GB2179695A - Locking handle assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A locking handle assembly comprising a base portion (10) adapted to be secured to a movable part of a frame, such as a window frame, a handle portion (16) pivoted on the base portion and having a part (40) adapted to engage another part of the frame to maintain the two frame parts at least substantially closed, cylinder lock means (48) accommodated in a recess of the handle portion, two bushes (56, 58) being interposed between the cylinder lock means and the material defining the recess, the bushes defining a helical path (54) which enables the cylinder lock, when unlocked, to be advanced or retracted relative to the structure of the handle portion whereby to lock or unlock the assembly respectively, the two bushes being held in position when assembled in the recess to prevent rotation relative to the handle portion. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Handle This invention relates to locking handle assemblies. It has already been proposed in GB-A-2 105 774 to provide in a lever-type handle assembly a locking mechanism, the handle portion incorporating a locking nose and the whole is pivotally mounted on a mounting plate. The locking mechanism includes a cylinder lock for locking the handle portion relative to the fixing plate and the cylinder lock is mounted in an enlarged part of the handle portion adjacent to, but offset from the pivotal axis of the handle portion. The axis of the cylinder lock lies parallel to the pivot axis of the handle portion and the lock is guided for movement along the predetermined helical path between an inner locking position and an outer, release, position.

Such a locking handle assembly can readily be manufactured when the material, at least of the handle portion, is of cast metal since it then becomes possible to form during the moulding operation means defining a part of a helical path to enable the said movement between the inner, locking position, and the outer, release, position. Because of the inherent problems of casting, the other part of the helical path is provided by inserting a plastics bush. This method is not, however, available when the handle assembly is made by a method other than moulding.

According to the present invention there is provided a locking handle assembly comprising a base portion adapted to be secured to a movable part of a frame, such as a window frame, a handle portion pivoted on the base portion and having a part adapted to engage another part of the frame to maintain the two frame parts at least substantially closed, cylinder lock means accommodated in a recess of the handle portion, two bushes being interposed between the cylinder lock means and the material defining the recess, the bushes defining a helical path which enables the cylinder lock, when unlocked, to be advanced or retracted relative to the structure of the handle portion whereby to lock or unlock the assembly respectively, the two bushes being held in position when assembled in the recess to prevent rotation relative to the handle portion.

A locking handle embodying the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a locking handle assembly embodying the invention; Figure 2 is an inverted plan view of the handle of Figure 1 with parts being cut away; Figure 3 is a side elevation of the handle assembly of Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a longitudinal section, to an enlarged scale, illustrating a part of the locking handle assembly of Figures 1 to 4; Figure 6 is an inverted plan view of the part illustrated in Figure 5; Figure 7 is a longitudinal section illustrating the same part as in Figures 5 and 6 but omitting certain of the detail; Figure 8 is an inverted plarl view of the construction illustrated in Figure 7;; Figure 9 is an end view of a first bush forming a part of the assembly; Figure 10 is a side elevation of the bush of Figure 9; Figure 11 is a side view of the bush of Figure 9 but disposed at 90" to the side view of Figure 10; Figure 12 is an end view of a second bush forming part of the assembly; Figure 13 is a side elevation of the bush of Figure 12; Figure 14 is a side elevation of the bush of Figure 12 but in an orientation at 90 to the orientation of Figure 13; Figure 15 is a side elevation of a cylinder lock suitable for incorporation in the handle assembly of the present invention and also incorporating a key; and Figure 16 is a detail to an enlarged scale of the cylinder lock of Figure 15.

The locking handle assembly illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 incorporates a base portion 10 which is especially adapted to be fitted to frames of comparatively narrow section and this base portion includes in each end part two sets of two countersunk apertures 12, these apertures being adapted, in use, to receive screws by which the handle assembly is secured to a frame, for example an opening light of a window frame. A central part of the base portion is more than twice as wide as the end parts, and this part of the base portion 14, pivotally mounts a handle portion 16 which receives in an end part therefore, including the pivot axis, a cylinder lock 18 operable by a key 20.

The assembly is intended to operate the control rods of an espagnolette lock and to enable this to be done turning of the handle 16 drives a bifurcated projection 22 which, when assembled, engages in a portion of the espagnolette assembly (not shown). As best illustrated in Figures 2 and 4 the bifurcated member 22 is driven by a rack 24 which is, in turn, driven by a pinion 26 having teeth 27 and is fast for rotation with a spindle 28 of the handle assembly. To prevent the pinion from becoming detached it is held in position by a rivet head 30 at the end of spindle 28.

As will be apparent, the bifurcated member 22 is offset so that it extends at a shallow angle to the axis of rotation of the spindle 28 and of the handle. The pinion 26 has coarse teeth 27 and these teeth do not extend over its whole periphery in order to save space within the base portion 10. Identification marks are provided on two teeth in order to ensure that the teeth mated with the rack 24 have been correctly selected in order to give the required movement of the bifurcated member 22 and hence to the rods of the espagnolette mechanism. The pinion 26 is spaced from a shoulder on the spindle 28 by a spacer 30 and the base portion 10 is spaced from the handle portion 16 by a washer 32.

The pinion gear 26 and the rack are enclosed within the base portion 10 by a cover plate 34. The latter is secured to the base portion 10 by rivets 36.

The aspects of the invention disclosed by Figures 1 to 4 are fundamental to the assembly as such and the details illustrated in the remaining Figures are primarily concerned with the locking aspect.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate the enlarged portion 40 of the handle portion 16 which includes the pivot axis 42 of the handle portion, the pivot pin 43 and also the cylinder lock 44.

The latter is accommodated within a generally cylindrical aperture or other recess 46, the detailed shape of which will be described hereinafter. The cylinder lock 44 (see also Figs. 15 and 16) includes a barrel 48 and a locking pin 50 integral with the barrel. The barrel 48 also carries rigid therewith a projection 49 of elongate form (see Figures 15 and 16) two faces 51 of which substantially follow a helical path.

This projection 49 engages in a helical track 54 defined by a two-part plastics bush 56,58 interposed between the lock 48 and the recess 46. As is apparent from Figures 9 to 11 and 12 to 14 each bush part has a partially cylindrical outline 57 with a small proportion 59 having a different radius so as to form a longitudinal, shallow projection which serves to prevent rotation of both parts of the bush when inserted in the correspondingly shaped bore 46 in the part 40 of the handle portion 16. The elongate projection 59 does not extend over the whole length of the assembled bush as can be seen in Figures 5 and 7.

Turning now to Figures 9 to 11 the inner bush 56, made, for example of DELRIN (Registered Trade Mark) defines with one end edge 60 one face of a helical track and this bush also includes an elongate extension, 62, which is part-cylindrical in cross section. A slot 64 is formed in that portion of the bush which defines the helical surface and serves as a continuation of the key-way which accommodates the cylinder levers in the locked condition. In order to hold the bush together an annular portion 65 is provided.

The outer bush 58 again includes an end edge 66 forming a counterpart of the end edge 60 of the inner bush portion so that together the end edges form a helical track extending over part of a turn. The advance provided by this helix is sufficient to engage the pin 50 of the cylinder lock fully in an aperture (not shown) in the base portion 70 of the locking assembly. The outer bush 58 has a cut-away 68 which receives the part cylindrical section projection 62 of the inner bush 58 and the bore of this bush includes a step 70 which serves to limit the axial movement of the cylinder lock. As assembled the two bushes effectively form an elongate bush with a helical track disposed centrally.

Finally, turning to Figures 15 and 16 the cylinder lock 48 is generally conventional although, as shown in Figure 3 the key 72 may be of non-conventional shape. As hereinbefore mentioned Figure 16 illustrates details of the projection 49, the substantially helical shape being defined by two parallel, rectilinear, sides of the projection and this serves to ensure smooth movement without the complexity of manufacturing a projection of true helical form.

The locking handle assembly is assembled by locating the bushes 56,58 on the cylinder lock 48 so that the projection 62 is accommodated in the cut-away 68, the dimensions being such that the helical track receives the projection 49 in sliding relationship. This subassembly is placed in the recess 46 and, as shown in Fig. 6 doked at 74 to ensure that the sub-assembly is properly retained.

The mounting of the window assembly is entirely conventional, additional security being provided by the provision of two screws at each end of the base portion 12 and the espagnolette locking mechanism in itself appreciably increases security as the locking takes place both at the top and bottom of a window or door. When it is desired to lock the locking handle it is merely necessary to turn the cylinder through, say, 1800 and this will have the effect of fully engaging the projection 50 in a corresponding hole or recess in the base portion 10. Under these conditions it is virtually impossible to turn the locking handle as shearing of the projection would be necessary.

Claims (8)

1. A locking handle assembly comprising a base portion adapted to be secured to a movable part of a window or other frame, a handle portion pivoted on the base portion and having a part adapted to engage another part of the said frame whereby to maintain the two frame parts at least substantially closed, cylinder lock means accommodated in a recess of the handle portion, two bushes being interposed between the cylinder lock means and the material defining the recess, the bushes being held in position in the recess and together defining a helical path which enables the cylinder lock means, when in the unlocked condition, to be advanced or retracted relative to the structure of the handle portion whereby respectively to lock or unlock the assembly.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein each bush has a generally cylindrical peripheral surface with a portion of different radius defining a shallow projection extending along a part of the peripheral surface of the bush, the recess having a complementary conformation so that the projection prevents the bushes from rotating in the recess.

3. An assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the inner surface of each bush has a groove capable of receiving cylinder levers of the locking means when the assembly is in the locked condition.

4. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the barrel of the cylinderlock meanshas a projection of elongate form having two opposed faces of approximately helical form corresponding in patch to the said helical path defined by the bushes.

5. An assembly according to claim 4, wherein the opposed faces of the projection are rectilinear.

6. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the turning axis of the cylinder lock is spaced from the turning axis of the handle.

7. A locking handle assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A locking handle assembly according to any one of the preceding claims adapted for use with an espagnoletter mechanism.