GB2303166A

GB2303166A - Operating system for a multi-point lock

Info

Publication number: GB2303166A
Application number: GB9513981A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter James Harrison; Tracy Dain Fletcher
Original assignee: Hardware and Systems Patents Ltd
Current assignee: Hardware and Systems Patents Ltd
Priority date: 1995-07-08
Filing date: 1995-07-08
Publication date: 1997-02-12
Also published as: GB9513981D0

Abstract

An operating mechanism for a multi-point lock such as an espagnolette comprises two drive members 1,2 mounted for sliding movement in a common plane "X" and connected to spaced parallel racks 12,13 meshing with a gear member 4 located between the racks 12,13. The drive members 1,2 are displaced simultaneously in opposite directions by rotation of a gear member 3 meshing with one of the racks 12 about an axis spaced from and parallel to the rotational axis of the gear member 4. Both axes of rotation are arranged in a common plane "Y" normal to the plane "X" with the axis of rotation of the gear member 4 also being arranged in the plane "X".

Description

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR A MULTI-POINT LOCK This invention relates to an operating mechanism for a multi-point lock for windows and doors.

Multi-point locks provide increased security against forces entry by securing the window or door at a plurality of spaced positions. In one type of multi-point lock, a pair of locking members are simultaneously displaced in opposite directions to lock and unlock the window or door when closed.

Usually, the operating mechanism includes gearing for converting rotation of the handle into sliding movement of the locking members in opposite directions.

Various constructions of gearing have been proposed and used previously but these are often complex and expensive to manufacture.

Furthermore, the plastic extrusions used for the construction of windows and doors are typically of narrow or slim profile and cannot accommodate many of the known operating mechanisms.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an operating mechanism for a multi-point lock having a construction which is simple and compact so that manufacture and installation is facilitated.

According to the present invention we provide an operating mechanism for a multi-point lock comprising first and second drive members for connection to respective locking members of a multi-point lock, a first gear member operatively connected to the first drive member, a second gear member operatively connected to the first and second drive members, the arrangement being such that the first and second drive members are slidable simultaneously in opposite directions by rotation of the first gear member, and the first and second gear members are rotatable about spaced, generally parallel axes in a common plane substantially normal to the direction of sliding movement of the first and second drive members.

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: FIGURE 1 is a side view of an operating mechanism embodying the invention with one half of the casing removed to show the arrangement of the component parts; and FIGURE 2 is an exploded isometric view of the component parts.

The operating mechanism shown in the drawing comprises drive means including a first drive member 1 and a second drive member 2, and gear means including a first gear member 3 and a second gear member 4 housed in a gear casing 5.

The casing 5 comprising two similar opposite-handed parts 5a,5b having integral co-operating formations for locating the parts 5a,5b together and for positioning the drive members 1 ,2 and gear members 3,4 within the casing 5 for assembly The drive members 1,2 project from the casing 5 for connection at the outer end to elongate rods or bars of an espagnolette lock (not shown). The espagnolette lock may be of known type in which the rods or bars are provided with one or more bolting members such as rollers or mushroom headed pins co-operable with corresponding keepers for securing a door or window closed at a plurality of spaced positions.

Each drive member 1,2 is provided at the inner end with transverse ribs 6 (one only shown) that engage a centre one of three aligned slots 7 in the opposed side walls of the casing 5 to guide the drive members 1,2 for longitudinal sliding movement into and out of the casing 5 in a common horizontal plane "X" (as viewed in Figure 1) between a retracted position shown in Figure 1 and an extended position (not shown).

The gear members 3,4 are mounted for rotation about spaced parallel axes in a common vertical plane Yw (as viewed in Figure 1) normal to the direction of sliding movement of the drive members 1,2 by engagement of respective central bosses 8,9 with aligned holes 10,11 respectively in the opposed side walls of the casing 5.

Each drive member 1,2 is connected at the inner end to a respective one of two vertically spaced parallel rack means 12,13 (as viewed in Figure 1) by engagement of a boss 14 in a hole 15 provided in a step 16 at the end of the rack means 12,13. Each rack means 12,13 has a wavy or corrugated undulating profile with alternating peaks 17 and troughs 18.

The upper rack means 12 extends between and meshes on opposite sides with both gear members 3,4 and is guided for sliding movement by engagement of the step 16 with the aligned upper slots 7 in the opposed side walls of the casing 5.

The lower rack means 13 extends below and meshes on one side with the gear member 4 and is guided for sliding movement by engagement of the step 16 with the aligned lower slots in the opposed side walls of the casing 5.

The gear member 3 is a quadrant gear with five teeth 19 and is provided with a square hole 20 in the boss 8 for reception of a spindle (not shown) to connect the gear member 3 to a rotatable handle (not shown).

The gear member 4 is a full gear with sixteen teeth 21 having the same pitch as the teeth 19 9 of the gear member 3.

In operation, the first drive member 1 is moved from the retracted position to the extended position by rotation of the gear member 3 in an anticlockwise direction to displace the upper rack means 12 to the right as viewed in Figure 1.

This movement of the upper rack means 12 is transmitted to the lower rack means 13 through the second gear member 4 which is rotated simultaneously in the opposite sense to the first gear member 3 to displace the lower rack means 13 to the left as viewed in Figure 1 to move the second drive member 2 from the retracted position to the extended position.

Both drive members 1,2 are returned to the retracted position by clockwise rotation of the gear member 3 to reverse the above-described operation.

This movement of the drive members 1,2 corresponds to rotation of the gear member 3 through 900 with the gear member 3 being located in each position by engagement of circumferentially spaced abutments 21,22 with respective stop faces 23,24 of a recess 25 within the casing 5 in which the gear member 3 is located.

In use, the casing 5 is located within the section of a frame member of a window or door, usually in a side edge of the opening wing, and the operating handle is affixed to the casing 5 by screws (not shown) for mounting the handle on the inner face of the frame member.

The above-described arrangement of the drive members 1,2 and gear members 3,4 provides an operating mechanism which is compact for mounting in slim profiles and is positive in operation.

Thus, the undulating profile of the rack means 12,13 with peaks 17 on one side that form troughs 18 on the other side reduces the depth of the mechanism and provides a smooth reliable transmission of the drive by the arrangement in which the teeth 19 of the quadrant gear member 3 mesh with the upper rack means 12 between successive teeth 21 of the full gear member 4.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment above-described. For example, the number andlor pitch of the teeth on each gear member may be altered as desired according to the required range of linear movement of the drive members. The rack means could be replaced by any other means for transmitting the drive.

Furthermore, although the operating mechanism has been described to actuate an espagnolette lock it will be appreciated that other types of multi-point lock may also be operated by the invented mechanism. For example locks in which displacement of the drive members is used to operate shoot bolts.

Other changes will be apparent to those skilled in the art and are deemed within the scope of the invention.

Claims

Claims:

1. An operating mechanism for a multi-point lock comprises first and second drive members for connection to respective driven members of a multi-point lock, a first gear member operatively connected to the first drive member, a second gear member operatively connected to the first and second drive members, the arrangement being such that the first and second drive members are slidable simultaneously in opposite directions by rotation of the first gear member, and the first and second gear members are rotatable about spaced, generally parallel axes in a common plane substantially normal to the direction of sliding movement of the first and second drive members.

2. An operating mechanism according to Claim 1 wherein the first and second drive members are guided for sliding movement by engagement with opposed side walls of a casing in which the first and second gear members are housed.

3. An operating mechanism according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the drive member are provided with respective spaced parallel rack means for transmitting drive from the first gear member to each drive member.

4. An operating mechanism according to Claim 3 wherein each rack means has a wavy or corrugated undulating profile for co-operating with teeth of the associated gear member(s).

5. An operating mechanism according to Claim 3 or Claim 4 wherein the rack means of the first drive member extends between and meshes on opposite sides with the first and second gear members.

6. An operating mechanism according to Claim 5 wherein the rack means of the second drive member meshes with the second gear member opposite the rack means of the first drive member.

7. An operating mechanism according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the first gear member is a quadrant gear rotatable through 900 for moving the first and second drive members between a retracted position and an extended position.

8. An operating mechanism according to Claim 7 wherein the first gear member is engageable with respective stops in the retracted and extended positions of the drive members.

9. An operating mechanism according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the first and second gear members have respective teeth of the same pitch.

10. An operating mechanism for a multi-point lock substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.