GB2307944A

GB2307944A - An opening restricting device for a window

Info

Publication number: GB2307944A
Application number: GB9525037A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Yurek Adrian Wronski
Original assignee: Cotswold Architectural Products Ltd
Current assignee: Cotswold Architectural Products Ltd
Priority date: 1995-12-07
Filing date: 1995-12-07
Publication date: 1997-06-11
Also published as: GB9525037D0

Abstract

A device for restricting the opening of a window supported by a stay comprises a carriage 18, which may be an extension of slider 16 of the stay, and a subsantially L-shaped member 19 mounted about projections 24 in slots 25 on the carriage to allow pivoting and limited relative sliding movement therebetween. The short arm 20 of the member 19 is engagable in an opening 28 in the base 21 of the track, and upon engagement becomes stationary with respect to the track. The slider may continue to move for the length of the slots 25 allowing a wedge shaped overhang 27 on the slider to press the short arm into the opening. The short arm may be pivoted out of the opening by depression of the long arm 22 of the member 19 once the engagement of the overhang has been released by reverse movement of the slider. An upturned portion may be provided on the member 19 for depression by a link of the stay as the window is closed to ensure the short arm touches the base of the track.

Description

StaYS This invention relates to stays and in particular to stays for use with windows and doors.

There are a number of designs of stays on the market which incorporate a slider which moves along a track to allow opening and closing of a window or the like. For safety reasons restricting devices are often provided which limit the normal opening of the window to prevent small children falling out. However, for cleaning purposes, and for emergency escape it is necessary to release such a restricting device in order that the window can open fully.

Many of the restricting devices involve biased members mounted on one of the slider or track to engage in detents on the other of the slide or track. These can be difficult to operate for people with weak hands or in a panic and are quite expensive to make and assemble. Another group of devices rely on the restricting devices dropping into a detent or opening, but the resultant engagement is not positive.

From one aspect the invention consists in a stay for mounting a window or the like in a frame comprising, an arm for supporting the window; a track member mountable on the frame and defining a track having a base; a slider for movement in the track member; a linkage for connecting the arm to the track member for movement between a first position in which the arm overlies the track member and a second position in which the arm extends at an angle to the track member, part of the linkage being connected to the slider, and releasable means for restricting the extent of movement of the linkage, the restricting means including an opening in the base of the track member, a carriage disposed in the track for movement with slider and defining a gap exposing the base, a generally L-shaped member pivotally disposed on the carriage so that its short arm lies in the gap and its long arm lies on the carriage whereby the short arm can enter the opening as it passes over it to restrict the movement of the slider and carriage characterised in that the L-shaped member is mounted for limited sliding movement on the carriage and in that there is a wedging formation on the slider side of the gap whereby once the Lshaped member is held in the opening, the carriage can slide relative to the L-shaped member to allow the wedging formation to engage the L-shaped member and press it into the opening.

In a preferred embodiment the L-shaped member has opposed lateral projections and the carriage defines a respective slot or channel for receiving each projection such that the length of the slot or channel defines the limits of the relative sliding movement between the member and the carriage. The lateral projections may define pivoting surfaces and they may, for example, be curved.

The track member may have turned over lips which retain the lateral projections.

The free end of the long arm of the L-shaped member may be turned up so that it can be depressed to release the short arm from the opening.

The gap may be defined between the carriage and the slider and the wedging formation may extend partially over the gap. Preferably, the carriage is formed integrally with the slider and conveniently they will be in the form of a single plastics moulding.

The L-shaped member may have an upturned portion for engaging a part of the linkage so that the short arm is initially urged against the base of the track when the stay moves into the first position.

Although the invention has been defined above it is to be understood that it includes any inventive combination of the features set out above or in the following description.

The invention may be performed in various ways and a specific embodiment will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is a general view of a stay in its open position; Figure 2 is a scrap section along the line A-A showing a restricting device in its release position; and Figure 3 is a corresponding view to Figure 2 with the restricting device in its locked position.

A stay is generally indicated at 10. It is, in general, of conventional form and includes a channel section track member 11 in which an arm 12 is mounted by a linkage 13. Parts of the linkage 14, 15 are pivotally connected to a slider 16 which moves along the track 11 as the track 12 moves from the first position in which it overlies the track 11 to a second position in which it is at an angle to the track. It is this latter position which is illustrated in Figure 1. On open movement (i.e. movement towards the second position) the slider 16 moves along the track in the direction indicated by the arrow B. A restricting device, which is generally indicated at 17, is provided to prevent the stay opening further than the position indicated at Figure 1 in normal use.The restricting device comprises a carriage 18, which is in the form of an extension of the slider 16, and an L-shaped member 19 which is supported on the carriage so that its short arm 20 projects towards the base 21 of the track, whilst its long arm 22 extends along a carriage 18. A gap 23 is provided between the slider 16 and the carriage 18 and it is in this gap that the short arm 20 lies. The long arm 22 has lateral projections 24 which lie within respective slots 25, formed on the carriage 18, and which have curved undersurfaces 26 on which the L-shaped member 19 can pivot.

The slider 16 defines a wedge-shaped overhang 27 which extends over a part of the gap 23. An opening 28 is provided in the base 21 at a position in which the gap 23 at least partially overlies it, as the arm 12 moves between its closed position and the orientation shown in Figure 1, i.e.

the desired restricted position.

In use, if the arm is moved from its closed position, in which it overlies the track 11, the slider 16 travels down the track in the direction of the arrow B and the tip 29 of the short arm 20 moves within the gap 23. As it reaches end end 28a of the opening 28, the tip 29 will engage that end, but for a limited time, defined by the length of the slots 25, the slider 16 and carriage 18 will continue to move in the direction of the arrow B. As this movement occurs, the overhang 27 engages the L-shaped member 19 and pushes it down into the opening 28 to ensure very positive engagement of the tip 29 with the end 28a.

Once the position shown in Figure 3 is reached the lateral projections 24 are abutted against the trailing ends of the slots 25 and the slider 16, and hence the arm 12, becomes locked relative to the track 11.

It will be observed from Figure 3 that as the short arm 20 drops into the opening 28 the free end 31 of the long arm 22 is lifted, due to pivoting about the projections 24.

This "lifted" effect is enhanced by the free end being slightly cranked upwardly.

When it is desired to release the restricting device 17 to allow further opening, the free end 31 is depressed releasing the short arm 20. Prior to depression a small movement in the direction opposed to the arrow B may be required to relieve the overhangs engagement with the Lshaped member. The arm can then be further opened and the slider will pass over the opening 28. When the window is closed the L-shaped member 19 will initially remain still, until the projections are located at the opposite ends of the slots 25 and in this way the device 17 is reset. The engagement between the projections 24 and the inturned lips 32 of the track member 11 is sufficient to retain the L shaped member 19 in its Figure 2 position on the return journey and so the short arm passes over the opening 28.

To ensure that the tip 29 then re-engages the base 21, an upturned portion 33 can be provided on the L-shaped member 19 and this will be depressed by the linkage as the arm 12 moves into the first or closed position. This upturned member 33, or an equivalent, will often not be necessary, because the beginning of the opening movement will be sufficient to cause the tip 29 to engage the base 21. However, the provision of the upturned member 33 makes such an operation certain.

Claims

1. A stay for mounting a window or the like in a frame comprising an arm for supporting the window; a track member mountable on the frame and defining a track having a base; a slider for movement in the track member; a linkage for connecting the arm to the track member for movement between a first position in which the arm overlies the track member and a second position in which the arm extends at an angle to the track member, a part of the linkage being connected to the slider, and releasable means for restricting the extent of movement of the linkage, the restricting means including an opening in the base of the track member, a carriage disposed in the track for movement with slider and defining a gap exposing the base, a generally L-shaped member pivotally disposed on the carriage so that its short arm lies in the gap and its long arm lies on the carriage whereby the short arm can extend the opening as it passes over it to restrict the movement of the slider and carriage characterised in that the L-shaped member is mounted for limited sliding movement on the carriage and in that there is a wedging formation on the slider side of the gap whereby once the L-shaped member is held in the opening the carriage can slide relative to the L-shaped member to allow the wedging formation to engage the L-shaped member and press it into the opening.

2. A stay claimed in claim 1 wherein the L-shaped member has opposed lateral projections and the carriage defines a respective slot or channel for receiving each projection such that the length of the slot or channel defines the limits of the relative sliding movement between the member and the carriage.

3. A stay as claimed in claim 2 wherein the lateral projections define pivoting surfaces.

4. A stay as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the track member has turned over lips which retain the lateral projections.

5. A stay as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the free end of the long arm of the L-shaped member is turned up so that it can be depressed to release the short arm from the opening.

6. A stay as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the gap is defined between the carriage and the slider.

7. A stay as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the wedging formation extends partially over the gap.

8. A stay as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the carriage is formed integrally with the slider.

9. A stay is claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the L-shaped member has an upturned projection for engaging a part of the linkage so that the short arm is initially urged against the base of the track.

10. A stay substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.