Adjustable single hung, double hung, sliding window, sliding glass door lock

Description

I am claiming priority to my earlier filed provisional patent 61/224,163 filed Mar. 1, 2010

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Single hung, double hung, sliding windows, and sliding glass doors are made to only lock in a closed position. This does not protect the user from intruders with a partially open window, nor does it prevent accidental closures that may cause harm to small children. Previous inventions Hoffman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,486 (1995), Savio, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,512,821 (1970), Means U.S. Pat. No. 3,698,754 (1972) and Yogi U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,267 (1973), provide the same security but are not designed for ease of use nor are they easily uninstalled to provide a quick escape in the event of an emergency. Previous inventions utilize rivets or bolts and nuts to secure the locking mechanism to a plate attached to the window frame and window base. This will require tools to remove the bar from its installed position, requiring time to locate tools and more time to remove the mechanism from the window. In addition, the previous inventions require the users to squeeze metal buttons to adjust the window opening, which creates an opportunity for the user to pinch fingers and thumbs while adjusting the lock. A design flaw with Hoffman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,486 (1995) indicates that the user can push the button, 36, rotating the upper pole 38 and pull down into lower tube 34, while laying the window lock 10 to either the right or left. However, pole 38 is attached to a base with a rivet or bolt which prevents the pole from being rotated. This design also indicates that the pole 38 must be separated from tube 34 every time the user wants to close the window. This leaves pole 38 hanging from the upper plate, which prevents the user from opening the window fully unless pole 38 is unbolted or held to one side while opening the window or door. This will also require the user to reinstall pole 38 into tube 34 every time the user wants to use the lock.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides an easily removable locking mechanism used on single hung, double hung, sliding window and sliding doors that will lock these items at various intervals. Two mounting bases are provided and designed to be interchangeable with each end of the locking mechanism and to provide ease of removal/installation of the locking mechanism in case of emergencies. The locking mechanism is comprised of two telescoping tubes with a permanent interlocking pin to hold the telescoping tubes at various intervals.

THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the window locking device.

FIG. 2 is a detailed drawing of the two different types of connectors (3 & 4) and a base (6).

FIG. 3 is a drawing of the secondary lock.

FIG. 4 is a drawing of a double hung window.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For convenience, identification tags (numbers) are used to identify the components of the lock as referred to throughout the document.

• • 1. Outer Tube
  • 2. Inner Tube
  • 3. Non-rotating tube connector
  • 4. Rotating tube connector
  • 5. Slot selection compression tube
  • 6. Mounting base
  • 7. Rivet to hold slot selection compression tube (5) in place
  • 8. Connector and Tube compression pin
  • 9. Rivet to allow door (11) to rotate open and close
  • 10. Magnet or felt pad to hold door in a closed position
  • 11. Door
  • 12. Secondary window latch plate
  • 13. Secondary window latch base
  • 14. Full assembly of the lock
  • 15. Inner tube channel
  • 16. “T” shaped locking slot
  • 17. Inner window frame
  • 18. Upper Sill Plate
  • 19. Location of a secondary window latch plate (12) on a window frame
  • 20. Location of a secondary window latch base (13) on a secondary window
  • 21. Inner window
  • 22. Outer window
  • 23. Outer window frame
    This window/door locking mechanism is designed to be easily and completely removed from the window/door for quick escapes and does not require the user to pinch buttons or unbolt fasteners. The base (6) is attached the windowsill (18) inside the channel of the inner window and on the window frame (17) of the inner window. Pin (8) in conjunction with the narrow slot on connector (3) is used to secure the connector (3) to the inner tube (2) and prevents the inner tube from rotating once installed on the base (6). This locking mechanism is design to allow the outer tube (1) and pin (5) secured to the outer tube (1), to rest in the locking slot-like openings of the inner tube (2). The outer tube and connector (1 & 4) will swivel on the base plate (6) allowing the user to rotate the outer tube's (1) attached pin (5) into the elongated channel in inner tube (2), thus allowing for adjustments in the window opening height/width or closing the window. The rotating doors (11) on connectors (3 & 4) are used to lock the connectors (3 & 4) to the base (6). To remove the lock from the base (6), open each door (11) on the connectors (3 & 4) and slide the connectors (3 & 4) off the base (6). A magnet or stiff felt pad (10) is used to hold the door in place if the connector (3 or 4) is inverted; this magnet or stiff felt pad is also used to hold the door (11) in place preventing the lock from vibrating off during the opening and closing motions. The door (11) may be placed into a closed/open position by use of a swivel, hinge, or sliding motion.

The design of the “T” shape locking slot (16) provides a resting place for the locking pin (5) once the locking pin is in the “T” shape locking slot (16). This prevents the locking pin (5) from moving out of the “T” shaped locking slot (16) due to vibration. The weight of the inner window (21) holds the locking pin (5) in one of the upper lip of the “T” shape locking slot (16).

The outer window on a double hung window or sliding window is locked in place with a separate mechanism. Flat metal spring (12) is attached to the windowsill (19) and latch (13) is attached to the frame of the outer window (20). The flat metal spring and latch (20 & 21) prevent the outer window on a double hung or sliding window from opening, thus allowing access to the window locking mechanism from the outside. However, this separate mechanism's metal spring (12) may be incorporated or attached to the locking bar mechanism's base (6) at location B.

The outer slope of the secondary window latch base (13) pushes the secondary window latch plate (12) away from the window allowing the outer window (22) to be closed without manually applying pressure to the secondary window latch plate (12). The inner slope of the secondary window latch base (13) matches the slope of secondary window latch plate (12) preventing the outer window (22) from opening unless the secondary window latch plate (12) is pulled away from the outer window (22). The material for all items may consist of metal, wood, plastic, fiberglass or any combination thereof.

FIG. 4 shows a double hung window with identifiers indicating locations of installation of the window lock at locations (A, B) and the secondary window lock at locations (C, D). A mounting base (6) is attached to the inner window frame (17) and the upper sill plate (18). The secondary window latch plate (12) may be installed on the upper sill plate (18) at location (19) as long as the secondary window latch base (13) is attached to the outer window frame (23) at location (20).