Patent ID: 7676999

Claim:
A curtain wall system comprising: structural members secured to the building framing to define frames of rectangular shape; glazing panels each having a sash by which the glazing panels are secured to the frames of structural members to form an outer wall of a building, with each sash being attached to an inside of its corresponding glazing panel; and connector devices securing the glazing panels to the frames of structural members, the connector device having a keeper secured to the frame, a latch mechanism secured on the sash distally to the corresponding glazing panel and opposite the keeper, the latch mechanism having a latch bolt and a spring biasing the latch bolt to a projecting position, the latch bolt having a ramp surface and an abutment surface, the ramp surface of the latch bolt in the projecting position being aligned with respect to the keeper along a line normal to the plane of the frame for the ramp surface to contact the keeper when installing the sash in the frame by moving the glazing panel into the frame of rectangular shape along an axis generally normal to the frame, the latch bolt retracting from the projecting position as a result of the contact between the keeper and the ramp surface, the latch bolt returning to the projecting position when the ramp surface is beyond the keeper, the keeper and the abutment surface of the latch mechanism in said projecting position cooperating beyond the keeper to lock the glazing panel to the frame in a secured position.