Shutter and the like with locking device

Abstract: A window shutter leaf and the like, including a catch device (3) for holding it fast in an open position, wherein said catch device (3) comprises an L-shape latch (6), commonly referred to as "Piedmontese", having a guided leg (7) and a working leg (8) bent square to the guided leg; it further includes a socket (4) formed in the thickness of the shutter leaves to receive the guided leg (7) of the latch (6) flush therein, and advantageously exhibits reliability, strength, quick production, and even an attractive appearance.

Description: The present invention relates to window shutters equipped with a catch device for holding them fast in an open position. A well-recognized requisite of window shutters - shutters being a term that encompasses here windows screens and covers of any description - is that it should be possible to secure the shutter leaves in the open position in a way that will prevent them from swaying and being banged in a blowing wind. A number of devices have been proposed to meet this requirement, see, e.g. FR-A-2 713 694 or CH-A-333 098. For example, it has been known for some time to fit shutter leaves with hooks adapted to snap engage over an eyebar set in the outer wall of the house. Also known are spring members arranged to jut out from the house wall to snap engage under the bottom edge of a shutter leaf. These devices have proved impractical on account of the masonry work involved in their installation and because they are awkward to release; also, one is to lean inconveniently out of the window to release and swing the shutter closed. Furthermore, catch devices, of a type commonly known as "Piedmontese", have been proposed and applied with moderate success which are mounted fixedly on a shutter leaf and provided with a latch adapted for engagement in the window span. These devices have enjoyed but limited acceptance by reason of their complicated construction and generally unreliable performance. The underlying problem of this invention is to provide a shutter as above with such structural and functional features as to meet the requirement just outlined and overcome the shortcomings of the prior art. This problem is solved by a window shutter provided with a catch device for holding it fast in the open position, wherein the catch device comprises an L-shaped latch, commonly known as "Piedmontese", having a guided leg and a working leg square to the guided leg, the shutter being characterized in that it is formed with a socket sunk in the thickness of the shutter leaf and adapted to receive the guided leg of the latch. Further features and advantages of the window shutter according to the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof, given by way of example and not of limitation with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a window shutter incorporating a catch device according to the invention; Figures 2 and 3 are perspective views of a shutter leaf as shown in Figure 1, at different stages of its operation; Figure 4 is a perspective view, drawn to an enlarged scale, of the catch device on the shutter shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a perspective view, drawn to an enlarged scale, of the catch device on the shutter leaf shown in Figure 3; Figure 6 is a side view, in cross-section along line VI-VI, of the catch device on the shutters shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3; Figure 7 is a front view, taken in the direction of an arrow VII, of the catch device shown in Figure 6; and Figure 8 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of the device shown in Figure 5. With reference to the drawing views, a window shutter leaf is generally shown at 1, which is arranged to cooperate with a similar shutter leaf 2 on the other side of a window span in a building wall. In this example, the shutter leaves are made of wood and understood to be the equivalents of any other window screens, covers, or the like. The shutter leaf 1 is provided with a catch device 3 to be described. The catch device 3 functions to hold the shutter leaf in an open position such that it cannot sway or be banged undesirably in a blowing wind, for example. The shutter leaf 1 is rectangular in shape, has a predetermined thickness dimension, and is hinge mounted on the wall along a hinge-carrying edge 1a. The catch device 3 locates at the bottom edge 1b of the shutter 1. According to the invention, an elongate cylindrical socket 4 of predetermined depth, being open on the hinge-carrying edge 1a and extending perpendicularly to the latter, is provided on the inward side of the shutter leaf 1 to lie parallel near the bottom edge 1b of the shutter leaf. A substantially rectangular cutout 5 is formed in the thickness of the shutter leaf at its hinge-carrying edge 1a and has a narrow short side and a long side, the length of the long side being approximately equal to the depth of the socket 4. It should be noted that the socket 4 is open on the cutout 5 at the bottom short side of the latter, the arrangement providing for the socket 4 and cutout 5 to lie substantially square to each other. The catch device 3 comprises a movable latch 6, the latch being an L-shaped bent iron with a guided leg 7 and a working leg 8 extending square to the guide leg, and comprises a fixed member 9 associated with the shutter leaf 1. The fixed member 1 is mounted on the shutter leaf in a manner to be described. The fixed member 9 comprises an elongate cylindrical tubular guide body 10 of a suitable size to receive the guided leg 7 of the latch 6 slidingly therein, and comprises a substantially rectangular flange-like piece 11 which is rigid with the guide body. The guided leg 7 can slide and turn within the guide body 10. In the example, the guide body 10 and flange-like piece 11 extend generally square to each other and are a unitary casting of Zn-Al-Mg alloy. The guide body 10 is set embedded in the socket 4, and the flange-like piece 11 is set in the cutout 5. For fastening the fixed member 9 to the shutter leaf 1, screw fasteners 12 are passed through holes 13 drilled in the flange-like piece 11. The elongate socket 4 is sufficiently deep to receive the guide body 10, and is preferably of a suitable diameter for the guide body 10 to be a close fit therein. The depth of the cutout 5 is sufficient to receive the flange-like piece 11 and the square-bent working leg 8 of the latch, with the latch 6 in the disengaged state. It should bc noted that an elastic means, generally designated 14, is provided to bias the guided leg of the latch 6 toward the socket interior. In the example, the elastic means 14 consists of a spring 15 fitting in a gap 16 between the guided leg 7 and the guide body 10 and compressed between a collar 17, affixed to the free end of the guided leg 7, and a shoulder 18 formed inside the guide body 10. The catch device 3 is advantageously provided with two ear-like detents 19 that are rigid with the flange-like piece 11 and positioned side-by-side near the short side that lies opposite the guide body 10; the detents are spaced to hold the working leg of the latch 6 parallel, in the disengaged state, to the flange-like piece 11 and inhibit its rotation. Advantageously, the catch device 3 is also formed with two extensions 20 having saddle contours and being rigid with the flange-like piece 11; these extensions locate on either sides of the socket 4 and are adapted to hold the working leg 8 of the latch 6 horizontal in either a working position where it engages in the window span or a handling position where it can double as a handgrip. The shutter leaf 2 is provided with a catch device 21 identical with the catch device 3. The guide body 10 and flange-like piece 11, jointly comprising the base member 9, and the latch 6 are symmetrical about a vertical plane and can be mounted on the shutter leaf 2 in mirror-image relationship with the shutter leaf 1. A modified embodiment of this invention will now be described with reference to Figure 6, where structurally and functionally similar parts are denoted by the same reference numerals as in the embodiment just described. Figure 6 shows a catch device intended for application to a window shutter or cover made of aluminum. In particular, the flange-like piece 11 becomes here a dimpled body 22 having a recess 23 and projecting edges 24. The recess 23 is set in a cutout 25 provided in the shutter leaf hinge-carrying edge consisting of an upright of sectional aluminum, and the guide body 10 is set in a socket 26 inside a horizontal member of sectional aluminum. Assuming in use the situation shown in Figure 1, i.e. with the catch device operated to hold the shutter leaves in the open position by its working legs being disposed horizontally against the window jamb, each shutter leaf can be closed by turning the latch 180 degrees to enable the spring to retract the latch into the socket. When turned through 180 degrees, the latch working leg engages positively in one of the saddle-like extensions and, in this position, doubles as a handle for closing the shutter (see Figure 2). With the shutter almost closed, the latch is turned 90 degrees to a vertical position, where the working leg of the latch is folded close against the flange-like piece (see Figure 3). In this setting of the device, the shutter can be closed; the same operation being then performed in the reverse order to reopen it. A major advantage of the invention is its reliability, i.e. its potential for unfailingly consistent performance through the shutter life. The shutter leaves themselves will, in fact, shield the catch devices from weather and damage from other causes. Another advantage is the positive way the shutter is held in its open position, with the latches flush against the building wall by virtue of they being housed within the thickness of the shutter leaves. In practice, the latches in the shutter stopping position will just track the contour of the building wall. A further advantage is its easy and quick installation. Firstly, a few small screws is all that is required to fasten the device securely on the shutter leaf. Secondly, the left and right shutter leaves can mount identical devices because the device is symmetrical throughout. Finally, any likelihood of the device undesirably coming loose and dropping out of the shutter to become a loss can be ruled out, even after very long periods of use. It should be noted, moreover, that shutters can be supplied complete with this catch device, ready for installation, and this without the presence of the device interfering with normal handling of the shutters at the manufacturing premises or the shutter overall dimensions having to be altered. In fact, the device of this invention is kept fully within the shutter leaf outline. It should be further noted that this catch device will actually strengthen the shutter leaf structure by its angled fixed member providing reinforcement at a corner thereof. Finally, the shutter of this invention is also aesthetically attractive, a not least advantage for an article that is intended to improve the appearance of its surroundings. It should be understood that, in order to fill individual demands, a person skilled in the art might choose to make several changes and modifications unto the invention, all such changes and modifications being encompassed within the protection scope of the invention as defined in the claims that follow.

Claims: A window shutter leaf and the like, including a catch device (3) for holding it fast in an open position, wherein said catch device (3) comprises an L-shape latch (6), commonly referred to as "Piedmontese", having a guided leg (7) and a working leg (8) bent square to the guided leg, characterized in that it includes a socket (4) sunk in the thickness of the shutter leaf to receive the guided leg (7) of the latch (6). A window shutter leaf and the like, including a catch device (3) for holding the shutter leaf fast in an open position, wherein said catch device (3) comprises an L-shape latch (6), commonly referred to as "Piedmontese", having a guided leg (7) and a working leg (8) bent square to the guided leg, and having a guide body for the guided leg (7), characterized in that the guide body (10) is elongate, and in that it comprises a socket (4) formed in the thickness of the shutter leaf to receive the guide body (10) embedded within the socket. A window shutter leaf according to Claim 2, characterized in that it is formed with a cutout (5) on its hinge-carrying edge (1a) for receiving the square-bent working leg (8) therein. A window shutter leaf according to Claim 3, characterized in that it comprises a flange-like piece (11) rigid with the guide body (10) affixed inside the cutout (5). A window shutter leaf according to Claim 4, characterized in that it comprises detents (19) protruding from the flange-like piece (11) to hold the square-bent working leg (8) in a vertical disengaged position. A window shutter leaf according to Claim 5, characterized in that it comprises saddle-like contoured extensions (20) protruding from the flange-like piece (11) to hold the square-bent working leg (8) in a horizontal alternately holding and handling position. A catch device (3) for holding a shutter leaf and the like fast in an open position, comprising an L-shape latch (6), commonly referred to as "Piedmontese", having a guided leg (7) and a working leg (8) bent square to the guided leg, and having a guide body (10) for the guided leg (7), characterized in that the guide body (10) is elongate for setting in a socket (4) formed in the thickness of the shutter leaf and open to the hinge-carrying edge (1a) of the shutter leaf. A catch device (3) according to Claim 7, characterized in that it comprises a flange-like piece (11) made rigid with the guide body (10) to receive the square-bent working leg (8) when in the disengaged position. A catch device (3) according to Claim 8, characterized in that the guide body (10) is substantially rectangular for setting in a cutout (5) formed in the hinge-carrying edge (1a) of the shutter leaf. A catch device (3) according to Claim 9, characterized in that the guide body (10) and flange-like piece (11) jointly form a fixed member (9) having a vertical plane of symmetry to fit equally well on either right or left shutter leaves.

Inventors: FORNASARI GABRIELE, FORNASARI, GABRIELE
Applicants: FORNASARI GABRIELE
Application year: 2001
Main classification: E06B7
IPC codes: E06B7, E05C17, E06B9