GB2181181A - Casement window stay fastening - Google Patents

Abstract

A casement window stay, comprising a bracket 10 for securement to a casement frame member 100, an arm 30 pivotally connected to the bracket 10 by way of a pivot element so that the arm can pivot about two mutually perpendicular axes X, Y relative to the bracket, and a retaining member 40 for securement to the fixed window frame. The arm assembly includes a receptacle 14 receiving a projection 41 on the retaining member when the window is closed, when the arm can take a position such that there is no moment applied to it to cause it to pivot. Additionally, the arm is engagable with a formation 19 on the bracket to prevent such pivoting and carries a locking means 35 engagable with the bracket to hold the arm in such a position. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Window casement stay fastening The invention relates to window fastenings and in particular to casement stays, hereinafter referred to as being of the kind specified, arranged to secure a windowcasementframe, pivotally mounted in a fixed window frame, in a closed position and in a number of open positions and which comprise a bracket arranged to be secured to the casement frame and an arm articulated to the bracket for an gular movement abouttwo axes at right anglesto each other, such casement stays cooperating with one or more retaining members secured to the windowframeto retain the casement frame in the said positions.

In casement stays of this type, which generally require more than one retaining member, the casement is freed to open by removing the arm from engagementwith the retaining member or members, this being achieved by lifting the arm to pivotthefree end ofthe arm in a plane parallel to the plane ofthe casement and about an axis at right angles thereto so that the arm is disengaged from one or both ofthe retaining members. The present invention is a development of that described in our British Patent 1482622 and seeks to provide a casement stay of the kind specified which requires the use of only one retaining member whilst still providing for security against unauthorised opening of window from outside.There is no necessity for a casement stay ofthe kind described in our above mentioned patentto be moveable about the axis mentioned above when the arm is disposed as stated, i.e. when the fastening is in a closed position, for proper operation ofthefastening. Unfortunately persons used to the conventional kind of fastening tend to believe that lifting of the free end of the casement stay arm is required, when the stay is in the window closed position, for its proper operation as is the case with older known stays. Also in such staysthe arm is supported inaplanesubstan- tially normal to the plane of the casement when detached completely from the stay, by a stop portion of one of the pivots. Any force exerted downwardly on the arm is transmitted through the stay and may result in distortion orfailure of the weakest part ofthe stay.The invention seeks to obviate this problem by providing for freer movement of the arm when the stay is in said positions.

The present invention provides a casement stay of the kind specified comprising an arm assembly including a bracket adapted to be secured to the frame of a window casement, a pivot element mounted on said bracket for angular movement about a first axis parallel to the plane ofthe casement and at right angies to the longitudinal axis of the member of the cas ementframe to which the bracket is arranged to be secured, an arm mounted on the pivot element for angular movement about a second axis at right angles to the first axis, a receptacle on said arm assembly arranged to receive a locating projection provided on a retaining member secured to the window frame, the stay being arranged such thatthe locating projection is retained in the receptacle when the arm is positioned to lie with its longitudinal axis alongside said casement frame member, and when the arm is so positioned a portion of the bracket which supports the pivot element is substantially disposed between the pivot element and the nearest outer peripheral edge of the window casement frame, the first axis and the projection lying on a line substantially at right angles to a longitudinal axis of the casement frame member, said bracket having a formation with which said arm is engagableto pre ventthe arm from pivoting about said first axis when the arm is in said position, and disengagable by pivoting of the arm about said second axis to permit the arm to pivot about said first axis, there being locking means operable to hold the arm in engagementwith said bracket formation.

Preferably said locking means comprises an element mounted on the arm and movable into engagementwith a formation such as a recess on the bracket when the arm is in said position. Such locking element may be pivotally mounted within a channel section portion of the arm, and be movable to extend therefrom to engage the bracket.

The locking element may also be engagablewith said locating projection to provide a "nightvent" window position.

These and otherfeatures of the invention will now be described byway of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure lisa perspective view of a casement stay according to the invention, fixed to parts of a window; Figure2isan "exploded" viewon an enlarged scale of parts of the stay of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a part cross-section through the centre line of a pivot portion of the apparatus, in the directionofarrowAofFigure3; and Figure 4 is a partial plan view of part of the appar anus shown in Figures 1 to 3.

The illustrated casement stay comprises a bracket 10 secured to a frame member 100 of a window casement by screws 11. The bracket carries, for pivoting about two mutually perpendicular axes in a manner to be described, a stay arm 30. The stay cooperates with an upstanding projection 41 of a retaining member assembly 40, secured by screws 42 to a part 110 of a fixed window frame relative to which the casement is pivotally mounted by means not shown. In Figure 1, the stay is shown in the position it adopts when the window is closed, i.e. the casement lies closely against its fixed frame.

The bracket 10 comprises a plate 12 which extends perpendicularto the plane of the surface of the cas ementframe member 100 to which the bracket is attached. A housing 13 upstands from the plate 12, and defines a part cylindrical recess 14capabieofre- ceiving the projection 41 of the retaining member assembly 40. The housing 13 further comprises an annularupperwall 15 with an aperture extending therethrough.

The bracket 10 further comprises two lugs 16 upstanding from the plate 12, the lugs 16 having aperturves 17 for receiving the screws 11 by which the bracket is secured to the casementframe member 100. The lugs 16 are relatively thick, and apertures 17 are provided at the rear offrontal recesses 18 in the lugs. The final significantfeature of bracket 10 is that two ears 19 upstand from the plate 12, spaced from the lugs 16.

A pivot element 20 is secured to the bracket 1 0,the pivot element being of generally L-shape with a rivet portion 21 integral with and extending downwardly from a part 22 thereof. The rivet portion 21 extends through an aperture in a plate 23, and then through the aperture in the upperwall 15 of housing 13 beneath which it is riveted over. The pivot element 20 is thus connected to the housing part 13 of the bracket 10, for pivotal movement about an axis X which is substantially parallel to the general plane of the casement.

The stay arm 30 is pivotally connected to the pivot element 20. The arm 30 is of channel shape in crosssection, except at its pivoted end where it comprises two iimbs 31 between which a spigot 32 extends. The plate 23 has an end portion 24 which is somewhat S-shaped, to define with the pivot element 20 a transverse aperture in which the spigot 32 is received. The arm 30 is thus connected to the pivot element 20for pivotal movementaboutan axisywhich is perpendicularto the axis X, but spaced therefrom, i.e.

the axes X, Y do not intersect. The arm 30 is thus capable of pivoting relative to the bracket 10 aboutthe two mutually perpendicular axes X, Y.

Adjacent its limbs 31, the arm 30 is provided with a catch mechanism which includes a thumb turn 32 having a spigot33 extending downwardlythrough an aperture 34 in the arm. Within the channel section ofthe arm, a quadrant plate 35 is fixed to the spigot 33, and a relatively light compression spring 36 is in terposed between the quadrant plate 35 and thewall ofthe arm. Thethumbturn 32 has dogs (not shown) on its undersurface, spaced circumferentially about the spigot 33 and these are engageable with dogs 37 onthearm.Thus,to movethequadrantplate35an- gularly about axis Z,the thumb turn 32 must be lifted slightly against the action of spring 36 to disengage from dogs 37, whereafter it can be moved angularly.

The shape of the quadrant plate 35 is seen most clearly, in broken lines, in Figure 4. It has two nose portions 38 with a concave portion 39 therebetween.

The downwardly extending side walls ofthe stay bar have opposed apertures 25 therein, so positioned thatthe appropriate one of the nose portions 38 can protrude through one of the apertures, according to which waythethumbturn 32 is rotated from a central position in which the quadrant plate 35 lies wholly within the channel of the arm 30. A plate 35 of dif ferentform from that illustrated may be utilised, e.g.

having only a single nose portion.

Within its channel section, the arm 30 has a down wardly depending longitudinally extending central rib 26 which is interrupted at intervals along the length of the arm. The interruptions provide parts of the boundaries of recesses 27 capable of receiving the projection 41 of retaining assembly 40, within the channel of the arm.

The part 26a of rib 26 which is nearest the pivotal connection ofthe arm 30 to the bracket 1 Otogether with the concave portion 39 of quadrant plate 35 when the latter is in its central position, defines another recess capable of receiving the projection 41.

The retaining member assembly 40 comprises an upper plate 43 which bears the projection 41 and a lower plate 44. The holes (45) in the upper plate 43 through which the screws 42 extend are elongated, whilethe holes (46) in the lower plate 44 are round.

The plates 43,44 have inter-engaging teeth 47, and it will be appreciated that this arrangement enabies fine adjustment of the position of the projection 41 in directions perpendicular to the plane of the casement. The projection 41 has, at its side facing the casement, a groove orcutaway portion 48.Alternatively,the projection 41 may have an annulargroove extending completelytherearound.

When the window is in its closed position, with the stay in the position shown in Figures 1,2 and 3 ofthe drawings, the projection 41 lies within the recess 14 defined by housing 13, and is retained therein bythe limb 31 of the arm 30. In this position, no moment theoretically is exerted on the arm 30 which would cause itto pivot and permitthe casementto open.

However, in this position also the downwardly extending wall portion of the channel section arm 30 engages behind ear 19 on bracket 10, so that the arm cannot pivot about axis X without firstly being pivoted upwardly about axis Yto disengage it from the ear 19. As seen mostclearlyin Figure4ofthe drawings,the nose 38 of quadrant plate35, protrud- ing from aperture 25 in the arm, enters recess 18 in the bracket 10, thereby preventing the arm from being lifted and pivoted about the axis Y. The casement is thus securely held in the closed position.

If it is desired to open the casement, thumbturn 32 must be operated to return the quadrant plate 35to its central position in which neitherofthe noses 38 protrudes through an aperture 25. The arm can then be pivoted upwardly about axis Yto disengage it from ear 19, whereafterthe arm can be pivoted about axis X to permit projection 41 to be released from housing 13 and thus the casement to be opened.

When the casement is opened, the arm can be pivoted about axis Y and projection 41 engaged in a desired recess 27 in the arm to hold the casement in a selected open position in the manner of a conventional casement pin stay. However, a secure "night vent" position for the casement can be achieved by engaging projection 41 in the recess def ined between the end part 26a of rib 26 and the concave portion 39 of the quadrant plate 35. When thus engaged, thethumbturn 32 may be moved to cause one or other of the noses 38to enterthe groove or cutaway 48 in the projection 41. Operation of the thumb turn 32; which may only be accessible from inside the building, is then necessary before dis engagement of the arm from projection 41 is pos sible.

The stay as above described thus provides a high degree of security and is readily operated by persons accustomed to conventional stays. Furthermore, the stay is not handed, i.e. it can be installed in windows of different hand without requiring the use of any dif ferentoradditional parts.

Claims (6)

1. A casement stay of the kind specified, comprising an arm assembly including a bracket adapted to be secured to the frame or window casement, a pivot element mounted on said bracketforangularmovement about a first axis parallel to the plane ofthe casement and at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the member of the casement frame to which the bracket is arranged to be secured, an arm mounted on the pivot element for angular movement about a second axis at right angles to the first axis, a receptacle on said arm assembly arranged to receive a locating projection provided on a retaining member secured to the window frame, the stay being arranged such that the locating projection is retained in the receptacle when the arm is positioned to lie with its longitudinal axis alongside said casement frame member, and when the arm is so positioned a portion of the bracket which supports the pivot element is substantially disposed between the pivot element and the nearest outer peripheral edge of the window casement frame, the first axis and the projection lying on a line substantially at right angles to along- itudinal axis of the casement frame member, and said bracket having a formation with which said arm is engagableto prevent the arm from pivoting about said first axis when the arm is in said position and disengagable by pivoting of the arm about said second axis to permit the arm to pivot about said first axis, there being locking means operable to hold the arm in engagement with said bracket formation.

2. Astayaccording to Claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises an element mounted on the arm and movable into engagement with aformation on the bracket when the arm is in said position.

3. A stay according to Claim 2 wherein said locking element is pivotally mounted within a channel section portion of the arm, and is movableto extend therefrom to engage the bracket.

4. Astay according to Claim 3 wherein said channel section arm portion affords a number of recess formations for receiving said locating projectin, to hold the window in a selected one of a numberofopen positions.

5. Astayaccordingto Claim4whereinsaid locking element is movable to engage said locating projection when received in one of said recessformations.

6. A stay substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.