Abstract: A lock system includes an active panel center gearbox. The active panel center gearbox includes a deadbolt, a deadbolt drive to extend or retract the deadbolt, an upper drive assembly, a lower drive assembly, a latch bolt, a handle assembly to retract the latch bolt and to extend or retract the lower and the upper driver assemblies, a reverse action rocker coupling the lower and the upper drive assemblies so they move in different directions, a mishandling bolt, and a mishandling plate. When the mishandling bolt extends, it lowers the mishandling plate. When the mishandling plate lowers, it engages the deadbolt to prevent the deadbolt from extending, it engages the handle assembly to prevent the lower drive assembly from extending, and it engages the reverse action rocker to prevent the upper drive assembly from extending.

Abstract: A locking system for a casement window that provides a corner drive assembly for transmitting vertical movement of a lock bar along one side of the window frame into horizontal movement of a lock bar disposed along a top of the window frame. Thus, lock points on both the non-hinged side of the window frame as well as the top of the window frame may be provided. The corner drive assembly includes a side plunger that is coupled to the side lock bar and a top plunger that is coupled to a top lock bar. Both side and top keepers are provided to provide lock points along the non-hinged side as well as the top of the window. The system may also be extended with a second corner drive assembly in the second upper corner of the casement window and that may extend down the hinged side of the frame and sash as well.

Abstract: An operator for a casement window is disclosed which includes a hub that frictionally receives a spindle. The hub is pivotally connected to a proximal end of a pivoting handle. The hub is disposed within a cavity that extends through the proximal end of the handle and terminates at a back wall. The cavity partially accommodates a biasing element, an actuator and the hub. The biasing element is disposed between the actuator and the back wall and biases the actuator towards the hub. The hub includes at least one open position recess and open position protrusion and the actuator includes a complementary protrusion and a recess wherein the protrusion is received in the at least one open position recess of the hub and the recess of the actuator receives the at least one open position protrusion of the hub when the handle is pivoted to the open position.

Abstract: An operator for a casement window is disclosed which includes a hub that frictionally receives a spindle. The hub is pivotally connected to a proximal end of a pivoting handle. The hub is disposed within a cavity that extends through the proximal end of the handle and terminates at a back wall. The cavity partially accommodates a biasing element, an actuator and the hub. The biasing element is disposed between the actuator and the back wall and biases the actuator towards the hub. The hub includes at least one open position recess and open position protrusion and the actuator includes a complementary protrusion and a recess wherein the protrusion is received in the at least one open position recess of the hub and the recess of the actuator receives the at least one open position protrusion of the hub when the handle is pivoted to the open position.

Abstract: A latch for a window sash is disclosed. The latch includes a cover with a handle, a chassis, a bolt biased towards an extended position and containing a notch, a plunger biased towards the extended position and containing a guide, a rotary latch, pivotally connected to the chassis, containing a guide slot for receiving the guide and a protrusion biased towards the notch. The latch is operated wherein the bolt is locked in a retracted position when the handle slides the bolt inwardly towards the chassis and the protrusion engages the notch as the rotary latch rotates towards the notch, and wherein the bolt is released to the extended position when the plunger slides inwardly towards the chassis and the protrusion disengages from the notch as the rotary latch rotates away from the notch.

Abstract: A lock system for casement windows is disclosed which includes a tie bar slidably secured to the flame. The tie bat is secured to a lock handle that is also secured to the flame. The tie bat eliminates the need for rollers riveted to the tie bar by having a first bent section disposed between straight sections and a second bent section disposed between straight sections. All of the straight sections are linearly aligned with one another and at least some of the straight sections of the tie bar are slidably mounted to the flame using conventional guides. The lock system also includes first and second strikers mounted to the sash. The first striker comprising a first ramp that receives a first bent section and the second striker comprising a second ramp that receives a second bent section when the tie bat is slidably moved towards the first and second strikers as the tie bar is moved from an unlocked position to a locked position.

Abstract: An improved method of cutting a helical gear sector onto a pivoting arm of a casement window is disclosed. The method includes beginning with a pre-hardened flat sheet of steel stock and cutting the arm and the helical gear sector of the arm in two steps. The non-toothed portions of the arm are cut with a laser and nitrogen assist or shielding gas to prevent any oxidation to the non-toothed portions of the structure. The helical gear sector is also cut with a laser, but using oxygen assist gas. Use of the oxygen prevents recasts slag from accumulating in the gear sector. Thus, a finished part is completed with two laser cutting operations thereby eliminating the need for separate stamping, shaping, deburring and subsequent heat treatment processes used in conventional manufacturing methods. The subsequent heat treating is eliminated because a pre-hardened steel stock may be utilized.

Abstract: A latch for a window sash is disclosed. The latch includes a cover with a handle, a chassis, a bolt biased towards an extended position and containing a notch, a plunger biased towards the extended position and containing a guide, a rotary latch, pivotally connected to the chassis, containing a guide slot for receiving the guide and a protrusion biased towards the notch. The latch is operated wherein the bolt is locked in a retracted position when the handle slides the bolt inwardly towards the chassis and the protrusion engages the notch as the rotary latch rotates towards the notch, and wherein the bolt is released to the extended position when the plunger slides inwardly towards the chassis and the protrusion disengages from the notch as the rotary latch rotates away from the notch.

Abstract: A lock system for casement windows is disclosed which includes a tie bar slidably secured to the flame. The tie bat is secured to a lock handle that is also secured to the flame. The tie bat eliminates the need for rollers riveted to the tie bar by having a first bent section disposed between straight sections and a second bent section disposed between straight sections. All of the straight sections are linearly aligned with one another and at least some of the straight sections of the tie bar are slidably mounted to the flame using conventional guides. The lock system also includes first and second strikers mounted to the sash. The first striker comprising a first ramp that receives a first bent section and the second striker comprising a second ramp that receives a second bent section when the tie bat is slidably moved towards the first and second strikers as the tie bar is moved from an unlocked position to a locked position.

Abstract: An improved method of cutting a helical gear sector onto a pivoting arm of a casement window is disclosed. The method includes beginning with a pre-hardened flat sheet of steel stock and cutting the arm and the helical gear sector of the arm in two steps. The non-toothed portions of the arm are cut with a laser and nitrogen assist or shielding gas to prevent any oxidation to the non-toothed portions of the structure. The helical gear sector is also cut with a laser, but using oxygen assist gas. Use of the oxygen prevents recasts slag from accumulating in the gear sector. Thus, a finished part is completed with two laser cutting operations thereby eliminating the need for separate stamping, shaping, deburring and subsequent heat treatment processes used in conventional manufacturing methods. The subsequent heat treating is eliminated because a pre-hardened steel stock utilized.

Abstract: A housing assembly which can accommodate either one of a split arm drive mechanism and a dual arm drive mechanism for a casement window. The housing assembly includes an escutcheon and a base as well as an adjustable bushing that is adjustable to at least two positions, one for the split arm drive mechanism and the other for the dual arm drive mechanism. A worm drive assembly is contained within the housing assembly for driving the drive mechanism. A handle is snap fitted into the worm drive assembly for rotating the worm drive assembly and moving the casement window. A spacer is mounted to the base to enable the base to fit a wide variety of window configurations.

Abstract: An improved casement window is provided which includes a tie bar and at least two tie bar guides through which the tie bar slidably extends. The tie bar guides are secured to a window frame which includes an elongated groove that extends parallel to the tie bar. Each tie bar guide includes at least one locating leg that extends outward from the tie bar guide body and that is received in the groove of the window frame to assist in the easy location of the tie bar guide and tie bar along the window frame. Further, each tie bar guide may be equipped with a protruding nib that is received in an aperture disposed in the tie bar. The cooperation of the tie bar guide and the aperture of the tie bar ensures that the tie bar guide is properly spaced along the length of the tie bar. The nib is sheared off of the tie bar guide after the tie bar guide is secured to the window frame and the tie bar is moved axially through the guide.

Abstract: A handle is provided for an operator that provides overtorque protection for the operator. The handle includes a hand grip connected to a connecting shaft, which is mateably received in the operator. The connecting shaft includes at least one weakened section which breaks or fractures in the event an excessive amount of torque or force is applied to the handle. As a result, the handle breaks when the user applies an excessive amount of torque to the handle in an effort to open or close the structure connected to the operator. The broken handle may be easily replaced by removing the broken section of the connecting shaft from the operator and replacing the handle by inserting the new handle with a new connecting shaft into the operator. The gear mechanism disposed within the escutcheon of the operator is protected from the excessive amount of torque or force and, accordingly, the handle is intended to break before the operator which avoids the need for replacing the entire operator.

Abstract: A lock handle assembly for a casement window is provided. The lock handle assembly includes an escutcheon that includes an inner side and an outer side. The escutcheon is securable to the frame inside a cavity with at least a portion of the inner side of the escutcheon being disposed at the inside surface of the frame. The escutcheon also includes an upper wall and a lower wall with an elongated recess disposed therebetween for receiving a handle and defining the limits of rotation of the handle. The handle extends into the recess and is connected to a drive disk. The drive disk is pivotally connected to a fixed gear plate thereby providing a rotational axis for the handle. The fixed gear plate is secured to an inside surface of the frame. The fixed gear plate includes an arcuate gear segment.

Abstract: A universal lock handle assembly for multi-point casement windows is provided. The lock handle assembly includes an escutcheon that is mounted to the inside surface of the window frame. The escutcheon includes a slot for receiving a handle. The handle includes a grip portion that is connected to a mid-section which, in turn, is connected to a forked end. The mid-section of the handle is pivotally connected to the escutcheon below or exterior to the inside surface of the window frame. The forked end of the handle includes two spaced-apart legs that define an open slot for slidably receiving a slider. The slider, in turn, is pivotally connected to a tiebar. The slider enables the overall length of the handle to be variable thereby enabling the distance between the tiebar and the escutcheon or the inside surface of the window frame to be variable as well.

Abstract: A lock handle assembly for a multi-point casement window is disclosed. The lock handle assembly includes an escutcheon for mounting to the inside surface of the frame. The escutcheon includes an elongated body which features an inner side facing away from the inside surface of the frame and an outer side that extends through the inside surface of the frame. The escutcheon further includes an elongated slot for receiving a handle through the inner side of the escutcheon. The slot comprises an upper end and a lower end defined by upper and lower walls respectively. The handle is pivotally connected to the escutcheon by a shaft having an axis that extends transversely through the slot. The shaft further connects a movable link to the handle. The shaft also passes through a fixed gear which is secured to the escutcheon. The fixed gear includes an arcuate gear. The movable link includes a proximal end pivotally connected to the shaft in a distal end pivotally connected to a drive gear link.