GB2474672A

GB2474672A - Shoot bolts having keep engaging projections

Info

Publication number: GB2474672A
Application number: GB0918539A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tracy William Edmonds
Original assignee: LSSD UK Ltd
Current assignee: Era Home Security Ltd
Priority date: 2009-10-22
Filing date: 2009-10-22
Publication date: 2011-04-27
Anticipated expiration: 2029-10-22
Also published as: GB0918539D0; GB2474672B

Abstract

A shoot bolt 10 is fitted to an edge 28 of a leaf 26 that is hinged to a frame 27 for opening and closing movement. When closed into the frame 27, the shoot bolt 10 extends from the sash 26 and engages in a keep 32 in the frame 27. The shoot bolt 10 includes projections 22 that engage the keep 32 if the sash 26 is forced out of the frame 27 to prevent the shoot bolt 10 being forced out of the keep 32.

Description

SHOOT BOLTS

The invention relates to shoot bolts and to leaf/frame units such as windows incorporating such bolts.

A shoot bolt is provided on a leaf/frame unit such as a window in which the leaf is hinged to the frame for opening and closing movement into and out of the frame.

The shoot bolt is located at a corner of the leaf and comprises a rod including a bolt that can be moved from a retracted position to an extended position where it engages the frame to lock the leaf to the frame to hold the leaf in the closed position.

It is a problem with such shoot bolts that if a force is applied to the leaf to try to push it out of the frame, the bolt can be forced out of the frame so removing the lock.

According to the invention, there is provided a shoot bolt comprising a rod mountable on a leaf and movable between a retracted position and an extended position, the rod including a bolt that, in the extended position, projects from a corner of the leaf to engage a co-operating frame, to which the leaf is hinged for opening and closing movement, to hold the leaf in the closed position, the bolt including a formation that inter-engages with a co-operating formation on the frame to resist the bolt being disengaged from the frame when the leaf is forced out of the frame.

The following is a more detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:-Figure 1 is a view of a corner of a window showing a window sash received in a window frame with the window sash carrying a shoot bolt and the window frame being cut away to show the shoot bolt and a keep, and Figure 2 is a perspective view of an end part of the shoot bolt of Figure 1.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, the shoot bolt, indicated generally at 10, includes a bolt 11 and a face plate 12. These parts are formed from a metal strip.

The bolt 11 has a first end (not shown) and a second end forming a head 13. The bolt 11 is provided with spaced elongated slots, one of which is shown at 14. h addition, the bolt 12 carries a guide pin 15 (see Figure 2).

The face plate 12 is also made from an elongate strip of metal and includes an elongate first limb 16 and a shorter second limb 17 at right angles to the first limb 16. As seen in Figure 1, the first limb 16 includes an elongate slot 18. There are fixing holes 19 in the first limb 16 adjacent the slot 18. The shorter limb is provided with three fixing holes 20.

The head 13 of the bolt 11 carries a shoot bolt arm 21. The shoot bolt arm 21 is of elongate rectangular shape and is riveted to the head 13. One end of the shoot bolt arm 21, adjacent to the end of the head 13, is T-shaped to form two projections 22 projecting from respective opposite sides of the head 13. In addition, the shoot bolt arm 21 includes, intermediate its ends, two stepped shoulders 23 that lead to a portion 24 of the shoot bolt arm of increased width relative to the width of the leading end of the bolt 11. This is seen in Figure 2.

The bolt 11 is fitted to the face plate 12 with the face of the bolt 11 overlying a face of the first limb 16 of the face plate 12, as seen in Figure 2. The guide pin 15 fits in the slot 18 of the face plate 12 to limit movement of the bolt 11 to sliding movement parallel to the length of the face plate 12. The head 13 of the bolt and the end of the shoot bolt arm 21 project through an aperture 25 provided in the face plate 12 at the junction between the first limb 16 and the second limb 17.

The shoot bolt 10 is fitted to a window shown in Figure 1. The window comprises a window sash 26 and a window frame 27. The sash 26 as shown is rectangular in shape and may, for example, be formed from extruded uPVC. The sash 26 will thus have four corners, one of which is seen in Figure 1, formed by first and second contiguous edge surfaces 28, 29.

The window frame 27 may also be formed from extruded uPVC members and forms a rectangular opening. The window frame 27 includes an inner edge surface 30 lying in a plane normal to the plane of the window frame 27.

The sash frame 26 is hinged to the frame for movement between a closed position shown in Figure 1, where the sash 26 is received in the opening defmed by the window frame 27, and open positions where the sash 26 is opened out of the window frame 27. The hinges may be of any known kind such as friction stays.

The first limb 16 of the shoot bolt 10 is received in a channel 31 extending along the first edge surface 28 of the sash 26, with the face plate 12 overlying the bolt 11. The second limb 17 of the face plate 12 is received in a continuation of the channel 31 on the second edge surface 29. The first limb 16 of the face plate 12 is fixed to the sash 26 by screws passing through the fixing holes 19 and through the underlying slot 14 in the bolt 11. The second limb 17 is fixed to the sash by screws passing through the fixing holes 20 in the second limb 17.

The end of the bolt 11 remote from the head 13 is connected to an operating mechanism (not shown) of known kind. This may, for example, be a handle or a lock mechanism. The operation of the mechanism in one sense slides the bolt 11 relative to the face plate 12 and, guided by the guide pin 15 in the slot 14, to the locked position shown in Figure 1 where the head 13 and the end of the shoot bolt arm 21 project from the corner towards the inner edge surface 30 of the window frame 27. Opposite movement retracts the head 13 and the shoot bolt arm 21 to an unlocked position (not shown).

The window frame 27 carries a keep 32 mounted on the inner edge surface 30. The keep includes an aperture 33 that, when the sash 26 is closed into the frame 27, is in register with the head 13 and the shoot bolt arm 21. As seen in Figure 1, the aperture 33 leads to an outwardly extending shoulder 34. When the bolt 11 is in the extended position, the head 13 and the end of the shoot bolt arm 21 are received in the keep aperture 33 with the projections 22 extending beyond the shoulder 34, as seen in Figure 1. In this way, the sash 26 is locked to the window frame 37 against opening movement.

One way in which unauthorised entry can be attempted is to apply a load to the sash 26 in the direction of the arrow 35 in Figure 1. This pushes the sash 26 out of the window frame 27. If the load is sufficiently great, the head 13 and the shoot bolt arm 21 will tend to bend. At the same time, however, the sash 26 will start to move out of the window frame 27 and this will bring the head 13 and the shoot bolt arm 21 up against the edge of the aperture 33 in the keep 32. In this position, one of the projections 22 overlies the shoulder 34 surrounding the aperture and continued opening movement will force that projection 22 into contact with the shoulder 34.

This will thus resist movement of the head 13 and the shoot bolt arm 21 out of the keep 32 and thus resist forced opening movement of the sash 26.

It will be appreciated that the engagement between the projection 22 and the shoulder 34 under the applied load 35 will tend to pull the bolt 11 through the aperture 25 in the face plate 12. This is resisted, however, by the stepped shoulders 23 on the shoot bolt arm 21 that engage the second limb 17 of the face plate 12 adjacent the periphery of the aperture 25 and so resist withdrawal of the bolt 11 through the aperture 25.

The shoot bolt arm 21 is provided with two projections 22 so that the shoot bolt arm 21 is not "handed" and can be used at either end of the edge surface 28 of the sash 26.

It will be appreciated that the stepped shoulders 23, while beneficial in preventing withdrawal of the bolt 11 through the aperture 25, are not essential and could be omitted. Some additional security would be provided by use of the projections 22 and the shoulder 34 alone. In addition, it is not necessary for the engagement between the shoot bolt arm 21 and the keep 32 to be through the use of projections 22 and the shoulder 34. Any other suitable form of inter-engagement may be used in which a formation on the head inter-engages with a co-operating formation on the keep 32 to resist the bolt being withdrawn from the keep 32 as the sash 26 is forced out of the window frame 27. For example, the bolt could be provided with a mushroom-shaped head that fits through the correspondingly shaped hole in the keep.

It would also be appreciated that the window sash 26 may be fitted with two shoot bolts 10 on respective opposite edge surfaces of the sash 26.

The keep 32 is optional. The formation engaged by the shoot bolt arm 21 may be provided on the frame 27 itself. The shoot bolt arm 21 is also optional. The projections 22 or other formations may be provided on the head 13.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A shoot bolt comprising a rod mountable on a leaf and movable between a retracted position and an extended position, the rod including a bolt that, in the extended position, projects from a corner of the leaf to engage a co-operating frame, to which the leaf is hinged for opening and closing movement, to hold the leaf in the closed position, the bolt including a formation that inter-engages with a co-operating formation on the frame to resist the bolt being disengaged from the frame when the leaf is forced out of the frame.
2. A shoot bolt according to claim 1 wherein the bolt includes a projection for bearing against a surface provided on the frame to resist said movement.
3. A shoot bolt according to claim 2 wherein the bolt is formed with a generally square end received in the keep, the projection extending to one side of the bolt for engagement with said frame formation.
4. A shoot bolt according to claim 3 wherein the bolt has a T-shaped end, the arms of the T-shape forming respective projections on opposite sides of the bolt.
5. A shoot bolt according to any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the frame includes a keep, the bolt being received in said keep and the keep being formed with a shoulder providing said surface.
6. A shoot bolt according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the rod is mounted on a face plate for sliding movement relative thereto between said retracted and extended positions, the rod including a formation that, in the extended position of the rod, inter-engages with the face plate to resist movement of the rod relative to the face plate when the leaf is forced out of the frame and the bolt formation engages the frame formation.
7. A shoot bolt according to claim 6 wherein the face plate includes relatively angled first and second limbs for fitting around said leaf corner, the rod extending parallel to the first limb and passing through the second limb, the rod formation engaging the second limb to resist said movement.
8. A shoot bolt according to claim 7 wherein the rod passes through an aperture in the second limb, the rod formation resisting the extended rod being pulled through the aperture.
9. A shoot bolt according to claim 8 wherein said formation comprises at least one projection provided on the rod.
10. A shoot bolt according to any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein the rod includes an elongate bar having first and second ends, the first end being for engagement with an operating mechanism and the second end carrying a shoot bolt arm, said or each formation being provided on the shoot bolt arm.
11. A shoot bolt according to any one of claims 1 to 10 together with an operating mechanism for moving the rod between said retracted and extended positions.
12. A shoot bolt substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
13. A leaf/frame unit in which the leaf is hinged to the frame to allow the leaf to be opened out of or closed into the frame, the leaf including two contiguous edge surfaces meeting at a corner and fitting into a co-operating corner of the frame in the closed position, one edge surface carrying a shoot bolt according to any one of claims 1 to 12, the bolt, in the extended position, engaging the frame.
14. A leaf/frame unit according to claim 13 wherein the leaf is a window sash and the frame is a window frame.
15. A leaf/frame unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.