Removable window bar

A removable window bar for mounting inside a window structure, which window bar is characterized by a parallel top and bottom bar and crossbar, spaced by vertical bars. The bottom bar is removably seated in a pair of bar seats fastened in oppositely disposed relationship to the window facing. A pair of latch stays are also mounted in the window facing above and in spaced relationship with respect to the bar seats, respectively, and a rotatable latch is provided on each of the extending ends of the top bar, which latch is designed to removably engage the latch stay on each window facing and removably secure the removable window bar in position in the window. Rotational manipulation of each latch facilitates removal of the latch from the companion latch stay and lifting of the removably window bar from the bar seats, in order to remove the removable window bar from the window.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
An increasing problem in our society today is that of burglary and breaking 
and entering of dwellings and other structures. A high percentage of such 
burglaries and intrusions occur through the windows of these structures, 
many times by simply opening unlocked windows or breaking the windows and 
releasing the window latches. The windows are also sometimes forced with a 
crowbar or other tool, in order to break the locks, if locks are provided 
on the windows. 
This invention relates to a new and improved security closure system for 
windows and more particularly, to a removable window bar for closing 
windows, which removable window bar is characterized by spaced bar seats 
for supporting the window bar and cooperating latch stay and companion 
latch mechanisms for removably securing the removable window bar in the 
window. In a preferred embodiment, the removable window bar is 
characterized by parallel top and bottom bars spaced by vertically 
oriented vertical bars, with a cross bar acting as a stiffener between the 
vertical bars and the bottom bar seated in a pair of spaced bar seats 
attached to the window facing. A pair of latch stays are also fastened to 
the window facing above and in spaced relationship with respect to the bar 
seats, respectively, and a rotatable latching mechanism is provided on the 
extending ends of the top bar, in order to removably secure the top bar to 
the latch stays. In a most preferred embodiment of the invention, the 
latch stays are each further characterized by a stay flange secured to the 
window facing and an extending cylinder which is designed to engage the 
barrel portion of a corresponding latch housing. The barrel portion of the 
latch housing is rotatable on the top bar into a first position wherein 
the top bar is fixed with respect to the latch stay and into a second 
position wherein the top bar is releasable from the latch stays, such that 
the removable window bar can be lifted from contact with the bar seats and 
removed from the window. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Various types of guards and other security devices for windows are known in 
the art. An early "Combined Guard And Screen For Windows" is disclosed in 
U.S. Pat. No. 999,682, dated Aug. 1, 1911, to B. C. Suits. This patent 
details a pair of slotted, vertically-oriented members mounted to the 
window and a barred closure member closing the window by engaging the 
slots to removably secure the window against intruders. A "Securing Means 
For Window Guards and the Like" is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,924,862, 
dated Feb. 16, 1960, to A. P. Pellicore. The Pellicore device includes a 
stop member which is rotatably mounted adjacent a panel member that is 
hinged over a window flange secured to the building wall adjacent the 
window and a resilient member urging the stop member toward the free edge. 
This arrangement insures that the panel member is maintained in closed 
relationship by resilient engagement of the flange member between the 
panel member and the stop member. The device further includes a locking 
means extending transversely from the stop member into the building 
opening or window and engagable by a secondary closure member, whereby the 
stop member is restrained against rotation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,281, dated 
Apr. 26, 1977, to Ray C. Weiler, discloses a quick-release window guard. 
The window guard detailed in this patent includes an external steel 
grating which is provided with seven vertical bars welded at their ends to 
upper and lower horizontal, hollow cross bars, the end portions of which 
cross bars are bent rearwardly and secured to a building, such that the 
grating overlies a window opening and protects it against illegal entry. 
One end of the grating is provided with a loosely hinged connection with 
the building and the cross bars are jointed near the opposite end of the 
grating and locked into assembled relationship by a hidden bolt provided 
in one of the crossbars. A cable from the bolt extends through the 
crossbar to the interior of the building and when pulled, the cable 
withdraws the bolt from a locking position and frees the joints for 
separation by gravity, allowing the major hinged portion of the grating to 
swing freely outwardly and afford a ready escape from the building through 
the window. A "Window Security Apparatus" is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 
4,059,413, dated Nov. 22, 1977, to Joseph Forgione. The window security 
apparatus of this patent is designed for attachment to the interior side 
of conventional residential window structures. It includes a horizontal 
bar having multiple vertical bars fixed thereto, the vertical bars of 
which are slidably mounted in respective apertures suitably provided in 
the seal of the window. Accordingly, the bars may be slidably moved 
upwardly to a security position which blocks the window and downwardly to 
an escape position which provides access through the window. A lock 
structure is included to lock the bars in the security position and a lock 
trip/release device allows the lock structure to release, which causes the 
bars to gravitate downwardly to the escape position, thus enabling the 
occupants of a building to escape through the window in the event of fire. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,057,935 dated Nov. 15, 1977, to Rod G. Rohrberg, et al, 
discloses a "Quick Release Mechanism for Window Guard or The Like." This 
device is characterized by a retainer member which is fixedly attached to 
a window or door and is adapted to releasably engage a latching mechanism 
retained on the wall adjacent to the window or door frame. The latching 
mechanism includes an interlatching member which is attached to a slidably 
mounted rod and an outer retainer collet which, when manipulated into the 
latch position, retains the latching member within the retainer member. A 
spring is placed between the inner latching member and the retainer member 
and is compressed when the mechanism is in the latched configuration. The 
mechanism is unlatched by means of a knob located adjacent the inner wall 
surrounding the window frame, the knob being attached to the rod connected 
to the inner latching member. Inward actuation of the knob moves the inner 
latching member away from the retainer collet against the spring to 
release the latching mechanism, the spring and actuation by the operator 
then driving the grill away from the window. U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,345, 
dated Feb. 10, 1981, to Ricky V. Littleton, discloses a "Releasable Window 
Guard", which is characterized by a guard mounted to a window frame for 
covering the window. The guard is pivotally mounted and a locking 
mechanism selectively prevents pivoting of the guard. A latch member 
controls the locking mechanism and an enclosure is formed around the latch 
member to prevent access from the exterior. The enclosure has an opening 
that faces the interior and a pair of doors are located at the opening, 
one with a vertical hinge and the other with a horizontal hinge. Both of 
these doors require opening to reach the latch member and when opened, the 
doors form a barrier in cooperation with the window frame which requires 
the intruder to attempt to reach around the doors in order to reach the 
latch member. A "Grill-Type Window Gate Apparatus" is disclosed in U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,452,011, dated June 5, 1984, to David T. Trombettas. The device 
detailed in this patent includes a frame which is mounted in a window 
opening and a grillwork panel which is movably mounted on the frame. A 
panel lock assembly is mounted on the grillwork panel and is capable of 
locking the panel to the frame when the panel is in a closed position. A 
window lock assembly is mounted on the frame and engages the grillwork 
panel when the panel is in the closed position, thereby locking a window 
assembly which is mounted in the window opening.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring initially to FIG. 1 of the drawing the removable window bar of 
this invention is generally illustrated by reference numeral 1. The 
removable window bar 1 is characterized by a top bar 2, with extending top 
bar ends 2a, a bottom bar 3, spaced from the top bar 2 in parallel 
relationship and multiple, vertical bars 4 extending between the top bar 2 
and the bottom bar 3. A flat cross bar 5 extends between the top bar 2 and 
the bottom bar 3 in parallel relationship and serves to stiffen and 
strengthen the vertical bars 4, as illustrated. The removable window bar 1 
is mounted between the window facings 24 and above the window sill 25 of a 
window 16, by means of a pair of facing bar seats 6 secured to the window 
facings 24 and a pair of companion latch stays 11, also secured to the 
window facings 24, as hereinafter described. 
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 5 of the drawing, each latch stay 11 is 
characterized by a flat stay flange 12 which fits against a window facing 
24, respectfully, with a mount stud 8 projecting rearwardly of the stay 
flange 12 for penetrating the window facing 24 and stabilizing the stay 
flange 12 tightly against the window facing 24. A stay cylinder 13 
projects from the stay flange 12 in fixed relationship and is provided 
with a central cylinder bore 14, which receives a screw 26, as 
illustrated. The stay flange 12 is provided with a hole (not illustrated) 
which receives the threaded shank of the screw 26 and facilitates mounting 
of each of the latch stays 11 to the window facings 24, respectively. A 
latch 17 is designed to rotatably fit on each of the top bar ends 2a of 
the top bar 2 and each latch 17 is characterized by a cylindrically-shaped 
latch housing 18, provided with a downwardly extending, open-ended trough 
flange 21. The trough flange 21 is further provided with a barrel slot 22, 
which extends approximately two-thirds of the way through the housing 
barrel 19 inwardly of the outwardly projecting grip 23. A pin 10 projects 
outwardly in transverse relationship from each of the top bar ends 2a and 
extends through the barrel slot 22, in order to rotatably maintain each 
latch 17 on one of the top bar ends 2a, respectively. Accordingly, each 
latch 17 is rotatably secured to a top bar end 2a of the top bar 2 by 
means of a pin 10 and is able to rotate throughout the full length of the 
barrel slot 22 by manipulation of the grip 23. 
Referring now to FIGS. 1, 6 and 7 of the drawing, each of the two facing 
bar seats 6 is further characterized by a flat seat flange 7, which is 
shaped substantially in the same configuration as the stay flange 12 of 
the latch stay 11 and is also provided with a mount stud 8. A saddle 9 
projects outwardly from the seat flange 7 of each of the bar seats 6 and 
is open upwardly to receive the bottom bar ends 3a of the bottom bar 3. 
Accordingly, as hereinafter described and as illustrated in FIG. 7, the 
bottom bar ends 3a of the bottom bar 3 can be lifted free of the saddles 9 
respectively, when each latch 17 is released from a companion latch stay 
11. 
Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4A, 4B, 7 and 8, the removable window bar 1 of 
this invention is secured and removed as follows. As illustrated in FIG. 
1, when it is desired to remove the removable window bar 1 from the window 
16, the grip 23 in each latch 17 is grasped and rotated downwardly and 
inwardly from the position illustrated in FIG. 2 to the position 
illustrated in FIG. 3. This manuever also rotates the trough flange 21 in 
each latch 17 to the position illustrated in 3, wherein each latch 17 is 
allowed to slip from the corresponding stay cylinder 13 and the latch stay 
11, by virtue of the open position of the barrel trough 20. Since the 
bottom bar ends 3a are seated in the saddles 9 of the bar seats 6, 
respectively, the removable window bar 1 can be rotated inwardly as 
illustrated in FIG. 8 and freed from each bar seat 6 by simply lifting the 
entire removable window bar 1 upwardly, also as illustrated in FIG. 8. 
This manipulation of the removable window bar 1 away from the window 16 
provides quick and easy access to the window 16 in the event of fire or 
other emergency. In order to replace the removable window bar 1 in the 
window 16, it is only necessary to again seat the bottom bar ends 3a in 
the saddle 9 of each of the bar seats 6 and again rotate the top bar 2 
upwardly to effect registration of the barrel troughs 20 with the stay 
cylinders 13, respectively. The housing barrel 19 of each of the latch 
housings 18 is then rotated throughout the length of the barrel slot 22 by 
manipulation of the grip 23 upwardly, in order to again face the trough 
flanges downwardly, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, and 2 and lock the 
removable window bar 1 in the window 16. 
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the removable 
window bar 1 of this invention affords an inexpensive, yet secure means 
for closing the window of a structure. Since the removable window bar 1 is 
mounted inside of the glass panels in the window 16, it is necessary to 
break the window in order to provide access to each latch 17, manipulate 
the grips 23 and remove the removable window bar 1 from the outside. Such 
a procedure is highly unlikely in light of the noise involved in breaking 
the window pane and the time required to gain entry by such a measure. 
It will be further appreciated by those skilled in the art that the 
removable window bar 1 can be utilized in homes, offices and other 
structures where burglaries and break-ins present a problem. Furthermore, 
the removable window bar 1 can be constructed of flat or round bar stock, 
according to the knowledge of those skilled in the art. Additionally, the 
latch 17, latch stay 11 and the bar seat 6 can also be constructed of 
either cast or shaped metal, preferably steel, further according to the 
knowledge of those skilled in the art. 
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, 
it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be 
made therein and the appended claims are intended to cover all such 
modifications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.