GB2220977A - Spring biased keeper or retainer for window/door closures - Google Patents

Abstract

A keeper/retainer for use in particular with a multi-point locking system has spring loaded floating block 110 (with recess 113) free to move inwards or outwards of a mounting housing 5 mounted on a window or door frame. The floating keeper block 110 has a curved or sloping face to meet an edge of the sash or upstanding bolt, in the event of the rebate cavity gap being narrowed by expansion or contraction of the window profile, and to be displaced temporarily, thereby, against spring loading 16 to allow the window to close properly. The retainer has a wide recess and entrance aperture 113 for a bolt on the window sash and a narrow undercut area 114 able to receive and retain a head of the bolt when that bolt is moved into its locked position. <IMAGE>

Description

WINDOW OR DOOR ASSEMBLY This invention relates to a window or door assembly and more particularly concerns improvements to keepers or retainers for use with a multi-point locking system to close and secure doors and windows.

It is known to provide on a window or door assembly multi-point locking systems in which a strip of metal (on which there are projections of various configurations) can be moved in a linear direction along the edge of a sash, casement or moving element of the door or window.

This linear movement causes the positions of the multiple projections to change so that they can disengage from a keeper or retainer enabling the window or door to be opened and re-engagement takes place in the closed position when said linear movement is reversed, in order to achieve locking.

It is known to provide keepers or retainers which include a passageway for an associated projection to enter or exit in the unlocked mode and to be locked therein in the locked mode. It is known to provide lateral and vertical adjustment of the keeper/retainer by means of elongated screw holes or cam actions applied to the pins of rollers.

There are certain characteristics inherent to many materials used in window and door construction, which together in certain types of construction tend to create problems. Plastics extruded profile is known to expand and contract under changing weather conditions, as does timber and particularly softwood. An established demand for systems having "slim" sightlines imposes relatively severe limitations on the size of components so that a gap between sash and frame rebate can increase due to profile shrinkage and manufacturing tolerance to the point where engagement between projection and keeper fails to take place or is at least unsatisfactory. It will be readily appreciated that where a keeper is fitted with sufficient upstand to allow for that gap there tends to be a danger of fouling and jamming of the sash in the frame when the profile expands.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an assembly which obviates or which at least alleviates one or more of the aforementioned, or other, disadvantages.

According to the present invention there is provided a window or door assembly comprising a first member which can be opened or closed relative to a frame, said first member being lockable to the frame by locking means, said locking means comprising first means in the form of a keeper or retainer mounted on the frame and cooperable with second means on said first member, said locking means being arranged to perform its locking function, despite possible variations in a gap between the frame and said first member when said first member is in said closed position relative to said frame, by at least the keeper or retainer being spring loaded in such a manner as to allow movement thereof, across said gap to compensate for Variations in said gap, on engagement of said keeper or retainer and said second means or on engagement of said keeper or retainer with the first member when closing said first member relative to the frame.

By the present invention the retainer or keeper is able to move against spring loading if necessary in order to be retracted temporarily into the frame by engagement with said first member or with said second means, thus compensating for reductions in the gap in between the first member and frame. Should the gap widen again the retainer or keeper will be moved across the gap by its spring loading in order to compensate for said variation.

In one embodiment of the present invention the retainer or keeper has an apertured retainer block spring loaded on a housing fixed to the frame, preferably by screws. Preferably, the housing is provided with a limiting flange or stop against which flange means on the retainer block is urged in use by spring means, said retainer block being urged towards the edge of the door or window, as the case may be, in the closed position.

The aperture in the retainer/keeper receives the second means of the locking means which second means is a projection or bolt. Preferably the keeper or retainer has a retaining plate carrying upstanding posts on which are mounted compression springs, said posts and compression springs extending into recesses in the retainer block to provide said spring loading. The plate is preferably rivetted to the housing, said housing is preferably provided with an upstanding wall (bounded on three sides), and a flange (bounded on three sides) which overlaps a mounting aperture in the housing which receives the retainer block.The retainer block may or may not be provided with an entrance aperture for said bolt and the precise form of the recess in the retainer block may be varied to suit and may, for example, be keyhole shaped or at least provided with a slot extension into which the bolt may be moved and locked. Preferably, the retainer/keeper has a curved or sloping surface (or other cam surface) engageable with said first member or said second means on narrowing of said gap to enable a smooth retraction of said retainer block into said frame if required to compensate for narrowing of said gap.

Usually the window or door assembly will have a multi-point locking system comprising a plurality of retainers/keepers co-operable with associated locking bolts/projections operable by a single operating handle.

Said first member may be hinged to the frame or slidable relative thereto.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a window or door assembly with a multi-point locking system including retainers or keepers mounted on a frame of said assembly, which retainers or keepers cooperate with locking projections or bolts on the window or door, characterised in that said retainers or keepers are spring-loaded on the frame, to allow retraction of the retainers/keepers within the frame.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a housing for fixing to a window or door frame and having means for adjustment horizontally (or across a gap), primarily, or for example, to accommodate the resistance of any weatherseal. In one embodiment, within the housing are two apertures, one upper and one lower. Within the lower aperture a limit flange on the floating keeper or retainer is free to move until it reaches its limit on the underside of the upper aperture, whilst through the latter this floating keeper is free to protrude under the urging of two springs. This floating keeper has a recess into which can be received the projecting element of a bolting system.Since the spring loaded floating keeper will always protrude to its fullest extent when the window is open, a ramp may be provided to enable the leading corner of a closing sash or the lip of a bolting upstand to depress the floating keeper to avoid fouling and ensuing damage.

In a further aspect of this invention the recess in the floating keeper is provided with a flange behind which a mushroom head of the above-mentioned projecting element can be retained against an attempt to force apart the frame and sash members to disengage the bolt and gain illegal entry.

In a further aspect of this invention the recess in the floating keeper is a keyhole shaped continuous slot having a flange along its narrow portion behind which is received and retained two protrusions on the retractable element of a multi-point bolting system which is the subject of a separate patent application by this Applicant.

The housing and the floating keeper may be made of zinc, plastic or steel, including stainless steel or any combination thereof. The retaining recess may be repeated at intervals apart in a wider floating keeper to provide a night ventilation capacity.

The invention in its different aspects will now be described in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. In said drawings, FIGURE 1 is a schematic elevational view of a side-hung window showing a sash in an open position and indicates the usual position of bolts and retainers/keepers of a multi-point locking system and operating handle; FIGURE 2 is a schematic elevational view of a top-hung window showing a sash in an open position with similar indications as FIGURE 1 for the bolts, retainers/keepers and operating handle; FIGURE 3 is a schematic elevational view of the side hung sash shown in FIGURE 1, but in a closed position, and showing the directions of contraction and expansion movement;; FIGURE 4 is a schematic elevational view of the top-hung window shown in FIGURE 2 but in a closed position, and FIGURES 5 and 6 are sectional views taken on lines V-V and VI-VI respectively in FIGURES 1 and 2 of wide and narrow sashes showing a crucial difference in the angle of approach at the closing edge between the narrow and wide sashes; FIGURE 7 is an enlarged, more detailed view of a typical plastics window profile taken on VIl-VIl or VIII-VIII in FIGURES 3 and 4 showing a rebate cavity with various upstands common to many designs. FIGURE 7 is intended to be viewed bearing FIGURES 5 and 6 in mind in order to emphasise problems which can occur when a projecting bolt on the sash profile and an upstanding keeper on frame profile are moved closer to, or further away from, one other by contraction or expansion effects.

FIGURES 8A, 8B, 8C represent in combination an exploded view of the components of one embodiment of a keeper/retainer and FIGURE 8D is an assembly view of the keeper/retainer; FIGURES 9A, 9B, 9C represent in combination an exploded view of the components of a second embodiment of keeper/retainer and FIGURE 9b is an assembled view of the keeper/retainer; FIGURES lOA, lOB, lOC represent in combination an exploded view of the components of a third embodiment of a keeper/retainer and FIGURE lOD is an assembled view of that keeper/retainer; FIGURES 11A, 11B and 11C are a sequence of situations which illustrate the effect of a closing sash on the keeper/retainer in the first embodiment; and FIGURES 12A, 12B and 12C are a sequence of similar situations pertaining to the second embodiment.

There are no illustrations of the effect on the third embodiment but since this is for use with a retractable multi-point bolting system which comes into operation only when the sash is fully closed, the effect of the closing sash in the keeper/retainer will be similar as in the two sequences illustrated in FIGURES 11 and 12.

Referring to FIGURE 1, a side-hung window W1 has a sash 2 in an open position with an operating handle 3 shown in the usual unlocked position. In order to lock the sash 2 to frame 1 of window W1 in this instance, locking means in the form of a multi-point locking system is employed. The multi-point locking system has, for example, retainers or keepers positioned on the frame 1 at B1 and B2 (in known manner) co-operable with projections or bolts of the system, for example, located at Al and A2 (in known manner) on the sash 2. FIGURE 2 shows a top-hung window W2 in an open position and having a multi-point locking system, A'1, A'2, B'1, B'2 of similar form to that of FIGURE 1.

s FIGURES 3 and 4 show sashes 2 in the closed position each within frame 1 (of window W1 or W2 respectively) with gaps, known as rebate cavities, El, E2, E3 and E4, in between sash 2 and frame 1. Double headed arrows C and D show the direction of expansion and contraction of the window profiles which will affect the size of the gaps El to E4. Although this expansion and contraction is a problem associated more particularly with extruded plastics profile construction, aluminium and timber constructions can also be affected. This description addresses a plastics window construction but it is to be understood that the present invention may be concerned with aluminium and/or timber construction also.

In FIGURE 3, the side-hung window W1 is shown in a closed position. Since hinge system 4 is located on the right hand side of the sash 2 and will connect the sash to the frame 1 at that edge, gap El will generally be constant. Gap E2 at the opening edge of window W1 will, therefore, not only be determined by the expansion and contraction movement of the window parts but also by the take-up of the various manufacturing tolerances. It is across this widely variable gap E2 that the projections of bolts at A1, A2 must securely engage the keeper/retainer at B1, B2 . In FIGURE 3, the gap between the head of the sash 2 and frame 1 is indicated as E3 and that between the sash 2 and the cill as E4.Since sealed glass units, the profiles themselves and their reinforcements create heavy sash assemblies, the sash element 2 tends to drop or sag towards the cill and the gap E3, therefore, will always tend to be greater than gap E4. The effect on the locking system at A1, A2, B1, B2, is that in FIGURE 1 the parts at A1, B1 and B1, B2 become misaligned during the operation of opening and closing the sash.

FIGURE 4 shows the top-hung window W2 and a hinge system 4 is at the head of the sash and the critical gap E2 for the locking system is at the bottom between the sash and the cill. Depending on the type of hinge system 4 used ( for example sliding shoe stays) the force of gravity can act to reduce this gap E2 in addition to any reduction provided by expansion movement indicated by the downwardly pointing part of arrow D.

FIGURES 5 and 6 are cross sections taken on lines V V and VI-VI in FIGURES 1 and 2. FIGURES 5 and 6 illustrate the problem of lack of clearance between the opening edge of a wide, side-hung sash 2 (deep top-hung sash 2 in the FIGURE 2 mode) and the frame 1 as in FIGURE 5, or a narrow side-hung (or shallow top-hung) window as shown in FIGURE 6. This indicates an additional problem to those created by the seasonal movement of material, sash drop and manufacturing tolerances, and particularly highlights the need and reason for this invention.

FIGURE 7 shows in more detail a typical sash 2 and frame 1 profile in cross section (VIl-VIl or VIII-VIII) with the sash 2 closed and having a multi-point locking system (M) in the closed position. FIGURES llA, B and C and 12A, B and C referred to below relate to this example.

FIGURES 8A, B, C and D relate to the construction and method of assembly of a retainer/keeper A1, A2 and the method of assembly is common to each of the embodiments set out hereinafter.

FIGURES 8A to 8C, represent an exploded view of a keeper/retainer and 8D the assembled form.

Referring to FIGURES 8A to 8D a housing 5 has two flanges (upper and lower flanges respectively) in which there are elongated slots 6 for receiving fixing screws (not shown) and these slots allow the fixing position of housing 5 on frame 1 to be selected. Housing 5 has a rectangular aperture 8 in the base. The top of the housing 5 is open and bounded by three walls Z only. At the top of walls Z an overlapping flange is partly defined by a dotted line 7; the flange overlaps aperture 8. A floating keeper/retainer block (numbered 10 in FIGURE 8B ) has a flange 11 around three sides and when inserted into the housing 5 via the rear of aperture 8, the flange 11 thereof limits the movement of the keeper/retainer block when it engages overlapping flange 7.In the underside of retainer block 10 there are two recesses 15, able to receive compression springs 16 which ride over guide posts 18 formed on cover plate 17, which plate also has two rivet holes 19. These holes 19 receive integral upstanding rivets on the base of housing 5, which rivets are not shown. The assembled keeper/retainer located at B1, B2, or at B'1 or B'2 is shown in FIGURE 8D and this is fitted to the frame 1 within the rebate cavity. It will be observed that a projection or bolting member (22 or 23 in FIGURES 11 and 12) of a locking system is free to enter an aperture in recess 13 (see FIGURE 8B) before the member 22, 23 is moved by operating lever 3 (in generally known manner) into the locked position within narrow slot 14.The entrance aperture in recess 13 is sufficiently wider than the diameter or width of the bolt, and the slot 14 sufficiently long, to accommodate vertical movement of the sash 2 through dropping in the side hung mode. Since the keeper/retainer block 10 is continually urged by the springs 16 to its limit where flanges 11 and 7 are engaged it will adjust to any increase in the rebate cavity gap accordingly. Similarly, where the gap E2 is reduced so that there is impingement between sash and frame profile (FIGURES 11 and 12) a curved (or sloped) form 12 of component 10 aids its displacement or retraction against springs 16 whilst still being able to receive and retain the bolting component located at A1, A21 A'1, A'2.

FIG'JRES 9A, B, C & D show a second embodiment of a keeper/retainer and these views are similar to FIGURES 8A to 8D except for the form of the recess, here numbered 113 (rather than 13) with a narrower locking slot numbered 114 (rather than 14), but also having an undercut flange formed as shown by dotted line marked 120. This undercut flange is intended to receive a headed bolt member such as that shown numbered 23 in FIGURE 12C and thins flange acts to counteract a problem with a straight component (such as that shown at 22 in FIGURE llC). The aforementioned problem with such a straight component is that it may be forced out of engagement with the retainer block by spreading the sash 2 away from the frame 1.

FIGURES 10A to lOD are again similar to FIGURES SA to 8D but relate to a third embodiment.

In FIGURES lOA, B, C & D there is a further, alternative configuration for the recess (now numbered 213) and here there is no entrance aperture to the recess but instead a keyhole shaped slot 221 with the retaining slot 214 having an undercut flange shown as a dotted line 220 is provided. This last embodiment is designed to receive the bolting elements of a retractable bolting system of a multi-point locking system.

The sequence of illustrations of movement at FIGURES llA, B and C show a sash 2 with one of its bolts 22 (located at A1 and A2 for example) in the unlocked position coming towards a keeper/retainer block 10 (FIGURE 8D) mounted on frame 1. The rebate cavity is so narrow, and expansion and contraction of the window components is in this case such that, the leading edge of the bolt 22 (marked with a black arrow showing direction of closing motion) is clearly going to impinge on retainer block 10 in FIGURE llA. In FIGURE llB bolt 22 impinges on block 10 and then causes block 10 to retract against spring loading until able to extend itself again as in FIGURE llC.The bolting element 22 has, in the meantime, entered the aperture in recess 13 (FIGURES 8B and 8D) and can then be moved vertically (side-hung) or horizontally (top-hung) to engage the narrower slot 14 (FIGURES 8B and 8D). During this locking and bolting operation the weatherseal 25 is compressed and the outer face of slot 14 is shaped to provide a good mechanical advantage in this process Where the bolt is free to enter the entrance aperture provided in recess (e.g. 13), for example, the sash may impinge directly on the retainer block (e.g.10), and the retainer block may retract against spring loading in a similar manner to that explained in the immediately preceding paragraph.

The movements of sash 2 vis-a-vis frame 1 in FIGURES 12A, B & C are substantially identical to those previously explained but the bolting element 23 is shown with a head and the keeper retainer is as shown in FIGURES 9B and 9D.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments above described and may be applied equally to doors as to windows.

Finally, whilst the invention has been described with particular reference to hinged and projecting windows, the second and third embodiments could be utilised with sliding doors and windows.

It is to be understood that the scope of the present invention is not to be unduly limited by the particular choice of terminology and that a specific term may bereplaced by any equivalent or generic term where sensible. Further it is to be understood that individual features, method or functions related to the window or door assembly or retainer/keeper or retainer/keeper block or combinations thereof might be individually patentably inventive.

Use of the term "multi-point locking system" or multi-point bolting system in this specification is meant to include a system which includes at least two spaced bolting projections that can be moved into and out of a locking mode at two associated spaced locations or points.

Claims (26)

1. A window or door assembly comprising a first member which can be opened or closed relative to a frame, said first member being lockable to the frame by locking means, said locking means comprising first means in the form of a keeper or retainer mounted on the frame and cooperable with second means on said first member, said locking means being arranged to perform its locking function, despite possible variations in a gap between the frame and said first member when said first member is in said closed position relative to said frame, by at least the keeper or retainer being spring loaded in such a manner as to allow movement thereof, across said gap to compensate for variations in said gap, on engagement of said keeper or retainer and said second means or on engagement of said keeper or retainer with the first member when closing said first member relative to the frame.

2. An assembly as claimed in Claim 1 in which the retainer or keeper has a recessed (preferably an openended or through recess) retainer block spring loaded on a housing fixed to the frame.

3. An assembly as claimed in Claim 2 in which the housing is fixed to the frame by screws.

4. An assembly as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3 in which the housing is provided with a limiting flange or stop against which flange means on the retainer block is urged in use by spring means providing said spring loading, said retainer block being urged towards the edge of the door or window, as the case may be, in the closed position.

5. An assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 4 in which the recess in the retainer/keeper receives the second means of the locking means, which second means is a projection or bolt.

6. An assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 5 in which the keeper or retainer has a retaining plate carrying upstanding posts on which are mounted compression springs, said posts and compression springs extending into recesses in the retainer block to provide said spring loading.

7. An assembly as claimed in Claim 6 in which the plate is rivetted to the housing.

8. An assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 7 in which said housing is provided with an upstanding wall (bounded on three sides), and a flange (bounded on three sides) which overlaps a mounting aperture in the housing which receives the retainer block.

9. An assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 8 in which the retainer block is provided with an entrance aperture to said recess for said second means.

10. An assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 9 in which said recess is keyhole shaped or at least provided with a slot extension into which a bolt of the second means can be moved into and locked.

11. An assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 10 in which the retainer/keeper has a curved or sloping surface (or other cam surface) engageable with said first member or with said second means on narrowing of said gap.

12. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims having a multi-point locking system comprising a plurality of retainers/keepers co-operable with associated locking bolts/projections operable by a single operating handle.

13. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which said first member is hinged to the frame or slidable relative thereto.

14. A window or door assembly having at least one retainer/keeper substantially as herein described with reference to FIGURE 8 or FIGURE 9 or FIGURE 10 of the accompanying drawings.

15. A window or door assembly substantially as herein described with reference to FIGURES 1,3,5 (or 6), 7,8 (or 9 or 10) or FIGURES 2,4,5 (or 6), 7,8 (or 9 or 10) of the accompanying drawings.

16. A window or door assembly with a multi-point locking system including retainers or keepers mounted on a frame of said assembly, which retainers or keepers cooperate with locking projections or bolts on the window or door, characterised in that said retainers or keepers are spring-loaded on the frame, to allow retraction of the retainers/keepers within the frame.

17. A retainer/keeper having a housing for fixing to a window or door frame and having means for adjustment horizontally (or across a gap) of a retainer block mounted in the housing.

18. A retainer/keeper as claimed in Claim 17 in which the housing has two apertures, one upper and one lower.

19. A retainer/keeper as claimed in Claim 18 in which within the lower aperture a limit flange on the retainer block is free to move until it reaches its limit on the underside of the upper aperture, whilst through the latter this retainer block is free to protrude under the urging of two springs

20. A retainer/keeper as claimed in any one of Claims 17 to 19 in which the retainer block has a recess into which can be received the projecting element of a bolting system.

21. A retainer/keeper as claimed in any one of Claims 17 to 20 in which the retainer block has a ramp which is provided to enable the leading corner of a closing sash or the lip of a bolting upstand to depress said block, in use, to avoid fouling.

22. A retainer/keeper as claimed in Claim 20 in which the recess in the retainer block is provided with a flange behind which a head of the projecting element can be retained.

23. A retainer/keeper as claimed in Claim 20 in which the retainer block has a keyhole shaped continuous slot having a flange along a narrow portion behind which is received and retained two protrusions on the retractable element of a multi-point bolting system.

24. A retainer/keeper as claimed in any one of Claims 17 to 23 in which the housing and the retainer block are of zinc, plastic or steel, including stainless steel or any combination thereof.

25. A retainer/keeper as claimed in Claim 20 or any claim dependent therefrom in which the retaining recess is repeated at intervals apart in a long floating retainer block.

26. A retainer/keeper for use in any one of Claims 1 to 16.