GB2202266A - Locking fastener - Google Patents

Abstract

The locking fastener for a door or window has a handle 10 pivotally mounted on a base plate 18 and a barrel lock 20 mounted for rotation in a bore 72 in handle 10. The lock 20 has a locking position in which an eccentric formation 22 prevents pivotal movement of handle 10 and an unlocking position in which pivotal movement is not prevented, the lock 20 having a manually operable knob 54 in a first axial position of which the lock 20 is held in its unlocking or locking position, and in a second axial position of which it is free to move between locking and unlocking position. Figure 5 illustrates lugs 64,66 on knob 54 which are moved out of slots 78 in barrel 52 to allow lock rotation. As shown, handle 10 has catchport 16 engageable with a catchpiece on window frame but fastener may be used with espagnolette fastening. Eccentric formation 22 is shown as pin 22 to engage protrusion 50 from base plate 18 to prevent pivotal handle movement - protrusion 50 also abuts a wall 82 of a housing portion 13 of handle 10 to prevent an intruder turning handle contrary to normal direction. Axis of lock is shown parallel to pivot axis of handle but it may be perpendicular. Knob/lock may be of plastics material. <IMAGE>

Description

LOCKING FASTENER This invention relates to locking fasteners, for example of the type used for locating and securing a window, or door, in a closed or partially closed position within a frame.

The particular type of fastener of interest comprises a base plate (usually affixed to a door, or to the casement or sash of a window) and a handle pivotally mounted with respect to the plate for movement between an open and a closed position. Window fasteners of this type, whether for casement or sash windows, will usually be provided with a formation (or nose) on the handle which will, in the closed position, engage the window frame or adjacent sash to prevent movement of the casement with respect to the frame, or of adjacent sashes with respect to one another, and in the open position will be retracted from contact with the frame or adjacent sash so that the window may be opened. Door fasteners of this type will usually be provided with means to operate an internal latch/bolt arrangement.In both cases the fastener may be affixed by its baseplate to the door or window frame, but this 'reverse' arrangement is less commonly used. A further arrangement, known as an Espagnolette, is particularly used as a French door fastening but it is also becoming more common as a window fastening. It comprises a handle, generally positioned half way along the opening edge of the door or window, which is arranged simultaneously to operate fastenings at either end of the opening edge, by means of two elongate actuating members which pass along the edge between the handle and the respective fasteners. With such an arrangement, of course, the handle generally does not include a nose since there is no direct fastening between the door or window and its frame in the region of the handle.However, much of the mounting arrangement of the handle, and any locking arrangements that may be provided, may to a large extent be very similar to the standard types of fastener mentioned above. Accordingly, the invention extends to this type of arrangement (or to any other type of arrangement in which the actual fastener is distant from the handle) as well as to the conventional type.

The invention is particularly relevant to window fasteners, but the equivalence of function to door fateners- and handles etc. will be appreciated. Any references to window handles and catches may therefore be taken likewise as references to door handles etc.

having equivalent features, and vice versa, unless the context is to the contrary.

Usually, window fasteners operate simply on a pivotal basis and have no means to restrain movement of the handle with respect to the plate. With these it is possible merely by breaking the window for a would-be intruder to move the handle about its pivot relative to the mounting plate and thereby release the window to gain access to the building. In order to prevent, or at least reduce the risk of this, a number of arrangements have been proposed to enable the user, for example a householder, to lock the handle with respect to the mounting plate by some form of mechanical engagement6 In high security applications a security lock requiring use of a key or perhaps a release combination may be used to enable some sort of mechanical engagement of a formation either on the handle or the plate to engage and disengage from a complementary formation on the plate or handle.Where a lower degree of security is required, simpler arrangements have been used, for example having a hidden grub screw, usually located in the handle, which can be screwed by the user into and out of engagement with a recess on the plate with a simple hexagonalsection key. Such lower security arrangements are particularly appropriate for use in locations such as high rise residential blocks, where it is not intruders which are of concern but the possibility of children being able to open windows and thereby come to harm.

Similar considerations apply to prior art door handles. For some internal uses, the security of a conventional tumbler lock and key arrangement may be superfluous and provision for lower security locking acceptable.

It is with the lower security type of arrangement that the present invention is particularly concerned.

The grub screw arrangement described above suffers a number of disadvantages, particularly cost, since accurate machining and threading is required: high performance materials are needed for the threaded parts of the fastener. Also, the necessary displadement of the screw axis from the pivot axis of the handle can, with repeated use of the screw arrangement, lead to damage to the handle, for example by lever forces.- It is therefore an object of the present invention to produce a satisfactory locking fastener towards the lower end of the security range which avoids or at least mitigates the disadvantages of the known systems at an acceptable commercial cost.

It is a further object of the present invention to produce a locking fastener which is easy to use in practice without there being any risk of a key being lost, and at the same time of sufficient security to prevent or at least dissuade children from opening the window or door to which it is attached.

According to the present invention, a locking fastener comprises a mounting plate, a handle pivotally mounted with respect to the plate and a barrel lock mounted for rotation in the handle, the barrel lock having a locking position in which an eccentric formation thereof prevents pivotal movement of the handle and an Unlocking position in which pivotal movement is not so prevented, the lock having a manually-operable knob in a first axial position of which the lock is held in its unlocking or locking position, and in a second axial position of which it is free to move between the locking and unlocking positions. The handle and mounting plate may, but need not, be of one-piece alloy construction.The use of a manually operable knob, in preference to a removable key, is that if the lock is permanently attached to the fastener, there is no possibility of it being lost.

The knob can also be of any suitable size, for easy gripping, and it may therefore be constructed so as to be easy to grasp by old people.

Desirably, the barrel is of a one piece plastics material and the knob is also of a one piece plastics material. However, either or both could be of a metal alloy.

Axial movement of the barrel with respect to the bore may be by means of a circlip received within a circumferential groove in the barrel, desirably being retained behind a shoulder in the bore.

In any of these arrangements, stop means may be provided to prevent rotation of the lock through more than 1800. This may conveniently be achieved by providing co-operating stop means on the lock (for example a protrusion integral with the barrel) and the formation on the handle.

Desirably, the knob has a first, inward or retracted, position in which rotation of the lock between the locking and unlocking positions is prevented, and a second, outward or extended axial position in which such rotation is permitted. This can be desirably achieved by arranging for at least part of the knob selectively to engage abutments on the handle.

Preferably, the knob includes one or more locating lugs which are arranged to be selectively received within corresponding slots in the surface of the bore in the handle within which the lock is received. The knob-may be biased, for example spring biased, to the position in which the lock is held in its locking position or its unlocking position.

In one particularly desirable embodiment, axial movement of the knob is limited by means of a generally radially extending flange on the knob moving within a larger-sized slot in the lock barrel. Alternatively, any other abutment means could be used, between -the lock barrel and the knob, to provide the knob with-its first and second axial positions. It would also be possible for the axial positions to be reversed, so that the extended position is the one in which the lock is held against rotation, and the retracted position is the one in which the lock is free to rotate between its locking and unlocking positions.

Desirably the axis of the lock is substantially parallel to the pivot axis of the handle, but spaced therefrom. However, it would also be possible for the axes of the lock and the handle to be perpendicular to each other.

The eccentric formation of the barrel lock, which may but need not be integral with the barrel, desirably acts to restrict pivotal movement of the handle by its engagement with the mounting plate, or with a further abutment attached to the plate or to the door or window. Generally, the eccentricity of the pin may be such that in its first position the pin is substantially free of contact with the plate and in its second position the arc of the pin about the handle pivot axis is obstructed by the contact of the pin with the mounting plate. The restriction may be such that the handle is positively located in one position, or alternatively it may be a simple obstruction whereby the handle is prevented from moving beyond a certain point in its arc of travel.The latter arrangement is likely to be simple and effective, as it will be appreciated that in many situations a catchpart will be provided on the handle for engagement with a catchpiece to be located on the window frame, engagement of the catchpart and catchpiece effectively preventing further rotation of the handle in one sense, the protrusion or abutment on the mounting plate being arranged such that movement of the handle in the opposite sense is prevented to ensure that the handle cannot be moved sufficiently far to disengage the catchpart and catchpiece6 Co operating stop means on the handle and on the mounting or base plate may be provided to prevent the handle, when in its closed position, being rotated in one direction.This is useful, since it means that when the handle is locked in this position, an intruder cannot force the handle in the "wrong" direction, and so gain access. - In a convenient arrangement, a single protrusion of the base plate performs two functions: that of preventing the'handle being forced in the "wrong" direction (by abutment with a part of the handle), and that of preventing the handle being opened when the lock is in its locking position (by abutment with the eccentric formation on the lock).

It will of course be appreciated that although the invention has been described in relation to a fastener having a mounting plate attached to a window or a door and a catchpiece mounted on the frame, this arrangement could easily be reversed without departing from the present invention.

It is anticipated that the invention may include any one or more of the features set out above or set out in the specific description, either alone or in any compatible combination whatsoever.

The invention may be carried into practice in a number of ways, and one specific embodiment will now be described with reference to the drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of a handle embodying the present invention, the section being taken along the line A-A of Figure 2; FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the handle of Figure 1, showing its mounting on a mounting plate; FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the mounting plate shown in Figure 2; FIGURE 4 is a side view of the mounting plate of Figure 3, showing the lock in its operative position; FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the lock; FIGURE 6 is a view from above of the operating knob shown in Figure 5; FIGURE 7 is a side view of the knob of Figure 6; and FIGURE 8 is an end elevation of the knob of Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 show a handle 10 having a pivot hole 12 in an upper portion thereof. The handle is arranged to be mounted on a base plate 18 (best seen in Figures 3 and 4), an upstanding boss 19 on the base plate being arranged to be received within- the bore 12. Thus, the handle 10 may be pivoted about the boss 1-9.

The base plate 18 is provided with screw holes 17 to enable the plate to be affixed to the casement of a window. With the base plate so affixed, the window may be held in a closed position relative to its frame by the engagement of a catchpart 16 on the handle 10 with a catch-piece (not shown) on the window frame. In an alternative arrangement, when the fastener is to be used with an Espagnolette type arrangement, the handle 10 is provided with a rearwardly-extending spindle (not shown) which is arranged to extend through a central aperture 7 in the front surface 8 of the boss 19, and then entirely through the base plate 18 or rotation of the spindle, by pivotal movement of the handle, actuating the Espagnolette fastening arrangement. With such an arrangement the catch-piece 16, shown in in Figure 2 is omitted.

Immediately beneath the pivot hole 12 the handle 10 has an integrally formed housing portion 13 having, parallel to the axis of rotation of the handle, alock receiving hole 14. In use, the lock receiving hole 14 is arranged to receive a barrel lock 20, shown in detail in Figure 5. The lock comprises two parts, a generally cylindrical alloy or plastics material barrel portion 52, having an eccentric pin or nib 22 formed at one end thereof; and a manually operable alloy or plastics material knob portion 54. The latter is shown in more detail in Figures 6 to'8 and comprisbs a serrated external gripping portion 56, a generally cylindrical shank portion 58 and, at the end of the shank portion, a semi-circular flange portion 60.

Turning again to Figure 5, it will be seen that the barrel portion 52 has, cut out from its lower surface, a semi-cylindrical slot 62 within which the flange 60 is received. Between the slot 62 and the front end of the barrel, the barrel is provided with a downwardly opening longitudinally extending slot (not shown) which receives the shank portion 58. The front portion of the barrel has a vertically extending slot 65 within which is received the rear part of the gripping portion 56, with the forward part thereof extending forwardly of the barrel. Since the diameter of the gripping portion is somewhat larger than the diameter of the barrel, the rear part of the gripping portion stands radially proud of the barrel surface, to form upper and lower lugs 64. The front of the barrel has a larger-diameter mounting flange 68, of the same diameter as that of the lugs 64, 66.Near the rear end of the barrel 52 there is a narrow circumferential groove 70.

In use, the lock 20 is received within the lockreceiving hole 14, which will now be described in more detail. It comprises a generally cylindrical throughbore 72 which opens, at its front end, into a larger-diameter bore 73, thus forming an annular shoulder 76. The bore 72 is formed with upper and lower elongate slots 78, of the same diameter as that of the larger diameter bore 73, splitting the annular shoulder 76 into two parts. On either side of the lower of the two slots 78, each part of the annular shoulder has an upstanding land 80 whose thickness is about half the distance between the annular shoulder 76 and the front surface of the housing portion 13.

In use, the lock 20 of Figure 5 is inserted into the lock-receiving hole 14, so that the barrel 52 is received within the bore 72, with the nib 22 extending rearwardly. In this position, the rear surface of the mounting flange 68 rests against the front surface of the lands 80. The barrel 52 is held against axial movement by a circlip (not shown) received within the groove 70, shown in Figure 5.

With the knob shown in the position of Figure 5, the lugs 64, 66 stand proud of the surface of the barrel 52, and are therefore received within the slots 78, so preventing rotation of the barrel. However, since the slot 62 is wider than the depth of the flange 60, the knob may be pulled outwards in the direction of the arrow A, until the flange 60 abuts the frontal edge of the slot 62. In this position, the lugs 64, 66 are located forward of, and within, the slot 65 in the mounting flange 68. In this position, of course, they are essential retracted from the surface of the barrel 52, and out of the slots 78. In this position, therefore, the lock may be rotated about its axis.

As may be seen in Figure 5, rearwardly of the mounting flange 68, at one side of the barrel 52, there is provided a stop 82. As the barrel is rotated,-this stop moves within the annular space immediately forward of the shoulder 76. The. stop 82 is of such a size that, in one extreme position, one side of the stop abuts one of the lands 80, whereas in a second extreme position (1800 from the first), the other side of the stop abuts the other land. Thus, rotation of the lock about more than 1800 is prevented.

As may be seen in Figures 3 and 4, the baseplate 18 is provided with a protrusion 50 which stands proud of the upper surface of the base plate in a position within the area swept by the pin 22 as the lock is rotated about its axis. The protrusion 50 is located so that, with the lock 20 in one position, the pin 22 and the protrusion 50 obstruct one another to prevent the handle being moved in an anti-clockwise direction from the position shown in Figure 2, thus preventing release of the fastener to open the window. When the lock 20 is rotated through 1800, the pin 22 moves away from the protrusion- 50 into a position so that, as the handle is rotated, the protrusion 50 no longer falls within the path swept out by the pin 22. Thus, the handle may be moved to its open position.

The two positions of the lock are shown in more detail in Figure 4, which shows the lock in the position it would be were the handle 10 in place on the baseplate. In a first position, shown in full lines, the pin 22 is obstructed by the protrusion 50 and in a second position, shown in dotted lines at 22' the pin is free from the obstruction.

It will be appreciated, of course, that the lugs 64, 66 will hold the lock either in its locking position (with the pin downwards as shown in Figure 4) or in its unlocking position (with the pin upwards as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4).

The protrusion 50 has a further function which is illustrated in Figure 2. In the position shown, a wall 82 of the housing portion 13 abuts the protrusion 50, so preventing clockwise movement of the handle from the position shown in the figure. This arrangement therefore makes it-impossible for an intruder to turn the handle clockwise, contrary to the normal direction, to a position in which the window may be opened.

To prevent the opposing wall of the housing (on the other side of the hole 14 from the wall 82) from fouling the protrusion 50 as the handle is turned anticlockwise, an aperture (not shown) is provided in that wall through which the protrusion may pass.

In an-other arrangement (not shown) the knob is provided with spring biasing means arranged to bias it to its locking position shown in Figure 5.

Claims (17)

CLAIMS:

1. A locking fastener comprising a mounting plate, a handle pivotally mounted with respect to the plate and a barrel lock mounted for rotation in a bore of the handle, the barrel lock having a locking position in which an eccentric formation thereof prevents pivotal movement of the handle and an unlocking position in which pivotal movement is not so prevented, the lock having a manually-operable knob in a first axial position of which the lock is held in its unlocking or locking position, and ion a second axial position of which it is free to move between the locking and unlocking positions.

2. A locking fastener as claimed in Claim 1 in which the second position is axially outwardly of the first.

3. A locking fastener as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which axial movement of the knob is limited by means of a radially-extending flange on the knob abutting, in the first position, an axial surface of a slot in the lock and, in the second position, a facing axial surface of the' slot.

4. A locking fastener as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which axial movement of the lock with respect to the bore is prevented by means of a circlip received within a circumferential groove of the lock being retained behind a shoulder of the bore.

5. A locking fastener as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the knob includes one or more locating lugs which are arranged to be received, when the knob is in the first position, within a corresponding axially-extending slot or slots in the bore.

6. A locking fastener as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which stop means are provided to prevent rotation of the lock through more than 1800.

7. A locking fastener as claimed in Claim 6 in which the stop means comprise the co-operation of the eccentric formation-of the lock and a formation on the handle.

8. A locking fastener as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 6 in which the eccentric formation of the lock acts to restrict pivotal movement of the handle by its engagement with a stop on the mounting plate.

9. A locking fastener as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the eccentric formation is integral with the lock.

10. A locking fastener as claimed in Claim 8 or Claim 9 in which when the lock is in the unlocking position the eccentric -formation is substantially free of contact with the plate, and when the lock is in the locking position the arc of travel of the eccentric formation about a pivot axis of the handle as the handle is rotated is such that its path is obstructed by the stop on the mounting plate.

11. A locking fastener as claimed in any one of Claims 8 to 10 in which the stop of the mounting plate is also arranged to prevent further rotation of the handle beyond its closed position.

12. A locking fastener as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 10 in which means are provided to prevent further rotation of the handle beyond its closed position.

13. A locking fastener as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the axis of the lock is substantially parallel to a pivot axis of the handle.

14. A locking fastener as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the lock and the knob are of a plastics material.

15. A locking fastener as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the lock is of one piece.

16. A locking fastener as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the knob is spring-biassed to its first position.

17. A locking fastener as specifically described, with reference to the drawings.