US2574535A

US2574535A - Adjustable locking device

Info

Publication number: US2574535A
Application number: US70167A
Authority: US
Inventors: Erastus C Deal
Original assignee: DEAL SLIDE LOCK DEVIEES Inc
Current assignee: DEAL SLIDE LOCK DEVIEES Inc; DEAL SLIDE-LOCK DEVIEES Inc
Priority date: 1949-01-11
Filing date: 1949-01-11
Publication date: 1951-11-13
Anticipated expiration: 1968-11-13

Description

Nov. 13, 1951 E. c. DEAL ADJUSTABLE LOCKING DEVICE 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 4 INVENTOR. drasfas 6 flea fl TTOIP/VEY Filed Jan. 11, 1949 Nov. 13, 1951. D AL 2,574,535

ADJUSTABLE LOCKING DEVICE Filed Jan. 11, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 will I INVENTOR.

Ems/a5 Z JzaZ WGTZWMWMX Patented Nov. 13, 1951 ADJUSTABLE LOCKING DEVICE Erastus 6; Deal; Rye, N. Y., assignor to Deal Slide-Lock Devices, Inc.,, New York, N; Y., a

corporation of New York ApplicationJanuary 11, 1949, Serial No. 70,i67

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to adjustable locking devices and more particularly to such embodying improvements over the looks or devices disclosed in United States Patents Nos. 2,521,835 and 2,521,836, granted on September 12, 1950, to Louis L. Deal and Erastus 0. Deal, respectively.

The above-mentioned applications disclose devices which are adaptedto retain their ositions in such manner that greater force is required to move them in one direction than in another direction. Such devices are highly useful in retaining or supporting members such asa window sash, tripod legs, etc. When the device is used tosupport a window sash, for example, it normally grips more tightly against movement in a downward direction than against movement inan upward direction; inthis manner the device is adapted to support the weight of the window until sufficient downward force is appliedtoclosethe window. The device requires application of less force to move the window in an upward direc tionand this facilitates ready upward movement when it is desired to open the window.

While the device of the present invention is adaptedto uses the same as and similar tothose referred to in the above-mentioned applications, it aims to further provide a locking device which may be more readily manufactured and assem bled and which comprises a lesser number of parts. This invention further contemplates the provision of a locking device which is more nearly foolproof in construction and operation and which may be manufactured at lower cost.

An object of the present invention is toprovide a new and improved adjustable locking device.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved locking device of simplified construction which is adapted to be moved in one direction with less force than is required to move it in another direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a locking device ofwhich embodies a minimum number of parts.

A further object is to provide an adjustable locking device which may be readily manufactured at relatively low cost.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to" one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the, invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and dez. s'cri'ption and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

Fig. I is a front view, partially in section and partially broken away, showing a preferred embodiment of the present adjustable locking device;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. l; r

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4= is an exploded perspective view showing the parts of the lock illustrated in Figs. 1' to 3;

Fig. 5' is a vertical sectional view showing a lockin device similar to that of Figs. I through 4 but employing another form of connecting spring;

Fig. 6' is a perspective view showing, a modified form of block or housing member which may be used with the present locking device;

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view showing a form of look similar to those of Figs. 1' through 6 but embodying a different number of adjustable springs;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view, partially broken away, showing the locking device of the present invention supporting an object such as a window sash;

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view, partially broken away, showing one form of the present lock used to supportan object suchas an elongate housing or rod member;

Fig, 10 is a vertical sectional view, partially broken away, showing a formof the present looking device adapted to support a member such as a section of a surveyors rod;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing a control member used with the lock of Fig; 10;

Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view showing a form of lockingdevice utilizing a stretchable type of spring;

Fig. 1-3 is a vertical sectional view, partially broken away, showing modified means for selectively controlling operation of the locking device; and

Fig. I4 is a vertical sectional view, partially broken away, showing another modified means for selectively controlling operation of the lock.

Referring more particularly to. the form of ad'-' justable locking device illustrated in Figs. 1 through 4, there is shown a channel member or guideway I, adapted to be secured by screws or bolts 2 in fixed position to a window frame, or any other object. The guideway l directs movement of wedge-like holding member's'd and 5 which are movable to and fro lengthwise of the guideway.

Preferably a flexible ribbon or cable 1 is secured to the guideway l adjacent opposite ends thereof and facilitates the action of the holding members A and 5 and their cooperation with the guideway I. As shown, guideway flanges 8 extend over a portion of the holding members i and 5 to retain them in the guideway. A hat or substantially planar connecting spring I is shown with its opposite ends looped about projections II and I2 which are connected with and extend outwardly from the holding members 4 and this connecting spring Hi tends to urge the holding members toward each other and to spread them against side walls of the guideway.

Projections ii and 82 connected with or carried by the wedge-like holding members extend I into pockets or sockets is and 2!] formed in a solid or block-like housing It, which is adapted to be secured by bolts l t with a window frame it? or with any other ob ect or member which it is desired to support or retain. The pockets is and 2t! of the block-like housing member i3 may be drilled into the housing or may be formed in it during casting operations. When assembled, the pocket walls substantially enclose the projections ll and I2 of the holding members t and 5. While the housing of Figs. 1 through 4 is shown of relatively short length it may be of any desired length, width and thickness.

The housing pocket is is shown joined with a connecting pocket or socket 22 which in turn contains a spring or other yieldable means 23 that presses against the projection H, through the intermediation of a plug or seat member 25. The spring 23 may be of fixed or non-variable capacity but, as in Figs. 1 through 4, is adjustable to various degrees of compression by varying the position of a threaded plug member 26 shown seated against the upper end of the spring 23 and closing the pocket 22.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the locking device is illustrated in the relationship which it occupies when in use supporting a window i8. The window sash is connected with the housing [3 by bolts H1 and the weight is thus supported upon the spring or yieldable means 23. In normal usage the spring 23 is compressed a distance equal to one-half the weight of thewindow and its sash, the other onehalf of the weight being supported by a similar locking device positioned at the opposite side of the window frame. The spring 23 transfers the weight through the seating plug 25 to the projection It and thence to the wedge-like holding

members

4 and 5.

To close the window a downward force applied to the sash further compresses the spring 23 until the upper edge or wall 28 of the pocket 29 comes into contact with the lower projection 12; this applies a pulling force to the holding member 5 and the lock is released so that the window may be moved downwardly. When the window is released, the spring 23 lifts the window slightly so that the wall 28 of the housing l3 moves away from the holding member 12. Where the device is used with bus windows or street cars the road shocks jiggle the window without closing it, the spring 23 absorbing the bumps and jars.

To raise the window it may be lifted until the lower wall 29 contacts the underside of the projection II to apply a pulling force to this projection and the holding member 4 which is connected with it. As the window is raised the spring 23 tends to assist the raising movement. Thus it will be seen that the wind-ow may be readily guideway.

raised and lowered, and that different total forces are applied to the locking devices to move it in diiferent directions.

Where the ad ustable type of spring is utilized one size of lock may be readily adapted to support windows or other objects of varying weights.

In Fig. 5 there is illustrated in obj cot-supporting position a modified form of the lock which utilizes a coil spring 3| for connecting the projections of the wedge-like holding members. Where such a spring is utilized the block-like housing may be provided with a channel 32 to accommodate it. The substantially flat or planar spring disclosed in Figs. 1 through 4 is generally preferred since it does not require the provision of a recess 32 in the housing member 53 and since it normally fits into a small space corresponding to the thickness of the flanges 8 of the guideway.

Fig. 6 illustrates a slightly modified form of housing member whichmay be formed by diecasting operations. It is lighter and somewhat less expensive since it embodies a lesser amount of metal. The use of aluminum for the unitary block-like housings is very satisfactory due to its lightness and ease of manufacture.

Fig. '7 illustrates a form of the present locking device similar to that above described but which employs a plurality of springs 35 and so carried in pockets 3? and 38 of the single-block housing, so that the springs press against projections 40 and a l of the holding members. A separate connecting spring for urging the holding members toward each other need not be utilized. Operation of the lock is similar to that already described. Each

spring

35, 36 may be separately adjusted by the threaded plugs shown seated against the outer ends of each of the respective springs, thus varying the forces required to move the device in one direction or the other along its If a fixed capacity lock is desired the

springs

35 and 36 may be non-adjustable; one spring may be stronger than the other to provide a biasing effect. If desired, seating plugs similar to those described may be used intermediate the 7 ends of the

springs

35 and 36 and their respective holding

member projections

40 and 4|. Bolts or screws 42 may connect the housing with a window or other object.

In Fig. 8 the locking device is shown directly supporting an object.

Projections

35 and 16 of the holding members extend into pockets ll and 48 formed directly in the object to be held and the object itself forms the block-like housing. Where the object is a window sash the

pockets

41 and 48 may be formed in the side edges of the sash so that the sash may be permanently assembled with the lock. A laterally extending connecting pocket or opening 49 in the sash may merge with the upper pocket 41, the pocket 49 being adapted to contain a seating plug, spring, and threaded adjusting plug similar to those already described. With a window sash a similar construction will be utilized at each side of the sash. The construction of Fig. 8 provides a built in lock and the object is directly supported or held, with the object itself forming the block-like housing.

Fig. 9 shows a built in construction along the lines of Fig. 8 but the yieldable means or spring 52 which serves to bias the locking device is of the fixed or non-adjustable type and is contained within a blind pocket 53. The object 54 which serves to house the holding member projections is broken away to indicate that it may is be of any suitable length.

. In Fig. a modified form of the look is shown utilized with a rod-like member 56, which may be a section of a tripod. In this instance also a member which is to be held forms the block-dike housing which encloses the projections of the locks holding members. The projections 51 and 58 of the holding members project into pockets of the rod member 56. Bands 6!! retain the parts together and permit longitudinal movement of the lower rod 56 with respect to the adjacent rod 59. In this form of lock the biasing means 61 is shown interposed between a wedgelike holding member and an extension 62 of a separate release member 63. For clarity the release member 63 is shown in perspective in Fig. 11.

When the release member is grasped and moved upwardly the spring 6| is compressed until the edge wall 65 of the release member comes into contact with the projection 51 and applies a pulling force, which releases the locking device and permits collapsing of the structure. When the release member is moved in an opposite direction the edge wall 66 contacts the other projection 58 and serves to pull the lock in an opposite direction.

While in most instances the locks will embody compression types of springs or yieldable means, there is illustrated in Fig. 12 a modified form of the lock which utilizes a stretchable 01' tension spring. The tension spring 68 is connected in suitable manner adjacent one end with the housing block 69 and adjacent its opposite end with an adjusting screw 16, the latter being threaded into a projection ll of an upper wedge-like holding member 12. Rotation of the adjusting screw 10 varies the force of the tension spring 63. The housing 69 may be bolted to a window sash or other object to be supported and the lock guideway may be secured to a window frame or other object. Thus the weight of a supported object is transferred through the housing block 69 to the spring 68, in such manner as to tend to stretch the spring.

When a window connected with the housing block 69 is lowered the housing block may move downwardly until the lower wall 16 comes into contact with the lower projection 13 and applies a pulling force in a direction to close the window. When the window is raised the housing block 69 moves upwardly until the upper wall 1'! thereof comes into contact with the upper projection H and applies a pulling force to the upper wedge 12. The tension spring 68 serves to "bias the lock in a manner similar to that already described in connection with locking devices which utilize a compression spring.

With the locking devices described adjustment of the biasing force, that is of the force provided by the yieldable means whereby greater force is required to move the lock in one direction than another, is provided by varying the amount of compression or tension of the yieldable means. In some instances it may be desired to utilize a spring or other yieldable means which does not require adjustment, and yet to provide for variation of the force required to be applied to the object in order to move it. Fig. 13 shows such a locking device which utilizes a spring or other yieldable means 80 which is not adjustable; variation of the force required to move the object BI is provided by an adjustable spacer member 82 carried by screw-threaded rod 84 threadedly connected with a socket 85 in the object or window sash 8|.

With the parts in the relationship shown in Fig. 13 the window may be lowered by push-. ing downwardly upon the sash 8| until the underside of the spacer member 82 comes into contact with the projection 81 of one wedge-like holding member 88. As the spacer member 82 is pressed downwardly with the sash 8| it simultaneously compresses the yieldable means 80.

To vary the force required to move the sash 8| the rod member 84 may be suitably adjusted. If it. is desired to increase the force which must be applied to the sash in order to close it, the threaded rod 84 may be screwed outwardly to increase the space intermediate the spacer member 82 and the projection 81. When this space is increased the sash ill will have to be pressed downwardly a greater distance prior to the variable spacing member 82 contacting the projection 81; this greater movement requires greater compression of the spring and hence the application of a larger force in order to lower the window.

Screwing downwardly on the threaded rod 64 decreases the intermediate space X and hence lessens the force required to lower the window. Raising the window may be achieved in the usual manner, the wall 89 contacting the underside of the upper projection 98 to pull the uppermost; wedge along the guideway.

The construction illustrated in Fig. 14 is generally similar to that of Fig. 13. In this instance the spring 86a is positioned within the guideway and the adjustable spacing member may be of substantially C-shape. Movement of the adjustable spacer member 62a to vary the space X may be achieved by a screw 9! threadedly connected with the variable spacer member 82a and rot-atably carried in a bracket 93, the bracket 93: being secured to the window sash. Operation of the form illustrated in Fig. 14 is similar to that described in connection with Fig. 13.

It will be seen that the present invention provides a new and improved adjustable locking device of greatly simplified construction. The

lock utilizes a lesser number of parts and may be more readily and more inexpensively manufactured. A single block-like member or housing encloses projections of the locks holding members and operatively connects the holding parts of the lock with an object to be supported; or the lock may be built into the article to be held so that the article is directly supported. By reason of the relatively small number of parts and their rugged construction the present adjustable locking device is well adapted to withstand the rough usage to which it may be subjected.

As various changes ma be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a guideway having oppositely spaced walls, a plurality of holding members in and movable along said guideway having opposed overlapping inclined wedging surfaces for urging portions of the members into frictional engagement with said oppositely spaced guideway walls, a projection connected with and extending generally laterally outwardly from each of said holding members, a unitary housing member having a plurality of spaced closed end sockets into which said projections extend, the distance between adjacent walls of said spaced sockets being less than the distance between adjacent surfaces of said projections and each of said closed end sockets having an opposite wall spaced from an opposite surface of the projection which extends into said socket, and yieldable means carried by said housing member and operatively interposed between a portion or" said housing member and one of said hOlding members for opposing movement of the housing member relative to the holding members in one direction along the guideway, one Of the adjacent walls of one of said sockets being adapted to engage one of said projections upon yielding of said yieldable means to release the frictional engagement between the holding members and guideway walls.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a guideway having oppositely spaced walls, a plurality of holding members in and movable along said guideway having opposed overlapping inclined wedging surfaces for urging portions of the members into frictional engagement with said oppositely spaced guideway walls, a projection connected with and extending generally laterally outwardly from each of said holding members, unitary housing means having a plurality of spaced closed end sockets into which said projections extend, means providing wall portions within said sockets and adjacent each other and a Wall portion opposite each of said adacent wall portions, the distance between said adjacent wall portions being less than the distance between adjacent surfaces of said projections and each of said opposite wall portions being spaced from an opposite surface of the projection which extends into said socket, and yieldable means carried by said housing means and operatively interposed between a portion of said housing means and one of said holding members for opposing movement of the housing means relative to the holding members in one direction along the guideway, one of the adjacent wall portions being adapted to engage one of said projections upon yielding of said yieldable means to release the frictional engagement between the holding members and guideway Walls.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which there is provided additional yieldable means for 8 exerting pressure against at least one of said holding members to urge the holding members toward each other and into engagement with said guideway walls.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which there is provided additional yieldable means for exerting pressure against at least one of said holding members to urge the holding members toward each other and into engagement with said guideway walls, each yieldable means is of the compression type, and each is contained within a separate recess in the housing member.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which said housing member has at least a single aperture extending therethrough for facilitating attachment of the housing member to an object.

6. A device as claimed in claim 2, in which there is provided adjustable means movable toward and away from one of the projections for varying the force exerted by said yieldable means.

7. A device as claimed in claim 2, in which saidholding means has a recess connecting with one of said sockets, said yieldable means comprises a spring contained in said recess, and adjustable means extends into said recess and bears against said spring for varying the force exerted thereby.

8. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which one of said members carries adjustable means for varying the space between one of said projections and a portion of the housing member to thereby selectively vary the force required to move the device in one direction along the guideway.

9. A device as claimed in claim 2, in which said'housing means carries adjustable means for varying the space between one of said projections and a portion of the housing member to thereby selectively vary the force required to move the device in one direction along the guideway.

ERASTUS C. DEAL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number