US 5,174,617 AGranted

Latch for "sliding" door or window

AssigneeSlideline, Inc.

InventorsMark G. Huber, Davie G. Hutchison, David M. Prochaska

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Abstract

A latch mechanism for a sliding door or window. The latch includes a striker (normally mounted on the door or window frame); a housing aligned with the striker (and normally mounted on the sliding door or window panel) and with walls forming an interior chamber; one opening in the front of the chamber and a second opening at least partially in the back of the chamber; and a spindle and a pivot pin disposed transversely within the chamber; an elongated latch bar pivotally mounted on the spindle, with its front end projecting out of the first opening and its back end projecting out of the second opening. Its front end can be releasably latched to the striker in response to motion of its back end. Also included is a hold-open bar for preventing engagement of the latch bar with the striker, a deadbolt abutting the latch bar, a guide to permit the deadbolt to extend and retract though the first opening, so that when the deadbolt cooperates with the striker and prevent the latch bar from pivoting on the spindle and the moveable panel from being removed from the door frame. Separate springs urge the latch bar into a latched configuration and the hold-open bar into a disengaged position. The latch can be reversible and used interchangeably with both right- and left-hand opening doors or windows. Also, it can be mounted on the surface of the door and panel frames or mounted internally of those frames.

Latch apparatus for a sliding closure, said closure having a frame and a panel slidably and closably mounted in said frame, said latch apparatus comprising:

a striker mounted on one of said frame and said panel;
a housing mounted on the other of said frame and said panel in alignment with said striker, said housing having opposed faces and a peripheral wall therebetween, said faces and wall forming a chamber within said housing, and said wall having a front and a back;
a first opening in the front of said wall and a second opening at least partially in the back of said wall;
and spindle means and a pivot pin disposed transversely between said faces within said chamber;
an elongated latch bar having a front end and a back end and pivotally mounted on said spindle means in said chamber, with said front end projecting out of said first opening and said back end projecting out of said second opening;
said front end having means therein for releasable latching engagement with said striker, said engagement being responsive to motion of said back end;
and means cooperating with hold-open means for preventing said engagement with said striker;
an elongated deadbolt abutting said latch bar and having an inner end and an outer end;
guiding means adjacent said inner end pivotally engaging track means in said faces of said housing to permit said deadbolt to extend and retract though said first opening;
when extended to project into said striker and prevent said latch bar from pivoting on said spindle means;
and when retracted to pivot when said latch bar is pivoted;
elongated hold-open means pivotally mounted on said pivot pin with a first end projecting outwardly though said second opening and a second end disposed to be pivotally moved by movement of said first end between a position of engagement with said latch bar when said latch bar is disengaged from said striker and a position of disengagement with said latch bar, said hold-open means when engaged with said latch bar preventing said latch bar from engaging said striker;
and
first and second resilient urging means, said first urging means urging said latch bar into a latched configuration and said second urging means urging said hold-open means into said position of disengagement.

11 more elements

Abstract

Claims15