GB2287979A

GB2287979A - Espagnolette fasteners

Info

Publication number: GB2287979A
Application number: GB9406237A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Edward Buckley
Original assignee: KWEST CORP Ltd
Current assignee: KWEST CORP Ltd
Priority date: 1994-03-29
Filing date: 1994-03-29
Publication date: 1995-10-04
Anticipated expiration: 2014-03-29
Also published as: GB2287979B; GB9406237D0

Abstract

In order to accommodate an espagnolette mechanism within a moving frame member 14 of an outwardly-pivoted window or door where a fixed frame member 12 overlaps a large part of the closed frame member 14, the operating handle shaft 34 is offset from the reciprocating bolts 18, 19 towards the frame centre. The bolts 18, 19 are coupled by a rotatable toothed wheel 23, and the shaft 34 carries a toothed sector 32 engaging apertures 25 in the inner end of the bolt 19. The bolts 18, 19 comprise flat strips provided with lugs 26 for engaging keepers 27 on the frame member 12, and elements 28 for engaging in keepers 30 on the frame side members 13. <IMAGE>

Description

"An Espasnolette Fastener" The invention relates to espagnolette fasteners for vent frame assemblies. As is well known, an espagnolette fastener is a type of fastener for windows or doors which comprises a drive mechanism, usually manually operated by a manipulating handle, and an elongate locking structure which extends in both directions from the drive mechanism along one of the side frames of the window or door. By operation of the drive mechanism the locking structure is moved longitudinally so as to move locking elements on the structure into or out of engagement with fixed keepers mounted on the fixed frame of the window or door.

In one well known form of espagnolette fastener, the locking structure comprises a single elongate bar, the entire length of which is moved longitudinally in one direction or the other by operation of the drive mechanism. The locking bar has two or more locking elements spaced apart along its length which project laterally from the bar and are brought into engagement with fixed keepers when the bar is moved in one direction, and out of engagement with the keepers when the bar is moved in the opposite direction.

In another known form of espagnolette fastener, the locking structure comprises two elongate locking assemblies extending in opposite directions from the drive mechanism, and operation of the drive mechanism moves the two locking assemblies in opposite directions, either outwardly away from one another or inwardly towards one another. This arrangement has certain advantages over the arrangement previously described, as far as security is concerned, since the outer extremities of the two locking assemblies may be provided with longitudinally extending shoot bolts which may be brought into and out of engagement simultaneously with fixed retainers or apertures on the fixed frame beyond the ends of the locking assemblies.

However, although the latter form of espagnolette fastener may sometimes be preferred for this reason, problems may arise in mounting the drive mechanism for such fastener in a hollow frame member of a vent frame assembly in view of space constraints.

Where the frame members are hollow, for example comprising hollow extruded profiles of plastics or aluminium, it is desirable for the drive mechanism and the elongate locking assemblies to be concealed within the body of the frame member itself, the mechanism being operated by a handle on a shaft which passes into the interior of the profile.

The operating handle normally requires to be accessible from the interior of the building. In cases where the window or door opens inwardly there may be no difficulty in coupling the operating handle to the drive mechanism since the whole of the side of the frame member in which the mechanism is located will face into the interior. However, in the case of an outwardly opening window or door a comparatively large portion of the frame member is normally concealed, when the window or door is closed, by an overlapping flange of the rebate of the fixed frame member with which the moving frame member comes into engagement.This may leave only a comparatively narrow strip of the moving frame member exposed into the interior and with conventional designs of espagnolette fastener it may not be possible to so position the drive mechanism in the moving frame member that it can be drivably engaged by an operating handle mounted on the narrow exposed strip of the moving frame member. The present invention therefore sets out to provide an improved form of espagnolette fastener where this problem may be overcome.

According to the invention there is provided an espagnolette fastener for a vent frame assembly comprising a drive mechanism and two elongate locking assemblies extending in opposite directions from the drive mechanism for movement, by operation of the drive mechanism, into and out of engagement with fixed retainers, the drive mechanism comprising two spaced generally parallel drive members connected to the adjacent ends of the elongate locking assemblies respectively, coupling means located substantially between the drive members and coupling them so that movement of one drive member and locking assembly in either direction is accompanied by movement of the other drive member and locking assembly in the opposite direction, and movable operating means located to one side of the drive members and coupling means and operatively connected to effect movement of at least one of said drive members selectively in one or other of its directions of movement.

Since the operating means are located to one side of the drive members and coupling means, in an outwardly opening vent frame assembly the operating means may be located behind the inwardly exposed strip of the movable vent frame member even though the rest of the drive mechanism, or most of it, lies behind the overlapping flange of the fixed frame member. An operating handle mounted on the exposed strip of the movable frame member may thus readily be drivingly connected to the operating means of the drive mechanism.

Said coupling means for coupling the two drive members together may comprise a rotatable toothed element, the parallel drive members being disposed on opposite sides of the toothed element and having longitudinally spaced formations thereon with which the toothed element meshes. For example, the drive members may be of generally plate-like form, the teeth of the toothed element being engageable with longitudinally spaced apertures or recesses in each drive member.

The operating means may be drivingly connected to only one of said drive members. It may also comprise a rotatable toothed element meshing with longitudinally spaced formations on said one drive member. In the case where the coupling means is also a rotatable toothed element, the axes of rotation of the two toothed elements may be substantially parallel.

The operating toothed element is preferably connected to a manually operable handle, and may comprise a toothed sector of less than 180 annular extent.

The drive mechanism may comprise a main casing part housing the drive members and coupling means, and a side casing part mounted on one side of the main casing part, and preferably integral therewith, and housing the operating means, the side casing providing a bearing for an operating shaft of a rotatable operating handle.

Each locking assembly may include a locking element extending transversely to the length of the locking assembly, for engagement with a fixed retainer mounted to one side of the locking assembly, and/or may include a locking element extending longitudinally of the locking assembly, for engagement with a fixed retainer mounted adjacent the end of the locking assembly remote from the drive mechanism.

The invention includes within its scope a vent frame assembly comprising a rectangular vent frame movable into and out of registering engagement with a fixed surrounding rectangular vent frame, an espagnolette fastener of any of the kinds referred to above being mounted within a hollow frame member of the movable vent frame. In this case the operating means are preferably located on the side of the drive mechanism and coupling means nearer the centre of the movable vent frame so as to be clear of any overlap between the movable and fixed vent frames in the closed position of those frames.

The following is a more detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a part-sectioned diagrammatic view of an espagnolette fastener in accordance with the invention fitted to a window frame assembly, and Figure 2 is a diagrammatic section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

The window frame assembly comprises a fixed rectangular outer frame 10 within which is hingedly mounted a rectangular inner movable frame 11. The movable frame is top hung, that is to say it is pivotally connected to the fixed frame 10 by hinges or friction stays (not shown) so as to pivot about its upper horizontal edge (not shown).

Figure 1 shows the lower horizontal frame member 12 of the fixed frame 10 and the lower portions of the vertical side frame members 13. Similarly it shows the lower horizontal frame member 14 of the movable vent frame 11 and the lower portions of the side frame members 15. In the arrangement shown the espagnolette fastener, indicated generally at 16, is mounted within the lower horizontal frame member 14 of the movable vent. The espagnolette fastener will normally be mounted in the frame member which is remote from and parallel to the axis of pivoting, and it will be appreciated that the fastener will be vertical if the window is side hung or will be in the uppermost frame member if the vent frame is bottom hung.

The fastener 16 comprises a drive mechanism, indicated generally at 17, from which two elongate locking assemblies 18, 19, extend in opposite directions. The locking assemblies comprise flat elongate metal strips the inner ends of which are cranked to form drive members 20, 21 respectively.

The cranked drive members 20, 21 are located in a main casing part 22 of the drive mechanism 17 and are arranged parallel to one another, the drive member 21 being spaced above the drive member 22.

The two drive members 20, 21 are coupled together by a toothed coupling element 23 which is rotatably mounted in the casing 22 between the drive members 20, 21. The toothed element 23 has four equally spaced teeth which are engageable in longitudinally spaced apertures 24, 25 in the lower and upper drive members respectively. The coupling arrangement is such that the two locking assemblies move together by equal amounts outwardly away from the drive mechanism 17 or inwardly towards the drive mechanism.

Intermediate the ends of each locking assembly 18, 19 is a locking element 26 which is engageable with a fixed keeper 27 mounted on the lower fixed frame member 12. The arrangement is such that when the locking assemblies 18, 19 are moved outwardly apart the locking elements 26 come into locking engagement with their respective keepers 27, to retain the window in the closed position, and when the locking assemblies 18, 19 are moved inwardly together the elements 26 are disengaged from their keepers 27, allowing the window to be opened.

In addition there is provided at the outer extremity of each locking assembly 18, 19 a further locking element 28 which extends longitudinally of the assembly and is engageable into an aperture 29 in a further fixed keeper 30 mounted on the lower end of the side frame member 13 of the fixed window frame. Again, the locking elements 28 are in engagement with their respective keepers 30 when the locking assemblies 18, 19 are moved apart, and are withdrawn from their keepers, allowing the window to be opened, when the locking assemblies are moved towards one another.

It will be seen from the drawings that the main casing part 22, and the coupling wheel 23 are mostly disposed behind the upstanding flange 31 (see Figure 2) of the fixed window frame member 12 when the window is closed. It is not therefore possible for an operating handle to be coupled directly to the toothed wheel 23 in order to effect reciprocal movement of the locking elements 18, 19. In order to transmit a drive to the locking assemblies, therefore, there is provided a further operating member in the form of a toothed sector 32 which is rotatably mounted in a side casing part 33 which is disposed on the side of the main casing part 22 nearer the centre of the window. The teeth on the sector 32 are engageable with the apertures 25 in the upper drive member 21 on the locking assembly 19.

Alternatively, the teeth on the sector 32 may be engageable with a second row of apertures parallel to and spaced from the apertures 25.

The rotatable sector 32 is engaged by a square section shaft 34 which is connected to a lever-type handle shown diagrammatically at 35 in Figure 2.

Swinging the handle 35 through a predetermined angle rotates the sector 32 so as to move the upper drive member 21, and its associated locking assembly 19, outwardly or inwardly so as to engage or disengage the locking elements 26, 28 with or from their respective keepers. This movement of the upper drive member 21 is transmitted to the lower drive member 20 by the toothed wheel 23, thus causing the other locking assembly 18 and associated locking elements 26, 28 to move in similar fashion.

Claims

1. An espagnolette fastener for a vent frame assembly comprising a drive mechanism and two elongate locking assemblies extending in opposite directions from the drive mechanism for movement, by operation of the drive mechanism, into and out of engagement with fixed retainers, the drive mechanism comprising two spaced generally parallel drive members connected to the adjacent ends of the elongate locking assemblies respectively, coupling means located substantially between the drive members and coupling them so that movement of one drive member and locking assembly in either direction is accompanied by movement of the other drive member and locking assembly in the opposite direction, and movable operating means located to one side of the drive members and coupling means and operatively connected to effect movement of at least one of said drive members selectively in one or other of its directions of movement.

2. An espagnolette fastener according to Claim 1, wherein said coupling means for coupling the two drive members together comprise a rotatable toothed element, the parallel drive members being disposed on opposite sides of the toothed element and having longitudinally spaced formations thereon with which the toothed element meshes.

3. An espagnolette fastener according to Claim 2, wherein the drive members are of generally plate-like form, the teeth of the toothed element being engageable with longitudinally spaced apertures or recesses in each drive member.

4. An espagnolette fastener according to any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the operating means are drivingly connected to only one of said drive members.

5. An espagnolette fastener according to Claim 4, wherein said operating means comprise a rotatable toothed element meshing with longitudinally spaced formations on said one drive member.

6. An espagnolette fastener according to Claim 2 and Claim 5, wherein the axes of rotation of the two toothed elements are substantially parallel.

7. An espagnolette fastener according to Claim 5 or Claim 6, wherein the operating toothed element is connected to a manually operable handle.

8. An espagnolette fastener according to any of Claims 5 to 7, wherein the operating toothed element comprises a toothed sector of less than 180" angular extent.

9. An espagnolette fastener according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a main casing part housing the drive members and coupling means, and a side casing part mounted on one side of the main casing part and housing the operating means, the side casing providing a bearing for an operating shaft of a rotatable operating handle.

10. An espagnolette fastener according to Claim 9, wherein the side casing part is integral with the main casing part.

11. An espagnolette fastener according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each locking assembly includes a locking element extending transversely to the length of the locking assembly, for engagement with a fixed retainer mounted to one side of the locking assembly.

12. An espagnolette fastener according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each locking assembly includes a locking element extending longitudinally of the locking assembly, for engagement with a fixed retainer mounted adjacent the end of the locking assembly remote from the drive mechanism.

13. An espagnolette fastener substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A vent frame assembly comprising a rectangular vent frame movable into and out of registering engagement with a fixed surrounding rectangular vent frame, an espagnolette fastener according to any of the preceding claims being mounted within a hollow frame member of the movable vent frame.

15. A vent frame assembly according to Claim 14, wherein the operating means are located on the side of the drive mechanism and coupling means nearer the centre of the movable vent frame so as to be clear of any overlap between the movable and fixed vent frames in the closed position of those frames.