GB2258268A - Friction stays. - Google Patents

Abstract

A friction stay has a base and a stay arm connected by a linkage which guides the stay arm in a pivoting and translational movement relative to the base. Such a friction stay can be used in a window to guide the leaf in its movement into and out of a fixed frame. In order to allow the stay to be used with a leaf that has an increased clearance relative to the frame, the stay arm (11) is provided with a spacer member which slides on to the arm to increase the spacing. It is particularly useful where the leaf is locked by an espagnolette mechanism when increased clearance is required. The spacer member presents a mounting surface (19) for the window frame parallel to the normal mounting surface (18) of the stay arm. <IMAGE>

Description

FRICTION STAYS The invention relates to friction stays.

Friction stays normally comprise a base member for connection to an edge of a fixed frame, a stay arm for connection to an edge of a leaf and a linkage connected between the base and the stay arm for controlling the opening and closing movement of the leaf into and away from the fixed frame. The frame may be, for example, a window frame and the leaf a glazed window vent.

Such friction stays have an undersurface on the base which is connected to the frame edge and a top surface on the stay arm which is connected to the leaf. The spacing between these surfaces is equal to the required spacing of the leaf from the frame when the leaf is closed into the frame. In general, this spacing is a minimum spacing determined by sealing considerations. However, in some leaves, particularly those locked by an espagnolette mechanism, the spacing can be required to be greater than normal. In general, this is dealt with by the use of friction stays with an increased spacing between the surfaces.

This requires production of a range of friction stays with different surface spacings. This is expensive.

According to the invention, there is provided a friction stay comprising a base member for connection to an edge of a fixed frame, a stay arm for connection to an edge of a leaf and a linkage connected between the base and the stay arm for controlling the opening and closing movement of the leaf into and away from the fixed frame, the base member having a base surface which is parallel to, spaced from and oppositely facing to a mounting surface of the stay arm, with the stay arm carrying on said mounting surface a spacer member having a surface parallel to but spaced from said mounting surface for contacting the edge of said leaf to fix the spacing between said leaf edge and said frame edge.

Thus, by providing a spacer member, the spacing can be increased as required without the need to produce a number of friction stays of differing spacings. One stay could be provided with one or more spacer members to provide a range of required spacing.

Where the stay arm comprises a flat member with parallel inner and outer surfaces connected by side edges, the spacer member preferably comprises a flat member with parallel surfaces connected by side edges, and having parallel grooves extending along one surface within which the stay arm is a sliding fit to mount the spacer member on the stay arm.

Where the stay arm is provided with mounting holes for connecting the stay arm to the window leaf, the spacer member is preferably provided with fixing holes that register with the fixing holes in the stay arm.

The spacer member is preferably made from a plastics material such as nylon.

The following is a more detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a view to one side of a friction stay with a base, a stay arm and a connecting linkage, and showing a spacer member connected to the stay arm, Figure 2 is a similar view to Figure 1 but showing a view to the other side of the friction stay, Figure 3 is a cross-section and partial perspective view of a first form of spacer member for the stay of Figures 1 and 2, and Figure 4 is an end elevation and partial perspective view of a second form of spacer member for the stay of Figures 1 and 2.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, the friction stay comprises a base 10, a stay arm 11, one longer link 12 and two shorter links 13. The stay arm carries a spacer member 14.

The base 10 is formed with longitudinally extending parallel guide channels 15 which receive the edges of a slider 16 to guide the slider 16 in sliding movement back and forth along the base 10. One end of the longer link 12 is pivotally connected to the base 10 towards one end of the base 10 and has its other end pivotally connected to the stay arm 11 intermediate the ends of the stay arm 11. The two shorter links 13 have respective one ends pivotally connected at spaced points to the slider 16, with one shorter link 13 having its other end pivotally connected to one end of the stay arm 11 and the other shorter link 13 having its other end pivotally connected to the longer link 12 intermediate the ends of the longer link 12.

In this way, the stay arm 11 is guided for pivotal and translational movement relative to the base 10 with consequent reciprocating sliding movement of the slider 16.

The stay is for use in a window where a leaf is received in a fixed frame and is movable into and out of the frame under the control of a pair of friction stays of the kind described above with reference to the drawings. The base 10 has a base surface 17 which, when the base 10 is connected to the fixed frame, bears against an edge surface of the fixed frame. The stay arm 11 has a mounting surface 18 which is parallel to, spaced from and oppositely facing to the base surface 17.

Two possible constructions of the spacer member 14 are shown in Figures 3 and 4.

In the spacer member 14 of Figure 3, the member is elongate and of generally rectangular cross section with two parallel surfaces 19,20 interconnected by side walls 21. At one surface, 20, the side walls 21 are extended downwardly and are provided with inwardly directed flanges 22 to form a pair of parallel elongate slots 23 extending along the surface 20.

In the embodiment of Figure 4, the spacer member 14 is similar to that described with reference to Figure 3 and parts common to the two spacer members will be given the same reference numerals and will not be described in detail. In this embodiment, however, the side walls 21 project outwardly before extending downwardly to increase the spacing between the slots 23. The side walls 21 thus include inclined portions 24.

In use, the spacer member 14 (according to either Figure 3 or Figure 4) is slid over the stay arm 11 with the edges of the stay arm being received in the slots 23 and with the mounting surface 18 of the stay arm contacting the surface 20 of the spacer member 14. In this way, the surface 19 of the spacer member 14 is spaced further from the base surface 17 than the spacing of the mounting surface 18 from the base surface 17. This spacing is chosen to correspond to a required increased spacing between the fixed frame and a leaf.

As will be seen, the spacer member 14 is provided with fixing apertures 25 which register with the fixing apertures 26 in the stay arm 11. This allows the stay arm 11 and the spacer member 14 to be connected to an edge surface of a leaf.

The spacer member 14 of Figure 4 is designed to accommodate a stay arm 11 of greater width than the stay arm 11 accommodated by the spacer member 14 of Figure 3.

The spacer member 14 may be made of metal or plastics and is preferably made from nylon. The distance between the surfaces 19,20 of the spacer member 14 can be adjusted as required and a number of spacer members 14 of differening widths may be supplied with each friction stay.

It will be appreciated, of course, that the attachment of the spacer member to the stay arm need not be by the slots 23 described above. The spacer member 14 could be connected to the stay arm 11 by screws or other fixing means or could be glued to the stay arm 11.

Claims (5)

1. A friction stay for mounting a leaf for pivotal movement into and away from a fixed frame comprising a base member for connection to an edge of the fixed frame, a stay arm for connection to an edge of the leaf and a linkage connected between the base and the stay arm for controlling the pivotal movement of the leaf, the base member having a base surface for connection to the fixed frame which is parallel to, spaced from and oppositely facing to a mounting surface provided on the stay arm, with the stay arm carrying on said mounting surface a spacer member having a surface parallel to but spaced from said mounting surface for contacting the edge of said leaf to fix the spacing between said leaf edge and said frame edge.

2. A friction stay according to claim 1 wherein the stay arm comprises a flat member with parallel inner and outer surfaces connected by side edges, the spacer member comprising a flat member with parallel surfaces connected by side edges, and having parallel grooves extending along one surface within which the stay arm is a sliding fit to mount the spacer member on the stay arm.

3. A friction stay according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the stay arm is provided with mounting holes for connecting the stay arm to the window leaf, the spacer member being provided with fixing holes that register with the fixing holes in the stay arm.

4. A friction stay according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the spacer member is made from a plastics material such as nylon.

5. A friction stay substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.