AN IMPROVED APPARATUS OR MEANS FOR RAISING, LOWERING, AND SECURING SLIDING WINDOW SASHES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Meakin, of No. 3, Great Woodstock
Street, in the Parish of Marylebone, London, Engineer, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS OR MEANS FOR RAISING,
LOWERING, AND SECURING SLIDING WINDOW SASHES."
Sealed the 21st September 1869, and dated the 25th March 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Meakin at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 25th March 1869.
I, WILLIAM MEAKIN, of No. 3, Great Woodstock Street, in the
Parish of Marylebone, London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS OR MEANS FOR RAISING,
LOWERING, AND SECURING SLIDING WINDOW SASHES," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is an improved method of raising,
lowering, and securing sliding window sashes, more especially as applied
to working the upper sash. The sash being hung in the usual way with
balance weights, a strong cord is attached to each side of the said sash,
near the top, in any secure manner, the method preferred being to form

page_text: a knot in the cord round a stout screw, which is screwed into the sash,
and the whole concealed by a plate of suitable form and material. One
end of each cord passes over a pulley secured to the under side of the
reveal of the window, and hangs down to a convenient height from the
ground, finishing with a tassel or other ornament. By pulling these
cords simultaneously the sash is raised at pleasure. The other end of
one of the two cords affixed to the sash passes over an improved sash
fastener, which consists of a spring lever catch, pivoted in a carriage
secured to the top rail of the lower sash, and is fitted with two pullies,
one running on the pivot of the lever catch, and the other mounted on a
horn projecting from it. One of the cords is carried round these pullies,
and is then with its companion cord brought down to a convenient
height and fitted with a tassel or other finish. The lever catch locks
into a suitably prepared plate, which is screwed on the face of the
upper sash.
up
The action of the whole is as follows:-If the top sash be "down" it will
be raised by pulling the cords which pass over the top pullies, and when
"in position it will be secured by the spring lever catch shooting
into the locking plate, thus obviating the use of the ordinary sash
fastening. When it is desired to lower the sash, the other ends of the
cords are used, and the first effect of the power exerted to move the sash
is that the lever catch is withdrawn from the locking plate, and the
sash is then free to move.
I do not confine myself to the special details and arrangements set
forth above, for either one or two lever catches right and left may be
used, either on the top or bottom sash; but I claim the general arrange-
ment for raising and lowering the sash and securely locking both by the
use of the cords only, in the manner described.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said William Meakin, Her
special licence that I, the said William Meakin, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Meakin, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS OR MEANS FOR RAISING, LOWERING, AND SECURING SLIDING WINDOW
SASHES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Meakin, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Scal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
par-
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Meakin, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement and accompanying Drawing:-
The object of this Invention is an improved method of raising,
lowering, and securing sliding window sashes, more especially as applied
to working the upper sash. The sash being hung in the usual way
with balance weights, a strong cord is attached to each side of the said
sash, near the top, in any secure manner, one method preferred being to
form a knot in the cord round a stout screw, which is secured to the
sash, and the whole concealed by a plate of suitable form and material.
One end of each cord passes over a pulley secured to the under side of
the reveal of the window, and hangs down to a convenient height from
the ground, finishing with a tassel or other ornament. By pulling
these cords simultaneously the sash is raised at pleasure. The other end
of one of the two cords affixed to the sash passes over an improved sasli
fastener, which consists of a spring lever catch pivoted in a carriage

page_text: secured to the top rail of the lower sash, and is fitted with two pullies,
one running on the pivot of the lever catch, and the other mounted on
a horn projecting from it. One of the cords is carried round these
pullies, and is then with its companion cord brought down to a con-.
venient height and fitted with a tassel or other finish. The lever catch
locks into a suitably prepared plate, which is screwed on the face of the
upper sash.
The action of the whole is as follows:-If the top sash be down it
will be raised by pulling the cords which pass over the top pullies, and
when " up" in position it will be secured by the spring lever catch
shooting into the locking plate, thus obviating the use of the ordinary
sash fastening. When it is desired to. lower the sash, the other ends of
the cords are used, and the first effect of the power exerted to move the
sash is that the lever catch is withdrawn from the locking plate, and
the sash is then free to move.
In the accompanying Drawing, Figure 1 exhibits a front view,.
Figure 2 a side view, and Figure 3 a plan, partly in section, of a
window fitted with my improved apparatus, in which A represents the
upper sash and B the lower sash. To the sash A is affixed a cord
plate C; the cord D is secured thereto by means of a knot, as shown,
one end of the cord D is led over the top pulley E, and hangs down to a
convenient hand height, having a suitable termination. The other end
of the cord is led through the pullies of the fastener F, which is screwed
on to the top rail of the sash B. The nose or catch G of the fastener
locks or engages into recesses provided in the catch plate H, which is
securely fixed to the upper sash A. A spring J projects from the catch
plate H and bears against a portion of the carriage of the fastener F
when the sashes are closed, as shown, so as to prevent them from
rattling.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, I wish it to
be understood that I do not confine myself to the special details and
arrangements herein set forth, for instance, either one or two lever
catches right and left may be used either on the top or bottom sash; but
I claim the general arrangement for raising and lowering the upper sash,

page_text: and securely locking both by the use of two cords only, in the manner
shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Meakin, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of September, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
Witness,
FREDERIC H. ROBERTS, C.E.,
10, Adam St., Adelphi, W.C.
WILLIAM MEAKIN. (L.S.)