EP0389448B1

EP0389448B1 - Bolt mechanism for sliding doors, windows and related items

Info

Publication number: EP0389448B1
Application number: EP90830099A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marco Lambertini
Original assignee: Giesse SpA
Current assignee: Giesse SpA
Priority date: 1989-03-15
Filing date: 1990-03-13
Publication date: 1994-06-22
Anticipated expiration: 2010-03-13
Also published as: IT8903382A0; DE69010044T2; IT1234029B; ES2057513T3; EP0389448A3; DE69010044D1; EP0389448A2

Description

The object of the present invention is a bolt mechanism for sliding doors, windows and related items, comprising a device for adjusting the working position of the bolt mechanism.
In this type of door or window the bolt mechanism consists of a rod on which, externally to the door or window, there are one or two catches designed to latch into a corresponding seating present on the fixed part of the frame with which the moving part closes flush.
In this specific sector there are known to exist doors and windows which utilize this type of bolt mechanism whose working position of locking to the corresponding seating can be adjusted in a manner parallel to the direction of sliding of the door or window so that the door or window closes perfectly flush with the fixed part of the frame.
The European Patent n. 44 264 in particular describes a device for the adjustment of the working position which device envisages that the rod be housed in a seat within which it can slide, this seat being made in a slider which moves perpendicularly to the direction of sliding of the door or window so as to engage and disengage the catch with and from its seating. The rod is provided on both its long edges, with teeth which engage with another set of teeth made along an insert along the bottom of the housing of the rod. The insert can move along the housing in a manner parallel to the direction of sliding of the rod and a grub screw acts unidirectionally on it which when engaged with the slider blocks it, together with the rod.
The principal drawback to be found in this sort of solution is that the rod cannot be positioned in a continuous manner but only according to discrete values determined by the pitch of the teeth, thus detracting from the precision with which the door or window can be closed. A second disadvantage to be kept in mind consists of the fact that the movements of the rod can be effected only manually and after a long series of operations. In fact, the rod can be moved only after having eliminated the geometric interference between it and its housing, and that is possible only after first moving the bottom part of the housing itself away from the rod. Subsequently after having effected the adjustment the housing must be moved near to the rod itself in order to block it. It is obvious that the continuous repetition of the manoeuvres necessary before determining the optimal position of the rod leads to a considerable loss of time when installing the locking device.
Another known locking device is described in European Patent N. 230 201, and it envisages a notch made lengthwise on the rod thus providing a housing for the means of control of adjustment of the movements.
This latter consists of a threaded cylinder which has its axis of rotation longitudinal to the rod and meshes laterally with a complementary fixed thread in the above-mentioned housing. Rotating the cylinder with the appropriate key, both the rod and the means of control are free to slide. When the optimal position has been defined fixing is obtained by means of a thrust screw which keeps the rod pressed against its own seat.
One obvious drawback found in this sort of solution is that the movement of the rod can be effected only by rotating the threaded cylinder thus increasing the time needed for adjustment if much rotation is necessary.
The purpose of the present invention is therefore to eliminate the drawbacks above-mentioned and to allow both fine and rough adjustment of the working position of the rod, according to claim 1.
The invention is described in more detail below with the aid of drawings which represent a preferred, although not sole, embodiment.
Figures 1 and 2 illustrate, in exploded view from opposite sides of the door or window the device according to the present invention.
Figures 3 and 4 illustrate two successive phases of the adjustment of the working position of the bolt mechanism.
As can be seen in the enclosed illustrations the device according to the present invention consists of a bolt mechanism for sliding doors, windows and other related items, which mechanism, indicated with 1 in the figure consists of a rod 2 parallel to the direction of sliding of the door or window, (a section of which is indicated with 12 and which closes flush with the fixed part of the door or window frame) and which has at the end projecting beyond the leading edge of the door or window, at least one catch 3, which latches into a corresponding seat in the door or window frame. The rod 2 is housed within its seat 4 made in a slider 5 which moves in relation to the section 12 of the door or window and gives two extreme positions that is either of the catch 3 locked or unlocked into the seat not illustrated.
The device for adjusting the working position of the rod 2 according to the present invention operates between the rod and the slider 5 and consists of a screw means 6 completely and independently housed in a seat 7 which comunicates with the seat 4 of the rod 2.
The screw means 6 housed in its seat 7 is free to rotate and prevented from moving along its axis of rotation which is parallel to the direction of movement of the rod 2.
The rod 2 presents on the side facing the seat 7 a threaded section which engages with the screw means 6.
The improved device according to the present invention includes a positioning and thrust means 9 associated with the slider 5 which acts on the screw means 6 along a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the latter. The positioning and thrust means 9 is designed to move the screw means 6 in a manner parallel to itself between a fully backward position, in which the screw means 6 is completely housed in its seat 7 without projecting beyond this towards the seat 4 and the rod 2 is free to move axially with respect to the slider 5, and a fully forward position where the screw means 6 is completely engaged with the threaded section 8 of the rod 2 and is forced against the rod so as to be prevented from rotating and so fixing axially the rod with regard to the slider 5. The positioning and thrust means 9 moves the screw means 6 through a position intermediate between the extreme positions and where the screw means 6 is completely engaged with the threaded section 8 of the rod 2 and is free to revolve around its own axis so as to permit a micrometric adjustment of the axial position of the rod 2 in relation to the slider 5
As can be seen in figures 1 and 2 the screw means 6 has a central circumferential groove 10 and the means 9 consists of another screw means whose axis is at an angle in relation to the screw means 6 and which may be screwed into the slider 5. The screw means 9 consist of a grub screw with a tapered end 11 which moves into the seat 7 and engages with the circumferential groove 10 of the screw means 6.
The screw means 6 consists of a grub screw both ends of which have a recess or slot for a spanner or a screwdriver which can be used to rotate the grub screw 9.
The grub screw 6 cannot be longer than its seat housing 7 in order to prevent it from moving axially relative to the slider 5.
With a device of this type the grub screw 6 can be inserted in its seat 7, then, with the grub screw 9 barely screwed into the slider 5 so as not to interfere with the grub screw 6, the rod 2 is inserted in its seat 4. Screwing in the grub screw 9, its tapered end 11 is inserted in the circumferential groove of the grub screw 6 and pushes the latter until it engages completely with the threaded section 8 of the rod 2. Srewing up and screwing down the grub screw 6 makes the rod 2 slide nearer or further from its seat. Once the proper working position of the rod 2 has been determined, the grub screw 9 is screwed up further so as to force the grub screw 6 against the rod 2 thus forcing the rod 2 against the slider 5 until the rod 2 is completely blocked in relation to the slider 5.
While the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof, changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the appended claims. For example, the grub screw 6 can be of a shorter length than its seat 7 and be prevented from moving axially by the grub screw 9 whose tapered end 11 is engaged in the circumferential groove 10 of the grub screw 6.

Claims

A bolt mechanism for sliding doors, windows or related items, comprising a device for the adjustment of the working position of the bolt mechanism which bolt mechanism (1) is of the type which consists of a rod (2) parallel to the direction of sliding of the door or window and provided with, at the end which projects beyond the leading edge of the door or window, at least one catch (3) designed to latch into a corresponding seat in the door or window frame, said rod (2) being housed in a first seat (4) made in a slider (5) which moves with respect to the door or window between two extreme positions of locking or unlocking said catch (3) to a seat in the door or window frame, said adjustment device being designed to act between the rod (2) and said slider (5); characterized by the fact that it comprises screw means (6) completely and independently housed in a second seat (7) communicating with the first seat (4) of said rod (2); said screw means (6) being within said second seat (7) free to rotate and prevented from moving along its axis of rotation parallel to the direction of movement of said rod (2); the latter presenting on the side facing said second seat (7), a threaded section (8) matching said screw means (6); positioning and thrust means (9) , associated with said slider (5), being designed to act on said screw means (6) along a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the latter and designed to move the same in a manner perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the screw means (6) between a fully backward position, in which said screw means (6) are completely housed in said second seat (7) without projecting beyond towards the first seat (4) of said rod (2) and this is free to move parallel to the direction of sliding of the door or window frame in the slider (5), and a fully forward position, in which said screw means (6) is completely engaged with the threaded section (8) of said rod (2) and is forced against the same so as to be prevented from rotating and so as to make the same fixed in the direction parallel to the direction of sliding of the door or window with respect to the said slider (5), passing through an intermediate position in which said screw means (6) is completely engaged with the threaded section (8) of the said rod and is free to rotate around its own longitudinal axis so as to permit a micrometric adjustment of the position in the direction parallel to the direction of sliding of the door or window of the said rod (2) with respect to the said slider (5).
A bolt mechanism according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said screw means (6) are provided in its central area with a groove (10) and the said positioning and thrust means (9) consists of a secondary screw means whose axis is at an angle with respect to that of this latter, said secondary screw means being screwed into the said slider (5) and provided with a tapered end which emerges within the said second seat (7) so as to engage with the said groove (10) of the said screw means (6).
A bolt mechanism according to claim 2, characterised by the fact that said first screw means (6) are of a length smaller than that of said second seat (7) and is prevented from axially moving by said second screw means (9) engaged with its tapered end (11) with the groove (10) of the said first screw means (6).
A bolt mechanism according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that the said first screw means (6) are of a length not greater than that of said second seat (7) in which it is housed so as to be impeded from moving axially with respect to the said slider (5).