Window alarm type lock

June 9, 1964

3,136,290

R. H. BAILEY ETAL

WINDOW ALARM TYPE LOCK

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INVENTORS, _BY Η7/Λ.ΜΜ £frSMCK

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June 9, 1964

R. H. BAILEY ETAL

3,136,290

WINDOW ALARM TYPE LOCK

Filed Oct. 21, 1963

Sheets-Sheet 2

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FIG.4

June 9, 1964

3,136,290

R. H. BAILEY ETAL

WINDOW ALARM TYPE LOCK

Filed Oct. 21, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3

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United States Patent Office Patented June 9, 1964 lock which is adjustable and can limit the movement of either sash to increase the amount of window opening from any selected relative position within a range of positions from closed to partly open. The limit of partly open positions would be that amount of limited opening still preventing ingress or egrees through ths window opening. The lock is such, however, as to permit window closing without interference, and, reopening to a previous selected amount.

An alarm system forming a portion of the lock is constructed so that any tampering with the window to change the degree of window opening from the selected adjustment of the lock activates a bell, or closes a switch, in an alarm circuit. The alarm triggering mechanism is one which is not set off unless the window opening is changed more than a very small fraction of an inch. It is, therefore, insensitive to vibrations which normally occur in a building such as a door slamming, or a heavy truck passing. It takes more sash movement than such vibrations might create to activate the alarm. Because of this, false alarms are eliminated. However, the alarm would be activated should a child, attempt to raise the window from inside, or a thief from the outside.

A mounting means for the lock is provided which secures it to each sash, metal or wood as the case may be. The mounting means on each sash is independent of the other and, in the preferred embodiments, has a construction such that the lock can be seized bodily and removed by a pull from both mountings. Thus, in an emergency, the lock can be readily removed and the window fully opened. This mounting is one which may be installed on the sashes of selected windows with or without a lock, and, when so installed, will provide for the use of the lock on any one of several window locations.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following detailed description which is in such clear, concjse and exact terms as will enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the same when taken in the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, and in which:

FIG. 1 is an environmental view in perspective showing the invention applied to a window;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view in side elevation of the invention taken on the line 2—2 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a view showing the lock as installed in FIG. 1 on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged view in perspective illustrating the parts as viewed from the reverse side shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a foreshortened front elevational view of a modified form of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the construction shown in FIG. 5 with parts in section;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are enlarged perspective views of the sockets used in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6; and

FIGS. 9 and 10 are enlarged perspective views front and rear of the stop means used in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. ^;

The window, shown in FIG. 1, has a frame 1 slidably mounting a pair of window sashes 2 and 3. The top sash 3 mounts a socket 5 and the bottom sash a socket 6. These sockets can be identical for economy of manufacture, and, as shown, the top socket 5 would be mounted to the sash 3 by a pair of screws, or the like, 8 in the vertical part of the bracket 5a supporting the socket 5. The lower socket 6 would be secured by screws, or the like, 9 in the bottom of the socket and the top edge of the lower sash 2.

Lock strut 10 has two telescoping members (see FIG. 4), one of which is a tubular member 11 and the other

3,136,290

WINDOW ALARM TYPE LOCK

Richard H. Bailey, 5612 Maxwell, Affton, Mo., and William F. Renick, 6416 Lavemell Court, St.

Louis, Mo. .

Filed Oct. 21, 1963, Ser. No. 317,575

Claims. (Cl. 116—67)

This invention relates to an improvement in window locks, and more particularly to a lock which is operative with the window partly open as well as fully closed. When set, the lock is operative to limit further opening of the window by movement of either sash, and operative to give an appropriate alarm should one sash be moved relative to the other. . 15

In recent years, it has become customary to install a so-called attic fan, or window fan, in private homes, or in apartments. Both are exhaust type fans usually, but whether of the exhaust, or blower, type, good ventilation is obtained during operation of the fan by partly opening ₂₀one or more windows on the cooler side of the building so as to draw in cooler air. Sometimes the fan is the portable kind and installed in a partly open window in which case other windows are partly opened for circulation. In normal use of a fan, regardless of type, some windows ₂5 are left partly open for more efficient ventilation while the fan is operating. Often a fan is operated continuously, both night and day, which means that several windows may be left partly open and unlocked both night and day. Many homes become uncomfortably hot and stuffy ₃₀if all of the windows are closed and locked each time all of the occupants are absent, and it is a decided nuisance to close up the house and, if the fan is running, shut off the fan each time a neighborhood errand requires a short absence. Yet to fail to do so is inviting mischief and 35 possibly theft, if the partly open windows are accessible from the ground, from a porch, or from a fire escape. A child left unattended, even for the duration of a neighborhood errand, may open the window enough to fall out, or a thief may open the window far enough to enter. 40 Accordingly, it is one of the objects of this invention to prevent access to a room through a window which is partly open, or egress from such a window by children.

Since both entry and egress through a window are also possible even when an occupant is in the home but, in 45 a room remote from the room with the partly open windows, or when asleep or otherwise occupied, it is desirable that a warning should be given of any tampering with the partly open windows. It is another object of this invention to provide a simple alarm loud enough to be heard 50 in case of tampering with a partly open window.

Most everyone is well aware of the use of window props, both of the fixed kind and adjustable kind, that have been in use for many years for preventing movement between the upper and lower window sashes when 55 the windows are closed, or are partly open. Some of these dveices, however, are of such a kind and attached in such a way as to prevent the window from being fully opened in an emergency. The use of such a device would be dangerous, and, in many areas, contrary to fire regula- 60 tions. It is another object of this invention to provide a releasable unit which may be removed at any time from the inside of the room by a direct pull away from the window.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a 65 device of this kind with an alarm which will not be set off by every vibration, to the extreme annoyance of the occupants.

The invention here is capable of embodiment in various forms which may differ in the kind, number, or arrange- 70 ment of parts, and for this reason, two embodiments are shown and described as illustrative. The invention is a

3,136 a threaded rod 12. The upper end of the tubular member 11 has a plate-like foot 13 shaped to slide in the socket 5. As shown in FIG. 4, upper socket 5 has inturned lips 15 and 16 at its opposite edges beneath which the edges of the plate-like foot 13 are slidable so as to wedge securely within the socket 5. On the lower end of the rod-like member 12 is a plate-like foot 18 similarly retained within the socket 6 by the inturned lips 19 and 20. Plate-like foot 18 carries a rod 22 mounted parallel to the rod 12 which in turn has a pair of cam surfaces 24 and 26 at its upper end. These cam surfaces are spaced apart as shown in FIG. 4, and arranged to straddle an actuating trigger 25 for the alarm means contained within the housing, generally indicated as 30. The alarm means can be any one of several equivalent mechanisms. For example, the alarm means contained within the casing 30 could be a spring wound mechanically actuated alarm, such as an alarm bell, in which case the trigger 25 would release the alarm when actuated by the cam surface 24, or 26, all as shown in a United States patent to Bradley 515,991 of March 6, 1894, entitled “Alarm-Bell.” Casing 30 could also contain a battery and an electric powered alarm of some kind, such as shown in the aforementioned patent, in which case, the trigger 25 would operate a switch closing the electric circuit to operate the alarm when engaged by either the cam surface 24, or 26. Actually, the housing 30 need not contain the actual alarm which could be located remotely and operated by a switch from the trigger 25, all. in a well-known manner. As shown .30 in FIG. 4, the upper end of the rod 22 is guided within a clip 32 fixed to the back of the housing 30. Clip 32 will properly position the rod 22 with respect to the trigger actuator 25.

As shown in FIGS. 1-4, an essential element in the 35 mechanism is a stop means 35 which, in this case, is threadedly associated with the rod 22. It will be readily apparent from these views in the drawing that the stop 35 moves toward the tube 11 as the lower sash is raised, or the upper sash is lowered. When stop 35 contacts 40 the end of tube 11, this limits the relative movement between the two sashes in a window opening direction. In order to adjust the device, the stop 35 is then retracted toward the plate-like foot 18, and the lower sash raised, or the upper sash lowered, the desired selected amount. 45 Stop 35 is then moved along the rod 12 until it is closely adjacent the end of tube 11, but preferably not in contact with the end of the tube 11. When so adjusted, a slight further opening movement of the window is permitted before contact of the stop 35 with the end 50 of the tube 11 which will limit any further movement. However, the construction is such that closing movement of the lower sash, or upper sash, is always permissible so that the window may be closed temporarily and later opened to the same position as previously selected. 55

The housing 30 is slidably mounted for adjustment along the tube 11 by a pair of clips 37 and 38 which are fastened to the back wall of the housing 30. In the front wall of the housing 30 are a pair of wing nuts 31 and 33, which are threaded through the housing to con- 60 tact the tube 11. If the alarm is desired, these thumb screws 31 and 33 are loosened and the housing 30 positioned so that the trigger 25 is between the two cam surfaces 24 and 26. The thumb screws 31 and 33 are then tightened. If the mechanism for giving the alarm 65 is a mechanical spring operated device, the spring is wound up and, if electrical, the current is turned on so as to place the alarm in condition for operation. Thereafter, the stop 35 is adjusted slightly, if necessary, so that the trigger 25 can contact the cam surface 26 before 70 the stop 35 strikes the end of the tube 11.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that once the lock and alarm are properly set, any movement of one sash, or the other, to further open the window will first trip the trigger actuator 25 and sound 75 ,290 ' A the alarm and then contact the stop 35 with the end of the tube 11. The strut limits further opening of the window and the alarm indicates to the occupants the fact that the window has been tampered with. In addi5 tion, any closing movement of the sashes will likewise set off the alarm by contacting the cam surface 24 with the trigger actuator 25. Thus, whether the window is opened, or closed, from its selected position, the tampering will be indicated by the alarm so as to attract atten10 tion.

In the aforedescribed modification, the mechanism actuating the alarm is separate from the lock. The two can be combined as illustrated by the following description with reference to the modification shown in FIGS. 15 5-10. As shown in FIG. 5, the top sash 3 and the bottom sash 2 have attached thereto sockets 51 and 52, respectively, for securing the strut 50. There are two members, a rod 54 and a tube 56 which form the telescoping member 50. Rod 54 is slidable within the tube 20 56 and has its upper end retained by the socket 51. Tube 55 telescopes over the outside of the rod 54 and has its lower end resting on top of the sash 2 and retained in position by the socket 52. Preferably, the rod 54 is threaded for a purpose which will appear hereinafter.

_ Socket 51 and socket 52 are identical and the construction thereof is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Each comprises a sheet metal stamping. This stamping has two arcuate . legs 58 and 59 and an overhanging tongue 60 which together with the legs forms the socket. Legs 58 and 59 are springy and: can be forced apart to receive the end of rod 54, or forced apart to release the end of rod 54. Tongue 60 extends from a portion of the legs over the top and, for convenience, is provided with a series of knock-outs, such as 61 and 62 located between the legs 58 and 59, which, when bent from the stamping, form spurs for nailing the socket to the sash 3. Knock-outs 63 and 64 in the tongue can be bent outwardly to form spurs, such as shown in FIG. 8, for anchoring the socket 52 on the sash 2. Spurs 61 and 62 are not necessary on the lower socket and spurs 63 and 64 are not necessary on the upper so that, when the sockets are being installed, the position will determine which set of spurs is used, the other set can be bent downwardly flush with the stamping.

. In this modification, the lock and the alarm are combined in one structure, such as shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10. The sleeve 70 of the lock has an internal diameter to be readily slidable over the threaded rod 54 and is preferably formed of sheet metal. Projecting from the forward edge of the sleeve 70 is a tongue 71 which carries a spring clip, generally indicated as 75. Clip 75 comprises two portions 76 and 77, both having aligned apertures 78 and 79, respectively. Struck-out of the clip portion 77 is a tongue 80 with a free end which abuts against the portion of the clip 76.

Sleeve 70 also supports an alarm 71 which, in this instance, is a bell secured to the side of the sleeve 70. Within the bell 81 is a spring powered mechanism which is wound up by turning the bell 81. The mechanism within the bell is a conventional one, such as used in doorbells years ago, in which the spring powers a striker contacting the inside of the bell 81 as it rotates. The striker operates in response to actuation of a trigger 85, which trigger in turn has a downturned end fitting within the slot 86 of the tube 56. An upper cam surface 88 at the top of the slots 86 and a lower cam surface 90 at the bottom are contoured to lift the trigger 85 in a direction away from the sleeve 56 releasing the striker mechanism so that the spring can operate the striker and sound the alarm. In the old-fashion doorbells, the trigger 85 was actuated by the doorbell button. In this case it is operated by cam surfaces 88 and 90.

As shown in FIG. 6, the strut 56 with the lock mechanism 75 mounted on the rod 54 is positioned in the sock3,136,290 ets 51 and 52 by forcing the opposite ends of the struts between the legs 58 and 59. In case of an emergency, the strut can be jerked out of the sockets.

Assuming that the lock device 75 is initially positioned at the top of the rod 74 adjacent the sash 3, sash 2, or sash 3, can then be opened a selected amount so as to have one of the sashes partly open. To set the alarm and position the stop, all that is necessary is to lift on the tongue 80 and move the leg 77 toward the alarm which releases the grip of the apertures 79 and 78 on the threaded shaft 54. Sleeve 70 then can be slid along the threaded shaft 54 until the trigger 85 is positioned intermediate the ends of the slot 86. Leg 77 is then released and the inherent spring action of the clip causes the leg 77 to spread away from the leg 76, and the leg 76 to change its angular position so that both the legs 77 and 76 are biased to a position in which the edges of the holes 78 and 79 grip between adjacent threads on the rod 54. Finger 80 can be snapped in between the legs to hold them permanently in gripped relation with the rod 54.

The lock and alarm are then set for operation since the trigger 85 will contact the cam surface 90 on any relative motion between the two sashes 2 and 3 to further open the window. This will set off the alarm. The relation between the trigger 85 and the cam surface 90 is such that the alarm is sounded first before the end of the tube 56 contacts the sleeve 70 which forms the stop. Movement of the sashes in the opposite direction will contact cam surface 88 with trigger 85 and sound the alarm so that any tampering with the window opening produces an alarm, and yet there is sufficient clearance between the parts so that any ordinary disturbance, or vibration, will not cause a false alarm.

It- is contemplated that the invention is not limited to use with wooden sashes only. If the sash is of metal, the sockets can be cemented to the metal and it makes no difference if the sockets are those in the form shown in FIGS. 1-4, or in the form of those shown in FIGS. 5-10.

Changes in and modifications of the construction described may be made without departing from the spirit of our invention or sacrificing its advantages.