GB2319287A

GB2319287A - Handle assemblies with locking indicator

Info

Publication number: GB2319287A
Application number: GB9623428A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Melvin Hutton; Mark Kettle
Original assignee: Cego Frameware Ltd
Current assignee: Era Security Hardware Ltd
Priority date: 1996-11-11
Filing date: 1996-11-11
Publication date: 1998-05-20
Anticipated expiration: 2016-11-11
Also published as: GB2319287B; GB9623428D0

Abstract

A handle assembly, particularly for a window, comprises a base plate 10, with the handle mounted on the base plate for rotation relative to the base plate to operate, for example, a window locking mechanism. The handle carries a lock which can be operated by a key to lock the handle to the base or to unlock the handle from the base. The handle also has an indicator 26, which provides a visual/tangible indication of the locked/unlocked status of the handle. For example, the indicator may comprise a plate which projects from the handle when the handle is locked but is within the handle when the handle is unlocked, moved by a rack and pinion or cam, cam follower mechanism on rotation of a lock barrel.

Description

HANDLE ASSEMBLIES The invention relates to handle assemblies.

A handle assembly may be used on a window and comprises a base for connection to a window leaf and a handle rotatably mounted on the base. The leaf is mounted in a frame and can be moved between an open position relative to the frame and a closed position in which the leaf closes the frame. The handle is movable between a position in which a locking device such as a bolt or a nib engages the fixed frame to hold the leaf closed in the fixed frame and an unlocked position in which the leaf can be moved relative to the frame.

It is known to provide handle assemblies with a lock which, when operative, prevents rotation of the handle relative to the base. In this way, when the handle is locking the leaf to the fixed frame, rotation of the handle can be prevented to prevent the leaf being unlocked.

It is difficult to tell whether such a lock is in an operative or an inoperative position. There may be lock parts that can be observed but these are not easy to see. In addition, the disposition that indicates that the lock is operative may be forgotten. As a result, many people spend a considerable amount of time checking whether window handles are locked.

According to the invention, there is provided a handle assembly comprising a base for connection to a window leaf and a handle rotatably mounted on the base, the handle carrying a lock by which the handle is lockable to the base to prevent relative rotation therebetween, the assembly including an indicator for indicating whether the handle is locked or unlocked.

The following is a more detailed description of some embodiments of the invention, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a window handle assembly showing a handle of the assembly carrying a lock and an indicator positioned to show that the lock is locked, Figure 2 is a plan view of the window handle assembly of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a cross-section of a part of the handle of the window handle assembly of Figures 1 and 2 showing a lock cylinder and the indicator; this view is a section on the line Z-Z of Figure 4, Figure 4 is a section on the line X-X of Figure 3, Figure 5 is a similar view to Figure 4 but showing the indicator in a first position indicating that the lock is unlocked, Figure 6 is a side elevation of a window handle assembly showing a second form of indicator, Figure 7 is a plan view of the window handle assembly of Figure 6 showing the second form of indicator in a second position indicating that an associated lock is locked, Figure 8 is a cross-section through the lock and part of the handle of Figures 6 and 7 and is a section on the line 8-8 of Figure 9, Figure 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Figure 8, Figure 10 is a similar view to Figure 9 but showing the indicator in a retracted position, Figure 12 is a plan view from above of a third form of window handle assembly showing an indicator in a first position indicating that the handle assembly is locked, and Figure 13 is a similar view to Figure 12 but showing the indicator in a second position indicating that the handle is unlocked.

The drawings show three embodiments of window handle assembly.

All three embodiments are applied to the same basic structure of window handle assembly and this structure will now be described with reference to the first embodiment of the window handle assembly shown in Figures 1 to 5. This basic structure will not be described in detail in relation to the other two embodiments of the window handle assembly shown in Figures 6 to 13 and parts common to those Figures and to Figures 1 to 5 are given the same reference numerals.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 5, the basic structure of the window handle assembly comprises a base plate 10 having an undersurface 11 for mounting on a window leaf (not shown) The base plate 10 is provided with a pair of spaced fixing holes 12 extending through the base plate 10 normal to the undersurface 11.

The base plate 10 also has a top surface 13 which carries a handle 14. The handle 14 has a body 15 and an arm 16 by which the handle 14 can be gripped. The body 15 is pivotally mounted on the base plate 10 for rotation about an axis normal to the plane of the top surface 13.

The pivot includes a socket (not shown) which receives a square section bar so that rotation of the handle 14 rotates the bar. When fitted to a window leaf, this rotation can be used to drive a window locking device such as an espagnolette mechanism or a bolt.

The parts of the handle assembly described above with reference to the drawings may be made from a plastics material or from metal.

As seen in Figure 3, the body 15 carries a cylinder lock 17 including a cylinder 19 rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the handle 14. The cylinder has a larger diameter head 20 and a smaller diameter body 21. The body 21 is received in a bore in the handle body 15. The head 20 projects from an upper end of this bore and is located in an L-shaped rebate 35 in the body 15. The lock 17 includes at its lower end (i.e. the end opposite the head 20) a locking member 36 which is extended from, or retracted into, the lock body 20 on rotation of a key 18 that is inserted into the head 20. When extended, the locking member 36 engages the base plate 10 to prevent relative rotation between the handle 14 and the base plate 10. When retracted, such relative rotation is possible.

As seen in Figures 4 and 5, the lower periphery of the cylinder head 20 is provided with teeth 23 to form a pinion gear. This meshes with a rack 24 formed on the inner surface of one limb 25 of a U-shaped indicator 26. The U-shaped indicator 26 has two parallel limbs 25 interconnected by an end piece 27. The end piece 27 is coloured red and fills the rebate 35. An indicator housing 37 covers the head 20. The housing 37 comprises a plastics block formed with a central aperture 38 which receives the head 20. The housing 37 has an outer surface 39 which forms a continuation of the outer surface of the handle body 15. The housing 37 has also an under surface provided with an inset mounting block 40 carrying pegs that engage in co-operating holes on the surface of the L-shaped rebate 35 that is parallel to the top surface 13 of the base plate 10. The mounting block 40 thus forms, with this rebate surface, a U-shaped slot sized to receive and guide the U-shaped indicator 26. Thus, as seen in Figures 4 and 5, the U-shaped indicator 26 embraces the head 20 of the lock cylinder 19.

Figure 4 shows the position of the indicator 26 when the cylinder lock 17 is locked and Figure 5 shows the position of the indicator 26 when the cylinder lock 17 is unlocked. As seen in Figure 4, in the "locked" indicating position, the indicator projects from the body so that the red end piece 27 is visible. This is also seen in Figures 1 and 2.

As seen in Figure 5, when the indicator 26 is in the "unlocked" position, it lies between the mounting block 40 and the handle body 15 and so is not visible.

Referring now to Figures 6 to 10, the second embodiment of the handle assembly has a second form of indicator 29 best seen in Figures 9 and 10. This indicator is in the form of a generally rectangular plate having parallel side edges 30 interconnected by end edges 31. The plate includes a rectangular aperture 32 which is located closer to one end edge 31 than the other end edge 31. The portion 33 of the plate between the aperture 32 and the other end edge 31 may be coloured red or any other suitable colour.

The lock body 21 is provided, at the point at which it joins the lock head 20, with an eccentric cam surface 34, again best seen in Figures 9 and 10. The aperture 32 in the indicator 39 fits around this portion of the lock body 21 so that the eccentric cam surface 34 engages an edge of the aperture 32 parallel to the end edges 31 of the indicator 29.

An indicator housing 41 is provided that covers the head 20 of the lock 17 and fills the rebate 35. The housing 41 is similar to the housing 37 described above with reference to Figures 1 to 5 except that the under surface omits a mounting block 40 and includes instead a transverse groove 42 which forms, with the surface of the rebate 35 parallel to the top surface 13 of the base plate 10, a transverse slot that extends across the width of the handle 14. This slot receives and guides the indicator 39. The under surface of the mounting block 40 carries pegs (not shown) that engage in holes (not shown) in the rebate surface to hold the parts together.

When the cylinder lock 17 is in the locked position, the cylinder 19 and the indicator 29 are positioned as shown in Figure 9 with the indicator portion 33 projecting from the handle body 15. The indicator thus shows that the handle assembly is locked.

When the cylinder lock 17 is rotated through 1800 by use of the key 18, the indicator 29 is in the position shown in Figure 10. In this position, the indicator lies within the slot and so is not visible. This indicates that the handle assembly is unlocked.

A modification of the arrangement of Figures 6 to 10 is shown in Figures 11 and 12. In this modification, the indicator 43 is wider between the end edges 31 than the indicator 29 of Figures 9 and 10 so that there is a portion similar to the portion 33 on both sides of the aperture 32. The effect of this is that, when the cylinder lock 17 is locked, the portion corresponding to the portion 33 projects from the housing as seen in Figure 12. When, however, the cylinder lock 17 is rotated through 1800, the other portion of the indicator projects from the other side of the handle assembly to indicate that the handle assembly is unlocked. This portion may be coloured green to indicate the unlocked condition.

It will be appreciated that there are a number of modifications that can be made to the window handle assemblies described above. The indicator need not be moved by an eccentric or a rack and pinion as described above; it could be moved in any convenient way. The indicator need not be located towards the head of the cylinder lock 17; it could be located in any part of the handle 14 or base plate 10. The indicator need not be coloured and, where it is coloured, the colour may be any desired colour. The lock need not be a cylinder lock; it could be any form of handle lock or even a handle latching device.

Rotation of the handle 14 need not drive a locking mechanism such as an espagnolette mechanism. The handle body 15 may be provided with a nib that engages with an associated frame when the handle assembly is fitted to a window leaf The handle need not be a window handle; it could be a door handle or a handle for any form of closure.

The advantage of the window handle as described above with reference to the drawings is that it gives a visual indication of whether the handle is unlocked or locked and this indication can be gained from a distance, especially if the indicator is brightly coloured. This may obviate the need for a physical check on each handle to determine whether the handle is an unlocked or locked state as a property is being left unattended. It also gives a quick visual indication of the state of a window which could aid escape in a fire or an emergency. Further, the indicator provides a physical protrusion from the handle that could help the blind or partially sighted to check the locked or unlocked state of a handle.

Claims

1. A handle assembly comprising a base for mounting the assembly and a handle rotatably mounted on the base, the handle carrying a lock by which the handle is lockable to the base to prevent relative rotation therebetween, the assembly including an indicator for indicating whether the handle is locked or unlocked.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the indicator indicates by movement relative to the lock between a first position and a second position.

3. An assembly according to claim 2 wherein operation of the lock moves the indicator between said first and second positions.

4. An assembly according to claim 3 wherein the lock includes a member which rotates when the lock is operated, said rotation moving the indicator between said first and second positions.

5. An assembly according to claim 4 wherein said indicator is movable in a plane normal to the axis of rotation of said member.

6. An assembly according to claim 5 wherein said indicator is in the form of a flat plate lying in said plane.

7. An assembly according to claim 6 wherein the plate includes means that engage said lock member so that rotation of the lock member is converted into movement of said plate.

8. An assembly according to claim 7 wherein said member is formed with a pinion gear that engages a rack formed on said plate, rotation of said member causing the plate to move in said plane.

9. An assembly according to claim 8 wherein, in said first position, the plate is received within the handle and, in said second position, the plate projects from said handle.

10. An assembly according to claim 9 wherein the plate is in said second position when the handle is locked to the base.

11. An assembly according to claim 7 wherein the member is formed with a cam surface and the plate is formed with a follower surface engaging said cam surface, the cam, on rotation of the member, moving the plate between said first position and said second position.

12. An assembly according to claim 11 wherein, in said first pOsition, the plate is received within the handle and, in said second position, the plate projects from the handle.

13. An assembly according to claim 12 wherein, in the first position, the plate projects from the handle in a first direction and, in the second position, the plate projects from the handle in a direction opposite said first direction.

14. An assembly according to any one of claims 11 to 13 wherein the plate is in said first position when the lock is inoperative and in said second position when the lock is operative.

15. An assembly according to any one of claims 6 to 14 wherein said plate is coloured.

16. An assembly according to claim 15 when dependent on claim 10 or claim 14 wherein the projection portion of the plate in said second position is coloured red.

17. An assembly according to claim 16 when dependent on claim 13 and claim 14 wherein the projection portion of the plate in said first position is coloured green.

18. A handle assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 or Figures 6 to 8 or to Figures 6 to 8 as modified by Figures 9 to 11 of the accompanying drawings.