IE950185A1 - Improvements in or relating to handle assemblies - Google Patents

Abstract

A self-latching plastics shoot 12 of unitary construction for securing a handle 2 pivotally mounted on a base plate 3 in a closed position. The shoot 12 is mounted on the base plate 3 and has a striker head 15 supported by the resilience of the shoot 12 for reception in a recess 19 in the underside of the handle 2. The handle 2 is released by manual depression of a push button 26 to displace the striker head 15 from the recess 19 against the resilience of the shoot 12.

Description

This invention concerns improvements in or relating to handle assemblies of the type in which a handle is mounted on a base plate for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position.

It is already known from UK Patent NO.2188671B to secure the handle in the closed position by means of a bolt mounted in the base plate and biased by a spring for reception in a recess in the underside of the handle. The handle is released for pivotal movement towards the open position by manually depressing a plunger mounted in the handle to move the bolt clear of the recess against the biasing of the spring.

One problem arising from such arrangement is that manufacturing and assembly costs are increased by the use of a separate spring. Furthermore, variations in the spring biasing due to manufacturing and assembly tolerances can make operation of the bolt unreliable. This can also arise in service due to the spring becoming worn. Additionally, the spring may be omitted during assembly.

The present invention has been made from a consideration of these problems.

According to the present invention a handle assembly for windows, doors or the like comprises a handle mounted on a base plate for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position, the base plate being provided with a resilient shoot of plastics material having a striker head supported by the resilience of the shoot for reception in a recess in the handle to secure the handle relative to the base plate in the closed position, and the handle being provided with manually operable release means for moving the striker head to release the handle for pivotal movement relative to the base plate.

By this invention, the resilience of the shoot provides a restoring force for the striker head following release of the handle. In this way, the aforementioned problems of the separate spring in the prior art arrangement are avoided in a cheap and simple manner.

Preferably, the striker head is arranged to be self-latching when the handle is moved from the open position to the closed position. In this way the handle is automatically secured relative to the base plate in the closed position.

OPEN PUBLIC INSPECTION UND^R SECTION 26 AD) RULE 23 —OF oJQ·*^·^-5 JNL No... -2The striker head may also be arranged to be self-latching for pivotal movement of the handle to either side of the base plate from the closed position. In this way, the handle assembly is non-handed and is suitable for right or left hand fitting as desired.

Advantageously, the shoot has a resilient hinge arranged to support resiliently the striker head for pivotal movement.

In a preferred construction, the shoot is received in a pocket in the underside of the base plate with the striker head arranged to project through an opening for reception in the recess in the handle.

The hinge may comprise one or more resilient arms arranged to extend to one side of the striker head within the pocket. In this way, the depth of the base plate in which the shoot can be accommodated is reduced.

Advantageously, the release means includes a push button which is depressed to release the handle for pivotal movement relative to the base plate.

Preferably, the push button is rotatable to a position in which the release means is disabled preventing the push button from being depressed to release the handle.

The release means may also include key-operated means for securing the release means in the disabled position to lock the handle in the closed position.

The handle may be adapted for co-operating with a keeper in the closed position for securing an opening wing of the window, door or the like relative to a surrounding frame. For example, the handle may have a projecting spur.

The handle may also be adapted for operating a tilt/turn mechanism and/or a locking mechanism such as an espagnolette, cremone or the like. For example, the handle may be coupled to a spindle operatively connected to drive means for the tilt/turn mechanism and/or locking mechanism.

Other features, benefits and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of an exemplary embodiment wherein:FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a casement fastener embodying the invention; FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal section through the fastener shown in Figures 1; -3FIGURE 3 is perspective view of the unitary shoot of the fastener shown in Figures 1 and 2; and FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal section similar to Figure 2 through an alternative fastener embodying the invention.

With reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings, there is depicted a fastener 1 for a casement (not shown) supported in a surrounding frame (not shown) for opening movement about a vertical or horizontal axis.

The fastener 1 comprises a cockspur handle 2 mounted for pivotal movement on a base plate 3 provided with countersunk through holes 4 for receiving screws (not shown) for attaching the fastener 1 to the casement.

The handle 2 has a projecting spur 5 for co-operating with a keeper (not shown) mounted on the surrounding frame to secure and hold the casement closed. In known manner, the spur 5 may also co-operate with the keeper to secure and hold the casement in a partially open vent position.

The handle 2 comprises a metal body member 6 to which any surface finish may be applied as desired. The body member 6 is provided with a spigot 7 projecting from the underside that is rotatably received in a bore 8 in the base plate 3.

A counterbore 9 in the underside of the base plate 3 receives the free end of the spigot 7 which is peened over to secure the handle 2 to the base plate 3 for pivotal movement with washers 10 mounted on the spigot 7 providing bearing surfaces therebetween.

The body member 6 has an integral grip portion 11 by means of which the handle 2 is pivotal between the closed position shown in Figures 1 and 2 in which the body member 6 overlies the base plate 3 and an open position in which the body member 6 extends at an angle to the base plate 3.

In this embodiment, the grip portion 11 is aligned with the body member 6 but this is not essential and the grip portion 11 may be offset to one side of the body member 6 to provide added clearance for the user.

The base plate 3 has a unitary shoot 12 secured in a pocket 13 in the underside of the base plate 3 by a cover plate 14. The shoot 12 is moulded from plastics material having resilient properties and, as best shown in Figure 3, has a striker head 15 connected to a support block 16 by a pair of arms 17. -4The striker head 15 is arranged to project through an opening 18 in the upper surface of the base plate 3 and is received in a recess 19 in the underside of the body member 6 to secure the handle 2 relative to the base plate 3 in the closed position.

The body member 6 has a stepped bore 20 parallel to and offset to one side of the pivot axis. The bore 20 opens into the recess 19 in alignment with the opening 18 in the base plate 3 when the handle 2 is in the closed position.

A barrel 21 is mounted for rotation in the inner end of the bore 20 and is biased outwards by a spring 22 acting between opposed shoulders 23,24 of the bore 20 and barrel 21 respectively.

The inner end of the barrel 21 projects into the recess 19 and is provided with a circlip 25 for retaining the barrel 21 in a raised position under the biasing of the spring 22 as shown in Figure 2.

The outer end of the barrel 21 is provided with a manually operable push button 26 that projects from a counterbore 27 at the outer end of the bore 20 in the raised position of the barrel 21.

The barrel 21 is axially movable against the biasing of the spring 22 by depressing the push button 26 to move the striker head 15 out of the recess 19 thereby releasing the handle 2 for pivotal movement from the closed position to the open position.

The body member 6 clears the striker head 15 in the open position of the handle 2 allowing the striker head 15 to project from the opening 18 in the base plate 3 due to the resilience of the arms 17.

The striker head 15 has an inclined upper face 28 and the lower side edge of the body member 6 co-operates with the side edge of the face 28 as the handle 2 is moved from the open position towards the closed position to lower the striker head 15.

As a result, the body member 6 rides over the striker head 15 and the striker head 15 automatically engages the recess 19 in the underside of the body member 6 when the handle 2 reaches the closed position due to the resilience of the arms 17.

With this arrangement, the striker head 15 is self-latching for pivotal movement of the handle 2 to either side of the base plate 3 which has advantages where the handle 2 is non-handed. -5The barrel 21 is rotatable by means of a key (not shown) inserted into a keyway 29 in the push button 26 to a disabling position in which axial movement of the barrel 21 by depression of the push button 26 to release the striker head 15 from the recess 19 is prevented by co-operating formations (not shown) of the barrel 21 and bore 20.

The handle 2 is locked in the closed position on removal of the key by a detent 30 that prevents rotation of the barrel 21 from the disabling position and is released when the key is inserted preventing rotation of the barrel 21 by a non-matching key.

With reference now to Figure 4, a second embodiment generally similar to the casement fastener above-described is shown in which like reference numerals are used to indicate corresponding parts.

In this second embodiment, a blind bore 31 coaxial with the spigot 7 receives non-rotatably a spindle 32 for actuating a tilt/turn mechanism and/or a locking mechanism such as an espagnolette, cremone or the like on rotation of the handle 2 in known manner. In other respects the construction and operation of this embodiment is similar to and will be understood from the description of the first embodiment above.

As will now be appreciated, the provision of the shoot 12 with arms 17 resiliently supporting the striker head 15 overcomes the problems for manufacture and assembly using a separate biasing spring in a cheap and simple manner. The arms 17 have the function of integral hinge means for displacement of the striker head 15 and provide a restoring force for the striker head 15 when it is displaced by axial movement of the barrel 21 or by engagement with the side edge of the body member 6.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments above-described. For example, any suitable key-operated means may be provided for securing the barrel against axial movement.

In applications where locking of the handle in the closed position may be undesirable for safety reasons, the key-operated means may be omitted and the barrel arranged for simple axial movement only to release the handle for pivotal movement from the closed position.

Alternatively, for such non-locking version, the push button may be provided with a thumb turn or like formation for rotating the barrel to the disabling position to prevent accidental release of the handle, for example by a child. -6The handle may be adapted for mounting on the opening wing or surrounding frame of a window, door or the like with the keeper being mounted on the other of the wing and frame.

The spur may be omitted and the keeper provided with a projection 5 for co-operating with the handle. Alternatively, where the handle operates a spindle for actuation of a tilt/turn mechanism and/or a locking mechanism, the keeper may be dispensed with.

It will be understood that the arrangement of the unitary shoot in the base plate and manually operable release means in the handle may be incorporated in a wide range of types and styles of handle assemblies for different applications and uses and is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein.

Other modifications of the invented handle assembly without departing from the principle of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art and are deemed within the scope of the invention.

Claims (11)

Claims:

1. A handle assembly for windows, doors or the like comprises a handle mounted on a base plate for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position, the base plate being provided with a resilient shoot of plastics material having a striker head supported by the resilience of the shoot for reception in a recess in the handle to secure the handle relative to the base plate in the closed position, and the handle being provided with manually operable release means for moving the striker head to release the handle for pivotal movement relative to the base plate.

2. A handle assembly according to Claim 1 wherein the striker head is arranged to be self-latching when the handle is moved from the open position to the closed position.

3. A handle assembly according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the handle is pivotal to either side of the base plate from the closed position.

4. A handle assembly according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the shoot has a resilient hinge arranged to support resiliently the striker head for pivotal movement.

5. A handle assembly according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the handle overlies the base plate in the closed position and the striker head extends towards the handle for reception in the recess.

6. A handle assembly according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the release means includes a push button which is depressed to release the handle for pivotal movement relative to the base plate.

7. A handle assembly according to Claim 6 wherein the push button is rotatable to a position in which the release means is disabled preventing the push button from being depressed to release the handle.

8. A handle assembly according to Claim 7 wherien the release means includes key-operated means for securing the release means in the disabled position to lock the handle in the closed position.

9. A handle assemvly according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the handle is adapted for co-operating with a keeper in the closed position for securing an opening wing of the window, door or the like relative to a surrounding frame.

10. A handle assemly according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the handle is adapted for operating a tilt/turn mechanism and/or a locking mechanism. -811. A handle assembly for windows, doors or the like comprises a handle mounted on a base plate for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position, the base plate being provided with a shoot of plastics material having a striker head with integral hinge means arranged to support 5 resiliently the striker head for reception in a recess in the underside of the handle to secure the handle relative to the base plate in the closed position, and the handle being provided with manually operable release means for moving the striker head to release the handle for pivotal movement relative to the base plate. 10 12. A handle assembly for windows, doors or the like comprises a handle mounted on a base plate for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position, the base plate being provided with a resilient shoot of unitary construction for securing the handle relative to the base plate in the closed position, and the handle being provided with manually operable 15 release means for resiliently displacing the shoot to release the handle for pivotal movement relative to the base plate.

11. 13. A handle assembly for windows, doors or the like substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.