GB2247714A - Fastener drive mechanism and assembly incorporating same - Google Patents

Abstract

An espagnolette fastening mechanism for a door or window comprises a rack and pinion mechanism (22, 23) for transmitting drive from a rotary handle (17) to a reciprocating bar (12). The rack and pinion and an adjacent part of the bar are contained in a housing (21) assembled from side members (24, 25) and a cover (29). The cover is a plastics moulding and the bar is trapped between the rack and the cover. The cover is held between the side walls (25), (26) of the housing by means of formations (31), (32) on the side walls which overlie the cover. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Fastener drive mechanism and assembly incorporating same Description of Invention From one aspect, the present invention relates to an assembly comprising a frame defining an opening and a closure member mounted for movement relative to the frame between closed and open positions, a handle mounted on the closure member for turning relative thereto, a bar mounted in the closure member for reciprocation relative thereto between a fastening position and a releasing position, cooperating fastening formations on the bar and on the frame for fastening the closure member in the closed position when the bar is in the fastening position and a drive mechanism which receives drive from the handle and transmits the drive to the bar.In an assembly of the kind described, the bar generally has two or more fastening formations which are spaced apart along the bar and which are spaced from the drive mechanism, the drive mechanism includes a rack which is coupled with the bar so that the bar reciprocates with the rack and the drive mechanism further comprises a drive element mounted for turning with the handle about an axis which is transverse to the length of the bar and which functions as a pinion to reciprocate the rack when the handle is turned.

In our published application GB 2208524A, we have disclosed an assembly of the kind described in which the drive mechanism is mounted in the closure member independently of the bar. Reliance is placed on the closure member to locate the drive mechanism, in particular the rack, relative to the bar.

Satisfactory performance of the assembly is dependant upon the accuracy with which components of the assembly are positioned on the closure member and upon the accuracy with which these components are retained in the selected positions throughout the service life of the assembly. In practice, mounting of components of the assembly in the closure member with excessive clearances has lead to reliability problems.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the drive mechanism of an assembly of the kind described includes a housing which comprises opposite side members, a slider mounted between the side members and a drive element which is engaged with the slider and is mounted between the side members for turning with the handle, wherein the slider is arranged for moving the bar longitudinally upon turning of the drive element, wherein the housing further comprises a cover lying between the side members and covering a part of the bar which lies in the housing and wherein respective support parts of both side members overlap corresponding parts of the cover, as viewed in a direction from the bar towards the axis, and support the cover.

By enclosing a part of the bar in the housing, the positional relation between the bar and components of the drive mechanism can be pre-determined during manufacture of the drive mechanism. The required relation of these parts of the assembly will not be disturbed during fitting of the drive mechanism and bar to the closure member of the assembly.

The degree of overlap between the support parts of the side members and the cover can vary within tolerance limits without impairing either the operation or the appearance of the drive mechanism. It will be understood that the cover and parts of the bar will be exposed at an edge of the closure member, where they can be seen in the completed assembly.

It will be understood that the side members of the housing and the bar are typically formed of metal. The cover is preferably formed of a material which has a low co-efficient of friction with respect to the bar. Suitable materials include plastics materials. Choice of these materials also minimises noise generated during movement of the bar through the housing.

There is also provided in accordance with the invention a combination comprising a drive mechanism and a bar for an assembly of the kind described, wherein the drive mechanism includes a housing which comprises opposite side members, a slider mounted between the side members and a drive element enmeshed with the slider and mounted between the side members for turning relative thereto about an axis, wherein the slider is arranged for moving the bar longitudinally upon turning of the drive element, wherein the housing further comprises a cover lying between the side members and covering a part of the bar which lies in the housing and wherein respective support parts of both side members overlap corresponding parts of the cover, as viewed in a direction from the bar towards the axis, and support the cover.

An example of an assembly embodying both aspects of the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein there is shown a perspective view of components of the assembly separated from one another.

The assembly illustrated in the drawing comprises a rectangular frame, a part of which is shown at 10, which is mounted in an opening in a wall of a building and is permanently fixed with respect to that wall. The frame defines a rectangular opening. The assembly further comprises a closure member, a part of which is indicated by the reference numeral 11. This closure member is also rectangular, is hinged to the frame and is arranged for closing the opening defined by the frame. The closure member can swing relative to the frame to an open position. The closure member may incorporate a glazing panel and may be a door or an opening part of a window.

Fastening means is provided for fastening the closure member 11 in the closed position with respect to the frame 10. The fastening means includes an elongated, rectilinear bar 12 which is mounted in a channel defined by the closure member for reciprocation relative thereto through a limited stroke in a vertical direction, in a case where the bar is disposed at a vertical margin of the closure member 11, or in an horizontal direction, in a case where the bar is disposed at an horizontal margin of the closure member. Cooperating fastening formations are provided on the bar 12 and on the frame 10. In the example illustrated, the fastening formations on the frame are keepers, one of which is shown at 13, and the fastening formations on the bar 12 have the form of generally cylindrical projections, one of which is shown at 14.The projection 14 may be constituted by a roller attached by a rivet to the bar so that the roller can turn on its axis relative to the bar. Alternatively, the fastening elements on the bar may be fixed with respect to the bar.

The bar 12 is attached to the closure member 11 by means of a plurality of screws 15 or other headed fasteners which extend through elongated slots 16 formed in the bar and penetrate into the closure member 11. The screws 15 are spaced from each other along the bar and each slot 16 extends along a part of the length of the bar to permit free sliding of the bar between fastening and retaining positions.

There is also mounted on the closure member 11 a handle 17 connected with a baseplate 18 for pivoting relative thereto about an axis 19 which extends generally in the direction of opening and closing movement of the closure member 11. The baseplate 18 is mounted on a face of the closure member 11 which is presented towards the interior of the building and the handle 17 has a shaft 20 which protrudes from the baseplate into the closure member 11.

A drive mechanism is provided for transmitting drive from the shaft 20 to the bar 12. The drive mechanism is contained in a housing 21. The bar extends through the housing so that a part of the bar lies inside the housing.

There is disposed in the housing 21 a slider 22 having a tongue which engages the bar 12 in a recess formed in that part of the bar which lies inside the housing. A marginal portion of the slider remote from the bar is formed as a rack. A driving element 23 also is mounted in the housing 21 for turning relative to the housing about the axis 19. The driving element has teeth which mesh with those of the slider 22 so that the slider is reciprocated relative to the housing when the driving element is turned relative to the housing. The driving element is formed with a pair of circular bosses which lie in respective apertures formed in the housing. A non-circular opening extends through the bosses and receives the shaft 20, which provides a driving connection between the handle 17 and the drive element 23.

The housing 21 comprises side members 24 and 25 which form respective opposite sides of the housing. The member 24 includes a flat web 26 in which there is formed a circular aperture to receive one boss of the drive element 23 and in which there are formed two further apertures to receive respective rivets used to secure the side members 24 and 25 to each other. The side member 25 has a corresponding, flat web 28 also formed with an aperture to receive a respective one of the bosses of the drive element 23 and with apertures to receive rivets. Adjacent to these apertures, the side members have marginal lips which abut each other in the assembled drive mechanism to space the webs 26 and 28 a predetermined distance apart.In the assembled drive mechanism, the webs 26 and 27 are mutually parallel and are spaced apart by a gap in which the slider 22 is received with a small clearance.

The housing 21 further comprises a cover 29 which covers that part of the bar 12 which lies in the housing and closes the housing at the margin thereof remote from the axis 19. The cover is elongated and has a width which is considerably greater than the spacing between the webs 26 and 28. At opposite longitudinal margins of the cover, there are formed respective recesses, one of which is shown at 30. These recesses are closed at the ends of the cover and have respective mouths facing in opposite directions. The recess 30 receives a substantially flat, supporting part 31 of the side member 24 so that the side member supports the cover. The other recess of the cover receives a corresponding supporting part 32 of the side member 25. As viewed in a direction from the bar 12 towards the axis 19, the cover overlaps both of the supporting parts 31 and 32.The degree of overlap can vary within tolerance limits without affecting the ability of the side members 24 and 25 to support the cover and without affecting significantly the appearance of the housing.

We have found that, in a case where there is used a housing comprising only side members corresponding to the members 24 and 25 and in which parts corresponding to the supporting parts 31 and 32 are extended to approach each other closely or to abut each other, variations within manufacturing tolerances result in some samples having a conspicuous gap between the side members of the housing, which gap is exposed to view at an edge of the closure member 11.

The transverse cross sectional shape of the bar 12 is rectangular and the thickness of the bar extends in the direction from the bar to the axis 19. To accommodate the width of the bar inside the housing 21, the side member 25 is of stepped form so that there is between the web 28 and the supporting part 32 an intermediate portion of the member which, together with the supporting part 32, forms a channel to receive a marginal portion of the bar. In the example illustrated, the recess in the bar which receives the tongue of the slider 22 is at one margin of the bar. Alternatively, the tongue could enter a slot formed in the bar at a position spaced from both lateral margins of the bar. In this case, the side member 24 would also be of stepped form to accommodate a part of the width of the bar.

The bar 12 is trapped between the slider 22 and the cover 29.

Typically, the bar is formed of metal and the cover 29 is preferably formed of a material which has a low co-efficient of friction with respect to the metal of which the bar is formed. Nylon is a suitable material. The cover is conveniently formed as a injection moulding of nylon or other plastics material. The moulded material may conveniently be pigmented to match the closure member 11, so that the cover is inconspicuous, in use. It will be noted that the cover conceals the side members 24 and 25 of the housing from view in the completed assembly.

The side members 24 and 25 are conveniently formed as pressings of sheet metal. Whilst the bar 12 is conveniently formed of a single piece of metal, it would be within the scope of the invention to assemble the bar from a plurality of components, for example components which form opposite end portions of the bar and an intermediate component which cooperates with the tongue of the slider 22. It would then be necessary to couple the end components of the bar with the intermediate component.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims (8)

1. An assembly comprising a frame defining an opening, a closure member mounted for pivoting movement relative to the frame between closed and open positions with respect to the frame, a handle mounted on the closure member for turning relative thereto about an axis, a bar mounted on the closure member for reciprocation relative thereto between fastening and releasing positions, cooperating fastening formations on the bar and on the frame for fastening the closure member in the closed position when the bar is in the fastening position and a drive mechanism for transmitting drive from the handle to the bar, wherein the drive mechanism includes a housing which comprises opposite side members, a slider mounted between the side members and a drive element engageable with the slider and mounted between the side members for turning with the handle, wherein the slider is arranged for moving the bar longitudinally upon turning of the drive element, wherein the housing further comprises a cover lying between the side members and covering a part of the bar which lies in the housing and wherein respective support parts of both side members overlap corresponding parts of the cover, as viewed in a direction from the bar towards the axis, and support the cover.

2. An assembly according to Claim 1 wherein the cover is formed along opposite margins with respective recesses and said support parts of the side members are received in the recesses.

3. An assembly according to Claim 2 wherein the cover is longer than the support parts of the side members and said recesses are closed at the ends of the cover.

4. An assembly according to any preceding claim wherein said part of the bar which lies in the housing is trapped between the slider and the cover.

5. An assembly according to Claim 4 wherein respective parts of the cover are interposed between the bar and the support parts of the side members.

6. In combination, a drive mechanism and a bar for an assembly according to Claim 1 wherein the drive mechanism includes a housing which comprises opposite side members, a slider mounted between the side members and a drive element engaged with the slider and mounted between the side members for turning with the handle of the assembly, wherein the slider is arranged for moving the bar longitudinally upon turning of the drive element, wherein the housing further comprises a cover lying between the side members and covering a part of the bar which lies in the housing and wherein respective support parts of both side members overlap corresponding parts of the cover, as viewed in a direction from the bar towards the axis, and support the cover.

7. A combination according to Claim 6 substantially as hereindescribed with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

8. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein or in the accompanying drawing.