US2226721A - Means for balancing window sashes - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 31,- 1940. Q 1 HUFF Mms FOR BALANCING WINDOW s AsHEs .3 sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March so,l 1938 Dei, 1940. @.LHUFF 2,226,721

MEANS FOR BALNCING WINDOW SASHES ,A Filed March 50 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 )s .50

Dec. 3l, 1940. G, HUFF 2,226,721

MEANS FOR BALANCING WINDOW SASHES Filed Marfoh- 30, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Ire/Pfaff @oz/Idee( lo; y .fifa/Zay Patented Dec'.*3l, 1940 PATET OFFICE' MEANS 'FOR BALANCNG WINDOW SASHES Gilbert L. Huil', Chicago, Ill., assignor to Rock Island Sash and Door Works, Rock Island, lll.,

a corporation of I llinoi Application March so, 193s, serial No. 198,947

Claims.

The present invention relates to window balances of the spring-actuated type.

'I'he advent lof thin walls in modern houses makes necessary the use of thin windows, and it 5 is diicult to provide therein the usual sash Weights. 'I'he present invention provides an improved sash` balance for use in thin windows.

'I'he object of the invention is to provide a balance suitable for thin window-frames, which is easily inserted in the head of the frame, which does not greatly weaken the head of the frame; which may be oi the center line of the sash; which serves both cords of a sash; which is selfadjusting in installing to equalize tension; which is easily put and held in tension; which is protected from damage by settling of dust and the like thereon after installation; and which is simple in construction and relatively inexpensive.

Various other and ancillary objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentV from the following description and explanation of the device and installation thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a window equipped with a balance for each sash thereof.

' Fig. 2 is a plan view of the window of Fig. 1 on line 2-2 thereof, showing the location of the balances offcenter from the sashes, in the window-frame head.

Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are various devices used for attaching wire cord or cable to the sash.

Fig. 7 is a face view of a balance looking at it, as it appears in looking at Fig. 1, on line 'I-l of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 -is an enlarged cross-'section of the window of Figs. 1 and 2 showing two balances with detail, the view being taken on line 8-f8 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of axial parts to be assembled vin producing the balance.

Fig. 10 is a front elevation of a pulley xture shown generally at the right in Fig. 1 which goes with each balance, when used for both cords of a sash.

4 Fig. 11 is a cross-section of the pulley fixture of Fig. 10 taken on line II-II of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 shows in perspective the casing parts of the pulley fixture.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact forms and combinations disclosed in the drawings, and that the invention is subject to numerous modications and changes within the scope of the appended claims.

In' Fig. 1 there is shown a window having interior ytrim IIJ, concealing the window frame having sides II and I2, terminating in horns I3 and I4, and head member I5 set into a receiving groove in each side member II and I2. Lower and upper sash I6 and Il are shown, each operated by its respective balance I8 and I9 (Fig. 2). F At the head on the underside is a parting stop 2li (Fig. 8), set into a groove 2| therefor in the head, and the parting stops 22. set in the frame sides I I and I2.

Referring to Fig. 2 and Fig. 8, it willbe seen m that the twc balances I8 and I9 are respectively further inw. rd and outward from the center lines of the s ishes giving a wider space between them in the head I5 in the vicinity where it is` weakened by groove 2I. Becauseeach balance is l5 set into a recess cut into the head, the width of this space is important in preserving strength in the head, and the thinner the balance is, the greater is thisadvantage. The construction of the` balance permitting this off-center location is 20 therefore an important feature.

The balance itself is completely housed on the upper side so that dust, dirt and plaster cannot collect on it to damage it. On the down-side, where it is flush with the inside surface of head 25 I5, it is open. The open character permits aflixing the cords, tensioning the spring, and free play for the cords.

The casing is best shown in Fig. 9 as having an arch plate 25 providing a mounting end 26 flush 30 with the frame side' II, and a right-angular mounting end 21 flush with the underside of the head I 5, with an upset brace portion 28.

The arch plate 25 is held between two face plates or caps 29 and 30, each having flanged 35 edges 3| and 32 to receive the edges of the arch plate 25. Tongues 33 on the arch plate t slots 34 in the caps, and are bent over to assemble the parts permanently. A fixed hollow split post 35 extends from face 29 to 30, to each of which 40 y it is. secured similarly by tongues 36 and slots 3l.

Thus the post holds the central parts of the caps in a fixed position. The slot in the post is designated 38.

Post 35 acts both as an axle for drum 40 and 45 as a fixture for one end of a spiral spring 4I inside the drum. The drum 40 is formed by an annular member formed integrally with a larger toothed disk 42, and may -be made asa die-casting with appropriate detailed structures. The 50 periphery of drum 40 is of less diameter than the toothed disk, so that the latter provides a iange for one end of the drum, to guide the cable and to keep it on the drum in winding. The open faceof the said casting has cover 43 providing a 55 flange on the other end of the drum. It is secured tothe drum by inserting the die-cast pins 44 of the drum into registering holes 45 in the cover, and upsetting or spreading them as rivets. Thus the drum is well sealed. Cover 43 has an inclined lip 41 (Fig. 8) providing a bevelled flange for the drum, and an upset or dished part 48 surrounding hole 46, which hole bears on post 35. The dished portion extends toward the cap on casing face 30, and between the two a fiber friction disk 49 is placed.

The drum (Fig. '1) has two inner projecting parts 50 (of which only one is used at a time) adapted to engage the hooked end 5| of spring 4|, the other end of which has a rounded loop or eye 52 tting inside the hollow post 35, thus securing it to the axle or post. Thus by simply turning the drum counter-clockwise in Fig. 1, the spring is placed under tension. A gravity operated detent 53 hasa slot 54 through which passes a headed rivet 55 to secure it`loosely for motion' onto rear plate or cap 29. The detent has teeth '56 to mesh with toothed disk 42. The latter is toothed over its entire periphery as a gear so that it may be arrested at any position by moving detent 53. into engaging position. Force of the spring to turn the drum 40 clockwise in Fig. 7 holds the detent in engaging position, but any movement counter-clockwise of the drum will easily let the detent fall automatically by gravity into its norma-l or non-holding position. This facili-tetes resetting the device in tension, and using the balance, even when it is installed. The detent also serves as a guide to keep cable from running onto the tops of the flange teeth. An important feature of the detent is its ability to hold the drum in factory-wound tension of'a predetermined degree. The detent need not be released from the pre-wound drum until the device is installed and the weight of the window Aexerted on the drum. The balance may thus be prewound for given weights of window, and so marked, to assure perfect operation. Anyone may install the device with ordinary tools and without exercise of judgment on tension.

On the outside of the drum certain peripheral portions are removed to leave projecting parts 51, one of which need not be used. Two parallel holes 58 (Figs. 7, 8 and 9) are formed throughthe projecting part, generally parallel with a tangent line to the drum surface, but inwardly of it, for the receipt of cable wire 59. Preferably one cable length 59 is used for one sash, an intermediate portion being looped at 60 after passing through holes 58, providing the two lengths of cord for each sash. The position of the loop is easily shifted in installing it and may be automatically located by tensioning the cords after the ends are fastened to the sash. It is also to be understood that each of the cord-blocks 51 may be used where it is desired to have two separate lengths of cord. It is also worthy of mention that the drum 40 may be moved to bring to the open face of the casing, either cord-block 51 where it is readily accessible to attach or loop a cord, even when the balance is already installed. As shown in Fig. '1, the single cable, looped at 60 has one length 59 delivered from the drum sufciently close to the frame side I I to run directly to the lower sash I6 for attachment at 6|. 'I'he other length provides cable 62 for the other side of the sash, and to keep it alined just below the inside of head I5, a wooden pulley or cylinder 63 is located in the balance on axle pin 64 between the facial caps 29 and 30. Cable 62 is shown attached to ilower sash I6 at 65 after passage through pulley fixture 66. It is particularly to be observed that the drum as mounted in the casing, is fully above the underside of the head I5. Thus it is free from being struck by a sash. Although the idler is slightly below the casing cap 29 (see Fig. 7) to deliver cable 62 free from rubbing, the cable itself really takes the force if the top of a sash is raised to the head. For the upper sash balanced by such a device, the top sash member may be slightly 'recessed to receive 'any projecti.1g parts of the devices herein described.

In order to keep the head space clear for raising the lower sash to the top, and for accommodating the closed upper sash, the pulley flxture 66 is provided to carry cords 62 up into the head to come down alongside the frame side I2, like the cords 59. A suitable fixture is shown in Figs. 10, l1 and 12.

Because the preferred cable is. a bronze or stainless steel single or multiple strand cable of numerous ne sizes of wire, the same is subject to acquiring a permanent curl if a small size of pulley is employed for a substantial turn.

In the pulley fixture 66 a suiciently large diameter of pulley is employed to assure no permanent set in the cable. Two slightly grooved pulleys 10 and 1| of hard wood are preferred, and are located to center the cable with the sash. Being thinner than the companion balance, it is preferably centered with the sash, where the balance is not, and the same order of spacing exists at the paired pulley fixtures as at the paired balances to keep the strength of the head I5, near the groove 2| therein.

The xture is designed for self-threading of the cable into and out of the fixture by merely pushing it along. Two face plates 12 and 13 have anges 14 and 15 which engage over the doublearched plate 1B. Arched plate 16 has tongues 11 which t into gaps 18 in the flanges 14 and 15, some or all of the tongues being bent over the plates 12 and 13 to clamp them together. Pulleys 10 and 1| are mounted on pins 19 set in the face plates. Between the pulleys, the face plates 12 and 13 are upset towards each other to provide a narrow space between upset faces to guide cable 62 to the center of the fixture in line with the grooves of the pulleys. Plates 12 and 13 at the open face of the assembled casing have abutting spacing lugs 8| and 82. Arched plate 16 has attaching ends much likethe balance, for example, the angular part 83 for the underside of the frame head I5, and extension end 84 for the frame side I2.

In Fig. 4 a cord fastener is shown which may be used on new window sash (Fig. 3) equipped with wire cable 9|. This is a simple plate 92 with inverted key-hole slot 93 and a screw hole 94 for screw 95. y A knot 96 in the cable is sulficient to secure the cable. Where sash is already grooved for window rope, such as used for sash weights, the special tting of Fig. 5 may be used. This has a curved body 91 to flt the groove in the sash; a sort of key-hole slot 98, a cover lug 99 for the top of the groove, with a hole |00 therein for the cable |0I. A screw hole |02 is formed in the body of the fixture. Hole |00 is large enough to receive the knotted end of the cable |0I, and the bayonet slot 98 is open in the area of the curved body to receive the knot while the sash equipped with this fastener is already in mounted position in the frame.

Where the loop 30 is used in the preferred manner for attaching a single cable to the drum to provide equally tensioned lengths of cable, devices like, those of Figs. 4 and 5 are suitable for both sides of the sash. The ends are affixed to the sash, the slack taken up from the points of attachment, through the pulley fixture, up to the cord-block on the drum. All the slack is pushed through holes 58 in the cord block' to produce even tension, and then the Wound drum'is permitted to unwind until it takes lup all the slack on the loop side of the cord block. This produces quick and permanent adjustment to equalize the tension.

However, where it may be desirable for any reason to run two cords, each fastened to the drumv40 independently, there should be some means readily to equalize the tension. This may be provided by a device at the sash like that in Fig. 6. The sash |03 is grooved at |04 to receive the device which comprises a screw or stud |05 carried by the sash over which the end of the cord |06 is looped. A plate |01 at the top of the sash is secured thereto by screw |08, and has a hole |09 through which the cord |06 passes. The plate also carries a screw-headed shaft freely turnable in the plate, pointing toward stud and threaded at its lower end, on which it bears a nut-device held from turning by the sides of slot |04. The nut carries the end of cable |05. By turning the screw-headed shaft, the nut can be raised to take up tension in the cord. This adjusting attachment lmay be used also where a looped cable is originally adjusted with equal tension, to take up or let out cord where the cord may have stretched in the unequal lengths.

The balanceA device is an assembly calculated to be permanent, and so constructed. It is therefore of importance that the spring 4| be of high quality, protected from exposure to corrosion, and of structure limiting a tendency to break. Spring steel, when sharply bent, or when drilled with holes for securing it, is greatly weakened, and presents a potential danger spot. The structure of long or rounded curves to provide the hook 5|, and the eye 52 is therefore of considerable importance in connection with long life of the device.

Balances of such intended permanence heretofore have presented diculty in improper reversal of drum, or back-running, when the spring is not in tension. The slotted post 35 has been used heretofore, but with a structure in the spring to engage with it, such that the spring may slip out in back-running. By the large eye 52 the spring is non-insertable and non-removable through the slot, and must be secured in the post axially through the end of it.

The spring 4| is merely exemplary of spring power means to actuate the cable drum 40. As a matter of economy and compactness, it is mounted inside the drum. It is therefore to be lunderstood that it may be located elsewhere, for example outside the drum, the toothed wheel 42 being a suitable gear for an operating connection. For heavy sash, where the lsize of the drum cannot house a sufficiently large drum, such external power means may be applied by gearing to the drum, or in the same way auxiliary power may be added to the spring inside the drum.

By turning Fig. 7 to its side, making member I3 a head and member l5 a frame side, it will be seen that the balance may be installed in the side as well as the head. Y Not only does the present invention concern the structure of the balance, but it also involves the whole assembly of frame, sash, cable, balance,

and pulley fixture. The various features of the invention are of course subject to numerous modifications and changes, falling within the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim: 1-

1. A sash balance comprising in combination a housing adapted to be mounted in a window frame head by a side of the window frame, a fixed axle in said housing, a hollow cable drum in said housing rotatable on said axle, and open only atk the drum, said spring acting through the drum' to hold said detent in engagement with the drum, and said detent being automatically removed from its holding position upon reverse rotation of the drum against the force of the spring, means on the surface of the drum for holding cable for winding two lengths thereofv simultaneously on the drum, the drum being located in the housing to deliver one length along the said window frame side, and an idler pulley in the housing for guiding the other length under the frame head toward the opposite frame side.

2. In a sash balance a fixed axle, a closed hollow cable drum rotatable on said axle and open to the interior only by the clearance at said axle,

a spiral spring inside the drum, one end of the.

spring being attached to the axle and the other end being attached to theA interior of the drum for winding and* operating the drum, said drum having a generally cylindricalcontour at the exterior as a winding surface for cable and being recessed inwardly-from said contour, a projecting part within the recess extending toward and not beyond said contour, said part being adapted to secure the looped end of a single looped cable to the drum at a level within said contour and in region separated from the hollow interior of the drum.

3. In a sash balance having a rotatable drum having a generally cylindrical surface for winding sash cable, a spring inside the drum for operating the drum, an axle on which the drum turns and to which one end of the spring is attached, said drum being substantially sealed against dirt and dust except for the clearance at said axle, and a projecting part on the surface of the drum having two holes therethrough opening on one side to receive cable wrapped on the drum. whereby a cable length may lpass into one hole and return through the other to secure the cable to thedrum, the surface of the drum being recessed to support said projecting part, and said projecting part lying within the contour of the generally cylindrical winding surface.

4. In a sash balance having a rotatable drum having a generally cylindrical surface for winding sash cable, a spring inside the drum for operating the drum, an axle on which the drum turns and to which one end of the spring is attached, said drum being substantially sealed against dirt and dust except for the clearance at said axle, and a projecting part on the surface of the drum having a hole therethrough opening to receive cable wrapped on the' drum whereby said hole, the surface of the drum being recessed to support said projecting part, and said projecting part lying within the contour of the generally cylindrical winding surface.

5.' A sash balance comprising in combination a housing adapted to be mounted inl a window frame, a xed axle in said housing, a hollow cable drum in said housing rotatable on said axle. a spiral spring in said drum connecting the axle and the drum, permitting rotation of the drum in a spring-winding direction'and in a. springunwinding direction,means to attach cable to cable may be secured to the drum after entering be wound on said drum, circularly disposed teeth concentric with and turning with said drum, a detent for locking the drum with the spring partly wound, means for mounting the detent for manual movement in locking engagement with the teeth oi' the drum, said spring acting through the drum to hold said detent in engagement with the drum, and said detent being automatically removed from its holding position upon reverse rotation of the drum against the force of 10 the spring.

l GILBERT L. HUFF.

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