Self locating tie bar guide for sash lock tie bars

Abstract

A self locating tie bar guide for use with a tie bar. The tie bar guide defines a passage into which the tie bar is received. A tie bar receiving portion is shiftable between an open orientation in which the tie bar can be inserted into the passage and a closed orientation in which the tie bar is held in the passage. A resilient engaging member that engages a prelocated opening in the tie bar is resiliently biased toward the tie bar when the receiving portion is in the open orientation. The resilient tie bar engaging member is shiftable away from the tie bar when the receiving portion is in the closed orientation by contact between a portion of the resilient engaging member and another portion of the tie bar guide.

Claims

1. A self locating tie bar guide for use with a tie bar of a locking mechanism having prelocated openings located thereon, the tie bar guide comprising: a unitary body comprising a tie bar receiving portion, a locator engaging portion and a fastener receiving portion; the tie bar receiving portion being shiftable between an open orientation in which the tie bar can be inserted transversely into the tie bar receiving portion and a closed orientation in which the tie bar is held transversely in the tie bar receiving portion; the tie bar receiving portion defining a longitudinal tie bar passage therethrough, the passage being sized and shaped, when in the closed orientation, to engage the tie bar in close apposition while permitting longitudinal movement of the tie bar therein; the locator engaging portion including a resilient tie bar engaging member that engages at least one of the prelocated openings when the tie bar receiving portion is in the open orientation and that is resiliently biased toward and into the tie bar passage when the tie bar receiving portion is in the open orientation and is shifted away from the tie bar passage and disengaged from the at least one of the prelocated openings when the tie bar receiving portion is in the closed orientation; and the fastener receiving portion defining at least one aperture therethrough and being oriented such that a received fastener passing therethrough abuts at least part of the fastener receiving portion and urges the tie bar receiving portion toward the closed position.

2. The self locating tie bar guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tie bar receiving portion includes an upper portion and a lower plate joined by a c-shaped portion.

3. The self locating tie bar guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resilient tie bar engaging member further includes a tongue portion with a tie bar engaging bump, the tie bar engaging bump being sized and shaped to engage at least one of the prelocated openings.

4. The self locating tie bar guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resilient tie bar engaging member further comprises a tongue portion including a tongue leg extending away therefrom toward a mounting plate when the tie bar receiving portion is in the open orientation and being in contact with the mounting plate when the tie bar receiving portion is in the closed orientation.

5. The self locating tie bar guide as claimed in claim 4, wherein the tongue leg is coupled to a tongue support and wherein the tongue support is resiliently, displaceably coupled to an upper portion of the self locating tie bar guide that is generally opposed to the mounting plate.

6. The self locating tie bar guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastener receiving portion includes screw bosses having at least one upper screw mounting aperture defined therethrough and a lower plate having at least one lower screw mounting aperture therethrough, the upper screw mounting apertures and the lower screw mounting apertures being substantially axially aligned and separated by a space when the tie bar receiving portion is in the open orientation.

7. The self locating tie bar guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resilient tie bar engaging member further comprises a tongue portion.

8. The self locating tie bar guide as claimed in claim 7, wherein the tongue portion further comprises a tongue support, a tongue arch and a tongue end the tongue support being coupled to the tie bar engaging portion, the tongue arch extending from the tongue support and the tongue end extending from the tongue arch.

9. The self locating tie bar guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resilient tie bar engaging member is disengaged from the at least one of the prelocated openings by interference with another portion of the unitary body when the tie bar receiving portion is shifted from the open orientation to the closed orientation.

10. The self locating tie bar guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein the unitary body is formed from a polymeric material.

11. A tie bar assembly for use with a window or door locking assembly, comprising: a tie bar having a plurality of prelocated openings located thereon; at least one tie bar guide releasably secured to the tie bar at one of the plurality of prelocated openings; the tie bar guide comprising a unitary body comprising a tie bar receiving portion, a locator engaging portion and a fastener receiving portion; the tie bar receiving portion being shiftable between an open orientation in which the tie bar can be inserted transversely into the tie bar receiving portion and a closed orientation in which the tie bar is held transversely in the tie bar receiving portion; the tie bar receiving portion defining a longitudinal tie bar passage therethrough, the passage being sized and shaped, when in the closed orientation, to engage the tie bar in close apposition while permitting longitudinal movement of the tie bar therein; the locator engaging portion including a resilient tie bar engaging member that engages at least one of the prelocated openings when the tie bar receiving portion is in the open orientation and that is resiliently biased toward and into the tie bar passage when the tie bar receiving portion is in the open orientation and is shifted away from the tie bar passage and disengaged from the at least one of the prelocated openings when the tie bar receiving portion is in the closed orientation; and the fastener receiving portion defining at least one aperture therethrough and being oriented such that a received fastener passing therethrough abuts at least part of the fastener receiving portion and urges the tie bar receiving portion toward the closed position.

12. The tie assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the tie bar receiving portion includes an upper portion and a lower plate joined by a c-shaped portion.

13. The tie assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the resilient tie bar engaging member further includes a tongue portion with a tie bar engaging bump, the tie bar engaging bump being sized and shaped to engage at least one of the prelocated openings.

14. The tie assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the resilient tie bar engaging member further comprises a tongue portion including a tongue leg extending away therefrom toward a mounting plate when the tie bar receiving portion is in the open orientation and being in contact with the mounting plate when the tie bar receiving portion is in the closed orientation.

15. The tie assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the tongue leg is coupled to a tongue support and wherein the tongue support is resiliently, displaceably coupled to an upper portion of the self locating tie bar guide that is generally opposed to the mounting plate.

16. The tie assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the fastener receiving portion includes screw bosses having at least one upper screw mounting aperture defined therethrough and a lower plate having at least one lower screw mounting aperture therethrough, the upper screw mounting apertures and the lower screw mounting apertures being substantially axially aligned and separated by a space when the tie bar receiving portion is in the open orientation.

17. The tie assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the resilient tie bar engaging member further comprises a tongue portion.

18. The tie assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein the tongue portion further comprises a tongue support, a tongue arch and a tongue end the tongue support being coupled to the tie bar engaging portion, the tongue arch extending from the tongue support and the tongue end extending from the tongue arch.

19. The tie assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the resilient tie bar engaging member is disengaged from the at least one of the prelocated openings by interference with another portion of the unitary body when the tie bar receiving portion is shifted from the open orientation to the closed orientation.

20. The tie assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein the unitary body is formed from a polymeric material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is cross sectional view of casement window including three self locating tie bar guides according to an embodiment of the invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a self locating tie bar guide according to an embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 3 is plan view of a self locating tie bar guide according to an embodiment of the invention;

(4) FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of a self locating tie bar guide according to an embodiment of the invention;

(5) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a self locating tie bar guide according to an embodiment of the invention including extended supports;

(6) FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of an uninstalled self locating tie bar guide secured to a tie bar according to an embodiment of the invention; and

(7) FIG. 7 is a cross sectional schematic view of an installed self locating tie bar guide including a tie bar that has been freed according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) Referring to FIG. 1, self locating tie bar guide 10 according to the invention is typically used with a casement window assembly 12. A casement window assembly generally includes sash 14 and frame 16. Sash 14 can be secured to frame 16 when sash 14 is closed by activation of locking mechanism 18. Locking mechanism 18 includes tie bar 20. Tie bar 20 is slidably moveable to actuate locking mechanism 18 when handle 22 is manipulated.

(9) Self locating tie bar guide 10 is temporarily secured to tie bar 20 at desired locations by its interaction with an aperture (not shown in FIG. 1, see FIGS. 6 and 7) located in tie bar 20. Locator engaging portion 45 engages at least one of the prelocated openings when the tie bar receiving portion is in the open orientation.

(10) According to an embodiment of the invention depicted in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, tie bar guide 10 generally includes unitary body 24 having lower plate 26, upper portion 28 and c-shaped portion 30. Lower plate 26 is joined to upper portion 28 by c-shaped portion 30. Tie bar guide 10 may be formed, for example, of a polymer by a molding process or from resilient metal.

(11) Lower plate 26 generally includes planar mounting plate 32, defining screw mounting apertures 36. Lower plate 26 may further include extension 38.

(12) Upper portion 28 generally includes tie bar bridge 40, screw bosses 42 and tongue portion 44. Tie bar bridge 40 extends between c-shaped portion 30 and screw bosses 42 and may be divided by tongue portion 44 as depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3.

(13) Lower plate 26, upper portion 28 and c-shaped portion 30 together define and surround tie bar passage 46 as can be seen in FIG. 4. Tie bar passage 46 is sized to slidably receive tie bar 20 therein as can be seen in FIG. 6. Tie bar passage 46 is sized and shaped to permit sufficient freedom of movement for tie bar 20, once installed on a window or door, to longitudinally slide while holding tie bar 20 substantially in a transverse position with minimal transverse movement.

(14) In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 2-4, screw bosses 42 define upper screw mounting apertures 48 of the fastener receiving portion 35. Upper screw mounting apertures 48 are aligned with screw mounting apertures 36 so that a screw or other fastener (not shown) inserted therethrough passes through both upper screw mounting apertures 48 and screw mounting apertures 36 to secure tie bar guide 10 to sash 14.

(15) In this example embodiment, tongue portion 44 is positioned within tongue opening 50, which is formed through upper portion 28 and tie bar bridge 40. Tongue portion 44 includes tongue support 52, tongue arch 54 and tongue end 56. Tongue support 52 supports tongue arch 54, which in turn supports tongue end 56. Tongue support 52 extends into tongue opening 50 from recessed portion 58, which in this example embodiment is located generally between screw bosses 42.

(16) Referring particularly to FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, in the depicted example embodiment, tongue arch 54 rises above tongue support 52 and tongue end 56.

(17) Referring particularly to FIG. 4, tongue support 52 presents tongue leg 60, which extends downwardly toward lower plate 26 when tie bar guide 10 is in an open orientation and not secured by fasteners. On the underside thereof, tongue end 56 presents plateau 62 and tie bar engaging bump 64. Tie bar engaging bump 64 may have a hemispherical or partially spherical shape as depicted in FIG. 4 or another shape. When in a relax state or open orientation, in this example embodiment, self locating tie bar guide 10 presents gap 66 between lower plate 26 and upper portion 28 in the vicinity of screw bosses 42.

(18) Referring to FIG. 5, tie bar guide 10 in accordance with another embodiment of the invention, may include locating legs 68 extending outwardly away from lower plate 26. Locating legs 68 may include u-shaped locating legs 70 and/or linear locating leg 72 as depicted in FIG. 5. Locating legs 68 may assume other shapes as well.

(19) Referring to FIG. 6, a cross sectional view of tie bar guide 10 is shown along with tie bar 20. Tie bar engaging bump 64 is engaged in opening 74 of tie bar 20.

(20) Referring to FIG. 7, a schematic cross sectional view of tie bar guide 10 after it has been secured, with screws or other fasteners (not shown), is depicted along with tie bar 20. Here tie bar guide 10 is depicted in a closed orientation. As depicted, upper portion 28 has been brought into contact with planar mounting plate 32. Accordingly, tongue leg 60 has contacted planar mounting plate 32, thus forcing tongue portion 44 upward so that tie bar engaging bump 64 has been disengaged from opening 74 in tie bar 20. Thus, tie bar 20, while being generally secured transversely, is free to move longitudinally with minimal friction by sliding within tie bar passage 46.

(21) In operation, at least one self locating tie bar guide 10 is placed onto tie bar 20 by inserting tie bar 20 transversely through gap 66 and into tie bar passage 46. Alternately, tie bar guide 10 can be slid onto tie bar 20 longitudinally from one end of tie bar 20. Tie bar guide 10 is then slid along tie bar 20 until tie bar engaging bump 64 engages opening 74 in tie bar 20. As many tie bar guides 10 are desired are placed onto tie bar 20 at prelocated openings 74. Tie bar 20 is provided with at least as many openings 74 along its length as the desired number of tie bar guides 10 that it is desired to use to secure tie bar guides 10 along the length thereof. Openings 74 are located at the desired locations of tie bar guides 10 relative to tie bar 20 when tie bar 20 is secured to casement window assembly 12.

(22) Tie bar 20 with self locating tie bar guides 10 thereon is then placed against a sash 14 in a desired mounting location.

(23) Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, mounting screws (not shown) are inserted through upper screw mounting apertures 48 and screw mounting apertures 36 and tightened by driving them into sash 14, or other desired mounting location. As screws (not shown) are tightened, upper portion 28 of tie bar 10 is drawn toward lower plate 26 of tie bar guide 10. During this process c-shaped portion 30 and tie bar bridge 40 flex. As upper portion 28 is drawn against lower plate 26, tongue leg 60 contacts lower plate 26 and is forced upward relative to upper portion 28 against the resilient bias of tongue support 52 and tongue arch 54. At the same time, tie bar engaging bump 64 on tongue end 56 is lifted out of opening 74 in tie bar 20. Once tie bar engaging bump 64 is disengaged from opening 74, tie bar 20 is free to slide longitudinally within tie bar passage 46. Thereafter, when locking mechanism 18 is actuated by the movement of handle 22, smooth unrestricted operation is achieved immediately from the first operational cycle. Further, no broken off parts are released that can possibly become lodged in locking mechanism 18 and interfere with its proper and unrestricted operation.

(24) The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit of the essential attributes thereof; therefore, the illustrated embodiments should be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being made to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.