GB2261021A

GB2261021A - A restricting device

Info

Publication number: GB2261021A
Application number: GB9123041A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Alfred Harold Cann
Original assignee: Securistyle Ltd
Current assignee: Securistyle Ltd
Priority date: 1991-10-30
Filing date: 1991-10-30
Publication date: 1993-05-05
Also published as: GB9123041D0

Abstract

A restricting device 9 adapted to be fixed to a support track 1 of a hinge to limit opening of the hinge by acting on a pivotally mounted vent arm 3 of the hinge, the restricting device 9 being operable to release the vent arm 3 for full opening of the hinge, wherein the restricting device 9 acts, in use, on an extension 7 of the vent arm 3 which is formed on the opposite side of the pivot axis 5 to the majority of the vent arm 3. The device has a body portion 19 and a stop portion 17 pivotally attached thereto. <IMAGE>

Description

A RESTRICTING DEVICE This invention relates to hinges for vents, such as windows, and in particular to a restricting device for limiting the opening of such a hinge.

Hinges for supporting vents, such as windows, generally comprise a support track for attachment to a fixed frame and a vent arm, pivotally mounted on the support track, for receiving and supporting the vent itself. The hinge allows the vent to sit within the fixed frame in a closed state or to be swung relative to the fixed frame (and support track) into an open position as the vent arm rotates about its pivot axis. Such hinges are well known.

For various reasons, such as child safety or security, it is often desirable to be able to limit the opening of a vent during normal use, but to allow the vent to be opened fully when required. Prior art hinges, which provide this facility, tend to include either (i) restricting means between the side of the vent (or the neighbouring vent arm) and the support track or (ii) means for acting between a slider, which supports struts attached to the vent arm, and the support track. Many of such devices are complicated to manufacture and difficult to use.

With the foregoing in mind, the present invention aims to provide a device, using a completely different approach to the limiting of vent hinge opening, which requires simple parts and is easy to operate. Accordingly, the present invention provides a restricting device adapted to be fixed to a support track of a hinge to limit opening of the hinge by acting on a pivotally mounted vent arm of the hinge, the restricting device being operable to release the vent arm for full opening of the hinge, wherein the restricting device acts, in use, on an extension of the vent arm which is formed on the opposite side of the pivot axis to the majority of the vent arm.A restricting device of this kind, which interacts with an extension of the vent arm, is positioned outside the normal functional area of a hinge and can be accessed without the hinge components being a hindrance (for example when the hinge is virtually closed).

Preferably the restricting device, in use, prevents closing of the hinge from its fully open position unless the restricting device is released. In this way, the vent can be held either in a limited open position or in a substantially fully open position (for cleaning purposes or the like).

Preferably the restricting device comprises a body portion for fixing to a support track and a stop portion, movable relative to the body portion, for acting on an extension of a vent arm, during use. More preferably, the stop portion is pivotally mounted on the body portion for movement between an active position, in which it can act on an extension of a vent arm, and an inactive position which allows the hinge to open.

Preferably the stop portion is biased into an active position. This ensures that each time the hinge is opened from its closed position, the restricting device limits the opening of the hinge.

The stop portion may be biased by means of a spring mounted in the body portion. Other biasing means could also be used.

Preferably the stop portion has a first end which interacts with an extension of a vent arm, during use, and a second end which, when activated, moves the first end to allow full opening of the hinge.

The first end of the stop portion may include an enlarged region having a shoulder for blocking motion of an extension of a vent arm, during use.

More preferably, the shoulder defines a notch, for receiving an edge of an extension of a vent arm, such that the hinge must be closed slightly before the shoulder can be disengaged from the extension of the vent arm to allow full opening of the hinge.

The shoulder may be angled relative to the support track, when the restricting device is in position, during use, such that positioning of the restricting device in the support track determines the maximum limited opening angle of the hinge. This arrangement enables the extension of the vent arm to abut different points on the shoulder, depending upon the position of the restricting device in the support track, thereby defining different opening angles of the hinge when the hinge is being restricted.

The enlarged region of the stop portion may be tapered along an exposed edge to allow an extension of a vent arm to overcome the restricting device during closing of the hinge. This embodiment of restricting device will obviously not hold the hinge in its fully open position.

Preferably the second end of the stop portion overlies the support track, in use. If this is the case, the restricting device may be very compact and neat, and hence particularly unobtrusive.

The stop portion preferably includes a protrusion which enters the body portion when the stop portion is in its active position. More preferably, the protrusion is substantially planar and extends substantially parallel to a support track, during use. In this way, the protrusion provides a very large area for transferring pressure, exerted by the vent arm on the stop portion, to the body portion to prevent unwanted sideways motion of the stop portion.

The restricting device preferably includes means for engaging a support track to hold the restricting device in a desired position in the track. The engaging means may be a grub screw mounted in the body portion of the restricting device. Other forms of engaging means, which could equally well be mounted on the support track rather than the restricting device, could also be used.

In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hinge comprising a support track, a vent arm pivotally attached to the support track and a restricting device as herein described.

Preferably the extension of the vent arm tapers between the pivot axis of the vent arm and its end. This arrangement allows better seating and abutment between the extension of the vent arm and the restricting device.

Although a restricting device according to the present invention can be used with any hinge, which includes a pivotally mounted vent arm having an extension for interaction with the restricting device, the restricting device is particularly suitable for use with friction stays in which a slider carries struts for supporting the major portion of the vent arm.

Specific embodiments of the present invention are now described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a hinge incorporating a restricting device according to the present invention; Figures 2a, 2b and 2c are views of the cross-sections labelled A-A, B-B and C-C shown in figure 1; Figure 3 is a sectional side view taken along the centre of the track shown in figure 1; Figure 4 is a simplified plan view of the hinge of figure 1 incorporating a second embodiment of restricting device according to the present invention, the vent arm of the hinge being in a fully open position; and Figure 5 is a simplified plan view of a hinge incorporating a third embodiment of a restricting device according to the present invention.

With reference to the drawings, a hinge comprises a support track 1 for attachment to a fixed frame (not shown) and a vent arm 3 pivotally mounted on the support track 1 via a pivot 5. The vent arm 3 is designed to receive and support a vent, such as a window. In the completely closed position of the hinge, the vent arm 3 overlies the support track 1.

The vent arm 3 extends past the pivot 5 to define an extension 7 for engaging a restricting device 9 according to the present invention. The extension 7 tapers slightly between the pivot 5 and the end of the extension 7. This enables the restricting device 9 to be more compact, since the extension 7 does not stretch over the edge of the support track 1 when the vent arm 3 is in its limited position. Further, the extension 7 includes a chamfered edge 11 for engaging the restricting device 9 when the vent arm 3 is in its limited position.

The pivot 5 passes through the vent arm 3 and engages the bottom of the support track 1. The support track 1 itself is attached to a fixed frame (not shown) by means of attachment screws 15 passing through the bottom of the track 1.

With reference to the restricting device 9 of figures 1, 2 and 3, the device comprises a body portion 19 and a stop portion 17. The body portion 19 is shaped to fit within the support track 1, side flanges 21 engaging under lips 23 of the support track 1 (c.f. figures 2b and 2c).

The body portion 19 is held in position in the support track 1 by means of a grub screw 25, mounted in the body portion 19, which engages the bottom of the support track 1.

The stop portion 17 is attached via a pivot 27 to the body portion 19. The pivot 27 passes through a planar protrusion 29 of the stop portion 17 which engages in the body portion 19 when the restricting device 9 is in an active position. The inclusion of this protrusion 29 obviously facilitates mounting of the stop portion 17 on the body portion 19, but also increases the sideways strength of the stop portion 17 when under pressure from the extension 7 of the vent arm 3.

The stop portion 17 comprises a front or first end 31 and a rear or second end 33. The front end 31 includes an enlarged region 35 against which the extension 7 of the vent arm 3 bears when the vent arm 3 is in its limited position.

More specifically, the enlarged region 35 includes a shoulder which defines a notch 37 for receiving the chamfered edge 11 of the extension 7. Hence, when the chamfered edge 11 is within the notch 37, the vent arm 3 cannot be opened any further. Indeed, if the extension 7 is to be disengaged from the stop portion 17, the vent arm 3 must be moved slightly towards its closed position, so that the chamfered edge 11 can disengage from the notch 37.

The rear or second end 33 of the stop portion 17 is biased upwards by means of a spring 39 mounted in the body portion 19. By virtue of the rear end 33 being biased upwards (as shown in figure 3), the front end 31 is urged downwards into an active position with respect to the extension 7 of the vent arm 3. To release the vent arm 3 for full opening of the hinge, the rear end 33 needs to be depressed against the spring 39, thus raising the front end 31. As mentioned above, the chamfered edge 11 of the extension 7 must be disengaged from the notch 37 before this can occur. When the front end 31 of the stop portion 17 has been raised, the extension 7, and hence the vent arm 3, is free to rotate about the pivot 5.

If a restricting device 9 as shown in figure 1 is used, when the vent arm 3 is in its fully open position, the extension 7 lies under the enlarged region 35 of the stop portion 17. Hence, the vent arm 3 is not held in its fully open position, but is free to move back towards its closed position to overlie the support track 1. When this occurs, the spring 39 urges the rear portion 33 upwards, thus forcing the front end 31 back into its active position so that, when the hinge is once again opened, the vent arm 3 will be restricted to a partially open position until the restricting device 9 is moved into its inactive position.

Turning now to figures 4 and 5, the support track 1, vent arm 3, extension 7 and body portion 19 are essentially the same as in figure 1. However, in figures 4 and 5 the stop portion 17 has a slightly different shape.

With specific reference to figure 4, the enlarged region 35 of the stop portion 17 is shortened so that the extension 7 may bear against an exposed surface 41 thereof when the vent arm is in its fully open position. Further, when the extension 7 abuts the exposed surface 41, the vent arm 3 is held in its fully open position. Thus, when it is desired to close the hinge, the rear end 33 of the stop portion 17 must be depressed to raise the front end 31, thereby allowing the extension 7 to pass below the enlarged region 35. The facility of the restricting device 9 to limit the opening of the hinge is, however, still the same as that of the device shown in figure 1.

If the restricting device 9 of figure 4 is not intended to have the facility to hold the vent arm 3 in its fully open position, the exposed edge 41 can be cut away to define a lead-in taper to allow the extension 7 itself to raise the stop portion 17 automatically as the hinge is closed.

The restricting device 9 of figure 5 is essentially the same as that of figure 1, except that the shoulder 37 is angled with respect to the axis of the support track 1.

This arrangement enables the angle at which the vent arm 3 is restricted to be varied, simply by adjusting the position of the restricting device 9 in the support track 1. In this regard, as the restricting device 9 is moved to the right (as shown in figure 5), the vent arm 3 is able to open to a larger angle before the extension 7 abuts the enlarged region 35 of the stop portion 17. The converse occurs if the restricting device 9 is moved to the left, as shown in figure 5.

As will be appreciated, the enlarged region 35 of the stop portion 17 does not need to extend as far outside the edge of the support track 1 as shown in the drawings.

Indeed, the enlarged region 35 needs only to have sufficient size and strength to prevent rotation of the vent arm 3 when the vent arm 3 is in its limited/restricted position.

It will of course be understood that the present invention has been described above purely way of example, and that modifications of detail can be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A restricting device adapted to be fixed to a support track of a hinge to limit opening of the hinge by acting on a pivotally mounted vent arm of the hinge, the restricting device being operable to release the vent arm for full opening of the hinge, wherein the restricting device acts, in use, on an extension of the vent arm which is formed on the opposite side of the pivot axis to the majority of the vent arm.

2. A restricting device as claimed in claim 1, which, in use, prevents closing of the hinge from its fully open position until the device is released.

3. A restricting device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, comprising a body portion for fixing to a support track and a stop portion, movable relative to the body portion, for acting on an extension of a vent arm, during use.

4. A restricting device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the stop portion is pivotally mounted on the body portion for movement between an active position, in which it can act on an extension of a vent arm, and an inactive position which allows the hinge to open.

5. A restricting device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the stop portion is biased into its active position.

6. A restricting device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the stop portion is biased by means of a spring mounted in the body portion.

7. A restricting device as claimed in any one of claims 36, wherein the stop portion has a first end which interacts with an extension of a vent arm, during use, and a second end which, when activated, moves the first end to allow full opening of the hinge.

8. A restricting device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second end of the stop portion overlies the support track, in use.

9. A restricting device as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the first end of the stop portion includes an enlarged region having a shoulder for blocking motion of a vent arm, during use.

10. A restricting device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the shoulder defines a notch for receiving an edge of the vent arm such that the hinge must be closed slightly before the shoulder can be disengaged from the vent arm to allow full opening of the hinge.

11. A restricting device as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the shoulder is angled relative to the support track, in use, such that positioning of the restricting device determines the maximum limited opening angle of the hinge.

12. A restricting device as claimed in claim 9, claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the enlarged region is tapered to allow an extension of a vent arm to overcome the restricting device during closing of the hinge from its fully open position.

13. A restricting device as claimed in any one of claim 3 to 12, wherein the stop portion includes a protrusion which enters the body portion when the stop portion is in its active position.

14. A restricting device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the protrusion is substantially planar and extends substantially parallel to a support track, during use.

15. A restricting device as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising means for engaging a support track to hold the restricting device in a desired position in the track.

16. A restricting device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the engaging means is a grub screw.

17. A restricting device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in figures 1-3 or figure 4 or figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.

18. A hinge comprising a support track, a vent arm pivotally attached to the support track and a restricting device according to any preceding claim.

19. A hinge as claimed in claim 18, wherein the extension of the vent arm tapers between the pivot axis of the vent arm and its end.

20. A hinge as claimed in claim 18 or claim 19, further comprising a slider and a plurality of struts interacting therewith to support the end of the vent arm on the opposite side of the pivot axis to the extension.

21. A hinge substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in figures 1-3 or figure 4 or figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.