AN IMPROVED COMPOUND WINCH FOR RAISING AND LOWERING CARRIAGE (AND OTHER) WINDOWS.
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Albert Thompson Adams, of Kenley, in the
County of Surrey, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED COMPOUND
WINCH FOR RAISING AND
LOWERING CARRIAGE (AND OTHER)
WINDOWS.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Albert Thompson
Adams at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 27th May 1874.
I, ALBERT THOMPSON ADAMS, of Kenley, in the County of Surrey, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
COMPOUND WINCH FOR RAISING AND Lowering CarriAGE (AND OTHER) WINDOWS,"
to be as follows :-
On a spindle, hollow throughout part of its length, made of steel or
other suitable metal, I place a pulley and a ratchet wheel; on that side
of the ratchet wheel next the pulley I arrange four or any convenient
number of studs or points, which project from the face of the wheel, and
as it revolves fall into holes made in the side of the pulley to receive
them. The ratchet wheel having a certain amount of play along the

page_text: length of the spindle, is forced into gear as the studs come opposite the
holes in the pulley by means of a spiral or other spring pressing against
the other face of the wheel, and retains it firmly in that position until
withdrawn in the manner hereafter described..
A pin working in a hollow drilled through the centre of the spindle in
the line of its axis is connected with the ratchet wheel by means of a
screw which passes through both; a slot of sufficient length being cut
in the spindle to allow of the screw having the same amount of play as
the ratchet wheel. On the end of the pin projecting from the hollow
spindle is fixed a button, and on pulling the same the power of the
spring is overcome and the ratchet wheel is disengaged from the pulley,
so that the latter is free to revolve in either direction; but on releasing
the button the ratchet wheel is again immediately pressed into gear.
The whole is made to revolve by means of a lever or handle similar to
that used for ringing bells. It will thus be seen that the cord or chain
attached to the bottom of the sash or window can be wound round the
pulley by turning the lever or handle to the extent desired, thereby
raising the window to the required height, but on the pulley becoming
released from the ratchet wheel by pulling the button, the cord will be
unwound by the weight of the window, and the latter fall to any position
desired. An action the reverse of this can be obtained by 'putting
counterweights to the sash or window by which means it will be raised,
and the winch can be used for lowering to the required position. Of
course it will be seen that in this instance on pulling the button the
window will immediately begin to rise, but can be stopped at any point
on releasing the button, whereas in the action first described the window
was raised by means of turning the winch, and on pulling the button the
window fell of its own weight, but could be stopped at any point in its
downward course on releasing the button.
The spindle wheels, &c., are contained in a drum or box made of metal,
which can be easily attached to the side of the carriage door or other
position by means of screws or any suitable fastening.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Albert Thompson Adams in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 26th November 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALBERT
THOMPSON ADAMS, of Kenley, in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Albert Thompson Adams, Her special
license that I, the said Albert Thompson Adams, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Albert Thompson
Adams, 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,
excrcise, and vend, within the. United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "An
IMPROVED COMPOUND WINCH FOR RAISING AND LOWERING CARRIAGE (AND OTHER)
WINDOWS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Albert
Thompson Adams, 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 Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
-
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Albert Thompson Adams, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
-
The apparatus which I employ is applicable more especially to the
windows of railway and other carriages. It consists of a barrel mounted
upon an axis and contained in a case which is fixed about in the position
in which the button is placed when the ordinary strap is employed to
raise the window glass. The barrel can be turned by means of a handle
upon its axis, and so made to wind up a chain or cord which is attached

page_text: to the lower part of the frame in which the glass is held. The glass and
frame are counterpoised so that but little force is required to raise them.
These parts when raised are retained by means of a ratchet mounted on
the same axis with the barrel, and a pawl contained in the case dropping
into the teeth of the ratchet. The ratchet can slide although it cannot
turn upon the axis, there being a stud on the axis and a corresponding
groove within the boss of the ratchet. A spring presses the ratchet along
the axis towards the barrel, and causes the ratchet and the barrel to lock
together by pins on the side of the ratchet entering corresponding holes
in the side of the barrel. A hole is bored along the axis for part of its.
length, and a rod is fitted into the hole; at its outer end it terminates in
a draw knob, and at its inner end it is connected with the ratchet by a
screw pin which passes through the rod and also through the boss of the
ratchet, and through a long slotted hole in the axis, so that as will be
seen by pulling upon the knob the ratchet may be drawn out of gear
with the barrel; the glass then descends by gravity more or less rapidly,
according to the weight of the counterpoise which has been applied. The
glass and frame may be over counterpoised so as to rise when set free,
but the arrangement shewn in the Drawings is preferred. This method
of raising and lowering window glasses necessitates the adoption of a
different mode from that usually resorted to for excluding rain from the
recess into which the glass is received when down. The ordinary
arrangement is to provide a stop rail or ledge on the window frame, over
which the glass is lifted when fully raised. As a substitute for the stop
rail or ledge I apply a metal flap, which when the glass is fully raised
turns outwards into such a position as to direct away the rain running
down the glass.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings

page_text: of the frame and passing over pullics d, d, to the counterweight c, e,
which I prefer so to proportion that the glass and frame will descend
with moderate rapidity, but without violence; f.is a cord or chain by
which the glass is raised and lowered; it is attached at one end to the
lower.edge of the glass frame, and, at the other to the barrel 9. The
barrel is seen full size, and together with other parts of the mechanism
at Figures 3 and 4 which are vertical stations.
.
In Figure 3 the section is taken on the line 1, 1, in Figure 4, and in
Figure 4 the section is taken on the line 2, 2, in Figure 3. / is the case
in which the barrel g is contained. The case h is inserted and fixed in
an opening formed for it in the "garnish rail" of the door frame, as is
clearly seen in Figures 1 and 2; i is the axis of the barrel g, the barrel
is free to turn upon it; k is a ratchet wheel, into the teeth of which the
pawl works. The ratchet k is able to slide on the axis i, but the
studi on the axis which lies in a slot in the boss of the ratchet
prevents
the axis turning without the ratchet; is a handle on the axis i; m is a
coiled spring which tends to hold the side of the ratchet k in contact
with the side of the barrel g; k², k², are pins on the side of the ratchet,
which entering holes in the side of the barrel lock the two together, so
that when the handle on the axis i is turned round it carries the
barrel ground with it, and winding up the cord or chain fraises the
glass. When the winding ceases the ratchet and pawl lock the barrel
and prevent the glass running down; o is a rod inserted into a hole bored
down the axis i; it has the knob p at one end and at the other the screw
pin passes through it. This pin is fixed into the boss of the ratchet,
and passes through a long slotted hole in the axis i. Thus when the
knob p is drawn outwards away from the case h, the barrel becomes
unclutched and the glass runs down.
Figure 5 shews in section and full size my arrangement for preventing
rain running down the glass into the cavity into which the glass
descends when the window is open. a is a part of the framing of the
door; 6 is the lower part of the glass frame; 6₁ is a brass flap hinged at
its two ends to the frame b, and having at the centre a projection 6* to
the rear of the centres about which it turns; 62 is an india-rubber spring
attached at one end to the projection 6* and at the other to the frame b
as is shewn, so that when the glass is fully raised the flap b' turns down
into the position in which it is shewn in this Figure, but when the glass

page_text: is lowered into the cavity which receives it, the flap yields, folding
upwards and offering no impediment to the descent of the glass.
In order to prevent the glass frame rattling in its guides I mount
small pulleys upon it having india-rubber bands around their peripheries.
These pulleys project from the glass frame on the inner side and bear t
against the door frame. The arrangement of these pulleys is clearly
shewn at Figures 6.
What I claim is the arrangement of mechanism in connection with
railway carriage and other windows, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Albert Thompson Adams, have 1
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of
November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-four.