The invention relates to apparatus for securing two members together, and particularly to such apparatus for securing two relatively slidable members such as patio doors together.
As is known, patio doors are a popular means of gaining access from a dwelling to an outside area such as a patio or garden. Generally there are two doors, mounted in a set of respective runners in generally the same plane so that in a closed position or mode, facing edges or stiles of the two doors butt up against one another. At least one of the doors can be slid from a closed or locked position or mode in which a door opening is closed by both doors, to an open position or mode in which the one door is slid away from the other so that the door opening is open for passage therethrough. Generally too, both doors are slid towards and away from one another in the closed and open modes. Often there is a lock to lock the two doors together in the closed mode. Prior doors are unfortunately generally vulnerable to forced entry.
As is also generally known, such a patio door is located in a top, in use, substantially horizontal frame section of the door frame. There is an interaction between a locating groove along a top of the door and a mating upstand on the frame. This area between the groove and upstand is also vulnerable to attack, as the junction can be disengaged by the application of force to the top of the door, particularly at its trailing edge.
It is an object of the invention to seek to mitigate these disadvantages.
According to the invention, there is provided apparatus for securing together two members which are slidable towards and away from each other to provide a respective open and closed mode, comprising a plurality of devices adapted to secure the members in a closed mode and a control unit adapted to operate the devices.
There may be in a preferred embodiment two spaced apart securing devices operable by a single control unit.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a slidable closure member in combination with apparatus as defined in the immediately preceding paragraph.
It will be understood that the invention extends to a building construction incorporating a slidable closure member as defined in the immediately preceding paragraph.
Apparatus for providing security for a slidable closure member such as a patio door having lockable means and being adapted to slide in a frame to provide a respective open and closed, locked, mode, is hereinafter described, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings.
a and 4b show schematic views of a control unit,
Referring firstly to
In the embodiment shown, there are two spaced apart securing devices 4, 5 and a single control unit 6 situated intermediately of the two securing devices 4, 5. The control unit 6 is connected to an elongate member in the form of a flat connecting rod 7. A rotatable lever 8,
The securing devices 4, 5 and control unit 6 are mounted with the connecting rod 7 on a face or stile of one of the patio doors. The facing stile of the other door mounts two keeper units 9, 10 positioned opposite the shifted position of the securing devices so that a hook-like member 11 and an anti-lift device 12 are extended out of the securing devices 4, 5 to engage with the keeper units 9, 10. To achieve this, there is a plate 13 connected to the connecting rod 7 via pins 14, 15 which engage a cover plate in blind slots 16,17,18, 18′, the hook-like member 11 being pivoted at 19 , while the anti-lift device 12 is mounted in a guide for reciprocation orthogonally of the length of the connecting rod 7. The pins 14,15 and blind slots 16,17,18,18′ act as cam and follower means so that on longitudinal movement of the slots to extend the hook-like devices 11 connecting rod 7, the pins ride along their respective slots to extend the hook-like devices 11 and anti-lift devices 12.
The keeper units 4, 5 and the hook-like members 11 have respective complementary sloping surfaces 20 so that any action to try to force the doors 2, 3 apart forces the complementary surfaces together, so hindering the action to try to force the doors apart.
In addition, the anti-lift device 12 is extended simultaneously to enter a facing slot in the keeper unit, so that any attempt to lift the doors 2, 3 apart is prevented.
Longitudinal movement of the connecting rod 7 in the opposite direction retracts the hook-like member 11 and anti-lift device 12 from the keeper unit 6 into the respective securing device, so that the doors 2, 3 can be slid apart.
As described above, there are two sets of hook-like devices 11 and anti-lift devices 12 both sets being driven simultaneously on operation of the intermediately disposed control unit 6.
The connecting rod is suitably covered by a cover strip 21.
Referring now to
Suitably the apparatus 100 provides security for a slidable closure member having lockable means such as a patio interlock means ( not shown) of a patio door 200 and in the closed, locked, mode obviates disruption of the locking means.
The keeper element 104 is a channel section member, upwardly open in use and as shown, which has longitudinally spaced through holes 206 each of which in use receives securing means such as screws 207 which are screwed into the upper horizontal lintel or transom 208 of (the) fixed door frame 203 in relation to which the closure member 200 can slide horizontally between the open and closed, locked, mode.
The device 105 in the embodiment has one part 109 securable as by screws 210 passed through through holes 110 in the part 212 of the door section above the lockable means (not shown in
In use, in the open mode or position of the door 200 the extension 113 is remote from the keeper element 104,204. When the door is slidden in the direction of the arrow the closed mode, the extension 113 slides along the underside of the door frame 208 and enters the channel of the keeper element 104 as shown in
When the door is in the closed mode, and unlocked, the door 200 can be slid in the opposite direction to the direction ‘X’ to the open position, which action disengages the extension 113 from the keeper element 104.
Modifications are possible. Thus
It will be understood too that the keeper element may comprise an element of T-section, suitably being an elongate element, the bar of the ‘T’ being secured to the frame and the (or each) depending shank thereof being adapted to receive in sliding engagement the extension of the device which extension is of channel section.
It will be understood that in all the embodiments of
As shown, see
It will further be understood that the expression ‘closure member’ used herein includes slidable windows as well as doors, particularly but not limited to the larger sliding windows often used in the USA.
The keeper elements and devices 104 and 105, and device are suitably made of metal, possibly coated with plastic for ease of interengagement.
Referring to
It is to be noted that
In the embodiments shown, there are two spaced apart securing devices, an upper one and a lower one as viewed, and a single control unit situated intermediately of the two securing devices. The control unit is connected to an elongate member in the form of a flat connecting rod 703. The control device in each case is connected to the connecting rod so that on operation thereof the rod is shifted longitudinally to operate both securing devices in unison.
The securing devices and control unit are mounted with the connecting rod on a face or stile of one of the closure members, such as patio doors. The facing stile of the other door mounts two keeper units (not shown) positioned opposite the shifted position of the securing devices.
Referring to Figfirst and second, the apparatus comprises two securing devices 4 in the form of latch-like or hook-like members 11 which face downwardly. In
All three of the aforesaid embodiments include anti-lift devices in the form of reciprocable rods 12 extendible and retractable at substantially right angles to the length of the flat (in the embodiments) connecting rod 21.
Referring to
In the embodiments of
In each embodiment, there is an elongate cover plate having appropriate through orifices aligned with the securing devices secured to the connecting rod.
Using the invention described herein with reference to the drawings, when there is locking means such as a patio interlock means for a patio door, disruption of the locking means in the closed, locked, mode is obviated.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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1421124.7 | Nov 2014 | GB | national |
1517431.1 | Oct 2015 | GB | national |
1518394.0 | Oct 2015 | GB | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/GB2015/000301 | 11/18/2015 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO2016/083765 | 6/2/2016 | WO | A |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20170328088 A1 | Nov 2017 | US |