GB2277958A

GB2277958A - Espagnolette fastening mechanism

Info

Publication number: GB2277958A
Application number: GB9408782A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nigel Philip Shenton
Original assignee: PLUS PLAN
Current assignee: PLUS PLAN
Priority date: 1993-05-12
Filing date: 1994-05-04
Publication date: 1994-11-16
Anticipated expiration: 2014-05-04
Also published as: GB9309703D0; GB2277958B; GB9408782D0

Abstract

A window or door assembly comprises a window or door panel mounted in a frame. The panel is moveable from an open position in which an edge of the panel engages the frame to a closed position in which the edge is clear of the frame. Said edge is provided with a locking mechanism comprising a first and second elongate members (1, 6) provided with locking formations adapted for engagement with the frame. A first pinion 21 is rotatably mounted and engages a first rack 22 formed along a portion of the first elongate member (1) so as to move the first elongate member along the edge of the panel. The first elongate member (1) is further provided with a second rack 26 which engages a second pinion 25, which in turn is operably linked to the second elongate member (6) so as to cause movement of the second elongate member (6) in a direction opposite to that of the first elongate member (1). <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Locking System for Doors and Windows This invention relates to locking mechanisms for doors and windows.

Locking systems for windows commonly comprise mushroom-headed pins located on one edge of the window sash and corresponding keeps on the corresponding internal face of the window frame.

When the window is closed, the pins are moved by a manuallyoperable handle into locking engagement with the keeps, preventing opening of the window. In such systems, the pins are commonly mounted on rods or bars lying along the edge of the window sash and moveable longitudinally by an appropriate mechanism. Commonly, two such bars are provided and the mechanism acts to drive the bars towards opposite ends of the window edge to which they are fitted. To this end, the mechanism may include suitable gears by which rotation of the handle is translated into movement of one bar in one direction and the other in the opposite direction.

A disadvantage of known systems of this type is that the mechanisms are relatively bulky and are therefore'difficult to accommodate in the window sash frame members, which commonly comprise extruded UPVC profiles. Moreover, such systems are generally visually obtrusive and/or complex and expensive to manufacture and install. For these reasons, such systems are either unsuitable or uneconomic for widespread residential or commercial applications.

There has now been devised an improved form of locking system for doors and windows which overcomes or substantially mitigates the disadvantages of known systems.

According to the invention, there is provided a window or door assembly comprising a window or door panel mounted in a frame and moveable from an open position in which an edge of said panel engages the frame to a closed position in which said edge is clear of the frame, said edge being provided with a locking mechanism comprising a first elongate member which incorporates along a portion of its length a first rack, a first pinion which engages the first rack and is rotatable so as to move the first elongate member along said edge, the first elongate member further being provided with a second rack which engages a second pinion operably linked to a second elongate member so as to cause movement of said second elongate member in a direction opposite to that of said first elongate member, the first and second pinions being rotatable about parallel axes and the first and second elongate members lying substantially flush with said edge and being provided with locking formations adapted for engagement with the frame.

The window or door assembly according to the invention is advantageous primarily in that the locking mechanism is compact and therefore may be readily accommodated in the door or window, eg in a UPVC profile forming part of the door or window panel.

In addition, the locking system is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, which makes it particularly suitable for residential and commercial installation.

The first and second elongate members are preferably flat bars which lie substantially flush with the edge of the window or door panel.

The first and second pinions are preferably such that travel of the first elongate member is translated into an equal travel (in the opposite direction) of the second elongate member.

The first and second racks may be formed integrally with the first elongate member, or on components secured to or engaged by the first elongate member.

The first and second pinions may be accommodated within a single casing, but it is preferred that they be housed in separate casings, it being easier to accommodate two smaller units in the edge of the window or door panel than one larger unit. In particular, such an arrangement enables the first and second pinions to be accommodated without removing a large central area of the window frame, thereby causing weakening.

It is particularly preferred that elongate members be flat bars and that the casing or casings which house the first and second pinions be substantially L-shaped or T-shaped. One limb of the L- or T-section then accommodates the bar or bars, and the other limb, which lies perpendicular to the first, accommodates the respective pinion(s). The limb of the L- or T-section which accommodates the pinion(s), being of lesser width than the bars, is relatively easily accommodated in the edge of the window.

The second pinion is preferably linked to the second elongate member by engagement with a third rack formed on a cranked end portion of the second elongate member. Alternatively, an eccentric pivoting linkage may provide the link between the second pinion and the second elongate member. In any event, the cranked end portion of the second elongate member may be formed integrally with the second elongate member or may be a separate component which is secured to or engaged by the second elongate member.

The cranked end portion of the second elongate member is preferably of reduced width compared with the remainder of the second elongate member. The cranked end portion is preferably of no greater width than the second pinion such that the cranked end portion can be accommodated within the same limb of an Lshaped or T-shaped casing as described above.

The first pinion may be rotated, in the case of a window, by a simple manually-operable handle. In the case of a door, the first pinion will more generally be rotated by a key-operated lock, eg a multilever barrel lock.

The first and/or second elongate members are preferably provided with first locking formations in the form of suitable projections, eg mushroom-headed pins.

The first locking formations preferably locate in keeps provided in the window or door frame. The keeps may have any form capable of locking engagement with the first locking formations. Where the locking formations are pins, the keeps are conveniently castings or mouldings secured to the window or door frame and provided with slots. Where the pins are mushroom-headed, at least a portion of the slots are dimensioned to receive the shaft of the mushroom-headed pin and to captivate the head of the pin.

The slot may be formed such that the shaft of the pin engages the edge of the slot with a camming action, the effect of which is to draw the window or door panel into tight engagement with the frame.

Preferably, the first and second elongate members are provided with second locking formations in the form of projections at one end of each elongate member. Alternatively, the end of each elongate member may simply serve as a second locking formation.

The second locking formations engage the window frame, eg by being received in recesses provided in the window frame. For example, in the case of a window, recesses may be provided in the frame at the sill and head ends of the edge along which the elongate members slide. It is preferred that the second locking formations be received only loosely within the recesses, such that they play no part in normal operation of the window or door, but provide additional security in the event that the window or door is abused, eg in an attempted forced entry.

The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of illustration only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of part of a locking system according to the invention, for use in a window; Figure 2 shows (a) a side view of a first casing forming part of the locking system of Figure 1, (b) a similar view of a second casing housing a motion-reversing mechanism, (c) a sectional view along the line C-C in Figure 2(a), and (d) a sectional view along the line D-D in Figure 2(d); Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the edge of a window sash to which the system of Figure 1 is fitted, in an unlocked and a locking condition; Figure 4 is a schematic view of a second form of casing housing a motion-reversing mechanism for use in an alternative embodiment of a locking system according to the invention;; Figure 5 is a schematic view of a modified embodiment of the mechanism of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view of a window incorporating a locking system according to the invention; and Figure 7 is a sectional view along the line VII-VII in Figure 6, with the window in the closed position.

Referring first to Figure 1, a locking mechanism for installation on the edge of a hinged window comprises a sliding bar 1 which, when fitted to the window, lies substantially flush with the edge of the window sash. Fixed to the bar 1 are two mushroom-headed locking pins 2.

The bar 1 passes through a first casing 3 which is generally Lshaped in cross-section. The shorter limb of the L surrounds the bar 1, whilst the longer limb houses a first pinion 21 (see Figure 2a). The first pinion 21 is mounted for rotation about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the bar 1 and has a square bore 4 into which is located the shaft of a manually operable handle 30 (see Figure 3). The first pinion 21 engages a toothed rack component 22 which is held in a cut-out portion on the edge of the bar 1. Rotation of the first pinion 21 counter-clockwise as shown in Figure 2a causes the bar 1 to slide along the window sash in the direction of the arrow A.

A second casing 5 is located near the end of the edge of the window sash. The second casing 5 is again L-shaped in crosssection, the shorter limb surrounding the end of the bar 1 and the longer limb housing a second pinion 25. The second pinion 25 is mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to that of the first pinion 21 and engages a second toothed rack formed as a series of notches 26 along the edge of the bar 1 (see Figure 2b) such that movement of the bar 1 causes rotation of the second pinion 25. The second casing 5 also houses the end of an extension bar 6 which is connected to a cranked end component 6a of reduced width. The end component 6a is formed with a third toothed rack in the form of a series of notches 27 which also engage the second pinion 25 such that movement of the bar 1 in the direction of arrow A causes movement of the extension bar 6 in the opposite direction.The end component 6a is connected to the extension bar 6 by an upstanding projection 6b which locates in a notch in the edge of the extension bar 6.

The end of the sliding bar 1 is formed into a first projection 7, and the end of the extension bar 6 into a similar second projection 8. When the window is open, the sliding bar 1 and the extension bar 6 occupy the positions shown in Figure 3(a). When the handle is turned to lock the window, the sliding bar 1 and the extension bar 6 are moved outwardly of the window such that the first and second projections 7,8 extend beyond the window sash (see Figure 3(b)) and locate in recesses provided in the window frame. At the same time, the mushroom-headed pins 2 locate in slotted keeps in the form of metal castings fitted to the internal face of the window frame. The pins 2 are drawn into the slots in the keeps such that the heads of the pins 2 are held captive.The internal edges of the slots exert a camming action on the shafts of the pins 2 so as to draw the window sash into tight engagement with the frame. Although the recesses into which the first and second projections 7,8 locate may also be formed to assist this engagement process, this is generally not necessary and the projections 7,8 may have only a loose fit in the recesses. In fact, for normal use it is preferred that the projections 7,8 do not engage the recesses into which they are inserted. In normal operation the window is secured simply by the pins 2. It is only if the window is abused, eg in attempted forced entry, that the projections 7,8 come into effect.

Figure 4 shows an alternative embodiment of a locking system according to the invention, in which the actuating mechanism for the sliding bar and the motion-reversing mechanism are housed in a single casing. In this embodiment, a first pinion 41 has a square bore 42 which receives the shaft of a handle. The first pinion 41 meshes with a toothed rack formed on a first sliding bar 43, as in the embodiment of Figure 2. The first sliding bar 43 also engages a second pinion 44 which acts on a cranked portion of a second sliding bar 45. In this embodiment, at least one mushroom-headed pin will be fixed to each of the first and second sliding bars 43,45 and those pins will therefore move in opposite directions. The corresponding keeps are therefore arranged accordingly.

The embodiment of Figure 5 is identical to that of Figure 4, save that the second pinion 51 acts on the second sliding bar 52 by means not of a cranked portion of that bar but through an eccentrically-mounted pivoting link 53. Such a linkage could also be employed in the second casing 5 of the Figure 2 embodiment.

Referring now to Figures 6 and 7, a window comprises a sash 61 which is hingedly mounted at its upper edge (not visible) to a window frame 62. The lower edge of the sash 61 incorporates a locking mechanism according to the invention.

The locking mechanism comprises a sliding steel bar 63 which passes through an L-shaped casing 64. Like the casing 3 of Figure 2a, the casing 64 houses a pinion (not visible) which engages a toothed rack portion of the bar 63. The pinion is rotated by means of a handle 65 which is fixed to the internal side of the lower sash member. Not visible in Figure 6 is a second L-shaped casing similar to that of Figure 2b which serves to move the end of the bar 63 to the right of the portion shown in Figure 6 in the opposite direction.

A locking pin 66 depends downwardly from the bar 63 (a similar pin is provided on the bar 63 to the right of the portion shown in Figure 6). A keep 67, of plastics or other suitable material, is fixed to the window frame 62 such that, when the window is closed, movement of the handle 65 (and hence the bar 63) from an unlocked to a locking position causes the pin 66 to locate behind the keep 67, thereby preventing opening of the window. At the same time, the end of the bar 63 locates behind a retainer 68, of steel or other suitable material, fixed to the internal side face of the window frame 62.

The keep 67 is provided with a channel 67a, and the retainer 68 with a slot 68a, into which the pin 66 and end of the bar 63 may be received so as to lock the window in a slightly ajar position, ie as a so-called "night vent".

Figure 7 shows how, apart from the locking mechanism, the window is of generally conventional construction. The sash 61 and frame 62 are formed from extruded PVC profiles. A sealed double-glazed unit 71 is secured to sash 61 by a bead 72. Elastomeric seals (shown in solid black) are provided to ensure effective sealing between the glazed unit 71 and the sash 61 and bead 72, and between the sash 61 and the frame 62. The profiles of both the sash 61 and the frame 62 incorporate steel reinforcements 73,74.

Figure 7 shows particularly clearly how readily the L-shaped casing 64 is accommodated within the sash 61, very little of the extruded plastics profile needing to be cut away, and hence little loss of mechanical strength occurring.

Claims

1. A window or door assembly comprising a window or door panel mounted in a frame and moveable from an open position in which an edge of said panel engages the frame to a closed position in which said edge is clear of the frame, said edge being provided with a locking mechanism comprising a first elongate member which incorporates along a portion of its length a first rack, a first pinion which engages the first rack and is rotatable so as to move the first elongate member along said edge, the first elongate member further being provided with a second rack which engages a second pinion operably linked to a second elongate member so as to cause movement of said second elongate member in a direction opposite to that of said first elongate member, the first and second pinions being rotatable about parallel axes and the first and second elongate members lying substantially flush with said edge and being provided with locking formations adapted for engagement with the frame.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second elongate members are flat bars which lie substantially flush with the edge of the window or door panel.

3. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first and second pinions are such that travel of the first elongate member is translated into an equal travel (in the opposite direction) of the second elongate member.

4. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the first and second racks are formed integrally with the first elongate member.

5. An assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first and/or second rack is formed on a component secured to or engaged by the first elongate member.

6. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first and second pinions are accommodated within a single casing.

7. An assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first and second pinions are accommodated within separate casings.

8. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the second pinion is linked to the second elongate member by engagement with a third rack formed on a cranked end portion of the second elongate member.

9. An assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the second pinion is linked to the second elongate member by an eccentric pivoting linkage.

10. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first and second elongate members are flat bars and the casing or casings which house the first and second pinions are substantially L-shaped or T-shaped.

11. An assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the cranked end portion of the second elongate member is of reduced width compared with the remainder of the second elongate member.

12. An assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the cranked end portion of the second elongate member is of no greater width than the second pinion.

13. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first and/or second elongate members are provided with first locking formations in the form of suitable projections

14. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first and second elongate members are provided with second locking formations in the form of projections at one end of each elongate member.

15. A window or a door assembly substantially as hereinbefore described.

16. A window or a door assembly substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3.