Importance

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Abstract

A window assembly has a latch assembly of enhanced strength. The latch assembly is mounted to the frame of the window assembly. A latch member is biased by a torsion spring towards a non-latching position, a latch-lock member is biased by a second torsion spring towards a non-locking position. The latch member engages a striker pin mounted to a base wall to secure the window in its normal, closed position. The latch-lock, latch member and striker pin are held together by the torsion springs and a series of detents on the latch-lock member and the latch member. A release bar is hingedly mounted to the latch assembly and moveable from a normal, closed, non-releasing position to an open, releasing position. Operation of the release bar forces a connecting means to actuate a trip lever, which in turn forces a latch-lock to rotate, sequentially disengaging the latch-lock detents from the latch member detents, thereby disengaging the latch member detent from the striker pin, allowing the window to open. In one embodiment the connecting mechanism is a flange of a release bar hinge with a cam surface which forces a trip lever down to disengage the striker pin from the latch assembly. In a second embodiment the connecting mechanism is a bracket attached to the release bar and provided with a slot, with a connecting rod slidably connected at one end to the bracket in the slot, and at the other end attached to the trip lever. Operation of the release bar forces the trip lever up to disengage the striker pin from the latch. In the second embodiment, the release bar can be moved to an intermediate position without the connecting mechanism engaging the latch to release the striker pin.

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First Claim