GB2435073A

GB2435073A - Friction stay with movement of arm releasing slider

Info

Publication number: GB2435073A
Application number: GB0602636A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robin Stephen Gardiner
Original assignee: Laird Security Hardware Ltd
Current assignee: Era Security Hardware Ltd
Priority date: 2006-02-09
Filing date: 2006-02-09
Publication date: 2007-08-15
Anticipated expiration: 2026-02-09
Also published as: GB0602636D0; GB2435073B

Abstract

A friction stay comprises elongate base (10) connected to an arm (17) by a linkage (18, 19, 20). The linkage (18, 19, 20) constrains movement of the arm (17) in a plane between a position in which the arm (17) overlies the base (10) (a closed position of the window leaf) and a position in which the arm (17) is to one side of the base (10) and at an angle to the base (10) (an open position of the window leaf). The linkage includes a slider (15) moveable along the base (10) with the slider (15) being held against movement relative to the base (10) from a first position. Movement of the arm (17) from the first position to a second position relative to the base (10) releases the slider (15) for movement relative to the base from said first position. The linkage may act to release the slider by releasing a locking member (26) of the slider from engaging with a stop (31) provided on the base (10) as the arm (17) moves from said first position to said second position.

Description

FRICTION HINGES

The invention relates to friction hinges of the kind used, for example, to connect a window leaf to a window frame for opening and closing movement of the leaf into and out of the frame.

A known friction hinge comprises an elongate base connected to an arm by a linkage. The linkage moves to constrain movement of the arm in a plane between a position in which the arm overlies the base and a position in which the arm is to one side of the base and at an angle to the base. When used in a window, these correspond to closed and open positions of the leaf. The linkage includes a slider movable along the base.

In a friction stay of this kind, the arm can be required to adopt a number of different positions that can be controlled by holding the slider against movement relative to the base and then releasing the slider for movement from the held position. In known proposals, this has been achieved by locking the slider to the base using a catch than can be released manually.

According to the invention, there is provided a friction hinge comprising a elongate base connected to an arm by a linkage that moves to constrain movement of the arm in a plane between a position in which the arm overlies the base to the position in which the arm is to one side of the base and at an angle to the base, the linkage including a slider moveable along the base, the slider being held against movement relative to the base from a first position, movement of the arm from a first position to a second position relative to the base releasing the slider for movement relative to the base from said first position.

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 plan view from above of a friction stay showing an arm of the friction stay overlying a base of a friction stay, Figure 2 is a similar view to Figure 1 but with the arm in a first position to one side of the base and at an angle to the base and showing a linkage of the friction stay, Figure 3 is a cross-section on the line 111-111 of Figure 2, Figure 4 is a similar view to Figure 2 but showing the arm in a second position to one side of the base and at a greater angle to the base than in Figure Figure 5 is a section on the line V-V of Figure 4, Figure 6 is a similar view to Figure 4 but with first and second sliders of the linkage moved to a second end of the base, and Figure 7 is a section on the line Vu-Vu of Figure 6.

Referring first to Figures 1, 2, 4 and 6, the friction stay comprises a base 10 having a channel section closed at a first end 11 by a first end cap 12 and closed at a second end 13 by a second end cap 14. The base may be made of metal.

The base carries a first slider 15 and a second slider 16. The first slider 15 is towards the first end 11 of the base 10 and the second slider 16 is towards the second end 13 of the base 10. The first and second sliders 15, 16 are able to slide along the base with side edges of the first and second sliders 15, 16 engaged in respective grooves provided along the edges of the base 10.

The first and second sliders 15, 16 form part of a linkage connecting an arm 17 to the base 10. The arm 17 is formed from a flat elongate strip of metal. The linkage also includes a shorter link 18, a longer link 19 and an intermediate link 20. The shorter link 18 is pivotally connected at one end towards an end of the arm 17 and is pivotally connected at the other end to the first slider 15. The longer link 19 is pivotally connected at one end to the arm 17 intermediate the ends of the arm and is pivotally connected at the opposite end to the second slider 16. The intermediate link 20 is pivotally connected at one end intermediate the ends of the longer link 19 and is pivotally connected at an opposite end to the first slider 15. The links 18, 19 and 20 are also formed from flat elongate metal strips.

The connections to the first slider 15 can be seen in more detail in Figures 3, 5 and 7. As seen in those Figures, the first slider 15 has a flat upper surface 21 lying in a plane generally parallel to the plane of movement of the arm 17. The ends of the shorter link 18 and the intermediate link 20 overlie this upper surface 21 and are fixed to the first slider 15 and held against this surface by respective rivets 22a, 22b.

The first slider 15 is provided with a through passage 23 extending normal to the upper surface 21 and emerging at a lower surface 24 of the first slider 15 spaced from the adjacent surface of the base 10. The passage 23 is generally circular in cross-section and is provided intermediate its ends with a radially inwardly extending flange 25 that provides a portion of reduced diameter. The passage carries a locking member 26 comprising a head 27, a base 28 and a shaft 29 interconnecting the head 27 and the base 28. The shaft 29 has a diameter that is less than the diameter of the head 27 or the base 28 so that the shaft can pass the flange 25 but the head 27 and the base 28 cannot so pass. A spring 30 acts between the head 27 and the flange 25 to tend to urge the locking member 26 to a position where the head 27 is above the upper surface 21 and the base 28 is received in the passage 23. This position is seen in Figures 5 and 7.

The base 10 is provided with a stop 31 pressed upwardly out of the base 10.

In a closed position of the friction stay shown in Figure 1, the arm 17, the shorter link 18, the longer link 19 and the intermediate link 20 all overlie the base. The first slider 15 is adjacent the first end 11 of the base 10 and the second slider 16 is adjacent the second end 13 of the base 10. In this position, the shorter link 18 overlies the locking member 26 holding the locking member 26 against the action of the spring 30 with the head 27 in the passage and the base 28 projecting from the lower surface 24 of the first slider 15 as seen in Figure 3.

As the arm 17 is moved away from the base 10 to one side of the base 10, the first slider 15 moves away from the first end 11 and the second slider 16 moves away from the second end 13, as seen in Figure 2. The shorter link 18 continues to hold the locking member 26 in the position shown in Figure 3 where the base 28 projects from the lower surface 24. This movement continues until the base 28 engages the stop 31. In this first position of the arm 17, the first slider iS is held against further movement relative to the base 10.

It is possible, however, for the arm 17 to continue movement away from the base 10 to the position shown in Figure 4 in which the arm 17 is almost normal to the base 10. This is accommodated by movement of the second slider 16 away from the second end 13 of the base 10. As the arm 17 moves from the first position in Figure 2 to the second position in Figure 4, the shorter link 18 continues to rotate relative to the first slider 15 and moves away from engagement with the head 27 of the locking member 26. As a result, the locking member 26 moves upwardly under the action of the spring 30 to a position in which the base 28 is accommodated in the passage 23 and the head 27 projects from the upper surface 21. The first slider 15 is thus released from engagement with the base 10. This allows the first slider 15 and the second slider 16 to be moved manually towards the second end 13 of the base 10.

The first slider 15 and the second slider 16 can be slid back along the base 10 towards the first end 11 with the arm 17 in a second position. If, after the locking member has passed the stop 31, the arm 17 is closed towards the base 10, the shorter link 18 will engage the head 27 of the locking member 26 and slide over the head 27 depressing the locking member 26 so that the head 27 is in the passage 23 and so that the base 28 projects from the lower surface 24.

The sliding of the shorter link onto the head 27 is assisted by the provision of a bevelled edge 32 around the head 27.

The friction stay described above with reference to the drawings is for use principally in mounting a rectangular window leaf in a rectangular window frame. Two friction stays of the kind described above with reference to the drawings are connected between the leaf and the frame at opposite edges of the leaf. The base 10 is connected to the frame and the arm 17 is connected to the leaf. In the first position of the arm 17 shown in Figure 2, the leaf is opened to a limited extent out of the frame for ventilation purposes. Further opening movement of the leaf out of the frame moves the arm 17 to the position shown in Figure 4. This is a maximum opening position and may be used, for example, to allow egress through the frame in an emergency.

Moving the first and second sliders 15, 16 to the second end 13 from the position shown in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figure 6 moves the window leaf to a so-called "easy clean" position in which both faces of the leaf accessible for cleaning.

The use of the locking member 26 engaged and disengaged by rotation of the shorter link provides automatic release of the first slider 15 without the need for manual intervention that can be difficult for the elderly or infirmed.

It will be appreciated that there are number of modifications that can be made to the friction hinge described above with reference to the drawings. The locking member 26 need not be as described above. For example, the shorter link 18 could pivot or slide a locking member into an outer engagement with the base 10. The stop 31 need not be formed on the base 10 as shown; it could be formed in any convenient way.

The stop 31 need not be positioned so that the first slider 15 makes an initial movement away from the first end before engaging the stop 31. The stop 31 could be positioned so that the first slider 15 is held at the first end 11 until the arm 17 is moved to the second position. The locking member 26 need not be actuated by the shorter link 18. It could be actuated by the intermediate link 20. The locking member 26 could be provided additionally or alternatively on the second slider 16 and be controlled by the longer link 19.

Claims

CLAIMS

I. A friction hinge comprising an elongate base connected to an arm by a linkage that moves to constrain movement of the arm in a plane between a position in which the arm overlies the base and a position in which the arm is to one side of the base and at an angle to the base, the linkage including a slider moveable along the base, the slider being held against movement relative to the base from a first position, movement of the arm from a first position to a second position relative to the base releasing the slider for movement relative to the base from said first position.

2. A friction stay according to claim 1 wherein the linkage acts to release the slider as the arm moves from said first position to said second position.

3. A friction stay according to claim 2 wherein the slider includes a locking member engaging the base to hold the slider against movement relative to the base from said first position, movement of the linkage as the arm moves from said first position to said second position causing the locking member to disengage the base and release the slider for movement relative to the base from said first position.

4. A friction stay according to claim 3 wherein the linkage includes a link connected to said slider, movement of said link on movement of the arm from said first position to said second position causing the locking member to disengage.

5. A friction stay according to claim 4 wherein the locking member is biased away from engagement with the base, the locking member being held in engagement with the base by said link until the arm moves from said first position to said second position when the link permits the locking member to disengage from the base under said bias.

6. A friction stay according to claim 5 wherein the slider includes a surface generally parallel to the plane of movement of the arm, said link being pivotally connected to said surface and rotating about said pivot on movement of the arm relative to the base, the locking member including a head, said bias tending to move said head to project above said surface, the link overlying the head to hold the head against said movement until the arm moves from said first position to said second position when the head is released to extend above said surface and disengage the locking member from the base.

7. A friction stay according to claim 6 wherein said link is formed from a flat strip of metal.

8. A friction stay according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein the linkage includes a shorter link, a longer link and an intermediate link, the shorter link being connected between an end of the arm and the slider, the longer link being connected between a point intermediate the ends of the arm and the base and the intermediate arm being connected between the longer arm and the slider, the shorter link controlling the locking member.

9. A friction stay according to claim 8 wherein the longer link is connected to the base through a second slider slidable along the base, the first mentioned slider and the second slider being adjacent respective first and second ends of the base when the arm overlies the base, movement of the arm away from a position in which the arm overlies the base, moving the first mentioned and second sliders away from the associated ends of the base until the locking member engages a stop on the base when the arm is in the first position, continued movement of the arm away from the base moving the arm to the second position to release the first mentioned slider for movement away from the first end of the base.

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