Harris, Patrick William (PO Box 5871, Maroochydore, QLD 4558, AU)
| 1. | Panel closing apparatus for closing a panel across an opening in a structure including: two elongate members connected together at one end for pivotal movement with respect to one another, about a first axis; attachment means at the other end of each member for attachment of one of the members to the panel and the other member to the structure for pivoting movement about respective second and third axes parallel to the first axis; limiting means for limiting the pivotal movement of the members relative to each other about the first axis whereby the members may be pivoted between a folded attitude, wherein the members are disposed alongside one another, and a straight attitude, wherein the angle subtended by the first and second axis and the first and third axis is between 178. 5° and 179°, and biassing means acting on the two members for biassing the members to the straight attitude. |
| 2. | Panel closing apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the biassing means is in the form of a spiral spring having an inner end and an outer end, the inner end being fixedly connected to one member at the pivotal connection and the outer end being fixedly connected to the other member adjacent its proximal end, the spring being biassed to straighten the members at the pivotal connection to the straight attitude. |
| 3. | Panel closing apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the pivotal connection is formed from complementary fitting parts which form a connection housing to enclose the spiral spring and also provide for the attachment of the inner and outer ends of the spiral spring respectively to the complementary fitting parts. |
| 4. | Panel closing apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the limiting means is formed from complementary abutments on each of the complementary fitting parts of the connection housing. |
| 5. | Panel closing apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each member includes an elongate tubular section which fits into a socket forming part of the connection housing and the attachment means respectively. |
| 6. | Panel closing apparatus according to any one of the Claims 1 to 4, wherein each member includes an elongate tubular section which fits over a spigot forming part of the connection housing and the attachment means respectively. |
The invention has particular application to panel closer apparatus for closing sliding panels, more particularly doors.
It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this field of use. Such panels include doors, windows, grills, screens and such like.
BACKGROUND ART Many types of panel or door closer are known, some of which are limited in use to hinged doors. However sometimes, such closers are not effective in closing the door or panel completely, whether the door or panel slides or is hinged,. particularly where the door or panel includes a spring loaded bolt which engages a strike plate or a mechanically equivalent latching arrangement in the case of sliding doors.
The present invention aims to provide a panel closer apparatus which alleviates one or more disadvantages of, or to provide an alternative to, panel closers of the prior art.
Other aims and advantages of the present invention may become apparent from the following description.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION With the foregoing in view, this invention resides broadly in panel closing apparatus for closing a panel across an opening in a structure including: two elongate members connected together at one end for pivotal movement with respect to one another, about a first axis;
attachment means at the other end of each member for attachment of one of the members to the panel and the other member to the structure for pivoting movement about respective second and third axes parallel to the first axis; limiting means for limiting the pivotal movement of the members relative to each other about the first axis whereby the members may be pivoted between a folded attitude, wherein the members are disposed alongside one another, and a straight attitude, wherein the angle subtended by the first and second axis and the first and third axis is between 178. 5° and 179°, and biassing means acting on the two members for biassing the members to the straight attitude.
Preferably, the biassing means is in the form of a spiral spring having an inner end and an outer end, the inner end being fixedly connected to one member at the pivotal connection and the outer end being fixedly connected to the other member adjacent its proximal end, the spring being biassed to straighten the members at the pivotal connection to the straight attitude. It is also preferred that the pivotal connection be formed from complementary fitting parts which form a connection housing to enclose the spiral spring and also provide for the attachment of the inner and outer ends of the spiral spring respectively to the complementary fitting parts. The limiting means is preferably formed from complementary abutments on each of the complementary fitting parts of the connection housing.
It is believed that arranging and biassing the spiral spring to pivot the members to the straight attitude rather than to the folded attitude gives a mechanical advantage which increases as the members approach the straight attitude, increasing the propensity for the closer apparatus to completely
close the panel. The spiral spring may be biassed to a degree sufficient, for example, to close the panel from a position at which the bolt or latch rests on the strike plate.
Preferably, each member includes an elongate tubular section which fits into a socket or over a spigot forming part of the connection housing and the attachment means respectively.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a first form of panel closer apparatus according to the invention when partly assembled; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic side view showing the relative arrangement of parts of a second form of panel closer apparatus similar to that of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side-on view of a spiral spring for use in the panel closers of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a series of side, end, and plan views arranged to show the form and interrelationship of various parts of the panel closer apparatus of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an orthographic projection showing the front, end and plan elevations of an alternative attachment part; Fig. 6 is an orthographic projection showing the front, end and plan elevations of a mounting bracket for
mounting the panel closer apparatus on a panel, wall or structure; Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the outer housing part for housing the spiral spring of Fig. 2; Fig. 8 is a plan view of the outer housing part of Fig.
7 ; Fig. 9 is a front elevation of an alternative housing part for the spiral spring of Fig. 2; Fig. 10 is a front elevation of an alternative inner housing part for the spiral spring of Fig. 2; Fig. 11 is a plan view of a locking bracket for locking the panel closer apparatus in the folded or the straight attitudes; ; Fig. 12 is a front elevation of the locking bracket of Fig. 11; Fig. 13 is a plan view of an alternative locking bracket for locking the panel closer apparatus in the folded or the straight attitudes; and Fig. 14 is a front elevation of the alternative locking bracket of Fig. 13.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The panel closer apparatus 10 shown in Fig. 1 includes two elongate members 11 effectively in pivotal connection with one another by way of a connection housing 17. Each member includes a tubular section 12 which extends between the connection housing and one each of two attachment means, hereinafter referred to as attachment parts 13. The connection housing is made up of an inner housing part 14 and an outer housing part
15 and together, they constitute the pivotal connection hereinbefore described. The inner housing part is connected to the end of one tubular section by way of an inner housing spigot 33, and the outer housing part is connected to the end of the other tubular section by way of an outer housing spigot 63. In a similar fashion, each attachment part is connected to one of the tubular sections at their respective other ends by way of a respective distal spigot 35. One attachment part is pivotally connected to the panel to be opened by way of a mounting bracket 50. The other attachment part is pivotally connected to the structure by way of another identical mounting bracket (not shown).
Each attachment part includes two mounting lugs 37, each of which is circular in section and cylindrical in form and formed on opposed sides of the body of the attachment part.
Each mounting lug is capped by a respective mounting flange 36.
The mounting lugs are adapted to be received one each into two U-shaped slots 55 in the mounting bracket, and held against axial movement with respect to the mounting lugs through the U- shaped slot by the respective mounting flanges and the body of the attachment part. The mounting flange and mounting lug are formed such that an annular recess is provided beneath the mounting flange.
The second form of panel closer shown in Fig. 2 is the same in nearly all respects to that shown in Fig. 1, and accordingly like parts are given the same reference numerals.
However, it can be seen that the inner and outer housing spigots are aligned with their respective axes closer to the centre line of the square post and a curved face 19 is provided between the proximal ends of the spigots and the bodies of the inner and outer housings.
The spiral spring 20 shown in Fig. 3 is coiled into the shape of a flat spiral which has an inner end 21 and an outer end 25. The inner end is formed into a square loop 22 and the outer end is formed into a circular outer loop 26. As shown in Fig. 3, the inner housing part includes a circular base wall 16 and a square post 31 in the central part of the circular base wall. The square loop of the spiral spring fits closely around the square post when the spiral spring is installed into the inner housing part. The square shape of the post and inner end of the spiral spring prevent the square loop of the spring from rotating inside the inner housing part whereby, when the spring is installed into the connection housing, rotation of the inner and outer housing parts with respect to one another is resisted by the biassing force of the spring. The distal spigot 33 is connected to the circular body 30 of the inner housing part by a bridging portion 39. A locking aperture 32 is provided in the bridging portion which also includes an abutment 34 extending radially from the circular body.
The attachment part 13 is of an L-shaped configuration, the mounting lug and mounting flange being provided on a leg portion 42. As shown in Fig. 5, an alternative attachment part 43 is provided which is straight rather than being L-shaped.
The alternative attachment part includes the inner housing spigot 35, mounting flange 36 and mounting lug 37 as described in Figs 1 and 3 in relation to the attachment part 13. Where the alternative attachment part is used, the abutment 34 is formed to be further around in the clockwise direction on the circular body of the inner housing part shown in Fig. 4 so that the angle subtended between the centre of rotation of the mounting lugs (the second and third axes) and centre of rotation between the inner and outer housing parts (the first axis) is between 178. 5° and 179°.
The mounting bracket 50 shown in Fig. 6, includes three countersunk apertures 51, one being provided in the base wall 52 and two being provided in a rear wall 53. The base and rear walls are at right angles to one another to form an L-shaped section which is braced by two side walls 54 which are trapezoidal in shape. Each of the side walls includes one of the U-shaped slots for receiving the mounting lugs on the attachment part or the alternative attachment part as hereinbefore described.
The outer housing part shown in Figs. 7 and 8, includes a circular top wall 61 and a circular side wall 64 depending downward from the top wall 61. The top wall includes a circular central aperture which is adapted to receive a cylindrical crown formed on the distal end of the square post 31. The outer housing part also includes a bridging portion 65 in a mirror image form of the bridging portion 39 described in relation to the inner housing part 14. The bridging portion 65 includes the locking aperture 32 as shown as well as a complementary abutment 67 extending radially outward from the circular top wall 61 and adapted to abut against the abutment 34 described in relation to the inner housing part 14 such that the angle subtended by respective imaginary lines from the centre of rotation of the mounting lugs and the centre of rotation between the inner and outer housing parts is 178. 5° to 179°. The outer housing spigot 63 extends tangentially from the bridging portion 65 as shown.
A circumferential opening 66 is provided in the circular side wall 64 for receiving the outer loop 26 of the spiral spring in order to prevent the outer end of the spiral spring rotating in the outer housing part.
The alternative inner and outer housing parts shown in Figs. 9 and 10 are the same in nearly all respects to that shown in Figs. 7 and 8, and accordingly like parts are given the same
reference numerals. However, it can be seen that the inner and outer housing spigots are aligned with their respective axes closer to the centre line. of the square post and a curved face 19 is provided between the proximal ends of the spigots and the bodies of the inner and outer housings.
The locking bracket 70 shown in Figs. 11 and 12, includes two locking pins 46 which are parallel to one another and mounted on a locking bar 47, each of the locking pins being receivable into one of the locking apertures 32. Insertion of the locking pins into the locking apertures permits locking of the inner and outer housing parts against rotation with respect to one another, thereby fixing the members 11 into either the straight attitude as shown in Fig. 1, or the folded attitude wherein the members alongside one another. Accordingly, the panel may be locked into either an open or a closed position.
The alternavie form of locking bracket shown in Figs. 13 and 14 is the same in most respects to that shown in Figs. 11 and 12, but includes a semicircular handle 48 on the locking bar.
The attachment part and inner and outer housing parts as well as the mounting bracket maybe formed from plastics or metal as desired. The tubular sections may, for example, be formed from metal, such as extruded aluminium. The mounting bracket may be mounted so that the panel closure apparatus folds in any plane, however, it is preferred that the mounting brackets be arranged so that the panel closure apparatus folds in vertical plane in order to avoid the members and the connection housing extending into the room or space when the closer apparatus is moved to the folded attitude.
Where fitted as a closer device for a door, the opening of the door causes the folding of the closer apparatus. To open the door, a force to overcome the bias inherent in the spiral
spring is required. It is. believed that by limiting the pivoting of the members to between 1° and 1% ° less that dead straight (that is, by limiting the angle subtended by the first and second axes and the first and third axes to between 178. 5° and 179°), the folding of the members may be easily effected, there being a lower torque applied by the spiral spring when the members are in the straight attitude, and thereby substantially no chance of an accidental"locking"of the members in the straight attitude. Also, it is believed that the use of a spiral spring allows the biassing means to be conveniently enclosed in a housing of relatively small dimensions without substantially adversely affecting the efficacy of the apparatus in achieving its function.
It will be realised that while the above has been given by way of illustrative example of the present invention, all such modifications as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as claimed in the following claims.
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