How to Install Quick Release Button Lock for Your Window Protection
Let’s first examine the contents of your standard push button release kit, shall we? Here are the standard contents, along with brief descriptions of which is which:
1. Safe (2 “x 6” metal box)
2. Pushrod (11 “long round rod, usually gold)
3. Impact dowel (a 2 “long x 5/8” diameter round dowel, usually silver, may be inside the cardboard)
4. Cardstock (4 “long round cardstock)
5. Flange (1 1/2 “diameter aluminum cover)
6. Button (3/4 “diameter aluminum button)
7. Mounting screws (usually 4 small screws in a small plastic bag)
8. Plastic protector (2 1/2 “diameter plastic cover)
The non-supplied tools and parts you will need are:
1. Knife
2. Pencil
3. 1/2 “long drill bit (should be long enough to go through the building wall)
4. Drill
5. 1/4 “-3/8” screws for lock box holes, washers if necessary.
6. Drill bit for those screws
7. Hammer
8. Ruler
9. Heavy duty bolt cutters or grinder, which can cut 1/4 “metal rod.
Let’s go for it!
1. Place the impact pin in the window guard.
The impact pin (3) must be permanently mounted in or near the outer metal frame of the window guard – hereinafter referred to as WG – on the “door” side of the WG opposite the hinge, near the middle (the same place where a doorknob is located). It should extend outward from the WG towards the wall, so that it then slides into the safe first at the tip when closed.
IMPORTANT: The Strike Pin must point as straight as possible, that is, not point slightly up, down, left or right. The straighter it is, the smoother it will run later.
The back of the impact bolt has threads for a 1/4 “bolt, so a common way to attach the impact bolt to your WG is by first putting in a 1/4” bolt and then screwing in the impact bolt. in that. Still, you don’t want people to be able to just unscrew the bolt from the outside, so it’s important that you permanently attach it to the WG. Most of the time, this is done by spot welding the attached impact pin in place, but if a welder is not on hand, any way the bolt can become useless will work, such as using one-way bolts.
2. Mount the window guard
If you haven’t already, it’s time to mount the WG on your window. Attach the lock box (1) to the end of your pin so that it snaps into place. If not, make sure it is unlocked first by pushing the end of the push rod (2) into the smaller hole in the lock box first. This safe will mount to the exterior wall of your building, so you must install the WG in a position where the safe can be mounted using the top and bottom screw holes, and cannot be removed ( as when it sits) off the edge of a window frame).
The other thing to note here is that there will be a roughly 1/2 “hole drilled through your wall located in the middle of the safe, and on the inside of the building, a 1 5/8” flange in diameter mount it on the wall around that hole. So when placing the WG you will want the lock box to be close to the window opening, but far enough away to allow this 1/2 “hole to be drilled through the wall and hopefully clear from any internal wall obstruction (such as interior frame) for a 1 5/8 “diameter around the center of the hole.
3. Mark your hole
With the Strike Pin attached to your WG and the WG attached to your building, the rest is relatively simple!
Now we need to mark the place where the hole will be drilled through the wall to match the small hole on the back of the safe. First, push the push rod (2) into the hole in the lock to release it from the impact pin and remove it. Place the cardboard sheet (4) completely over the impact pin and cut the end with a utility knife so that the cardboard extends just beyond the impact pin. Close the WG door slowly until the cardboard circle meets the wall, then use a pencil to draw a circle where it lands.
4. Drill
Technically, a 3/8 “bit will be large enough to fit the push rod, but I recommend a 1/2” bit, which leaves more room for error and is well covered. Using the circle you just marked, drill a hole straight through the wall of your building until you break the other side.
At this point, place the safe back in the WG and keep it closed. Someone inside should be able to look through the newly drilled hole and see ALL of the small hole in the safe. If it is partially covered, drill the hole until there is a clear path to it.
5. Mount the safe
If it isn’t already, put the safe back in the WG and keep it closed. Mark the top and bottom holes of the safe with your trusty pencil, then open the WG and drill with the drill bit (NOT the huge one!) That matches the screws you are going to use to mount the safe, which don’t come with the kit. These screws should be 1/4 “to 3/8”, and they should be 2 “to 3” long.
With the 2 holes drilled above and below the BIG one, remove the safe from the WG (you know how, right?), Place it on the wall and mount it with its screws. Screw them in until they are snug, but do not fully tighten them yet.
6. Align the safe
Slowly close the WG towards your mounted safe, being careful NOT to lock it in place. What’s that? You say the Strike Pin is out of alignment? Take a pill to refresh yourself, I’m coming.
With your hammer, hit the safe enough to move it in the direction it should go. If it won’t budge, you screwed it in a bit too much and you’ll have to loosen it. When it’s lined up properly, you can lock it in place to make sure it works. Of course, it can be unlocked by inserting the push rod (2) through the hole in the wall until it is released. Note that you may need to “fish” around the smaller hole in the lock box to push it all the way down.
When everything is lined up, fully tighten the lock box screws. If everything is lined up properly, the pushrod should easily open the WG and the WG should easily lock into place. Even after tightening the screws, you may be able to use the hammer for final adjustments.
7. Cut the push rod
All right, now inside the building! Close the WG until it is locked, then put the push rod (2) THREADS FIRST all the way to the bottom of the hole and then to the hole in the safe (which you will probably have to “fish”) until you can’t go any further , WITHOUT unlocking it.
IMPORTANT: You MUST make sure the pushrod is completely inside the lock box, although sometimes it is hard to tell. To be safe, try unlocking and re-locking the WG several times, so you know the pushrod is last.
Once the pushrod is as far in as possible, mark the pushrod with a pencil or marker 5/8 “past the inside face of the wall. That is, we want to cut the pushrod so that only 5/8 “extends out of your wall.
Once you have your mark, use a pair of bolt cutters or a grinder to cut the push rod at your mark. If you inserted it correctly, the excess you are cutting should NOT be the threaded end.
8. Install the button
Rotate the push rod so the threads are facing you again and screw the button (6) into the end. Then insert the push rod back into the wall and into the hole in the safe as before. If it doesn’t extend far enough, you will probably cut the pushrod too short and will have to try again with another. Place the flange (5) around the button and push the flange (not the button) all the way against the wall, as if it were screwed on. If the WG unlocks, the pushrod is a bit too long and you will have to cut it a bit more. If not, just press the button!
Just screw the flange to the wall with the screws (7) provided, and you’re done!
Optionally, the plastic protector (8) can be installed over the button and flange with the other 2 screws provided.
And that’s it!