GB1560340A - Casement window catch - Google Patents

Description

(54) CASEMENT WINDOW CATCH (71) We, SCHLEGEL (U.K.) LIMITED, a British Company or Ring Road Seacroft, Leeds, LS14 lLY, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, andl the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to catches, for example for casement windows.

The majority of known casement window catches are either left- or right-handed, and this can be a problem when there is a demand for more catches of one kind than the other, dependent of course on the stock held by a manufacturer.

The present invention seeks to overcome this problem by providing a catch which can be made from parts which can be used either for left- or right-handed locking, as desired. Furthermore, it enables some at least of the parts of the catches to be made from extrusions rather than castings, thereby simplifying manufacture of the catches.

According to the present invention there is provided a catch for a casement window or the like, the catch comprising an operating lever connected to a locking member and both being rockable about a common axis between an open and closed positions by actuation of the lever, both the lever and the locking member having inter-engaging portions such that,dluring assembly of the catch, the lever and the locking member can be engaged as desired to provide either a left- or right-handed catch.

The invention further provides a kit of parts for manufacturing a catch in accordance with the invention, and methods of manufacturing such catches. The lever preferably has a projecting portion engaging a complementary recess in the locking member, and it is particularly preferred that the projecting portion and recess are of substantially rectangular section andlor are substantially rectangular in plan view.

It has been found convenient to manufacture the lever from a portion of a metal extrusion, the direction of extrusion being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the lever. Preferably, the locking member is a zinc dye casting.

A catch for a casement window and embodying the invention is now described, by way of example, with references to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front view of the catch; Figure 2 is an exploded side view of the catch before assembly; Figure 3 is a section on line III-III of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a section on line IV-IV of Figure 1.

The illustrated catch has a base 1 for securing the catch to a window using screw or bolts holes 2, and a lever 3 for opening and closing the window and locking member 5. The lever 3 and member 5 are secured pivotally to the base 1 by a pin 7 which extends through apertures in the lever 3, the member 5 and the base 1, the pin being riveted over a washer 9 next to the base 1. A further washer 11, for example of a plastics material, between the member 5 and the base 1 facilitates rotation of the lever 3 and member 5.

The lever 3 and member 5 respectively have a rectangular projection 13 and a recess 15, the projection 13 being complementary with the recess 15 so that with the catch assembled, the lever 3 and member 5 move as a single entity. The shapes of the projection 13 and recess 15 need not be rectangular, but they should be such as to prevent relative rotation between the lever and member 5. Furthermore, the projection 13 and the recess 15 are such that the lever 3 and member 5 can be assembleld with a locking portion 17 of the member 5 extending to the right or left of the lever 3, according to whether left- or right-handed opening. is required.

It has been found convenient to manufacture certain parts of the illustrated catch, e.g. lever 3 and base 1 from the lengths of aluminium or aluminium alloy extrusions having profiles as shown in Figure 2, with certain amount of machining of the profiles, for example to provide apertures for the pin 7 of the screw or bolt holes 2 in the base 1. In this manner, a lever 3 can be pro deuced simply with a projecting portion 13 (through which a bolt hole 14 must be drilled) which enables the member 5 to be assembled either for left- or right-hand opening. The member 5 can also be manufactured from an extrusion having a suitable profile, but it is preferred to use castings, for example zinc die castings, since this avoids the substantial amount of machining required with extrusions.

The above catch has the advantage that it can be assembled for left- or right-hand operation, as desired. In addition, manufacture of the catch is simple since some at least of the parts can be made from extrusions rather than castings.

The above described catch can be used with most known striker pads. Further- more, it can be subjected to various finishing processes such as epoxy-spray painting or the like, as desired.

Although the above described catch is preferably manufactured from extrusions and castings as described above, it will be appreciated that any. of the various parts can be constructed by any convenient method, as desired.

While the illustrated catch has a lever with a projection 13 which has a shape which prevents relative rotation between the lever and the catch 5, this construction is not essential. For example, the projection and recess could be interchanged. Alternatively, relative rotation between the lever 3 and the member 5 can be prevented by the apertures in the lever 3 and the member 5 being of non-circular section and by using a pin 7 also having a non-cireular section for at least a portion of its length to prevent relative rotation. In this case, the projection and recess can be circular in plan view.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A catch for a casement window or the like, the catch comprising an operating lever connected to a locking member and both being rockable about a common axis between open and closed positions by actuation of the lever, both the lever and the locking member having inter-engaging portions such that during assembly of the catch, the lever and the locking member can be engaged as desired to provide either a leftor right-handed catch.

2. A catch according to claim 1 wherein the lever has a projecting portion engaging a complementary recess in the locking member.

3. A catch according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the lever has a projecting portion of substantially rectangular ection and/or substantialy rectangular plan view, the projecting portion engaging a complementary recess in the locking meml-- 4. A catch according te y one of the preceding claims wherein t- ever is a portion of a metal extrusion, the direction of extrusion being substantally. erpendicular to the longitudinal axis of lever.

5. A catch according to one of the preceding claims wherein the ocking member is a zinc die casting.

6. A catch for a casement endow or the like, the catch being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. A kit of parts for a catch for a casement window or the like, the kit comprising a lever for operating the catch, and a locking member for effecting locking with the catch, the lever and the catch having portions for engaging one with the other so that engagement can, as desired, provide either a left- or right-handed catch, both the lever and the locking member being rockable about a common axis.

8. A kit according to claim 7, including a base for securing the catch to the window or the like.

9. A kit according to claim 7 or claim 8, including means for connecting the lever and the locking member together.

10. A method of manufacture of a catch as claimed in claim 1, the method being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (10)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. with a locking portion 17 of the member 5 extending to the right or left of the lever 3, according to whether left- or right-handed opening. is required. It has been found convenient to manufacture certain parts of the illustrated catch, e.g. lever 3 and base 1 from the lengths of aluminium or aluminium alloy extrusions having profiles as shown in Figure 2, with certain amount of machining of the profiles, for example to provide apertures for the pin 7 of the screw or bolt holes 2 in the base 1. In this manner, a lever 3 can be pro deuced simply with a projecting portion 13 (through which a bolt hole 14 must be drilled) which enables the member 5 to be assembled either for left- or right-hand opening. The member 5 can also be manufactured from an extrusion having a suitable profile, but it is preferred to use castings, for example zinc die castings, since this avoids the substantial amount of machining required with extrusions. The above catch has the advantage that it can be assembled for left- or right-hand operation, as desired. In addition, manufacture of the catch is simple since some at least of the parts can be made from extrusions rather than castings. The above described catch can be used with most known striker pads. Further- more, it can be subjected to various finishing processes such as epoxy-spray painting or the like, as desired. Although the above described catch is preferably manufactured from extrusions and castings as described above, it will be appreciated that any. of the various parts can be constructed by any convenient method, as desired. While the illustrated catch has a lever with a projection 13 which has a shape which prevents relative rotation between the lever and the catch 5, this construction is not essential. For example, the projection and recess could be interchanged. Alternatively, relative rotation between the lever 3 and the member 5 can be prevented by the apertures in the lever 3 and the member 5 being of non-circular section and by using a pin 7 also having a non-cireular section for at least a portion of its length to prevent relative rotation. In this case, the projection and recess can be circular in plan view. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A catch for a casement window or the like, the catch comprising an operating lever connected to a locking member and both being rockable about a common axis between open and closed positions by actuation of the lever, both the lever and the locking member having inter-engaging portions such that during assembly of the catch, the lever and the locking member can be engaged as desired to provide either a leftor right-handed catch.

2. A catch according to claim 1 wherein the lever has a projecting portion engaging a complementary recess in the locking member.

3. A catch according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the lever has a projecting portion of substantially rectangular ection and/or substantialy rectangular plan view, the projecting portion engaging a complementary recess in the locking meml--

4. A catch according te y one of the preceding claims wherein t- ever is a portion of a metal extrusion, the direction of extrusion being substantally. erpendicular to the longitudinal axis of lever.

5. A catch according to one of the preceding claims wherein the ocking member is a zinc die casting.

6. A catch for a casement endow or the like, the catch being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. A kit of parts for a catch for a casement window or the like, the kit comprising a lever for operating the catch, and a locking member for effecting locking with the catch, the lever and the catch having portions for engaging one with the other so that engagement can, as desired, provide either a left- or right-handed catch, both the lever and the locking member being rockable about a common axis.

8. A kit according to claim 7, including a base for securing the catch to the window or the like.

9. A kit according to claim 7 or claim 8, including means for connecting the lever and the locking member together.

10. A method of manufacture of a catch as claimed in claim 1, the method being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.