Improved Apparatus for Wiping or Cleaning the Panes of Shop Windows and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Sept., 1899-Accepted, 28th Oct., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Wiping or Cleaning the Panes of Shop
Windows and the like.
I, CARL WERNICKE, of Stassfurt, in the German Empire, Watchmaker, 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:-
The cleaning and wiping of the plate glass panes of shop windows on the
inside always causes a great inconvenience and interruption as in most cases it is
impossible to get at the panes without clearing out the window. Nevertheless
the wiping of the panes is frequently necessary, as they especially, when a change
in the weather occurs, are easily steamed or covered with condensed vapour on
the side and become opaque.
To remedy this inconvenience is the object of this invention, which permits
the panes to be wiped at any time and without difficulty. This is effected by
means of a strip of indiarubber, felt or similar material stretched across the pane
on a rail which strip by means of chains, cords rack and pinion gearing or the
like is moved in a vertical direction over the pane in such a manner that during
the downward traverse the strip is pressed against the pane and cleans it, while
on arrival at the bottom it is lifted away automatically in order that it can be
wound up again without touching the pane, so that the damp strip does not come
again into contact with it.
The drawing appended hereunto shows how my invention may be carried out.
Figure 1 representing a shop window provided with the improved apparatus,
as seen from the inside of the shop,
Figure 2 the apparatus with the india rubber strip pressed against the pane,
in end view above and in section below,
Figure 3 similar views showing the indiarubber strip lifted off the pane.
Figures 4 and 5 show views of the guide plates and slides of the apparatus and
Figures 5 and 7 are details of the strip and carrier.
On the drawings a represents a plate glass pane fixed in the frame b; c is a
strip of indiarubber, felt or similar suitable material, which is fixed to a rail d
of suitable shape. The rail & which extends across the whole width of the pane a
carries at each end an arm e formed on a lever f which is fulcrummed on a
pivot g in a guide plate h. A pink on the arm e is guided in a segmental slot i
of the plate h.
The two guide plates h are attached to chains or cords which passing round
pulleys m n allow the rail d with the strip c to be moved up and down. Guides o
arranged at each side of the pane, against which the rollers z on the plates /
bear, prevent the canting or tilting of the latter during their movement.
Between the ledges p and q of each plate h a slide r, Figure 5, is moveable
and is provided with an inclined slots, terminating at the top and bottom in
vertical extensions.
In this slot the pin fixed on the lever f and passing through the slot i is
guided, so that when the slide is lifted the pin k and thereby the lever f

page_text: with rail and strip c are swung backwards, as shown on Figure 3, while when
the slider is moved downwards, the lever f with the arm e is swung forwards,
The vertical termina-
Figure 2, and the strip c is pressed against the pane a.
tions of the slots serve to prevent the rail from sliding back from its respective
terminal position.
In order to affect the forward and backward motion of the rail and strip self-
actingly, the disengaging pins t and u are arranged at the top and bottom of
each slide r, the lower ones u of which on arrival of the plates h at the bottom
end of their travel encounter suitable stops u¹ on the window frame and thereby
drive the slides r upwards whereby the strip c is lifted off the pane a in the
manner herein before described.
When at rest the apparatus is held near the upper end of the pane, and the
strip remains removed from the pane or swung backwards, to prevent its sticking
or becoming frozen to the pane. A ratchet arrangement connected to one of the
chain pulleys secures the apparatus in this position.
The raising and lowering of the strip may be effected in any suitable manner.
In the arrangement shewn it is done by a crank arranged at the side, and the
chain pulleys, 20, 20.
When the apparatus has arrived finally at the end of its travel and the pane,
the pins likewise encounter suitable stops and the slider is pushed down
and the stripe pressed against the pane in the manner herein before described.
When the apparatus is now slowly lowered, the strip c pressed against the pane a
effects the wiping of the same, and on arrival at the bottom is selfactingly lifted
off in the manner described and in this position wound to the top again.
A spring a seizing under a pin y on the slider secures the slide in its
position during the upward travel of the apparatus.
For shop windows horizontally divided stops similar to stops and t¹ are
arranged above and below the dividing bar, in such a manner that they can be
put into and out of action or withdrawn, for the purpose of lifting the strip off
the pane when arrived at the bar and pressing it on again below the bar, in
order to enable both halves to be wiped by the same apparatus.
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. The construction and arrangement of apparatus for wiping or cleaning the
panes of shop windows consisting of a rail running across the pane with a strip
of indiarubber, felt or similar suitable material attached thereto in combination
with mechanism for moving said rail and strip up and down and for self-actingly
removing said strip from the pane at the lower end of its downward and during
its upward travel, and pressing it against the pane at the upper end of its up-
ward and during its downward travel, substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated by the drawings.
2. The arrangement of slotted plates, slides, levers and stops for self-actingly
removing the strip from the pane and pressing it against the same, substantially
as herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
3. The manufacture and use of apparatus for cleaning or wiping windows
arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings.
Dated this 20th day of September 1899.
R. J. URQUHART, C.E.,
Chartered Patent Agent, Manchester & Liverpool.