GB2340176A

GB2340176A - Lockable window stay

Info

Publication number: GB2340176A
Application number: GB9915340A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Adrian Mark Camps
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-08-06
Filing date: 1999-06-30
Publication date: 2000-02-16
Anticipated expiration: 2019-06-30
Also published as: GB9817190D0; GB2340176B; GB9915340D0

Description

2340176 LOCKABLE WINDOW STAY BAR This invention relates to a lockable

window stay bar.

During hot weather, there are many burglaries and attacks on individuals in their own homes where access has been gained through open windows. There are also many cases of toddlers, children and mentally ill people falling out of open -windows. This problem is not firruited to residential properties but can also occur in hospitals, halls of residence, offices etc.

Window security devices currently on the market concentrate on securing the window in its closed position. Many of these devices secure the window casement (the opening section of the window) directly to the frame but there are also a number of products which secure the window stay bar in its fully closed position. It is also known to provide a lockable window stay bar having means specifically designed to lock the stay bar in one of several open positions thus allowing ventilation of the room while still securing the window against intruders and preventing the possibility of children or adults falling out of the window.

A problem with known types of lockable window stay bars is that they cannot be used with both vertically and horizontally hinged casement windows. They are also complicated and time consuming to fit as the location of the stay bar relative to the locking mechanism on the window frame is critical, other-wise it will not work properly.

According to the present invention, there is provided a lockable window stay bar with means at one end for pivotally attaching it to a window hingedly mounted 'in a frame, the other end cooperating with a lock mounted on said frame and operable to lock said stay bar in position relative to the frame wherein the lock is connected to the frame by mounting means which allow the lock to pivot in any plane relative thereto.

The preferred lock is a spring loaded pm' which pops up out of engagement with the hole in the stay bar when the lock is released using a key.

Case: 32232 In one embodiment, the mounting means comprises a base plate attachable to the window frarne, said base plate having a domed section with an aperture therein which receives part ofthelock- Preferably, the base plate has a circular aperture in the top of the domed section and a cup-shaped washer is located within said domed section, said washer having an aperture therein which receives said part of the lock and means attaching said part to the cup-shaped washer, the arrangement being such that the cup-shaped washer with the lock part attached thereto can pivot in any plane relative to the base plate.

Preferably, the cup-shaped washer is biased 'into contact with the domed section of the base plate by means of a spring.

T'he spring is conveniently retained in position by a washer attached to the part of the lock protruding through the aperture in the cup-shaped washer.

Preferably, the cup-shaped washer and the domed section of the base plate are part spherical.

2 01 Preferably, the lock has an aperture therein through which the stay bar extends and in which the stay bar is shdable. Advantageously, the lock has a spring loaded barrel with a plunger which locates in a hole in the stay bar to lock the stay bar 'in position when the barrel lock is depressed. In a preferred embodiment, the barrel lock is operated by a key to release the plunger from engagement with said hole in the stay bar to release the lock. The stay bar is preferably attachable to the window by means of a mounting bracket.3o secured thereto which allows the stay bar to pivot relative to the window about a horizontal and vertical axis. Preferablv, the stay bar is provided with holes at regular spaced intervals along its length.

In one embodiment, the mounting means comprises a half-balljoMit.

The lockable window stay bar is preferably also fitted with an optional "fail safe" mechanism 'in the form of an end stop at the end of the stay bar to prevent the window casement being opened fully, when the lock is not locked.

The lockable window stay bar can also be provided with a number of other features such as fixing brackets and fixings to make it suitable for use on most types of window frames, including wood, galvariiised steel and aluminium. It is also suitable for fixing to most types of top hung, side hung and pivoting windows.

Embodiments of the 'invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanyin drawings in which: 1 9 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stay bar and locking mechanism of the invention, Figure 2 Is a section through the window casement mounting bracket shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a section through the stay bar of Figures 1 and 2 fixed in a typical application; Figure 4 is an end cross section through the locking mecharuism shown 'in Figures 1-3 Figure 4A is a side section through the locking mechanism shown in Figures 1-3; Figure 5 shows the location of the catch in relation to a window frame and casement with the window closed; Figure 6 shows a snap head fixing bolt suitable for use in attaching the stay bar shown in Figure 1 to a window casement; Figure 7 shows the stop end bolt at the end of the stay bar in Figure 1; Figure 8 shows a mounting bracket for use with metal window frames; and Figure 9 shows the location of the window catch in relation to the frame and casement with the Window open. Figure 10 shows a side section through a second embodiment of a stay bar and locking mechanism of the invention.

Figure I I shows a partial side section through the locking mecharuism shown in Figure 10, in a second orientation.

Refern g first to Figure 3, there is shown a stay bar 2 and locking mechanism 3 of a first embodiment of the present 'invention which is similar to a normal stay bar, in that it has a mounting bracket I attached to the edge of operuing window casement 1C having glass 11 therein. The bracket 1 is formed as a casting and includes a double movement Joint at one end to allow, the stay bar 2 attached thereto to move in two planes.

The mounting 1 is attached to the casement 10 by means of self tapping screws 12 in the case of aluminium. or steel frame windows. These are known security screws which can only be screwed in but not removed thereafter. In the case of tu'nber windows, the io mounting I can be attached either by security screws or by double ended barrel snap head bolts 12 as shown in Figure 6. Each bolt is cut to length using a hack saw and then hexagonal head 14 is tightened using a spanner. When a sufficient torque is reached, the hexagonal head will snap off at 15 leaving dome heads 16a and 16b at both ends which cannot be undone.

The stay bar 2 is preferably made of high strength aluminium alloy or steel and is drilled at intervals to provide holes 17 along its length.

Refeming now to Figures 1 and 2, the stay bar 2 is attached to the bracket 1 by a metal bracket 18 which is attached to the stay bar 2 by rivet 19. The end of the bracket 18 is pivotally mounted between legs la and lb extending from the mounting bracket 1. This arrangement allows the stay bar -1 to move in two planes in known manner.

Figures 4 and 4A show the stay bar 2 secured to window frame 10a by the locking mechani'sm 3 which comprises a casting 3 with a half ball Joint 4 attached thereto which allows partial movement in two planes. The top of the ball joint is threaded at 28 and screws into the base of the locking mechanism 3. Stay bar.2 is inserted during manufacture through slot 41 'in the locking mechaniism 3 and cannot be removed thereafter.

The half ball Jomt 4 is retained on the window frame 1C by a shaped steel plate or casting _5 using security screws 2 1. For some types of aluminium and steel framed windows it may be necessary to provide an angle fixing bracket 22 as shown in Figure 8 which is fixed to the frame bv secun'tv screws 23 and to the steel plate 5 by securmig self tapping screws 2 1.

The locking mechanism 3 comprises an aluminiurn alloy body in which is mounted a lock barrel 25 held in place by a retainirig spring or cap 42 and operated by key 26 to move steel spring loaded plunger 7 into and out of engagement with a hole 17 in the stay bar 2 to lock the stay bar 'in position.

Spring loaded locking puils 37 are mounted in bores 38 in the body closed off by plugs 39. These pM's 37 are received 'in bores 40 in the lock barrel 25 and are released therefrom by the key 26 'in known manner.

As can be seen from Figure 7, end hole 17 in the stay bar 2 has an optional double headed boh 3 0 iserted 'in it to act as a stop and prevent the stay bar 2 from be Mig withdrawn through the slot 41 Mi the locking mechanism 3. Bolt 30 had a dome head 31 removable only by the use of a special key (not shown) which has a hollow centre 'in it which engages with pin 3 2 on the boh head 3 1.

A pair of locking stay bars 2 can be used at the top and bottom of a window, or at either side thereof.

When the lockable window stay bar of the invention is fixed in place, it is operated by opening the window by the desired amount and pressing down on the spring loaded lock barrel 25 so that the locking 1 7 engages in the appropriate hole 17 in the stay bar 2.

pin To unlock the unit, the key 26 is inserted in the lock and turned to release the locking pin 7 and pernuits the barrel 25 to turn. The locking pin 7 is released by turning the barrel 25 with the key 26 and the barrel pops up under the action of spring 36.

A second embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to Figures 10 and 11. The second embodiment is similar to that of the first in that the lockable window stay includes a stay bar 2, a locking mechanism 3 and a mounting bracket 1 for attachment to the edge of an opening window casement (not shown).

However, the construction of the mounting bracket 1, the stay bar 2 and the locking mechanism 3 is different to the first embodiment.

The modified mounting bracket I and window stay 2 will first be described. The mounting bracket is in the form of an "L" shape, which is fixed to the edge of the window by means of screws (not shown) so that a mounting plate 45 extends at right angles from the window edge. The plate 45 has an aperture 46 therethrough to receive a tubular fixing post 47, the lower end 48 of which is swaged over once inserted into the aperture 46 to prevent it from becoming detached from the plate 45 but still allovtr'mg the post 47 to freely rotate in the aperture 46.

1 A mounting boss 49 is formed on the upper end of the post 47 and is received in a lug between two legs 50 formed on the end of the stay bar 2. A pin 51 extends through a hole in the boss 49 and both legs 50 to mount the stay bar 2 to the boss 49 such that the stay is able to freely pivot about the pin 51 'in the direction indicated by arrow XM' Figure 1C. This arrangement, together with the rotatable fixing post 47, allows the stay bar 2 to move in two planes.

The locking mechani'sm 3 of the second embodiment comprises a base plate 52 for attachment to the window frame by means of screws (not shown) 'inserted through holes 54 in the base plate 52. The base plate 52 has a part spherical domed section 53 with an 2,11 aperture 55 'in the top thereof. As with the first embodiment, the body 56 of the locking mechanism 3 houses a lock barrel 25 operable by means of a key 26. The lock 25 is operable to move a steel spring loaded plunger 7 into and out of engagement with the hole 17 in the stay bar 2 which extends through an aperture 'in the body 56, to lock the stay bar 2 'in a fixed position. 25 The means by which the body 56 is fixed to the base plate 52 will now be described. The underside of the body 56 has a central tubular post 57, into which the plunger 7 protrudes when the stay 2 is locked, surrounded by the outer wall 58 of the body 56. A part spherical cup-shaped washer 59 is disposed in the annular recess 60 defined by the 3 C central post 57 and the outer wall 58 of the body 56 and is slidably received on the post 57. The cup shaped washer 59 is biased into contact with the 'inside of the domed section 53 of the base plate 52 which is urged 'into contact with the lower edge of the wall 58 by a conical corucal spring 61 are retained on the post 57 by a retaining washer 62. The retaining washer 62 is mounted on the post 57 by spreading or swaging the end of the post 57 to prevent its removal.

When the lock is assembled, the body 56 is positioned with the post 57 protruding through the aperture 55 in the dome section 53 of the base plate 52. The cup shaped washer 59 is then placed over the post 57 followed by the conical spring 61 and retaining washer 62 which compresses the spring 61 and urges the cup shaped washer 59 into engagement with the concave face of the dome section 53 of the base plate 52, and the outer convex face of io the domed section 53 against the outer wall 58 of the body 56. The lowermost edge 63 of the outer wall 58 is arcuate 'in shape to correspond to the dome shaped section 53 of the baseplate 52 against which it is biased into contact. The base plate 52 can then be mounted to the window frame.

It will be appreciated that the locking mechanism 3 can pivot in any plane as the arrangement allows the cup shaped washer 59 and the wall 58 of the body 56 to both slide over the fixed dome section 53 of the base plate 52, as shown in Figure 11.

Claims

Claims 1. A lockable window stay bar with means at one end for pivotally

attaching it to a window hingedly mounted in a frame, the other end cooperating with a lock mounted on 5 said frame and operable to lock said stay bar 'in position relative to the frame wherein the lock is connected to the frame by mounting means which allow the lock to pivot 'in any plane relative thereto. A lockable window stav bar as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mounting means io comprises a base plate attachable to the window frame, said base plate having a domed section with an aperture therei which receives part of the lock. 3. A lockable window stay bar as claimed 'in claim 2 wherein the base plate has a circular aperture 'in the top of the domed section and a cup-shaped washer is located within 15 said domed section, said washer having an aperture theremi which receives said part of the lock and means attaching said part to the cup-shaped washer, the arrangement being such that the cup-shaped washer with the lock pan attached thereto can pivot 'in any plane relative to the base plate. 2o 4. A lockable window stay bar as claimed in claim 3 wherein the cup-shaped washer is biased 'into contact with the domed section of the base plate by means of a spni ng. 5. A lockable window stay bar as clau'nedmi claim 4 wherein the spring is retained position by, a washer attached to the part of the lock protruding through the aperture in the 25 cup-shaped washer.

6. A stay bar as claimed 'in any preceding claim wheremi the cup-shaped washer and the domed section of the base plate are part spherical.

7. A lockable window stay bar as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the lock has an aperture theremi through which the stay bar extends and 'in which the stay bar is slidable.

Case: 32232 8. A lockable window stay bar as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the lock has a spring loaded barrel with a plunger which locates in a hole in the stay bar to lock the stay bar in position when the barrel lock is depressed.

9. A lockable window stay bar as claimed in clain 8 wherein the barrel lock is operated by a key to release the plunger from engagement with said hole in the stay bar to release the lock.

10. A lockable window stay bar as claimed in any preceding clain wherein the stay bar io is attachable to the Window by means of a mounting bracket secured theretoy,hich allows the stay bar to pivot relative to the window about a horizontal and vertical axis.

11. A lockable window stay bar as claimed in any preceding claimwherei the stay bar is provided with holes at regular spaced intervals along its length.

12. A lockable window stay bar as claimed in claim 1 wherem the mounting means comprises a half-ball joMit.

13. A lockable Window stay bar as claimed in any preceding claim having mounting brackets thereon to adapt it for use with different Wes of window frames.

14. A lockable window stay bar substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.