Improvements in Ordinary Window Frames with Sliding Sashes, and Fittings therefor.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Jan., 1895-Accepted, 16 h Feb., 1 95
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ordinary Window Frames with Sliding Sashes,
and Fittings therefor.
I GEORGE HENRY COUCH of Selsdon Road South Croydon, in the County
of Surrey, Timber, and General Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention for improvements in ordinary window frames, and sashes, and
fittings therefor, has for its principal object to provide a window, simple in con-
struction, which can be readily handled for the purpose of cleaning the outside of
sashes, from the inside of the room, and which shall be specially adapted for the
exclusion of air, dust, & moisture, and the prevention of sashes rattling by the wind,
also when opened for ventilation secure against burglars.
To the existing ordinary sliding sashes, and frames, I make the following
alterations, and additions, on each side of frame, I insert in the face of pulley
stiles, special hinges, to carry any desired length of stop, and parting beads, the
said hinges are made as follows, one half of hinge plate (which is screwed to frame)
has a boss, or eye, on its back side, into which is fitted a bolt with suitable head,
and also a slot in the said half, the other half of hinge is made in two pieces, one of
said pieces is screwed to stop bead, and the other piece is screwed to the side, (and
possibly to the back edge) of parting bead, on the inner side of each of the said
pieces is formed a boss, or eye, which are made to fit into the said slot, to receive
the said bolt, so as to grip the said three hinge plates together, and thus hold fast
the said stop, and parting beads, in their true, proper, and usual positions. On the
face of each pulley stile between the stop bead, parting bead, and outside lining, I
cut straight grooves for each sash, out of said grooves, I form other grooves,
(preferably in metal) either circular, or angular, any desired distance up from face
of sill, for the purpose of allowing the sashes, (with fixed pins in edges of sashes,
any desired distance up from bottom edges of sashes) at the bottom to secure the
necessary radius for the sashes to turn clear of the parting bead, and outside lining,
also to prevent the weights lifting the sashes up (when turned inwards for cleaning)
at their lower parts. Near the bottom edge, of bottom sash I attach sliding pivots,
(to slide in grooves on face of pulley stiles) the centres of said pivots I fix to each
angle of bottom sash, (the top sash may also be made similar) the said centre
plates, is also made with a projection to engage in the fixed pieces of metal parting
beads, (the said parting beads being made hollow on the inside to receive the said
projection) and thus prevent the weights drawing up the sashes when turned into
the room for cleaning. The said sliding-pivots I form hollow with sufficient space
to receive sash line, or cord, and through the section of said sliding pivots I insert
screws, to enter and holdfast, the said sash line, or cord. In the edges of bottom
sash, I cut grooves of sufficient size to recess the line when the said sash is slid
to the top of frame, the said grooves in face of pulley stiles, is also for the
purpose of recessing the lines, when the said sash is turned into the room for
cleaning. The top sash may also be made in a similar way, or rabbeted on the
outer part of edges, any desired width, or depth, so that the sash may clear the line,
when the sash is turned into the room for cleaning. A pair of parallel wedges (I
fix one half near to each meeting rail angle of sashes) which with the thickness of
sash, shall be a trifle more than equal the dis'ance, from outside lining, to the
inside parting bead, and on one, or both edges of meeting rails, I make, or fix

page_text: projecting edges equal to the said parallel wedges. On the back of each hinge
carrying the stop bead, I form a projecting piece, in shape like a wedge, and on face
edges of bottom sash I screw a counter part, (forming when together another pair
of parallel wedges) and cut a rabbet below it, the size required for the said pro-
jection on hinge, so that the sash can pass freely up, when the bottom sash is
brought down, the said two wedge pieces meet, and thus the top sash is forced tight
on to the outside lining, and the bottom sash tight on to the parting beads, and the
meeting rails, so that air, dust, & moisture is thus excluded, and rattling prevented.
On the right, and left, of upper part of bottom sash, I insert a spring bolt, of any
desired length, to engage the top sash, through holes in a plate fixed to the said
top sash, one, or both of said bolts, are so made, that they are held back, if desired,
when the bottom sash is slid to the top of frame.
The manner of operating the window would be as follows-
1st. Slide the bottom sash to the top.
2nd. Lift the bolts in hinges, each side of window, and turn the stop beads into
the room.
3rd. Bring the bottom sash down, and turn it into the room.
4th. Bring the top sash to the bottom.
5th. Lift the bolts in hinges, and turn the parting beads into the room.
6th. Turn the top sash into the room, clean, and reverse the operations.
Dated this 2nd day of April 1894.
Improvements in Ordinary Window Frames with Sliding Sashes,
and Fittings therefor.
I, GEORGE HENRY COUCH, of Selsdon Road, South Croydon, in the County
of Surrey, Timber and General Merchant, 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 certain improvements in window frames and sashes
and in fittings therefor, and it consists :-First, in so mounting the window
sashes that they can be turned to lie horizontally within a room. Secondly, in so
mounting the stop and parting beads as to permit of the window sashes being
turned into the room. Thirdly, in providing a tightening device for preventing
the sashes rattling when the window is closed; and Fourthly in providing a locking
device for locking the window when it is partially open or closed, the objects
being First, to enable window sashes to be more readily handled for the purpose
of cleaning. Secondly, to prevent the sashes from rattling by the wind and to
exclude dirt, dust and moisture; and Thirdly, to secure the window against burglars
when it is partially open for ventilation.
I attain these ends in the manner shown by the accompanying drawings,
in which :-
Figures 1, 2 and 3 Sheets No. 1, 2 and 3 respectively are broken views in
longitudinal section of a window embodying my invention.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 Sheet No. 4 are views in detail of one of the locking devices.
Figure 7 Sheet No. 4 is a view in cross section of the spring pivot for a portion
of the parting bead.
Figures 8, 9 and 10 Sheet No. 4 are views of the top hinge in elevation, cross
section and transverse section respectively through the locking pin thereof.
Figures 11 and 12 Sheet No. 1 are views in detail of the cord holding device for
the top sash.

page_text: hinges open, and
Figures 14, 15 and 16 Sheet No. 3 are views in detail of the sash cord holding
device and pivot for the bottom sash, and
Figures 17, 18 and 19 Sheet No. 3 are views in detail of modified arrangements
for fixing the said device to the sash.
Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
The upper and lower window sashes A and B respectively are mounted to slide
in a window frame of the ordinary construction and are balanced by weights in the
well-known manner, the ends of the balance cords being attached to the sashes by
devices which will be hereinafter more particularly described.
Both the stop bead B¹ and the parting bead B2 are for a portion of their length,
from the bottom of the window upwards hinged by locking hinges C-which will
be hereinafter more particularly described-to the pulley stile X to allow them to
be swung clear of the window frame so that the sashes can be turned horizontally
into the room as shown by dotted lines in Figure 3 Sheet No. 3.
The middle portion B³ of the parting bead B2 is pivotted to the pulley stile X
by a spring pivot arrangement bx as shown in Figure 7 Sheet No. 4 which will
allow it to assume the position shown in dot and dash line in Figure 2 Sheet No. 2
when it is desired to turn the top sash horizontally into the room.
The lower sash has fixed at or near its bottom edge the sash cord holding
devices D (as shown in Figures 3, 14, 15 and 16) which slide in grooves, in the
pulley stiles X. Each of the sash cord holding devices D is pivotted at d to a
piece E which is attached to the sash by screws passing through the piece e* as
illustrated by Figures 14, 15 and 16 or as illustrated by Figures 17 and 18 wherein
the piece E is replaced by a dovetail piece e¹ engaging a recess e² formed in a
plate attached to the side of the sash and locked in position by a button et or by
any other suitable arrangement or by the arrangement as illustrated by Figure 19
wherein the pivot d of the cord holder D is mounted and free to turn in a socket in
the plate thus dispensing with the plate E or its equivalent e¹. The lower part
of the piece E is furnished with a nose e which engages with a catch F pivotted to
the parting bead B2-when it is desired to turn the sash into the room.
When the
sash is drawn down the nose e engages the catch F and the sash is turned into a
horizontal direction by reason of the nose e entering a notch or hole in the parting
bead B2 and by the guiding piece H engaging with the edges of a segmental piece E
formed in one with the piece E until the sash is in the position shown by dottel
lines in Figures 3 and 14. It will be seen that the sash weights are prevented from
drawing up the window by reason of the nose e entering the notch or hole in the
parting bead B2 and being kept in that position by reason of the segmental piece E¹
engaging the guiding piece H. The catch F is pushed back and prevented from
engaging the nose e when the sash or sashes are not required to be turned inward
by means of the hinged portion of the parting bead B striking against the trigger f.
The cord holding device consists of two pieces M and M¹ pivotted together at m
and furnished on their inner edges with teeth m' and m³ respectively to grip the
cord, the two pieces being held together by a collar N furnished with a bayonet
joint n to lock it in position thereon.
The cord holding device for the top sash A (illustrated in Figures 11 and 12
Sheet No. 1) is attached to the sash by means of the piece O pivotted at o to the
bottom of the piece M.
The upper sash A may also be guided and pivotted in a similar manner to
the lower sash, but I find it more convenient to use an equivalent device for
the upper sash which consists of a plate I having a quadrant groove i cut in it,
which said groove engages with a quadrant tongue on a plate J fixed to the pulley
stile as shown by Figures 2 and 3 so that as the sash A descends it is gra lually
brought into the horizontal position as shown by dotted lines in Figure 3. A
stop a carried by the bottom of the sash A engages with a recess carried by
the plate J and locks the said sash in its horizontal position and prevents it

page_text: being lifted by the action of the balance weights, the groove i and tongue j
keeping the stop a in engagement with the recess.
The hinges each consist of two plates c and cone plate e being screwed or
otherwise fixed to the pulley stile X and having a socket c² in which is mounted
a sliding bolt c³ having a suitable head c whereby it may be manipulated. This
socket has a slot c formed through it. The plate c' of the hinge carries both
the stop bead B₁ and parting bead B² either as shown or in any other convenient
manner. The plate c also carries a snug c adapted to fit in the slot in the
socket c² and it is provided with a hole with which the bolt c³ engages and thus
provides a means of locking the two parts of the hinge together to make them rigid
and thus firmly secure the stop and parting beads in position in the window frame.
The top hinges may sometimes be formed with a wedge-shaped snug c fixed on
the part to engage with another wedge-shaped piece c fixed on to the sash B to
force it against the beads.
On each side of the lower sash B is mounted a spring controlled finger K
adapted to engage with one or other of a series of holes k in a plate Ki fixed
to the upper sash A thereby allowing the one sash to be fixed with respect to
the other so that the window cannot be opened to a greater extent than is
determined at the time of opening it. This spring finger is operated and con-
trolled by a milled head K2 furnished with a bayonet joint as shown by Figure 2.
The spring finger K also engages with a hole or recess k¹ to lock the sashes in
their closed position, the said hole or recess being formed in the lower portion L
of the plate K, which said portion L has an inclined face adapted to engage with
another inclined plate L' fixed to the meeting edge of the lower sash, the said
inclined plates L and L' being adapted on meeting to bear against each other and
force them outwardly and inwardly respectively to jam them against their respective
outside linings and parting beads and thus prevent all rattling by wind. To fill the
spaces thus caused between the meeting edges of the sashes two L-shaped strips a²
and bare fixed in the sashes as shown in Figure 2.
I wish it to be particularly understood that I do not limit myself to the precise
details of construction herein before described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings, but that I hold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as
fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.
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:-
(1.) The improvements in and relating to window frames and sashes substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
(2.) A window, the sliding sashes of which are capable of being turned to lie
horizontally within a room, as and for the purpose set forth.
(3.) The improved method of mounting sliding sashes for windows, as and for the
purpose set forth.
(4.) The improved cord holders for sliding window sashes substantially as herein-
before described and shown by Figures 11, 12, 17 and 18 of the accompanying
drawings.
(5.) The improved device for locking the sliding sashes of windows in a partially
open or closed position substantially as herein before described and shown by
Figures 4, 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.
(6.) In a window of the type claimed by the second claim the use of hinges C
as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and shown by Figures 8, 9, 10 and 13
of the accompanying drawings.
(7.) In a window of the type claimed by the second claim the use of the
pivotted portion B³ of the parting bead B2 as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described and shown by Figures 2 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.
(8.) In a window of the type claimed by the second claim the use of grooved
and tongued plates I, J, as and for the purpose set forth.

page_text: (9.) In a window of the type claimed by the second claim the use of a segmental
piece E in combination with a guiding piece H, as and for the purpose set forth.
(10.) In a window of the type claimed by the second claim, the combination
with the hinges C of the wedge-shaped pieces c' and c³, as and for the purpose
set forth.
(11.) In a window of the type claimed by the second claim the combination
of the cord holder with the pivotting arrangement as herein before described and
shown by Figures 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 2nd day of January 1895.
G. H. COUCH.