AU713869B2 - Double hung sash window lock - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant(s): DOWELL AUSTRALIA LIMITED A.C.N. 004 437 898 Invention Title: DOUBLE HUNG SASH WINDOW LOCK The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 2 DOUBLE HUNG SASH WINDOW LOCK Field of the Invention This invention relates to a double hung sash window lock and relates particularly, but not exclusively, to such for fitting to aluminium framed double hung sash windows.

Description of Prior Art Hitherto, double hung sash windows have been known and locks have been provided for locking the two sashes in a closed condition. Typically, there is a latch or locking mechanism fitted on one which swings to cooperate with another part of the lock or latching mechanism carried by the other sash. Typically, the locking is effected centrally of the top rail on the inner sash with the bottom rail on the outer sash midway of the window opening. In other words, when the top rail on one sash is aligned with the bottom rail of the other sash the window is fully closed then the locking can be *effected.

20 Certain double hung sash windows are known where there are side tracks which guide each of the sashes :.relative to a window frame. These tracks are springmounted or otherwise resiliently mounted an that they a r urged inwardly from opposite sides of the window frame 25 towards each sash. A pivot arrangement can be arranged at the bottom of one of the sashes and the sash can be swung away from the window frame by resilient movement apart of the tracks, thereby releasing the sash from its guided position in the window frame. Thus, the sashes can be opened by depressing the tracks against the spring-mounting staff/ahy/keepispeci/CAP.PN3710 24.5.96 3 or resilient mounting and then swinging the sash about the pivot. This procedure can be difficult for some people.

OBJECT AND STATEMENT OF INVENTION: It is therefore an object of the present invention to attempt to provide a different arrangement.

Accordingly, according to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a double hung sash window having a lock permitting locking of one sash relative to the other so that the sashes can no longer be opened or closed relative to one another, said lock having a locking tongue member carried by a frame part of one of the sashes mounted for movement into a tongue receiving opening carried by the other sash, said locking tongue member being engageable by an operating member mounted to said double hung sash window for movement in a direction along the length of a rail of one of the sashes to cause said locking tongue member to move into the tongue receiving opening carried by the other sash thereby effecting locking.

Most preferably, said operating member and said locking tongue member act together in a cam-like manner.

Most preferably, said locking tongue member moves 25 in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the sash window.

0. Most preferably, spring means are provided in said lock to cause said locking tongue member and said operating member to maintain cam-like engagement with one another, irrespective of a sliding position of said operating member.

Preferably, said spring means biases said locking tongue member toward said tongue receiving opening.

Most preferably, said lock is mounted to the uppermost sash rail of said one sash so that said locking tongue member moves in a substantially horizontal plane.

Most preferably, said lock includes track \\melbOl\home$\MCooper\Keep\Speci\56100-96.doc 15/10/99 3a locating pin means, said pin means being moveable to extend or retract to engage in a slot in a track in a window frame thereby, securing the sash to which it is carried by when extended and permitting said sash to be moved away from said track when retracted.

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\\melb~l\home$\MCooper\Keep\Speci\56100-96.doc 15/10/99 4 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

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In order that the invention can be more clearly ascertained, preferred examples will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is an inside close-up perspective view of a double hung sash window at one side showing a lock in a locked position and a track locating pin in an extended position; 0 Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 but showing the lock in an unlocked condition and the track H:\MCooper\Keep\Speci\56100-96.doc 16/07/99 a ,i d 5 locating pin in a retracted position; Figure 3 is a top perspective view of a locking tongue member and base; Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 3 but showing how an operating member cooperates therewith; Figure 5 is a top perspective view of the components of Figure 4 showing the locking tongue member in a locking position; Figure 6 is a view similar to that of Figure but showing the locking tongue member in an unlocked position; Figure 7 is a top perspective view of a support for a track locating pin means; Figure 8 is a top perspective view of the track locating pin means; Figure 9 is a view showing assembly of the components of Figures 7 and 8 but in a track locating pin means extended position; Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 but showing the track locating pin means in a retracted position; Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing o.o operation of the locking tongue member in a locked condition; and 25 Figure 12 is a view similar to that of Figure 11 ."but showing the locking tongue member in an unlocked condition.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments RAeferrin" now to Ficnres 1 and 2 there is shown a close-up view at one side of a double hung sash window having an internal spring sash balance (not shown). The window is provided with a window frame 1 which is mounted in a window opening by a mounting flange 3. The frame 1 has an inner face 5, an outer or weather face 7 and those 35 two faces form an opening shown generally by numeral 9 which receives a pair of tracks 11. Typically the window stafflahy/keep/speci/CAP.PN3710 24.5.96 6 frame 1 is of extruded aluminium and the tracks 11 are of a suitable plastics material. The tracks 11 are suitably shaped so that they have a central opening 13 into which a locating flange 15 of the window frame 1 can pass. Thus, there is a space at the bottom end 17 of the tracks 11 and an interconnecting flange 19 which connects the inner face with the outer weather face 7. Suitable spring means or other resilient means (not shown) is provided in that space and is arranged to urge the tracks 11 outwardly towards the sashes carried thereby. The locating flange 15 helps to guide the tracks 11 if the tracks 11 move inwardly and/or outwardly.

The bottom sash 21 and the top sash 23 carry at their side edges track locating means 25. Typically, the track locating means 25 is formed integrally with the stiles of each of the bottom sash 21 and the top sash 23.

The track locating means 25 passes around the tracks 11 and thereby permits the top sash 23 and bottom sash 21 to move upwardly and downwardly along the tracks 11. Typically the bottom sash rail (not shown) of the bottom sash 21 has pivot pin means (also not shown) which locate within a slider (not shown) in the track 11 and enables the bottom 06 sash 21 to swing downwardly from the upper sash rail 27 about the pivot pin. The slider, in turn, forms part of 25 the spring balance. This is provided to permit cleaning or other functions with the window. In order that the bottom sash 21 can swing in this manner, it is necessary to retract or move apart the tracks 11 relative to the window frame 1 to permit the track locating means 95 ton ho rendered free for such swinging action. Typically, in the past, this has been performed by manual depressing of the tracks 11 on each side of the sashes against the spring bias or resilient bias urging the tracks outwards towards the sashes.

35 The top sash 23 is mounted in a similar manner to the bottom sash 21 and may, or may not, have a pivot pin staff/ahy/keepIspecVCAP.PN371 0 24.5.96 7 depending on the type of window fitting required.

The upper sash rail carries an operating member button 29 and track locating pin means 31. Figure 1 shows the operating member button 29 in a locked condition locking each of the sash windows 21 and 23. Figure 1 also shows the track locating pin means 31 in a track locating position. Figure 2 shows the operating member button 29 in a window unlocked position and also shows the track locating pin means 31 in a retracted position.

Referring now to Figures 3 through 6 there is shown detail of the lock mechanism. It should be appreciated however that when the lock operates, a locking tongue member moves into tongue receiving openings 33 (see Figures 1 and 2) carried by the top sash 23. In other words, there are a plurality of tongue receiving openings 33 in the top sash 23 and a locking tongue member carried by the bottom sash 21 passes into an appropriate aligned one of the tongue receiving openings 33. The tongue receiving openings 33 may be formed integrally in the frame members of the stiles of the top sash 23 or may be, in fact, produced by appropriate shoulders on members attached to the stiles or to some other convenient part of the top sash 23.

Accordingly, the lock has a locking tongue member 25 35 attached to an arm 37 which is mounted intermediate its length for swinging movement on a pin 39. The pin 39 is, in turn, supported on a base 41. A retaining washer 43 holds the arm 37 captive to the pin 39 in a swinging manner. The base 41 has an elongate slot 45 in which is received an operating member 47. The operating member 47 :has an enlarged head 49 which is hollow. The enlarged head 49 prevents the operating member 47 from falling by gravity through the slot 45. The head 49 has rounded ends as shown and is caused to engage with the arm 37 in a cam like manner to cause the locking tongue member 35 to swing to an outwardly extended position as shown in Figure 5 or to a stafllahy/keep/speciWCAP.PN3710 24.5.96 8 retracted position as shown in Figure 6. The operating member button 29, in turn, fits within the hollow head 49 of the operating member 47. Thus, as the operating member button 29 is slid to the left or right in a direction along the length of a rail of a sash of the window, it moves the operating member 47 along the slot 45 which, in turn, causes the arm 37 to swing to, in turn, move the locking tongue member 35. Spring means 51 is located in a block 53 formed integrally with the base 41. The spring means 51 also locates in a notch 55 in the arm 37 to bias the arm 37 into cam like engagement with the operating member 47. In other words, the spring means is provided in the lock to cause the locking tongue member 35 and the operating member 47 to maintain cam like engagement with one another irrespective of a sliding position of the operating member 47.

The undersurface of the base 41 is suitably shaped to fit into the upper sash rail 27 as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and more clearly in Figures 11 and 12.

Referring now to Figures 7 through to 10 there is shown detail of the track locating pin means. Figure 7 shows a base 57 which also forms a cover for the lock. The base 57 is generally "L"-shaped and has an elongate slot 59 corresponding to the elongate slot 45 in the base 41. A downwardly extending shank 59 of the operating member i: button 29 (see Figure 4) passes through the slot 59 to cooperate with the operating member 47. A counter-sunk hole 61 is provided in the base 57 to permit a fastening screw to pass therethrough and into an opening 63 in the block 53 and into the material of the sash rail 27 to hold the lock assembly together. The base 57 has an upstanding flange 65 for carrying a track locating pin means 31 see Figure 8. The track locating pin means 31 is formed as an integral part of a lever cam member 67 which, in turn, has a slot 69 for receipt of the upstanding flange 65. A mounting pin (not shown) passes through an opening 71 in the lever cam member 67 and through an aligned opening 73 \\nelbl\homeS\MCooper\Keep\Speci\56100-96.doc 15/10/99 9 in the upstanding flange 65. This holds the lever cam member 67 relative to the base 57. An upstanding shoulder is moulded integrally with the base 57 and acts as a stop for the lever cam member 67 when an operating arm 77 thereof is swung as shown in Figure 10. It also has a further shoulder 79 which locates against a stop 81 formed as an extension of cam surface 83 on the lever cam member 67. Figure 9 clearly shows the abutting relationship of the stop 81 with the shoulder 79 when the arm 77 is in an upright condition. In this upright condition, the track locating pin means 31 is extended whereas in the position shown in Figure 10 where the arm 77 is generally horizontal, the track locating pin means 31 is retracted.

The base 57 has an arm 85 which, in use, extends down an end face of the side of the stile of the bottom sash 21. An opening 87 is provided therein through which a screw can pass and into the stile to lock the base 57 to the bottom sash 21. Thus, with the track locating pin means 31 mounted relative to the bottom sash 21, the track locating pin means 31 can be swung and extended so that it engages in a slot 89 in the track 11. This, in turn, holds the bottom sash 21 captive relative to the track 11. If the bottom sash 21 is to be swung outwardly about its lowermost pivot (not shown), the arm 77 can be swung to the 25 position shown in Figure 10 which, in turn, retracts the track locating pin means 31. It also causes the cam surface 83 to press against the track 11 to, in turn, move track 11 away from the track locating means 25 to permit the swinging motion of the bottom sash 21.

Figure 2 shows the track 11 in this moved condition.

The arrangement disclosed above permits a double hung sash window to have one sash locked relative to the other so that both sashes can no longer be opened or closed relative to one another. Because the tongue receiving openings 33 are spaced at various positions along the stile stafflahy/keeWspecVCAP.PN3710 24.5.96 10 of the top sash 23, the sashes may be opened or closed relative to each bottom sash or top sash and locked in an appropriate position.

Whilst the invention has been disclosed in relation to metal windows such as aluminium framed windows, it is equally applicable to windows made of other suitable materials such as of plastics materials or wood.

These and other modifications may be made without departing from the ambit of the invention, the nature of which is to be determined from the foregoing description.

S* o• staff/ahy/keep/speci/CAP.PN3710 24.5.96

Claims (6)

1. A double hung sash window having a lock permitting locking of one sash relative to the other so that the sashes can no longer be opened or closed relative to one another, said lock having a locking tongue member carried by a frame part of one of the sashes mounted for movement into a tongue receiving opening carried by the other sash, said locking tongue member being engageable by an operating member mounted to said double hung sash window for movement in a direction along the length of a rail of one of the sashes to cause said locking tongue member to move into the tongue receiving opening carried by the other sash thereby effecting locking.

2. A double hung sash window as claimed in claim 1 wherein said operating member and said locking tongue member act together in a cam-like manner. *0O

3. A double hung sash window as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said locking tongue member moves in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the sash window. *O* 25 4. A double hung sash window as claimed in any one ;of the preceding claims wherein spring means is provided in said lock to cause said locking tongue member and said operating member to maintain cam-like engagement with one another, irrespective of a sliding position of said Soperating me A double hung sash window as claimed in claim 4, wherein said spring means biases said locking tongue member toward said tongue receiving opening.

6. A double hung sash window as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said lock is mountable to \\melb01\home$\MCooper\Keep\Speci\56100- 96 .doc 15/10/99 -7- 12 the uppermost sash rail of said one sash so that said movement of said locking tongue member is in a substantially horizontal plane.

7. A double hung sash window as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said lock includes track locating pin means, said pin means being moveable to extend or retract to engage in a slot in a track in a window frame of the double hung sash window, said track locating pin means serving to guide said one sash for sliding movement relative to said track when extended and permitting said one sash to be moved generally perpendicularly to the plane of said window when retracted. 15 8. A double hung sash window as claimed in claim 7 wherein said pin means carries pressing means which is /arranged to press on said track when said pin means is moved to be retracted whereby to move said track away from said sash and to permit said sash to be moved in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the window.

9. A double hung sash window as claimed in claim 8 wherein said pin means and said pressing means are mounted 25 for swinging movement and wherein said pressing means has cam-like surfaces, whereby when said pin means is swung to be retracted said pressing means cam surfaces will engage with said track to effect said pressing. \\melbO1\home$\MCooper\Keep\Speci\56100- 9 6 .doc 15/10/99 13 A double hung sash window substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 15th day of October 1999 DOWELL AUSTRALIA LIMITED By their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK Fellows Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia *o S* \\melbl\home$\Mooper\Keep\Speci\56100-96.dc 15/10/99