CERTAIN IMPROVE- MENTS IN HEATING, LIGHTING, VENTILATING, AND CLOSING AND SECURING THE DOORS OF APARTMENTS; ALSO IN LIGHTING AND VENTILATING CARRIAGES; PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1848

page_text: BRITTEN'S
SPECIFICATION.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BRITTEN, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Machinist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twentieth day of
April, One thousand eight hundred and forty-eight, in the eleventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Britten, my exors, adiñiors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said John Britten, my exors,
adiñors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Britten, my exors,
admors, or assigns; 'should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick upon Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN HEATING, LIGHTING, VENTILATING, AND CLOSING AND SECURING THE DOORS
OF APARTMENTS; ALSO IN LIGHTING AND VENTILATING CARRIAGES; PARTS OF WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER LIKE PURPOSES;". in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said John Britten, shall cause a
particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six

page_text: calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in part
recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had,
will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Britten, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to
the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon,
that is to say:-
My Invention consists :-Firstly, of a translucent door for stoves or closed
fire-places. Fig. 1 is an elevation of this part of my Invention. a, the frame
of the door; b, b, strips of plate or other glass, with ground edges, placed in
grooves in the frame, and resting loosely on one another, so as to admit of
individual expansion and contraction. This door may be attached to the stove
by any convenient means; but where it has to be placed near the fire, I find
it necessary to make such an arrangement as shall prevent any air from being
admitted underneath the fire, without a portion of cool air being admitted at
the same time through the front, that is, between the door and the bars, other-
wise the door will become too much heated. In accomplishing this object, I
fit the fire-place with the sliding damper described in the Specification of a
Patent granted to me, and bearing date December the Eighth, One thousand
eight hundred and forty-seven; and instead of hinging the door, as in the
ordinary way, I merely rest the bottom of the door on the sliding damper, by
which means, when the damper is withdrawn, the door is partially opened at
the same time. To prevent the door from falling off by any carelessness in
securing the fastening, I employ, instead of an ordinary latch, a fastening
similar to that represented in Fig. 2. a is the door; b, the fastening; d, d, d,
the face of the stove or fire-place; e, the sliding damper. It is obvious, that.
the weight of the lever b, in its tendency to assume a vertical position, will
cause the short end of the said lever to press against the part of the stove
front, and thereby retain the door in its proper position. I claim the fire-door
described, the method of connecting the bottom and front draughts, and the
peculiar latch or fastening; also the two latter parts of this portion of my
Invention applied to any other description of doors, connected with heating
apparatus of any kind. Secondly, of improvements in ventilating apartments,
which improvements consist in closing up the fire by a door, and causing the
air which passes up the fire-place to be drawn by a tube from the top of the
room, such flue being made to branch into two parts near the bottom, one
part opening above the fire, so as not to tend much to increase combustion,

page_text: and the other (with a regulating slide) opening below or near the fire-place.
By this means, the combustion can at any time be checked without stopping
the draught up the chimney. Thirdly, of an improved gas burner, of which
Fig. 3 is an elevation. a, the tube through which the gas ascends, which tube
has its upper end bevilled off on the inside, as shewn by the dotted lines in the
Figure; b, a cap, having a number of studs or projections (shewn by the dark
marks) on its under surface. This cap is fixed on the tube a, and the gas
issues through two openings c, c, between the dark marks. I claim a gas
burner of the kind described and represented. Fourthly, of a candle guard,.
to prevent candles from guttering when exposed to draughts. a, Fig. 4 repre-
sents a tube, having its upper end turned inwards, so as to rest on the top of the
candle b, and form a ring round the melting part of the tallow. When the candle
is exposed to a violent draught, I prefer using a second guard, as indicated by
the dotted lines c. I claim the construction of an apparatus to be affixed to
candles, in such a manner that as the candle burns away the said guard may
gradually fall by its own weight. Fifthly, of an improved arrangement of
carriage windows, calculated to prevent draughts when open. It consists in
making the said windows open upon vertical hinges or joints, instead of rising
and falling, as in the ordinary construction. I prefer making the window in
two parts like folding doors, which said parts may either be hinged to the
frame of the door, or to the fixed parts of the carriage. Fig. 5 is a plan
'of my double windows. a, a, the door frame; b, b, windows opening out-
wards; the lines d, d, represent a roof projecting from the carriage so as to
cover the course of the said windows; and when the said windows are open,
prevent descending draughts; g, g, are a number of holes on the under side of
the said roof, into which the bolt h, Fig. 6, (which said Fig. 6 is an edge view
of one of the windows,) is impelled by a spring whenever the same is not with-
held by the handle i. Whichever way the carriage is moving, the window,
having its hinges forward, should be opened to any required angle, by which
means the carriage may be ventilated without creating any objectionable
amount of draught. I claim the construction of windows for railway and other
carriages, opening on vertical joints or hinges, with or without a projecting
roof over them. I also claim the adaptation to carriage windows of a bolt or
other apparatus, in such manner, that when the window is partially open and
not held by the hand, the bolt will speedily fall or spring into one of a series of
holes or other catches, and by fastening, prevent the liability of injury to the said
window, and by which the said window may be held open at any desired angle.
Sixthly, of an improved double action door spring, which I prefer using in a
trough, but to which method of using I do not limit myself. a, Fig. 7, is a

page_text: .
roller forced upwards by the helical spring b; c, c, a curved incline, of which
c, c, Fig. 8, is a plan; e, the rod, by which the door is attached to the said
curved incline; f, a radius rod hinged to the side of the box or trough 9, 9, 9,
and guiding the roller in its upward and downward motions in a nearly
straight line. I claim the door spring described, or any modification thereof,
in which a curved or irregular incline is made to move backwards and for-
wards, over or under a roller, impelled towards it by means of a spring or
weight; also the guiding of the roller, by means of a radius rod in place of the
ordinary slides. Seventhly, of various combinations of curved inclines and
rollers, in which the one is attached to the door, and the other to the door
post or lintel; combinations of rollers and curved and irregular inclines never
having been used before, excepting in what are called trough hinges or springs.
Fig 9, 10, 11, 12, 18, and 14, represent different plans of carrying into effect
this part of my Invention. In Fig. 9, c is the curved incline attached to the
door b; the roller d is forced against it by the spring lying in the direction of
the dotted line e. In this arrangement, the roller is pressed against the inner
surface of a curved incline, so that the nearer the door approaches being closed
the further the roller recedes from the centre on which the door moves. By
this means the spring acts with greater advantage when the door is closed than
it does in Fig. 10, where the roller is impelled against the outer surface of the
curved incline and thereby, approaches the centre of motion as the 'door closes.
In Fig. 10, c is the curved incline, and d the roller impelled by a spring lying
in the direction of the dotted line e. In these and other arrangements I prefer
guiding the roller by means of a radius rod as described with reference to
Fig. 7. In Fig. 11, c is a plan of the curved incline, hinged to the top of the
door at the point d, d, and forced upwards by means of a helical spring under
the point g. The roller is to be fixed to the .lintel, directly over the point g,
when the door is closed. Or if more convenient, the curved incline and spring
may be hinged or attached to the lintel, and the roller to the door; or .it
may be reversed by fixing the incline and impelling the roller towards
it. In Fig. 12, c is the curved incline, hinged to the door post at the point f,
and impelled towards it by a spring in the direction of the dotted line e;
d, a roller attached to the door, and moving in the direction of the
arrow when the door is opened. In Fig, 13, a plan is represented
for combining the action of a spring with that of an ordinary lifting hinge;
c, the curved incline attached to a shaft passing through the spring box e, and
connected with the spring; d, the roller attached to the door; g, Fig. 14, con-
tinuation of the shaft; f, a projection on the said shaft. I prefer that the spring
box and curve should occupy a position on the top of the door frame about 15
.

page_text: or 20 inches' from' the perpendicular of the hinge, and that the rod g should be
long enough to allow the projection f to be about one inch from the said per-
pendicular. The consequence of this arrangement will be that the'spring will
act with great force on the door when it is closed, but when opened, a few
inches the roller will escape from the curve c, and the door will be then left
entirely to the action of the lifting hinge, the curve c being still held open by
the projection fresting on the top of the door near the hinges. I claim the
springs described, the combination of springs with lifting hinges, and any
modification of the above in which curved inclines and rollers are used, the one
being attached to the door and the other to the door post or lintel; also the
use of the inner surface of the curved incline, as described with reference to
Fig. 9. Eighthly, of the employment of what is called the knuckle or knee
joint in the construction of door springs. In Fig. 15 the knuckle is repre-
sented adapted to a box or convolute spring; c, c, basement plates; d; d';
brackets;f, à rod, hinged to the bracket d', and to the spring box at the
point 'k. If the centres m; k, and n, were in a direct line, the door would be
completely fixed; however weak the spring may be, and the power which the
spring will exert on the door will gradually decrease as the centre k is deflected
out of the direct line between 'm and n. The maker will therefore use his
discretion in placing the centres as nearly in the said direct line as: he may
think proper. o is a crank fixed to the shaft round which the spring is coiled,
and having a screw.p in its opposite end. As the crank is moved backwards
or forwards it will necessarily increase or decrease the tension of the spring,
whilst the screw p; by being screwed through the crank into one of the holes q, q,
will retain it in any desired position, and thereby admit of the spring being
tightened or slackened at pleasure. In Fig. 16 the knuckle is used in the
form in. which it is used in the Columbian printing press, and is adapted to an
arm spring. c, c, basement plates and bracket; d, the arm;e, e', the knuckles;
9, a spring attached to the knuckle e', and pulling it in the direction of the
arrow. The nearer the knuckles approach paralellism, the greater will be the
effect of the spring in holding the door closed. The angle at which they are
placed may be left to the option of the maker. The action of this spring will
be readily comprehended by placing the legs of a pair of compasses respectively
on the centres m, o, and moving them at the same time over the dotted lines
m, n, and o, p; it will be found that the centre o travels rapidly at first, and as
the door is further opened it comes almost to rest, and the spring consequently
loses in a.great degree its influence on the door. The knuckle may be applied
to door springs in a great variety of ways, which I do not deem it necessary to
detail. I claim the use of the knuckle or knee joint in the construction of

page_text: door springs, the method described of increasing or decreasing the tension of
convolute springs by altering the position of the shaft on which the spring is
coiled, or by similarly altering the position of the box if it be employed at the
abutment. In claiming the use of the knuckle, I wish it to be understood
that I do not confine myself to any particular form of constructing the knuckle;
as, for instance, the knuckle e may be a chain instead of a solid rod, and
instead of such chain terminating at the point o, it may be continued over a
curve attached to the rod e', and shown by the dotted line r. This may be
called a chain and irregular curve or camb, and, to prevent misunderstanding,
I wish it to be understood that I claim all the combinations of chains and
cambs in the construction of door springs in which the one is attached directly
or indirectly to the door post or lintel, and the other to the door. Ninthly, of
an improved method of applying arm springs, which consists in applying them
to the side of the door opposite that on which they are now applied; that is to
say, in the position of the dotted lines, Fig. 16, and instead of the roller being
attached to the arm, I attach it to the door and pass the arm between it and
the door, so that the spring pulls the door to instead of pushing it. By making
a recess in the end of the arm the roller falls into it when the door is thrown
wide open, and thereby retains it in that position. I claim the adaptation of
arm springs for being affixed on the side of the door described, and the recess
at the end of the arm for the purpose of holding the door open. Tenthly, of
a variety of methods of causing door fastenings to become liberated by simply
pulling the knob on one side and pushing it on the other. Fig. 17, is a section
of a door fitted with a rim lock, the lock movements not being shown; b, the
door; c, c, knob rod or common spindle; d, a bar or spindle occupying the
position generally occupied by the latch bolt or ordinary fastening, and project-
ing about half an inch from the lock so as to come into gear when the door is
closed with the dropper e, hinged to the door post; f, a tooth projecting from
the spindle d, and gearing with a projection on the knob rod c; the knob rod
being forced in the direction of the arrow by means of a spring, the conse-
quence will be that when the said knob rod is moved in the reverse direction, it
will cause a partial revolution of the spindle d, which being in contact with the
dropper e attached to the door post, and shown in dotted lines, will cause the
said dropper to be rolled upwards so that the spindle d may escape from it. If
more approved, the projection from the lock, which gears with the dropper e
when the door is closed, may be a fixture, and the dropper made to rise by
some other means. I claim the construction of door fastenings in which a
movable catch attached to the door post is made to release its hold upon the
door, by communicating motion to part or parts of the apparatus attached to

page_text: the door, and also the use of the rotating spindle in the position ordinarily
occupied by the latch bolt; such catch may be made to rise or to fall at the
option of the manufacturer, or it may be made to move in a lateral direction
so as to lay hold on a fixed stud projecting from the door, from which it may
be liberated by projecting a movable rod against it from the inside of the lock,
such arrangement also forming part of my claim. In Fig. 18 another plan is
represented, in which the ordinary latch bolt is withdrawn by causing a pinion
to revolve against a rack in its side; a, bolt; b, vertical shaft bearing the
pinion c, which gears into a rack on the bolt; the pinion d gears into a rack
on the rod to which the knobs are attached, shewn in section at e. I claim
the causing the bolt to be withdrawn by connecting it by any means with a
vertical shaft at or near right angles with it, such shaft being made to rotate
by any convenient means. In Fig. 19 the bolt is withdrawn by a roller in the
knob rod being projected against an inclined surface on the bolt; a, the bolt;
d, the said roller; e, a wedge-shaped part of the bolt, against which the roller on
the knob rod is projected; c, c, two rollers fixed to the frame of the lock so as
to obviate inconvenience from friction. I claim the guide rollers c, c, and
causing the bolt to be liberated by projecting a roller against an inclined
surface attached to it; and this I claim, whether the said bolt has a horizontal
motion, or is made to rise or fall as in an ordinary drop latch. If more conve-
nient, the roller may be attached to, the bolt, and the inclined surface to the
knob rod, such arrangement also forming part of my claim. In Fig. 20, a, o,
is a vertical staple fixed to the door post; b, a lever attached to the door and
working in a centre; d, a clutch so arranged as to become liberated from the
When this is
lever by forcing the knob rod in the direction of the arrow.
accomplished, the lever b, turning in the direction of the arrow n, will allow
the door to open; and when the door is closed again, the point 6¹ of the said
lever, by coming in contact with the point o, will cause the lever to resume its
former position. The clutch f, being actuated by. a spring, is forced in the
recess g, when the lever b is thrown back, and thereby retains it in the proper
position for coming in contact with the point o, when the door is closed again.
I claim the arrangement or any modification in which a short lever partially
turning on a vertical centre is made to supply the place of the ordinary sliding
latch bolt; I also claim the clutch ƒ for retaining the said lever in its proper
position when the door is open, and this I claim whether the lever & be used or
its place supplied by a pinion wheel made to gear into a rack on the door post;
but I do not claim the use of a rack and pinion so applied. Instead of a
single pointed lever a forked one may be used, and a single point or stop on
the door post so arranged as to be caught by the outer fork when the door is

page_text: closing, and by the inner fork when the door is opening. I prefer the arrange-
ment shewn in the Drawing, but the latter also forms part of": my claim.
Lastly, of a method of constructing locks so that they may be locked without
the use of the key with which they are to be unlocked. Fig. 21 represents
the bolt of a lock constructed after the method commonly called "Barron's
Patent." b, the rack; a, a, lever pins. The recesses into which the lever
pins fall when unlocked should be of sufficient depth, and the tumblers or
levers be forced down with a sufficiently strong spring to obviate any liability
of the bolt being moved by the shutting of the door or other casualty, but not
sufficiently so as to prevent the bolt from being moved by the key or small
lever d, which is connected with a knob or button attached to the door, by
turning which the bolt can at any time be thrown in the direction of the arrow,
though such key would have no action on the bolt when turned in the opposite
direction. I claim the construction of locks on the plan called "Barron's
Patent," in the manner herein described, and the application to such or any
other locks of an apparatus by which the bolt can be thrown in one direction
without the aid of the key which unlocks it, such apparatus having no power
to unlock the said bolt. Also the application of such locks to desks, drawers,
or closets.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Britten, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and forts sight