A SASH REVERSING FITTING

Abstract: A sash reversing fitting for securing a window sash (7) to a window frame (6) and of the type enabling a relative 180 DEG reversal of the sash (7) relative to the frame (6), the upper end of the sash (7) being permanently vertically slidably and pivotally fitted in a channel (14) in the frame (6). The said fitting comprises a support arm (15), said support arm at one end thereof being adapted to being pivotally secured to the upper part of the frame (6), and at the other end supporting a guide arm (9), said guide arm being at one end thereof adapted to being pivotally connected to the centre of gravity (8) of the sash (7), and at the other end adapted to being pivotally and vertically slidably connected to the frame (6). The special feature of the fitting is that the guide arm (9) comprises a sash link (10) and a frame link (11), said links being slidably interconnected in their longitudinal direction. Thereby it is obtained that the sash may be reversed 180 DEG for cleaning and, additionally, the 90 DEG reversed position (the position in which a passage of escape is provided) is balanced and stable.

Description: A Sash Reversing Fitting Technical Field The invention relates to a sash reversing fitting of the type as mentioned in the preamble of claim 1. The wording a "relative" 180° reversal of the sash relative to the frame indicates that a pivotal motion occurs, however round a point which is not a fix point. As a result of this pivotal motion, however, the sash is brought into a 180° turned or reversed position relative to the frame, so as to enable the outside of the window glass to be cleaned from the inside. With a view to allowing the desired 180° reversal of the sash round a point, at which a (rigid) guide arm is attached to the sash, this attachment point has to be placed at a distance from the top of the sash which is smaller than half the height of the sash. If this is not so, it is not possible for the sash to pass the guide arm. Accordingly, for pure geometrical reasons this requirement must be met in order for this type of fitting to function. Then, however, this attachment point is located at a distance to the centre of gravity of the sash, and then the sash is non-balanced, its position is unstable, and, accordingly, if no adjustable fricitional device is provided, the sash will close automatically. This is a great disadvantage when the sash has to function as a rescue opening or passage of escape. A rescue opening in the form of a window must be able to remain in an open position. Still further, when the attachment point is not located in the centre of the sash, its bottom edge in the 180° tumed position will have moved past the upper limit of the frame, viz. a distance corresponding to the distance between the attachment point of the arm at the sash and the centre of the sash. Accordingly, this raising of the sash renders the cleaning difficult and in lots of built-in situations of deep wall rebates, the fitting does simply not fit. Admittedly, when using slide bars having several tracks or grooves arranged in parallel a certain degree of variation or a certain flexibility is obtained. But a deeper or thicker frame is then required, the applicability of which is, however, limited for space reasons or for aesthetical reasons. Accordingly, the freedom of action which one could in theory obtain in this way is insufficient and unsatisfactory. Background art A sash reversing fitting enabling a relative 180° reversal of the sash relative to the frame is disclosed in NO patent no. 119,154. This fitting, however, does not enable such reversal while the upper end of the sash is permanently vertically slidably and pivotally fitted in the frame. The support arm of this prior art fitting is not secured to the upper part of the frame, but approximately in the middle, and the guide arm is not pivotally connected to the centre/centre of gravity of the sash. This prior art fitting is said to solve the special problem of cleaning multilayered windows inbetween the glass layers. In US patent no. 1 ,560,001 a sash reversing fitting is disclosed, which enables such relative 180° reversal of the sash relative to the frame. Neither does this fitting, however, enable such reversal while one end of the sash is permanently vertically slidable and pivotally fitted in the frame. In order for the reversal of 180° to be obtained, the sash has to be cleared of or disconnected from its channel in the frame using a locking pin. In this prior art fitting, accordingly, the process of opening the window, i.e. the kinematics thereof, is not sufficiently safe and well guided. Besides, this prior art fitting comprises a support arm being pivotally secured to the upper part of the frame, and a guide arm being pivotally secured approximately to the middle of the frame. Both of these attachment points are fix points. With a view to obtaining the desired displacement of the sash, i.e. to clear it from its channel in the frame, the support arm is telescopic. The support arm is pivotally secured to the sash, approximately at the centre of gravity/middle thereof. A sash reversing fitting enabling such relative 180° reversal of the sash relative to the frame is also disclosed in FR patent no. 1 ,328,530. This fitting is for a window of the type in which the sash is permanently vertically slidably and pivotally fitted in a channel in the frame. This prior art fitting also comprises a support arm, said support arm at one end thereof being pivotally secured to the upper part of the frame, and at the other end supporting a guide arm, said guide arm - so it is stated in this document - being at one end thereof pivotally connected to the centre of gravity of the sash, and at the other end pivotally and vertically slidably placed in a channel of the frame. In this prior art fitting, the guide arm is not in two parts being slidable relative to each other in their longitudinal direction. Summing up, the reason for the desirability of supporting the sash in its centre of gravity is that the sash is then in stable balance and does not slam or close by itself when left in a 90° open position, said position being highly relevant for using the window as a passage of escape. In fact, there is a long felt need within this technical field for the construction of a fitting which may be reversed 180° and, additionally, in which the 90° reversed position is stable and makes up a safe and reliable passage of escape. In fact, however, FR patent no. 1 ,328,530 does not provide a solution to this problem. It is stated that the guide arm is connected to the sash in the centre of gravity G thereof, corresponding to half a height of the sash (the distance GD is specified to be h/2). Then the arm 4 (the distance GC) must also be = h/2, since when the window is closed as shown in fig. 1 , enough space must be provided for the arm 4 (GC); in the downward direction there is not enough space to enable it to protrude downwards. Looking now at fig. 3, the 90° position of the window, the distance GD = h/2, but the distance GC should be equal. And then points D and C should be coincident. Imagining the situation in which these points are in fact coincident, the conclusion emanates that this window is then "locked," it being neither possible physically to make it move upwards nor downwards. However, when, as shown in fig. 3, the arm GC is a slightly longer than the arm GD, then it is possible. Summing up: The dimensions of the drawing in FR patent no. 1 ,328,530 are faulty; this document does not prove that the desirable 180° reversal is possible with a point of attachment at half the height of the sash. While formerly window sashes and frames were predominantly made of wood, they are nowadays predominantly made of plastic and in many different sizes (in modules). In addition to the serious disadvantage mentioned above, another disadvantage of the prior art sash reversing fittings is that one fitting fits one window size only. Accordingly perhaps 12 different fittings are required, each of which fits exactly to one window size only. In actual practice, the window dimensions are however always inaccurate, and therefore one has to use a fitting which does not fit exactly to the actual window, however being the best from amongst the perhaps 12 different shelf fittings. This is, of course, a compromise solution since to a certain extent the function of the fitting is sacrificed, viz. such features as its ability to stably maintain the 90° position, as caused by never hitting exactly the centre of the sash. Disclosure of the invention A window provided with a fitting according to claim 1 may be reversed into the desired 180° position, and in addition the window has a great stability, in particular in the 90° position. This is due to the variability of the length of the guide arm, which enables the fitting to be always adjusted to the actual window dimensions, viz. so as to hit the centre of the sash. Apart from this fine adjustment of a fitting to the actual window, a specific fitting according to the invention may furthermore be adapted to a greater range of window sizes. Accordingly, with the fitting of the invention a reduced number of modular sizes of fittings needs to be produced. Brief description of the drawing These and other advantages of the fitting of the invention are further explained below, reference being had to the drawing, which shows an embodiment of the fitting of the invention. In the drawing fig. 1 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of the fitting of the invention before the relative displacement of the links of the guide arm and in a position before the 90° opening of the window; fig. 2 shows the same, but in the 90° position of the window, the links of the guide arm now being displaced relative to each other, and fig. 3 shows the same, but in a position in which the window is opened more than 90°, the two links of the guide arm now having slidably reverted to the start position. Referring to the figures, a sash 7 and a corresponding frame 6 is shown in different open positions of a window. Pivotal slides 13 are mounted at an upper edge of the sash 7, said pivotal slides 13 being vertically slidable in a first channel 14 of a slide bar 4, which is mounted at the frame 6 and is provided with two slide channels 2, 14 arranged in parallel. At its centre point 8 (centre of gravity axis) the sash is pivotally connected to one end of a guide arm 9. The other end of the guide arm 9 is pivotally connected to a slide 12, which is vertically slidable in the slide bar 4 of the frame 6, viz. in the second channel 2 thereof. The guide arm 9 is supported by a support arm 15, which is pivotally secured to the upper part of the frame 6. When the window is closed, the collapsed or folded up fitting is hidden in the fitting groove between sash and frame. In this position, the slide 12 is in its lowermost position and the slide 13 in its uppermost position. When now the window is opened by pushing outwards at the Iower horizontal part of the sash, the upper horizontal part of the sash slides in its top slides 13, vertically downwards in the first channel 14 of the frame slide bar 4, and the guide arm 9 slides upwards, in its top slide 12, in the second channel 2 of the frame slide bar 4. At a certain point in time the operator's hands are shifted from the Iower horizontal part of the sash to the upper one, which is then pushed further downwards. Continuing this opening motion a certain opening angle is achieved, which can not be enlarged further without the fitting amending its geometry. In other words: The guide arm is no longer sufficiently long. However, with a guide arm designed as stated in the characterising part of claim 1 , i.e. having a sash link 10 and a frame link 11 being slidably interconnected in their longitudinal direction, the overall length of the guide arm is variable, and thus the geometry of the fitting can be changed, enabling the desired opening of the window until the 180° position, the guide arm still being fixed to the centre 8 of the sash, i.e. at the distance H/2. In the 90 ° position shown in fig. 2, the length of the guide arm 9 is maximum. When further opening the window towards the 180° position, the length of the guide arm decreases (fig. 3). In the embodiment shown in the drawings the sash link 10 of the guide arm 9 is provided with two longitudinal slots 5. These slots are for instance punched or cut-out. More than two slots might be provided. The frame link 11 is slidably secured to the sash link 10 in the two longitudinal slots 5 by means of two dowel means 1. However, a slidable interconnection of those parts might be achieved in several other ways within the scope of this invention, for instance using the tongue and groove principle, two bars, telescopic arms etc. Preferably the guide arm 9 comprises a releasable locking means for preventing or allowing when connected or disconnected, respectively, the relative displacement of the two links of the guide arm. This provides a safeguard against children opening too much the window and a safeguard against the window suddenly tilting round or rotating, for instance when one is trying hard to cleaning its upper part - likewise a potential accidental risk. Any locking means known by the skilled man, of the type preventing the relative displacement of two parts, can be used, for instance a push button and a corresponding recess, if desired spring activated towards the locked position, preferably with a click sound. In such fitting the locking means must be released or disconnected before achieving the 90° position of the window, and this applies in both directions of rotation. In the usual delivery form of the fitting of the invention it is connected, in particular by means of the slides 12, 13, to the two-channel slide bar 4 for insertion in the frame. When a slide bar is provided of a certain extra length, the fitter is free to shorten the slide bar to the dimension required, and in this connection it is possible to preliminarily adjust the length of the guide arm 9, adapting it to the actual window, so as to attach with certainty the guide arm exactly in the centre of gravity of the sash. This is achieved by a relative displacement of the two links of the guide arm (i.e. long slots and if desired appropriate shortening stop blocks for the slots). Having this purpose in mind the slots 5 are preferably made extra long. The preferred embodiment Generally, the skilled man knows how to select appropriate materials for the fitting of the invention and he also knows how to dimension it correctly, paying regard i.a. to the strength requirements and to the requirements of relevant standard specifications. In the preferred embodiment of the fitting of the invention the relative displaceability of the two links of the guide arm is achieved by two longitudinal slots with corresponding pins. Still further, preferably, the fitting is provided with a releasable locking pin, spring activated and with a click sound. One of several typical windows has the approximate dimensions (extemal width X extemal height): Frame: 90 X 116 cm; sash: 81 X 107 cm; extemal thickness of frame and sash: 6 cm; extemal width of frame mouldings: 4 cm. Internal width: 5,5 cm. Extemal width of sash mouldings: 4,5 cm. Intemal width: 4 cm. External width of slide bar: 3 cm and depth: 1 cm. The bar has two parallel grooves. A collapsed fitting of the invention, suited for use in i.a. such window, has a thickness of less than 10 mm, viz. about 8 mm. A preferred material is yellow-chromated steel, viz. such types as ST37 or ST60. Support arm: length 66 cm, width: 2,5 cm, thickness 4 mm. Length of guide arm (i.e. limits of displacement when inserted in said window): min. 50 cm, max. 61 cm; width 3,5 cm. Thickness of sash link and frame link: 4 mm. Two longitudinal slots having a length of 10 cm are milled in the sash link.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A sash reversing fitting for securing a window sash (7) to a window frame (6) and of the type enabling a relative 180° reversal ofthe sash (7) relative to the frame (8), the upper end of the sash (7) being permanently vertically slidably and pivotally fitted in a channel (14) in the frame (6), said fitting comprising a support arm (15), said support arm at one end thereof being adapted to being pivotally secured to the upper part of the frame (6), and at the other end supporting a guide arm (9), said guide arm being at one end thereof adapted to being pivotally connected to the centre/centre of gravity (8) of the sash (7), and at the other end adapted to being pivotally and vertically slidably connected to the frame (6), characterized in that the guide arm (9) comprises a sash link (10) and a frame link (11), said links being slidably interconnected in their longitudinal direction. 2. A sash reversing fitting according to claim ^ characterized in that the sash link (10) of the guide arm (9) has two longitudinal slots (5), and the frame link (11) has two dowel means (1), slidable in said longitudinal slots (5). 3. A sash reversing fitting according to any of the claims 1-2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the sash and frame links (11, 10) comprise a locking means (3) for releasably preventing relative displacement of those links (11,10).

Inventors: BAUNSGAARD PER, BAUNSGAARD, PER
Applicants: BAUNSGAARD PER, MILA HARDWARE & MACHINERY U K, BAUNSGAARD, PER, MILA HARDWARE & MACHINERY (U.K.) LTD.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: E06B3
IPC codes: E05D15