IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE OUTSIDES OF WINDOWS FROM THE INTERIOR
Year: 1865

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Smeaton at the Office
.: of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 81st August
1865.
I, GEORGE SMEATON, of Birkenhead, in the County of Chester, Builder, do
bereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE OUTSIDES OF WINDOWS FROM THE INTERIOR," to be
as follows (that is to say):-
This Invention consists in certain improvements applicable to the construc-
tion of a convenient, simple, and useful apparatus for cleaning the outer
surfaces of windows from the interior thereof, and consists mainly of two rods
of a convenient length jointed together end to end, as will be hereafter
described. One of the rods is fitted with flat lateral wings, or is formed to
resemble a flat paddle for the purpose of preventing the rods turning laterally
when resting on the window sill or frame, or against the upper sash of the
window to be cleaned. The second rod is jointed to the flat part of the first
by a rule or common. hinge joint or their mechanical equivalent, the inner end
being by preference formed with a pair of small flat wing pieces to receive the
hinges. A moveable stay piece is jointed to the flat piece on the end of the

page_text: first-described rod, and the second rod is provided with a thumbscrew or its
mechanical equivalent, by which the two rods may be locked in position at
any required angle to each other. Each rod is formed with two longitudinal
grooves to receive a cover or band, as will be hereafter described, and near
their outer ends are fitted with a small grooved pulley sheave worked within
mortice holes cut through near the outer ends of the rods, and which pulleys
turning on axles at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the rods, and the
rod with the paddle-shaped head is provided with a pair of like small grooved
pulleys, mounted on each side of the foot of the outer rod. A cord or its
mechanical equivalent is passed over one of the grooved pulleys in the outer ends
of the rods; the ends of the cord or its equivalent are then carried through the
longitudinal groove in the side of the rod over the two pulleys at the foot of
the outer rod, one on each side thereof, when one end of the cord is passed
over the pulley in the outer end of the outer rod. The ends of the cord
or its mechanical equivalent are then attached to a runner or sliding piece,
which encompasses and is free to travel up and down the rod. This last-
described runner piece is fitted with a thumbscrew or other convenient
mechanical arrangement for attaching thereto a sponge, brush, leather pad,
or other substitute to be brought into contact with the glass for cleaning the
same. The inner rod is also encompassed by a runner, which is free to work
backwards and forwards, and to one side of which is attached the cord or its
mechanical equivalent. This lower or inner runner is used to operate the
runner carrying the sponge, brush, leather pad, or other substitute used.
The action of this apparatus is as follows:-Suppose it is desired to clean
the exterior of the lower sash of the window, turn the rods to, say, about a
right angle to each other, then secure them in position by means of the jointed
stay and thumbscrew or their mechanical equivalent, then attach the sponge
or other substitute to the runner, when the apparatus is ready for use. . Then
lift the lower sash of the window so as to allow the outer rod and its appliances
to be placed outside of the window; allow the outer flat or winged end of the
inner rod to rest on the window frame or stone, bring the sponge or other
substitute therefor in contact with the glass, then work the runner on the inner
rod backwards and forwards with one hand, holding the apparatus as required
by the other. The backwards and forwards motion of. the hand runner
communicates an up-and-down motion to the runner carrying the sponge or
other rubber.
When it is desired to clean the upper sash of a window when the outer
rod of the apparatus is not sufficiently long to reach from the bottom to the
t

page_text: top of the window, all that is required to be done is to set the rods at an
oblique angle and pass the outer rod over the top of the upper sash and
operate as before, or the lower sash may be cleaned from the upper part of
the window by simply throwing up the sash and operating in the same way
as described with regard to the upper sash.