Patent ID: 7062884

Claim:
A locking assembly for retaining a pair of shutters in a closed position on a dwelling, said locking assembly comprising: a backing bracket adapted to be fixedly mounted to the dwelling for maintaining the shutters spaced from the dwelling when the shutters are in the closed position; a retention bracket comprising a retention portion and a locking portion, said retention portion being spaced from said backing bracket for enclosing at least a portion of the shutters between said retention portion and said backing bracket when the shutters are in the closed position to prevent the shutters from opening from the closed position, and said locking portion extending substantially transversely from said retention portion to operatively engage said backing bracket; a fastener extending through said backing bracket and said locking portion of said retention bracket to lock said retention bracket to said backing bracket for retaining the shutters in the closed position; said backing bracket comprising a first backing component for said fixed mounting to the dwelling and a second backing component mounted to said first backing component for receiving said locking portion of said retention bracket and for maintaining the shutters spaced from the dwelling when the shutters are in the closed position; said first backing component comprising a central portion having first and second sides; said first backing component further comprising a first flange portion extending from said first side of said central portion, and a second flange portion extending from said second side of said central portion, wherein at least one of said first and second flange portions receive at least one fastener for said fixed mounting of said backing bracket to the dwelling; said first backing component further comprising first and second support legs spaced from one another and extending substantially transversely from at least one of said central portion and said flange portions to define a gap for supporting said second backing component; wherein said second backing component is at least partially disposed in said gap between said first and second support legs for said mounting to said first backing component; and said fastener extending through said first support leg, said second backing component, said locking portion of said retention bracket, and said second support leg to retain the shutters in the closed position.