GB2293860A

GB2293860A - Shoot bolt fastening for windows or doors

Info

Publication number: GB2293860A
Application number: GB9520612A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Roland Locke
Original assignee: NT DOOR AND WINDOW FITTINGS LI
Current assignee: NT DOOR AND WINDOW FITTINGS LI
Priority date: 1994-10-07
Filing date: 1995-10-09
Publication date: 1996-04-10
Anticipated expiration: 2015-10-09
Also published as: GB2293860B; GB9520612D0

Abstract

The invention relates to shoot bolt fastenings for windows or doors. Commonly the operating mechanisms of these are mounted in recesses in part of the window or door, making installation and maintenance difficult. The present invention provides a shoot bolt fastening (1) comprising a pair of oppositely movable slide members (6, 7) having bolt parts (20), and racks (21) which mesh with a first pinion (8). The first slide member (6) is operated by a handle (4) via a rack member and a second pinion contained in a housing (1). Turning the handle causes linear movement of the slide member (6) which, in turn, causes opposite linear movement of the slide member (7) via pinion (8). This moves the bolt parts (20) into and out of a position where the window or door is locked or unlocked respectively. The slide members (6, 7) and housing (1) may be mounted on the window or door with little or no recessing, thereby facilitating installation and maintenance of the fastening. <IMAGE>

Description

SHOOT BOLT FASTENING FOR WINDOWS OR DOORS This invention relates to a shoot bolt fastening for windows or doors of the kind comprising a pair of oppositely movable bolts adapted to be mounted on a sliding or hinged window or door, and being caused to be moved into and out of operative engagement with keeper means by turning an operating handle so as to lock the window or door at an edge or edges thereof.

Such a shoot bolt fastening will hereinafter be referred to as a "shoot bolt fastening of the kind described".

Commonly the bolts and handle-operated mechanism for operating the bolts of a shoot bolt fastening of the kind described are mounted within part of the window or door. Preparing the locating hollows or recess in the window or door to accommodate the bolts and mechanism adds to the time and work necessary to fit the shoot bolt fastening for use. Furthermore, because the bolts and mechanism are set into the window or door they are not readily accessible for maintenance.

It is an aim of the present invention to facilitate fitting and maintenance of a shoot bolt fastening of the kind described.

According to the present invention a shoot bolt fastening of the kind described is provided comprising a pinion housing adapted to be secured in an edge of a sliding or hinged window or door, a first pinion rotatably mounted in the housing and rotated by the operating handle, first and second elongate slide members each having or carrying a respective bolt part adapted to be mounted on said edge of the window or door for relative sliding movement in opposite directions along said edge, an elongate rack member which meshes with the first pinion, is slidably guided by the pinion housing and is captive with the first slide member so that that slide member is reciprocally movable linearly by rotation of the operating handle, a second pinion adapted to be mounted for rotation on said edge and elongate racks on the first and second slide members which mesh with the second pinion such that when the first slide member is moved linearly the second slide member is caused to be moved in the opposite direction.

The first and second slide members may be adapted to extend along the edge of the window or door to opposite ends of that edge where end portions of the slide members form bolt parts for locking engagement with keeper means on a fixed frame of the window or door adjacent to those ends of said edge when the window or door is shut. In another arrangement the first and second slide members may have or carry bolt parts which project from the members transversely of the directions of linear movement of the slide members for engagement with keeper means, on a fixed frame or another co-operating window or door, adjacent to intermediate parts of said edge of the window or door.

The transversely projecting belt parts may be in addition to or instead of the aforementioned bolt parts formed by end portions of the slide members. In either of these arrangements the window or door to which the shoot bolt fastening is fitted for use may be slidable or hinged.

Preferably the pinion housing, first pinion and elongate rack member are in accordance with such parts of the espagnolette mechanism which is the subject of GB Patent 2222849B, the rack member being slidably guided between opposed walls of the pinion housing one of which is formed with an elongate flange slidably received in a recess formed in the rack member, the flange and recess extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first slide member, the first slide member being held captive to the rack member by at least two connectors spaced along the rack member, and the housing being devoid of portions which extend around the first slide member for guiding purposes.

The housing, first pinion, rack member and first slide member may all be pre-assembled as a unit for fitting to a window or door. The second pinion and second slide member may be separate components which are assembled on the window or door edge for co-operation with the first slide member, or they may be mounted on a suitable support fixed or attachable to the housing, first pinion, rack member and first slide member unit.

The first and second slide members conveniently have parallel portions at which the racks are provided for engagement with the second pinion. The two slide members may be of strip form of a common width generally and have reduced width portions at which the racks are provided. In this arrangement the racks and second pinion are preferably contained for compactness within the common general widths of the slide members, and the slide members are aligned for their linear movement. In another arrangement the slide members are again of strip form and in the main are in alignment for their linear movement but at least one of the slide members has a cranked portion at which its rack is provided.

The slide members are suitably guided in their linear movement. They may, for example, have longitudinally extending slots in them, engaged by guide pegs, pins or the like which are fixed on the window or door to which the shoot bolt fastening is fitted for use.

A window or door to which the shoot bolt fastening is to be fitted for use may be formed with a recess or opening at its respective edge to receive the pinion housing. This may be done in the course of production of the window or door, or on site. A channel or channels may be formed along the edge to receive the slide members. A cover plate or plates may be secured over the or each channel to enclose the slide members.

The channel may be of such width as to prevent substantial movement of the slide members in a direction perpendicular to their linear movement, thereby preventing the racks disengaging from the second pinion.

Alternatively, one or more projections may be provided on each slide member in proximity to each rack which are adapted to locate in guide means whereby such perpendicular movement is prevented. The guide means may comprise slots formed in a plate secured to the edge of the window or door, the slots being elongated such that the linear movement of the slide members is unimpeded. The slide members may be secured between the edge of the window or door and the plate with the projections projecting outwards to locate in the slots. Alternatively the slide members may be secured on top of the plate with the projections projecting inwards to locate in the slots. A further plate may be provided on top of the slide members to secure them to the first plate.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which, Figure 1 is a side elevational view of part of an edge of a door fitted with a shoot bolt fastening in accordance with the present invention, Figure 2 is a front view of the door edge and shoot bolt fastening Figure 3 is a side elevational view of part of the edge of the door fitted with a modified shoot bolt fastening and first and second plates Figure 4 is a front view of the door edge and modified shoot bolt fastening of Fig.3, with the second plate removed, Figure 5 is a part front view of the first plate with the slide members shown in relief, and Figure 6 is a section along line X-X of Figure 5 The shoot bolt fastening 1 comprises a pinion housing 2, pinion 3, handle 4, rack member 5, first and second slide members 6 and 7 respectively and a secured pinion 8.

Pinion housing 2, pinion 3 and rack member 5 are of the form described and illustrated in GB Patent Specification 2222849B. The pinion housing 2 is of relatively thin oblong box form comprising a die-cast housing shell 9 and a sheet metal housing closure plate 10 retained to the shell by shouldered tubular spigots 11. The spigots 11 receive respective mounting screws, not shown, for fixing the housing in the edge of a window or door for use. Pinion 3 which is die-cast, is rotatably mounted in the housing 2 by projecting ends of a hub 12 engaged in bearing holes 13 in the closure plate 10 and on opposite wall of the shell 9. A square axial bore 14 through the hub 12 receives a conventional spindle of the handle 4.

The rack member 5 is also die-cast and is elongated with rack teeth 15 along one side with which the pinion 3 meshes, and three longitudinally spaced apart lugs 16 on the opposite side which are staked in respective holes in the first slide member 6, near one end of the member, to secure the rack member to that slide member. At opposite ends the rack member 5 has upstanding guide projections 17 which are a sliding fit between the closure plate 10 and an opposite wall of the shell 9 and between opposite end walls of the housing provided by the shell. An elongate guide flange 18 along a longer edge of the shell engages with a complementary corner recess 19 of the rack member adjacent to, and extending lengthwise of, the first slide member.The corner recess 19 extends for the full length of the rack member, the guide flange 18 being slidably trapped between the first slide member and on opposed face of the corner recess to resist twisting of the rack member and first slide member relative to the housing.

Turning the handle 4 rotates the pinion 3 which moves the rack member 5 and first slide member 6 linearly relative to the pinion housing. The handle may be lockable against turning.

The first and second slide members 6 and 7 are substantially similar. Each is made of metal strip.

At one end each member is symmetrically narrowed down to form a bolt portion 20. At the other ends each of the members is reduced in width, by cutting away from one side of the strip, and is formed with teeth along the inner edge of the reduced width portion to provide a rack 21. In the assembled shoot bolt fastening the two slide members 6 and 7 are arranged in alignment with their bolt portions 20 remote from one another and the racks 21 adjacent in opposed, spaced, parallel relationship, as shown in Figure 2. The second pinion 8, which is conveniently manufactured from a metal, for example steel, is positioned between and in mesh with the two racks 21.

There are longitudinally extending guide slots 22 in the two slide members 6 and 7 for engagement by slide bearings 23, formed as plastics mouldings, on pins 24 which fix to the window or door with which the shoot bolt fastening is to be used.

In the accompanying drawings, the first slide member 6 is shown as having a flanged lateral bolt part 25 fixed to it, as by a socket headed screw 26, at an intermediate part of its length. Each of the slide members 6, 7 may have such a bolt part. The bolt part 25 projects from one face of the slide member and is arranged to be engageable with a keeper opposite the edge of the window or door to which the shoot bolt fastening is fitted, the keeper being on a fixed frame member which the window or door closes, or on another associated window or door.

By way of example only the shoot bolt fastening of this embodiment is shown in the drawings as applied to the edge of a door, for example a sliding patio door.

The door has a frame of tubular extruded plastics members and slides in a surrounding fixed frame. The fastening is fitted to a frame member 27 of the door which provides the upright leading edge of the door. A recess is formed in that frame member, conveniently near the centre of the height of the door, to receive the pinion housing 2 behind a front wall 28 of the frame member, and the housing is secured by mounting screws engaged in plain holes, not shown, in the front wall and tightened into the spigots 11. The first slide member is presented flat in a shallow channel 29 formed during extrusion of the frame member in the face of a side wall 30 of the frame member at the leading edge, the channel 29 extending for the length of the side wall 30 to the top and bottom edges of the door.

The first slide member extends to one or other of the top and bottom edges so that its bolt portion 20 is adjacent that edge to be shot into a keeper , not shown, in the fixed frame. Located in the channel 29 to extend to the other edge of the door in alignment with the first slide member is the second slide member for its bolt portion to be shot into another keeper, not shown, in the fixed frame. Pins 24 of the slide bearings 23 engaged with the quick slots 22 of the slide members screw into side wall 30 of the frame member 27 to hold the slide members firmly but slidingly in the channel 29. Between the opposed racks 21 of the slide members the second pinion 8 is rotatably secured in the channel by a screw 31 screwed into the side wall 30.

The channel 29 is of sufficient width such that substantial movement of the racks 21 in a direction perpendicular to the length of the channel is prevented. The tooth mechanisms of the racks 21 therefore remain in engagement with the teeth of the pinion 8.

The flanged bolt part 25 on the first slide member projects from the leading edge of the door for engagement with a further keeper, not shown, in the fixed frame.

When the handle is turned the first slide member is moved along the channel by the interaction of the pinion and rack member the movement of the slide member rotates the second pinion 8 which in turn moves the second slide member in the opposite direction. Thus the bolt portions and bolt part are shot or withdrawn simultaneously by operation of the one handle.

A cover not shown may be fixed over the slide members at the side wall 30 of the frame member to enclose them, the bolt part projecting through a slot in the cover.

Figures 3 to 6 show a modification to the shoot bolt fastening, which dispenses with the need for a channel in the frame member. Slide members 6, 7 are provided with elongated slots 35, and shoulders 36 formed adjacent to the racks 21 (Figure 4). The shoulders are provided with pressed indent spigots 37, which project substantially perpendicularly from one face of the slide members (Figure 6). The slide members are secured between first 38 and second 39 plates, and the entire assembly secured to a side wall 40 of the frame member 27 such that the plate 39 is outermost (Figure 3). The side wall 40 corresponds to the side wall 30 in Figure 2, except that no channel is provided in side wall 40.The slide members are secured between the plates such that the securing means (not shown) pass through the elongated slots 35 in the slide members, and linear movement of the members along the length of the door on operation of the handle 4 is unimpeded.

The first plate 38 is provided with slots 41 (Figure 5), and on securing the slide members 6, 7 to this plate, the spigots 37 locate in the slots (Figure 6). The slots 41 are elongated in the direction parallel to the length of the slide members such that the movement of the members along the length of the door is again unimpeded. However, in a direction perpendicular to the length of the door, the slots are of such width to prevent substantial movement of the spigots and therefore the slide members (Figure 5). In this way, the racks 21 remain in engagement with the pinion 8. The channel 29 is no longer required, simplifying the structure of the frame member 27.

It will be understood from the foregoing that the shoot bolt fastening is readily fitted for use without the need for a great deal of special preparation of the door or window frame member to which it is applied, and that the fastening is easily operated.

Claims

1. A shoot bolt fastening of the kind described comprising a pinion housing adapted to be secured in an edge of a sliding or hinged window or door, a first pinion rotably mounted in the housing and rotated by the operating handle, first and second elongate slide members each having or carrying a respective bolt part adapted to be mounted on said edge of the window or door for relative sliding movement in opposite directions along said edge, an elongate rack member which meshes with the first pinion, is slidably guided by the pinion housing and is captive with the first slide member so that that slide member is reciprocally movable linearly by rotation of the operating handle, a second pinion adapted to be mounted for rotation on said edge and elongate racks on the first and second slide members which mesh with the second pinion such that when the first slide member is moved linearly the second slide member is caused to be moved in the opposite direction.

2. A fastening according to claim 1 in which the first and second slide members are adapted to extend along the edge of the window or door to opposite ends of that edge where end portions of the slide members form bolt parts for locking engagement with keeper means on a fixed frame of the window or door adjacent to those ends of said edge when the window or door is shut.

3. A fastening according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the first and second slide members have or carry bolt parts which project from the members transversely of the directions of linear movement of the slide members for engagement with keeper means on a fixed frame or another co-operating window or door, adjacent to intermediate parts of said edge of the window or door.

4. A fastening according to any preceding claim in which the pinion housing, first pinion and elongate rack member are in accordance with such parts of an espagnolette mechanism, the rack member being slidable guided between opposed walls of the pinion housing one of which is formed with an elongate flange slidably received in a recess formed in the rack member, the flange and recess extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first slide member, the first slide member being held captive to the rack member by at least two connectors spaced along the rack member, and the housing being devoid of portions which extend around the first slide member for guiding purposes.

5. A fastening according to any preceding claim in which the housing, first pinion, rack member and first slide member are pre-assembled as a unit for fitting to the door or window.

6. A fastening according to any preceding claim in which the second pinion and second slide member are separate components which are assembled on the window or door edge for co-operation with the first slide member.

7. A fastening according to any of claims 1 to 5 in which the second pinion and second slide member are mounted on a suitable support fixed or attachable to the housing, first pinion, rack member and first slide member unit.

8. A fastening according to any preceding claim in which the first and second slide members have parallel portions at which the racks are provided for engagement with the second pinion.

9. A fastening according to any preceding claim in which the first and second slide members are of strip form of a generally common width and have reduced width portions at which the racks are provided.

10. A fastening according to claim 9 in which the racks and second pinion are contained within the common general widths of slide members, and the slide members are aligned for their linear movement.

11. A fastening according to any of claims 1 to 9 in which the slide members are of strip form and in the main are in alignment for their linear movement and at least one of the slide members has a cranked portion at which its rack is provided.

12. A fastening according to any preceding claim in which the slide members are suitably guided in their linear movement.

13. A fastening according to claim 12 in which the slide members are provided with longitudinal extending slots which are engaged by guide pegs, pins or the like fixed on the window or door to which the shoot bolt fastening is fitted for use, for guiding of their linear movement.

14. A fastening according to any preceding claim in which the pinion housing is received in a recess or opening formed in the edge of the window or door to which the shoot bolt fastening is fitted for use.

15. A fastening according to any preceding claim in which the slide members are received in a channel or channels formed along the edge of the window or door.

16. A fastening according to claim 15 in which a cover plate or plates is secured over the or each channel to enclose the slide members.

17. A fastening according to claim 15 or claim 16 in which the channel or channels are of such width as to prevent substantial movement of the slide members in a direction perpendicular to their linear movement, thereby preventing the racks disengaging from the second pinion.

18. A fastening according to any preceding claim in which one or more projections are provided on each slide member in proximity to each rack, which are adapted to locate in guide means whereby substantial movement of the slide members in a direction perpendicular to their linear movement is prevented.

19. A fastening according to claim 18 in which the guide means comprise slots formed in a plate secured to the edge of the window or door, the slots being elongated such that the linear movement of the slide members is unimpeded.

20. A fastening according to claim 19 in which the slide members are secured between the edge of the window or door and the plate with the projections projecting outwards to locate in the slots.

21. A fastening according to claim 19 in which the slide members are secured on top of the plate with the projections projecting inwards to locate in the slots.

22. A fastening according to claim 21 in which a further plate is provided on top of the slide members.

23. A shoot bolt fastening substantially as described with reference to figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

24. A shoot bolt fastening substantially as described with reference to Figures 3 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.