Improvements in Window-screens.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 4th Jan., 1896
Improvements in Window-screens.
I, JAMES ALLEN CROCKER, of 113, Devonshire Street, in the City of Boston,
County of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, United States of America,
Mechanical Engineer, 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 :—
This invention relates to that class of window-screens which are adapted to
unwind or unroll when the window sash is raised and to fit or protect the space
produced thereby for the purpose of preventing the entrance of insects into the
apartinent. The improvement relates especially to the construction and com-
bination of parts hereinafter described, whereby the screen and casing thereof can
be left at any height independently of the sash, as for instance, if a person desires
to raise a sash higher than the screen and look or lean out of said window over
said screen; to the improved construction of the racks and adjacent parts, whereby
they serve as guides as well as engaging mechanisms; to the construction whereby
the tension of the spring is retained when the casing or roll is removed; to the
construction of the foot pieces in order that the casing or roll may be readily
removable but securely locked while in position; and to other details of construction
whereby the device is perfected in its operation.
.
The nature of the invention is fully described below and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, in which-
Figure 1 is a front elevation of portions of a window frame and lower sash with
my improved window-screen applied thereto, and the sash partly raised.
Figure 2 is a plan view of my device in position.
Figure 3 is a central horizontal section of the same, a portion of the minor shaft,
and the spring being shown in plan.
Figure 4 is a central vertical section taken transversely with the casing of the
window-screen, the position being the same as indicated in Fig. 1.
Figure 5 is an elevation of one of the capa on the end of the casing, the pinion.
having been removed.
Figure 6 is an inside view of one of said caps removed from the casing.
Figure 7 is a detail in elevation and vertical section of the mechanism at one end
for permitting the removal of the casing or screen.
Figure 8 is a similar detail with the casing and screcu removed.
Figure 9 is a vertical section taken longitudinally through the snap-catch
which secures the casing to the sash, a portion of said casing being shown in rear
clevation.
Similar letters of reference indicate correspouding parts:
A represents a portion of the lower sash of a window, A' the jambs and A'" the
sill, all constructed as usual. B is a cylindrical casing having a longitudinal
horizontal opening B¹ (Fig. 9) on its rear side, as shown. This casing is provided
on its rear side next above said opening with a horizontal lip or ledge B', which
serves two purposes; first, to prevent the admission of insects between the casing B
and the sash A, by extending horizontally from said casing to said sash to the full
width of the space between them, and second, to serve as a ledge or support for
the snap-catch whereby the casing is secured to the sash automatically when the
sash is dropped into engagement therewith. This soap-catch comprises a frame a and
A spring bolt a (Fig. 9) which is pushed back by the projection (Fig. 2) extending
forward horizontally from the sash A, as said sash is lowered to the casing B, and

page_text: which can be withdrawn by means ofļa handle b! when it is desired to release
the sash.
This casing B is provided at its ends with correspondingly shaped caps C, which
fit snugly thereon and are slitted, at their opposite ends at C (Fig. 6) to receive
the oppositely narrowed ends of the lip B. These caps are bent inwardly,
centrally, at c to form hubs or bearings for the minor shaft D, see Fig. 3. Around
these bubs are bushings d upon which is secured the hollow roll or major shaft E,
said major and minor shafts being connected by the, spiral spring e. F is the
netting, one end of which is rigidly secured to the hollow shaft E, while the
other end is, rigidly, secured to the corner or other suitable portion of the foot
piece F which is provided for the sake of finish with the moulding f (Figs. I
and 4). HH are gear wheels or pinions whose hubs H are rigidly secured to
the opposite ends of the shaft D (Fig. 3). The teeth of these pinions engage
in the openings or sockets I' formed in the vertical racks I (Figs. 7 and 8).
next the opposite jambs. These racks are made in horizontal section. of angle
metal, as shown in Fig. 2, the face of one angle setting against the jamb and
the other being embraced by bifurcated guides J (Figs. 1, 2 and 5) which extend.
outwardly from plates J' secured to the outer surfaces of the, caps C. It will
be noticed by reference to Fig. 7 that the pinion has its teeth quite far apart,
and each arc between the teeth comes in contact, as the spring is raised, with
the rack between its perforations or sockets, so that the pinion rolls on its
peripheral arcs and travels ou and pulls with the pitch, lines of its teeth, thus
practically preventing noise, while the construction of the racks and pinions
render them cheap to manufacture.. The actuating faces of the racks extend
inwardly over upright beads or mouldings K which extend between the front
portions of the racks and beyond said racks toward the center of the sash, their
outer edges being set next those portions of the racks which are next the jambs.
The beads or mouldings K are provided with central vertical ribs K' (Figs. 2, 3,
and 4) which serve to separate the racks from the ribbons F which are secured to
the opposite vertical edges of the screen F. These ribbons are provided at regular
intervals with perforations L (Fig. 1) which coincide as the-screen is raised with
pins L' extending horizontally from the surfaces of the beads K inside the ribs K.
By this means when the screen is raised with the sash it is impossible that it should
become bulged centrally through the influence of wind or otherwise and thus have
its edges drag away from the beads, inasmuch as the perforations L slip over the
pins L'as fast as the screen is unfolded, and hold it taut. Suitable screws (Figs. 3
and 4) secure the beads and racks to the jambs.
The foot piece is made of the angle shape shown in Fig. 4, the vertical
portion extending to the rear of the netting F, and the horizontal portion lying on the
sill A" and receiving the moulding f. The foot is held in position upon the sill, and
the netting thus prevented from flying up, by means of the following construction:
From each rack I, there extends an ear or plate M which lies against the jamb.
The front plate of the rack is divided at that point, and also separated from its side
plate, as shown in Fig. 8. The side plate below the joint is lettered K, and the
front plate below the joint is lettered K" and is made integral, with a bar N pivoted,
at n to the plate M,,and thus adapted to swing up forward next the jamb. The
lower end of this bar has pivoted to it at n' a bar N¹ whose lower edge is provided
with a bolt N. These bars N are of such a length that when in their normal-
positions, that is swung back against the mouldings K', they will press the foot F¹
down upon the sill at its opposite ends. When in such position the bars are
prevented from being swung out by swinging the locking bars N' down into the
horizontal position shown in Fig. 7, in which position their bolts N₁ are dropped..
into sockets or openings A in the sill. Thus the lower end, of the notting, is, held
down to the sill unless it is desired to allow it to coil up within the,,casing B, in
which case the bars N N₁ are swung outward and upward to release thon foot.F.
The outer end of the locking bar N is proferably bent into a lip as shown for
convenience in handling.

page_text: Fast to the pinion H at one end of the shaft. D,, between the cap C. and, said
pinion, is the ratchet, P (Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 5). A pawl S is integral with a
handle S fast on or rigid with a shaft which extends through the cap.C and is
squared on. its, inner end, as shown at R (Fig. 6). A spring T has one end. T¹
fastened to, the inner surface of said cap, said spring passing through the eye t, and
having its end T bear against the squared shaft R, all as shown in Fig. 6.. Thus:
the pawl is held into or out of engagement with the ratchet, as the case may be..
The normal position of the pawl when the screen is in position in a window-frame,
is raised, as shown in Fig. 1. The ratchet is then free to rotate with the pinion,
and act as a compensating device upon the spring e.
When the screen is to be removed from the window, the casing B is first lowered
to the Bill, then the pawl S is engaged with the ratchet by swinging the handle S¹,
forward into the position shown in Fige. 2, 3, 5 and 6 so as to retain the tension of
the spring e, then the sash is raised after disengaging it by withdrawing the bolt al, the
locking bars N are then swung out of engagement with the sill and the bars N N'
swung up and forward, carrying with them of course the lower sections. K" of the
racks, and the casing and screen can be removed by drawing the sliding guides.J
off the lower sections K" of the racks, upon which they were moved when the
casing was pushed down to the sill. To apply the casing the operation is reversed, 1
the sash however being moved into engagement with the casing by simply dropping..
it into the snap-catch as above described.
Thus it will be seen that the screen and casing may be left at any height and…
the sash moved independently thereof, that the racks serve not only as means. of
engagement with the pinions, but as guides for the casing; that the tension of the
spring is held when the casing is removed from the window, and that the casing
and screen are easily removable as the latter is not secured to the sill nor avy:
portion of the window-frame, while in various details the efficiency of the screen.i
and its operation is improved..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-,
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a window-screen of the character described, the casing, comprising the
cylindrical or body portion B and the end caps C, said cylindrical portion being
provided with the horizontal ledge B₁ and said caps being provided on their rear
edges with the slits C for receiving the ends of said fedge, substantially as
described.
2., In a window-screen of the character described, the casing B, the screen proper
or net work F adapted to roll within and extend downward from said casing, an
independent foot piece to which the lower end of said screen is secured, and
mechanism attached to and extending down the jamb of the window-frame for
holding said foot-piece detachably down upon the sill, substantially as set forth.
3. In a window-screen of the character described, in combination, vertical racks
secured to opposite sides of the window-casing, the cylinder or casing B provided
with slides engaging said racks and adapted to move up and down thercon with the
casing, and pinions engaging said racks and engaged by a shaft within said casing,
substantially as described.
4. In a window-screen of the character described, the combination of the casing B
provided with the caps C on its ends, the upright racks I made angle shaped in
cross section and having one surface secured to the jambs and the other provided
with sockets and engaged by pinions secured to a shaft supported by the casing,
and the plates J secured to the outer surface of the caps and provided with the
bifurcated guides J embracing the inner edges of the racks, substantially as .
set forth.
5. In a window-soreen of the character described, the upright mouldings K
provided with the vertical ribs K¹ on their front surfaces, and racks situated in
front of said mouldings and between said ribs and the jambs of the window-frame,

page_text: whereby divisions or partitions are produced between the outer edges of the window-
screen and said racks, said racks and mouldings being secured to the jambs,
substantially as described.
6. In a window-screen of the character described, a casing provided with the
roll of net work and suitable pinions at its ends, racks secured to the window-
frame and engaged by said pinions, and guides travelling on said racks and
extending from said casing, said racks being jointed near their lower ends whereby
Baid lower ends may be swung outward to facilitate the disengagement of the
casing from the racks, substantially as set forth.
7. In a window-screen of the character described, in combination, a foot or
cross piece secured to the screen and adapted to rest on the sill, a rack secured
to the window-frame and adapted to engage the pinion of the screen-roll, and
a bar swinging within the window-frame and provided with a rack which forms
when the bar is swung to a vertical position a continuation of the first rack
named, said bar being adapted to swing down upon and hold said foot, substantially.
as described.
8. In a window-screen of the character described, the combination of the foot F¹
to which the lower end of the screen, is secured, the bars N swinging vertically
from the jambs, and the locking bars N¹ pivoted to the lower ends of said bars N
and adapted to engage with the window sill and thus lock the foot in position upon
said sill, and prevent it from forward as well as vertical movement, substantially
as set forth.
9. In a window-screen of the character described, the combination of uprights
set in the window-frame next the side edges of the screen and provided with
horizontal projecting pins L', and the screen or net-work F provided with the
side ribbons K perforated at L coincidently with said pine, whereby as the screen
is unrolled it is engaged by said pins, substantially as described.
10. In a window-screen of the character described, in combination, the casing B
provided with the end-caps C, the shaft D extending throngh said casing and
having its bearings in the end-caps, the hollow shaft E to which the screen is
secured, the ratchet 1 fast on the shaft D, the pawl S and handle S¹ fast on the
squared shaft R having bearings in one of the caps C, and the spring T bearing
on said squared shaft, substantially as set forth.
11. In a window-screen of the character described, the netting Farranged in
the form of a roll, the hollow major shaft E to which the netting is secured and
upon which it winds, the minor shaft D within the major shaft, a spiral spring
intermediate with said shafts and connected with both, a pinion secured to the
minor shaft and a rack secured to the window casing, said shafts having a common
axis but being independent of each other as to rotation, substantially as described.
Dated this 15th day of October 1895
JAMES ALLEN CROCKER.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.