GB2280697A

GB2280697A - Tiltable to sash windows

Info

Publication number: GB2280697A
Application number: GB9415042A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony John Denham
Original assignee: Caldwell Hardware UK Ltd
Current assignee: Caldwell Hardware UK Ltd
Priority date: 1993-07-27
Filing date: 1994-07-26
Publication date: 1995-02-08
Also published as: GB9315509D0; GB9415042D0

Abstract

A vertically slidable window sash is also tiltable inwards about its lower edge. At each side a sliding shoe (2) is captive in a channel of square U section with internal flanges and the sash has a laterally projecting pivot pin (8) journalled in the shoe (2) by means of a socket member (5). This member (5) rotates with the tilting sash and in so doing actuates a wedge (9) which prevents sliding movement when the sash is non-vertical. A shackle (16) has a first portion (19) captive in the channel adjacent the shoe (2) and a second portion (17) between the shoe (2) and the sash with an aperture (18) through which the pivot pin (8) passes. The pin (8) can rotate in the aperture (18) but there are abutments (24, 25); (or 27, Figs. 3 and 4) fixed to the pin (8) to engage opposite sides of the second portion (17) and thereby ensure that the pin (8) cannot escape. <IMAGE>

Description

Improvements relating to Sash Windows This invention relates to sash windows and in particular to those of the modern type which are capable not only of sliding vertically but also of tilting inwardly about their lower edges.

We have already developed a sliding pivot assembly for such a sash window. A shoe is captive within but slidable along a channel, and the sash has a laterally projecting pivot pin to engage in the shoe through the mouth of the channel.

In more detail, the shoe is suspended from a balancing device housed within the upper end of the channel, which is conveniently of square U section, with inturned flanges sufficient to keep the shoe captive but leaving a wide longitudinal slot within which the pivot pin travels. The pin keys into a socket member which can rotate with respect to the main body of the shoe. In so doing it actuates a wedge which clamps the shoe to the channel when the sash tilts from its vertical attitude. This prevents the sash being slid up and down while it is tilted.

There has to be a certain amount of play between the sash and the fixed frame to allow the sash to move freely.

Also, with timber frames and sashes there can be distortion, shrinkage and warping, which can increase the basic tolerance. This can allow the sash to skew to an extent where a pivot pin can disengage from its shoe. There is particular risk when the complete window assembly is in transit, and the outer frame is not rigidly fixed and supported. Picking it up by a jamb can cause the latter to bow and thus release a pivot. It is the aim of this invention to prevent this happening.

According to the present invention there is provided a sliding pivot assembly for a sash window comprising a channel, a shoe captive within but slidable along the channel, a pivot pin laterally projecting from a sash to engage in the shoe through the mouth of the channel, an element constrained to slide with the shoe in the channel, having limited transverse movement in the channel lengthwise of the pivot pin, and providing an aperture registering with a socket in the shoe that receives the pivot pin, and a detent effectively unitary with and projecting radially from the pivot pin to co-operate around the periphery of said aperture with the side of said element remote from the sash.

Conveniently, the first element has a portion enterable in one orientation through the mouth of the channel and is then adjustable to another orientation to become captive to the channel. It can be formed from a generally T-shaped plate with the stem of the T bent substantially at right angles to the cross portion. The aperture is in the stem, and the cross portion co-operates with the underside of the shoe, being the portion making the element captive to the channel.

In the preferred form, the aperture is larger than the socket that receives the pivot pin, and the detent is a hook at one end of a second element which is secured to the sash with said one end entered through said aperture alongside the pivot pin.

Alternatively, the detent may be an abutment member fixed directly to the pivot pin.

There may be a further detent to co-operate around the periphery of the aperture with side of said element adjacent to the sash. This may be provided by a shoulder on the second element at the base of the hooks, or by another abutment member fixed directly to the pivot pin.

For a better understanding of the invention, some embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a sliding pivot assembly, Figure 2 is a perspective view of that assembly, when complete, Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of another such assembly, and Figure 4 is a perspective view of that other assembly, when complete.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a jamb liner 1 is fitted to a fixed frame (not shown) and provides a vertical channel for a sliding shoe 2. The liner 1 is of square U section with inturned flanges 3, which make the shoe 2 captive. But between the edges of the flanges 3 there is a wide slot 4.

At the lower end of the shoe, and exposed to the slot 4 there is a pivot bar retainer 5. This is cylindrical, with a rectangular socket 6 and a key 7 to receive the end of a pivot bar 8. The retainer 5 can rotate about its horizontal axis, and in doing so from the position shown it will actuate a wedge 9 on the other side of the shoe 2, facing the web of the jamb liner 1. Such wedging action will lock the shoe in the channel.

The pivot bar 8 is cricket bat shaped, the "blade" being a plate 10 which is attached by screws 11 to the underside of a sash and whose "handle" is a rectangular section pin 12 with a longitudinal groove 13 to fit the socket 6 and key 7. The screw holes are identified at 14.

This construction is known, and the improvement lies in a shackle assembly 15 designed to prevent the pin 12 escaping the socket 6.

This assembly 15 includes a shackle 16 which is initially a plate of T-form, with the bottom of the stem 17 rounded and the centre of the stem formed with a circular aperture 18. This plate is then re-shaped by the cross portion being deformed into a bottom flange 19 matching the underside of the shoe 2 and the stem 17 being bent upwardly at right angles so that, when the bottom flange 19 is engaged with the underside of the shoe, the aperture 18 registers with the socket 6. It is larger than the socket for not only can the pivot pin 12 rotate within it but also, as described below, a further element can extend through it alongside the pivot pin. The shackle 16 can be fitted by being turned so that the bottom flange 19 can enter the slot 4 below the shoe 2, and then being turned back again to the horizontal attitude shown in the figures, with the ends of the bottom flange 19 captive behind the flanges 3. It can then be raised up to engage the underside of the shoe 2. It will be seen in Figure 2 that the bottom flange 19 is slightly smaller than this underside of the shoe 2; it has a tolerance of the order of 2 mm within the channel liner 1, for a reason to be explained below.

The other part of the shackle assembly 15 is an element 20 whose main body 21 is a foreshortened edition of the pivot bar 8 and with a single aperture 22 in the wider portion which will register with the aperture 14 in the bar 8 nearest the corner of the sash. At the other, narrower end of the body 21 there is a complex flange formation consisting of an upright portion 23 at one side, a horizontal portion 24 overlying the end of the main body 21, and a hook 25 projecting beyond the body 21 from the middle of the portion 24 and then upwardly. This hook 25 can be entered through the aperture 18 to co-operate around its periphery with the side of the stem 17 facing the shoe 2. At the same time the end corners of the body 21 and the shoulders of the portion 24 on either side of the hook 25 will engage the side of the stem 17 facing the sash, and so there will be negligible lateral movement possible between the element 20 and the shackle 16. With the element 20 in this position, the pivot bar 8 can be moved longitudinally between the portion 24 and the body 21 for the pin 12 to pass through the aperture 18 and then into the socket 6. Finally, the element 20 is fastened to the sash simultaneously with the pivot bar 8, one of the screws 11 engaging up through registering apertures 14 and 20.

It will be understood that, once this assembly is made, the shackle 16 is located and suspended by the pivot bar 8 and element 20, with its bottom flange 19 close up to the underside of the shoe 2. It therefore cannot rotate, and it cannot escape the channel by virtue of the flanges 3. At the same time, the sash cannot pull away from the shackle 16, since it is positively hooked to it. However, the shackle does have limited scope for horizontal movement in the plane of the window by virtue of the tolerance mentioned above, and so should the fixed frame jambs be slightly bowed or fixed marginally out of true, the shackle 16 will not bind as the sash is slid up and down. The freedom of lateral movement is of course small enough for there to be no risk of the pivot pin 12 becoming disengaged, and adjustment of the sash to its tilted position is not affected by this shackle assembly.

With the arrangement described, the shackle assembly 15 and the pivot bar 8 can be fitted after the jamb liner 1 has been secured to a fixed frame with the shoe 2 captive within it. An alternative, less preferred arrangement is shown in Figures 3 and 4, where corresponding references identify similar parts. Here, there is no element 20. Instead, the pivot bar 8 has holes 26 drilled near the root of the pivot pin 12 to receive pins 27. The shackle 16 is fitted over the pivot pin 12 and then the pins 27 are inserted to make it captive. However, with this arrangement, all the parts shown have to be assembled together before the shoe with its captive shackle and pivot pin is inserted into the jamb liner, and before that liner is secured to the fixed frame where its open ends will be blocked.

Claims

1. A sliding pivot assembly for a sash window comprising a channel, a shoe captive within but slidable along the channel, a pivot pin laterally projecting from a sash to engage in the shoe through the mouth of the channel, an element constrained to slide with the shoe in the channel, having limited transverse movement in the channel lengthwise of the pivot pin, and providing an aperture registering with a socket in the shoe that receives the pivot pin, and a detent effectively unitary with and projecting radially from the pivot pin to co-operate around the periphery of said aperture with the side of said element remote from the sash.

2. A sliding pivot assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said element has a portion enterable in one orientation through the mouth of the channel and is then adjustable to another orientation to become captive to the channel.

3. A sliding pivot assembly as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said element is formed from a generally T-shaped plate with the stem of the T bent substantially at right angles to the cross portion, the aperture is in the stem, and the cross portion co-operates with the underside of the shoe, being the portion making the element captive to the channel.

4. A sliding pivot assembly as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the aperture is larger than the socket that receives the pivot pin, and the detent is a hook at one end of a second element which is secured to the sash with said one end entered through said aperture alongside the pivot pin.

5. A sliding pivot assembly as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the detent is an abutment member fixed directly to the pivot pin.

6. A sliding pivot assembly as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein there is a further detent to cooperate around the periphery of said aperture with the side of said element adjacent the sash.

7. A sliding pivot assembly as claimed in Claims 4 and 6, wherein the further detent is provided by a shoulder on said second element at the base of the hook.

8. A sliding pivot assembly as claimed in Claim 5 and 6, wherein the further detent is another abutment member fixed directly to the pivot pin.

9. A sliding pivot assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.