An Improved Sky-light Lifter.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 29th May, 1899-Accepted, 22nd July, 1899
QUALIUMIM
An Improved Sky-light Lifter.
I, GEORGE CROYDON MARKS, of 18, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
London, W.C., Consulting Engineer and Chartered Patent Agent (a communi-
cation from abroad by Samuel Ira Howard, of 63, Main Street, City and County
of Worcester, Massachusetts, in the United States of America, Manufacturer,)
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 a device for supporting and operating the hinged-
section of a sky-light, and the object of the invention is to provide a strong,
simple, efficient and inexpensive sky-light lifter, which may be controlled by
a single flexible cord or connection to raise the sky-light to any desired position,
and which will automatically lock the sky-light in its adjusted position when the
flexible cord or connection is released.
To these ends this invention consists of the parts and combinations of parts
as hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the claims at the
end of this specification.
In the accompanying drawing,
Fig. 1 is a sectional perspective view of a sky-light showing the application
of one of the sky-light lifters, thereto,
Fig. 2 is a front view partially broken away of one of the sky-light lifters,
Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the parts in a different relative position,
Fig. 4 is a detail view of the spring-catch forming a detachable connection
between the operating rod or slide and its link, and
Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views illustrating a connecting-piece which may be
employed for connecting the link to the bottom-bar of a sky-light.
A sky-light lifter constructed according to this invention comprises a movable
slide or rod, a lock for holding the slide or rod in its adjusted position, and a
flexible cord or connection arranged to simultaneously release the lock and shift
the slide.
Referring to the drawings and in detail 10 designates the casing for enclosing
the operative parts of the sky-light lifter.
The casing 10 is preferably stamped out of sheet metal, and is provided with
a perforated flange for receiving screws to secure the same in place.
Extending down through the casing 10 is an operating rod or slide 11.
Mounted on the operating rod or slide 11 are perforated plates 13, which are
normally inclined or tipped to the position illustrated in Fig. 2 by means of
springs coiled on the operating rod or slide.
The body portion of the casing 10 is provided with insets 12 on which the
plates 13 may turn or swivel, and with insets which form stops for limiting the
motion thereof.
The plates 13 and their springs constitute a locking device which will normally
hold the rod or slide 11 in the position to which the same is adjusted.

page_text: A releasing-lever 14 is journalled on a stud in the casing 10, and is arranged
between the plates 13, so that when the releasing-lever is operated, the plates
will be turned to the position illustrated in Fig. 3 to release their grip on the
operating rod or slide 11.
A cord 15 or other flexible connection is secured at one end of the releasing
lever 14, is trained around a pulley 16 on the lower end of the operating rod
or slide 11, then up over a pulley 17 journalled on the casing 10, and extends
down in position to be conveniently operated.
The operating rod or slide 11 is connected to the sky-light by means of a link
or rod 18.
The link or rod 18 may be connected to any convenient part of the sky-light,
but in practice it has been found preferable to provide a connecting-piece ex-
tending in from the bottom-bar of the sky-light to receive the link 18.
As illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the connecting-piece 21 comprises a body por-
tion 22 which may be screwed to the bottom-bar of a sky-light, and an arm 23
which extends inwardly therefrom, and has a series of perforations for receiving
a pin to connect with the link 18.
This form of connection has been found desirable as many sky-lights are now
glazed with a single pane of glass, and this fact has necessitated a connection
extending in from the bottom-bar of the sky-light, although where the sky-light
is provided with a centre-bar, the link may be directly connected thereto as
desired.
In many buildings, access to the roof can be had only through a sky-light,
and on this account it is desirable to connect the sky-light lifter, so that the
same will not interfere with throwing the sky-light back to allow access to the
roof.
To accomplish this purpose, a detachable connection between the operating
rod or slide and sky-light is preferably provided.
This detachable connection is most clearly illustrated in Fig. 4.
As shown in this figure, the detachable connection is formed by a spring-
catch of a substantially U-shaped form, both legs of the U extending through
the link 18, and a spring 20 is coiled on the longer leg of the catch, so as to
normally hold the short leg in the position shown, to connect the parts.
When the spring-catch is pressed back, as shown by dotted lines, the hinged-
joint between the link 18 and the operating rod, will be released, and the sky-
light may then be opened to the desired extent.
The use of this detachable connection is also advantageous, as it permits the
parts of a sky-light lifter to be compactly packed for shipment or storage, and
in order to prevent the rod or slide from being pulled down through the cas-
ing 10, the operating rod or slide is preferably provided with a stop-ring 17,
as shown in Fig. 4.
In operating a sky-light lifter constructed according to this invention, the
clamping-plates will be moved out of engagement with the rod or slide whenever
tension is put upon the flexible cord or connection.
This will allow the sky-light to be raised or lowered by pulling in or letting 4
out the cord as desired.
At the same time whenever the tension of the cord is entirely relaxed, the
plates will be immediately tilted or tipped into engagement with the rod or
slide to clamp or lock the sky-light in its adjusted position, and on this account
a sky-light lifter, constructed according to this invention will hold a sky-light
so that the same can not be violently closed or slammed to break the glass
therein.
A further advantage in the use of this sky-light lifter resides in the fact, that
the sky-light is controlled and operated by a single cord or flexible connection,
and on this account the sky-light lifter is especially applicable to high studded 5
apartments where the sky-lights are located at considerable distance above the
floor from which they are to be operated.

page_text: Persons skilled in the art may make changes in the proportions and arrange-
ment of parts in a sky-light lifter without departing from the essence of the
invention as expressed in the claims.
It is not desired, therefore, to be limited to the form or proportion which is
herein illustrated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The sky-light lifter substantially as described, and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
2. In a sky-light lifter, the combination of a slide, a frictional catch for said
slide, a releasing lever, and a flexible cord or connection connected to simul-
taneously operate the releasing-lever and slide, so that a straight downward pull
or tension on the lock will release the catch and shift the slide, and so that when
the cord is slackened, the catch will automatically secure the slide in its adjusted
position, substantially as described.
3. In a sky-light lifter, the combination of a slide, a frictional catch con-
prising tilted plates, and springs for normally holding said plates in engage-
ment with the slide, a releasing lever for said plates, pulleys journalled on the
slide at a stationary point respectively, an operating cord secured to the releasing
lever and passing over said pulleys, so that a straight pull or tension on the
cord will release the catch and shift the slide, and so that when the cord is
slackened the catch will automatically secure the slide in its adjusted position,
substantially as described.
4. The combination of a sky-light, a sky-light lifter, and a detachable con-
nection between the sky-light and its lifter for permitting the sky-light to be
thrown back as desired, substantially as described.
5. The combination of a sky-light, a sky-light lifter, and a connecting-piece
extending in from the bottom-bar of the sky-light to receive a connection from
the sky-light lifter, substantially as described.
1
001
1000
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, and
25, Cross Street, Manchester, Agents.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, and
25, Cross Street, Manchester, Agents.