US2702402A - Spring sash balance with tape-locking means - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 22, 1955 G. B. HAAS 2,702,402

SPRING SASH BALANCE WITH TAPE-LOCKING MEANS Filed March 3, 1952 Bummer G/e Zfas ama wzwma United States Patent SPRING SASH BALANCE WITH TAPE-LOCKING lVIEANS Glenn B. Haas, Oak Harbor, Ohio, assignor to Star Sash Balance Corporation, Oak Harbor, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application March 3, 1952, Serial No. 274,590

1 Claim. (Cl. 16-198) This invention relates to spring sash balances and, in particular, to devices for holding the tape of a sash balance in an extended position.

One object of this invention is to provide a spring sash balance having a tape which is provided with apertures at intervals along its length and a locking member which is movable into and out of a selected aperture in order to hold the tape in an extended position against the retraction pressure exerted by the sash balance spring.

Another object is to provide a spring sash balance of the foregoing character wherein the locking member consists of a bolt or plunger which is movable into and out of engagement with the selected aperture for locking the tape in its extended position.

Another object is to provide a spring sash balance of the foregoing character wherein the locking member is mounted on the base of the sash balance and is movable toward and away from the tape so as to be selectively pushed through an aperture in the tape or retracted out of engagement with the tape, according to the will of the user.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation, partly in vertical section, of a spring sash balance equipped with a tape-locking device, according to one form of the invention;

Figure 2 is an approximately horizontal section partly in top plan view, taken along the line 22 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an approximately vertical fragmentary section taken along the line 33 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the base plate of the sash balance casing, showing the locking bolt guide portion therein; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the mounting plate of the sash balance of Figure 1, showing the bolt handle slot and bolt and guide therein.

Hitherto, in the installation of spring sash balances in the window frames of buildings, carpenters have found it inconvenient to hold the steel tape of such balances in an extended position against the spring pressure thereof while attaching the loop or eye at the end of the tape to the window sash. This inconvenience arises from the fact that in order to attach the tape to the window sash, a sufficient length of the tape must be extended from the sash balance to enable the carpenter to insert his hand to manipulate his tools. Where a sufiicient length of the tape has been extended or withdrawn from the sash balance, however, the tension thereon resulting from the spring inside the sash balance is so great as to make it diflicult to hold the tape against the retraction force of the spring.

The present invention solves these problems by providing the tape with apertures at spaced intervals along its length, together with a locking member or bolt which is movable into and out of registry with the apertures in the tape to hold the tape in its withdrawn or extended position.

Referring to the drawing in detail, Figure 1 shows a sash balance, generally designated 10, as applied to the opening 11 in the top member 12 of a window frame, generally designated 13, the ends of the top member 12 being seated in recesses or notches 14 in the window frame side members 15 (Figure 1). The sash balance 10 is connected 2,702,402 Patented Feb. 22, 1955 anchored to the window frame top member 12. The casing of the sash balance 10 is in two parts, namely a box-like member 22 and a closure 21 therefor. The part 22 has a side portion 23, straight end portions 24 and 25 and an arcuate top portion 26. The casing part 21 serves as a closure for the opening 27 in the side of the casing part 22 and has a flange 28 directed at right angles to the side walls 29 thereof, the flange 28 being of the same outline as the opposite side 23 of the casing part 22 and adapted to fit the end portions 24, 25 and top 7 portion 26 snugly.

to a mounting plate 16 which is seated at one end 17 in Integral with the closure member 21 and extending at right angles to the side wall 29 thereof is a base plate 30 which has a notch or opening 31 in one end thereof for the passage of the steel tape 32 which is wound on the spring-pressed drum 33 of the spring sash balance 10. The drum 33 in turn is rotatably supported upon a tubular axle 34 having attachment tabs 35 connected to its opposite ends and extending through arcuate slots 36 in the side walls 23 and 29. The spring (not shown) for retracting the tape 32 is connected at one end to the axle 34 and at its opposite end to the drum 33 to constantly urge the drum 33 to rotate in a clockwise direction, so as to roll up the tape 32 on the drum 33. The closure member 21 is provided with transversely-projecting tabs 37 (Figure 1) extending over the arcuate portion 26 of the box-like casing portion 22.

The base plate 30 which extends at right angles to the side walls 29 of the closure member 21 is provided adjacent the opening 31 with an elongated struck-up guide portion 38 having an elongated groove 39 therein. The base plate 30 also has a square or rectangular aperture 39 therein at the end remote from the aperture 31. The mounting plate 16 is secured to the base plate 30 of the closure member 21 by spot welding at the points indicated by the crosses in Figure 2, with the mounting plate 16 so positioned that an inclined struck-up tab 40 thereon extends upward through the aperture 39 and a perpendicular tab 41 projects upward at right angles to the plane of an opening 42 out of which it is struck, and lies alongside the inner wall of the portion 24 of the casing member 22. The tab 41 is provided with a hole 43 aligned with the groove 39 when the base plate 30 and mounting plate 16 are properly secured to one another, and the mounting plate 16 is additionally provided with an elongated slot 44 therethrough for the passage of the bolt handle, as subsequently described below.

Slidably mounted in the groove 39 is a bolt or locking member 45 having a pointed tip 46 at one end and a bent portion 47 forming the bolt handle at its opposite end. The bolt 45 travels in the elongated groove 39 in the struckup portion 38 on the base plate 30 and is guided thereby, and its handle portion 47 projects outwardly through the slot 44 so as to be accessible to the user. The steel tape 32 of the sash balance 10 is provided at intervals with holes 48 through which the bolt 45 may be passed, with its tapered tip likewise passing through the hole 43 in the struckup tab 41 and also through a hole 49 in one of the walls 24.

In the operation of the invention, the carpenter or other person who installs the sash balance first mounts the sash balance in the opening 11 in the usual way and secures it in position by means of the groove 19 extending through the hole 18 in the mounting plate 16 into the window frame top member 12, which is usually of wood. The carpenter or other installing person then retracts the bolt 45 by pulling the bolt handle 47 to the right hand end of the elongated groove 39, after which he pulls out the tape 32 to the desired length by means of the eye, loop or stirrup 50 which is connected by the strap 51 to the tape 32. He pulls out the tape 32 until the desired length protrudes from the aperture 42 in the mounting plate 16 and at the same time pushes to the left on the bolt handle 47 so as to push the tip 46 of the bolt 45 against the tape 32. He continues to pull the tape 32 outward until one of its holes 48.comes into line with the bolt 45 whereupon he pushes the bolt 45 through the tape hole 48 and guide hole 43. The tape 32 is thus held in its extended position against the spring tension on the drum 33 tending to rotate it in a clockwise direction (Figure l).

The carpenter then raises the sliding sash of the window, if he has not already done so, and attaches the stirrup 50' to the attachment member secured thereto (not shown) in the usual Way. He then repeats the operation for the sash balance 10 (not shown) atthe opposite end; ofthe windowframe top member 12. With both tapes thus attached to the sliding window sash, the workman then retracts the bolts 45 from the holes 49, 43 and 48 by grasping the handles 41 andsliding them inward toward the inner end ofthe groove 39- in the struclt up portion 10 38, freeing the tapes 32 from engagement bythe'bolts 45 The spring- (not shown) within thedr-unr 33 of each springsash balance 10 then comes into, action to rotate the drum 33 so as to wind up the tape 32-, countet halancing the weight of the window sash as it is raised by a person'- opening' the window.

'What I claim is:

In a sash balance adapted to be mounted in an opening in one ofthe frame members of-' a window frame, a casing containing a spring-wound tape drum, an elongated flexible tape Wound on said drum and providedwith holes at spaced intervals therealong', said casing having anaper ture therein for the passage of said tape, a mounting plate structure secured to said casing adjacent said aperture and having an outlet therethrough for said tape, said mounting plate structure having an attachment portion thereon securable to said Window frame member adjacent said opening with said attachment portion disposed partly within said opening and partly behind said window frame member, and amovable; locking member secured to and slidably mounted on said mounting plate structure and slidable substantially parallel thereto into and out ofi penetrating engagement with one of said holes, said locking member having a' handlepo'rtion thereon disposed adjacent the exposed face of said mounting plate structure.

References Cited in th 1 Of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 64,319 Hubbellu Apr. 30, 1867 1,186,861 Sunde a June 13, 1916 1,254,647 Bennett Ian. 29., 191.8 2,582,405 Aucljzard Jan. 15, 1952

Images