The present invention relates to an improved automatic sash lock and sash lock with a signal mechanism for determining whether a sash lock is in a locked position or an open configuration.
Sash locks are very common on double hung windows. In many locations such as homes and businesses, the windows may be opened at certain times of the day or evening for ventilation or natural cooling and later closed. As a security measure, these windows are usually locked when people are alone in their homes or when the establishment is closed.
Since many buildings have a number of windows, it can be a chore and quite time consuming to individually check each window to make sure it is locked. As a result, there have been several indicators that provide a signal to the user to notify the user whether the window is locked. One such sash lock is disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 10/932,883 filed Sep. 2, 2004, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. This lock uses a flag which can be raised or lowered to signal whether the window is in a locking condition. Another sash lock is disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 11/254,065 filed Oct. 19, 2005, which discloses a sash lock with a housing. The housing has a status indicator in the housing that permits a user to determine if the window is in an unlocked condition. The sash lock in that application has a color indicator to inform the user of the status of the lock.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved locking mechanism for a sash lock.
It is another object of the invention to provide a sash lock with an automatic locking feature.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a sash lock that locks when a trigger contacts the keeper used with the lock.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved indicator for a sash lock that provides a visual indication whether a sash lock is in a locked position or an unlocked position.
It is another object of the invention to provide a combination lock and keeper that coact to signal the status of the sash lock.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a sash lock with a unique visual indicator for determining whether a sash lock is in a locked configuration or an unlocked configuration.
The sash lock of the present invention includes a housing and a separate base or protective member. The housing has a top surface and bottom surface. Extending from the top surface are a pair of side walls. The housing also has a front face and a rear face. At least a portion of the front face is open to permit a tongue to extend therefrom the secure the lock to a keeper. The open front face may have a hood that extends outwardly that may be adapted to receive a keeper so that the keeper is hidden by the top surface or hood of the housing. Alternatively, the housing has a top surface where the hood does not extend over the keeper. There is a locking mechanism that secures the sash lock to the housing. The locking mechanism is preferably an automatic one in which the sash lock becomes locked automatically when a portion of the keeper is contacted. In a preferred embodiment, the locking mechanism has a tongue that has a retracted position when the lock is in an unlocked configuration and an extended position when the lock is in a locked configuration. The tongue is preferably spring driven from the retracted position to the extended position. In the preferred embodiment, the tongue is released from the retracted position to the extended position by means of a trigger.
The tongue may be generally rectangular in cross section with a top surface and a pair of side surfaces. The bottom of the tongue may be open and receive a spring that provides a force causing the tongue to extend when the tongue is released by the trigger. The tongue extends from an open portion of the front face of the housing when in an extended position and is generally flush with the front face or slightly recessed when the tongue is retracted. The tongue remains in its recessed position until activated by a trigger. The trigger may be a pin or other suitable trigger means that extends outwardly from the front face of the housing and can contact the keeper of the window sash to release the tongue. When the trigger contacts the keeper, the tongue is released and the tongue extends to a locking position.
The keeper has a top surface, a front wall and a rear wall. Connecting the front and rear walls are a pair of end walls. The top surface typically has one or more orifices for securing the keeper to a sash. Screws or other securing means can be used to secure the keeper to a sash. The top surface and/or the front surface of the keeper have an open area for receiving a the trigger which might be for example a locking tab that extends from the underside of the top surface of the sash lock housing, i.e. below the bottom surface of the sash lock housing. When the sashes of the window to be locked are approaching a closed arrangement, the trigger such as a tab on the sash lock is positioned in the open area of the keeper. As the sash lock and keeper are positioned in a locking arrangement when the window closes, the keeper hits the trigger and the tongue is forced out by the spring. Alternatively, the trigger hits the keeper thus forcing the tongue to extend from the housing into a locking position. The tongue may extend into a recessed area in the front wall of the keeper whereby it prevents the sashes from being separated until the tongue is retracted back into the housing. The extended tongue and the tab on the sash lock housing hold the sash lock to the keeper and retain the windows in a locked condition.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the tongue is connected to a pull tab. The pull tab permits a user to unlock the sash lock by retracting the tongue into its recessed, loaded position. The pull tab preferably has a handle portion so that a user's hands can more easily grasp the pull tab. The pull tab may have portion thereof where there is a signal means to signal whether the tongue is in a retracted or unlocked condition or extended in a locked arrangement. Preferably, a rear surface of the pull tab has a signal means. When the tongue is in an extended position, i.e. a locking position, the signal means reflects that position. The signal means shows that the tongue is in a recessed condition when the pull tab has been pulled back. Preferably the signal means is red when the lock is in an unlocked position. When the lock is in a locked position, the signal means will reflect another color.
In operation, a user pulls the tab outwardly from the housing. The tab is locked in this activated position and remains there until the keeper is contacted. A spring 27 forces the pull tab 20 into an extended position when the pull tab 20 is released by the trigger 28. The trigger 28 is on an activator that includes a stem 29 and an activating arm 30 that pivots on the stem. The stem has a spring 31 that forces the trigger into an extended position when the tongue is released. The activator arm is held in position by a retainer.
When the window sash approaches a closed position, the keeper 18 on the sash hits the trigger 28 causing the activating arm 30 to catch 33 which releases the pull tab 20. When the pull tab 20 is released, the tongue is freed from the retracted position and extends outwardly to lock the keeper to the sash lock.
The keeper 39 has a top surface 40, a front sidewall 42 and a rear sidewall 43 A pair of end walls 44 and 45 join the sidewalls. The top surface 40 where it joins the front sidewall 42 has a portion that has a slanted wall surface 46 which provides a surface that contacts the trigger 28 when the sash of a window is closing. The slanted wall surface 46 forces the trigger 28 inwardly thus causing the trigger 28 to release the pull tab 20. As the pull tab 20 is released, the tongue 23 extends from its recessed position to its extended position. The keeper 39 has a recessed section in the rear sidewall 43. The recessed section has a first interior sidewall 48, a second interior sidewall 49, an interior top wall 50 and an interior back wall 51. When the trigger releases the tongue, the tongue extends outwardly from the front wall of the sash lock housing. The tongue and the interior top wall 50 prevent the sash of a window from being raised thus locking the sash. On the front sidewall 42 of the keeper and the top surface 40 there is a recessed section 51 which has a top recess section 53 and a sidewall recess section 52, a tab 54 on the underside of the housing contacts the recessed section 51 when the tongue is extended.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pull tab 20 has a signal means 26 for signaling that the sash lock is in a locking arrangement or an unlocked position. In this embodiment the pull tab 20 has a handle 24. The handle 24 permits a user to grasp the pull tab 20 and reload the tongue 23 so that it can be released by the trigger. The grasping portion of the handle may be provided with one or more wings 61 and 62 that extend outwardly from the sidewall of the handle. In a preferred embodiment, the handle has a top surface and a pair of wings that extend from the top surface 63. The handle may have first and second sidewalls 64 and 65 extending from the top surface. These sidewalls connect with a base portion at the rear of the pull tab. The top surface, sidewalls and base portion 66 form a signal 67 area. The signal area has an indicator which informs a user whether the tongue is in an extended position or a recessed position. As seen in
This application claims priority on U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/817,612 filed Jun. 29, 2007 the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60817612 | Jun 2006 | US |