AN IMPROVED ROLLER DEVICE, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR SLIDING DOORS AND WINDOW SASHES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED ROLLER DEVICE, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR SLIDING DOORS AND
WINDOW SASHES." A communication from abroad by Henry Emanuel Russell,
of New Britain, Connecticut, United States of America.
Sealed the 13th October 1877, and dated the 12th July 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th July 1877.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firin of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED ROLLER DEVICE, CHIEFLY
DESIGNED FOR SLIDING DOORS AND WINDOW SASHES." [A communication from
abroad by Henry Emanuel Russell, of New Britain, Connecticut, United States of
America.]
The said Invention relates to an improved device, chiefly designed to facilitatè
the working of sliding doors and window sashes, but which may be used in
connection with other apparatus whose parts require to move freely between or
upon their bearing or guiding surfaces.
The said device comprises a roller, or sheave, or small wheel, or pulley, which is
fitted within a box or frame of cast iron, brass, or other suitable material:
The peculiar feature of this Invention is the mounting of the said sheaf or roller
upon a circular series of small antifriction rollers, which are fitted to run freely
around a central pin or axis secured in the sides of the said box or frame. These
antifriction rollers are quite free or unsupported at their ends, and therefore no
friction is produced, as in cases where such rollers are supported in revolving rings
or annular frames.
:
. It will be obvious that by the employment of these antifriction rollers in the
manner above described I altogether obviate the necessity for lubricating the
sheaves or rollers, and thereby avoid the inconvenience and unpleasantness attendant
upon the use of oil in connection with those fittings.
The frame or box is preferably constructed with a base or flange of brass or other

page_text: metal, with ears or projections of the exact width required for the working of the
sheaf or roller between the sides of the frame. These sides or cheeks are secured to
the said ears by screws or other suitable means.
I prefer that the aforesaid small antifriction rollers should be plain cylindrical
pieces of steel of a length equal to the width of the sheave or pulley, or of the space
between the sides or cheeks of the frame, so that these sides will keep the said rollers
in place and prevent any friction by them sliding endwise in the boss of the sheave
or pulley, or on the central axis or pin. The latter is preferably fixed in one side
or cheek, and loose in the other to facilitate the fitting of the sheave and anti-
friction rollers in their place.
In applying these roller devices to a sliding door they are fixed on the bottom of
the same, and if necessary on both the top and bottom of the door. In this case
the said sheaves or rollers may be either plain or grooved on the periphery.
When designed for use in connection with window sashes, the sheaves or pulleys
are grooved to carry the sash lines.
The frames or boxes of the devices are secured by screws or otherwise in the
window frame, and the sash lines or cords are passed over the said sheaves or
pulleys in the usual manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th
January 1878.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED ROLLER DEVICE,
CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR SLIDING DOORS AND WINDOW SASHES." A communication
from abroad by Henry Emanuel Russell, of New Britain, Connecticut, United
States of America.
The said Invention relates to an improved device, chiefly designed to facilitate
the working of sliding doors and window sashes, but which may be used in
connection with other apparatus whose parts require to move freely between or upon
their bearing or guiding surfaces.
The said device comprises a roller, or sheave, or small wheel, or pulley, which is
fitted within a box or frame of cast iron, brass, or other suitable material.
The peculiar feature of this Invention is the novel construction of the box or
frame, whereby I provide in a convenient manner for the mounting of the said
sheaf or roller upon a circular series of small antifriction rollers, which are fitted
to run freely around a central pin or axis secured in the sides of the said box or
frame. These antifriction rollers are quite free or unsupported at their ends, that is
to say, they are not fitted in rings or other bearings, and therefore work without
friction, which is not the case where such rollers are supported in revolving rings
or annular frames.
It will be obvious that by the employment of these antifriction rollers in the
manner above described I altogether obviate the necessity for lubricating the sheaves
or rollers, and thereby avoid the inconvenience and unpleasantness attendant upon
the use of oil in connection with door and window fittings.

page_text: The form and construction of my Invention are clearly illustrated in the
accompanying Drawing, which shows the same as more especially constructed for
a window sash.
Figure 1 is a side view; Figure 2 is a front view; Figure 3 is a transverse
section on the line x, x, Figure 1.
Figures 4 and 5 show parts of the said device detached.
The frame or box A is preferably constructed with a base or flange a, of brass or
other metal, which has ears or projections a¹ of the exact width required for the
reception and working of the sheave or roller b between the sides c of the said
frame. These sides or cheeks c are secured to the said ears by screws d or other
suitable means, as shewn in Figure 1.
I prefer that the aforesaid small antifriction rollers, which are shewn at e, should
be plain cylindrical pieces of steel of a length equal or nearly equal to the width of
the sheave or roller b, or the space between the sides or cheeks c of the frame,
so that these sides will keep the said rollers in place, and prevent any friction that
might be produced by their sliding endwise in the boss of the sheave or pulley and
on the central axis or pin f. The latter is preferably fixed in one side or cheek and
loose in the other, to facilitate the fitting of the sheave or roller band the antifriction
rollers e in their place. This manner of forming and securing together the parts of
my improved device will be found very advantageous, as it permits the introduction
of these window and door fittings in a more efficient, convenient, durable, and
cheap form than would be practicable with any other known manner of constructing
the same.
The sheave or pulley b is grooved, as shewn, to carry the sash line.
The frame or box A is secured by screws or otherwise in the window frame, and
the sash line or cord is passed over the said sheave or pulley in the usual manner.
In applying these improved roller devices to a sliding door they are constructed
in the same or nearly the same manner as shewn in the Drawing. They are fixed
on the bottom of the door or on the top of the same, and if necessary on both the
top and bottom of the door. In this case the said sheaves or rollers may be either
plain or grooved on the periphery, as desired.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it under-
stood that I am aware of there having been already in use, in machinery or
apparatus of various kinds, pulleys, rollers, or sheaves fitted to work upon anti-
friction rollers arranged around a central axis, and I do not claim as my Invention
the application or use of antifriction rollers generally, but I claim the improved
roller device for the above-named purposes, with its frame or box constructed in the
peculiar manner specified for the reception and support of the sheave or pulley
working upon antifriction rollers arranged to run freely around a central pin or
axis, as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
WM. ROBT. LAKE. (LS)