IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDOW-SASHES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Rudolph, of the City and County of San
Francisco, State of California, one of the U.S. of America, Gentleman, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDOW-SASHES"
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alexander Rudolph at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th May 1883.
ALEXANDER RUDOLPH of the City and County of San Francisco, State of
California, one of the U.S. of America, Gentleman IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDOW
SASHES
My invention relates to certain improvements in window sashes of that class in
which the frame holding the glass is pivoted in supplemental side bars which slide
up and down in the window casing, and it consists, first of a window sash and
supplemental side bars having corresponding longitudinal tongues and grooves to
make a tight join between them when closed together, in combination with central
pivots and supporting center pieces having double inclined sides. These pieces
slide obliquely through slots in metallic plates which are fixed to the side bars so
that the bars and sash may be separated when the sash is to be turned, and kept
apart by a gravitating lever.
When this lever is turned to release the parts they are closed together again by
the weight of the sash, In connection with these devices are certain other novel
features of construction all of which will be more fully explained by reference to
the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a front view of the upper and lower sashes with section of the casing
and upper supplemental side bars.
Fig. 2, is an enlarged section of part of the casing with the upper sash and one
side bar closed and locked together.
Fig, 3, is a similar section showing the bar and sash separated.
Figs, 4, 5, and 6, are enlarged views of the inclined center pieces, pivots and
gravity levers,
Figs, 7 and 8, are enlarged views of the upper part of one of the side bars and

page_text: the corresponding part of the sash, showing the tongues and grooves the locking
devices, center piece, pivot and lever.
Fig. 9 is a view of the plate E, which is secured to the sash, the slotted plate I,
which is secured to the guide strip, showing a socket into which the lower end
of the block H, may rest when the plates are separated, Figure 10 shows the
plates separated.
Figure 11 is a view of one of the plates D, with its lug, G.
Fig, 12 is a front view of a sash with a vertical section of the frame and guides
showing a modification. Fig, 13, is an enlarged view of part of the sash and guide
strips showing the bevelled plate c, and corresponding depression. Figs. 14 and 15,
are views of the locking clasp.
A. A, are the sides of a window frame and B, are the window sashes which are
made enough narrower than the spaces in which they are to slide, to admit the
narrow guide pieces C, to lie between the sash and the frame, and also the plates, D,
which will be described hereafter.
The guide pieces and the corresponding meeting edges of the sash are tongued
and grooved longitudinally as at a, a, so that when drawn close together these
tongues and grooves serve to make a tight joint and exclude air.
The sashes have plates, E, fixed in the center of their opposite edges and pivot
pins, F, project from these plates extending through slots in the guide strips C, their
outer ends being journalled in the plates, D, which are of the same width as the
guide channels, and which extend downwards in the grooves in the casing in which
the sashes slide. :
When the sash is to be turned upon its pivots for the purpose of cleaning the
outside of the glass or for other reasons, it is necessary first to move the guides C,
outward sufficiently to disengage the tongues and grooves a, a, to allow the sash
to turn freely, and the distance between the bottoms of the grooves in the opposite
casings, is therefore made some what greater than the entire width of the sash, and
the guides. This would allow an undesirable side motion, when the sash is to be
raised or lowered and to prevent it, the pivot pins, F, at the center extending
through the plates, D, are of sufficient length to just fill the space. The plates D,
extend along the bottoms of the grooves or channels in the casing there being a
space between them and the guides C. when the latter are in contact with the sash,
as shown in Fig. 2. This would still allow the top and bottom of the sash to have
a side movement although the center is steadied by the pivot pins. I therefore form
lugs, G, on the lower end of the plates D, of a sufficient thickness to just touch
the guides when they are in contact with the sash, and this keeps the whole
steady.
The guides are separated from the sash when the latter are to, be turned, by
means of rhomboidal shaped blocks H, which are perforated to fit loosely upon the
pivot pins F, so that one of their sides rest against the plates, E, on the sash, while
the sides b, b¹, formed inclined planes extending downward from these sides and
passing bevelled slots in the plates, I, which are secured to the guide strips C, As
the guide strips C, are supported by the cords, J, and counter weights, K, it will be
understood that the weight of the sash will cause the lower inclined planes, b, of
the blocks H, to slide through the bevelled openings in the plates, I, and thus draw
the latter and the guide strips closely against the sash where they are held by
gravitation alone. The top and bottom of each guide has an angular projection L,
pointing upwards so as to engage with the corresponding bevelled or inclined
openings in the edge of the sash, and these hold the sash and guide strips firmly
together.
When the guide strips are to be moved outward to allow the sash to be turned
upon its pivots, F, it is done by holding the sash and drawing the guide strips
downward by means of links or handles, M, at the bottom or by other suitable
means.
When this is done the upper part of the bevelled openings in the plates, I, move
down the upper inclined surfaces, b', the blocks, H, and this forces the guides, C,

page_text: away from the edges of the sash, the inclined locking lugs, L, at the top and
bottom moving out of their sockets in the sash at the same time, A depression N
is made in each guide just above the lug, G, into which the latter falls as the guide
is drawn downward and outward, and the guide then lies in contact with the
plate D, and is free from the sash so that the latter may turn upon its pivot. F.
In order to hold the guides in this position, and also to provide a means for
releasing and allowing them to again approach the sash, I employ levers, O, having
two arms at right angles and the pivot or fulcrum at the angle.
This pivot pin secures the lever to the outside of the plate, I, so that one arm of
the lever projects to the inside of the window within reach, while the other extends
vertically downward alongside the block, H, when the plates, E, and, I, are in
contact, as the block, H, is thick enough to project through the plate, I, as shown
in figure 5.
When the guide C, is drawn down and the sash separated from it by the action
of the incline, 6, as before described, the plate I, moves outward with the guide
until the inner end of the lever arm will pass behind the block, H, and fall into
the notch or catch, P, upon the opposite side as shown in figure 4.
The horizontal arm of the lever is heavy enough to cause this action by
gravitation as soon as the block, H, has passed the plane of the lever, and no
springs are necessary.
:
There remains only a small metallic surface of contact between the faces of the
blocks H, and the plates E, and the sash may be readily revolved upon its pivots, F.
When it is desired to return the guides to close contact with the sash it is only
necessary to lift the exterior end of the lever, O, and withdraw the interior end
from the catch, P, and across the face of the block H, until it is out of contact with
it as shown in figure 6, when the weight of the sash will cause the lower inclined
faces, b, of the block, H, to slip down the bevelled notch in the plate, I, and thus
draw it and the guides C into contact with the sash the lugs, L, at the same time
entering the sockets in the sash, and the tongues and grooves a, a, corresponding
so that the whole is as tight and solid as if of one piece. The lugs, G, at the lower
end of the plates, D, pass out of the depressions N, and just fill the space between
the guides, C, and the plates and thus cause the sash to move steadily up or down
without side play. By this construction I avoid all use of springs, the weight of
the sash acting upon the inclined blocks draws the sash and guides together and
retains them in close contact while the weight of the horizontal arm of the bell
crank lever causes it to act automatically to latch and hold the guides out of
contact with the sash when they have been thus withdrawn
When this lever is released, the weight of the sash again draws them into
contact.
In Figures 9, 12, 13, 14, & 15 I have shown a modification in which I employ
projecting. bevelled blocks, c, in which the sockets, d' are formed and corresponding
depressions around the pivot pins, d, or the position of these may be reversed.
Their operation will then be as follows:
When the sash stands parallel with the guides, the projections, c, fit into the
corresponding depressions and the sashes fit closely against the guides the tongues
and grooves a, a, also fitting.
When the sash is turned the action of the projecting bevel piece, c, will be to
force the sash away from the guides and throw them so far apart as to disengage
the tongues and grooves thus leaving the sash free to turn upon its pivots while at
the same time there will be sufficient friction at this point about the pivots, to hold
the sash in any position desired.
In order to draw the sashes and guide pieces closely together when they are in
line with each other I employ peculiar clasps or hooks, e, which lie within a
grooved plate, f, in the edge of the sash and have shafts, g, extending out to the
sides of the sashes as shown. These shafts have thumb pieces upon their outer
ends, corresponding with the position of the hook inside so that when fastened
these thumb pieces stand transversely and when unclasped they stand vertically.

page_text: The guides, C, have sockets, I, corresponding with the hooks e, and pins, k,
across them,
When the sashes are in such a position that the hooks stand opposite the pins, k,
they may be turned so as to engage the hooks, and their peculiar shape will cause
them to draw the guides closely against the sash and thus close the space between
them tight and prevent any entrance of air as well as locking them together so
that when the sash is to be raised in the usual way the two guides move together
with the sash as one piece.
When the pieces, h, are turned to unlatch the clasps, e, the lower portions or
heels, e¹, of the clasps will strike the pins, k, and will force the sashes and guides
apart at those points so that they are free to act independently
Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new aud desire to secure
by Letters Patent, is.
1st In combination with the sash, B, having the pivot pins, F, passing through
the independent guides C, the inclined or rhomboidal blocks, H, turning loosely
upon the pins, F, and extending through the bevelled slots in the plates, I, upon
the guides, whereby the guides are held in contact with the sash by the gravitation
of the sash, or may be separated therefrom by moving the guides with relation to
the inclined faces of the blocks
2nd The sash, B, with its pivot pins. F. passing through the guide strips, C, and
the blocks, H, having the inclined faces as shown in combination with the inclined
lugs, L, and corresponding sockets and the tongues and grooves a, a, substantially
as herein described.
3rd The sash, B, with its pivot pins. F. passing through the guide strips, C, and
the inclined blocks, H, passing through the slots in the plates I, in combination
with the plates, D, with the lugs G and the corresponding depressions N, in the
sash substantially as herein described.
4th In a window having the sash, B, turning on pivots within the independent
sliding guide strips, as shown, the means for retaining the sash and guide strips in
or out of contact by gravitation alone, consisting of the blocks, H, with their
inclined faces b, 61, acting within the slotted plates, I, and the bell crank levers O,
pivoted to the plates and the catches P, substantially as herein described.
5th In a window and in combination with the sash, B, and the independent
guide pieces C, to which it is pivoted; the hooks or clasps e, with their shafts, g, and
thumb pieces, h and the corresponding sockets, i, with the pins k. substantially as
herein described.
In witness whereof I the said Alexander Rudolph have hereunto set my hand
and seal this 17th day of April AD, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Eighty
Three.
Witnesses
.S. H. NOURSE
G. W. EMERSON
ALEXANDER RUDOLPH (L.S.)