Improvements in Mechanism for Operating Fanlights, Skylights, Ventilators, and other similar Moveable Parts of Structures.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 27th June, 1889-Accepted, 27th July, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanism for Operating Fanlights, Skylights,
Ventilators, and other similar Moveable Parts of Structures.
I HENRY TUDOR OWENS of 12 Bath Street, Birmingham in the county of Warwick
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:―
This invention relates to improvements in mechanism for operating, fanlights, sky-
lights, ventilators, and other similar moveable parts of structures.
In the ordinary devices now, in use for these purposes, there is the great objection
to the outstanding quadrant arm, when the sash &c. is closed, both from the unsightly
appearance, and also from the inconvenience of its position, particularly when used
upon a window, inasmuch as it completely interferes with the use of a blind.
To obviate these difficulties is the primary object of this my invention, and further
to arrange the mechanism in a neat compact, and effective manner; the which by
variations and modifications in detail, may be adapted to such moving sashes &c.,
whether hinged at the top, bottom, or sides.
It consists of a toothed quadrant or arm, swinging, closing, or turning upon a joint,
at or to any convenient (selected) angle, such gearing teeth being continued along the
one side of the said quadrant, and further carried around its one end concentrically
with the aforesaid joint. Gearing into this toothed arm is a helical or worm wheel,
which in its turn is actuated by a cord and pulley, so that upon opening the sash, the
wormwheel first rotates the toothed arın, one quarter of a circle more or less upon its
joint, by reason of the teeth around its end, that is, brings it from the closed or folded
position, into the outstanding position, ready now for the opening of tho sash, by
continuing to operate the said gearing.
I will briefly describe an arrangement embracing the essentials of this my invention
as applied to the operating of a fanlight hinged at the bottom. To the fixed sash &c.,
above the fanlight, is secured a bracket, upon which is formed a joint. Upon this
joint is carried the swinging or closing arm, having teeth along its one side, and
around its inner end, and which is free to move through at least a quarter of a circlo.
In juxtaposition to this arm, and upon the upper part of the fanlight, a second bracket
is secured, carrying in suitable bearings, a worm wheel, which gears into the teeth
upon the folding arm, connected to this worm wheel is a toothed pinion gearing further
into a second toothed wheel carried also upon the same bracket, and to which latter
wheel is attached a cord pulley, provided with suitable guide or guides for the cord to
work thereon.
Assuming that the fanlight is open, by now operating the cord wheel, it will be
seen that the rotation of the worm causes the moveable sash to close, and so on, until
the worm has reached the inner end of the arm, when the continued rotation of the
worm, would continue to engage with the teeth around the end of the arm, and in so
doing, would pull it around upon its joint, and cause it to close against or in line with
the window. A suitable guard is provided to follow along the back of the arm, when
extended, to keep it in gear with the worm wheel.
In some instances I may dispense with the toothed wheel and pinion, by making
the worm of such a diameter, that will allow of the cord wheel to work free of the
extended arm.
น
As before intimated the details may be modified to suit particular adaptations, as
for instance, in some cases the arm may be attached to the moveable sash, instead of
to the fixed one as described, or, I may so arrange the mechanism, and alter the shape
of the toothed bar, so as to fix the box part on the moveable frame of light, and tho.

page_text: bar on the outer fixed frame, for the purpose of opening or closing the light from the
side, instead of from the centre.
Dated this 5th day of November 1888
CHARLES T. POWELL,
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanism for Operating Fanlights, Skylights,
Ventilators, and other similar Moveable Parts of Structures.
I HENRY TUDOR OWENS of 12 Bath Street, Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
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 improvements in mechanism for operating fanlights, sky-
lights, ventilators, and other similar moveable parts of structures.
In the ordinary devices now in use for these purposes, there is the great objection
to the outstanding quadrant arm, when the sash &c., is closed; both from the unsightly
appearance, and also from the inconvenience of its position, particularly when used
upon a window, inasmuch as it completely interferes with the use of a blind. To
obviate these difficulties is the primary object of this my invention, and further to
arrange the mechanism in a neat, compact, and effective manner, which, by variations
and modifications in detail, may be adapted to such moving sashes &c., whether hinged
at the top, or sides, or the bottom.
It consists of a toothed quadrant or arm, swinging, closing, or folding upon a joint,
such (gearing) teeth being continued along the one side of the said quadrant, and
further carried around its one end, concentrically with the aforesaid joint. Gearing
into this toothed arm is a helical or worm wheel, which in its turn is actuated by a
cord and pulley, so that upon opening the sash, the worm wheel first rotates the toothed
arm one quarter of a circle upon its joint, by reason of the teeth around its end, that
is, brings it from the closed or folded position, into the outstanding position, ready
now for the opening of the sash, by continuing to operate the said gearing.
I will now proceed to more particularly describe how this my invention may be
performed having reference to the accompanying illustrative sheets of drawings,
upon which are figures and letters of referenco, similar letters throughout the
several views referring to the same thing or part, and in which :-
Fig. 1, is a plan, and Fig. 2, a side elevation in detail, of the toothed quadrant
or arm, with its bracket.
Figs. 3, & 4, are front and plan views in detail, of the quadrant bracket.
Figs. 5, & 6, are plan and side views in detail, of the compensating link, which
connects the quadrant to the bracket.
Figs. 7, 8, & 9, are respectively a plan view, side view, and inverted plan view
in detail, of the one end of the quadrant.
Figs. 10, 11, & 12, are front, side, and plan views of the worm wheel box, and
driving pulley action &c.
Figs. 13, & 14, are enlarged detail front and side views of the gearing, worm-
wheel, and driving pulley.
Fig. 15, shews the application of this my invention to the opening of a sash,
when such sash is hinged at the bottom, the moveable sash being shewn partly
opened.
Fig: 16, shews it in position, when the moveable sash is closed.
Fig. 17, is a plan view of Fig. 16.
Fig. 18, further shows its application to a moveable casement hinged at the top,
and moving outwards, or the same view answers equally well when inverted, to

page_text: shew its application to a moveable casement, hinged at the bottom, and moving
outwards.
Fig. 19, shews in elevation, its application to a skylight.
Fig. 20, shews in plan view its application to a moveable casement hinged upon
its side.
I will describe the arrangement as applied for the operating of a moveablo
casement &c., hinged at the bottom, as shewn in Figs. 1 to 17 inclusive: To the
fixed sash &c., a, above the casement b, is secured the bracket c, upon which is
formed a joint to receive a compensating link d, and to this link d, is connected
the swinging quadrant or arm e, having teeth along its one side and around its inner
end, (as seen in Figs. 1, 7, 8, 9, & 17,) which said quadrant is free to move through at
least a quarter of a circle.
I,
In a relative position to this quadrant e, and upon the upper part of the moveable
light, a second bracket f, is secured, carrying in suitable bearings the wormwheel
which gears into the teeth upon the quadrant arm e. This wormwheel g, may if
desired be driven direct, that is, by means of the cord pulley h, being mounted upon
the spindle of the said worm wheel, but for convenience, I should generally adopt gear
wheels i, &j, and hence I have illustrated them. Connected to the worm wheel or to
its spindle, is the toothed pinion i, gearing into the toothed wheel j. Upon the spindle
of the wheel, is the cord pulley h, and at k, k, in the bracket, or other suitable places,
are guide holes through which the cords pass, so as to obtain as much grip as possible
upon the pulley h, such other necessary guide pulleys and brackets being affixed to
the structures, to carry or guide the operating cords to any desirable point.
Its action will now be clearly understood to be as follows:-
Assuming that the casement is open, as seen in Fig. 15, by now operating the cord
pulley h, in a given direction, it will be seen that the rotation of the worin g, causes
the moveable sash b, to close, and so on until the worm g, has reached the inner end
of the arm e, when the continued rotation of the worm would continue to engage with
the teeth around the end of the said arm, and in so doing would pull it around upon
its joint, and cause it to close against or in line with the window, as seen in Figs. 16,
& 17, particularly the latter. A suitable guard m, is provided to follow along the
back of the arm e, when extended, to keep it in gear with the worm wheel g.
This guard or stud is shown in Figs. 9, 10, & 17, Fig. 9, only showing however, its
relative position to the arm. When the arm is outstanding, this stud travels along its
back, thereby as aforesaid, keeping it in gear with the worm wheel g, but when the
arm is being closed around, as in Fig. 17, this stud falls into the cut away recess n,
upon the underside of the arm shewn in Fig. 9.
As before intimated, the details may be modified to suit particular adaptations,
as for instance, in some cases, the arm may be attached to the moveable sash,
instead of to the fixed one, as described &c.
Hence in Fig. 18, the moveable casement is hinged at the top, when the
quadrant arm e, is curved the reverse way to that of Fig. 15, and the brackets c¹,
and, are also reversed in their positions.
Also in Fig. 19, where adapted to a skylight casement, the worm box bracket
is secured to the fixture or frame a', while the quadrant arm and its bracket may
be similar to that seen in Fig. 15, the manipulating.cord being carried by suitable
guide pulleys in any desired convenient direction.
Again. In Fig. 20, where the casement b, is hinged at its side, the relative posi-
tion &c. of the brackets and the arm is similar to that shewn in Fig. 18.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. In mechanism for opening and closing moveable casements, or other similar
moving bodies, the use of a toothed quadrant arm, having its teeth carried around
its one end concentrically with its joint, substantially as hereindescribed and
illustrated upon the drawings, and for the purpose specified.

page_text: 2nd. The general combination and arrangement of parts constituting the opening
and closing mechanism for moveable casements, or other similar moveable bodies,
substantially as hereindescribed and illustrated upon the drawings in Figs. 1 to 17
inclusive, wherein the quadrant arm is made to close or fold alongside the, body
to which it is attached, when such moveable casement is closed.
3rd. The modifications of the general combination and arrangement of the parts
constituting this my invention as hereindescribed and illustrated on the drawings in
Figs. 18, 19, & 20.
11: 96th day of Jun 1880
CHARLES T. POWELL,
12, Cherry Street, Birmingham, Applicant's Agent.