US3762751A

US3762751A - Window latch

Info

Publication number: US3762751A
Application number: US00209112A
Authority: US
Inventors: C Little
Original assignee: Weber Knapp Co
Current assignee: Weber Knapp Co
Priority date: 1971-12-17
Filing date: 1971-12-17
Publication date: 1973-10-02
Anticipated expiration: 1990-10-02

Abstract

A latch for use in detachably interconnecting edge portions of a window and a window frame; the window being supported on the frame for swinging movement about a vertically disposed pivot axis away from a window closed position, wherein the edge portions are disposed in a closely adjacent facing relationship. The latch comprises a latching mechanism carried on the frame and a receiver carried by the window; the latching mechanism including handle operated means having a latch finger pivotally supported for movement within a plane disposed perpendicular to the edge portion of the frame between retracted and extended positions. The receiver defines a slot opening, which extends lengthwise of its associated edge portion and is adapted to receive the latch finger when the edge portions are disposed in facing relationship and the latch finger is pivoted into its extended position. When the window is in closed position, the latch mechanism and the receiver are completely hidden from view in order to preserve the aesthetic appearance of the window; and unlatching movement of the latch finger, except by means of its handle operator, is positively prevented.

Description

United States Patent 11 1 Little 1 Oct. 2, 1973.

[ WINDOW LATCH [75] Inventor: Carl 11. Little, Jamestown, NY.

[73] Assignee: Weber-Knapp Company,

Jamestown, NY.

22 Filed: Dec. 17, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 209,112

[52] US. Cl 292/196, 292/DIG. 7, 292/DIG. 33,

Primary ExaminerRichard E. Moore Attorney-John B. Bean et al. I

57 ABSTRACT A latch for use in detachably interconnecting edge portions of a window and a window frame; the window being supported on the frame for swinging movement about a vertically disposed pivot axis away from a window closed position, wherein the edge portions are disposed in a closely adjacent facing relationship. The latch comprises a latching mechanism carried on the frame and a receiver carried by the window; the latching mechanism including handle operated means having a latch finger pivotally supported for movement within a plane disposed perpendicular to the edge por tion of the frame between retracted and extended positions. The receiver defines a slot opening, which extends lengthwise of its associated edge portion and is adapted to receive the latch finger when the edge portions are disposed in facing relationship and the latch finger is pivoted into its extended position. When the window is in closed position, the latch mechanism and the receiver are completely hidden from view in order to preserve the aesthetic appearance of the window;

'and unlatching movement of the latch finger, except by means of its handle operator, is positively prevented.

3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEU OCT 2 75 SHEET 10F 2 HTFHTIWFTITIUIITITI LLI L1 UlUlIll 4 INVENTOR.

cam H. urn E ATTORNEY;

PATENTEDBET 2W I 3,762,751

sum 2 or 2 53K a I INVENTOR. CARL H. L 7' TLE ATTORNEYS WINDOW LATCH SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to latch constructions and more particularly to a window latch construction for use with windows of the type supported for swinging movements between open and closed positions.

The latch of the present invention features a latching mechanism adapted to be concealed within a generally U-shaped window frame and a receiver carried by the window. The latching mechanism comprises a latch finger and an operator, which are each pivotally supported by a latch mounting frame and interconnected by a motion transmitting arm; the latch finger being arranged for operator induced pivotal movement from a retracted position into an extended position. When the latch finger is in extended position, it projects through an opening provided in the window frame for latching engagement with the receiver. Preferably, the latch mounting frame is enclosed by a window frame mounted weather shield or cover.

Movement of the operator is effected by an operator handle, which is preferably removably received within a blind opening provided in the operator and aligned openings formed in the mounting frame, weather shield and an inwardly facing wall or leg portion of the window frame. Weather sealing about such openings may be effected by supporting a rubber or like sealing grommet within the shield opening, such that opposite ends of the grommet are disposed in sealing engagement with the mounting frame and the inwardly facing wall or leg portion.

The weather shield may also be conveniently employed to define a stop surface or abutment serving to limit the extent of pivotal movement of the operator in both latch finger retracting and extending directions. The presence of the abutment and the overcenter positioning of the motion transmitting arm relative to the axis of the rotation of the operator serve to positively prevent unlatching of the window by unauthorized tam pering with the latch finger.

DRAWINGS The nature and mode of the present invention will now be more fully described in the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a window-installation embodying the latch construction of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the latch of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 5-5 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the latch of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Reference is now made particularly to FIG. 1, wherein a latch of the present invention is generally designated as 10 and shown as being employed to releasably latch a window 12 in closed position relative to a window frame 14, which is in turn suitably fixed within an opening provided in building wall 15. Latch 10 generally includes a latching mechanism 16, which is mounted on window frame 14 and a receiver 18 carried on window 12. In FIG. 1, window 12 is viewed from the inside of a building and shown as being supported by frame mounted

bearings

20 and 21 for swinging movement about a substantially vertically disposed axis 22 between closed and opened positions.

Window 12 and window frame l4 may be of any desired construction. However, for purposes of illustration, reference is made to FIG. 2, wherein window 12 is shown as including a glass pane 24; a peripherally opening, generally U-shaped channel frame portion 26 for mounting pane 24; and a weather sealing device, such as a U-shaped rubber, felt or like sealing gasket 28, which may be suitably supported within channel frame portion 26 as by means of strip-like retainer member 30. Receiver 18 may be suitably fixed within frame portion 26, as by screws 32.

Window frame 14 is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 as being in the form of a peripherally opening, rectangular U-shaped channel member having inwardly and outwardly facing leg or

wall portions

34 and 36, and a connecting web portion 38. Leg portion 34 is formed with a circular through opening 40, and web portion 38 is formed with a vertically extending through slot opening 42 and a plurality of through openings 44a and 44b dimensioned to receive

screw devices

46a and 46b, which serve to attach latching mechanism 16 within a cavity 48 defined by frame 14 and wall 15.

Now referring particularly to FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 6, it will be understood that latching mechanism 16 generally includes a latching device 50, which is fixed within cavity 48 by means of screw devices 46b; a weather shield or cover 52, which is fixed within cavity 48 by screw devices 460 for the purpose of enclosing latching device 50 and is formed with access opening 53; and a rubber, nylon or like sealing grommet sleeve 54 having an annular groove 56.

Latching device 50 includes a latch finger 60 and an operator member 62, which are each supported by a latch mounting frame 64 for pivotal movement about parallel axes and interconnected by a motion transmitting arm or link 66; latch finger 60 being arranged for operator member induced pivotal movement through slot opening 42 between retracted-unlatching and the extended-latching positions, which are shown in phantom and full line in FIG. 3, respectively. A pin shaft 68 is employed to support latch finger 60 on mounting frame 64, and

pin shafts

70 and 72 are employed to connect the ends of arm 66 to latch finger 60 and operator member 62, respectively. Mounting of operator member 62 on mounting frame 64 is conveniently effected by forming the operator member with a cylindrical boss 74, which is rotatably receivable within the mounting frame through opening 76; opening 76 being arranged in alignment with openings 40 and 53 when the latching mechanism 16 is mounted on window frame 14.

As best shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, boss 74 is formed with hexagonally shaped opening 78, which extends only partially through the operator member and is adapted to removably receive a like configured inner end of an L-shaped operator handle 80, which is shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. Grommet sleeve 54, which is dimensioned to freely receive handle 80, is snap-fitted through shield opening 53 to receive portions of the shield bounding such opening within annular groove 56 and has its opposite ends arranged in sealingly engagement with facing surfaces of mounting frame 64 bounding opening 76 and leg'portion 34 bounding opening 40. By this arrangement, any air leaking through the outwardly facing leg of U-shaped sealing gasket 28, can not pass into the building through window frame opening 42, latching mechanism 16 and window frame opening 40.

Now referring to FIGS. 2, S and 6, it will be seen that receiver 18 is formed with a pair of

curved guide flanges

90 and 92, which cooperate to define a recess 94, which is dimensioned adjacent its mid-point to snugly accommodate latch finger 60 and flared at least adjacent its upper inlet end. As will be apparent, the engagement of latch finger 60 with the flared upper inlet end of recess 94 tends to cam window 12 into properly closed position or into a precise co-planar relationship with window frame 14, when the window has been swung into close proximity to its closed position. In this position, peripheral edge portions of the window and window frame are disposed in a closely adjacent facing relationship.

A particularly important feature of the present invention is thatt is impossible for an unauthorized party outside of the building to unlatch window 12 by .attempting to produce unlatching movements of latch finger 60, as for instance by inserting an instrument into a space existing between frame portion 26 and window frame 14. In this respect it will be seen by reference to FIG. 3 that when latch finger 60 is 'moved counter-clockwise into its latching position by turning movements of handle 80, pin shaft 72 is moved in a clockwise direction about boss 74 from a position above and one one side of the boss into a position below and on an opposite side of the boss. Thus, if one were to attempt to pull or push down on latch finger 60 in an effort to return same to its retracted position, the tendency would be for pin shaft 72 to continue to move clockwise about boss 74, whereby either arm 66 and/or operator member 62 is placed in motion arresting abutment with the rear wall of shield 52. On the other hand, if one were to pull or push up on latch finger '60, counter-clockwise movement thereof from its latching position would also be prevented. In this respect, the construction is such that pin shaft 72 may not move downwardly toa point sufficient to permit pin shaft 70 to pass over center from its full line position shown in FIG. 3, which would be required in order to permit complete unlatching, counter-clockwise rotation of latch finger 60.

I claim: I

l. The combination including a window, a window frame anda latch mechanism for detachably interconnecting edge portions of said window and said window frame, said window being supported for swinging movement about a swinging axis away from a window closed position wherein said window and window frame are disposed in an essentially co-planar relationship with their respective edge portions disposed in a closely spaced facing relationship, said window frame is in the form of channel means including a window opening bounding portion and a leg portion, said bounding portion defining said edge portion of said window frame and having a slot opening therethrough, said leg portion extending outwardly from adjacent a relatively inner marginal edge of said boundary portion and said leg portion is formed with a through opening, said latch mechanism comprising:

a latch frame fixedly mounted on said window frame adjacent a relatively outwardly facing surface of said bounding portion;

a latch finger rotatably mounted on said latch frame for movement about a first axis between retractedunlatched and extended-latched positions relative to said window frame, said first axis extending transversely of said swinging axis, and said latch finger moving inwardly of a relatively inwardly facing surface of said boundary portion through said slot when moved into said extended-latched position thereof;

an operator member rotatably mounted on said latch frame for movement about a second axis parallel to said first axis;

link means carried adjacent opposite ends thereof on said finger and operator member for relative piv- -otal movements about axes parallel to said first and second axes;

operating means for imparting authorized rotationgs to said operator member whereby to produce authorized movement of said finger between said positions thereof; I

receiver means fixedly mounted on said window adjacent said edge portion thereof whereby said receiver means and said finger are positioned in operative alignment when said window is in said closed position to permit window latching engagement of said finger with said receiver means when the former is moved into said extended-latched position; and

a cover fixed to said outwardly facing surface of said bounding portion for enclosing said latch frame and said finger and said operator member and said link means outwardly of said outwardly facing surface of said bounding portion, said latch frame and said cover having openings therethrough aligned with said leg opening for freely receiving said operating means, and said cover defines stop means for preventing non-operating means produced movement of said finger in one direction away from said extended-latched position upon application of force directly to said finger, and said link means prevents non-operating means produced movement of said finger in an opposite direction away .from said extended-latched position upon application of force directly to said finger.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein seal means are carried by said cover within said opening thereof for end sealing engagement with facing surfaces of said latch frame and said leg portion about said opening thereof, said seal means having an opening extending therethrough, and said operating means being removably insertable through said seal means opening for rotation imparting engagement with said operator member.

3. In the combination including a window, a window frame and a latch mechanism, said window being mounted on said frame for swinging movements away from a closed position in which said window is disposed to lie with said frame in an essentially common vertically disposed plane with marginal edges thereof arranged in a facing relationship a marginal edge of said frame having a slot therethrough, said latch mechanism including a latch finger carried in association with said frame adjacent one marginal edge thereof for rotation about an essentially horizontally disposed first axis between a retracted-unlatched position disposed outwardly of said marginal edge of said frame and an extended-latched position projecting inwardly of said marginal edge of said frame through said slot, a receiver carried in association with said window adjacent one marginal edge thereof and defining an open ended slot extending lengthwise of said one marginal edge of said window, said finger when rotated between said positions thereof being movable lengthwise of said receiver recess when said window is in closed position for releasably latching said window, and finger operator means for moving said finger relative to said frame between said positions thereof, the improvement for preventing non-operator means induced rotations of said finger from said extended-latched position for release from said receiver through either end of said receiver recess upon application of force directly to said finger which comprises:

said operator means includes an operator member supported for rotation about a second axis disposed parallel to said first axis, a motion transmitting arm, a first pin shaft for pivotally connecting a first end of said arm to said finger, and a second pin shaft for pivotally connecting a second end of said arm to said operator member, said pin shafts having axes thereof arranged parallel to said first and second axes, said pin shafts being carried on said finger and operator member whereby rotational movement of said operator member through about 180 in one direction between first and second positions effects rotational movement of said finger through about 90 in an opposite direction between said retracted-unlatched and extended-latched positions, respectively, and effects movement of said first pivot pin along one side of an axis plane in which said first and second axes are disposed between a point spaced from said first axis in a direction away from said second axis when said finger is in said retracted-unlatched position and a point spaced from said first axis in a direction towards said second axis when said finger is is in said extended-latched position, and effects movement of said second pivot pin from a point disposed on an opposite side of said axis plane and spaced from said second axis in the direction of said first axis when said operator member is in said first position and a point on said one side of said axis plane and spaced from said second axis in a direction away from said first axis when said operator member is in said second position, said second pivot pin when positioned in the last said point thereof preventing said first pivot pin from moving across said axis plane to said other side thereof whereby to prevent non-operator member induced rotation of said finger past said extended-latched position in a direction away from said retracted-unlatched position; and

stop means disposed on said one side of said axis plane for defining said first and second positions of said operator means, said stop means in defining said second position of said operator member engaging one of said operator member and said arm to prevent non-operator member induced rotation of said finger from said extended-latched position in a direction towards said retracted-unlatched position.

Claims

1. The combination including a window, a window frame and a latch mechanism for detachably interconnecting edge portions of said window and said window frame, said window being supported for swinging movement about a swinging axis away from a window closed position wherein said window and window frame are disposed in an essentially co-planar relationship with their respective edge portions disposed in a closely spaced facing relationship, said window frame is in the form of channel means including a window opening bounding portion and a leg portion, said bounding portion defining said edge portion of said window frame and having a slot opening therethrough, said leg portion extending outwardly from adjacent a relatively inner marginal edge of said boundary portion and said leg portion is formed with a through opening, said latch mechanism comprising: a latch frame fixedly mounted on said window frame adjacent a relatively outwardly facing surface of said bounding portion; a latch finger rotatably mounted on said latch frame for movement about a first axis between retracted-unlatched and extended-latched positions relative to said window frame, said first axis extending transversely of said swinging axis, and said latch fInger moving inwardly of a relatively inwardly facing surface of said boundary portion through said slot when moved into said extended-latched position thereof; an operator member rotatably mounted on said latch frame for movement about a second axis parallel to said first axis; link means carried adjacent opposite ends thereof on said finger and operator member for relative pivotal movements about axes parallel to said first and second axes; operating means for imparting authorized rotationgs to said operator member whereby to produce authorized movement of said finger between said positions thereof; receiver means fixedly mounted on said window adjacent said edge portion thereof whereby said receiver means and said finger are positioned in operative alignment when said window is in said closed position to permit window latching engagement of said finger with said receiver means when the former is moved into said extended-latched position; and a cover fixed to said outwardly facing surface of said bounding portion for enclosing said latch frame and said finger and said operator member and said link means outwardly of said outwardly facing surface of said bounding portion, said latch frame and said cover having openings therethrough aligned with said leg opening for freely receiving said operating means, and said cover defines stop means for preventing non-operating means produced movement of said finger in one direction away from said extended-latched position upon application of force directly to said finger, and said link means prevents nonoperating means produced movement of said finger in an opposite direction away from said extended-latched position upon application of force directly to said finger.

3. In the combination including a window, a window frame and a latch mechanism, said window being mounted on said frame for swinging movements away from a closed position in which said window is disposed to lie with said frame in an essentially common vertically disposed plane with marginal edges thereof arranged in a facing relationship a marginal edge of said frame having a slot therethrough, said latch mechanism including a latch finger carried in association with said frame adjacent one marginal edge thereof for rotation about an essentially horizontally disposed first axis between a retracted-unlatched position disposed outwardly of said marginal edge of said frame and an extended-latched position projecting inwardly of said marginal edge of said frame through said slot, a receiver carried in association with said window adjacent one marginal edge thereof and defining an open ended slot extending lengthwise of said one marginal edge of said window, said finger when rotated between said positions thereof being movable lengthwise of said receiver recess when said window is in closed position for releasably latching said window, and finger operator means for moving said finger relative to said frame between said positions thereof, the improvement for preventing non-operator means induced rotations of said finger from said extended-latched position for release from said receiver through either end of said receiver recess upon application of force directly to said finger which comprises: said operator means includes an operator member supported for rotation about a second axis disposed parallel to said first axis, a motion transmitting arm, a first pin shaft for pivotally connecting a first end of said arm to said finger, and a second pin shaft for pivotally connecting a second end of said arm to said operator mEmber, said pin shafts having axes thereof arranged parallel to said first and second axes, said pin shafts being carried on said finger and operator member whereby rotational movement of said operator member through about 180* in one direction between first and second positions effects rotational movement of said finger through about 90* in an opposite direction between said retracted-unlatched and extended-latched positions, respectively, and effects movement of said first pivot pin along one side of an axis plane in which said first and second axes are disposed between a point spaced from said first axis in a direction away from said second axis when said finger is in said retracted-unlatched position and a point spaced from said first axis in a direction towards said second axis when said finger is is in said extended-latched position, and effects movement of said second pivot pin from a point disposed on an opposite side of said axis plane and spaced from said second axis in the direction of said first axis when said operator member is in said first position and a point on said one side of said axis plane and spaced from said second axis in a direction away from said first axis when said operator member is in said second position, said second pivot pin when positioned in the last said point thereof preventing said first pivot pin from moving across said axis plane to said other side thereof whereby to prevent non-operator member induced rotation of said finger past said extended-latched position in a direction away from said retracted-unlatched position; and stop means disposed on said one side of said axis plane for defining said first and second positions of said operator means, said stop means in defining said second position of said operator member engaging one of said operator member and said arm to prevent non-operator member induced rotation of said finger from said extended-latched position in a direction towards said retracted-unlatched position.