AU743444B2 - A lock assembly for a double-hung sash window - Google Patents

Description

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AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT LOCKNJOCO 'P9Q,00 ~OUC;TS PT'ry~T~ tCOE)wEeDAUtSTRALIA PTY. c RC C.N. 004 239 392) Name of Applicant: 2~6 0

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Actual Inventor: Address for Service: CULLEN CO., Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 240 Queen Street, Brisbane, QId. 4000, Australia.

Invention Title: A LOCK ASSEMBLY FOR A DOUBLE- HUNG SASH WINDOW Details of Associated Provisional Application: No. PP0968 filed on 18 December 1997 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 2 A LOCK ASSEMBLY FOR A DOUBLE-HUNG SASH WINDOW This invention is directed to a lock assembly which is attachable to one sash of a double-hung sash window and which is able to lock the sash against another sash from a central knob. The invention is also directed to a lock for a sash window which can releasably hold a sliding sash against its sash guide.

The invention will be described with reference to vertically sliding windows which are commonly known as double-hung sash widows.

Double-hung sash windows are well known and usually comprise two sashes. Each sash is formed from a sheet of window glass which is fitted into a glazing channel. The glazing channel is fitted into a *el**-surround frame usually formed from aluminium section or extrusion. The 0surround frame consists of upper and lower horizontal rail sections forming the top and bottom of the sash and a pairof vertical side sections which are otherwise known as sash stiles. This entire arrangement is screwed together S to form the sash.

Double-hung sash windows typically consist of two such sashes and at least one of the sashes can slide vertically relative to the other sash.

Sash windows are known which have one fixed sash and one sliding sash, 20 two sliding sashes, or one fixed sash and two sliding sashes. Other arrangements are also known.

0:76 The sashes slide in a sash channel which forms part of window S° surround frame. The sash channel is typically formed from aluminium section and has a vertical channel extending therealong.

More recently, the vertical channel has been fitted with a sash liner (also called a jamb liner). The sash liner fits within the vertical channel of the sash channel and the sash stile of each window sash engages with and slides along the sash liner. The sash liners are usually formed from hard plastic and provides a smoother sliding action than would otherwise be possible if the sash slid along the aluminium sash channel.

Sash liners are also well known in the art. The sash liners have vertical tracks which couple to an edge profile of each sash stile. That is, the sash stile is coupled to the sash liner. If the window has two sliding sashes, the sash liner is provided with two spaced apart parallel tracks, each track supporting a respective sash.

For security reasons, it is necessary to ensure that the sliding sash can be securely locked when required. A variety of sash locks to perform this function are known in the art.

One well known type of sash lock is a cam type catch which sits on the middle of the upper or lower rail section of one sash and which locks 10 against the upper or lower rail of an adjacent sash. However, this -arrangement provides a single locking point and the sashes can be jemmied apart.

00oo Another arrangement which is known has a sash formed with a pair of remote locks which are screwed to the upper horizontal rail section of the sash. Each remote lock is positioned adjacent an upper corner of the sash and has a lock tongue which can be moved into a recess on the other sash. In this manner, the sliding sash can be locked at two spaced apart locations to the adjacent sash. These remote locks, however, were operated i by a sliding button on top of each lock which had to be slid by a person's 20 thumb. Thus, it was not possible to quickly lock the sash, and a two-handed operation was required to lock each remote lock. This known arrangement did also not have any deadlocking facility and if the sash glass was broken, and intruder could easily slide the buttons to the unlocked position to open the sash. That is, the particular remote lock arrangement was not very secure.

Another requirement for sash windows is to ensure that the sliding sash remains attached to the sash liner, but that the sliding sash can be moved out of the sash liner for cleaning, maintenance and repair.

Typically, a non-sliding sash (usually the lower sash) is fitted with bottom hinge pins which are hingedly connected to the window surround frame such that the sash can be coupled from the sash liner and pivoted to a horizontal position. Such pivoting sashes are known in the art but there has always been some difficulty in easily decoupling the sash from the sash liner. The sash liners are usually either spring-mounted or formed from resilient material and it is possible to push the sash liner further into the sash channel by hand to decouple the sash from the sash liner. However, this needs to be done for each of the two vertical sash liners and for wide windows it is difficult to push both sash liners into the sash channel.

It is known to provide a toggle on the top horizontal rail section of the sash. The toggle sits closely spaced from the sash liner and is S o 10 attached to the sash. The toggle has two functions. The first function is that the toggle has a pin or projection which passes into the sash liner thereby firmly holding the sash into engagement with the sash liner. This pin can be i- rotated away by rotation of the toggle. The toggle also has a cam face which pushes against the sash liner as the pin is rotated out of the sash liner.

Thus, the sash could be removed from the sash liner in a manner which was o easier than hand pushing. However, the design of the toggles is not particularly suitable and some difficulties are experienced in rotating the oo 0 toggles. The toggles are positioned on top of the upper horizontal rail section of the sash and need to be at the corner of the sash so that the toggle can 20 engage with the sash liner. However, this is also where the remote locks are located and known arrangements do not provide a clean uncluttered and more easily useable and operable locks and toggles.

In contrast, the present invention is directed to a lock assembly which is attached to one sash and which is able to lock the one sash against another sash. The lock assembly has a pair of spaced apart remote locks which are operable from a central control instead of being operable at the remote lock position (which can cause difficulties with wider windows).

Another form of the invention has a lock for a sash window which holds the sash against the sash liner (or sash guide), and where the lock is an improved design to allow easier operation.

In another from of the invention, the remote locks of the lock

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5 assembly are cooperatively associated with the lock for holding the sliding sash against the sash liner which provides a neater and less cluttered arrangement on the sash. The cooperative association can also provide other benefits, such as greater security against tampering of the remote locks, and the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide improvements in sash windows which may overcome at least some of the abovementioned disadvantages or provide the public with a useful or commercial choice.

In one form the invention reside in a lock assembly attachable 10 to one sash of double hung sash window and which is able to lock the one sash against another sash, the assembly comprising at least two spaced apart remote locks which are operated by a central control, the remote locks having at least a lock tongue which is pivotally fastened relative to the one sash and which is operable between a locking position where the lock tongue 15 locks the sashes together, and an unlocking position, and a slide member which is operatively associated with the lock tongue and which can slide between a locking position where the slide member causes the lock tongue to move to its locking position, and an unlocking position; the lock assembly further having at least one connecting means to allow the central control to operate the remote locks, the connecting means being attached relative to the slide member and the control member such that operation of the control member causes sliding movement of the slide member in each remote lock.

In another form, the invention resides in a lock for a sash window to releasably hold a sash against its sash guide, the lock having an outer housing which is attachable to a sash, and an inner body which has an end face provided with a projection, the inner body being pivotally attached to the outer housing and moveable between a retracted locking position where the inner body is mostly within the outer housing and the projection extends into the sash guide to prevent the sash from being removed from the sash guide, and an extended unlocking position where the inner body is pivoted out of the outer housing and where the projection has been pivoted out of the sash go oo *o0o e g.

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In another form, the invention resides in a lock assembly which is cooperatively associated with the lock for a sash window.

By having the remote locks operable from a central control, a greater degree of security is provided. For instance, the central control can be snib-operated or key operated, with the key operation allowing the entire lock assembly to be more or less deadlocked. Even if an intruder breaks the window glass, the intruder is unable to release the remote locks to slide the sash.

10 In the second broad form of the invention, the lock which holds a sliding sash against a sash guide is easier to operate by virtue of the design of the outer housing and the pivoting inner body for reasons which will be described in greater detail below.

In a further form of the invention, the lock assembly and the lock 15 for the sash window can be cooperatively associated with each other, for instance, by having the outer housing of the lock also protecting the lock tongue of the remote lock. This can provide an additional degree of security, as well as other possible benefits, for instance, a cleaner design, less separate components, easier assembly, and the like.

The lock assembly is typically attached to a lower fixed sash and functions to lock the adjacent sliding sash to the fixed sash.

Each remote lock can be positioned adjacent an upper corner of the sash such that the lock tongue can pass into an aperture or other type of lock tongue engagement means which is on the rail section or sash style of the moving sash.

The lock tongue may comprise an elongate member which can be pivotly mounted to the sash to allow the lock tongue to pivot between its locking position and unlocking position.

The lock tongue is moveable to the locking position by a slide member. The slide member may comprise an elongate body which can slide adjacent or underneath the lock tongue and engages with the lock tongue to push it into its lock position upon sliding movement of the slide member.

The lock assembly has a central control and in one form the central control may include a handle of some kind which can be turned or otherwise manipulated to cause the slide members to slide.

The slide blocks can be connected to the control by connecting means which are preferably connecting rods with one end of the rod being attached to the slide member and the other end of the rod being attached to the central control. The central control can include a lock barrel to prevent operation of the central control which in turn can deadlock the remote locks 10 into the locking position.

Referring to the lock for the sash window, the lock has an outer housing which can be attached to the sash (for instance, by suitable fasteners). The lock further has an inner body which can pivot or hinge from position substantially in the housing to a position substantially out of the housing. It is preferred that the outer housing is positioned on top of the lock tongue of the lock assembly to amongst other things provide a degree of security and a better function.

By having the outer housing over the lock tongue of the lock assembly, the inner body can be made larger and therefore more easily 20 operable.

Embodiments of the invention with be described with reference to the following drawings in which Figure 1 is an exploded view of a sash showing at least some portions of the lock assembly and lock.

Figure 2 is a plan part section view of the top of the sash illustrating one remote lock and the central control.

Figure 3 is a front view of Figure 2 which also now illustrates the lock which holds the sash against the sash guide.

Figures 4A, B to Figures 6A B illustrate various handle orientations to lock or latch the remote locks relative to the window frame.

Referring initially to Figure 1, there is illustrated a sash 10 in an 8 exploded view. Sash 10 has a pane of window glass 11, edges of which are in a glazing channel 12. Glazing channel 12 is in turn pushed into respective channels on four aluminium sections which consist of a pair of opposed vertical sash stiles 13, 14, a top horizontal meeting rail 15 and a bottom horizontal rail section 16. The stiles 13, 14, top meeting rail 15 and bottom section 16 are screwed together to form sash 10. In Figure 1, sash 10 has bottom pivot blocks 17 which are hingedly connected to the sash surround frame (not shown) to allow sash 10 to pivot outwardly from the sash surround frame for cleaning purposes.

Stiles 13, 14 have outwardly extending channels 18, 19 and these channels engage with and ride along a sash guide (not shown) which is positioned within the window surround frame. That is, sash 10 slides along C sash guides, and this is well known (the sash guide can also be called the S° sash liner or jamb liner).

Top meeting rail 15 supports the lock assembly according to the invention. In the embodiment, the lock assembly consists of a central control which is better illustrated in Figures 2 to 6. Figure 1 also shows one of the slide members 21 which forms part of the lock assembly. Figure 1 also gg. illustrates two locks 22 and 23 which function to hold sash 10 into o 20 engagement with the sash guide. This will be described in greater detail below.

oe° g e Referring to Figures 2 and 3, there is illustrated part of the lock S-assembly which is attachable to sash 10. The lock assembly has a pair of remote locks 24, 25, with Figure 2 illustrating only one of the locks 24, it being appreciated that the other lock is more or less identical in configuration. The remote lock has a lock tongue 26 which is formed from an arm member 27 which terminates in a tongue 28. Arm member 27 is pivotally connected to the meeting rail 15 through pivot pin 29. Lock tongue 26 is spring biased (with the spring not illustrated) to a position where tongue 28 is in a naturally-extending position as illustrated in Figure 2. In the naturally extending position, tongue 28 projects through an opening 30 in meeting rail (opening 30 being illustrated in Figure An adjacent sash (not shown) is provided with a number of spaced linearly aligned slots in which tongue 28 can pass to lock the sashes together.

Tongue 28 can be moved from its locking position as illustrated in Figure 2 to an unlocking position where tongue 28 is retracted, or mostly retracted, within meeting rail This movement is achieved by slide member 21, with a portion of the slide member 21 also being illustrated in Figure 1. Slide member 21 slides in a reciprocal fashion in an appropriate guide between an extended •o lO locking position (shown in Figure 2) where the slide member forces the lock tongue to adopt its locking position. Slide member 21 can also be slid to a S• retracted unlocking position where it moves more towards the central control and in doing so slide member 21 forces tongue 28 into the unlocking position and against the bias of the spring.

Better illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, slide member 21 is positioned below lock tongue 26 in meeting rail 15. That is, slide member 21 is located entirely within the confines of the meeting rail. The slide member is Sformed from a block having a pair of upstanding posts 31, 32 which terminate just below lock tongue 26, and an intermediate upstanding attachment 33.

20 Post 31 engages with a tail portion 34 of arm member 27. When slide member 21 is pulled inwardly or retracted, post 31 will push against tail member 34 and because tail member 34 is on the other side of pivot pin 29 to tongue 28, the sliding movement of post 31 will cause tail portion 34 to move upwardly which in turn will cause tongue 28 to move downwardly into its unlocked position. Post 32 does not abut against any portion of lock tongue 26, but post 32 is positioned just below arm member 27 and tongue 28 and can provide some support should an attempt be made to jemmy or break tongue 28 or arm member 27. Another reason for having the two posts 31, 32 is that the slide member 21 can be used on the left-hand remote lock or the right-hand remote lock without any redesigning being required.

Slide member 21 is attached to a connecting means which is in the form of a metal rod 35. Rod 35 has one turned end portion which snaps into attachment 33, with the other end of rod 35 having a turned in portion which is operatively connected to control 20 which will be described in greater detail below.

Referring again to Figures 2 and 3, there is illustrated a second lock 22 which is positioned immediately above remote lock 24. Lock 22 functions to more securely lock the sash 10 into the sash liner and to facilitate removal of sash 10 from the sash liner. Lock 22 can be screwed or otherwise fastened to meeting rail 15 and meeting rail 15 can be provided 10 with a screw hole 36 (see Figure 1) to allow lock 22 to be securely fastened to meeting rail 15. Lock 22 does not function to lock adjacent sashes S together, but instead functions to releasably lock the sash to its respective sash liner.

Lock 22 has an outer housing 37 which is generally channelshaped (see Figure Outer housing 37 is screwed to meeting rail Inside outer housing 37 is an inner body 38 and this is also better illustrated in Figure 1. Inner body 38 can pivot relative to outer housing 37 about a pivot pin which can be placed approximately at reference numeral 39. The inner body has an end face 40 which is provided with an integrally formed 20 projection or pin 41. Inner body 38 also has an inner end face 42 which is contoured to allow a person's thumb to flick up or pivot inner body 38 relative to outer housing 37.

S-Pin 41 projects into an already existing slot in the sash liner (not shown). Thus, as long as pin 41 extends into the sash liner, sash 10 can not be easily removed from the sash liner. However, when end face 42 is lifted by a person's thumb, inner body 38 pivots about pivot pin 39 which causes pin 41 to rotate downwardly and out of the slot in the sash liner.

End face 40 is further formed with a camming surface 43 which pushes against the sash liner to push the sash liner away from channel 18 which forms part of sash style 13. Thus, as inner body 38 is pivoted upwardly about pivot pin 39, pin 41 rotates out of the slot in the sash liner, and 11 camming surface 33 comes into contact with the sash liner and pushes the sash liner out of engagement with channel 18. At this time, sash 10 can be caused to pivot outwardly about pivot blocks 17 to a substantially horizontal position.

Outer housing 37 of lock 22 overlies the mechanism of remote lock 24. This can provide a greater degree of security to the remote lock, and also provides a simpler design to the arrangement.

Referring to Figures 4A 4B, 5A 5B and 6A 6B, there is shown greater detail of central control 20. Central control 20 in embodiment 10 consists of a knob 44, a disc tumbler 45, a lock 46, a cam 47 and a locking lug 48.

Referring to Figures 4A and 4B, the central control can be locked by a key in tumbler 45 with the key being rotated 90 degrees anticlockwise. This raises locking lug 48 into the lock housing 49 which in turn locks the knob in position.

Figures 5A and 5B show a snib-locked mechanism. In this arrangement, the knob is rotated 90 degrees anti-clockwise until horizontal (as illustrated in Figure 5A). This rotates the connecting bar cam which in turn will push the slide members 21 on the remote locks outwardly allowing 20 the spring-loaded lock tongue 26 to return to its natural position (which is engaged in an adjacent window sash).

Figures 6A and 6B illustrated an unlocked position where the knob 44 can be rotated. The knob is rotated until vertical (illustrated in Figure 6A) which rotates the connecting cam which in turn pulls the slide members 21 inwardly forcing the spring-loaded lock tongue 26 to retract into meeting rail 15. This unlocks the sash.

It should be appreciated that various other changes and modifications can be made to the embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (27)

1. A lock assembly attachable to one sash of double-hung sash window and which is able to lock the one sash against another sash, the assembly comprising at least two spaced apart remote locks which are operated by a central control, the remote locks having at least a lock tongue which is pivotally fastened relative to the one sash and which is operable between a locking position where the lock tongue locks the sashes together, and an unlocking position, and a slide member which is operatively associated with the lock tongue and which can slide between a locking 10 position where the slide member causes the lock tongue to move to its locking position, and an unlocking position; the lock assembly further having at least one connecting means to allow the central control to operate the remote locks, the connecting means being attached relative to the slide member and the control member such that operation of the control member causes sliding movement of the slide member in each remote lock.

2. The assembly of claim 1 including a lock for a sash window to releasably hold a sash against its sash guide, the lock having an outer housing which is attachable to a sash, and an inner body which has an end face provided with a projection, the inner body being pivotally attached to the 20 outer housing and moveable between a retracted locking position where the inner body is mostly within the outer housing and the projection extends into the sash guide to prevent the sash from being removed from the sash guide, and an extended unlocking position where the inner body is pivoted out of the outer housing and where the projection has been pivoted out of the sash guide.

3. The assembly of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the lock assembly and the lock for the sash window are cooperatively associated with each other by having the outer housing of the lock protecting the lock tongue of the remote lock

4. The assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lock assembly is attached to a lower fixed sash and functions to lock the adjacent sliding sash to the fixed sash.

The assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein each remote lock is positioned adjacent an upper corner of the sash such that the lock tongue can pass into an aperture or other type of lock tongue engagement means which is on the rail section or sash style of the moving sash.

6. The assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lock tongue comprises an elongate member which is pivotly mounted to the sash to allow the lock tongue to pivot between its locking position and 10 unlocking position.

The assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the slide member comprises an elongate body which slides adjacent or underneath the lock tongue and engages with the lock tongue to push it into its lock position upon sliding movement of the slide member.

8. The assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the central control includes a handle of some kind which can be turned or otherwise manipulated to cause the slide members to slide.

9. The assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the 4 slide members are connected to the central control by connecting means. 20

10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the connecting means are connecting rods with one end of the rod being attached to the slide member and the other end of the rod being attached to the central control.

11. The assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the central control includes a lock barrel to prevent operation of the central control which in turn can deadlock the remote locks into the locking position.

12. The assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lock for the sash window has an outer housing which is attachable to the sash, and an inner body which pivots or hinges from position substantially in the housing to a position substantially out of the housing.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the outer housing is positioned on top of the lock tongue of the lock assembly.

14. The assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein each said remote lock has a lock tongue which is formed from an arm member which terminates in a tongue, the arm member being pivotally connected to a meeting rail through a pivot pin.

15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the lock tongue is spring biased to a position where the tongue is in a naturally-extending position where the tongue projects through an opening in the meeting rail and can be moved to an unlocking position where the tongue is retracted, or mostly retracted, within the meeting rail. 10

16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein retraction of the tongue is achieved by the slide member.

17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the slide member slides in a reciprocal fashion in an appropriate guide between an extended locking position where the slide member forces the lock tongue to adopt its locking position, and a retracted unlocking position where it moves more towards the central control and in doing so the slide member forces the tongue into the unlocking position and against the bias of the spring.

18. The assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the slide member is positioned below the lock tongue in the meeting rail and is "20 located entirely within the confines of the meeting rail. S

19. The assembly of claim 18, wherein the slide member is formed 0 S from a block having a pair of upstanding posts which terminate just below the S- lock tongue and an intermediate upstanding attachment, the posts engaging with a tail portion on a respective arm member, such that when the slide member is pulled inwardly or retracted, the post will push against the tail portion with the tail portion being on the other side of the pivot pin to the tongue, the sliding movement of the post will cause the tail portion to move upwardly which in turn will cause the tongue to move downwardly into its unlocked position.

20. The assembly of claim 19, wherein the post does not abut against any portion of the lock tongue but is positioned just below the arm member and the tongue to provide support should an attempt be made to jemmy or break the tongue or the arm member.

21. The assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lock for the sash window is positioned immediately above a respective said remote so as to more securely lock the sash into the sash liner and to facilitate removal of the sash from the sash liner, the lock being fastened to a meeting rail.

22. The assembly of claim 21, wherein the lock has an outer housing which is generally channel-shaped and which is fastened to the 10 meeting rail, and an inner body which is pivotal relative the outer housing.

23. The assembly of claim 22, wherein the inner body has an end S" face which is provided with an integrally formed projection or pin and also has an inner end face which is contoured to allow a person's thumb to flick up 0se 06:0. or pivot the inner body relative to the outer housing.

24. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the pin is projectable into an o *,already existing slot in the sash liner such that as long as pin 41 extends into the sash liner, the sash can not be easily removed from the sash liner, but when the end face is lifted by a person's thumb, the inner body can pivot to cause the pin to rotate downwardly and out of the slot in the sash liner. 20

25. The assembly of claim 24, wherein the end face has a camming surface which pushes against the sash liner to push the sash liner away from the channel which forms part of the sash style.

S26. A lock for a sash window to releasably hold a sash against its sash guide, the lock having an outer housing which is attachable to a sash, and an inner body which has an end face provided with a projection, the inner body being pivotally attached to the outer housing and moveable between a retracted locking position where the inner body is mostly within the outer housing and the projection extends into the sash guide to prevent the sash from being removed from the sash guide, and an extended unlocking position where the inner body is pivoted out of the outer housing and where the projection has been pivoted out of the sash guide. 16

27. An assembly substantiality as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings. DATED this 20h day of November 1998 LOCKWOOD AUSTRALIA PTY. LTD. C. N. 004 239 392) By their Patent Attorneys CULLEN CO. S 0.60 04 0 0 0