Abstract:
A device for opening and closing an outwardly opening pivoting wing, comprising: an actuating device including a support, a crank rotatable with respect to the support and a control mechanism actuated by the crank, an arm having a toothed portion, wherein said control mechanism cooperates with the toothed portion of the arm for swinging the arm between a closed wing angular position and an open wing angular position, and wherein in the closed wing angular position the control mechanism cooperates with the toothed portion of the arm for the translational motion of the arm along a straight direction between a locked wing position and an unlocked wing position, and vice versa, a first slider and a second slider intended to engage a groove of the wing in a movable manner in a straight direction.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims benefit of Italian patent application number 102015000034055, filed Jul. 14, 2015, which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to accessories for doors and windows and regards a control assembly for an outwardly opening pivoting wing. 
     The invention can be applied to wings articulated about vertical axes or to wings articulated about horizontal axes. 
     Description of Prior Art 
     Devices are known for opening and closing an outwardly opening pivoting wing comprising: 
     an actuating device including a crank associated with a worm screw and a rotatable gear, actuated into rotation by said worm screw; and 
     an arm, pivoting about a fixed pin and having a toothed portion that meshes with said gear, wherein said gear cooperates with the toothed portion to swing the arm between a closed wing angular position and an open wing angular position. 
     The openable wings are normally equipped with a locking device to lock the wing in the closed position. In the known solutions, the locking/unlocking device of the wing is separate and independent from the opening/closing device of the wing. The locking device can, for example, be controlled by a cremone handle or by any other known type of device. Therefore, two independent maneuvers for controlling the locking/unlocking of the wing and the opening/closing movement are necessary. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,114,645 describes a device for opening and closing a pivoting wing equipped with a crank-operated device, which also controls the locking and unlocking of the wing. The device described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,114,645 comprises: 
     an actuating device including a support, a crank rotatable with respect to the support and a control mechanism actuated by the crank; and 
     an arm having a toothed portion that cooperates with said control mechanism, wherein the control mechanism cooperates with the toothed portion of the arm for swinging the arm between a closed wing angular position and an open wing angular position, and wherein in the closed wing angular position, the control mechanism cooperates with the toothed portion of the arm for the translational motion of the arm along a straight direction between a locked wing position and an unlocked wing position, and vice versa. 
     The arm of the device described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,114,645 is connected to a wing locking/unlocking device by means of a pivoting lever, which acts as a corner drive. In the more recent control assemblies, the corner drive is formed by an L-shaped support, which carries a flexible lamina that connects movable elements to each other, located on orthogonal sides of the wing. One of the problems of the solution according to U.S. Pat. No. 2,114,645 is that this solution cannot be used with more recent corner drives. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention aims to provide a device for opening and closing a pivoting wing that also controls the locking and unlocking of the wing, which solves the problems of the prior art. 
     According to the present invention, this object is achieved by a device having the characteristics forming the subject of claim  1 . 
     The claims form an integral part of the disclosure provided here in relation to the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings, given purely by way of non-limiting example, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a wing provided with an opening and closing device according to the present invention, in an open position. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view illustrating an opening/closing device according to the present invention, together with a locking device. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of the opening/closing device indicated by the arrow III in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the part indicated by the arrow IV in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a partially exploded perspective view of the part indicated by the arrow V in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIGS. 6-9  are plan views according to the arrow VI of  FIG. 3  illustrating the sequence of operation of the device according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , numeral  10  indicates a window including a fixed frame  12  and a wing  14 , articulated to the fixed frame  12  about a vertical axis, and outwardly opening. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the window  10  comprises a control assembly including an opening/closing device  16  and a locking device  18 . The opening/closing device  16  is intended to be mounted on the fixed frame  12 , for example, on the lower horizontal side of the frame  12 . 
     The locking device  18  comprises a plurality of strikers  20  fixed to the frame  12  along the lower horizontal side, the upper horizontal side and along the vertical side opposite to the articulation axis. The locking device  18  comprises a plurality of locking elements  22  cooperating with respective strikers  20 . The locking elements  22  are carried by the wing  14  in a sliding manner in the longitudinal direction of the respective side of the wing. The locking elements  22  are preferably located on the lower horizontal side, on the upper horizontal side and the vertical side of the wing  14  opposite to the articulation axis. The locking elements  22  are movable with respect to the wing  14  between an unlocked position and a locked position. In the locked position, the locking elements  22  are facing respective strikers  20 , so as to prevent the opening of the wing  14 . In the unlocked position, the locking elements  22  are disengaged from the strikers  20 , so as not to prevent opening of the wing  14 . 
     The locking elements  22  are connected together by means of connecting rods  24  that are movable with respect to the wing  14  along respective longitudinal directions. The locking device  18  further comprises a lower corner drive  26  and an upper corner drive  27 , which connect together the connecting rods  24  and the locking elements  22  located along sides of the wing  14  orthogonal to each other. 
     With reference to  FIG. 3 , the opening/closing device  16  comprises a crank-operated device  28  intended to be fixed to the fixed frame  12 . The crank-operated device  28  includes a first support  30  and a second support  34 . The first support  30  carries a rotatable crank  40 . The second support  34  carries an arm  32 , which is capable of swinging and moving with respect to the second support  34 . The first and the second supports  30 ,  34  are intended to be fixed on opposite faces of the same wall of the fixed frame  12 . The first and the second supports  30 ,  34  are provided with holes  36 ,  38  aligned with each other and designed to be engaged by fastening screws (not shown). Alternatively, a single support could be provided that carries out the function of the first and the second supports  30 ,  34 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 4 , the actuating device  28  comprises a worm screw  42 , rotatable with respect to the first support  30  about an axis A coinciding with the rotation axis of the crank  40 . The crank  40  is fixed to one end  44  of the worm screw  42 . The actuating device  28  comprises a gear  46  rotatably mounted with respect to the first support  30  about a fixed pin  48 . The gear  46  meshes with the worm screw  42  and is driven into rotation about the pin  48  by the crank  40 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 3 , the arm  32  comprises a first arm section  54  and a second arm section  56  fixed together by means of an adjusting device  58  that allows adjustment of the angular position of the second arm portion  56  with respect to the first arm portion  54 . The adjusting device  58  comprises a first pin  59 , which engages two aligned holes and connects the first and the second arm portions  54 ,  56  together in an articulated manner. The adjusting device  58  also comprises a second pin  62 , which engages a hole of the first arm section  54 , in a rotatable manner. The second pin  62  has an eccentric portion, which engages a slot of the second arm section  56 . An angular movement of the second pin  62  about its own axis varies the angular position of the second arm section  56  with respect to the first arm section  54 . Once the adjustment is made, the two arm sections  54 ,  56  are fixed to each other in the selected position. 
     With reference to  FIG. 4 , the first arm section  54  is connected to the first support  30  by means of a mechanism that allows the arm  32  to pivot about an axis between a closed wing position and an open wing position, and vice versa, and that, in the closed wing position, allows the arm  32  to move in a straight direction with respect to the support  30  between a locked wing position and an unlocked wing position, and vice versa. A mechanism of this type is described in detail in the Italian patent application TO2014A000230. This mechanism comprises an articulation seat  66  formed in the first arm section  54 . The articulation seat  66  has a circular profile that communicates with a straight guide  68 , radial with respect to the center of the articulation seat  66 . The articulation seat  66  has a circular profile, interrupted at the straight guide  68 . The straight guide  68  has two straight parallel walls that define a straight opening that leads into the articulation seat  66 . The articulation seat  66  is engaged by a pin with a rectangular cross-section carried by the second support  34 . 
     The first arm section  54  has a toothed portion  70  composed of a circular toothed portion  72  and a straight toothed portion  74 . The teeth of the toothed portion  70  extend continuously and with constant pitch along the circular toothed portion  72  and along the straight toothed portion  74 . In the embodiment illustrated, the circular toothed portion  72  is coaxial with the articulation seat  66  and the straight toothed portion  74  is parallel to the straight guide  68 . 
     The gear  46  meshes with the toothed portion  70  of the first arm section  54 . When the gear  46  meshes with the straight toothed portion  74 , the rotation of the crank  40  controls a movement in the straight direction of the arm  32 . When the gear  46  meshes with the circular toothed portion  72 , the rotation of the crank  40  controls a swinging of the arm  32  about a fixed axis. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 3 and 6-9 , the opening/closing device  16  comprises a first slider  80  and a second slider  82 , intended to be slidably mounted within a longitudinal groove of the lower horizontal side of the wing  14 . The first slider  80  is articulated to the distal end of the arm  32  by a pin  84 . 
     The second slider  82  is connected to a connecting rod  24 , which is, in turn, connected to the lower corner drive  26  of the locking device  18 . The second slider  82  carries a closing element  88 , which is intended to cooperate with a respective striker  20  fixed to the frame  12 . Preferably, the closing element  88  is integrally formed with the second slider  82 . The closing element  88  is preferably provided with a pin  90 , which engages a corresponding hole of a connecting rod  24 . 
     The first slider  80  and the second slider  82  are connected together in a releasable manner by means of a hook  90  articulated to the slider  80 . The hook  90  has a seat  92 , which engages—in a releasable manner—a pin  94  fixed to the other of the two sliders  80 ,  82 . The seat  92  of the hook  90  is essentially U-shaped and is outwardly open, that is, towards the opening direction of the wing  14 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 5 , the hook  90  has a hole  96 , which rotatably engages a pin  98  fixed to the first slider  80 . The hook  90  is rotatable about the pin  98  between an engaged position and a disengaged position. An elastic element  100  formed, for example, of a torsion spring, tends to elastically push the hook  90  towards the disengaged position. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 3 and 6-9 , the opening/closing device  16  comprises a striker  102  intended to be fixed to the fixed frame  12 . The striker  102  has an abutment wall  104  adjacent to the inner face of the frame  12  and which projects from the frame  12  towards the inside of the window opening. 
     When the arm  32  is in the closed wing position, an inner surface  106  of the hook  90  comes into contact against the abutment wall  104  of the striker  102 . The striker  102 , in the closed wing position, pushes the hook  90  into the engaged position. When the hook  90  moves away from the striker  102  following the swinging of the arm  32  towards the open wing position, the hook  90  moves to the disengaged position under the action of the elastic element  100 . 
       FIGS. 6-9  illustrate the operation of the opening/closing device  16 . 
       FIG. 6  shows the closed and locked condition of the wing  14 . In this condition, the hook  90  rests against the wall  104  of the striker  102  and is kept in the engaged position. The seat  92  of the hook  90  engages the pin  94  of the second slider  82 . In this condition, the first and the second sliders  80 ,  82  are connected to each other and are integrally movable in the unlocking direction indicated by the arrow B. In the closed and locked condition of the wing  14 , the locking element  88  engages the corresponding striker  20 . Furthermore, all the locking elements  22  distributed along three sides of the wing  14  engage the respective strikers  20  distributed along three sides of the frame  12 . 
     In the closed and locked configuration of the wing  14 , the gear  46  of the crank-operated device  28  engages with the straight toothed portion  74  of the arm  32 . The rotation of the crank  40  controls a movement of the arm  32  in the straight direction B from the closed and locked wing position illustrated in  FIG. 6  towards the closed and unlocked wing position illustrated in  FIG. 7 . The sliders  80 ,  82 , being connected to each other by the hook  90 , move in an integral manner from the closed and locked wing position towards the closed and unlocked wing position. 
     With reference to  FIG. 7 , in the closed and unlocked wing position, the hook  90  is still in contact with the wall  104  of the striker  102  and is held in the engaged position. The movement of the second slider  82  towards the closed and unlocked wing position disengages the locking element  88  from the respective striker  20 . The second slider  82 , being connected to the various locking elements  22  by means of the transmission rods  24  and the corner drives  26 ,  27 , controls the disengagement of all the locking elements  22  from the respective strikers  20 . 
     In the closed and unlocked wing position, the gear  46  meshes with the circular toothed portion of the teeth  72  of the arm  32 . Continuing to rotate the crank  40 , the arm swings from the closed position toward the open position in the direction indicated by the arrow C in  FIG. 8 . 
     The swinging of the arm  32  in the direction C opens the wing  14  and moves the hook  90  away from the wall  104  of the striker  102 . When the hook  90  moves away from the wall  104 , it disengages from the pin  94  of the second slider  82 , as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . 
     In the open wing position, the second slider  82  is disengaged from the first slider  80 . The rotation of the crank  40  controls the opening of the wing  14  by means of the arm  32  and the first slider  80 . The second slider  82  and the locking elements  22  remain still during the opening movement of the wing. 
     During the closing movement, the previously described steps are followed in the opposite direction. When the hook  90  comes in contact with the wall  104  of the striker  102 , it swings towards the engaged position and engages the pin  94  of the second slider  82 . When the wing is in the closed position, the sliders  80 ,  82  are connected to each other by the hook  90  and the translational movement of the arm from the closed and unlocked wing position towards the closed and locked wing position controls the movement of all the locking elements  22  from the unlocked position towards the locked position. 
     The disengagement between the first and the second sliders  80 ,  82  allows the disengagement of the opening angle of the wing  14  from the stroke of the locking elements  22 . In particular, it is possible to obtain an opening angle of the wing of 90° or above with a stroke of contained amplitude of the locking elements  22 . 
     Of course, without prejudice to the principle of the invention, the details of construction and the embodiments can be widely varied with respect to those described and illustrated, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims that follow.