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US3797168A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Automatically-locking positively-unlocked sash balance

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-10-21
•
Granted: 1974-03-19
•
Expires: 1991-10-21
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Abstract

Abstract A double-hung tiltable sliding sash window installation has elongated sash guides mounted on opposite sides of its window frame, the sash guides on at least one side of the window frame having elongated longitudinally-slotted spring casings associated therewith. Secured to the upper end of each spring casing is an elongated sash balancing spring, the lower end of which is connected to a locking device therefor including an elongated slide body having an elongated longitudinal opening therein. Pivotally mounted on a pivot element offset laterally from the central axis of the slide body is an approximately J-shaped bent locking lever having on one side of said pivot element a bent locking arm with an arcuate externally-serrated locking portion at its outer end disposed excentrically to said pivot element and having on the opposite side of said pivot element a cam arm inclined at an obtuse angle to said locking arm. The serrations on the excentric arcuate outer edge of the bent locking arm are adapted to be pulled forcibly into locking engagement with the adjacent side wall of the balancing spring casing by the sashbalancing spring in response to the tiliting of the sash and the consequent tilting of a flat-sided trunnion key secured thereto. This trunnion key is insertable through the elongated slot in the sash balancing spring casing and through the opening in the slide body into engagement either with the cam arm or with the bent locking arm of the locking lever. When the sash and its trunnion keys are swung away from the plane of its sash guides into a tilted position, the trunnion key within the balancing spring casing rotates and operatively engages the contact arm of the locking lever so as to forcibly swing its serrated excentric arcuate locking portion into locking engagement with the adjacent side wall of the spring casing. Swinging of the sash back into the plane of the sash guides and the consequent swinging of the trunnion key causes the trunnion key within the sash balancing spring casing to rotate in the reverse direction and engage the inclined cam arm of the locking lever whereupon a downward push on the sash forcibly swings the locking portion of the locking arm of the locking lever out of locking engagement with the adjacent side wall of the spring casing, thereby releasing the thus-unlocked sash to move freely upward or downward. This locking and unlocking action occurs whether or not the sash is completely removed from the window frame as for repair purposes or is only tilted relatively thereto for cleaning.

Inventors

  • 👤 D Trout

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 06:31
CPC Classifications
E; E05; E05D; E05D15/00; E05D15/16; E05D15/22; E05Y; E05Y2900/00; E05Y2900/10; E05Y2900/13; E05Y2900/148

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 313 words
An automatically-locking positively-unlocked sash balance construction for a tiltable sliding sash window installation including a window frame, said construction comprising an elongated sash guide adapted to be secured to each side of the window frame and adapted to be slidably engaged by the sash, a sash balance spring casing disposed adjacent at least one of said sash guides and having an elongated longitudinal aperture therein, a sash balance spring disposed within said casing and secured at one end thereto, a sash balance spring locking device slidably mounted within said casing and connected to the other end of said spring, said locking device including a slide body connected to said spring and having a pivot element thereon, said locking device also including a locking lever pivotally mounted intermediate its opposite ends on said pivot element and having at one end a locking portion movable into and out of locking engagement with said casing and having a contact portion disposed between said locking portion and said pivot element, and a trunnion member adapted to be secured to each end of the sash, at least one of said trunnion members having an end portion extensible through said aperture into said spring casing into operative engagement with said contact portion of said locking lever between said locking portion and said pivot element, said one trunion membeR being rotatable in response to swinging of the sash away from its respective sash guides for freeing said locking lever to swing on said pivot element in a locking direction and consequently enabling said locking portion to swing into locking engagement with said spring casing, said one trunnion member being responsive to swinging of the sash toward its respective sash guides for engaging and swinging said locking lever on said pivot element in an opposite unlocking direction and consequently swinging said locking portion out of locking engagement with said spring casing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 313 words
An automatically-locking positively-unlocked sash balance construction for a tiltable sliding sash window installation including a window frame, said construction comprising an elongated sash guide adapted to be secured to each side of the window frame and adapted to be slidably engaged by the sash, a sash balance spring casing disposed adjacent at least one of said sash guides and having an elongated longitudinal aperture therein, a sash balance spring disposed within said casing and secured at one end thereto, a sash balance spring locking device slidably mounted within said casing and connected to the other end of said spring, said locking device including a slide body connected to said spring and having a pivot element thereon, said locking device also including a locking lever pivotally mounted intermediate its opposite ends on said pivot element and having at one end a locking portion movable into and out of locking engagement with said casing and having a contact portion disposed between said locking portion and said pivot element, and a trunnion member adapted to be secured to each end of the sash, at least one of said trunnion members having an end portion extensible through said aperture into said spring casing into operative engagement with said contact portion of said locking lever between said locking portion and said pivot element, said one trunion membeR being rotatable in response to swinging of the sash away from its respective sash guides for freeing said locking lever to swing on said pivot element in a locking direction and consequently enabling said locking portion to swing into locking engagement with said spring casing, said one trunnion member being responsive to swinging of the sash toward its respective sash guides for engaging and swinging said locking lever on said pivot element in an opposite unlocking direction and consequently swinging said locking portion out of locking engagement with said spring casing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 65 words
An automatically-locking positively-unlocked sash balance construction, according to claim 1, wherein said locking lever at its other end remote from its locking portion has a sash-balance-unlocking cam portion engageable with said one trunnion member, said cam portion having a cam edge inclined upward relatively to said contact portion of said locking lever into the path of travel of said one trunnion member for activation thereby.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 35 words
An automatically-locking positively-unlocked sash balance construction, according to claim 1, wherein said locking lever is a bent lever with said locking portion disposed approximately at right angles to said contact portion of said locking lever.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 44 words
An automatically-locking positively-unlocked sash balance construction, according to claim 1, wherein said locking lever has a bent locking arm with said contact portion disposed adjacent said pivot element and with said locking portion disposed outwardly of said contact portion at substantially right angles thereto.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 17 words
An automatically-locking positively-unlocked sash balance construction, according to claim 4, wherein said locking lever is approximately J-shaped.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 34 words
An automatically-locking positively-unlocked sash balance construction, according to claim 1, wherein said pivot element is offset laterally of the longitudinal axis of said slide body away from said locking portion of said locking lever.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 45 words
An automatically-locking positively-unlocked sash balance construction, according to claim 1, wherein said end portion of said one trunnion member has two substantially flat sides disposed angularly to one another and separately engageable with said locking lever in response to rotation of said one trunnion member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 28 words
An automatically-locking positively-unlocked sash balance construction, according to claim 1, wherein said locking portion includes an arcuate part disposed transverse to said inner portion of said locking arm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 31 words
An automatically-locking positively-unlocked sash balance construction, according to claim 8, wherein said arcuate part comprises a section of a circle with its center offset from the center of said pivot element.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 29 words
An automatically-locking positively-unlocked sash balance construction, according to claim 8, wherein said slide body is approximately U-shaped with spaced parallel arms disposed upon opposite sides of said longitudinal opening.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3233278A Cited
US3222733A Cited
US3429071A Cited
US3524282A Cited
US3643377A Cited
US3482354A Cited
US3611636A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1977-03-18 1977-09-17 1978-03-19 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1981-03-18 1981-09-17 1982-03-19 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1985-03-18 1985-09-17 1986-03-19 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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