Patent ID: 6607221
Filing Date: 2003-08-19
Classification: E05B,E05C,E05D,E05Y,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A latch mechanism for a horizontally or vertically sliding window having a window frame, the window frame including guide rails defining a guide rail slot extending in reciprocal sliding movement directions, a first sash and a second sash, the first sash is slidable with respect to the frame in the movement directions, each of the sashes having a meeting cross-member, the meeting cross-members transverse to the reciprocal sliding movement directions and adapted to lie alongside one another when the sashes are in a closed position;the latch mechanism comprising: a transverse crosspiece selected from the group consisting of the meeting cross-member of the first sash and a supplemental crosspiece attached to the meeting cross-member of the first sash, the transverse cross-piece having opposed first and second walls; a rotatable stem protruding through the first wall of the transverse crosspiece, the first wall being an outer wall accessible during sliding; a rotatable hub, wherein a portion of the stem engages the hub such that rotating the stem rotates the hub; a compressible member; a locking plate; the compressible member biasing the hub and locking plate together, the compressible member located between the hub and a wall selected from the group consisting of the first wall of the transverse crosspiece and the second wall of the transverse crosspiece; male protrusions protruding from a member of the group consisting of the hub and the locking plate, female indentations located in the other member of the group consisting of the hub and the locking plate, wherein the male protrusions mate with respective of the female indentations in at least a first position in which the sash is slidable in the movement directions and a second position in which the sash is locked to prevent sliding in at least one of the movement directions; and two rods, each rod having a first end pivotally attached to opposed sides of the rotatable hub, and each rod having a second end functionally attached to a spring biased window movement control mechanism.