Description

[0001] The present invention relates to locking arrangements and in particular to a sliding body restrictor for limiting movement of a sliding window or door along a track. The invention has been developed primarily for use with sliding windows or doors, and it will be convenient to describe the invention herein in this exemplary context. It will be appreciated, however, that the invention is not limited to this particular field of use.

[0002] Window restrictors, and in particular ventilation stops, are typically used to prevent a window sash opening beyond a fixed point on the window track. While it may be desirable in some circumstances to open a window to its full extent, a fully opened window may pose a risk of inadvertent falls from heights, particularly by children. It is therefore desirable to provide a window restrictor that allows the user the flexibility to fully open a window or restrict a window opening depending on their individual circumstances and applications.

[0003] In relation to sliding windows, traditional vent stops and other physical inhibitors of window openings are typically installed inside the elongate window track at the top or bottom of the window frame, or over the window sill. The moveable window frame can slide freely along the window track until further movement is inhibited by abutment with the installed window restrictor, thereby limiting window opening distance.

[0004] There are many different types and sizes of windows available and it is a limitation of existing vent stops that may not be appropriate in size or function for all sliding windows or doors.

[0005] In some circumstances, the window track at the top or bottom of a window frame may be too narrow to accommodate vent stops that are designed to sit within the window track itself.

[0006] Alternatively, in the case of vent stops designed to be positioned on the window sill, the sill itself may be too thick or interior design elements, such as tiles, may render the window sill unusable.

[0007] In some cases, safety and/or legislative requirements require window restrictors to be installed on whole buildings with many tens or hundreds of windows. In such circumstances, the installation of existing vent stops comprising multiple components each requiring individual securing devices can be cumbersome, time-consuming and expensive.

[0008] It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome, or at least ameliorate, one or more of the above disadvantages.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0009] For a more complete understanding of the invention and the advantages thereof, exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail in the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference signs designate like parts, and in which:

[0010] FIG. 1 is a side view of a sliding body restrictor according to a preferred embodiment;

[0011] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the sliding body restrictor of FIG. 1;

[0012] FIG. 3 is a section view of the sliding body restrictor of FIG. 1;

[0013] FIG. 4 is a parts exploded view of the sliding body restrictor of

FIG. 1;

[0014] FIG. 5 is a side view of a backing plate of the sliding body

restrictor;

[0015] FIG. 6 is a rear view of the backing plate of FIG. 5 shown partially bounded by a top portion of a lock body of the sliding body restrictor; and [0016] FIG. 7 is a rear view of the sliding body restrictor with a rear wall of the lock body removed.

[0017] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate particular embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention and many of the attendant advantages of the invention will be readily appreciated as they become better understood with reference to the following detailed description.

[0018] It will be appreciated that common and/or well understood elements that may be useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are not necessarily depicted in order to facilitate a more abstracted view of the embodiments. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily illustrated to scale relative to each other. It will also be understood that certain actions and/or steps in an embodiment of a method may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrences while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required.

Description of Embodiments

[0019] Referring firstly to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a sliding body restrictor 10 is illustrated, for limiting movement of a sliding body (not shown), such as a window or door, along a track (not shown) beyond a fixed point. The track has a track aperture through its inside wall at the fixed point.

[0020] The sliding body restrictor 10 includes a lock body 12 and a reversible backing plate 14 detachably mounted to the lock body 12.

[0021] The lock body 12 includes a body portion 16 and a top portion 18 located on top of the body portion 16 and recessed or set back from a front end 20 of the lock body 12.

[0022] As best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the body portion 16 includes a floor 22, a ceiling 24, an intermediate wall 26 (shown in FIG. 4) locating between the floor 22 and the ceiling 24, and a rear wall 28. The floor 22, the ceiling 24, the intermediate wall 26 and the rear wall 28 at least partially surround an internal cavity 30 of the body portion 16.

[0023] The cavity 30 of the body portion 16 is configured to slidably receive a locking element, in the form of a key-operated locking barrel 32, through an open front end of the body portion 16 at the front end 20 of the lock body 12. The locking barrel 32 is urged towards the open front end of the body portion 16 by a tension spring 34. The

intermediate wall 26 of the body portion 16 desirably includes guide members 36 (shown in FIG. 7) projecting into the cavity 30 for guiding the locking barrel 32. The locking barrel 32 includes a spring-loaded retaining pin 38 configured for reciprocable movement in and out of the locking barrel 32 at a rear end of the locking barrel 32. In use, the retaining pin 38 is urged to engage the ceiling 24 of the cavity 30 of the body portion 16 as will be described in detail below.

[0024] The locking barrel 32 also includes a locking bolt 40 extending rearwardly from one end of the locking barrel 32 towards the rear wall 28 of the body portion 16. The locking bolt 40 is slidable between an extended or locked position in which the locking bolt 40 extends through an exit aperture (not shown) located on the rear wall 28 of the body portion 16, and a retracted or unlocked position in which the locking bolt 40 is received within the cavity 30.

[0025] With particular reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the backing plate 14 has a first side 42 and an opposite second side 44. The backing plate 14 is reversible relative to the lock body 12 between a first orientation in which the first side 42 is oriented towards the rear wall 28 of the lock body 12, and a second, reverse, orientation in which the second side 44 is oriented towards the rear wall 28 of the lock body 12. An opening 46 extends through the backing plate 14 from the first side 42 to the second side 44 and is configured to receive the locking bolt 40 of the locking barrel 32 when the locking bolt 40 is in the extended or locked position. The backing plate 14 includes an upper portion 48 configured to be received by the lock body 12 and a lower portion 50 configured for engagement with a portion of the track.

[0026] The top portion 18 of the lock body 12 is shaped to receive the upper portion 48 of the backing plate 14. In this way, cut-outs 52 disposed on opposite edges of the upper portion 48 are configured to slide along supporting ledges 54 (shown in FIG. 2) of the top portion 18 of the lock body 12 so that the backing plate 14 can be moved into position relative to the lock body 12 in either orientation. As best depicted in FIG. 2, the upper portion 48 of the backing plate 14 is substantially encased or bounded by the top portion 18 of the lock body 12 to reduce or lessen relative twisting motion of the backing plate 14 upon contact between the lock body 12 with a sliding body. A screw hole 56 (shown in FIG. 3) extending partly through the top portion 18 above the rear wall 28 of the body portion 16 aligns with a corresponding hole 58 (shown in FIG. 6) in the backing plate 14 so as to receive a securing device, such as a screw 60, to hold the backing plate 14 and the lock body 12 together. Both the first side 42 and the second side 44 of the backing plate 14 preferably have countersunk holes to accommodate a countersunk screw.

[0027] With particular reference to FIG. 3, the top portion 18 of the lock body 12 extends beyond the rear wall 28 to define a housing recess 62 at a rear end 64 of the lock body 12. The backing plate 14 is sized and shaped to be received within the housing recess 62 in such a way that the lower portion 50 of the backing plate 14 does not abut the rear wall 28 of the body portion 16 but, together with the rear wall 28, forms a slot 66 having a width therebetween for receiving the portion of the track. In this way, the top portion 18 of the lock body 12 includes a step 68 offset with the rear wall 28 to abut the upper portion 48 of the backing plate 14 thereby forming the slot 66. In the preferred

embodiment, the step 68 is offset about 2 mm with the rear wall 28.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the upper portion 48 of the backing plate 14 is relatively flush with the lower portion 50 on the first side 42 of the backing plate 14 so that the first side 42 is relatively flat. On the second side 44, the upper portion 48 includes a step 70 offset about 2 mm with the lower portion 50.

[0029] When the first side 42 of the backing plate 14 is oriented towards the lock body 12 and the upper portion 48 is slid into position along the supporting ledges 54 of the top portion 18 of the lock body 12, the upper portion 48 of the backing plate 14 abuts the step 68 of the top portion 18 resulting in the slot 66 having a width of about 2 mm.

[0030] When the backing plate 14 is reversed so that the second side 44 is oriented towards the lock body 12 and the upper portion 48 is slid into position along the supporting ledges 54 of the top portion 18, the step 70 of the upper portion 48 of the backing plate 14 abuts the step 68 of the top portion 18 thereby increasing the width of the slot 66 to about 4 mm.

[0031] In other embodiments, it can be envisaged that both the first side and the second side of the backing plate may include respective steps of different lengths offset with the lower portion. For example, the upper portion may include a step offset about 4 mm with the lower portion on the first side of the backing plate and, on the second side, the upper portion may include a step offset about 6 mm with the lower portion, thereby resulting in the slot 66 having a width of 6 mm and 8 mm respectively.

[0032] In other embodiments, it can also be envisaged that a shim 72 of a particular thickness can be supplied and inserted between the upper portion 48 of the backing plate 14 on one side and the top portion 18 of the lock body 12, to increase the width of the slot 66 as desired.

[0033] In other embodiments, it can further be envisaged that the step 68 of the top portion 18 may be absent and that the slot 66 is formed from steps located on either side of the backing plate 14 which abut an extension of the rear wall 28 in the top portion 18.

[0034] A preferred manner in which to use the sliding body restrictor 10 will now be described. Firstly, to install the sliding body restrictor 10 on a window, a hole is drilled into the track of the window sill and sized appropriately to receive the locking bolt 40 of the lock body 12. A suitable backing plate 14 is selected and screwed to the lock body 12 to define a slot 66 having a width that can accommodate the track. The sliding body restrictor 10 is positioned on the track so that the track is received in the slot 66 and the hole drilled in the track is aligned with the opening 46 of the backing plate 14.

[0035] To lock the sliding body restrictor 10 to the track, the locking barrel 32 is pushed inwards from the front end 20 of the lock body 12 so that the locking barrel 32 is received within the cavity 30 of the body portion 16. As the locking barrel 32 moves from the front end 20 towards the rear end 64 of the lock body 12, the distance between the floor 22 and the ceiling 24 of the cavity 30 increases, thereby releasing downward pressure on the spring-loaded retaining pin 38. As the pressure is released, the retaining pin 38 extends further out from the locking barrel 32 until the retaining pin 38 extends beyond and is captured by a retaining wall towards the rear end 64 of the body portion 16, thereby holding the locking barrel 32 in the locked position. In this way, the movement of the locking barrel 32 towards the rear end 64 causes the locking bolt 40 to extend through the exit aperture located on the rear wall 28 of the body portion 16 and through the aligned opening 46 of the backing plate 14 and hole of the track.

[0036] To unlock the sliding body restrictor 10 from the track, a key 74 is inserted into the locking barrel 32 and the key 74 is rotated approximately 45 degrees with respect to the lock body 12 thereby rotating the locking barrel 32 and the retaining pin 38. As the retaining pin 38 rotates, the ceiling 24 along which the retaining pin 38 moves increases in thickness (as shown in FIG. 7), thereby increasing downward pressure on the retaining pin 38 so that the retaining pin 38 is pushed inside the locking barrel 32 to reduce the height by which the retaining pin 38 protrudes from the locking barrel 32. This in turn causes the retaining pin 38 to slide under the retaining wall so that the locking barrel 32 can be partially pulled out or urged towards the open front end of the body portion. 16 A second retaining wall located towards the front end 20 of the lock body 12 prevents the locking barrel 32 being removed entirely from the body portion 16.

[0037] In this preferred embodiment, the top portion 18 and the body portion 16 of the lock body 12 are integrally formed from cast alloy.

[0038] The above preferred embodiment has a number of advantages including the ability to accommodate window sills having tracks of different thicknesses without

compromising strength by virtue of the reversible backing plate 14 designed with steps of different sizes/lengths and being partially encased by the top portion 18 of the lock body 12. There is also the advantage that the integrally formed cast alloy lock body 12 provides a degree of strength and resistance against impacts from a sliding body such as a window.

[0039] Although specific embodiments of the invention are illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a variety of alternative and/or equivalent implementations exist. It should be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are examples only and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration in any way. Rather, the foregoing summary and detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing at least one exemplary embodiment, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Generally, this application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the specific embodiments discussed herein.

[0040] It will also be appreciated that in this document the terms "comprise",

"comprising", "include", "including", "contain", "containing", "have", "having", and any variations thereof, are intended to be understood in an inclusive (i.e. non-exclusive) sense, such that the process, method, device, apparatus or system described herein is not limited to those features or parts or elements or steps recited but may include other elements, features, parts or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Furthermore, the terms "a" and "an" used herein are intended to be understood as meaning one or more unless explicitly stated otherwise. Moreover, the terms "primary", "secondary", etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on or to establish a certain ranking of importance of their objects.