US833061A - Fireproof window. - Google Patents

Description

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 -M 4 w 0 I I 23% II. 0 6 d. a KM U 6 e F M o 6 6 W 4 5 m0 mg a d [7106116010 K 120% UCLS'. I 9 01/6 PATENTED OCT. 9, 1906. J. KNITTWEIS. FIREPROOF WINDOW.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 26. 1906.

PATENTED OCT. 9, 1906.

J. KNITTWEIS. FIREPROOF WINDOW. APPLICATION PILEDAPB. 26. 1906.

2 SHEBTS-SHEBT 2.

Willis 1 660mm curd/0 M UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

JAooB KNITrWEIs, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. i

' FIREPROOF wmoow.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAcoB KNITTWEIS, a sub'ect of the German Emperor, residing in Philadel hia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain im rovements in Fireproof Windows, of w 'ch the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to rovide a construction of window-frame an sashes, such that either one or both of said sashes may be easily removed from the frame in order that the outside surface of the windowglass may be cleaned without the necessity or the cleaner being outside of the window.

A further object of the invention is to rovide counterbalance-weights for the sas es, frictional retarding means for the sashweights, and a fusible device for releasing said retarding means to permit the counterweights to cause closing of the sashes in the event of a rise of temperature in their vicinity such as would be caused by fire, the device as a Whole being designed to cause both the upper and lower sashes to automatically move to and remain in their closed positions in the event of such abnormal temperature use.

These objects I attain as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section of a windowframe and its sashes, illustrating in detail my invention as applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of certain of the,v

sash-controlling mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section, on an enlarged scale, illustrating the detail construction of a portion of the sash structure. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a form of hook which may be used to force the guidingsection of the sash into the side member thereof in order to permit said sashto be swung on its horizontal pivots, and Fig. 6 is a pers ective view illustratin in detail certain of t e mechanism for gui 'ng the movable side portions of the sash.

In the above drawings, A represents a fireproof window-frame of sheet metal provided with hollow side sections for the reception of sash-weights b and b, respectively belonging to the lower and u per sashes. The inner vertical faces of said side membersare provided with vertically-extending sash-guideways a and a, of which the first is designed to receive the lower sash B and the second to Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed April 86, 1906. Serial No 313,827.

Patented Oct. 9, 1906.

receive the upper sash B. Said sashes, as is 1nhese ed outwardly. to form the bearing-surfaces of the side members of they sash, being finally bent at right angles to said surface and rigidlyv clamped or held vto the main sheet metal of said side members.

Extendin longitudinally within the guideways a an a of the window-frame are trough-sha ed guide-sections D, also of sheet metal, one or each side member of each sash I), open on the face adjaand of substantially the same length thereas.

These ide-sections are outwardly flanged along t eir longitudinal ed es, as shown at d,

so as to engage the inward y-flanged portion b of the internal casings b Eac section D is, moreover, free to move bodily into and out of its casing b from the position shown in 'full lines in Fig. 4 to the position shown in dotted lines, there being links (1 extend ng between and ivoted to the inner surface'of the casing and in any desired manner to the inside surface of the guide-section D. A metallic block b is slidably mounted in a slot in the inner por-" tion of the casing 17 at approximately its middle point, and from this there extend rods b, loosely connected to said block b as well as to the blocks (P, which, as above noted, are fixed to the guide-section D. Also project ing from each block b of the lower sash is a pin or pintle b, to which is pivotally attached one end of a chain or cable 15?, connected to the sash-weightb. Similarchains b connect the similar pivot-pins of the u per sash B with the corresponding weights It will be understood that mechanism similar to that described is provided for each side of the upper and lower sashes B and B it being noted that the sashweights b for the lower sash are of such a mass that in the absence of the device hereinafter described they will be overbalanced by said sash, being also pivoted to blocks (1, fixed insuflicient to maintain the latter in its raised osition. The weights b" for the up per sas on .the other hand, are of such a mass that they overbalance said sash, and

similarly in the absence of the device herein-.

after described will move it to and maintain it in it's closed position.

The device above referred to for normally maintaining the sashes in any position in which they may be placed consists in the present instance of a casting E, placed one on each of the upper side portlons of and within the hollow window-frame. Upon each casting are suitably journaled the two pulleywhecls c and c or the reception of the chains or cables connecting the sash-weights with their respective sashes, and there is for said two pulley-wheels e and e a brake-shoe e placed to bear upon them and fixed to and guided by a rod 0 This rod has connected to it one end of an n wardly-extending spring 6, the other end 0 which is attached to a chain or cable e, passing upwardly and around a curved or bent-up portion of the metallic frame. The upper end of this chain 6 is connected to a link through which loosely passes the central portion of a second chain or cable e, whose ends are attached, res ectively, to a pair of independently-revolu .)le spindles F, veach spindle, therefore, having connected to it one end of each chain c, comin from opposite sides of the windowframe. aid spindles F project through the respective faces of the top members of the window-frame and are squared at their ends for the reception of a wrench or crank whereby they may be turned. In addition each of these spindles has fixed to it a plate or disk f,

rojecting through the lower horizontal surace of the top member of the window-frame, as shown in Fig. 1. There are in the periphery of each plate a series of small holes adapted to receive a pin or plug f, composed of metal designed to fuse at a predetermined sash-weights b.

and relatively low tem erature and so placed as to engage the win ow-frame' to-prevent revolution of the plate.

In order to set the device, a suitable wrench is applied to the squared end of either one of the s indles, which is thereby turned so as to win up one end of each of the chains 0', connected to it, and thereby cause tension to be exerted upon the chains e and the springs e, so as to force the brake-shoes e against their res eetive sets of sash-pulleys with a force su cient to prevent the lower sash returning to' its closed position under the action of its weights 1) after it has been moved from such position. The action upon the upper sash is similar, since this also will now remain in anv position in which it is placed, because of the ressure upon the sash-pulleys exerted by t e brake-shoes e in spite of the overbalancing tendency of the After sufficient amounts of the chains e have been wound upon the spindle F to cause the brake-shoes to exert the desired tension upon their pulleys thepin f is inserted in one of the holes in the late f on said spindle,'.it being understood t at a pin has previously been placed in the plate f of the other spindle, the fusible pins in both 'cases being inserted in that ortion of the plates projecting through the ace of the windew-frame. If new the temperature of the atmosphere or metal in the vicinity of either of the pins f be raised above the predetermined point at which the pinsf fuse-as, for example, by a fire-said ms will melt, thereby releasing the brake-s oes from frictional engagement with their respective pulleys. Under such conditions, owing to the unbalanced state of the various sashes, these will automatically return to their closed positions, since the lower sash overbalances its weights, while the upper sash is overbalanced by its weights.

In order to swing one of the sashes upon its pins b" as an axis, so as to obtain access to the outside surface of the glass, I raise the lower sash, for example, and by inserting hooks, such as that shown at G in Fi 5, through opening 9 in the lower ends 0 each guidesection I) and pulling downwardly on said section I cause these latter to move into the casings I) under the action of the-connecting links d' and rods (1. In order to permit of this action, the blocks If slide in their slots, it being understood that the connection between the rods and their adjacent parts is such as to cause the said guide-section to each move parallel to itself. The guidepieces D are thus brought into the positions shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, with their outer edges free of the guideways in the sashframe, so that the sash B may be revolved upon its pins b as an axis, there being, preferably, bearing-pieces b attached to the lower ends of the chains 1; for the reception of the heads of said pins After the necessary cleaning of the glass has been accomplished the sash is returned to its normal vertical I osition, when, owing to its own wei ht, it moves bodily downward relative y to the guide-sections D, which are connected to the block b and to the end of the sash-chains, the links (1 moving on their pivots to permit of this action. By this downward movement the top and bottom portions of-the guide-sections are forced outwardly into the guideways of the sash-frame, and the sash is then in condition for operation as before.

I claim 1. The combination of a windowframe, a sash movable therein, a counter weight or weights having a flexibleconnection attache ing it to said sash and so proportioned relatively to the sash as to cause it to automatically return from its open toits closed positionunless otherwise prevented, with means operative on said flexible connection for maintaining the sash in any position in its frame to which it is moved, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a window-frame, a

sash movable therein, a counter weight or weights an weights having flexible connections with said sash and-so proportioned relatively to the sash as to cause it to automatically return from an open to a closed position unless otherwise prevented, a pulley for the flexible connections, and means operative on the pulism in operative condition, substantially as described. V 4. The combination of'a window-frame, a sash therein, weights for the sash, pulleys, chains passing over the pulleys and connecting the wei' hts'to the sash, the masses of the weights an sash being so proportioned as to cause said sash to automatic-ally'move from its open to its closed position unless prevented, braking mechanism for the pulleys including shoes acting thereon, springs active to press the, shoes into engagementwith the pulleys, with a connection for maintaining said springs under strain, said connection including a body of fusible material whereby it may be released in the event of a predetermined rise of temperature, substantially as described. v Y

5. The combination of a window-frame, two sashes therein, pulleys for the sashes, weights for the lower sash of a mass less than the same, weights for the upper sash of a mass greater than said upper sash, chains connecting said wei hts to their respective sashes, brake-shoes or the pulleys, a spring connected to each'brake-shoe, and adjust-' able connections between the springs and the window-frame, with fusible material included in said connections for releasing the shoes from the pulley-wheels under conditions of abnormal rise of temperature, substantially as described.

6. The combination of a window-frame,

two sashes therein,.pulleys for the sashes,

weights for the lower sash of a mass less than the same, weights for the upper sash of a mass greater than said 'upper sash, chains connecting said weights to. their respective sashes, brake-shoes for the pulleys, a spring connected to each brake shoe, and means connected to the springs for maintaining them in condition to press the shoes against the pulley-wheels, with fusible material included in said connectin means and there laced to permit the re ease I of the shoes om the pulley-wheels in the event of an abnormal temperature rise on either face of the window frame,

subtantially as described 7. The combination of a window-frame, a

sash movable therein, a counter weight or weightsconnected to said sash and so proportioned relatively thereto as to cause it to automatically return from its open'to its closed position unless otherwise prevented, with a frictionally-acting device operative on theconnections between the counter weight orweights for maintaining the sash in any position to which it may be moved in its frame, substantially as described.

8. The combination of a window-frame, a sash movable therein, a counter weight or weights connected to said sash and so proportioned relatively thereto as to cause it to automatically return from its open to its closed position unless otherwise prevented, with a device placed to act on the connections between each counterweight and sash for retarding movement of the sash in the frame and maintaining it in any position to which it may be moved, and means for adjusting the amount of the retarding force exerted by said device, substantially as described.

9. The combination of awindow-frame, a sash movable therein, a counter Weight or Weights connected. to said sash and so proportioned relatively thereto as to cause it to for normally preventing closing of said sash including a pulley-wheel for the flexible connection, a brake-shoe operative thereon, a revoluble member, a second flexible connection between the brake-shoe and said member, with a piece of fusible material for normally preventing revolution of the member and for maintaining thebrakeshoe in englagement with the pulley, substantially asescribed. I

1 1. The combination of a window-frame, a sash movable therein, counterweights for the sash having flexible connections therewith, braking devices operative on the flexible connections, a revoluble member projecting through a portion of the window-frame, with flexible connections between the braking devices and said revoluble member, and a plug of fusible material for preventing revolution of the member and maintaining the braking devices in condition to retain the sash in any given position in the frame, substantially as descri ed.

' fitting one of said holes for preventing revolution of the disks, two chains having their ends respectively connected to each spindle, a spring attached to each chain, with a friction-producing device connected to each of said springs. and operative to prevent movement of the sash, substantially asdesoribed.

13. The'combination of a window-frame, a sash. movable therein, a pulley-wheel on each side of the sash, sash-weights having flexible connections with the sash respectively extending. around said pulley-wheels, brakeshoes for the pulley-wheels, a spring attached to each brake-shoe, a chain connected to each spring and made in two parts, of which one is free to'move relatively to the-other, two independently-revoluble spindles each having connected to and wound upon it one end of each chain, disks on said spindles respectively projecting through opposite faces of the window-frame, there being holes around the periphery of said disks, and plugs of fusible material constructed to enter any of said holes and retain the disks in osition to cause the brake-shoes to frictional y bear upon the pulleys,-substantially as described.

14. The combination of a window-frame, a sash .verticall movable therein, each side sash member eing provided with a face portion movable toward and from it, a sashweight for each side of the sash, and a flexible connection between said weight and said face portion, with means for causing said face portions to be normally maintained in their outer positions b reason ofthe weight of the sash, substantial y as described.

15. The combination of a window-frame, a sash member therein having side members provided with face portions normally extending into the window-frame but movable into said side members to-permit removal. of the sash, sash-weights having flexible connections with said face portions, there bein a pivot-pin interposed between the flexi 'le connection and each face portion,- and links connectin each face portion with its side sash mem er, substantially as described.

16. The combination of a sash havin -hol low side members provided with longitudinally-extending and inwardly-projecting flanges, face portions for-each side member movable into and out of the hollows thereof,

a window-frame forsaid-sash provided with j guideways. for the reception of said'face portions, sash-weights, flexible connections attaching saidweights to the respective face portions, links movably connecting the face portions to the sash, and a pivotal connection between each face portion and its flexible connection, substantially as described.

17. The combination of a sash having hollow side members, a face portion foreach side member movable into and out of the same, links connecting each face portion with the sash, a pivot-pin. mo'vably connected; to each face portion, sash-Weights for the sash, chains connecting-the sash-weights with the respective pivot-pins, and a window-frame for the sash having longitudinally-extending recesses for the reception of the face portions,

In testimony whereof I have signed my I name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

' JACOB KNITTWEIS. Witnesses:

GERTRUDE M. DENNY, WALTER OHIsM.

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