Sash lock assembly having forced entry resistance

1. A sash lock assembly for a sash window assembly, the sash window assembly having an upper sash window and a lower sash window slidable within a master frame, the upper sash window having a keeper connected thereto, the sash lock assembly comprising:

a housing adapted to be mounted on the lower sash window, the housing having an opening therein;

a cam positioned within the housing;

an actuator handle extending through the opening in the housing and connected to the cam such that the actuator handle and the cam rotate together in a generally horizontal plane, the actuator handle rotatable to adjust the sash lock assembly between a locked position, wherein the cam is adapted to engage the keeper, and an unlocked position, wherein the cam is adapted to disengage from the keeper; and

an anti-rotation device comprising a protrusion positioned on the housing, wherein when the sash lock assembly is in the locked position, the protrusion engages an engaging surface on the actuator handle to prevent rotation of the actuator handle, and wherein upon generally vertical deflection of the actuator handle when the sash lock assembly is in the locked position, the engaging surface moves to clear the protrusion, permitting movement of the actuator to place the sash lock assembly in the unlocked position.

2. The sash lock assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuator handle has a tab extending therefrom, the tab having the engaging surface thereon such that the protrusion engages the tab when the sash lock assembly is in the locked position.

3. The sash lock assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing has a top surface having an upper surface and a lower surface, the opening positioned in the upper surface, and the protrusion positioned on the upper surface.

4. The sash lock assembly of claim 3 , wherein the actuator handle has a base, a shaft projecting downwardly from the base through the opening to connect to the cam, and a lever projecting outwardly from the base substantially perpendicular to the shaft, wherein the actuator handle has a tab extending from the base, the tab having the engaging surface thereon such that the protrusion engages the tab when the sash lock assembly is in the locked position.

5. The sash lock assembly of claim 4 , wherein upon downward deflection of the lever when the sash lock assembly is in the locked position, the tab moves to clear the protrusion, permitting movement of the actuator to place the sash lock assembly in the unlocked position.

6. The sash lock assembly of claim 3 , wherein the actuator handle has a base, a shaft projecting downwardly from the base through the opening to connect to the cam, and a lever projecting outwardly from the base and substantially perpendicular to the shaft, wherein the engaging surface is located on the lever such that the protrusion engages the lever when the sash lock assembly is in the locked position.

7. The sash lock assembly of claim 6 , wherein upon upward deflection of the lever when the sash lock assembly is in the locked position, the engaging surface moves to clear the protrusion, permitting movement of the actuator to place the sash lock assembly in the unlocked position.

8. The sash lock assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing has a top surface having an upper surface and a lower surface, the opening positioned in the upper surface, and the protrusion positioned on the lower surface.

9. The sash lock assembly of claim 8 , wherein the actuator handle has a base, a shaft projecting downwardly from the base through the opening to connect to the cam, and a lever projecting outwardly from the base and substantially perpendicular to the shaft, wherein the actuator handle has a tab extending from an underside of the lever, the tab having the engaging surface thereon such that the protrusion engages the tab when the sash lock assembly is in the locked position.

10. The sash lock assembly of claim 9 , wherein the tab is resilient, and wherein upon application of sufficient rotational force to the actuator handle when the sash lock mechanism is in the locked position, the resilient tab flexes to clear the protrusion, permitting movement of the actuator to place the sash lock assembly in the unlocked position.

11. The sash lock assembly of claim 1 , wherein deflection of the actuator handle is accomplished via pivoting of the actuator handle to raise the engaging surface above the protrusion.

12. The sash lock assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuator handle is resiliently flexible and deflection of the actuator handle is accomplished via flexing of the actuator handle to raise the engaging surface above the protrusion.

13. The sash lock assembly of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion has an inclined surface, and wherein the inclined surface engages and deflects the actuator handle when the actuator rotates to move the sash lock assembly from the unlocked position to the locked position.

14. The sash lock assembly of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is arcuate in shape.

15. A sash lock assembly for a sash window assembly, the sash window assembly having an upper sash window and a lower sash window slidable within a master frame, the upper sash window having a keeper connected thereto, the sash lock assembly comprising:

a housing adapted to be mounted on the lower sash window, the housing having an opening therein;

a cam positioned within the housing;

an actuator handle extending through the opening in the housing and connected to the cam such that the actuator handle and the cam rotate together in a generally horizontal plane, the actuator handle rotatable to adjust the sash lock assembly between a locked position, wherein the cam is adapted to engage the keeper, and an unlocked position, wherein the cam is adapted to disengage from the keeper; and

an anti-rotation device comprising a protrusion positioned on the housing and a tab extending from the actuator handle, wherein when the sash lock assembly is in the locked position, the protrusion engages the tab to prevent rotation of the actuator handle, and wherein upon generally vertical deflection of the actuator handle, the tab moves to clear the protrusion, permitting movement of the actuator to place the sash lock assembly in the unlocked position.

16. The sash lock assembly of claim 15 , wherein the actuator handle has a base, a shaft projecting downwardly from the base through the opening to connect to the cam, and a lever projecting outwardly from the base and substantially perpendicular to the shaft, wherein the tab extends from the base.

17. The sash lock assembly of claim 16 , wherein the tab extends from a side of the base generally opposite of the lever, and the lever deflects downwardly to move the tab upwardly to clear the protrusion.

18. A sash lock assembly for a sash window assembly, the sash window assembly having an upper sash window and a lower sash window slidable within a master frame, the upper sash window having a keeper connected thereto, the sash lock assembly comprising:

a housing adapted to be mounted on the lower sash window, the housing having an opening therein;

a cam positioned within the housing;

an actuator handle extending through the opening in the housing and connected to the cam such that the actuator handle and the cam rotate together in a generally horizontal plane, the actuator handle rotatable to adjust the sash lock assembly between a locked position, wherein the cam is adapted to engage the keeper, and an unlocked position, wherein the cam is adapted to disengage from the keeper, the actuator handle having an integral engaging surface thereon; and

a protrusion positioned on the housing,

wherein when the sash lock assembly is in the locked position, the actuator handle is moveable between a first position, wherein the protrusion engages the engaging surface to prevent rotation of the actuator handle, and a second position, wherein movement of the actuator handle from the first position to the second position is accomplished via pivoting of the actuator handle to raise the engaging surface above the protrusion, the handle and its engaging surface move generally vertically to clear the protrusion and allow rotation of the actuator handle.

19. The sash lock assembly of claim 18 , wherein the housing has a top surface having an upper surface and a lower surface, the opening positioned in the upper surface, and the protrusion positioned on the upper surface.

20. The sash lock assembly of claim 18 , wherein the actuator handle has a base, a shaft projecting downwardly from the base through the opening to connect to the cam, and a lever projecting outwardly from the base substantially perpendicular to the shaft, wherein the actuator handle has a tab extending from the base, the tab having the engaging surface thereon such that the protrusion engages the tab when the sash lock assembly is in the locked position and the actuator handle is in the first position.

21. The sash lock assembly of claim 18 , wherein the actuator handle has a base, a shafi projecting downwardly from the base through the opening to connect to the cam, and a lever projecting outwardly from the base substantially perpendicular to the shaft, and wherein the engaging surface is defined generally at a mid-portion of the lever of the actuator handle.

22. The sash lock assembly of claim 18 , wherein the protrusion has an inclined surface, and wherein the inclined surface engages and deflects the actuator handle when the actuator rotates to move the sash lock assembly from the unlocked position to the locked position.

23. The sash lock assembly of claim 18 , wherein the protrusion is arcuate in shape.

24. A sash lock assembly for a sash window assembly, the sash window assembly having an upper sash window and a lower sash window slidable within a master frame, the upper sash window having a keeper connected thereto, the sash lock assembly comprising:

a housing adapted to be mounted on the lower sash window, the housing having an opening therein;

a cam positioned within the housing;

an actuator handle extending through the opening in the housing and connected to the cam such that the actuator handle and the cam rotate together, the actuator handle rotatable to adjust the sash lock assembly between a locked position, wherein the cam is adapted to engage the keeper, and an unlocked position, wherein the cam is adapted to disengage from the keeper; and

an anti-rotation device comprising a protrusion positioned on the housing, wherein when the sash lock assembly is in the locked position, the protrusion engages an engaging surface on the actuator handle to prevent rotation of the actuator handle, and wherein upon deflection of the actuator handle when the sash lock assembly is in the locked position, the engaging surface moves to clear the protrusion, permitting movement of the actuator to place the sash lock assembly in the unlocked position, wherein the actuator handle is resiliently flexible and deflection of the actuator handle is accomplished via flexing of the actuator handle to raise the engaging surface above the protrusion.

25. A sash lock assembly for a sash window assembly, the sash window assembly having an upper sash window and a lower sash window slidable within a master frame, the upper sash window having a keeper connected thereto, the sash lock assembly comprising:

a housing adapted to be mounted on the lower sash window, the housing having an opening therein;

a cam positioned within the housing;

an actuator handle extending through the opening in the housing and connected to the cam such that the actuator handle and the cam rotate together, the actuator handle rotatable to adjust the sash lock assembly between a locked position, wherein the cam is adapted to engage the keeper, and an unlocked position, wherein the cam is adapted to disengage from the keeper; and

an anti-rotation device comprising a protrusion positioned on the housing, wherein when the sash lock assembly is in the locked position, the protrusion engages an engaging surface on the actuator handle to prevent rotation of the actuator handle, and wherein upon deflection of the actuator handle when the sash lock assembly is in the locked position, the engaging surface moves to clear the protrusion, permitting movement of the actuator to place the sash lock assembly in the unlocked position, wherein the protrusion has an inclined surface, and wherein the inclined surface engages and deflects the actuator handle when the actuator rotates to move the sash lock assembly from the unlocked position to the locked position.