GB2511165A

GB2511165A - Multi-sash closure system

Info

Publication number: GB2511165A
Application number: GB201321446A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Leonard Johnson
Original assignee: Grouphomesafe Ltd
Current assignee: Era Home Security Ltd
Priority date: 2012-12-06
Filing date: 2013-12-05
Publication date: 2014-08-27
Anticipated expiration: 2033-12-05
Also published as: GB201321446D0; GB2511165B; CN103850589A; CN103850589B

Abstract

A multi-sash closure system, such as a bi-folding door includes adjacent sashes 10a, 10b that are joined by one or more hinges 30. Male and female dog bolts 40a, 40b are provided along opposing side edges of adjacent sash frames. The bolts are adapted to permit pivoting of adjacent sashes during normal opening and closing of the system and to engage with each other when the system is closed and an attack load is applied to one or more of the sashes. The male and female dog bolts may be integral with the hinges (Figs 1, 2) or installed as inserts along recesses in the sash frame side edges (Figs 3, 4). The male component may comprise a wall that fits into a channel formation of the female component. In other aspects, a hinge and a kit for use in a multi-sash closure system are also provided.

Description

MULTI-SASH CLOSURE SYSTEM

The invention relates to a multi-sash closure system and more especially to a system of the type involving folding / sliding doors, such as bi-folding doors and the like, and to a hinge for use with such a system.

So called bi-fold doors, sometimes referred to as bi-parting doors, typically comprise two or more sashes or panels connected together so that the sashes can fold in or out to be fully opened, partially opened or totally closed. Such bi-fold doors operate using a simple tracking mechanism running along the top and bottom side edges of the doors, and adjacent sashes may by secured to each other by means of one, usually two or more hinges. In recent years, such bi-fold doors have increased in popularity, especially in domestic homes where the doors can be opened to provide uninterrupted access from the interior of the home to a garden space.

In a conventional multi-sash closure system, each sash comprises an aluminium, uPVC coated-aluminium or wooden sash frame surrounding a glazed panel, such as a single, double or triple glazed panel.

Currently sash to sash security on folding I sliding multi sash doors is primarily achieved by the joint strength within the hinges that join adjacent sashes and by the roller unit retention within the top and bottom roller tracks. In circumstances where extreme force is used, such as may be applied when forced entry is attempted, the hinges and roller units may not offer adequate resistance leaving the property vulnerable to break-in.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve sash to sash security.

From a first aspect, the present invention resides in a multi-sash closure system in which adjacent sashes are joined by one or more hinges, wherein opposing side edges of adjacent sash frames are provided respectively with male and female dog bolts adapted to permit pivoting of adjacent sashes during normal opening and closing of the system and to engage with each other when the system is closed and an attack load is applied to one or more of the sashes.

By means of the invention, additional support to the hinge unit or units is provided when either or both door sashes is subjected to a mechanical load. In particular, by means of the integrated dog bolt along the side edges, the applied attack load is transferred and distributed sequentially to all door sashes and from the outer sashes to door frame joints. In this way, the load exerted on the hinge or hinges under an attack load is reduced.

While the male and female components are collectively referred to as male and female dog bolts, these elements may alternatively be referred to as the dog bolt and keep respectively.

Advantageously, the male and female dog bolts are positioned along the sash frame side edges coincident with the position of the or each hinge, thereby reinforcing the hinge strength.

Preferably, the female component of the dog bolt projects out from the side edge of the sash frame on which it is mounted, rather than being in the form of a recess in the sash frame.

Such an arrangement enables the male component to be more compact than would otherwise be the case in order to be caught within the female component. In this way, the depth of both the male and female components can be minimised, helping to maintain a neat profile when the doors are in an open configuration and the side edges therefore exposed, and also reducing the possibility of injury that might otherwise occur if the male component were of a depth required to project into a recess within the sash frame itself.

The female component of the dog bolt preferably comprises a pair of spaced apart parallel walls that project out from the side edge of its respective sash, and between which the male component resides when the respective sashes are closed (and hence in the same plane).

More preferably, the female component comprises a channel formation, so that the outer end of the male component rests against or lies close to the base of the channel when the sashes are closed. Each wall of the female component preferably terminates in an inwardly directed flange, enabling the extremities to have a smooth, rounded external surface to avoid injury in case of accidental contact.

The male dog bolt preferably comprises a single wall that projects out from the sash edge of its sash. The wall may be substantially T-shaped in cross-section, such as provided by outwardly directed flanges on the outer end thereof. More preferably, the outwardly directed flanges have tapered or rounded ends providing a "softer" profile for guarding against personal injury. Moreover, depending on the direction from which the attack load is applied, the male bolt will be moved into engagement with one of the pair of walls of the female bolt and, when present, one of the inwardly directed flanges on the female bolt may interlock with one of the outwardly directed flanges on the male bolt, substantially hindering relative movement between the adjacent sashes both in and out of the plane of the sashes.

As described hereinbefore, the male and female dog bolts may be installed to extend along the sash side edges adjacent to the hinges, so that any load applied in the region of the hinges is immediately reduced, effectively reinforcing the hinge joints. In one such preferred arrangement, the male and female dog bolts may be formed integrally with the hinge. For example, the hinge may coriiprise a frame section adjoining each of the two leaves that extend outward from the knuckle, each frame section adapted to fit into a recess along the side edge of the sash frame, and one frame section being formed with a male dog bolt and the other frame section formed with a female dog bolt.

The frame sections of the hinge may be substantially of hollow cross-section. For example, each frame section may comprise a U-shaped outer wall section for insertion into and abutment with the sides of a recess along the side edge of the respective sash frame, and an inner wall section extending between the opposing outer walls with the male and female dog bolts projecting from respective inner walls.

The hinge may be secured to each of the adjacent sash frames through the frame section, for example, through the base of the respective U-shaped outer wall section, by means of screws or the like. In this way, the attachment means, such as the screws, are wholly inaccessible when the system is in a closed configuration, further improving the security of the system.

The inner walls may include a ridged portion along their length (i.e. parallel and substantially central with respect to the sash side edge) from which the male and female formations project. In such an arrangement, a gap exists between adjoining sash side edges on either side of the dog bolt so that the presence of the bolt is not readily apparent when the sashes are closed.

As will be appreciated, when the sashes are closed, the dog bolt is obscured totally by the hinge knuckle or barrel on one side of the system and on the other side the existence of the gap makes it awkward to achieve leverage of any tool inserted into the gap. Application of force to the sash itself or through the gap such as by insertion of a tool between adjacent sashes, serves merely to force the dog bolt into closer engagement. Hence the hinge makes it more difficult for a potential intruder to interfere with the security of the system.

Thus, from a further aspect, the invention resides in a hinge for connecting adjacent sashes in a multi-sash closure system, wherein the hinge comprises an integral dog bolt.

Advantageously, the hinge is of a type that enables each door sashes to be opened/rotated independently of the other, such as of the type commonly referred to as a butt hinge.

Preferably the hinge comprises a knuckle and first and second leaves for fitting to adjacent sashes, wherein each leaf terminates in a frame section for fitting along the side edge of its respective sash frame, such as in a recess thereof, and wherein one frame section carries a male dog bolt and the other frame section carries a female dog bolt so that the male and female parts engage when the hinge is moved from an open to a closed position.

The frame sections of the hinge may have the features described hereinbefore with reference to the first aspect of the invention.

In another arrangement, the male and female dog bolts may be provided on complementary reinforcing inserts fitted to the sash frame. Such reinforcing inserts may comprise complementary extrusions, one such insert being extruded with the male formation (the bolt) and the other insert being extruded with a female formation (the keep). Such inserts may be cut to the length desired, according to whether they are to extend for substantially the full height of the sash or in the hinge regions only, or any length in between.

The inserts carrying the male and female dog bolts may, for example, extend along substantially the entire length of the side edges from the top of the sash to the bottom.

Typically, the hinges are secured towards the upper and lower ends of the door sashes, and the dog bolts may therefore provide reinforcement not only in the hinge regions but also in the gap between the upper and lower hinges, as well above and below the hinge regions.

The outer or distal end of the male bolt may abut an opposing internal base wall of the female bolt when the adjacent sashes are in a closed configuration, that is, when the adjacent sashes are aligned in the same plane. In this way, when the bolt extends substantially along the full length (height) of the sash frame, the bolt additionally provides weatherproofing between the sashes.

The reinforcing insert carrying the male formation is preferably convex along its length in the region of the male dog bolt. Further, the male dog bolt may also be outwardly tapered where it extends from the convex region. In this way, the male dog bolt is effectively strengthened where it projects from the insert, making it increasingly difficult to shear off the male section under an attack load. The opposing insert may be similarly convex within the opposing walls of the female section, assuring contact with the outer end of the male bolt when the sashes are closed and thereby helping exclude draughts between the adjacent sashes.

From another aspect therefore, the invention also resides in a kit comprising complementary inserts for installation in recesses along opposing side edges of adjacent sash frames in a multi-sash closure system, wherein one said insert includes a male dog bolt and the other said insert includes a female dog bolt and said male and female dog bolts are elongate to extend in use substantially along the full length of the hinge joining said frames.

Whether the system embraces the dog bolt integral with the hinge or by way of separate inserts, in order to ensure normal opening and closing of the system, the female formation is wide enough not to obstruct the male formation when adjacent sashes are pivoted with respect to each other during opening and closing of the sashes, but is sufficiently narrow that the male and female formations engage when the sash or sashes are subject to an attack load with the sashes in a closed configuration.

The invention will now be illustrated in the following drawings by way of example only in which: Figure 1 is a cross-section through a sash closure system according to a first aspect of the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view in partial cross-section of the system of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-section through a sash closure system according to a second aspect of the invention; and Figure 4 is a perspective view in partial cross-section of the system of Figure 3.

Referring first to Figure 1, adjacent sash frames iDa, lOb of a sash closure system are joined by hinge 30 which has left and right leaves 32a, 32b abutting the corner edges of the respective sash frames ba, lob. Each leaf 32a, 32b is formed with respective frame sections 34a, 34b which fit into corresponding recesses 12a, 12b along the side edges ha, 11 b of the sash frames 1 Oa, lOb.

S

The frame sections 34a, 34b are comprised of U-shaped outer walls 35a, 35b through which screws are passed to secure the hinge 30 to each sash frame ba, lob. Profiled inner walls 36a, 36b bridge the outer walls 35a, 35b and carry respectively male and female dog bolt formations 40a, 40b.

Male dog bolt 40a takes the form of a wall 41 having outwardly directed flanges 42, 42' along its distal edge. Female dog bolt 40b takes the form of a pair of opposing walls 44, 44 having inwardly directed flanges 45, 45' along their distal edges.

If force is applied either to the hinge-side face of the system or the opposite face, the male and female dog bolts 40a, 40b move across to engage with each other and thereby provide additional support to the hinge joint.

An alternative dog bolt arrangement is shown in Figure 3 and 4 in which male and female dog bolt components 400a, 40Db are formed integrally on sash frame inserts 460a, 460b which fit into corresponding recesses 212a, 212b along the side edges 211a, 211b of the sash frames ba, lob. The inserts 460a, 460b have a length corresponding to the length of the hinge 300 which joins the sash frames 210a, 21Db, providing support along the length of the hinge 300. The male and female dog bolts 400a, 400b are similar to those shown in Figures 1 and 2 both being formed of projecting wall sections; male component taking the form of wall 410 terminating in outwardly directed flanges 420, 420' and the female component taking the form of parallel walls 440, 440' each terminating in inwardly directed flanges 450, 450'.

Various adaptations and modifications may be made and it is to be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to the specific ways described herein and the scope of the invention is determined by the claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A multi-sash closure system in which adjacent sashes are joined by one or more hinges, wherein opposing side edges of adjacent sash frames are provided respectively with male and female dog bolts adapted to permit pivoting of adjacent sashes during normal opening and closing of the system and to engage with each other when the system is closed and an attack load is applied to one or more of the sashes.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the male and female dog bolts are positioned on the sash frame side edge coincident with the position each hinge.
3. The system of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the male and female dog bolts are elongate and extend substantially along the full length of the hinge.
4. The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the male and female dog bolts project out from the side edge of the sash frame on which it is mounted.
5. The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the male component of the dog bolt comprises a wall and the female component of the dog bolt comprises a pair of spaced apart parallel walls between which the male component resides when the respective sashes are closed.
6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the wall of the male component terminates in opposing outwardly directed flanges and each of the walls of the female component terminates in an inwardly directed flange.
7. The system according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the female component comprises a channel formation, such that the outer end of the male component rests against or lies close to the base of the channel when the sashes are closed.
8. The system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the male and female dog bolts are formed integrally with the hinge.
9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the hinge comprises a frame section adjoining each of the two hinge leaves that extend outward from the hinge knuckle, each frame section adapted to fit into a recess along the side edge of the sash frame, and one frame section being formed with a male dog bolt and the other frame section formed with a female dog bolt.
10. The system according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the hinge is securable to each of the adjacent sash frames through the frame section.
11. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the male and female dog bolts are provided on complementary reinforcing inserts for fitting into a recess along respective side edges of the sash frame.
12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the inserts comprise extrusions.
13. The system as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein the inserts extend along substantially the full height of the sash side edge.
14. A hinge for use in a multi-sash closure system to connect adjacent sashes, wherein the hinge comprises an integral dog bolt.
15. The hinge of claim 14 comprising a knuckle and first and second leaves for fitting to adjacent sashes, wherein each leaf terminates in a frame section for fitting along the side edge of its respective sash frame, such as in a recess thereof, and wherein one frame section carries a male dog bolt and the other frame section carries a female dog bolt so that the male and female parts engage when the hinge is moved from an open to a closed position.
16. The hinge of claim 15, wherein the male component of the dog bolt comprises a wall and the female component of the dog bolt comprises a pair of spaced apart parallel walls between which the male component resides when the respective sashes are closed.
17. A kit for use in a multi-sash closure system of the type including sash frames with recessed side edges, wherein the kit comprises complementary inserts for installation in opposing side edge recesses of adjacent sash frames, one said insert including a male dog bolt and another said insert including a female dog bolt, and wherein said male and female dog bolts are elongate to extend in use substantially along the full length of a hinge joining said frames.
18. A multi-sash closure system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, or Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
19. A hinge for use in a multi-sash closure system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
20. Complementary male and female dog bolt inserts for use in a multi-sash closure system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.