IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR RAISING AND LOWERING REVOLVING SHUTTERS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Kirby, of Barrow-in-Furness, in the County
of Lancashire, Joiner, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
OR MACHINERY FOR RAISING AND LOWERING REVOLVING SHUTTERS."
the
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Kirby at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
26th April 1866.
I, THOMAS KIRBY, of Barrow-in-Furness, in the County of Lancashire, Joiner,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR RAISING AND LOWERING REVOLVING SHUTTERS," to
be as follows:-
My Invention consists in fitting to one or both ends of the shaft round
which the shutters coil a conical grooved pulley made of wood or metal; the
groove is made in the form of a spiral or screw, and increases or diminishes
in diameter in the same proportion as the shutters. Round the cone
or screw a rope or chain is coiled with a weight attached to balance the
shutters. When the shutters are drawn down or uncoiled the balance weight
hangs from the largest part of the cone, and consequently has the greater
power. As the shutters are drawn up or coiled round the shaft the balance
weight loses its power as the rope or chain uncoils, and hangs from the
smaller end of the cone. Where there is not sufficient space to fit comes to
both ends or even to one end of the shaft I employ and fit at one or both
t

page_text: ends, as the case may be, of the said shaft a deep grooved pulley capable of
admitting a chain or rope corresponding in thickness with that of the shutters
by increasing or diminishing in diameter in the same proportion as the
shutters, and working in a similar manner to the cone. When the shutters
are wholly drawn down the rope or chain upon the grooved pulley causes the
balance weight to hang at the greatest diameter of the pulley, and as the
shutters are raised or coiled round the shaft the chain or rope uncoils from
the pulley, and the balance weight consequently loses its power as the
shutters decrease in weight. The shutters are equally balanced at whatever
distance they are drawn out. Where the shaft on which the shutters coil
works in a fixed centre, and the shutters slide up and down in a fixed groove,
they do not always hang perpendicularly in the groove by reason of the coil of
shutters increasing and decreasing in diameter; this causes a great amount of
friction for the shutters drag over the top of the window. Now I obviate
this defect in the following manner:At each end of the shaft I fix eccentrics
or cranks, or pins working in notched plates, and which correspond with the
eccentrics or pins; or I cause the shaft to work or revolve on two half centres
at each end. The eccentrics, cranks, or pins are fitted to the collars of the
axle, and these collars form an axis for them to revolve on, the eccentrics
regulating the motion. Sometimes instead of the eccentrics I employ a right
and left handed screw. By these means I impart a to-and-fro motion to the
shaft as the shutters rise and fall, so that whatever distance the shutters are
drawn out they always hang perpendicularly in the groove.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Kirby in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th 2
October 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
KIRBY, of Barrow-in-Furness, in the County of Lancashire, Joiner, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters &
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of April, in the year Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Thomas Kirby, Her special licence that I, the said. Thomas
Kirby, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the s
said Thomas Kirby, my executors, administrators, and assigns,, should at any

page_text: time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR RAISING AND LOWERING REVOLVING
SHUTTERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas
Kirby, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was. to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Kirby, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters of references marked thereon, that is to say:-
"
My Invention consists in fitting to one or both ends of the shaft round
which the shutters coil of a conical grooved pulley made of wood, metal, or
other material; the groove is made in the form of a spiral or screw, and
increases or diminishes in diameter in the same proportion as the shutters.
Round the cone or screw a rope, chain, or band is coiled with a weight
attached to balance the shutters. When the shutters are drawn down or
uncoiled the balance weight hangs from the largest part of the cone, and con-
sequently has the greater power. As the shutters are drawn up or coiled
round the shaft the balance weight loses its power as the rope, chain, or band
uncoils and hangs from the smaller end of the cone.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is an end view, partly in section,
of so much of a window cornice or frame fitted with an apparatus for raising
and lowering revolving shutters according to my Invention as will be
necessary to explain this part of my Invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the
same, and Figure 8 is an end view of the cone round which the rope for
causing the shaft round which the shutters coil and uncoil passes.
a is the conical grooved pulley, the groove of which is made in the form of
a spiral, as shown clearly in Figure 3; 6 is the rope coiled round and passing
through the grooves in the pulley a, one end of this rope or it may be a chain
or band is attached to the pulley, and after passing through and around the
grooves thereof it hangs vertically from the pulley and carries a weight d from
its. end; c, c, are the shutters coiled round its shaft e, and no matter at what

page_text: height the shutters are the weight d will always maintain them there until
they are either pushed up or drawn down.
In the arrangements heretofore adopted for revolving shutters they coil
round a fixed centre, and they slide up and down in a fixed groove, consequently
they do not always hang perpendicularly over or in the groove by reason
of the coil of shutters increasing and decreasing in diameter, this causes a
great amount of friction for the shutters drag over the top of the window.
Now I obviate this defect in the following manner:-At each end of the
shaft I fix eccentrics, cranks, or pins working in notched plates, and which
correspond with the eccentrics or pins; or I cause the shaft to work or
revolve on two half-centres at each end. The eccentrics, cranks, or pins are.
fitted to the collars of the axle, and these collars form an axis for them to:
revolve on, the eccentrics regulating the motion. Sometimes instead of the
eccentrics I employ a right and left handed screw. f, g, are the eccentrics
fitted on a pin passing through or inserted in the shaft e, on which the shutters
are coiled; h is a collar bearing on a metal plate k, and i is a guide for the
same; the eccentrics f, g, rest in racks l, m. These racks; as seen clearly in.
Figure 1, are made of or about the width of the roller, so that as the shutters
are wound thereon the shaft has a to-and-fro motion imparted to it as the
shutters rise and fall, so that whatever distance the shutters are drawn out
they always hang perpendicularly in the groove.
Where there is not sufficient space to fix cones to both ends, or even to
one end of the shaft, I employ and fit at one or both ends, as the case may be,
of the said shaft a deep groove pulley capable of admitting a chain, rope, or
band corresponding in thickness with that of the shutters by increasing or
diminishing in diameter in the same proportion as the shutters, and working.
in a similar manner to the cone. Figure 4 is an end view, partly in section,
and Figure 5 is a side view of this arrangement; Figure 6 is a plan of the
rack and roller. o is the deep grooved pulley round which the chain, rope, or
band which must correspond in thickness with the shutters passes. In other
respects the action of this arrangement is similar to the first described, and
therefore requires no further description here. When the shutters are wholly
drawn down the rope, chain, or band upon the grooved pulley causes the
balance weight to hang at the greatest diameter of the pulley, and as the
shutters are raised or coiled round the shaft the chain, rope, or band uncoils
from the pulley, and the balance weight consequently loses its power as the
shutters decrease in weight. The shutters are equally balanced at whatever
distance they are drawn out.
And baving now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what.

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my improve-
ments in apparatus or machinery for raising and lowering revolving shutters,-
First, the employment at one or both ends of the shaft round which the
shutters coil of a conical grooved pulley carrying a rope, chain, or band with
a weight attached to balance the shutters, all substantially in the manner and
for the purposes herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
Second, the employment of a deep grooved pulley, where a conical grooved
pulley is not admissible, round which a chain, rope, or band is passed, cor-
responding in thickness with that of the shutters, for communicating motion
thereto, all substantially as herein-before described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings.
Third, the several methods for causing the shutters to hang perpendicularly
over or in their grooves at all times, whether they are stationary or while
being coiled up, or while being uncoiled, all substantially as herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Kirby, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
EDWP. GRIFFITH BREWER,
89, Chancery Lane.
THOMAS KIRBY. (L.B.).

page_text: Filed
In the Matter of Letters Patent granted to THOMAS KIRBY, of Barrow-in-
Furness, in the County of Lancashire, Joiner, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR RAISING AND LOWERING
REVOLVING SHUTTERS," bearing date the 26th April 1866, No. 1170.
DISCLAIMER AND MEMORANDUM OF ALTERATION proposed to be
entered by JOHN STONES, of Ulverston, in the County of Lancaster, Revolving
Shutter Manufacturer, the Assignee of the said Thomas Kirby, of the said
Letters Patent pursuant to the Statutes in that case made and provided.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN STONES, send
greeting :-
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters Patent,
under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, bearing date the 26th April 1866, and
Numbered 1170, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto the
said Thomas Kirby, his executors, administrators, and assigns, the sole privilege of
making, using, exercising, and vending within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, the said Invention
for the term of fourteen years from the date of the said Letters Patent :
And whereas by virtue of agreements dated respectively the 13th April 1869,
and 11th October 1869, both of which were on the 27th January 1875, duly
registered at the Patent Office under the Patent Law Amendment Act 1852, I the
said John Stones became the equitable owner of the said Letters Patent :
And whereas since the filing of the Specification in pursuance of the said Letters
Patent, I have ascertained that doubts have arisen as to what was intended to be.
claimed as constituting the Invention claimed, and as to the novelty of parts
thereof, and whereas I am desirous of amending the same in the manner herein-
after set forth :
NOW KNOW YE, that I, for the reasons aforesaid, am desirous by and with the
leave of Her Majesty's Solicitor General to make the following alterations in the
Specification, viz.,-
On page 3 last line, after the words "shaft-o," to insert the following words.
-which-is-made-of-a-spiral-section-as-shewn-at-Figures-+,45-und-5."

page_text: words--or serell."
4,
A
24,
insert.
On same page lines 25,-and-26, to, to strike out the words " thickness-with-that
of the-shutters-by-increasing or diminishing-in-diameter-in-the-same-proportion-
the-shutters"-And-to-substitute therefor the words "-sectional-form-with-that-of-the
shaft-of-the-shutters-as-shown-in-Figure-h" "such as is shown in Figure 5 of the
Drawings" after the word "pulley."
On same page, line 37, to insert the word "practically" after "are."
On page 5, line 1, between the words "I" and "claim" to insert the words "am
aware that a deep grooved or flanged pulley with the part between the flanges
formed cylindrically has heretofore been proposed to be employed for coiling a
generally all deep grooved pullies
shutter chain or rope thereon, and I do not claim, the use of such-pulley-generally
but I only claim such as are shown in Figure 5, as herein-after claimed T."
such as is shown in Figure 6,"
On same page, line 8, between the words "pulley" and "where" to insert the
words, corresponding in-sectional-form-with-thu-of-the-shaft-of-the-shutter-"-in
lines-9-9-and-+-+ to strike out the words corresponding-in-thickness-with-that-of
the shutters for-communicating-motion-therete-all-and-in line-++-between the
words "in" and "the"-to insert the words "Figure-4-of."
And the said Specification when altered and disclaimed reads as follows:-
My Invention consists in fitting to one or both ends of the shaft round which the
shutters coil of a conical grooved pulley made of wood, metal, or other material;
the groove is made in the form of a spiral or screw, and increases or diminishes in
diameter in the same proportion as the shutters. Round the cone or screw a rope,
chain, or band is coiled with a weight attached to balance the shutters. When
the shutters are drawn down or uncoiled the balance weight hangs from the largest |
part of the cone, and consequently has the greater power. As the shutters are
drawn up or coiled round the shaft the balance weight loses its power, as the rope,
chain, or band uncoils and hangs from the smaller end of the cone.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is an end view, partly in section, of so
much of a window cornice or frame fitted with an apparatus for raising and lowering
revolving shutters according to my Invention as will be necessary to explain this
part of my Invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the same; and Figure 3 is an end
view of the cone round which the rope for causing the shaft round which the
shutters coil and uncoil passes.
the conical grooved pulley, the groove of which is made in the form of a
spiral, as shown clearly in Figure 3; b is the rope coiled round and passing through
the grooves in the pulley , one end of this rope or it may be a chain or band is
attached to the pulley, and after passing through and around the grooves thereof
it hanges vertically from the pulley and carries a weight d from its end; c, c, are
the shutters coiled round its shaft e, which-is-made-of-a-spiral-section-us-shewn-at
Figures 4-and- and no matter at what height the shutters are, the weight d
will always maintain them there until they are either pushed up or drawn down.
In the arrangements heretofore adopted for revolving shutters they coil round a
fixed centre, and they slide up and down in a fixed groove, consequently they do
not always hang perpendicularly over or in the groove by reason of the coil of
shutters increasing and decreasing in diameter; this causes a great amount of friction,
for the shutters drag over the top of the window. Now I obviate this defect in the
following manner-At each end of the shaft I fix eccentrics, cranks, or pins,
working in notched plates, and which correspond with the eccentrics or pins, or I
cause the shaft to work or revolve on two half centres at each end. The eccentrics,
cranks, or pins, are fitted to the collars of the axle, and these collars form an axist
for them to revolve on, the eccentrics regulating the motion. Sometimes instead of
the eccentrics I employ a right and left handed screw or-seroll; f, g, are the
eccentrics fitted on a pin passing through or inserted in the shaft e on which the
shutters are coiled; A is a collar bearing on a metal plate k, and i is a guide for the

page_text: same, the eccentrics f, g, rest in racks l, m. These racks, as seen clearly in Figure 1,
are made of or about the width of the roller, so that as the shutters are wound
thereon the shaft e has a to-and-fro motion imparted to it as the shutters rise and
fall, so that whatever distance the shutters are drawn out they always hang
perpendicularly in the groove.
Where there is not sufficient space to fix cones to both ends, or even to one end
of the shaft I employ and fit at one or both ends, as the case inay be, of the said
such as is shown in Figure 5 of the Drawings,
shaft a deep groove pulley, capable of admitting a chain, rope, or band, corre-
thickness
shutters by increasing or diminishing in diameter in the same proportion as
sponding in sectional forms with that of the shaft of the shutters, as shown in
Figure 4, and working in a similar manner to the cone; Figure 4 is an end view
partly in section, and Figure 5 is a side view of this arrangement; Figure 6 is a
plan of the rack and roller; o is the deep grooved pulley round which the chain,
rope, or band, which must correspond in thickness with the shutters passes. In
other respects the action of this arrangement is similar to the first described, and
therefore requires no further description here. When the shutters are wholly drawn
down the rope, chain, or band, upon the grooved pulley causes the balance weight
to hang at the greatest diameter of the pulley, and as the shutters are raised or
coiled round the shaft the chain, rope, or band uncoils from the pulley, and the
balance weight consequently loses its power as the shutters decrease in weight.
The shutters are practically equally balanced at whatever distance they are drawn
out.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I am aware that a deep grooved or
flanged pulley, with the part between the flanges formed cylindrically, has here-
tofore been proposed to be employed for coiling a shutter chain or rope thereon,
generally all deep grooved mullies, but I only claim such as are shown in Figure 5, as herein-after daimed,
and I do not claim, the-use-of-such-pulley generally, but I claim as my improve-
ments in apparatus or machinery for raising and lowering revolving shutters,
First. The employment at one or both ends of the shaft round which the shutters
coil of a conical grooved pulley carrying a rope, chain, or band, with a weight
attached to balance the shutters, all substantially in the manner and for the purposes
herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
such as te shown in Figure 5,
A
Second. The employment of a deep grooved pulley, eorresponding in-sectional
form with that of the shaft-of-the-shutter, where a conical grooved pulley is not
admissible, round which a chain, rope, or band is passed, substantially as hereia-
before described and illustrated in Figure 4 of the accompanying Drawings.
Third. The several methods for causing the shutters to hang perpendicularly
over or in their grooves at all times, whether they are stationary or while being
coiled up, or while being uncoiled, all substantially as herein-before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
corresponding in thickness with that of the shutters for communicating motion thereto, all
In witness whereof, I, the said John Stones, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Fifteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand
I hereby grant my fiat giving leave to the above-named John Stones, as assignee
and owner of the Patent, to file in the Great Seal Patent Office, with the Speci-
fication to which the same relates, the above written, altered, and amended Dis-
claimer and Memorandum of Alteration.
Temple
HARDING O