IMPROVEMENTS IN SASH FASTENERS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Fox, of Old Change, in the City of London, Gentle-
man, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SASH FASTENERS." A communi-
cation from abroad by William A. Hopkins, of the City and State of New
York, United States of America.
Sealed the 30th September 1876, and dated the 26th April 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Fox at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th April 1876.
CHARLES Fox, of Old Change, in the City of London, Gentleman.
MENTS IN SASH FASTENERS."
" IMPROVE-
The object of this Invention is to produce such a window fastening (for securing
the sashes of windows) that it cannot be tampered with or opened from the outside
by the insertion of a knife or other thin instrument between the two sashes for.
the purpose of forcing back the lock lever and thus undoing the fastening so as to
allow the lower sash to be raised or the upper one lowered.
To this end a lock lever which is capable of turning on a centre pin or hollow
stud is mounted on a base plate which is secured on the top of the lower sash
by screws or otherwise. This lock lever is provided at its inner end with
a lip, which when the lever is brought into the locking position passes behind
the hook or catch on the other sash and therefore prevents the two sashes from
being separated. The centre pin or hollow stud which carries the lock lever is
surrounded by a volute or other suitable spring, which shoots the lock lever into
the unlocked position when released from the locked position by drawing back a
locking bolt which is inserted in the outer end of the lock lever, and is provided.
with a knob or handle whereby it may be drawn back when required. This locking
bolt is kept pressed inwards by a coiled or helical spring which surrounds it,
and its inner end works against a segmental catch piece or cam-like projection
fixed on the base plate. When the lock lever is drawn into the locked position the
inner end of the locking bolt is forced back by the segmental catch piece until it
passes the vertical part of the latter, when the spring surrounding the locking bolt
will force the latter forward in front of the segmental catch piece, and will thereby
[Price Gd.]

page_text: prevent the lock lever from being moved back until the locking lever is released-
by drawing back the locking bolt, so that it may pass free in front of the segmental
catch piece.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Fox in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th October
1876.
"IMPROVE-
CHARLES Fox, of Old Change, in the City of London, Gentleman.
MENTS IN SASH FASTENERS." A communication from abroad by William A
Hopkins, of the City and State of New York, United States of America.
The object of this Invention is to produce such a window fastening (for securing
the sashes of windows) that it cannot be tampered with or opened from the outside
by the insertion of a knife or other thin instrument between the two sashes for the
purpose of forcing back the locking lever and thus undoing the fastening so as to
allow the lower sash to be raised or the upper one lowered.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan view, and Fig. 2 a longitudinal
vertical section of one of the improved sash fasteners adapted to the upper and
lower sashes of a window; Fig. 3-is-a-plan-view-of-the under side of the locking lever
detached from the sash; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the base plate which carries the
locking lever, and is attached to the lower sash; Fig. 5 is an edge view or elevation
of the same; Fig. 6 is an elevation of the striking plate or hook plate, which is
fixed on the upper sash. The locking lever a is capable of turning on a centre pin
or hollow stud b'mounted on a base plate c, which is secured on the top of the lower
sash A by screws or otherwise. This locking lever a is held in place on the hollow
stud by means of a solid vertical stud or rivet c', and is provided at its inner end
with a lip a¹, Figures 1 and 2, which when the lever is brought into the locking
position, as shewn in the Figures, passes behind the hook or catch d on the upper
sash B, and therefore prevents the two sashes from being separated. The centre
pin or hollow stud b, which carries the locking lever a, is surrounded by a volute
helical or other suitable spring e, which bears against the locking lever and shoots
it into the unlocked position when released from the locked position by drawing
back a locking bolt f, which is inserted in the outer end of the locking lever, as
shewn at Figures 2 and 3. This bolt is provided with a knob or handle f¹, whereby
it may be drawn back when required, and this locking bolt f is kept pressed in-
wards by a coiled or helical spring which surrounds it. The inner end of the
bolt works against a segmental catch piece or cam-like projection & fixed on the
base plate c.
When the locking lever a is drawn into the locked position, shewn
at Figures 1 and 2, the inner end of the locking bolt f is forced back by the
segmental catch pièce until it passes the vertical part of the latter, when the
spring surrounding the locking bolt f will force the latter forward in front of the
segmental catch piece he and will thereby prevent, the locking lever from being
moved back by introducing a knife or thin piece of metal between the sashes or
by any other means until the locking lever is released by drawing back the locking
bolt f, so that the latter may pass free in front of the segmental catch piece h.
Immediately the locking bolt f is drawn back from the catch piece the volute or
helical spring e will throw round the locking lever a into a position parallel with
the bars A and B of the sash frames and will consequently release the latter and
permit them to be.raised or lowered in their grooves.
Having now described the Invention of "Improvements in Sash Fasteners" which
has been communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and having explained
the manner of carrying the same into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to
me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, the combination of parts herein shewn and
described and consisting of a vibrating locking lever mounted on a vertical stud
secured to a base plate and provided with a spring locking bolt which acts against

page_text: and in combination with a segmental catch piece fixed on the base plate so that it
will hold the vibrating lever in the locking position with its tail under the hook of
the striking plate as and for the purpose herein set forth, the whole constituting
an improved sash fastener which cannot be opened from the outside by means of a
knife or thin piece of metal as is now the case with many sash fasteners.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Fox, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, the Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord. One thou-
sand eight hundred and seventy-six.
CHARLES FOX. (L.S.)