Apparatus for securing sash window

A window securing device for use in a double-hung sash window assembly having upper and lower sash window frames installed for vertical reciprocal sliding movement, one relative to the other, said upper sash frame having a recess into the interior of an inside face of a vertical member thereof, said device comprising:

• a housing including:
• (a) a cavity formed by opposing side walls and a back wall;
• (b) a faceplate overlaying said cavity having an opening into the cavity;
• and
• (c) said housing adapted to be retained in said recess with the faceplate surrounding the perimetric edges of said recess;
• a pawl having front and back surfaces and upper and lower ends with said upper end including means to mount said pawl in the housing, said lower end being movable between a securing position and a retracted position in the opening of the faceplate;
• a tab at said lower end of the pawl protruding outwardly from the back surface and configured for engagement with the lower end of the opening of the faceplate during movement of the pawl into said securing position, such that whenever said pawl is in the securing position, said tab function to keep any dust or debris out of the cavity;
• a spring being mounted on said pawl for biasing the lower end of said pawl to protrude out of said opening into said securing position wherein the pawl is adapted to engage against the lower sash frame and prevent such relative sliding movement between the sash frames;
• said spring mounted pawl being retractable manually into the cavity and adapted to disengage said lower end of the pawl from the lower sash frame and permit such relative sliding movement between the sash frames;
• means for releasably retaining said lower end of the pawl in said retracted position within said cavity;
• and
• said upper end of the pawl having a contact edge configured for engagement with the top of the opening in the faceplate whenever said pawl is in said securing position, said pawl in the securing position has its lower end adapted to protrude over the top edge of the lower sash frame to prevent the lower sash frame from being raised upward, whereby if an attempt is made to raise said lower sash a vertically directed contact is imposed therefrom to the lower end of said pawl, thereby causing a vertical component force to be directed upward from said contact edge of said pawl into the upper edge of the opening of the faceplate, such that said pawl resists further upward movement of said lower sash, and adapted to transfer the resultant force vector into a stile of said upper sash frame.

A window securing device for use in a double-hung sash window assembly having upper and lower sash window frames installed for relative overlapping vertical sliding movement, said upper sash frame having a recess into the interior of a vertical facial member thereof, said device comprising:

• a housing having an opening in communication with a cavity in the housing, the opening defining an inside edge of the housing, the housing being adapted to be supported in the recess;
• a pawl having an upper end having a contact edge, the pawl further having a lower end and a front surface and a back surface, the pawl being pivotally supported within the cavity;
• a spring mounted on the pawl within the housing, the spring normally biasing a lowermost arresting edge at said lower end of the pawl, away from the housing and adapted to be into the pathway of a top portion of the lower sash to define a securing position wherein the contact edge is configured for abutting against the inside edge and adapted to transfer a portion of the upward force of said lower sash through the pawl and housing and into the upper sash frame and;
• a tab at said lower end of the pawl protruding outwardly from the back surface and configured for engagement with a lower end of the opening of the face plate during movement of the pawl into said securing position, such that whenever said pawl is in the securing position, said tab functions to keep any dust or debris out of the cavity.