GB1594822A

GB1594822A - Catch devices for sliding panels

Info

Publication number: GB1594822A
Application number: GB1943677A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Widney Windows Ltd H S C
Current assignee: Widney Windows Ltd H S C
Priority date: 1978-05-08
Filing date: 1978-05-08
Publication date: 1981-08-05

Description

(54) CATCH DEVICES FOR SLIDING PANELS (71) We, H.S.C. WIDNEY WINDOWS LIMITED, a British Company, of Salford Street, Aston, Birmingham, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to catch devices for sliding panels, more particularly catch devices for sliding window panels, for example for motor vans.

The object of the invention is to provide a catch device, for a sliding panel, with simple locking means.

According to the invention, a catch device for a sliding panel comprises a catch body carrying (a) a pivoted catch lever for operative engagement with a hole in, or abutment means on, a frame for the sliding panel to retain the panel against sliding movement, said lever being spring-biassed in a direction urging it into its operative position, and (b) a pivoted locking lever which, when the catch lever is in its operative position, is angularly movable from a non-locking position, in which it leaves the catch lever free to be move angularly, to a locking position in which it abuts against the catch lever to prevent angular movement of the latter to an inoperative position.Preferably, said locking lever has a cam surface which, when the catch lever is in its operative position and the locking lever is in its locking position, cams against an arm of the catch lever whereby to retain the latter against movement to its inoperative position, the cam surface being such that the locking lever is self-retaining in its locking position. The catch lever may comprise two arms, namely a first arm having a nose for operative engagement with said hole or abutment means to retain the panel against sliding movement, and a second arm constituting the said arm against which the locking lever cams when the locking lever is in its locking position, with said second arm of the catch lever having an outer surface against which a thumb or finger can be pressed when moving said catch lever to its inoperative position.The locking lever of the catch device may have a projecting exterior end constituting a fingerpiece or thumbpiece movable to move the locking lever from its non-locking to its locking position.

In the accompanying drawings, which show, by way of example, a convenient embodiment of the invention: Figure 1 is a cross-section through a bottom portion of a sliding window assembly for a motor vehicle and shows, attached to a sliding window panel, a catch device constructed in accordance with the invention, said catch device being shown in elevation; Figure 2 is a cross-section, through the assembly bottom portion shown in Figure 1, showing a further panel, and a further catch device of identical construction to that shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side elevation of the assembly bottom portion shown in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is another view, on a smaller scale, of the assembly bottom portion shown in Figures 1 and 2; and Figures 5 and 6 respectively show separately a catch lever and a locking lever of one of the catch devices shown.

Referring to the drawings, a sliding side window assembly for a motor vehicle, for example a motor van, comprises a pair of sliding panels 1, 1' mounted in a relativelyfixed metal frame 2 having a pair of inwardly-presented channels 3, 3' respectively receiving the edges of the panels 1, 1 (there being suitable lining material (not shown) for example felt, lining the inside of the said channels 3, 3').

Mounted on each of the panels 1, 1' is a catch device 4 comprising a catch body 7 in which is pivoted a two-armed catch lever 8 (shown separately in Figure 5) having a lower arm 9 provided with a nose 10, and an upper arm 11 provided with a serrated outer surface 12 against which a thumb or finger can be pressed when moving the lever to an inoperative position. The hose 10 is engageable, at will, to retain the respective sliding panel, 1 or 1', in any selected one of various positions relatively to the frame 2, with a selected one of horizontally-spaced adjust ment slots 13 in the frame 2. Each catch lever 8 is spring-biassed, by a spring in the respective catch body 7, for example by a compression spring 24, in a direction urging its nose 10 downwards.

Each catch device 4 has pivoted therein a pivoted locking lever 14 (shown separately in Figure 6) for locking the respective catch lever 8 when the latter is in an operative position in which it is operatively engaged in one or other of the adjustment slots 13. Said locking lever 14 has a projecting exterior end 15 constituting a fingerpiece or thumbpiece, and has at its inner end a cam surface 16 cooperable with a curved abutment edge 17 of the upper arm 11 of the catch lever 8.

The catch devices 4 are secured to the respective panels 1, 1', by clamping bolts 18, 19, which also serve as respective pivots for the levers 8, 14. In the construction shown there is clamped between each catch device and the respective panel an L-sectioned member 20 having a flange 21 slidingly engaging a channel 22 in the frame 2 whereby to prevent, or substantially prevent, tilting of the respective panel up or down in its own plane when the respective catch device is grasped to slide the respective panel. (The slots shown at 25, 26 are slots in the respective L-members 20.) An arrangement provided with L-sectioned members engaging channels as shown is described in our co-pending Application No. 19435/77, (Serial No 1594821). If desired the L-sectioned members 20 and channels 22 may be omitted.A spacer 23 is provided between the panel 1' and the catch device 4, and (if provided) the L-sectioned member 20, thereon.

In order to lock a respective one of the panels 1, 1 ' in any selected one of its possible adjusted positions, the nose 10 of the catch lever 8 of the catch device 4 on said panel is allowed to fully enter, under the influence of its bias spring, that adjustment slot 13 which corresponds to said adjusted position, and the projecting exterior end 15 of the locking lever 14 is then moved down from a raised non-locking position (shown at 15' in the case of the catch device shown at the righthand side of Figure 3) to a lowered locking position (shown at 15" in the case of the catch device shown at the left-hand side of Figure 3).In said lowered locking position, the cam surface 16 of the lever 14 cams against the abutment edge 17 of the catch lever 8 whereby to retain the latter against movement to its inoperative position, the cam surface being such that the locking lever 14 is self-retaining in its said locking position. The catch lever 8 is thereby securely retained in engagement with the slot 13, so that the respective panel cannot be moved along the frame, and it will be difficult or impossible for the lever 8 to be illicitly released by a person inserting an instrument between the two sliding panels 1, 1'.When it is desired again to slide the panel thus locked, the projecting end 15 of the locking lever 14 is pushed up manually to its nonlocking position, so that the lever 14 thereby turns back and frees for angular movement the catch lever 8, which can then be released from the slot 13 by pressing in the upper arm 11 of said lever 8 against the bias spring.

Preferably each catch device 4 is positioned so that the projecting end 15 of the locking lever is at that side of the device 4 which is furthest away from the other device 4, as shown in Figure 4.

If desired, the assembly may have only one sliding panel and one catch device.

A catch device constructed in accordance with the invention may also be applied to a sliding panel assembly having an opaque sliding panel instead of a window panel.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A catch device for a sliding panel, said catch device comprising a catch body carrying (a) a pivoted catch lever for operative engagement with a hole in, or abutment means on, a frame for the sliding panel to retain the panel against sliding movement, said lever being spring-biassed in a direction urging it into its operative position, and (b) a pivoted locking lever which, when the catch lever is in its operative position, is angularly movable from a non-locking positiOn, in which it leaves the catch lever free to be moved angularly, to a locking position in which it abuts against the catch lever to prevent angular movement of the latter to an inoperative position.

2. A catch device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said locking lever has a cam surface which, when the catch lever is in its operative position and the locking lever is in its locking position, cams against an arm of the catch lever whereby to retain the latter against movement to its inoperative positiOn, the cam surface being such that the locking lever is self-retaining in its locking position.

3. A catch device as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the catch lever comprises two arms, namely a first arm having a nose for operative engagement with said hole or abutment means to retain the panel against sliding movement, and a second arm constituting the said arm against which the locking lever cams when the locking lever is in its locking position, said second arm of the catch lever having an outer surface against which a thumb or finger can be pressed when moving said catch lever to its inoperative position.

4. A catch device as claimed in any one of Claims I to 3, wherein the locking lever of the catch device has a projecting exterior end constituting a fingerpiece or thumbpiece movable to move the locking lever from its

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. ment slots 13 in the frame 2. Each catch lever 8 is spring-biassed, by a spring in the respective catch body 7, for example by a compression spring 24, in a direction urging its nose 10 downwards. Each catch device 4 has pivoted therein a pivoted locking lever 14 (shown separately in Figure 6) for locking the respective catch lever 8 when the latter is in an operative position in which it is operatively engaged in one or other of the adjustment slots 13. Said locking lever 14 has a projecting exterior end 15 constituting a fingerpiece or thumbpiece, and has at its inner end a cam surface 16 cooperable with a curved abutment edge 17 of the upper arm 11 of the catch lever 8. The catch devices 4 are secured to the respective panels 1, 1', by clamping bolts 18, 19, which also serve as respective pivots for the levers 8, 14. In the construction shown there is clamped between each catch device and the respective panel an L-sectioned member 20 having a flange 21 slidingly engaging a channel 22 in the frame 2 whereby to prevent, or substantially prevent, tilting of the respective panel up or down in its own plane when the respective catch device is grasped to slide the respective panel. (The slots shown at 25, 26 are slots in the respective L-members 20.) An arrangement provided with L-sectioned members engaging channels as shown is described in our co-pending Application No. 19435/77, (Serial No 1594821). If desired the L-sectioned members 20 and channels 22 may be omitted.A spacer 23 is provided between the panel 1' and the catch device 4, and (if provided) the L-sectioned member 20, thereon. In order to lock a respective one of the panels 1, 1 ' in any selected one of its possible adjusted positions, the nose 10 of the catch lever 8 of the catch device 4 on said panel is allowed to fully enter, under the influence of its bias spring, that adjustment slot 13 which corresponds to said adjusted position, and the projecting exterior end 15 of the locking lever 14 is then moved down from a raised non-locking position (shown at 15' in the case of the catch device shown at the righthand side of Figure 3) to a lowered locking position (shown at 15" in the case of the catch device shown at the left-hand side of Figure 3).In said lowered locking position, the cam surface 16 of the lever 14 cams against the abutment edge 17 of the catch lever 8 whereby to retain the latter against movement to its inoperative position, the cam surface being such that the locking lever 14 is self-retaining in its said locking position. The catch lever 8 is thereby securely retained in engagement with the slot 13, so that the respective panel cannot be moved along the frame, and it will be difficult or impossible for the lever 8 to be illicitly released by a person inserting an instrument between the two sliding panels 1, 1'.When it is desired again to slide the panel thus locked, the projecting end 15 of the locking lever 14 is pushed up manually to its nonlocking position, so that the lever 14 thereby turns back and frees for angular movement the catch lever 8, which can then be released from the slot 13 by pressing in the upper arm 11 of said lever 8 against the bias spring. Preferably each catch device 4 is positioned so that the projecting end 15 of the locking lever is at that side of the device 4 which is furthest away from the other device 4, as shown in Figure 4. If desired, the assembly may have only one sliding panel and one catch device. A catch device constructed in accordance with the invention may also be applied to a sliding panel assembly having an opaque sliding panel instead of a window panel. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A catch device for a sliding panel, said catch device comprising a catch body carrying (a) a pivoted catch lever for operative engagement with a hole in, or abutment means on, a frame for the sliding panel to retain the panel against sliding movement, said lever being spring-biassed in a direction urging it into its operative position, and (b) a pivoted locking lever which, when the catch lever is in its operative position, is angularly movable from a non-locking positiOn, in which it leaves the catch lever free to be moved angularly, to a locking position in which it abuts against the catch lever to prevent angular movement of the latter to an inoperative position.

non-locking to its locking position.

5. A sliding panel assembly comprising a sliding panel slidably mounted in a frame, and a catch device carried by said panel and constructed in accordance with any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the catch lever of the catch device is operatively engageable with a hole in, or abutment means on, said frame to retain the panel against sliding movement.

6. A sliding panel assembly as claimed in Claim 5 insofar as dependent upon Claim 4, wherein the projecting exterior end of the locking lever is movable downwards to move the locking lever from its non-locking to its locking position.

7. A sliding panel assembly comprising a pair of sliding panels slidably mounted in a frame and each carrying a respective catch device constructed in accordance with Claim 4, wherein the catch lever of each catch device is operatively engageable with a hole in, or abutment means on, said frame to retain the respective panel against sliding movement, and the projecting exterior end of the locking lever of each catch device is movable downwards to move the respective locking lever from its non-locking to its locking position and is at a side of the respective catch device which is furthest away from the other catch device.

8. A catch device for a sliding panel, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.