Cremone bolt

Abstract: A cremone bolt for French windows, windows, and windows and doors in general, which shows truly reduced overall dimensions of the box which contains the movement-driving mechanism, and makes it possible the same box to be quickly connected with the sash parting stop, on which said box is to be fastened on the window or door. The possibility of a quick connection by means of a bayonet fixing makes it furthermore possible the selection and the adaptation of the clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of the drive handle to be carried out at the assemblage time, even by the same user.

Description: The present invention relates to a cremone bolt. Locks for windows and doors, whether of wood or of materials constituted by section metals or plastic structural shapes, of the so-called"cremone-bolt" type, are known in the art, wherein a drive handle, rotating around a rotation axis perpendicular to the sash, or to the shutter, actuates, by rotating, a gear wheel which inmeshes with at least one rack, which causes, in its turn, at least one rod provided inside the sash, to move. In particular, usually, said gear wheel, driven to revolve by the drive handle, simultaneously actuates two rods or bolts, moving by an expansion movement, so as to engage with means provided on the window or door frame, and stably lock the window or door shutter. Such cremone bolts are generally equipped with drive boxes having very large overall dimensions, for which seats have to be purposely provided in the sash, with a considerable increase in work, and therefore in costs, besides a high own cost of the cremone bolt itself. In the prior art, attempts were carried out, aiming at obviating these problems of overall dimensions and of consequent costs, by providing cremone bolts with boxes with smaller overall dimensions, by associating with the so-called "drive-box", wherein the drive handle is assembled, a reversing-box, separated from the preceding box, and used in order to cause the bolts to expand, with such a reverse, however, causing a further cost, to be supported in order to manufacture it. DE-C-929 710 discloses a cremone bolt having two different rod elements slidable in opposite directions to each other inside a case by means of a drive gear-wheel and rack portion. A return gear-wheel is interposed between facing rack portions of the two rod elements. A purpose of the present invention is mainly that of solving the above problems by providing a cremone bolt endowed with particularly compact overall dimensions, such as to require an extremely small room for positioning inside the interior of the sash, although is provided with one single mechanism both for supplying the rotation movements, and for driving the expansion of the locking rods or bolts. A further purpose is to provide a cremone bolt which can be easily and rapidly positioned on a shutter, independently on the direction of revolution of the drive handle, which one desires to achieve. Another purpose is that of having, through the movement for the locking actuation of the bolts, a stroke-end, or rotation-end, positioning of the drive handle, which enables the said handle to be always aligned with the edge of the sash. These, and still further purposes of the present invention are achieved by providing a cremone bolt according to claim 1. The structural and functional characteristics, and the advantages of a cremone bolt according to the present invention will be better understood from the disclosure, given for exemplifying, and non-limitative purposes, of a preferred form of practical embodiment thereof, referred to the hereto attached schematic drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a pespective view of a cremone bolt according to the present invention exploded from a sash parting stop on which the cremone bolt is positioned on a shutter, Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the cremone bolt of Figure 1, once assembled; Figure 3 shows an exploded perspective view of the components of the cremone bolt of Figure 1, Figure 4 shows a top plan view of the cremone bolt according to the invention, Figure 5 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the cremone bolt according to path V-V of Figure 4, Figure 6 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the cremone bolt according to path VI-VI of Figure 4, and Figure 7 shows a further longitudinal sectional view of the cremone bolt according to the invention, along path VII-VII of Figure 5. Referring to the drawings, a cremone bolt, generally indicated by the reference numeral 11 according to the present invention is suitable for being positioned on a sash parting stop indicated by the reference numeral 12 by means of a plate 13, provided with a bayonet coupling. The cremone bolt is composed by a case, of an essentially parallelepipedon, elongated shape, open at its side ends, comprising two half-shells 14 and 15, which can engage with each other, e.g., by means of pins 16 provided on the one half-shell, which can get engaged inside bores 17 provided on the other half-shell, with said pins 16 being then suitably riveted down, so as to realize the integrity of the case. Inside the two half-shells 14 and 15, on a lower surface 20 and respectively 21, bores 18 are provided, realized as half-bores, in the nearby of coupling surfaces, in correspondence of which the coupling of said two half-shells takes place. Said bores 18 are provided with collars 22, which extend outwards, and are provided as two half-collars as well, and are suitable for entering, once they are approached to each other, inside respective bores 19 provided on the sash parting stop 12. Edges of both said half-shells 14 and 15, also in correspondence of said lower surfaces 20 and 21, are provided with wall elements 23, which extend outwards in the same direction as of the collars 22, provided with teeth 24 perpendicular to said wall elements 23 and protruding outwards. The sash parting stop 12 is provided, in an intermediate portion thereof, with shaped hollows 25 suitable for receiving said wall elements 23, so that the same sash parting stop can come to rest against the lower surfaces 20 and 21 of both half-shells 14 and 15. The plate 13, of rectangular shape, is provided with further wall elements 26, which extend perpendicularly from it, and are provided with further teeth 27 perpendicular to said wall elements 26, and protruding inwards. Both above-said half-shells 14 and 15 are provided, at their end, on upper surfaces 28 and 29 thereof, with recessed hollows 30 and 31, each of which is given an essentially "L"-shape, which, once approached to each other, are suitable for realizing a "C"-shaped seat for receiving blocking brackets 32, having a complementary "C"-shape. Furthermore, both upper surfaces 28 and 29, in the nearby of the coupling surfaces of both said half-shells 14 and 15 are provided with bores 33, realized as two half-bores. Both upper surfaces 28 and 29, in a central portion thereof, extend upwards by means of semicircular elements 34 and 35 of box type, and such that, once coupled with each other, define a seat 40 inside which a central, bolt-driving gear-wheel 36 revolves. Both semicircular elements 34 and 35 are provided with a bore 41 directed towards the external sides of both half-shells, such as to make it possible a bolt-driving square shaft of a drive handle (not shown in the figures) to pass through, wherein said square shaft will enter inside a complementary square hole 37 axially provided inside said gear-wheel 36. It is interesting to observe that the upper surfaces 28 and 29 of both half-shells 14 and 15 are provided with outwards-extending coupling elements 38 of bayonet type, by means of which screw-threaded inserts 39 can be positioned in a freely removable way. The hollow chamber defined inside the interior of both half-shells 14 and 15 act as a seat for two bolts 42 and 43 to slide, with said bolts 42 and 43 being essentially shaped as rod elements, and acting, e.g., the one, i.e., the bolt 42, as a primary bolt, and the other, i.e., the bolt 43, as a secondary bolt. This particular distinctive denomination is also due to the fact that the primary bolt, i.e., the rod element 42, is provided with a first rack portion 44, which interacts with the gearwheel 36, and is actuated by this latter to expand, or vice-versa. The other, bolt, i.e., the secondary bolt, viz. the rod element 43, is provided, on the contrary, in correspondence of the area wherein the rack portion 44 is provided, with a hollow, or recessed portion 45, such as to make it possible the gear-wheel 36 to freely rotate, with no interaction. Both bolts 42 and 43 are thus perfectly equivalent in shape to each other, with the only difference that on the one, the rack portion, and, on the other, the hollow portion, are present. Furthermore, both said bolts 42 and 43 are each provided, on opposite sides relatively to the first rack portion 44 and to the hollow 45, and on perpendicular planes, with a couple of further, mutually opposite second rack portions 46. Said further second rack portion 46 are opposite to each other two-by-two, and interact with return gear-wheels 47 installed with a central spindle thereof 48 idling inside the bores 18 and 33 of both half-shells 14 and 15 of the case, so that revolution axes 53 of said return gear-wheels 47 are perpendicular to a rotation axis 54 of said drive gear-wheel 35. Both bolts 42 and 43 are furthermore provided on a free end thereof, and on mutually opposite sides, of a toothed seat 49 designed to engage complementary toothed ends 50 of two true bolt rods, i.e., a lower bolt rod 51 and an upper bolt rod 52, which constitute the operating ends of the cremone bolt. Preferably, a toothed seat 49, or a toothed end 50 will be of the female type, suitable for receiving, by simple positioning, the other, of male type (see Figure 1), or vice-versa. A cremone bolt according to the present invention operates as follows. One can easily understand how, in order to install a cremone bolt according to the present invention inside a sash, besides the groove inside which the bolts, and the relevant rods, slide, it is only necessary to provide a small-size seat, suitable for receiving the semicircular elements 34 and 35, which protrude from both case half-shells 14 and 15. Before installing the cremone bolt, it is enough to decide whether the rotation direction to be used for the drive handle should be clockwise or counterclockwise, and consequently position the cremone bolt, by fastening it to the respective sash parting stop by means of the insertion of the plate 13. The further wall elements 26, as well as the further teeth 27 get inserted inside the shaped hollows 25 and, by interacting with the complementary wall elements 23 and the teeth 24, they block the cremone bolt relatively to the sash parting stop 12. By means of such an insertion, also the coupling between the toothed seats 49 of both bolts 42 and 43, and the complementary toothed ends 50 of the lower rods 51 and of the upper rods 52 of the true bolts is accomplished. Now, the cremone bolt is assembled, and ready to be used. By means of the rotation of a drive handle (not shown in the figures), inserted through the complementary square hole 37 of the gear-wheel 36, the rotation is caused of this latter which, in inmeshing engagement with the first rack 44, obliges the primary bolt 42 to translate and, e.g., expand by moving outwards. The presence of a couple of return gear-wheels 47, positioned inside the bores 18 and 33 of both half-shells 14 and 15, interacting with the second rack portions 46, furthermore causes the expansion outwards of also the secondary bolt 43, correlated with the movement of the primary bolt 42, exactly owing to the presence of the couples of second rack portions 46 and of the couple of return gear-wheels 47. In particular, this latter result is achieved by means of a movement of rotation of 180°, so that the drive handle, initially aligned with the edge of the sash, at the end of the movement results to be again aligned with it. It is advantageous to observe that both the drive mechanism (gear-wheel 36 - first rack 44) and the return mechanism (couple of gear-wheels 47 - two couples of second racks 46) are contained inside the chamber defined by the two half-shells 14, 15, once that these latter are connected with, and fastened to, each other, by means of the riveting down of the pins 16 inside the bores 17 and by means of the positioning of the brackets 32 inside the recessed hollows 30, 31. Of course, the mechanism of actuation of the cremone bolt according to the present invention, disclosed and illustrated for purely exemplifying purposes, can function also if each rod element 42, 43 is provided with at least one second rack portion 46 and provided that the portion of a rod element is opposite to the portion of the other rod element, and between both portions at least one return gear-wheel is installed. The possible presence of the screw-threaded inserts 39, installed, according to as required, on the coupling elements 38 by means of which the coupling takes place of the upper surfaces 28 and 29 of both half-shells, makes it possible for the fastening and covering plate, "so-called martellina", to be fastened on the upright of the sash, above all when it latter is made from PVC. It has been hence evidenced how, according to the present invention, the problem is solved of the quick positioning of the cremone bolt on a sash directly by the same user, once that the direction of rotation of the drive handle is selected, and the need for having additional fastening inserts is verified. The suitable selection of the pitches of both the central gear-wheel and of the relevant first rack, and of the return gear-wheels and of the couples of second racks, and of their ratio, makes it possible a considerably long stroke to be obtained, notwithstanding the compactness of the mechanisms.

Claims: Cremone bolt comprising a housing case (14,15) for housing a drive gear-wheel (36) which rotates, and inmeshes with a first rack portion (44) of a first bolt rod element (42), the rotation of said drive gear-wheel (36) caused by a drive-handle element, causing said first rod element (42) to slide inside said case (14,15), furthermore it comprises a second rod element (43) which is slidable in opposite directions to said first rod element (42) inside said case (14,15), and is also provided with a rack portion (46), said two rod elements (42,43) being inserted inside said case (14,15) the one upside-down relatively to the other one, so that the planes bearing of said rack portions (44, 46) are opposite to each other, and between a second rack portion (46) of said first rod element (42) and said rack portion (46) of said second rod element (43) at least one return gear- wheel (47) is interposed, characterised in that said second rack portion (46) of said first rod element (42) and said rack portion (46) of said second rod element (43) are provided on a plane perpendicular to that on which said first rack portion (44) is provided and the revolution axis of said return gear-wheel (47) is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said drive gear-wheel (36), in that said first and second rod elements (42, 43) are equivalent in shape comprising the one said first rack portion (44) and the other a hollow (45) in the same facing position, and in that said case comprises two half-shells (14,15), which are coupled in engagement with each other by means of pins (16) provided on the one half-shell (14), which are suitable for getting inserted inside bores (17) provided on the other half-shell (15), respectively positioned on coupling surfaces, wherein furthermore surfaces perpendicular to said coupling surfaces of both said half-shells (14,15) bear hollow semicircular upwards-extending elements (34,35) which define an inner seat (40) of rotation, inside which said drive gear-wheel (36) rotates. Cremone bolt according to claim 1, characterised in that said surfaces perpendicular to said coupling surfaces of both said half-shells (14,15) are provided with connection elements (24) of bayonet type, suitable for coupling with complementary connection elements (27) provided on a blocking plate (13) relatively to a parting stop provided on a sash (12), wherein, in an intermediate portion thereof, said sash parting stop (12) is provided with shaped hollows (25) suitable for getting positioned between said plate (13) and said connection elements (24) provided on said case (14,15). Cremone bolt according to claim 1, characterised in that, in correspondence of said coupling surfaces, both said half-shells (14,15) are provided with bores (22), realized in the form of half-bores, suitable for receiving opposite ends of a spindle (48) of said at least one return gear-wheel (47). Cremone bolt according to claim 1, characterised in that said surfaces (28,29) perpendicular to said coupling surfaces are provided, at ends thereof, with recessed hollows (30,31), each of which is essentially given an "L"-shape, and which, once approached to each other, realize a "C"-shaped seat suitable for receiving a blocking bracket (32) having a complementary "C"-shape. Cremone bolt according to claim 1, characterised in that said surfaces (28,29) perpendicular to said coupling surfaces of said half-shells (14,15) are provided with outwards-protruding coupling elements (38) suitable for positioning screw-threaded inserts (39) in a freely removable way. Cremone bolt according to claim 2, characterised in that on said perpendicular surfaces in correspondence of said coupling surfaces of said half-shells (14,15), collar elements (22) are provided in the form of two half-collars mutually couplable and protruding outwards, suitable for entering inside bores (19) provided on said sash parting stop (12). Cremone bolt according to claim 1, characterised in that both said rod elements (42,43) are provided, on at least one free end thereof, with a toothed engagement seat (49) for complementary toothed ends (50) of bolt rods (51).

Inventors: ADAMI ENRICO, ADAMI, ENRICO
Applicants: RUFFONI & ZOPPI SRL, RUFFONI & ZOPPI S.R.L.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: E05C9
IPC codes: E05C9