GB2432189A

GB2432189A - Stay comprising latch located between slider and base end

Info

Publication number: GB2432189A
Application number: GB0522977A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robin Stephen Gardiner
Original assignee: Laird Security Hardware Ltd
Current assignee: Era Security Hardware Ltd
Priority date: 2005-11-10
Filing date: 2005-11-10
Publication date: 2007-05-16
Anticipated expiration: 2025-11-10
Also published as: GB2432189B; GB0522977D0

Abstract

A friction stay having an elongate base (10) for connection to a frame and an arm (15) for connection to a leaf. A linkage (16, 17, 18) connects the arm (15) to the base (10) to control movement of the arm (15) between a position in which the arm (15) overlies the base (10) and a position in which the arm (15) is angled relative to the base (10) and is to one side of the base (10). The linkage (16, 17, 18) includes a slider (11) slidable along the base (10) between a first position in which the slider (11) is adjacent a first end (13) of the base (10) and a second position in which the slider (11) is spaced from said first end (13) towards a second end (14) of the base (10). The slider (11) includes a latch (20) located between the slider (11) and the said first end (13) for holding the slider (11) against movement relative to the base (10). The latch (20) is releasable, and may comprise a male part (32) mounted on the slider (11) to mate with a female part (24) mounted on the first end (13). The female part (24) may include a spring-loaded member with serrations (33).

Description

STAYS

The invention relates to stays and more particularly the stays for controlling the opening and closing movement of a leaf relative to a frame such as in a door or window.

One form of stay of this kind comprises a base for connection to the frame and an arm for connection to the leaf. A linkage connects the arm to the base to control movement of the arm between a position in which the arm overlies the base and a position in which the arm is angled relative to the base and is to one side of the base. The linkage includes a slider slidable along the base to a first position in which the slider is adjacent the first end of the base and to a second position in which the slider is spaced from said first end towards a second end of the base.

There is a need in such stays to control the movement of the slider so that it is either latched to the base against movement relative to the base or is free to slide relative to the base.

According to the invention, there is provided a stay for controlling the opening and closing movement of a leaf relative to a frame comprising a base for connection to the frame, an arm for connection to the leaf and a linkage for connecting the arm to the base to control movement of the arm between a position in which the arm overlies the base and a position in which the arm is angled relative to the base and is to one side of the base, the linkage including a slider slidable along the base between a first position in which the slider is adjacent first end of the base and a second position in which the slider is spaced from said first end towards a second end of the base, the slider including a latch located between the slider and said first end for holding the slider against movement relative to the said base, the latch being releasable.

The following is a more detailed described of an embodiment of the invention, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:-Figure 1 is a plan view of a friction stay showing an arm connected to a base by a linkage including first and second sliders, the first slider being adjacent a first end of the base and the second slider being spaced from a second end of the base to allow the arm to move to a part-open position, Figure 2 is a similar view to Figure 1 but showing the first slider moved away from said first end of the base and the second slider moved to the second end of the base to allow the arm to open to a maximum "easy-clean" position, Figure 3 is a similar view to Figures 1 and 2 but with the first slider towards the first end of the base and the second slider towards the first end of the base to allow the arm to move a maximum opening egress position, Figure 4 is a side elevation of part of the stay of Figures 1 to 3 towards the first end with the first slider removed for clarity and showing a latch included in the stay with the latch being in a latched disposition, Figure 5 is a similar view to Figure 4 but showing the latch in an unlatched position, Figure 6 is a perspective view of the latch of Figures 4 and 5 in an unlatched position and Figure 7 is a side elevation of the latch of Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings, the friction stay comprises an elongate base 10 that may be formed of metal. The base 10 has opposed side channels that receive and guide a first slider 11 and a second slider 12. The first slider 11 is towards a first end 13 of the base 10 and the second slider 12 is towards a second end 14 of the base 10. The first and second sliders 11 may be formed from a plastics material.

The base 10 is also provided with an end cap 19 seen both in Figures ito 3 and in Figures 4 and 5. The end cap 19 may be formed of a plastics material.

An elongate arm 15 is connected to the base by a shorter link 16, a longer link 17 and an intermediate link 18. The shorter link i 6 is connected between an end of the arm 15 and the first slider 11, the longer link 17 is connected between a point on the arm 15 intermediate the ends of the arm 15 and the second slider 12. The intermediate link 18 is connected between a point on the longer link 17 intermediate its ends and the first slider 11. In this way, the arm is constrained to movement between a position in which the arm 15 overlies the base 10 and positions in which the arm 15 is to one side of the base 10 and is at an angle to the base 10.

In use, the friction stay is designed to control the opening and closing movement of a leaf (not shown) relative to the frame (not shown). For example, the leaf might be a window leaf and the frame a window frame. In the case of a rectangular window leaf and window frame, a pair of friction stays of the kind described above with reference to the drawings are used. The bases of the pair of friction stays are connected to respective opposite side edges of the frame and the arms 15 are connected to respective opposition side edges of the leaf. In this way, the opening and closing movement of the leaf into and out of the frame is controlled by the friction stays.

In order to achieve the required range of opening and closing movements, it is necessary to latch the first slider 11 to the base 10. The way in which this is achieved will now be described with reference to Figures 4 to 7.

A latch indicated generally at 20 is provided between the first slider 11 and the base 10. The latch includes a female part 21 and a male part 22. These parts 21, 22 may be moulded from a plastics material.

The female part 21 comprises a housing 23 with a generally rectangular opening 24 and a pair of spaced side members 25a, 25b that allow the female part 21 to be slid along the opposed channels provided on the base 10. A flexible limb 26 is cantilevered away from the opening 24 and terminates in a projection 27. A push bar 28 overlies and connects with the projection 27. The limb 26 is provided with laterally extending serrations 29 for a purpose to be described below.

As seen in Figures 4 and 5, the female part 21 is held in position on the base 10 by a projection 30 that is pressed out of the metal of the base 10 to engage the female part 21 at the opening 24.

The male part 22 comprises a body 31 from which projects a finger 32. The finger 32 has an under surface provided with lateral serrations 33. The body 31 has opposed side members 34a, 34b that engage in the opposed channels on the base 10 to allow the male part 22 to slide along the base 10. The male part 22 is connected to the first slider 11 (omitted for clarity in Figures 4 and 5).

In normal opening and closing movement, the female part 21 and the male part 22 are latched together. This disposition is seen in Figure 4 where the finger 32 on the male part 22 is shown received in the opening 24 in the female part 21 and the serrations 29 on the limb 26 engage with the serrations 33 on the finger 32. In this position, the limb 26 is flexed to urge the serrations 29, 33 together.

In this way, the first slider 11 is held against movement relative to the base 10.

This permits the opening movement shown in Figures 1 and 3. With the first slider 11 latched to the base 10, opening movement of the arm 15 causes the second slider 12 to slide along the base 10 away from the second end 14 until the maximum opening movement is achieved as shown in Figure 3. As the arm is moved back towards the base, the second slider 12 moves back towards the second end 14 of the base 10 until, in a fully closed position, the arm 15 overlies the base 10. All this is achieved with the female part 21 and the male part 22 latched together.

If the push button 28 is depressed, the serrations 29 on the limb 26 disengage from the serrations 33 of the finger 32. In this position, and with the arm 15 in the partially open position shown in Figure 1 (as required for access to the push button 28) the first slider 11 can be slid along the base 10 away from the first end 13 of the base 10 towards the second end 14 of the base 10. This increases the angle of the arm 15 relative to the base 10 until the arm 15 is almost at right angles to the base 10. This is the so called "easy-clean" position shown in Figure 3 in which a window pane connected to the arm 15 can be accessed at both sides for cleaning.

Reverse rotation of the arm 15 from the position shown in Figure 2 pushes the second slider 12 against a stop at the second end 14 of the base 10 and thus pushes the first slider 11 back towards the first end 13 of the base 10. As the first slider 11 approaches the first end 13 of the base 10, the finger 32 on the S male part 22 enters the opening 24 in the housing 23 of the female part 21 and engages the limb 26 to depress the limb 26 and allow the serrations 29 on the limb 26 to engage the serrations 33 on the finger 32. In this way, the female part 21 and the male part 22 automatically re-latch lock the first slider 11 to the base 10 to allow opening movement of the arm 15, as described above with reference to the drawings.

It will be appreciated that the latch 20 situated between the first slider 11 and the first end 13 of the base 10, need not be as described as above with a female part 21 and a male part 22. Any suitable latch may be provided. The latch 20 need not engage automatically; it could require manual operation to both engage and disengage. The female part 21 need not be retained in position by the projection 30; it could be glued in position or fixed in position in any other

suitable way.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. A stay for controlling the opening and closing movement of a leaf relative to a frame comprising a base for connection to the frame, an arm for connection to the leaf and a linkage connecting the arm to the base to control movement of the arm between a position in which the arm overlies the base and a position in which the arm is angled relative to the base and is to one side of the base, the linkage including a slider slidable along the base between a first position in which the slider is adjacent a first end of the base and a second position in which the slider is spaced from said first end towards a second end of the base, the slider including a latch located between the slider and said first end for holding the slider against movement relative to said base, the latch being releasble.

2. A stay according to claim 1 wherein the latch includes a first part carried by the slider and a second part connected to the base, the parts being in latching engagement when the slider is in the first position.

3. A stay according to claim 2 wherein, as the slider moves towards the first position from the second position, the first latch part engages the second latch part and the first and second latch parts engage automatically.

4. A stay according to claim 3 wherein the first latch part is a male part and the second latch parts is a female part, the male part entering the female part as the slider moves towards the first position from the second position.

5. A stay according to claim 4 wherein the female part includes a spring loaded member, the member being moved against the spring loading by the male part as the male part enters the female part, the spring loading then latching the member with the male part.

6. A stay according to claim 5 wherein the member includes serrations that engage with co-operating serrations on the male part when the parts are latched.

7. A stay according to claim 5 or claim 6 wherein the member is movable manually against said spring loading to release the male part from latching engagement within the member.

8. A stay according to claim 7 wherein the member includes a push button that can be depressed to release the male member.

9. A stay according to any one of claims 5 to 9 wherein the female part comprises a mounting for connection to the base and a flexible link cantilevered from the base and to provide said spring loading, the male member being connected to the slider.

10. A stay according to any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein the linkage includes a shorter link connected between one end of the arm and the slider, a longer link connected between a point on the arm intermediate the ends of the arm and the base and an intermediate link connected between the longer link and the slider.

11. A stay according to claim 10 wherein the linkage also includes a second slider connecting the longer link to the base.

12. A stay according to any one of claims 1 to 11 and including an end cap at said first end of the base.

13. A stay substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.