GB2383391A

GB2383391A - Cover for fasteners

Info

Publication number: GB2383391A
Application number: GB0229058A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nigel Philip Shenton
Original assignee: Window Fabrication and Fixing Supplies Ltd
Current assignee: Window Fabrication and Fixing Supplies Ltd
Priority date: 2001-12-21
Filing date: 2002-12-13
Publication date: 2003-06-25
Anticipated expiration: 2022-12-13
Also published as: GB0130575D0; GB2383391B; GB0229058D0

Abstract

A metallic handle mount 10 has screw apertures 12,14 covered by a pair of matching covers 20,22. The covers comprise respective rigid metallic cover portions 24,26 and flexible plastics inserts 28,30, which locate in the apertures 12,14 with a push fit. Spigots of square cross-section depend form the underside of the cover portions 24,26, on which the inserts 28,30 are retained. The handle mount 10 is recessed around the apertures at 34,36 to the thickness of the cover portions. Each insert 28,30 is ribbed either longitudinally or circumferentially. The cover portions 24,26 can be coated with plating or paint at the time of manufacture, without the need to allow for differences in the thickness of the coating affecting the fit of the covers.

Description

Title: Cover The present invention relates to a cover, and more particularly to a screw cover.

When manufacturing a metal product, for example a window or door handle, catch, hinge or lock, the product is often plated to enhance its surface finish, or may be coated with paint or other covering film. Holes are often provided in such a product in order to receive screw fixings, which in use, are usually covered in order to improve the aesthetics of the product.

Such a cover is typically provided with a spigot depending from its underside, which engages a hole in the product intended to accommodate the head of a screw fixing. The spigot is ideally a push fit into the hole, with the spigot and coverbeing retained in position by friction. However, when a product is coated, for example by plating or painting, it is often not possible to predetermine the thickness of the coating in a given area of the product, and in particular on the spigot and hole. This leads to difficulty in determining the desired relative dimensions of the hole and spigot prior to coating, and covers are consequently often too loose a fit and fall off in use, or are too tight to attach.

It is an obj ect of the invention to provide a cover for a metallic product, the cover having a spigot depending therefrom, which fits in a hole or aperture of the product with a push fit, in spite of coating of the product and/or cover, and which substantially obviates the aforementioned problems.

According to the present invention there is provided a cover for an aperture in a metallic product comprising a rigid metallic cover portion having the same surface finish as the metallic product and a flexible plastics insert depending from the underside thereof, adapted to be inserted in the aperture to be covered with a push fit.

It is an advantage of the invention that the flexible insert can accommodate variations in the size of the aperture intended to receive the insert, caused by coating such as plating or painting.

Preferably the cover portion fits into a recess in the metallic product and is shaped to match the profile of the metallic product.

It is a further advantage of the invention that the cover blends with the shape and surface finish of the metallic product to which it is intended to be attached, thus hiding from view the aperture with the minimum of aesthetic discontinuity of the contours of the design.

The rigid cover portion may be made from metal or a metal alloy. The flexible insert maybe of plastics, and is preferably nylon.

The insert is preferably cylindrical.

An integral longitudinal rib maybe provided extending radially outwards on the flexible insert.

Preferably a plurality of longitudinal ribs is provided on the flexible insert, the ribs being radially spaced around the insert.

In an alternative arrangement, one or more circumferential ribs may be provided.

An integral spigot is preferablyprovided on the underside of the cover portion. The integral spigot may be circular, but is preferably of square cross-section. The integral spigot may depend perpendicularly from the underside of the cover portion, or substantially at an angle thereto, for example at substantially 20 .

Preferably, a through bore or aperture is provided along the central axis of the insert, which is sized to receive the integral spigot of the cover portion with a push fit. The through bore may be correspondingly circular or square in cross section.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the integral spigot and corresponding bore in the insert are square, in order to prevent rotation of the cover portion relative to the insert.

After the insert has been pushed onto the spigot, the metal or metal alloy of the spigot is preferably splayed at its distal end by the application of a punch, in order to prevent the insert from slipping off the spigot. A counter bore maybe provided in the distal end of the insert to accommodate the splaying of the spigot.

The cover portion may be flat or curved, and may be of any desired shape.

The cover may be used with any metallic product, but is intended to be attached to a window or door fitting, and especially to a handle mount.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Fig 1 shows a plan view of a handle mount with two screw covers; Fig 2 shows a cross section through the handle mount of Fig 1 viewed in the direction of arrows A-A; Fig 3 shows an exploded cross sectional view of the handle mount shown in Figs 1 and 2; Fig 4 shows side views and cross sectional views of the screw covers fitted to the handle mount of Figs 1 to 3; Fig 5 shows a plan view of the screw covers of Fig 4; Fig 6 shows a side view of cover portions of the screw covers shown in Fig 4; Fig 7 shows a plan view from below of the cover portions of Fig 6;

Fig 8 showsaplanviewfrombelowofapairofinsertsfbrattachmenttothecoverportions of Fig 7; and Fig 9 shows a side view of the inserts of Fig 8.

A handle mount, indicated generally at 10 in Figs 1 to 3, is formed as a casting having apertures 12,14 at either end, through which respective screw fixings 16,18 (shown in part) can be passed in order to fasten the handle mount to a window casement (not shown). A pair of screw covers 20,22 comprising respective rigid cover portions 24,26 and flexible inserts 28,30, see Fig 3, locate in, and cover the apertures 12,14. As can be seen from Fig 2, the apertures 12,14 are deep enough to accommodate the heads of the screw fixings 16,18, and the length of the flexible inserts 28,30.

The cover portions 24,26 are shaped to match the profile of the handle mount casting 10, which is recessed at 34, 36 to receive the thickness ofthe cover portions 24,26, best seen in Fig 3. The cover portion 24 is curved and the coverportion 26 is flat. In other arrangements (not shown), cover portions may be flat, curved or of any desired shape. It is desirable to supply the cover portions 24, 26 in the same material as the handle mount, window or door fitting or other product, and coated with the same plate, paint or film. In use, the surface ofthe covers lie flush with the surface of the handle mount.

Referring now to Figs 4 to 7, an integral spigot 38, 40 is formed on the underside of each cover portion 24,26. The spigots 38, 40 are square in section and depend away from the cover portions 24,26 at an angle dependent on the angle ofthe apertures in the handle mounting 10. The spigot 38 for example, is at an angle of approximately 20 to the face of the cover portion 24.

The flexible inserts 28,30, see Figs 8 and 9, each have a square section through bore 42, 44 which is sized to receive a respective spigot 38, 40 of a cover portion 24,26 with a push fit. The spigots 38, 40 and corresponding bores 42, 44 are square in order to prevent rotation of the cover portions 24,26 relative to the inserts 28,30. After each insert 28,30 has been pushed onto its respective

spigot 38, 40, the metal or metal alloy of each spigot is splayed at its distal end by the application of a punch, in order to prevent an insert from slipping offa spigot. A counter bore 46, see Fig 9, is provided in the distal end of each insert 28,30 to accommodate the splaying of the spigots.

The flexible inserts 28,30 are cylindrical, and made from plastics, preferably nylon. Four longitudinal ribs 48, see Fig 8, are provided on periphery of each flexible insert 28,30 the ribs being equally radially spaced around the insert. In an alternative arrangement (not shown), one or more circumferential ribs may be provided.

The covers 20,22 are particularly advantageous because they can be manufactured at the same time as the handle mount 10 or other product to which they are to be fitted, from the same metallic material, without the need for accurate sizing of their spigots 38, 40 prior to manufacture and coating. This yields considerable time and cost savings, and leads to a better fitting cover.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A cover for an aperture in a metallic product comprising a rigid metallic cover portion having the same surface finish as the metallic product and a flexible plastics insert depending from the underside thereof, adapted to be inserted in the aperture to be covered with a push fit.
2. A cover as claimed in claim 1 in which the cover portion fits into a recess in the metallic product.
3. A cover as claimed in claim I or claim 2 in which the cover portion is shaped to match the profile of the metallic product.
4. A cover as claimed in any preceding claim in which the flexible insert is made from plastics.
5. A cover as claimed in any preceding claim in which the flexible insert is made from nylon.
6. A cover as claimed in any preceding claim in which the flexible insert is cylindrical with at least one integral longitudinal rib extending radially outwards.
7. A cover as claimed in any preceding claim in which an integral spigot is provided on the underside of the cover portion.
8. A cover as claimed in claim 7 in which the integral spigot has a square cross-section.
9. A cover as claimed in claim 7 or 8 in which a through aperture is provided along the central axis of the insert, which is sized to receive the integral spigot of the cover portion with a push fit.

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10. A cover as claimed in any preceding claim when attached to a door or window fitting
11. A cover substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figs 1 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.
12. A cover as claimed in any preceding claim when attached to a handle mount substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figs 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A cover as claimed in any preceding claim when attached to a handle mount substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figs 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

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Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows : 1. A cover for an aperture in a coated metallic product comprising a rigid metallic cover portion adapted to be coated with the same surface finish as the metallic product and a flexible plastics insert depending from the underside thereof, adapted to be inserted in the aperture to be covered with a push fit.

2. A cover as claimed in claim 1 in which cover portion is adapted to fit into arecess in the metallic product.

3. A cover as claimed in claim I or claim 2 in which the cover portion is adapted to be shaped to match the profile of the metallic product.

4. A cover as claimed in any preceding claim in which the flexible insert is made from plastics.

5. A cover as claimed in any preceding claim in which the flexible insert is made from nylon.

6. A cover as claimed in any preceding claim in which the flexible insert is cylindrical with at least one integral longitudinal rib extending radially outwards.

7. A cover as claimed in any preceding claim in which an integral spigot is provided on the ZD underside of the cover portion.

8. A cover as claimed in claim 7 in which the integral spigot has a square cross-section.

9. A cover as claimed in claim 7 or 8 in which a through aperture is provided along the central axis of the insert, which is sized to receive the integral spigot ofthe cover portion with a push fit.

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10. A cover as claimed in any preceding claim when attached to a door or window fitting.

I 11. A cover substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figs 1 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.