Locking apparatus for use with a panel slideable in a plane

Claim 2

A lockable panel combination comprising: (a) a pair of panels wherein one panel is fixed adjacent to a surface and the other panel is slideable in a plane adjacent and parallel to the fixed panel, the slideable panel being suitable for selectively and adjustably sliding in an open direction and a closed direction to provide a variable opening in the surface; and (b) a locking apparatus comprising: (i) a locking bar mechanism having an adjustable bar length comprising a first member; a second member slideably attached to the first member; and a locking mechanism at the point of attachment of the first and second members, the locking mechanism substantially preventing a decrease in the bar length unless the locking mechanism is activated, and the locking mechanism freely allowing an increase in the bar length; (ii) first means for operatively connecting a remote end of the first member to the surface; and (iii) second means for operatively connecting a remote end of the second member to the slideable panel, wherein when the locking apparatus is operatively connected to the slideable panel and the surface, the slideable panel can be freely slid in the closed direction but cannot be slid in the open direction unless the locking mechanism is activated; (iv) the means for connecting a remote end of the first member to the surface comprising a bracket for mounting on the surface; (v) the remote end of the first member being pivotally attached to the bracket for mounting on the surface, said bracket having at least one arm and a pivot pin which passes through at least one arm and through the remote end of the first member; and (vi) means for holding the slideably attached members in an inoperative position.

Claim 3

A lockable panel combination comrpising: (a) a pair of panels wherein one panel is fixed adjacent to a surface and the other panel is slideable in a plane adjacent and parallel to the fixed panel, the slideable panel being suitable for selectively and adjustably sliding in an open direction and a closed direction to provide a variable opening in the surfaces; and (b) a locking apparatus comprising" (i) a locking bar mechanism having an adjustble bar length comprising a first member; a second member slideably attached to the first member; and a locking mechanism at the point of attachment of the first and second members, the locking mechanism substantially preventing a decrease in the bar length unless the locking mechanism is activated, and the locking mechanism freely allowing an increase in the bar length; (ii) first means for operatively connecting a remote end of the first member to the surface; (iii) second means for operatively connecting a remote end of the second member to the slideable panel, wherein when the locking apparatus is operatively connected to the slideable panel and the surface, the slideable panel can be freely slid in the closed direction but cannot be slid in the open direction unless the locking mechanism is activated; and (iv) the second means for connecting the second member to the slideable panel comprises a bracket for mounting on the slideable panel and for holding a remote end of the second member and wherein the second member connecting means further comprises a larger end portion on the remote end of the second member which engages the bracket and prevents the second member from being removed from the bracket by the force of the slideable panel sliding toward or away from the fixed panel.

Claim 4

A lockable panel combination comrpising: (a) a pair of panels wherein one panel is fixed adjacent to a surface and the other panel is slideable in a plane adjacent and parallel to the fixed panel, the slideable panel being suitable for selectively and adjustably sliding in an open direction and a closed direction to provide a variable opening in the surfaces; and (b) a locking apparatus comprising" (i) a locking bar mechanism having an adjustble bar length comprising a first member; a second member slideably attached to the first member; and a locking mechanism at the point of attachment of the first and second members, the locking mechanism substantially preventing a decrease in the bar length unless the locking mechanism is activated, and the locking mechanism freely allowing an increase in the bar length; (ii) first means for operatively connecting a remote end of the first member to the surface; (iii) second means for operatively connecting a remote end of the second member to the slideable panel, wherein when the locking apparatus is operatively connected to the slideable panel and the surface, the slideable panel can be freely slid in the closed direction but cannot be slid in the open direction unless the locking mechanism is activated; and (iv) the second means for connecting the second member to the slideable panel comprises a bracket for mounting on the slideable panel and for holding a remote end of the second member and wherein the second member connecting means further comprises a larger end portion on the remote end of the second member which engages the bracket and prevents the second member from being removed from the bracket by the force of the slideable panel sliding toward or away from the fixed panel.

Claim 5

A lockable panel combination comprising: (a) a pair of panels installed as a wall closure wherein one panel is fixed adjacent to a jamb and the other panel is slideable in a plane adjacent and parallel to the fixed panel; and (b) a locking bar comprising: (i) two telescoping members; (ii) a locking mechanism at the point of intersection of the two members which locks the second member against telescoping into the first member but which permits telescoping of the second member out of the first member; (iii) means for pivotally attaching the first member with the jamb adjacent to the fixed panel, comprising a bracket for mounting on the jamb, said bracket having two substantially parallel arms and a pivot pin extending perpendicularly through the arms and through the remote end of the first member located between the arms; and (iv) means for attaching the second member to the slideable panel, wherein the means comprises a bracket for mounting on the slideable panel and for holding the second member, and a larger end portion at a remote end of the second member, wherein the larger end portion can engage the bracket thereby preventing the second member from being removed from the bracket by the force of the slideable panel sliding toward or away from the fixed panel.

Claim 6

A lockable panel combination comprising: (a) a pair of panels installed as a wall closure wherein one panel is fixed adjacent to a jamb and the other panel is slideable in a plane adjacent and parallel to the fixed panel; and (b) a locking bar comprising: (i) two telescoping members; (ii) a locking mechanism at the point of intersection of the two members which locks the second member against telescoping into the first member but which permits telescoping of the second member out of the first member; (iii) means for pivotally attaching the first member with the jamb adjacent to the fixed panel, comprising a bracket for mounting on the jamb, said bracket having two substantially parallel arms and a pivot pin extending perpendicularly through the arms and through the remote end of the first member located between the arms; and (iv) means for attaching the second member to the slideable panel, wherein the means comprises a bracket for mounting on the slideable panel and for holding the second member, and a larger end portion at a remote end of the second member, wherein the larger end portion can engage the bracket thereby preventing the second member from being removed from the bracket by the force of the slideable panel sliding toward or away from the fixed panel.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 1 wherein the bracket for mounting on the surface comprises two substantially parallel arms, one proximate either end of the pivot pin, and which further comprises means for holding the slideably attached members in an inoperative position, said holding means comprising at least one detent protruding from an inside surface of at least one of the substantially parallel arms.

Claim 8

A locking bar, for use with a pair of panels installed as a wall closure wherein one panel is fixed adjacent to a jamb and the other panel is slideable in a plane adjacent and parallel to the fixed panel, which comprises: (a) two telescoping members; (b) a locking mechanism at the point of intersection of the two members which locks the second member against telescoping into the first member but which permits telescoping of the second member out of the first member; (c) means for pivotally attaching the first member with a jamb adjacent to a fixed panel, comprising a bracket for mounting on a jamb, said bracket having two substantially parallel arms and a pivot pin extending perpendicularly through the arms and through the remote end of the first member located between the arms; and (d) means for attaching the second member to a slideable panel, wherein the means comprises a bracket for mounting on a slideable panel and for holding the second member, and a larger end portion at a remote end of the second member, wherein the larger end portion can engage the bracket thereby preventing the second member from being removed from the bracket by the force of a slideable panel sliding toward or away from a fixed panel.

Claim 9

A locking bar, for use with a pair of panels installed as a wall closure wherein one panel is fixed adjacent to a jamb and the other panel is slideable in a plane adjacent and parallel to the fixed panel, which comprises: (a) two telescoping members; (b) a locking mechanism at the point of intersection of the two members which locks the second member against telescoping into the first member but which permits telescoping of the second member out of the first member; (c) means for pivotally attaching the first member with a jamb adjacent to a fixed panel, comprising a bracket for mounting on a jamb, said bracket having two substantially parallel arms and a pivot pin extending perpendicularly through the arms and through the remote end of the first member located between the arms; and (d) means for attaching the second member to a slideable panel, wherein the means comprises a bracket for mounting on a slideable panel and for holding the second member, and a larger end portion at a remote end of the second member, wherein the larger end portion can engage the bracket thereby preventing the second member from being removed from the bracket by the force of a slideable panel sliding toward or away from a fixed panel.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 3 which further comprises means for holding the telescoping members in a position substantially parallel to the jamb, comprising at least one detent located on the inside surface of at least one one of the two substantially parallel arms of the bracket for mounting on the jamb.