GB2134590A

GB2134590A - Locks for sliding doors and windows

Info

Publication number: GB2134590A
Application number: GB08402891A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Harry Maples Williams
Original assignee: Marston & Co Ltd Albe
Current assignee: Marston & Co Ltd Albe
Priority date: 1983-02-05
Filing date: 1984-02-03
Publication date: 1984-08-15
Also published as: GB2134590B; GB8402891D0

Abstract

In a lock, used for example on patio doors, in which a slidable headed stud 3 engages with a retainer to lock the door closed, the retainer comprises a resiliently deflectable, preferably spring-loaded, striker plate 2 having a slot 9 with which the stud engages in a locking position. The striker plate is mounted behind a cover 4 with an end part containing the slot overlapping an aperture 5 in the cover. In its released position the stud can enter the aperture beyond the striker plate and can then be slid into the slot to engage its head behind the striker plate and lock the door to its frame. If the stud is entered into the aperture in any position other than the released position it abuts against the striker plate which can deflect against the spring loading. The arrangement avoids damage to the door or frame by the stud, or to the stud, if the door is slammed closed. In another embodiment two studs are provided, each engaging with its own striker plate. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to locks for sliding doors and windows This invention relates to locks for sliding doors and windows.

In particular the invention is concerned with locks for sliding doors and windows of the kind comprising a slidable headed stud and a retainer, of which one is disposed on the sliding door or window for use and the other is disposed on the frame in which the door or window slides, there being a slot at the retainer which is narrower than the head of the stud but able to receive the stem of the stud and into which the stud can be slid to engage the head behind the retainer, and thereby retain the stud to the retainer to lock the door or window to the frame in use. Such locks are hereinafter referred to as "of the kind described".

Locks of the kind described are commonly provided for locking sliding patio doors closed. In such instailations it is usual for the stud to be slidably mounted on the door and for the retainer to be on the frame. The retainer may form an integral part of the frame. Generally the slot at the retainer is the narrower part of a key-hole shaped aperture, the wider part of the aperture being sufficiently large to allow the head of the stud to pass through either prior to locking the stud to the retainer or to release the stud from the retainer when it is unlocked. A problem has been that if the door is slammed shut with the stud in a position in whidh its head is out of alignment with the wider part of the aperture it can cause damage to the retainer, which means damage to the frame if the retainer is an integral part of the frame. The stud may also be damaged.

It is an object of the present invention to avoid the aforesaid problem.

According to a first aspect the present invention consists in a lock of the kind described in which the retainer comprises a resiliently deflectable striker plate in which is the slot, and the stud and striker plate are adapted to be mounted for use such that in a released position of the stud relative to the striker plate the head of the stud is able to extend past the striker plate beyond the slot, and from that position the stud can be slid to enter its stem into the slot and engage the head behind the striker plate thereby to retain the stud to the retainer, and in any other position of the stud within the range of its sliding movement when the head is in front of the striker plate the head can only bear on the striker plate, which may resiliently deflect under the bearing force exerted on it by the head.

Thus if a door or window to which a lock in accordance with the invention is applied is slammed shut when the stud is not in its released position, the stud will engage with the striker plate which will deflect under the blow against the spring loading and the force will be absorbed without damage to the striker plate and stud, or to the door or window, as the case may be, or the frame.

Preferably the striker plate is spring-loaded to a normal un-deflected position. The striker plate may be adapted to be deflected angularly against the action of the spring loading under a bearing force exerted on the striker plate by the head of the stud when the stud is in said any other position. The striker plate may be hingedly mounted on a mounting for that purpose. It is possible, alternatively, for the striker plate to be of a suitable spring material and be arranged so that it is restored by its own inherent resilience to a normal un-deflected position, which is the position in which the stem of the stud is entered into the slot from the released position.

Preferably the striker plate is mounted behind a cover, which may be a housing wall or a web, flange or the like, adapted to be fixed for use on, or included as an integral part of, a frame member of the door or window to which the lock is applied for use, or of the frame in which the door or window slides The cover has an aperture in it which is large enough to receive the head of the stud whatever position the stud may occupy within its range of sliding movement relative to the striker plate in use. At least the part of the striker plate which contains the slot is arranged to overlap the aperture such that in the released position of the stud the head can enter into the aperture and extend past the striker plate beyond the slot. The stud can then be engaged with the slot upon being slid to its operative position.If the stud is not in the released position when it is entered into the aperture its head abuts against the striker plate and may deflect it.

The stud may be carried by a sliding element in known manner which is operated to slide the stud between its released and locking positions. The sliding element may also form part of the mechanism for operating a bolt or bolts for locking a door or window to its frame at a further position or positions spaced from the lock according to the present invention. Normally the bolt or bolts would be arranged to operate at the top and/or bottom of the door or window, and the lock would operate at or near the centre of the side of the door or window.

There may be two of the resiliently deflectable striker plates and two of the studs which are repectively associated with the striker plates. The studs may be simultaneously operable by means of a common operating member.

According to a second aspect the present invention consists in a sliding door or window which includes a lock in accordance with the first aspect of the invention as aforesaid.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a fragmentary front view of part of a door frame on which a striker plate of a lock in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is mounted; Figure 2 is a simplified partial vertical section through the lock showing a stud thereof in a released position; Figure 3 is a similar section but showing the stud in another position; Figure 4 is a simplified partial section through a lock in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention.

In these embodiments the lock will be described as applied to a sliding patio door.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the lock comprises a striker plate 2 and a stud 3.

The striker plate 2 is mounted on a metal frame member 4 of a frame in which the patio door slides. It is common now for such frame members to be of extruded channel section and made of aluminium. In the drawings the frame member 4 is of such form and the striker plate is mounted behind the web of the frame member. An aperture 5 of regular oval shape is formed in the frame member, its longitudinal axis extending vertically.

The striker plate 2 is made from an elongated, rectangular, metal plate which is formed with a step 6 towards one end so that the one end part 7 is offset rearwardly from the main part of the plate. Preferably the striker plate is made of stainless steel. Centrally disposed in the offset end part 7 is a circular hole 8. A slot 9 opens through the opposite end of the striker plate and extends along the central longitudinal axis of the plate. The striker plate is wider and substantially longer than the oval aperture 5 in the frame member 4, and the slot 9 is narrower and shorter than the aperture, as will be seen from Figure 1.

The striker plate 2 is hingedly mounted on a mounting plate 10. The mounting plate 10 is a plain rectangular metal, for example mild steel, plate of a thickness corresponding to the distance by which the offset part 7 of the striker plate is displaced from the main part of the striker plate.

Near its one end, and on its central longitudinal axis, the mounting plate has a short post 11 fixed to its one face which passes loosely through the hole 8 in the offset end part 6 of the striker plate to provide the hinged connection of the latter to the mounting plate. The post 11 has a head 12 between which and the striker plate a helical compression spring 1 3 is fitted on the post which urges the offset end part 7 of the striker plate to lie flat against the mounting plate. The striker plate and mounting plate are of similar widths.They are arranged so that they normally occupy, because of the action of the spring 13, an aligned relationship, as shown in Figure 2, with the striker plate extending from the one end of the mounting plate and the front face of the main part of the stricter plate, that is the face away from the step 6 in the plate, being co-planar with the face of the mounting plate opposite to the post 1 0. The step 6 in the striker plate lies just beyond the end of the mounting plate and helps to keep the striker plate aligned with the mounting plate.

Also on the longitudinal axis of the mounting plate are two screw-threaded holes 14, the one being at the centre of the plate and the other bieng near the opposite end of the plate from the post 11. The mounting plate is fixed to the frame member 4 by screws 1 5. Figure 1, passed through holes in the frame member and screwed into the threaded holes 14. The striker plate 2 is thus retained to the frame member by the mounting plate.

The mounting plate is fixed to the inside face of the web of the frame member 4 above the oval aperture 5 with its longitudinal axis and that of the striker plate aligned with that of the aperture. The striker plate extends downwards from the mounting plate to the aperture and its lower end containing the slot 9 overlaps the aperture so that the slot is opposite the middle and upper parts of the aperture.

The stud 3 is carried by a vertically sliding member 16 in known manner mounted for use on the patio door adjacent the closing side of the door and operated in known manner by a lever handle, not shown. The stud projects from the side edge of the door. It has a head 1 7 of a diameter slightly less than the width of the aperture 5 in the frame member and larger than the width of the slot 9 in the striker plate. The width of the slot is complementary to the diameter of the stem of the stud 3. By operation of the sliding member 1 6 the stud can be slid from a lowered, released position, as shown in full lines in Figure 2, to a raised locking position, as shown by broken lines in Figure 2.

The stud is so arranged on the door for use that in its lowered, released position it is disposed opposite the bottom part of the aperture 5 in the frame member below the level of the bottom end edge of the striker plate. Upon closing the door with the stud in that position, the stud's head 1 7 can pass through the aperture and past the bottom of the striker plate, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, to bring the stem of the stud into register with the slot 9. By then operating the sliding member to move the stud to its raised locking position, the stem of the stud enters into the slot and the head engages behind the striker plate, thereby retaining the stud to the frame member and locking the door.

If the door is closed when the stud is in the locking position or indeed any other position raised above the released position, the head 17 of the stud will enter into the aperture but will abut against the front face of the striker plate which may deflect angularly rearwards, hinging about the post 10 against the action of the compression spring 13, as shown in Figure 3. The stud will, therefore, not cause any damage to the frame member if the door is slammed shut whilst the stud is in a raised position. It is not possible to engage the stud lockingly with the striker plate until the stud is lowered to the released position, whereupon the spring returns the striker plate to its normal position and the stem of the stud can then be entered into the slot by raising the stud to make the locking engagement.

Reference will now be made to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings. The lock comprises two striker plates 18, 19 and two studs 20, 21. As in the previous embodiment, each of the striker plates 1 8, 1 9 is mounted on the web of a channel section frame member 22 of the frame in which the patio door slides. An aperture 23, 24 of regular oval shape is formed centrally in, and extends longitudinally of, the web adjacent to each striker plate. The striker plates 1 8, 19 are mounted on the inside face of the web. They extend towards one another from their respective mountings on the web, that striker plate 1 8 which is uppermost as viewed in Figure 4 extending downwards to the adjacent aperture 23 and the lowermost striker plate 1 9 extending upwards to its associated aperture 24.

Each striker plate is made from a flat rectangular metal plate. There is a circular hole 25 near one end of the striker plate, on the central longitudinal axis of the plate, and a slot 26, which extends along the central longitudinal axis, opens through the opposite end of the striker plate. As before, each of the striker plates is wider and longer than the associated aperture 23, 24, and the slot 26 is narrower and shorter than the aperture.

Each striker plate 1 8, 19 is hingedly mounted on a post 27, 28 which is fixed to the web of the frame member 22, on the central longitudinal axis of the web. The post 27, 28 passes loosely through the hole 25 in the striker plate. A helical compression sping 29 is retained on the post between and in bearing contact with the striker plate and a head 30 of the post. The spring 29 urges the striker plate normally to lie flat against the web of the frame member. In that position of the striker plate its end part containing the slot 26 overlaps the associated aperture 23, 24. The slot is fully exposed at the aperture from the front of the web of the frame member, opposite the middle part of the aperture and the end part of the aperture nearest to the post on which the striker plate is mounted.

The studs 20, 21 are vertically slidable at the closing side of the patio door 31 which cooperates with the frame member 22. They slide away from one another from released to locking positions. The studs may, for example, be carried by vertically moving members which are simultaneously operated in known manner by a common control mechanism and shoot bolts at the top and bottom of the door. There is one of the studs opposite each of the apertures 23, 24. Each stud has a stem of a diameter complementary to the width of the slot in the striker plate at the aperture opposite to which it is disposed, and a head 32 which can pass through the aperture but is larger in diameter than the width of the slot.

When in their released positions, as shown in broken lines in Figure 4, the studs can be entered into the aperture beyond the striking plates. From the released positions the studs can be slid to locking positions in which their stems are entered into the slots 26 of the striker plates and their heads 32 engage behind the striker plates to lock the door to the frame member. If, however, the studs are entered into the apertures in any positions other than the released positions, as shown in full lines in Figure 4, they abut against the striker plates, which may be deflected angularly rearwards, as shown, under the impact against the loading of the springs 29.

Claims

1. A lock of the kind described in which the retainer comprises a resiliently deflectable striker plate in which is the slot, and the stud and striker plate are adapted to be mounted for use such that in a released position of the stud relative to the striker plate the head of the stud is able to extend past the striker plate beyond the slot, and from that position the stud can be slid to enter its stem into the slot and engage the head behind the striker plate thereby to retain the stud to the retainer, and in any other position of the stud within the range of its sliding movement when the head is in front of the striker plate the head can only bear on the striker plate, which may resiliently deflect under the bearing force exerted on it by the head.

2. A lock according to claim 1 wherein the striker plate is spring-loaded to a normal undeflected position.

3. A lock according to claim 2 in which the striker plate is adapted to be deflected angularly against the spring loading under a bearing force exerted on the striker plate by the head of the stud when the stud is in said any other position.

4. A lock according to claim 2 in which the striker plate is hingedly mounted on a mounting.

5. A lock according to claim 3 in which the mounting includes a post which passes through a hole in the striker plate, and a helical compression spring is retained to the post and bears on the striker plate to urge the striker plate towards the mounting, the engagement of the post in the hole hingedly connecting the striker plate to the mounting such that the striker plate can be deflected angularly away from the mounting against the loading of the compression spring.

6. A lock according to claim 1 wherein the striker plate is made of spring material and is restored by its own inherent resilience to a normal un-deflected position.

7. A lock according to any preceding claim in which the striker plate is mounted behind a cover included in or adapted to be fixed for use to the door or window to which the lock is applied for use, or to the frame in which the door or window slides, the cover having an aperture which is large enough to receive the head of the stud whatever position the stud may occupy within the range of its sliding movement, and at least the part of the striker plate which contains the slot overlaps the aperture such that in the released position of the stud the head can enter into the aperture and extend past the striker plate beyond the slot.

8. A lock according to any preceding claim wherein there are two of the resiliently deflectable striker plates and two of the studs which are respectively associated with the striker plates.

9. A sliding door or window including a lock as claimed in any preceding claim.

10. A sliding door or window according to claim 9 in which the or each striker plate is mounted on the frame in which the door or window is slidable and the or each stud is slidably mounted on the door or window.

11. A sliding door or window according to claim 9 including a lock as claimed in claim 5 in which the mounting is an integral part of a frame member of the door or window or of a frame in which the door or window is slidable.

12. A sliding door or window according to claim 9 including a lock as claimed in claim 6 in which the cover is an integral part of a frame member of the door or window or of the frame in which the door or window is slidable.

13. A sliding door or window according to claim 12 in which the frame member is of channel section and the cover is formed by part of the web of the channel section.

14. A lock substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated by Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

1 5. A lock substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated by Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.

1 6. A sliding door substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

1 7. A sliding door substantially as described herein with reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.