GB2149002A - Window fastening - Google Patents

Abstract

An openable window frame assembly comprises a fixed frame (10) including a channel section, at least one keep plate (24) and an openable frame (12) carrying an operating handle (38) mechanically connected with a pin-carrying plate (60) slidable in guides provided in the movable frame. The plate carries a number of headed pins (26) corresponding in number to the number of keep plates and operation of the handle serves to engage the or each pin in the corresponding re-entrant keep plate so that the pin cannot be withdrawn by lateral forcing of the fixed or of the movable frame. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Securing mechanisms for doors and for windows This invention relates to securing mechanisms for doors and for windows.

Conventionally, hinge-mounted aluminium, light-alloy or plastics (solid or rigid foam) window frames are locked by a latch of the cockspur type which is mounted on the opening frame and engages, in the closed configuration, an abutment forming part of or secured to the corresponding fixed frame. Because aluminium and light-alloy frames are relatively easily bent and plastics frames can be deflected, the conventional cockspur latch is vulnerable to forcing by a jemmy and it has therefore been proposed to employ multi-point securing mechanisms such as those known as the "espagniolette" which provide higher resistance to forcing by a jemmy.Such "espagniolette" securing mechanisms are however difficult to secure within the rather narrow confines of frame sections of aluminium, light alloy or plastics and it is therefore desirable to provide a multi-point securing mechanism requiring the use of a minimum cross-sectional area within a window frame, but which is nevertheless capable of strongly resisting illegal and unauthorised entry through a door or window.

According to the present invention there is provided an openable window frame assembly of aluminium, light-alloy or plastics extrusions comprising a fixed frame, at least one keep plate defining a recess and secured to the fixed frame, and an operable frame carrying an operating handle mechanically connected with a pin-carrying plate slidable in guide means provided in the openable frame, which pin-carrying plate carries at least one headed pin engageabie in the recess of the or a respective keep plate, the pin or pins being out of engagement with the recess in the or each keep plate under conditions when the openable frame can be opened, and being movable by the mechanical connection between the handle and the pin carrying plate into locations at which the pin or pins cannot be withdrawn laterally of the keep plate or plates, thereby preventing forcing of the openable window from the side opposite to the handle.

The invention more specifically provides an openable window frame assembly comprising a fixed frame of aluminium, light-alloy, or plastics extrusions, an openable frame of aluminium, light-alloy or plastics extrusions mounted on the fixed frame, a plurality of keep plates each defining at least one recess secured to and located with respect to the fixed frame at spaced intervals along the length of one member of the fixed frame, an operating handle mounted on the openable frame, an elongate plate slidable in a member of the openable frame extending parallel to the member of the fixed frame carrying the keep plates, a mechanical connection between the handle and the slidable plate, and a plurality of headed pins carried by the elongate plate at spacings corresponding to those of the keep plates, the pins and the openable frame being movable towards and away from the keep plates in one position of the slidable plate and locked by the heads of the pins in the keep plates in another position of the slidable plate whereby the operable frame cannot be forced from the side opposite the handle.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a fragmentary horizontal section through a window frame incorporating a securing mechanism in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a scrap view illustrating a keep plate of the mechanism of Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a scrap view illustrating a part of the mechanism of Fig. 1; Figure 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing an alternative design of keep plate; and Figure 5 is a section on the line V-V of Fig.

4.

The frame of the window includes a fixed, vertical portion 10 and a pivotally movable, vertical portion 12, the latter providing a mounting for a double-glazed unit 14.

The fixed frame member 10 comprises two portions 16, 18 and an inter-connecting strip 20 of high thermal-insulating value plastics material in order to provide a thermal break.

When installed, the outer-portion 1 6 includes a re-entrant channel 22 which accommodates rivets or small nuts and bolts by which fixed keep plates 24 are secured (only one shown).

Fig. 2 illustrates the fixing points 25 for one of the keep plates, a plurality of such plates being provided along the length of the fixed vertical frame 10. As is apparent from Fig. 1 each keep plate 24 is of re-entrant channel section with inturned flanges 27 defining a slot having two facing recesses. At the end of the slot where pins 26 (only one shown) enter and are withdrawn, the flanges 27 are radiused at 28. The precise locations of the keep plates at the assembly stage are provided by a ridge 30 forming part of the fixed frame 1 0. A single keep plate may cooperate with a single pin 26 or such a plate may co-operate with several pins in which construction the plate has the flanges 27 appropriately cut away to enable entry of the respective pins.

The openable frame 1 2 comprises three portions, an outer portion 32, a window-glass retaining portion 34 and an inner portion 36 which serves to mount a handle 38.

The outer portion 32 includes a basic box section 40 of rectangular form having an extension 42 from its outer face with a first inwardly-extending flange 44 and a seal-carrying channel 46 at the free end of this extensions. A seal strip 48 is of conventional construction and does not need further to be described.

Inwardly, the box section 40 has an extension 50 in the direction of the fixed frame member 10 and carries at its end, a crosspiece 52 one portion of which lies opposite to the flange 44 and co-operates with that flange to retain a portion of the securing mechanism 54. The latter comprises basically a channelsection member with a flange 56 partially closing the channel and a flange 58 which engages and lies beneath the flange 44.

The channel section member 54 slidable receives an elongate plate 60 which carries spaced along its length the pins 26, the spacing corresponding to the number and location of the keep plates 24.

Each pin 26 has a base portion by which it is secured to the plate 60, a reduced diameter portion 62 and a head 64. The head 64 is of such a size that lateral withdrawal of any pin from the corresponding recesses of the keep channel is impossible in the locked condition of the securing mechanism. Each pin also has a threaded portion 66 which engages a nut 68 lying beneath the plate 60. The handle 38 also includes a coupling with the plate 60 details of which are illustrated in Fig. 3.

The handle 38 actuates the plate 60 and pins 62, 64 through a pinion (not shown) and a bar 70 which co-operates with two pins 72 upstanding from the pin carrying plate 60.

The bar 70 is guided by a transverse member 74. The handle 38 is operated by a rotary motion indicated by arrow A and the plate 60 a rectilinear motion indicated by arrow B.

Operation of the securing mechanism in accordance with the invention involves no more complexity to the user than a conventional handle since the handle 38 acts to move the pins 26 into engagement with corresponding keep plates 24. For added security the handle 38 may incorporate a conventional cylinder lock (not shown).

An alternative keep plate design is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. In this design the keep plate 24, is of approximately "j" section and has only one inturned flange 27' defining a recess disposed so as to resist forcing open of the window when the head of a pin is engaged therein. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 the single flange 27' would be disposed towards the outer side of the window.

The keep plate 24' has three fixing points 25' by which it is secured to the fixed frame.

In order to permit access to the point 25' closest to the flange 27' a semicircular cut-out is formed in the flange above this point.

The flange 27' is formed with tapered ends 28' to facilitate entry of the pin or pins. The reduced diameter portion of the pin 26 engages against one of the straight edge portions of the flange 27' between the tapered ends 28' and the cut-out 80 in the locked position of the window.

As will be apparent from the above description, the construction provides for the movable parts of the mechanism to be simply incorporated in a movable door or window frame, while co-operating but non-movable, parts of the mechanism are fixed to the nonmovable frame.

The heads of the pins 26 ensure than when engaged in recesses of the keep plates 24 the pins cannot be withdrawn laterally in a sense to force open the window. The pins, in an alternative construction are adjustable so that the heads protrude to a greater or lesser extent thus taking into account the relative location, when installed, of the keep plates 24 and the flanges 27 thereof.

The construction is basically simple but nevertheless provides a high degree of security and can readily be accommodated in aluminium, light alloy or plastics frame members.

Because of the inherent strength of steel frames the securing mechanism is less necessary but equally applicable to steel frames.

Claims (10)

1. An openable window frame assembly of aluminium, light-alloy or plastics extrusions comprising a fixed frame, at least one keep plate defining a recess and secured to the fixed frame, and an openable frame carrying an operating handle mechanically connected with a pin-carrying plate slidable in guide means provided in the openable frame, which pin-carrying plate carries at least one headed pin engageable in the recess of the or a respective keep plate, the pin or pins being out of engagement with the recess in the or each keep plate under conditions when the openable frame can be opened, and being movable by the mechanical connection between the handle and the pin-carrying plate into locations at which the pin or pin cannot be withdrawn laterally of the keep plate or plates, thereby preventing forcing of the openable window from the side opposite to the handle.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the or each keep plate is of channel section with two flanges projecting towards one another from the edges of the limbs of the channel to define two facing recesses, the flanges lying parallel with the base.

3. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the or each keep plate has a substantially "j" section with the recess defined by a single inturned flange disposed on the side to which the openable frame opens.

4. An assembly according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the flange or flanges at the end of the or each keep plate which receives the corresponding pin is shaped to facilitate entry of the pin into the keep plate.

5. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fixed frame includes a re-entrant slot having an edge which provides a precise location for one edge of the or each keep plate.

6. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pin-carrying plate is received slidably within an extruded member which forms a part of the openable frame of the assembly.

7. An assembly according to ckaim 6, wherein the height of the head of the pin from the pin-carrying plate is adjustable.

8. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mechanical connection comprises a bar movable with the handle and a guide for the bar extending transversely thereto.

9. An openable window frame assembly comprising a fixed frame of aluminium, lightalloy, or plastics extrusions, an openable frame of aluminium, light-alloy or plastics extrusions mounted on the fixed frame, a plurality of keep plates each defining at least one recess secured to and located with respect to the fixed frame at spaced intervals along the length of one member of the fixed frame, an operating handle mounted on the openable frame, an elongate plate slidable in a member of the openable frame extending parallel to the member of the fixed frame carrying the keep plates, a mechanical connection between the handle and the slidable plate, and a plurality of headed pins carried by the elongate plate at spacings corresponding to those of the keep plates, the pins and the openable frame being movable towards and away from the keep plates in one position of the slidable plate and locked by the heads of the pins in the keep plates in another position of the slidable plate whereby the operable frame cannot be forced from the side opposite the handle.

10. An openable window frame assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any of the accompanying drawings.