EP0356430B1

EP0356430B1 - Fastening device

Info

Publication number: EP0356430B1
Application number: EP88902516A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Thomas John Wood
Original assignee: Wood Thomas John
Current assignee: Wood Thomas John
Priority date: 1987-03-13
Filing date: 1988-03-14
Publication date: 1994-06-15
Anticipated expiration: 2008-03-14
Also published as: EP0356430A1; WO1988007121A1; DE3850253D1; GB8706024D0

Abstract

A fastening device (10) for locating and fastening a unit such as a window (30, 31) or door (60) in an opening. The device includes a pair of upstanding tongues (14, 16, 114, 116), each with serrated tips (20, 22). The device can be fixed e.g. to the window frame, during manufacture; and with a number of such devices fitted the window can be pushed into the opening where it is located without the need for drilling on-site. In an alternative embodiment the fastening device is fitted to the structure defining the opening and the tips engage the unit. In an alternative application, the device is secured to a door jamb (52), and the door (60) is held in the closed position when the tongue tips enter slots i.e. recesses or apertures (57a, 57b) in an accessory plate secured to the door; the accessory plate has a longitudinal aperture through which a cam (63) projects, the cam being operated by a door handle (62) to lift the tongues out of the slots so that the door can be opened.

Description

This invention relates to a fastening device and is particularly, though not exclusively, concerned with a fastening device for locating and fastening an article in a structure defining an opening e.g. a window frame in an opening in a wall, or a door in a jamb.
The invention has particular application for the fitting of pre-assembled complete window units comprising a frame and fitted glazing. Thus multi-glazed windows are nowadays usually pre-assembled in a factory, in various sizes suited to customer needs. With factory made units it is easier to ensure the proper hermetic sealing, and it is often easier in a factory to make such units individually to a size to fit readily into a measured opening, for example to fit into an opening from which a single glazed unit is to be removed so that a replacement double-glazed window or triple-glazed window can be fitted. The internal surface of such opening is often irregular, being typically of bricks or blocks laid in courses.
Current methods of securing a window unit in place, such as passing several long bolts through the frame into the masonry surrounding the opening often result in distortion of the window unit, and often constrain the unit against proper thermal expansion and contraction. Furthermore, current fitting methods require considerable fitting time, adding appreciably to the cost; delay in securing in position a factory assembled pre-glazed window can cause problems to the fitting crew in windy conditions, since the unit may be blown or sucked out of the prepared opening before the window is properly secured and/or a fitter may be struck by a displaced window unit and/or may be cut by broken glass therefrom, and of course the problems arising from the currently accepted long fitting times are accentuated if several such units have to be fitted to a multi-storey building - especially if it is the heavier multi-glazed window units which are being manoeuvered. Even in good working conditions, locating and securing windows by the conventional methods requires considerable skill.
We are aware of the disclosure of Herbert de Vries German Offenlegungschrift DE-A-3420626 for a fastening device suitable for the fitting of a pre-assembled window into an opening. His device included a first part to be fixed relative to the internal surface of the opening, and a pair of second parts engageable with an outwardly facing abutment on the frame for the window, the second parts being resiliently deflectable towards the first part to permit the frame to move into the opening in the fitting direction but to secure it against movement in the opposite direction. However de Vries taught that the second parts should be at the same angle (and displacement) relative to the first part, so that each will engage an abutment on the frame. Furthermore, since to locate a window a number of fastening devices will be required, spaced widely apart but with the second parts still engaging an abutment, Herbert de Vries also taught the necessity with his arrangement for a sub-frame for the accurate positional mounting of the separate fastening devices; this arrangement would however be rejected for general use since a number of sub-frames are required, not only one for each size of opening, but (for each external size of sub-frame) one with different internal dimensions suited to each size of frame. The sub-frame inwards profile furthermore needs to be selected in accordance with the frame external profile so that the second parts of the fastening device can cooperate precisely with the selected abutment on the frame. The de Vries arrangement is thus not suited to general application for the fitting of frames into openings of different sizes in either new build walls (having either regular or irregular inwardly facing surfaces) or into openings in existing walls i.e. from which a frame has been removed for reconditioning or replacement.
It will however be apparent that for openings already fitted with a suitable de Vries type sub-frame, our fastening device can be fitted e.g. sprung therein, but users may prefer our fastening devices to be fitted directly to the internal surfaces defining the opening so that a larger (window) opening will result.
Thus there is a long recognised need for a suitable means to secure a window unit in a newly built and/or into an existing window opening which avoids undue distortion of the frame, which substantially reduces the time required for a unit to be located and secured, which reduces the skill required in order that a unit can be fitted by a wider range of available staff, and which when fitted allows the frame to expand and contract within the opening (i.e. with ambient temperature changes, with however the frame being securely retained in the opening), and which avoids the need for on-site drilling of the structure which provides the window opening.
It is an object of our invention to partly or fully meet this long recognized need. Consequently, we propose to provide a fastening device for securing an article (such as a window unit) adjacent a surface (such as a surface of a structure defining a window opening).
Thus according to one feature of the invention we provide a fastening device for securing a first member against movement in one selected direction relative to a second member, one of the members being a frame, particularly a pre-assembled glazed window frame, the other of the members defining a wall opening sized to receive the frame, which includes a first part (12) movable with the first member (30,33,52,60) and a pair of second parts (15,17,20,22) engageable with the second member (30,33,52,60), the second parts being resiliently deflectable towards the first part to permit movement of said first member relative to the said second member in a direction opposed to said one selected direction, the second parts being coupled (14,16,114,116) to the first part so as to oppose relative movement between the members in said selected direction characterised in that one (14) of the second parts is at a first angle to the said first part whilst the other of the second parts (16b) is at a different angle to the said first part, and in that the said one of the second parts is coupled to the first part by a first portion at a first angle, the said one of the second parts having a second portion at a greater angle than said first portion and including the said one of the second parts, wherein one or both of the said second parts can engage the said second member to resist removal of the fitted frame from the opening in said one selected direction.
We disclose that one of the second parts has a first engagement angle and another of the second parts has a different engagement angle, said engagement angles differing by at least 15 degrees, wherein the second parts can independently engage the second member to resist movement thereof in said one selected direction and at positions spaced apart in said selected direction. In this specification "engagement angle" is the angle of the tip of a tongue relative to the first part of the fastening device when engaging an even surface.
Preferably the first part is a flat plate and the second part is a tongue tip, the tongue being formed integrally with the plate and angled thereto, the plate and tongue being of austenitic stainless steel compressed and hard rolled to British Standard 5770 and with a high tensile strength of above 7.8x10⁷kg/m², and usually about 1.3x10⁸kg/m². Preferably the tongue tip is serrated; and in a typical embodiment used for installing pre-assembled and glazed window units, the fastening device will include a first tongue extending at a first angle to the plate, and a second tongue extending at a greater angle and to the same side of the plate, the tip of the second tongue having serrations which are more pointed than those of the tip of the first tongue, and able to grip against hard surfaces without appreciable slippage. Since some window frames have to be fitted into existing masonry, the second tongue usefully has a first portion at the said greater angle to the plane of the plate and second portion at a still greater angle, with the second portion including the tongue tip; in this embodiment, the tip (on the second tongue portion) may conveniently extend slightly further away from the plate than the tip of the first tongue, so that the second tongue can be the first to engage the masonry and so that this engagement will be at an angle nearer to the perpendicular to the plate (and so usually to the masonry) than will be the engagement angle for the first tongue.
As a further feature, the first and second tongues are separated laterally by an intermediate portion of the plate, so that if the window unit and the structure defining the opening are not exactly square one to the other, at least one of the tongues can still engage the unit, or can engage the opening structure if the fastening device is mounted on the unit. Furthermore, to cater for the frame (or for the opening structure for the converse mounting arrangement of the fastening device) having a profiled non-uniform periphery, the first and second tongues are axially spaced one from the other so that at least one can engage the frame (or opening structure). We do however forsee that there may be applications wherein the tongues can be positioned fore and aft or side by side or where more than two tongues or gripping members are provided.
Although one or more fastening devices as herein disclosed can be affixed to the structure forming the opening, prior to the insertion of a pre-assembled (ready-glazed) window unit, this may not always be the preferred arrangement, since the fastening devices have to be secured e.g. in a window opening, individually on site. Thus I also propose an alternative arrangement wherein the fastening devices are pre-fitted to the window frame, or (as for the arrangements specifically protected in our co-pending divisional patent application EPA 91110295.2) preformed as part of the window frame - as when this is a plastics extrusion; and for this alternative arrangement with the gripping devices carried by the window unit, the the tongue tips can locate and fasten the respective window unit by engaging the respective surface(s) of the structure defining the opening. Because the tongues each provide a resilient mounting, the window frame is resiliently sprung within that structure defining the opening, so allowing a peripheral gap in which the frame can expand and contract e.g. with ambient temperature variations. The peripheral gap between the frame and e.g. the masonry can be filled and sealed with known proprietary sealing products in the normal manner.
If the structure defining the opening is not immediately suitable for the location and fastening of a window unit, I am also disclosing an accessory comprising transverse retaining slots (holes or depressions depending on the thickness of the accessory), the accessory being fixable to the structure at a position where it can be engaged by one or both of the tongue tips, in use. This accessory, conveniently a flat plate, can itself be modified so as to include a central (longitudinal) aperture running generally perpendicular to the transverse slots which in one embodiment stop short of the aperture to make this (modified) accessory better suited to other applications; thus, in use, the modified accessory can be affixed e.g. to a door jamb, whereby the tongue tips can hold closed a door, the door handle operating a cam which can project through the (longitudinal) aperture to release the tongue tips, by engaging them or extensions thereof, to allow the door to be opened, whereby the fastening device of the present invention has an alternative application as a part of a lock.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig.1: is a plan view of a fastening device in accordance with the invention;
Fig.2: is a view (not to scale) on the line II-II of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3: is a view (not to scale) on the line III-III of Fig. 1;
Fig.4: is a cross section through a window unit and a reveal, showing a single fastening device according to Figs. 1-3 between the window unit and the reveal;
Fig.5: is a partial cross section through a door frame and a door, and a fastening device in accordance with the invention;
Fig.6: is of an accessory plate for use with the fastening device of Fig.5;
Fig.7: is a front elevation of a window frame, fitted with eight fastening devices; and,
Fig.8: is a perspective view of a modified fastening device, with as background a structure opening.

The fastening device 10 shown in Figs.1,2,3 and 4 is formed from 0.4mm thick hard rolled stainless steel, in this embodiment from a rectangular blank of 80mm x 35mm ; it comprises a flat plate section 12 and two gripping members 14 and 16 which extend generally upwardly (as seen in Fig.2) from the plate section 12, and to the same side thereof. Between the gripping members there is retained an intermediate portion 19, in the same plane as the flat plate section 12, and which in an alternative embodiment has a nailing hole i.e. of smaller diameter than screw holes 18. As more fully described below, the gripping members 14,16 have their engagement tips 15,17 axially (i.e. upwardly as seen in Fig.1) and laterally offset.
The gripping member 14 is in the form of a tongue, provided by a substantially planar strip punched from flat plate section 12 and which is angled at 60 degrees to the plane of plate section 12, and in this embodiment reaches at its tip 15 a height of 10mm above the plane of plate section 12.
The second gripping member 16 is also in the form of a tongue, provided by a strip angled from plate section 12, to a height at its tip 17 of 9mm above the plane of plate section 12. The gripping member 16 comprises two sections 16a and 16b. The first section 16a is at 45 degrees to the plane of plate section 12, and the second section 16b, which is integral with the first section 16a, is at 85 degrees to the plate section 12.
Two holes 18, aligned with gripping members 14 and 16, are formed through the plate 12; in use, fastening means such as a countersunk screw (or less preferably) a nail can be passed through each hole 18 to fix fastening device 10 to a surface, such as to surface 32 of a reveal 33 as seen in Fig. 4. Thus in a particular application of the fastening device, a window unit 30, in this embodiment having a wooden frame 31, but in alternative embodiments having a frame of another known frame material such as UPVC or aluminium, is held in place in a structure (including in this embodiment reveal 33) which defines a window opening, by at least one fastening device 10 fixed by nails 35 through holes 18 to one surface 32 of the window opening. The fastening device may have a (smaller) nailing hole in the intermediate section 19 for preliminary fixing, and then holes 18 are likely to be used for retaining screws.
To fit a window unit into a window opening, fastening devices in accordance with the invention are fixed to each reveal around the window opening, and then the window unit 30 within frame 31 is offered up to the window opening and pushed into place up to and against plasterwork 34, with the gripping members 14 and 16 being deflected by the window frame 31. Any tendency for the window unit 30 to slide or be vacuum-drawn back out of the window opening either during fitting or subsequently is inhibited by the gripping members 14 and 16 which in this example both "bite" into the window frame 31.
In the alternative arrangement as seen in Fig.7, the fastening devices are secured to the window frame, and so the gripping members 14 and 16 are deflected towards the window frame 31 as the window unit is pushed into place up to and against an internal stop which again can be plasterwork 34, with the tip of one or both tongues engaging the structure defining the opening. In a preferred embodiment, the fastening device is a stainless spring-steel member with angled serrated tongues, as seen in Fig.8, and which is fixed to the frame itself during frame manufacture, rather than on-site. In this alternative embodiment gripping member 116 extends slightly further away from the plane of plate 12 than does gripping member 114. The tip 20 of gripping member 116 is serrated; gripping member 114 also has a tip 22 which is serrated, but with less sharp serrations than tip 20.
If the window unit is to be fitted before the plasterwork is ready, I propose an alternative stop up to which the unit can be pushed. In one embodiment this is one or more components of top-hat shape and of synthetic resinous material, each pinned to the reveal to form a inward abutment. In another embodiment, this stop is formed by one or more plates nailed to the reveal, each plate having an upstanding end part which when the plate is correctly positioned provides the inward abutment.
In field trials, it has been found that fastening devices in accordance with the invention will fasten and hold a window unit in place in a window opening despite a loading of several tonnes on the window unit, such as may occur from the vacuum effect of a strong wind blowing substantially parallel to the glazing. Fastening devices according to the invention, if they are part of the window unit, allow a fully glazed window to be fitted in 5 minutes or less. With frame to masonry clearances due to thermally induced expansion/contraction of units rangeing from 1mm to 14mm on each side of the frame, the fastening devices did not release their locating and fastening loading.
Fastening devices in accordance with the invention are particularly advantageous in that, in use, they tend to centre the window in the window opening as the window is being fitted, and thereafter can hold the window securely in place without distorting the window frame. Preferably the fastening devices are positioned adjacent the corners of the window frame, or opposite transoms or mullions able to accept the (resilient) loading from the gripping members.
Although the fastening devices described above have been formed in one piece from resilient materials, it is envisaged that the plate and gripping member may be separate i.e. non-integral members, coupled together but biased apart by a separate resilient member such as a plate or leaf spring.
Furthermore, whereas the fastening devices above have been generally described by embodiments wherein they are fixed to the surface of a reveal, when the device is fixed to, or (for the arrangements as protected in our co-pending divisional patent application) integral with, the window unit, the arrangement is advantageous in that it permits accomodation to variations in the surface (for example of the brickwork forming a reveal, generally as seen in the background to Fig.8).
In an alternative application, fastening devices in accordance with the invention may be used as a latch, as more particularly shown in Figs.5 and 6. Thus Fig 5 shows a modified fastening device 50 fixed to a door frame 52 by screws 54. Each of the laterally and axially spaced gripping members 56a,56b has a lateral extension (not seen in Fig.5 but respectively extending towards the other gripping member). In the position shown in Fig.5 the door 60 is closed, and as seen in this view the plate 58 is fixed to the facing surface of door 60 i.e. that surface which faces fastening device 50; the gripping members 56 have at least their tips in engagement respectively in a pair of slots 57a, 57b one to either side of but not opening into aperture 59 in plate 58, and so acting to hold the door shut. To open the door 60, the handle 62 is manipulated by a user to rotate a cam 63 into and then through opening 59, the cam contacting the lateral extension(s) and deflecting the gripping members out of the slots 57a, 57b to allow the door to open about its hinge (not shown). In an alternative embodiment, the slots 57a, 57b open into aperture 59; instead of lateral extensions to the respective gripping members, the gripping members for this embodiment are themselves made wider so that they encroach into aperture 59, from which they can be lifted by cam 63 to allow the door 60 to be opened.
The use of a fastening device in accordance with this invention as a latch is particularly advantageous in that the fastening device is simple and robust, and does not require high accuracy fitting. This application also makes use of the unique features of the fastening device.

Claims

A fastening device for securing a first member against movement in one selected direction relative to a second member, one of the members being a frame, particularly a pre-assembled glazed window frame, the other of the members defining a wall opening sized to receive the frame, which includes a first part (12) movable with the first member (30,33,52,60) and a pair of second parts (15,17,20,22) engageable with the second member (30,33,52,60), the second parts being resiliently deflectable towards the first part to permit movement of said first member relative to the said second member in a direction opposed to said one selected direction, the second parts being coupled (14,16,114,116) to the first part so as to oppose relative movement between the members in said selected direction characterised in that one (17) of the second parts is at a first angle to the said first part (12) whilst the other of the second parts (15) is at a different angle to the said first part (12), and in that the said one (17) of the second parts is coupled to the first part (12) by a first portion (16a) at a first angle, the said one (17) of the second parts having a second portion (16b) at a greater angle than said first portion (16a) and including the said one (17) of the second parts, wherein one or both of the said second parts can engage the said second member to resist removal of the fitted frame from the opening in said one selected direction.
A fastening device for securing a first member against movement in one selected direction relative to a second member, one of the members being a frame, particularly a pre-assembled glazed window frame, the other of the members defining a wall opening sized to receive the frame, which includes a first part (12) movable with the first member (30,33,52,60) and a pair of second parts (15,17,20,22) engageable with the second member (30,33,52,60), the second parts being resiliently deflectable towards the first part to permit movement of said first member relative to the said second member in a direction opposed to said one selected direction, the second parts being coupled (14,16,114,116) to the first part so as to oppose relative movement between the members in said selected direction characterised in that one (17) of the second parts has a first engagement angle and another of the second parts (15) has a different engagement angle, said engagement angles differing by at least 15 degrees, wherein the said second parts can independently engage the said second member to resist movement thereof in said one selected direction and at positions spaced apart in said selected direction.
A fastening device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 characterised in that the first part is a flat plate (12) fixable to said one of the members and in which the second parts are the ends of first and second tongues (14,16), the tongues being integral with the plate and angled thereto, the plate and tongues being of austenitic stainless steel.
A fastening device according to Claim 3 characterised in that the tip of each tongue is serrated (20,22), the tip (20) of the second tongue having serrations which are more pointed than those on the tip (22) of the first tongue.
A fastening device according to Claim 3 or Claim 4 in which the second tongue has a first portion (16b) at said different angle and a second portion (16a) at a smaller angle, the first portion including the tip.
A fastening device according to any of Claims 3 to 5 in which the tongues are separated by an intermediate portion (19) of the plate, and in which there are fixing holes through the plate, with one fixing hole being in the intermediate portion and two of the fixing holes (18) being in the remainder of the plate and in respective alignment with the first and second tongues.
An assembly comprising a structure (33) defining an opening and an article (30, 31) to be fastened in the structure defining the opening, the article having dimensions smaller than those of the opening, characterised in that the article is fastened in the opening by a plurality of fastening devices according to any of Claims 1 - 6.
An assembly comprising a structure (33) defining an opening and an article (30, 31) to be fastened in the structure defining the opening, the article having dimensions smaller than those of the opening characterised in that a single fastening device according to any of Claims 1 - 6 is fixed to a door jamb (52), and an accessory plate (58) is fixed to the facing surface (when the door is closed) of the door, the accessory plate being slotted (57a, 57b) with the slots being of a size to receive a tongue tip, the door including a handle (62) connected to a cam (63) positioned to project through a longitudinal aperture (59) in the accessory plate, the cam being so disposed that rotation of the handle can cause the cam to engage and resiliently deflect out of the slots a tongue received therein.
A method of fitting and locating a panel in a structure defining an opening, the opening being larger than the article to provide a gap therebetween, characterised in that it includes the step of providing at least one fastening device according to any of Claims 1 - 6 upon one of the article and structure at a position so that the device in use is located in the gap.