AU717821B2

AU717821B2 - Improved chain and casement window opening and closing mechanisms incorporating same

Info

Publication number: AU717821B2
Application number: AU60875/96A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ladislav Stephan Karpisek
Original assignee: L S K INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH P
Current assignee: Lsk International Research Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1995-08-02
Filing date: 1996-08-02
Publication date: 2000-04-06
Anticipated expiration: 2016-08-02
Also published as: AU6087596A

Description

(*r P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

NOTICE

1. The specification should describe the invention in full and the best method of performing it known to the applicant.

2. The specification should be typed on as many sheets of good quality A4 International size paper as are necessary and inserted inside this form.

3. The claims defining the invention must start on a new page. If there is insufficient space on this form for the claims, use separate sheets of paper.

The words 'The claims defining the invention are as follows' should appear before claim 1. After the claims the date and the name of the applicant should appear in block letters.

4. This form must be accompanied by a true and exact copy of the description, claims and drawings (if any) and an additional copy of the claims.

(see Pamphlets explaining formal requirements of specifications and drawings) TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT S Name of Applicant: L. SNTERNATIONAL RESEARCH PTY. LIMITED Actual Inventor(s): L .SLAV EP Robert G. HALLIDAY Address for Service: 44 Ashley Street, ,Hornsby, N.S.W. 2077 Invention Title: IPRoVE CHAIN AND CASEMENT.WINDOW OPENING AND CLOSING MECHANISMS INCORPORATING

SAME

Details of Associated Provisional Applications: Nos: .PN.56.3 f.i&ed .0208..95.

The following statement Is a full description of this invention, Including the best method of performing it known to me:- 1 IMPROVED CHAIN AND CASEMENT WINDOW OPENING AND CLOSING MECHANISMS INCORPORATING SAME FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a mechanism for the opening and closing of casement type windows. The invention is concerned in particular with the chain used in such mechanisms to link a window to a window frame and to move the window relative to the window frame.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Chain type opening and closing mechanisms are well known for the control of the opening and closing of casement windows. The accepted configuration of the mechanisms is one which includes a length of chain in a housing and manually operated means to cause the chain to be fed from the housing and to be retracted into the housing in window opening and closing sequences.

o With a view to reducing the length of the housing for the chain it is stored in U configuration in a suitable length housing with the legs of the U in spaced parallel relationship. There has been a problem with storing the chain in U configuration so that it can co**feed freely from the housing and retract into the housing without kinking and/or jamming during a window opening or closing operation.

2 One arrangement developed for storing the chain includes a channel type guideway along which the chain slides. This arrangement has proved to be unacceptable for several reasons including the high frictional load as the chain slides in the channel and associated high stresses on the chain moving mechanism.

The arrangement which is used currently with success includes a floating sprocket which is engaged with the legs and the base of the U formed by the chain. As 0 the chain is fed from the housing and retracted into the housing the length of the legs of the U changes and the base of the U moves towards and away from the opening in the housing through which the chain is fed.

The sprocket holds the legs of the chain U apart and *..:prevents the end of the U collapsing, kinking and jamming during chain feeding for both the window opening and window closing operations. The cost of the sprocket is one detracting feature of this arrangement and another is that the floating sprocket 20 limits the extent to which the chain can be fed from the housing.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION S. The invention has as one object the provision of a chain for a casement window opening and closing apparatus where the chain by its form simplifies the 3 construction of a window moving mechanism and overcomes existing problems with chain operated window moving apparatus.

Another object is to provide a window moving apparatus which by incorporating a chain as described immediately above provides greater window opening movement than is possible with known apparatus when both apparatus use chains of the same length.

i a a BROAD STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION.

Broadly stated, the invention provides a chain comprising a plurality of alternating inner and outer links connected by pivot pins, said chain having means to limit the pivotal movement between links, each link has a channel shaped body comprised of a bottom part and two upstanding walls each with an outer edge and two end parts extending beyond ends of said bottom part, corresponding wall end parts providing lug pairs with pivot pin receiving holes, the spacing apart of the lugs of each lug pair of the inner links is such that inner link lug pairs will fit between outer link lug pairs, the means to limit pivotal movement between links and thus the flexure of the chain in a first direction from a linear configuration of the chain comprises engagement between the ends of the bottom parts of connected inner and outer links, the end to end lengths of the bottom parts of said links being 4 such as to substantially eliminate flexure in said first direction, the maximum flexure of the chain in the opposite direction is limited by engagement between flanges at the outer edges of the walls of alternate links and the walls of the links connected to said alternate links.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

Fig.1 is a perspective diagrammatic view of a window opening and closing apparatus, Fig.2 is a perspective view of a typical known link for chain type window winders, Fig.3 is a plan view of one form of known inner workings for an apparatus as illustrated in Fig.l, wherein the chain component made up of links as illustrated in Fig.2 is in a partially retracted condition, Fig.4 is a view similar to Fig.3 showing another form of known inner workings for an apparatus of the type with which the present invention is concerned, wherein a 20 the chain is in a partially retracted condition, shows the Fig.4 arrangement with the chain thereof substantially fully extended from the apparatus housing, Fig.6 illustrates what will happen if a support sprocket element of the Fig.4 arrangement is removed, Fig.7 is view similar to Fig.6 showing the difference 5 if a chain as proposed by the present invention is used, Fig.8 is a view similar to Fig.7 illustrating the chain of the present invention when is substantially fully extended condition.

Fig.9 is a view similar to Fig.2 of a chain link according to the invention, is a section on the section line 10-10 of Fig.9, and Fig.11 is a section on the section similar to that shown in Fig.9 for an alternative form of chain link, DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig.l of the drawings illustrates one known form of casement window opening and closing apparatus 1 where there is a housing 2 from which a top cover plate 3 has been removed. Referring now to Figs.3 and 4, within the housing 2 there is a channel of generally U form with two legs 4 and 5. Rotatably mounted in the housing 2 there is a sprocket 6 mounted on a shaft 7.

The sprocket shaft 7 is connected to a gear drive in the housing compartment 8, see Fig.1, and is rotated through the gear drive by the handle 9.

There is a length of chain 10 engaged with the sprocket 6, the links 11 of the chain are as illustrated in Fig.2 where each is made of pressed metal with a 6 generally form with side plates 12, a bottom 13 and lugs 14 on the side plates 12 provided with holes for connectors with which the sprocket can engage.

The chain links 11, in known manner, is comprised of alternating inner and outer links ila and lib and can flex 'inwardly' but is limited in its outward flexure to a straight line configuration by the abutting of the ends of the bottoms 13 of adjacent links. As illustrated the chain 10 is supported and guided for movement by the channel The housing 2 has an opening 16 through which the chain is moved by rotation of the sprocket 6. The high frictional loads as the chain 10 moves along the channel 5 and the high stress loadings on the chain moving mechanism due to that friction makes this arrangement commercially unacceptable.

o o4 Fig.4 illustrates a commonly used form of casement window opening and closing mechanism. There is a housing 2 with a length of chain 10 comprised of links Ila and llb, the chain 10 is in the form of a with the last link llb of the chain anchored at 17 to the housing 2. There is a chain winding sprocket 6 on a drive shaft 7 with the sprocket 6 engaged with the chain 10. The housing 2 has the opening 16 to allow the chain 10 to pass to and fro with respect to the 7 housing 2. There is no channel to support and guide the chain 10. There is a sprocket 18 engaged with the legs of the formed by the chain 10 and with the bottom of that as illustrated.

illustrates the practical limit to which the chain 10 can be fed from the housing due to the inclusion of the sprocket 18. Fig.6 illustrates what would happen if the sprocket 18 is not used. The chain at the bottom of the collapses and kinks and wedges and locks the chain 10 in place making it impossible to feed the chain from the housing.

The inventor has recognised that the collapse of the chain to the Fig.6 configuration, as indicated by the arrow X in Fig.6, can be prevented by making the links lla and/or lib of a modified shape. The proposed chain link, in one form, is shown in Figs.9 and where Fig.10 is a section on the section line 10-10 of Fig.9, and where Fig.9 is an outer link llb. It will be seen that there is an inturned lug 19 on one of the link legs 12 with the amount of inturn being substantially the same thickness as the leg 12 thereby not interfering with the entry of the sprocket teeth between the side plates of the inner links. In Fig.11, which would be the similar section on an inner link lla, the lug 19 is out turned. The lugs 19 are 8 provided to limit the pivotal movement between adjacent chain links and as a result the collapsed configuration X of Fig.6 cannot occur.

The pivotal movement limitation is achieved because the lugs 19 project into the path of travel of the side plates 12 of adjacent links. The ends of the lugs 19 are engaged by the side plates 12 of the adjacent links when a predetermined pivotal movement between links, as determined by the length of the lugs 19, has been to achieved. There is a continuous engagement and disengagement of the lugs 19 and side plates 12 of successive links as the bottom of the chain forms during the movement of the chain into and out of the housing 2, as can be seen in Figs.7 and 8.

The proposed construction eliminates the need for the oo sprocket 18. Comparison of Fig.5 with Fig.8 shows how much extra chain can be feed from the housing 2 when the sprocket 18 is eliminated.

The foregoing is a description of a presently preferred 2D arrangement. It is to be understood that changes can .be made to the shape and size and arrangement of the component parts described and illustrated without departing from the inventive concept hereinbefore disclosed. By way of example, the lugs 19 can be as 9 shown, that is on just one side plate of every second chain link, or there can be lugs on both side plates of every second chain link. The lug/s can be on the inner links only, or the outer links only, or on both the inner and outer links and may be on one or both of the side plates alternately on the inner and outer links.

e

Claims

2. A chain as claimed in claim 1 wherein the alternate link is an outer link and there is one flange on the alternate link which projects inwardly from one of the walls of the alternate link.
3. A chain as claimed in claim 1 wherein the alternate link is an inner link and there is one flange on the alternate link which projects outwardly from one of the walls of the alternate link.
4. A chain as claimed in claim 1 wherein the alternate link is an outer link and there are two flanges on the alternate link which project inwardly both of the walls of the alternate link. oeoe A chain as claimed in claim 1 wherein the alternate link is an inner link and there are two flanges on the alternate link which projects outwardly from both of the walls of the alternate link.
6. A chain as claimed in claim 1 having a flange on one wall of each link.
7. A chain as claimed in claim 1 having a flange on each wall of each link. A chain as claimed in any one of the claims 1 12 to 7 when mounted in a housing of a window opening device, where said housing includes a chamber having a floor and a chamber defining wall means with an opening therein and in which a chain sprocket is rotatably mounted, the flanges of said chain allowing said chain to flex in said opposite direction sufficiently to partially embrace and be drivingly engaged by said sprocket, anchoring means to anchor one end of said chain within said chamber, the arrangement being such that by contra rotations of said sprocket the other end of said chain can be moved out of said chamber through said opening to the extent permitted by said anchorage I* of said one chain end and can be retracted into said chamber.
9. A chain substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings i: 10. A chain substantially as hereinbefore described when combined with elements of a window opening device SA c as hereinbefore described and claimed in claim 8. Dated this 2nd February, 2000 L.S.K. INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH PTY.LIMITED S By its Patent Attorney