IMPROVEMENTS IN SASH FASTENINGS
Year: 1871

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Samuel Robert English at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th July 1871.
I, SAMUEL ROBERT ENGLISH, of Nottingham, Dic Sinker, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SASH
FASTENINGS," to be as follows: —
My Invention consists of the combination or arrangement herein-
after described of the parts of sash fastenings, the object of the said
combination or arrangement being to cause the sash fastening to be
self-locking, so that by bringing the sashes into their closed position,
by the motion of either of them the fastening comes into operation
and locks or fastens the two sashes together.
The said sash fastenings consist essentially of a lever on one sash,
and a jointed spring arm or tongue on the other sash. Each of the
parts of the fastening is carried by an upright on a base or foundation
plate secured to the sash in the ordinary way. The lever of one part
of the fastening is fixed on the bottom sash, and the jointed spring arm
or tongue of the other part of the fastening is fixed on the top sash, and

page_text: the function of the said lever is to hold down and release the said arm
or tongue. The inner end of the said lever is provided with a knob or
handle, and is so weighted that on being loosed it falls into a horizontal
position. The outer or tail end of the said lever is curved on its upper
side, and inclined on its under side. Between the under side of the tail
end of the lever and the bottom of the upright in the foundation plate
in which the said lever works is a recess sufficient to receive the inner
or nose end of the jointed arm or tongue on the other sash. The said
arm-or tongue-projects from the edge of the sash to which it is fixed,
and the said arm or tongue is raised into an inclined position when
at liberty to move by a spring. When pressed inwards it retires into
the space between the upright in which it works, and is situated flushi
with the vertical edge of the sash to which it is fixed.
The action of the fastening is as follows:-When the two sashes
are in their closed position the end of the jointed spring arm or tongue
on the top sash, projects into the recess between the upright on the
bottom sash, the tail end of the lever on the said bottom sash bearing
upon and keeping down the tail end of the said arm or tongue; the
two sashes are thereby fastened together. To release the sashes the
knob or handle of the lever on the bottom sash is lifted and its tail end
thereby removed from off the tail end of the arm or tongue on the top
sash. As soon as the said arm or tongue is released its spring raises it
into a nearly horizontal position, and the tail of the said arm or tongue
rests upon the curved upper side of the tail of the holding and releasing
lever. On depressing the top sash to open the window the arm or
tongue takes a vertical position by bearing against the top bar of the
bottom sash. On raising the said top sash the arm or tongue is pressed
inwards by the said top bar, and when the sash has been completely
closed the arm or tongue is projected outwards by its spring, and its
nose made to engage under the nose of the holding down and releasing
lever on the other sash. The two sashes are thus self-locked or fastened
together. The same action takes place when the bottom sash is closed.