GB2397615A

GB2397615A - Lockable lever handle with remote operation

Info

Publication number: GB2397615A
Application number: GB0325311A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Vincent Xavier Terris
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-10-30
Filing date: 2003-10-30
Publication date: 2004-07-28
Anticipated expiration: 2023-10-30
Also published as: GB0325311D0; GB2397615B

Abstract

A lever handle 8 is pivoted to a base member 1 via a drive spindle 7 and is engaged by spring-biassed locking pin 5 which projects into a frustro-conical hollow region of the lever. A remote operating member 10 carries an end element 13 which can be engaged into the hollow region of the lever so as to depress the locking pin to an unlocked position and allow the member 10 to connect with and operate the lever. This device is intended to replace existing key operated lever handles on, for example, espagnolette arrangements for windows.

Description

Alto 2397615 Remote Rod Controlled, Cone Mechanism Lever Lock

FIELD Oli THE INVENTION:

The present invention relates to a Remote Rod Controlled Cone Mechanism Lever Lock product, to replace and supersede the Key Mechanism Lever Locks used on flush fitted window plurality bolting units typically "Espagnolette" Units. The product enables "Out of Reach Windows" to be remote locked, unlocked, and remote articulated adjustment of window open angles - a breakthrough not possible with Key Mechanism Lever Locks.

The product is for retro replacement of (disadvantaged) Key Mechanism Lever Locks fitted on millions of existing "Out of Reach Windows", as well as for new "Out of Reach Window" installations as remote window control is almost an essential feature.

EXISTING STATE OF THE ART & DEFINITIONS IN THIS CITATION: Out of Reach Window: A window which is too far for (floor standing) occupants to reach in order to lock, unlock or adjust the window open angle. These include windows located too high up, top hung Ventilators and high, side hung Windows.

Espanolette Unit: A generic word in the window industry for flush fitted window multi faceted bolt units, operated by a quarter turn of a square spindle (and lever handle) to deploy a plurality of multi faceted bolts, to secure or release the window to the frame.

Key Mechanism Lever Locks: The square spindle (and lever handle) supplied by specialists include Key Mechanism Lever Locks. The small lever handles used only permit the use of flimsy keys of strength sufficient to lock the handle, but too weak to take additional load of attachment to remote mechanical aids.

PRIOR ART SHORTCOMINGS & Drawbacks:

Key Mechanism Lever Locks inherently cannot be adapted to remote lock, remote unlock, nor for remote articulated adjustments of window openings.

Hazards & Accidents: To operate the key, make articulated adjustments, lock and unlock Key Mechanism Lever T ocks fitted on out of reach Windows involves standing precariously on a high stool, risking loss of balance, and a fall with disastrous consequences. 2/10

INVENTIVE STEP / OBJECT The novel inventive step and object of the present invention is to provide a robust Remote Rod Controlled Cone Mechanism Lever Lock product, (not dependent on the disadvantage of using flimsy keys), enabling "Out of Reach Windows" to be remote locked, unlocked, and remote adjusted on window opening angles - a breakthrough not possible with Key Mechanism Lever Locks - and without the risk of standing precariously on a high stool and the disastrous consequences.

Prior Art - No Product Available: At the time of filing, a Patent search and Product search showed no prior art for a Remote Rod Controlled Cone Mechanism Lever Lock product for use on Windows fitted with Espagnolette type bolt units.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION:.

A Remote Rod Controlled Cone Lever Lock (to replace and supersede Key Mechanism Lever Locks used on Espagnolette units) comprising a base block embodying attachment screw holes, a spring loaded locking pin, the bolting unit drive spindle attached to a hollow cone shaped lever, to engage locking pin when aligned together; including a separate Remote Control Rod attached to a Solid Cone, which, when inserted into the hollow cone, disengages locking pin to unlock window, and also enables remote articulated adjustment of window open angles. 3/10

REFERENCE TO DRAWINGS: Figure 1 is a 3-D cut-away illustration of the Remote Rod Controlled Cone Mechanism Lever Lock invention in the closed / locked position, with the domed locking pin fully engaged through the locking aperture of the hollow cone lever (shown empty), constraining and locking the hollow cone lever and attached drive spindle.

Figure 2 shows the invention in the same condition as Fig. l, but viewed from the top for additional clarity of the embodiments not easily visible from below.

Figure 3 is a cut-away 3-D illustration of the invention with the Remote Control Rod Solid Cone fully engaged inside the hollow cone, depressing the locking pin, which is now unlocked and free to be moved and articulated.

Figure 4 is a 3-D cut-away illustration of the invention with the hollow cone lever shown at 90 degrees to the block in a free unlocked position, the domed spring loaded locking pin, though fully protruded, is not engaged.

Figure 5 is a 3-D illustration of the invention showing the separate Remote Control Cone Rod with grip on its own.

Figure 6 is a 3-D illustration of the complete invention showing the separate Remote Control Rod Cone engaged in the hollow cone lever in a free mid position - a position enabling "Out of Reach Windows" to be remote articulated for adjustment of window open angles. 4/10

DESCRIPTION

1. Referring to the drawings, in a typical embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a Remote Rod Controlled Cone Mechanism Lever Lock (to replace and supersede Key Mechanism Lever Locks used on flush fitted integral window bolting units) comprising a base block, 1, embodying: a pair of attachment screw holes, 2, and attachment screws, 3, an aperture, 4, embodying a locking pin, 5, a stepped hole, 6, supporting the bolting unit drive spindle, 7, attached and keyed to a hollow cone shaped lever, 8, embodying a tangential locking aperture, 9, so provided to engage the locking pin, 5, when axially aligned together, including a separate Remote Control Cone Rod, 10, comprising: an extension means, I I, attached via a Coupling, 12, to a Solid Cone, 13, which, when inserted into the hollow cone shaped lever, 8, depresses and disengages the locking pin, 5, sufficiently to unlock lever, X, to enable remote articulated adjustment of window open angles.

2. The pair of attachment screw holes, 2, are preferably counter bored, 2c, to eliminate interference with the lever, 8; the attachment screws, 3, are provided with matching screw size and threads, 3t, for attachment to a matching window bolting unit.

3. The aperture, 4, (embodying a locking pin, 5,) is preferably a counter bored stepped hole, 4c, and the locking pin, 5, a matching stepped shape, Sp, embodying a domed head, Sd, having dimensions to enable the domed head, Sd, to protrude through and above the counter bore, tic, to engage the tangential aperture, 9, in the hollow cone shaped lever, X, when axially aligned together; the locking pin, 5, preferably embodies a stepped blind hole, 5b, housing a helical spring, 5s, having a free length longer than the stepped blind hole, 5b, the spring, 5s, and the domed head pin, 5d, is preferably captive inside the stepped blind hole, 5b, by the provision of a disc shaped plug, 5pl, preferably glued to the face, 5f, of the stepped blind hole, 5b. 5/10

4. The stepped hole supporting the bolting unit drive spindle, is preferably provided with a stepped nylon bush, 7b, to act as a journal to support the bolting unit drive spindle, 7, which is cylindrical in shape where the spindle passes through the bush, 7b, square in section, 7sq, where the spindle engages the window bolting unit, (not shown), and preferably splined, 7s, in the section where keyed and attached to the hollow cone shaped lever, 8.

5. The hollow cone shaped lever, 8, is provided with a matching splined hole, as, for keyed attachment to the bolt drive spindle, 7, and preferably embodies a matching tangential slot shaped aperture, 8a, for engagement of the locking pin, 5, when axially aligned together.

6. The separate Remote Control Cone Rod, 10, comprises an extension means, 11, preferably a robust metal tube, lit, available in a variety of lengths to suit the different distances required by different out of reach window installations, and is preferably provided with a hand grip, I I g, at the far end, and a shallow bend, I I b, near the coupling means, 12.

7. The coupling means, 12, is preferable a right angled metal tubular coupling, having matching internal diameters to accept the robust metal tube, 1 It, and Solid Cone, 13.

8. The Solid Cone, 13, is preferably made from a smooth robust material, typically nylon, and preferably near the larger end of the cone provided with a cylindrical shaped end, 13c, matching the coupling means, 12, and a blended domed end, 13d, at the smaller end of the cone, for depressing and disengaging the domed head, 5d, of the locking pin, 5, and remote articulated adjustment of window open angles.

9. To reduce the possibility of slipping whilst adjusting window angles, a gripping means, 1 3g, and 1 3gr, is provided on the end of the Remote Control Cone Rod, 10. 6/10

10. To facilitate better alignment between the base block, 1, and the window bolting unit, the base block is preferably provided with a pair of extruded cylindrical shaped alignment lugs, la, on the attachment face of the base block, 1, beneath the pair of attachment screw holes, 2, matching the window bolting unit (not shown).

11. To facilitate easier depression of the locking pin, 5, the bottom corners of the hollow cone lever, 8, are provided with blended chamfers, 8c, to allow smoother depression of the locking pin, 5, when the lever, 8, moves from an unlocked position towards the locked position. 7/10

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A Remote Rod Controlled Cone Mechanism Lever Lock (to replace

and supersede Key Mechanism Lever Locks used on flush fitted integral window bolting units) comprising a base block embodying: a pair of attachment screw holes and attachment screws, an aperture embodying a locking pin means, a stepped hole supporting the bolting unit drive spindle said spindle attached and keyed to a hollow cone shaped lever, embodying a tangential aperture so provided to engage said locking pin when axially aligned together; including optionally a separate Remote Control Rod comprising: an extension means attached via a Coupling means to a Solid Cone, which, when inserted into said hollow cone, depresses and disengages said locking pin sufficiently to unlock window, and enable remote articulated adjustment of window open angles.
2. A Remote Rod Controlled Cone Mechanism Lever Lock as in claim I, wherein said pair of attachment screw holes are preferably counter bored (or countersunk) to eliminate interference with said lever, said attachment screws are provided with matching screw threads and size for attachment to said window bolting unit.
3. A Remote Rod Controlled Cone Mechanism Lever Lock as in claim 2, wherein said aperture (embodying a locking pin means) is preferably counter bored from the attachment side and said locking pin includes a stepped shaped pin embodying a domed head having dimensions to enable said dome to protrude through and above said counter bore to engage said tangential aperture in said hollow cone shaped lever when axially aligned together, said pin preferably embodies a stepped blind hole housing a helical spring having a free length longer than said blind hole, said spring and said stepped, shaped dome headed pin retained captive inside said block by the 8/10 provision of a disc shaped plug retained by adhesive means inside larger diametrical face of said stepped hole.
4. A Remote Rod Controlled Cone Mechanism Lever Lock as in claim 3, wherein said stepped hole supporting the bolting unit drive spindle, is preferably provided with a stepped nylon collar to act as a journal to support the bolting unit drive spindle which is preferably cylindrical in shape where said spindle passes through said collar, square in section where said spindle engages said window bolting unit, and preferably splined in section where keyed and attached to said hollow cone shaped 1 0 lever.
5. A Remote Rod Controlled Cone Mechanism Lever Lock as in claim 4, wherein said hollow cone shaped lever is preferably provided with a matching splined hole for keyed attachment to said bolt drive spindle, said hollow cone shaped lever preferably embodying a tangential slot shaped aperture to facilitate engagement of said locking pin when axially aligned together.
6. A Remote Rod Controlled Cone Mechanism Lever Lock as in claim 5, wherein said extension means typically comprises a robust metal tube available in varying specific lengths to suit the distance required by different out of reach window installations, preferably said extension means is provided with a hand grip at one end, and a shallow bend at the other end near its attachment to said coupling means.
7. A Remote Rod Controlled Cone Mechanism Lever Lock as in claim 6, wherein said coupling means is preferably a right angled tubular coupling, having matching diameters to accept said rod at one end and said Solid Cone at the other end.
8. A Remote Rod Controlled Cone Mechanism Lever Lock as in claim 7, wherein said Solid Cone is made from a robust smooth material, typically nylon, and preferably near the larger end of said cone provided with a cylindrical shaped end, so provided for secure mating into said coupling means, and a blended domed end at the smaller end of the cone, to facilitate depressing and disengaging said domed head of said locking pin, and also remote articulated adjustment of window open angles. 9/10
9. A Remote Rod Controlled Cone Mechanism Lever Lock as in claim 8, wherein, to reduce slipping, a gripping means is provided on the end of said Remote Control Cone Rod.
10. A Remote Rod Controlled Cone Mechanism Lever Lock as in claim 9, wherein, to facilitate better alignment between said base block and said window bolting unit, said base block is provided with a pair of extruded cylindrical shaped alignment lugs on the attachment face of said base block, beneath said pair of attachment screw holes to match alignment lug holes in said window bolting unit.

l 1. A Remote Rod Controlled Cone Mechanism Lever Lock as in claim 10, wherein, to facilitate smoother and easier depression of said domed head locking pin, the bottom corners of said hollow cone lever are provided with blended chamfers to allow for easier depression of said domed head locking pin when said lever moves from an unlocked position towards the locked position.