US778927A - Automatic fireproof window. - Google Patents

Description

, PATBNTED JAN. 3, 1905.

i J.W.WATKINS. l l AUTOMATIC PIREPBOOP WINDOW.

APPLICATION FILED BEPT.10 I 1903.

v 5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

.J (fimwd.I.|.|.li1.l.|.la|.l..l.|.4m L

INVENTOR: L. lam/m4 520 ITNESSES:

NvENT'oR:

l@ www. JM(

Ru. 9m 0 m 9 1 m l s 3 l S .J n D 5 E m A M W w w 0 P Da Nw Il ..Wm. S NPML 0 mmm 1I T .1f Amm `WM. A Wmn F -PN WGw IIT JTM AI Mm OM Tkk a U v A A 7. 2 91 8 7 7 m N gmx/ 16@ ITNESSES;

PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905.

5 sums-SHEET a.

INVENTOIW: la. 1m/1a....

i W. WATK-INS.

AUTOMATIC FIREPROI-I WINDOW. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1903.'

Flein HUI/Z PATENTBD JAN. 8, 1905.

J. W. WATKI'NS.

AUTOMATIC FIREPROOF WINDOW.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.10 1903.

.lll

:NVETOR: lv. Markham MEW@ PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905.

J. W. WATKINS.

' AUTOMATIC PIREPROOF WINDOW.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1903.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5. v

Flm

INVENTOR:

f inverted plan view of the same.

UNITED STATES Patented January 3, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. VVATKINS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC FIREPROOF WINDOW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 778,927, dated January 3, 1905. Application filed SeptemberlO, 1903. Serial No. 172,566.

T0 (1J/Z whom t may concern:

' Be it known that I, JOHN W.WATKINs, acitizen of the United States, residing at No. 2223 East York street, in the city of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Firep'roof Windows, of which the following is a specification, reference being had -to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a fireproof window composed entirely of non-combustible material.

My invention comprises, among other things,a window-frame which is entirely constructed of sheet metal by the infolding and interlocking of component parts. It also comprises the sashes similarly constructed; also, means whereby the sashes may be removed from the frame without disconnection of the component parts of either the sash or the frame. Means are likewise provided whereby the sashes are made capable of being swung, as upon a horizontal pivot, in such way as to give access to the outer surfaces for cleaning or for other purposes. Finally, means are provided whereby when the temperature of the room in which the window is set rises to an abnormal point bothl sashes, if open, automatically close themselves.

In the accompanying drawings, FigureI is a front elevation of a window embodying my invention. F-ig. II is a central transverse vertical section of said window, having the central portion broken away for convenience of illustration. elevation of the upper corner of the windowframe. Fig. IV is a fragmentary front elevation of the same.4 Fig. V is a horizontal transverse section of one of the jambs. Fig. VI is a fragmentary plan view taken above one of the jambs. Fig. VII is'a fragmentary Fig. VIII isa fragmentary elevation of the rear lower corner of the window-frame Fig.'IX is an elevation of the front lower corner of the same. Fig. X is a fragmentary edge View of one of the top corners. Fig. XI is an edge elevation of the lower sash, the central portion being broken away for convenience of illustration. Fig. XII is a fragmentary elevation of the Fig. III is a fragmentary rear l front upper corner of said sash. Fig. XIII is a fragmentary elevation of the rear upper corner of the same. Fig. XIV is ahorizontal transverse section, taken on line XIV XIV in Fig. XVI, of the stile of the sash, showing the movable member, which is shown extended. Fig. XV is a sectional view similar to Fig. XIV, taken on line XV XV in Fig. XVII, showing the movable member retracted. Fig. XVI is a side elevation of that portion of the stile shown in Fig. XIV. Fig. XVII is a vertical section taken on the line XVII XVII in Fig.` XV. Fig. XVIII isa fragmentary inverted plan view of the corner of said sash. Fig. XIX is a vertical transverse sectional view of the meeting-rails. Fig. XX is a fragmentary elevation of the front lower corner of the sash. Fig. XXI is a fragmentary elevation of the rear lower corner of the sash. Fig. XXII is a vertical sectional View of said sash, taken on the line XXII XXII in Fig. XXIV, showing the automatic closing device. Fig. XXIII is a central vertical section of the same, taken on the line XXIII XXIII in Fig. XXII. Fig. XXIV is a horizontal transverse section taken on the line XXIV XXIV in Fig. XXIII. Fig. XXV is a modified construction of the automatic closing device. Fig. XXVI is a horizontal transverse section of said modified form, taken on the line XXVI XXVI in Fig. XXV.

I will describe my invention by taking up the several branches of it as already enumeryunusually full in detail, because the method of infolding and interlocking the parts is a matter which can be much more readily shown in drawings than described. For this reason it will only be necessary for me to refer briefly IOO.

to the parts by the combination of which the frame is made up. The head of the frame is composed mainly of the piece A, folded so as to form the moldings, the seat for the top sash, and the front and back wall, as will be best understood by reference to the cross-section of this -piece shown in Fig. II. The upper ends of piece A are united by a flat piece A', which forms the top of the head, interfolded at its edges with the front and back edges of piece A, as seen in Fig. II. Each jamb is composed chiefly of piece B, which is bent and folded, as seen in Fig. V, so as to form both the outside andl front and back of the jamb, including the moldings. The face of the jamb-that is'to say, the portion which faces the sashes-is formed of piece B', which is folded so as to form the front and back runways for the sashes and is interfolded at its edges, as shown, with the edges of piece B. The interfold occurs'near the edge of the eX- posed facing of the jamb, and by inserting it between the moldings and the runways it serves to stiifen the latter. Piece B is formed with a parting-bead in the shape of avery deep central infold 510, which is useful both as a brace strengthening the jamb and as a means for affording attachment between the frame and the building in which the window is to be set. It also serves to divide the jamb into two separate compartments for the sash-weights, thus avoiding the possibility of interference between them. rIhe inner endl of this infold 510 is fastened centrally to the piece B' by a series of screws 511, which at convenient intervals are inserted into nuts 51?, set in the infold. This infold terminates at either end when it reaches the plane of the lower edge of the head and the top edge of the sill, the folding of thecut edges of the piece B whereby this termination is effected being shown in Fig. X. Piece B is interloclied with piece A by means of a series of iiaps 5 5' 52 53 51 55 5" 5Fl 58, each of which projects through a corresponding slot cut in piece A and is turned over at the top, so as to hold the two pieces together. The sill is composedA of the piece C, which is folded, as best seen in Fig. II, so as to form both the front and back and top of the sill. Piece B interlocks with piece C by a series of flaps 512 513 514 515 51" 517 518 519 52, which are similarly thrust through corresponding slots in piece C and turned over, so as to u'nitethepieces together.

The folding and cutting of the pieces B and C so as to effect the formation of the corners appears in Figs. VIII and IX, it being noted that that portion of piece B which forms the front molding is cut so as to continue down on the outside of piece C, at the same time allowing the turned-up edge of piece C to pass behind it, as indicated at c' in Fig. IX.

As thus described the entire frame is composed by the proper interfolding and interlocking of the seven pieces A, A', B, (two) B', (two) and C.

It will be noted that the piece B' is not united to either the head or sill at the top or bottom. It is held in place solely by means of the interfold along its edges and the screw 511. By

.reason of the exposed position of this interfold (not in contact with the structure in which the frame is set) it is possible by loosening the screws 511 to withdraw piece B' altogether, thus securing access to the weightcompartments for purposes of repair.

Sas/a construction-As usual, the top sash runs in thevoutermost of the two runways. It has attached to it (by the cross-bars to be hereinafter described) two iiexible chains, which run over pulleys setin the pieces-B' B' near their top and carry the sash-weights in the usual manner. The weights, however, do not merely balance the sash', as is-usuallyy the case, but considerably overweight it, so that the sash ascends of its own accordp1sovided-Y itis not positively held in any lower positioni'nwhich it may beset. by means of similar cords and weights;` but the latter considerably underweight it, so that it descends to the bottom of its runway unless it is positively held in any raised position in which it may be set.

I will first describe the bottom sash.,` premising that in nearly all points the two sashesare similar. The bottom sash is shown in Figs. XI to XXI, inclusive, and also in partial section in Fig. II. The top cross-piece or meeting-rail of this sash is composedof the three pieces D, D', and D2, which are interfolded, as seen most clearly in Fig. XIX. The top or cover piece D2 is prolonged outwardly and bentso as to form a iiap whichwhen both sashes are closed interlocks with a corresponding iiap formed on the lower in.- ner corner of the meeting-rail of the top sash, so as to produce a very tight joint across the center of the window. The vertical side pieces or stiles of the sash are composed mainly of the piece E, see Figs. XIV and XV,-) which is so folded as to form both front and back and inner edge, including the moldings and groove for the glass, which latter is marked e. The remainder of each stile-namely, the' `edge which slides in the runway-fis formed of a movable or telescopic piece E', folded as seen in Figs. XIV and XV, its side edges be'- ing received into corresponding slots formed by the doubling of thel edges of piecev E. When these two pieces are pushed together or collapsed, as shown in Fig. XV, the sides of the sash arefree from' the runway; but when piece E' is protruded, as shown in Fig. XIV, it snugly engages the runway, and the sash cannot be removed fromA the frame. The telescopic motion of piece E' in relation to piece E is effected and controlled by toggle-joints distributed within the Stiles at con- The bottomsashish-ung IOO IIO

'venient verticaldistances'. In a sash of ordinary size two may be employed. Each of these toggle-joints consists of two links ff, pivoted together. The projecting end of piece f is pivoted to the piece E', as seen in Fig. XIV. The projecting end of piece f carries a longer transverse pivot f2, which runs across between the sides of piece E, in which it is set, and is formed at one end with a projecting square stem suitable to be engaged with a key. The ends of the links f f which are pivoted together form aknuckle-joint, which can move but a short distance below its central or fully-open position because of the stoppiece f3, its extreme position being shown in Fig. XVI, in which the piece E is fully projected and rmly held against lateral pressure unless link f is turned by the key upon lits pivot f2 and brought to the position shown in Fig. XVII, in which piece E is withdrawn, so as toallow removal of the sash or its rotation for cleaning or other purposes, as hereinafter described. The bottom rail of the sash is formed of two pieces Gr Gr, interfolded, as seen in the section appearing in Fig. II. At the corners the Stiles and the rails of each sash are interlocked to form a firm joint by means of a series of fiaps projecting from the rails and entering corresponding slots in the stiles and fastened by turning over, all of which is clearly shown and will be readily understood from the drawings. Thus the entire sash is formed by interfolding of sheetmetal pieces lengthwise and the interlocking of the same at the corners without the use of screws, bolts, or rivets, which give way under the influence of intense heat. When the rails and -Stiles have been united for the formation of the sash, the glass-groove e is completely formed, and by removing piece D2 the glass, which is preferably wire-glass,'may be slipped down into the groove and held in place by again inserting piece D2, which is in turn held in place by turning over the flaps e', which appropriately project from the piece E, as seen in Figs. XI and XIX. It will be seen that the interfold between the edges of the pieces D2 and the edges of the other pieces is entirely formed in the plane of the sash. It therefore results that when the fiapse are turned back the piece D2 may be raised out of place without the necessity of moving the window from the frame.

The top sash is formed in all respects similarly to the bottom sash, except that the meeting-rail which is provided with the overlapping flap D2 is here the bottom' rail, its Hap being marked H in Fig. XIX.

Autoritratto closing Zanica-I have already stated that both the upper and lower sashthe former by reason of its overweight and the latter by reason of its u'nderweightmaintain themselves in their closed positions except when they are otherwise placed and held by a friction device, which I will now describe.

This friction device or friction-shoe is attached approximately centrally to both stiles of both of the sashes. They are all alike, and I will therefore describe but one. It is represented in Figs. XXII to XXIV of the drawings, where, as before, E is the single piece of sheet metal out of which the main part of the stile is formed, and E the movable or telescopic piece which forms the outer edge of the stile fitting in the runway. K is a friction-shoe set against the outer edge of the stile and supported upon a cross-bar 7s, which passes through a suitable opening in the side of the piece E. The inner end of this cross-bar is attached to a long fiat metal spring J, which runs down the interior of the stile nearly centrally and is near the bottom deflected toward the inner edge, against which it finds its point of attachment. The normal pressure of this spring tends to force the shoe K outwardly against the side of the jamb, but not with sufficient pressure to hold the sash in an opened position. In order to increase the pressure of this spring sufciently to enable it to hold the sash, there is provided a link M, pivoted against the inner edge of the stile at m and having its free end bearing against the extended upper end of the flat spring In'. To this link M is attached a long rod N, which reaches down to near the bottom of the stile, where 'it is attached to a nut n upon a screw a', the head of which is seated in a countersunk cap n2 in the bottom edge of thesash, where it may be turned for adjustment from the outside. By sufficiently tightening this screw the rod N may be drawn so as to cause the link M to press against the spring it" sufliciently to force the shoe K outwardly with such pressure asv to maintain the sash in any open position in which it may be placed. Within the cap n2 at the bottom of the sash a fusible plug P is inserted between the end of the cap and the head of the screw. There is also a coiled spring p interposed between the end of the cap and the nut a. Ifnow by reason of any undue rise of the temperature inthe room in which the window is set the fusible plug P is caused to melt, the pressure of the spring p immediately forces the rod N and the link M upward, thus releasing the shoe K from that pressure which maintained it in its open position and allowing it torise or fall, as the case may be, to its closed position, thus in the case of fire bringing about the immediate closure of all open windows in a building fitted with my invention. It will be observed that the cross-bar 7G, which connects the shoe K with the spring la', is not integral throughout, but is broken at one point, with interposition of an axial pivot g. The purpose of this is to allow the sash to be swung upon this pivot when required, so as to obtain access to its outside-as, for instance, for cleaning purposes-without the necessity of removing the entire shoe from its runway.

IOO

Aas

To'effect this, the telescopic piece E is withdrawn into its collapsed position by means of the keys which have been spoken of without releasing or altering the pressure which forces the shoe K out with force enough to hold the sash in position. In this way'the sides of the sash are freed from all connection with the jambs, except that resulting from the shoe K. In this connection the entire sash may be partially rotated on the cross-bars lr, (which are in alinement with each other) as upon a pivot. The sash-chains being attached to the crossbars do not interfere with this swinging of the sashes.

In Figs. XXV and XXVI, I have shown an alternative form of the automatic pressure device for the shoes of the sash. The shoe, the bar 7s, and the spring lo remain as heretofore described; but instead of employing the link M and the rod N the necessary pressure upon the spring is obtained by means of a screw R, which engages a threaded aperture near the top of the spring r'. This screw finds its point of resistance in a fusible strip r, which runs from one side of the stile to the other, as seen in Fig. XXVI. By suitably tightening the screw R, for which purpose a hole r is arranged alongside its head, the requisite pressure may be obtained to operate the shoe, while, as before, any undue rise of temperature melts the fusible strip r, releasing the pressure and allowing the sashes to close themselves.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. A jamb for a non-combustible windowframe consisting of two pieces of sheet metal united by the interfolding of their proximate edges; one of which forms the facing with its runways; while the other forms the rest of the jamb; and a parting-bead, in the shape of an approximately central infold of the lastmentioned piece, to the extremity of which the first-mentioned piece is detachably secured, substantially as described.

2. A jamb for a non-combustible windowframe formed by the union of two pieces of sheet metal; and strengthened by an approximately central Vertical infold, extending from one of the pieces, and united at its top to the other piece, substantially as described.

3. A non-Combustible window-sash, the meeting-rail of which is formed of three pieces of sheet metal interfolded with each other along their edges, one forming the front, one the back, and one the cover-piece; the interfolds between the edges of the cover-piece and the edges of the other-'pieces being wholly in the plane ofthe sash, whereby the cover-piece may be removed for the insertion or removal of the glass without removing the sash from the frame, substantially as described.

4;. A non combustible window sash, the meeting-rail of which is formed of three pieces of sheet metal interfolded with each other; the cover-piece being interfolded along its edges with the edges of the other pieces by folds in the plane of the sash, and held in place by flaps projecting from the. Stiles of the sash, with which it is interlocked by their being turned over, substantially as described.

5. A non-combustible window-sash, the upper rail of which is formed of three pieces of sheet metal which form respectively the front, the back and the cover piece; the lower edges of the front and back pieces being separated from each other for the reception of the glass; the upper edges of the front and back pieces being turned in to form the upper corners of the rail, and then running first down and then up so as to form deep folds in planes parallel with the glass, one on either side thereof; and the cover-piece having its edges turned downwardly so as to be received and held within said folds, substantially as described.

6. A window-sash provided with atelescopic outer edge along the stile fitting the runway; and one or more toggle-joints uniting the telescopic piece to the stile; the link of said toggle-joint which is attached to the stile having the end of its pivot formed to fit a suitable key, and projecting through to the accessible side of the stile, substantially as-described.

' 7. In a window-sash the combination of a stile with a telescopic outer edge fitting the runway; and one or more toggle-joints uniting the telescopic piece to the stile, the link which is attached to the stile having the end of its pivot formed to fit a suitable key, and projecting through to the accessible side of the stile; said toggle being provided with a knuckle-joint, where these links are pivoted, whereby it is prohibited from further motion after the central pivot is depressed slightly below the vertical, substantially as described.

8. In a non-combustible window-sash which by its weight or overweight tends to close itself; a shoe projecting from the side of the stile into the runway; a flat spring upon one end of which said shoe is mounted, the other end being attached to the stile; and means whereby pressure of said spring effective to project the'shoe with force enough to main- IOO IIO

tain the sash in its open position` is obtained by adjustment of a screw, the resistance-point of which is a fusible plug, upon the melting of which said effective pressure is released, substantially as described. v

9. In a non-combustible window the combination of a sash which by its weight or overweight tends to close itself; a pivoted rotatable shoe projecting midway from the stile of the sash into the runway; a spring tending to force said shoe into the runway; and means whereby pressure of said spring effective to maintain the sash in its open position is obtained by the adjustment of a screw, the head of which rests wit-hin a' cap countersunk within the bottom rail of the sash; and a fusible 1903, in the presence of two subscribing witplug interposed between the head of the screw nesses. and the end oi' the cap, by the meltingq of which the pressure of the spring is released, substan- JOHN W' WATKINS 5 tially as described. Witnesses:

In testimony whereof I have signed-my name JAMES H. BELL,

to this specification, this 31st day of August, M. K. TRUMBORC.

Images