GB2281090A - Security device for windows - Google Patents

Abstract

A security device for windows comprises a first member defining a socket 24 in a window frame 12 and a spigot 22 projecting from the window 14 and engagable within the socket when the windows approaches and occupies its closed position. Conveniently the spigot and socket members are manufactured separately and are attachable to the frame and window during manufacture or after installation. <IMAGE>

Description

Improvements in or relating to Security Arrangements The present invention concerns improvements in or relating to security arrangements, especially but not exclusively security arrangements for use with windows.

In the present specification it is to be understood that the term "window" embraces any opening member mounted in a frame, that is, the term embraces doors, panels, etc. as well as windows.

The security of opening windows proves to be a continuing challenge as, as soon as new security members are proposed, burglars adopt more sophisticated methods for overcoming the security. There is a current realisation that within the tight contraints placed on the window manufacturing industry, window catches and locks have arrived at a degree of sophistication which will be difficult to surpass. Additionally, the sophistication is such that catches and locks no longer present the weakest link in the window to frame attachment, rather this is now found at the hinge arrangement.

With increased efficiency of sealing arrangements windows are no longer fitted to frames by pivotal traditional hinges (except in low cost installations).

The most popular means of attaching a window to its frame currently employed utilises a pair of friction stays, one at each side of the window. The friction stays do not form part of the present invention and will not be described in detail but each stay comprises an assembly of a track, pivotal links and a slider, with the track normally attached to the frame and a link to the window surround, such that, in operation, as the window pivots on the links, normally about a horizontal axis, the pivotal axis moves out of the window frame so that when the window is in any one of its open positions and is held in that position, mainly by the frictional engagement of the slider in the track, the inner face of the glass of the window is not only angled outwardly and downwardly with respect to the frame but also is tranversely spaced from the frame.

So far as security is concerned, such friction stays often provide weaknessesin that for compactness, they are manufactured from relatively lightweight materials so that by utilising a gemmy a burglar can burst the stay, either at the pivot points of the links or the screwed connections to the frame and window.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a security arrangement which enhances the fixing of a window to its frame when the window is in its closed position.

According to the present invention there is provided a security arrangement comprising a first member defining a socket in one of a window frame and a window and a second member defining a spigot projecting from the other of the frame and window and engageable within the socket when the window approaches and occupies its closed position relative to the frame.

Preferably the first member defining the socket is manufactured from a plastics material and comprises a casing defining a rectangular cross-section passage constituting said socket, the passage being closed at its base.

Preferably the casing is provided with flanges projecting therefrom, the flanges having apertures for reception of fixing means.

Preferably, the flanges are arranged at a level which is spaced from the open end of the socket.

Preferably, the wall of the casing above the flange which, in use, faces the frame opening has an increased thickness. Further preferably, the wall of the casing below the flange which, in use, is remote from the frame opening has an increased thickness.

Preferably, the second member defining the spigot has a profiled nose at its leading end whereby as the window approaches and moves towards its fully closed position the leading edge of the spigot is maintained close to the, in-use, forward edge of the socket opening.

Preferably the ssecond member defining the spigot is manufactured from a plastics material and has apertures formed therein for reception of fastening means by which it is attachable to a window surround.

Preferably the spigot has a first extension therefrom in a direction away from its nose adapted for location along the sides of a window surround.

Preferably it has a further extension arranged transverse to said first extension and adapted for attachment to the in-use upper edge of the window surround.

Preferably the spigot member is so dimensioned that its extensions are readily locatable within open topped channels formed in the plastics material profile providing the window surround.

In a modification a security arrangement comprises a first member defining two sockets, said member being adapted for attachment to a window frame and a second member comprising two spaced apart spigots adapted, as the window approaches and arrives at its closed position, to be accommodated within said spaced sockets.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a security arragement comprising a first member defining a socket and adapted for fitment to one of a frame and a closure member mounted within the frame for movement relative thereto and a second member defining a spigot and adapted for fitment to the other of the frame and closure member such that when the closure member approaches and occupies the frame the spigot enters and projects into the socket.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a cross-section through the upper surround of a window the upper member of a window frame and a security arrangement interacting between said members and surround; Fig. 2 shows a view similar to Fig. 1 with the window approaching its closed position; Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show front, side and end elevations of a spigot member of a security arrangement; and Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 show respectively views from above, below, one side and one end of a socket member of a security arrangement.

Fig. 1 shows a window 10 in its closed position relative to the surrounding frame 12. The window comprises a glazing panel (not shown) enclosed in a surround 14 which is normally a PVCU extruded profile mitred and welded at its corners. Profile shapes vary from manfacturer to manufacturer but usually they incorporate open topped channels, one of which, 16, is illustrated in Fig. 1. The surround 14 normally has an outwardly projecting flange 18 which carries resilient deformable sealing strips (not shown).

Similarly, the frame member 12 normally comprises PVCU profiles mitred and welded at their corners. As illustrated in the drawings, the profiles are normally hollow, the frame member 12 defining an internal cavity 20. To enhance the seal of the window to the frame when the window is closed it is desirable that, rather than simply pivot outwardly away from the window frame 12 about a horitzontal axis located approximately at the top of the window frame, a pair of friction stay assemblies are utilised to mount the window within the frame 12. As can be seen from Fig. 2 as the window opens the friction stays, as well as causing the frame to pivot outwardly about a horizontal axis, cause also a substantially horizontal component of movement away from the frame 12. The geometry of each friction stay is such that the horiztonal component of movement is accompanied by an initial downward component of movement which moves the upper edge of the flange 18 of the surround 14 downwardly such that it is aligned with the frame opening and thereby the flange 18 does not inhibit further pivotal movement. This compound movement of the window within the frame also enables the resiliently deformable seals to be efficiently seated when the window is closed.

As indicated in the introduction to this specification, it has been found that burglars can often gemmy windows of this nature, destroying either the windows stays or their mounting means and the present invention comprises a security arrangement comprising at the upper corners of the window, a spigot member and a socket member.

Fig. 1 shows the spigot member 22 fixed to the window surround 14 by fastening means 26 within the open topped channel 16 defined by the profiled surround. As a result, the spigot member is firmly and positively located relative to the surround and projects beyond the surround over only its front portion 28 which, in Fig. 1 is shown penetrating the socket member 24. The nose portion comprises a parallel sided section 30 terminating in a profiled nose section 32. The spigot member is provided with a transverse extension 29 which lies in the horizontal section of the open-topped channel 16 when the spigot member is positioned and incorporates a further aperture for a fastening means 26.

The socket member comprises a casing 34 defining a passage 36 which is closed at its end by a base 38. A flange 40 projects from the casing intermediate its ends but closer to its open end and is provided with apertures 42 for fastening means (not shown). The socket member is fitted in the frame 12 by cutting an aperture in the lower frame wall corresponding to the outer peripheral shape of the lower portion on the socket member which can then be fitted in the aperture and fixed to the frame by fastening means, with a portion of the casing 34 projecting towards the upper member of the frame.

Fig. 2 shows the open window 10 approaching its closed position and in the position illustrated the profiled nose 32 of the front portion end 28 of the spigot member is just penetrating the passage 36 in the socket member 24. The profiled nose 32 is so formed that during the final closure movements the forward transverse face of the spigot member wipes over or moves closely adjacent the forward edge of the passage in the socket member. The final closure movement between the positions show in Fig. 2 and Fig. 1 is effectively a vertical upwards movement and it will be realised that when the window reaches the closed position, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the spigot has penetrated fairly deeply into the socket thereby providing a bolting action securing the upper end of the window within the window frame.

As a result of the manner of fitment of the spigot member to the window, the socket member to the window frame and the construction and materials employed for these members, they provide a secure assembly thereby enhacing the security of the window against tampering Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the security arrangement could be employed in a simple hinged window where the window pivots about an axis along the forward edge of the opening defined by the frame. With such an assembly it will be realised that the spigot member should have an arcuate nose portion.

In a further modification where, for example, the profile of the window surround is such that sufficient thickness of material cannot be provided by the spigot member, the spigot member could be, for example, doubled in width as illustrated in Fig. 1 and provided with twin spigots arranged to project into twin sockets fixed in the frame. Numerous external shapes and dimensions of spigot and socket members may be provided such that they neatly and securely interfit within the full range of profiles providing window surrounds and frames offered by the surround and frame manufacturers.

It is to be noted that the nose 32 of the spigot member is profiled to both sides. This means that a single design of profile member can be used for both sides of the window frame. A similar comment applies to the socket member.

In another modification the spigot member could be fixed to the frame and the socket member to the window surround.

It is possible that the spigot member, rather than being fixed to the surround could be fixed to part of the friction stay, the spigot still being arranged to penetrate a socket formed in the window frame.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims (15)

1. A security arrangement comprising a first member defining a socket in one of a window frame and a window and a second member defining a spigot projecting from the other of the frame and window and engageable within the socket when the window approaches and occupies its closed position relative to the frame A.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, in which the first member defining the socket is manufactured from a plastics material and comprises a casing defining a rectangular cross-section passage constituting said socket, the passage being closed at its base.

3. An arrangement as claimed in claim 2, in which the casing is provided with flanges projecting therefrom, the flanges having apertures for reception of fixing means.

4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 3, in which the flanges are arranged at a level which is spaced from the open end of the socket.

5. An arrangement as claimed in claim 3 or 4, in which the wall of the casing above the flange which, in use, faces the frame opening has an increased thickness.

6. An arrangement as claimed in any of claims 3 to 5, in which the wall of the casing below the flange which, in use, is remote from the frame opening has an increased thickness.

7. An arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the second member defining the spigot has a profiled nose at its leading end whereby as the window approaches and moves towards its fully closed position the leading edge of the spigot is maintained close to the, in-use, forward edge of the socket opening.

8. An arrangement as claimed in claim 7, in which the second member defining the spigot in manufactured from a plastics material and has apertures formed therein for reception of fastening means by which it is attachable to a window surround.

9. An arrangement as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, in which the spigot has a first extension therefrom in a direction away from its nose adapted for location along the sides of a window surround.

10. An arrangement as claimed in claim 9, in which the spigot has a further extension arranged transverse to said first extension and adapted for attachment to the in-use upper edge of the window surround.

11. An arrangement as claimed in claim 9 or 10, in which the spigot member is so dimensioned that its extensions are readily locatable within open topped channels formed in the plastics material profile providing the window surround.

12. A security arrangement comprising a first member defining two sockets, said member being adapted for attachment to a window frame and a second member comprising two spaced apart spigots adapted, as the window approaches and arrives at its closed position, to be accommodated within said spaced sockets.

13. A security arrangement comprising a first member defining a socket and adapted for fitment to one of a frame and a closure member mounted within the frame for movement relative thereto and a second member defining a spigot and adapted for fitment to the other of the frame and closure member such that when the closure member approaches and occupies the frame the spigot enters and projects into the socket.

14. A security arrangement substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

15. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter herein disclosed, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.