GB2321930A

GB2321930A - Espagnolette mechanism

Info

Publication number: GB2321930A
Application number: GB9808469A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Derek King
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-04-22
Filing date: 1994-04-22
Publication date: 1998-08-12
Anticipated expiration: 2014-04-22
Also published as: GB2289709A; GB2289709B; GB9808469D0; GB9408069D0; GB2321930B

Abstract

In an espagnolette mechanism for a glazed panel assembly having a pair of striker pins 32, 34 moved simultaneously in opposite directions to one another between release and locking positions, the mechanism includes a single keeper plate 14 connected to a fixed frame of the assembly.

Description

SHOOT BOLT WINDOW LOCKING SYSTEM This invention relates to a mechanism comprising an espagnolette fastening suitable for use on openable glazed panel assemblies, e.g. hinged windows.

There is a tendency in the window manufacturing industry to prefer so called glazed-in' frames, where the periphery of the glazing is substantially overlapped by a peripheral flange of the glazed frame, for improved security. However, the profile of 'glazed-in1 windows is such that the inside face depth of the glazed frame is narrow and the internal dimensions are limited. Known espagnolette and/or shoot bolt mechanisms are either unable to fit a significant range of 'glazed-in' and 'glazed-out' frame assemblies and/or are less than satisfactory in providing secure latching.

The mechanism of the present invention seeks to improve the security of the latching between the openable and fixed frames of a glazed panel assembly and is sized and constructed to fit a significant range of glazed panel assemblies.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a locking mechanism in a glazed panel assembly comprising an elongate body member, an operating mechanism housed within the elongate body member for opening and closing an openable frame of the assembly, said operating mechanism comprising a pair of striker pins extending from said body member and means to move striker pins substantially simultaneously in opposite directions to one another between a release position and a locking position and wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a plate connected to a fixed frame of the assembly and adapted to receive the striker pins in the release position and to retain the striker pins in the locked position.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided in a glazed panel assembly having fixed and openable frames, a mechanism for operating double acting striker pins being actuated by an operating mechanism for opening and closing an openable frame of the assembly, wherein when the openable frame is in a closed position, said striker pins are secured in the fixed frame by means of a plate adapted to restrict movement of said striker pins.

According to an optional feature of either aspect of the invention, said striker pins may extend outwardly from the mechanism and the openable frame, which mechanism is mounted in a central portion of the frame.

According to another optional feature of either aspect of the invention, the plate may comprise a pair of oppositely disposed recesses, each recess is adapted to receive and retain one of said pair of striker pins.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided in a glazed panel assembly having fixed and openable frames, a plate mounted to the fixed frame to receive a pair of striker pins from a window locking mechanism in the openable frame, which plate including means to receive and retain the pair of striker pins in a locked position thereby to secure the openable frame to the fixed frame.

According to an optional feature of this aspect of the invention, the receiving and retaining means may comprise a pair of oppositely disposed recesses each of which is adapted to receive and retain a corresponding one of said pair of striker pins.

A forth aspect of the present invention provides a mechanism for operating a double acting shoot bolt espagnolette in a glazed panel assembly comprises drive transmitting means adapted to be actuated by an operating mechanism for opening and closing an openable frame of the assembly, said drive transmitting means being operable to cause a pair of shoot bolt operating arms to be moved substantially simultaneously in opposite directions to one another, said drive transmitting means being disposed generally in a plane which is parallel to the plane of movement of said shoot bolt operating arms and having actuating means, by which drive is supplied to said drive transmitting means, disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of movement of said shoot bolt operating arms.

A fifth aspect of the present invention provides a mechanism for operating double acting striker pins in a glazed panel assembly comprises drive transmitting means adapted to be actuated by an operating mechanism for opening and closing an openable frame of the assembly, said drive transmitting means being operable to cause a pair of striker pins to be moved substantially simultaneously in opposite directions to one another, said drive transmitting means being disposed generally in a plane which is parallel to the plane of movement of said striker pins and having actuating means by which drive is supplied to said drive transmitting means, disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of movement of said striker pins.

According to a feature of either forth or fifth aspects of the invention each of said shoot bolt operating arms may carry a shoot bolt movable by and in substantially the same plane as the associated shoot bolt operating arm.

According to another feature of either forth or fifth aspects of the invention said drive transmitting means may comprise pivotal elements and wherein each of said shoot bolt operating arms may be connected to said pivotal elements which are rotatable simultaneously to extend and retract said arms relative to a housing in which said pivotal elements are disposed.

Preferably, actuating means comprises a slidable member said pivotal elements being rotated together by movement of said member which member is driven by. In the same arrangements in which the actuating means comprises a slidable member, the slidable member may include a toothed rack driven by a gear which is rotatable by said operating mechanism. In other arrangements in which the actuating means comprises a slidable member, the slidable member may include a bifurcated portion upstanding from said housing and engagable by said operating mechanism to slide the slidable member to and fro.

Yet another aspect of the invention provides, in a glazed panel assembly having fixed and openable frames a mechanism according to any of the five immediately preceeding paragraphs wherein said drive transmitting means is disposed in the openable frame of the assembly for co-operation with the fixed frame to secure and release the openable frame relative to the fixed frame, said actuating means extending into the openable frame below the glazing chamber thereof.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an assembly comprising a fixed frame and an openable frame with a geared slide-drive operating mechanism secured to the openable frame; Figure 2 is a view similar to figure 1 but in which the operating mechanism secured to the openable frame is a rotatable spindle-drive mechanism; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a shoot bolt espagnolette assembly having an actuating mechanism which is intended to be driven by an operating mechanism of the type shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is an underplan elevation of the central gearbox of the shoot bolt espagnolette assembly shown in Figure 3; Figures 4a and 4b are plan and side elevations, respectively, of one of a pair of actuating levers of the gearbox; Figures 4c and 4d are plan and side elevations, respectively, of the other of the pair of actuating levers of the gearbox; Figure 5 is a side elevation of a gearbox adapted to be operated by an operating mechanism of the type shown in Figure 2; Figure Sa is an end view of the gearbox shown in Figure 5; Figure 5b and Sc are side views of meshing gear and rack components, respectively, of the gearbox shown in Figure 5; Figure 6 is a side elevation of a gearbox adapted to be operated by an operating mechanism of the type shown in Figure 1; and Figure 6a is an end view of the gearbox shown in Figure 6.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings which are concerned with the assembly which includes a geared slide-drive operating mechanism, there is shown a glazed panel assembly comprising a fixed frame 10 having an upstanding flange 12 integral at that side of the frame which is intended to face towards the interior of a building to which it is mounted, i.e. to the right as shown in the drawings. The fixed frame includes a centre striker plate 14 which is mounted on an upwardly facing surface 10a of the fixed frame. Plate 14 is shown in more detail in figure 3 of the drawings.

The glazed panel assembly also includes a casement i.e. openable frame 16 which, in this embodiment, comprises an extruded UPVC profile. The casement frame receives the glazing of the glazed panel assembly which is a double-glazed panel 18 the peripheral edge of which is received in a glazing chamber 20 and mounted by way of spaced sealing elements 22 and 24 respectively, each of which is secured to a mounting groove provided by the frame profile. The frame also includes a so called Euro-groove 26 which extends upwardly from the lower face 16a of frame 16 into an intermediate chamber 28 disposed below the glazing chamber 20.

An espagnolette and shoot bolt mechanism is mounted on the casement frame 16 and, as best seen in Figure 3, includes a central gearbox assembly 30 which is secured to frame 16 generally in the plane of face 16a between the intermediate chamber and the fixed frame 10 when the openable frame is in its closed position. A pair of downwardly extending striker pins 32, 34 extend downwardly from gearbox 30 for co-operation with the central fixed striker plate 14 located on face 10a of the fixed frame. A pair of operating pins extend upwardly into the Euro-groove and project through the roof of the groove and a pair of like shoot bolts 36, 38 respectively extend in opposite directions from each end of the gearbox 30.

The shoot bolts may be of any desired length and are connected to the gearbox by a pair of striker arms 40 and 42 respectively. The ends 36a, 3 8a of the shoot bolts are shaped to cooperate with keepers 44, 46 respectively, each of which is secured in the Euro-groove at opposed end corners of the frame. The ends of the shoot bolt co-operate with end keeps 48 and 50 which are furnished by the fixed frame 10 each of which includes a pair of apertures 48a, 48b and 50a, 50b into either of which the shoot bolt end is received to assist in locking the openable frame relative to the fixed frame.

The espagnolette shoot bolt mechanism shown in Figures 1, 3 and 6 is actuated by an operating mechanism 52 which includes a rotatable handle 54. A suitable operating mechanism 52 is shown and described in my UK patent 2 150 972 B to which the reader is directed. However, other operating mechanisms may be employed provided that they are able to engage the operating pins to move the striker pins together with the shoot bolts relative to the openable frame.

It is also envisaged that the shoot bolt mechanism is operated by a conventional window operating mechanism with a square drive spindle. In either case, the gearbox 30 of the shoot bolt mechanism remains substantially common to both operating mechanisms and in this regard reference is now made to Figure 5 of the drawings. Gearbox 30 comprises a generally flat elongate housing 56 which is disposed substantially in the plane of the shoot bolts 36, 38.

The housing accommodates a pair of spaced similar pivotal actuating plates 58, 60 which lie substantially transversely of the housing and, in each case pivotal, about a central pivot pin 58a and 60a respectively. Plate 60 includes a slot 62 at one of its ends in which is received an upstanding pin 64 disposed intermediate the ends of a S shaped actuating striker arm 42.

The end of arm 42 which is disposed internally of the housing carries a further pin 66 which is received in a slot 68 at one end of plate 58. At the location of the juncture between the two parallel parts of the arm striker pin 34 is provided which operates in a slot 70 formed in a cover 72 of the housing and through which the striker pin 34 extends. The free end of arm 42 protrudes from one end of the housing and is provided with a stud 74 by which it can be connected to the shoot bolt 38. A slot 76 is formed intermediate striker pin 34 and stud 74 through which a fastener can pass to secure the gearbox assembly to the frame.

Likewise, a further non-handed striker arm 40 is connected by means of pins 78, 80 to slots 82 and 84 formed at the opposite ends of the pivotal plates 60 and 58 respectively. Striker arm 40 includes striker pin 32 which slides relative to a slot 86 provided in the cover 72 and through which the strike pin 32 protrudes. The free end of arm 40 protrudes from one end of the housing and is provided with a stud 88 by which it can be connected to the shoot bolt 36.

A slot 90 is formed intermediate striker pin 32 and stud 90 through which a fastener can pass to secure the gearbox assembly to the frame. The striker pins 32, 34 lock by engaging simultaneously into opposed slots 32a, 34a (or 32b, 34b), provided in the central striker plate 14.

The pivotal plates 58 and 60 are arranged to rotate in the same direction of rotation simultaneously and thus it will be appreciated that when the plates are rotated in an anticlockwise direction as viewed in Figure 5 then the connections between the pivotal plates and the striker arms will cause the striker pins to move outwardly simultaneously and hence move the shoot bolts together outwardly into a locking position. Conversely, if the actuating plates 58 and 60 are rotated simultaneously in a clockwise direction, the striker pins 32, 34 are retracted simultaneously towards one another and hence out of engagement with the central striker plate slots 32a, 34a. Likewise the shoot bolts 36, 38 are disengaged from the end keeps 48, 50 and move together inwardly. Thus, it will be appreciated that the arrangement provides for simultaneous locking in the vicinity of the operating mechanism (centrally of one side of the frame) and shoot bolt engagement at the extremities of the frame thereby giving secure latching between the openable frame and the fixed frame of the glazed panel assembly.

In order to cause rotation of the pivotal plates, either one of the geared slide-drive or rotatable spindle operating mechanisms shown in figures 1 and 2, and 6 and 5, respectively, can be used.

Referring first to the rotatable spindle operating mechanism, a gear casing 92 is mounted atop the gearbox 30 by means of suitable fastening elements 94 and 96. The gear casing 92 includes the gear wheel 98 which is mounted for rotation relative to the casing with its axis of rotation transverse to the general plane of the gearbox and shoot bolts. Gear wheel 96 is formed with a square aperture 100 to receive the square cross section spindle 102 of an actuating handle 104 (Figure 2). A series of gear teeth 106 provided by the gear wheel mesh with complimentary teeth 108 provided by a slidable rack 110. The rack 110 includes a downwardly extending flange 112 (Figure 5c) which engages in a slot 114 (Figure 4) formed in the striker arm 40 intermediate the pins 78 and 80 (Figure 4c). Thus rotation of the gear 98 by means of the operating handle 104 causes the rack 110 to move the striker arm 40 to the left or to the right thus causing rotation of the pivotal plates 58 and 60 and thus movement of the striker pins and shoot bolts. In Figure 2 like parts to those of Figure 1 are designated like reference numerals with the addition of suffix '1'.

A geared slide-drive operating mechanism is shown in figures 1, 3, 6 and 6a of the drawings.

In this case no further casing on the gearbox is required.

Where a gear casing is provided the casing 92 is accommodated, as shown in Figure 2, in the intermediate chamber 28 located between the glass chamber 20 and the fixed frame. Thus, the casing 92 protrudes through an opening formed in the Euro-groove 26 so that the gear 106 can be actuated by the square spindle of the operating handle 104 passing through the frame from the inside face of the openable frame.

The geared slide drive shown in Figure 2 comprises a pair of pins 116, 118 which are upstanding through a slot 120 in the top face of the gearbox 30 and extend through the roof of the Euro-channel 26 to be engaged by the drive fork 122 of the operating handle 52.

However, in order to simplify production, it is preferred that a single drive transfer element 124 (Figure 6) is provided which is similar to and may be substituted for the drive rack 110.

Hence the drive transfer element 124 comprises an upstanding plate which engages in slot 120 of the gearbox 30 and comprises a pair of integral upstanding pegs 126, 128 between which the drive fork 122 of the operating mechanism 52 engages. As in the case of the rack 110 slide drive element 24 is furnished with a downwardly extending flange which engages slot 114 in the gear box so that movement of the element 124 to the left or right causes linear sliding movement of the striker arm 40 and thus rotation of the pivotal plates 58, 60 thereby transferring a like linear sliding movement to the striker arm 42 in order to actuate the striker pins and the shoot bolt simultaneously.

Claims

1. A locking mechanism in a glazed panel assembly comprising an elongate body member, an operating mechanism housed within the elongate body member for opening and closing an openable frame of the assembly, said operating mechanism comprising a pair of striker pins extending from said body member and means to move striker pins substantially simultaneously in opposite directions to one another between a release position and a locking position and wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a plate connected to a fixed frame of the assembly and adapted to receive the striker pins in the release position and to retain the striker pins in the locked position.

2. In a glazed panel assembly having fixed and openable frames, a mechanism for operating double acting striker pins being actuated by an operating mechanism for opening and closing an openable frame of the assembly, wherein when the openable frame is in a closed position, said striker pins are secured in the fixed frame by means of a plate adapted to restrict movement of said striker pins.

3. A mechanism according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said striker pins extending outwardly and longtitudinally from the operating mechanism and the openable frame, which mechanism is mounted in a central portion of the frame.

4. A mechanism according to claim 3 wherein the plate comprises a pair of oppositely disposed recesses, each recess is adapted to receive and retain one of said pair of striker pins.

5. In a glazed panel assembly having fixed and openable frames, a plate mounted to the fixed frame to receive a pair of striker pins from a window locking mechanism located in the openable frame, which plate including means to receive and retain the pair of striker pins in a locked position thereby to secure the openable frame to the fixed frame.

6. A plate according to claim 5 wherein the receiving and retaining means comprises a pair of oppositely disposed recesses, each of which is adapted to receive and retain a corresponding one of said pair of striker pins.

7. A plate substantially as hereinbefore described by reference to or as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 or 3.

8. A locking mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described by reference to or as illustrated in any of Figures 1,2,3,4,5 or 6.

9. A mechanism for operating a double acting shoot bolt espagnolette in a glazed panel assembly comprises drive transmitting means adapted to be actuated by an operating mechanism for opening and closing an openable frame of the assembly, said drive transmitting means being operable to cause a pair of shoot bolt operating arms to be moved substantially simultaneously in opposite directions to one another, said drive transmitting means being disposed generally in a plane which is parallel to the plane of movement of said shoot bolt operating arms and having actuating means, by which drive is supplied to said drive transmitting means, disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of movement of said shoot bolt operating arms.

10. A mechanism for operating double acting striker pins in a glazed panel assembly comprises drive transmitting means adapted to be actuated by an operating mechanism for opening and closing an openable frame of the assembly, said drive transmitting means being operable to cause a pair of striker pins to be moved substantially simultaneously in opposite directions to one another, said drive transmitting means being disposed generally in a plane which is parallel to the plane of movement of said striker pins and having actuating means by which drive is supplied to said drive transmitting means, disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of movement of said striker pins.

11. A mechanism according to claim 9 or claim 10 wherein each of said shoot bolt operating arms carries a shoot bolt movable by and in substantially the same plane as the associated shoot bolt operating arm.

12. A mechanism according to any of the preceeding claims said drive transmitting means comprises pivotal elements and wherein each of said shoot bolt operating arms is connected to said pivotal elements which are rotatable simultaneously to extend and retract said arms relative to a housing in which said pivotal elements are disposed.

13. A mechanism according to claim 12 wherein said actuating means comprises a slidable member said pivotal elements being rotated together by movement of said member which member is driven by.

14. A mechanism according to claim 13 wherein said slidable member includes a toothed rack driven by a gear which is rotatable by said operating mechanism.

15. A mechanism according to claim 13 wherein said slidable member includes a bifurcated portion upstanding from said housing and engagable by said operating mechanism to slide the slidable member to and fro.

16. In a glazed panel assembly having fixed and openable frames a mechanism according to any of the preceeding claims wherein said drive transmitting means is disposed in the openable frame of the assembly for co-operation with the fixed frame to secure and release the openable frame relative to the fixed frame, said actuating means extending into the openable frame below the glazing chamber thereof.