GB2285468A - Closures for loft or hatch - Google Patents

Abstract

A closure 20 for a loft opening or a hatch includes a frame 22 for securement within the opening and a door 4 hinged to the frame 22 along one margin thereof and capable of opening in at least one direction. An espagnolette latching mechanism 28 is provided for locking the door positively to the frame 22 and airtight seals are fitted. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVENENTS IN OR RELATING TO CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS This invention concerns improvements in or relating to closures for openings in buildings.

In particular the present invention has reference to a closure for a loft (or attic) opening or a hatch between two rooms.

Conventionally, loft or hatch doors are plain panels usually of wood and are either hinged in a frame or located in a slideway,,or in the case of a loft door merely freely supported by a ledge in the loft opening frame. Additionally, loft doors can be adapted to carry access ladders for gaining entry into the roof space.

One of the principal problems associated with conventional loft/hatch doors is their inability to close in a sealing fashion thereby constituting a source of draughts and consequential loss of heat. Equally, particularly as far as a loft door is concerned, a lack of security characterises most, if not all, conventional doors. In this day and age when burglary has reached epidemic proportions, the security of property is of vital importance and in this connection it is not unknown for burglars to enter premises through the roof to gain access. Conventional loft doors do not possess any security facility.

It is an object of the invention to provide a closure for a loft opening or a hatch which affords a security function.

A further object of the invention is to provide a closure for a loft opening or a hatch which is capable of affording insulation.

According to the invention there is provided a closure for a loft opening or a hatch, the closure including a frame for securement within the opening, a door hinged to the frame along one margin thereof and capable of opening in at least one direction, a latching mechanism for locking the door positively to the frame when in its closed position, an operating handle for the mechanism on a side of the door, and a seal arrangement on at least the frame for sealing the door and the frame when in a closed position.

Conveniently, the frame and the door are produced from a plastics material, for example UPVC, or from powder sprayed aluminium.

Conveniently the door is arranged to open in only one direction and the operating handle is provided on one side only of the door, although when the closure is employed in a hatch for convenience a handle could be provided on each side of the door.

The latching mechanism may advantageously be of the espagnolette type which affords security in that there is a number of multi-locking bolts engaged simultaneously when actuated.

An additional locking facility may be provided for the latching mechanism and may be key-operated.

The closure may be provided with friction locking stays or other restraining means to enable the door to be maintained in an open position while in use.

The sealing arrangement is conveniently in the form of flexible strips of material, for example of plastics material, secured within recesses provided for that purpose around the periphery of the frame and/or the door such that in use when the door is closed and held in the closed position a seal is formed therebetween.

The seal thus formed is airtight and consequently is also thermally insulative.

The stiles and rails of the door may be manufactured from UPVC and the panel may have a core of expanded polystyrene with PVC facings.

The dimensions of the closure are chosen to fit the relevant opening which for modern loft openings will be 550 x 600 mm and for pre-war 700 x 700 mm. For hatches the standard size will be 550 x 600 mm. However for both loft openings and hatches, the dimensions can be customised.

The frame may conveniently be provided with pre-formed fixing means for ease of mounting within the loft opening or hatch. For example, the frame may be pre-drilled to give the requisite and recommended fixing points for the closure.

By way of example only, two embodiments of a closure for a loft opening or a hatch according to the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective schematic view of a first embodiment of a closure for a loft opening showing the door in an open position; Figure 2 is a perspective schematic view of a second embodiment of a closure for a hatch showing the door in an open position; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a closure of either the first or second embodiment showing the door in a closed position.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings a closure for a loft opening is shown generally at 1 and comprises a frame 2 provided with fixing means (not shown) for securing the frame within an opening (not shown). The frame 2 has hinged along one margin thereof a door 4 provided on one side only with a handle 6 which is rotatable to operate a latching mechanism (not shown) of the espagnolette bolt type. The frame 2 has located on the inner side of one margin opposite the hinge mountings for the door, keeps 8 for the bolts of the latching mechanism.

A locking stay 10 may be provided between the frame 2 and the door 4 which in the example shown is of the open down type.

Referring now to Figure 2, a closure for a hatch is shown generally at 20 and includes a frame 22 having hinged along one margin a door 24 which in this embodiment swings down into a horizontal open position as shown, the door providing a shelf for temporarily supporting in use artefacts, for example crockery bearing food, passed through the hatch. Friction locking stays 23 are provided one at each side of the frame 22 as shown to afford support for the door 24. The door 24 has a handle 26 operable to actuate espagnolette bolts 28 which are engageable with keeps (not shown) in the top margin 30 of the frame 22.

With reference now to Figure 3, there is shown in cross section a closure 50 for a loft opening or a hatch and accordingly the construction appertains to both the embodiments of Figures 1 and 2. The closure 50 comprises a frame 52 of UPVC extruded section as shown and includes a hinge mount 54 and gasket recesses 56 for receiving seals (not shown) of suitable plastics material. The frame 52 has in addition pre-drilled holes (not shown) for locating the closure within the loft opening or hatch.

A door 58 is hinged at 60 to the hinge mount 54 of which there are at least two in number, although only one is shown in the drawing. The door 58 possesses å handle 62 which actuates an espagnolette latching mechanism (not shown) for locking the door in a closed position, the door being provided with gasket recesses 64 for seals (not shown).

The stiles and rails of the door 58 are of extruded UPVC and the panel 66 has a core 68 of expanded polystyrene with PVC face sheets 70 bonded on each side.

It will be seen that,the closure of the present invention provides security and safety with the added advantage of significantly reducing thermal loss by the provision of the seals to make the door airtight in relation to the frame.

The invention thus provides the possibility of producing and selling a ready made closure for easy fitment as a unit which has particular advantages for the DIY market.

Claims (13)

1. A closure for a loft opening or a hatch, the closure including a frame for securement within the opening, a door hinged to the frame along one margin thereof and capable of opening in at least one direction, a latching mechanism for locking the door positively to the frame when in its closed position, an operating handle for the mechanism on a side of the door, and a seal arrangement on at least the frame for sealing the door and the frame when in a closed position.

2. A closure according to Claim 1 in which the frame and the door are produced from a plastics material.

3. A closure according to Claim 2 in which the frame and door are produced from powder sprayed aluminium.

4. A closure according to any one of the preceding claims in which the door is arranged to open in only one direction and the operating handle is provided on one side only of the door.

5-. A closure according to any one of the preceding claims in which the latching mechanism is of the espagnolette type having a number of multi-locking bolts engaged simultaneously when actuated.

6. A closure according to any one of the preceding claims in which an additional locking facility is provided for the latching mechanism.

7.A closure according to Claim 6 in which the additional locking facility is key-operated.

8. A closure according to any one of the preceding claims in which the closure is provided with friction locking stays or other restraining means to enable the door to be maintained in an open position while in use.

9. A closure according to any one of the preceding claims in which the sealing arrangement is in the form of flexible strips of material secured within recesses provided for that purpose around the periphery of the frame and/or the door such that in use when the door is closed and held in the closed position a seal is formed therebetween.

10. A closure according to any one of the preceding claims in which the stiles and rails -of the door are manufactured from UPVC and the panel has a core of expanded polystyrene with PVC facings.

11. A closure according to any one of the preceding claims in which the frame is provided with pre-formed fixing means for ease of mounting within the loft opening or hatch.

12. A closure according to Claim 11 in which the frame is pre-drilled to give the requisite and recommended fixing points for the closure.

13. A closure for a loft opening or a hatch substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.