GB2212550A - Operating mechanism preferably for espagnolette - Google Patents

Abstract

The mechanism comprises a body member (13) with a slideway (15) and an operating member (14) also with a slideway (16) and mounted to the body member to move so as to change the transverse distance between the sideways. An assembly of sliders (22-30) connected by hinges (32) and links (31) is arranged in zig-zag configuration with adjacent sliders in opposite slideways so as to change its overall length when the slideways are moved, and operate, e.g. espagnolette bars (36, 37). The sliders, links and hinges preferably are provided by a one-piece plastics member. <IMAGE>

Description

OPERATING MECHANISM PREFERABLY FOR ESPAGNOLETTE This invention relates to an operating mechanism for effecting reciprocating movement of a member in a fastening such as a lock, bolt, catch or the like. The invention has been developed particularly for moving an espagnolette bar of an espagnolette fastening arrangement for an opening panel such as a door, window or shutter; the espagnolette fastening arrangement comprising at least one espagnolette bar extending along an edge of the panel in order to operate a fastener at a position remote from the operating mechanism.

In such an espagnolette fastening arrangement, the operating mechanism is required to cause reciprocating movement in the espagnolette bar, with movement of the bar in one direction being arranged to engage the fastening and movement of the bar in the opposite direction being arranged to disengage the remote fastening. Various mechanisms have been proposed hitherto for causing such movement of an espagnolette bar, e.g. rack and pinion mechanisms or crank mechanisms. One problem in the design of such mechanisms is that of obtaining a sufficiently large range of movement in the espagnolette bar without requiring an extremely large and bulky operating mechanism. This is particularly a problem if the operating mechanism is required to be fitted in a window frame of modern extruded metal or plastics type, designed to be as slim and unobtrusive as possible.

In the context of an espagnolette arrangement, it is the object of the present invention to provide an espagnolette operating mechanism which provides an adequate range of movement for the espagnolette bar whilst being of small dimensions. However, it is to be appreciated that the invention is applicable more broadly to fastenings in general where an analogous problem arises.

According to one aspect of the present invention we provide a fastener operating mechanism comprising a body member provided with a slideway; an operating member provided with a complementary slideway and mounted to the body member for movement relative thereto such as to cause a change in the distance between the slideways in a direction transverse thereto; and an assembly of a number of sliders interconnected by hinged links, of which alternate sliders are engaged in the slideway of the body member and the slideway of the operating member, and an end one of the sliders is arranged for connection to a reciprocable member of the fastener.

Preferably a further one of the sliders, remote from said end one thereof, is fixed in its slideway to provide a reaction point relative to which the movement of the end slider is caused to occur. However, such a reaction point could be provided by something external to the operating mechanism and cooperating with the assembly of sliders.

According to another aspect of the invention we provide an espagnolette operating mechanism comprising a body member arranged to be mounted at the edge of the panel; an operating member mounted to the body member for movement relative thereto in a direction perpendicular to the edge of the panel; the body member and operating member being provided with complementary slideways, each extending in a direction parallel to the edge of the panel; and an assembly of a number of sliders interconnected by hinged links, of which alternate sliders are engaged in the slideway of the body member and the slideway of the operating member and an end one of the sliders in the slideway of the body member is arranged to be connected to the espagnolette bar.

As will be more particularly described hereafter in relation to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the arrangement of sliders and hinged links can be considered as a number of toggle mechanisms whose outputs, in terms of the distances by which the sliders move along their respective slideways, are added to one another.

Preferably the mechanism is for operating two espagnolette bars, and two end ones of the sliders at opposite ends of the assembly of sliders and links are arranged to be connected to the respective espagnolette bars, while a central one of the sliders is fixed relative to its slideway.

Preferably the assembly of sliders and interconnecting links comprises a member formed integrally from a plastics material, e.g. polypropylene, with the hinged interconnection between the links and sliders being provided by portions of the member which are of reduced thickness so that the flexibility of material provides the required hinged connection.

The movement of the operating member relative to the body member may be effected by a crank arrangement.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a section through a window frame assembly, provided with an espagnolette operating mechanism according to the invention; Figure 2 is a section through the espagnolette operating mechanism alone, in one operative position; Figure 3 is a section as Figure 2, in another operative position; Figures 4 and 5 are front and side elevations of part of the operating mechanism.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown in section part of a frame assembly of an openable window, the assembly comprising a fixed frame member 10 and a frame member 11 of an openable sash. The frame members 10, 11 are extrusions of a rigid plastics material such as UPVC. Both the frame members have hollow interiors, and in the frame member 11 is disposed an espagnolette operating mechanism indicated generally at 12 and also shown in Figures 2 and 3.

The mechanism 12 comprises a body member 13 which conveniently is an extrusion of an aluminium alloy, arranged to be mounted in the frame member 11 so as to extend therealong. Within the body member 13 there is disposed an operating member 14 which also is an extrusion. The members 13, 14 are each provided with an undercut groove formation which acts as a slideway, the groove in the member 13 being indicated at 15, facing the groove 16 which is provided in the member 14. The member 14 is symmetrical in shape and affords another groove 17 which faces in the opposite direction to the groove 16.

This groove 17 receives a shoe 18 for sliding movement therealong, the shoe 18 being connected to a crank arm 19 provided on a shaft 20 which is journalled in apertures in the body member 13. The shaft 20 extends through the frame member 11 to be provided, at 21, with a manually operable handle, not shown. It will thus be appreciated that angular movement of the shaft 20 by its handle causes movement of the operating member 14 in a direction perpendicular to the length of the frame member 11, and extreme positions of the operating member 14 are shown in Figures 2 and 3.

The mechanism further comprises a member which is shown in position in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, and in isolation in Figures 4 and 5. This member is a unitary member of a plastics material such as polypropylene, and comprises slider elements 22 to 30.

These slider elements are interconnected by links all of which are of the same dimensions as one another and are therefore identified by the same reference numeral 31.

Between each slider member and link there is a portion of the plastics material which is of reduced thickness to act as a hinge by virtue of the inherent flexibility of the material, as indicated at 32. The slider members 22, 24, 26, 28 and 30 are received in the groove 15 of the body member 30, while the slider members 23, 25, 27 and 29 are received in the groove 16 of the operating member 14. The fit of the slider members in the grooves is such that they are held captive therein but are free to slide therealong. The slider member 26 is held stationary in the groove 15 by a rivet 33, and the end slider members -22, 30 are provided with extensions 34, 35 respectively which are arranged to be connected by further rivets to espagnolette bars 36, 37 extending along the frame member 11.

The operation of the mechanism will be apparent from Figures 2 and 3. In Figure 2, the operating member 14 is in its position where its groove 16 is at its furthest distance from groove 15. This causes the plastics member, which acts as an assembly of sliders and hingedly connected links therebetween, to adopt a zig-zag configuration in which its length is minimised. When the operating member 14 is moved to the position of Figure 3, the plastics member assumes a shallower zig-zag configuration in which its overall length is increased and the end sliders 22, 30 with the espagnolette bars attached thereto are caused to be moved away from one another. The arrangement can be considered as an assembly of toggle mechanisms, whose outputs are additive to one another.

The arrangement produces a relatively great movement of the espagnolette bars without requiring a bulky operating mechanism which would be difficult to accommodate in a window frame member such as that illustrated. Although the mechanism has been shown as operating two espagnolette bars, it will be appreciated that it could be equally applicable to the operation of one espagnolette bar only, in which case an assembly of sliders and links would be provided whereof one end slider is held stationary whilst the opposite end slider is connected to the espagnolette bar. Although in the embodiment shown in the drawings a central slider is held stationary in its slideway to provide a reaction point relative to which movement of the end sliders is caused to take place, it would be possible for such a reaction point to be provided by something external to the assembly of sliders. In the case of an espagnolette fastening arrangement with two espagnolette bars, the reaction point could be simply the effect of one bar reaching its limit of movement in either direction.

It will also be appreciated that the invention is applicable more widely to fastenings in general, where a relatively great movement of a reciprocable member is required to be produced from a compact operating mechanism.

Claims (6)

1. A fastener operating mechanism comprising a body member provided with a slideway; an operating member provided with a complementary slideway and mounted to the body member for movement relative thereto such as to cause a change in the distance between the slideways in a direction transverse thereto; and an assembly of a number of sliders interconnected by hinged links, of which alternate sliders are engaged in the slideway of the body member and the slideway of the operating member, and an end one of the sliders is arranged for connection to a reciprocable member of the fastener.

2. An espagnolette operating mechanism comprising a body member arranged to be mounted at the edge of the panel; an operating member mounted to the body member for movement relative thereto in a direction perpendicular to the edge of the panel; the body member and operating member being provided with complementary slideways, each extending in a direction parallel to the edge of the panel; and an assembly of a number of sliders interconnected by hinged links, of which alternate sliders are engaged in the slideway of the body member and the slideway of the operating member and an end one of the sliders in the slideway of the body member is arranged to be connected to the espagnolette bar.

3. A mechanism according to Claim 2 wherein two end ones of the sliders at opposite ends of the assembly of sliders and links are arranged to be connected to respective espagnolette bars, and a central one of the sliders is fixed relative to its slideway.

4. A mechanism according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the assembly of sliders and interconnecting links comprises a member formed integrally from a plastics material, with portions of the material of reduced thickness providing the hinged connections between the sliders and links.

5. A mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims wherein movement of the operating member relative to the body member is effected by a crank.

6. An espagnolette operating mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.