GB2317636A

GB2317636A - Removable window security grille

Info

Publication number: GB2317636A
Application number: GB9618534A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Norman William Lainchbury
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-09-04
Filing date: 1996-09-04
Publication date: 1998-04-01
Also published as: GB9618534D0

Abstract

A window grille 10 for securing an open window comprises a central horizonatal mesh grid 11 comprising horizontal members 12 and vertical members 14, a U-shaped fixed window engaging portion 16 for engaging one side of a frame 40 of the open window, and a laterally movable U-shaped window engaging portion 18, which is movable sideways to engage the window frame 40. A lock mechanism 20 attached to locking pins 22 which slide within L-shaped slots 24 on the window engaging portion secures the grille in position.

Description

REMOVABLE SECURITY DEVICE This invention relates to a removable security device (R.S.D.), particularly, but not limited to, a removable security device for windows.

Known window security devices have been secured to a window frame of a window by fixings, for example screws, which cause damage to the window frame.

Other types of window security devices have required holes to be drilled in the window frame so that portions of the window security device can be embedded in the frame and secured in that position with cement or a similar substance.

Further types of window security devices have comprised a section of the device being removable, but have included peripheral framework which must be permanently or semi-permanently attached to the window frame, with fixings such as screws.

The disadvantages with all these types of device are that the frame may not be suitable for receiving the fixings for the device or the peripheral framework and, should it be desired to remove the security device and/or peripheral framework, unsightly holes or remnants of the fixings for the peripheral framework will remain.

It is an object of the present invention to address the disadvantages mentioned above.

According to one aspect of the present invention a removable security device (R.S.D.) for an opening comprises at least two frame engaging portions for engaging a frame around the opening, at least one of which frame engaging portions is movable between an operative position, wherein the removable security device is in a secured position, and an inoperative position, wherein the security device is removable, and securement means for securing the removable security device in the secured position.

The frame may be a window frame. The frame engaging portions may be window frame engaging portions.

Preferably, the frame engaging portions are arranged to engage opposite sides of the frame.

The removable security device may include a panel, which panel may include a plurality of openings. The panel may be a grille. The panel may comprise a grid. The panel may comprise bars.

The R.S.D. frame engaging portions and the frame may be arranged to interengage by a male portion on one engaging a female portion on the other.

Preferably, the R.S.D. frame engaging portions comprise a female portion which is arranged to engage the frame. The female portion may comprise an opening. The opening may have a generally U-shaped cross-section. The opening may be arranged, in use, to extend over a portion of inner and outer faces of the frame.

The removable security device may be arranged, in use, to be fitted to an open window.

The or each R.S.D. movable frame engaging portion may be movable substantially in the plane of the security device. The or each R.S.D. movable frame engaging portion may be movable by means of a linear movement. The or each R.S.D. movable frame engaging portion may be movable substantially laterally in the plane of the frame. Where the device includes a panel the or each R.S.D. movable frame engaging portion may be mounted for movement on sections of the panel. The sections of the panel may be received in openings in the or each R.S.D. movable frame engaging portion.

The securement means may comprise interengaging portions, which, when in the secured position, are arranged to resist relative movement. The interengaging portions of the securement means may be male and female portions. The female portions may comprise openings which may be located on an inner face of the or each R.S.D. frame engaging portion. The or each opening may be open-ended at one end. The or each opening may be arranged, in the secured position, to engage the male portion, which may be a protrusion, of the securement means. The or each opening may comprise two sections which may be arranged at an angle to each other. The two sections of the opening may substantially be at right angles to each other.

One section of the opening may, in use, be aligned substantially vertically.

One section of the opening may, in use, be aligned substantially horizontally.

The or each opening may be a slot.

Preferably the securement means includes a lock, which may be actuable by a key, which key may be received, in use, in the lock.

More preferably, the securement means comprises both the interengaging portions and the lock. The lock may be located in a first section of the securement means. The or each protrusion of the securement means may be part of a second section of the removable security device. Said second section may be disposed in a peripheral frame of the removable security device. The or each protrusion may be located in an opening in the peripheral frame, which opening in the peripheral frame may be elongate. The opening may be substantially vertically aligned. A projection of the first section of the securement means may be arranged, in use, to communicate with the second section of the securement means through a further opening in the peripheral frame.

The first section of the securement means may face substantially inwardly.

The first section of the securement means may be actuable, in use, to cause the or each protrusion of the securement means to move between a secured position and an unsecured position. In the unsecured position the or each protrusion of the securement means may, in use, be located adjacent to the substantially horizontally aligned section of the or each slot. In the secured position the or each protrusion of the securement means may, in use, be located adjacent to the base of the substantially vertically aligned section of the or each slot.

The securing of the R.S.D. movable frame engaging portion may be achieved, in use, by engagement of the or each protrusion of the securement means with the apex of the right-angle of the or each slot, followed by actuation of the securement means to cause the or each protrusion to move to the base of the substantially vertically aligned section of the or each slot and thereby restrict lateral movement of the R.S.D. movable frame engaging portion.

The or each protrusion of the locking means may be a locking pin.

According to another aspect of the present invention an assembly comprises a removable security device as described in the first aspect of the present invention when fitted to a frame of an opening.

According to a further aspect of the present invention a method of securing a security device to an opening comprises engaging a security device as described in the first aspect of the present invention to a frame of an opening, moving at least one movable frame engaging portion into engagement with the frame and securing the removable security device in a secure position.

The method may be a method of securing a window. The method may be a method of securing an open window.

The method may include the security device and the frame interengaging by means of male and female portions. Preferably, the method includes the removable security device engaging a male portion of the frame with a female portion.

The method may include the movement of the movable frame engaging portion being a movement in the plane of the removable security device.

The method may include the removable security device being secured by the interengagement of male and female portions of a securement means. The method may include the securement means comprising an opening in the or each movable frame engaging portion being engaged by a protrusion of the securement means, which protrusion may be located in a peripheral frame of the security device.

All of the above aspects may be combined with any of the features described herein, in any combination.

Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic front view of a window grille, in an unlocked configuration; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the window grille taken along the line A A in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic front view of the window grille, in a locked configuration; Figure 4 is a diagrammatic side view of the window grille in an unlocked configuration; and Figures 5a and Sb are diagrammatic cross-sections along the line A-A in Figure 1, showing the window grille being removed from a suitable window.

A window grille 10 for securing an open window 50 comprises: a central grid 11 comprising horizontal members 12 and vertical members 14; a fixed window engaging portion 16 for engaging one side of a frame 40 of the open window 50; a laterally movable window engaging portion 18, which is movable sideways to engage the window frame 40. A lock mechanism 20 secures the grille in position.

The horizontal and vertical members 12 and 14 of the central grid 11 are made, in this example, of aluminium rods. Other materials may, however, be envisaged, such as plastic coated metal rods or plastic rods. Plastic rods may be used in a situation which requires less security, or where the grille is used to prevent a child or animal exiting through a window, which may be an upper window of a building for instance. The rods are secured in openings in a peripheral frame 26.

Movable locking pins 22 protrude perpendicularly inwards from vertical slots 28 in an upright section of the peripheral frame 26. Figure 4 shows the locking pins 22 in side view, in which it can be seen that the locking pins 22 have an enlarged head section 30. The locking pins are arranged to move up and down in the slots 28.

The upright section of the peripheral frame 26, which includes the locking pins 22, also comprises an opening 32, which receives part of the lock mechanism 20 when the window grille is in a locked position.

The fixed window engaging portion 16 is secured to the left hand upright section of the peripheral frame 26. Figure 2 shows the generally U-shaped cross-section of the fixed window engaging portion 16. The opening of the U-shape faces away from the rest of the window grille 10. An outer portion 36 of the U-shape flares outwardly slightly.

The movable window engaging portion 18 is mounted on the horizontal members 12 of the central grid 11. The cross-section of the movable window engaging portion 18 is the same U-shape as that of the fixed window engaging portion 16. The open side of the U-shape generally faces away from the fixed window engaging portion 16. The horizontal members 12 of the central grid 11 pass through apertures (not shown) in a central section 34 of the U-shape of the movable window engaging portion 18. The size of the apertures is chosen so that lateral movement of the movable window engaging portion 18 is not inhibited.

Right-angled slots 24 are located in an inwardly facing section 44 of the Ushape of the movable window engaging portion 18. The slots 24 have a horizontal portion which opens at a peripheral edge of the movable window engaging portion 18. The horizontal portion of the slots 24 leads into a vertical section of the slots 24. The location of the horizontal portion of each of the slots 24 is chosen so that it can engage with one of the locking pins 22, when the locking pins 22 are in their upper position.

The lock mechanism 20 is located at a lower end of the movable window engaging portion 18 on its inwardly directed face. The position of the lock mechanism 20 is chosen to correspond to the position of an opening 32 in the upright section of the peripheral frame 26.

The window grille 10 has horizontal abutment members 38, which are secured to upper and lower horizontal sections of the peripheral frame 26. The abutment members 38 are arranged to abut the frame 40 (see Figure 5a) of the open window 50, when the window grille 10 is fitted thereto.

The use of the window grille 10 will now be described, with particular reference to figures 5a and Sb. The window grille 10 is arranged to be fitted to the frame 40 of an open window 50. The fixed window engaging portion 16 is placed over a protruding section 42 of the window frame 40. The U shaped cross-section of the fixed window engaging portion 16 is chosen to match the width of the protruding portion 42 of the window frame 40. The window grille 10 will now be in the position shown in figure Sb.

The free edge of the window grille 10 is then pivoted towards the window frame 40 until the abutment members 38 abut the window frame 40. The movable window engaging portion 18 is then moved sideways until it engages the protruding portion 42 of the window frame 40. It is now in the position shown in figure 3, at the right hand extent of its lateral movement. As the movable window engaging portion 18 is moved sideways the horizontal portion of the slots 24 will engage the locking pins 22 and a protruding section of the lock mechanism 20 engages the opening 32 in the peripheral frame 26.

When the said protruding portion of the lock mechanism 20 has been engaged in the opening 32 the locking pins 22 will be positioned at an upper end of the vertical portion of the slots 24. A key 45 is then turned in the lock mechanism 20, causing a mechanism of the lock, which mechanism is a known mechanism, to cause the locking pins 22 to slide downwards into the vertical portion of the slots 24 to lock the movable window engaging portion 18 in position.

Lateral movement of the movable window engaging portion 18 is prevented because the movable pins engage the sides of the vertical portion of the slot 24 if any lateral movement of the movable window engaging portion 18 is attempted.

The window grille 10 is secured to the window frame 40 because the two Ushaped cross-sections of the fixed window engaging portion 16 and the movable window engaging portion 18 engage protruding sections 42 of the window frame 40.

The head sections 30 of the locking pins prevent the movable window engaging portion 18 from being prised from its position. Inward and outward movement of the window grille 10 is prevented by the outer 36 and inner 44 portions of the U-shaped cross-section of the window engaging portions 16 and 18 engaging the projecting sections 42 of the window frame. Also, the outer 36 and inner 44 portions of the U-shaped cross-section of the window engaging portion 16 extend past the projecting portion 42 of the window frame 40, so that any difference in size between the grille 10 and the opening in the window 50 is exceeded by the overlap of the window engaging portions 16 and 18 with the projecting sections 42 of the window frame.

The removable window grille disclosed herein may provide significant advantages over previous window grilles because it can be fitted to a window without any requirement for alteration to the frame or for fixtures to be permanently or semi-permanently attached thereto.

The removable window grille allows a window to be left open, whilst still maintaining the security of that window.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s).

The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. A removable security device (R.S.D.) for an opening comprises at least two frame engaging portions for engaging a frame around the opening, at least one of which frame engaging portions is movable between an operative position, wherein the removable security device is in a secured position, and an inoperative position, wherein the security device is removable, and securement means for securing the removable security device in the secured position.

2. A removable security device as claimed in claim 1, in which the frame is a window frame.

3. A removable security device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the frame engaging portions are arranged to engage opposite sides of the frame.

4. A removable security device as claimed in any preceding claim, which includes a panel.

5. A removable security device as claimed in claim 4, in which the panel is a grille.

6. A removable security device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the frame engaging portions and the frame are arranged to interengage by a male portion on one engaging a female portion on the other.

7. A removable security device as claimed in claim 6, in which the frame engaging portions comprise a female portion which is arranged to engage the frame.

8. A removable security device as claimed in claim 7, in which the female portion comprises an opening which is arranged, in use, to extend over a portion of inner and outer faces of the frame.

9. A removable security device as claimed in any preceding claim, which is arranged, in use, to be fitted to an open window.

10. A removable security device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the or each R.S.D. movable frame engaging portion is movable substantially in the plane of the security device.

11. A removable security device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the or each R.S.D. movable frame engaging portion is movable substantially laterally in the plane of the frame.

12. A removable security device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the device includes a panel and the or each R.S.D. movable frame engaging portion is mounted for movement on sections of the panel.

13. A removable security device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the securement means comprises interengaging portions, which, when in the secured position, are arranged to resist relative movement.

14. A removable security device as claimed in claim 13, in which the interengaging portions of the securement means are male and female portions.

15. A removable security device as claimed in claim 14, in which the female portions comprise openings which are located on an inner face of the or each R.S.D. frame engaging portion.

16. A removable security device according to claim 15, in which the or each opening is arranged, in the secured position, to engage the male portion.

17. A removable security device as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 16, in which the male portion is a protrusion of the securement means.

18. A removable security device according to claim 16 or claim 17, in which the or each opening comprises two sections which are arranged at an angle to each other.

19. A removable security device according to either claim 17 or claim 18, in which the or each protrusion of the securement means is part of a second section of the removable security device.

20. A removable security device according to claim 19, in which said second section is disposed in a peripheral frame of the removable security device.

21. A removable security device according to claim 20, in which the or each protrusion is located in an opening in the peripheral frame.

22. A removable security device according to any one of claims 19 to 21, in which a projection of a first section of the securement means is arranged, in use, to communicate with the second section of the securement means through a further opening in the peripheral frame.

23. A removable security device according to claim 22, in which the first section of the securement means faces substantially inwardly.

24. A removable security device as claimed in claim 22 or claim 23, in which the first section of the securement means is actuable, in use, to cause the or each protrusion of the securement means to move between a secured position and an unsecured position.

25. A removable security device according to any one of claims 17 to 24, in which the securing of the R.S.D. removable frame engaging portion is achieved, in use, by engagement of the or each protrusion of the securement means with the apex of a right angle of the or each opening, followed by actuation of the securement means to cause the or each protrusion to move to the base of a substantially vertically aligned section of the or each opening and thereby restrict lateral movement of the R.S.D. movable frame engaging portion.

26. A removable security device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the securement means includes a lock.

27. A removable security device as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 25, in which the securement means comprises both the interengaging portions and a lock.

28. A removable security device as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 25, in which a lock is located in the first section of the securement means.

29. An assembly comprises a movable security device according to any of the preceding claims when fitted to a frame of an opening.

30. A method of securing a security device to an opening comprises engaging a security device as described in any one of claims 1 to 28 to a frame opening, moving at least one movable frame engaging portion into engagement with the frame and securing the removable security device in a secure position.

31. A method of securing a security device as claimed in claim 30, in which the method is a method of securing an open window.

32. A method of securing a security device to an opening according to either claim 30 or claim 31, in which the method includes the security device and the frame interengaging by means of male and female portions.

33. A method of securing a security device to an opening according to any one of claims 30 to 32, in which the method includes the movement of the movable frame engaging portion being a movement in the plane of the removable security device.

34. A method of securing a security device to an opening according to any one of claims 30 to 33, in which the method includes the removable security device being secured by the interengagement of male and female portions of a securement means.

35. A removable security device substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

36. A method of securing a security device to an opening substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.