GB2290338A

GB2290338A - A locking assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2290338A
Application number: GB9411689A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keith George Faskin
Original assignee: Securistyle Ltd
Current assignee: Securistyle Ltd
Priority date: 1994-06-10
Filing date: 1994-06-10
Publication date: 1995-12-20
Anticipated expiration: 2014-06-10
Also published as: GB9411689D0; GB2290103A; GB9504326D0; GB2290338B

Abstract

A keep 19 for a shoot bolt locking assembly 1, the locking assembly 1 comprising a drive mechanism 3 mounted on a vent 7 for driving a bolt 11 into the keep 19 on a fixed frame 21, wherein the keep 19 is adapted to be mounted in a corner of the fixed frame 21 and fixed to the fixed frame 21 in two substantially perpendicular directions. A keep according to the invention has increased strength, thereby providing better security against intruders. <IMAGE>

Description

1 A LOCKING ASSEMBLY 2290338 This invention relates to locking assemblies,

and in particular to a shoot bolt type locking assembly for a vent 5 or the like.

Locking assemblies for vents, such as windows, are well known. Relatively complicated assemblies, such as espagnolette mechanisms, are also well known for providing locking engagement between the mechanism mounted on the vent and the fixed frame. Such systems provide good security, which is currently a very important consideration for many purchasers and users of locking assemblies.

Shoot bolt locking assemblies which involve rods driven by a rotatable handle are generally mounted within an extrusion forming part of the vent itself. Such mounting can be difficult and requires a considerable amount of routing of the extrusion to accommodate the mechanism. Furthermore, adjustment of the present shoot bolt mechanism, so that it can be accommodated in different sized extrusions, can be time consuming and difficult. Hence, the present invention has been developed to improve upon the known prior art espagnolette and shoot bolt mechanisms by providing a locking assembly which is simple to assemble, easy to adjust to size and straightforward to install.

According to the present invention, there is provided a locking assembly comprising a support case, a handle drive gear box mounted substantially perpendicularly to the support case and a plurality of bullets driven by gears mounted in the support case and the handle driven gear box, wherein the support case and the bullets can be surface mounted on a vent to be locked such that the bullets, when extended, engage keeps on a fixed frame to lock the vent. As a result, a much improved locking assembly, which facilitates installation, is provided.

Preferably at least one of the bullets is mounted on an end of an extension arm driven by the gears. Such an arrangement allows the position of the bullets to be accurately determined simply by adjusting, possibly by 2 cutting, to length the extension arm. The extension arm may run in a guide surface mounted, in use, on the vent to be locked. Smooth and accurate running of the locking assembly can thereby be achieved. 5 The extension arm is preferably telescopic during installation to facilitate mounting of the locking assembly. Once the length of the extension arm has been decided, it can simply be locked to provide a secure arm during use. Preferably at least one of the bullets is forked to provide a night vent facility. In this regard, the assembly can be locked with the vent either fully closed by virtue of both of the prongs of the fork entering a keep on the fixed frame or partially closed with only one of the prongs of the fork in the keep on the fixed frame.

Preferably at least one of the keeps mounted on the fixed frame, in use, is positioned in a corner of the fixed frame and is attached to the fixed frame in two substantially perpendicular directions. This arrangement adds significant strength to the locking assembly, thereby giving better security.

Preferably the support case includes guide channels for receiving bullets driven directly by the gears. Such bullets preferably engage keeps mounted an a fixed frame, in use, along one side of the fixed frame.

The support case preferably accommodates a pair of quarter gears arranged to drive the bullets in opposite directions.

The bullets mounted in the support case may be adapted to receive extension arms for transferring drive from the gears to outer bullets.

Preferably the handle drive gear box includes means for enabling the direction of drive to be reversed. This arrangement means that the locking assembly can be handed during installation, rather than being handed during manufacture.

In a particular embodiment, the means for reversing the drive comprises a moveable rack which in a first position engages a first quarter gear in the support case and in a c 3 second position engages a second quarter gear in the support case.

A specific embodiment of the present invention is now described, by way of example only, with reference to the 5 accompanying drawings, in which:Figure 1 is a perspective view of a locking assembly according to the present invention surface mounted on a vent to be locked; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the majority of the locking assembly of Figure 1 viewed separated from the vent, but with two keeps also shown; and Figure 3 is an exploded view of the locking assembly shown in Figure 2.

is With reference to the drawings, a shoot bolt locking assembly comprises a support case (1) for accommodating two geared bullets (3a,3b) and two corresponding quarter gears (5a,5b). The geared bullets (3a,3b) and quarter gears (5a,5b) are mounted in the support case (1) such that quarter gear (5a) engages a gear rack (7a) on the geared bullet (3a) and the geared bullet (3a) is free to slide on the second geared bullet (3b) which is driven by the second quarter gear (5b) engaging the gear rack (7b) on the geared bullet (3b). The two quarter gears (5a,5b) are mounted for rotation about adjacent supports (9a,9b) and interengage such that they rotate in opposite directions during movement of either quarter gear (5a,5b).

A handle drive gear box (11) provides a cover plate (13) for the support case (1), as shown clearly in Figure 2. The handle drive gear box (11) accommodates a square drive gear (15) for engagement by a handle (17) such as that shown in Figure 1. A f irst gear rack (19) includes a stud (not shown) engaging L second gear rack (21) which is driven by the square drive gear (15) during rotation of the handle (17). As a result, the first gear rack (19), which engages either the f irst quarter gear (5a) or the second quarter gear (5b) depending upon the position of the stud in a 4 groove (23) in the second gear rack (21), rotates either the first quarter gear (5a) or the second quarter gear (5b). In this regard, if the stud of the first gear rack (19) engages in a first arm of the groove (23) of the second gear rack (21), the locking assembly is handed in one direction, whereas if the stud engages a second arm of the groove (23), the locking assembly is handed in the other direction.

Hence, when the support case (1) with gears and handle drive gear box (11) with gears are assembled, rotation of the square drive gear (15) by handle (17) results in extension or retraction of the geared bullets (3a,3b) in opposite directions from the support case (1). The protruding parts (25a,25b) of these geared bullets (3a,3b) may be used to engage keeps (27) mounted on one side of a f ixed frame when the vent to be locked is closed in the fixed frame.

Due to the offset nature of the gear racks (7a,7b) from the extended parts (25a,25b) of the geared bullets (3a,3b), the geared bullets (3a,3b) also provide means (29) for attachment to extension arms (31). In the present embodiment, these attachment means (29) comprise a hump for engaging an aperture (33) in an extension arm (31). A telescopic portion (35) is shown attached to the extension arm (31) to enable the complete length of the extension arm/telescopic portion to be adjusted to length during installation of the locking assembly on a vent. A wedge (37) is included between the two parts of the extension arm (31,35) to hold the two parts firmly in position during use. At the end of the telescopic portion (35), a forked outer bullet (39) is attached by rivets or any other appropriate means (not shown). The outer bullets (39) are received in guides (41) which, in use, are securely fixed to the vent to be locked. As a result, the outer bullets (39) are held in position and pi,ovided with significant strength against forcing of the locking assembly.

The outer bullets (39) are forked to enable the locking assembly to be used in either a fully closed position, in which both sides of the fork engage a keep (43) mounted on 11 the fixed frame, or a night vent position in which only one side of the fork engages the keep (43).

As can be seen from the drawings, the keeps (43) for receiving the outer bullets (39) are shaped to be accommodated within a corner of a f ixed frame. Further, the keeps (43) can be screwed or otherwise fixed to the fixed frame in two substantially perpendicular directions, thereby providing significant strength to the keep and hence the locking assembly.

As will be appreciated from the foregoing, virtually all of the locking assembly is designed to be surf ace mounted on a vent to be locked. Only a small amount of routing is required to accommodate the handle drive gear box (11) within an extrusion forming the frame of the vent. Thus, installation of the locking assembly is simplified. Further improvement is also provided by virtue of the fact that the extension arm/telescopic portion can be adjusted to the desired length by telescoping or cutting, thereby enabling the locking assembly to be fitted to many different sizes of vent. Additionally, a range of locking assemblies according to the present invention can be provided for different sized vents, simply by providing a basic "support case/handle drive gear box/outer bullet" kit assembly with a number of different sizes of extension arm.

It will of course be understood that the present invention has been described above purely by way of example, and that modifications of detail can be made within the scope of the invention.

6

Claims

1. A locking assembly comprising a support case, a handle drive gear box mounted substantially perpendicularly to the support case and a plurality of bullets driven by gears mounted in the support case and the handle driven gear box, wherein the support case and the bullets can be surface mounted on a vent to be locked such that the bullets, when extended, engage keeps on a fixed frame to lock the vent.

2. A locking assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the bullets is mounted on an end of an extension arm driven by the gears.

3. A locking assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the extension arm runs in a guide surface mounted, in use, on the vent to be locked.

4. A locking assembly as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the extension arm is telescopic during installation to facilitate mounting of the locking assembly.

5. A locking assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the bullets is forked to provide a night vent facility.

6. A locking assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the keeps mounted on the f ixed frame, in use, is positioned in a corner of the fixed frame and is attached to the fixed frame in two substantially perpendicular directions.

7. A locking assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the support case includes guide channels for receiving bullets driven directly by the gears.

8. A locking assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the support case accommodates a pair of quarter 1 4 7 gears arranged to drive the bullets in opposite directions.

9. A locking assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the bullets mounted in the support case are adapted to receive extension arms for transferring drive from the gears to outer bullets.

10. A locking assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the handle drive gear box includes means for enabling the direction of drive to be reversed.

11. A locking assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the means for reversing the drive comprises a moveable rack which in a first position engages a first quarter gear in the support case and in a second position engages a second quarter gear in the support case.

12. A locking assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.