GB2278872A

GB2278872A - Security closures

Info

Publication number: GB2278872A
Application number: GB9311443A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alex Macdonald Duffus
Original assignee: Sustainable Paving Systems LLC
Current assignee: Sustainable Paving Systems LLC
Priority date: 1993-06-03
Filing date: 1993-06-03
Publication date: 1994-12-14
Anticipated expiration: 2013-06-03
Also published as: GB9311443D0; GB2278872B

Abstract

A connecting member for a security closure includes a panel 12 having a plurality of square apertures 15 therein, a connecting member passes through one of the apertures and cooperates directly or indirectly with the surround of the door or window opening, whereby tensioning of the connecting member pulls the panel into the door or window opening, the connecting member comprises a body 44 having a conical head 50 thereon, for abutting the outer face of the panel, a square shoulder 45 adjacent the head for engaging in said square hole, a blind bore 52 in said body and a wire 42 engaged in said blind bore, said shoulder being formed by swaging said body inwardly rigidly to secure the body to the wire engaged in said blind bore. <IMAGE>

Description

CONNECTING MEMBER FOR SECURITY CLOSURE The present invention relates to a connecting member for a security closure.

It has been proposed in our European Patent No. 0496616 to provide a security closure for a door or window opening which is in the form of a panel of sheet material in which are formed a plurality of apertures and for there to be at least two elongate pin members, each pin member having a blank head, the pin members each passing through a separate one of the apertures with the head thereof in individual abutting engagement with the outer face of the panel. A connecting member, such as a wire or an integral bolt is formed integrally with or connected to the pin on the side thereof inside the inner face to cooperate directly or indirectly with the surround of the door or window opening, whereby tensioning of the connecting member will pull the panel into the opening.

Such security closures for doors and windows have been found very satisfactory in guarding void buildings because it is very difficult for a prospective vandal to attack successfully such a security closure.

The present invention aims to provide improvements in such a structure and in particular in connection with the connecting member.

According to the present invention, there is provided a connecting member for a security closure including a panel having a plurality of polygonal apertures therein, the connecting member passing through one of said apertures and cooperating directly or indirectly with the surround of the door or window opening, whereby tensioning of the connecting member pulls the panel into the door or window opening, said connecting member comprising a body having a smooth blank head thereon, for abutting the outer face of the panel, a noncircular shoulder adjacent said head for engaging in said polygonal hole, a blind bore in said body and a wire engaged in said blind bore, said shoulder being formed by swaging said body inwardly rigidly to secure the body to the wire engaged in said blind bore.

Such a structure has been found to give very considerable security so that the security closure provides a real problem for a vandal to try and damage.

Preferably the head is of conical form and the shoulder is of a square cross-section so that it may engage'in a square cross-section apertures formed in the panel.

In order that the present invention may more readily be understood, the following description is given, merely by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic exploded of one embodiment of security closure suitable for utilizing a connecting member according to the invention, the security closure being demonstrated fitted into a window opening; Figure 2 is a schematic side elevation of a security closure of Figure 1 illustrating in more detail the connecting member of the invention; and Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the body portion of the connecting member of Figure 2.

Figure 1 illustrates a wall 10 having a window opening 11 therein and a security panel 12 as in European Patent 0496616, mounted within the window opening 11 completely to fill that opening. Panel 12 has a front and a rear face 13 and 14 respectively (Figure 2) and is perforated with square crosssection apertures 15 extending between the front and the rear faces. Figure 2 shows a conventional window frame member 36.

When it is decided to secure a panel 12 in place, a hole 38 is bored at each of a number of locations around the frame, the holes being drilled accurately to be aligned with certain of the apertures 15. Passed through the apertures 15 and the aligned holes 38 are connecting members according to the invention. These connecting members comprise a steel wire 42 associated with a body 44 having a conical head 50, a blind bore 52 being formed in the body.

Adjacent, but spaced from the lefthand surface of the head 50 is a collar 45 which is of square cross-section, this square cross-section being produced by swaging which upsets the metal of the body radially inwardly firmly and rigidly to clamp the end of the wire 42 into the bore.

To the inner side, the left side, of the swaged square cross-section shoulder 45 is a male threaded portion 60 of the body. In order to mount the body in place, it is inserted so that the square cross-section shoulder 45 is engaged in the associated square cross-section aperture 15 and a nut 62 is tightly threaded onto the male threaded portion 60 of the body.

A washer (not shown) is preferably placed between the nut 62 and the rear face 14 of panel 12. The wire 42 is meanwhile passed through the aperture 38 and through a washer 39 and a threaded tube 50 as well as through a hollow tension bolt 52 which is screw-threaded into the tube 50 and has associated therewith a head 54 and a locking nut 56. The wire passes through the head 56 and is passed back through a transverse bore 58, whereby it may be locked against the head 54 by the nut 56. The wire may therefore be tensioned by rotating the tube 50 which may be provided with a conventional hexagonal outer surface to facilitate rotation thereof by a spanner.

The connecting member of the invention may be utilized in the same manner as shown in Figure 2 of European Patent 0496616.

Claims

1. A connecting member for a security closure including a panel having a plurality of polygonal apertures therein, the connecting member passing through one of said apertures and cooperating directly or indirectly with the surround of the door or window opening, whereby tensioning of the connecting member pulls the panel into the door or window opening, said connecting member comprising a body having a smooth, blank head thereon, for abutting the outer face of the panel, a noncircular shoulder adjacent said head for engaging in said polygonal hole, a blind bore in said body and a wire engaged in said blind bore, said shoulder being formed by swaging said body inwardly rigidly to secure the body to the wire engaged in said blind bore.

2. A connecting member according to claim 1, wherein said head is conical.

3. A connecting member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said shoulder is of a square cross-section.

4. A connecting member according to claim 1, 2 or 3, and further comprising a male thread on said body coaxial with said blind bore and on the side of said shoulder remote from said head, and a nut threadedly engageable on said male thread.

5. A connecting member for a security closure, said connecting member being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.