Patent Application
20140265360
This application claims priority to the following patent application: (1) Israel Patent Application 2254181 filed Mar. 12, 2013; the above cited application is hereby incorporated by reference herein as if fully set forth in its entirety.
The present invention relates to the field of locks. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for bolting from two different sides.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,719 discloses an external lock assembly for sliding doors and the like, cooperating with a tubular frame mounted element, which has a thickness and form such as to enable it to be mounted within the limited space available between a pair of sliding door panels. The external lock assembly comprises at least one and preferably a pair of sliding bolts, and effects a locked condition of the sliding door when the sliding bolts enter within a central vertical hole of the tubular frame mounted element.
However, the pair of sliding bolts is uncomfortable, in relation to typical external lock assemblies, in that it requires two opposing motions, being one upwards and one downwards.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus including two bolts, operated by one directional motion.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a solution to the above-mentioned and other problems of the prior art.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.
In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a bolt mechanism (10), comprising:
A bolt mechanism (10) according to claim 1, wherein the slideablity of the two bolts (22A, 22B) substantially is frictionless,
thereby gravity does not operate the slideablity of the two bolts (22A), 22B).
The bolt mechanism (10) may further comprise:
The at least one handle (20A) may comprise one handle (20A) fixed to one (22A) of the two bolts,
The at least one handle (20A) may comprise two handles (20A, 20B), each fixed to one (22A) of the two bolts,
The bolt mechanism (10) may further comprise:
The latch (50) may comprise:
The bolt mechanism (10) according to claim 1 may be fixed to: a frame (12) of a sliding window; a frame (12) of a rotating window; a jamb (14); a door.
In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a bolting method, comprising the steps of:
The reference numbers have been used to point out elements in the embodiments described and illustrated herein, in order to facilitate the understanding of the invention. They are meant to be merely illustrative, and not limiting. Also, the foregoing embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated in conjunction with systems and methods thereof, which are meant to be merely illustrative, and not limiting.
Preferred embodiments, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention are described herein in conjunction with the following drawings:
It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.
The present invention will be understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments (“best mode”), which are meant to be descriptive and not limiting. For the sake of brevity, some well-known features, methods, systems, procedures, components, circuits, and so on, are not described in detail.
A bolt mechanism 10 according to one embodiment is fixed to a frame 12 of a sliding or a rotating door or window. Bolt mechanism 10 includes bolts 22A and 22B, each disposed at another end, for sliding, perpendicularly to the sliding or rotating direction of window frame 12. Bolt 22A may slide within a tube 50A, and bolt 22B may slide within a tube 50B.
Bolts 22A and 22B are slideable concurrently one towards the other, for latching concurrently together at the center therebetween, and for releasing together therefrom. Bolt 22A latches into a depression 24A at one end of a female member 18, and bolt 22B latches a depression 24B at an opposite end of female member 18. According to one embodiment, depressions 24A and 24B of female member 18 constitute a single elongated canal.
Female member 18 is fixed to a jamb 14, and it is located at the center between bolts 22, upon sliding or rotating window frame 12 towards jamb 14.
The concurrent sliding of each of bolts 22A and 22B may be operated by pressing any of the two bolts 22A and 22B, either by pressing a first bolt handle 20A fixed to bolt 22A at one end, or by pressing a second bolt handle 20B fixed to bolt 22B at the other end. Thus, according to one embodiment, the bolt mechanism may include only one bolt handle.
Bolt mechanism 10 includes a window handle 26 for moving window frame 12. Window handle 26 covers the components described herein, and may be disassembled, as depicted in the figure.
Bolt handle 20A, bolt 22A, and a cogged bar 36A are all fixed one to the other, and are slideable relatively to the chassis 44 of bolt mechanism 10. Bolt handle 20B, bolt 22B, and a cogged bar 36B are all fixed one to the other, and are slideable in the opposite direction, also relatively to chassis 44 of bolt mechanism 10.
A cogged wheel 38 is rotatable about the hinge 46 thereof, which is fixed to chassis 44. Cogged wheel 38 is joined both to cogged bar 36A and to cogged bar 36A, thus cogged bar 36A and cogged bar 36B, since sliding along the same axis, are forced to slide along opposite directions. Thus, bolt 22A is forced to slide in the opposite direction of bolt 22B.
Thus, the motion of the pair of sliding bolts is comfortable, in that it does not require two opposing motions, being one upwards and one downwards, since only one direction thereof is sufficient, and thus a single finger is capable of closing both bolts. Also, frictionless slideability is not operated by gravity, since the gravity of one handle tends to open the bolts and the gravity of the other handle tends to close the bolts, thus the gravity does not have any particular tendency.
According to another embodiment, bolt 22A slides an axis parallel to that of bolt 22B.
Bolt mechanism 10 further includes a latch 52, for maintaining the bolted position of bolt 22B upon being located towards the center, i.e., in the bolted state. Latch 52 includes a lever 28 having a protrusion 34 at the end thereof, and a spring (not shown) for pushing protrusion 34 onto a latching member 48, as indicated by the arrow.
Except for the rotational feature of lever 28, lever 28 is fixed to bolt 22B and cogged bar 36B. Lever 28 rides on bolt 22B, and thus slides together with bolt 22B and cogged bar 36B, relative to chassis 44. According to one embodiment, the sliding of lever 28 together with bolt 22B is sufficient for releasing protrusion 34 of lever 28 from latching member 48.
According to one embodiment, latching member 48 includes a recess 30 into which protrusion 34 of lever 28 enters, for maintaining the non-bolted position of bolt 22B.
Bolt mechanism 10 is fixed to the front surface of window frame 12, and female member 18 is fixed to the front surface of jamb 14.
Since bolt mechanism 10 is fixed to the front surface of window frame 12 and thus protrudes outwardly, window handle 26 may be designed to be massive and comfortable for gripping thereof, for sliding or rotating window frame 12.
In the figures and/or description herein, the following reference numerals (Reference Signs List) have been mentioned:
In the description herein, the following references have been mentioned:
The foregoing description and illustrations of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the above description in any form.
Any term that has been defined above and used in the claims, should to be interpreted according to this definition.
The reference numbers in the claims are not a part of the claims, but rather used for facilitating the reading thereof. These reference numbers should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any form.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| IL 225181 | Mar 2013 | IL | national |
