IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR OPENING, CLOSING, AND FASTENING PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATIONEMENTS, SASHES, VENTILATORS, AND LOUVRES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Bruce, of 78, Summer Road, Edgbaston,
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Brassfounder, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR OPENING, CLOSING, AND FASTENING
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Bruce at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th November 1880.
JOSEPH BRUCE, of 78, Summer Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Brassfounder. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR OPENING, CLOSING,
AND FASTENING CASEMENTS, SASHES, VENTILATORS, AND LOUVRES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for opening, closing,
and fastening casements, sashes, ventilators, and louvres.
it.
I cause the glazed sashes, ventilators, or louvres to be hung upon pivots or
hinges. When it is desired that the sash shall open inwardly it is held in position
by a lever having a fixed fulcrum at its lower end, and at its upper end the lever
carries a stud, which is received into a slotted hole in a lug projecting outwards
from the top corner of the sash or flap. At a point intermediate of its length, but
nearer to its upper end than to its lower, the lever is connected by a link with a
rod which, by appropriate apparatus, can be moved vertically in guides which carry
When this rod is raised the casement, sash, or flap is closed, and when the rod
is drawn down it is opened. For giving motion to the vertical rod a hand lever is
provided; it has a fixed fulcrum at one end, about which it is capable of moving
in a vertical plane. A link is jointed to the hand lever at a short distance from its
fulcrum, and passes in an upward direction to the vertical rod to which the upper
end of the link is jointed. Thus an upward motion of the hand lever imparts an
upward motion to the vertical rod, and effects the closing of the casement, sash or
flap, whilst similarly by the downward movement of the hand lever the sash or
flap is made to open. The joint connecting the hand lever with the link is so
placed that as the casement closes this joint passes over the alignment of the
fulcrum of the lever and the joint connecting the link with the vertical rod.
Hence the weight of the rod, and any pressure upon the casement, sash, or flap has
no tendency to move the hand lever back, but rather to hold it fast in the position
to which it has been brought in closing the casement.
When it is desired that the sash or flap shall open outwardly the position of the
lever with fixed fulcrum and of the slotted lug is reversed, and the motion is
reversed, that is to say, the upward action of the rod opens the flap, and the
downward movement closes it.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Bruce in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th May
1881.
JOSEPH BRUCE, of 78, Summer Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Brassfounder. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR OPENING, CLOSING,
AND FASTENING CASEMENTS, SASHES, VENTILATORS, AND LOUVRES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for opening, closing,
and fastening casements, sashes, ventilators, and louvres.
I cause the glazed sashes, ventilators, or louvres to be hung upon pivots or
hinges. The sash is held in position by a lever having a fixed fulcrum at its lower
end, and at its upper end the lever carries a stud which is received into a slotted
hole in a lug projecting outwards from the top corner of the sash or flap. At a
point intermediate of its length, but nearer to its upper end than to its lower, the
lever is connected by a link with a rod which, by appropriate apparatus, can be
moved vertically in guides which carry it. When this rod is raised the casement,
sash, or flap is closed, and when the rod is drawn down it is opened. For giving
motion to the vertical rod a hand lever is provided; it has a fixed fulcrum at one
end, about which it is capable of moving in a vertical plane. A link is jointed to
the hand lever at a short distance from its fulcrum, and passes in an upward
direction to the vertical rod to which the upper end of the link is jointed. Thus
an upward motion of the hand lever imparts an upward motion to the vertical rod,
and effects the closing of the casement, sash, or flap, whilst similarly by the down-
ward movement of the hand lever the sash or flap is made to open. The joint
connecting the hand lever with the link is so placed that as the casement closes
this joint passes over the alignment of the fulcrum of the lever and the joint
connecting the link with the vertical rod. Hence the weight of the rod and any
pressure upon the casement, sash, or flap, has no tendency to move the hand lever
back, but rather to hold it fast in the position to which it has been brought in
closing the casement.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of apparatus made in accordance with my Invention ;
it is shown applied to a pair of casements. The casement sashes are represented as
they appear when closed.
Figure 2 is a side elevation; the parts are here shown as they appear when the
casements are closed; Figure 3 is also a side elevation, but with the parts in the
positions which they assume when the casements are open. a, a, are the sashes
(or it might be other like doors or flaps), and b, b, are slotted lugs projecting
outwards from the top corners of the sashes or flaps. The slots in the lugs b, b,
receive studs c, c, which project outwards from the upper end of a lever d,; d¹, is
the fixed fulcrum for the lever d; e is a link jointed at one end to the lever d
between the fulcrum and the lugs b, and at its other extremity to the upper end
of the vertical rod f; g, g, are guides, in which the rod f is able to slide up and
down. As the rod descends the casements open, and as it is raised they close. h is
a hand lever having a fixed fulcrum at h¹, and is a link jointed to the lever h
near to its fulcrum, and also jointed at f¹ its other and upper end with the lower
end of the rod f; thus, when the handle h is raised, the rod f is raised also, and the
casements are closed, and the joint connecting ħ and k passing beyond a line

page_text: connecting h¹ and f¹, the sashes or flaps when closed are also locked. is a binding
screw upon one of the guides g, by which the casements may when desired be set
and retained in any desired position.
The means for giving movement up and down to the rod F may be varied, but
the arrangement shown will be found convenient.
What I claim is my improved apparatus substantially as described for use with
casements and like flaps or doors.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Bruce, have hereunto set my band
and seal, this Twenty eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
JOSEPH BRUCE. (L.S.)