Patent Publication Number: US-7219469-B2

Title: Window or door lock system

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a window or door assembly which includes a lock system for locking the window or door of the assembly. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Over the last few years significant developments have been made with respect to the window and door industry. Many of the new windows and doors include the most up to date hardware for opening and closing the window or door and for locking the window or door. The locking hardware is particularly important due to a number of increasing incidents of break-ins and burglaries. Often time&#39;s more than one lock on a window or door is desired to ensure the integrity of the window or door. When more than one lock is used on a window or door it becomes difficult to determine where the hardware for operating the lock is to be appropriately located on the window or door assembly. Furthermore, when numerous locks are used traditional thinking results in a window or door having a separate lock control for each lock. This not only adds to the cost of the assembly but in addition creates a very cluttered appearance. In addition, in order to operate the locking system one must remember to perform separate locking actions at each of the lock regions. 
   SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
   A window or door lock system of the present invention comprises a frame mounted to a building and including first and second side jambs. A frame closure member i.e., a window or a door has a first side edge which is pivotally mounted to the first side jamb of the frame for opening and closing the closure member relative to the frame. The closure member has a second side edge which locates adjacent the second side jamb of the frame when the closure member is closed. 
   The second side edge of the closure member includes a first lock part. The second side jamb of the frame includes a channel extending lengthwise of the frame. The channel has a channel mouth along its length facing interiorly of the frame. The channel also has undercut channel regions to each side of the channel mouth. 
   A slide bar is slideably fitted in the channel and a second lock part is secured to the slide bar. The second lock part protrudes through the mouth of the channel. 
   When the closure member is closed with the frame the slide bar slides the second lock part into and out of locking engagement with the first lock part on the second side edge of the closure member to either lock the closure member with or to release the closure member from the frame. 
   Using a construction as described immediately above, more than one lock part may be provided on the closure member and more than lock part may be provided on the side bar. Regardless of the number of lock parts on each of these components, a single sliding motion of the slide bar allows the lock parts on the slide bar to slide into and out of locking engagement with corresponding lock parts on the closure member. As such, nothing more than a single control for operating all of the locks is required with the window or door lock system of the present invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above as well as other advantages and features of the present invention will be described in greater detail according to the preferred embodiments of the present invention in which; 
       FIG. 1  is perspective view of a window assembly including a lock system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of one of the side jambs of the frame of the window assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the slide bar from the window assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the components of the slide bar as shown in  FIG. 3  when assembled; 
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view looking down through the side jamb of  FIG. 2  with the side bar in position within the side jamb; 
       FIG. 6  is an interior view of the side jamb of the window assembly of  FIG. 1  showing the locking part on the window in a position to close with the locking part on the window frame; and 
       FIG. 7  is a view similar to  FIG. 6  but showing the window closed and locked with the frame. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION ACCORDING TO THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION IN WHICH 
     FIG. 1  shows a window assembly generally indicated at  1 . This window assembly comprises a frame generally indicated at  3  and a sash generally indicated at  5 . Frame  3  mounts in a building wall opening with the sash in turn being mounted to the frame. 
   The key to the present invention relates to the inclusion of a lock system within window assembly  3 . This lock system is to be described later in detail. However, before going into the specifics of the lock system it is to be understood that this same lock system is equally as well used in a door assembly comprising a door mounting frame and a door mounted to that frame. 
   Returning to  FIG. 1  of the drawings, frame  3  comprises a header  7  a sill  9  and first and second side jambs  11  and  11  respectively. 
   All of the above describes frame pieces are preferably made from a vinyl extrusion. Each of the pieces is preferably cut from a common length of extrusion and then cut to desired sizes to make the header jambs and sill of the frame. 
   Turning to  FIG. 2  of the drawings, a key component of the vinyl extrusion of side jamb  13  is a channel forming piece generally indicated at  15 . This channel forming piece includes an internal hollow  17  with a channel mouth  19  opening interiorly of the window frame. Channel mouth  19  extends the full height of channel piece  15 . 
   Provided to opposite sides of channel piece  15  are a pair of mouth bordering legs  21 . These legs define undercut regions  23  along the length of the opening  17  within channel piece  15 . 
   Window sash  5  includes a first sash jamb  55  and a second sash jamb  57 . Sash jamb  55  is pivotally mounted to frame jamb  11  for opening and closing the sash relative to the frame. 
   Sash jamb  57  when the window is closed fits inside of frame jamb  13 . As best seen in  FIG. 5  of the drawings channel forming piece  15  has a front face  17 . Face  17  provides a stop for the sash jamb  5  when the window is closed. 
   Before the window is assembled to its  FIG. 1  configuration e.g., before the  FIG. 7  is fitted to the frame a slide bar generally indicated at  31  is located within channel  17 . The actual bar portion of slide bar  31  is wider than the channel mouth  19  such that the opposite edges  34  of bar  33  locate within the undercut regions  23  of the channel opening. This prevents the bar from pulling outwardly through the mouth of the channel. 
   Fitted to bar portion  33  are a plurality of studs generally indicated at  37 . These studs include a cylindrical body portion  43  having a head  39  which fits into any one of the circular openings  35  provided along the length of bar portion  33 . A larger collar  47  fits over the cylindrical body portion  43  of each of the studs. Collar  41  abuts with the flat side face of bar portion  33 . 
   The heads of the studs  37  may either be simply held by a friction fit within the opening bar portion  33  or they may be additionally secured in place by some type of bonding agent between the stud and the bar portion. 
   The studs at their spaced apart locations along bar portion  33  are centered on the bar portion. The main body portion  43  of each of the studs projects through the channel mouth  19  interiorly of the window frame. The collar portion  41  in each of the studs as well seen in  FIG. 5  of the drawings is trapped against lateral movement out of the channel opening by means of the return legs  21  defining the undercut regions  23  in the channel opening. 
   As it will be appreciated from the description above control bar  31  with the studs mounted thereon is slideable vertically of the frame jamb but cannot be pulled out of the frame jamb once the frame has been fully assembled. 
   It is be further noted from the description above that because the channel mouth is open over the complete length of the channel the control bar with its studs is easily located within the frame jamb by simply sliding it down into the frame jamb before the header has been put into position. Once the header has been assembled with the rest of the frame, it is not only the bar portion  33  but in addition the studs on the bar portion due to the provision of their collars  41  which are trapped in the channel cannot be pulled out of the channel. 
   Returning to  FIG. 1  it will be seen that sash jamb  57  at the free or moveable edge of the sash is provided on its interior surface with a plurality of lock parts  59 . Each one of these lock parts as better seen in  FIG. 6  of the drawings includes a downwardly outwardly free ended leg  61 . Leg  61  when the sash is closed within the frame locates to the inside of channel piece  15  sitting over the mouth of the channel. 
   Provided on frame jamb  13  is a lock control handle generally indicated at  75 . Frame jamb  13  includes an inner return part generally indicated at  14  having a flat face region  16 . Face region  16  locates to the interior of the building. A handle mount  77  secures to the face  16  of frame return  14 . Pivotally mounted at  81  to mount  77  is a handle piece  79 . Handle piece  79  is pivotally secured at  85  to a lock connecting piece  83 . The lock connecting piece where pivotally secured to handle member  79  fits through a precut slot (not shown) in the frame return  14 . This allows the handle with its lock connecting piece to attach by connector  87  to the bar portion  33  of the slide bar. In the preferred embodiment connector  87  comprises a cylindrical attachment that press fits into one of the circular openings in bar  33 . 
     FIG. 6  of the drawings shows the handle member  79  of the control handle pushed upwardly. As a result of its pivotal connection to mount  77  and the pivotal connection with bar connecting member  83  the bar is pulled downwardly in the  FIG. 6  position. The sash is then closed with the window frame such that the arm  61  of lock part  59  on sash jamb  57  locates above body portion  43  of stud  37  secured to the slide bar.  FIG. 6  shows the sash moving to this position and the lower most lock part on the sash. As will be readily understood the same movement occurs at the two lock parts of the sash above the one shown in  FIG. 6  of the drawings. 
   Once the lock parts  59  on the sash is located over the channel mouth of the frame jamb handle member  79  of control handle  75  is pushed downwardly to the  FIG. 7  position of the drawings. This pushes up on connector piece  83  which forces the slide bar to slide upwardly within the frame channel. Each of the three studs mounted to the slide bar then slides up beneath the free leg  61  of each of the lock parts  59  on the sash. The sash is now fully locked with the frame. 
   As will be further understood from the description above more studs may be provided on the slide bar and more lock parts may be provided on the sash in appropriately located positions for further enhancing the locking action of the frame on the sash. In the alternative, as few as a single stud and lock part may be used to lock the sash closed with the frame. 
   In the embodiment as described when using two or more different lock points between the sash and the frame only a single control handle is needed to operate all of those different lock points. Furthermore, if additional lock points are needed as may be the case for a door assembly where the height of the door is substantially greater than the height of a window, the only thing that needs to be added is additional studs and additional door edge lock parts. The slide bar with the spaced holes along the length thereof is already setup to receive these additional studs. To further ease the assembly the frame for receiving the slide bar includes its own slide bar receiving pocket in the way of the elongated channel extruded in the construction of the frame. 
   Although various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.