GB2312015A

GB2312015A - Bolt

Info

Publication number: GB2312015A
Application number: GB9607558A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Laurence Harold John Bates
Original assignee: Cooke Brothers Ltd
Current assignee: Cooke Brothers Ltd
Priority date: 1996-04-11
Filing date: 1996-04-11
Publication date: 1997-10-15
Anticipated expiration: 2016-04-11
Also published as: GB9607558D0; GB2312015B

Abstract

A bolt (10) for use in association with a moveable wing comprises a support member (11) supporting a moveable element (16) which is moveable relative to the support member (11) from a retracted position in which the wing may be moved and an extended position in which the element (16) is adapted to cooperate with a keeper to retain the wing in a fixed position, there being a sprung element (30) mounted so as resiliently to urge the moveable element (16) in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the moveable element (16), and the moveable element (16) and the support member (11) having formations (19, 35; 19, 38) which are engagable as the element (16) is moved relative to the support member (11) to prevent further movement of the moveable element (16) relative to the support member (11) and the sprung element (30) retaining the formations (19, 35; 19, 38) in engagement until the moveable element (16) is manually urged against the force of the sprung element (30) so as to disengage the formations.

Description

ntle: Bolt Description of invention This invention relates to a bolt for use in association with a moveable wing. The bolt may be mounted on the wing or on a frame surrounding the wing, and the invention is particularly but not exclusively applicable to a so called flush bolt which is adapted to be received in a recess in the wing or frame with the front face thereof generally flush with a surrounding surface of the wing or frame.

A problem which exists with known bolts of the kind with which the invention is concerned is that a moveable bolt element when thrown, can be forced backwards into its casing by a determined intruder. Another problem is retaining the bolt element in a retracted position in orientations where there is a tendency for the bolt element to extend from its casing under the influence of gravity.

The invention provides a new or improved bolt which overcomes or reduces the aforementioned problems.

According to a first aspect of the invention we provide a bolt for use in association with a movable wing, the bolt comprising a support member supporting a movable element which is movable relative to the support member from a retracted position in which the wing may be moved, and an extended position in which the element is adapted to cooperate with a keeper to retain the wing in a fixed position, there being a sprung element mounted so as resiliently to urge the movable element in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the movable element, and the movable element and the support member having formations which are engageable as the movable element is moved relative to the support member to prevent further movement of the movable element relative to the support member, and the sprung element retaining the formations in engagement until the movable element is manually urged against the force of the sprung element so as to disengage the formations.

Thus the formations of the moveable element and the support member may automatically engage as the bolt is thrown i.e., as the moveable element is moved to extended position and/or as the moveable element is retracted relative to the support member.

Conveniently the support member comprises a casing and the moveable element moves by sliding in the casing between its extended and retracted positions.

Thus an opening comprising a formation of the casing may be provided, and the moveable element may comprise a locking part which comprises the formation of the moveable element, the locking part being receivable in the opening of the casing by the action of the sprung element as the moveable element slides.

In one embodiment, the formations of the casing and moveable element may be positioned such that they engage as the moveable element is moved to a generally fully extended position e.g. so as to protect against an intruder forcing the moveable element back into the casing.

in another embodiment, in addition to or an alternative to the formations being positioned so as to engage as the moveable element is moved to a generally fully extended position, the formations of the casing and moveable element may be positioned such that they engage as the moveable element is moved to a generally fully retracted position. Thus any tendency for the bolt element to move out of the casing e.g. under the influence gravity, is prevented.

Of course a single locking part provided on the moveable element may be arranged to engage with one of a pair of openings or other formations of the support member, so as to provide both the aforementioned features.

The invention is particularly applicable to a flush bolt, in which the support member is adapted to be received in a recess in a wing or frame, with a front face thereof generally flush with the surrounding surface of the wing or frame, and the support member comprising an opening in the front face thereof through which movement of the moveable element may manually be accomplished.

If desired, stop means addition to the engageable formations may be provided to restrict movement of the moveable element relative to the support member.

In one embodiment, the sprung element may comprise an assembly of a coil spring and a bearing, at least a portion of the coil spring being received in a recess provided in the moveable element, and the bearing bearing on an inside surface of the support member. Where the support member comprises a front face and a rear face the formation with which the corresponding formation of the moveable element engages may be provided in the front face and the sprung element may act between the moveable element and the rear face of the support member.

Thus during actuation of the bolt, the moveable element may be moved by depressing the moveable element against the force of the sprung element so as to disengage the formations of the support member and the moveable element, to permit the moveable element to be moved relative to the support member.

According to a second aspect of the invention we provide a flush bolt for use in association with a wing the bolt comprising a support member supporting a movable element which is movable relative to the support member from a retracted position in which the wing may be moved, and an extended position in which the element is adapted to cooperate with a keeper to retain the wing in a fixed position, the support member comprising a front face and a rear face, and being adapted to be received in a wing or frame with the front face thereof generally flush with a surrounding surface of the wing or frame, and there being an opening in the front face thereof through which movement of the movable element may manually be accomplished.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which, Figure 1 is a side sectional view through a bolt in accordance with the invention and, Figure 2 is an end view of the bolt of Figure 1 Referring to the drawings, a bolt 10 comprises a support member 11 which is a casing having a front face 12, a rear face 13, and a pair of sides 14 and 15, in this example, of generally rectangular cross section.

The bolt 10 is a so called flush bolt which is intended to be received in a recess in a wing with the front face 12 thereof generally flush with a surrounding surface of the wing.

Within the casing 11 there is a moveable element 16 which comprises in this example, a three part assembly. A first part 17 provides a manually engageable portion 18, a locking part 19, and a recess 20 for a sprung element 30 as hereinafter described.

A second part 21 of the assembly 16 comprises a threaded rod, one end of which is received in a threaded opening 22 in the first part 17 of the assembly 16. The third part 23 of the assembly 16 comprises a bolt element which is adapted to be received in a keeper provided on the frame or in a wall or ceiling positioned adjacent to an open position of the wing so that when the bolt element 23 is extended as indicated in Figure 1, the wing may be retained in an open or closed position relative to its frame.

The casing 11 further comprises a mounting part 26 which may have openings 27 to receive screws so that the casing 11 may be secured to an edge surface of the wing.

Extending through the front 12 and rear 13 faces of the casing 11 are further openings 28 which are adapted to receive screws or other fasteners so that the bolt 10 can be secured within its recess in the wing.

It will be appreciated that by rotating the threaded rod 21, the extent of throw of the bolt element 23 relative to the casing 11 can be adjusted for different applications. Lock nuts may be provided as necessary to retain any setting of the throw of the bolt element 23.

Within the recess 20 of the first part 17 of the assembly of the moveable element 16, there is a sprung element 30 which comprises an assembly of a coil spring 31, at least a portion of which is received in the recess 20 and a bearing 32 which in use, bears on an inside surface 33 of the rear face 13 of the casing 11. If desired the bearing 32 and spring 31 may be separate but retained in the relative positions shown by virtue of the manner of mounting in or on the moveable element 16 The manually engageable portion 18 may be moved against the force of the spring 31 so as to release the locking part 19 from a corresponding recess 35 in the front face 16 of the casing 11. Thus the moveable element 16 may be slid in a direction indicated by arrow A in Figure 1, so as to retract the bolt element 23 into the casing 11 and to permit free movement of the wing in which the bolt 10 is mounted.

The locking element 19 will slide along an inside surface 38 of the front face 12 of the casing 11 until the locking element 19 becomes aligned with a further recess 39 in the front face 12 when the sprung element 30 will urge the locking part 19 into the recess 39 to prevent further sliding movement of the movable element 16. When in this position, the bolt element 23 will preferably be received substantially entirely within the casing 11.

Movement of the moveable element 16 again to throw the bolt element 23 may be accomplished by again depressing the manually engagable portion 18 to disengage the locking part 35 from the recess 39, and then sliding the moveable element 16 in a direction opposite to that indicated by arrow A in the drawing.

In addition to the restriction of movement of the movable element 16 provided by the locking part 19 and the recesses 35 and 38 in the front face 12 of the casing 11, preferably further stop means are provided to prevent unrestricted movement of the moveable element 16 when the manually engagable portion 18 is depressed. Such stop means may comprise roll pins 40 which extend across the casing 11 between the sides 14 and 15 thereof, and which are engaged by the moveable element 16 in the event that the moveable element 16 is moved beyond its normal extent of sliding controlled by the engagement of the locking part 19 and either of the recesses 35 and 39.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Although a sprung element 30 as described is preferred, any alternative sprung means for urging the moveable element 16 in a direction transverse to the direction of sliding so as to provide for engagement between the locking part 19 and the recesses 35 and 38 may alternatively be provided.

It is not essential to the invention for the moveable element 16 to provide for adjustment the throw of the bolt element 23 and to this end, the moveable element 16 may comprise a unitary construction for example.

The actual configuration of manually engagable portion 18 may be different from that shown although an arrangement similar to that shown is preferred as no part of the bolt 10 would thus extend from the general plane of the wing in which it is mounted.

Although the engaging formations of the moveable element 16 and the casing 11 are preferably provided by a locking part 19 on the moveable element 16 and recesses 35, 39 in the front face 12 of the casing 11, alternative engaging formations may be provided which preferably automatically become engaged as the moveable element 16 is slid between its extended and/or retracted positions.

Although the invention has been specifically described in relation to a so called flush bolt, the invention may be applied to a surface mounted bolt if desired and instead of the bolt being mounted on a moveable wing such as a door or window, if desired, the bolt may be mounted on a frame relative to which a wing moves.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. A bolt for use in association with a movable wing, the bolt comprising a support member supporting a movable element which is movable relative to the support member from a retracted position in which the wing may be moved, and an extended position in which the element is adapted to cooperate with a keeper to retain the wing in a fixed position, there being a sprung element mounted so as resiliently to urge the movable element in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the movable element, and the movable element and the support member having formations which are engageable as the movable element is moved relative to the support member to prevent further movement of the movable element relative to the support member, and the sprung element retaining the formations in engagement until the movable element is manually urged against the force of the sprung element so as to disengage the formations.

2. A bolt according to claim 1 wherein the support member comprises a casing and the movable element moves by sliding in the casing.

3. A bolt according to claim 2 wherein there is an opening comprising a formation of the casing and the movable element comprises a locking part which comprises a formation of the movable element, the locking part being receivable in the opening of the casing by the action of the sprung element, as the movable element slides.

4. A bolt according to claim 3 wherein the formations of the casing and movable element are positioned such that they engage as the movable element is moved to a generally fully extended position.

5. A bolt according to claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the formations of the casing and movable element are positioned such that they engage as the movable element is moved to a generally fully retracted position.

6. A bolt according to any one of the preceding claims which comprises a flush bolt, the support member being adapted to be received in a recess in a wing or frame with a front face thereof, generally flush with the surrounding surface of the wing or frame and the support member comprising an opening in a front face thereof through which movement of the movable element may manually be accomplished.

7. A bolt according to any one of the preceding claims wherein stop means additional to the engageable formations, are provided to restrict movement of the movable element relative to the support member.

8. A bolt according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the sprung element comprises an assembly of a coil spring and a bearing, at least a portion of the coil spring being received in a recess provided in the movable element and the bearing bearing on an inside surface of the support member.

9. A bolt according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the support member comprises a front face and a rear face, the formation with which the corresponding formation of the moveable element engages being provided in the front face, and the sprung element acting between the movable element and the rear face of the support member.

10. A flush bolt for use in association with a wing, the bolt comprising a support member supporting a movable element which is movable relative to the support member from a retracted position in which the wing may be moved, and an extended position in which the element is adapted to cooperate with a keeper to retain the wing in a fixed position, the support member comprising a front face and a rear face, and being adapted to be received in a wing or frame with the front face thereof generally flush with a surrounding surface of the wing or frame, and there being an opening in the front face thereof through which movement of the movable element may manually be accomplished.

11. A bolt according to claim 10 having any of the features of any one of claims 1 to 9.

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

13. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.