GB2191684A

GB2191684A - Furniture handle

Info

Publication number: GB2191684A
Application number: GB08614751A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Guy Hornsby Crofts; John Douglas Allen
Original assignee: Crofts and Assinder Ltd
Current assignee: Crofts and Assinder Ltd
Priority date: 1986-06-17
Filing date: 1986-06-17
Publication date: 1987-12-23
Also published as: GB8614751D0; GB2191684B

Abstract

A handle which may be front fixed by means of a screw 24 inserted through a socket in a body (prior to insertion of a cover part 13) into a part 25 of an article until the head 26 of the screw abuts a shoulder 15 to clamp the body 11 to the part 25 as shown in FIGURE 2. Alternatively the handle may be rear fixed by inserting a screw 24 from the rear, through the part 25, a passage 17 and a space 16, into a second passage 18 in the cover part 13 to clamp the body to the part 25, as shown in FIGURE 3. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Furniture handle This invention concerns handles and handle assemblies, for example, for furniture or doors.

It is well known to secure a handle to the front of an object by driving a screw rearwards through part of the handle into the object until a head of the screw abuts the front of said part to clamp the handle to the object. Such handles may be referred to as "front fixed" handles.

It is also well known to secure a handle to the front of an object by driving a screw forwardly through the object and into a rear part of the handle until a head of the screw abuts the rear of the object to clamp the handle to the object. Such handles may be referred to as "rear fixed" handles.

In general, these two kinds of handles have respective disadvantages and advantages, in that, for example, front fixed handles are easy to fix, but need to be provided with a cover to conceal the head of the screw; whereas rear fixed handles have concealed fixing, but reasons of access and article thickness may preclude their use.

The problem which is often faced by manufacturers, e.g. furniture manufacturers, is the need to stock both kinds of handles and to compromise and restrict the design of the handles to features which can be employed in both kinds, so that handles of harmonious appearance may be provided for a range of articles, e.g. a suite of furniture, and an object of the invention is to enable this problem to be reduced or avoided.

According to the present invention there is provided a handle or handle assembly comprising a body and a cover securable to the body to define therewith a space to receive a head of a fastener; a first passage leading from the space through the body to the rear of the body; and a second passage, substantially co-axial with the first passage, leading forwards from the space into the cover.

The handle or handle assembly may be front fixed, by a fastener which has its head located in the space to engage the body and which extends rearwardly through the first passage; or may be rear fixed by a fastener which extends forwardly through the first passage and space to engage in the second passage.

The first passage is preferably wider than the second passage. The second passage is preferably provided in an insert portion of the cover, which portion is preferably a push fit in a socket in the body. The socket is preferably co-axial with the passages, and extends rearwardly into the body two an abutment shoulder which bounds part of the space.

The handle may be of knob form having a single such first passage, said passage and space, but may be of otherforms, e.g. a bridge form having a plurality of said passages and spaces.

The body may provide handle surfaces to which, in use, a thrust is applied to move the handle or handle assembly forwards.

The invention will be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings wherein: FIGURE 1 is a composite sectional view of part of a bridge form of handle assembly together with part of a knob form of handle of the invention, and FIGURES 2 and 3 are diagrams showing front and rear fixing of such handles or handle assemblies to an article.

The handle or handle assembly generally comprises a body 11 and a cover 12. The cover 12 has a part 13 which is a close fit in and occupies a socket in the body 11 so that a front part 14 of the cover 12 is located at the front of the body 11.

The socket extends rearwards, beyond the part 13, to a forwardly directed chamfered abutment shoulder 15 provided by the body, so as to leave a fastener head reception 16 within the body between the rear end of the part 13 and the abutment shoulder 15.

Afirst passage 17 extends rearwardlythrough the body from said space 16 to the rear of the body; and a second passage 18, coaxial with the socket and passage 17, extends forwardly in the part 13 from the space 16.

The handle may be of knob form as indicated in the right hand half of Figure 1; or may be of a bridge form, as partially indicated in the left hand half of Figure 1, which includes bridge portions 20 and 21 which extend to further parts of the handle providing a second socket, space 16 and passages 17 and 18 (not shown). In each case the body provides a surface 22 or 23 to which a person using the handle can apply a force or urge the handle forwards.

In use, the handle may be front fixed by means of a fastener, such as a screw 24, which is inserted through the socket (prior to insertion of the part 13) into part 25 of an article until the head 26 of the screw abuts the shoulder 15 to clamp the body to the part 26 as shown in Figure 2. Alternatively the handle may be rear fixed by inserting a fastener from the rear, through the part 25, passage 17 and space 16, into the second passage 18 to clamp the body to the part 25.

The invention is not confined to details of the foregoing example, and manly variations are possible within the scope of the invention. For example, the cover and body may be secured together, preferably releasably, by any suitable means or in any suitable manner, so that they resist separation when the handle is front fixed. For instance, the part 13 may be shaped to be a press, snap, or screw fit in a suitably shaped form of the socket.

The invention is applicable to other forms of handle and handle assembly, e.g., drop pendant or swivel handle assemblies in which the part 13 and body 11 form parts of the or each mounting of the handle to which a handle member is pivotally connected.

1. A handle or handle assembly comprising a body and a cover securable to the body to define therewith a space to receive a head of a fastener; a first passage leading from the space through the

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Furniture handle This invention concerns handles and handle assemblies, for example, for furniture or doors. It is well known to secure a handle to the front of an object by driving a screw rearwards through part of the handle into the object until a head of the screw abuts the front of said part to clamp the handle to the object. Such handles may be referred to as "front fixed" handles. It is also well known to secure a handle to the front of an object by driving a screw forwardly through the object and into a rear part of the handle until a head of the screw abuts the rear of the object to clamp the handle to the object. Such handles may be referred to as "rear fixed" handles. In general, these two kinds of handles have respective disadvantages and advantages, in that, for example, front fixed handles are easy to fix, but need to be provided with a cover to conceal the head of the screw; whereas rear fixed handles have concealed fixing, but reasons of access and article thickness may preclude their use. The problem which is often faced by manufacturers, e.g. furniture manufacturers, is the need to stock both kinds of handles and to compromise and restrict the design of the handles to features which can be employed in both kinds, so that handles of harmonious appearance may be provided for a range of articles, e.g. a suite of furniture, and an object of the invention is to enable this problem to be reduced or avoided. According to the present invention there is provided a handle or handle assembly comprising a body and a cover securable to the body to define therewith a space to receive a head of a fastener; a first passage leading from the space through the body to the rear of the body; and a second passage, substantially co-axial with the first passage, leading forwards from the space into the cover. The handle or handle assembly may be front fixed, by a fastener which has its head located in the space to engage the body and which extends rearwardly through the first passage; or may be rear fixed by a fastener which extends forwardly through the first passage and space to engage in the second passage. The first passage is preferably wider than the second passage. The second passage is preferably provided in an insert portion of the cover, which portion is preferably a push fit in a socket in the body. The socket is preferably co-axial with the passages, and extends rearwardly into the body two an abutment shoulder which bounds part of the space. The handle may be of knob form having a single such first passage, said passage and space, but may be of otherforms, e.g. a bridge form having a plurality of said passages and spaces. The body may provide handle surfaces to which, in use, a thrust is applied to move the handle or handle assembly forwards. The invention will be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings wherein: FIGURE 1 is a composite sectional view of part of a bridge form of handle assembly together with part of a knob form of handle of the invention, and FIGURES 2 and 3 are diagrams showing front and rear fixing of such handles or handle assemblies to an article. The handle or handle assembly generally comprises a body 11 and a cover 12. The cover 12 has a part 13 which is a close fit in and occupies a socket in the body 11 so that a front part 14 of the cover 12 is located at the front of the body 11. The socket extends rearwards, beyond the part 13, to a forwardly directed chamfered abutment shoulder 15 provided by the body, so as to leave a fastener head reception 16 within the body between the rear end of the part 13 and the abutment shoulder 15. Afirst passage 17 extends rearwardlythrough the body from said space 16 to the rear of the body; and a second passage 18, coaxial with the socket and passage 17, extends forwardly in the part 13 from the space 16. The handle may be of knob form as indicated in the right hand half of Figure 1; or may be of a bridge form, as partially indicated in the left hand half of Figure 1, which includes bridge portions 20 and 21 which extend to further parts of the handle providing a second socket, space 16 and passages 17 and 18 (not shown). In each case the body provides a surface 22 or 23 to which a person using the handle can apply a force or urge the handle forwards. In use, the handle may be front fixed by means of a fastener, such as a screw 24, which is inserted through the socket (prior to insertion of the part 13) into part 25 of an article until the head 26 of the screw abuts the shoulder 15 to clamp the body to the part 26 as shown in Figure 2. Alternatively the handle may be rear fixed by inserting a fastener from the rear, through the part 25, passage 17 and space 16, into the second passage 18 to clamp the body to the part 25. The invention is not confined to details of the foregoing example, and manly variations are possible within the scope of the invention. For example, the cover and body may be secured together, preferably releasably, by any suitable means or in any suitable manner, so that they resist separation when the handle is front fixed. For instance, the part 13 may be shaped to be a press, snap, or screw fit in a suitably shaped form of the socket. The invention is applicable to other forms of handle and handle assembly, e.g., drop pendant or swivel handle assemblies in which the part 13 and body 11 form parts of the or each mounting of the handle to which a handle member is pivotally connected. CLAIMS

1. A handle or handle assembly comprising a body and a cover securable to the body to define therewith a space to receive a head of a fastener; a first passage leading from the space through the body to the rear of the body; and a second passage, substantially co-axial with the first passage, leading forwards from the space into the cover.

2. A handle or handle assembly as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the first passage is wider than the second passage.

3. A handle or handle assembly as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 wherein the second passage is provided in an insert portion of the cover.

4. A handle or handle assembly as claimed in Claim 3 wherein said insert portion is a push fit in a socket in the body.

5. A handle or handle assembly as claimed in Claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein the socket is co-axial with the passages, and extends rearwardly into the body to an abutment shoulder which bounds part of the space.

6. A handle or handle assembly as claimed in Claim 1,2,3,4 or 5 wherein the body provides handle surfaces to which, in use, a thrust can be applied to move the handle or handle assembly forwards.

7. A handle or handle assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.