AU641561B2

AU641561B2 - Locking mechanism for sliding sash windows

Info

Publication number: AU641561B2
Application number: AU86932/91A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Michael Alchin
Original assignee: Alchin and Long Group Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Alchin and Long Group Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1990-10-31
Filing date: 1991-10-31
Publication date: 1993-09-23
Anticipated expiration: 2011-10-31
Also published as: AU8693291A

Description

6415 6 1 S F Ref: 196440

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

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Name and Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: Alchin Long Group Pty Limited Lot 9 Redfern Street Wetherill Park New South Wales 2164

AUSTRALIA

Michael Alchin Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia Locking Mechanism for Sliding Sash Windows @off*: l o

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ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION DETAILS [311 Application No(s) [33] Country [32] Application Date PK3126 AU 31 October 1990 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- -2- BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention pertains to locks and more particularly to a key operated latch for a sliding panel, such as a sash window.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to substantially ameliorate some of the disadvantages associated with prior art latching mechanisms for sliding panels, such as sash windows.

Accordingly, the invention provides a locking mechanism for a sliding panel to selectively prevent sliding movement between the panel and a supporting structure, the locking mechanism comprising a latch and an anchor, the latch comprising a locking cylinder having a movable projecting tab, a longitudinal base having two opposed limbs extending from an interior surface of the base so as to have a channel shaped transverse cross-section, one limb being provided with means for pivotally mounting the latch on an edge portion of the sliding panel or structure, the latch further comprising a relief portion within which the anchor is seated and a projecting lip which is adapted to engage an 000: abutment on the panel or structure upon which the latch is not mounted to prevent relative sliding movement therebetween, the anchor comprising a 20 body provided with means for mounting the anchor on said edge portion, the body further comprising a bore which receives said lock cylinder, and wherein said tab is movable between a first, locked position and a second, unlocked position by the lock cylinder, wherein, in the first position, the latch is inhibited from pivoting with respect to the anchor 25 owing to an interference between the latch and the tab and, in the second position, the latch is free to pivot with respect to the anchor so that Sao*, the lip can pivot free of the abutment so that, in use, the panel can doesslide relative to the structure.

S• In a preferred embodiment, the locking mechanism is provided with 30 means for biasing the latch towards the first position. Preferably, the biasing means is a compression spring arranged for acting between the 0 log sliding sash and the channel portion. Alternatively, the biasing means can be arranged for acting between the latch and the anchor. Preferably, the biasing means is integrally formed with the latch and acts against a flange provided on the anchor. The integrally formed biasing means is preferably formed as a finger extending at an acute angle from the base of the latch so as to pivot about the junction of the finger and the base.

rhk/0263E -3 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWNINGS A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be more fully described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, of which: Figure I is a perspective view of a locking mechanism according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation of an anchor used in the locking mechanism shown in Figure 2; Figure 3 is a top plan view of the anchor shown In Figure 2; Figure 4 is a front elevation of the anchor shown in Figure 2; Figure 5 is a cross-sectioned side elevation of the locking mechanism of Figure 1 showing an integral spring formed on the channel biased against a portion of the anchor; and Figure 6 is a cross-sectioned view of a sliding sash window showing an end view of the locking mechanism of Figure 1.

BEST MODE AND OTHER EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION As shown in Fig. 1, a locking mechanism 10 according to the present invention comprises a substantially shaped channel 11 and a separate anchor 12. The channel 11 Is seen as having a longitudinal edge In the form of an elongated bead 13 and a longitudinally extending ridge forming a lip 14 which Is parallel to the bead 13. The anchor 12 fits within a S relief area 15 formed centrally In the channel 11. The anchor 12 is characterized as having a bore for receiving a lock cylinder 16. The lock cylinder has associated with it a tab 17 which projects from the back of the cylinder and rotates with the cylinder.

With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, it can be seen that when the tab 17 is in an upper position, any attempt to pivot the channel 11, with respect to the anchor 12, In the direction of the arrow 18 will be resisted by the tab 17. However, when the tab 17 is In a lower position 19 (as shown in Fig. the channel 11 can be pivotted with respect to the anchor 12 in the direction of the arrow 18. It can also be seen in Fig. 2, that the anchor 12 also includes a longitudinal bead 20 and an 0' overhanging lip 21 defining a recess 22 for engaging an edge of an aluminium extrusion. The anchor 12 may also incorporate longitudinal ridges 23 located between the bead 20 and the lip 21.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the anchor 12 may optionally include one or two horizontally extending platforms 24.

rhk/0263E -4- As shown in Fig. 5, the horizontally extending platforms 24 may be used to engage Integral springs 35 which may be molded into the "C" shaped channel 11 on one or both sides of the central relief portion The integral springs 35 will bias the channel 11 into a latching postion as will be further explained.

As shown in Fig. 6, a sliding sash window 25 may Include, for example, a center mullion 26, a fixed pane 27, a flyscreen 28 and a sliding sash 29. The sliding sash 29 includes a peripheral extruded frame 30. The extrusion 30 further includes a groove which receives the beads 13, 20 of the channel 11 and the anchor 12. In this way, both the channel 11 and the anchor 12 are attached to the frame extrusion However, the channel 11 can pivot about its bead 13 while the anchor, owing to the engagement of the recess 22 with the frame 30, can not.

When the rotating tab 17 Is in the lower or unlocked position (as shown in Fig. 6) the channel 11 is free to pivot with respect to the anchor 12 in the direction shown by the arrow 18. This may be contrasted with the locked position (as shown in Fig. 1) wherein the tab 17 will interfere with the pivotal motion of the channel 11. In Its normally closed position, as encouraged by the action of the integral resilient spring against the platform 24 (or the action of a conventional spring) the protruding lip 14 interferes with a step 31 formed on the center mullion 26. In this configuration, the sliding sash can not be opened. When the channel 11 is pivotted slightly in the direction of the arrow 18, the lip 14 rises above the level of the step 31 thereby freeing the latching *o 25 mechanism from the centre mullion. As soon as the edge 14 is clear of i the step 31 the channel 11 can be released. When the sliding sash is **So returned to the closed position the ramp 32 located between the bead 13 00 and the lip 14 will ride over the step 31 thereby automatically raising the edge 14 out of the way. The resilient bias offered by the integral 30 spring 35 will return the channel 11 to the closed position once the edge oo 6o 14 clears the step 31. Where an integral spring 35 is not used, a conventional compression spring may be interposed between the channel 11 and the frame While the locking mechanism of the present invention may be fabricated from a wide variety of materials, it is preferred that a glass-filled nylon anchor be used with an acetyl channel 11. Other polymers or reinforced polymers may be used. The combination of the rhk/0263E moulded polymer construction and simplicity of design, notably the fact that only two components other than the lock cylinder are utilised contribute to the simplicity and cost effectiveness of the device.

While the invention has been described with respect to particular materials and details of construction, these should be understood as having been provided by way of example and not as limitations to the scope of the invention.

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Claims

1. A locking mechanism for a sliding panel to selectively prevent sliding movement between the panel and a supporting structure, the locking mechanism comprising a latch and an anchor, the latch comprising a locking cylinder having a movable projecting tab, a longitudinal base having two opposed limbs extending from an interior surface of the base so as to have a channel shaped transverse cross-section, one limb being provided with means for pivotally mounting the latch on an edge portion of the sliding panel or structure, the latch further comprising a relief portion within which the anchor is seated and a projecting lip which is adapted to engage an abutment on the panel or structure upon which the latch is not mounted to prevent relative sliding movement therebetween, the anchor comprising a body provided with means for mounting thy anchor on said edge portion, the body further comprising a bore which receives said lock cylinder, and wherein said tab is movable between a first, S. locked position and a second, unlocked position by the lock cylinder, wherein, in the first position, the latch is inhibited from pivoting with respect to the anchor owing to an interference between the latch and the tab and, in the second position, the latch is free to pivot with respect 20 to the anchor so that the lip can pivot free of the abutment so that, in use, the panel can slide relative to the structure.

2. A locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said means for mounting the latch on said edge portion comprises a bead extending along an edge of said one limb for engaging a first longitudinal recess S" 25 provided in said edge portion. 0

3. A locking mechanism according to either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said means for mounting the anchor on said edge portion comprises a bead extending along an edge of said body for engaging a second longitudinal recess provided in said edge portion.

4. A locking mechanism according to claim 3 when dependent on claim 2, wherein said first and second recesses are provided by the same recess such that the beads for mounting the anchor and the latch are contiguous when engaged therein.

A locking mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein said edge portion is provided on the sliding panel.

6. A locking mechanism according to any preceding claim, further comprising means for biasing the latch towards the first position. rhk/0263E -7-

7. A locking mechanism according to claim 6, wherein the biasing means is a compression spring arranged for acting between the latch and the panel or structure on which the latch is pivotally mounted.

8. A locking mechanism according to claim 6, wherein the biasing means is arranged for acting between the latch and the anchor.

9. A locking mechanism according to claim 8, wherein the biasing means is integrally formed with the latch and acts against a flange provided on the anchor.

A locking mechanism according to claim 9, wherein the integrally formed biasing means is formed as a finger extending at an acute angle from the base of the latch so as to pivot about the junction of the finger and the base.

11. A locking mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein said sliding panel is a sliding sash window. 15

12. A locking mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings. DATED this THIRTY-FIRST day of OCTOBER 1991 B. Alchin Long Group Pty Limited S. S 4 a a Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON rhk/0263E ABSTRACT A LOCKING MECHANISM FOR SLIDING SASH WINDOWS A locking mechanism for sliding sash windows (25) comprises an anchor (12) and a latch. The latch comprises a shaped channel (11), one limb of which has formed therealong a bead (13) for slidably and pivotally engaging a trailing edge of the sliding sash The channel (13) further comprises a central relief portion within which the anchor (12) seats and, adjacent a bottom surface, a projecting lip (14) which is adapted to engage a step (31) formed on the centre mullion (26) of the window. The anchor (12) comprises a body which is adapted to slidably S" engage the trailing edge of the sliding sash (29) and which further comprises a bore which receives a locking cylinder from which protrudes a 15 rearwardly facing tab In a first, locked position, the channel (11) is inhibited in pivoting with respect to the anchor (12) owing to an interference between the channel (11) and the tab In a second, unlocked position, the channel (11) is free to pivot with respect to the anchor (12) so that the lip (14) can pivot free of the step (31) so that "tn 20 the sliding sash (29) can be opened or closed. In order for the window **gts, to automatically latch when closed, a spring (35) is provided integrally with the channel (11) which biases against a platform (24) on the anchor "a (12) to bias the channel into the first position. Figure 6. ae rhk/0263E