WO2000023682A1

WO2000023682A1 - Window operating mechanism

Info

Publication number: WO2000023682A1
Application number: PCT/GB1999/003304
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bjørn MØNSTER
Original assignee: Grorud Industries Limited
Priority date: 1998-10-21
Filing date: 1999-10-15
Publication date: 2000-04-27
Also published as: GB9822867D0

Abstract

A window operating mechanism comprising a window sash (10) reversibly pivoted about a pivot which is mounted for movement outwardly relative to an associated window frame (13) is disclosed. The mechanism includes a linear drive means having at least one linear drive screw (19) mounted substantially parallel to a respective edge of the window frame (13). The linear drive means is adapted to engage the sash (10) at a location adjacent an end of at least one side adjacent said linear drive screw (19).

Description

WINDOW OPERATING MECHANISM

The present invention is a mechanism which is operable to open a window and to reverse the window to afford access to its outer face to a user of the mechanism within a building. It has been devised to assist users who are of limited mobility but is of advantage to users generally.

Reversible windows are already available and are designed to pivot about a horizontal or vertical axis to enable the user to clean that face of the window which normally lies outside the building. However the mechanism enabling the window reversal may be accessible only with difficulty, for example located at the top edge of the window, or may be difficult or even dangerous to operate by a person whose mobility is limited.

Operating mechanisms have been devised to enable such users to open a standard window but such existing mechanisms do not enable the window to be reversed. For example, one such mechanism comprises a driven chain which locks to form a rigid bar by which the window is held in an opened position. However that mechanism affords only a very limited opening of the window and of its nature cannot be used to reverse the window. A further major disadvantage of that prior mechanism is that it effectively prevents the window being used to act as a fire escape.

Thus there remains a need for a fully-pivotable window which is mechanically operable with reliability and in safety, in particular by a user of limited mobility or agility. According to the present invention there is provided a window operating mechanism comprising a window sash reversibly pivoted about a pivot which is mounted for movement outwardly relative to an associated window frame, and a linear drive means having at least one linear drive screw mounted substantially parallel to a respective edge of the window frame, wherein the linear drive means is adapted to engage said sash at a location adjacent an end of at least one side adjacent a said linear drive screw.

Thus when the linear drive means is operated, the end of at least one sash side (that is, the adjacent corner of the sash) is moved linearly along the adjacent side of the frame and the sash is thereby reversed by swinging about the pivot .

The outwardly movable sash pivot is a feature of known reversible windows. Typically the pivot is supported by a combination of brackets linked to the window frame in a manner which enables the pivot to swing out from the plane of the frame. This movement of the pivot permits the window sash to disengage from the adjacent frame sufficiently to allow the sash to reverse, that is, to pivot through a full circle.

The linear drive means preferably comprises a respective drive member mounted to the or each said linear drive screw for engaging said sash.

The movement of the window sash about its pivot is preferably brought about by the operation of a single drive screw connected to just one side of the sash.

In that case, the opposite side of the sash may be supported by a block slidable linearly, for example on a guide rail, along the adjacent side of the window frame. The or each said drive member preferably comprises a respective internally threaded support block for engaging a said drive screw.

The or each said drive screw preferably extends the full length of the adjacent side of the window frame.

The linear drive means may be operated manually or by a mechanical means such as a rotary operating handle but it is much preferred to provide an electrical drive to the screw.

Thus the drive screw may, for example, be driven by an electric motor, which preferably is aligned with the drive screw and extends by a short distance upwardly from the top of the frame, in the case where the window sash is mounted about a horizontal pivot. Less desirably, the motor may lie transverse to the drive screw and may then drive the latter via an appropriate intermediate gear.

When the window operating mechanism according to the present invention is electrically driven, it may be operated by means of a control panel situated closely adjacent to the window frame, preferably disposed at a level which is readily accessible to a user in a wheel-chair. As an alternative, the electrical drive may be activated remotely by a device which on command emits an operating signal.

In either case, the controls for operating the window may advantageously comprise just two said controls, for example push buttons or, less desirably, switches, namely one control to open the window and one to close it. Preferably, when an opening instruction is passed to the window, the movement of the window towards its fully-open position will stop at one or more partly-open positions, to set the window in a ventilation position. The window opening mechanism of the present invention is equally applicable to the operation of wooden sashes in wooden frames and to the operation of metal sashes in metal frames. Furthermore, where particular local circumstances may require it, the speed of operation of an electrical window opening mechanism may be modified or selected, preferably at the time of installation, either by changing a gear by which the drive is transmitted to the drive screw or by replacing the linear drive screw by another one with a different thread pitch.

When the window sash arrives at its fully ciosed position, it may if desired be secured in that position automatically by a locking means responsive to the arrival of the window sash. By way of example, one form of such a locking means is described in our co-pending patent application entitled "Window Closure Device". As one alternative, the window sash may simply be securable in its fully closed position by means of a manually or electrically operated sliding bolt or pivoted handle .

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, one preferred form of the window opening mechanism according to the present invention and wherein :-

Figs. 1 to 3 illustrate three successive intermediate positions in the movement of the window between a closed position and an open, reversed position;

Fig. 4 is a view, to a larger scale, of the drive screw; and

Fig. 5 is a view, to the latter larger scale, of the corner bracket .

The window illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 comprises a window sash 10 supported on bracket arms 11 and 12 within a window frame 13. The bracket arm 11 is pivotally mounted at 14 at the upper end of the guide channel 15 disposed along one inner side of the frame 13. At its other end, the arm 11 is pivotally linked at 16 to the bracket arm 12. The sash 10 is pivoted at 17 upon the outer end of the arm 12, the inner end 18 of which is mounted to slide along the guide channel 15 within the frame. The opposite side of the window sash 10 is mounted in a similar manner upon corresponding bracket arms, not visible in the drawings .

By virtue of this manner of mounting the window sash upon the bracket arms 11 and 12, the window sash 10 is able to pivot from a normal closed position within the frame 13, successively through the intermediate positions illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 , to a reversed position in which the inner face of the window faces outwardly from the frame .

The movement of the window sash between its limiting positions is brought about by rotation of a drive screw 19. As seen in Figs. 1 to 3 , the drive screw 19 extends, in a second guide channel 20 within the window frame, parallel to the guide channel 15.

Fig. 4 shows in greater detail the mounting of the drive screw 19 within the guide channel 20. At its upper end, the drive screw extends upwardly at 21 above the window frame 13 and is coupled to an electric drive motor (not shown) mounted closely upon the window frame. Within the channel 20 a driven member 22 is supported upon the screw 19 so as to move along the length of the channel in response to rotation of the drive screw.

The corner bracket 23 illustrated in Fig. 5 is mounted upon the adjacent top corner of the window sash 10. Pivoted at 24 to the outer face of the bracket 23 is a lug member 25 having a projecting linear lug 26. When the window assembly is installed, the lug 26 is placed to project into a matching slot 27 in the driven member 22.

Thus rotation of the drive screw 19 moves the driven member 22 along the channel 20 and in turn, by means of the corner bracket 23, moves the window between its limiting positions.

The other side of the window sash 10 also carries a bracket 23 and lug member 25 but the driven member 22 is replaced on that side by a guide member freely slidable along a linear guide rail .

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the above embodiment ^' has been described by way of example only and not in any limitative sense, and that various alterations and modifications are possible without departure from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A window operating mechanism comprising a window sash reversibly pivoted about a pivot which is mounted for movement outwardly relative to an associated window frame, and a linear drive means having at least one linear drive screw mounted substantially parallel to a respective edge of the window frame, wherein the linear drive means is adapted to engage said sash at a location adjacent an end of at least one side adjacent a said linear drive screw.

2. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the linear drive means comprises a respective drive member mounted to the or each said linear drive screw for engaging said sash.

3. A mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the or each said drive member comprises a respective internally threaded support block for engaging a said drive screw.

4. A mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the movement of the window sash about its pivot is brought about by the operation of a single drive screw connected to just one side of the sash.

5. A mechanism according to claim 4, wherein the opposite side of the sash is supported by a block slidable linearly along the adjacent side of the window frame.

6. A mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the block is slidable on a guide rail.

7. A mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each said drive screw extends the full length of the adjacent side of the window frame.

8. A mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the linear drive means is operable manually or by mechanical means .

9. A mechanism according to claim 8, wherein the linear drive means is operable by means of an electrical drive.

10. A mechanism according to claim 9, wherein the linear drive means is operable by means of an electric motor aligned with a said drive screw and extending by a short distance upwardly from the top of the frame .

11. A mechanism according to claim 9, wherein the linear drive means is operable by means of an electric motor lying transverse to a said drive screw and driving the latter via an appropriate intermediate gear.

12. A mechanism according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the mechanism is operable by means of a control panel situated in use closely adjacent to the window frame.

13. A mechanism according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the mechanism is operable remotely by means of a device which on command emits an operating signal.

14. A mechanism according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the controls for operating the window comprise just two said controls, namely one control to open the window and one to close it.

15. A mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the window is adapted to stop at one or more partly- open positions, to set the window in a ventilation position.

16. A mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the window sash, when it arrives at its fully closed position, is adapted to be secured in that position automatically by locking means responsive to the arrival of the window sash.

17. A window operating mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings .