GB2267535A - Mounting assembly for a reversible window - Google Patents

Abstract

A mounting assembly far a window tiltable about a vertically movable horizontal axis comprises a guide rail (10) secured to an upright of a fixed window frame, a first track (14) on the guide rail to receive a first slide member disposed at the top of an adjacent side member of the movable window frame, a second track (16) (shorter than the first track (14)) to receive a second slide member; a guide bar arrangement (20, 54) having the second slide member at one end and at the opposite end being pivotally connected via pivot (22, 56) to the side member of the movable frame at the mid paint thereof, and a support bar (24, 58) pivotally connected at one end to the top of the second track (16) and at the other end to an intermediate zone of the guide bar arrangement (20, 54), whereby the guide bar arrangement (20, 54) is able to extend progressively in length. outwardly of the fixed frame, as the movable window frame is moved towards a horizontal disposition. <IMAGE>

Description

Mounting Assembly for a Window" This invention relates to a slountinO assembly for a window of the kind which is reversible about a vertically shiftable horizontal axis disposed at what is normally the top of the moveable window frame. The window is provided with a pair of such assemblies at its opposite sides, one assembly being left-handed and the other right-handed.

Mounting assemblies of this kind are known, inter alia from U.K Patent Application No.224172bA, and have the advantage that the window can be reversed for cleaning its normally outer surface without any part of the moveable window frame moving inwardly of the fixed window frame. However, the mounting assemblies known hitherto have the disadvantage that for optimum operation, which requires each assembly to be pivotally connected to one side member of the moveable frame at the mid-point thereof, a suitably dimensioned mounting assembly is required for every different height of moveable window frame. It is nonetheless possible, by sacrificing optimum operation, to use any particular size of mounting assembly, suitably modified, for a moveable window frame which is slightly shorter, by not more than about 50 mm, than the correct height for that particular size of assembly. Optimum operation requires the centre of gravity of the moveable window frame neither to rise nor to fall so that the same manual effort is needed both to open and to close it, and also requires what is normally the bottoms of the moveable window frame not to rise above the top member of the fixed window frame on full reversal with the risk of even hitting the soff it.

The object of the present invention is to provide a mounting assembly any particular size of which is suitable for optimum or approximately optimum operation of moveable window frames in a relatively wide range of heights.

According to one aspect of the invent ion, a mounting assembly for a window reversible about a horizontal axis comprises a guide rail adapted to be secured to one side member of the fixed window frame and having a. first track for a slide or roller member disposed at the top of the adjacent side member of the moveable windo frame and a second track for at least one slide or roller member disposed at one end of a guide bar arrangement the other end of which is pivotally connected to said one side member of the moveable frame at the mid-point thereof, a support bar being pivotally connected at one end to the top of the second track and at the other end to an intermediate zone of the guide bar arrangement, wherein the guide bar arrangement is arranged to extend progressively in length as the moveable window frame is moved towards a horizontal disposition.

The guide bar arrangement preferably comprises a parallelogram linkage one side of which is constituted by the lower portion of the support bar.

The guide bar arrangement may alternatively comprise a first link at one end of which there is disposed a first slide or roller member associated with the second track; a second link at one end of which there is disposed a second slide or roller member associated with the second track; and a third link to one end of which there is pivotally connected the other end of said first link, to the other end of which there is pivotally connected said one side member of the moveable frame, to a first intermediate point of which there is pi'otal ly connected the other end of said second link, and to a second intermediate point of which there is pivotally connected the other end of the support bar.

Preferably, the first track is longer than the second track and the ends of the first track are equidistant from the ends of the second track.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a pair of handed mounting assemblies for opposite sides of a window in accordance with any one of the preceding four paragraphs.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings of which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a preferred window mounting assembly designed for optimum operation, in a position corresponding to a horizontal disposition of the moveable window frame; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the assembly of Figure 1 in a position corresponding to a closed disposition of the moveable frame; and Figure 3 is a side elevation of an alternative window mounting assembly, designed for approximately optimum operation, in a plurality of positions with the fixed tracks omitted.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings a mounting assembly for a window which is reversible about a vertically shiftable horizontal axis disposed at what is normally the top of the moveable window frame (not shown) includes a guide rail 10 adapted to be secured by screws 12 to one side member of the fixed window frame (not shown). The guide rail 10 has a first track 14 and a second track 16, the first track 14 being as lo as the maximum height of moveable window frame for which the mounting assembly is suitable and the second track 16 being as long as the minimum height thereof. The ends of the second track 16 are equidistant from the ends of the first track 14. The first track 14 accommodates a slide or roller member (not shown) disposed at the top of the adjacent side member of the moveable window frame. The second track 16 accommodates a slide or roller member carried by a pin 18 at one end of a guide bar arrangement indicated generally at 20 the other end of which is pivotally connected by a pin 22 to said one side member of the moveable frame at the mid-point thereof. A support bar 24 is pivotally connected at one end by a pin 26 to a block 28 secured to the top of the second track 16, and at the other end to an intermediate zone of the guide bar arrangement 20. Said arrangement is designed to extend progressively in length as the moveable window frame is moved towards a horizontal disposition, and to this end comprises a parallelogram linkage one side of which is constituted by the lower portion of the support bar 24.

The opposite side of said linkage consists of a short bar 30, ano-ther consists of a bar 32 with a projection which carries the pin 18, and the remaining side consists of a bar 34 with a projection which carries the pin 22. The bars 24, 30, 32 and 34 are pivotally interconnected b pins 36, < S, 40 and 42. B-y way of example, where the mounting assembly is designed for moveable window frames in a height range of 650 mm to 500 mm, the second track 16 is 500 mm long and the first track 14 is 650 mm long and can be cut down by an equal amount of up to 75 mm at both top and bottom. For a moveable frame with the maximum height of 650 mm the pin 22 has to move 325 mm outwards, and for a moveable frame with the minimum height of 500 mm the pin 22 has to move only 250 mm outward. The extending guide bar arrangement 20 readily permits this variation whilst maintaIninC optimum operation. As indicated at the outset hereof, each window is provided with pair of mounting assemblies at its opposite sides, one assembly being left-handed and the other right -handed.

In operation, as the moveable window frame is moved from its closed position to a horizontal disposition, the slide or roller members disposed at the top of its side members movie from the top to the middle of the first track 14. At the same time the mid-points of its side members which are pivotally connected to the pins 22 move outs along the horizontal locus 44. As the moveable frame is then moved from a horizontal disposition to a fully reversed position, said slide or roller members move from the middle to the bottom of the first track 14 whilst the pins 22 move inwards along the locus 44. As the moveable frane is returned to its closed position the reverse sequence of events occurs. The movement of the centre of grait of the moveable window frame along the horizontal locus 44 maintains optimum operation of said frame, and as hereinbefore described the parallelogram linkage enables this to be achieved for a relatively ide range of frame heights using any one size of mounting assembly with suitable cutting down of both ends of the first track 14.

referring now to Figure 3 of the drawings, an alternative mounting assembly for a reversible window includes a guide rail (not shown) identical to that of Figures 1 and 2. The second track in said guide rail accommodates two slide or roller members carried by respective pins 50 and 52 at one end of a guide bar arrangement indicated generally at 54 the other end of which is pivotally connected by a pin 56 to one side member of the moveable window frame (not shown) at the mid-point thereof. A support bar 58 is pivotally connected at one end by a pin 60 to a block (not shown) secured to the top of said second track, and at the other end to an intermediate zone of the guide bar arrangement 54. t2aid arrangement is designed to extend progressively In length as the moveable window frame is moved towards a horizontal disposition. To this end said arrangement comprises a first link 62 at one end of which there is disposed the pin 50; a second link 64 at one end of which there is disposed the pin 52; and a third link 66 to one end of which there is pivotally connected by a pin 68 the other end of said first link 62, at the other end of which there is disposed the pin 56, to a first intermediate point of which there is pivotally connected by a pin 70 the other end of said second link 64, and to a second intermediate point of which there is pivotally connected by a pin 72 the other end of the support bar 58. Exactly as in the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, any particular size of mounting assembly is suitable for a relatively wide range of frame heights by cutting down the first track equally at both ends, although the range is not quite so wide because the guide bar arrangement 54 cannot extend quite so far as the uide bar arrangement 20.

In operation, as the moveable window frame is moved from its closed position to a substantially horizontal position in which the slide or roller members disposed at the tops of its side members are at the middle of the first tracks, the mid-points of its side members move outwardly through a path illustrated by the positions 5.a 5ack, 56c and 56d which approximates to the ideal horizontal locus 74 passing through the middle of the first tracks. As the moveable frame is then moved from said substantially horizontal disposition to a fully reversed position, said slide or roller members move from the mIddle to the bottom of the first tracks whilst the mid-points of the side members of said frame return inwardly by way of the positions 56c and b. As the moveable frame is returned to its closed position the reverse sequence of events occurs. Thus the alternatIve mounting assembly maIntains approximately optimum operation of the moveable window frame for a relatively wide rang of frame heights using any one size of such assembly.

Claims (7)

1. A mounting assembly for a movable window frame which is mounted in a fixed window frame and which is reversible about a substantially horizontal axis, said assembly comprising: a guide rail adapted to be secured to one side member of the fixed window frame and having a first track to receive a respective first slide or roller member disposed at the top of the adjacent side member of the movable window frame and a second track to receive at least one respective second slide or roller member; a guide bar arrangement having said respective second slide or roller member provided at one end thereof, and having its opposite end pivotally connected to said one side member of the movable frame substantially at the mid point thereof; and, a support bar pivotally connected at one end to the top of the second track and at the other end to an intermediate zone of the guide bar arrangement; in which the guide bar arrangement is arranged to extend progressively in length, outwardly of the fixed frame, as the movable window frame is moved towards a substantially horizontal disposition.

2. A mounting assembly according to Claim 1, in which the guide bar arrangement comprises a parallelogram linkage, one side of which is constituted by the lower portion of said support bar.

3. A mounting assembly according to Claim 1, in which the guide bar arrangement comprises a first link at one end of which there is disposed a said first slide or roller member associated with the first track; a second link at one end of which there is disposed said second slide or roller member associated with the second track; and, a third link to one end of which there is pivotally connected the other end of said first link, to the other end of which there is pivotally connected said one side member of the movable frame, to a first intermediate point of which there is pivotally connected the other end of said second link, and to a second intermediate point of which there is pivotally connected the other end of the support bar.

4. A mounting assembly according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, in which the first track is longer than the second track, and the ends of the first track are substantially equidistant from the corresponding ends of the second track.

5. A movable window frame having a pair of handed mounting assemblies according to any one of the preceding claims and mounted on respective opposite sides of said movable window frame.

6. A window assembly comprising said fixed window frame and said movable window frame, and incorporating a mounting assembly according to any one of the preceding claims.

7. A mounting assembly according to Claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in either of the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings.