An Improved Condensation Channel applied to Glazed Sashes, Doors, Skylights, and similar Frames where Glass is Fixed in a Vertical or Inclined Position.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Jan., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 10th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Condensation Channel applied to Glazed Sashes, Doors,
Skylights, and similar Frames where Glass is Fixed in a Vertical
or Inclined Position.
I, GEORGE WISE of Hurst Lodge Heath Street Hampstead London N.
Superintendent Foreman of Works do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide means whereby the water accumulating
on the inner surface of glass of windows, doors, skylights etc., through the con-
densation of vapour, by cleansing with water, or through any other causes-may
be collected and discharged externally without wetting or disfiguring the joinery
or other work under the glass, and also without the use of any unsightly or
inconvenient apparatus. My object further is to provide such means of conveying
water to the exterior, without admitting any draught of cold airs to the interior-
and
also to make my contrivance most readily adaptable to existing conditions ;
finally my aim has been to accomplish these objects in the most simple manner and
so as not to involve any complication of application or expense to manufacture, I
accomplish the objects of my invention by the following means.
I first construct
in copper, zinc, lead, brass, iron, or other suitable metal a channel with closed ends
in the form of two chambers one above the other, these two chambers have inclined
bottoms, falling in opposite directions; The channel is made of a length corre-
sponding to the width of the glass from which it is required to collect the water.
The upper chamber is open at the top or partially so to catch the water, and the
two chambers communicate with one another at the lowest end of the upper
chamber, and which as before mentioned is directly above the highest level of the
under chamber; at the lower end of the under chamber is an orifice communicating
with the exterior as hereinafter described.
The whole of this channel can be rolled worked up or otherwise conveniently
formed out of a single flat strip of metal, or it can be cast, and is therefore most
easy of manufacture. I next form a groove on the inside adjoining the glass in
the bottom rail of the sash into which the channel first described is inserted, and
in case of new work the channel may be made long enough to go under the
square" of the molding on the stiles of sashes, and being inserted while the
But where it is desired to
sashes are being glued up, it is thus securely fixed.
remove the channel for cleansing or other purposes it is made the exact length
between the stiles of the sash, and is fitted with a turned up flanged end which
screws to the stile, and by this arrangement the channel may be easily inserted in
existing sashes. In order to avoid any unsightliness of appearance, I make my
channel the exact width of the square member of the sash molding which in all
ordinary work abuts on to the glass, and by sinking the channel, only a part of its
depth into the sash and further by partially covering the top of the channel with
a flat continuation of the metal of which it is composed leaving only a narrow space
between the edge of such top, and the surface of the glass. I make the channel
to practically correspond with the square member which it replaces, and with the
corresponding number on the styles; and so when painted to match the wood work
its presence cannot be easily detected, or if desired the metal may be polished in
which case the appearance is very pleasing. To make the joint between the
surface of the glass and the outside surface of the channel perfectly air and
watertight, I insert between them a thin packing or flat strip, of india rubber,
gutta percha white lead or another suitable flexible material.
Underneath and
corresponding to the outlet hole in the lowest part of the under chamber of the

page_text: channel, 1 bore a hole through the sash communicating to the outside, which I may
leave or a plain hole through the woodwork, or I may insert therein a short length
of pipe which screws or may be otherwise suitably attached to the under surface
of the lower chamber. The operation of my invention is as follows:-The
condensed or otherwise accumulated water runs down the inner surface of the glass
into the open topped upper chamber of the channel, thence down to the lowest end
of such chamber, drops through the orifice there provided, into the upper part of
the under chamber and from thence runs down to the lowest end of the under
chamber and out through the hole in the sash as described. The double chamber
completely preventing any draught of cold air from penetrating to the interior.
To more completely ensure the impossibility of any air getting back through the
chamber, I may from a trap at the communication between the upper and under
chambers by making a semi-circular sinking in the bottom of the lower chamber
and dipping down a prolongation of the bottom of the upper chamber into such
sinking thus effecting an ordinary water seal.
In order to afford facilities for cleaning out the channel I may provide an
opening in the top of the channel when the same is partially covered over as before
described which opening is fitted with a cover plate that can be arranged to slide
to and fro, or can be screwed down so as to admit of its ready removal, or in
factories mills etc., where a rapid accumulation of dust and dirt may be expected
the whole length of the partial cover of the channel, can be made removable or the
same object can be obtained by making a removable portion of the bottom sash
to overlap the upper chamber which is otherwise quite uncovered over its whole
extent. In exceptional cases where it is desired that the channel shall be quite
concealed from view it may be placed obliquely in the sash, and sunk so much as
to be covered by the woodwork, leaving only a narrow space between the edge of
the woodwork and the surface of the glass.
The channel may be made with the bottom of each chamber either of a half
round or segmental section or they may be square or any other shape, or the
channel may be modified in width depth, section, or in any other particular to suit
different sections of rails, and the chambers may lie horizontally instead of to
a slope.
Where it is not desired to have a draught proof channel a single chambered one
may be used, and more than one outlet is provided.
The draught-proof double chambered section of channel, may in the meeting
rails, or other rails of sashes not molded, be fixed with a part of the channel
projecting above the top of rail, so as to avoid sinking too deeply into rails.
As my invention is capable of some modifications without departing from the
general principle thereof, I do not restrict myself to materials or dimensions, or to
the precise form or placement of the various parts thereof.
Dated this 10th day of January 1891.
RAYNER & CASSELL,
37, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Condensation Channel applied to Glazed Sashes, Doors,
Skylights, and similar Frames where Glass is Fixed in a Vertical
or Inclined Position.
I, GEORGE WISE of Hurst Lodge Heath Street Hampstead London N.
Superintendent Foreman of Works do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is to provide means whereby the water accumulating
on the inner surface of glass of windows, doors, skylights etc., through the con-
densation of vapour, by cleansing with water, or through any other causes, may be

page_text: collected and discharged externally without wetting or disfiguring the joinery or
other work under the glass, and also without the use of any unsightly or inconvenient
apparatus. My object further is to provide such means of conveying water to the
exterior, without admitting any draught of cold airs to the interior—also to make
my contrivance most readily adaptable to existing conditions; and finally my aim
has been to accomplish these objects in the most simple manner, and so as not to
involve any complication of application or expense to manufacture. I accomplish
the objects of my invention by the following means. I first construct in copper,
zinc, lead, brass, iron, or other suitable metal, a channel with closed ends in the
form of two chambers one above the other, these two chambers have inclined
bottoms, falling in opposite directions. The channel made of a length corre-
sponding to the width of the glass from which it is required to collect the water.
The upper chamber is open at the top or partially so, to catch the water, and the
two chambers communicate with one another at the lowest end of the upper
chamber, and which as before mentioned is directly above the highest level of the
under chamber; at the lower end of the under chamber is an orifice communicating
with the exterior as hereinafter described.
""
The whole of this channel can be rolled worked up or otherwise conveniently
formed out of a single flat strip of metal, or it can be cast, and is therefore most
easy of manufacture. I next form a groove on the inside adjoining the glass in
the bottom rail of the sash into which the channel first described is inserted, and
in case of new work the channel may be made long enough to go under the "square
of the molding on the stiles of sashes, and being inserted while the sashes are being
glued up, it is thus securely fixed, but where it is desired to remove the channel
for cleansing or other purposes, it is made the exact length between the stiles of
the sash, and is fitted with a turned up flanged end which screws to the stile, and
by this arrangement the channel may be easily inserted in existing sashes. In
order to avoid any unsightliness of appearance, I make my channel the exact width
of the square member of the sash molding which in all ordinary work abuts on to
the glass, and by sinking the channel, only a part of its depth into the sash, and
further by partially covering the top of the channel with a flat continuation of the
metal of which it is composed, leaving only a narrow space between the edge of
such top, and the surface of the glass. I make the channel to practically correspond
with the square member which it replaces, and with the corresponding number on
the styles and so when painted to match the woodwork its presence cannot be easily
detected, or if desired the metal may be polished in which case the appearance is
very pleasing. To make the joint between the surface of the glass and the outside
surface of the channel perfectly air and watertight, I insert between them a thin
packing or flat strip of india rubber, gutta perchia, white lead, or another suitable
flexible material. Underneath and corresponding to the outlet hole in the lowest
part of the under chamber of the channel, I bore a hole through the sash com-
municating to the outside, which I may leave or a plainer hole through the
woodwork, or I may insert therein a short length of pipe which screws or may be
otherwise suitably attached to the under surface of the lower chamber.
For the better explanation of my said invention, I append the accompanying
sheets of drawings, in which the like letters of reference indicate the like parts
throughout.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the bottom rail of a sash, having inserted
therein the said metal channel, the section being taken on the line X X in Fig. 3.
Fig. 2 is a similar sect on to Fig. 1 except that it is taken through Y Y
on Fig. 3.
Fig. 3 represents a longitudinal section (mutilated in the drawing for convenience)
through the above described metal channel.
Fig. 4 shews an alternative formation of the narrow end of the channel, as will
be hereinafter be described.
Fig. 5, indicates the application of my invention to the meeting rail of a double
hung sash window.

page_text: Figs. 6 and 7 shew modifications of my invention which are more particularly
hereinafter.
In all the above figures a is the upper chamber of the channel and b is the lower
chamber of the same.
In Figures 12567 e represents the glass from which water is to be caught.
d is the bottom rail of the sash, in which the dotted lines indicate the holes through
which the water is drained away from the metal channel through the outlet e in
the same (Fig. 3). is the sill having a groove in same as shewn by a dotted line.
g is the bead retaining the sash in position and is the strip of india rubber or
other suitable material inserted between the channel and the glass to ensure a
perfectly water and air tight joint between the same. The operation of my
invention is as follows:-The condensed or otherwise accumulated water runs down
the inner surface of the glass into the open topped upper chamber of the channel,
thence down to the lowest end of such chamber, drops through the orifice there
provided, into the upper part of the under chamber and from thence runs down to
the lowest end of the under chamber and out through the hole in the sash as
described. The double chamber completely preventing any draught of cold air
from penetrating to the interior.
To more completely ensure the impossibility of any air getting back through
the chamber, I may from a trap at the communication between the upper and under
chamber (as shewn in Figure 4) by making a semi-circular sinking in the bottom
of the lower chamber, and dipping down a prolongation of the bottom of the upper
chamber into such sinking, thus effecting an ordinary water seal.
In order to afford facilities for cleaning out the channel, I may provide an
opening in the top of the channel when the same is partially covered over as before
described which opening is fitted wit a cover plate that can be arranged to slide
to and fro, or can be screwed down so as to admit of its ready removal, or in
factories, mills etc., where a rapid accumulation of dust and dirt may be expected,
the whole length of the partial cover of the channel, can be made removable, or
the same object can be obtained by making a removable portion of the bottom
sash to overlap the upper chamber as i in Fig. 7 which is otherwise quite uncovered!
over its whole extent. In exceptional cases where it is desired that the channel
shall be quite concealed from view it may be placed obliquely in the sash, and sunk
so much as to be covered by the woodwork, leaving only a narrow space between
the edge of the woodwork and the surface of the glass as shewn in Figure 6.
The channel may be made with the bottom of each chamber either of a half-
round or segmental section or they may be square or any other shape, or the
channel may be modified in width, depth, section, or in any other particular to suit
different sections of rails, and the chambers may be horizontally instead of to a slope.
Where it is not desired to have a draught proof channel a single chambered one
may be used, and more than one outlet is provided.
The draught proof double chambered section of channel, may in the meeting
rails, or other rails of sashes not molded, be fixed with a part of the channel
projecting above the top of rail, so as to avoid sinking too deeply into rails.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The insertion of a metal channel divided into chambers as described herein, into
the lower rails of windows or other sashes, all substantially as described in the
foregoing Specification, and illustrated by the accompanying drawings and for the
purpose specified therein.
RAYNER & CASSELL,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.