Sliding panel lock

A lock is disclosed herein for sliding panels such as doors or windows, which prevents the panel from being moved or removed from its mounting rail or slide. In one version, the lock includes a base mount secured to the rail or slide having a laterally movable pin latch member adapted to be inserted through an opening in the frame of the panel. The pin or latch member includes a key at its tip receivable through an indexed slot of the opening so that when turned, the pin is prevented from being withdrawn. A retaining screw selectively holds the pin to the mount. The other version includes an elongated sleeve fixed to a sill and having an open-ended bore for insertably receiving a rod carried on the panel frame. The rod has a plurality of spaced-apart grooves for receiving the end of a retaining pin threadably carried on the sleeve to prevent removal of the rod from the sleeve.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to the field of sliding panel locks, and more 
particularly to a novel lock useful to prevent removal of doors or windows 
from their slide mounts and which will prevent sliding of the panels to 
the left or right once the lock has been set. 
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art 
In the past, problems and difficulties have been encountered with locks for 
sliding doors or windows which stem from the fact that the locks prevent 
limited movement of the door or window panel. In some instances, the panel 
is prevented from movement in only one direction and in other instances, 
although the lock has been set, the entire window or door frame may be 
removed in order to gain unauthorized entry into a room or dwelling. In 
other instances, the panel lock may only be used on panels which are 
inwardly set in the frame as opposed to sliding mountings on the outside 
of the mounting frame. 
Therefore, a long-standing need has existed to provide a novel lock for 
door window sliding panels which is simple to operate and which will 
prevent unauthorized access into a dwelling by reverse sliding of the 
panel or by removal of the panel from the frame. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, the above problems and difficulties are avoided by the present 
invention which provides a novel lock usable in connection with sliding 
door or window panels wherein in one form, the lock comprises a fixed 
mount having a laterally movable pin carrying a key on its tip that is 
registerable with a slotted opening in the panel frame. When properly 
aligned, the keyed pin is inserted through the slotted opening and rotated 
so as to restrict withdrawal of the pin from the frame and which will 
prevent movement of the frame in either a right or left direction as well 
as preventing upward movement of the frame so as to prevent removal from 
the sliding track or mount. A retaining fastener is carried on the fixed 
mount for selective engagement with the pin to prevent the pin from being 
withdrawn from the slotted opening and to prevent rotation of the pin once 
the lock has been set. In another version, an elongated open-ended sleeve 
is carried on the track or sill of a window and an elongated rod is 
carried on the frame of the panel and is insertably received within the 
open-ended bore of the sleeve. A retaining fastener is carried on the 
sleeve for engagement with a selected one of a polarity of grooves in the 
rod. In either version, once the lock has been set, removal or movement of 
the panel is restricted and prevented. 
Therefore, it is among the primary objects of the present invention to 
provide a novel lock for sliding panels which restricts movement of the 
panel in all orientations once the lock has been set. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel lock for a 
sliding door or window which may be employed to lock the door or window 
panel in position at a selected location along its sliding track so that 
the panel can no longer be moved until released by the user. 
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a novel 
window or door lock for a sliding panel which restricts the movement of 
the panel in all of its orientations which includes right and left 
movement as well as up and down movement so that the panel is retained in 
place and in position pending release by the user. 
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a door or 
window lock which is relatively inexpensive and which may be installed by 
a person without special skills and special tools, and which will hold a 
sliding panel in a selected position until released by the user.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to FIG. 1, a sliding panel is indicated by numeral 10 which is 
mounted on a track or slide 11 so as to move along the track when pushed 
by the user. Numeral 12 indicates a stationary door which is also mounted 
on the track 11 and the sliding door or panel 10 moves back and forth from 
the stationary door 12. The panel 10 generally includes a centrally 
mounted glass, indicated by numeral 13, which is carried about its 
peripheral edges by a metal frame 14. The novel lock of the present 
invention is illustrated in the direction of arrow 15 and the lock is used 
in connection with a selected one of a plurality of slotted openings, as 
indicated by numeral 16. 
Referring now in detail to FIG. 2, the novel lock of the present invention 
as illustrated in the direction of arrow 15 includes a fixed mount or base 
17 which is secured to the sill or track 11 by means of fasteners, such as 
fastener 18. The base 17 includes a central portion 20 which is provided 
with an open-ended bore 21 for insertably receiving a shank 22 of a member 
or pin 23. The pin is provided with a knurled enlarged end 29 suitable for 
grasping by the fingers of the user so that the shank may be slid through 
the bore 21 so that its end 29 projects through the slotted opening 16. A 
key 25 taking the form of a threaded set screw is carried on the end of 
the pin shank 22 so as to partially project from the shank. The key 25 is 
deployed on the opposite side of the mount portion 20 from the enlarged 
knurled portion 29 so that the user may index or align the key 25 with a 
slot 26 associated with the opening 16. Once the key 25 and shank 22 have 
been inserted into the slotted opening 16, the shank is rotated so that 
the key 25 bears against the inside of the frame 14. Such a position is 
shown more clearly in FIG. 3. Once this has been achieved, a retaining 
fastener is indicated by numeral 26 and this fastener includes a pointed 
end 27 which when screwed into the mount portion 20, resides into an 
elongated groove or notch 28 in the shank 22. The retaining fastener 26 
prevents the pin 23 from rotating and prevents the key 25 from 
inadvertently being placed in slot 26 which would effect removal. 
Therefore, it can be seen that the lock illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 not 
only prevents the panel from sliding right or left but prevents removal of 
the panel from its mounting track or rail in a vertical direction. Also, 
it can be seen that once the retainer fastener 26 has been set, the pin 23 
cannot be removed since rotation is prohibited. 
Referring now in detail to FIG. 4, another embodiment of the present is 
illustrated in connection with a panel consituting a window, as identified 
by numeral 30. The window 30 incorporates a glass pane 31 which is carried 
about its peripheral edges in a frame 32 that is slidably seated on a 
track 33 shown more clearly in FIG. 6. The novel lock is indicated in the 
general direction of arrow 34 and is more clearly shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. 
With respect to FIG. 5, it can be seen that the lock includes a mount or 
base 35 that is carried on a conventional windowsill 36 by means of 
suitable screw fasteners. The base 35 includes an elongated sleeve 37 
having an open-ended bore 38 into which an elongated rod 40 is slidably 
received. One end of the rod is securely attached to a bracket 41 that, in 
turn, is fixedly secured to the frame 32 of the panel. The opposite end of 
the rod 40 is insertably received within the open end of bore 38. The rod 
40 is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart grooves, such as groove 
42. A retaining fastener 43 is threadably carried on the sleeve 37 through 
a portion 44 so that the free end of the fastener engages within a 
selected one of the grooves. It is to be noted particularly in FIG. 6 that 
the groove 42 is elongated and arcuate in order to accommodate for any 
misalignment of the sill mounted mount or base 35 and the panel or track 
33. 
Therefore, the user may slide the panel 30 to an open or closed position so 
as to align the retainer screw or fastener 43 with a selected one of the 
grooves 42. At the selection, the retaining fastener is then advanced so 
that its end or tip will engage the rod 40 within the selected groove. The 
window or panel is then prevented from being moved to the left or right 
and is also prevented from being totally removed from its mounting on the 
sill. 
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and 
described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and 
modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its 
broader aspects and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover 
all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and 
scope of this invention.