GB2402167A

GB2402167A - Shoot bolt

Info

Publication number: GB2402167A
Application number: GB0411521A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gordon Leonard Brown; Craig John Barnett
Original assignee: Spire Group Ltd
Current assignee: Spire Group Ltd
Priority date: 2003-05-24
Filing date: 2004-05-24
Publication date: 2004-12-01
Anticipated expiration: 2024-05-24
Also published as: GB2402167B; GB0411521D0

Abstract

A shoot bolt 32 for use with an espagnolette or cremone gearbox in an opening window or door comprises a locking bar 34, a face plate 36 and corner pieces 38,40 the corner pieces being extensions of the face plate 36 and having an opening for the locking bar, part of the locking bar being adapted for connection to a gearbox. The first and second corner pieces 38,40 are at opposed ends of the face plate 36 so that the shoot bolt is "double-ended". Such a shoot bolt can be cut to length to fit the chosen window, and the removed length retained for future use on another window.

Description

2402 1 67 - 1

SHOOT BOLT AND METHOD OF USE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a shoot bolt and method of use, and in particular to a shoot bolt for use with an espagnolette or cremone gearbox in an opening window or door.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

The following description and disclosure is for convenience.. . directed to a window, and in particularly to a hinged À.

window. It will, however, be understood that the invention À ..: is equally applicable to other hinged panels such as doors, and to sliding panels such as patio windows or doors. À.e À À

Also, in the following description the window is defined as....

being rectangular and having a hinged edge, a locking edge À. À.

opposed to the hinged edge, and two connecting edges joining the hinged edge and the locking edge. (It is recognized that in some windows the hinges are in the form of friction stays which are mounted upon the connecting edges, but the above terminology will still be used for clarity.) A hinged window can be locked or otherwise secured to the surrounding frame by a multi-point locking arrangement, in which case a lock or other securing means is typically located on the locking edge and can drive more than one locking or securing member into engagement with respective keepers located around the window frame.

If the window is made of aluminium or plastics it will typically incorporate extruded lengths of largely-hollow profile, and some or all of the lock componentry can be located within the profile and so largely hidden from view.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Many known multi-point locking arrangements employ a "cremone" gearbox located in the window locking edge. The gearbox is connected to two shoot bolts which lie along the locking edge, the shoot bolts each having a locking bar.

The gearbox is effective for moving the locking bars (simultaneously and oppositely) between a locking position in which the tips of the locking bars project through the respective connecting edges of the window and can engage with keepers mounted upon the corresponding parts of the frame, and a non-locking position in which the tips of the locking bars do not project through the connecting edges (or at least project therethrough by a significantly smaller distance) so that they cannot engage the keepers and the window can be opened and closed freely. I.

The shoot bolts each also incorporate a face plate (sometimes called a "guide bar"), and when mounted to the À surface of the locking edge of the window the face plate:'.. Àe

serves to cover the locking bar and secure the locking bar to the window. The face plate has apertures therein, through which can be passed screws or other fixings to secure the face plate to the window. The locking bar (which lies underneath the face plate) has elongated slots adjacent the apertures, the slots accommodating part of the fixing and allowing sliding movement of the locking bar relative to the face plate and to the window.

The shoot bolt will also typically include a corner piece, i.e. a component adapted to lie at the corner of the window at the junction between the locking edge and a connecting edge. The corner piece serves to locate the locking bar at the corner of the window, and includes an aperture through which the tip of the locking bar can project into engagement with the keeper. In some designs the corner piece is an extension of the face plate. - 3 -

The shoot bolt (and its associated face plate) is typically manufactured and sold separately from the gearbox, and is designed to be fitted to the gearbox by the window manufacturer. In a typical method of constructing a window the hinged, locking and connecting edges are assembled together, then the gearbox is fitted into the locking edge, and then the shoot bolts are engaged with the gearbox and secured to the locking edge.

The vast majority of windows have a locking edge between 250 mm and 1470 mm long. Windows are made to virtually all lengths within this range and it is not practical for the shoot bolt manufacturer to make a shoot bolt to fit every window size. Instead, the gearbox and shoot bolt are made with cooperating toothed parts so that they can be fitted together in a number of different relative positions. These cooperating toothed parts allow some flexibility in sizing of the shoot bolts, but the flexibility is limited and typically allows the shoot bolt to be fitted to the gearbox in relative positions differing at most by only a few millimetres. Accordingly, in the event that a suitable- length shoot bolt is not available for a particular window, the window manufacturer will choose a shoot bolt longer than required and cut it to length.

Because of the considerable range of sizes of windows, it is not practical for the shoot bolt manufacturer to make only one size of shoot bolt (e.g. one suited to windows of 1470 mm) and for the window manufacturer to cut this to length for all windows; a shoot bolt long enough for a 1470 mm window would require a considerable length to be cut therefrom in order to fit a 250 mm window, and the removed length could not be re-used. Accordingly, to reduce the wastage of material, shoot bolt manufacturers typically manufacture shoot bolts in a number of predetermined lengths, so that the length needing to be cut from a chosen shoot bolt to fit a particular window can be reduced 4 - The method of reducing wastage by making a number of different-length shoot bolts does, however, result in greater manufacturing complexity for the shoot bolt manufacturer, and also a greater inventory at the window manufacturer. Thus, the shoot bolt manufacturer has to make a range of shoot bolts, and has to cater for the relative rates of utilisation of the various lengths. The window manufacturer has to maintain a stock of many or all of the predetermined lengths of shoot bolt ready for the windows it expects to have to make.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION, '.

The present invention seeks to reduce the manufacturing complexity by allowing the shoot bolt manufacturer to make a À'.

smaller range of shoot bolts, and also to avoid the, ..., consequent wastage problem faced by the window manufacturer without significant detriment upon inventory. .,,. *

According to the invention therefore, there is provided a shoot bolt for a multi-point locking arrangement, the shoot bolt comprising a locking bar, a face plate and a corner piece, the corner piece being an extension of the face plate and having an opening for the locking bar, part of the locking bar being adapted for connection to a gearbox of the locking arrangement, characterized in that said corner piece is a first corner piece and the shoot bolt has a second corner piece which is also an extension of the face plate, said first corner piece and said second corner piece being at opposed ends of the face plate, said second corner piece also having an opening for the locking bar.

The shoot bolt according to the invention can therefore be cut into two, and both of the ends (one with the first corner piece and the other with the second corner piece), can thereafter be used as a conventional shoot bolt for a window of suitable size. Accordingly, when a window - 5 manufacturer needs a shoot bolt of a certain length a shoot bolt according to the invention can be cut to suit that window, and the removed length can be retained for future use rather than being wasted.

In common with prior art shoot bolts, the shoot bolt according to the invention can have a setting means located adjacent the first corner piece, the setting means comprising an opening which can receive a plug which temporarily secures the locking bar to the face plate and allows the face plate and locking bar both to be cut to the correct length without relative movement therebetween.

Preferably, the shoot bolt according to the invention has a.

setting means adjacent the second corner piece also. À ..,' Desirably, the face plate has a number of fixing apertures.; along its length, and the locking bar has a number of underlying slots through which a fixing means can be passed, -, one of the apertures and slots being adjacent the first À corner piece, and another of the apertures and slots being..:.

adjacent the second corner piece. The provision of a fixing aperture adjacent each of the corner pieces ensures that the shoot bolt can be used with small windows, i.e. even when i the shoot bolt is cut close to a corner piece the resulting shoot bolt will have a fixing aperture by which it can be secured to the window. ; The shoot bolt may be symmetrical about its mid-point, or not, as desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig.1 shows a schematic view of a window fitted with a pair of shoot bolts; - 6 Fig.2 shows a side view of the shoot bolt according to the present invention; Fig.3 shows a plan view of the shoot bolt of Fig.2; Fig.4 shows an enlarged plan view of one end of the shoot bolt of Fig.2; Fig.5 shows an enlarged plan view of the other end of the shoot bolt of Fig.2; Fig.6 shows a plan view of the locking bar of the shoot bolt; 15: À ' Fig.7 shows a side view of the face plate of the shoot À .., bolt; and À.

Fig.8 shows an end view of corner piece of the face,, plate. '

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The window 10 is constructed from a hinged edge 12, a locking edge 14 and two connecting edges 16. In this embodiment the hinges 18 are butt hinges located on the hinged edge itself, but in other embodiments can be friction stays or the like mounted upon the connecting edges 16. The window is mounted in a surrounding frame 20, which may itself subsequently be mounted in an opening in brickwork or blockwork of a building (not shown).

The locking edge 14 carries a handle 22, which in this embodiment is connected to a cremone gearbox 24. The cremone gearbox is mounted within the profile of the locking edge 14 and so is normally hidden from view. The gearbox 24 is connected to the locking bar of each of two shoot bolts - 7 - 26 which are mounted upon the locking edge 14 in known fashion. The locking bar of each shoot bolt 26 is mounted so that its tip 28 can project beyond the connecting edge 16 and engage a keeper 30 mounted upon the frame 20.

The above detailed description relates to the present

invention, and equally to many of the prior art

arrangements. Thus, it will be understood that when the window has been assembled the shoot bolt of the present invention is substantially indistinguishable from prior art shoot bolts, and is used for the same purpose, the present invention lies in the shoot bolt 32 of Fig.2, from which the shoot bolts 26 are produced.

The shoot bolt 32 according to the invention comprises a locking bar 34 and a face plate 36. The face plate is substantially flat for most of its length, but its ends are bent through substantally a right angle to form a first corner piece 38 at one end and a second corner piece 40 at the other end. À A.

In common with the corner piece of a prior art shoot bolt, and as shown in Fig.8, the corner pieces 38 and 40 both include an aperture 44 through which the locking bar 34 can project (into engagement with the keeper 30). The corner pieces 38 and 40 also have holes 46 to receive fixing means such as screws (not shown) which serve to secure the corner piece to the connecting edge 16 of the window 10.

Adjacent the first corner piece 38, the shoot bolt 32 has a setting means 50, comprising a hole 52 in the locking bar 34 (see Fig.6) and a corresponding hole 54 in the face plate 36 (Fig.7). A plug 56 is located in both of the holes 52 and 54, and serves temporarily to secure the locking bar in a chosen position relative to the face plate. This is desired since the distance by which the gearbox will move the locking bar between its unlocked and locked positions is known, and the distance by which the locking bar 34 must 8 - project beyond the first corner piece 38 in order to engage the keeper 30 will also be known. By securing the locking bar 34 to the gearbox 24 in its unlocked position, and then actuating the gearbox 24, movement of the locking bar 34 relative to the face plate 36 will cause the plug 56 to break and allow the locking bar 34 to move to its extended position in which it can engage the keeper 30.

In common with prior art shoot bolts, the setting means 50 can if desired incorporate two holes in either the locking bar or the face plate, the holes being closely spaced and joined together by a waisted section, the plug being movable between the two holes to allow two different setting positions. À .

15: À ' When the shoot bolt 32 has been cut it effectively forms two.. , separate shoot bolts 26, one of which (preferably including the first corner piece 38) will be used for the window being À..

manufactured. The removed length (including the second. ..

corner piece 40) can be used as a second shoot bolt 26 on the same window, or on another window, if the window À requires a shoot bolt of the appropriate length. If the:. Àe..

second shoot bolt is not required immediately, it may be stored for later use. In any event, it is expected that the number and range of shoot bolts which the window manufacturer will have to store is reduced, so representing a saving in inventory costs.

Though not shown in the drawings, if desired a second setting means can be arranged adjacent the second corner piece 40. In the embodiment shown the locking bar 34 is secured to the face plate 36 adjacent the first corner piece 38 by the first setting means 50. When it is desired to fit a shoot bolt to a window, the window (or rather the distance from the gearbox to the corner of the window) is measured (or else is determined from the design of the window), and the shoot bolt 32 is cut to the desired length. 9 -

When the shoot bolt 32 has been cut, the projecting tip 60 of the locking bar 34 can be pressed back through the aperture in the second corner piece 40 so that the locking bar 34 lies in the desired position relative to the face plate 36. A plug can then be inserted through the aligned holes of the second setting means. When the "second" shoot bolt is subsequently to be used, it may be cut to the desired length in known fashion, with the second setting means ensuring that the shoot bolt can be correctly fitted to the gearbox in known fashion.

It is therefore expected that a part of the shoot bolt 32 will be wasted, but the fact that two shoot bolts 26 can be made from a single component will enable the shoot bolt manufacturer to manufacture fewer different lengths of shoot. À. ' bolt than was previously the case, and will reduce the.. . 2 amount of waste previously created.

As seen in Figs.3, 5 and 6, fixing apertures 62 in the face. ..

plate (and corresponding fixing slots 64 in the locking bar) are located close to the respective corner pieces 38 and 40. À....' Further fixing apertures and fixing slots are located along.2'' the length of the shoot bolt 32. By placing a fixing aperture 62 close to the corner pieces the shoot bolt 32 can be used for a small window in which a short shoot bolt (including the first and/or second corner piece 40) is used.

The face plate 34 also carries guide posts 66 having enlarged heads which serve to secure the face plate and locking bar together (and yet allow relative sliding movement) in known fashion. -

Claims

1. A shoot bolt for a multi-point locking arrangement, the shoot bolt comprising a locking bar, a face plate and a corner piece, the corner piece being an extension of the face plate and having an opening for the locking bar, part of the locking bar being adapted for connection to a gearbox of the locking arrangement, said corner piece being a first corner piece, the shoot bolt having a second corner piece which is also an extension of the face plate, said first corner piece and said second corner piece being at opposed ends of the face plate, said second corner piece also having an opening for the locking bar. À Àe

2. A shoot bolt according to the claim 1 having a setting À .: means located adjacent the first corner piece. . À. e.

3. A shoot bolt according to the claim 2 having a setting means adjacent the second corner piece.

4. A shoot bolt according to any one of claims 1-3 in which the face plate has a number of fixing apertures along its length, and the locking bar has a number of underlying slots through which a fixing means can be passed, one of the apertures and slots being adjacent the first corner piece, and another of the apertures and slots being adjacent the second corner piece.

5. A shoot bolt according to any one of claims 1-4 which symmetrical about its mid-point, or not, as desired.

6. A method of using a shoot bolt according to claim 1 comprising the steps of: cutting the shoot bolt to length to fit a chosen window, and {ii} retaining the removed length for future use on another window. - 11

7. A method of using a shoot bolt according to Claim 6 in which the shoot bolt has setting means adjacent the second corner piece, the method including the further steps of: {iii} setting the locking bolt of the removed length relative to the face plate of the removed length, and {iv} cutting the removed length to fit said another window.

8. A shoot bolt constructed and arranged substantially as described in relation to Figs. 2-8 of the accompanying drawings. À À. À 1 À . I.. À Àe À... Àe e.