Patent ID: 7093320

Claim:
A lock in combination with overlapping parallel sliding members, said lock comprising: a hinge member having two leaves; the two leaves including a fixed leaf permanently secured to one of overlapping sliding members, and a pivotal leaf pivotally moveable between locked and unlocked positions, to permit sliding of said overlapping members in the unlocked position, and, when turned about 90 degrees to the locked position, to abut the face of one of said overlapping members to prevent displacement there between; and a resistance mechanism for lightly-resisting pivoting of said pivotal leaf against displacement or rotation in the locked position, said resistance mechanism requiring no pre-manipulation of any portion of the lock prior to pivoting movement; wherein the resistance mechanism provides for lightly-resisting pivoting of said pivotal leaf against displacement or rotation in both the locked and unlocked positions; wherein said resistance mechanism comprises a cam on one of said leaves having at least one flattened lobe, the at least one flattened lobe corresponding to the locked position, and a displaceable follower on the other leaf engaged with the cam for providing light resistance to pivoting relative movement of the leaves when said follower is engaged with said flattened lobe; wherein the follower has a planar surface engaged with the cam, the planar surface being engageable with the at least one flattened lobe of cam when the pivotal leaf is in the locked position; and wherein the follower is formed of a deformable material, and the follower is dimensioned to permit increased elastic deformation thereof by the cam during pivoting relative movement of the leaves; the follower extending from a raised central portion of the pivotal leaf.