IMPROVEMENTS IN SASH LINES, AND PULLEYS FOR THE SAME, ALSO IN FASTENING SUCH LINES TO SASHES, AND IN SASHES AND FRAMES USED THEREWITH: BUCH IMPROVEMENTS IN SASH LINES BEING APPLICABLE TO CORDS, LINES, STRAPS, AND BANDS FOR CRANES AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Hookham, of Oxford, in the County of
Oxford, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SASH
LINES, AND PULLEYS FOR THE SAME, ALSO IN FASTENING SUCH LINES TO SASHES,
AND IN SASHES AND FRAMES USED THEREWITH: BUCH IMPROVEMENTS IN SASH
LINES BEING APPLICABLE TO CORDS, LINES, STRAPS, AND BANDS FOR CRANES
AND OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 22nd June 1869, and dated the 23rd December 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Hookham at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd December 1868.
I, GEORGE HOOKHAM, of Oxford, in the County of Oxford, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SASH LINES, AND PULLEYS FOR THE SAME, ALSO IN FASTENING SUCH LINES TO
SASHES, AND IN SASHES AND FRAMES USED THEREWITH; SUCH IMPROVEMENTS IN
SASH LINES BEING APPLICABLE TO CORDS, LINES, STRAPS, AND BANDS FOR CRANES
AND OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
Instead of the ordinary sash line made of cord I use a strip of steel
either tinned or otherwise plated or coated to preserve it from rust,

page_text: or in addition 1 bind it with wire to improve its appearance and the
better to adapt it to run on the pulleys. If bound with wire it may be
coated (in addition to or instead of the tinning) with gutta percha or
some other waterproof material or a solution of such material, the wire
covering the whole.
In some cases I use a line of gut, similar to
the small bands of lathes and other machinery; this I also bind with
wire in the same manner and for the same purpose as in the former
case, and this prevents its wearing and forms a spiral spring which
does not interfere with the flexibility of the gut. Or a hempen line
treated with a solution of gutta percha or other waterproofing material
might be substituted for the gut. 1 fasten the above lines to the
sash frames and to the weights in such a manner as to obviate the
necessity of removing the sash from the window frame on each occasion
of replacing a broken line; to this end I plough or form a groove along
the whole length of the side of the sash frame, and attach a hook
to the end of the sash line. The junction may then be effected in
several simple ways.
For instance, in the solid side of a sash frame
a groove is ploughed or formed, and a small plate is fixed transversely
in an oblique direction in the sides of the groove reaching to within
about say 3rd of an inch of the bottom of the groove. The line is
passed down from above beyond the plate, and is then drawn back
till the hook catches the said plate; the line passes over a pulley, and
is connected with a sash weight. A second plan consists in having
a piece of stout hoop iron bent up with a hook at the upper end.
This is screwed or secured to the bottom of the frame. To replace a
line the screws or fasteners are taken out and the iron removed; the
line is drawn down and out at the bottom of the groove by means of
a piece of string or by other convenient means. The two hooks are
attached, and the piece of iron thus fastened to the line is drawn back
by the action of the sash weight and the screws or fasteners replaced.
Or instead of the above I can use the following:-I can bring the iron
plate above mentioned to the bottom of the sash and there fasten the
line in the manner above mentioned. In some cases however, instead
of the covered line or cord being brought down to the bottom of the
sash, it may be joined to a piece of wire or other material which can
be fastened to the bottom of the sash; also it may sometimes be desirable
to use loops instead of hooks for fastening the cords or lines. For
the pocket pieces in the frames (for obtaining access to the weights)
grooves are made in the frame for the sashes to run in, and between

page_text: No
the outside beads is a centre bead. To remove the pocket piece it
is necessary to take out the centre bead; the pocket piece I make
of sheet iron and punch it for screws; I cut off a piece of the centre
bead of the required length, and screw it to the plate from behind,
the piece of bead being cut away at the back so as to make the other
side (the front) flush with the rest of the bead. The pocket piece
is let into the window frame either with screws sunk in it or with
bolts. For pulleys with flat grooves the strip of steel will be used,
the steel being such as that known as pen steel of good quality or other
elastic material. This being highly elastic will run over a small pulley
without being bent beyond the limit of its power as a spring.
permanent change therefore is produced in the relative positions of the
atoms of steel, and it will last for a long time. It is clear that if
such a line is protected from rust it will not be subject to those
atmospheric influences which are the chief agents in destroying all
the hemp lines at present in use, namely the alternations of dryness
and moisture. To effect this for common lines I tin or galvanise the
steel and coat with gutta percha. For more expensive lines I electro-
plate with copper, silver, or other metal besides or instead of the tinning;
I also bind the flat steel with wire, so that in some cases it may run
over a round pulley and for other purposes. My cord or line I can use
of various strengths for such purposes as cranes, windlasses, pumps,
mines, suspension bridges, traction lines, anchors, rigging, tents, fire-
escapes, railway signals, for skylights, in greenhouses, and other
purposes, also for bell hanging; and covered with or in combination
with leather or gutta percha for driving bands of all kinds as well
as for traces of harness generally; also for suspension carriages. Also
for such purposes as picture, curtain, and chandelier hanging and other
purposes, I prefer to use pulleys running on lignum vitæ, or other hard
wood bearings instead of metal, in order to prevent the noise which
is usual with other pulleys. Or the pulley wheel may be made of such
hard wood and run on a metal axle.

page_text: 1
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Hookham in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 23rd June 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HOOKHAM, of Oxford, in the County of Oxford, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said George Hookham, Her special licence
that I, the said George Hookman, my executors, administrators, and
'assigns, or such others as I, the said George Hookham, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SASH LINES, AND PULLEYS FOR THE SAME, ALSO IN FASTENING SUCH LINES TO SASHES,
AND IN SASHES AND FRAMES USED THEREWITH: SUCH IMPROVEMENTS IN SASH LINES
BEING APPLICABLE TO CORDS, LINES, STRAPS, AND BANDS FOR CRANES AND OTHER
PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
Hookham, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that 1, the said George Hookham, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
Instead of the ordinary sash line made of cord I use a strip of steel,
either tinned or otherwise plated, to preserve it from rust, or in addition
I bind it with wire to improve its appearance and the better to adapt it
to run on the pulleys. If bound with wire it may be coated (in addition
to or instead of the tinning) with gutta percha, or some other waterproof

page_text: material, or a solution of such material, the wire covering the whole.
In some cases I use a line of gut similar to the small bands of lathes and
other machinery. This I also bind with wire in the same manner and
for the same purpose as in the former case, and this prevents its wearing
and forms a spiral spring, which does not interfere with the flexibility of
the gut, or a hempen line treated with a solution of gutta percha or other
waterproofing material might be substituted for the gut. I fasten the
above lines to the sash frames and to the weights in such a manner as to
obviate the necessity of removing the sash from the window frame on
each occasion of replacing a broken line; to this end I plough or form
a groove along the whole length of the side of the sash frame. The
junction of the sash with the line may then be effected in several simple
ways. For instance, in the solid side of a sash frame a groove is ploughed
or formed down the whole length of the sash, the sash line above
described having a piece of double wire (of copper by preference); a
small plate is fixed transversely in an oblique direction in the side of the
groove, and reaches to within about, say, one-third of an inch of the
bottom groove. The line is passed down from above beyond the plate,
and is then drawn back till a hook which I secure on the end of the sash
line catches the said plate; the line passes over a pulley above the frame,
and is connected with a sash weight. A second plan consists in having
a piece of stout hoop iron bent up with a hook at the upper end. This
is screwed or secured to the bottom of the frame. To replace a line the
screws or fasteners are taken out and the iron removed, the line is drawn
down and out at the bottom of the groove by means of a piece of string
or by other convenient means; the two hooks are attached and the piece
of iron thus fastened to the line is drawn back by the action of the sash
weight, and the screws or fasteners replaced. Or instead of the above I
can bring the iron plate above mentioned to the bottom of the sash, and
there fasten the line in the manner above mentioned. In some cases
however instead of the covered cord or line being brought down to the
bottom of the sash, it may be joined to a piece of wire or other material
which can be fastened to the bottom of the sash; also it may sometimes
be desireable to use loops instead of hooks for fastening the cords or lines.
For obtaining access to the weights grooves are made in the frame which
the sashes run in, and between the outside beads is a centre bead which
lets into the groove.
To remove the pocket piece it is simply necessary
to take out such portion of the centre bead as is secured to the pocket
piece, which latter I make of sheet iron and punch it for screws. I cut

page_text: off a piece of the centre bead of the required length and screw it to the
plate from behind, the piece of bead being cut away at the back so as to
make the other (the front) side flush with the rest of the bead. The
pocket piece is let into the window frame either with screws sunk in it
or with bolts. For pulleys with flat grooves the strip of steel will be
used, the steel being such as that known as pen steel, of good quality, or
other elastic metal. This being highly elastic will run over a small
pulley without being bent beyond the limits of its power as a spring.
No permanent change therefore is produced in the relative position of the
atoms of steel, and it will last for a long time. It is clear that if such
a 'line is protected from rust it will not be subject to those atmospheric
influences which are the chief agents in destroying all the hemp lines at
To
present in use, namely, the alterations of dryness and moisture.
effect this for common lines I tin the steel or coat it with gutta percha.
For more expensive lines I electroplate with copper or silver, or other
metal besides; or instead of the tinning I also bind the flat steel with
wire, so that in some cases it may run over a round pulley, and for other
purposes. My cord or line I can use of various strengths for a variety of
purposes, such, for instance, as chandeliers, cranes, and other purposes
where cords or chains working over pulleys are required, and covered
with leather or gutta percha for driving bands and other purposes.
:
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, I will now further proceed to particularly describe and
ascertain in what manner the same is to be performed or carried into
practical operation by the following description and the accompanying
Drawings, that is to say:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1, diagram shewing a view of a method of fastening the cords or
lines to the sashes in which the cord or line is nailed or screwed to the
bottom of the sash. A, A, A, A, the sash; b, b, the groove; c, c, the
point at which the line or cord is nailed to the sash, though it may be
nailed or screwed or otherwise fastened to any other point; e, the pulley;
f, the weight; 'g, g, the line.
Fig. 2, diagram shewing another method of effecting the above object;
Fig. 3, edge view of same.
To Figs. 2 and 3 the following letters refer wherever the parts
referred to are shewn in such Figures. A, A, A, A, portion of sash;

page_text: b, b, the groove; c, c, the small plate; d, the hook on cord or line; e, the
pulley; f, the weight; g, g, the cord or sash line.
Fig. 4, diagram shewing a view of another method of fastening the
cords or lines to the sashes; Fig. 5, diagram view of the hoop iron
fastener.
To Figs. 4 and 5 the following letters refer wherever the parts referred
to are shewn in such Figures. A, A, A A, portion of sash; b, b, the
groove; c, c, the hoop iron fastener; d, hook on cord or line; e, the
pulley, the weight; g, g, the cord or sash line.
Fig. 6, section of pocket piece and portion of frame constructed in
accordance with my Invention; Fig. 7, face view of same; Fig. 8, back
view of pocket piece removed; Fig. 9, section of same shewing the
method of fastening the beading.
To Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9, the following letters refer wherever the parts
referred to are shewn in such Figures. A, A, A, A, the grooves;
B, B, B, B, the outside beads; C, C, the centre bead; D, D, the pocket
piece.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or put
in operation, I hereby declare that I claim the Invention of "Improve-
ments in Sash Lines and Pulleys for the same, also in Fastening such
Lines to Sashes, and in Sashes and Frames used therewith; such Im-
provements in Sash Lines being also applicable to Cords, Lines, Straps,
and Bands for Cranes and other Purposes," as the same Invention is
herein-before set forth and described, it being understood that I do not
claim (nor do I limit myself to the use of) the mere details of con-
struction shewn by the Drawings, such details being introduced and
referred to for the sake of illustration only.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Hookham, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
Witness,
R. P. HOOкHAM.
GEORGE HOOKHAM. (L.S.)