Improvements in Sash Locks or Window Fasteners.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Jan., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 3rd May, 1890-Accepted, 13th Sept., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sash Locks or Window Fasteners.
A communication from abroad by THOMAS B. Ross, of Evansville, in the County of
Vanderburgh and State of Indiana, United States of America.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign Patent
Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in the
County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :--
This invention relates to improvements in window fasteners, and has for its object
to lock the sash in any position in which it may be placed, and thus prevent the sash
from being either raised or lowered; and it consists, essentially, in combining a
locking pawl or key, with a gear wheel located in a box, and adapted to revolve upon
a stud forming a part of the outer sides of the box, the said stud being so arranged as
to constitute the rivet, or means of fastening the opposite sides of the box to each
other, thereby simplifying the construction and cheapening the manufacture, also in
locating the box in the window casing in such position that the gear wheel is
adapted to engage a rack-bar attached to the adjacent edge of the window sash.
The invention comprises a rack-bar, which may be either a casting or of corrugated
sheet metal, a gear wheel, a box having a stud which is an integral part of one side
of the box, and having a small recess in the upper part of the box to receive and
maintain in proper position a small spiral spring, the lower end of which engages
with a small stud forming a part of a pawl. A spring serves the purpose of making
the action of the pawl quicker than it might be if dependent, solely, upon its gravity
to lock the gear wheel.
The pawl has a boss on each side, which enters a depression in the opposite sides
of the box. The bosses serve the purpose of trunnions and enable the pawl to
oscillate thereon, and thereby enable it to drop into the spaces between the teeth of
the gear wheel. A square opening penetrates the pawl of the same cross section as
the key which is adapted to fit closely therein, and by means of which the pawl may
be turned on its axis and its point be raised from between the teeth of the gear
wheel and permit the latter to revolve. The key is pointed to facilitate its entrance
into the opening, it has a round cross section to permit it to turn readily in a shield;
it has also a lip, which prevents it from becoming accidentally detached from the shield
through the said opening and notch, the said notch permitting the lip to pass through
when the key is inserted in the opening.
The key is also provided with a handle, by means of which it may be turned upon
its axis.
When the key has been inserted through the openings and notch, and has entered
the opening penetrating the pawl, it can only be removed therefrom by turning the
key until the lip is on a line with the notch. When in this position, the key may be
withdrawn, and the fasteners will then remain locked.
This sash-fastener can be used either on cars or house windows.
In an alternative form of fastener, the key is forced endwise in between the teeth
of the gear wheel, and locks it by the action of a spiral spring.
In another modified form of the device, a lever takes the place of the keys, the
said lever being adapted to raise the pawl and discharge it from the gear wheel, and
thus permit it to revolve upon its stud.
Dated this 14th day of January 1890.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sash Locks or Window Fasteners.
A communication from abroad by THOMAS B. Ross, of Evansville, in the County of
Vanderburgh and State of Indiana, United States of America.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in
the County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex;
Civil Engineer, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in window fasteners, and has for its object
to lock the sash in any position in which it may be placed, and thus prevent the sash
from being either raised or lowered; and it consists essentially in combining a locking
pawl, or key with a gear wheel located in a box and adapted to revolve upon a stud
forming a part of the outer sides of the box, the said stud being so arranged as to
constitute the rivet or means of fastening the opposite sides of the box to each other,
thereby simplifying the construction and cheapening the manufacture; also in locating
the box in the window casing in such position that the gear wheel is adapted to
engage a rack-bar attached to the adjacent edge of the window sash.
In the drawings:-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a part of a sash and window frame in section, and
the box with one of the sides removed.
Figure 2 is a detached view of the box complete, a portion of the window frame
being indicated in dotted lines.
Figure 3 is a detached view of the shield having a central opening adapted to
receive and hold the key by means of which the pawl may be raised so as to permit
the gear wheel to revolve.
Figure 4 is a view of the top of the box, showing the pawl in dotted lines, also the
key inserted therein, and the shield in section.
Figure 5 is a detached view of the key.
Figure 6 is a detached plan view of the pawl.
Figure 7 is a side view of the pawl.
Figures 8 and 9 show a modified form of the fastener in which the key is forced
endwise in between the teeth of the gear wheel, to lock it, by the action of a spiral
spring.
Figures 10, 11 and 12 represent another modified form of the device, in which
a lever takes the place of the keys, indicated in the previous Figures, the said lever
being adapted to raise the pawl and discharge it from the gear-wheel, and thus permit
it to revolve upon its stud.
The letter A indicates the window frame, B the sash, C the rock-bar which may
be either a casting or of corrugated sheet metal; C¹ is the gear wheel; D is one side
of the box, and D¹ is the other, having a stud d, which is an integral part of that side
of the box; d' is a small recess in the upper part of the box to receive and maintain
in proper position a small spiral spring E, the lower end of which engages with a
small stud forming a part of the pawl, F, the spring E serves the purpose to make
the action of the pawl F quicker than it might be if dependent solely upon gravity to
lock the gear wheel.
The pawl F has a boss f¹ on each side, which enters a depression in the opposite
sides of the box, indicated in dotted lines in Figure 4. The bosses fl serve the
purpose of trunnions, and enable the pawl to oscillate thereon, and thereby enable it
to drop into the spaces between the teeth of the gear wheel; " is a square opening,
penetrating the pawl F, of about the same cross section as the key G, which is adapted
to fit closely therein, and by means of which the pawl may be turned on its axis and
its point F¹ be raised from between the teeth of the gear wheel and permit the latter
to revolve. The key G is pointed at g to facilitate its entrance into the opening f¹¹,
it

page_text: has a round cross section at g¹ to permit it to turn readily in the shield H, it has also
a lip gl which prevents it from becoming accidentally detached from the shield H
through the opening H¹ and notch h, the notch h permitting the lip g" to pass through
when the key is inserted in the opening H.
.The key Ġ is also provided with a handle 9¹¹¹ by means of which it may be turned
upon its axis.
When the key has been inserted through the openings H₁ and notch h, and has
entered the opening f", it can only be removed therefrom by turning the key until
the lip gl¹ is on a line with the notch h. When in this position the key may be
withdrawn, and the fasteners will then remain locked.
In the modification shown in Figures 8 and 9, the key rests permanently in the
lock and is provided with a flange G¹. The action of locking or unlocking is brought
about by means of a longitudinal movement of said key, so that its inner end enters
or leaves the spaces between the teeth of the pinion C¹. A spiral spring serves to
normally keep. the key in the locking position.
Referring to Figures 10, 11 and 12. In this modification the key G acts as a
lever to raise or lower the pawl F, so as to cause said pawl to engage or disengage
the pinion, the shield H acting as a fulcrum for the lever. On pulling down the
outer end of the key, the inner end is raised and the pawl F thereby lifted from
the pinion, thus allowing it to revolve. A spiral spring E returns the pawl to the
locking position when the lever is released.
This sash-fastener can be used either on cars or house windows.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
The combination with the pawl F, located in box D D₁ and the shield H, having
an opening H and a notch h, of the detachable key pointed at one end and provided
with a lip g" near the other, the said key being rectangular in cross section for a
portion of its length to fit the rectangular opening in the pawl and round in cross
section adjacent to the lip g¹¹ to permit it to turn readily in the shield, substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of May 1890
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.