GB2173248A

GB2173248A - Locking window fastenings

Info

Publication number: GB2173248A
Application number: GB08606926A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Johnathan Charles Chippeck
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-03-20
Filing date: 1986-03-20
Publication date: 1986-10-08
Also published as: GB8606926D0; GB8507235D0

Abstract

Locking means for a releasable fastening for a window or the like comprises at least one threaded pin 24 fitting a hole in one fastening member 16,34 to prevent release of the fastening, the pin being displaceable by a key and with use of the thread to allow release of the fastening. The pin may be externally threaded to cooperate with a threaded hole, and have an e.g. heptagonal socket head for engagement by a corresponding key. Alternatively the pin is internally threaded and tapered to fit a tapered hole, the key being externally threaded. The fastening may be a cockspur or a pivotal stay, and the locking means may be in the form of a kit of parts comprising pins, key, drill bit, tap, and instructions. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Securing windows etc This invention relates to securing of windows or the like, e.g. trap doors, shed doors and other items which are held in position by releasable fastenings.

The usual method for securing windows is to add a lock. This can be quite expensive to fit. The present inventor has appreciated that a much cheaper, and often more secure, means for achieving the same end can be effected by combining a securing member directly with the existing window furniture or other fastening means.

According to one aspect, the invention provides securing means for a releasable fastening for a window or the like, comprising at least one member of the fastening having a hole therein and a threaded pin fitting the hole, the hole being so located that when the fastening is properly mounted to the window or the like and to a frame or the like therefor and is properly fastened and the pin is in place in the hole the pin prevents release of the fastening, the pin being displaceable by a key and with use of the thread to allow release of the fastening.

According to another aspect, the invention provides a method for use in securing a window or the like comprising the steps of forming or tapping a hole in at least one member of a releasable fastening mounted to the window or the like, and inserting a threaded pin therein, the position of the hole being such that the inserted pin prevents release of the fastening, the pin being displaceable by a key and with use of the thread to allow release of the fastening. The result is an improved window, to the extent that it is now secure against attempts to open it without a key.

Releasable fastenings for windows are usually of a type in which at least part of one member slides past at least part of another member to latch the window but the invention may be embodied in an arrangement in which the fastening and securing are one and the same. The invention may also be embodied in an arrangement in which one part of the fastening is moved away from another part thereof rather than slid past it.

The pin may have an external said thread and an internal keyway to receive the key to turn the pin for the said displacement.

Again, the pin and hole may be correspondingly tapered and the pin have an internal said thread to receive a threaded said key (which reception constitutes the aforementioned use of the thread) for use in displacing the pin.

The hole may be in one member of the fastening to prevent removal of another mem ber thereof. Again, the hole may be through one member of the fastening and extend into another member thereof. The length of the pin is preferably not substantially greater than the length of the hole, in order that little or nothing projects which may be grasped by pliers, and the pin is preferably a grub screw. The keyway in the pin may be a hexagonal hole but is preferably of some more unusual shape, e.g. pentagonal or preferably heptagonal, so as to minimise the possibility of turning the pin with a normal screwdriver. The key may be of the shape of a normal screwdriver, i.e.

having a handle co-axial with a shaft, and shaped to mate with the pin, at least at the end, though a neck in the key about one diameter from the tip will enable the key to be used at a variety of angles, which can be very useful for an elderly person having to operate it. For the same purpose, a handle having a minimum diameter of 2.5 cm. is to be preferred.

Another aspect of the invention consists in a window or the like and a frame or the like therefor adapted to be secured together with the aid of a said method embodying the invention.

Another aspect of the invention consists in a kit of parts comprising a drill bit, pins, a key, and instructions for using the parts in a said method embodying the invention. Preferably, the kit also comprises as a further one of the parts a tap for tapping a thread in a hole bored by the drill bit.

Reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a front elevation of window furniture embodying the invention; Fig.2 is a front elevation of other window furniture embodying the invention; Fig.3 is a front perspective view of other window furniture embodying the invention; Figs.4 and 5 are perspective views of pins of embodiments of the invention; and Figs.6, 7 and 8 are perspective views of a drill bit, tap and key of embodiments of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, particularly Fig.1, a handle 10 mounted at 12 to window 14 and stubs 16,18 mounted to frane 20 for the window constitute window furniture which provide a releasable fastening for the window 14. Securing means for the fastening comprise at least one of the members 10,16 having a hole 22 therein and a threaded pin 24 fitting the hole, the hole being so located that when the fastening is properly mounted (as shown) to the window and to the frame therefor and is properly fastened (as shown) and the pin 24 is in place in the hole 22 the pin 24 prevents release of the fastening, i.e. lifting of the handle 10 to free the window 14 from the frame 20. The pin 24 is displaceable by a key 26, Fig.8, by rotating the key to withdraw the pin 24 from the hole 22, so using the thread and thus allowing release of the fastening.

A method for use in securing a window 14 comprises the step of forming a hole 28, Fig.4, using a drill bit 30, Fig.6, and tapping the hole using tap 32, Fig.7, in the member 16 as dotted or possibly both of members 10 and 16, and inserting pin 24 therein, the position of the hole being such that the inserted pin prevents release of the fastening, the pin being displaceable by the key and with use of the thread to allow release of the fastening, as mentioned above. The hole 22 may be formed at the top of stub 16 or may be formed through handle 10 and stub 16 where they adjoin. In another embodiment, shown in Fig.2, pins 24 are located in a bearing plate 34 on a window frame 20 on either side of the end of a handle 10 mounted to a window 14 to prevent the handle 10 being rotated to allow the window to open.Reverting to Fig.1, when hole 22 is at the top of stub 16, the pin 24 is allowed to project from this hole so as to prevent handle 10 from being lifted past pin 24.

Referring to Fig.3, a pair of plates 36,38 slide past each other when the window 14 is opened and this motion is prevented by a pin 24 in a hole 22 extending through both of plates 36,38.

Referring to Fig.4, the pin 24 has an external said thread 40 and an internal keyway 42 to receive the key 26 to turn the pin 24 for the said displacement.

Referring to Fig.5, the pin 24 and hole 22 are correspondingly tapered and the pin has an internal said thread 44 to receive a threaded said key 46, Fig.8, for use in displacing the pin, the key 46 being rotated in thread 44 until the key is able to turn pin 24 and release the same after which, with a withdrawing motion, key 46 can pull pin 24 out from hole 22.

The pin shown in Fig.4 is a grub screw and the keyway 42 shown in Fig.4 is heptagonal.

As seen in Fig.8, the key has a handle 50 co-axial with a shaft 52 shaped to mate with the pin 24, at least at the end of shaft 52.

The key 26 also has a neck 54 at about one diameter from the tip, for the aforesaid purpose.

When the pins 24 are to be left out of position (the window unsecured) they may be left (a) partly in position but so as not to secure the fastening, (b) in a box fastened to the window, (c) threaded elsewhere, e.g. at holes 56 bored into stub 16 or holes 58 bored into a plate 60 fastened to the window frame or (d) they may be held by magnetism to a magnetic plate such as 60.

It will be seen from Fig. 1 that the releasable fastening 10, 16, 18 comprises a member 16 that is, or is intended to be,fixed and a movable member 10. The said hole 22 can be threaded in both of these members and then has the advantage of producing a much tighter fitting. Alternatively, the hole can be threaded only in the fixed member 16 which arrangement has the advantage that the hole (which then must necessarily be of larger diameter than the threaded pin 24 to allow this to be inserted therethrough) allows the pin 24 to be easily located into the member 10 (e.g. in the dark or by an infirm person) and then screwed sufficiently into member 16 to effect the required securing. If both members are movable, e.g. one of them being rotatably secured to a fixed member, or in an arrangement as shown in Fig. 1, the hole is threaded in the second (or otherwise following) member to be encountered by the pin (even if the hole in the first member is so large that the pin does not actually touch it) when inserted into the releasable fastening. The magnetic member 60 has great advantage in such a case, indeed enabling the securing means to be used under conditions under which it might not otherwise be able to be used.

Claims

1. Securing means for a releasable fastening for a window or the like, comprising at least one member of the fastening having a hole therein and a threaded pin fitting the hole, the hole being so located that when the fastening is properly mounted to the window or the like and to a frame or the like therefor and is properly fastened and the pin is in place in the hole the pin prevents release of the fastening, the pin being displaceable by a key and with use of the thread to allow release of the fastening.

2. A method for use in securing a window or the like comprising the step of forming or tapping a hole in at least one member of a releasable fastening mounted to the window or the like, and inserting a threaded pin therein, the position of the hole being such that the inserted pin prevents release of the fastening, the pin being displaceable by a key and with use of the thread to allow release of the fastening.

3. Means or a method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the pin has an external said thread and an internal keyway to receive the key to turn the pin for the said displacement.

4. Means or a method as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the pin and hole are correspondingly tapered and the pin has an internal said thread to receive a threaded said key for use in displacing the pin.

5. Means or a method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the hole is in one member of the fastening so that the pin therein can prevent removal of another member of the fastening.

6. Means or a method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 in which the hole is through one member of the fastening and extends into another member thereof.

7. Means or a method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the length of the pin is not substantially greater than the length of the hole.

S. Means or a method as claimed in claim 7, in which the pin is a grub screw.

9. Means or a method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the keyway is other than hexagonal.

10. Means or a method as claimed in claim 9, in which the keyway is heptagonal.

11. Means or a method as claimed in any preceding claim in which there is a key and the key has a handle co-axial with a shaft shaped to mate with the pin at least at the end of the shaft.

12. Means or a method as claimed in claim 11, in which the key has a neck at about one diameter from the tip of the shaft.

13. Means or a method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the releasable fastening comprises a member that is, or is intended to be, fixed and a movable member and the said hole is threaded in both of these members.

14. Means or a method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, in which the releasable fastening comprises a member that is, or is intended to be, fixed and a movable member and the said hole is threadedin the fixed member.

15. Means or a method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, in which the releasable fastening comprises at least two members with the hole in both of them, the hole being threaded in one of the members following the first one of the members to be encountered by the pin when inserted into the releasable fastening.

16. Means or a method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which there is a magnetic member to retain the pin when not in use for securing the window.

17. Securing means or a method for use in securing a window, substantially according to any embodiment hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

18. A window or the like and frame or the like therefor adapted to be secured together with the aid of a method or means as claimed in any preceding claim.

19. A kit of parts comprising a drill bit, pins and a key, and instructions for using the parts in a method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17.

20. A kit of parts as claimed in claim 19, also comprising as a further one of the parts a tap for tapping the thread in a hole bored by the drill bit.

21. A kit of parts as claimed in claim 19 or 20, also comprising as a further one of the parts a magnetic member to retain the pin when not in use for securing the window.