Improvements in Sash Locks.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Lelt, 27th June, 1895-Accepted, 27th July, 1895
Improvements in Sash Locks.
I, ELIZA ALICE ABRAMS, of 137 W. 16th Street, Los Angeles, in the County
of Los Angeles, and State of California, United States of America, Dealer in
Patents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In applying this invention to ordinary sliding window sashes, each of the sashes
has let into it on one edge a ratchet bar, the teeth of the lower ratchet bar having
their flat sides uppermost and the teeth of the upper ratchet bar having their flat
sides undermost. Opposite each sash is a box which is let into the window frame,
the boxes being of substantially the same height, and each box is provided with
rounded ends to enable it to be more easily slipped into a mortise to receive it, and
has end flanges which facilitate its attachment to the frame. In each box is a pawl
curved outward and provided with teeth adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet
bar. The pawls being curved act eccentrically when engaged by the ratchet bar,
so that when pressure is applied to the sash to move it, the pawl acts with increasing
force to prevent such moving. The pawl arranged opposite the lower sash points
downwards and the one opposite the upper sash points upwards. The pawls are
perforated at their pivot ends and formed integral with each pawl and around the
said perforations are trunnions which are adapted to turn in holes in the sides of
the box on the window frame. One side of each box is made removable so that
the trunnions may be inserted in the box sides. The pawls are pressed against the
ratchet bars by springs, each spring being coiled around a stud in the box with one
end pressing against the free end of the pawl and the other against the pivoted
portion of the pawl. Each trunnion is provided with a segmental lug which engages
the flat section of a key which is adapted to be pushed through the trunnions of
both locks, the boxes being arranged so that the holes in the pawls and trunnions
shall come opposite each other. The key has a cranked end by which it may be
turned and which is adapted to turn in a countersunk escutcheon on the window
frame which is bored out to receive the key, the crank being thus kept out of the
way of the window shades and also out of the reach of sticks or other articles which
might be inserted in the open window to turn the crank and unlock the fastening.
The segmental lugs of the two boxes on the window frame do not coincide in
position and in practice they may be placed one-eighth, or even one-fourth, distance
apart on the circle of the trunnion so as to enable the key to be turned one way
(to the right) to operate the lower pawl without coming in contact with the lug of
the upper pawl, and vice versa, to enable it to be turned the other way (to the left)
to operate the upper pawl, without coming in contact with the lug of the lower
pawl. By turning the crank and key in the right direction the key may be turned
against the lug so as to move the pawl against the tension of its spring and free it
from the ratchet bar so that the window sash may be freely moved. If the upper
sash is dropped somewhat, the pawl engaging the ratchet bar thereon will prevent
it from being pulled open any wider and thus it may be safely left partially open
and if the lower sash is raised the pawl will prevent it from being raised any further
and so the window may be left open at top and bottom, if desired, without danger
of any person with felonious intent effecting an entrance. By removing the key the
sash is left safely locked and the lock cannot be worked.

page_text: When the device is applied to a car window of the usual kind, having a single
sash, the edge of the sash is provided with a bar having bevelled teeth inclined
alike on opposite sides and adapted to engage pawls which are hung in a box placed
in the frame of the window opposite the edge of the sash in the manner already
described. The pawls point in opposite directions upward and downward and are
curved like the pawls already described. The pawls are forced into engagement
with the toothed or rack bar by a spring which is coiled around a stud in the box
and presses with its ends against the pawls. The pawls are provided with trunnions
and with a lug as already described, but are worked by two keys instead of by a
single key as before, the keys being segmental in cross section and placed with
their two flat sides together, the keys having diverging cranks at their outer ends,
and turning in an escutcheon on the window frame. The lugs on the trunnions of
the pawls are arranged so that one key bears against the lug of one trunnion and
the other key against the opposite lug and consequently when the cranks are
pressed together the keys rock against the lugs and so swing the pawls out of
engagement with the rack bar, permitting the sash to be freely raised or lowered,
and, upon releasing the cranks, the spring throws the pawls back into engagement
with the rack bar, thus fastening the window.
The lock may be applied to a sliding screen in the same way that it is applied to
a single sash.
Dated this 23rd day of October 1804
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
I ELIZA ALICE ABRAMS, of 137 West 16th Street, Los Angeles, in the County
of Los Angeles and State of California, United States of America, Dealer in
Patents 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 :-
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in
all the views.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a window provided with my improved sash
lock;
Figure 2 is an enlarged detail broken perspective view of the upper and lower
sashes and the locking mechanism applied to them;
Figure 3 is a detail longitudinal section of one of the boxes and the locking pawl
therein;
Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of the key used to work the locking pawls;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a car window provided with my improved lock;
Figure 6 is a broken perspective view of the lock as applied to the car window;
and
Figure 7 is a detail longitudinal section of the box and the double locking pawls
used in connection with car windows.
The window illustrated in Figure 1 is of the ordinary kind, having the upper and
lower sashes 10 and 11 which slide in the customary manuer in the frame 12.
These sashes have each let into them on one edge a ratchet bar 13, the teeth of the
lower ratchet bar having their flat sides uppermost and the teeth of the upper
ratchet bar having their flat sides undermost. Opposite each sash is a box 14
which is let into the window frame, the boxes being of substantially the same
height, and each provided with rounded ends 15 to enable it to be more easily

page_text: slipped into a mortise to receive it. Each box 14 has end flanges 16 which
facilitate its attachment to the frame, and in each box is a pawl 17, curved outward
and provided with teeth 18 adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet bar 13. The
pawls being curved, as described and as shown in Figure 3, act eccentrically when
engaged by the ratchet bar, so that when pressure is applied to the sash to move it,
the pawl acts with increasing force to prevent such movement. The pawls 17 are
arranged with the one opposite the lower sash pointing downwards and the one
opposite the upper sash pointing upwards. The pawls are perforated at their pivot
ends, as shown at 19, and formed integral with each pawl and around the said
perforations are trunnions 20, which are adapted to turn in holes in the sides of the
box 14, as shown clearly in Figure 2. This is a cheap construction and also very
strong. One side of each box is made removable, so that the trunnions may be
inserted in the box sides. The pawls are pressed against the ratchet bars by
springs 21, each spring being coiled around a stud 22 in the box 14, with one end
pressing against the free end of the pawl and the other against the pivoted portion
of the pawl.
In each trunnion 20 is a segmental lug 23 which is adapted to engage the flat
section 24 of a key 25, which key is adapted to be pushed through the trunnions of
both locks, the boxes 14 being arranged so that the holes in the pawls and trunnions
shall come opposite each other. The key 25 has a crank 26 by which it may be
turned, and which is adapted to turn in a countersunk escutcheon 27 on the window
frame 12. It will be understood, of course, that the frame is bored out to receive
the key and, by having the crank turn in the escutcheon, the crank is thus kept out
of the way of the window-shades and is also out of the reach of sticks or other
articles which might be inserted in the open window to turn the crank and unlock
the fastening.
As shown in Figure 2, the lugs 23 of the two boxes 14, do not coincide in position,
and in practice they may be placed one-eighth or even one-fourth distance apart on
the circle of the trunnion, so as to enable the key. 24, to be turned one way (to the
right) to operate the lower pawl without coming in contact with the lug 23 of the
upper pawl, and vice versa to enable it to be turued the other way (to the left)
to operate the upper pawl, without coming in contact with the lug of the lower
pawl.
It will be seen that by turning the crank and key in the right direction, the key
may be turned against the lug 23 so as to move the pawl 17 against the tension of
its spring and free it from the ratchet bar 13, so that the window sash may be freely
moved. If the upper sash is dropped somewhat, the pawl 17 engaging the ratchet
bar thereon, will prevent it from being pulled open any wider and thus it may be
safely left partially open, and if the lower sash is raised, the pawl 17 will prevent
it from being raised any further and so the window may be left open at top and
bottom, if desired, without danger of any person with felonious intent effecting an
entrance.
With the above described form of lock, the key may be removed so that the lock
cannot be operated and the sash thus remain securely locked.
In Figures 5 to 7, the device is shown as applied to a car window 28, which is of
the usual kind having a single sash, and the edge of the sash is provided with a
bar 29 having teeth 30 thereon which, instead of being ratchet teeth are simple
beveled teeth, inclined alike on opposite sides, and adapted to engage pawls 31
which are hung in the box 14, this box being placed in the frame of the window
opposite the edge of the sash in the manner already described. The pawls 31
point in opposite directions, one extending upward and the other downward and
they are curved like the pawls 17 already described. The pawls 31 are forced into
engagement with the toothed or rack bar 29 by a spring 32 which is coiled around
a stud 33 in the box 14 and presses with its ends against the pawls. The pawls 31
are constructed like the pawi 17, being provided with trunnions 20 and with the
lug 23 already described, but instead of being operated by a single key they are
worked by two keys 34 which are segmental in cross section and placed with their

page_text: two flat sides together, the keys having diverging cranks 35 at their outer ends,
as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. The keys 34 operate in an escutcheon 36 on the
frame of the window 28.
The trunnions of the pawls have lugs 23 arranged so that one key bears against
the lug of one trunnion and the other key against the opposite lug, and consequently
when the cranks 35 are pressed together the keys rock against the lugs and so
swing the pawls out of engagement with the rack bar 29, permitting the sash to be
freely raised or lowered and, upon releasing the cranks 35, the spring 32 throws the
pawls back into engagement with the rack bar, thus fastening the window. The
lock may be applied to a sliding screen in the same way that it is applied to a
single sash.
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,
1. The improvement in sash-locks hereinbefore described, the same consisting of
two toothed pawls whose teeth project in opposite directions, and provided with
transverse bores in alignment and having internal lugs which are out of alignment,
a key adapted to be inserted in said bores and to engage either lug independently
of the other, as specified, and rack bars applied to the sash and having teeth
projecting in opposite directions, as shown and described.
2. The combination, with the toothed bar applied to the sash, of the oppositely
arranged spring-pressed toothed pawls mounted in the frame to engage the bar, the
pawls being transversely perforated and provided with internal lugs, and the two-
part key for entering the pawls to engage the lugs, the two parts of the key having
cranks at their outer ends, substantially as described.
Dated this 27th day of June 1895.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.