GB2353560A - Wing and frame assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A wing and frame assembly with an outer frame 14 and a wing 12 including an infill 46, the wing being movable relative to the frame between a first position in which the wing closes the opening 19 of the frame, and a second position in which the wing is fully open, there being a pair of hinge means 22 to permit such movement, with one hinge at one side 15 of the frame and the other hinge at an opposite side 17, and wherein a restrictor means 33 is provided to restrict movement of the wing relative to the frame from the first position beyond a restricted position, the restrictor means including a restrictor member 35 provided on at least one of the sides of the frame along which the hinge means are provided, the restrictor member being mounted on one of the frame and the wing and being movable as the wing is moved until further movement of the wing is prevented by the engagement of the restrictor member with a keeper means 36 provided on the wing or frame respectively, the engagement of the restrictor and the keeper being releasable when required to permit the wing to be opened.

Description

2353560

Title: Wing and Frame Assembly Description of Invention

This invention relates to a wing and frame assembly such as for example only, a window frame and vent assembly.

It is desirable in some applications for the extent of window opening to be restricted, e.g. for safety reason such as to minimise the risk of a child say, falling out of a window where in a high position. However it is desirable for the window fully to be openable, for example to facilitate cleaning on both sides, or to permit of escape through the window, and accordingly conventionally hinges have been provided which are capable of permitting the window to be opened to a full extent, and a releasable restrictor means has been provided to restrict window opening until released.

Various proposals have been put forward. Generally these proposals rely on restricting window opening by acting on the hinge to prevent a part of the hinge moving to permit the window fully to be opened.

However such known proposals have particular disadvantages, not in the least the difficulty of releasing the restrictor means when required. Of course it is desirable that such restrictor means cannot be released unintentionally, or, easily.by a child for example, but conventional constructions tend not easily to permit of release of the restrictor means.

It is also known to restrict the amount of window opening using a lockable window stay which is mounted on the vent and may be locked to the frame using for example a key operated locking mechanism. However not only can keys become misplaced, but in modem highly engineered windows and the like constructions it is undesirable to have a window stay, particularly because 2 by being positioned usually on a side next to the hinged side of the frame, where the vent is so called side hung, or at a side opposite to the hinge where the vent is so-called top hung, the stay tends to project inwardly of the room.

According to one aspect of the present invention we provide a wing and frame assembly including an outer frame having four sides which define an opening, and a wing received in the opening of the frame, the wing including an infill, the wing being movable relative to the frame between a first position in which the wing closes the opening of the frame, and a second position in which the wing is fully open, there being a pair of hinge means to permit such movement, with one hinge of the pair at one side of the frame and the other hinge of the pair at an opposite side of the frame, and wherein a restrictor means is provided to restrict movement of the wing relative to the frame from the first position beyond a restricted position, the restrictor means including a restrictor member provided at at least one of the one and opposite sides of the frame along which the hinge means is provided, the restrictor member being mounted on one of the frame and wing and being movable as the wing is moved from the first position until further movement of the wing from the restricted position is prevented by the engagement of the restrictor member with a keeper means Provided on the wing or frame respectively, the engagement of the restrictor member and the keeper means being releasable when required to permit the wing to be moved to the second position.

Thus the disadvantages of known restrictor constructions are overcome. A restrictor device having a considerably simplified construction compared to known restrictor devices which interfere with the operation of the hinge may be made, and because the restrictor means is provided at a side of the assembly where a hinge means is provided, the restrictor means can be concealed to the extent that there is no need for the restrictor member to project into the room.

3 Most conveniently the restrictor member is pivotally mounted on the frame or wing and resilient biasing means are provided to bias the restrictor member to move to an operative condition to restrict wing movement beyond the restricted position when the wing is moved from the first position.

Thus the restrictor means may operate automatically as the wing is opened.

Typically the restrictor member includes a first formation and the keeper includes a second co-operating formation which formations engage as the wing is opened to arrest movement of the wing at the restricted position.

Although many variations in configuration of the co-operating formations are possible, most simply the co-operating formation of the restrictor member may be hook-like.

The construction may enable the restrictor member and the keeper means to be dis-engaged when the wing is moved to a position intermediate the first position and the restricted position to minimise the risk of accidental or unintentional dis-engagement of the restrictor means. Also if the wing has to be positioned in a particular position relative to the frame to allow disengagement of the restrictor member and keeper means, this may require a degree of coordination not readily achievable by a small child say.

Each hinge means may include a base member mounted on a surface of the side of the frame facing inwardly of the opening, and at least two links which, are pivotally connected to the base member and are moveable relative to the base member and relative to the frame, the restrictor member being mounted on the base member in a position so as not to interfere with the normal operation of the hinge means.

The hinge means may further include a wing mounting member mounted on the wing, the links of the hinge means each being pivotally connected to the 4 wing mounting member, and the keeper means may thus be provided on the wing mounting member of the hinge means or otherwise of the wing.

Where the keeper means is mounted on the wing mounting member there is no need to mount the restrictor separately from the hinge means, as these may integrally be provided. Particularly there is no requirement for the position of the restrictor member or keeper means carefully to be selected to achieve proper operation of the hinge means. Simply, the positions of the restrictor member and keeper means will be determined by their positions on the hinge means.

If desired, the restrictor member may be provided with a projection which facilitates moving the restrictor member manually when it is desired to release the restrictor member.

Desirably the frame or wing on which the restrictor member is provided, includes a retaining means to retain the restrictor member in a stowed position when released from engagement with the keeper means, close to the frame or wing.

Desirably there is provided a restrictor member and corresponding keeper means at each of the one and opposite sides of the frame where a hinge means is provided, thus again to demand a degree of co-ordination simultaneously to release the two restrictor means not readily within the capabilities of a small child.

According to a second aspect of the invention we provide a hinge means for a wing and frame assembly according to the first aspect of the invention wherein the hinge means includes a restrictor member and/or a keeper means of the restrictor means.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- FIGURE I is an illustrative perspective view of part of a wing and frame assembly in accordance with the invention shown with the wing thereof in an open position; FIGURE 2a is side illustrative view of the assembly of figure 1 in a fully open position; FIGURE 2b is a view similar to figure 2a but showing the assembly in a restricted position.

Referring to the drawings a wing and frame assembly 10 includes a wing 12 received in a frame 14. The frame 14 has four sides 15, 16, 17, 18 which together define an opening 19 in which the wing 12 is received.

The wing 12 is moveable relative to the frame 14 between a first position in which the wing 12 closes the opening 19, and a fully open second position as seen in figures 1 and 2a, such movement being permitted by virtue of a pair of hinge means 22, one hinge of the pair being provided at one side 15 of the frame 14, and the other hinge of the pair being provided at an opposite side 17 of the frame 14.

Each hinge means 22 includes a base member 24 which is adapted to be secured by fasteners to a surface 25 of the frame side 15/17 which faces inwardly of the opening 19. The base member 24 has pivoted thereon a pair of links 26, 27, and a further link 28 is pivotally connected to a longer 26 of the two other links 26, 27 and is pivotally connected to the base member 24 intermediate the pivotal connections of the other two links 26, 27 to the base member 24.

At their ends remote from the base member 24, the two links 26, 27 are pivotally connected to a wing mounting member 30 which is secured by fasteners to an outwardly facing surface 31 of an adjacent side of the wing 12.

Hinge means with such geometries are well known and further detailed description of the usual operation of the hinge means is not deemed necessary.

6 In accordance with the invention, the assembly 10 includes a restrictor means 33 for restricting the opening of the wing 12 as indicated in figure 2b. The restrictor means 33 includes a restrictor member 35 which in this example is mounted on the frame 14, and a keeper means 36 which in this example is mounted on the wing 12, but alternatively the restrictor member 35 could be mounted on the wing 12 and the keeper means on the frame 14.

The restrictor member 35 is a generally elongate member pivotally mounted at one end 37 thereof on the base member 24 of the hinge means 22 and is thus a part of the hinge means 22 in this example. An opposite free end 38 of the restrictor member 35 has a hook like formation 39, which as seen in figures 2a and 2b in this example, opens generally upwardly. The restrictor member 35 is urged by a spring (which is hidden in the drawings and is built into the base member 24 in this example) outwardly of the frame 14 towards the wing 12.

The keeper means 36 has in this example, a peg 40 which is formed to cooperate with the hook formation 39 of the restrictor member 35. The peg 40 has an enlarged head 41, and is mounted on the outwardly facing surface 31 of the side of the wing 12 on which the wing mounting member 30 is provided, by fasteners which pass through a base plate 42 of the keeper means 36 from which the peg 40 extends.

In this example, the keeper means 36 is mounted on the outwardly facing surface 3 1 of the wing 12 separately from the wing mounting member 3 0 although in another example may be mounted on the wing mounting member 30, particularly in the case where the restrictor member 35 is separate from the base member 24. Thus the position of at least one of the restrictor member 35 and the keeper means 36 may be selected for a particular geometry and to ensure that the hook formation 39 of the restrictor member 35 engages with the peg 40 of the keeper means 36 as the wing 12 is opened.

7 However in an alternative arrangement (not shown) it may be desirable for both the restrictor member 35 to be a part of the base member 24 of the hinge means 22, and for the keeper means 36 to be a part of the wing mounting member 30, so that in fitting the hinge means 22 of the assembly 10, the positions of both the restrictor member 3 5 and keeper means 3 6 are fixed.

If desired a second restrictor means may be provided at an opposite side 17 of the assembly 10 which may be substantially identical to the restrictor means 33 described, with appropriate opposite handing.

Operation of the restrictor means 33 will now be described.

Starting from the closed position, in which the restrictor member 35 will lie between the inwardly facing surface 25 of the frame 14 and the outwardly facing surface 31 of the wing 12, the wing 12 may be retained closed in the opening 19 defined by the frame 14 by an espagnolette, cockspur handle or other such closure means.

When the closure means is released, the wing 12 may opened from the closed position, its movement being guided by the pair of hinge means 22. As the wing 12 is moved from the closed position, the restrictor member 35 will pivot outwardly of the frame opening 19 by virtue of the spring means. The extent of outward pivoting of the restrictor member 35 is controlled by the peg 40 of the keeper means 36, which rides along the restrictor member 35 during wing movement.

The wing 12 may continue to be moved until the hook formation 39 of the restrictor member 35 engages with the peg 40 of the keeper means 36 at which point, further opening movement of the wing 12 will be arrested in a restricted position.

When the wing 12 is subsequently moved from the restricted position back towards the closed position, the peg 40 of the keeper means 36 will again ride along the restrictor member 35 moving the restrictor member 35 against the force of the spring means urging the restrictor member 35 outwardly, to move the restrictor member 35 back to a position alongside and between the inwardly facing surface 25 of the frame 12 and the outwardly facing surface 31 of the wing 12.

If it is desired to open the wing 12 beyond the restricted position, the restrictor means 33 may be released by slightly closing the wing 12 from the restricted position until the hook formation 39 of the restrictor member 35 disengages the peg 40, and then manually moving the restrictor member 35 against the force of the spring means to a position clear of the peg 40, whilst opening the wing 12 again to a position such that when the restrictor member 35 is again released, the spring means moves the restrictor member 35 outwardly but the peg 40 is beyond the hook formation 39.

This requires some manual dexterity, particularly in the case where a restrictor means 33 is provided at each of the two opposite sides 15 and 17 of the frame 14, and so is unlikely to be performed inadvertently, or even deliberately by a small child.

In this example, the wing 12 is a window having a window frame 45 and a glass infill 46, but could be a door having an infill panel or panels including or not including glass.

However, in figure 1, there is shown on the restrictor member 35, a projecting part 35a which extends internally of the member 35, and facilitates a user moving the restrictor member 35 as described.

Also, shown only in figure 1, the frame 14 is provided with a retaining means in the form of a self sprung plate 50 which is secured to inwardly facing surface 25 of the frame 14. When the restrictor member 35 is released, the restrictor member 35 may be moved back against the force of the spring, to a stowed position inwardly of the opening 19 of the frame 14, out of the way, so as not to interfere with the egress of a person through the opening 17 in the 9 event of a fire say. The plate 50 has a nib 51 which is received in a detent on the underside of the restrictor member 35 thus to retain the restrictor member 35 close to the frame 14. The plate 50 has a farther nib 52, which, as the wing 12 is closed, is engaged by the head 41 of the pin 40 to release the nib 51 and detent so that the restrictor member 35 can pivot outwardly as described above, under the influence of the spring, the next time the wing 12 is opened.

As indicated in figure 1, the wing 12 may be hinged so as to open in a generally horizontal direction, or, as suggested in figure 2a and 2b an a generally upright direction.

Various modifications in addition to those already mentioned are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. For example the particular configuration of hinge means 22 described and illustrated is only an example of a suitable hinge means, such that many alternative configurations are possible.

The restrictor means 33 need not include an elongate restrictor member 3 5 as described, or a keeper means 3 6 having a peg 40, but other configurations are possible although the particular configuration shown and described is preferred for its simplicity.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof

Claims (16)

1. A wing and frame assembly including an outer frame having four sides which define an opening, and a wing received in the opening of the frame, the wing including an infill, the wing being movable relative to the frame between a first position in which the wing closes the opening of the frame, and a second position in which the wing is fully open, there being a pair of hinge means to permit such movement, with one hinge of the pair at one side of the frame and the other hinge of the pair at an opposite side of the frame, and wherein a restrictor means is provided to restrict movement of the wing relative to the frame from the first position beyond a restricted position, the restrictor means including a restrictor member provided at at least one of the one and opposite sides of the frame along which the hinge means are provided, the restrictor member being mounted on one of the frame and the wing and being movable as the wing is moved from the first position until further movement of the wing from the restricted position is prevented by the engagement of the restrictor member with a keeper means provided on the wing or the frame respectively, the engagement of the restrictor member and the keeper means being releasable when required to permit the wing to be moved to the second position.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the restrictor member is pivotally mounted on the frame or wing.

3. An assembly according to claim 2 wherein resilient biasing means are provided to bias the restrictor member to move to an operative condition to restrict wing movement beyond the restricted position when the wing is moved from the first position.

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4. An assembly according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the restrictor member includes a first formation and the keeper includes a second cooperating formation which formations engage as the wing is opened to arrest movement of the wing at the restricted position.

5. An assembly according to claim 4 wherein the co-operating formation of the restrictor member is hook-like.

6. An assembly according to anyone of the preceding claims wherein the restrictor member and the keeper means are dis-engageable when the wing is moved to a position intermediate the first position and the restricted position.

7. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each hinge means includes a base member mounted on a surface of the side of the frame facing inwardly of the opening, and at least two links which are pivotally connected to the base member and are movable relative to the frame, the restrictor member being mounted on the base member in a position so as not to interfere with the normal operation of the hinge means.

8. An assembly according to claim 7 wherein the hinge means further includes a wing mounting member mounted on the wing, the links each being pivota,lly connected to the wing mounting member.

9. An assembly according to claim 8 wherein the keeper means is provided on the wing mounting member of the hinge.

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10. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the restrictor member has a projection which facilitates moving the restrictor member manually.

11. An assembly according to anyone of the preceding claims wherein the frame or wing on which the restrictor member is provided, includes a retaining means to retain the restrictor member in a stowed position close to the frame or wing.

12. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein there is provided a restrictor member and corresponding keeper means at each of the one and opposite sides of the frame where a hinge means is provided.

13. An assembly of a wing and frame substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A hinge means for a wing and frame assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the hinge means includes a restrictor member and/or a keeper means of the restrictor means.

15. A hinge means substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

16. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.