Patent Application
20110314743
The present invention relates to the field of home security and more particularly relates to a lockable jack for the lifting of window well covers.
Basement windows are required by law to allow for emergency egress if the room in which they are situated is used as a living area. This makes sense in an effort to save lives. However, when complying with this mandate, a builder must leave a gaping hole, or well, around the window on the outside. This presents a hazard as people, animals or objects may then fall into the window well. Covers have been developed to address this issue. Window well covers are usually a metal grate or a solid plastic, metal or wood cover that is positioned over the well. These covers must not hinder egress and must be removable by someone positioned inside the window without the use of special tools or effort.
Window well covers must also be easily lifted. Unfortunately current covers, in particular metal grates, meet the maximum standards required for weight, which means they can still be difficult for the elderly or young to lift. This is especially true as the cover must be either held above the escapee's head as they escape or physically moved to one side or another, likewise above the escapee's head. Various window well cover designs have been developed that are spring or shock biased to aid in the lifting of the covers.
The problem of security must also be addressed. Window wells can be a concealed point of access into a dwelling. To prevent this problem, various locks have been devised that secure the window well cover while also being relatively easy to unlock. Unfortunately, when the cover is made easier to lift, it presents a security risk. If the cover is locked down, it presents a safety risk, both with egress and emergency crew ingress. What is needed then is a device that addresses all of these concerns—removing and holding the cover out of the way for safe egress while also minimizing security risk and allowing for emergency ingress.
The present invention is a jack for use with window well covers. The jack is lockable in a stowed position, which serves to secure the window well cover in a closed position, while removable from the outside with the proper tools (usually already in possession of emergency crews) and effort. In use, the jack is unlocked from its stowed position and is easily and intuitively actuated to lift the window well cover with minimal effort. The jack also serves as a brace for the window well cover after it has been lifted.
The present invention represents a departure from the prior art in that the jack of the present invention addresses both emergency egress and security issues associated with window well covers.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of window well cover devices, this invention provides a lockable window well cover jack. As such, the present invention's general purpose is to provide a new and improved window well cover device that is lockable in a secure position, holding the window well cover shut, while also easily unlocked and actuated to remove the window well cover and allow for emergency egress through the window.
To accomplish these objectives, the lockable window well cover jack comprises two hinged arms, a base arm and an actuator handle, and a third support arm hingedly attached to the actuator handle. The base arm depends from the window well ledge and the actuator handle further depends from the base arm and is secured to the window well wall at a locking point. The support arm extends from the actuator handle and is connected to the window well cover. In use, the actuator handle is unlocked and thrust upwards. This then forces the support arm and associated window well cover upwards. When entirely lifted, the arms lock with respect to each other to hold the window well cover ajar and out of the way for escapees to egress through the window. The connection to the window well cover may be broken from the outside, if the cover is a grate type cover, with a standard pair of bolt cutters found in most emergency crew equipment. While this allows access to emergency crews, it is a sufficient deterrent to would-be thieves as most are interested in easy access and do not carry such equipment. In an alternate embodiment, the actuator handle is spring biased to further ease the lifting of the window well cover. It is also an embodiment of the invention to not have the actuator handle lockable, though this counters the goal of security.
The more important features of the invention have thus been outlined in order that the more detailed description that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may better be appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter and will form the subject matter of the claims that follow.
Many objects of this invention will appear from the following description and appended claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.
Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
With reference now to the drawings, the preferred embodiment of the window well cover jack is herein described. It should be noted that the articles “a”, “an”, and “the”, as used in this specification, include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. With reference to
In the depicted embodiment, the actuator handle 6 is secured against the window well 1 at a mounting point, such as spring clip 10 by means of a pin 11. Thus, when need arises, an escapee merely pulls the pin 11 to release the actuator handle 6. This particular embodiment also features an assist spring 8 attached to the actuator handle 6 at bolt 7 and the base arm at bolt 12. Bolt 12 may be adjusted with brace and nut 13 to increase or decrease the tension of assist spring 8, more clearly seen in
When deployed,
In the depicted embodiment, the pieces are made to be adjustable to fit a variety of sizes of window wells. This is done through a series of holes 16, into which the support arm 3 may be hinged with a pin 14 and keeper 15, and another series of holes 20 to provide similar adaptability for the locking condition when the jack is deployed, shown best in
In assembly, then, the user positions base arm 5 over the rim of window well 1 and hangs it there by bracket support 17, secured by bolt(s) 18. The actuator handle is attached at joint 9 and made to rest in spring clip 10, which has already been installed in the window well 1. Support arm 3 is attached to the window well cover 2 (depicted here with U-bolt 4) and a proper hole from the depicted series of holes 16 on the actuator handle is selected. A pin 14 is inserted into the appropriate hole 16 and support arm 3 and secured with keeper 15. The spring bolt 12 may then be tightened or loosened with nut 13 as desired.
Any suitable material may be used, with a preference for light, durable and corrosion resistant materials such as plastics and aluminum.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, numerous modifications and variations can be made and still the result will come within the scope of the invention. No limitation with respect to the specific embodiments disclosed herein is intended or should be inferred.
