Abstract:
An automatic sash lock is disclosed having a housing with a top surface and a bottom surface and one or more side surfaces extending from said top surface. The housing has a front face at least a portion of which is open to the interior of the housing. The housing has a tongue movably secured thereto. The tongue has a retracted position and an extended position wherein the tongue extends from the open area of the front face of the housing. The tongue moves from a retracted position to an extended position when a portion of said housing contacts a keeper.

Description:
This application claims priority on U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/817,612 filed Jun. 29, 2006 the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an improved automatic sash lock and sash lock with a signal mechanism for determining whether a sash lock is in a locked position or an open configuration. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Sash locks are very common on double hung windows. In many locations such as homes and businesses, the windows may be opened at certain times of the day or evening for ventilation or natural cooling and later closed. As a security measure, these windows are usually locked when people are alone in their homes or when the establishment is closed. 
     Since many buildings have a number of windows, it can be a chore and quite time consuming to individually check each window to make sure it is locked. As a result, there have been several indicators that provide a signal to the user to notify the user whether the window is locked. One such sash lock is disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 10/932,883 filed Sep. 2, 2004, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. This lock uses a flag which can be raised or lowered to signal whether the window is in a locking condition. Another sash lock is disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 11/254,065 filed Oct. 19, 2005, which discloses a sash lock with a housing. The housing has a status indicator in the housing that permits a user to determine if the window is in an unlocked condition. The sash lock in that application has a color indicator to inform the user of the status of the lock. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved locking mechanism for a sash lock. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a sash lock with an automatic locking feature. 
     It is also an object of the invention to provide a sash lock that locks when a trigger contacts the keeper used with the lock. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved indicator for a sash lock that provides a visual indication whether a sash lock is in a locked position or an unlocked position. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a combination lock and keeper that coact to signal the status of the sash lock. 
     It is a still further object of the invention to provide a sash lock with a unique visual indicator for determining whether a sash lock is in a locked configuration or an unlocked configuration. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The sash lock of the present invention includes a housing and a separate base or protective member. The housing has a top surface and bottom surface. Extending from the top surface are a pair of side walls. The housing also has a front face and a rear face. At least a portion of the front face is open to permit a tongue to extend therefrom to secure the lock to a keeper. The open front face may have a hood that extends outwardly that may be adapted to receive a keeper so that the keeper is hidden by the top surface or hood of the housing. Alternatively, the housing has a top surface where the hood does not extend over the keeper. There is a locking mechanism that secures the sash lock to the housing. The locking mechanism is preferably an automatic one in which the sash lock becomes locked automatically when a portion of the keeper is contacted. In a preferred embodiment, the locking mechanism has a tongue that has a retracted position when the lock is in an unlocked configuration and an extended position when the lock is in a locked configuration. The tongue is preferably spring driven from the retracted position to the extended position. In the preferred embodiment, the tongue is released from the retracted position to the extended position by means of a trigger. 
     The tongue may be generally rectangular in cross section with a top surface and a pair of side surfaces. The bottom of the tongue may be open and receive a spring that provides a force causing the tongue to extend when the tongue is released by the trigger. The tongue extends from an open portion of the front face of the housing when in an extended position and is generally flush with the front face or slightly recessed when the tongue is retracted. The tongue remains in its recessed position until activated by a trigger. The trigger may be a pin or other suitable trigger means that extends outwardly from the front face of the housing and can contact the keeper of the window sash to release the tongue. When the trigger contacts the keeper, the tongue is released and the tongue extends to a locking position. 
     The keeper has a top surface, a front wall and a rear wall. Connecting the front and rear walls are a pair of end walls. The top surface typically has one or more orifices for securing the keeper to a sash. Screws or other securing means can be used to secure the keeper to a sash. The top surface and/or the front surface of the keeper may have an open area for receiving a a locking tab that extends from the underside of the top surface of the sash lock housing, i.e. below the bottom surface of the sash lock housing. When the sashes of the window to be locked are approaching a closed arrangement, the trigger such as a tab on the sash lock is positioned in the open area of the keeper. As the sash lock and keeper are positioned in a locking arrangement when the window closes, the keeper hits the trigger and the tongue is forced out by the spring. Alternatively, the trigger hits the keeper thus forcing the tongue to extend from the housing into a locking position. The tongue may extend into a recessed area in the front wall of the keeper whereby it prevents the sashes from being separated until the tongue is retracted back into the housing. The extended tongue and the tab on the sash lock housing hold the sash lock to the keeper and retain the windows in a locked condition. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the tongue is connected to a pull tab. The pull tab permits a user to unlock the sash lock by retracting the tongue into its recessed, loaded position. The pull tab preferably has a handle portion so that a user&#39;s hands can more easily grasp the pull tab. The pull tab may have portion thereof where there is a signal means to signal whether the tongue is in a retracted or unlocked condition or extended in a locked arrangement. Preferably, a rear surface of the pull tab has a signal means. When the tongue is in an extended position, i.e. a locking position, the signal means reflects that position. The signal means shows that the tongue is in a recessed condition when the pull tab has been pulled back. Preferably the signal means is red when the lock is in an unlocked position. When the lock is in a locked position, the signal means will reflect another color. 
    
    
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective exploded view of the sash lock and keeper of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1A  is a top exploded view of the sash lock and keeper of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1B  is a bottom exploded view of the sash lock and keeper of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1C  is an underside view of the sash lock of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an underside view of the housing of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the sash lock housing. 
         FIG. 4A  is an underside view of the sash lock. 
         FIG. 4B  is a top view of the sash lock in a latched position. 
         FIG. 4C  is a side view of the sash lock in a latched position. 
         FIG. 4D  is a cut away view of the spring arrangement for the sash lock. 
         FIG. 5A  is an underside view of the sash lock and keeper in an unlocked position. 
         FIG. 5B  is a top view of the sash lock of  FIG. 5A . 
         FIG. 5C  is an underside view of the sash lock and keeper in an unlocked position where the keeper is separated from the sash lock. 
         FIG. 5D  is a top view of the sash lock of  FIG. 5C . 
         FIG. 6A  is an end view of the sash lock and keeper of  FIG. 5C . 
         FIG. 6B  is a cut away view of the sash lock and keeper of  FIG. 5C . 
         FIG. 7A  is an underside view of the housing. 
         FIG. 7B  is an underside view of the housing with the components in place and the tongue in an extended position. 
         FIG. 8A  is an underside view of the housing. 
         FIG. 8B  is an underside view of the housing with the components in place and the tongue in an unlocked position 
         FIG. 9A  is a perspective view of the underside of the housing with the activator arm present and in an extended position. 
         FIG. 9B  is a top view of the housing with the activator arm and tongue in an extended position. 
         FIG. 9C  is a top view of the housing with the tongue in an extended position. 
         FIG. 10A  is a perspective view of the housing with the activator arm present and in a retracted position. 
         FIG. 10B  is a top view of the underside of the housing with the activator and the tongue in a retracted position and the trigger recessed. 
         FIG. 11A  is a perspective view of the underside of the housing with the trigger extended. 
         FIG. 11B  is a top view of the housing with the activator and the tongue in a retracted position and the trigger is primed. 
         FIG. 11C  is a top view of the housing with the tongue in a retracted position and where the trigger is primed. 
         FIG. 12A  is an exploded view of the bottom of an alternate embodiment of the sash lock and keeper of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12B  is an exploded top view of the sash lock of  FIG. 12A . 
         FIGS. 13A and 13B  are perspective views of the top and bottom of the sash lock and keeper of  FIG. 12 . 
         FIG. 14A-C  show side view of the sequence of the operation of the sash lock and keeper of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 12  as a sash lock on a sash is moving into contact with the keeper. 
         FIG. 15A-C  show bottom view of the sequence of the operation of the sash lock and keeper of  FIG. 14A-C  as a sash lock on a sash is moving into contact with the keeper. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a housing  10 . The housing  10  has a top surface  11 , a bottom surface  12  and a first sidewall  13  and a second sidewall  14 . The housing may have a variety of shapes as may be desired by a user. There can be base plate  15  that protects the mechanism from dust dirt and or damage during for example, installation. There is a front face  16  and a rear face  17  of the housing. The top surface  11  of the housing may extend over the keeper  18  and form a hood  19  over the keeper  18 . Alternatively, there is no hood over the keeper and the lock and keeper are visually separate. The mechanism includes a pull tab  20 . The pull tab can be used to “load” the lock, i.e. to activate the lock so that when the trigger contacts the keeper a spring causes the lock to extend into the keeper to prevent the sashes from separating. The pull tab  20  has a top surface  21  and a bottom surface  22  as well as a tongue  23  and a handle  24 . The bottom surface  22  is preferably open although the top surface  20  may be open as well or alternatively the bottom surface may be closed and the top surface open. The pull tab  20  has an end surface  25  which may include a visual indicator  26  to indicate whether the tongue  23  is in a locked position or an unlocked position. The visual indicator  26  may include a color indicator which shows one color when the tongue is in a retracted position and another color when the tongue is in an extended position. Other visual indicators such as words, letters or other symbols may be used as well. 
     In operation, a user pulls the tab outwardly from the housing. The tab is locked in this “activated” position and remains there until the keeper is contacted by the trigger. A spring  27  forces the pull tab  20  into an extended position when the pull tab  20  is released by the trigger  28 . The trigger  28  is above an activator arm  33  and includes a stem  29 , such that the trigger pivots on the stem. The stem has a spring  31  thereon that forces the trigger into an extended position when the tongue is released. The activator arm is held in the activated position by being retained against a portion of tongue  23  (see “F” in  FIG. 10B ) by torsion spring  31 . 
     When the window sash approaches a closed position, the keeper  18  on the sash hits the trigger  28  (see  FIGS. 11  A and  10 A) causing the engagement arm  30  of trigger  28  (see  FIG. 1 ) to engage and catch upon a portion of activator arm  33  (see  FIG. 7B ), which releases the pull tab  20 . When the pull tab  20  is released, the tongue is freed from the retracted position and extends outwardly to lock the keeper to the sash lock. 
     The keeper  39  has a top surface  40 , a front sidewall  42  and a rear sidewall  43  A pair of end walls  44  and  45  join the sidewalls. The top surface  40  where it joins the front sidewall  42  has a portion that has a slanted wall surface  46  which provides a surface that contacts the surface  32  of trigger  28  ( FIGS. 11A and 10A ) when the sash of a window is closing. The slanted wall surface  46  forces the trigger  28  inwardly thus causing the trigger  28  to release the pull tab  20 . As the pull tab  20  is released, the tongue  23  extends from its recessed position to its extended position. The keeper  39  has a recessed section in the rear sidewall  43 . The recessed section has a first interior sidewall  48 , a second interior sidewall  49 , an interior top wall  50  and an interior back wall  51 . When the trigger releases the tongue, the tongue extends outwardly from the front wall of the sash lock housing. The tongue and the interior top wall  50  prevent the sash of a window from being raised thus locking the sash. On the front sidewall  42  of the keeper and the top surface  40  there is a recessed section  51  which has a top recess section  53  and a sidewall recess section  52 , a tab  54  on the underside of the housing contacts the recessed section  51  when the tongue is extended. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pull tab  20  has a signal means  26  for signaling that the sash lock is in a locking arrangement or an unlocked position. In this embodiment the pull tab  20  has a handle  24 . The handle  24  permits a user to grasp the pull tab  20  and reload the tongue  23  so that it can be released by the trigger. The grasping portion of the handle may be provided with one or more wings  61  and  62  that extend outwardly from the sidewall of the handle. In a preferred embodiment, the handle has a top surface and a pair of wings that extend from the top surface  63 . The handle may have first and second sidewalls  64  and  65  extending from the top surface. These sidewalls connect with a base portion at the rear of the pull tab. The top surface, sidewalls and base portion  66  form a signal  67  area. The signal area has an indicator which informs a user whether the tongue is in an extended position or a recessed position. As seen in  FIG. 3 , the indicator is a card or sheet  70  having a top edge  71 , a bottom edge  72  and a pair of side edges  73  and  74 . The card is preferably hinged and has a pair of hinges  75  and  76 . The front face  77  of the card is one color and the rear face  78  is a second color. When the pull tab  20  is pulled back the one face is shown. When the tongue is released, the second face is shown. Alternatively, when the pull tab  20  is pulled back, the indicator card  70  pivots downward to expose the rear surface of the pull tab, which may be a first indicator color (see  FIG. 6B ); and when the tongue is released, the indicator card  70  is caused to pivot upward to block the first indicator color on the rear surface of the pull tab, thereby exposing a second indicator color on the back side of the card  70  (see  FIG. 4D ). In a preferred embodiment, there is a red indicator that alerts the user that the tongue is recessed and thus the window is open. Another color such as white can be used to indicate that the tongue of the sash lock is in an extended condition. 
       FIG. 12-15  show an alternate embodiment of the sash lock and keeper of the present invention. The operation of the sash lock and keeper is similar to the Embodiment of  FIG. 1-11 . The actuator is however slightly different. There is a spring connection  60  between the extreme ends of the trigger  28 A. The trigger has a pair of recesses for receiving the spring connection  60 . The spring connection  60  puts pressure on the engagement arm  30  to keep it in position as it pivots.