AU772236B2 - Awning hinge - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIF ICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant(s):\'M \rq:1 BEORAL3 WINDOW SYSTEMS LIMITED Invention Title: AWNING HINGE A. A

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A A a The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:

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2 AWNING HINGE FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an awning hinge and relates particularly but not exclusively to an awning hinge suitable for supporting awning windows or doors.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART Hitherto awning hinges for supporting awning windows have been known. Typically, these awning hinges are manufactured from sheet metal and are screw fastened to a window frame and to the window so that the window can swing about a generally horizontally extending hinging axis. Typically, one hinge is mounted on one side of the S 15 window and another hinge is mounted on the opposite side of the window. Hinges of the above type have been generally satisfactory for windows of small dimensions, ie less than about 0.5 metres by 0.5 meters square as in such cases, the weight of the window has not been sufficiently great as to cause major design problems for the aforementioned hinges.

In recent times, these hinges have been selected for use on windows which have a greater physical area and therefore a greater weight. Further, with the advent of double glazed windows the weight increases further. The known hinges have failed when supporting these larger weight windows.

The failure usually occurs at the pivot pin area and is attributable primarily to the fact that the pivot pin is cantilevered from one wing of the hinge, and swingably supports the other wing relative thereto. The weight of the window is therefore supported in a cantilevered fashion from one of the wings via the pivot pin.

OBJECT AND STATEMENT OF INVENTION We have attempted to produce an improved awning hinge which is able to support a greater weight of window Gale/keep/speci/BORAL.PQ0846 3 than in the prior art given the relative same sizes of the hinges and the pivot pins. Hinges of this type are suitable for both windows and or doors.

Therefore, in accordance with the first broad aspect of the present invention there may be provided an awning hinge for hingedly supporting awning windows or doors about a generally horizontally extending hinging axis characterised in that a pivot pin for said hinge is carried by opposed arms forming part of one wing of the hinge, and wherein a part of another wing of the hinge passes between the opposed arms and operatively engages with the pivot pin so that, in use, the weight of the window or door carried by the pivot pin will be distributed to each of the opposed arms.

In that way, the problems caused by the cantilevered support of the pivot pin of the prior art are avoided.

Preferably said opposed arms are formed from sheet metal.

Preferably mounting holes for mounting said hinge extend through both of said opposed arms.

:0 Preferably at least one of said arms is deformed .0 inwardly at one or more of the holes to space the arms in 2 opposed relationship at a sufficient distance to permit the g 25 part of said another wing to swing therebetween.

Preferably said another wing has a generally 1U' shaped transverse cross section so that when the wings are swung closed together a further part of said another wing lies overlapped in side-by-side relationship with said one wing but external of the opposed arms, there being mounting holes for mounting said hinge extending through said part of said another wing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS .o i 35 In order that the invention can be more clearly ascertained an example of a preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: H:\joannem\keep\37818-00 Boral.doc 23/02/04 4 Figure 1 is a view of a prior art awning hinge, showing in Figure la a perspective view of the hinge in partly open condition, and in Figure Ib an exploded end view, Figure 2 is a side view of the example showing wings in a partly open condition and for a right hand side hinge of an awning window, Figure 3 is a top view of the hinge shown in Figure 2, Figure 4 is an underneath view of the hinge shown in Figure 2, Figure 5 is a left hand end view of the hinge shown in Figure 2 and, Figure 6 is a right hand end view of the hinge S 15 shown in Figure 2.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring firstly to Figure 1 and in particular to Figures la and Ib there is shown a prior art awning hinge. Such hinge has a first wing 1 and a second wing 3.

These wings are typically manufactured from sheet metal such as steel and are used for fixing to the top of a window at the side edges and to the corresponding part of the window frame. One of the wings carries a pivot pin which is usually passed through an opening in the wing and swaged thereto so it is firmly held to the wing 1. Figure lIb shows that the other wing 3 has an aperture 7 therein through which the pivot pin 5 can pass. The pivot pin 5 is then formed to retain the wings 1 and 3 together so that they swing about a generally horizontal pivot axis 9.

Openings 11 are provided in each of the wings 1 and 3 to permit fastening to the window and the window frame.

Figure lb shows the cantilevered arrangement of the pivot pin 5 relative to the wing i. Thus, the weight of the window carried by the hinge is structurally supported by virtue of the cantilevered mounting of the pivot pin 5 relative to the wing 1.

Gale/keep/speci/BORAL.PQ0846 5 In another known awning hinge (not shown), the pivot pin 5 is arranged to hook into a slot formed in the wing 3 as distinct from passing through the aperture 7.

The slot permits release of the window from the window frame by lifting the window upwardly so that the pivot pin traverses through the slot and releases the window from the window frame. The cantilevered arrangement of the pivot pin 5 in this example is the same as the example shown in Figure i.

Hinges of the above type have been useful in relation to relatively small windows such as windows not exceeding about 0.5 meter x 0.5 meter because the weight of the glass and the weight of the frame which supports the *o **glass has not been considerable. However, when the window 15 is increased in size then hinges of the above type have been found to fail because of the unsatisfactory supporting of the pivot pin 5 in the cantilevered manner relative to the wings. There has been a problem with the design of improved awning hinges for windows when the mass of the window and its associated frame exceeds certain levels.

This is particularly so in recent times with the advent of energy conscious buildings. In such buildings, it is common to provide double glazed windows. Thus, the weight S°of the window itself increases and the known prior art hinges have been totally unsatisfactory. The design of i awning hinges has been complicated by the fact that there is very limited space in which to mount the hinges at the side edge faces of the window and the corresponding side faces of the outer frame in which the window is hingedly supported.

Figures 2 through 6 show an example of a preferred embodiment of our invention which has improved weight supporting characteristics. Here, the hinges are manufactured from sheet metal such as steel and comprises a wing 15 and another wing 17. Wing 15 is provided with a pair of opposed arms 19 and 21 which form part of the one wing 15. A pivot pin 23 is carried by the opposed arms 19 Gale/keep/speci/BORAL. PQ0846 6 and 21. The other wing 17 has a part which passes between the opposed arms 19 and 21. That part of the other wing 17 operatively engages with the pivot pin 23 through a hole in wing 17 so that in use, the weight of the window or door which is carried by the pivot pin 23 will be distributed to each of the opposed arms 19 and 21. In this way good structural support can be provided to the pivot pin 23 as distinct from the cantilevered support provided by the prior art.

The Figures clearly show that mounting holes extend through both of the opposed arms 19 and 21. In the particular embodiment shown, wing 15 is manufactured from two sheets of metal such that there are two opposed arms over the whole length and width of the wing 15. The Figures also show that the arms 19 and 21 are deformed inwardly at one or more of the holes 25 to space the arms 19 and 21 in an opposed relationship at sufficient distance to permit the part of the other wing 17 to swing therebetween. This is clearly shown in Figures 5 and 6 and 20 to a lesser degree to Figure 4. Typically each of the arms 19 and 21 is deformed inwardly at all the holes as shown, and the depth of deformation is half the distance between the required spacing of the arms 19 and 21. Thus, each of the arms 19 and 21 is a mirror image of the other. A rivet 27 shown only in Figure 2 passes through both of the arms 19 and 21 and holds the arms 19 and 21 in assembled relationship relative to one another. Typically, the pivot pin 23 and the rivet 27 are swaged relative to the arms 19 and 21 thereby holding the arms 19 and 21 in aligned and assembled relationship relative to one another.

The wing 17 is held centrally between the two arms 19 and 21 by virtue of two plastics material collars 26 which fit over the pivot pin 23 between the arms 19 and 21. Preferably, the collars are of acetal plastics which provides a good rattle free arrangement and low friction for the swinging of the wings.

The Figures also show that the wing 17 has a Galelkeep/speci /BORAL. PQ0846 7 generally shaped transverse cross section (see Figures and 6) so that when the wings 15 and 17 are swung together to close the hinge, a further part 29 of wing 17 lies overlapped in side-by-side relationship with wing but external of the opposed arms 19 and 21. Wing 17 has mounting holes 31 which extend through that other part 29.

Figure 2 shows that the left hand mounting hole 31 lies behind the part of wing 17 which passes between the arms 19 and 21. Accordingly, in order to enable a fastening screw to be passed therethrough and fixed, a larger diameter hole 33 is provided in that part.

It can be seen that the plane of the part of the wing 17 which passes between the arms 19 and 21 lies o *ogenerally centrally of the arms 19 and 21 and in alignment 15 with the bottoms of the depressions around each of the holes 25. This provides central alignment of the points of fixing to counter any forces which would otherwise be tending to apply a twisting force moment to the pivot pin 23.

It can therefore be seen that the example provides an awning hinge where the pivot pin carries the weight of the window or door which is supported thereby so *"*that it is distributed to each of the opposed arms 19 and 21.

The example of hinge described is for a right hand side of an awning window. The left hand side hinge is '"°merely a mirror image.

Modifications may be made to the invention as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art of producing hinges. Further, modifications which would be apparent to those in the art of producing metal stampings from sheet metal for production of components may also be employed.

As an example of a modification, the hole in wing 17 through which pivot pin 23 passes, may be a slot which extends from an edge of wing 17. In this way wings 17 and 19 may be detached from one another, as in the prior art, GaIe/keep/speci/BORAL. PQ0846 8 by physically moving a window carried by the hinge so that the pivot pin 23 traverses the slot and passes therefrom.

These and other modifications may be made without departing from the ambit of the invention the nature of which is to be determined from the aforegoing description.

Gale/keep/speci/BORAL.PQ0846

Claims (6)

1. An awning hinge for hingedly supporting awning windows or doors about a generally horizontally extending hinging axis characterised in that a pivot pin for said hinge is carried by opposed arms forming part of one wing of the hinge, and wherein a part of another wing of the hinge passes between the opposed arms and operatively engages with the pivot pin so that, in use, the weight of the window or door carried by the pivot pin will be distributed to each of the opposed arms.

2. A hinge as claimed in claim 1 wherein said opposed arms are formed from sheet metal.

3. A hinge as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein mounting holes for mounting said hinge extend through both of said opposed arms.

4. A hinge as claimed in claim 3 wherein at least one of said arms is deformed inwardly at one or more of the holes to space the arms in opposed relationship at a sufficient distance to permit the part of said another wing to swing therebetween.

A hinge as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said another wing has a generally shaped transverse cross section so that when the wings are swung closed together a further part of said another wing lies overlapped in side-by- 25 side relationship with said one wing but external of the o opposed arms, there being mounting holes for mounting said hinge extending through said part of said another wing.

6. An awning hinge substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 2 and 6 of the accompanying drawings. Dated this 23rd day of February 2004 BcffORAL WINDOW OYSTEMS LIMITED CCrce 9p~e\d By their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK 3 W 35 Fellows Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia H:\joannem\keep\37818-00 Boral.doc 23/02/04