US2521836A - Adjustable lock - Google Patents

Description

E. C. DEAL.

ADJUSTABLE LOCK Sept, 12, 150

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 19, 1947 w w W w, 3 a MM W F NM 0 5 2 M w T 'INVENTOR films/a5 Cf Jml ATTORNEY Sap? E2, 1950 E. c. DEAL ADJUSTABLE LOCK 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 19, 1947 I v A INVENTOR flay/as [f Zeal ATTORNEY E. C- DEAL ADJUSTABLE LOCK Sept. 12 19 3 Sheets-Sheet. 3

Filed Feb. 19, 1947 INVENTOR lfiwsfiw 6.61mi

' ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 12, 1950' Lock Devices, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corpora-= tion of New York Application February 19,194 7, Serial No. 7253-529 e'olaims. (Clem- 193) The present invention relates to adjustable locks and more particularly to an advance or improvement-over adjustable locks of the type disclosed in m-yiprior Patent No. 2380;030.

With certain applications of slide locks itis advisable to provide an-adjustable lock that is biased in such manner that greater force is required to moveit in one direction than to move itsin an opposite direction. Constructions of this sort are useful, forexample, tosupport windows in that the lo'ck shou1d be easily movable upwardly :when the window is lifted and yet must positively support the weight of the window until some additional downwardly directed force is applied in a direction tending to close the window. Such a biased type of adjustable lock is preferably of variable capacity so that-it may be adapted tosupport different weights of windows orv sash or so that it may be selectively set orvaried'to operate in accordance with particular desired force.

The present invention-contemplatesthe provision of an adjustable lock-of compact-and relatively simple construction which meets the above and-other requirements and-which extends the field of usefulness of adjustable locks.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved adjustable lock.

Another object'of the invention'is to provide anv improved adjustable lock which 'may be moved in difierent directions under the influence of different pressures.

Another object of the invention is-to"pro vide an adjustable lock which maybecapacitively'set to -'operate under diiferent desiredpressures or force's.

Other and further "objects of the invention will beobvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment :about to be described,

or-will be indicatedinthe appended claims and 3 various advantages 9-1101; "referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

Apreferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of: illustrationamide-'- scriptionland is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification. wherein:

"Fig. -1 is a sectional view showingone form of;

the present lock in assembled-relationship; I

Fig. la is afragmentary sectional.viewshowing-the parts of Fig. lin another position; I

Fig. lb is an explodediperspective view-:illu f trating theparts-shown in 1;. v

-Fig -1c is a sectional view-taken along the-line u of Fig. 1;

i Fig. 21s a perspective viewillustratihg" slightl modified parts -which may be used with the lbck shownin Fig. '1; I

Fig. 2a is a sectional view, partly broken away; showingithe-partsof' the lock of Fig. 2 assehrbled ina loc'k;

3is an exploded perspective view illustratinga related form ofthe invention;

'Figl '3a is' a sectional view, partly broken away; showing 'the form of Fig. 3 in assembled rela tionship;

Fig. Ais 'an exploded perspective view"illustrating anotherrrelated form of the invention;

' Fig: 4a is a sectional view, partly broken away; showing the formol Fig. 4 in assembled "r'eIa= tionship; I

Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating another form of the invention; I Fig. is asecti'enal; view, partly broken away, showing the lock of Fig. 5 in assembled relai tionshi'p; i

'Fig. 6 is air-exploded perspective view showing another related form of the invention; and

"FigJGaisa partly broken away sectional'view i showing the 'formof'Fig. 6 in' assembledrlationship.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 1a, lb and lo of the drawingsthere" is shown a frame portion! of a=window for holding a sheet of glass or other transparent material, adapted to :be"

securedby screws, bolts or the like 2 to a bracketlike member 4.- The bracket part '4 may have laterally extending portions 5 and'fi'adapte'd to extend into a channel member or guideway 1 within which'a're located the operating parts of the'pr'esent adjustable lock. The 'laterally -ex-. tendingportions li and 6 of the bracket 4 are adapted 'to receive an 'intermediately disposed saddle or c'oupling-member 8 provided with lat erally extending portionsr'lll and H 'adap-tedto be received within and guided by the'chan'nelmember or guideway 1.1 Thelaterally extending portions l-ll and H of-the coupling member :8 are shown-provided withears or lugs 13 for retaining'the couplingmember'in assembledrelationship with respect to the guideway I and the guideway I is preferably provided with oppo sitely disposed inwardly extending flanges for; co+operating with the lateral extensions Ill and ll of the coupling member to maintain operatingpartsin assembled relationship, v i

The bracket or means which serves tocarry or supporta Window orother object may, for purposes of clarity, be referred to as .window sup porting or"object-supporting means. But it,

isndtintended totl'iei'eby infer that such means 2,521,886 i ,1? ii or member must actually be carrying or supporting a load at all times, as that may or may not be true.

The guideway I will generally be secured to a window opening by screws or bolts that extend through apertures I6 in the guideway l, the laterally extending screws or bolts holding the guideway I fixed in position .at the sides of a window opening. r I

The invention will be described chiefly with reference to its utilization at only one side of "a window but in general usage a similar construction and adjustable lock will be used at each side of the same window. As the adjustable locks and channels at each side of the window are similar a description of one will sufiice for both.

The mechanism or parts which serve to facilitate movement of the lock with a window and yet securely retain the window in adjusted position is shown located within the guideway I within the-confines of the coupling or :saddle member 8 and beneath the bracket member 4.

The locking or holding meansshown in these, Figs. 1, la, 1b, and 10 includes wedge-like members l1 and I9 provided withlcomplementaryy inclined surfaces Ila and 1911 between which" may extend a strip or length of flexible ribbon or cable 20, the latter being securedto ithegguidewayl 1 adjacent its extension by spotwelding, soldering or the like. While any suitable "material may be utilized for the flexible ribbon or cable 20,: a thin steel ribbon has performed satisfactorily in actual usage. A force or pressure tending to urge the wedgemembers IT and I5 toward-each other serves to-press their outer side edgesmore firmly into engagement with adjacent wall'portions of the guideway l. The; flexible 'ribbori' 2ll tends to facilitate desirable" spreadingof the gripping wedges and to promote smoother operation of the wedges. i r

A spring or other resilient means 22 located between the lower'tab portion H of" the coupling member 8 and the lower wedge!!! tends to urge the latter wedge toward the upper wedge 11.. and a slot or recess 23 in the lower wedge assists in maintaining the spring 22 in position. The: upper wedge I1 is normally" urged toward'the'lower wedge IS-by a resilient means or spring 25, the

spring 25 resting againsttheiupper surface of the wedge H and against the'lower end ofa'nut or'c'ollar 28 which extends around a bolt 'or screw- 25 that has a collar o'r'enlarged portion"!!! 'positioned beneath the upper-tab or shoulder 10 of the coupling member 8. The bolt 26'exten'ds upwardly through an' aperture 29 in theta-W10 so that its upper end may berotated: upon insert ing a suitable tool into its slot disposedinthe space between the oppositely disposed'rfia'nges of the guideway 1. The upper spring'25 isprefer ably a folded o'r zig-zag type made "of suitable spring steel.' 1 For purposes of convenience' t'he silient-means 22"wi1lbe hereinafter" referred to" as the locking spring 'and' the spr'ingor'other resilient means Zfias the load 'springlf Since the wedges l1 and I9 disposed intermediate the tab portions l0 and ii are normally subjected to the force or effect of the locking and load springs 22 and 25, the wedges will normally be" forced or pressed tgward each-other, and also outwardly into I operative engagement 1 with side wall portions of theguideWayfI.

Movement of the .lock and easela inates o manual. e u or ier ep i d i qlth Window f e ,1 fs tre smiit dfi mfthejirame l to the wedges l7 and 19 by operating pins or protuberances 3| and 32 carried by the upper and lower wedges shown projecting through slots or openings 34, 35 and 3B in the coupling member 8 and bracket member 4. It will be noted that the operating pin 3| of the upper wedge is shown extending through only the aperture 36 in the coupling member 8 and thatthe operating pin 32 of the lower wedge extends through elongated openings or slots of both the coupling and bracket members. The bracket opening 38 may be concealed by a cover plate 33 bolted or otherwise attached to the bracket.

When lifting force is applied to the window frame I (in a direction tending to open a window) the upper edge of the tab 5 of the bracket 4 presses upwardly against the lower tab H of the coupling member 8 and tends to move it upwardly; this applies an upwardly directed force against the underside of the operating pin 3! carried by the upper wedge "l 'l' and tends to'mo've this operating pin and the upper wedge ll' up: wardly away from the'lower wedge i9. The-force applied to the-operating'pin 3 l 'is thus .a t pulling" force and its effect-tends-to overcome'the locking action of the two complementarywedgest'which engage with the side walls of the guideway l. As the wedge ll moves upwardly the tab i l 'of the coupling member 8 presses against the locking spring 22 and this locking spring in 1 turn presses against the lower wedge 19 to cause the latter to trail prifOHOW along behind the upwardly moving Wedge I 'if; During such movementportions of 'the' flexible strip 2D pass between ad jacent surfaces l'la'and l 90, of the moving wedges. When the upwardlydirected force is released from the window frame" I the? effect of the'lo'cking spring 22 and load spring 25 are effective to press thewedges' toward each other and to spread them outwardly into engagement with the side walls of the guideway I. uThe weight of the window itself also tends to lock the wedges even more securely into engagement with "the side walls of the guideway as this weight is applied in what may be termed'a"pushing direction. The upper tab' portion IE! or the" coupling member 8 pressesdownwardly on the upper wedge H through the bolt 26,- threaded'member'EB; and load spring 25 to' firmly lock the wedges intoe'nga'gement with the wallsof the 'channel'orguida Way-L K I. .i.

The locking spring 22 is preferably of relatively low capacity or such 'that itexerts a minimum resilient eifect against the lower wedge" [94; the efiect'is readily overcome upon applying a lift force to the window frame I and yet it facilitates trailing movement ofthelowerwedge l9 behind the upper wedge ll and immediate locking of the mechanismin desired-position. The load spring-'25 is' 'preferabl'y controllable" by the bolt 26 and'thr'e'aded member 28,"as will be more fully broughtbuigfso that it is' adapted to exert greater efiective 'force than the locking spring 22." lironi the constructions jillu'st rateddrr Figs. 1, 1a, lb andlc itwill beiclear that e a-- proximately one-half the weight of the "window and its sash or frame 'is carried by the load spring 25, the other half being carried by a lar spring contained'within a'lock at the opposite side of the same' window f r When force is applied to the window frame I in a direction tending"to close the window the laterally extending tab portion 5 of the bracket 4 presses downwardlyl'upon theb'olt 26 and it'slcg" operating threedee'memter'zs, oppos itioii to the'iload spring-25,-v and' moves the bolt 26---and i threaded member 28downwardly1untilthe upper edge 36a of the slot 36 in-the bracket 4 comes into contact with the operating p-in 32carried by'the lower wedge I 9. The force required toso' move th bracket 4 andcompress the load spring 25- is equivalent to that required to overcome theeffect of the load spring 25o-ver and above that which is utilized for-supporting the window and the frame or sash I. The load spring 25 will usually be partially compressed due to the weight of the :window and sash which it is supporting andthe window sash will be normally yieldably supportedso that in instances where it issub-ject to .vibration it may bounce or yield slightly in opposition to the supporting load spring 25; It isdesirableto obtaina setting of the load spring 25- that is sufficient toyieldably support the window and sash at all'times andto require the application of a minimum amount of force, in

variable screw or bolt 26 and the threaded member- 28 which presses against the load spring '25 in opposition to the resilienteffect thereof. When the bolt 26 is rotatedsunicientlythat the threaded- 'member 28 is in an extended downward po-' sition (Fig. 1a) theload spring is compressed a considerable amount and exerts a large opposition to'movement of the frame I and bracket 4 prior to the edge 36a ofthe slot 36 coming into contact with an operating pin 32" of the lower wedge l9. Thus a relatively large 'force must be applied in opposition to the load'spring 25 prior to unlocking or releasing thewindow l and the lower wedge IQ for movementto a difierent position.

When the nut or collar 28' is in a retracted upward position (achieved by rotating the bolt 26 so as to move-the threaded member 28 in an upward direction) the load-spring 25' is stressed to a minimum amount and the window I and bracket 4 may be moved under the 'infiuence'of less'pressure; the edge 35a of the slot'36 maybe more easily moved into contact with'the operating pin 32 of the-lower wedge IHItO release the lock. To'facilitat'e obtaining difierent set-' tings of the nut or member 28 it is shown pro vided with a, flattened surface 3!! that is nor-" mally positioned close to the inner" surface of the coupling member 8; this construction'holds the nut 28 against rotation with thebolt 26*and results in longitudinal movement of these two parts with respect to each other so as to vary the capacity of the load spring 25. The capacity of the load spring 25 may thus be varied-to 'sup---' portwindows of heavy or lightweight; the pressureunder which the lock moves may'ibe predetermined. The particular setting of the bolt 26" and threaded member 28, and capacity ofthg load spring 25, is preferably such as to yieldably sup port the window and to yet permit "downward movement thereof with slight additional effort. While similar load or capacity varying means may be provided at each end of the lock such not generally necessary since thelocking spring may be of fixed capacity due to the fact that it is not normally called upon todo other than maintain a closed'relationship of the upper and going described type may bea lifted or ilowered by grasping: the 1 sash-at any convenient point; While the -1oad1-s ring 2 5 is set'at "comparative'zly greater effective 'capacityithanthe locking spring 22 and yieldably *supports the window sash only" a relatively light pressure is required to push the Window downwardly for the reason that this additional required force is added to that applied by the weight ofthe window itself. 7.

Figs. 2 and 2a illustrate a form ofthe invention" along lines of that described; A coupling membenllisashown with upper tab '42"the1eofre' ceiving a rotatable bolt 01' member 43 carried" by non-rotatable nut 45, through intermediation of which the effective capacityof'a coil or helical spring. 44 may be varied The upper slotted end of bolt 43projects through an opening atthe upper'tab 46' 'of bracket member '41 and a tab atlowerend of this bracket similar to tab6 of' Fig. 1 serves to'supp'ort a tab on coupling mem-' ber flilsimilarlyto the foregoing descriptionof" Figs; 1 and lb; Collar ll' co-operates with 'a bolt shoulder to holdthe bolt in the position shown in Fig. 2a;

The operating of the lock of Figs. 2 andZa" is similar to" that above described with respect to Figs. 1, la, lb and 1c. Utilization-of a helical" springimay be desirable in some instances andf Figs. 2 and 2a show one such form of the" invention.

The structure illustrated in Figs. 3 and 3a" and lower wedges during actuationof th'e mecha nism. The lower edge of the bracket 50 shown in this figure is provided-'witha tab portion 58' adapted to-be received andgu'ided by'the guide way, 60 and has at the upper end 'thereof an" apertured tab 6! adapted to fit'aIOUl'id a-threade'd settablebolt'or' pin 62.'- The bol'tTiE'aIso has its upper end projecting through an 'apertured tab 64 0f the coupling member dt' and'this tab 64" may-fit'within and be guided by oppositely dis posed inwardly projectingf fiange's of the guideway or channel-6H1 A 'shoulder fifl on the'bolt" 62 serves to'ret'ain it in 'operativerelation'ship.

Rotation of the bolt '62 is effective to vary the compression or effectiveness of a load spring 36 shown positionedintermediate the tab filof the bracket-50 and a threaded plate or nut fil'ca'rried' within the guideway'tflf As the bolt 62 is rotated in one directiomthenut' 61 moves-downwardly within the guideway.fill todecre'ase the efiective force' of the spring 60-; as:the"'bolt"$2'-is turned in-'an 'oppos'ite direction the nut 6'! is caused to *move toward the tab ti to'inc'rease the efiective forcecau'sed by 'tlie'spring 6 63 The'nut-EI may have-a 'flatside which' prevents rotation of -it= I with the bolt 62. The effective force of the" spring 66 may thus be varied to obtain a desired 'eife ctiveforce or' 'capacity that tends' to resist objectionablamovement 'of a- Window in down- Ward'directiom Thewindow is yieldably sup-- ported bythe spring at. The efiective capacity of the-spri n'g may be varied to supportthe weights,

of difierent windows; where ahea'vy window is" amnesia to besupported; thebolt 62 may be turned so as to, cause theispring 66 to exert a comparatively largeforce and where a relatively light weight window is to be supported, the bolt 62--may be rotated to obtain a correspondingly small'ca the window is moved toward closed position, the

tab or ,fiange 6! at the upper part of the bracket 50 moves downwardly, in opposition to the spring fi6-,,and the lower operating pin 95 carried by the bracket 59 comes into contact with the bottom' of the aperture 63 in the lower wedge 56 and continued movement pulls or presses the lower wedge downwardly, tending to move it away from the upper wedge. The wedges may thus be released from looking engagement with the side walls, of the channel 69 and th window may be moved downwardly or upwardly, as

desired.

.Figs; 4 and 4a, illustrate another form of the invention generally similar "to that described in connection with the previously described forms but 1 which has a capacity-determining bolt threaded into the supporting bracket and a load spring efiective againstan exterior side of a coupling member tab.

As a window. frame carrying the bracket I is lifted an operating pin II carried by the bracket I9 moves into contact with the upperedge of the aperture 69 in the upper wedge and pulls it along .the guideway 12, the lower wedg following behind due to the action of the locking spring 64 and cover member I5. When the window and itsbracket "I9 are moved downwardly toward closed position the operating pin I6 movesinto contact with the lower edge of a recess IT in the lower wedge member and pulls it along the guideway I2, with the upper wedge member in following relationship due to the cover or saddle In. Figs. and 5a there is illustrated a form of the invention which does not embody a coupling member.; In this form of the invention the window attachment bracket 82 is shown provided with lower and upper tabs 83 and 84 provided by forming and bending portions of'the bracket 82 inwardly in such manner that the tabs are Hmscrew or bolt IEH threaded into the upper tabs Kill adapted tofit into a guideway 89 and to'receive the oppositely' disposed inwardly projecting flanges of the guideway in slots 81 disposed at opposite'sides of the tabs 83 and 84. A locking spring 88, locking wedges 89 and SI, load spring 92 and spacer member 94 are disposed within the guideway intermediate the bracket tabs 83 and 84. v

The lccking spring'or other resilient means 88 located between the lower tab portion 84 and'the lower wedge 89 tends to urge this latter wedge The upper Wedge-9i is normallynrgd toward..;

8 thelower wedge by the resilient means or'spring 92, the spring 92 rested against the upper surface of the wedge 9i and against the end of the spacer member'or slug 94. The spacer member 84' and upper wedge are shown provided with centering or retaining pins 93 and 99 to assist inholding thes'pring 92 in operative position. The spacer member 94 is helddownwardly in opposition to the force of the spring 92 by a portion 830i the bracket 82;

Projecting operating lugs or pins 95 and 96 carried by the bracketilZ are adapted to fit into recesses of apertures 91 and 98 of the upperand slowerwedges' respectively in such manne that raising a window attached to the bracket 82-, causes the upper edge of the operating pin 96 to come into contact with the upper edge of the wedge recess 98 to pull the upper wedge along the guide channel 86. Movement of a-window and the bracket 82 downwardly causes the operating pin 95 to come into contact with the lower edge ofthe recess 91 so that the lower wedge will be pulled along through the guide'way'iifi. The trailing wedge follows along behind the pulled wedge with portions of the flexible strip I99 passing between the wedge faces.

The spacer member 94' is shown as a block with straight sides set into the guideway 86, the capacity of-the load spring 92 being varied by turning the belt 596 tomove'the spacer member 94 with respect to the Wedge 9| and or effect of load springszl In the form shownin Figs. 6 and 6a a load carrying spring 495 is located adjacent the lower 1 part of the adjustable look. In some instances this construction may be deemed desirable as contributing toward a heater appearing lock and since in some cases-'itmayfacilitate assembly of the lock with 'a window frame.

The window frame I96 has secured thereto a supporting bracket IG'I which. has a lateral extension I99 supported'on the load spring I95 so that the window iscarried by the spring I95 and the latter may absorb objectionable vibration caused A support bar or i member III has a handle or arm M2 by which by road shocks and the like.

the window may be raised or lowered. When the handle H2 is moved upwardly from the position illustrated an: operating pin o projection H3 comes into contact with the upper edge of an aperture I I5 in the upper wedge member l lfi and serves to pull the upper wedge member slightly away from the 'lower edge lII so that the lock and window may be movedto a different position.

If'it is desired to lower the window a user'presses" downwardly upon the handles H2 and thus causes an operating pin H8 to come into con-" tact-withthe'bottom part-of the aperture H9 in the lower wedge: member Ill; in order for this to obtain it is necessary that the support bar I I0 move downwardly to sufficiently" com press the load spring I95. I

Adjustment of the load spring 95 may be 'perin the lockthrough the intermediation of a spacer I element l I22 ,andtwhen moved outwardly it allows the load springl 95 to expand and thus reduce the effective capacity of the-spring and-itsforce exerted in the lock. 1 With the construction disclosed in. Figs} 6 and thus vary capacity 6a the compression-determining screw H9 somewhat less e'xposedto view and iii-addition to contributing to a more attractive appearance it 1 may also reduce the possibility of persons tam-'- pering with the lock. 1

- It will be seen that the present invention provides a new and improved adjustable lock which is particularly adaptable to supporting windows. The locks ofthe present invention may be located at any desired location on a window, preferably at oppositesides thereof; they allow ready liftin of the sash and yet securely retain it "at any desired open or closed'position. The locks may be set or selectively varied so thatthey support windows of different weights andso that they may operate in accordance with a particular amount ofapplied force. While the locks of the present invention securely hold a window at any desired location, only a relatively light additional pressure is required to move a window toward a further closed-position. 'Ihe present locks are of relatively simple construction and requirerelatively few operating parts.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts here in without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a guideway, wedge-like members in said guideway, a bracket member carried by said device for supporting an article, means for retaining said wedge-like and bracket members in assembled relationship, a pair of spiral compression springs in said guideway operatively connected with the wedge-like members and normally exertin difierent resilient effectsagainst wedgelike members whereby there is required greater force to move the bracket in one direction with respect tothe guideway than in an Opposite direction,and "movable means operatively connected with one of said springs for varying the compression and resulting resilient effect exerted by at least one of said spiral compression springs to thereby vary the force required to move the device in one direction with respect to the guideway.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a guideway, locking wedges in and movable along said guideway, resilient means normally urging said wedges toward each other and into locking engagement with the guideway, an object-supporting member, means retaining said locking wedges and object-supporting member in assembled relationship, second resilient means operatively disposed between one of said locking wedges and said object-supporting member adapted to support said object-supporting member and normally exerting a greater effective force than said first-mentioned resilient means, and adjustable means for selectively determining the effective force exerted by one of said resilient means. i

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a guideway, locking wedges in and movable along said guideway, a bracket-like member, means operatively connecting the bracketlike member with the locking Wedges for movably supporting the bracket-like member, portions operatively connected with said bracket-like member and projecting into the guideway, resilient means intermediate one of said projecting pormea'iis intermediate another of said projecting J portions anda locking wedge normally yieldably supporting said bracket-like member and normal:

ly=exerting a greater effective force against said" locking wedges than 'said'first-mentioned resilientmeansgand adjustable means for selectively determining the effective force exerted against said locking wedges by said-Second resilient means? the window-supporting member with the holding wedges for movably supporting the window-sup; porting member, portions operatively connected" ;with said window supporting member projecting into said guideway, resilient means intermediate resilient means for varying the efiective pressure exerted by said second resilient means.

5. In a device ofthe class described, the combination of a guideway, holding wedges in and supporting member, portions operatively connected with said window supporting member projecting into said guideway adjacent outer ends of said holding wedges, resilient means intermediate on'e of said projecting portions and a holding wedge adapted to normally press said wedges in engagement'with the'guideway, second resilient means normally exerting greater force than'said first resilient means intermediate another of said projecting portions and a holding wedge adapted to normally urge said latter projecting portion and latter holding wedge apart from each other, and means carried by and movable with respect to said latter-mentioned projecting portion of the window-supporting member for varying the effective force exerted by said second resilient means.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a guideway, holding wedges in and movable along said guideway, a window-supporting member, lateral means operatively connecting said holding wedges and said windowsupporting member, portions operatively connected with said window supporting member projecting into said guideway at locations spaced from said holding wedges, resilient means intermediate one of said projecting portions and a holding wedge adapted to normally maintain said wedges in engagement with the guideway, second resilient means intermediate another of said projecting portions and a wedge and normally exerting greater force than said first resilient means, a movable spacer member resting against said second resilient means, and means in said guideway carried by and movable with respect to said latter-mentioned projecting portion of the windowsupporting member for varying the effective force exerted by said second resilient means.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a guideway having oppositely spaced walls, a plurality of overlapping wedge members 1. in: and engageable withand slidable along; said;

V euideway; nd sfllentiveli s ta l c ew me s-l.

portion operatively interposed betweenthe wedge.

members and said member adapted: to yieldably' support the latter member and including a portion. urging the wedge members into engagement.

with the guideway, said first-mentioned portion or the resilient means normally opposing movement of the said member in one direction along the guideway, means movable with said member for selectively contacting portions of the wedge members to disengage them -from-the guideway and: facilitate movement of said member and said wedge members along the, guideway; and selectively. settable means efiective against. aportiorr of said. resilient means for varying the. resilient effect exerted thereby.

8, In a device of the-class described, the combination of a guidewayhaving oppositely spaced walls, a plurality of overlapping wedge members. inand engageable with and slidable along said opposite walls of the guideway, means for retaining a member in assembled. relation with said. guideway and in association with said wedge, members whereby said member may besupported by. the wedge members upon enlargement thereof with the guideway, resilient means including a portion. operatively interposed between the wedge members and said member adapted to yieldably support therlatter member and including a portion urging the wedge members into engagement with the guideway,said first-mentioned portion of the resilient. means, normally opposing movement of the said member. in onedirection along the guideway; means movable with said member for selectively contacting portions of the wedge members to disengagethem from the guideway and facilitatemovement of said member and said wedge members alon the fifiectire ssa n a qr on a s i ien m a s. for varying theeamonnt of. deformation thereot and; the; resilient. efieet exerted thereby.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of a guideway having oppositely spaced walls, a plurality; of: overlapping wedge members in and engageable withand slidable along said. opposite wallsoi; the guideway, means for retaining a member in assembled relation with said;- guideway and in association. with saidwedge members wherebr id emb e su ported by the wedgemembers upon engagement. thereof with the; guideway, resilient means; inscludinga portion operatively interposed; between the wedge members and said member adapted toyieldably support the latter member and. including apor-tion. urging the wedge members into engagement with the; guideway, said first-men tioned portion of. theresilient means zzlorrrlallyv opposing movement of. thesaid member in one. direction along the guideway, means mill/able with said member for selectively contacting portionsof thewedge members. to disengage them from the .g-uidewayand facilitate movement, of said; member. and said wedge members along'the; guideway, and selectively settable means in said. guideway eifective against a portion of said re silient means for varying the resilient efiect. exerted thereby.

ERASTUS C.

REFERENCES; CITED The followingreferences are: of record in the.

filer of'this patent;

UNITED STATES PATENI'S Number Name Date 2,372,634 Breitenbacket a1. Mar. 27; 1945. 2,380,030: Deal July. 10, 19,45

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 417,091 Great. Britain. Jan. 1, 1934

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