WO2000073614A1

WO2000073614A1 - A frame assembly for security screens

Info

Publication number: WO2000073614A1
Application number: PCT/AU2000/000615
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jim Reid
Original assignee: Jim Reid
Priority date: 1999-06-01
Filing date: 2000-05-30
Publication date: 2000-12-07
Also published as: AUPQ068199A0; NZ516461A

Abstract

A frame assembly for security screens having at least two parts, including first and second parts, which together form a recess, a retaining means for retaining an edge of a generally planar member within the recess and urging means for increasing gripping force applied to the generally planar member within the recess.

Description

A FRAME ASSEMBLY FOR SECURITY SCREENS FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates primarily to building security. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In a typical domestic application, to prevent burglary, unauthorised access through windows and doors can be prevented by providing burglar proof windows and doors .

Alternatively specially designed security screens can be installed and these typically are made with an outside frame with bars or other burglar proof metal cross members extending across the interior of the frame with insufficient space between adjacent metal frame components to prevent unauthorised access. Unfortunately although the above described screen assemblies are effective in preventing unauthorised access they provide an obstacle to unhindered view through the windows and doorways where they are located.

A relatively new type of security screen has solved the above problem by providing an outside frame which has an inwardly directed channel around the whole of its inner periphery.

A steel mesh is placed across the frame and is secured within the channel on all sides by either screws or rivets which pass through the frame and the steel mesh.

A more sophisticated method of fastening the steel mesh within the channel of the outer frame, is shown in Australian patent application 55423/98. In this application a frame assembly is disclosed in which a nylon insert is located within the channel and this insert includes two opposing side walls having ramped external surfaces and parallel internal surfaces. Because the channel converges towards the opening, the insert when located within the channel is able to tightly grip the wire mesh between its opposing walls.

The present invention provides an alternative frame assembly which in its preferred form does not require specially made tools in order to secure a security screen to it.

It is noted however that the invention may have applications to security screens . SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a frame assembly for security screens, including at least two parts, which when connected together form a recess for receipt of a generally planar member, a retaining means for retaining an edge portion of the generally planar member within the recess and a coupling means for connecting the two parts together.

It is preferred that one part is adapted to be coupled with a fixed frame.

It is preferred that the generally planar member includes a wire mesh or flexible screen.

The retaining means may include a gripping means on inner opposing surfaces of the recess .

The recess may be for receipt of security screens or the like. The gripping means preferably comprises a plurality of teeth on the inner opposing surfaces of the recess.

The two parts when connected together preferably form a pair of jaws with the recess formed therebetween.

It is preferred that the retaining means includes a screwable member which is able to be screwed to press against an edge portion of the planar member or even through it, to secure the planar member in the recess. The retaining means preferably includes a plurality of lateral protrusions which are adapted to press against the planar member to secure it in the recess .

Preferably the lateral protrusions create a serpentine/meandering path for the planar member to follow within the recess.

It is preferred that the recess is arcuate.

The recess may be formed by generally arcuate inner walls of the two parts. The plurality of teeth may be in the form of ridges formed along the length of the inner walls of the recess.

Preferably the frame assembly includes a tubular section adapted to act as an outer frame of the frame assembly. It is preferred that the tubular section is distal to the recess.

Preferably the tubular section is separated from the recess and attachment means by an elongate neck portion.

Preferably the elongate neck portion is in the form of a narrow skirting section along the length of the outer frame.

The two parts preferably form a top wall surface with top wall parts which are substantially flush or coplanar except for a gap therebetween. According to one embodiment one of the parts forms the entire top or bottom surface of the frame assembly.

It is preferred that the entire top or bottom surface is planar.

The coupling means preferably comprises a snap lock arrangement on both parts.

The coupling means preferably includes coupling portions on each part which coupling portions when coupled together connect both parts to form the frame assembly. Preferably the frame assembly comprises two main parts, each main part including the gripping means.

Two parts may include a coupling portion, which coupling portions are adapted to connect together. At least one of the coupling portions includes a plurality of ridges or teeth.

According to one embodiment one coupling portion includes a coupling wall with an outer end including the coupling portion. The coupling portion may includes a bevelled end adapted to engage the ridges or teeth of the other part .

It is preferred that one part forms a cavity which is adapted to receive at least part of another part .

Preferably the coupling wall extends substantially at rights angles towards the wall of the coupling portion of the other part .

According to an alternative embodiment coupling walls of each part are adapted to extend substantially parallel to each other upon coupling. At least one part has two parallel coupling walls each with coupling portions along their inner surfaces .

Preferably both parts have two parallel coupling walls each with coupling portions along their inner surfaces.

One part may include a coupling wall having coupling portions on parallel outer surfaces.

One part may include a coupling portion in the form of an elongate wall which is adapted to engage in a channel ormed in the other part .

It is preferred the coupling means includes tightening means for altering the tightness of the coupling between coupling portions of opposing parts.

The tightening means may include urging means for forcing engaging coupling walls together. At least one part may have a slanted surface which is adapted to abut with a tightening portion of the other part.

The tightening portion may include an inwardly directed wall. The inwardly directed wall may be spaced apart from the coupling wall(s).

It is preferred that the inwardly directed wall is substantially parallel with the coupling wall of the same part. It is preferred that a channel is formed between the inwardly directed wall and the coupling wall. The coupling wall of the other part may be adapted to extend at least part way across the channel formed between the inwardly directed wall and the coupling wall. Preferably the coupling wall of the other part includes an angled support wall on which the inwardly directed wall is adapted to slide during coupling.

The inwardly directed wall is preferably adapted to be located between the outer frame and the support wall. A plurality of teeth are preferably provided on one part to enable an increase in gripping pressure on the generally planar member, due to a decrease in the width of the recess between the two parts.

According to another embodiment of the present invention the coupling means includes an urging means for increasing the gripping force applied to the generally planar member within the recess.

The coupling means may connect two parts together and urge the retaining means to grip the planar member more tightly.

Preferably the frame assembly includes an urging means for decreasing the width of the recess. Preferably the urging means constitutes one part of the frame assembly.

According to an alternative embodiment the frame assembly includes a primary recess which is adapted to receive gripping parts of the assembly for forming a secondary recess adapted to retain an edge portion of the generally planar member therein.

Preferably the urging means comprises an urging member.

The gripping parts may include an urging member for urging the gripping means to grip the generally planar member more tightly.

It is preferred that the coupling means includes an urging member for urging the retaining means to grip the edge of the generally planar member more tightly. The urging member preferably is in the form of a wedge.

The urging member may be a screwable member for forcing opposing walls of the gripping means together.

The urging member is preferably arranged to alter the degree of closure of jaws of the retaining means. It is preferred that the wedge member fits into the primary recess.

According to one embodiment the gripping parts include a closure member having the secondary recess therebetween.

According to another embodiment the wedge member is adapted to force the closure member to tightly grip an edge of the generally planar member.

The wedge member and closure member are preferably arranged adjacent each other in a layered configuration.

According to another embodiment the retaining means includes an elongate member arranged opposite a matching shaped wall of another part of the frame assembly.

The primary recess may be located adjacent the main frame . The wedge member may include a catch for keeping the wedge member within the primary recess.

Preferably one part may include a primary frame part with a catch recess adapted to receive a catch of the wedge member.

According to another embodiment the primary frame part includes opposing primary recess walls with teeth located on inner surfaces thereof which teeth are able to be urged together by the urging means . According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a frame assembly for security screens including a plurality of parts which when connected together are adapted to retain a generally planar member within a receiving recess of the frame assembly, a retaining means for retaining the generally planar member within the receiving recess and a keeper means for retaining the retaining means within the receiving recess.

According to another embodiment of the present invention the retaining means includes a gripping means comprising a plurality of protrusions extending outwardly from one wall of the gripping means to an opposing wall of the gripping means .

According to one embodiment the gripping means comprises two opposing walls, one of the walls including the plurality of protrusions.

The plurality of protrusions may be in the form of finger like projections which extend towards the other wall of the gripping means .

One wall of the gripping means may be in the form of a mat having an array of gripping projections extending outwardly from its major surface.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a frame assembly for security screens including at least two parts, including first and second parts which together form a recess, a retaining means for retaining an edge of a generally planar member within the recess and urging means for increasing gripping force applied to the generally planar member within the recess.

Preferably the urging means comprises an urging member.

The first and second parts preferably form first and second recesses with the first recess adapted to receive the generally planar member and the second recess being adapted to receive the urging means.

The first part preferably forms a recess within which the second part is adapted to be received.

The second part may include engagement means for engaging an engagement portion of the first part. The engagement means may comprise a catch which is adapted to engage a co-operating catch of the first part.

Preferably the catch comprises a ridge.

The second part preferably comprises a generally planar member having a foot at one end thereof . The retaining means may be gripping teeth.

The first and second parts preferably form jaws for gripping the generally planar member in the first recess.

The first part preferably forms a recess with generally parallel walls. The generally parallel walls of the first part preferably have first and second retaining means respectively.

The first retaining means is preferably for retaining the urging means and the second retaining means is preferably for retaining the generally planar member.

According to yet a further embodiment of the present invention there is provided a frame assembly for security screens, including at least two parts, which when connected together form a recess for receipt of a generally planar member, a retaining means for retaining an edge portion of the generally planar member within the recess, a coupling means for connecting the two parts together and an urging means for increasing the force with which the retaining means retains the edge portion of the generally planar member within the recess. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a side cross-sectional view of a two part security screen frame assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a variation of the security screen assembly shown in Figure 1 according to a second embodiment;

Figure 3 shows a security screen assembly according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4A shows a security screen assembly according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4B shows a variation of the fourth embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 4A;

Figure 5 shows a security screen assembly according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 shows a security screen assembly according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 7 shows a security screen assembly according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 8 shows a security screen assembly according to a eighth embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 9 shows a security screen assembly according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 shows a security screen assembly according to a tenth embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 11 shows a security screen assembly according to an eleventh embodiment of the present invention; Figure 12 shows a security screen assembly according to a twelfth embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 13 shows a security screen assembly according to a thirteenth embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 14 shows a frame component for a security screen assembly according to a fourteenth embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 15 shows a security screen assembly according to a fourteenth embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 16 shows a security screen assembly according to a fifteenth embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 17 shows a security screen assembly according to a sixteenth embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 18 shows an underside view of a gripping strip of the security screen assembly shown in Figure 17; Figure 19 shows a side view of the gripping strip shown in Figure 18.

Figure 20 shows a security screen assembly according to a seventeenth embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 21 shows a security screen assembly according to an eighteenth embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 22 shows a security screen assembly according to a nineteenth embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 23 shows a security screen assembly according to a twentieth embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 24 shows a security screen assembly according to a twenty first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 25A shows a security screen assembly according to a twenty second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 25B shows an enlarged view of gripping jaws of the security screen assembly shown in Figure 25A; and

Figure 25C shows an insert to be used with the security screen assembly shown in Figure 25A. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For convenience the following embodiments will be described assuming that the security screen assembly is resting on a horizontal surface.

As shown in Figure 1 the security screen assembly 10 consists of an upper part 11 and a lower part 12 which parts may be made of steel, aluminium or plastic as well as other materials .

The lower part 12 consists of a rectangular tubular outer part 13 with a narrow web portion 14 formed to the right of its lower right corner 15.

The narrow web portion 14 extends into a forked wall section including an upwardly extending wall section 16 having a slight inclination away from a vertical orientation, and a lower elbow portion 16 which at its lower end extends outwardly to the right as a straight horizontal lower wall 17 with teeth 19 extending upwardly from its top surface along its outer half 18.

The upwardly extending wall 20 has an elbow section 21 which extends to the right in parallel with lower wall 17 as inner wall 22. The inner wall 22 terminates in a bevelled end 23 at a position which corresponds to less than half of the length of the lower wall 17.

The upper part 11 consists of a generally n-shaped first section 24 including a downwardly extending left wall 25 which fits into a gap 26 formed between right side wall

27 of part 13 and the opposing upwardly extending wall 20.

The wall 25 extends at right angles to an upper horizontal wall 28 which itself extends at right angles to a downwardly extending right wall 29 which is generally parallel to wall 25.

The wall 29 is provided with two teeth 30 on its inner surface and a recess 31 formed between the two teeth is adapted to receive the bevelled end 23 therein.

The lower end of the wall 29 extends horizontally outwardly as outer wall 32. This wall 32 is effectively the mirror image of the lower wall 18 and likewise has teeth on its lower surface as represented by item 33. The opposing upper and lower walls 32, 18 form a pair of jaws with inner teeth 19, 33.

The upper part 11 and lower part 12 fit together to form a snap lock fit. Thus the upper part 11 fits over the lower part 12 so that the inner wall 22 fits into the space between wall 25 and wall 29. As upper part 11 is placed over the upper wall 22 and its associated wall 20, the lowermost end of wall 25 abuts against the outer slanted wall 34 of wall 20. As the upper part 11 is pushed downwardly the lowermost end 35 of wall 25 slides along the slanted wall 34 and at the same time the outer surface of the lowermost tooth 36 slides along the upper surface 37 of the opposing bevelled end 23.

As upper part 11 is pushed further downwardly, outermost end 38 of the bevelled end 23 snaps into the recess 31 between the first and second teeth 36, 39. The lowermost end wall 35 at the same time slides downwardly on outer surface 34 and is forced outwardly which causes the teeth 36, 39 to move towards the left and into tighter engagement with the bevelled end 23. Because there is a degree of resilience in both wall 25 and wall 29 the angled surface 34 has the effect of providing a tighter snap fit between upper part 11 and upper wall 22. This feature although advantageous is optional. As shown in Figure 2 the upper outer surface 40 of upper part 11 may be provided with a recess 41 for receipt of a screw. The screw would be inserted through a hole located through both upper part 11 and the adjacent inner wall 22 so as to secure the parts together.

In Figures 1 and 2 the snap lock fit between upper part 11 and lower part 12 is shown with the bevelled end 23 engaged in the recess between adjacent teeth 36, 39. The drawing shown is partly conceptual, because it is intended that wall 29 be provided with a number of internal teeth so that upper part 11 is able to be pushed downwardly to a number of different positions so that the bevelled end 23 can engage in any one of a number of recesses between respective adjacent teeth of wall 29, so as to provide a snap lock fit with a degree of tightness between upper part 11 and lower part 12 as may be desired.

From the above it can be appreciated that if a wire screen mesh is located between the opposing teeth 19 and 33, the tightness with which the teeth engage the wire mesh, is determined by how far upper part 11 is pushed downwardly into engagement with lower part 12.

Thus if upper part 11 was provided with four teeth and was pushed downwardly as far as possible so that bevelled end 23 engaged a recess above the uppermost tooth, then this would provide the greatest gripping force which could be applied to the wire screen mesh located between teeth 19 and 33.

Obviously the size of the teeth could be varied to provide a greater degree of variations in tightness between the snap lock fitted upper part 11 and lower part 12 and thus opposing teeth 19 and 33.

In both Figures 1 and 2 the opposing teeth 19 and 33 are located on jaws 18 and 32 which are aligned in parallel. In contrast in Figure 3 the inner surfaces 50 and 51 of upper and lower jaws 52 and 53 have an arcuate formation.

Thus the upper jaw 52 has a slightly concave shaped inner surface 50 provided with teeth 54 and the lower upper surface 51 has a convex arcuate shape with teeth 55.

The arcuate shape of inner surfaces 50 and 51 provides additional gripping pressure to a wire mesh screen which is located in the recess 56 therebetween.

In Figure 4A a wire mesh screen 57 is shown in the recess 56 and additional fastening is provided between adjacent parts 11 and 12 through a screw 58 which is located through the centre of parts 28 and 22.

According to another variation of the invention shown in Figure 4B the bevelled end 23 of inner wall 22 is inverted so that it slopes upwardly and outwardly to its most distal point 200. The opposing wall 201 of the upper part 11 has a single tooth or protuberance 202 which is angled downwardly at 45° with its upper surface of a matching con iguration to that of the opposing surface of the bevelled end 23.

With the above embodiment the tooth 202 is engaged underneath the bevelled end 23.

In Figure 6 another embodiment of the invention is shown in which the jaws shown in the previous embodiments are replaced by widely spaced upper and lower walls 59 and

65 respectively having two widely spaced upper teeth and one upwardly extending lower tooth located approximately half way between the upper teeth 60, 61. In contrast to the teeth of the previous embodiments, the teeth 60, 61, 62 are not arranged opposite other teeth. In this way upper teeth

60 and 61 engage a wire screen mesh 63 and force it against the opposing flat inner surface 64 of lower wall 65. The lower tooth 62 extends upwardly beyond the vertical level of the downwardly extending teeth 60, 61 to create a serpentine path for the wire mesh 64. The sharp ends of each of the teeth 60, 61 and 62 together act so as to effectively grip the wire mesh 64 and prevent withdrawal movement of the wire mesh 64.

The other characteristics of the frame assembly 66 shown in Figure 6 are the same as the snap lock features shown in the embodiments of Figures 2 and .

Figure 5 shows the same frame assembly shown in Figure 6 without the screw 67.

According to another embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 7 the snap lock arrangement of the previous embodiments is replaced by a simple force fit construction between parts 70 and 71. In this embodiment the downwardly extending wall 72, which corresponds to wall 25 in the previous embodiments, fits neatly into a correspondingly shaped recess 73. In addition the downwardly extending wall 74 which is parallel to wall 72 does not have any internal teeth for engagement with the outer end of horizontally ending wall 75 of the lower part 71. Accordingly there is no engagement of any description between these parts, in contrast to the engagement between bevelled part 23 and the opposing teeth 36, 39 of the embodiment of Figure 1.

In this embodiment the upper part has downwardly extending teeth 76, 77 which correspond to teeth 60 and 61 of Figure 6 and Figure 5. Similarly the lower part 71 is provided with a single upwardly extending tooth 78 so as to provide a serpentine path for a wire mesh screen being in engagement with extending teeth 76, 77 and 78. In Figure 8 an alternative embodiment is shown in which the snap lock arrangement shown in Figures 1 to 6 is replaced by an alternative snap lock arrangemen . In Figure 8 the upper part 80 has two downwardly extending walls 81 and 82, which on their inner surfaces and at their lower ends have opposing teeth 83, 84.

The opposing teeth 83, 84 form a narrow gap 85 therebetween which is adapted to receive an upwardly extending spigot wall 85 of the lower part 86. The upwardly extending spigot wall 85 is provided with teeth 86 and 87 on opposing external surfaces thereof and has a Christmas tree like configuration. When the upper part 80 is pushed downwardly the teeth 83, 84 of the walls 81 and 82 engage the teeth 86 and 87 of the upwardly extending spigot wall 85 to provide a snap lock fit between the two parts 80 and 88.

To the right of the engaging teeth 83, 84 and 86 and 87, jaws 89 and 90 extend with inner opposing teeth in a similar configuration to the jaws 18 and 32 of Figure 1.

To the left of the engaging teeth 83, 84, 86 and 87 the downwardly extending wall 91 which corresponds to wall 25 of Figure 1 fits into a gap provided between the adjacent outer frame 92 and upwardly extending parallel wall 93 of the lower part 88. Thus there is no lateral pressure applied to the engaging parts 80 and 88 so as to increase the tightness between engaging teeth 83, 84, 86 and 87. However according to an alternative embodiment walls 91 and 93 can be reconfigured so they are similar to walls 25 and 20 of

Figure 1.

In Figure 10 another embodiment is shown which is essentially the reverse of the embodiment shown in Figure 9. Thus the lower part 93 (which corresponds to lower part 88 in Figure 9) has two upwardly extending walls 94 and 95 with teeth 96 and 97 respectively on their inner faces. The upper part 98 has a downwardly extending spigot wall 99 with a Christmas tree-like configuration similar to that shown in Figure 8. Teeth on the spigot wall 99 engage with the teeth 96 and 97 in a similar fashion to that of the embodiment of Figure 8.

To the left of the snap lock engaging components 94, 95 and 96, a downwardly extending wall 100 fits into a gap 101 between the outer frame 102 and a vertically extending upper wall 103.

According to another embodiment as shown in Figure 10 the snap lock engagement between upper part 105 and lower part 106 is performed by opposing teeth 107 and 108 of a downwardly extending wall 109 and an upwardly extending wall 110. To the left of the snap lock arrangement of this embodiment, downwardly extending wall 111 fits into a gap 112 in a similar fashion to that of the embodiment shown in Figure 10.

According to another variation however the wall 111 may be modified so that it is able to slide on an angled adjacent inner wall so as to provide a lateral force to tighten the snap lock engagement between teeth 107 and 108. In Figures 8 to 10 the arrangement of jaws 89 and 90 is the same and is based on the same arrangement as shown in Figure 1.

In Figure 11 an alternative embodiment is shown in which a snap lock fit is provided between parts 120 and 121 in a similar fashion to that shown in Figure 10. However the jaws 89 and 90 are replaced by opposing upper and lower walls 122 and 123, with the upper wall being continuous with the rest of the upper part on its outer surface and having an inner surface provided with teeth which oppose teeth of the lower part 121.

The teeth of the lower part 121 are located on the top face of a channel part 124 which is formed by upwardly extending left and right walls 125 and 126 and horizontally extending upper and lower walls 127 and 128 respectively.

The left side wall 125 also acts as the upwardly extending wall (similar to 110) with the snap-lock engaging teeth 129 on its outer surface which engage the opposing teeth 130 of the downwardly extending wall 131 of the upper part 120.

With the above configuration of the upper and lower parts there is sufficient strength and integrity in both parts to enable a screw connection between both of them, through the screw 132 which is located vertically through both opposing walls 122 and 123.

The screw 132 is adapted to pass through both of the walls 122 and 123 as well as the wire mesh 133 which is located therebetween. Furthermore the screw extends to the internal chamber 134 of the channel 124.

Figure 12 shows a variation of the embodiment shown in Figure 2, in which a screw 140 extends vertically through horizontal walls 28 and 22 as well as an outermost edge part of the wire mesh 141. The screw 140 is received at its outer end in a screw cavity 142 located in the lower wall 17.

Figure 13 shows a variation on the embodiment shown in Figure 12 by extending the end of wall 22 downwardly to form an enclosed tubular channel 143. The purpose of this channel 43 is to provide greater structural integrity to the lower part 17 and thus enable a screw 140 to provide a strong connection between upper and lower parts 11 and 12.

Because of the tubular arrangement 143 the screw 140 which is insertable through both parts 11 and 12 does not engage the edge of a wire mesh screen which is inserted between opposing jaws 18, 32. It should also be noted that in the embodiments of Figures 12 and 13 the screw 140 provides the only connection between parts 11 and 12, as there is no snap-lock fit between the two parts. Furthermore the lateral force applied by the downwardly extending wall 25 and adjacent angular surface 35 may be replaced by a simple parallel wall arrangement as shown in Figures 8 to 10.

According to another aspect of the present invention a single main frame 150 may be provided having a generally square tubular outer frame section 151 and upper and lower horizontally extending walls 152 and 153 which form a channel 154 therebetween. Both walls 152 and 153 extend to the right of the tubular section 151, with the upper wall 152 having an outer end 155 which is in the form of an upper plateau with a channel 156 located thereunder.

The lower wall 153 has an upwardly extending outer lip 157 which opposes a downwardly directed wall 158 of the plateau section 155.

The channel 154 is large enough to receive a C-shaped clamping device 159 which has opposing parallel walls 160 and 161 with teeth provided on their inner surfaces in a similar fashion to the jaws 18 and 32 of previously described embodiments .

The outermost ends of the walls 160 and 161 are adapted to receive a wire mesh screen therebetween and the wire mesh screen is adapted to be inserted fully to the inner end of the recess 164 located therebetween.

The bottom (side) wall 165 which interconnects both walls 160 and 161 is kinked and is designed to be resilient so that both walls 160 and 161 can be easily forced together. A keeper 166 is provided in the form of an elongate wedge having an upper surface with an elongate fin 167 which is adapted to engage in the channel 156.

The outer end of the keeper consists of perpendicular upper and lower walls 168 and 169, to give the keeper a T- like configuration with the T resting on its side.

In operation the clamping device 159 is adapted to be located within the channel 154 with the lower wall 161 abutting the adjacent parallel lower wall 153. The keeper 166 is adapted to be forced into the channel above the clamping device 159 in parallel and in abutting relationship with the upper wall 160.

The keeper 166 increases in width from the end of the elongate portion 170 to the junction of the perpendicular walls 168 and 169, so that the further the keeper in inserted into the channel the greater the lateral force applied to close the opposing walls 160 and 161 of the clamping device 159.

The keeper 166 is retained within the channel 154 by the engagement of the fin 167 within the channel 156.

Figure 14 shows a variation on the frame 150 in which the outer tubular part 151 is much longer so that it is suitable for a door frame. This is in contrast to the embodiment shown in Figure 15 where the tubular component 151 makes the frame component 150 more suitable for a window frame.

It should be noted however that the shape of the tubular part may be altered as desired for this embodiment and the previously described embodiments . According to another variation of the present invention the clamping device 159 is replaced by a single planar component 180 with teeth 181 on its lower surface. The lower wall 153 is provided with teeth 182 on its upper face which teeth are aligned opposite teeth 181 so as to provide a means of engagement of a wire screen mesh 183 located therebetween.

The keeper 166 operates in exactly the same manner as described previously, by forcing the planar member 180 or grip strip downwardly against one surface of the wire screen mesh 183 so as to provide a means of retaining the wire mesh

183 between the two opposing sets of teeth 181 and 182.

According to another embodiment of the invention as shown in Figure 17 to Figure 19 the single planar component 180 shown in Figure 16 is replaced by an injection moulded finger strip 190. This finger strip 190 as shown in Figures 18 and 19 is in the form of a rectangular mat with an array of finger like projections 191 extending downwardly from the underside 192 of the mat 190.

A soft PVC extrusion strip 193 is located on the upper inner surface of the lower wall 153 and the rest of the frame 194 is effectively the same as frame 151 shown in Figure 15. Both strips 190 and 195 according to one embodiment have a length of 153mm. The finger like pxojections 191 are preferably pitched and dimensioned to suit woven mesh screens which are adapted to be received between both strips 190 and 195. The finger like projections 191 are adapted to penetrate through the woven mesh 196 and also penetrate the soft PVC extrusion 195.

The soft PVC extrusion 195 is retained within the recess 197 of the frame 194 by the peripheral lip 157. A keeper strip 198 having a similar configuration to keeper 166 is inserted in the recess 197 above the strip 192 and lower wall 199 acts like wall 164 in figure 15 to retain the strip 192 within the recess 197. It is preferred that the embodiment shown in Figures 17 to 19 does not rely on sandwiched pressure between the keeper and strips 192 and 195 in order to keep the woven mesh 196 within the recess 197. It is preferred that the finger projections 191 have sufficient strength and sharpness in order to penetrate the woven mesh 196.

According to another embodiment of the invention the closure device 161 has one inner surface with finger like projections and the opposing surface provided with a soft PVC extrusion which is adapted to receive the ends of the finger like projections in a similar fashion to the embodiment described in relation to Figures 17 to 19.

According to another variation of the present invention a flat ended screw may be applied vertically through the wall 152 instead of the keeper 166 so as to apply pressure to wall 160 and force its closure upon the wire mesh screen

162 by rotation of the screw.

Figure 20 shows a seventeenth embodiment of the present invention which is a variation on the tenth embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 10.

The jaws 89 and 90 shown in Figure 10 may require additional force to be applied from above in order to ensure that a wire screen mesh located between the jaws is tightly gripped by the teeth of the jaws.

To ensure an adequate grip is applied to the wire screen mesh 300 as shown in Figure 20 a channel 301 is formed above the upper jaw 302 with an upper wall 303 extending horizontally in parallel with upper jaw 302. The upper and lower walls 304, 305 of recess 301 have teeth 306, 308 provided at their outer ends. An elongate wedge 308 is adapted to be forced into the recess 301 and is provided with an outer enlarged arcuate head region 309 with upper and lower teeth engaging ridges located in a neck region 312 just below the head region 308.

By forcing the wedge 308 into the recess 301 so that the upper and lower ridges 310 and 311 engage with the teeth 306 and 307, the upper jaw 302 is forced downwardly towards the lower jaw, thus providing a tighter gripping force to the wire screen mesh 300. The rest of the frame assembly 313 is connected together in a snap-lock fitting similar to that shown in Figure 10. In Figure 21 the same wedge assembly shown in Figure 20 is employed, however the snap-lock fitting of Figure 10 is replaced by a screw connection fitting in which the snap- lock fitting components of previous embodiments are replaced by a lower wall 320 which has an upwardly extending wall 321 with a right angled leftwardly extending wall 322 at its upper end. A screw 323 is inserted through the upper wall 324 and vertically through the wall 322. To the left of this screwable fitting connection the frame assembly is similar to the embodiments shown in Figures 9 and 10. Figure 22 shows an alternative embodiment of Figure 20 in which the wedge 308 is replaced by one or more screws 325 which has a flat lower end and extends vertically through upper wall 326 and is able to apply a force to the upper jaw 327 to force it into tighter gripping contact with the wire screen mesh 328.

It should be noted in all embodiments where there are wedges or screws provided and snap-lock fitting walls that a number of such components may be provided along the length of each frame component. According to a twentieth embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 23 the wedge 308 shown in Figures 20 and 21 can also be utilised in a one piece frame component 330. The one piece frame component 330 consists of an outer tubular section 331 which is generally of square configuration although this obviously may be of any desired configuration. To the right of this tubular section 331 lower and upper jaws 332, 333 are provided in parallel with an upper wall 334 in a similar configuration to that shown in Figures 20 to 22. A wedge 335 is located in recess 336 between the upper wall 334 and upper jaw 332 and operates in a similar fashion to that described in relation to Figure 20.

It should be noted that in relation to the embodiments shown in Figures 20 to 23 that a degree of resilience is required in the upper jaw 302, 327, 333 in order that it may be pressed downwardly to more tightly engage the wire screen mesh.

The embodiment shown in Figure 23 may be varied to replace the wedge 335 with a screw in a similar fashion to that shown in Figure 22.

According to the twenty first embodiment of the present invention the general concept shown in the embodiments of Figures 20 and 21 is followed with the right hand side of the frame assembly being effectively the same and having upper and lower jaws 340, 341, the upper horizontal wall 342 and a wedge 343. A recess 344 is located between upper wall 342 and upper jaw 340. A vertical wall 345 interconnecting the upper wall 342 and upper jaw 340 is offset further to the right than in the embodiments of Figures 20 and 21, thus extending the jaws 340 and 341 inwardly to the left of the wall 345.

The method of connection between upper frame component 346 and lower frame component 347, is different to that shown in Figures 20 and 21. A snap-lock fit is still provided, however the upper frame component 346 is provided with a downwardly extending spigot wall 348 at its left most end and this spigot wall 348 has a series of teeth 349 extending from its top horizontal surface 350 less than half way down the length of the outer left side of spigot wall 348.

On the right hand side of the spigot wall 348 teeth 351 are provided which start at a vertical position adjacent the lower most tooth of the teeth 349 and extending downwardly approximately half the length of the receiving lower right

(and inside) wall 352 of the spigot wall 348.

The spigot wall 348 fits into a similarly shaped recess

353 located between right side wall 354 of the exterior tubular portion 355 of the lower frame component 347 and upwardly extending wall 356 located to the right of the spigot wall 348.

The upper right hand side of the wall 354 is provided with a set of teeth which match those of the teeth 349. In addition the upper left hand side of wall 351 is also provided with teeth of a matching configuration to the teeth

353.

The lower end of the spigot wall 348 has slightly convergent left and right side walls 357 and 358 and these walls have a matching shape to the adjacent walls of the right side wall 354 and upwardly extending wall 356.

As shown in Figure 24 the upper frame component 346 is snap-lock fitted to the lower frame component 347 with the spigot wall 348 fully inserted into the recess 353.

It should be noted however that the number of teeth provided on the spigot wall 348 may be changed and the configuration and sloping of the exterior walls of the wall spigot 348 and the adjacent walls 354 and 356 may also be changed . The location of the exterior teeth of the spigot wall 348 may also be altered.

It is preferred that teeth are provided on right and left hand sides of the spigot wall 348 in order to improve stability of the snap-lock fitting between the upper frame component 346 and lower frame component 347.

Desirably opposing walls of the recess 353 are divergent to enable easy insertion of the spigot wall 348.

The twenty second embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 25A consists of a base frame component 400 having a rectangular channel section 400 and two parallel channel walls 402, 403 extending from a right hand side thereof.

Upper wall 402 has an inner surface provided with inwardly directed teeth 404 shown more clearly in Figure 25B.

Lower wall 403 has an upper surface with inwardly directed teeth 405 which are larger in size than teeth 404.

At an inner end of wall 403 an upstanding catch 406 is provided close to the adjacent side wall 407 of channel section 401.

As shown in Figure 25C a generally planar gripping jaw

408 is adapted so that it is able to be inserted in the space between the walls 402 and 403 whereby a downwardly extending catch or foot 409 is able to fit into the recess formed between catch 406 and adjacent wall 407.

The lower surface of the gripping jaw is provided with teeth 410 which are similar in shape to teeth 405.

The twenty second embodiment shown in Figures 25A to 25C is used in a similar fashion to the embodiment shown in Figure 16. Thus the gripping jaw 408 is inserted into the recess interposing walls 402 and 403 and a wedge member (not shown) is inserted into the recess formed between wall 402 and the upper surface of gripping jaw 408. The wedge member is provided with teeth which are able to co-act with teeth 404 and is shaped so as to press gripping jaw 408 into gripping contact with a screen mesh which is located between teeth 405 and 410.

In addition to the embodiments described above further embodiments are envisaged which involve taking features of one embodiment described above and incorporating them in another of the above described embodiments.

Claims

1. A frame assembly for security screens having at least two parts, including first and second parts, which together form a recess, a retaining means for retaining an edge of a generally planar member within the recess and urging means for increasing gripping force applied to the generally planar member within the recess .

2. The frame assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the urging means comprises an urging member.

3. The frame assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein the first and second parts form first and second recesses, with the first recess adapted to receive the generally planar member and the second recess adapted to receive the urging means .

4. The frame assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein the first part forms a recess within which the second part is adapted to be received.

5. The frame assembly as claimed in claim 4 wherein the second part includes engagement means for engaging an engagement portion of the first part.

6. The frame assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein the engagement means comprises a catch adapted to engage a catch of the first part.

7. The frame as claimed in claim 6 wherein the first part forms a recess with generally parallel walls.

8. The frame assembly as claimed in 7 wherein the retaining means comprises gripping means on inner surfaces of the first and second parts.

9. The frame assembly as claimed in claim 8 wherein the gripping means comprises teeth.

10. The frame assembly as claimed in claim 9 wherein the first part forms a recess with generally parallel walls.

11. The frame assembly as claimed in claim 10 wherein the generally parallel walls have inner surfaces each having a retaining means thereon.

12. The frame assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein each of the parallel walls have different retaining means.

13. The frame assembly as claimed in claim 12 wherein the second part comprises a generally planar member having a foot portion at one end thereof, which foot portion includes the engagement means .

14. The frame assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein the urging member is adapted to force the second part towards the edge of the generally planar member.

15. The frame assembly as claimed in claim 14 wherein the urging member comprises a wedge which is adapted to be received in the second recess .

16. The frame assembly as claimed in claim 10 wherein the second part forms the second recess alone.

17. A frame assembly for security screens, including at least two parts, which when connected together form a recess for receipt of a generally planar member, a retaining means for retaining an edge portion of the generally planar member within the recess, a coupling means for connecting the two parts together and an urging means for increasing the force with which the retaining means retains the edge portion of the generally planar member within the recess.

18. The frame assembly as claimed in claim 17 wherein the urging means comprises an urging member.

19. The frame assembly as claimed in claim 18 wherein the urging means comprises interconnecting snap fit components of the first and second parts.

20. The frame assembly as claimed in claim 19 wherein the urging member comprises a wedging device.

21. The frame assembly as claimed in claim 20 wherein the coupling means comprises a fastening device.

22. The frame assembly as claimed in claim 21 wherein the retaining means includes a plurality of lateral protrusions which are adapted to press against the planar member to secure it in the recess.

23. The frame assembly as claimed in claim 22 wherein the lateral protrusions create a serpentine path for the planar member to follow within the recess.

24. The frame assembly as claimed in claim 17 wherein the second part is housed within the first part and the recess is formed between opposing jaw members of the second part.