초록 ▼

A sliding window having a pair of sashes with a latch mechanism on the meeting rail of one of the sashes for latching the sashes together. To open the window, the latch mechanism is disengaged by grasping a finger grip on a latch handle to retract a latch bolt. As one or more of the sashes is slid t

A sliding window having a pair of sashes with a latch mechanism on the meeting rail of one of the sashes for latching the sashes together. To open the window, the latch mechanism is disengaged by grasping a finger grip on a latch handle to retract a latch bolt. As one or more of the sashes is slid to open the window and the latch mechanism clears the meeting rail of the other sash, a trigger cam rotates so that a portion extends outward from the latch mechanism and another portion releases a spring tab to engage and hold the latch bolt in the retracted position. When the window is closed, the outwardly extending portion of the trigger cam contacts the meeting rail of the other sash, causing the trigger cam to rotate in the opposite direction and releasing the latch bolt.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A latch mechanism for a sliding window comprising: a housing including a base having a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, and an open bottom, the rear wall defining an opening therein; a latch bolt slidably disposed in the housing and selectively positionable between an ext

What is claimed is: 1. A latch mechanism for a sliding window comprising: a housing including a base having a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, and an open bottom, the rear wall defining an opening therein; a latch bolt slidably disposed in the housing and selectively positionable between an extended position wherein a portion of the latch bolt extends outwardly from the housing through the opening and a retracted position wherein the latch bolt is entirely contained in the housing; a biasing element operably coupled to the latch bolt and arranged to bias the latch bolt toward the extended position; a bottom housing cover closing the open bottom of the housing, the bottom housing cover having a resilient latching element the resilient latching element arranged to automatically engage and retain the latch bolt in the retracted position as the latch bolt is positioned from the extended to the retracted position; and a trigger mechanism comprising: a camshaft having a first lobe and a second lobe, the camshaft disposed in the housing and being rotatable between a first position wherein a portion of the first lobe extends outwardly from the housing and a second position wherein the first lobe is contained in the housing, the second lobe arranged such that when the camshaft is rotated from the first to the second position, the second lobe contacts and disengages the resilient latching element from the latch bolt. 2. The latch mechanism of claim 1, wherein the trigger mechanism further comprises a biasing element operably coupled with the camshaft and arranged to rotatably bias the camshaft toward the first position. 3. The latch mechanism of claim 1, wherein the resilient latching element comprises a spring tab defined in the cover. 4. The latch mechanism of claim 1, wherein the first lobe extends through a second opening defined in the rear wall when the camshaft is in the first position. 5. The latch mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a housing cover disposed over the housing and a latch handle operably coupled with the latch bolt and slidable on the housing cover. 6. A sliding window comprising: a frame with a first and a second sash assembly in the frame, each of the first and second sash assemblies having a meeting rail, wherein at least the first sash assembly is selectively slidable in the frame between a window closed position wherein the meeting rails of the first and second sashes are confronting each other and a window open position wherein the meeting rails of the first and second sashes are clear of each other; and a latching mechanism disposed on the meeting rail of either the first or second sash for selectively latching the first and second sashes together, the latching mechanism comprising: a housing defining an opening therein; a latch bolt slidably disposed in the housing and selectively positionable between an extended position wherein a portion of the latch bolt extends outwardly from the housing through the opening to latch the first and second sashes together and a retracted position wherein the latch bolt is entirely contained in the housing; means for biasing the latch bolt toward the extended position; means for automatically engaging and retaining the latch bolt in the retracted position as the latch bolt is positioned from the extended to the retracted position, the means for automatically engaging and retaining the latch bolt in the retracted position including a spring tab defined in the housing, wherein the spring tab is engaged with the latch bolt when the latch bolt is in the retracted position; and trigger means for releasing the latch bolt from the retracted position when the meeting rails of the first and second sashes meet as the first sash is positioned from the window open to the window closed position. 7. The sliding window of claim 6, wherein the first sash slides vertically in the frame. 8. The sliding window of claim 6, wherein the trigger means includes a camshaft having at least a first lobe, the camshaft disposed in the housing and being rotatable between a first position wherein a portion of the first lobe extends outwardly from the housing and a second position wherein the first lobe is contained in the housing. 9. The sliding window of claim 6, wherein the camshaft includes a second lobe, the second lobe arranged such that when the camshaft is rotated from the first to the second position, the second lobe contacts and disengages the spring tab from the latch bolt. 10. A sliding window comprising: a frame with a first and a second sash assembly in the frame, each of the first and second sash assemblies having a meeting rail, wherein at least the first sash assembly is selectively slidable in the frame between a window closed position wherein the meeting rails of the first and second sashes are confronting each other and a window open position wherein the meeting rails of the first and second sashes are clear of each other; and a latching mechanism disposed on the meeting rail of either the first or second sash for selectively latching the first and second sashes together, the latching mechanism comprising: a housing including a base with a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, and an open bottom, the rear wall defining an opening therein; a biasing element operably coupled to the latch bolt and arranged to bias the latch bolt toward the extended position; a bottom housing cover closing the open bottom of the housing and having a resilient latching element, the resilient latching element arranged to automatically engage and retain the latch bolt in the retracted position as the latch bolt is positioned from the extended to the retracted position; and a trigger mechanism comprising a camshaft having a first lobe and a second lobe, the camshaft disposed in the housing and being rotatable between a first position wherein a portion of the first lobe extends outwardly from the housing and a second position wherein the first lobe is contained in the housing, the second lobe arranged such that when the meeting rails of the first and second sashes meet as the first sash is positioned from the window open to the window closed position, the camshaft is rotated from the first to the second position and the second lobe contacts and disengages the resilient latching element from the latch bolt. 11. The sliding window of claim 10, wherein the first sash slides vertically in the frame. 12. The sliding window of claim 10, wherein the first lobe extends through a second opening defined in the rear wall when the camshaft is in the first position. 13. The sliding window of claim 10, further comprising a housing cover disposed over the housing and a latch handle operably coupled with the latch bolt and slidable on the housing cover.