Improved Means for Operating and Fastening Sliding Window Sashes, Doors, and Gates.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 30th Apr., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Operating and Fastening Sliding Window
Sashes, Doors, and Gates.
I, GEORGE RICHARD HILL, of 4001 Cozens Ave, St. Louis, Mo., U.S.A., Mechanic,
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:
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My invention has relation to improvements in combined sash-lifts and locks,
and consists in the novel arrangement and combination of parts more fully set forth
in the Specification and pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a vertical section on line of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is an
end or front elevation of the lifting mechanism with the front wall of the pocket
of the frame within which it is confined, and latch carried thereby, removed;
Fig. 3 is a section on line y-y of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a section on line 2-2 of
Fig. 2.
The object of my invention is to construct a combined sash-lift and lock, which,
when the locking device is in engagement with the sash, will retain the latter in a
closed or any predetermined position, but which, on the disengagement of said
locking device, will automatically force the sash to an open position, without the
use of weights or cords or any similar adjunctive devices now commonly used on
windows. In detail the invention may be described as follows:
Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a window sash whose sides are confined
within the usual guide-ways 2 of the window frame, each side of the sash being
provided with a vertical groove 3 at the base of which is formed a rack-bar 4.
Passing through the frame-wall which is adjacent to the sash, and guided within
a tubular casing 5 secured to said wall and projecting into a suitable pocket 6 of
the frame, is a locking latch 7 provided with a stem or shank 8 projecting through
the inner end of the tubular casing, a suitable coiled spring 9 being interposed
between the inner wall of the casing and the base of the shoulder of the latch
proper, the resiliency of the spring tending to force the latch into engagement with
the teeth of the rack-bar 4. The locking portion of the latch has a plane face
normally at right angles to the rack-bar, and an inclined curved terminal wall to
better enter between the teeth of the rack-bar (see Fig. 1) whereby the sash (which
in the illustration represents an upper one) is firmly locked against any attempt to
force it open, but readily rides to a closed position, the teeth freely sliding along
the curved inclined end of the latch. For the lower sash, the latch is set in a
reverse position to that shown in the drawings, inasmuch as the lower sash opens
in a reverse direction; and in practice I generally locate two latches approxi-
mately opposite to, or in line with the meeting rails of the two sashes. Passing
through an opening 10 formed at the inner end of the stem of the latch is one end
of an operating lever 11 pivoted to a lug 12 carried by the front or outer face or
wall of the window frame, the said lever projecting a suitable distance beyond the
wall, whereby it may be seized by the operator. Upon tilting the lever 11 in the
proper direction, it is apparent that the latch will be disengaged from the rack-bar,

page_text: only to be forced into engagement by the spring 9 when the operating lever is
released.
Secured to the wall of the frame opposite the sash, and confined within the
pocket 6, is a housing 13, the latter being secured to the frame wall by a flange 14.
Between the vertical walls of the housing is mounted a gear wheel or pinion 15
meshing with the teeth of the rack-bar 4; and meshing with the pinion 15 is a
second gear wheel 16 also mounted between the walls of said housing, both gear
wheels revolving in a plane or planes parallel to the plane of the sash. The
spindle 17 of the gear wheel 16 at the same time that it serves to support the wheel,
serves as a means of securing to the inner wall of the housing, the vertical member
of a bracket 18, any lateral swinging or swaying of the bracket about the spindle
being prevented by a supporting arm 19 forming a part of said bracket, against
which the base of the housing rests, the arm 19 having a terminal up-turned end 20
bearing against the face of the opposite wall, which arrangement further prevents
any displacement between the parts. The vertical member 18 of the bracket
terminates in the outwardly bent or deflected ends 181 between which is supported
a cylindrical rod 21. Freely revolving about and mounted on the said rod at the
medial portion thereof, is a bevel gear wheel 22 which meshes with the similar
bevel gear wheel 23 carried by or forming a part of the gear wheel 16. A collar 24
carried by the rod 21 prevents any upward displacement of the bevel 22 thereby
retaining it at all times in engagement with the bevel 23. The gear wheel 22 forms
the first of the series of wheels constituting the driving mechanism, the said wheel
being driven by a coiled spring 25 encircling the rod 21, the opposite ends of the
spring being secured to the arms 18¹ of the bracket, and the medial portion of the
spring being initially formed into a loop 25 which slipped between the walls of
and rests at the base of a radial slit 26 formed in the body of the driving gear 22.
The spring is so coiled about the rod 21 that, when either the upper sashi is raised
or the lower sash lowered (that is to say when either sash is closed), the rack 4
operating against the series of gear wheels described, will so rotate the gear 22 as
to wind up the spring. The sash is normally kept closed by the latch 7 referred
to; and when the sash is released from its locked position, the spring thus wound
up will actuate the driving gears in the reverse direction as to drive either sash to
an open position, it being understood of course that every time the sash is closed,
the spring will be wound up, the tendency of the spring to unwind of course forcing
the sash open the moment the latter is released from its locked position upon the
tilting of the operating lever in proper direction.
It is to be understood that a device such as here described is disposed on each
side of each sash, within a suitable pocket formed in the window frame, so that for
a window having two sashes, there would be four such lifting or opening devices
(although two locking latches would be sufficient-one for each sash); and it is
to be further understood that the springs being disposed on opposite sides of the
sash, are wound, or set to wind in reverse directions, since the gear wheels 22 on
opposite sides revolve in opposite directions. In conclusion, it must be understood
that my present invention need not necessarily be confined to window sashes, but
may be applied to sliding doors, and gates. It is further obvious that slight
changes might be made in the present construction without departing from the
spirit of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In a combined sash-lift and lock, a suitable sash, a guide-way for each side
thereof, a rack-bar carried by each side of the sash, a pocket formed in the window
frame opposite the rack, a housing confined in the pocket, a gear wheel mounted in
the housing and meshing with the teeth of the rack-bar, a second gear wheel also
mounted in the housing and meshing with the first gear wheel, the said gears

page_text: rotating in a plane parallel to the plane of the sash, a bevel gear forming a part of
or carried by the second gear wheel, a second bevel gear meshing with the first
bevel gear, a rod for supporting said second bevel gear wheel, a spring for actuating
the last named bevel gear wheel in one direction, whereby the same has a tendency
to force or drive the sash to an open position, and means for retaining the sash in a
closed or any predetermined position, against the action of said spring, substantially
as set forth.
2. In a sash lift and lock, a suitable sash, a rack-bar carried by the same, a pocket
formed in the window frame opposite said rack-bar, a housing mounted in said
pocket, a gear wheel mounted between the walls of the housing and meshing with
the rack-bar, a second gear wheel mounted in the housing and meshing with the
first gear wheel, a spindle for said second gear wheel projecting through and beyond
the wall of the housing, a bracket through which said spindle passes thereby
securing said bracket to the housing, a supporting arm forming a part of the
bracket on which the base of the housing rests, terminal outwardly deflected arms
forming a part of the bracket, a rod carried by said arms, a bevel gear wheel
loosely mounted on said rod, a bevel gear wheel carried by or forming a part of the
second gear wheel mounted in the housing and meshing with the teeth of the bevel
gear wheel carried by the rod, a radial slit cut from the body of the bevel gear
mounted on said rod, a coiled spring encircling the rod on each side of the bevel
gear wheel carried by it and having its free ends secured to the arms of the bracket,
a medial loop formed in the spring and inserted between the walls of and resting
at the base of the slit cut from the bevel gear mounted on the rod, the said spring
being adapted to be wound up with the closing of the sash, whereby upon the
release of the sash from its closed or any predetermined position, the tendency of
the spring will be to force or drive said sash to an open position, and means for
locking the sash against the resiliency of the coiled spring, substantially as set
forth.
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F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant