GB2257200A - Window stays - Google Patents

Abstract

A window stay has an elongate stay bar 10 which has, opposite its hinged end, a projecting latch 13 with an aperture 15. When the associated window leaf 11 is in its closed position, the latch 13 can be inserted into a slot 26 in a body 16. Within the slot 26 is a part 36 which holds the latch 13 engaged with the body 16. This may be a clip (40, figure 6) that engages the latch 13 with a reversible snap action or may be a bolt 36 which can be operated by a key. <IMAGE>

Description

WINDOW STAYS The invention relates to window stays.

Window stays generally include a stay bar which is pivotally connected at one end to a window leaf and is used to hold the window leaf in a variety of open positions relative to a fixed frame. When the leaf is closed into the frame, the stay bar pivots to a position parallel to but spaced from the plane of the window leaf and engages a pin on the frame.

It is desirable to hold the stay bar in this closed position.

According to the invention, there is provided a window stay assembly comprising an elongate stay bar having one end for pivotal connection to a window leaf to hold the window leaf in a variety of open positions relative to a fixed frame and having a projecting latch part at or towards an end of the stay opposite said one end, and a co-operating body for mounting on the window leaf and including an opening for receiving the projecting latch part of the stay bar when the window leaf is closed into the fixed frame, the body also including a part co-operating with a projecting latch part received in the opening to hold the latch part engaged with the body.

In this way, the stay bar is held in its closed position.

The following is a more detailed description of two embodiments of the invention, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which : Figure 1 is a side elevation of an end of a stay bar of a window stay, showing a latching plate, Figure 2 is a similar view to Figure 1, but showing the latching plate engaged in a housing of a body, Figure 3 is a cross-section through the stay, the latching member, the housing and the body of Figure 2, Figure 4 is a side elevation of a barrel incorporated in the housing of Figures 2 and 3, Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a plastics moulding incorporated in the housing of Figures 2 and 3, Figure 6 is a similar view to Figure 3 but showing an alternative arrangement of the housing in which the latch on the stay bar engages with a snap action a detent provided in the housing.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 5, the stay bar 10 is formed, for example, of a zinc-based alloy, and has at one end (not shown) a mounting by which it can be pivotally connected to a hinged window leaf 11 (see Figure 3) which is open and closable into and out of a fixed frame 12 (see Figure 3). Towards the other end of the stay bar 10 there is provided, as seen in Figures 1 and 2, a lug 13 which projects from the undersurface of the stay bar 10 and is formed integrally with the stay bar 10. The lug 13 is generally rectangular in shape and lies in a plane including the length of the stay bar 10 and is provided with an oval aperture 15 which also lies in this plane.

Of course, the lug 13 could be formed in some other way.

For example, it could be formed separately and then connected to the stay bar 10.

As seen in Figure 2, the window stay assembly also comprises a body 16 formed by a base 17 and a housing 18.

The base 17 allows the body 16 to be mounted on the window leaf 11 (see Figure 3). The housing 18 is generally U-shaped in cross-section with a top opening 19. Two plastics part-mouldings 20 are received within the housing 18 through an open end of the housing 18, and are best seen in Figure 5. The mouldings 20 are retained in the housing 18 by two ears 45 (see Figure 5) each formed on an outer surface of a respective one of the mouldings 20. As the mouldings 20 are pushed into the housing 18, the ears 45 are depressed and their inherent springiness urges them into a hole 46 in the housing 18, to hold the mouldings 20 in position.

Together, the two mouldings 20 form a tube 21 which extends through the housing to a registering hole 22 in an end wall 23 of the housing 18. The mouldings 20 also form a second tube 24 arranged parallel to the first tube and connected to the first tube by an elongate slit 25. One end of the second tube 24 terminates in an opening in the form of a slot 26 in register with the opening 19 of the housing 18.

The mouldings 20 need not be made of a plastics material, they could be made of any other suitable material.

The first-mentioned tube 21 receives a barrel 27 which is best seen in Figure 4. The barrel 27 is rotatable in the tube 21 and is provided at one end with a rebate 28 which engages with two tongues provided by the mouldings 20 at the end of the tube 21 opposite the end wall 23 and projecting into the tube 21. This locates the barrel 27 in an axial direction. An annular groove 30 extends around the barrel adjacent the rebate 28 and receives a rubber O-ring 31 which engages the mouldings 20 to prevent the barrel 27 rotating when in transit.

The barrel 27 is cross machined to form a slot 32 which extends across the barrel 27 at an angle to the length of the barrel 27. The function of this will be described below.

The barrel 27 is rotatable by a key, or other suitable activating device, which is inserted through a die-cast bevel 42 retained by the housing 18 and engages in a slot 29 provided at the end of the barrel opposite the rebate 28.

The second tube 24 contains a cylindrical bolt 36 which is reciprocable in the second tube 24 in a direction parallel to but spaced from the axis of the barrel 27. The bolt 36 carries a pin 33 which projects radially from the bolt 36 and engages in the slot 32 of the barrel 27 so that rotation of the barrel 27 is transmitted by the pin 33 to the bolt 36 to cause axial movement of the bolt 36. In the disposition shown in Figure 3, the bolt 36 is in a retracted inoperative position.

In use, the stay bar 10 and the body are fixed to a window leaf 11. The body 16 is so located on the window leaf 11 that when the window leaf 11 is closed into the fixed frame 12 and the stay bar 10 is pivoted to lie parallel to the plane of the window leaf 11, the lug 13 can be inserted into the slot 26 formed by the mouldings 20 and the housing opening 19. When so inserted, the aperture 15 in the lug 13 is aligned with the end of the second tube 24. When in this position, a key engaged in the barrel 27 can be turned to rotate the barrel 27 so, via the slot 32, causing movement of the pin 33 in a direction parallel to the axis of the barrel 27. This movement causes corresponding movement of the bolt 36; sliding the bolt 36 from the retracted position shown in Figure 3 to an extended position in which the bolt passes into the aperture 15 in the lug 13.

When in this position, the under surface of the stay bar 10 engages a pin (not shown) on the window frame.

In this way, the stay bar 10 is locked in the closed position so resisting unauthorized opening of the window.

Reverse operation of the key 34 causes reverse rotation of the barrel and corresponding movement of the bolt 36 from the extended position back to the retracted position shown in Figure 3. In this position, the stay bar 10 can be lifted and used to hold the window leaf 11 in a variety of open positions.

It will be appreciated that the stay bar need not be locked in position by the barrel 27, pin 33 and bolt 36 described above with reference to Figures 1 to 5. Any other suitable locking system could be contained within the housing 18.

Indeed, there need not be positive locking of the stay bar 10 in position. In this regard, reference is made to Figure 6 which shows a variation of the window stay mechanism shown in Figures 1 to 5. In this variation, the plastics mouldings 20 are replaced by an alternative pair of mouldings 37, 38. One moulding 37 includes a plate 37a and a pair of spacers 37b and the other moulding 38 also includes a plate 38a and a pair of spacers 38b. The plates 37a,38a are in face-to-face contact and the spacers 37b,38b, locate the mouldings 37,38 firmly in the housing 18. The plate 37a carries a spring clip 40 and one of the spacers 37b locates in the hole 46 to hold the mouldings 37,38 in the housing 20.

The stay bar 10 is unaltered from that described above with reference to the drawings.

In use, the parts are disposed as described above with reference to the drawings, but when the lug 13 is inserted into the slot 38, the end of the lug 13 initially enters the spring clip 40 which separates and then closes into the aperture in the lug 13 with a snap action, so holding the stay bar 10 in the closed position.

The stay bar 10 can be released by applying sufficient force in lifting the stay bar to cause the end of the lug 13 to be released from the clip 40 so releasing the stay bar 10 with a reverse snap action.

The window stays described above with reference to the drawings have a number of advantages. The design of the stay bar 10 and the body 16 allows the creation of two different products using only three sub-assemblies (the stay bar 10 and the two different forms of housing 18).

In addition, the window stays of Figures 1 to 4 have the advantage that the locking mechanism is within the rest and not within the stay bar.

Claims (12)

1. A window stay assembly comprising an elongate stay bar having one end for pivotal connection to a window leaf to hold the window leaf in a variety of open positions relative to a fixed frame and having a projecting latch part at or towards an end of the stay opposite said one end, and a co-operating body for mounting on the window leaf and including an opening for receiving the projecting latch part of the stay bar when the window leaf is closed into the fixed frame, the body also including a part co-operating with a projecting latch part received in the opening to hold the latch part engaged with the body.

2. A window stay according to claim 1 wherein the projecting latch part includes an aperture, the co-operating body part entering said latch aperture when the latch part is in the body opening.

3. A window stay according to claim 2 wherein the projecting latch part comprises a lug including an aperture lying in a plane including the length of the elongate stay bar.

4. A window stay according to claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the body part is a flexible detent which engages the projecting latch part with a snap action as the latch part is inserted into the body opening, the detent and the latch part being disengageable with a reverse snap action.

5. A window stay according to claim 4 wherein the flexible detent is a spring clip.

6. A window stay according to claim 1 wherein the body part is a lock operable to engage the latch part on the stay bar to prevent removal of the latch part from the body.

7. A window stay according to claim 6 wherein the lock includes a bolt movable from a retracted inoperative position in which the latch part of the stay bar is insert able into the opening in the body and an extended operative position in which the bolt extends into the body opening and through an aperture in the latch part, to prevent removal of the latch part from the body.

8. A window stay according to claim 7 wherein the bolt is moved between the retracted and extended positions by an operating pin which extends in a direction normal to the direction of movement of the bolt and which is movable in a path parallel to said direction of movement of the bolt.

9. A window stay according to claim 8 wherein the pin projects into a slot in, and angled to the length of, a barrel, the barrel being rotatable about an axis parallel to, but spaced from, the direction of movement of the bolt, said rotation moving the pin to move the bolt between said retracted and extended positions.

10. A window stay according to claim 8 wherein said barrel is rotatable by operation of a key.

11. A window stay according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the body comprises a base for attachment to a window leaf and a housing carried by the base, the housing containing a plastics moulding which forms an opening for receipt of a latch part on the stay bar.

12. A window stay substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 or to Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.