GB2236786A

GB2236786A - Guide assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2236786A
Application number: GB8921840A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Patrick R England
Original assignee: Caldwell Hardware UK Ltd
Current assignee: Caldwell Hardware UK Ltd
Priority date: 1989-09-27
Filing date: 1989-09-27
Publication date: 1991-04-17
Also published as: GB8921840D0

Abstract

A guide assembly, e.g. for a tilting sash window, includes a guide channel 10 in which a pivot shoe 12 is slidably mounted. The pivot shoe can be locked in a required position by turning cam 18 so as to urge the wedge 16 against the inner surface of the guide. The wedge 16 is provided with a friction insert 24 which presents a working face which has an end grain. <IMAGE>

Description

GUIDE ASSEMBLY This invention relates to a guide assembly, and in particular, but not exclusively, to a guide assembly for supporting the sash of a tilting sash window.

In a known form of tilting sash window the lower edge of each sash is connected by a pivot bar or the like to a guide assembly or pivot shoe which runs in an elongate guide channel or jamb liner to provide the usual sliding movement. The sash may also be tilted with respect to the pivot shoe, e.g. for cleaning, and the pivoting causes the shoe to expand and to lock in the jamb liner to prevent movement of the sash. This form of tilting sash window has been found to operate well with jamb liners made of extruded aluminium but problems have arisen with jamb liners made of UPVC as in this case it is difficult to develop sufficient friction between the shoe and the liner.

Accordingly, this invention consists in a guide assembly, said assembly comprising an elongate guide channel, a locking carrier slidably mounted within said guide channel, and locking means operable to urge at least part of said locking carrier into locking engagement with said channel, the carrier and/or the guide channel being provided with a friction surface to assist said locking engagement.

The friction surface may be defined by one or more friction elements or pads and the friction elements may be made of a fibre-reinforced and/or laminated material. An example of a suitable material is a phenolic laminated resin sold under the trade name Tufnol.

Preferably the friction element or elements are formed such that the reinforcing fibres or laninar elements present an end grain to the surface engaged thereby. The friction surface or element is preferably provided on the carrier.

The invention also extends to a tilting sash window including a guide assenbly as defined above.

The invention may be performed in various ways and an embodiment thereof will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded view of part of a tilting sash window arrnageinent incorporating a guide assembly in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is an elevation, taken on arrow II, of the locking carrier or shoe of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a section view on an enlarged scale taken on lines III - III of Figure 2.

Referring initially to Figure 1, a guide assembly for supporting the sash of a tilting sash window includes two elongate guide channels or jamb liners 10 (only one of which is shown) one to either side of the window opening and each slidably mounting a locking carrier or pivot shoe 12. Each pivot shoe 12 includes a main body 14, a locking wedge 16 and a or cam rotatable pivot bar retainer/18 provided with a cam surface. Rotation of the pivot bar retainer 13 causes the locking wedge 16 to move up an inclined plane on the main body, increasing the effective thickness of the pivot shoe 12 so that it expands to grip both the rear wall 20 and re-entrant walls 22 of the jamb liner 10.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, each locking wedge 16 is provided with two friction surfaces which in this embodiment are provided by brake inserts 24 of a fibre reinforced or laminated material such as material bonded or otherwise held in recesses to either side of the locking wedge cam positioned such that their reinforcing fibres 26 present an end grain to the rear wall 20 of the jamb liner 10. In Figure 3 the fibres are shown at 900 to the rear wall 20, but other angles may of course be used. We have found that this orientation of the inserts provides a long term friction surface which, as it wears, continues to present a "rough" end grain and so is resistant to polishing.

A further unexpected advantage of the example illustrated in the Figures is that, as well as providing a friction surface which is resistant to polishing, we have found that the brake inserts 24 may reduce the friction experienced during normal up and down sliding movements of the pivot shoe.

In use a sash is secured to the pivot shoes 12 by two pivot bars (not shown), one at each end of the lower edge of the sash. Each pivot bar has a head which locates in the recess in the pivot bar retainer.

any variations are possible; for example the pivot shoe may be configured so that it expands laterally on rotation of the pivot bar retainer to grip the side walls of the jamb liner instead of the rear and re-entrant walls. The friction surfaces may be provided on the main body 14 of the locking shoe.

The invention also extends to a pivotting window or fully reversable window in which a friction element is associated with at least one of the pivots to restrain the sash during opening and closing. The friction element may be in the form of a Tufnol insert or cylindrical washer secured to the sash or the jamb and presenting a friction surface with an end grain.

Claims

CLAT L'~S

1. A guide assembly, said assembly comprising an elongate guide channel, a locking carrier slidably mounted within said guide channel, and locking means operable to urge at least part of said locking carrier into locking engagement with said channel, the carrier and/or the guide channel being provided with a friction surface to assist said locking engagement.

2. A guide assembly according to Claim 1, wherein said friction surface is defined by one or more friction elements.

3. x guide assembly according to Claim 2, wherein the or each friction element is made of a fibre reinforced and/or laminated material.

4. A guide assembly according to Claim 4, wherein the friction element or elements are formed such that the reinforcing fibres or laminar elements present an end-grain to the surface engaged thereby.

5. A guide assembly according to any of Claims 2 to 4, wherein the or each friction element defines a generally rectangular friction surface, the major axis of which is generally aligned with the sliding direction of the shoe.

6. A guide assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the carrier includes the friction surface.

7. A guide assembly according to Claim 6, wherein said carrier is provided with a friction surface on one side only.

8. A tilting sash window including a guide assembly according to any one of the preceding claims.

9. A locking carrier for being slidably mounted in use within an elongate guide channel, said locking carrier including means for urging at least a part thereof into locking engagement with said guide channel, and a friction surface associated with said part for assisting said locking engagement.

10. A guide assembly, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, any of the accompanying drawings.

11. A tilting sash window, substantially as, hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, any of the accompanying drawings.

12. A locking carrier, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, any of the accompanying drawings.