GB2335229A

GB2335229A - Shoot bolt mechanism adjustable in length housed within C-shaped channel with corner guides

Info

Publication number: GB2335229A
Application number: GB9825894A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Terence James Dolman
Original assignee: Trojan Hardware and Design Ltd
Current assignee: Trojan Hardware and Design Ltd
Priority date: 1997-11-27
Filing date: 1998-11-27
Publication date: 1999-09-15
Anticipated expiration: 2018-11-27
Also published as: GB2335229B; GB9825894D0; GB9724965D0

Abstract

The shoot bolt mechanism includes two bolt arms each comprising a transmission bar 14 linked at one end to the driving mechanism and at the the other end to the bolt forming member 16, via an adjustable link. The mechanism slidably engages within guiding means, in the form of a C-shaped channel 34 and corner end pieces 28, which include a slot 26 through which the bolt emerges when locked. Bolt retaining nibs 42 on the channel 34 allow the bolt to be positioned accurately during installation of the mechanism in the window frame.

Description

2335229 1 SHOOT BOLT MECHANISM This invention is concerned with

improvements in or relating to bi- directional shoot bolt mechanisms such as are used for securing 5 opening windows and doors in closed positions.

Such mechanisms comprise a bolt-driving mechanism within a housing which is adapted to be accommodated in a recess in an outer face of an edge member of a window or door. Two bolt arms extend in opposite directions from a front face of the drive mechanism, to be moved longitudinally by the mechanism. The bolt arms are ordinarily adapted to be accommodated within a shallow channel which extends longitudinally along the outer face of the edge member, outer end portions of the arms being projectable through guides, secured to corners of the window or door, for engagement with keeps on an adjacent window or door frame in what is herein referred to as a closed condition of the mechanism. In an open condition of the mechanism the bolt ends are drawn back from the keeps, through the corner guides, to permit the window or door to be opened.

It is an object of the present invention to provide improvements relating to the design of shoot bolt mechanisms which enable more convenient installation.

In one known construction of such a mechanism, an inner end portion of each bolt arm comprises a transmission bar which is secured at an inner end to the driving mechanism, and an outer end portion of the bolt arm comprises a member forming a bolt, the bolt being secured to the outer end of the transmission bar to project through the associated corner guide. The bolt arm (comprising the transmission arm and the bolt) is restrained 2 to slide within the aforementioned channel in the face of the window (or door) edge member.

The invention provides, in one of its aspects, a shoot bolt mechanism comprising bolt-driving means and two bolt arms which extend in opposite directions from the driving means and are arranged to be driven thereby in opposite directions along their lengths, each bolt arm comprising an inner portion comprising a transmission bar which at an inner end is operatively coupled to the driving means, an outer portion comprising a bolt-forming member, and bolt securing means whereby the bolt-forming member can be secured to the transmission bar in longitudinally adjusted position to form a bolt arm of required length, the mechanism comprising also bolt arm guiding means which is slidably interconnected with the transmission bars and comprises corner guides through which the bolt- forming members become projected in use of the mechanism.

Such a construction can greatly shorten fitting time. The fitter can be provided with a largely pre-assembled shoot bolt mechanism comprising at least the driving means, the transmission bars and the guides. With the bolts not yet secured to the transmission bars the assembly is extensible, permitting the fitter to offer the assembly up to the frame of a window or door in an extended condition and then to contract the assembly to fit the frame. After securement of the assembly to the frame, and securement of the bolts to the transmission bars by means of the securing means, the mechanism is at least more or less ready for use.

In a preferred construction, the guide and an outer end portion of the transmission bar are arranged telescopically. The guide may in one convenient arrangement form a channel for retention of the relatively slidable transmission bar.

1 1 3 The guide means may include a frangible nib adapted to lock the guide means relative to the shoot bolt during installation of the shoot bolt assembly.

The bolt securing means may comprise a bolt or the like which extends through an opening in the outer end portion of the transmission bar to engage a threaded opening in the bolt-forming member whereby the two parts are prevented from relative movement.

Preferably, the opening in the transmission bar comprises an elongate slot and defines a plurality of teeth along each side of the slat which engage with corresponding teeth on a washer which has an opening through which the bolt passes, whereby location of the washer relative to the opening defines the overall length of the bolt arm.

In a most preferred arrangement a number of threaded holes are defined in the bolt-forming member whereby the length of the bolt arm is dependent upon the choice of hole into which the bolt is engaged. The spacing between the threaded holes may be selected to be less than or equal to the spacing between the extreme permissible locations of the nut or bolt within the opening in the transmission member.

The guiding means may comprise an elongate channel having upper flanges which prevent the bolt arm from being lifted out of the channel.

In a preferred arrangement the frangible nib is received within one of the openings in the bolt-forming member whereby an outer end of the boltforming member is pre-aligned with the corner guide prior to installation 4 and the bolt securing means is arranged to provide relative movement between the bolt-forming member and the transmission member.

There now follows a description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of a shoot bolt mechanism which illustrates the invention by way of example.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a part-sectioned view in elevation of one bolt arm and guide assembly; Figure 2 is a top plan view of the assembly of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a view in transverse section on line III - III of Figure 1.

A shoot bolt mechanism for fitment to a window comprises a handleoperated bolt driving mechanism contained within a housing 10. Two bolt arms 12 (only one shown) extend in opposite directions from the housing, being arranged to be driven in opposite directions along their lengths by operation of the driving mechanism. In use, the driving mechanism (in its housing 10) is accommodated within a recess in an outer face of an edge member of a window sash, the transmission bars lying within channels which extend along the outer face in opposite directions from the recess. The two bolt arms are identical and only one of them will be described in detail.

The bolt arm comprises an inner end portion comprising a transmission 30 bar 14 of flat form. An inner end of the transmission bar is coupled to j the driving mechanism within the housing 10. The bolt arm comprises also an outer end portion comprising a bolt-forming member 16, also in the form of flat bar but being of narrower and deeper section than the transmission bar. An outer end portion of the transmission bar 14 is formed with an elongate slot 18 which presents longitudinally -extending serrated side edges for engagement, in selected positions, by a serrated bolt clamp 20. A bolt of the bolt clamp can be inserted into any one of three longitudinally - spaced tapped apertures 22 in the bolt 16. The bolt can, therefore, be secured to the transmission bar with varying degrees of overlap, enabling a bolt arm of suitable length for a particular window size to be formed.

An outer end portion 24 of the bolt 16 is arranged to slide through a slot 26 in a member 28 forming a corner guide. The corner guide is shaped to embrace a corner of the window sash, the guide comprising a portion 30 forming a mounting bar which is arranged to be secured to the sash. The corner guide also comprises a head-forming portion 32 which extends at right angles to the mounting bar 30, the slot 26 being formed at the junction between the mounting bar and the head.

The mechanism comprises also an elongate channel-form member 34 (see also Figure 3) forming a face guide- which in use lies within the aforementioned channel in the outer face of the sash edge member. The face guide accommodates the bolt 16 and the transmission bar 14 within correspondingly -dimensioned portions of its channel (the transmission bar overlying the bolt) and comprises in-turned edge portions which form retaining flanges 36 preventing lifting of the transmission bar from the channel. The bolt 16 is of less width than the spacing between the flanges.

6 The member 34 forming the face guide is moulded of a plastics material. The head 32 of the corner guide comprises a tongue 38 (Figure 2) of similar width to the transmission bar 14, there being recesses along margins of a top surface of the tongue to accommodate the retaining flanges 36 of the face guide. Laterally -projecting lugs 40 of the tongue engage in slots which have been cut into the flanges, so locking the tongue in the face guide after insertion of the tongue into the guide through an open end of the guide. In this manner the two components forming the corner and face guides, respectively, are secured together to form a combined guide member.

Prior to use of the shoot bolt mechanism, and prior to application of the bolt clamp 20, a nib 42 raised from a bottom wall 44 of the face guide is engaged in one of the tapped apertures 22 in the bolt. The bolt is so located in the combined guide in the position required of it when the mechanism is in an open condition (bolts withdrawn); this is as shown in Figures 1 and 2. In this condition of the mechanism, the transmission bar 14 on the one hand and the assembly of the combined guide 28, 34 and the bolt 16 on the other are arranged telescopically. In fitting the mechanism to a window, the fitter offers the mechanism up to a prepared window sash with the transmission bars 14 withdrawn but the mechanism otherwise in an extended condition (i.e. the distance between the two mounting bars 30 being greater than the length of the edge member to which the mechanism is to be fitted). When the driving mechanism housing 10 has been inserted into the receiving recess, the mechanism is contracted by telescoping together the transmission bars and the bolt and guide assemblies until the mounting bars 30 can each be secured to the sash. The bolt clamps 20 are then applied to secure the bolts 16 to the transmission bars 14. The mechanism is then ready for use, the bolt- 1 7 retaining nibs 42 (which have now served their purpose) being sheared off when the driving mechanism is first operated to advance the bolts 16.

8

Claims

1. A shoot bolt mechanism comprising bolt-driving means and two bolt arms which extend in opposite directions from the driving means and are arranged to be driven thereby in opposite directions along their lengths, each bolt arm comprising an inner portion comprising a transmission bar which at an inner end is operatively coupled to the driving means, an outer portion comprising a bolt-forming member, and bolt securing means whereby the bolt-forming member can be secured to the transmission bar in longitudinally adjusted position to form a bolt arm of required length, the mechanism comprising also bolt arm guiding means which is slidably interconnected with the transmission bars and comprises corner guides through which the bolt-forming members become projected in use of the mechanism.

2. A shoot bolt assembly according to claim 1, in which the guide and an outer end portion of the transmission bar are arranged telescopically.

3. A shoot bolt assembly according to claim 1 or 2, in which.the bolt securing means comprises a bolt or the like which extends through an opening in the outer end portion of the transmission bar to engage a threaded opening in the bolt-forming member whereby the two parts are prevented from relative movement.

4. A shoot bolt assembly according to claim 3, in which the opening in the transmission bar comprises an elongate slot and defines a plurality of teeth along each side of the slot which engage with corresponding teeth on a washer which has an opening through which the bolt passes, whereby location of the washer relative to the opening defines the overall length of the bolt arm.

1 9

5. A shoot bolt assembly according to claim 3 or claim 4, in which a number of threaded holes are defined in the bolt-forming member whereby the length of the bolt arm is dependent upon the choice of hole into which 5 the bolt is engaged.

6. A shoot bolt assembly according to claim 5, in which the spacing between the threaded holes is less than or equal to the spacing between the permissible locations of the nut within the opening in the transmission 10 member.

7. A shoot bolt assembly according to any preceding claim, in which the guiding means comprises an elongate channel having upper flanges which prevent the bolt arm from being lifted out of the channel.

is

8. Shoot bolt assembly according to any preceding claim, in which the guide means includes a frangible nib adapted to lock the guide means relative to the shoot bolt during installation of the shoot bolt assembly.

9. A shoot bolt assembly according to claim 8 in which the frangible nib is received within an opening in the bolt-forming member whereby an outer end of the bolt-forming member is pre-aligned with the corner guide prior to installation and the bolt securing means is arranged to provide relative movement between the bolt-forming member and the transmission 25 member.

10. A shoot bolt assembly substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 or 3.