Technical Field

A holding device for attaching reversible hinges to window sashes, doors or trap doors is disclosed. The invention consists of a device in two parts, whereof the first part is a pressed or die-cast metal bracket, and the second part is a specially designed locking hoop, preferably steel-made. The metal bracket is attached to the sash, door or trap, and a cylindrical tower is closely engaged about a pivot on the reversible hinge. When the locking hoop is placed inside the metal bracket, the device fastens the reversible binge to the sash. The sash may then be rotated about the pivot, and the hinged window can be opened or closed.

The reversible hinge is commonly used in windows, and is located between the window sash and the window frame. Ordinarily the hinge consists of an upper hinge arm and a lower hinge arm pivoted between a hinge part on the frame and a carrying arm attached to the sash. Also, in most cases, the movement of the hinge is guided by a U-shaped profile fitted to the frame jamb. The reversible hinge window can be opened completely, and is then accessible for cleaning and maintenance on the outside pane of the glass. When windows, doors or trap doors are fastened in this way, a holding device attached to the reversible hinge and the sash is mandatory. The holding device must be adapted for coupling between the hinge and the sash, the hinge and the sash must be movable relatively to each other, and yet they should not be detachable from each other without the use of a suitable tool.

Background Art

The formerly known holding devices all solve this primary task. Thus a pivot pin with a ring- shaped track for attaching the window sash forms part of the reversible hinge disclosed in the Norwegian patent specification NO B 154763. In greater detail the publication NO C 139528 describes a bearing bracket attached between a sash and the pivot of the carrying arm, wherein the pivot is placed in a frictional bearing with adjustable friction. Similar holding arrangements for reversible hinges fitted to a sash construction are known from the Norwegian publications NO B 139700, NO B 161748 and NO C 179804. There is, however,

still room for significant improvement in the background art, as the aforesaid solutions have weaknesses which become particularly manifest in large-scale production. Among the known solutions, some devices are manually locked during the assembly of the components of the holding device, thus resulting in a cumbersome assembly line and an unnecessary waste of resources. Other solutions are available for eliminating this problem, but in these cases the holding device proves difficult or impossible to unlock when errors occur during the assembly. As assembly errors in mass production are not uncommon, neither type of the solution can be considered fully adequate. A holding device consistent with the effective assembly of the reversible hinge, yet easily disengaged, is claimed in our former Norwegian patent application no. 20033736.

The patent application no. 20033736 describes an arrangement in which the reversible hinge is fastened to the sash with a screw, whereby an upper metal bracket is attached to the sash. Simultaneously, the screw keeps a hidden sliding plate in place. When the screw has been removed, the reversible hinge is detachable from the sash. In conformity with other known methods for effective assembly, the reversible hinge and the sash are locked together by striking the carrying arm of the reversible hinge with a suitable hammer. During this process, there is, however, a risk that the hidden sliding plate of the holding device may undergo a plastic deformation or a breakage. As the sliding plate is hidden by the upper metal bracket when the assembly has been completed, serious assembly errors may go unnoticed. The holding device disclosed in the present publication solves this problem, while also being compatible with an effective assembly procedure.

Disclosure of Invention The present holding device is attached to the sash by means of two screws, and may then be coupled to the reversible hinge when a pivot on the carrying arm of the reversible hinge is led into a cylindrical tower on the metal bracket part of the holding device. The reversible hinge is then fastened to the sash by placing a specially designed locking hoop in two tracks on the hidden side of the metal bracket part. The reversible hinge is thereby securely coupled to the sash, but may be detached from the holding device by pushing the locking hoop, attainable through a rectangle-shaped recess of the upper metal bracket, with a suitable tool.

Brief Description of Drawings

A detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the invention is given in the next part. Reference is made to the following drawings, whereof

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the upper bracket part of the holding device, Figure 2 is an isometric view of the upper bracket part, rotated 180 degrees around the axis A- A in figure 1,

Figure 3 is an isometric view of the locking hoop,

Figure 4 is an isometric view of the complete holding device, combining figure 2 and 3, Figure 5 is a transparent top plan view of the upper bracket part, mounted in a sash and attached to the carrying arm of a reversible hinge,

Figure 6 is a transparent front view of the complete holding device,

Figure 7 is an isometric view of the complete holding device, mounted in a sash and attached to the carrying arm of a reversible hinge, shown in part.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

As shown in figure 1, the upper bracket 1 of the holding device is provided with openings 2, 3 whereby the holding device can be screwed on the frame, and an opening 4 wherein a reversible hinge can be rotationally located. A rectangular-shaped recess 5 on one side of the upper bracket 1 permits the detachment of the holding device from the reversible hinge, as described below. A cylindrical housing 6 on the underside of the upper bracket 1 is dimensioned such that it may enclose a pivot on the carrying arm of the reversible binge. As shown in figure 2, the upper bracket 1 on the underside has two tracks so as to allow the introduction of a specially designed locking hoop 14 shown in figure 3. The straight track 8 extends through two openings 7 of the cylindrical housing 6, as shown hi figure 1, and the curved track 12 is composed of a straight segment 9, parallel to the straight track 8, and a curved segment 10 that ends in an inward bend 11.

The specially designed locking hoop 14 in figure 3 is composed of two straight segments 15, 17 and a connecting curve 16, which may have an elevation 19 perpendicular to the plane of the locking hoop 14. The straight segment 17 ends in a hook 18. As shown in figure 4, the locking hoop 14 can be inserted in the upper bracket 1. The straight segment 15 is pushed into the straight track 8 through the two openings 7 of the upper bracket 1, until further movement

of the locking hoop 14 is impeded, either when the straight segment 15 collides with a wall 20 on the upper bracket I ₅ or when the connecting curve 16 is resisted by the short end 13 of the upper bracket 1.

In figure 5 the upper bracket 1 is mounted in a sash 23 by means of screws 21, 22 in the openings 2, 3, and a pivot 25 on the outer carrying arm 24 of the reversible hinge is located in me cylindrical housing 6 of the upper bracket 1. The locking hoop 14 can be inserted from the left in figure 5 by pushing against the elevation 19, shown in figure 3, with a finger or a suitable tool. The hook 18 slides along the curved track 12, passes the curved segment 10, and snaps into the inward bend 11. Reverse movement of the locking hoop 14 is impeded by the curved segment 10. This is the locking position shown in figure 6. A ring-shaped track 26 on the pivot 25 captures the straight segment 15 of the locking hoop 14. The locked holding device, without the sash 23, is shown in figure 7. It can be observed that the straight segment 17 is attainable from above through the recess 5 of the upper bracket 1. The hook 18 can be removed from the inward bend 11 when a screw driver or other suitable tool is placed in the recess 5, and the locking hoop 14 is pulled at the connecting curve 16. The reversible hinge may then be detached from the holding device without loosening the screws 21, 22. Because the locking hoop 14 is inserted after the placement of the pivot 25 of the outer carrying arm 24, there is no risk of damage to the holding device during assembly.

In addition, the upper bracket 1 of the holding device can be supplied with an extension 27, as shown in figure 7. The extension 27 hinders the movement of any sharp object along the connecting curve 16 and the straight segment 15 on the inner side of the locking hoop 14, and thereby prevents the detachment by accident of the holding device. The upper bracket 1 can be supplied with a funnel-shaped entrance 28, as shown in figure 6, to the straight track 8, thus facilitating the insertion of the locking hoop 14. Finally, the elevation 19, as shown in figure 3, enlarges the area in contact with a finger or a tool during insertion of the locking hoop 14.