows:-The apparatus being fitted to both
the upper and lower window sashes, as shewn in Figures 4, 5, and 6, when the
sliding bars are drawn by the weight, or by the pressure of the foot, of any
person standing in front of the window applied to the lever p, the transverse
bars force back the hinged plates & and withdraw the knobs or projections c from
either of the holes in which they may happen to be at the time, into the position
shewn in dotted lines in Figures 2 and 3, and the window sashes can then be raised
or lowered as desired. When the pressure upon the lever p is withdrawn, the
springs i, i, draw up the sliding bars f, and the transverse bars h force forward
the hinged plates d the knobs or projections c upon which enter either of the holes
1,1,1, which may be opposite to them; or if neither of the holes be in the necessary
position, the projections-c-remain-pressing-upon-the-edge of the sash until the
movement of the latter up or down brings one of the holes opposite to them, when
the projections center the holes and retain the sashes in such position until
pressure is again applied to the moveable lever p. If, therefore, the window be
closed or partly open, it cannot be opened by any person outside, pressure upon the
moveable lever or board inside being first necessary.
Instead of a moveable board or lever arranged as described, a separate lever
operated by the foot when desired may be used. By my Invention as described
and shewn in the Drawings a window sash may be left open a few inches either at
the top or bottom with perfect safety. The pressure of the knob or projection
against the edge of the window sash prevents the latter from rattling, and in order
more completely to prevent such rattling when the sash is closed, I prefer to make
the lower corners or edge of the lower sash and the upper corners or edge of the
upper sash slightly taper, and I make or fit corresponding taper edges to the inside
and outside beads of the window frame, against which the sashes fit when closed,
and in this way the window is prevented from rattling by high winds or other
causes.
Having now described my Invention and the manner in which it is to be
performed, I claim :——
The plate fixed to the window frame, and carrying the spring or hinged plate
having a knob or projection, the sliding bar working in guides, and regulating the
position of the knob or projection, the springs or weight drawing up the sliding
bar, and the holes in the edge of the window sash, all combined and arranged
substantially as and for the purposes described and shewn in the Drawings.
Also, in combination with such apparatus so combined and arranged, the
connecting wires, rods, chains, or cords, and the levers or moveable board,
substantially as and for the purpose described and shewn in the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Crocker Cross, have hereunto set
my hand and seal this 17th day of June in the year of our Lord 1882.