GB2236798A

GB2236798A - Improvements in or relating to friction stay-hinges

Info

Publication number: GB2236798A
Application number: GB8922805A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Edward Buckley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-10-10
Filing date: 1989-10-10
Publication date: 1991-04-17
Anticipated expiration: 2009-10-10
Also published as: GB2236798B; GB8922805D0

Abstract

A window friction stay-hinge of the kind comprising a track 10, a vent arm 16, a slider 12, a link 13, a control arm 17, and a further link 20 is characterised by a convexly shaped (as viewed from the slider) end cap 25 on the track 10 which comes into wedging engagement with a concavely shaped nose 24 on the vent arm 16 as the window is closed. The end cap 25 includes an arcuate portion which may be offset from the axis of the track. <IMAGE>

Description

"Improvements in or relations to hinges" The invention relates to hinges and in particular to friction stay hinges for windows.

The invention relates to a window hinge of the kind comprising a track adapted to be fitted to a fixed window frame, a vent arm adapted to be fitted to the movable window vent, a slider slidable -along the track, a link pivotally connected at one end to the slider and at its other end to the vent arm, and a control arm pivotally connected at one end to the track, or a part adapted to be fixed in relation thereto, and at its other end to the vent arm, the arrangement being such that the vent arm is movable between a closed position where it extends substantially parallel to the track and an open position where it extends at an angle to the track, such movement being accompanied by movement of the slider along the track.

Normally two such hinges are provided at opposite sides of the window and the geometry of the hinges is such that as the window vent pivots on the hinges the effective pivot axis of the vent moves away from the fixed window frame thus providing access to both sides of the vent.

Frictional restraint is normally provided to movement of the slider along the track, such restraint being adjustable to vary the force necessary to open the window. Friction at the pivotal connections can also contribute to the frictional restraint.

In order to provide for positive closing action of the hinges, so that the window vent closes properly against its weatherseal, it is common practice to provide the track with an abutment member with which a shaped nose on the end of the vent arm cooperates with a wedging action as the hinge moves into the closed position. In one common arrangement the track is provided with an end cap having two surfaces inclined to one another to form a generally V-shaped recess, the end of the vent arm having a pointed, generally V-shaped nose which enters the end cap with a wedging action as the hinge moves into the closed position. However, in practice the pointed nose of the vent arm may foul the end cap, preventing proper closing or opening of the window due, for example, to incorrect installation of the hinges or distortion of excessive tolerances in the components.

In an alternative arrangement therefore, as shown for example in my co-pending British Patent Application No. 8918084-8, the end of the vent arm is formed with a generally V-shaped notch which engages over a pin or roller mounted on the end of the track as the vent arm moves to the closed position.

The present invention provides improvements in hinges of this general type.

According to the invention there is provided a window hinge of the kind first referred to wherein one end of the vent arm is provided with a shaped nose which is adapted, as the vent arm moves to the closed position, to come into wedging engagement with an abutment member mounted on the track, the nose having an end surface formed with a concavity which engages over at least a portion of the abutment member, the abutment member being in the form of an end cap, mounted on the track and extending across at least a major portion of the width thereof, the end cap including a portion which projects in the direction of the slider and engages within the concavity in the nose portion on the vent arm as the vent arm moves to the closed position.

One advantage of the invention is that the suitably shaped wend cap may be mounted on the track with greater rigidity than is possible with a projecting pin or roller.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the extremity of the projecting portion of the end cap is offset laterally with respect to a line extending through the pivotal connections at the ends of the control arm in the closed position of the hinge, such offset being in the direction of opening movement of the hinge.

The projecting portion of the end cap may be at least partly arcuate, and is preferably partcylindrical, in configuration. The projecting portion may also provide an inclined surface which extends in a direction generally away from the slider as it extends away from the arcuate or part-cylindrical portion of the end cap, on the opposite side thereof to the side from which the vent arm approaches as it moves towards the closed position.

The concavity in the nose on the end of the vent arm may include an arcuate, or part-cylindrical, portion and such portion is preferably of complementary shape to the projecting portion of the end cap.

In any of the above arrangements the extent of the projecting portion of the end cap, in a direction parallel to the pivot axes of the pivotal connections between the other components of the hinge, is preferably greater than the width of the nose on the vent arm.

This provides a certain latitude in the positioning of the nose in relation to the abutment member as the vent moves to the close position.

The effective operation of a hinge of this kind, particularly near its closed position, may depend to a certain extent on the relative dispositions of the pivotal connections between the components of the hinge.

Preferably, therefore, there is combined with any of the above-mentioned features of the present invention a geometry which improves the positive closing action of the hinge.

For example, in any of the forms of hinge according to the invention, at least one of the pivotal connections at the ends of the link is preferably offset laterally with respect to a line extending through the pivotal connections at the ends of the control arm, in the closed position of the hinge. Preferably both pivotal connections at the ends of the link are offset laterally on opposite sides respectively of such line.

In the case, mentioned above, where the projecting portion of the end cap is also offset laterally with respect to the line extending through the pivotal connections at the ends of the control arm, the offsetting of the projecting portion of the end cap is preferably equal to the offsetting of the pivotal connection between the link and the vent arm.

The following is a more detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a friction hinge according to the invention, shown in its fully open position, Figure 2 is a side view of the hinge shown in the closed position, Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the upper end of the vent arm, showing a nose member detached therefrom, and Figure 4 is a side elevation on an enlarged scale of the upper parts of the hinge, in the closed position.

As previously explained, hinges of the type to which the invention relates are used in pairs at opposite sides, or top and bottom, of a window. The hinge to be described is asymmetrical and accordingly the hinges of each pair will be mirror images of each other. For convenience only the right hand hinge of a pair is shown in the accompanying drawings.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the friction hinge comprises a track 10 which, in use, in adapted to be screwed to a fixed window frame. The track 10, which may be formed from aluminium or stainless steel, is generally channel-shaped and has along its opposite sides inwardly turned flanges 11. A plastics slider 12 is received within the track 10 so as to be slidable along the track, the side edges of the slider 12 engaging beneath the inturned flanges 11 of the track.

A stop 39 is provided on the track 10 to limit the downward movement of the slider 12 along it.

A link 13 is pivotally connected to the slider 12 by means of a pivot pin 14, and the opposite end of the link 13 is pivotally connected, by a pivot pin 15, to the upper end of a vent arm 16 which, in use, is screwed to the frame of the movable window vent. A control arm 17 is pivotally connected at its lower end, by a pivot pin 18, to the lower end of the track 10 and at its upper end is pivotally connected by a pivot pin 19 to the vent arm 16, intermediate the ends thereof.

A further link or brace 20 is pivotally connected by a pivot pin 21 to the sjider 12 and, at its lower end, is connected by a pivot pin 22 to the control arm 17, at a location intermediate the pivot pins 18 and 19. A still further link 9 may be connected between the brace 20 and the vent arm 16, as shown.

Friction hinges of this general type are well known, and in use two such hinges may be connected between the fixed window frame and movable window vent at opposite sides at the upper end thereof. Such an arrangement is normally described at "top-hung".

However, such hinges may also be connected between the upper and lower frame members of the window vent and the fixed window frame, in which case the window is referred to as "side-hung".

When the window is closed, the components of each hinge are generally in line, as shown in Figure 2, with the vent arm 16 overlying the track 10. Figure 1 shows the position of the hinge after the window has been fully opened. It will be seen that as the vent arm 16, and hence the window vent, swings away from the track 10, the slider 12 moves downwardly in the track.

Consequently the window vent swings downwardly as well as angularly away from the fixed window frame. In its fully open position the window vent is at only a small angle to the horizontal and thus provides access, for cleaning, to both sides of the window glass.

Frictional restraint to opening of the window is provided by the frictional engagement of the slider 12 within the track 10. This may be adjusted, in known manner, by adjustment of a screw 23 which passes through the slider 12 and bears against the surface of the track.

As previously mentioned, it is desirable to effect positive control of the movement of the window vent to the closed position to ensure that the vent positively and firmly engages the weatherseal on the fixed window frame. To achieve this a shaped nose on the upper end of the vent arm cooperates with a shaped cap member on the upper end of the track. In -the present hinge the upper end of the vent arm has mounted thereon a separately formed nose member 24 which cooperates with a cap member 25 which is fixed, for example by staking or riveting, to the upper end of the track 10.

As best seen in Figures 3 and 4, the nose member 24 comprises a shaped operative end part 26 and a flat mounting lug 27.

The mounting lug 27 fits behind the upper end of the vent arm 16, as best seen in Figure 4, and is integrally formed with a circular locating boss 28 which is received in a corresponding circular aperture 29 in the vent arm 16. A further aperture 30 in the mounting lug 27 is then in register with an aperture 31 in the vent arm and the two parts are secured together, and to the end of the link 13, by the aforementioned pivot pin 15.

The operative end part 26 of the nose member 24 is formed with a part-circular concavity 32 from one side of which an inclined surface 33 extends upwardly and tangentially at an angle. As best seen in Figure 4, the width of the upwardly facing edge surface of the operative end portion 26 is substantially greater than the thickness of the material of the vent arm 16. The operative end part 26 is also of greater thickness than the mounting lug 27 so as to provide, in effect, a rebate in which the upper end of the vent arm 16 is received.

The rebate has an extension 34 into which projects a correspondingly shaped extension 35 on the end of the vent arm 16, so as to provide support for the inclined surface 33 and to reduce any tendency for play between the nose member 24 and the end of the vent arm.

The cap member 25 on the upper end of the track 10 extends across the whole width of the track and includes an abutment 36 which, as best seen in Figure 4, projects substantially parallel to the pivotal connections between the components of the hinge, so as to extend above the upper ends of the link 34 and vent arm 16, in the closed position of the hinge, as seen in Figure 4.

The abutment 36 has a convex, downwardly projecting surface 37 which is part-circular and partcylindrical and of the same radius of curvature as the concave part-circular portion 32 of the nose member 24.

An inclined surface 38 extends upwardly from the partcircular convex surface of the abutment, on the side thereof further from the vent arm, but as best seen in Figure 2 the surface 38 extends at a steeper angle than the inclined surface 33 on the nose member.

As shown in Figure 2, in the closed position of the hinge the pivots 18, 22, 21 and 19 are in line, and lie generally on the central longitudinal axis of the track. The downmost extremity of the projecting surface 37 on the end cap 25 is offset laterally to the right of this line, as viewed in Figure 1, i.e. it is offset in the direction of the vent arm 16.

As the hinge moves to the closed position, the inclined edge surface 33 on the nose member 24 engages the convex surface 37 on the end cap with a wedging action, which guides the vent arm positively and firmly into the final closed position so that the window vent seals positively and firmly against the weatherseal on the window frame. In the fully closed position shown in Figures 2 and 4, the part-circular convex surface 37 on the end cap is received fully in the correspondingly curved concave surface 32 of the nose member.

As previously mentioned, it has been the practice, for example as shown in my co-pending Application No. 8918084-8, for the upper end of the vent arm 16 itself to be shaped to engage the abutment on the track, such abutment in the prior arrangement being in the form of a fixed pin or roller of circular crosssection. Accordingly, the width bf the bearing end surface on the vent arm has only been the same as the thickness of the material of the vent arm itself. In the hinge shown in the drawings, however, the nose member provides an edge surface which is of greater width than the thickness of the vent arm material so as to provide an increased bearing area between the nose member and the abutment member.

Although the nose member is preferably a separate element which is secured to the end of the vent arm, as shown, the vent arm itself might be deformed, fabricated or otherwise shaped so as to provide an edge surface of greater thickness than the rest of the vent arm.

However, the provision of the edge surface on a separate nose member has certain advantages. Firstly it may be easier to manufacture than shaping the end of the vent arm itself since the nose member can then be moulded or cast and the rest of the vent arm simply punched out of sheet metal in conventional fashion.

The operative edge surface of the nose member may thus very conveniently be made of any desired width.

Furthermore, since the nose member is separately formed it may be formed from a material which is more suitable to provide a bearing surface and which may be less susceptible to wear than the material of the vent arm itself.

In a preferred embodiment the separate nose member 24 is formed from metal, for example is cast from zinc alloy. However, the nose member can be moulded from plastics material.

Although in the described arrangement the nose member 24 overlies the end of the vent arm 16 and provides the whole of the edge surface which engages the abutment member on the track, arrangements are possible in which the upper end edge of the vent arm itself is also shaped in similar fashion to the operative end part of the nose member. The nose member is then so located on the vent arm that the shaped edge surfaces on the nose member and vent arm are in register side-by-side so as together to provide a total bearing surface of greater width than the thickness of the vent arm alone.

As previously mentioned, it is also advantageous, in a hinge according to the present invention, for certain of the pivotal connections between components of the hinge to be so disposed as to be relatively offset to one another in the closed position of the hinge.

As previously mentioned, in the closed position of the hinge the pivots 18, 22, 21 and 19 are in line, and lie generally on the central longitudinal axis of the track 10. However, the pivot 14 between the link 13 and the slider 12 is offset to the left of that line, whereas the pivot 15 between the link 13 and the vent arm 16 is offset to the right of that line.

Offsetting of the pivotal connections 14 and 15 improves the geometry of the hinge to provide positive control of the movement of the hinge components, particularly during the small angular movements during the initial opening and final closing of the window.

The offsetting of the pivotal connection 15 to the right of the line is substantially equal to the aforementioned offsetting of the lowermost extremity of the convex surface 37 on the end cap 25 so that these parts are generally in line with one another, as shown in Figure 2.

The hinge shown in the drawings, and described above, is also shown and described in my co-pending Application No.

which relates to a different invention also embodied in the hinge.

Claims

1. A window hinge comprising a track adapted to be fitted to a fixed window frame, a vent arm adapted to be fitted to the movable window vent, a slider slidable along the track, a link pivotally connected at one end to the slider and at its other end to the vent arm, and a control arm pivotally connected at one end to the track, or a part adapted to be fixed in relation thereto, and at its other end to the vent arm, the arrangement being such that the vent arm is movable between a closed position where it extends substantially parallel to the track and an open position where it extends at an angle to the track, such movement being accompanied by movement of the slider along the track, one end of the vent arm being provided with a shaped nose which is adapted, as the vent arm moves to the closed position, to come into wedging engagement with an abutment member mounted on the track, the nose having an end surface formed with a concavity which engages over at least a portion of the abutment member, the abutment member being in the form of an end cap, mounted on the track and extending across at least a major portion of the width thereof, the end cap including a portion which projects in the direction of the slider and engages within the concavity in the nose portion on the vent arm as the vent arm moves to the closed position.

2. A window hinge according to Claim 1, wherein the extremity of the projecting portion of the end cap is offset laterally with respect to a line extending through the pivotal connections at the ends of the control arm in the closed position of the hinge, such offset being in the direction of opening movement of the hinge.

3. A window hinge according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the projecting portion of the end cap is at least partly arcuate.

4. A window hinge according to Claim 3, wherein the projecting portion of the end cap is partcylindrical in configuration.

5. A window hinge according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein the projecting portion provides an inclined surface which extends in a direction generally away from the slider as it extends away from the arcuate or partcylindrical portion of the end cap, on the opposite side thereof to the side from which the vent arm approaches as it moves towards the closed position.

6. A window hinge according to any of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the concavity in the nose on the end of the vent arm includes an arcuate, or part-cylindrical, portion of complementary shape to the projecting portion of the end cap.

7. A window hinge according to any of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the extent of the projecting portion of the end cap, in a direction parallel to the pivot axes of the pivotal connections between the other components of the hinge, is greater than the width of the nose on the vent arm.

8. A window hinge according to any of Claims 1 to 7, wherein at least one of the pivotal connections at the ends of the link is offset laterally with respect to a line extending through the pivotal connections at the ends of the control arm, in the closed position of the hinge.

9. A window hinge according to Claim 8, wherein both pivotal connections at the ends of the link are offset laterally on opposite sides respectively of said line.

10. A window hinge according to Claim 2 and Claim 8, wherein the offsetting of the projecting portion of the end cap is substantially equal to the offsetting of the pivotal connection between the link and the vent arm.

11. A window hinge substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.