US3183559A - Combined self-locking sash balance and sash guide device - Google Patents

Description

May 18, 1965 w. LOVE 3,183,559

COMBINED SELF-LOCKING SASH BALANCE AND SASH GUIDE DEVICE Filed Feb. 6, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l WINVENTOR.

6020a m LOVE.

ATTOIPA EB BYEWVW May 18, 1965 G. w. LOVE 3,183,559

COMBINED SELF-LOCKING SASH BALANCE AND SASH GUIDE DEVICE Filed Feb. 6, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 II I" I T INVENTOR. 60km h. LOVE able upon the open market.

United States Patent 3,183,559 COMBINED SELF-LOCKING SASH BALANCE AND SASH GUIDE DEVICE W. Love, 962 Abbey Road, Birmingham, Mich.

Filed Feb. 6, 1963, Ser. No. 256,632 2 Claims. (Cl. 20-522) This invention relates to sash balances and, in particular, to sash balances for removable sash windows.

Hitherto, self-locking automatically-releasing sash balances have been provided for double-hung removable sliding sash windows and these have been commercially avail- Ordinarily, however, these sash balances have been combined with vertically-elongated metal sash guides or channels in which each sash slides, the sash guide on one side of the window frame usually being resiliently mounted, such as upon compression springs, in order to yield when the sash is pushed sidewise in that direction in order to clear the opposite or fixedly-mounted. sash guide. Such prior installations, however, have been expensive to manufacture and consequently costly to the ultimate consumer. The present invention provides a self-locking automatically-releasing sash balance in which the sash balance spring easing also serves as a sash guide and therefore greatly reduces the expense of manufacture and consequently enables the invention to be sold at a lower price than is the case with the above-mentioned prior sash balances and sash guides.

Accordingly, lOllfl object of this invention is to provide a combined sash guide and self-locking automaticallyreleasing sash balance for removable sliding sash windows which is automatically locked upon removal of the sash so that the sash balancing spring remains in its attained tensioned condition when the sash is removed, regardless of the location where such removal occurs, replacement of the sash effecting automatic releasing of the locking mechanism so that the sash balancing spring automatically reassumes its weight-balancing function upon engagement by the replaced sash, the sash balance spring casing also serving as a sash guide and weather stop for guiding the sash in its vertical sliding motion while preventing the entrance of wind or rain.

Another object is to provide a combined sash guide and self-locking automatically-releasing sash balance of the foregoing character wherein the sash balance spring casing itself is mounted directly upon the vertical side members of the window frame, thereby dispensing with the elongated vertical metal channel sash guides previously provided for guiding the sash in its vertical sliding motion, thus reducing the manufacturing cost of such installations and consequently reducing the cost thereof to the ultimate consumer.

Another object is to provide a combined sash guide and self-locking automatically-releasing sash balance as set forth in the object immediately preceding, wherein the sash balance spring casing on one side of the window frame is fixedly secured thereto, but on the other side thereof is resiliently mounted, such as upon compression springs, so that it can be pushed into a groove adapted to receive it during the operation of removing the sash, so that the opposite side of the sash clears the fixed balancing spring casing and can then be swung outward to remove the sash.

Another object is to provide a combined sash guid and self-locking automatically-releasing sash balance, of the foregoing character wherein the vertical sash rails at the opposite sides of the sash frame are grooved to slidably engage the sash balance spring casing as the sash slides up and down.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Gordon 3,183,559 Patented May 18, 1965 "ice , hung sliding sash window installation equipped with a combined sash guide and self-locking sash balance, with the sash inserted and in its unlocked and balanced position;

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal cross-section taken along the line 2-2 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the construction seen at the lower left-hand corner of FIGURE 1, but showing the sash balance locked in its locked position with the sash removed; and

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal cross-section taken along the line 44 in FIGURE 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail, FIGURE 1 shows the left-hand side \of a double-hung removable sliding sash window installation, generally designated 10, according to one form of the invention, equipped with a combined sash guide and self-locking automatically-releasing sash balance, generally designated 12, according to one form of the present invention, as mounted in the opposite vertical side frame members 14 and 16 (FIGURE 2) of the window frame 18 of the installation 10. Vertically slidably mounted in the window frame 18 upon the sash balances 12 are the grooved side rails 20 of upper and lower sashes 22 and 24 respectively of a double-hung sliding sash window, generally designated 26, having window panes 28 and 30 respectively therein. The opposite side members 14 and 1.6 of the window frame 18 are provided with vertical grooves or channels 32 and .34 respectively, the grooves 32 being of considerably greater depth than the gr0oves 34 because the sash guides 12 attached to the frame member 14 are resiliently and retractably mounted for withdrawal into their grooves 32, whereas the sash guides 12 attached to the frame member 16 are xedly mounted and hence do not require retraction into their grooves 34. The window frame 18 is completed by the top frame member 36 and bottom frame member or window sill 38 interconnecting the side frame members 14 and 16 at the top and bottom thereof. Since the window frame construction is conventional, except for the grooves 32 and 34, the showing thereof is diagrammatic and simplified in FIGURE 1.

Each sash balance 12 is provided with an elongated tubular casing 40 of rectangular cross-section provided with an elongated slot 42 in its front wall 44 thereof and having side and rear walls 46 and 48 respectively. The grooves 32 and 34 in the window frame side members 14 and 16 have widths corresponding to the widths of the casings 40, the groove 32 necessarily having a slightly greater width than the groove 34 because of the necessity of providing sufficient clearance for the yieldably mounted sash balance casings 40 to slide freely into and out of the grooves 32.

The fixedly mounted casings 40 are secured in their respective channels or grooves 34 by screws or other fasteners 59 inserted through the rear walls 48 of the casings 40. The rear walls 48 are suitably drilled to receive the screws 5% and the bottoms of the shallow grooves 34 are further configured as at 52 to receive the recessed portions 54 of the rear walls 48 which in turn receive the heads of the screws 50. A similar construction is provided for the rear wall 48 of the resiliently-mounted sash guides 12, except that the screws 55 thereat have longer shanks in order to traverse the deeper grooves 32 in the window frame side member 14. The screws and are disposed at intervals along the vertical sash balance casings 49, as shown at the left-hand side of FIGURE 1. The resiliently-mounted sash balance casings 4i) secured by the screws 55 to the window frame side member 14 are urged outwardly of their respective rooves bv helical 3 compression springs-56.. It will'be understood, however, that leaf springs may be used in place of the helical springs 56 for the same purpose, namely to urge the sash balance casings 40 toward and into frictional engagement with shallow guide grooves 58 containing counterr grooves or groove extensions 6t in the side rails of the sashes 22 and 24. The sash-rail 20 which receives the fixedly-mounted casing 40 of the sash balance 12 at-' tached to the window frame side member 16 is of similar depth and width to the similarly-numbered grooves and countergrooves 58 and 60 in the side rail 20 which re-- the slot 42 in the front wall 44 for engagement and actuation in response to the insertion and removal of the sashes 22 and 24,-"as described more fully below. Several types of such sash balance locking devices 68 have been developed and are on the market, and the present invention is not confined to the use of any particular one. Such a sash balance locking device, for example, is shown in the HaasPatent No. 2,747,219, issued May 29, 1956, for Self-Locking Sash Balance, and this is the type shown and described herein forpurposes of illustration but'not limitation. I I

The sash balance locking device 68 consists of a generally L-shaped locking plate carrier .70 upon which is rockably mounted a tilting locking plate 72 (FIGURES 3 and 4). The locking plate carrier 70 is in the form of a plate having a vertical arm 74 equipped at its upper end with a hole 76 for the reception of the lower loop 66 of the sash balancing spring 62 and a horizontal arm 78 joining the vertical arm 74 at an indentation or notch 80. The horizontal arm 78-projects outward through the frontwall slot 42 of the sash balance casing 40 and is provided with an inclined rearward edge portion 82 and a horizontal forward edge portion 84 joining one another at a transverse fulcrum edge 87. The locking plate 72 is approximately rectangular having front and rear portions 86 and 88 separated from one another by side notches 90 having sharp outer and inner edges 92 and 94 adapted to bite into the outer and inner surfaces of the front wall 44 on opposite sides of the slot 42. The neck portion. 96 which connects the front and rear portions 86 and 88 is of slightly less width than the width of the slot 42 (FIGURE 4) and the notches 9t) are of slightly greater width than the thickness of the front wall 44 of the sash balance casing 40 so as to slide freely past the front wall 44 when the locking plate 76 is in a horizontal position (FIGURE 1) but to lock by indentation of the sharp edges 92 and 94 of the notches 99 when the locking plate 70 is in its inclined position (FIGURE 3) resting upon the inclined edge 82 of the horizontal arm '78 of the lock carrier 70. The rearward portion 88 of the locking plate 72 is provided with a notch 98 (FIGURE 4) of slightly greater width than the thickness of the lock carrier 70 so as to loosely straddle the vertical arm 74 thereof and provide retaining lugs 1 00 projecting rearwardly from the rearward portion 88.

The sash balance lock 68 is operated either by the bottom of the lower sash rail 102 which, with the upper sash rail'104 interconnects the side sash rails 20 of each sash 22 or 24, or by lock actuators 108 mounted therein. At approximately the level of the top of the bottom sash rail .102, the side rails 20 thereof are provided with ieces'se's or sbckets 106 (FIGURE 1) drilled therein for the reception of the lock actuators 108. Each lock actuatorlGS consists of a tubular casing iltl having side walls 112 engaging the sides of its respective'socket 106, a front wall flange 114 secured by a fastener 116 to the adjacent sash 22 or 24, and a rear wall 118 which serves as a spring abutment for a helical compression spring 120 mounted in the casing 110. The tubular casing 106 is preferably of rectangular, cross-section and has in its upper wall an indentation forming an inwardly-projecting guide lug 122. The guide lug 122. engages a longitudinal guide groove 1241 in the top of a lock-actuating plunger 126 slidably engaging the interior of the casing llfi and having therein a socket 128 for the reception ofthe forward end portion of the. compression spring 120. The plunger 126 is provided with a nose portion 130 projecting into the sash counter-groove 60 and having an inclined upper or cam surface 132 and a straight or hori zontal lower surface 134 (FIGURE 1). The length of the nose portion 130 is such that it will intercept and engage the forward portion 86 of the locking plate 72, which projects into the countergroove 60 (FIGURE 2).

In the operation of the invention, let it be assumed that the lower sash 24 has been raised a short distance above the sill 38 (FIGURE 1) and'thatthej nose portion 1300f the plunger 126 is above the locking plate 72. When the sash 24 is pulled downward so that thebottom surface 134 of the plunger 126 engages the locking plate 72, it rocks or, tilts the locking plate 72 around the fulcrumedge'87 from its inclined position on the inclined edge 82 (FIGURE 2) to its horizontal position on the edge portion 84; This action releases the locking plate 72 from engagement with the front wall 44 of the sash balance spring casing 40 and causes the balancing spring 62 to exert a sash balancing pull open the locking devices 68 which in turn transfer,

this through-the nose portions 130* of the plungers 126 of the lock actuators. 183 to counterbalance the weight of the sash 24 in the manner shown in FIGURE 1.

To remove the sash 24 from'its freely sliding position of FIGURE 1, the operator pushes it sidewise to the left (FIGURES l and.2), thereby pushing the spring casings 40 further into their grooves 32 against the thrust of the springs 56, and causing the guide grooves 58 to clear the right-hand or fixedly-mounted spring casings 4t). The op-' erator then swings the right-hand side rail 20 of the sash toward himselfiand then pulls the sash 24 away from the left-hand spring casing 40, icausing the sash 24 to become of the spring casing40. in response to thesharp jerk produced thereon by the suddenly released upward pull of the balancing spring 62. As a result, the locking device 68 instantly locks the sash balance spring 62 on each side of the window in its tensioned condition, and prevents it from springing upward toward the top of the window. A similar action occurs when the upper sash 22 is inserted or removed, hencea repetition of the description of the action is believed to be unnecessary.

What I claim is: 1. A self-locking removable double-hung sliding sash window construction comprising a window frame having parallel opposite side members each of which contains a pair'of. laterally-spaced elongated parallel-sided outer and inner grooves disposed parallel to one another'with the grooves of each pair aligned withthe corresponding grooves of the pair inthe opposite side member, upper and lower window sashes disposed in spaced parallel relationship within'said windowframe and having side rails with parallel-sided grooves therein aligned with said outer and inner grooves respectively, an elongated parallel-sided tubular sash balance lock casing seated partly within and partly projecting eX- ternally from each of said frame side member grooves into said sash side rail grooves in relatively-slidable guiding engagement therewith,

each sash balance lock casing having an elongated slot therein facing its respective sash side rail and also having therein an elongated sash balancing spring anchored at one end thereto, sash balance lock disposed within each casing and connected to the other end of its respective sash balancing spring,

said lock including a casing-gripping element releasably lockingly engaging its respective casing and a lock-operating member operatively connected to its respective casing-gripping element and projecting therefrom through its respective casing slot into the path of travel of its respective sash, said lock being responsive to the engagement of said lock-operating member by its respective sash for release from locking engagement with its respective casing and responsive to the disengagement of said lock-operating member from its respective sash for applying said lock to said casing,

fasteners securing said casing to their respective frame ing mounted for sliding motion independently of one another within and transversely of their respective grooves,

and compression springs engaging said relatively slidably mounted casings within their respective grooves and urging said slidably mounted casings into relatively slidable guiding engagement with their respective sashes within the respective sash side rail guide grooves thereof, whereby the identical casings serve both for sash guidance and for holding said sash balance locks while the slidably-mounted casings are movable independently of one another within their respective grooves so as to self-alignedly adjust themselves to warping and other differing dimensional characteristics of said sashes.

2. A self-locking removable double-hung sliding sash Window construction, according to claim 1, wherein the casings in the other window frame side member are fixedly and immovably secured independently of one another by their respective fasteners in their respective grooves.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,264,020 11/41 Dautrick et al 2012 2,796,630 6/57 Haas 2052 2,921,348 1/60 Nardulli 2052 3,012,292 12/61 Brengman 2052 HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A SELF-LOCKING REMOVABLE DOUBLE-HUNG SLIDING SASH WINDOW CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING A WINDOW FRAME HAVING PARALLEL OPPOSITE SIDE MEMBERS EACH OF WHICH CONTAINS A PAIR OF LATERALLY-SPACED ELONGATED PARALLEL-SIDED OUTER AND INNER GROOVES DISPOSED PARALLEL TO ONE ANOTHER WITH THE GROOVES OF EACH PAIR ALIGNED WITH THE CORRESPONDING GROOVES OF THE PAIR IN THE OPPOSITE SIDE MEMBER, UPPER AND LOWER WINDOW SASHES DISPOSED IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP WITHIN SAID WINDOW FRAME AND HAVING SIDE RAILS WITH PARALLEL-SIDED GROOVES THEREIN ALIGNED WITH SAID OUTER AND INNER GROOVES RESPECTIVELY, AN ELONGATED PARALLEL-SIDED TUBULAR SASH BALANCE LOCK CASING SEATED PARTLY WITHIN AND PARTLY PROJECTING EXTERNALLY FROM EACH OF SAID FRAME SIDE MEMBER GROOVES INTO SAID SASH SIDE RAIL GROOVES IN RELATIVELY-SLIDABLE GUIDING ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, EACH SASH BALANCE LOCK CASING HAGING AN ELONGATED SLOT THEREIN FACING ITS RESPECTIVE SASH SIDE RAIL AND ALSO HAVING THEREIN AN ELONGATED SASH BALANCING SPRING ANCHORED AT ONE END THERETO, A SASH BALANCE LOCK DISPOSED WITHIN EACH CASING AND CONNECTED TO THE OTHER END OF ITS RESPECTIVE SASH BALANCING SPRING, SAID LOCK INCLUDING A CASING-GRIPPING ELEMENT RELEASABLY LOCKINGLY ENGAGING ITS RESPECTIVE CASING AND A LOCK-OPERATING MEMBER OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO ITS RESPECTIVE CASING-GRIPPING ELEMENT AND PROJECTING THEREFROM THROUGH ITS RESPECTIVE CASING SLOT INTO THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF ITS RESPECTIVE SASH, SAID LOCK BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE ENGAGEMENT OF SAID LOCK-OPERATING MEMBER BY ITS RESPECTIVE SASH FOR RELEASE FROM LOCKING ENGAGEMENT WITH ITS RESPECTIVE CASING AND RESPONSIVE TO THE DISENGAGEMENT OF SAID LOCK-OPERATING MEMBER FROM ITS RESPECTIVE SASH FOR APPLYING SAID LOCK TO SAID CASING,

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