Abstract: An improved window operator has an electrically controlled drive for moving a window between opened and closed positions in response to a command. A plurality of switches are provided for manually or remotely commanding movement of the drive to move the window to a select desired position between the opened and closed positions. A position sensing routine senses actual position of the window between the open and closed positions. The position sensing routine includes a timer for storing a value representing actual position. The value is selectively incremented or decremented at a select rate in response to duration of operation of the drive to move the window between the open and closed positions. The control senses electrical power supplied to the drive. An adjustment routine adjusts the select rate of the timer in response to electric power deviating from a select desired power level.

Abstract: A lock for mounting on a window jamb for selectively grasping a keeper on a window sash to secure the sash closed against the jamb, including a base for mounting to the jamb and defining an open interior space along one side of the base, a rigid plate secured to the base adjacent the open interior space and including a guide slot therein, and a motor driven drive gear pivotable within the open interior space about a first axis. A pawl is secured to the drive gear at one end for pivoting about a second axis spaced from and substantially parallel to the first axis, and includes a keeper grasping portion at its other end. A guide pin projects from the pawl and is slidably received in the guide slot whereby rotation of the drive gear moves the keeper grasping portion of the pawl between the open position and the locking position.

Abstract: A connection for adjustably holding two window hardware members in pivotally connected relationship, including a first hardware member with a first cylindrical opening, a second hardware member with a second cylindrical opening, and a stud. The stud has a flange having two substantially parallel faces and a peripheral surface therebetween, with a rivet portion projecting from one face and a pivot portion projecting from the other face. The rivet portion includes a cylindrical neck extending through the first cylindrical opening and a head on the end of the neck, the flange and the head engaging opposite sides of the first hardware member to frictionally secure the stud against freely pivoting relative to the track. The pivot portion includes a cylindrical shaft eccentric from the cylindrical neck and extending through the second cylindrical opening. A C-ring is disposed in an external peripheral groove in the pivot portion to secure the second hardware member thereto for pivoting about the cylindrical shaft.

Abstract: A hinge structure for supporting a window sash on a window frame. The hinge structure includes sash arms secured to opposite sash sides, and a shaft having gears fixed to its ends and supported by tracks for longitudinal movement along opposite sides of the frame. The gears engage racks on each of the tracks. The sash arms are carried with the shaft in its longitudinal movement along the tracks.

Abstract: A skylight operator includes a chain drive driven by a motor. Polarity of power applied to the motor is controlled to selectively open or close the window. Polarity is controlled by an H-bridge switching circuit driven by a microcontroller. The microcontroller receives commands from any one of a plurality of control devices The operator includes a feedback circuit using a hall effect sensor in connection with a ring magnet on the motor shaft for sensing incremental movement of the motor, representing movement of the window. A potentiometer control device allows unattended full or partial opening of the window. A user need only turn the potentiometer knob to a desired amount of opening. The microcontroller in response to such a command compares the command to the feedback signal and controls the motor to minimize the difference between the two.

Abstract: A check rail lock with a handle pivot shaft secured for pivotal movement with respect to the housing and a cam which pivots with the shaft between an open position with the cam enclosed in the housing and a locking position with the cam extending from the housing for grasping a keeper. An axially reciprocable locking member is associated with the pivot shaft for pivoting therewith, and has a manually engageable button end projecting above the housing and a locking end within the housing. The locking end has circumferentially spaced locking surfaces, and a spring biases the member locking end into engagement with the housing. First and second locking notches in the housing receive the member locking end when the cam and handle are in the open and locking positions, respectively, and the locking notches each have a surface engaging one of the locking end locking surfaces to prevent pivoting of the locking member and pivot shaft when the member locking end is received therein.

Abstract: A check rail lock including a housing with a pivot opening, a handle having a pivot shaft extending through the pivot opening, the handle being disposed over the housing when operably pivoted between locking and unlocking positions, and a cam secured to the pivot shaft beneath the housing with a post extending toward the housing. A C-shaped spring mounted to the housing between the housing and the cam has shoulders which (1) allow the spring to flex outwardly to allow passage of the post past one of the shoulders when pivoting the handle from a painting position extending away from the housing to either operational locking or unlocking position and (2) stop the handle from being pivoted beyond the locking or unlocking positions to the painting position. Recesses in the spring adjacent the shoulders positively indicate when the lock is in either the locked or unlocked positions.

Abstract: A window operator and lock structure for controlling a window sash supported by a hinge for pivotal motion relative to a window frame, including a base mounted to the frame and supporting a drivable sun gear, and a planet gear engaging the sun gear and supported on the base for pivoting about the sun gear axis. One linkage is secured to the planet gear axis and the window sash to control motion of the sash. A locking structure secures the sash to the frame, which structure is operated by a gear arm fixedly secured to the planet gear and a cam link between the gear arm and the locking structure. Selective operation of the locking structure is effectuated by biasing the cam link against a fixed pin which engages a slot in the cam link to secure the cam link against operating the locking structure, and a trip on the sash which engages the cam link when the sash is closed against the frame to disengage the cam link from the pin.

Abstract: A universal lock for securing any of a variety of different design window sashes closed against any of a variety of different design window frames. The lock includes a pair of spaced keepers on the window sash, and a tie bar mounted to the window frame and having a pair of rollers thereon. The tie bar is reciprocable along its axis to selectively move the rollers into or out of engagement with the keepers of the closed window sash to selectively lock or release the sash from the frame. A base pivotally mounts a handle member to the window frame. A coupler link is pivotally secured at one end to the handle member and has a flange at the other end pivotally secured to the tie bar. The flange has a narrow portion with a first width adjacent the coupler link and a wide portion with a second width spaced from the coupler link.

Abstract: A window lock has a window sash mounted housing with a cam which is manually pivotable between a locking position engaging a keeper on a second window sash and an open position clear of the keeper. A bearing post projects from the cam and a spring secured to the housing exerts a biasing force against the post. The spring is a leaf spring having a first portion bearing against the post when the cam is positioned toward the locking position from the neutral position, and a second portion bearing against the post when the cam is positioned toward the open position from the neutral position. A curved portion of the spring connects the first and second portions at an angle relative to each other, and bears against the post when the cam is in the neutral position.

Abstract: A pivotal connection between a handle and a housing, where the handle includes a cylindrical opening, and the housing includes a pair of cylindrical openings on opposite sides of the housing and concentric with the handle opening. A sleeve with a central tubular opening is disposed within the housing and handle openings, and has an outer diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the housing and handle openings. A cylindrical pin has an outer diameter greater than the inner diameter of the sleeve tubular opening and is wedged into the sleeve tubular opening to bulge the sleeve outwardly into beveled portions of the handle opening. The connection is formed by first aligning the handle between housing portions so that openings therethrough are disposed substantially concentric to one another. Then, a tubular sleeve is located within the housing and handle openings. Finally, a pin having an outer diameter greater than the inner diameter of the tubular sleeve opening is wedged into the sleeve opening.

Abstract: A window hinge assembly for mounting a window sash to a window frame including an elongated track mountable along an axis to the window frame and a generally planar sash arm mountable along an axis to the window sash. The sash arm is also mounted for movement in a plane parallel to the track axis and has one end positionable adjacent one track end when the window sash is closed. A pair of mirror image hat members are interchangeably attachable separately to the arm one end and the track one end, where each of the hat members have a base selectively securable to the arm and the track and a perpendicularly bent edge on one end. The hat member bases are trapezoidal and attached to the arm and track so that the outwardly facing base side is shorter than the parallel opposite base side, with the bent edge protruding perpendicularly from the base.

Abstract: An improved structure is provided for a window sash lock having a catch mounted to a face of a window frame to grasp and release a keeper reciprocally mounted to a face of a window sash. A housing (12) is mounted against the frame face (13) that has an opening therethrough with a portion substantially cylindrical about an axis perpendicular to the frame face (13). An operator (52) for the catch (32) comprises a cylindrical pivotal portion (56) which is receivable within the housing cylindrical portion and is adapted to pivot about the axis. The operator also includes a handle portion (54) secured at one end to the operator pivotal portion (56). The operator further comprises an actuator portion having a button (60) at one end for engaging the catch to control movement thereof. The actuator portion is secured at the other end to the operator pivotal portion. A part of the actuator portion is trapped between the housing and the frame face to prevent removal of the operator from the mounted housing.

Abstract: A window hinge having a track mountable to a window frame, a sash arm mountable to a window sash, and a plurality of pivotally interconnected links connecting the track to the sash arm to allow pivotal movement of the sash relative to the window frame. At least one of the links is pivotally connected to a shoe movable on the track and another of the links is pivotally connected to a block. The block includes a projecting stud and is elastically deformable to allow sliding of the block in the track with the stud retracted until snappingly securing the stud in a mounting slot in the track during field assembly. The hinge is mounted by first fixing the track to a window frame and the sash arm to a window sash, thereafter sliding the shoe and the block in the track to dispose the block stud adjacent the track slot, then fixing the block to the track with the block stud in the track slot.

Abstract: A casement operator for a window has a deployment linkage connectable between the window frame and the base and operable to cause movement of the window sash. A gear drive drives the deployment linkage, which coacts with a sash lock and a lock linkage having a window-actuated trigger. A plurality of rigid links are in pivotal engagement with the deployment linkage and in driving engagement with the gear drive, and a tie rod is disposed intermediate the rigid links and the sash lock. A trip lever with a trigger extending beyond the window frame is pivotally secured to the base and engageable with the lock linkage for restricting the movement of said lock linkage during a non-locking mode of operation of the operator.

Abstract: A casement operator for a window has a deployment linkage connectable between the window frame and the base and operable to cause movement of the window sash. A gear drive drives the deployment linkage, which coacts with a sash lock and a lock linkage having a window-actuated trigger. A plurality of rigid links are in pivotal engagement with the deployment linkage and in driving engagement with the gear drive, and a tie rod is disposed intermediate the rigid links and the sash lock. A trip lever with a trigger extending beyond the window frame is pivotally secured to the base and engageable with the lock linkage for restricting the movement of said lock linkage during a non-locking mode of operation of the operator.

Abstract: A window operator has a prime mover for opening and closing of a window, with the prime mover being drivingly connected to a drive output member through an intermediate gear structure. A clutch device in the drive structure senses the torque applied to the drive output member in a window closing operation and a switch operable by the clutch is effective to deenergize the prime mover when the torque applied to the output member reaches a predetermined value. The switch can be adjustably located relative to the clutch whereby the predetermined value at which the motor will be deenergized may be varied in order to obtain a desired tension on a member connected to the closed sash of the window, such as a chain connected to the sash of a skylight window.