GB2323627A

GB2323627A - A locking device for a window stay

Info

Publication number: GB2323627A
Application number: GB9804152A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Leo Engstrom
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-02-27
Filing date: 1998-02-26
Publication date: 1998-09-30
Also published as: DK9700096U3; GB9804152D0

Abstract

A locking device for a C-shaped guide track of a window stay comprises axially joined integral first and second portions 3, 4, the first portion having parallel side wall portions 6 with a mutual distance which permits insertion of the device into the track, and curved side wall portions 7 which may be wedged between side walls in the track when the device is turned. The second portion has curved side wall portions 11 which permit turning of the second portion in the opening of the C-profile. The first and/or the second cylindrical portions have protruding side wall portions 8, 10 acting as a stop for rotation.

Description

A LOCKING DEVICE FOR A C-SHAPED GUIDE TRACK The present invention relates to a locking device for a guide track of C-shaped profile with mutually parallel side walls with a given first spacing and two lips projecting towards each other and extending from the side walls and defining an opening, their end edges being spaced with a given second spacing, said locking device comprising an about an axis pivotal body with a cylindrical portion with a cylinder surface comprising two mutually parallel plane surface areas with a mutual distance which is smaller than said second spacing, and two curved surface areas positioned opposite each other, the mutual, diametric distance being substantially equal to said first spacing.

GB-A-2 145 151 describes a window stay for reversible windows comprising a guide track of the type described with a C-shaped profile for mounting on a window frame and having two mutually hinge-connected arms, one of which is at its one end fixedly hingeconnected with the guide track, whereas the other one at its one end is connected with a sliding shoe which may slide in the guide track. The sliding shoe is provided with a spring which may move into engagement in the lips of the guide track at the opening in the Cprofile to keep the window in a slightly open position.

The spring may be manually activated to get out of engagement when the window is closed or fully opened.

The GB application describes a locking device comprising a block which is inserted in the guide track, lugs on the block fitting into recesses in the lips of the guide track, and a rotatable rotor which by means of a key may be turned 900 between a release position, in which the block may be removed and placed in the guide track, and a locking position, in which the removal of the block is prevented. The rotor corresponds in design to the locking device described by way pf introduction. In a subsequent practical embodiment the laterally projecting lugs of the block have been replaced by one lug adapted to extend into a recess in the bottom of the guide track. The locking device aims at preventing complete opening of the window by obstructing the movement of the sliding shoe.

A problem in respect of the locking device according to the prior art described is that it comprises several parts and that it, as a consequence hereof, is comparatively expensive to manufacture. An object of the present invention is to eliminate these drawbacks.

This aim may be met in that a locking device of the type mentioned by way of introduction is novel in comprising a second cylindrical portion positioned in axial extension of the first cylindrical portion and comprising at least two diametrically opposite circular-cylindrical surface areas which each extends over at least 450, preferably 90", and has a mutual diametrical distance which is smaller than said second spacing, that the mutual diametrical distance of said curved surfaces of the first cylindrical portion preferably is bigger than said first spacing, and that the first and/or the second cylindrical portion comprise a surface area of its cylinder surface which has a substantially bigger radial distance to the axis than half of the first and the second spacing, respectively, whereby a stop for rotation of the locking device is established, when it is positioned in a guide track.

Hereby is obtained that said block, which like a housing surrounds the rotor, may be dispensed with, the rotor in itself constituting the locking device, the second cylindrical portion extending into the opening of the guide track, where its circular-cylindrical surface areas permit the necessary turning between a locking position and a release position. The curved surfaces of the first cylindrical portion wedge on account of their overmeasure relative to the first spacing the locking device between the side walls of the guide track and thus prevent unintentional release of the locking device, whereas the surface area with the bigger radial distance determines the locking position.

The locking device preferably comprises a circular-cylindrical boss extending coaxially from the opposite side of the first cylindrical portion relative to the second cylindrical portion. This boss may extend down into a recess in the bottom of the guide track and further prevent displacement, but still permit turning of the locking device.

This boss may also be adapted to engage a cranked plate member from one side, a second boss extending preferably from its other side with an axis extending in parallel with the axis of the locking device. This second boss may consequently extend down into a recess in the bottom of the guide track, and the cranked plate member overlap the spring in a sliding shoe of the type mentioned in the above GB-A-2 145 151 to prevent the spring from engaging recesses in the lips of the guide track. This is of importance if a motor-driven opening/closing device for the window is provided.

In a preferred embodiment the first cylindrical portion is at the second cylindrical portion provided with end faces extending radially beyond the radial extension of the second cylindrical portion and forming parts of screw faces, said end faces having in the tangential direction a pitch in the axial direction from each of the plane surface areas. Hereby, the turning of the locking device to the locked position is facilitated, the end portions engaging more easily under the lips of the guide track.

The invention will be explained in detail in the following by means of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figs la-ld show a locking device according to the invention seen from above, from below and from two sides, respectively, Figs 2a-2c show a locking device connected with a cranked plate member and seen from the side, from above in locked position and from above in released position, Figs 3a and 3b show the locking device of the first embodiment placed in a C-shaped guide track seen from above in the locked position and in released position and seen from the side, respectively, and Figs 4a-4c show the locking device in the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 placed in a C-shaped guide track seen from above from one side and from the other, respectively.

Figs la-ld show an embodiment of a locking device 1 according to the invention. The locking device 1 is symmetrical about an axis 2 which also constitutes an axis of rotation for the locking device when in use.

The locking device 1 comprises a first cylindrical portion 3, a second cylindrical portion 4 and a circular-cylindrical boss 5 (Fig. lc).

The cylinder surface of the first cylindrical portion 3 comprises two plane surface areas 6 which are mutually in parallel, two curved, substantially circular-cylindrical surface areas 7 and two more plane surface areas 8.

Similarly, the second cylindrical portion 4 comprises two first plane surface areas 9, two second plane surface areas 10 and two circular-cylindrical curved surface areas 11.

In the end surface 12 of the second cylindrical portion 4 an axial, hexagonal hole 13 is provided for engaging an Allen key with a view to turning the locking device 1.

End surfaces 14 of the first cylindrical portion 3 have, as will be seen from Figs lc and ld, a pitch, as they increase in the axial direction, thus substantially constituting parts of screw faces.

Figs 3a and 3b show the locking device 1 inserted in a track 15 with C-profile and having side walls 16 and lips 17. Fig. 3a shows a locking device la in the locked position, and a locking device lb in release position, the locking device being in one position turned 900 about the axis 2 relative to the other position. The boss 5 is, as will appear from Fig. 3b, inserted in a hole, which, as will be seen from Fig.

3a, is triangular. The plane surface areas 8 and 10 of the first and the second cylindrical portions 3 and , respectively, constitute a stop for the turning, when the locking device la is in the locked position. It should be noted that the diametrical distance between the curved surface areas 7 is somewhat bigger than the distance between the side walls 16, for which reason the locking device la in the locked position is wedged between the side walls 16.

In the release position the locking device ib may be lifted up between the lips 17, the distance between the plane surface areas 6 and 9 being smaller than the spacing between the end edges 18 facing each other of the lips 17.

Figs 2a-2c show a locking device 21 with a design corresponding to the embodiment described above of the locking device 1. However, the circular-cylindrical boss 5 is passed through a cranked plate member 22, and the end of the boss 5 is deformed to form a rivet head 23, such that the locking device 21 is pivotally positioned on the cranked plate member 22.

A boss 24 is riveted to the side of the plate member opposite the locking device. The cranked plate member 22 has an end flap 25.

Fig. 2c shows the plate member 22 seen from above, the locking device 21 being in release position, and Fig. 2b shows the plate member 22, the locking device being in the locked position.

Figs 4a-4c show the plate member 22 with the locking device 21 placed in a track 15 with C-profile, the locking device 21 being shown in Fig. 4a in the locked position, and in Fig. 4b in the release position.

The end flap 25 of the cranked plate member 22 may, when the plate member 22 is mounted as shown in Fig. 4c, overlap a spring on a sliding shoe not shown and prevent this spring from raising.

Claims

1. A locking device for a guide track of Cshaped profile with mutually parallel side walls with a given first spacing and two lips projecting towards each other and extending from the side walls and defining an opening, their end edges being spaced with a given second spacing, said locking device comprising an about an axis pivotal body with a cylindrical portion with a cylinder surface comprising two mutually parallel plane surface areas with a mutual distance which is smaller than said second spacing, and two curved surface areas positioned opposite each other, the mutual, diametric distance being substantially equal to said first spacing, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the locking device comprises a second cylindrical portion positioned in axial extension of the first cylindrical portion and comprising at least two diametrically opposite circular-cylindrical surface areas which each extends over at least 450, preferably 900, and has a mutual diametric distance which is smaller than said second spacing, that the mutual diametric distance of said curved surfaces of the first cylindrical portion preferably is bigger than said first spacing, and that the first and/or the second cylindrical portion comprises a surface area.

of its cylinder surface which has a substantially bigger radial distance to the axis than half of the first and the second spacing, respectively, whereby a stop for rotation of the locking device is established, when it is positioned in a guide track.

2. A locking device according to claim 1, c h a ra c t e r i z e d by a circular-cylindrical boss which extends coaxially from the opposite side of the first cylindrical portion relative to the second cylindrical portion.

3. A locking device according to claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the boss engages a cranked plate member from one side, and in that from its other side a second boss preferably extends with an axis extending in parallel with the axis of the locking device.

4. A locking device according to claims 1 - 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the first cylindrical portion at the second cylindrical portion is provided with end faces extending radially outside the radial extension of the second cylindrical portion and forming parts of screw faces, said end faces having in the tangential direction a pitch in the axial direction from each of the plane surface areas.

5. A locking device for a guide track of C-shaped profile substantially as described with reference to the drawings.