IES60832B2 - Fastener including lock - Google Patents

Abstract

A fastener comprising a base plate for attachment to an object to be fastened, a handle pivotally mounted on the base plate so as to be movable between a fastened position and a released position, a cooperating latch and detent associated with the handle and base plate for releasably retaining the handle in the fastened position, and a lock for locking the handle in the fastened position, wherein the detent is provided on the base plate, the handle has a bore (22) extending therethrough, a lock element (30) is disposed in the bore and includes the latch (33) at one end thereof and a thumb control (32) at the other end and is pivotally movable within the bore between a latch engaged and a latch disengaged position, and biasing means (36) for biassing the lock element towards the latch engaged position, and a keeper element (40) disposed within the bore movable by means of a key between an unlocked position allowing pivotal movement of the lock element and a locked position preventing such pivotal movement.

Description

FASTENER INCLUDING LOCK The present invention relates to fasteners which include locks and relates particularly though not exclusively to window fasteners.

One commonly available window fastener including a lock is locked by simply pushing a button. To open the lock requires the use of a key. Should the home owner wish to go out and leave a house vacant, then it is a simple matter to walk around the house depressing the button on each window fastener, and in this way lock all the windows. On return, the house holder must then use a key to unlock each lock.

It has been found that this locking arrangement is potentially hazardous in the event of a fire. In the panic which arises the home owner may accidentally depress the button and thus lock himself in. Should this arise at night, for example in the case of a fire downstairs, with the occupant disturbed in his sleep upstairs, it may be difficult or impossible to find the key and the occupant may become ; trapped. It is not always possible to break a window particularly if the occupant is an elderly person or if the windows have strong panes or double glazing. 860832 - 2 An object of the present invention is to provide a fastener including lock which cannot be locked except by means of a key, and which is of simple construction and is reliable in operation.

The invention provides a fastener comprising a base plate for attachment to an object to be fastened, a handle pivotally mounted on the base plate so as to be movable between a fastened position and a released position, a co-operating latch and detent associated with the handle and base plate for releasably retaining the handle in the fastened position, and a lock for locking the handle in the fastened position, characterised in that the detent is provided on the base plate, the handle has a bore extending therethrough, a lock element is disposed in the bore and includes the latch at one end thereof and a thumb control at the other end and is pivotally movable within the bore between a latch engaged and a latch disengaged position, biassing means for biassing the lock element towards the latch engaged position, and a keeper element disposed within the bore movable by means of a key between an unlocked position allowing pivotal movement of the lock element and a locked position preventing such pivotal movement.

One preferred construction of fastener according to the invention is a window fastener.

It will be appreciated that the latch and lock comprises just two principal components and a biasing means. Thus the arrangement is easy to assemble and reliable in operation.

The invention will now be described more particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of example 30 only, one construction of window fastener including lock according to the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a base plate; Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of a handle; Figures 3, 4 and 5 are top plan, side elevation, and underneath plan views respectively of the lock element of the lock; Figures 6 and 7 are top plan and sectional side elevation views respectively of the keeper element of the lock; Figures 8 and 9 are side elevation and underneath plan views respectively of a key for operating the lock, and V Figure 10 and 11 show the lock and keeper in the latch engaged and latch disengaged positions.

Referring initially to Figure 1, the base plate 10 is intended to be fitted to the frame of a window (not shown) and is provided for this purpose with two recesses 11, 12 and holes 13, 14 for receiving two securing screws (not shown). The base plate 10 includes a central bore 15 for receiving the handle as will be described below. The base plate 10 includes a recessed region 16 having gaps 17, 18 in each side wall thereof to allow a latch to enter the recessed region 16 from either side and including a detent 19 in which the latch may be engaged.

Referring now to Figure 2, the handle 20 is provided at the end thereof with a shank 21 indicated by broken lines which mates into the central bore 15 of the base plate 10, and allows the handle 20 to pivot relative to the base plate 10. The shank 21 of the handle 20 is engaged in the central bore 15 of the base plate 10 by means which are well known in the art and will not be described and controls the movement of a espagnolette (not shown) in a manner which is well known and will not be described further. When the handle 20 is aligned with the base plate 10 the espagnolette fastens the window. When the handle is at right angles to the base plate 10, the espagnolette releases the window. The handle 20 includes a bore 22 adjacent the shank for receiving a lock element and a keeper element. The bore 22 is not uniform, the bore 22 is provided with an inward projection 23 nearer the top thereof on the internal surface further from the shank 21, and is provided with a shoulder 24 on the internal surface nearer the shank * and nearer the bottom of the bore 22. f w Referring now to Figures 3, 4 and 5, the lock element 30 comprises an integral plastics moulding to be fitted into the bore 22 of the handle 20. The lock element 30 is provided with a recess 31 which may - 4 be clearly seen in Figure 4 for receiving the keeper element which is also accommodated within the bore 22 of the handle 20. The lock element 30 has a thumb control 32 projecting proud of the top of the bore 22. The lock element 30 has a latch 33 projecting from the bottom of the bore 22. The lock element 30 has a shoulder 34 which sits on the top of the keeper element 40. The lock element 30 has a horizontal diametrical blind bore 35, shown by broken lines in Figure 4, for receiving a spring 36 and spring guide 37, also shown in Figure 4. The lock element 30 has a key hole 38 to allow a key to be inserted to engage the keeper element. Finally, the lock element 30 has a ’ lengthwise rib 39.

Referring now to Figures 6 and 7, the keeper element 40 comprises a single integral plastics moulding. The keeper element 40 is intended 15 to fit generally within the recess 31 in the lock element 30. The keeper element 40 is generally hollow and cylindrical. The keeper element 40 itself is provided with a recess 41 which complements the projection 23, and the mating of the projection 23 and recess 41 locates the keeper element 40 and prevents axial movement of the lock 20 element 30 and keeper element 40 along the bore 22. The keeper element 40 is provided with a slot 42 extending lengthwise along the circumferential wall and defining a pair of jaws 43 which may be moved into and out of engagement with the lengthwise rib 39 of the lock element 30. Finally, the base of the keeper element 40 is provided 25 with a key receiving slot 44 for receiving the tooth of a key.

I Referring now to Figures 8 and 9, the key 50 is of conventional design and will not be described further.

Having now described the components, the interaction of the lock element 30, keeper element 40 and spring 36 will now be described. Figure 10 shows the normal relative positions of the lock element 30 and keeper element 40 within the bore 22 of the handle 20 and these components 30, 40 are maintained in this relative position by means of the spring 36. Figure 11 shows an alternative relative position within the bore, the components 30, 40 having moved against the spring bias.

It will be noted that in the alternative position the thumb control 32 is depressed, the latch 33 has moved horizontally, and the rib 39 of - 5 the lock element 30 has entered into the slot 42 between jaws 43.

A window (not shown) is fastened by pivotting the handle 20 into alignment with the base plate 10. As the handle 20 is pivotted towards the fastened position, the latch 33 follows a curved path and comes into engagement with the base plate 10, in particular comes into engagement with the shoulder 60 of the base plate 10 just at the gap 17 which allows entry of the latch 33 into the recessed region 16. Pushing the handle 20 further causes the latch 33 to move from the normal relative position shown in Figure 10 against the action of the spring 36 towards the alternative relative position shown in Figure 11, so as to pass by the shoulder 60 and through the gap 17 in the side wall of the base plate 10, following which the action of the spring causes the latch 33 to move back to the normal relative position and to engage in the detent 19, thereby fastening the window.

A window is unfastened by depressing the thumb control 32 and simultaneously pivotting the handle 20 out of alignment with the base plate 10. Depressing the thumb pad 32 causes the latch 33 to move against the action of the spring 36 out of engagement with the detent 19.

A window may be locked by first moving the handle 20 to the fastened position, then fully inserting the key 50 into the key hole 38 in the lock element 30 so that the tooth 51 of the key 50 engages the tooth receiving slot 44 at the base of the keeper element 40, rotating the key 50 clockwise through forty five degrees (45°) thereby rotating the keeper element 40 by the same distance, partially withdrawing the key 50 so that the tooth 51 no longer engages the tooth receiving slot 44, and then rotating the key 50 anticlockwise through forty five degrees (45°) so that the tooth 51 is re-aligned with the keyhole 38 in the lock element 30, and then withdrawing the key 50. When the keeper element 40 is in the rotated position as described above, the slot 42 and jaws 43 of the keeper element 40 are no longer aligned with the rib 39 of the lock element 30, instead the outer circumferential wall of the keeper element 40 engages the rib 39, preventing any relative movement of the keeper element 40 and the lock element 30.

Unlocking a window is accomplished by partially inserting the key 50 into the keyhole 38, then rotating the key 50 clockwise through forty five degrees (45°), then fully inserting the key 50 so that the tooth 51 of the key engages the tooth receiving slot 44, rotating the key 50 so as to bring the keeper element 40 back to its original orientation with the slot 42 aligned with rib 39, and then withdrawing the key.

From a consideration of the foregoing description it will be appreciated that the locking mechanism is extremely simple, comprising just two moulded plastics elements 30, 40 and a spring 36 and spring guide 37. Thus the components are simple to manufacture.

Assembly is also simple. The locking element 30, spring 36 and 15 spring guide 37 and keeper element 40 are assembled into their normal relative position as shown in Figure 10, and the assembly is simply pushed into the bore 22 towards the base plate. It will be noted that the lower front face 70 of the keeper element 40 has a wedge or saw tooth shape so as to facilitate entry but so as to prevent withdrawal. 20 The operation of the window fastener is extremely reliable because there are so few moving parts involved.

One further feature worth mentioning is best seen by reference to 25 Figure 6. It will be observed that the keeper element 40 is not quite circular as seen in plan view, but instead includes a cusp 75. The purpose of this cusp 75 is to limit the rotation of the keeper element 40, in particular the keeper element 40 may rotate from the unlocked position through forty five degrees (45°) in the clockwise direction 30 to the locked position and back again. The keeper element 40 cannot rotate in the other direction from the unlocked position, that is to say anticlockwise from the unlocked position. This is desirable in order to prevent the person using the key 50 from fumbling around, trying to rotate the key 50 first in one direction and then in another 35 and finding difficulty in achieving the correct alignment.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to a window fastener, it will be appreciated that the invention may be V - 7 used in relation to other fasteners, for example door fasteners, or indeed fasteners for any two relatively moving parts.

Claims (4)

1. A fastener comprising a base plate for attachment to an object to be fastened, a handle pivotally mounted on the base plate so as to be movable between a fastened position and a released position, a co-operating latch and detent associated with the handle and base plate for releasably retaining the handle in the fastened position, and a lock for locking the handle in the fastened position, characterised in that the detent is provided on the base plate, the handle has a bore extending therethrough, a lock element is disposed in the bore and includes the latch at one end thereof and a thumb control at the other end and is pivotally movable within the bore between a latch engaged and a latch disengaged position, biassing means for biassing the lock element towards the latch engaged position, and a keeper element disposed within the bore movable by means of a key between an unlocked position allowing pivotal movement of the lock element and a locked position preventing such pivotal movement.

2. A window fastener according to claim 1.

3. A window fastener according to claim 2 in which the lock element and the keeper element each comprises an integral moulded plastics component.

4. A fastener including lock substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings. i