IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF WINDOW SASHES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Miles, of Newport, in the County of
Monmouth, Builder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF WINDOW SASHES."
Sealed the 3rd October 1861, and dated the 7th August 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Miles at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th August 1861.
I, DAVID MILES, of Newport, in the County of Monmouth, Builder, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF WINDOW SASHES," to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to facilitate the cleaning of windows from the
inside of the room, and to render the window rigid and impervious to the
weather.
To effect it I propose to construct each sash so that it may present either
side of the glass inwards as required; I propose to hang the sashes much in
the ordinary manner. The upper sash will be fitted on a pair of slides, the
latter being the exact length of the sides of the sash. In each of these slides
and also in the sides of the sash, a very narrow groove is cut; the pulley
cords are fastened to the slides. Tongues (of any metal or material) are
fitted in the grooves in the slides and sash (before mentioned) allowing the
latter, which works on a pin in the centre of each of its sides to present either
face of the glass inwards at pleasure when the tongues are withdrawn. As
regards the lower sash I propose to use the slides and fit the pulley cords as

page_text: before mentioned, but on one slide I cut a rebate, and on the other a groove.
(a corresponding groove being made in the sash, but the whole only half way
down it). Hinge plates are let into both sash and slide to hold the centre pin.
In cleaning the lower sash press upon a spring catch on its inner side next
the rebate, this releases one side of the sash; withdraw the tongue from the
groove before mentioned, the other is released, and this sash as well as the
upper presents either face of the glass that is required to be cleaned. The
replacement of the metallic tongues (the spring catch having previously acted)
renders the entire sash rigid.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said David Miles-in the- Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th
February 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
MILES, of Newport, in the County of Monmouth, Builder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing_date the Seventh day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said David Miles, Her special licence that I, the said David Miles, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said David
Miles, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION
OF WINDOW SASHES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
David Miles, 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 I, the said David Miles, 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,
reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, and forming

page_text: part of this my Specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,
such letters denoting similar parts at each of the Figures respectively.
The danger and inconvenience of cleaning windows as the sashes are now
generally hung has often been commented upon, and various contrivances have
been resorted to to facilitate and render more safe the operation, but such.
contrivances have either been found insufficient, too expensive in their
application or from some other cause have not found favour with those con-
cerned in the construction of houses or other buildings. The sashes I construct
or make easily perform what is required of them and that requirement is
simply the presentation of either surface of the glass inwards or towards the.
interior of the room or chamber, so that it may be cleaned without the
operator going or standing outside the building.
The modes of making, hanging, fastening, and releasing my sashes will be best
understood by an explanation of the Diagrams on the Sheet of Drawing, on
which Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a window frame and sash made
according to my Invention, both sashes being fitted, the upper one partially
drawn down to show the top of the metallic tongues on the upper edge thereof;
Figure 2 is a plan view, partly in section, taken through the sash and framing
at the line A, B, Figure 1; Figures 3 and 4 shew front and side views of the
metallic tongues for the upper sash, extending the entire length thereof;
Figures 5, 6, and 6* are front, side, and top plan views of the lower sash
tongue extending only half way down the sash and on one side only thereof,
the dotted lines carried out from Figure 1 shewing the respective lengths of
the metallic tongues; Figure 7 is a transverse and vertical section of a com-
plete frame and sashes, in which the use of metallic tongues is dispensed with
and spring catches introduced. The window sash shewn at Figure 1 is
arranged so as to shew principally the system of fastening and releasing by
metallic tongues, but partly (say on the right side of the lower sash) intro-
ducing the spring catch. The outer framing is made much in the ordinary
manner, and although the pulley cords are fastened to the outer of two sash
stiles, which I term a slide, (or the two may be termed a split or divided sash
stile) they pass through the pullies to the weights, which act in the usual
manner.
At Figures 1 and 2 will be seen the upper sash side stile a, a, (or stile and
slide,) divided as before mentioned down their centres and resting on pins or
pivots (shewn in dotted lines), the sash stiles being kept in position when the
window is closed by tongues of metal. In this sash stile and in the slide (or
in the divided sash stile, as both pieces are of exactly the same length) a very
narrow groove is ploughed. This double groove is intended for the reception of

page_text: tongues 6, 6, made of metal or any suitable material, by which the window sasn
is rendered perfectly tight or rigid. These grooves are shewn in section at
Figure 2, and in blue (dotted) lines at Figure 1. The lower sash is shewn
divided in a similar manner to the upper one, but this is hinged at or near its
centre; instead of swinging on pins or pivots it swings by means of the hinge.
On one side of the lower sash I cut a rebate, and on the other plough a double
groove as before described, but only half way down the sash. The hinge
plates are let into both sash and slide (or divided sash stile). The tongue b of
the lowor sash reaches only half way down, or as far as the hinge c.. The
opposite side of said sash is provided with a spring catch (of any description.
suitable for the purpose), as shewn in dotted lines at d, Figures 1 and 2. To
clean the glass of a sash fitted as just described, first clean the inner surface,
then-lower-the-upper-sash, and withdraw the metallic tongues, the upper sash
will then swing on its pivot so as to allow the outer surface of the glass to
become the inner; then withdraw the tongue from the lower sash, and press
upon or pull outwards (according to the nature of the spring catch used)-the
head of the spring; this releases the lower sash so as to allow it also to swing
its centre pin or pivot, and present its hitherto outward surface towards
the interior of the chamber or room for cleaning. The sashes-being swung
back into their normal position, the spring catch acting and the tongues being
inserted all the parts become fixed or rigid. It is scarcely needful to observe
that the tongues may be used on both the upper and the lower sash without
spring catch or catches if desired, as also may the spring catches be used,
dispensing with the tongues, and this method I have shewn at Figure 7,
where these catches are denoted by e, e, both sashes being hinged on their
faces as shewn. Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, and 6* denote detached views of the
metallic tongues shewing the flat heads by which they are to be drawn out of
the sash grooves.
upon
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the means by
which I carry it into practical effect, I would here observe that I do not
intend to confine myself to the precise details of arrangements herein given
or set forth, or to the plans illustrated in the Drawing, as modifications
may, and indeed must be, made therein, to suit the circumstances of particular
cases and the various descriptions of casements or sashes used in different
buildings; nor do I lay claim to the exclusive use of the various parts men-
tioned as necessary in the construction of my improved window sashes when
taken separately as parts and not used in combination and for the purposes of
my Invention; but what I do claim as of my Invention and as such secured
to me by the herein in part recited Royal Letters Patent is,

page_text: Firstly, I claim the exclusive use of the combination of parts tied or kept
together by metallic tongues forming, when complete, a rigid and secure
window sash, and permitting (on the withdrawal of the said metallic tongues)
both the upper and lower sashes partially to revolve in order that either side of
the glass may be cleaned from the interior of the room or chamber at
pleasure.
Secondly, I claim the exclusive use of the combination of parts, in using
which I dispense partly with the metallic tongues for the lower sash or for both
upper and lower sashes, and use a spring catch or two spring catches in lieu
thereof.
And, lastly, the exclusive use of the combination of parts, by which I cause
both upper and lower sashes to present singly or together either face of the glass
to the interior of the chamber, substituting the use of spring catches in lieu of
metallic tongues, the whole essentially as described in this my Specification
and illustrated by the annexed Drawing, forming "Improvements in the Con-
struction of Window Sashes."
In witness whereof, I, the said David Miles, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
DAVID MILES. (L.S.)