Method of securing a sash window and door for transport

A method of securing a sliding sash window member or sliding sash door member relative to a master frame, for preventing damage during transporting of the sliding sash window member or sliding sash door member, said method comprising:

• sliding a first sash member from a closed position into an opened position;
• inserting a strap member between a meeting rail of a second sash member and a meeting rail of the opened first sash member, with a bumper portion of the strap member butting against the meeting rail of the second sash member, and a strap portion of the strap member extending beyond the meeting rail of the first sash member;
• sliding the first sash member from the opened position back into the closed position;
• inserting a free end of the strap portion into an opening of a pawl, with one or more teeth of a plurality of teeth of the strap member engaging one or more corresponding teeth of a plurality of teeth of the pawl;
• sliding the pawl towards the meeting rail of the first sash member until the pawl contacts the meeting rail of the first sash member, while maintaining contact between, the bumper portion of the strap member and the meeting rail of the second sash member;
• applying a force to the pawl causing a roughly ninety degree rotation of the pawl and a portion of the strap member engaged within the pawl, for leveraging the pawl for producing correspondingly increasing tension in the strap portion between the first sash member and second sash member, and correspondingly increased preload ng of at least the first sash member against the master frame.