GB2327870A

GB2327870A - Spring return device for handle

Info

Publication number: GB2327870A
Application number: GB9815746A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Pier Luigi Martinelli
Original assignee: ALMAR Srl
Current assignee: ALMAR Srl
Priority date: 1997-08-01
Filing date: 1998-07-21
Publication date: 1999-02-10
Also published as: FR2766858A1; IT238351Y1; GB9815746D0; FR2766858B1; DE19832124B4; ITBS970091U1; ITBS970091V0; DE19832124A1; NL1009787C1

Abstract

A device for the automatic return of a handle characterized by a spiral return spring 19 held by a spring holder 18 which is keyed to the square spindle 14 of the handle 12. The spring is attached to the holder at one end 19' and to a peg 17 on the adjacent supporting plate 11 at its second end 19", so that the spring becomes loaded when the handle is moved away from its initial position. The spring holder has a tooth 22 and spur 22' that abut against the peg on the supporting plate to define the initial and final positions of the handle.

Description

2327870 SPRING RETURN DEVICE FOR HANDLE

This innovation relates to the field of handles for doors and windows, with either a plate or a rose, and having spring means for an automatic return to their initial, that is rest, position after each operation. More specifically the innovation relates to improvements to a spring return device for such handles.

A great many types of spring return devices that fit on the inside of handle plates or roses for doors and windows are already known. However, fitting them is somewhat laborious and not without disadvantages. Specifically, it requires axial fixing of the handle to its plate or rose, attachment of the ends of the (usually spiral) spring to the plate or rose on the one hand and to the shank of the handle on the other, and/or fixing of a cam or spring stop to the shank of the handle. Correspondingly the box at the end of the handle that fits into the plate or rose must be machined and provided at least with a peripheral groove for a circlip for locking the handle axially and with a radial split in which to engage one end of the return spring. The handle then remains fixed to the plate or rose from the outset and the assembly cannot be made more compact for packaging and transport, nor can the handle easily be changed.

The present innovation seeks to overcome these disadvantages with a spring return device composed simply of a spring and a spring holder, which latter can remain fixed to the plate o.c:ose even in the absence of the handle and does not. require the handle to be locked axially to the plate or rose.

Therefore, and advantageously, the handle does not require a groove to be made for a circlip, nor a split for the attachment of the rpring. Furthermore, the handle is detachable from its plate or rose, for interchangeability and for an effective reduction of - 2 the bulk of the combination of handle and plate/rose for packaging and transport.

The spring return device for a handle is substantially in accordance with Claim 1. It will however be described in greater detail with reference to the attached indicative and non-limiting drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows an exploded view of the components of the spring return device in relation to a handle and a plate; Fig. 2 shows, in section, the device fitted to a plate and the p rocess of assembling a handle with its square spindle; Figs 3 and 4 show the device, viewed f rom the inside of the plate, firstly in the rest position with the handle horizontal, and secondly in the position of actuation with the handle at an angle; Fig. 5 shows a front view of a constructional variant of a spring holder; and Figs 6 and 7 show the spring holder of Fig. 5 viewed from two different sides in the directions of arrows A and B, respectively.

The spring device, indicated globally by the number 10, is intended to be fitted to the inside face of a plate 11 (or rose) which is to support a handle 12 when fitted to a door. This handle 12 has a shank 13 that connects with a square spindle 14 designed to operate a spring latch. The shank 13 and the spindle 14 are fixed together by a grub screw 15.

The plate 11 (or rose) has an axial hole 16 for receiving an end 13' of the shank 13 of the handle defined by a shoulder 13".

on its inside face, the plate 11 (or rose) has a peg 17.

The device 10 is composed of a supporting component 18, termed the spring holder, and a return spring 19, which is usually of spiral form.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs 1-4, the spring holder 18 is in the form of a disc having an integral or attached central hub 181, such as to define a cavity 20 with its opening towards the plate and such as to contain a square hole 21 through which the square spindle 14 of the handle passes and in which it engages.

By means of this connection the square spindle and the spr-Lng holder rotate together with the handle when the latter is operated.

The spring holder 18 is also provided with a peripheral tooth 22 and with a tab 23 that is parallel with the axis on one side of the hub 18'. The tooth 22 will face either one way or the opposite way so that the spring holder can be used with a right- or left-hand handle.

When the device 10 is fitted to the plate 11 (or rose), the peripheral tooth 22 of the spring holder 18 butts against the peg 17 of the plate to def ine the initial or rest position of the handle. The spring holder can nonetheless turn, jointly with the square spindle and with the handle, in a direction that takes the tooth away f rom the peg 17 - see Figs 3 and 4 - as far as a final position of the handle that may be defined by a spur 22' on the edge of the spring holder.

The return spring 19 is placed around the hub of the spring holder. It has two ends 19', 19' ', one of which butts against the tab 23 of the spring holder and the other against the peg 17 of the plate, on the opposite side f rom the tooth 22 of the spring holder.

Consequently the spring 19 becomes loaded when the handle is turned to operate a spring latch and subsequently returns the handle to the initial position.

The device 10 can be fitted and f ixed to the plate 11 with the aid of an antifriction bush 24 made of e.g. nylon. This bush - see Figs 1, 2 - is placed in the hole 16 of the plate 11 and has a peripheral flange that presses against the outside face of the plate 11. The bush has a peripheral wall designed to receive the end 13 of the shank of the handle and to be held by - 4 pressure or other means in the cavity 20 of the spring holder 18, thereby fastening it to the plate. The bush may also have a bottom wall 26 with a square hole 27 through which the square spindle 14 of the handle will pass, in which case the bush will turn with the square spindle and with the spring holder simultaneously.

Figs 5-7 illustrate an embodiment of the spring return device 10 in which the spring holder disc 118 no longer has the central hub although it retains a peripheral tooth 122, an optional stop spur 1221 and, parallel with the axis, a stop tab 123. On two opposite sides of the spring holder 118 are two arms 118' which are bent towards each other and lie parallel with the disc forming the spring holder. The square hole 121 for the square spindle of the handle is formed in the centre of these bent arms. In this embodiment the spring holder can be made more conveniently by punching and bending. Between the disc forming the spring holder and the bent arms is 20 a space or housing 124, and the return spring 119 is held in this housing with its ends butted against the tab 1-23 parallel with the axis and against the peg on the inside of the plate (or rose), the peripheral tooth of the spring holder also butting against this peg.

Claims

1. Spring device for the automatic return of a door or window handle to the initial position after each operation thereof, where the handle has a shank attached rotatably to a supporting plate or rose and f ixed to a square spindle, and where the plate or rose has an axial hole for receiving the said shank of the handle and a peg on its inside face, characterized by a spring holder (18) keyed to and rotatable with the square spindle (14) of the handle between an initial or rest position and a final or actuated position of the handle, and by a spiral return spring (19) placed on the said spring holder (18) and having a first end (19) hooked onto the spring holder and a second end (191 ') hooked onto the peg (17) of the plate, the spring becoming loaded during the movement of the handle from the initial position to the final position in order subsequently to return the handle to the initial position.

2. Spring device according to Claim 1, in which the said spring holder (18) has in its centre a square hole (21) for connecting with the square spindle of the handle and. peripherally, a tooth (22) and an optional spur (22') that butt alternately against the peg (17) of the plate so as to define the said initial and final positions of the handle, the tooth butting against the said peg when the handle is -In the rest position, and the return spring having its first end attached to a tab integral with the spring:older.

3. Spring device accoi..'Ai.ng to Claims 1 and 2, in which the spring holder (18,' has a central hub (18'), the square hole (21) is formed in the said hub and the return spring is placed around the hub.

4. Spring device according to Claim 1, in which the spring holder (118) is formed by a disc having on its periphery a tooth (122) and an optional spur (122') that butt alternately against the peg (17) of the plate - 6 to define the said initial and final positions of the handle, and in which on opposite sides of the said disc are two arms (1181) that bend towards each other parallel with the disc, the square hole (121) for the square spindle of the handle being provided in the said bent arms.

5. Spring device according to Claim 4, in which the spring is placed in a space located between the disc and the arms bent over the spring holder, with its first end butted against a tab integral with the disc and its second end butted against the peg, the peripheral tooth of the spring holder butting against this peg.

6. Spring device according to Claim 3, in which 15 the hub (18') of the spring holder (18) defines a cavity (20) with its opening towards the plate, and in which between the shank of the handle, the plate and the spring holder, an antifriction bush (24) is introduced and fixed by pressure or by means of fastening it to the spring holder.

Spring device according to Claim 6, in which the said bush (24) has an external flange (25) that presses against the outside face of the plate, and a peripheral wali- that fits tightly into the spring holder and that defines a seat for one end of the shank of the handle.

8. Spring device according to the previous claims, in which the handle is separable from the plate and from the spring holder while the device remains attached to the plate.

9. Spring device for the automatic return of a door or window handle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.