GB2337785A

GB2337785A - A wing and frame with a visual alignment means

Info

Publication number: GB2337785A
Application number: GB9811205A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Terence Parker
Original assignee: Mila Hardware Ltd
Current assignee: Mila Hardware Ltd
Priority date: 1998-05-27
Filing date: 1998-05-27
Publication date: 1999-12-01
Also published as: GB9811205D0

Abstract

This invention is intended to simplify and speed up the accurate connection of a wing such as a door or window to a frame. With an aim of achieving this, a wing (11) and frame (10) for connection together are provided with a visual marking (13) so as to aid the person connecting the two parts together. One particular embodiment is a coloured strip (13) which can be positioned on either the frame or wing. The coloured strip has an inner coloured line (15), which the edge of the corresponding part should be aligned with, and outer coloured lines (16,17) indicating when the wing and frame are out of alignment. Other visual markings are possible, with areas of differing surface texture being a further mentioned embodiment.

Description

2337785 - 1 1- FRAMES The invention relates to frames and particularly,

though not exclusively, to door and window frames.

Doors and windows conventionally comprise a panel mounted in a fixed surrounding frame. In a typical arrangement the panel will be connected to the frame by one or more hinges and can be located in the closed position by one or more fastening devices including, for example, at least one catch and/or lock.

Usually the fastening devices have a part located on the panel which has to locate in a socket or other part on is the fixed frame.

when a panel is being connected to a surrounding frame, either during manufacture or on site, the position of the panel has to be accurately set up with respect to the surrounding frame to make sure that the two parts of the fastening device engage properly.

The operation is further complicated by the fact that a certain amount of tolerance must be provided for in the relative positioning of the parts of the fastening device because this relative position may change within certain limits during use, for example because of expansion and contraction of the material from which the panel and/or frame is manufactured.

The invention simplifies and speeds up the accurate connection of a panel to a frame.

The invention provides a panel and a frame for connection together with a predetermined relative - 2 11 is positional relationship, the panel and/or frame having a visual marking thereon to guide the person connecting the panel to the frame.

Preferably the marking is provided on the frame.

Preferably the marking indicates the limits of the tolerances within which the panel can be positioned with respect to the frame.

The marking may for example comprise a coloured line, the thickness of the line determining the limits of the tolerances.

The line may for example be from 1 to 3mm wide.

A preferred width is 2mm.

The line may for example be green.

A visual warning may also be provided to indicate to an operator when the acceptable tolerances have been exceeded.

For example, a red line may be provided on either side of the green line.

By way of example, a specific embodiment of the invention will now be described, with reference to the 30 accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view in plan, taken through upright components of a frame and a panel connected thereto; and - 3 Figure 2 is a view of part of the frame member of Figure 1, looking in the direction of arrow A of Figure 1.

This embodiment of the invention is concerned with the mounting of a window in a surrounding window frame. In Figure 1 reference numeral 10 indicates one of the uprights of the frame, which will be fixed in a building structure.

The window comprises a glazing unit surrounded by frame members, one of the uprights being indicated by the reference numeral 11.

The window is to be connected to the frame by means is of conventional hinges (not shown) so that the window can swing from the closed position shown in Figure 1 to an open position. To ensure efficient operation of the architectural hardware connecting the window to the frame, including for example hinges, catches, locks and so on, the panel 11 must be mounted in a position relative to the frame which is accurate within strict tolerance limits. If these limits are exceeded, a situation could arise in which contraction of the material from which the window and frame are made means that a lock component moves out of engagement with a co-operating socket, thus enabling unauthorised opening of the window.

with prior art arrangements, this setting up procedure is difficult and time consuming, involving the use of jigs and measuring devices.

According to this embodiment of the invention however, a coloured strip 13 is positioned on the face 14 of the frame member 10 during manufacture.

i - 4 1 As can be seen from Figure 2, the strip has a central green line 15 2mm wide, with a 2mm wide red line 16, 17 on each side of the green line.

Theoperative mounting the panel merely has to ensure that the perimeter 18 of the frame member 11 is aligned opposite the green line 15. In this position the operative knows that the window is mounted within the acceptable tolerance limits.

If on the other hand the perimeter 18 is aligned opposite the red line 16, then the operative knows that the edge of the window is too far away from the frame member 10 and the necessary adjustment should be made.

is If the perimeter 18 is aligned opposite to the red line 17 then the panel is too close to the frame member 10 and again an appropriate adjustment needs to be made to bring the perimeter 18 into a position in which it lies adjacent the green line 15.

In this embodiment the lines 15, 16 and 17 are provided by fixing a tape to the face 14. However the lines could be provided in other ways, including forming them integrally with the face 14 during a moulding or extrusion process.

The invention is primarily concerned with panel and frame members of plastics material but the invention could 30 also be used with other materials.

Although in this embodiment the visual indicators are provided by means of coloured lines, other types of visual indicator could be used, for example by providing areas of a different texture.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

is Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment (s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

C-L-AIMS 1. A panel and a fi-ame for connection together with a predetermined relative positional relationship, the panel andlor fi-ame having a visual marking thereon to guide the person connecting the panel to the fi-ame.

2. A panel and frame for connection together with a predetermined relative positional relationship according to claim 1, wherein the marking is provided on the frame.

3. A panel and fi-ame for connection together with a predetermined relative positional relationship according to claim 1, wherein the marking indicates the limits of the tolerances within which the panel can be positioned with respect to the frame.

4. A panel and frame for connection together with a predetermined relative positional relationship according to claim 1, wherein the marking comprises a coloured line, the thickness of the line determining the limits of the tolerances.

5. A panel and fi-ame for connection together with a predetermined relative positional relationship according to claim 4, wherein the line is ftom 1 to 3mm wide.

6. A_ e for connection together with a predetermined relative pan 1 positional reladonsht''raccording to claim 5, wherein the line is 2mm wide.

7. A panel and Hme for connection together with a predetermined relative positional relationms according to claim 1, wherein a visual warning is provided to indicate to an operator when the acceptable tolerances have been exceeded.

8. A panel and fi-ame for connection together with a predetermined relative positional relationship according to claim 1, wherein the visual maldng comprise areas of a different texture.