GB2298450A

GB2298450A - Adjustable length shoot bolt

Info

Publication number: GB2298450A
Application number: GB9504324A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keith George Faskin
Original assignee: Securistyle Ltd
Current assignee: Securistyle Ltd
Priority date: 1995-03-03
Filing date: 1995-03-03
Publication date: 1996-09-04
Anticipated expiration: 2015-03-03
Also published as: GB9504324D0; GB2298450B

Abstract

An adjustable length shoot bolt 5 comprising a first part 19 including a rod section 23, a second part 27 including a channel section 25 for receiving the rod section 23 of the first part 19, an abutment 31 against which the first part 19 bears when the rod section 23 is received in the channel section 25 and means 31,35 for locking the rod section 23 relative to the channel section 25, wherein when the locking means 31,35 are released the first part 19 can slide relative to the second part 27 to increase or decrease the length of the shoot bolt 5. The locking means may include interengaging threaded portions.

Description

A SHOOT BOLT This invention relates to shoot bolts, and in particular to an adjustable length shoot bolt.

Shoot bolt assemblies are well known for locking vents, such as windows or doors, in fixed frames. In general, a shoot bolt assembly comprises a drive mechanism mounted in or on the vent which, when activated by a handle, drives rods which extend or retract from the sides of the vent into holes or keeps in the sides of the fixed frame. It is also known for the assembly to include a catch or dead bolt which may extend from the bottom of the vent into the fixed frame midway between the keeps for the shoot bolts, thereby providing additional protection against intruders.

As will be appreciated, the drive mechanism of a shoot bolt assembly can be used in any size of vent. However, it is necessary to attach shoot bolts having different lengths to the drive mechanism so that the ends of the shoot bolts extend from the sides of the vent by the desired amount in use. Many companies provide a range of shoot bolts having different lengths, so that an installer can simply choose the correct length of shoot bolt to be used in a particular case. Alternatively, other suppliers of shoot bolt assemblies simply provide a smaller range of shoot bolts and suggest that the installer cut the shoot bolt to length.

It is also known for shoot bolts to be formed in two pieces, one piece being threadedly received in the second piece. Such prior art shoot bolts can have their lengths adjusted simply by rotating one piece of the shoot bolt relative to the other. Due to the tight thread in such a shoot bolt, which is dictated by the small diameter of the shoot bolt, it is a very time consuming task to adjust the length of the shoot bolt from one extreme to the other.

In view of the foregoing, the present invention aims to improve upon the prior art shoot bolts by providing a shoot bolt which can have its length adjusted quickly, easily and accurately.

According to the present invention there is provided an adjustable length shoot bolt comprising a first part including a rod section, a second part including a channel section for receiving the rod section of the first part, an abutment against which the first part bears when the rod section is received in the channel section and means for locking the rod section relative to the channel section, wherein when the locking means are released the first part can slide relative to the second part to increase or decrease the length of the shoot bolt.

Preferably the abutment is mounted on the second part of the shoot bolt.

The channel section preferably includes a threaded portion which engages with the rod section to allow fine adjustment of the length of the shoot bolt.

The threaded portion and the abutment are preferably formed integrally. Indeed, the integral threaded portion and abutment may be either cast or molded in one piece and inserted into an end of a plain channel section forming part of the second part of the shoot bolt. In such a case, the integral threaded portion and abutment can be attached to the plain channel section by means of a friction fit, an adhesive or any other appropriate joint, such as a joint formed by crimping.

Preferably the abutment comprises a channel section which is inverted relative to the channel section of the second part of the shoot bolt. More preferably, the inverted channel section of the abutment is also threaded.

In a particular embodiment, the locking means comprise an enlarged portion on the rod section of the first part which is received in the channel section of the second part with a snap fit. Any other suitable means for retaining the end of the rod section in the channel section could alternatively be used. For example, the abutment may carry a rib of smaller internal diameter than the diameter of the channel section of the abutment, such that the rod section of the first part may be held by the rib (or ribs) in line with the channel section of the second part of the shoot bolt.

As will be appreciated, an adjustable length shoot bolt according to the present invention may be used in any shoot bolt assembly provided that appropriate means for connecting the shoot bolt to the drive mechanism of the assembly are provided.

A specific embodiment of the present invention is now described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a shoot bolt locking assembly incorporating two adjustable length shoot bolts according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a sectional side view of part of a shoot bolt according to the present invention showing the interengagement of the first part of the shoot bolt with the second part of the shoot bolt when the length of the shoot bolt is being adjusted significantly; Figure 3 is a section on the line A-A of Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a perspective view from above and one side of that part of the adjustable length shoot bolt shown in Figure 2 when the first and second parts of the shoot bolt have been locked together.

With reference to the drawings, a shoot bolt locking assembly 1 comprises a drive mechanism (not shown) in a housing 3, two adjustable length shoot bolts 5 which, in use, are attached to the drive mechanism via clips 7,9 for example. The drive mechanism is activated via a square drive 11 to extend or retract a dead bolt 13 and the shoot bolts 5. Keeps 15,17 are mounted in a fixed frame defining the opening to be closed by the vent for receiving the dead bolt 13 and the shoot bolts 5 when in their extended positions.

The adjustable length shoot bolts 5 according to the present invention will now be described in detail.

Each shoot bolt 5 includes a first part 19 comprising a solid shaft 21 from which extends a narrower threaded rod 23 for insertion into an over-U sectioned channel section 25 of a second part 27 of the shoot bolt 5. One end of the channel section 25 carries a cast metal or molded plastics guide piece 29. The guide. piece 29 is essentially symmetrical with two threaded channel sections 31 being inverted and offset relative to each other with an aperture 33 formed between them. The guide piece 27 is preferably fitted tightly into the end of the channel section 25, but may be fixed using adhesive or crimped into position.

During installation of a shoot bolt locking assembly 1 of the kind described, the drive mechanism is fixed to a vent (not shown) and the shoot bolts 5 are adjusted to length for the particular application. In this regard, to assemble a shoot bolt 5, the threaded rod 23 of the first part 19 is passed through the aperture 33 on the guide piece 29 until the approximate required length of the shoot bolt 5 is obtained. The first part 19 is then rotated about the guide piece 29 relative to the second part 27 until the threaded rod 23 enters the channel section 25 of the second part 27. When this occurs, an enlarged end piece 35 on the threaded rod 23 is received in the channel section 25 with a snap fit to prevent removal of the threaded rod 23. At the same time, the thread on the threaded rod 23 engages the threads of the channel sections 31 of the guide piece 29.

As a result, the first part 19 and the second part 27 of the shoot bolt 5 are locked together.

Although the first part 19 and the second part 27 of the shoot bolt 5 are locked together, it is possible to obtain fine adjustment of the length of the shoot bolt 5 by rotating the first part 19 relative to the second part 27.

This is possible because the enlarged end piece 35, which is cylindrical and conforms to the inside of the over-U section channel section 25, can slide along the channel section 25.

Further, the threads on the threaded rod 23 and the channel sections 31 correspond and allow mutual relative motion.

Of course, if the length of the shoot bolt 5 is to be adjusted significantly, it is a simple matter to disengage the enlarged end piece 35 of the first part 19 from the channel section 35 to enable the first part 19 to slide through the aperture 33 relative to the second part 27 to produce a significant change in the overall length of the shoot bolt 5. The two parts 19,27 can then once again be locked together for use.

By virtue of an adjustable length shoot bolt 5 according to the present invention, a significant saving in installation time, and hence cost, can be achieved without detracting from the strength of the resulting shoot bolt.

It will of course be understood that the present invention has been described above purely by way of example, and that modifications of detail can be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An adjustable length shoot bolt comprising a first part including a rod section, a second part including a channel section for receiving the rod section of the first part, an abutment against which the first part bears when the rod section is received in the channel section and means for locking the rod section relative to the channel section, wherein when the locking means are released, the first part can slide relative to the second part to increase or decrease the length of the shoot bolt.

2. A shoot bolt as claimed in claim 1, wherein the abutment is mounted on the second part of the shoot bolt.

3. A shoot bolt as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the channel section includes a threaded portion which engages with the rod section to allow fine adjustment of the length of the shoot bolt.

4. A shoot bolt as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the threaded portion and the abutment are formed integrally.

5. A shoot bolt as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the abutment comprises a channel section which is inverted relative to the channel section of the second part of the shoot bolt.

6. A shoot bolt as claimed in claim 5, wherein the inverted channel section of the abutment is threaded.

7. A shoot bolt as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the locking means comprise an enlarged portion on the rod section of the first part which is received in the channel section of the second part with a snap fit.

8. An adjustable length shoot bolt substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

9. A shoot bolt locking assembly comprising one or more adjustable length shoot bolts according to any preceding claim.