AU2480392A - Pivoting lockable handle for sliding window or door - Google Patents

Description

TITLE PIVOTING LOCKABLE HANDLE FOR SLIDING WINDOW OR DOOR

TECHNICAL FIELD THIS INVENTION relates to a handle or knob or like member for a sliding wing such as a sliding window or door and where the handle can pivot between a release and engaged position and where the handle can further be locked into its engaged position with a lock tongue which is connected to the lock.

BACKGROUND ART Sliding windows are commonly found in domestic dwellings and generally comprise a window surround frame, a fixed window and a sliding window which can slide from a closed position to an open position wherein it overlies the fixed window. The sliding window generally slides along a track or channel formed in the window surround frame.

The sliding window normally includes a latch which is pivotly mounted to a vertical edge portion of the sliding window and which can latch to a portion of the window surround frame (or to a fixed window). The latch typically includes a hand grip to facilitate sliding movement of the sliding window by an operator. The latch includes a slot or recessed portion which can engage with a corresponding groove or ridge on the window surround frame or fixed window to latch the sliding window. The latch also generally includes a spring to pivot the latch to a normally closed and latched position. To release the latch, a person pivots the latch against the bias of the spring to release the ridge or projection from the slot or recess thereby allowing the sliding window to be slid to an open position. A disadvantage with these latches is that they are not lockable in a closed position. Thus, to gain entry into a dwelling, an intruder can break the glass of the sliding or fixed window and manipulate the latch to allow the window to open. In this manner, the intruder can gain access without having to climb over broken and jagged glass. Australian patent application 60988/90, overcomes this disadvantage by providing a lockable latch which is operated by a key thereby preventing an intruder from opening the window even after breaking the window glass. The patent application describes the latch as including a sliding lock tongue which is housed within a cavity and which is operated by a key cylinder barrel. A disadvantage with this arrangement is that the lock tongue is separately manufactured from the remaining portion of the lock and needs to be manually assembled. This adds to manufacturing costs. Furthermore, by having the lock tongue loosely held within the cavity, the tongue can be improperly fitted or can be accidentally or deliberately dislodged from the cavity.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide a lock for a sliding wing (such as a window or door) and which may overcome the above mentioned disadvantages by providing a lock tongue which is connected to the lock body, and not loosely held thereby. In one form, the invention resides in a lock for locking a sliding wing to a support, said lock comprising

a lock body mountable to one of the wing or support and having an engagement portion for engagement with the other of the wing or support, said lock body being pivotly moveable between a locked position to lock the wing against movement relative to the support and a release position wherein the wing is able to slide, a lock tongue moveable between an extended locking position whereby the lock tongue retains the lock body in the locked position and being lockable in the extended position, and a retracted position where the lock body is able to pivot to the release position, and one or more deformable members interconnecting the lock tongue with the lock body. The lock is suitable for locking sliding or sash windows to a window surround frame or to a second fixed window. The lock can also be utilised to lock other sliding members such as sliding doors.

While the lock will be described as being pivotly mounted to a sliding window, it should be appreciated that the lock can equally be pivotly mounted to the support.

The lock body suitably includes a rear face associated with a wing (such as the frame of a sliding window) in use. The rear face may include one or more mounting portions to pivotly mount the lock body to the sliding wing or support. The mounting portion may comprise elongate beads which can be accommodated within a complementary recess in the sliding window frame. Suitably, a pair of spaced mounting portions are provided which can be located adjacent each side face of the lock body.

The lock body may further include a lower face which can be associated with the support in use. The lower face suitably includes the engagement portion which retains the lock and therefore the sliding window relative to the support.

The engagement portion may comprise a longitudinal recess which can accommodate a complementary raised portion or projection on the support. The longitudinal recess suitably extends along the lower face and may be substantially rectangular in cross section. It should be appreciated however that in an alternative arrangement, the engagement portion may comprise a projection or a number of projections which engage with complementary shaped recesses in the support.

The lock body may further include a front face having a generally curved configuration and a forward nose portion. The nose portion may have a ramped lower face to assist in guiding the lock body over a projection in the support. The lock tongue suitably locates within a recessed portion in the lower face of the lock body.

The lock tongue suitably comprises a generally disc like configuration and may include a forward nose portion. The nose portion is suitably rounded in configuration. The lock tongue may include a recess to accommodate an urging member which shall be described in greater detail below.

The at least one deformable member suitably comprises at least one resiliently deformable finger extending between the lock tongue and the lock body. Suitably, the or each finger extends between a side wall of the recessed portion and an edge wall of the lock tongue.

Suitably, a plurality of spaced fingers are provided with pairs of opposed fingers being particularly preferred. The lock tongue, deformable member and lock body may be integrally formed to minimise assembly costs of the lock".

The lock tongue may be moved between its extended and retracted position by an urging member. The urging member suitably comprises a pin which can extend into the recess of the lock tongue. The pin may be operated by a key cylinder lock, lever or like member.

The lock may further include a biasing member to bias the lock into its normally locked position. The biasing members may comprise resiliently deformable fingers extending from the lock body and into contact with the support in use. The fingers are preferably integrally formed with the lock body again to minimise assembly costs.

For attachment of the lock to sliding windows having a wooden or soft frame, a mounting plate may be used. The mounting plate is suitably of a generally L- shaped configuration and may include elongate slots to accommodate the mounting portion of the lock body. The mounting plate may also include one or more apertures to receive fasteners to enable the mounting plate to be fastened to the frame. Suitably, stop members are provided to prevent the lock body from being removed from the slots once installed. The stop members may be in the form of inclined resiliently deformable wedges. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better described with reference to the following description of one preferred embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a lock according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the lock of Figure 1 showing the lock tongue in its retracted position. Figure 3 is a view of Figure 2 showing the lock tongue in its extended position.

Figure 4 is a side section view of the lock of Figure 1 pivoted to its release position.

Figure 5 is a section view of the lock of Figure 4 in its locked position.

Figure 6 is a view of the lock of Figure 1 and a mounting plate.

Figure 7 is a rear view of a modified lock according to an embodiment of the invention. BEST MODE

Figures 1 to 3 show a lock for locking a sliding window to a support. The lock 10 includes a lock body 11 having an engagement portion 12, a lock tongue 13

(shown in Figures 2 and 3) and a plurality of deformable members 14a-d.

Lock body 11 includes a rear face 15 (more clearly shown Figures 2 and 3) which in use is adjacent a frame of the sliding sash window. Rear face 15 is formed with a pair of mounting portions 16 in the form of elongate beads. Mounting portion 16 are integrally formed with lock body 12 and are located adjacent side faces 17 of lock body 11.

Mounting portion 16 locates within complementary slots or recesses 16a in the sliding window frame to allow the lock to be pivotly moveable (see Figures 4, 5). Lock body 11 includes a lower face 18 which is formed with the engagement portion 12. Engagement portion 12 comprises a pair of spaced elongate recesses located adjacent side faces 17 of lock body 11. Lower face 18 has a recess 18a to accommodate lock tongue 13. Lock body 11 includes a front face 19 having a generally curved configuration 20 and a forwardly located nose portion 21. Nose portion 21 is provided with a lower ramped face 22 the reason for which will be described in greater detail below. Lock 10 includes a key cylinder barrel 23 extending through a suitable bore through lock body 11. Key cylinder barrel 23 includes an eccentric pin 24 (see Figures 2 and 3) which locates within a recess 25 on lock tongue 13. Lock tongue 13 has a disk like configuration and locates within a recess 18A in the lock body. Lock tongue has a forward nose portion which abuts against a portion of the frame to which the lock is pivotally mounted when in the extended position to prevent pivoting of the lock. Lock tongue 13 is attached to side walls of recess 18A by the deformable members 14a-d which extend between the lock tongue and the side walls.

Upon operation of key cylinder barrel 23, pin

24 is moved between its position shown in Figure 2 and its position shown in Figure 3 which urges lock tongue 13 from its retracted position shown in Figure 2 to its extended position shown in Figure 3. Upon such movement, deformable members 14a-d deform to allow movement of lock tongue 13 from its retracted to its extended position.

The deformable members are formed such that when the lock tongue is passed to its extended position from its retracted position, there are no forces acting on the lock tongue by the deformable members to move the lock tongue back to its retracted position. Thus, the lock tongue is moved between its retracted and extended positions by the pin 24.

Figure 4 shows the pivoting ability of lock 10. As shown in Figure 4, lock 10 is in its release position and Figure 5 shows lock 10 pivoted to its locked position. In Figures 4 and 5, mounting portion 16 in the form of an elongate bead locates within a complementary groove 16A on the frame of the sliding window. As the window moves to its closed position, lock 10 contacts a raised portion 30 on the window surround frame (or fixed window). Raised portion 30 initially contacts the ramped face 22 of nose portion 21 which causes lock 10 to pivot towards its release position. Raised portion 30 then rides under lower face 18 of lock 10 and locates within engagemen " portion 12 as shown in Figure 5. Figure 4 also discloses lock tongue 13 in the retracted position thereby allowing lock 10 to pivot between its release and locked position. However, as shown in Figure 5, lock tongue 13 has been moved to its extended position which prevents pivotal movement of lock 10 from its locked position as shown in Figure 5 to its release position as shown in Figure 4.

Lock tongue 13 can be locked in its extended position as shown in Figure 5 by a key (not shown) operating key cylinder barrel 23 and upon removal of the key, the sliding window is securely locked and can not be moved to an open position.

Figure 6 shows a mounting plate 36 to allow the lock according to the embodiment to be mounted to sliding windows having soft frames (i.e. wooden frames). The lock is not particularly suitable to be mounted directly to soft frames as if recess 35 (see Figure 6) is machined into a soft frame, it can readily be broken to remove lock 10 from the recess. Thus, it is preferred to use a mounting plate 36 which can be fastened to the soft frame and to which can be pivotly mounted lock 10. Figure 6 discloses a suitable mounting plate 36 having a generally L-shaped configuration and including a pair of apertures 37 to accommodate fasteners to allow mounting plate 36 to be secured fastened to a wooden or like frame. Mounting plate 36 also includes a pair of spaced longitudinal recesses 35 into which can be accommodated the mounting portions 16 of lock 10. To prevent removal of lock 10 from mounting plate 36, a pair of stop members 38 are provided. Stop members 38 are resiliently deformable upon insertion of mounting portions 16 into recesses 35 but thereafter act as wedges to prevent removal of lock 10. Figure 7 shows a modification to the lock according to the invention. In this modification, a biasing member in the form of a pair of resilient spring fingers 40 are integrally formed in a cantilever fashion to lock body 11. Fingers 40 function to bias the lock to adopt a naturally locked position as shown in Figure 5 which allows the lock to perform a latching function when lock tongue 13 is in its retracted position. Therefore, the lock can either be used as a latch or as a lock depending on the circumstances. One advantage of the lock according to the invention is that the entire lock including the lock body, mounting portion, lock tongue, deformable members and engagement portion can be integrally formed from plastics material which minimises assembly costs and allows for the production of an inexpensive lock. It should be appreciated that many other changes and modifications can be made to the embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

Claims (11)

1. A lock for locking a sliding wing to a support, said lock comprising a lock body mountable to one of the wing or support and having an engagement portion for engagement with the other of the wing or support, said lock body being pivotly moveable between a locked position to lock the wing against movement relative to the support and a release position wherein the wing is able to slide, a lock tongue moveable between an extended locking position whereby the lock tongue retains the lock body in the locked position and being lockable in the extended position, and a retracted position where the lock body is able to pivot to the release position, and one or more deformable members interconnecting the lock tongue with the lock body.

2. The lock as claimed in claim 1 wherein the lock tongue is interconnected to the lock body by a plurality of the deformable members.

3. The lock as claimed in claim 2 wherein the deformable members are provided on opposed sides of the lock tongue.

4. The lock as claimed in claim 3 wherein the lock body is formed with a recess having an open end and where the lock tongue can extend from and retract into the recess through the open end.

5. The lock as claimed in claim 4 wherein the deformable members extend from inner walls of the recess.

6. The lock as claimed in claim 5 wherein the deformable members are integrally formed with the lock tongue.

7. The lock as claimed in claim 1 including a biasing member to bias the lock body to a naturally locked position.

8. The lock as claimed in claim 7 wherein the biasing member comprises resiliently deformable fingers extending from the lock body and into contact with the wing or support in use.

9. The lock as claimed in claim 1 wherein the lock tongue is movable between its extended and retracted position by a key operated cylinder.

10. The lock as claimed in claim 1 wherein the lock is pivotally connected to a mounting plate, said mounting plate being mountable to the wing or support.

11. The lock as claimed in claim 2 wherein the lock body has a rear face including a mounting portion to pivotally mount the lock body to the wing or support, a lower face having the engaging portion, and a front face, the open end in the recess extending from the rear face.