Improvements in Opening and Closing Apparatus for Fanlights and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 25th Feb., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Opening and Closing Apparatus for Fanlights
and the like.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK NEWMAN, of the Firm of W. Newman and Sons, of
Hospital Street, in the City of Birmingham, 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 apparatus or mechanism for the opening and closing of
fanlights, skylights and the like, of that class in which the light is operated, for
opening and closing, by a system of levers, links and arms, controlled by a screw
or like gear.
Such fanlights or the like, when closed, are, where no fastening
catches are employed held in place solely by the pressure exerted by the levering
arms of the mechanism, and owing to the presence of a certain amount of back-lash
or yield in the joints, the frames of the light are not held firmly home, particularly
in heavy fanlights, as the outside wind pressures exert themselves inwards and
play" (as it is technically known) with the lights.
One object of my invention is to obviate such playing" by keeping the lights
firm in their closed positions and this I propose to effect by the employment of a
supplementary attachment, which, besides keeping the light full home when closed,
also prevents any oscillation of the same when it is being lowered or opened
Another object is to provide means for balancing or partly counterpoising heavy
lights for facilitating the closing, whilst a further object is to admit of the regu-
lator rod being placed in any position-within certain limits relative to the open-
ing and closing apparatus.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a front elevation of a fanlight,
fitted or provided with mechanism for opening and closing the same embodying my
improvements.
Figure 2 represents an edge view of the said apparatus with the fanlight shown
in its closed position.
Figure 3 is a like view as Figure 2, but shows the parts in the positions they
assume when the fanlight is opened.
Figure 4 is a front elevation of the left hand side of the fanlight represented in
Figure 1, showing a portion of the opening and closing mechanism upon an en-
Jarged scale.
Figure 5 is a side elevation of the mechanism represented in the said Figure
and
Figure 6 is a horizontal section of Figure 5 upon the dotted line r.
Figure 7 is an elevation, upon an enlarged scale, of the upper part of the regu-
lator rod and the swivelling or universally jointed link which connects the regulator
with the light to be opened and closed.
Figure 8 is a similar view to that represented in Figure 7, but with the joint
at the lower end or the swivelling link shown in section.
Figure 9 is a front elevation of Figure 7, showing respectively in full and dotted
lines, the swivelling link in two different positions determined by the distance
between the regulator and the fanlight.

page_text: The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the said Figures 1
to 9 of the drawings.
In the said figures my improved fanlight opener is shown applied to a single
light which is hinged at the bottom to its surrounding frame work. Thus, a is
the fanlight, hinged at a', to the fixed frame a³, and being provided upon the one
side, with an outstanding bracket b, to which the one end c¹, of a link c, is
jointedly connected by means of a swivelling or compound joint ², whilst the
other end e³, is also swivelly or universally jointed to a bracket d', adjustably
connected by a screw d², to a regulator rod d, working within eyes or guides d³,
on a wall or the like, and with the lower and screwed end d*, engaging with and
being operated for raising and lowering by an ordinary regulator d", consisting
of a screw box which is rotated by bevel or other gear so as to give a rising and
falling motion to the said rod, and thus, through the connecting link and bracket
to open or close the fanlight.
The swivelling or compound joint c, may consist of a pair of ears c³, with a
shank, taking into and being capable of swivelling within, a hole in the
bracket b, whilst the end c, of the link c, comes between the cars and jointed
thereto by the transverse pin c, whilst the other joint c, consists of a bifurcated
fitting with a pair of ears c, between which the other end of the link c, comes and
is connected by a pin c8, which, with the swivelling shank 66, admits of the link
swinging outwards, whilst an eye c³, of the said fitting turns around a pivot do,
on the regulator bracket d', and acts in conjunction with the pin joint c', for
admitting, of the regulator being secured to a wall or the like, at any distance
from the side of the fanlight or in any position relative thereto as may be con-
venient, the said distance between the regulator and light being limited only by
the length of the link c.
The other side a', of the fanlight--or it may be both sides-with means in
accordance with my invention for keeping the light full home when in its closed
position, for preventing "play" due to outside wind pressures and for counter-
poising or balancing the frame and thereby neutralizing to a great extent the
weight thereof for facilitating the closing. The said means consists of a short
coupling or junction e, to which is pivoted at el, the outer terminal end f', of a
bottom radius arm f, jointed inwardly at f, to an attachment plate g, secured to
the fixed framing a, surrounding the light, which plate also has jointed to it
at q', a free-ended and slotted link 18, of an extension radius arm h, the end of
which said link 18, has an abutment h', for a spring as hereinafter described, and
between the branches h², of which, the sliding part h³, of a rod or bar h*, having at
its fore or inner end h³, another spring abutment or collar 46, comes and slides,"
whilst its other end h, is secured to the aforesaid junction piece e, so that the
said radius arms f, and h, with their attachment plate g, comprehend a triangular
figure, with the junction piece e, coming at the apex.
Also jointedly connected at it, with the junction piece, is the end 2, of a fanlight
linki, whose other end 3, is connected to a bracket +, secured to near the top of
the side a', of the hinged or swinging frame of the fanlight.
Encircling the sliding members of the extension radius link, and disposed"
between the respective abutments thereof, is a coiled spring, the normal tendency
of which is to close the light, it being understood that the force of the said spring
is transmitted to the said light through the fanlight link i.
Thus, assuming that the light has been closed by lifting the regulator rod,
whose motion is transmitted to the frame by the link e, then the spring, by its
efforts to expand, acts upon its confining abutments h¹, h. on the extension link
to separate them, pulls the sliding member 4, of the said extension radius arm,
together with the other members f, h, of the system inwards, and by the movement
or thrust thus transmitted to the fanlight link, the fanlight itself is kept firmly
closed and any tendency to "play" consequent upon external wind pressures is
overcome by the active force of the expanding spring.
On the other hand, when the fanlight is being opened, the angular movement

page_text: made by it is transmitted through the fanlight link to the coupling e and extension
link, which is both turned upon its inner joint and compelled, by the lower radius
arm f, to extend, thus drawing together the abutments and compressing the spring,
which acts as a buffer for steadying the opening action and neutralizing all vibra-
tion, oscillation or jar in the movement, whilst on again shutting the light, the
spring, by operating as a medium for balancing or counterpoising the weight
thereof, assists in and facilitates the closing, so that but little power has to be
exerted in this action.
Figure 10 represents a side elevation of another form of apparatus embodying
my improvements, according to which a series or range of lights can be opened
and closed by a single regulator.
Figure 11 is a front elevation of the same and Figure 12 is a perspective view
of a range of fanlights, one of which is fitted with apparatus in duplicate, or on
both sides, in accordance with this form of my invention, in which I propose to
employ a horizontal bar or shaft k, supported by bearing brackets ¹, and having
outstanding and rigid arms ², to the outer end of one of which the lower end c¹,
of a link c, is jointedly connected, with its upper end 3, jointed to a bracket d',
on the regulator rod d, by the rising and falling of which, the horizontal shaft k,
is made to partly rotate for opening or closing the several fanlights, which is
effected by jointing to the outer end of each arm k, the lower end of a connecting
link m, whose upper part is jointed to the coupling fitting e, of a system of levers
or links similar to that previously described and represented in Figures 1 to 9
and comprising a lower radius arm f, jointed at its ends respectively to a bracket g,
on the fixed frame and to the said junction e, an extension link h, jointed inwardly
to a bracket g2, and outwardly to the junction e, and having sliding members h, h
with opposite abutments, 6, between which the buffering and balancing
spring is confined, and a fanlight link i, directed between and pivoted at its
opposite ends respectively to, the junction e, and a bracket i, secured to one side a³,
of the hinged or swinging fanlight frame a
The operations and functions of the said spring and system of links are essentially
the same as those of the system previously described other than that-in addition
they serve as means for transmitting the movement of the arms 2, to the fan-
light frames, instead of the link c, acting directly from the regulator to the frame,
which in turn imparted the necessary movement to the extension link for com-
pressing the spring on opening, as in the first arrangement.
I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to any particular arrange-
ment or system of links and arms or to any particular type of regulator, as the
spring compensator may be employed with other types of mechanism, and when
so applia can be changed in form and modified in operation, in consistence with
the particular form of mechanism employed. The invention is also applicable to
fanlights or like lights, which are hung at their middles, or at top instead of the
bottom as described, and the opening and compensating mechanism may be placed
above instead of below the light and further, the supplementary spring compen-
sator may be made to exert a pushing instead of a pulling action.
The spring mechanism may also, if necessary, be enclosed within a cylinder
or casing, and the end of the spring may be made to act directly upon the fanlight
framing or upon a bracket attached thereto.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
First In apparatus for the opening and closing of fanlights and the like, the
employment in connection therewith of a spring arranged in combination with an
extension link, a radius arm and a fanlight link, the outer ends of the latter being
jointed to the sliding member of the former, whereby the light or the like is
steadied in its opening, counterpoised or partly balanced for assisting in its closing

page_text: and prevented from playing when closed home, substantially as herein described
and set forth.
Secondly: In apparatus for the opening and closing of fanlights and the like,
the employment in connection therewith of an extension link consisting of two
sliding members with opposite abutments for the coiled spring, with its inner end
jointed to the fixed frame and the outer end having a junction or coupling, to
which the outer ends of a radius arm and a fanlight link hinged at their inner
ends respectively, to the fixed frame and the light frame, are jointed, the opening
and closing of the said light being effected by suitable means, substantially as
and for the purpose as herein described and set forth.
Thirdly: In apparatus for the opening and closing of fanlights and the like,
the employment in connection therewith of an extension link with a buffering
and balancing spring acting between opposite abutments and with its inner end
jointed to the fixed frame and its outer end having jointed to it, the outer ends
of a fanlight link and a radius arm, jointed at their inner ends respectively to
the light or the like and to the fixed frame, whilst movement for opening and
closing of the said light or the like is communicated to the said system by means
of a connection link arranged between it and a rocking arm, substantially as
described and set forth in Figures 10 11 and 12.
Fourthly: In apparatus for opening and closing windows, fanlights and the
like, making the connection between a regulator or other window-opening means
and the window itself, or other mechanism connected therewith, by a right angle
jointed or a compound jointed link which admits of the regulator or opening
means being placed nearer to or further from the side of the said window, sub-
stantially as described and set forth in Figures 1 to 8.
Dated this 16th day of December 1898.
GEORGE FREDERICK NEWMAN.
By Henry Skerroit,
24, Temply Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.