GB2262565A

GB2262565A - Stay having releasable catch

Info

Publication number: GB2262565A
Application number: GB9127002A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Yurek Adrian Wronski
Original assignee: Cotswold Architectural Products Ltd
Current assignee: Cotswold Architectural Products Ltd
Priority date: 1991-12-19
Filing date: 1991-12-19
Publication date: 1993-06-23
Anticipated expiration: 2011-12-19
Also published as: GB9127002D0; GB2262565B

Abstract

This invention relates to hinges in the form of stays such as side hung or top hung window stays. A stay 10 has a track member 11, a slider 13, a strut 14, brace 15, link 16, further link 17 and a support arm 18. A stop 19 is raised in the bottom 20 of the track member 11. The slider 13 is of bridge-like section so that it defines a channel 21 which allows the slider 13 to pass over the stop 19. A catch 22 has an eccentric 24, which can be moved into the channel 21 to engage the stop 19 to limit releasably the movement of the slider 13 and hence the opening of the stay 10. In an alternative embodiment a releasable catch (27, fig 5) extends between the arm 18 and the strut 14 to limit movement of the arm away from the strut, the catch automatically re-engaging as the stay moves towards its closed position. <IMAGE>

Description

stays This invention relates to hinges in the form of stays such as side hung or top hung window stays.

The invention is particularly concerned with a stay comprising an arm for supporting a load, a track member, a slider movable along the track member, a strut pivotally connected to the base and spaced from the slider, a brace pivotally connected to the slider and the strut, and a link pivotally connected to the slider, the arm being connected to the link and the strut for movement between a " closed" position in which it overlies the track member and an "open" outward position in which it extends to an angle to the track member. Such stays will be referred to as "a stay as hereinbefore defined".

Local authorities and others are increasingly being caught in a dilemma between providing or requiring window stays which will not open sufficiently to allow a child to fall out of a window and window stays which allow the window to be opened sufficiently for an adult to escape during a fire. Proposals have been made which satisfy these requirements, but they relied on a breakable element and so and window could only be opened fully in the event of an emergency. This is unacceptable to most users, who, at least occasionally, like to clean their windows. However if free opening is allowed, it is necessary to ensure that the restriction device is re-engaged when the window is subsequently closed. A- number of proposals have been suggested, but in the main they incorporate fairly strongly sprung detents which are awkward to use and which are liable to trap fingers.

From one aspect the invention consists in a stay as hereinbefore defined characterised in that the track has a stop projecting into the path of movement of the slider and in that the slider has a channel dimensioned to allow it to pass over the stop and in that a catch is mounted on the slider for movement between the first position in which it projects into the channel to engage the stop, and hence restrict movement of the slider along the track, and a second position in which it will clear the stop allowing further movement of the slider.

It will be understood that restriction of the movement of the slider has the effect of restricting the extent to which the stay can be opened.

In a preferred embodiment the catch is rotatably mounted on the slider and may include an eccentric portion for engaging the stop in the first position. The catch may further have an operating element which lies substantially flat on the slider in the first position and projects from the slider in the second position such that it can be moved into its first position by a part of the stay as the part moves into its closed position.

It will be understood that this is a particularly simple mechanical arrangement which requires no spring or other bias elements and which is inevitably reset as the stay sweeps into its closed position.

From another aspect the invention consists in a stay as hereinbefore described characterised in that there is a releasable catch extending between the arm of the strut to limit movement of the arm away from the strut, the catch being formed to automatically re-engage as the stay moves towards its closed position.

In a preferred embodiment the catch is hook-shaped and is rotatably mounted on one of the arm or strut to engage on a projection on the other of the arm or strut. The catch may be spring-loaded and have an external cam surface so that as the arm and strut move together the cam surface engages the projection to direct the projection into the mouth of the hook for automatic re-engagement. The hook may be slotted to allow the projection to travel relative to the hook, in a captive sense, to allow full closing of the stay.

Although the invention has been defined above it is to be understood it includes any inventive combination of the features set out above or in the following description.

The invention may be performed in various ways and specific embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stay with a catch in its closed or restricted position, Figure 2 shows the stay of Figure 1 with the catch in its raised position, Figures 3a and 3b are sections through the catch corresponding to the positions of Figure 1 and Figure 2 respectively, and Figure 4 is a perspective view of an alternative construction of stay.

A stay, generally indicated at 10, comprises a track member 11 having inturned lips 12 and retaining a slider 13 for movement along its length; a strut 14 pivotally connected to the track member 11; a brace 15 pivotally connected to the slider 13 and strut 14; a link 16 pivotally connected to the slider and a further link 17 pivotally connected to the brace 15 and an arm 18 for supporting a window or the like connected to the strut 14 and the link 16,17 for movement between a closed position in which it overlies the track member 11 and an open position (shown in Figure 1) in which it extends at an angle to the track member 11.

This general arrangement is essentially conventional and its operation is so well understood in the art that it will not be described in more detail.

As can be seen from Figures 1 and 2, a stop 19 is raised in the bottom 20 of the track member 11 such that, with a conventional slider, the stop would engage the slider 13 and restrict the opening of the stay 10. However, in this construction, the slider 13 is of bridge-like section such that it defines a channel 21 extending along its length. The dimensions of the channel 21 are such that the slider 13 can pass freely over the stop 19.

However, the slider 13 is provided with a catch 22 which comprises a operating lever 23 and an eccentric 24.

The catch 22 is pivotally mounted within an opening 25 in the roof of the channel 21 such that when the lever 23 lies flush or level with the upper surface 26 of the slider 13, the eccentric 24 projects into the channel 21 so that it will engage the stop 19 and restrict the opening of the stay.

If it is desired to fully open the stay 10, the lever 23 is lifted, whereupon it raises the eccentric 24 into the position shown in Figure 3b and it will be seen that the channel 21 is then totally unobstructed, with the result that the slider can pass over the stop 19 and along the track 11. It will be noted that, when in its raised position, the lever lies within the arc swept out by the brace 15 as it moves into the closed position. The result is that whenever the stay 10 is closed after it has been opened with the catch 22 released, the brace 15 inevitably pushes the lever 23 back in the Figure 3a position and reengages the catch. The geometry of the stay is such that this does not occur until the catch 22 has repassed over the stop 19.

Referring now to Figure 4, an alternative form of restrictor is generally indicated at 27. This comprises a hook-shaped element 28 which is pivotally mounted on the arm 18 to engage a projection 29 on the strut 14. In the position shown in Figure 4 it will be seen, that when engaged, the hook 28 restricts the opening of the stay 10.

This restriction can be disengaged by moving the hook 28 towards the arm 18 so that the peg-like projection 29 passes through the mouth 30 of the hook 28. A flat spring (not shown) lies between the hook 28 and the arm 18 so that the nose 31 of the hook 28 will engage the cam surface 32 formed on the nose against the projection 29, as the stay 10 is closed, with the result that the hook 28 will automatically re-engage on the projection 29. The hook 28 is provided with an elongate axial slot 33 along which the projection 29 can pass, whilst still being held captive, so as to allow unrestricted closing of the stay 10.

Again this arrangement provides an easily accessible and releasable catch which will automatically re-engage on closing.

Claims

1. A stay as hereinbefore defined characterised in that the track has a stop projecting into the path of movement of the slider, in that the slider has a channel dimensioned to allow it to pass over the stop and in that. a catch is mounted in the slider for movement between a first position in which it projects into the channel to engage the stop, and hence restrict movement of the slider along the track, and a second position in which it will clear the stop allowing further movement of the slider.

2. A stay as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the catch is rotatably mounted on the slider.

3. A stay as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the catch includes an eccentric portion for engaging the stop in the first position.

4. A stay as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further including an operating element which lies substantially flat on the slider in the first position and projects from the slider in the second position such that it can be moved into the first position by a part of the stay as the part moves towards or into its closed position.

5. A stay as hereinbefore described characterised in that there is a releasable catch extending between the arm and the strut to limit movement of the arm away from the strut, the catch being formed to re-engage automatically as the stay moves towards its closed position.

6. A stay substantially as hereinbefore defined substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 or Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.