GB2513994A

GB2513994A - Espagnolette locking assembly and method of use

Info

Publication number: GB2513994A
Application number: GB1405846.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark Leslie Cope
Original assignee: SPIRE HOMEWARES Ltd
Current assignee: SPIRE HOMEWARES Ltd
Priority date: 2013-04-02
Filing date: 2014-04-01
Publication date: 2014-11-12
Also published as: GB201405846D0; GB201305911D0

Abstract

The espagnolette locking assembly comprises a primary and secondary espagnolette gearboxes. The primary gearbox has at least one primary locking bar which is linearly between locking and non-locking positions. An additional locking member 40 is adapted to move in a direction having a component transverse to the direction of movement of the primary locking bar. The secondary gearbox has at least one secondary locking bar. The secondary locking bar is movable linearly between its locking and non-locking positions. The locking bars are adapted for connection to a shoot bolt 30 which in use can project into a fixed keep when the respective locking bar is in its locking position. The secondary gearbox includes an aperture 142 which can receive the additional locking member of the primary gearbox. There is also provided a method of use of the locking assembly for locking a French window 10.

Description

ESPAGNOLETTE LOCKING ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF USE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a espagnolette locking assembly and method of use.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

io The following description and disclosure is for convenience directed to an espagnolette locking assembly designed to be fitted to a "French window". It will, however, be understood that the invention could be used on other movable panels.

is A French window comprises a particular class of opening panel. In a French window, a pair of window panels together span an opening surrounded by a fixed frame. Each window panel is hingedly mounted to a respective one of the vertical frame members. It is a particular feature of a French window that there is no fixed intermediate vertical mullion spanning the opening to which each of the window panels can be independently secured. Another means of securing the window panels in their closed positions is thereby required.

A hinged window can be locked or otherwise secured to the surrounding frame by a cockspur. The cockspur is typically carried by an operating handle which is pivotably mounted upon the locking edge of the window. When it is desired to lock the window the handle is pivoted so that the cockspur moves into engagement with a fixed keep located upon the frame. A cockspur is not suitable for securing the window panels of a French window, however, since there is no fixed frame part upon which to mount the keep. Mounting the keep upon one of the two window panels, and mounting the cockspur on the other window panel, will provide little security as it cannot prevent the opening movement of both windows together.

A typical method of locking a French window is to utilise an espagnolette mechanism, the espagnolette mechanism serving to drive a shoot bolt into one or both of the horizontal frame members surrounding the opening.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Many different espagnolette mechanisms are known. They share the common feature that the operating handle is connected to a gearbox which converts the rotary movement of the operating handle into linear movement of a locking bar.

The locking bar can carry mushroom-headed bolts, such as those of the espagnolette mechanism described in GB 2 072 740 by GKN Crompton Limited.

In the GKN Crompton design the gearbox drives a single locking bar in a first direction to lock the window, and in the opposite direction to unlock the window.

Bi-directional espagnolette gearboxes are also known in which the gearbox drives is two locking bars in opposite directions. Bi-directional espagnolette gearboxes are particularly useful for use with French windows in that the locking bars can each be connected to a respective shoot bolt. If the gearbox of a bi-directional espagnolette gearbox is mounted upon the vertical locking edge of a window panel of a French window, one of the shoot bolts can be driven upwardly into a keep mounted upon the top frame edge, and the other shoot bolt can be driven downwardly into a keep mounted upon the bottom frame edge. A bi-directional espagnolette gearbox is disclosed in GB 2 257 745.

An improved bi-directional espagnolette mechanism is described in GB 2 297 796.

That gearbox has two locking bars (called operating members" in this document) which can be driven in opposing directions, and can be connected to respective shoot bolts. In addition, however, the gearbox carries additional locking members (called "bolts" in this document) which can be driven to project laterally from the gearbox, i.e. the additional locking members project in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the locking bars. The lateral movement is generated by angled guides carried by the additional locking members and by the gearbox housing, the additional locking members being driven laterally by the angled guides during longitudinal movement of the locking bars.

A particularly secure arrangement is provided by the espagnolette locking mechanism of GB 2 297 796 through the use of additional locking members of "T-shape", the enlarged heads of the locking members fitting into a keep which has a channel to receive the neck of the additional locking members. The enlarged head of the locking member is unable to pass through the channel, whereby to resist the forced separation of the window panel from the frame.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The inventors have sought to provide an espagnolette locking assembly and method of use which provides a further improvement upon the disclosure of GB 2 297 796, and has particular benefits for use upon a French window.

is According to the invention there is provided an espagnolette locking assembly comprising a primary espagnolette gearbox and a secondary espagnolette gearbox, the primary espagnolette gearbox having a primary face plate and at least one primary locking bar, the primary locking bar being movable between a locking position and a non-locking position, the primary locking bar being movable substantially linearly between its locking and non-locking positions, the linear movement being substantially parallel to the primary face plate, the primary face plate having a primary aperture through which an additional locking member can project, the additional locking member being driven to move by the primary locking bar, the additional locking member projecting farther from the primary face plate when the primary locking bar is in its locking position than when the primary locking bar is in its non-locking position, the primary locking bar being connected to a primary shoot bolt which in use can project into a primary fixed keep when the primary locking bar is in its locking position, the secondary espagnolette gearbox having a secondary face plate and at least one secondary locking bar, the secondary locking bar being movable between a locking position and a non-locking position, the secondary locking bar being movable substantially linearly between its locking and non-locking positions, the linear movement being substantially parallel to the secondary face plate, the secondary locking bar being connected to a secondary shoot bolt which in use can project into a secondary fixed keep when the secondary locking bar is in its locking position, the secondary face plate having a secondary aperture which can receive the primary additional locking member.

The primary and secondary espagnolette gearboxes are designed to operate together, with the secondary aperture of the secondary gearbox providing the keep for the additional locking member of the primary gearbox.

Preferably, the primary and secondary espagnolette gearboxes are very similarly formed, and differ only in the absence of the additional locking member(s) from the secondary gearbox. Preferably also, the primary and secondary gearboxes share many of their components, including for example the components forming is their respective housings. It will be understood that some or all of the housing of the espagnolette gearboxes can be manufactured as a casting, and the use of a common casting for both the primary and secondary gearboxes represents a significant saving in tooling costs.

Preferably, the primary and secondary espagnolette gearboxes are both bi-directional espagnolette gearboxes, each having a first and a second locking bar, connected to respective first and second shoot bolts. Also, preferably the primary espagnolette gearbox has two additional locking members, the face plate of each gearbox having first and second apertures for the respective locking members..

There is also provided a method of use of an espagnolette locking assembly as herein defined, the method comprising the steps of: mounting the primary espagnolette gearbox onto the locking edge of one window panel of a French window, mounting the secondary espagnolette gearbox onto the locking edge of the other window panel of a French window, actuating the secondary espagnolette gearbox to drive the secondary shoot bolts into their respective keeps, actuating the primary espagnolette gearbox to drive the primary shoot bolts into their respective keeps, and to drive the additional locking members through the secondary aperture(s).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig.1 shows a perspective view of a French window incorporating the espagnolette locking assembly according to the present invention; Fig.2 shows an exploded view of the primary espagnolette gearbox of the assembly of Fig.1; Fig.3 shows an exploded view of the secondary espagnolette gearbox of the assembly; and Fig.4 shows a perspective view of the secondary espagnolette gearbox.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The French window 10 shown in Fig.1 comprises two window panels 12, 14, each of which is hinged to a respective vertical stile 16, 18 of the surrounding fixed frame 20. As shown, each of the window panels 12, 14 is partially opened.

A primary locking mechanism 22 is mounted to the locking edge 24 of the window panel 12, and a secondary locking mechanism 26 is fitted to the locking edge 28 of the window panel 14.

It is a feature of a French window that there is no mullion or other fixed frame member between the locking edges 24, 28, and therefore no fixed frame member to which to mount a keep. In common with known locking mechanisms for French windows, the locking mechanisms 22, 26 each comprise a bi-directional espagnolette gearbox 44, 144 respectively which can drive a shoot bolt 30 into a keep (not seen) in the top frame part 32 and a keep 34 in the bottom frame part 36.

In addition, however, the present invention provides two additional locking io members 40 which in the locking position project into respective apertures 142 whereby to directly secure the locking edges 24, 28 together.

The componentry of the primary espagnolette gearbox 44 which forms part of the locking mechanism 22 is shown in Fig.2. The structure of this gearbox is similar to that of GB 2297796.

The primary espagnolette gearbox 44 has a housing provided by a casting 46 and a die-cast cover plate 48. The housing accommodates a main gear 50 which has a square hole 52 of standard dimensions, which can receive the standard square drive bar connected to the operating handle 54, in known fashion. The main gear has teeth which engage the teeth of a rack 56 of the first locking bar 58.

The first locking bar 58 has a further set of gear teeth (not seen in this view) which engage a reverser gear 60, the reverser gear also engaging a set of gear teeth (also not seen in this view) on the second locking bar 62. Accordingly, rotation of the operating handle 54 through an angle of approximately 90 causes the first locking bar 58 to move parallel to the longitudinal axis L-L in one direction (for example towards the bottom right as viewed in Fig.2), and, by way of the reverser gear, causes the corresponding movement of the second locking bar 62 (also parallel to the longitudinal axis L-L) in the opposite direction (for example towards the top left as viewed in Fig.2).

The locking bars 58, 62 each have a shoe 64 which can receive the end of a shoot bolt 30 whereby the espagnolette gearbox 44 can drive the shoot bolts 30 to move linearly in the direction of the longitudinal axis L-L (upwards and downwards in the orientation of Fig.1).

The first locking bar 58 has a recess 66a which accommodates a first additional locking member 40a. The first additional locking member 40a has a set of angled guides 70a which cooperate with the angled guides 72 in the housing part 46, such that linear movement of the first locking bar 58 in the longitudinal direction L-L is converted to angled movement of the additional locking member 40, the angled movement having a component in the direction A-A.

The second locking bar 62 has a similar recess 66b for the additional locking member 40b, the guides 70b of the additional locking member 40b cooperating is with guides (not seen) upon the cover plate 48.

The additional locking members 40a,b project through respective apertures 42a, 42b in the face plate 74. When the locking bars 58, 62 are in their locking positions the additional locking members 40a,b project beyond the face plate 74, as shown in Fig.1.

It is believed that this is a sufficient description of the components and operation of the primary bi-directional espagnolette gearbox 44 without requiring an examination of GB 2 297 796, but if a more detailed explanation is required it can be located in that document.

The secondary espagnolette gearbox 144 which forms part of the secondary locking mechanism 26 is shown in Fig.3. The secondary espagnolette gearbox 144 differs from the primary espagnolette gearbox 44 in not having the additional locking members 40a, 40b. There is therefore no requirement for the first and second locking bars 158, 162 to have recesses to accommodate additional locking members, and so the first and second locking bars 158, 162 are formed somewhat differently to those of the primary espagnolette gearbox.

Notwithstanding that the guides 70, 72 are not required, it will be observed that the housing part 146 of the second espagnolette gearbox 144 is identical to the housing part 46 of the primary espagnolette gearbox 44, so as avoid the requirement to make two different castings. It will be understood that the first locking bars 58, 158 and the second locking bars 62, 162 could also be similarly formed so as to reduce the tooling costs, if desired.

Apart from the absence of the additional locking members, the secondary espagnolette gearbox 144 functions in the same way as the primary espagnolette gearbox 44 described above.

Importantly, the face plate 174 of the secondary espagnolette gearbox 144 has two apertures 142a and 142b. These apertures are separated by a distance is similar to the separation of the apertures 42a,b of the primary espagnolette gearbox 44. When the espagnolette gearboxes 44 and 144 are mounted on the French window as in Fig.1, the aperture 142a is aligned with the aperture 42a, and the aperture 142b is aligned with the aperture 42b. It will be understood that when the French window of Fig.1 is closed, the face plates 74 and 174 are very close together, and may even engage one another. Accordingly, when the primary additional locking members 40a,b project from the face plate 74, they pass through the respective apertures 142a,b, thereby interconnecting the primary and secondary espagnolette gearboxes, and the respective window panels 12, 14, together.

As seen in Fig.2, and in accordance with the disclosure of GB 2 297 796, the additional locking members 40a, b are each substantially of T-shape, with a head upon a narrow neck 82. The apertures 42a,b each have an enlarged portion 84 which is large enough to accommodate the head 80 when the additional locking members 40a,b are in their non-locking or retracted positions (the head 80 being located within the enlarged portion 84). The guides 70,72 cause the additional locking members 40a,b to move outwardly at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis L-L, so that the apertures 42a,b have an extension 86 which can accommodate the neck 82 as the additional locking members move outwardly. (In accordance with GB 2 297 796, the additional locking members 40a,b may undergo a two-stage movement in which the second stage is totally parallel to the longitudinal axis L-L, requiring an increase in the length of the extensions 86.) The apertures 142a,b are similarly formed with an enlarged region 184 and an extension 186, the enlarged portion 184 accommodating the head 80 as this passes through the face plate 174, the extension 186 accommodating the neck as io the respective additional longitudinal member 40a,b undergoes its path of movement to the locking position. It will thereby be understood that in the locking position the head 80 of each additional locking member 40a,b is located within the housing of the secondary espagnolette mechanism 144, behind a part of the face plate 174. Attempts to force the French window 10 open, and thereby forcibly is separate the primary espagnolette gearbox 44 and the secondary espagnolette gearbox 144, are directly resisted by the engagement of the head 80 of each additional locking member 40a, b with the underside of the face plate 174.

It will be understood that in practical embodiments the enlarged portions 184 of the face plate 174 should be separated by a distance which is slightly greater than the separation of the enlarged portions 84, to allow for the fact that the additional locking members 40a,b undergo some translation along the longitudinal axis as the additional locking members pass across any gap between the respective face plates 74, 174, and also as they pass through the face plate 174.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An espagnolette locking assembly comprising: a primary espagnolette gearbox and a secondary espagnolette gearbox, the primary espagnolette gearbox having: at least one locking bar, the locking bar being movable between a locking position and a non-locking position, the locking bar being movable substantially linearly between its locking and non-locking positions, io an additional locking member adapted to move in a direction having a component transverse to the direction of linear movement of the locking bar, the locking bar being adapted for connection to a shoot bolt which in use can project into a fixed keep when the locking bar is in its locking position, the secondary espagnolette gearbox having: at least one locking bar, the locking bar being movable between a locking position and a non-locking position, the locking bar being movable substantially linearly between its locking and non-locking positions, the locking bar being adapted for connection to a shoot bolt which in use can project into a fixed keep when the locking bar is in its locking position, and an aperture which can receive the additional locking member of the primary espagnolette gearbox.
2. An espagnolette locking assembly according to claim 1 in which the primary espagnolette gearbox and the secondary espagnolette gearbox differ only in the presence of the additional locking member of the primary gearbox.
3. An espagnolette locking assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the primary espagnolette gearbox has a primary housing within which the respective locking bar is mounted, in which the secondary espagnolette ii gearbox has a secondary housing within which the respective locking bar is mounted, and in which the primary and second housings are formed from similar components.
4. An espagnolette locking assembly according to claim 1 in which the primary espagnolette gearbox is a bi-directional espagnolette gearbox, in which the locking bar of the primary espagnolette gearbox is a first locking bar, and in which the primary espagnolette gearbox also has a second locking bar which is oppositely moveable to the first locking bar.
5. An espagnolette locking assembly according to claim 4 in which the shoot bolt which is connected to the first locking bar of the primary espagnolette gearbox is a first shoot bolt, and in which the second locking bar is adapted for connection to a second shoot bolt.
6. An espagnolette locking assembly according to claim 4 or claim 5 in which the secondary espagnolette gearbox is a bi-directional espagnolette gearbox, in which the locking bar of the secondary espagnolette gearbox is a third locking bar, and in which the secondary espagnolette gearbox also has a fourth locking bar which is oppositely moveable to the third locking bar.
7. An espagnolette locking assembly according to claim 6 in which the shoot bolt which is connected to the third locking bar of the secondary espagnolette gearbox is a third shoot bolt, and in which the fourth locking bar is adapted for connection to a fourth shoot bolt.
8. An espagnolette locking assembly according to any one of claims 4-7 in which the additional locking member is a first additional locking member, in which the aperture in the secondary espagnolette gearbox is a first aperture, in which the primary espagnolette gearbox also has a second additional locking member, and in which the secondary espagnolette gearbox also has a second aperture which can receive the second additional locking member.
9. An espagnolette locking assembly according to any one of claims 1-8 in which the secondary espagnolette gearbox has a face plate, the aperture(s) being located in the face plate.
10. An espagnolette locking assembly according to any one of claims 1-9 in which the primary espagnolette gearbox has a face plate.
11. An espagnolette locking assembly according to claim 10 in which the face plate has an aperture for each additional locking member.
12. A method of use of an espagnolette locking assembly according to any one of claims 1-11, the method comprising the steps of: mounting the primary espagnolette gearbox onto the locking edge of one window panel of a French window, mounting the secondary espagnolette gearbox onto the locking edge of the other window panel of a French window, actuating the secondary espagnolette gearbox to drive the respective shoot bolt(s) into its respective keep, actuating the primary espagnolette gearbox to drive the respective shoot bolt(s) into its respective keep, and to drive the additional locking member(s) through the aperture(s) in the secondary face plate.