GB2241016A - Fastening mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

A fastening mechanism particularly for sliding patio doors or the like has a rectangular-sectioned tubular casing 1 with a slide 5 with "keyhole" slot keepers 6 for cooperation with a set of headed studs (8. Fig. 4). The slide 5 is shifted by a driver 10 turned by external handles through a central boss 13. The mechanism is assembled by inserting the slide 5 together with the driver 10 endwise into the casing 1 and then inserting the boss 13 into the driver though a hole 33 in the side of the casing whereby both to locate the turning axis of the driver and retain the slide within the casing. In an alternative embodiment (Figs 13-19) the headed studs are carried by the slide for cooperation with a set of fixed "keyhole" slot keepers. <IMAGE>

Description

Fastening Mechanism The present invention relates to fastening mechanisms which may in particular, though not exclusively, be used for fastening sliding doors or windows.

A form of fastening mechanism which is commonly used on so-called patio doors and the like sliding closures comprises one or a series of headed studs and corresponding keeper members with "keyhole" slots through the wider ends of which the respective studs can pass when the door is slid closed, the stud heads then being trapped in the keeper members to hold the door closed when the necks of the studs pass into the narrower ends of the "keyhole" slots by operation of an associated driving means. The studs can be mounted to the door together with a mechanism for driving them parallel to the door edge, with the "keyhole" slots being provided in fixed keepers mounted to or formed in an associated frame.

Alternatively, the studs can be fixed and a keeper member bearing the slots is mounted to the door together with a suitable driving mechanism. A similar arrangement of relatively-movable studs and slots can also be provided along the respective mating edges of double sliding doors.

Examples of prior art fasteners of this general kind are disclosed in published United Kingdom patent applications nos. 2092659, 2118611, 2124291, 2124692, 2127087, 2140492, 2172650 and 2201719, and European patent application no.

0117744.

In one aspect the invention seeks to provide a fastening mechanism, which in a preferred embodiment may be of the above-discussed kind with sliding studs or "keyhole" slots, and which is configured to minimise the costs of manufacture by being particularly simple and quick to assemble.

In one aspect the invention accordingly resides in a fastening mechanism comprising a generally tubular casing; a slide borne by said casing for sliding movement longitudinally therein; a rotatable driver within the casing and linked to the slide for driving the same between fastening and unfastening positions; and a boss received by the driver for turning the same in response to the manipulation of external handle means; said components being assembled together by the steps of inserting the slide together with the driver endwise into the casing and inserting the boss into the driver through a transverse aperture in the casing whereby to locate the turning axis of the driver and retain the slide within the casing.

In one preferred embodiment, the aforesaid slide is formed with, or carries means defining, "keyhole" slot keepers for cooperation with fixed headed studs. In another preferred embodiment the aforesaid slide carries headed studs for cooperation with fixed "keyhole" slot keepers, the studs being assembled with the slide by insertion through apertures in a forend of the casing following insertion of the slide into the casing.

These and other features of the present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of the forend of a lock in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the lock of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the lock of Figures 1 and 2, shown in the unfastening condition; Figure 4 is a side view of a stud plate for use with the lock of Figures 1 to 3; Figure 5 is a transverse section through the extrusion from which the lock casing and forend are made; Figure 6 is a front view of a keeper plate for the lock of Figures 1 to 3, to an enlarged scale; Figure 7 is a longitudinal section through the lock of Figures 1 to 3, shown in the fastening condition with the stud plate of Figure 4;; Figure 8 is a scrap view of internal components of the lock of Figures 1 to 3, shown in the locked condition; Figure 9 is a scrap longitudinal sectional view, at right angles to the views of Figures 3 and 7, showing an auxiliary slide of the lock; Figure 10 is a plan view of a boss for use in the lock of Figures 1 to 3, to an enlarged scale; Figure 11 is a section on the line XI-XI through the boss of Figure 10; Figure 12 is a scrap longitudinal section, at right angles to the views of Figures 3 and 7 and to an enlarged scale, through the boss and driver of the lock of Figures 1 to 3; Figure 13 is a front view of the forend of a lock in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 14 is a longitudinal section through the lock of Figure 13, shown in the unfastening condition;; Figure 15 is a front view of a keeper plate f-or use with the lock of Figures 13 and 14; Figure 16 is a scrap view of the other side of the lock of Figures 13 and 14, in the unfastening condition; Figures 17A and 17B are respectively scrap longitudinal section and opposite side views of the lock and keep plate of Figures 13 to 15, in the closed but unfastening condition; Figures 18A and 18B are respectively scrap longitudinal section and opposite side views of the lock and keep plate of Figures 13 to 15, in the fastening condition; and Figures 19A to 19E are respective sections, on the line XIX-XIX of Figure 14 and to an enlarged scale, through the slide and anti-slam block of the lock of Figures 13 to 18 at various stages of assembly.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 12 is for mounting mortice-wise into the hollow stile section of an aluminium-framed patio door or the like sliding closure and comprises a lock having an open-ended rectangular-sectioned casing 1 with integral forend 2.

The casing 1/forend 2 are formed from a single length of anodised aluminium extrusion of the cross-section shown in Figure 5, which is partially cropped at each end to leave the extending forend flange portions 3. The latter are pierced at 4 to receive fixing screws or bolts and various other apertures are also pierced in the casing sides and forend for purposes which will become clear as this description proceeds.

Mounted within the casing and extending through almost its entire height is a slide 5 of moulded plastics - e.g.

Delrin. This element is a simple sliding fit within the casing and requires no additional lubrication. At two positions behind the forend 2 the slide carries steel keeper plates 6 of the form shown in Figure 6, which define (truncated) "keyhole1, slots 7 for cooperation with respective headed studs 8 carried by a plate 9 (Figure 4) which will be mounted to the fixed door surround facing the lock. For shifting the slide 5 between its fastening and unfastening positions there is a rotatable driver 10 moulded from the same material as the slide and having a peg 11 which engages in a slanted drive slot 12 formed in the slide. The driver 10 receives a boss 13 of the same material which will be more fully described hereafter and which has a square-sectioned hole 14 to receive a drive spindle (not shown) from external handles on both sides of the door. To prevent the driver 10 moving the slide 5 to its fastening position except when the door is closed (thereby preventing the damage which might otherwise be occasioned by slamming the door with the keepers 6 in a position in which they are incapable of passing the heads of the studs 8) there is an anti-slam member 15 pivoted to the slide, moulded from the same materal as the slide, driver 10 and boss 13, which is operable by an additional pin 16 on the plate 9. Finally, to lock the driver 10 against unfastening movement when desired there is an auxiliary slide 17 borne by the slide 5 and moulded from the same material, which is actuated by a conventional double-sided locking cylinder 18 received transversely through the door and casing 1.

The operation of this mechanism will now be described as follows. References to directions and relative positions in this description apply to those as viewed in the respective Figures.

Figure 3 showns the condition of the lock when the door to which it is fitted is open and unfastened. The driver 10 is at the clockwise limit of its movement and the slide 5 is correspondingly in its lowermost position within the casing 1. In this condition the wider ends of the "keyhole" slots 7 (Figure 6) in the keeper plates 6 register with respective circular apertures 19 in the forend 2. In addition, the driver 10 is blocked against anti-clockwise turning by an elbow portion 20 of the antislam member 15 lying in a cut-out 21 of the driver. The member 15 is in this respect pivoted by an integral pin 22 to the slide 5 and normally kept in its blocking position of Figure 3 by an integral spring leg 23. Another, stiffer leg 24 of this member extends forwardly and terminates behind a further aperture 25 in the forend 2.

Finally, the auxiliary slide 17 in this condition is clear of the driver 10, being yieldably retained in its lowermost position by the engagement of a pip 26 formed on an integral spring leg 27 of this member in the lower of two holes 28 pierced through the adjacent side wall of the casing 1 - see also Figure 9 (which shows this member in its upper position).

When the door is now closed, the lock is brought up to the fixed plate 9, so that the studs 8 pass in through the apertures 19 and the wider ends of the "keyhole" slots 7, and the pin 16 passes in through the aperture 25. The heads of the studs 8 accordingly now lie behind the plane of the plates 6. At the same time, the pin 16 engages the leg 24 of the anti-slam member 15 and pivots that member, by flexure of the leg 23, so that its elbow portion 20 clears the driver cut-out 21. The driver 10 can now be turned anti-clockwise by either of the external handles so that its peg 11 runs to the opposite end of the drive slot 12 and thus raises the slide 5 to the position shown in Figure 7.In this position the keeper plates 6 have been raised so that the heads of the studs 8 are trapped against withdrawal behind the narrower ends of the "keyhole" slots 7, thereby fastening the door.- The antislam member 15 has also been raised clear of the pin 16 and can resile to its normal position, thereby relieving the strain on the leg 23. In this condition, however, the auxiliary slide 17 has not moved but is still retained by the engagement of its pip 26 in the lower of the casing holes 28. From this condition, therefore, the door can be unfastened at will by turning either of the handles in the opposite sense to drive the slide 5 downwards once more.

If, however, it is desired to lock the mechanism against unfastening after closure of the door, the correct key is inserted into the locking cylinder 18 and given a complete clockwise turn. The cam (not shown) of the cylinder thereby describes the arc indicated at 29 in Figure 8.

In so doing, the cylinder cam engages in a cut-out 30 in the slide 17 and raises that slide to the position shown in Figures 8 and 9, in which it is yieldably retained by the engagement of its pip 26 in the upper of the casing holes 28. The slide 17 is in this respect guided for movement relative to the slide 5 by a rib on the undersurface of the former running in a track 31 moulded in the latter. In this condition, the slide 17 blocks clockwise turning of the driver 10 and thereby effectively locks the mechanism against unfastening. Unlocking is achieved by a complete anti-clockwise turn of the key in the cylinder 18, so that its cam engages in the cut-out 30 to drive the slide 17 downwards once more.

The illustrated lock is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, without detriment to its security. The use of moulded-plastics components with the casing aids cost reduction and enables the production of a selflubricating mechanism which will give a long and maintenance-free service life. The single-piece extruded casing 1 also adds to the simplicity and economy of production. A particularly advantageous feature is the simplicity and speed of the assembly procedure which the structure of the lock permits, as will now be described.

To assemble the lock, the slide 5 is first assembled with the keeper plates 6, auxiliary slide 17, driver 10 and anti-slam member 15 (in their Figure 3 relative disposition), although the boss 13 is at this stage omitted from the driver. This sub-assembly is then fed endwise through either open end of the casing 1 and adjusted to register the pip 26 in the lower of the holes 28 and to register the central bore 32 of the driver with apertures 33 in each side wall of the casing. The boss 13 is then taken and snapped into the driver 10 through either one of the casing apertures 33.More particularly, it will be seen that the section of the bore 32 is in the form of a truncated circle and that the boss 13 (which is more fully shown in Figures 10 and 11) is of essentially complementary section, so as to be received as a sliding fit in the bore 32 but such as to transmit torque to the driver 10 when the boss is turned by the external handles. At one end, however, the boss 13 has a complete circular head 34 and at the other end it has two axial slits 35 between which is an axial leg 36 terminating in a radial tooth 37. The axial distance between the head 34 and the tooth 37 corresponds to the axial length of the bore 32. The tooth 37 has a chamfered outer edge so that as the boss 13 is inserted into the bore 32 with the tooth 37 leading, the leg 36 is bent inwards by the flat surface of the bore to permit the boss to be slid through the bore.When fully inserted, as shown in Figure 12, the head 34 abuts the side of the driver and the tooth snaps out of the opposite end of the bore 32 to retain the boss 13 assembled with the driver.

In this condition the opposite ends of th.e boss are journalled within the casing apertures 33 to define the turning axis of the driver and (through the engagement of the driver peg 11 in the slide slot 12) to retain the slide 5 within the casing 1. No other stop means on the motion of the slide 5 are required. To complete the assembly, the locking cylinder 18 is passed through complementary apertures 38 in the side walls of the casing 1 and retained by a fixing screw 39 through a hole 40 in the forend 2, in conventional fashion.

Turning to Figures 13 to 15, these show a second embodiment of the invention having many parts functionally equivalent to those of the first-described embodiment and like reference numerals are used to denote like parts in the two embodiments. Description of these parts will accordingly not be repeated in respect of the second embodiment. The essential difference is that in this case the studs 8 are carried by the slide 5 and are fastened into "keyhole" slots 7 in the fixed plate 9 when the door is closed and the driver 10 is turned to raise the slide. In this respect, the slide 5 carries threaded steel inserts 41 into which the studs 8 are screwed, passing through slots 42 in the forend 2, after insertion of the slide sub-assembly into the casing 1.

The other practical difference is that in this case the anti-slam member does not act upon the driver 10 but upon the slide 5 itself. To this end the anti-slam member comprises a moulded-plastics block 43, formed from the same material as the slide 5 and other plastics components, which is slidably borne in a groove 44 in the upper part of the slide 5 and bears a pin 45 extending out through the upper slot 42 in the forend 2. Like the studs 8, the pin 45 is screwed into the block 43 after insertion of the latter into the casing 1 with the slide sub-assembly. A spring 46 biases the block 43 to extend the pin 45 and a lateral stub 47 is formed on the block which lies within an L-shaped slot 48 in a side wall of the casing (Figures 16-18) to control the movement of the slide 5 as follows.

In the unfastened condition of the lock, with the door to which it is fitted open, the mechanism is in the condition shown in Figures 14 and 16. In this condition the pin 45 is extended to its fullest extent, with the stub 47 lying at the front end of the horizontal leg of the slot 48.

The stub 47 therefore blocks the slide 5 against any attempt to lift it by manipulation of the external handles (not shown), and thereby prevents the damage which might otherwise be occasioned by slamming the door with the heads of the studs 8 in a position in which they are incapable of passing through the "keyhole" slots 7. When the door is now closed, the lock is brought up to the fixed plate 9 as shown in Figure 17, so that the heads of the studs 8 pass through the wider ends of the slots 7 and the pin 45 is pressed in by abutment with the plate 9 above the upper slot 7. The stub 47 on the block 43 therefore now lies at the junction of the horizontal and vertical legs of the slot 48.The slide 5 can accordingly now be raised to the fastening position by turning the driver 10, as shown in Figure 18, in so doing the heads of the studs 8 becoming trapped against withdrawal behind the narrower ends of the "keyhole" slots 7, thereby fastening the door.

Apart from the substitution of the inserts 41 for the keepers 6, the substitution of the block and spring 43/46 for the anti-slam member 15, and the addition of the studs 8 and pin 45 as described above, the assembly procedure for this embodiment of the invention is the same as that for the first-described embodiment. The block 43 with its lateral stub 47 is configured to have sufficient lateral resilience to permit the compression necessary for insertion of that member into the casing 1 with the slide 5 and subsequent snapping of the stub 47 into the slot 48.

More particularly, the assembly of the block 43 into the slide slot 44 and the assembly of the slide and block into the casing 1 in a preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to Figures 19A-19E.

Figure 19A shows a section through the slide slot 44 (on the line XIX-XIX of Figure 14), looking towards the hole 49 in the front face of the slide through which the antislam pin 45 will be received. It will be seen that this slot is configured with two opposed axial ribs 50 each having an inclined face 50A. The block 43 as seen in Figure 19B has a central threaded bore 51 to receive the inner end of the pin 45 and a counterbore 52 in its rear surface to seat the spring 46. It is also axially slit at 53 to define two legs 54 on its side opposite to the lug 47, each terminating in an out-turned foot 55 so as to match the profile of the ribs 50. The block 43 is inserted into the slot 44 in the sense of the arrow in Figures 19B an 19C.In so doing, the legs 54 are first bent towards each other by the rib surfaces 50A and then snap back as shown in Figure 19C to retain the block 43 in the slot 44. The clearance between the mating surfaces of the two, however, is sufficient to permit free axial sliding movement of the block. It will be noted that in this condition the lug 47 extends laterally beyond the periphery of the slide 5.

The spring 46 is then added to the assembly. In order now to insert the slide 5 into the casing 1 the block 43 must be pressed further laterally into the slot 44 so that the lug 47 can pass inside the casing. As shown in Figure 19D, this can be achieved by virtue of further bending of the legs 54 towards each other as the block is pressed harder against the inclined rib surfaces 50A.

Finally, when the slide 5 has been inserted into the casing 1 far enough for the lug 47 to encounter the slot 48 the block 43 snaps back into its operative position as shown in Figure 19E. Subsequent threading of the pin 45 into the bore 51 will prevent any further inward bending of the legs 54 and ensure that the lug 47 always remains within the slot 48 to control movement of the slide 5 as described above.

In a modification of either of the illustrated embodiments of the invention, the respective lock may be used as the centre unit in a multi-point locking system. To this end, drive rods may be attached to the upper and lower ends of the respective slide 5 to operate additional "keyhole" keepers or headed studs as the case may be, located in the door stile remotely from the centre unit.

Claims (20)

1. A fastening mechanism comprising a generally tubular casing; a slide borne by said casing for sliding movement longitudinally therein; a rotatable driver within the casing and linked to the slide for driving the same between fastening and unfastening positions; and a boss received by the driver for turning the same in response to the manipulation of external handle means; said components being assembled together by the steps of inserting the slide together with the driver endwise into the casing and inserting the boss into the driver through a transverse aperture in the casing whereby to locate the turning axis of the driver and retain the slide within the casing.

2. A mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the driver carries an eccentric peg which engages with a slot in the slide inclined to the longitudinal axis thereof, whereby to drive the slide between fastening and unfastening positions when the driver is turned and to retain the slide within the casing.

3. A mechanism according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the driver has a non-circular bore to receive said boss and the boss is of generally complementary cross-section to said bore but with an enlarged head at òne end and a resilient formation at the other end, whereby the boss can be inserted through said bore to an extent determined by said head and retained therein by a snap action of said resilient formation.

4. A mechanism according to any preceding claim wherein the opposite ends of said boss are journalled in respective apertures in opposite side walls of said casing.

5. A mechanism according to any preceding claim comprising key-operable means for blocking movement of the driver in the direction to drive the slide to its unfastening position when in its fastening position.

6. A mechanism according to claim 5 wherein said keyoperable means comprises a locking cylinder mounted to said casing and an abutment member borne within the casing and slidable by the cylinder in a direction parallel to said slide between blocking and unblocking positions.

7. A mechanism according to any preceding claim wherein the slide is formed with, or carries means defining, one or more "keyhole" slot keepers for cooperation with one or more respective fixed headed studs.

8. A mechanism according to claim 7 in combination with means carrying a respective headed stud for cooperation with the or each said "keyhole" slot keeper.

9. A combination according to claim 8 including antislam means for blocking movement of the slide from its unfastening to its fastening position unless the wider end(s) of said "keyhole" slot(s) have passed the head(s) of said stud(s).

10. A combination according to claim 9 wherein said anti-slam means comprise a member pivoted to said slide and normally biased to engage said driver when the slide is in its unfastening position thereby to prevent the drive from turning to drive the slide to its fastening position, and an actuating member associated with the means which carries the stud(s) which is arranged to abut said pivoted member through an aperture in a forend of the casing and release the same from the driver when the "keyhole" slot(s) have passed as aforesaid.

11. A mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the slide carries one or more headed studs for cooperation with one or more respective fixed "keyhole" slot keepers.

12. A mechanism according to claim 11 wherein the or each said stud is assembled with the slide by insertion through respective apertures in a forend of the casing following insertion of the slide into the casing.

13. A mechanism according to claim 11 or claim 12 in combination with means defining a respective "keyhole" slot keeper for cooperation with the or each headed stud.

14. A combination according to claim 13 including antislam means for blocking movement of the slide from its unfastening to its fastening position unless the head(s) of said stud(s) have passed the wider end(s) of said "keyhole" slot(s).

15. A combination according to claim 14 wherein said anti-slam means comprise an anti-slam member borne by said slide for sliding relative thereto transverse to the direction of movement of the slide itself, which member has a lateral projection engaging in a profiled slot in a side wall of said casing and an actuating portion adapted to pass through a forend of the casing, said member normally being biased to a position in which its actuating portion extends from said forend when the slide is in its unfastening position and in which its lateral projection is constrained by the margins of said slot to prevent movement of the slide to its fastening position, said actuating portion being engaged by means associated with the keeper(s) to shift the anti-slam member to an inward position in which its said lateral projection is released from said constraint when the head(s) of the stud(s) have passed as aforesaid.

16. A combination according to claim 15 wherein the anti-slam member with its lateral projection is inserted into the casing together with the slide and its actuating portion is thereafter assembled therewith by insertion through an aperture in said forend.

17. A combination according to claim 16 wherein, at least prior to its assembly with its actuating portion, the anti-slam member is compressible for insertion into the casing and configured such that its lateral projection snaps into said slot when so inserted.

18. A mechanism or combination according to any preceding claim wherein the slide, driver and boss are each formed in moulded plastics.

19. A mechanism or combination according to any preceding claim wherein the casing is of generally rectangular cross-section and is formed from a metal extrusion.

20. A fastening mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 12 or 13 to 19 of the accompanying drawings.