GB2298232A

GB2298232A - Espagnolette locking mechanism with shoot bolts and locking cams

Info

Publication number: GB2298232A
Application number: GB9503775A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Collins; David Robinson
Original assignee: W M S GROUP Ltd
Current assignee: W M S GROUP Ltd
Priority date: 1995-02-24
Filing date: 1995-02-24
Publication date: 1996-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 2015-02-24
Also published as: GB9503775D0; GB2298232B; GB2298232A8

Abstract

An espagnolette mechanism 10 for fitting along a closing face of a rectangular frame (not shown) locks using both locking cams 17 and shoot bolts 18. The locking mechanism 10 has an actuator 12 which operates a gearbox 11, which moves two parts 14,15 of an elongate slidable member 13 in opposite directions using a rack and pinion motion reversal coupling 16. Each part 14,15 carries at least one locking cam 17 which is movable between locking and release positions with respect to a fixed frame. Each part 14,15 carries a shoot bolt 18 at one end which is movable between a locking position in which it projects beyond the end of the closing face to lock the adjacent part of the openable frame, and a release position. The shoot bolt 18 is movable simultaneously with the movement of the locking cam 17 so that they move jointly. Further embodiments can include a corner drive (not shown) at each corner 19 between the closing face and the frame which converts the linear movement of the parts 14,15 to a perpendicular direction to provide additional locking by cams 17. A locking hook 21 can be included so that it is mounted on the gearbox to rotate between the locking and release positions simultaneously with the locking cams 17 and shoot bolts 18.

Description

ESPAGNOLETTE LOCKING MECHANISM This invention relates to an espagnolette locking mechanism which is intended to provide simultaneous licking at more than one locking position, upon operation of the locking mechanism by a common actuator.

Espagnolette type locking mechanisms are well-known, and are used to lock an openable frame of a door or window in a fixed frame in which it is mounted, and particularly UPVC frames in which double glazed units can be assembled.

An espagnolette mechanism usually comprises a gearbox having a rotary input driven by a handle operated drive shaft or spindle which is received by an input drive socket of the gear box, and in which rotary input motion to the gearbox is transmitted into a linear output drive to an espagnolette rod or bar. The rod usually carries a mushroom cam or other locking element which is moved by the rod between a release position and a locking position with respect to a fixed keeper secured to a fixed frame in which the openable frame is mounted.

The rod may carry more than one locking cam, and moves in one direction to move the cams into locking engagement with respective fixed keepers, and in an opposite direction to release the cams and thereby unlock the mechanism.

Espagnolette mechanisms have been used for many years, and have provided generally acceptable resistance to forced opening of windows and doors, in that the espagnolette mechanism is usually housed in a closing face or side edge of an openable frame, and in which the opposite side edge is carried by a hinge mechanism which allows hinged movement of the frame between open and closed positions when the espagnolette mechanism is unlocked. However, this leaves the two remaining sides of the openable frame i.e. the remaining pair of opposed edges, unprotected, and therefore unable to resist an attempt at forced opening of the frame by insertion of a jemmy or other tool between the fixed frame and one of these unprotected edges.

There is also a need to provide additional securement of the closing face of the frame to the fixed frame, and in particular better to resist forced separation of the closing face and the fixed frame which can occur with existing designs, and with a sufficient travel of the forced-open frame'elements to cause the locking cams to move (perpendicular to the axis of the espagnolette rod) out of locking engagement with their keepers, thereby allowing the frame to be opened.

The invention therefore seeks to provide an improved espagnolette type locking mechanism for fitting on a closing face of a rectangular openable frame, and which can be operated by a common actuator, and which permits additional locking simultaneously along one or both of the further pair of frame sides and / or to provide additional resistance to forced separation between the closing face and the fixed frame in a direction generally perpendicular to the axis of the espagnolette rod.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an espagnolette type locking mechanism for fitting along a closing face of a rectangular openable frame, said mechanism having a gearbox to be operated by a common actuator, an elongate slidable element arranged to be driven linearly to and fro by the gearbox, at least one locking cam carried by the elongate element and moveable between locking and release positions with respect to a respective keeper on a co-operating part of a fixed frame in which the openable frame is mounted, and a locking bolt mounted on at least one end of said elongate element and moveable with the element between a locking position in which it projects beyond the end of the closing face to lock the adjacent part of the openable frame, and a release position, said locking bolt being moveable simultaneously with the movement of the locking cam so that they move jointly between respective locked and release positions.

Preferably, the elongate element is in two parts, comprising a main part arranged to be driven by the gearbox, and a further part having a motion-reversal coupling with the main part whereby the main part and the further part are driven by the gearbox to move linearly in opposite directions.

The motion-reversal coupling may comprise a rack and pinion type of interconnection.

Each of said main and further parts of the'elongate element may carry, at its free end, a respective locking or "shoot" bolt, so that simultaneous locking (and release) of the closing face and of the two adjacent frame sides of the openable frame can be obtained under operation of a common actuator.

As an alternative, or addition to the locking bolt a corner drive may be arranged at each corner between the closing face and the adjacent frame sides, and which is able to convert linear reciprocation of the elongate element on the closing face to reciprocation (in a perpendicular direction) of a respective espagnolette element slidably mounted on the adjacent edge of the openable frame, and also carrying one or more locking cams to engage with a respective keeper on the fixed frame.

As a further alternative, and / or additional locking feature, a locking hook may be mounted on the gearbox to rotate between a locking and release position, again simultaneously with operation of the other locking components of the espagnolette mechanism. Conveniently, an espagnolette mechanism according to the invention may be adapted to be mounted in the closing face or edge of a UPVC section, which forms part of an openable rectangular frame of a door or window. The espagnolette rod(s) provided in the mechanism may be designed to fit UPVC profiles provided both with, and without a so-called "eurogroove".

A preferred embodiment of espagnolette locking mechanism according to the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompany drawing, in which: Figure is a side view of the locking mechanism to be mounted in the closing face of a rectangular UPVC frame of an openable door or window; Figure 2 is a plan view of slidable elongate operating components of the mechanism shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a detail of an espagnolette rod component of the slidable assembly shown in Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawings, the espagnolett e type of locking mechanism according to the invention is designated generally by reference 10, and is intended to be fitted along a closing face or edge of a rectangular openable window or door frame, and has a gearbox 11 adapted to be operated by a common actuator, and which will usually comprise a handle operated spindle (not shown) fitted into rotary input socket 12 of the gearbox 11. Rotary motion applied to input 12 is transmitted via internal gears (not shown) in the gearbox 11 to linear sliding movement applied to an elongate slidable element which forms part of the operating mechanism to adjust the mechanism between locking and release conditions.

The manner by which rotary motion of the gearbox is transmitted as linear motion to an espagnolette rod is wellknown to those of ordinary skill in the art, and is not shown in detail herein. The elongate slidable element which is drive by gearbox 11 is designated generally by reference 13, and comprises a main part 14 which can be driven linearly to and fro by the gearbox and an additional part 15 which is coupled with main part 14 via a motion-reversal mechanism 16 which, in the illustrated embodiment, comprises a rack and pinion type of interconnection. Evidently, this results in the parts 14 and 15 always moving in relatively opposite directions, and therefore when the mechanism 10 is actuated to the locking condition, parts 14 and 15 move axially to left and right respectively, as seen in Figure 2.

Each part 14, 15 carries at least one locking cam 17, and which move between locked and unlocked (release) position, as shown in full lines and dashed lines respectively. The locking cams 17 co-operate with respective keepers (not shown) on a cooperating part of a fixed frame in which the openable frame is mounted.

Locking bolts or "shoot bolts" 18 are mounted one at each end of parts 14 and 15, and are moveable between a release position (not shown) withdrawn within the closing face, and a locking position, as shown, in which it projects beyond the end of the closing face to lock the adjacent part of the openable frame. The bolts 18 are moved simultaneously with thmovement of the locking cams 17 so that they move jointly between respective locked and release positions.

In addition, although not shown in detail a respective corner can drive is arranged at each corner 19 between the closing face and the adjacent frame sides of the openable frame, and which corner drive is able to convert linear reciprocation of the parts 14 and 15 into linear reciprocation in a perpendicular direction of a respective espagnolette rod slidably mounted on the adjacent edge of the openable frame.

These further espagnolette rods also carry one or move locking cam 17 to engage with a respective keeper in the fixed frame.

As a further locking feature, also operated simultaneously with all of the other locking components, a locking hook 21 is mounted on the gearbox 11 to rotate between a locking position, as shown in full lines, and a withdrawn release position, and this engages with a keeper mounted in a fixed part of the frame, and prevents relative separation between the closing face and the fixed frame in a direction perpendicular thereto e.g. to resist any forced separation of these frame components by a jemmy or other tool.

The mechanism 10 is particularly suitable for mounting in a UPVC profile, of the type used to form a rectangular frame of an openable door or window, and the slidable espagnolette rods of the mechanism can fit the profiles, whether provided with or without so-called "eurogrooves".

Claims

1. An espagnolette type locking mechanism for fitting along a closing face of a rectangular openable frame, said mechanism having a gearbox to be operated by a common actuator, an elongate slidable element arranged to be driven linearly to and fro by the gearbox, at least one locking cam carried by the elongate element and moveable between locking and release positions with respect to a respective keeper on a co-operating part of a fixed frame in which the openable frame is mounted, and a locking bolt mounted on at least one end of said elongate element and moveable with the element between a locking position in which it projects beyond the end of the closing face to lock the adjacent part of the openable frame, and a release position, said locking bolt being moveable simultaneously with the movement of the locking cam so that they move jointly between respective locked and release positions.

2. A locking mechanism according to Claim 1, in which the elongate element is in two parts, comprising a main part arranged to be driven by the gearbox, and a further part having a motion-reversal coupling with the main part whereby the main part and the further part are arranged to be driven by the gearbox to move linearly in opposite directions.

3. A locking mechanism according to Claim 2, in which the motion-reversal coupling comprises a rack and pinion type of interconnection.

4. A locking mechanism according to Claim 2 or 3, in which each of said main and said further part of the elongate element carries, at its free end, a respective locking or shootbolt, so that simultaneous locking, and release, of the closing face and of the two adjacent frame sides of the openable frame can be obtained under operation of the common actuator.

5. A locking mechanism according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, in which a corner drive is arranged at each corner, between the closing face and the adjacent frame sides, and which is able to convert linear reciprocation of the elongate element on the closing face to reciprocation, in a perpendicular direction, of a respective espagnolette element slidably mounted on the adjacent edge of the openable frame, and also carrying one or more locking cams to engage with a respective keeper on the fixed frame.

6. A locking mechanism according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, in which a locking hook is mounted on the gearbox to rotate between a locking and release position, simultaneously with operation of the other locking components of the espagnolette mechanism.

7. A locking mechanism according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, and adapted to be mounted in the closing face or edge of a UPVC section, which forms part of an openable rectangular frame of a door or window.

8. A locking mechanism according to Claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in the accompanying drawings.