NZ243800A - Window latch with pivotal catch which rotates in a plane that intersects at an acute angle with the engagement plane of a lip or flange of a window frame - Google Patents

Description

243800 No.: 243800 Date: 31 July 1992 N.Z PAV:>,T C-FHCE 19 MAY 1993 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT, 1953 RECEIVED COMPLETE SPECIFICATION 'Improvements in or Relating to Window Securement Apparatus" I, PETER WINSTON LAMBERT, a New Zealand citizen of 364 Royal Road, Massey, Auckland, New Zealand hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- 24380 This invention relates to window securement apparatus and, in particular, window securement apparatus for aluminium joinery.

Aluminium window joinery for, typically, top hung sash windows includes securement apparatus comprising a mounting plate mounted on the window sash and a pivotally mounted catch portion, usually with a co-operating handle, and with the axis of the pivot mounting extending at right angles to the plane of the window sash.

When a window of such a type is in a closed position, the handle portion may be rotated to correspondingly rotate a catch portion which then overlies the interior planar surface of the window frame. Rotation of the window towards an open position will bring the catch to bear against a bearer portion mounted on the interior face of the window frame and, therefore, the window is secured. Typically, these bearer portions have a planar central region which is substantially parallel with the planar inside surface of the window frame and the planar surface of the window sash. To provide a tight closure of the window in such joinery, it is necessary to have at least one ramped portion on the bearer member attached to the window frame to allow the catch to slide up the ramp to a tight fit against the planar central portion of the bearer. However, there have been some difficulties in engaging these bearer portions to the window frame. Engagement of this bearer portion by screws through the bearer portion and window frame will generally leave a portion of the screw protruding from the surface of the window frame against which the window sash is supposed to bear. Alternative methods of attachment such as glue or the like are not always reliable.

One recent form of such apparatus included a ramped bearer portion which was pivotally mounted to the mounting plate and rotating catch portion on the window 243800 sash. As the catch portion was rotated to a closed position, this bearer portion was pushed down against the interior planar surface of the window frame.

Some existing window securement apparatus comprise double latch catches.

These are basically the same as the single latch apparatus with the addition of a further latch more distal from the window frame than the typical latch. These examples allow the window to be fully closed against a first latch or left partially open wherein the window can only be opened to the position of the second latch. Such double latch catches have the same drawbacks as the single latch versions.

It is an object of the present invention to simplify such apparatus by making such a ramped bearer ponion unnecessary and/or at least providing the public with a useful choice.

Accordingly, in a first aspect, the invention consists in a window securement apparatus for securing a sash window within a window frame in a closed position comprising: a mounting plate suitable for engagement with a frame engagement face of the window sash which face defines a plane of engagement, which lies adjacent a lip of flange said window frame when said sash is in a closed position; at least one catch pivotally engaged at a pivot axis with said mounting plate such that, in use on a sash in a closed position, said catch can be rotated about said pivot axis from a position or positions allowing the sash to be opened to a retaining position wherein a portion of said catch bears directly against said lip or flange of said window frame; and wherein in use a plane in which the catch portion rotates intersects at an acute angle with the engagement plane of said lip or flange. 1 5 FEB 1995 r-...... 24380 0 Alternatively, in a second aspect, the invention consists in window securement apparatus for securing a window sash within a window frame in a closed position comprising: a mounting plate having a substantially planar rear face for engagement against a planar frame engagement surface of the window sash; at least one catch pivotally engaged with said mounting plate and wherein said pivot axis is not at right angles to said rear face of said mounting plate; and wherein said catch when fitted in use can be rotated so that a ponion thereof bears directly on an interior planar face of said window frame when said sash is in a closed position to thereby secure said sash closed.

This invention may also be said broadly to consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or indicated in the specification of the application, individually or collectively, and any or all combinations of any two or more of said parts, elements or features, and where specific integers are mentioned herein which have known equivalents in the an to which this invention relates, such known equivalents are deemed to be incorporated herein as if individually set forth.

The invention consists in the foregoing and also envisages constructions of which the following gives examples.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which : Figure 1 is an elevational view of a window catch in accordance with the invention when attached to a window sash and when in a closed position; and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view from A-A as shown in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the invention comprises window securement apparatus such as a window catch 1 for the securement of a window sash 2 supporting 243800 a pane of glass 3 against a window frame 4 such that the window cannot be opened.

In the drawings, the construction shown is for a top hung window with the securement apparatus 1 engaging the bottom horizontal member forming the window frame.

^ However, similar apparatus to this invention may also be used for side or bottom hung windows.

The window securement apparatus comprises a mounting plate 6 which engages the planar surface 7 of the window sash 2. A catch portion 8 is pivotally mounted on the mounting plate 6 by pivot means 9.

As can be seen in Figure 2, the planar surface of the window sash 7 and the planar surface 10 of the window frame 4 are, when the window is closed, substantially parallel. However, the plane on which the catch portion 8 travels when rotated from its closed position as shown in the Figures to an open position is not parallel with these planar surfaces. Although not shown in the drawings, the open position for the window catch in this particular example involves an anticlockwise rotation of the catch 8 through approximately 90°.

In this embodiment, rotation of a handle portion 12 connected to the catch 8 so that the catch 8 rotates therewith will move the catch 8 from the open position to the closed position. Particularly during the closing motion, the catch portion 8 will have some clearance between itself and the planar surface 10 of the window frame 4 as it passes over the top lip 13 of that frame 4. However, when rotation continues so that' the catch moves into a closed position, the catch will be brought to bear against the planar surface 10 of the frame 4 due to the non-parallel nature of the plane on which the catch 8 travels.

As shown in Figure 2, the catch 8 is provided with this non-parallel plane of rotation by non-parallel faces 14 and IS of the mounting plate 6. Of course, this mounting plate 6 could be a regular mounting plate with parallel faces 14 and 15 but with the pivot means 9 providing the angle change to the pivot axis and hence, the non-parallel plane of rotation of catch 8.

Further, an elastic closure strip 16 may be provided between the wi and the window sash 2 where it is intended that they bear against one another. The gradual mating of the catch 8 against the interior planar face 10 of the frame 4 during rotation to the closed position will allow the window sash 2 to be slowly drawn against the window frame 4 to compress this elastic seal 16.

Thus it can be seen that the invention provides window securement apparatus which will allow for a gradual closure of the window and clearance between the catch portion 8 and the top lip 13 of the window frame 4 during the closing motion but without the need to provide a separate ramped bearer member on the window frame 4 for the catch to engage and, therefore, avoids all of the problems of attaching such a bearer member to the frame 4.

It should also be noted that, in the case of aluminium joinery, it may be necessary to construct the catch portion out of a suitable material or coat the catch 8 with a suitable material so that the catch 8 does not mark the planar face 10 of the window frame 4 during the closing motion. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, it may be necessary to bevel the interior face 17 of the catch 8 to provide a larger bearing surface against the planar surface 10.

In the case of double latch catches, the same pivotal mounting of the two catch portions onto a suitable mounting plate can be used to apply the technology of this specification to those double latch catches. In general, such catches come in two forms which either have both catches depending from the pivot means in the same direction or apparatus which has the two catches depending from the pivot means with the catches being disposed 180° about the pivot axis, one from the other.

For the present invention, it is preferred to use the double latch catch with the catches 180° disposed, one from the other, so that when the window is partially open 243300 24380 and secured by the most distal catch, the nearer, fully closed catch does not depend from the pivot means on the outside of the window frame and allow rotation of the catches by force applied to the nearest, fully closed catch.

Regardless, the invention as described in this specification could apply to either apparatus.

Claims (10)

243800 -8- WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A window securement apparatus suitable for securing a window sash within a window frame in a closed position comprising: a mounting plate suitable for engagement with a frame engagement face of the window sash, which face defines a plane of engagement and lies adjacent a lip or flange of said window frame when said sash is in a closed position; at least one catch pivotally engaged at a pivot axis with said mounting plate such that, in use on a sash in a closed position, said catch can be rotated about said pivot axis from a position or positions allowing the sash to be opened, to a retaining position wherein a portion of said catch bears directly against said lip or flange of said window frame; and wherein in use a plane in which the catch portion rotates intersects at an acute angle with the engagement plane of said lip or flange.

2. A window securement apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said catch portion is made from or coated with a substance to minimise marking of a said window frame thereby during use.

3. A window securement apparatus as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein said mounting plate is tapered to form a thinner peripheral portion which, in use, will be adjacent said lip or flange of said window frame.

4. A window securement apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein a handle portion is attached to said catch such that rotation of said handle portion will correspondingly rotate said catch about said pivot axis. 243ft' -9-

5. A window securement apparatus suitable for securing a window sash within a window frame in a closed position comprising: a mounting plate having a substantially planar rear face for engagement against a planar frame engagement surface of the window sash; at least one catch pivotally engaged at a pivot axis with said mounting plate and wherein said pivot axis is not at right angles to said rear face of said mounting plate; and wherein said catch when fitted in use can be rotated so that a portion thereof bears directly on an interior planar face of said window frame when said sash is in a closed position to thereby secure said sash closed.

6. A window securement apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said catch portion is made from or coated with a substance to minimise marking of a said window frame thereby during use.

7. A window securement apparatus as claimed in claims 5 or 6 wherein said mounting plate is tapered to form a thinner peripheral portion which, in use, will be adjacent said window frame.

8. A window securement apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7 wherein a handle portion is attached to said catch such that rotation of said handle portion will correspondingly rotate said catch about said pivot axis.

9. A window securement apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims when fitted operatively to a window sash for securing the sash to its window frame when in its closed condition.

10. A window securement apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings DA^D THIS ^4^ DAY OF . A.J. PARK & SON h 1 AGEfirsro^w^pPuc/w