IMPROVEMENTS IN SUSPENDING WINDOW SASHES, SHUTTERS, AND BLINDS, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FRAMES FOR THE SAME
Year: 1847

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
JAMES SOWARD, of Huntley Street, Bedford Square, Middlesex, Builder, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Eleventh day of November, in the eleventh year of Her.
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors; give and grant unto me, the
said George James Soward, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial license,
full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said George James Soward,
my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George James
Soward, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in the Islands
of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and in Her Majesty's Colonies
and Plantations abroad, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SUSPENDING
WINDOW SASHES, SHUTTERS, AND BLINDS, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FRAMES
FOR THE SAME;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I,
the said George James Soward, shall cause a particular description of the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be enrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six
calendar months next and immediately after the said in part recited Letters

page_text: Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully
and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
George James Soward, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be carried into effect, are hereafter
fully described and ascertained by the following description thereof, reference
being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures
and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
. My Invention consists of improved methods of hanging or suspending
window sashes, shutters, and blinds, by means of bands or cords of vulcanized
india-rubber, or by means of bands or cords of vulcanized india-rubber, gutta
percha, or other substance in conjunction with the common box spring; also
the mode of suspending the blinds or windows of carriages by the above
means.
The annexed Drawings represent my improvements, Fig. 1 being a
portion of a window and frame; Fig. 2, the edge or side view of the window
frame, showing the mode of fastening the ends of the bands or cords to the
frames; Fig. 3, the side or edge view of the window sashes; and Fig. 4, a
plan of the sashes taken through the line a, b; A, the window frame, shown
in section; B, the lower sash also partially in section; the one end C¹ of the
band or cord of vulcanized india-rubber C is fastened near the top of the edge
or side of the sash B by means of a plate of brass or other material screwed
to the sash; the band or cord C is then passed around the small bridge or
roller D attached to the sash, and from thence to the top of the frame A,
where the other end C" is secured in similar manner. The side or edge of the
sash is grooved or rebated sufficiently deep for the reception of the band or
cord C; when the window sash is to be mounted, the bands or cords C, C, (as
there are two, one in either side of the sash) are to be brought to such a state
of tension as shall be sufficient to maintain the sash when raised at that point,
and then secured, as before described, at that state of tension. The upper sash
B is suspended in manner similar to the lower frame B; E, E, are two
springs attached to the frame, the pins of which, actuated either by metal or
by vulcanized india-rubber springs, are pressed against the sides or edges of
the sashes for the purpose of retaining by the friction the sash at any re-
quired degree of elevation; these springs may be provided with buttons, as
shown at E, E, for the purpose of pressing back the springs by the thumb or
finger, or they may be made without, and inserted as E¹, E', where they will
be entirely. bid from view; these springs may be placed. at discretion, either
upon the frames as E, E, or upon the sashes as E', E'; when the springs are

page_text: attached to the frame, there are placed upon the sides or edges of the sashes,
for the pins of the springs to press against, strips or plates of metal, wood, or
other thin rigid substance, thereby protecting the bands or cords within the
grooves or rebates from the action of the springs. Fig. 5 represents a
modification. In this modification the end C¹ of the band or cord C is
secured to the side or edge of the sash B, from whence it is carried over the
bridge or roller D attached to the frame, and down to a point where the
end C is secured, the frame being grooved or rebated for the reception of the
band or cord; the upper sash B¹ is suspended in similar manner to the lower
sash B. Fig. 6 represents another modification, by attaching the end C¹ of
the band or cord C to the under side or edge of the sash B, near the middle
of its width, and then passing it over the bridge. or roller D placed at the
angle of the sash, and from thence up to the top of the frame A, where the
end C is secured; the upper sash B' is suspended in manner similar to the
lower sash B. Fig. 7 represents my method of suspending by bands or cords
of vulcanized indian-rubber, gutter percha, leather, or other pliable and suitable
substance acting in combination with the common box spring. I fasten the
end C' of the band or cord C to the side or edge of the window sash B, and
then pass it upwards to the box spring D, to which it is attached; the box
spring D is fixed to the frame A. In raising the window sash, the band or
cord C will be wound or coiled upon the box spring D; the upper sash B' is
similarly suspended.
Fig. 8 is a modification of this method, by reversing the arrangement
and disposition of the box spring, namely, by attaching the box spring D to
either corner of the sash, and the other end of the band or cord to the frame.
Fig. 9 is another modification, by which each sash is suspended by attaching
both bands or cords to one box spring, placed at the middle of the top of the
frame, the other ends being attached to the sashes.
Fig. 10, a back elevation, and Fig. 11, a vertical section of a carriage
door; A, the frame of the door; B, the sash, to the lower stile of which are
secured the one end C', C', of the bands or cords of vulcanized india-rubber
C, C,. from thence passing over the bridges or rollers D, D; the other end
C, C, are secured to the metal strips E, E; the bridges or rollers are
attached to the strips E, E; a thumb spring bolt is attached to the side
of the frame, the bolt of which takes into holes made in the side or edge
of the sash for the purpose of retaining the sash at any required degree of
elevation. I modify the arrangement by suspending the sash by means
of bands or cords of any pliable suitable substance, in combination with
common box springs, which may be attached to either the top or bottom

page_text: of the strips of metal E, E. I do not confine myself to two bands or cords;
as shown, as one, or any other number, may be adopted. When the blind G is
raised it rests upon the ledge H, which moves upon pivots to let the blind
pass, and then again falls by this mode of suspension; the grooves in the
frames may be made parallel.
Having now described the nature of my Inventions and improvements, and
the manner in which the same are to be performed and carried into effect, I
hereby state that I do not confine myself to the precise details of my said
Inventions and improvements; as herein-before represented and described (as
'modifications may be made therein); but what I claim is,―
First, the hanging or suspending window sashes, shutters, or blinds by
means of bands or cords of vulcanized india-rubber, or other similar elastic
materials, in manner herein-before described.
Secondly, the hanging or suspending window sashes, shutters, or blinds by
means of bands or cords of vulcanized india-rubber, or other suitable material,
acting in combination with common box springs, as herein-before described.
Thirdly, the hanging or suspending window sashes, shutters, or blinds of the
doors and windows of carriages, by means of bands or cords of vulcanized
india-rubber, or other similar elastic material, or by bands or cords, of suitable
substances, in connection with box springs, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Tenth
day of May One thousand eight hundred and forty-eight.