GB2331123A - Stays - Google Patents

Abstract

A stay comprises a base member (10), an arm (16), a linkage (20,21,22) where the arm includes means for attaching the arm to a leaf, and separate means for resisting movement of the leaf relative to the arm in a direction parallel to the length of the arm. The resisting means may include barbs (19) located on the arm which are forced into a mounting surface of the leaf member, or an L-shaped block (33, figure 5) which fits in a T-shaped groove on a corner of the leaf.

Description

STAYS The invention relates to stays and more particularly stays for supporting a leaf in a frame.

A typical stay of this kind comprises a base member for connection to the frame and an arm for connection to the leaf.

A linkage connects the arm to the base to constrain the arm to movement in a plane generally parallel to the base between a closed position in which the arm is generally parallel to the base member and an open position in which the arm is to one side of the base member and angled relative to the base member.

The arm includes means for use in connecting the arm to the leaf.

This may, for example, be a screw hole through which a screw passes to make threaded engagement with the leaf.

A problem encountered with such connections is the movement of the leaf relative to the arm in a direction generally parallel to the length of the arm due to the weight of the leaf. This is a particular problem where the leaf edge on which the arm is mounted includes a groove and the screw extends through the groove and engages in a base of the groove so that there is a significant unsupported length of the screw between the base and the arm.

According to the invention, there is provided a stay for supporting a leaf in a frame comprising a base member for connection to the frame, an arm for connection to the leaf and a linkage connecting the arm to base member to constrain the arm to movement in a plane generally parallel to the base member between a closed position in which the arm is generally parallel to the base member and an open position in which the arm is to one side of the base member and angled relative thereto, the arm including means for use in connecting the arm to the leaf and separate means resisting movement of the leaf relative to the arm in a direction generally parallel to the length of the arm, when the arm is so connected.

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 view from above and to one side of a friction stay including a base and an arm partially open relative to the base and including barbs for engagement with an associated leaf to resist relative movement between the leaf and the arm, Figure 2 is a view to a larger scale of part of the arm of the friction stay of Figure 1 showing the barbs, Figure 3 is a schematic side elevation of a corner of a window leaf showing the arm of the friction stay of Figures 1 and 2 connected to the leaf and the barbs engaging with the leaf, Figure 4 is a similar view to Figure 3 but showing an alternative way of resisting relative movement between the leaf and the arm and utilising an L-shaped member, and Figure 5 is a perspective view of the L-shaped member of Figure 4.

Referring first to Figure 1, friction stay comprises a base member indicated generally at 10 and formed of metal strip. The base member 10 has a floor 11 with spaced parallel side edges 12.

A wall 13 extends along and is upstanding from each side edge 12 and an inwardly directed flange 14 is provided at the end of each wall 13 remote from the floor 11. The floor 11, the side walls 13 and the flanges 14 thus form a pair of oppositely directed U-shaped channels extending along the side edges 12 of the base member 10.

A V-shaped end cap 15 is provided at one end of the base member 10.

The friction stay also includes an arm 16 formed from metal strip with parallel side edges. The arm 16 has a V-shaped point 17 at one end and is provided with three fixing holes 18a, 18b, 18c.

As best seen in Figure 2, on either side of the fixing hole 18a, the metal of the arm 16 is bent outwardly to form a pair of barbs 19. The barbs 19 thus project above the level of the remainder of the arm 16 and are directed towards the V-shaped point 17 at the end of the arm 16. As also seen in Figure 2, the barbs 19 are located at the side edges of the arms 16.

The arm 16 is connected to the base member by a linkage including a shorter link 20, a longer link 21 and an intermediate link 22.

The shorter link 20 has one end rivetted to the arm 16 adjacent the V-shaped point 17 to form a pivotal connection between the shorter link 20 and the arm 16. The opposite end of the shorter link 20 is rivetted to a slider 24 which is guided by the channels in the base member 10 for sliding movement back and forth along the length of the base member 10.

The longer link 21 is rivetted at one end to the arm 16 intermediate the ends of the arm 16 to form a pivotal connection between the longer link 21 and the arm 16. The other end of the longer link 21 is rivetted to the base member 10 to form a stationary pivotal connection between the longer link 21 and the base member 10.

The intermediate link 22 is rivetted at one end to the longer link 21 intermediate the ends of the longer link 21 to form a pivotal connection between the parts. The other end of the intermediate link 22 is pivotally connected to the slider 23 to form a pivotal connection between the intermediate link 22 and the slider 23.

This linkage constrains the arm 16 to movement in a plane generally parallel to the base member 10 between a position in which the arm 16 overlies the base member 10 and is parallel to the base member 10 and a position in which the arm 16 is spaced to one side of the base member 10 and is angled relative to the base member 10. As shown in Figure 1, the arm 16 is between these two limiting positions.

When the arm 16 overlies the base member 10, the V-shaped point 17 on the arm 16 is received in the end cap 15. During movement from that position, the slider 24 slides along the base member 10 to accommodate movement of the shorter link 20 and the intermediate link 22.

The friction stay described above with reference to the drawings is used to support a window leaf in a window frame. The leaf is square or rectangular and fits into a correspondingly-shaped frame. A pair of such friction stays are used, connected to respective opposite sides of the leaf and frame.

The connection is between generally parallel frame and leaf surfaces lying in respective planes generally normal to the planes of the leaf and frame.

The base member 10 is connected to the frame by screws passing through holes 24 provided in the base member 10. The base member is located with the end cap 15 fitting into a corner of the frame.

The way the arm 16 is connected to the leaf will now be described with reference to Figure 3. Referring to that Figure, the leaf 25 is of plastics material and includes first and second members 26, 27 meeting at a right-angled corner. The first and second members 26,27 have respective mounting surfaces 28 provided with respective T-shaped grooves 29 so that the grooves 29 are continuous around the corner.

The arm 16 rests on the mounting surface 28 of the first member 26 and screws 31 are inserted through the fixing holes 18a,18b,18e provided in the arm 16. The screws 31 extend through the groove 29 in the first member 26 and then engage in the leaf member 26. As the screws 31 are tightened, the barbs 19 are forced into the mounting surface 28.

The effect of this is to prevent the leaf 25 sliding relative to the arm 16 and in particular prevent sliding movement of the leaf 25 in the direction of the arrow 32 of Figure 3 - that is to say movement in a direction away from the V-shaped point 17.

This is particularly useful when the leaf 25 is top-hung; that is to say when the leaf 25 is mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis towards the top of the associated frame. In this case, the friction stay will be mounted generally vertically with the end cap 15 and the V-shaped point 17 uppermost. The weight of the leaf 25 will thus be tending to pull downwardly on the screws 31 so causing the relative movement referred to above.

The effect of this weight is assisted by the fact that the screws 31 extend through the T-shaped groove 29 and so engage the leaf member 26 along only a short portion of their length. A significant part of the length of the screws 31 up to the screw head is unsupported in the groove 29.

There may, of course, be only one barb 19 or more than two barbs 19. The barbs 19 may be located as shown in Figure 2 or may be located at any suitable point along the arm 16. Although the barbs 19 are shown pressed out of the metal of the arm 16, they may be formed in any desired way. One or all of the barbs may point in a direction other than the direction shown in Figure 2; for example, one or more barbs may face in a reverse direction.

Figures 4 and 5 show an alternative arrangement. Parts common to Figures 4 and 5 and to Figures 1 to 3 are given the same reference numerals and will not be described in detail.

The friction stay of the embodiment of Figures 4 and 5 is the same as the stay of Figures 1 to 3 except that the barbs 19 are omitted. In this case, an L-shaped block 33 is provided sized to fit in the T-shaped grooves 29 at the corner between the first and second leaf members 26,27. The block has a first limb 34 that extends along the groove 29 in the first leaf member 26 and a second limb 35 which extends along the groove 29 in the second leaf member 27.

The first limb 34 and the second limb 35 are provided with respective holes. A screw 31 passing through a hole 30 in the arm 16 extends through the hole 36 in the first limb 34 before engaging in the first leaf member 26. An extra screw 37 extends through the hole 36 in the second limb 35 to engage in the second leaf member 27.

The effect of this is to support the arm mounting screw 31 and resist any tendency of the screw 31 to tilt and allow relative movement between the leaf 25 and the arm 16.

As seen particularly in Figure 5, the L-shaped block 33 is provided with a semi-circular cut-away 38 at the junction between the first and second limbs 34,35. This accommodates any bead formed by the joint between the members 26, 27 at the corner.

As shown, the L-shaped block 33 is a separate part. It will be appreciated, however, that it may be formed integrally with the arm 16.

It will also be appreciated that the general configuration of the friction stay illustrated above in Figure 1 is, apart from the barbs, of a generally known type. The barbs 19 and/or the block 33 may be used with any suitable form of friction stay or any other form of stay.

Claims (13)

1. CLAIMS 1. A stay for supporting a leaf in a frame comprising a base member for connection to the frame, an arm for connection to the leaf and a linkage connecting the arm to the base member to constrain the arm to movement in a plane generally parallel to the base member between a closed position in which the arm is generally parallel to the base member and an open position in which the arm is to one side of the base member and angled relative thereto, the arm including means for use in connecting the arm to the leaf and separate means resisting movement of the leaf relative to the arm in a direction generally parallel to the length of the arm, when the arm is so connected.
2. 2. A stay according to claim 1 wherein the means for use in connecting the arm to the leaf comprise at least one hole for receiving a screw which threadedly engages the leaf.
3. 3. A stay according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the resisting means comprise at least one member that engages the leaf to resist said movement.
4. 4. A stay according to claim 3 wherein said member is a barb that digs into the leaf when the arm is connected to the leaf.
5. 5. A stay according to claim 4 and in which the arm includes a pointed end for co-operation with an end cap on the base member when the arm is in the closed position, the at least one barb being directed towards the pointed end so that movement of the leaf relative to the arm in a direction away from the pointed end urges the barb further into the leaf.
6. 6. A stay according to claim 5 wherein two tangs are provided each located adjacent a respective side edge of the arm.
7. 7. A stay according to claim 6 when dependent on claim 2 wherein the barbs are located on respective opposite sides of said at least one hole.
8. 8. A stay according to any one of claims 4 to 7 wherein the arm is formed form a metal strip and the or each barb is pressed out of the metal strip.
9. 9. A stay according to claim 2 for use with a leaf having an external corner formed between first and second edge surfaces laying in respective planes generally normal to the plane of the leaf, the resisting means comprising an L-shaped member having a first limb extending along a portion of a groove in the first edge surface and having a second limb extending along a portion of a groove in the second edge surface, a screw passing through the screw hole in the arm also passing through the first limb of the member and the second limb being connectable to the leaf.
10. 10. A stay according to claim 9 wherein the groove is continuous around said corner and the first and second limbs are co-planar.
11. 11. A stay according to claim 9 and claim 10 wherein the first limb and the second limb are provided with respective screw holes.
12. 12. A stay according to any one of claims 9 to 11 wherein the L-shaped member is cut-away at the internal junction of the first and second limbs.
13. 13. A stay substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 2 and 3 or to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.