GB2252351A

GB2252351A - Operating mechanism for espagnolette fastening systems

Info

Publication number: GB2252351A
Application number: GB9100813A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Arthur Norman Searl; Frank Merry
Original assignee: Crompton Ltd
Current assignee: Crompton Ltd
Priority date: 1991-01-15
Filing date: 1991-01-15
Publication date: 1992-08-05
Anticipated expiration: 2011-01-15
Also published as: GB2252351B; GB9100813D0

Abstract

An operating mechanism for an espagnolette fastening system comprises a housing containing sliders 23, 24 which can be thrown in opposite directions by rotation of a handle. Each slider is for connection to a drive bar which carries a locking device such as a roller, pin or retractable beak. The drive from the rotatable handle is transmitted to one of the sliders eg via a pinion 37 and rack 36 and then the movement is transitted from that slider to the other slider via two spaced pinions 33 engaging in respective toothed racks 32 on the sliders. The use of two pinions allows the throw to be increased. <IMAGE>

Description

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR ESPAGNOLETTE FASTENING SYSTEMS The invention relates to an operating mechanism for an espagnolette fastening system.

Espagnolette fastening systems are used to lock and unlock hinged windows in an associated frame. The system comprises drive bars which extend from an operating mechanism around the fixed frame and have, at or intermediate their ends, latches which, when operated, engage the window to lock it to the frame. The operating mechanism is actuated by a rotation of a handle so that rotation of the handle in one direction moves the drive bars to lock the window and rotation of the handle in the opposite direction moves the drive bars to unlock the window.

In previously proposed operating mechanisms, the distance which the drive bars have been able to be moved by the operating mechanism has been limited by the form of the mechanism used.

According to the invention, there is provided an operating mechanism for an espagnolette fastening system comprises a housing in which are mounted two sliders for connection to respective espagnolette drive bars, the sliders being movable relative to the casing in opposite directions in parallel spaced paths between respective retracted and extended positions, one of the sliders being connected to a drive for converting rotation of a handle into said movement of the associated slide between said retracted and extended positions, two spaced gear wheels being arranged between the sliders and being in meshing engagement with the sliders so that movement of said one slider through the dirve causes said opposite movement of the other slider.

The following is a more detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an operating mechanism for an espagnolette fastening system showing the engagement of the mechanism with drive bars of the espagnolette mechanism; Figure 2 is a front elevation of the operating mechanism of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 2 but showing a rear plate of a housing of the operating mechanism removed; Figure 4 is a section of a line A-A of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a section of the line B-B of Figure 2; Figure 6 is a schematic plan view of two sliders of the mechanism of Figures 1 to 5, showing their engagement with two spaced gear wheels.

Referring to Figure 1, the operating mechanism comprises a housing 10 formed by a base 11 carrying a front plate 12 and a rear plate 13. The front plate 12 is generally flat and is provided with a rectangular slot adjacent the base (see Figure 5).

The rear plate 13 has upper and lower portions 15,16 both parallel to the front plate 12 and a central portion 17 extending at right angles to the front plate 12. This means that, as best seen in Figures 4 and 5, the upper portion 15 of the rear plate 13 is closely adjacent the front plate 12 while the lower portion 16 of the rear plate 13 is spaced further from the front plate 12.

As best seen in Figure 1, the upper portion 15 of the rear plate 13 is provided with projecting walls 18 which determine the spacing between this upper portion 15 and the front plate 12. The upper portion 15 and the front plate 12 are also provided with registering holes 19 by which the mechanism may be fixed to a window frame.

The lower portion 16 of the rear plate 13 is, as best seen in Figures 1 and 2, provided with a rectangular slot 20 adjacent the base 11. In addition, the lower edge of the lower portion 16 is provided with spaced ears 21 which engage in cut-out 22 in the base 11 to locate the rear plate 13 relative to the base 11.

Two sliders 23,24 are mounted in the housing in the space between the base 11, the front plate 12, the lower portion 16 of the rear plate and the central portion 17 of the rear plate. The two sliders 23,24 are arranged alongside one another with one slider laterally reversed relative to the other when viewed in the direction of Figure 6. Each slider has upper and lower surfaces 26,27 respectively and inner and outer sides 28,29 respectively. The lower surfaces 27 of both slides engage the base 11 to guide the sliders 24 in sliding movement into and out of the casing 10. Each outer side 29 is provided with a rectangular projection 30 in register with the adjacent rectangular slot 14,20.As best seen in Figure 1 in relation to the projection 30 on the slider 24, the rectangular projection 30 has generally the same width as the associated slot 14,20 but is shorter in length than the length of the associated slot 14,20. The purpose of these projections 30 will be described below.

The inner sides 29 of the sliders 23,24 are provided with guide surfaces 31 which engage the rear plate 13 and the front plate 12 respectively to guide the sliders 23,24 in their sliding movement. The inner sides 28 are also formed with respective parallel and mutually facing toothed racks 32 (see Figure 6). These toothed racks 32 are spaced and, in the space between them, are arranged two pinions 33,34, each in engagement with both toothed racks 32, again as seen in Figure 6. Each pinion 33 is rotatable about a pin 34 which, as seen in Figure 5, has its ends held by the base 11 and the central portion 17 respectively.

The upper surface 26 of one slider 23 is provided with a second toothed rack 36, as seen in Figure 6, for a purpose to be described below.

The drive pinion 37 is held between the front plate 12 and the upper portion 15 of the rear plate 13, as best seen in Figures 3 and 4. The drive pinion 37 is rotatably mounted by engagement of a central boss 38 in a hole 39 provided in the upper portion 15. As best seen in Figure 3, a section of the periphery of the drive pinion 37 is provided with teeth 40 which engage the second toothed rack 36 on the slider 23 (see Figure 3).

A rectangular hole 41 extends through the centre of the drive pinion 37 for engagement with a square cross-section rod 42 (see Figure 1) whose ends are for connection to rotatable handle or handles (not shown).

In use, the housing 10 is connected to a fixed frame of a window and extensions 43 of the members 23,24 are connected to drive bars 44 of the espagnolette mechanism (see Figure 1). These drive bars 44 can carry any suitable form of latch such as rollers, mushroom-headed pins or retractable beaks, and these may be arranged at the ends of the drive bars 44 or intermediate the ends of the drive bars 44. The rod 42 is passed through the hole 41 and a handle or handles (not shown) engaged with the rod 42.

Rotation of the handle in one sense rotates the rod 42 and thus rotates the drive pinion 37. As a result of its meshed engagement with the second toothed rack 36, this rotation causes movement of the slider 23 from the retracted position shown in Figure 6 to an extended position in which associated extension 43 is moved outwardly of the housing 10. As a result of the engagement between the toothed rack 32 on the slider 23 and the pinions 33, the pinions 33 are rotated by this movement and, as a result of their engagement with the toothed rack 32 on the other side of 24, cause movement of the slider 24 from the retracted position shown in Figure 6 to an extended position in which the associated extension is moved outwardly of the housing 10. In this way, the drive bars 44 are moved from the unlocked position shown in Figure 1 to a locking position in which the rollers, pins or beaks engage a window closed into the fixed frame to lock the window into the frame.

Reverse rotation of the handle moves the sliders 23,24 from the extended position back to the retracted position as shown in Figures 1 and 6, thereby moving the rollers, pins or beaks from the locking position to an unlocked position.

The range of movement of the sliders 23,24 is limited by the lost motion between the projections 30 and the associated rectangular slots 14,20. As the projections 30 engage the ends of the associated slots 14,20, further movement of the sliders 23,24 is not possible.

The use of two pinions 37 gives an increased throw of the espagnolette. In one example, it has been found that 900 movement of the handle throws the bars 12 mm in opposite directions. This can allow more positively locking engagement between the rollers, pins or beaks and the associated window. The construction is simple and inexpensive to make and also reliable in operation.

It will be appreciated that the drive need not be transmitted from the handle to the slider 23 in exactly the way described above. Any suitable drive mechanism could be interposed between the two.

Claims

1. An operating mechanism for an espagnolette fastening system comprising a housing in which are mounted two sliders for connection to respective espagnolette drive bars, the sliders being movable relative to the casing in opposite directions in parallel spaced paths between respective retracted and extended positions, one of the sliders being connected to a drive for converting rotation of a handle into said movement of the associated slide between said retracted and extended positions, at least one gear wheel being arranged between the sliders and being in meshing engagement with the sliders so that movement of said one slider through the drive causes said opposite movement of the other slider.

2. An operating mechanism according to claim 1 wherein two spaced gear wheels are provided between the sliders, the gear wheels being rotatable about parallel but spaced axes normal to a plane containing the directions of movement of the sliders.

3. An operating mechanism according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the converting drive comprises a drive pinion mounted on the housing for rotation relative to the housing by said handle, the pinion meshing with a rack on said one slider.

4. An operating mechanism according to claim 3 wherein the drive pinion includes a rectangular hole for engagement with a rod for carrying the handle.

5. An operating mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said sliders are provided with opposed racks in meshing engagement with said at least one gear wheel.

6. An operating mechanism according to claim 5 when dependent on claim 3 wherein said racks lie in planes normal to the plane of the rack on said one slider that engages with the drive pinion.

7. An operating mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the housing is provided with opposed slots, each slider including a projection which extends into a respective one of said slots to guide the associated slider in said sliding movement and to limit the range of movement of the associated slider.

8. An operating mechanism according to claim 7 and claim 3 wherein said slots are formed in opposed front and rear plates of the housing, the front and rear plates also mounted therebetween the drive pinion.

9. An operating mechanism for an espagnolette fastening system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. An operating mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 9 in combination with two espagnolette drive bars, each drive bar being pivotally connected to an associated slider.

11. The combination of an operating mechanism for an espagnolette fastening system and drive bars substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.