IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC WINDOW FRAMES, SASHES, SKYLIGHTS, AND GRATINGS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Werner Itter, of Shepherd's Bush, in the County
"
of Middlesex, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC WINDOW
FRAMES, SASHES, SKYLIGHTS, AND GRATINGS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Werner Itter at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th January 1878.
ARTHUR WERNER ITTER, of Shepherd's Bush, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC WINDOW FRAMES, SASHES, SKYLIGHTS, AND
GRATINGS."
This Invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of metallic window
frames, sashes, skylights, and gratings, the improvements being designed to enable
the frames to be made more accurately and stronger than those made according to
the present systems of manufacture, and to avoid the many serious defects and
objections involved therein.
One of the most generally used systems of manufacture of such frames consists
in casting them whole or in parts in iron or other suitable metal. This method is
objectionable on account of the liability of the frames to warp by the contraction of
the metal in cooling, and on account of their liability to break in transit. Other
systems consist (as described in the Specifications of certain Letters Patent, granted
to David Moline on the 30th day of January 1855, No. 227, and to Joseph Thomas
Harris on the 5th day of April 1877, No. 1328) in forming the frames of a con-
siderable number of short lengths of sash bars (of wrought iron or other suitable
metal) cut according to the size of the panes of glass to be employed, or of a series
of long parallel bars with short lengths between them, such lengths of sash bars
being united together at their junctions by a boss of cast iron or other suitable
Dine G

page_text: metal.
These methods are also objectionable on account of the difficulty there is in
making the frames true, and the separate panes of such frames to the exact size and
shape required, as the contraction of the metallic bosses in cooling draws the short
bars out of truth, rendering it necessary that each pane of glass should be cut to
suit the particular sash opening it is intended to fill.
Now the present Invention consists in making each of the longitudinal and
transverse sash bars of the frames in one piece (of wrought or cast iron or other
suitable metal), and in cutting and "halving" these bars together at the required
intersections, and securing them thus by running metal at the proper temperature
into the "halvings" or intersections, so shaping the usual moulds in which the sash
bars are placed that none of the cast metal is allowed to rise above the level of the
moulded portion of the bar.
This improved method of "halving " the longitudinal and transverse bars at all
their intersections in ordinary, sashes dispenses with the necessity for the expensive
method of mitreing them together, and altogether prevents the bars being drawn
out of truth by the contraction of the small amount of cast metal at the intersec-
tions, a further great advantage being that none of this metal rises above the
moulded portion to the plain portion of the bars (as above mentioned) as it does in
sashes constructed according to the systems described in the above referred to
Specifications; thus the frames are made more accurate and considerably stronger
than those made according to the said systems, with the further advantage that the
said bosses may be dispensed with altogether in ordinary sashes, enough metal only
being used to fill the space caused by the said "halving" together of the bars; but
if required for purposes of ornament I can also cast small crucifers or bosses at the
intersections and on the moulded side of the bars.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Arthur Werner Itter in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th July
1878.
ARTHUR WERNER ITTER, of Shepherd's Bush, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC WINDOW FRAMES, SASHES, SKYLIGHTS, AND
GRATINGS."
This Invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of metallic window
frames, sashes, skylights, and gratings, the improvements being designed to enable
the frames thereof to be made more accurately and stronger than those made
according to the present systems of manufacture, and to avoid the many serious
defects and objections involved therein.
Other
One of the most generally used systems of manufacture of such frames consists in
casting them whole or in parts of iron or other suitable metal. This method is
objectionable on account of the liability of the frames to warp by the contraction of
the metal in cooling, and on account of their liability to break in transit.
systems consist (as described in the Specifications of certain Letters Patents, granted
to David Moline on the 30th day of January 1855, No. 227, and to Joseph Thomas
Harris on the 5th day of April 1877, No. 1328, and on the 19th day of November,
1877, No. 4337) in forming the frames of a considerable number of short lengths of
sash bars (of wrought iron or other suitable metal) cut according to the size of the
panes of glass to be employed in the glazing, or of a series of long parallel bars with
short lengths between them, such lengths of sash bars being united together at their
junctions by a boss of cast iron or other suitable metal. These methods are also
objectionable on account of the difficulty there is in making the frames true, and the
separate sash openings of such frames to the exact size and shape required, as the
contraction of the metal bosses in cooling draws the short bars out of truth, rendering
it necessary that each pane of glass should be cut to suit the particular sash opening
it is intended to fill. These methods are also objectionable in that they involve a
large amount of labour, and are therefore costly, notwithstanding which great
difficulty is experienced in producing the sashes or other articles with any degree of
accuracy. In these methods also the metal which is cast at the junctions of the
bars extends the whole depth or width of the frames, either as in Moline's method in
the form of bosses, or, as in Harris' methods, in the form of boss, dovetail, and filling
of one-third of an inch or more, or in the form of semi-dovetail and dovetail fillings, or
fillings and "enrichments," which latter are nothing else than small bosses; thus, a
certain amount of cast metal rises above the moulded portions of the bars, and fills
the angles in the rebated part of the frames, and when this occurs it is necessary
to cut off the corners of the panes of glass so as to make them fit their respective
openings.
"
"
Now the present Invention (which is illustrated on the accompanying Drawings
in Figures 1 to 16, which will be severally herein-after referred to) consists in
making each of the longitudinal and transverse sash bars of the frames in one piece
(of wrought or cast iron or of other suitable metal), and in cutting and "halving
these bars together at the required intersections, and securing them thus by running
metal at the proper temperature into the " halvings or intersections, so shaping
the usual moulds in which the sash bars are placed that none of the cast metal
which remains in the finished frame is allowed to rise above the level of the moulded
portion of the bars in any part of the said frames, thus securing clean, perfect,
and well defined angles in the rebated parts of the frame in which the glass is
placed.
Figure 1 on the accompanying Drawings illustrates in elevation a metallic window.
frame constructed according to my improvements; this Figure may likewise be
taken to be illustrative of the manufacture of sashes, skylights, and gratings, the

page_text: difference being merely in the section of iron used. 1 represents the longitudinal bars;
ach of the bars
2, the transverse bars; and 3, the junctions or points or intersection.
1, 2, composing the frame is made in one continuous piece from top to bottom, or from
side to side (as shewn in the side elevations, Figures 2 and 3, and in the plan views,
Figures 4 and 5, Figures 2 and 4 representing the inside bars, and Figures 3 and 5
the outside bars), and at the parts where the junctions or intersections are required
to be the bars are cut away or punched out, as shewn at 4, 5, 6, Figures 2 to 11, in
such a manner as will enable them to be fitted together at each junction or inter-
section (so that they will be self-holding), in the manner shewn in Figures 12 to 14,
which illustrate the intersections of the bars at their junctions. 4 represents a
straight cut made in the web of (say) the bar 2, so that it can be fitted over the
web of the bar 1.
5 represents an opening made by cutting away a part from the moulded portion
of the bar 1 to enable the bar 2 to be fitted over it in the manner shewn most
clearly in Figure 12. 6 represents a hole made in the moulded portion of the
bar 2.
When the continuous bars 1 and 2 are fitted together with all their junctions in
intersection, as illustrated in Figures 12 to 14, with the moulded portions down-
wards within the usual moulds, the metal by which the bars are united in this
position cast into the moulds, and it enters the recessed parts 5, and forms a small
crucifer or boss or ornamental part, and firmly holds all the parts together (see
Figures 13, 15, and 16.)
Should the bars be formed with the holes 6 the metal runs from one side of the
bar 2 to the other, and makes a stronger joint, and dispenses with any need for any
projecting boss or crucifer.
It will be at once apparent that the shape of the recesses 5 and 6 is altogether
immaterial. Two or three shapes are shewn on the accompanying Drawings, but
they may be of various other shapes without in any way departing from the prin-
ciple of effecting the junction.
The above described improved methods of "halving" the longitudinal and trans-
verse bars at all their intersections, in ordinary sashes, dispenses with the necessity
for the expensive method of mitreing them together, and altogether prevents the
bars being drawn out of truth by the contraction of the small amount of cast metal
at the intersections, a further great advantage being that none of this metal rises
above the moulded portion to the web or plain portion of the bars (as above men-
tioned, and as shewn most clearly in Figures 13 and 16), as it does in sashes
constructed according to each of the systems described in the above referred to
Specifications; thus the frames are made more accurately and considerably, stronger
than those made according to the said systems, with the further advantage that
when using the bosses for purposes of ornamentation or " enrichment" I need
only form them of a very small size, and without any necessity that they should
project beyond the sash bars.
The corners of the outer bars of the frames (see Figures 3 and 5) are joined
together by dovetails 7, similar to those in a common wooden box, the inside bars
being secured to the outside bars by running the molten metal into tapering under-
cut recesses 8, or by means of pins and screws.
I would here remark that I do not limit myself to any particular method of
placing the moulds, which may be made of any suitable material or combination of
materials, and the lower halves of which may be made plain or with any required
ornamentation or " enrichment" to produce the boss or crucifer, but I prefer the
method of placing the moulds described in the Specification of David Moline's above
referred to Letters Patent.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, I would remark in conclusion that I claim as my Invention, the manufacture
of metallic window frames, sashes, skylights, and gratings by uniting a series

page_text: of long metallic bars placed in suitable moulds, and according to the positions
desired, and intersected with each other in the manner above described, and by
running a small quantity of molten metal at the intersections or junctions in such a
manner that none of the metal is allowed to rise above the moulding in any part
of the frames, and the obtaining thereby, with great facility and at a minimum of
cost, strong and accurately made window frames, sashes, skylights, and gratings,
with the sash openings well defined at the angles, and of a similar or uniform size
throughout the frames, substantially as above described and as illustrated on the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Arthur Werner Itter, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
ARTHUR W. ITTER. (L.S.)