GB2457340A

GB2457340A - Closure sub-assembly with closure element attached to mounting member

Info

Publication number: GB2457340A
Application number: GB0802663A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Rogers; Neil Gokhale
Original assignee: Avocet Hardware Ltd
Current assignee: Avocet Hardware Ltd
Priority date: 2008-02-13
Filing date: 2008-02-13
Publication date: 2009-08-19
Also published as: GB0802663D0

Abstract

A closure sub-assembly comprises a closure element 10 attached to a mounting member 26. A friction stay comprising a five-bar link arrangement connected to a carriage slidably arranged in a slide track may be mounted to the separate mounting member 26 so as to effect mounting of the stay to the closure element 10. An adjustment mechanism 58 may comprise a camming arrangement 66 and intermediate element such as a plate 58, and may be provided to allow adjustment of the friction stay relative to the separate mounting member 26. The mounting arrangement may comprise a locking arrangement with a sprung-loaded locking element (figure 5, 70) which may be unlocked with a tool. The closure element may comprise a body with a peripheral groove and the mounting member may comprise an aperture formed therethrough to allow passage of a fastener, the fastener securing the mounting member in the groove so that part of the mounting member contacts the groove floor 30. The closure may be a window.

Description

A CLOSURE SUB-ASSEMBLY

The invention relates to a closure sub-assembly particularly for use in, although not exclusively limited to, window closure assemblies and most particularly for use in plastic moulded window assemblies.

Currently fitting of friction stays to window and door frames, particularly extruded 1JPVC window and door frames can be rather fiddly. The frames and sashes of such closure assemblies tend to be provided with a stepped peripheral groove.

Thus the groove comprises a relatively deep channel with a shoulder running along each edge of the channel. The channel is generally narrower than the arms of the friction stay and the wider part of the groove at the shoulder is generally slightly wider than the width of the arms of the friction stay. In order to mount the arm of the friction stay to the frame or sash, the arm is arranged on the shoulder part of the groove and the arm is screwed to the sash by passing a screw-threaded fastener, such as a wood screw, through an aperture in the aim and screwing it into the floor of the narrow channel. The apertures in the arm of the stay through which the fasteners pass arc generally formed as elongate slots to allow some adjustment of the arms relative to the sash or frame.

When fitting a friction stay to a frame and sash, respective arms of the friction stay are secured in the relevant grooves of the sash or frames as described above. The sash is then closed relative to the frame to check the fit of the sash in the frame.

Generally some adjustment is required. In such a case, the screw-threaded fastening of the arm in the channel is loosened off to allow the arm to be adjusted slidably relative to the sash or frame and then the fastener is then re-tightened.

The process is awkward and inaccurate as the fitter is required to support the weight of the sash relative to the frame as the arm of the stay is screwed to the sash.

Also, the weight of the sash must be supported after the screws have been loosened to allow adjustment. Moreover, the securing of the stay to the sash or frame relies upon the screw-threaded fastener holding the ann in position on the shoulder. No part of the arm extends into the narrower groove, other than the screw-threaded fastener.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved closure sub-assembly.

According to a first aspect of the mvention there is provided a closure sub-assembly comprising a closure element, a friction stay and a separate mounting member, a mounting member being mounted to the closure element, the friction stay comprising a five-bar link arrangement connected to a carriage slidably arranged in a slide track, the friction stay being mounted to the separate mounting member so as to effect mounting of the stay to the closure element.

In that way, by providing a separate mounting member to which the friction stay is mounted, the position of the stay relative to the closure element can be tuned and a more robust mounting can be achieved. Also, a separate mounting member can be adapted to provide a simpler mounting of the stay to the closure element. This reduces the complexity of mounting a closure element to a stay and thus subsequent mounting of the closure elements together, i.e. the window sash to the window frame.

For the avoidance of doubt, a closure element can be a window sash, a window frame, a door frame or a door.

An adjustment mechanism is preferably provided to allow adjustment of the friction stay relative to the separate mounting member. The adjustment mechanism may comprise a canuning arrangement to effect adjustment. Alternatively, the friction stay may be mounted to the separate mounting member by means of a slidably adjustable intermediate element, whereby the position of the slidably adjustable intermediate element is altered so as to effect adjustment of the position of the friction stay relative to the separate mounting member.

The mounting of the friction stay to the separate mounting member may be effected by means of a locking arrangement comprising a locking element on one of the friction stay and separate mounting member which lockingly engages with the keep on the other of the friction stay and mounting member. Preferably the locking element is sprung so as to snap engage the locking element into the keep. Preferably the locking element is arranged on the separate mounting member and the keep is arranged on the friction stay. The keep preferably comprises an aperture fanned in one of the anns of the five-bar link arrangement. The locking arrangement may require unlocking by means by means of an unlocking tool. Most preferably, the locking arrangement comprises a locking element of resilient material, for example, spring steel, which snaps into an aperture formed in an aim of the five-bar linkage of the friction stay and which can be moved out of engagement with the aperture by means of a tool. The arm of the friction stay preferably includes an aperture to allow access of the unlocking tool.

Where the closure element comprises a stepped peripheral groove, the separate mounting member preferably extends into the deeper part of the groove, most preferably abutting the floor of the deeper part of the groove when mounted to the closure element.

As mentioned above, the friction stay comprises a five-bar link arrangement connected to a slider which runs slidably in a track member. In such a case, the mounting of the friction stay to the separate mounting member and, thus, to the closure element may be effected by mounting the slide track to the separate mounting member. Alternatively, the ann which defines the outermost bar of the five bar link arrangement relative to the slide track, often referred to as the "vent arm" may be mounted to the separate mounting member which, in turn, is mounted to the closure element Most preferably, both the slide track and the vent arm are mounted to respective separate mounting members which, in turn, are mounted to respective separate closure elements of a closure assembly. Thus, the preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a window assembly comprising a window sash, a window frame and a friction stay arranged between the sash and the frame, the friction stay comprising a five-bar link arrangement having a vent arm, the link arrangement being mounted to a carriage which runs slidably in a slide track, the slide track being mounted to a first separate mount member mounted to the window frame and the vent arm being mounted to a second separate mounting member which is mounted to the window sash. In such a case, the inounthig of the vent arm to the second mounting member on the window sash includes an adjustment mechanism to enable adjusiment of the mounting member longitudinally relative to the vent arm.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a closure sub-assembly comprising a closure element having a body with a peripheral groove defined therein, the groove having a first outer shallow groove part and a second, inner, deep groove part having a groove floor, a mounting member arranged to extend into the inner deep groove part, the mounting member having an aperture formed thcrethrough to allow passage of a fastener, the fastener securing the tnountmg member in the groove so that part of the mounting member contacts the groove floor.

The outer shallow groove part and the inner deep groove part may be formed by opposite inwardly projecting ridges which form a waisted portion. In such a case, the mounting member comprises a main body which is arranged to extend in the inner deep groove part beneath the inwardly projecting ridges, a waisted portion which extends in the waisted portion of the groove and a head portion which extends in the outer shallow groove part. In that way, the mounting member is constrained from removal from the groove by simple pulling out. Instead the mounting member must be removed from the groove by sliding longitudinally thereoL The mounting member may comprise two separate parts, both of which extend in the inner deep groove parts.

The mounting member may comprise a completely separate piece Alternatively, a mounting member may be formed by a formation projecting from part of a friction stay for use in a closure assembly. In such a case the formation may be integrally formed with a friction stay. Alternatively, it may be fixed to the friction stay, for example by riveting or welding.

Various window assemblies will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which;-Fig.! is a perspective view of the corner of a window sash including a mounting member which forms part of a closure assembly in accordance with the invention, Fig.2a and 2b are perspective views of the upper side and under side of part of a friction stay for use in a closure sub-assembly in accordance with the invention, Fig.3 shows the friction stay of Fig.2 ananged in the mounting member of Fig. 1 in the partially installed position, Fi&4 is a view similar to Fig.3 with the friction stay in the fully installed position, l0 Fig.5 is a view similar to Fig. I with an alternative mounting member for use in a closure sub-assembly in accordance with the invention, Figs.6a and 6b are perspective views of the upper and undersides of a friction stay for use in a closure assembly in accordance with the invention, Fig.? is a perspective view similar to Fig.4 showing the friction stay of Fig.6 mounted on the mounting member of Fig.5 in the fully installed position, Fig.8 is an enlarged part sectional view of the fiction stay of Fig.6 taken on line Vill-Vill in Fi&6a, Figs.9a, b and c are top plan, side elevation and bottom plan views of a vent arm of a friction stay in accordance with a second aspect of the invention, Figs.lOa and b are, respectively, top plan and side elevation views of the vent arm of Figs.9a to c arranged in a groove in a window sash, and Fig.ll is a sectional view of the groove formed in the window sash.

In Fig.1, part of a conventional UVPC window sash 10 is shown. Although this embodiment is described in relation to a UVPC window sash, it is applicable to other window sashes and window frames, along with doors, door frames and other closure elements. A corner 12 of the sash is shown and the sash includes an outer frame 14 which carries a front, flange-like face 16 bearing weather seals 18, a stepped groove 20 is fonned in the outer surface of the frame 14. A stepped groove 20 comprises a first outer shallow groove 22 and a deeper inner groove 24.

Mounting member 26 is aznnged in the groove 20. The mounting member comprises a steel channel section 28 having a channel floor 30, channel side walls 32 which arc bent over the upper end thereof so as to form inwardly extending channel top walls 34. The channel section 28 is bent in a right-angle towards one end thereof soastopass aroundthecomcr l2oftheframe l4 oftheUVpCwindowsash 10.

Around the bend 36 in the channel section 28, the inwardly extending channel top walls 32 are paitially cut away so as to provide an access opening 38. Fastener apertures 40,42 are formed adjacent each end of the channel section 28. The fastener aperture 42 at the end of the channel section adjacent the bend 36 is not counter-sunk whereas the fastener aperture 40 at the opposite end is counter-sunk.

A U-shaped stamped out formation 44 is provided in the vicinity of the bend to effect better bending of the channel section 28 around the corner of the sash without inegular deformation of the channel section.

An elongate slot 46 is formed adjacent the counter-sunk fastener aperture 40 extending longitudinally of the channel section 28. A transverse slot 48 is formed between the longitudinal slot 46 and the U-shaped stamped out part.

Turning to Figs.2a and 2b, part of a five-bar linkage 50 of a friction stay is shown. For the purposes of the description of the present invention, the configuration.

of the remainder of the five-part linkage is unimportant. The part that concerns the present description is the arm which extends across the upper part of the linkage, known as the "vent arm" 52. The vent ann 52 carries the window sash, in use.

The vent aim 52 comprises an elongate strip of steel material pivoted to the remainder of the five-bar linkage SO at two spaced pivot points 54, 56.

Between the pivot points 54, 56, an adjustment mechanism 58 is mounted to the vent ann 52. The adjustment mechanism comprises a plate 60 which is riveted to the vent ann 52 by means ofa rivets 62, 64. A plate 60 carries an eccentric cam 66 protmde from the underside thereof as shown in Fig.2a. The cam arrangement 66 includes a projecting nose 68 arranged eccentrically relative to the cam 66.

The steel channel section 28 is dimensioned so that the vent ann 28 is a sliding fit therewithin but that the inwardly extending channel top walls 34 retain the vent arm 52 in the channel section against pulling out.

As can be seen in Fig.3, that allows the vent arm 52 to be slid along the channel section 28 from the access opening 38 towards the end of the channel section 28 that has the counter-sunk fstner 40. As the vent ann 52 slides along the channel section 28, the projecting nose 68 of the cam arrangement 66 drops into the transverse slot 48. By rotating the cain 66, the projecting nose 68 moves transverse along the transverse slot 48 but effects longitudinal adjustment of the vent arm 52 relative to the channel section 28. The location of the projecting nose 68 in the transverse slot 48 retains the vent ann 52 in the channel section 28.

This provides a much more straightforward mechanism for mounting the vent arm 52 on the sash and for making fine adjustments to the position of the vent arm relative to the sash once the vent ann is in position on the sash. Previously, the fixing of the vent arm relative to the sash would have had to have been loosened, the weight of the sash borne by the fitter, the relative adjustment made and the fitting re tightened. That procedure was obviously laborious and did not allow particularly fine adjustments which the present arrangement does.

Thrning to Figs.5-8, the arrangenient shoi is similar in many respects to that shown in Fig.!. Consequently, parts corresponding to parts in Figs.l-4 carry the same reference numerals.

The arrangement in Fig.5 is identical to that shown in Fig.! except the channel section 28 does include the stamped-out U-shaped portion 44. Also, the transverse slot 48 is replaced by a spring-loaded locking arrangement 70.

The locking arrangement 70 comprises a piece of spring steel 72 beat into an S shape. The curved part of the S shape extends through a transverse slot 74 formed at around the transverse slot 48 in Fig.l. A tip 76 of the S-shaped spring extends through an aperture 78 spaced slightly from the slot 74.

In Fig.6 the vent ann 52 comprises an adjustable latch 80. The adjustable latch comprises a portion 82 of the vent arm 52 which is pressed out from the main body of the vent arm 52 so as to define a recess 84 on the underside of the vent arm 52.

Two slots 86, 88 are formed in the pressed out part 82. iS

out part 82 by means of bolt 92 extending through the slot 88 into the body of the latch piece 90. The bolt 92 and slot 88 mean that the position of the latch piece 90 along the length of the vent ann 52 can be adjusted by loosening the bolt 92, sliding the latch piece 90 relative to the vent arm 52 and re-lightening the bolt 92. The latch piece 90 includes a latch recess 94 formed in the underside thereof.

When the vent ann 52 is slid into the channel section 28 in identical fashion to that described in Figs.1-4, the tip 76 of the S-shaped spring is pushed down by the underside surface of the vent arm 52. When the vent arm 52 is fully slid into position, the tip 76 of the S-shaped spring snaps into the latch recess 94 of the latch piece 90 thus securing the vent arm 52 in the channel 28. Sliding the latch piece 90 relative to the vent arm 52 and re-securing using the bolt 92 allows longitudinal adjustment of the vent arm 52 relative to the channel section 28 along the extent of the longitudinal slot 88.

In order to release the vent arm 52 from the locking arrangement 70, a tool, such as a screw-driver, can be inserted through the slot 86 and into the aperture 74.

Pressure can then be applied on the spring 72 so that the tip 76 of the spring is withdrawn from the latch recess 94. That, in turn, then allows the vent arm 52 to be withdrawn from the channel section 28 without further obstruction.

Again, this provides an elegant solution to lock the vent arm relative to the sash but allows ready adjustment of the position with the difficult adjustment process required previously.

Figs.9 to 11 illustrate a further alternative sub-assembly in accordance with both the first and second aspects of the invention.

Fig.9 illustrates a vent arm 96 of a friction stay. The remainder of the friction stay has been omitted for clarity. The vent arm 96 includes a nose portion 98 at one end thereof and, as in the previous vent arms is formed from a stamped piece of steel.

At the end of the vent arm 96 opposite the nose 98, a capstan-Like member 100 extends from the underside and is mounted to the vent ann 96 by a rivet (not shown).

The capstan-like member 100 comprises a capstan head 102 and a capstan neck 104 of a smaller diameter.

A mounting member 106 is secured to the underside of the vent arm 96. The mounting member 106 comprises a main body 108 having a first width similar in width to the diameter of the capstan head 102, a depending projection 110 extending from the end of the main body 108 adjacent the nose 98 and a waisted portion 112 at the top of the mounting part 106. The waisted portion 112 has a width similar to the diameter of the Capstan neck 104. The mounting member 106 is fixed in slidable fashion to the vent ann 96 by means of rivets 114, 116 which extend through elongate slotapertures 118, l20intheventarm96.

The position of the mounting 106 relative to the vent arm 96 can be fixed by screwing the grub screw 122 against the upper side of the mounting member 106 (see Fig.9b). The vent arm 96 has a large aperture 124 formed therethrough adjacent the innermost of the slots 120 and the mounting member 106 has bore 126 formed therethrough to allow passage of a fastener.

Fig. 11 shows a section through the groove formed in the window sash. The groove 128 comprises a main groove portion 130 having a groove floor 132 and side walls 134, a waistod portion 136 formed by inwardly projecting ridges 138 extending from the side walls 134 and a shoulder portion 140 above the ridges 138.

As shown in Figs. lOa and lOb, the vent arm 96 can be slid along the groove 128. In particular, the capstan head 102 rides underneath the ridges 138, the ridges 138 extending to the space defined by the capstan neck 104. Likewise, in the mounting member 106, the ridges 138 extend in the waisted portion 112 (sec Fig. lOa).

The main body 108 of the mounting member 106 rides along the floor 132 of the groove 128 and the depending portion 110 acts as a stop when it abuts the end of the groove. The vent arm 96 is resirained from being pulled out of the groove by means of the ridges 136 extending in the capstan neck part 104 and the waisted portion 112.

The depending portion 110 acts as a stop to prevent the vent arm from sliding further inwardly of the groove. The vent arm 96 can then have its position adjusted by sliding it relative to the mounting member 106. Once the vent ann position 96 has been confirmedthegrub screw I22 can betig tcned so asto securetheino ingmcmbcr 106 relative to the vent arm 96. Then the assembly of vent arm 96 and mounting member 106 is secured in the groove by means of a screw-threaded fastener which extends through the aperture 124, the bore 126 and into the groove floor 132 of the groove 128.

The arrangement in Figs.9 toll fulfils both the requirement to provide ready adjustability of the vent ann relative to the sash together with a more secure mounting as the mounting member 106 abuts the floor of the groove and the waisted portion 112 and capstone neck 114 allow more secure mounting of the vent arm than in the prior alt The object of the second aspect of the invention is achieved without necessarily a need for adjustability and so in that aspect the mounting member 106 could be fixed relative to the vent arm 96. For example, it could be welded relative to the vent aim 96 or alternatively it could even be integrally formed.

As an alternative to manually sliding the vent arm 96 relative to the mounting member 106, the grub screwmaybereplaced byan cccentiic cam. Anoscofthe eccentic cam would engage a transverse slot on the mounting mertiber 106 for adjustment. The relative position of the vent arm 96 and mounting member 106 could then be adjusted in a sinailar manner to vent arm 52 ofve bar linkage 50.

Claims

Claims 1. A closure sub-assembly compn sing: a closure element, a friction stay comprising a five-bar link arrangement connected to a carriage slidably arranged in a slide track, and, a separate mounting member mounted to the closure element, wherein the friction stay is mounted to the separate mounting member so as to effect mounting of the stay to the closure element.
2. A closure sub-assembly according to claim 1 comprising an adjustment mechanism configured to allow adjustment of the friction stay relative to the separate mounting member.
3. A closure sub-assembly according to claim 2 in which the adjustment mechanism comprises a camming arrangement to effect adjustment. * . S *5 S
4. A closure sub-assembly according to claim 2 in which the friction stay is *5** mounted to the separate mounting member by means of a slidably adjustable *:*. jntennediate element, whereby the position of the sildably adjustable intennediate element is alterable so as to effect adjustment of the position of the friction stay relative to the separate mounting member.S.....

* 25
5. A closure sub-assembly according to any preceding claim in which the mourning of the friction stay to the separate mounting member is effected by means of a locking arrangement comprising a locking element on one of the friction stay and separate mounting member which lockingly engages with the keep on the other of the friction stay and mounting member.
6. A closure sub-assembly according to claim 5 in which the locking element is sprung so as to snap engage the locking element into the keep.
7. A closure sub-assembly according to claim 5 or 6 in which the locking element is arranged on the separate mounting member and the keep is arranged on the friction stay.
8. A closure sub-assembly according to claim 6 in which the keep comprises an aperture formed in one of the arms of the five-bar link arrangement.
9. A closure sub-assembly according to any of claims 5 to 8 in which the locking arrangement is unlocked by means by means of an unlocking tool.
10. A closure sub-assembly according to claim 9 in which the locking arrangement comprises a locking element of resilient material which snaps into an aperture formed in an arm of the five-bar linkage of the friction stay and which can be moved out of engagement with the aperture by means of a tool.
II. A closure sub-assembly according to claim 10 in which the arm of the friction stay includes an aperture to allow access of the unlocking tool.
12. A closure sub-assembly according to any preceding claim in which the closure element comprises a stepped peripheral groove, and the separate mounting member extends into a deeper part of the groove.
13. A closure sub-assembly according to claim 12 in which the separate mounting member abuts the floor of the deeper part of the groove when mounted to the closure element.
14. A closure sub-assembly according to any preceding claim in which the slide track is mounted to the separate mounting member.
15. A closure sub-assembly according to any of claims ito 13 in which a vent arm of the five bar link is mounted to the separate mounting member.
16. A window assembly comprising a window sash, a window frame and a friction stay arranged between the sash and the frame, the friction stay comprising a five-bar link arrangement having a vent arm, the link arrangement being mounted to a carriage which runs slidably in a slide track, the slide track being mounted to a first separate mount member mounted to the window frame and the vent arm being mounted to a second separate mounting member which is mounted to the window sash.
17. A window assembly according to claim 16 including an adjustment mechanism to enable adjustment o the mounting member longitudinally relative to theventarn-i.
18 A closure sub-assembly comprising a closure element having a body with a peripheral groove defined therein, the groove having a first outer shallow groove part and a second, inner, deep groove part having a groove floor, a mounting member IS arranged to extend into the inner deep groove part, the mounting member having an aperture formed thercthrough to allow passage of a fastener, the fastener securing the mounting member in the groove so that part of the mounting member contacts the : groove floor. S.. * . S..

*. : 20
19. A closure sub-assembly according to claim 14 in which the outer shallow groove part and the inner deep groove part are formed by opposite inwardly projecting ridges which form a waisted portion, and, the mounting member comprises a main body which is arranged to extend in the inner deep groove part beneath the inwardly projecting ridges, a waisted portion which extends in the waisted portion of the groove, and, a head portion which extends in the outer shallow groove part.
20. A closure sub-assembly according to claim 19 in which the mounting member may comprises two separate parts, both of which extend in the inner deep groove part.
21. A closure sub-assembly according to any preceding claim in which the mounting member comprises a completely separate piece.
22. A closure sub-assembly according to any of claims I to 16 in which the mounting member is formed by a formation projecting from part of a friction stay for use in a closure assembly.
23. A closure sub-assembly according to claim 18 in which the formation is integrally formed with a friction stay.
24. A Closure sub-assembly according to claim 18 in which the formation is fixed to the friction stay by riveting or welding. I0 * * * *4 S S... * S **S.S * S S * .. S... * * 0* *S *1 *S *I..... *