AU664646B2 - A skid bracket assembly - Google Patents

Description

pr -7 I A SKID BRACKET ASSEMBLY Technical Field The present invention relates to sliding doors and windows.

Background of the Invention The height of aluminium sliding doors and windows is adjusted generally by means of a roller assembly. That is, the lower portions of the sliding door or window are provided with rollers which engage a track supporting the door or window. Such roller mechanisms are generally expensive and increase the overall cost of the product.

Although "skid" pads have been proposed, they wear and the height of the door or window changes and becomes unacceptable.

Object of the Invention It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the Sabove disadvantages.

"Summary of the Invention There is disclosed herein a skid bracket assembly for a sliding window or door panel, said assembly including: op a base to be fixed to the panel and having a lower portion to face a track to support the panel, said lower portion having engagement means extending in use in a direction generally transverse of the sliding direction of the panel; and ,20 a removable skid pad to be fixed to said lower portion and positioned to engage said track, said pad having engagable means to engage said engagement means by movement relative thereto in said direction transverse of the sliding direction of the panel.

o Brief Description of the Drawings Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figures 1A and B schematically depict in side and end elevation respectively a skid 0o0 bracket assembly for a sliding door or window panel; Figure 2 is a schematic part exploded perspective view of the bracket of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic side elevation of the bracket of Figure 1 positioned relative to the sliding panel in a position spaced from that as illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a schematic end elevation of the assembly as shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a further side elevation of the assembly as shown in Figure 1; Figure 6 is a schematic side elevation of the assembly of Figure 1 with a modified base; Figure 7 is a schematic side elevation of the assembly of Figure 1 again with a modified base; (N:WIBTT]00039:LM Fr i c 2 Figures 8A and B are schematic side and perspective views of a modified skid bracket assembly; Figure 9 is a schematic side elevation of a still further skid bracket assembly; and Figure 10 is a schematic perspective view of the skid pad to be employed in the assembly of Figure 9.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments In Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted a skid bracket assembly 10 incorporated in the sliding panel 11 of a sliding door or window.

The panel 11 includes a horizontal frame member 12 joined to a vertical frame member 13. The frame member 12 faces a track supporting the panel 11.

To support the panel 11 on the track, there is provided at least one (preferably two) of the sliding assemblies 10. The assembly 10 engages the track and supports the panel 11 thereon.

In this embodiment, the assembly 10 includes a base 14 having an attachment leg through which a threaded fastener 16 passes to secure the base 14 to the panel 11 by threadably engaging a portion of one or both of the frame members 12 and 13. The leg is provided with a passage 17 through which the shank 18 of the fastener passes. The fastener has a head 19 which abuts the exterior surface of the leg The base 14 also has ridges 20 which engage the web 21 of the member 12. The member 12 has side flanges 22 between which the base 14 is retained.

The base 14 has a lower portion 23 with engagement means comprising transversely extending ribs 24 which are of a "dove-tail" transverse cross section.

To slidably engage the rail there is provided a skid pad 25 which may be formed of any one of a variety of lubricated low friction materials, The pad 15 has engagable means 25 in the form of transversely extending slots 26 which are of a complementary configuration to the ribs 24.

The passage 17 i elongated so that the threaded fastener 16 may be slightly loosened to permit the base 14 to be lowered to a position exposing the pad 4, Accordingly the pads 25 may be replaced when worn. Once replaced, the base 14 is again raised and the threaded fastener 16 tightened to retain the base 14 in position.

As can be appreciated from the above, the ribs 24 and the slots 26 extend generally transverse of the normal direction of movement of the panel 11. This ensures that the pad stays in position. As best seen in Figure 1, the flanges 22 also abut side portions of the pad 25 to retain it in position.

In Figure 6, a modified form of the assembly 10 is illustrated. In this modified form the attachment leg 15 is generally horizontally extending and is provided with a passage 17 which is not elongated. The threaded fastener 16 engages upwardly through the web 21 of the member 12.

[N:ALIBTT00IO39LM i- 3 In the embodiment of Figure 7, the lower portion of the assembly 10 has been modified so that the leading and trailing edges are provided with slots 27 into which flanges 28 of the pad 25 are slidably received.

In Figure 8, a skid bracket assembly 30 is illustrated. The bracket 30 has a base 31 which supports a skid pad 32. In this embodiment, the base 31 has flanges 33 which abut the internal surfaces of the member 12 and provide a transversely extending slot 34. The skid pad 32 has a transversely extending projection 35 of complementary shaped slot 34.

The slot 34 and projection 35 extend again generally transverse of the normal direction of sliding movement of the panel 11. The base 31 has a mounting leg 36 again provided with an elongated slot 37 through which passes a threaded fastener.

In the embodiment of Figures 9 and 10, the base 14 has again been modified. In this embodiment the base 14 has vertically extending passages 41 into which vertically extending projections 42 enter to retain the pad 43 in position. Preferably the projections 42 would be an interference fit or would snap fit within the passages 41.

In the embodiment of Figure 1, the base 31 may previously have been provided with S a wheel assembly to engage the slots 34. Accordingly the pad 32 has been designed to "clip-in" position where previously there was a supporting shaft for a roller.

In the above described embodiments, the thicknesses of the pads may be varied so that the height of the door or window can be adjusted. Alternatively the pads may be adapted to stack and thereivre several pads may be employed to adjust the height of the door or window.

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Claims (8)

1. A skid bracket assembly for a sliding window or door panel, said assembly including: a base to be fixed to the panel and having a lower portion to face a track to support the panel, said lower portion having engagement means extending in use in a direction generally transverse of the sliding direction of the panel; and a removable skid pad to be fixed to said lower portion and positioned to engage said track, said pad having engagable means to engage said engagement means by movement relative thereto in said direction transverse of the sliding direction of the panel.

2. The skid bracket assembly of claim 1, wherein said ba includes an attachment leg extending generally normal to said base and through which a fastener passes to secure the bracket assembly to the sliding window or door panel.

3. The skid bracket assembly of claim 2, wherein said attachment leg has an aperture through which a thread may pass, and wherein said aperture is elongated in the a k 15 general direction of extension of said attachment leg.

4. The skid bracket assembly of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said engagement means and said engageable means are cooperating ribs and slots.

5. The skid bracket assembly of claim 4, wherein said ribs and slots are "dovetail" in transverse cross section.

6. The skid bracket assembly of claim 5, wherein the ribs are formed integral with said base and said slots are formed in said skid pad. Sa',

7. The skid bracket assembly of any one of claims 1 to 6, further including upwardly extending ribs to be positioned within a channel formed in the window or door panel. 25

8. A skid bracket assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. o o Dated 27 September, 1993 4si"" L W Vi.ncent-Pty Limifiie K I G. co 'l-j Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON FERGUSON '_o=S IN:\ULTTJ00039:LM p p I-: A SKID BRACKET ASSEMBLY Abstract A skid bracket assembly (10) for a sliding window or door panel The assembly (10) includes a base (14) which receives a skid pad Extending upwardly from the base (14) is an attachment leg The base (14) and skid pad (25) have cooperating projections (24) and slot (26) which extend generally transverse of the base, and secure the skid pad (25) to the base (14). Figure 1 I t So 0 IN:\LIBTT100039:LM I