GB2080863A - Security bars - Google Patents

Abstract

A security bar assembly for an opening comprises an elongate bar 10 extending across the opening, and sockets 16 secured to the respective sides 3 of the opening by means of fastenings 15 accessible only from within the socket. At least one socket is provided with an abutment 17 adjacent its outer end extending inwards into abutting relationship with the bar and one end of the bar is provided with spring loaded pins 20 which extend and engage behind the abutment 17 preventing withdrawal of the bar from the socket. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Security bars This invention relates to improvements to security bars.

Many types of security bars are presently available but the present invention has been devised to overcome the disadvantage of the type having readily accessible connecting means such as visible screws and rivets and the like, and to provide an assembly which may be assembled across an existing window and in which all fastenings will be concealed whereby entry through the window can only be gained by forcing the security bars.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, this invention resides broadly in a security bar assembly for an opening, including an elongate bar adapted to extend across an opening, a socket connector assembly at each end thereof adapted to be secured to the respective side of said opening by means of a fastening accessible only from within said socket, at least one of the latter being provided with abutment means adjacent its outer end adapted to extend inwards from the socket into substantially abutting relationship with the bar when the latter is supported in said socket and one end of said bar being provided with retractable pins adapted to extend beyond the bar upon insertion into said socket beyond said abutment means.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention.

As shown in Fig. 1, the security bar 10 is adapted to extend between jambs 11 in a window opening 12 enclosed by louvres, the frames 13 of which are shown in dotted outline. The security bar 10 is supported at opposite ends within socket assemblies 14 screwed to the respective jambs 11 by screws 15 accessible only from the interior of ;he socket assembly 14. As shown, each socket assembly provides an elongate substantially cylindrical socket portion 16 of slightly larger internal diameter than the external diameter of the bar 10 and is terminated at its outer end by a peripheral abutment flange 17 which extends inwards to the bar 10, but of course, such abutment flange can be in the form of a conventional circlip or a fitted circlip 18 as shown in the alternative form of the socket assembly 14a in Fig. 2.

Each end of the bar 10 is provided with a transverse aperture 19 within which there are slidably disposed a pair of pins 20 which are spring-urged away from one another by an internal spring 21 supported in the aperture 19 to maintain the pins in their expanded position in which they extend outwardly from the bar to prevent the latter being retracted past the abutment flange 17. Additionally, it will be seen that the socket 16 is made of such length as to provide end play between the end of the bar and the base of the socket.

This is to enable the security bar 10 to be operatively secured in the socket assemblies 14 after the latter have been secured to the respective jambs 11.

To install the bar a temporary sleeve is placed about the bar 10 at each end thereof to hold the pins 20 in their retracted position.

One end is inserted into the socket assembly with the temporary sleeve being used to maintain the pins in their retracted position until they pass the abutment flange 17, whereafter they move outward to prevent that end of the bar being retracted from the socket without forcibly removing the socket assembly from the jamb.

The engaged end of the bar is then slid along within the socket assembly 14 and the opposite end of the bar is placed adjacent the inner end of the opposite socket assembly 14 and is then inserted in similar manner with pins in the retracted position. Once the bar is moved to place the pins 20 beyond the abutment flange 17 then the bar is securely supported in the opening and as mentioned previously the bar cannot be removed without forcing the bar or forcibly removing the socket assemblies from the jambs. Of course, this arrangement enables the bars to be placed at the desired spacing across the window, such as at a regular spacing across a louvre window to enable the blades to open clear, of the bars, and furthermore, the bars can be installed at any stage either prior to or subsequent to the windows being installed.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2, the circlip 18 is utilised to provide the abutment flange and to prevent retraction of the bar from the socket assembly. in this embodiment, the circlips may be engaged in their supporting slots subsequent to the bars being positioned but preferably, the circlips are inserted prior to the bar being engaged within the socket to enable a close tolerance to be maintained between the bar and the inner edge of the circlip. As shown, a clip 22 may be provided to connect the bar to support the bar at a position intermediate its end. Furthermore, if desired, the bar may be provided with retracting pins at one end only, and the socket assembly for this end would be grooved to prevent the pin moving in either direction along the axis of the socket.

Of course, the cross-sectional configuration of the bar and pins and socket may be of any shape as desired and it is to be understood that all such modifications and variations as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as is herein set forth.

To further illustrate the use of the invention, reference can be made to Figs. 3a, 3b and 3c indicating installation procedure, while Fig. 4 further amplifies Fig. 1 as modified by Fig. 2, and showing also the cardboard spiral tube which is removed after assembly with steel ferrule.

Claims (14)

1. A security bar assembly for an opening including an elongate bar adapted to extend across an opening; a socket connector assembly at each end thereof adapted to be secured to the respective sides of said opening by means of a fastening accessible only from within said socket assembly, and there being provided spring loaded connection means between at least one bar end and its corresponding socket assembly, said connection means being adapted to disconnectably lock said bar end to said socket assembly.

2. A security bar assembly according to Claim 1, wherein said bar has its ends spaced from the secured ends of respective socket assemblies to allow longitudinal sliding of said bar in said socket assemblies for assembly purposes.

3. A security bar assembly according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein spring loaded connection means are arranged between both ends of said bars and their corresponding socket assemblies.

4. A security bar assembly according to any one of the preceedijng claims, wherein said connection means includes opposed spring loaded pins mounted for reciprocation in transverse apertures in at least one bar end and adapted to co-operate with abutment means on said corresponding socket assembly.

5. A security bar assembly according to Claim 4, wherein said abutment means are defined by a circlip mounted in an internal circumferentially extending groove adjacent the outer end of said socket assembly.

6. A security bar assembly according to Claim 4, wherein said abutment means are defined by a peripheral flange adjacent the outer end of said socket assembly.

7. A security bar assembly according to Claim 4, wherein said abutment means are defined by a circumferentially extending pinreceiving groove within said socket assembly.

8. A security bar assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said opening is a window opening including a frame supporting louvres, said bar assembly being arranged adjacent to said frame.

9. A security bar assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a bracket is mounted intermediate the ends of said bar for attachment to a frame member spanning said opening.

10. A method of connecting a security bar across an opening provided with oppositely disposed socket assemblies comprising the steps of: 1) inserting one end of said bar into one said socket assembly until the other end thereof is disposed inwardly of the other said socket assembly and free for insertion therein, and 2) sliding said bar longitudinally of its length so that said other end thereof enters said other socket assembly to a limited extent whereby said one end remains in said one socket assembly; at least said other end of said bar having spring loaded retaining means adapted to cooperate with corresponding means on said other socket assembly whereby said bar is disconnectably locked to said socket assemblies.

11. A method according to Claim 10, including the steps of placing a sleeve about said bar other end to maintain said spring loaded retaining means in an unexpanded position prior to cooperation of said retaining means with said corresponding means on said other socket assembly, and subsequently re moving said sleeve from said bar other end to enable said retaining means to cooperate with the corresponding means on said other socket assembly.

12. A method of connecting a security bar between spaced, substantially parallel wall faces of an opening, comprising the steps of: 1) providing a socket assembly on each said wall face so that the two socket mouths face one another and constitute bar-receiving openings spaced apart a distance less than the distance between said wall faces; 2) placing between said socket assemblies an elongate security bar having a length greater than the distance between said socket mouths but less than the distance between said wall faces; 3) inserting one end of said security bar into the mouth of the adjacent one of said socket assemblies and sliding the bar in that socket assembly towards the adjacent wall face so that the other end of the bar is adjacent to and aligned with but clear of the socket mouth of the other socket assembly; ; 2) and sliding said bar in the reverse direction towards the other wall face so that said other end of said bar enters the mouth of the adjacent other socket assembly and slides therein to such extent that both bar ends are located within their respective socket assemblies; at least one end of said bar and its containing socket assembly being provided with cooperating locking means adapted to constitute spring-loaded retention means to lock said bar between said socket assemblies in such manner as to be disconnectable from the outside of the socket assemblies.

13. A security bar assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A method of connecting a security bar accross an opening substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.