Closer Hardware For Sliding Sash And The Like

Abstract

Horizontal movement of a part is achieved by a spring-actuated slide vertically movable in a guide connected with one such part, a link being pivotally attached at one end to said slide and having its other end pivotally attached to another part. The link is nearly, but not quite, on dead center in each of nearly horizontal and nearly vertical positions in which the said parts are relatively open and closed, the final movement of the actuated part toward either extreme position being gentle and substantially free of impact. It is broadly immaterial whether the part to which one end of the link is pivoted is a sash or a frame, or whether bias is provided by a compression spring, a tension spring, or an elastomeric spring.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

There has long been an unsatisfied demand for a simple, inexpensive, and easily applicable door closer which will operate a single sash or either of two sash and will be attractive in use.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Fundamentally, a link has an anchor fitting pivoted to one of its ends for accommodating link movement between a generally horizontal position and an elevated position and has at its other end a pivotal connection to a slide provided with a guide along which the slide is movable upwardly and downwardly, the slide being subject to bias in one of said directions, whereby the generally vertical movement of the slide effects generally horizontal relative movement between the guide and the fulcrum to which the link is attached. Assuming that the objective is to control the movement of one or two sash with respect to each other or their frame, it will become apparent that a fulcrum for the first mentioned end of the link may be mounted selectively either on the frame or on one of the sash, the guide in which the slide is reciprocable being mounted on another sash or on the frame.

The desired arrangement is one in which the link does not quite approach dead center in either of its extreme positions. Thus, as it approaches either extreme, the relative movement of the sash controlled by the link is inherently retarded gradually so that the controlled sash slows with substantially no impact to a stop at its ultimate position. In fact, it tends to remain static in either extreme position until manually displaced for movement in the direction of, or opposite to, the bias to which it is subject.

The slide may be biased by compression or tension springs or by other elastomeric means. It is mounted for reciprocation in a guideway normal to the path of movement of the sash upon which the link acts. If there are two sash relatively slideable, the pintle fitting to which one end of the link is pivoted may be attached to either of the sash and the guide for the slide may be attached to the other. Either one may then be closed by the spring-biased movement of the slide as communicated by the sash by the link.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation of a pair of sliding sash exemplifying a use for the hardware herein disclosed.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail view in longitudinal section through a tubular guide member and a slide, and a compression spring usable in the assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a modified embodiment employing tension spring means for actuating the slide in the guide housing.

FIG. 4 is a view taken in transverse section on the line 4--4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a further enlarged fragmentary detail view showing in mutually separated positions component parts of the hardware.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A primary function of the invention herein disclosed is to actuate one or a pair of sliding sash but the invention has other utility. In this connection, it should be observed also that the term "sash" is intended to be interpreted broadly to include, for example, a sliding door which does not necessarily include an element other than a sheet of glass. Whether the actuated part is literally a door or a sash, and regardless of the material of which it is made, it is generally desirable that the closing mechanism shall function to effect positive, tight closure without substantial impact. Because the instant device transmits bias to the sliding door or other part through a link which has a range of nearly 90 degrees of pivotal movement, the energy of the closing device becomes practically completely ineffective at each extreme of that movement.

In the organization shown in FIG. 1, there is a door frame 10 having conventional ways in which sliding sash or doors 12 and 14 are horizontally reciprocable. On the sash 12 there is mounted the pintle fitting 16 (separately illustrated in FIG. 5). This fitting comprises a plate 18 screwed to the lower corner of sash 12 and supporting a projecting pintle 20 on which is pivoted one end of link 22. Desirably, a split retainer 24 engages a groove 26 in pintle 20 to hold the link 22 in place.

The end of link 22 opposite the bearing aperture 28 for the pintle 20 is recessed as shown at 30 to receive a thrust roller 32 near the end 36 of the slide 34. A cross pin 38 passes through the bifurcated end 36 of slide 34 and through the recess 30 of link 22 to maintain the parts in assembly while accommodating rolling movement of the roller 32 in the guide housing. The housing 40 in this particular assembly is mounted on the vertical margin of sliding sash 14 and its recess 30. The roller 32 projects from the link 22 as best shown in FIG. 4. Additional rollers 35 are preferably pivoted on the upper end of the "slide" 34 to roll on the interior surface of the tube 40 for guidance of the "slide." The tube 40, incidentally, may be of any desired cross section, preferably being an extension of rectangular cross section.

The slide 34 is reciprocable vertically in housing 40 and is subject to downward bias supplied in any desired manner. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, a compression spring 48 has a seat at 50 at the upper end of slide 34 and it has an adjustable seat 52 against which a tension spring 54 bears. The spring 54 has its upper end engaged with a seat 56 adjustably supported by means of thumbscrew 58, extending through slot 44, to control the total bias exerted on the slide. A guide 55 may be connected to slide 34 and extend upwardly through seat 52 and through the annular spring seat 56 for sliding guidance therein.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3 tension means which may comprise tension springs 63 or elastomeric cords or one such spring and one guide rod 61 (FIG. 4) have anchorages 62 at the bottom of the housing 42. At their upper ends they are connected to the legs 66 of slide 64 which, in this embodiment, extend much higher in the housing in order that the tension bias may be exerted at the upper end of the slide. The slide 64 desirably has a guide roller 65 riding in sash tube 42 as shown in FIG. 4.

As will be apparent in FIG. 1, the geometry of the device is such that when the sash 12 and 14 are closed, the link 22 is nearly, but not entirely, horizontal. In FIG. 1, a dotted line illustrates the position of the link when one of the sash 12 or 14 is partly open. It is immaterial which sash has been opened. In either case, the movement of the one sash horizontally with respect to the other has resulted in changing the angle of the link 22 to about sixty degrees instead of nearly horizontal. This movement of the link has forced the slide 34 to move up the guide housing 40 against the bias of whatever resilient means is incorporated therein. It will be evident that it is entirely immaterial to the invention whether the pintle fixture 16 is located on one of two relatively movable sash or whether it is on the frame in which a single sash is operable. It is also immaterial to the functioning of the invention whether the guide housing 40 is located on the frame or upon one or the other of the two doors, if there are two. In either event, the link 22 will be oscillated counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 1 until, when the sash or other part is fully open, the link will stand nearly vertical. The thrust of the biasing means will now be almost in line with the link and hence the door will tend to stand open by friction until closing movement is manually initiated.

In closing, the movement of the slide will accelerate as the spring 48 approaches the application of its bias at right angles to the link 32. However, as the door approaches fully closed position, the movement of the spring-actuated slide 34 which propels the link will be almost at right angles to the direction of movement of the door. Thus the geometry is such that a given increment of movement of the slide is producing less and less movement of the door. Also, the spring is approaching its relaxed position and has a minimum of stored energy. For this reason, there is virtually no impact when the door closes. The result is the same whether the spring has its slide guided on the door that is being moved or on the relatively stationary part consisting either of the other sash or the frame.

Desirably some low-friction means guides the slide 34 in the housing 40. For example, rods 61 of low friction synthetic resin may be mounted in slide 34.

It is also possible to provide simple and convenient means for locking a door against opening movement. By way of illustration of one inexpensive locking device, as shown in FIG. 1, a retractable pin 68 is mounted in the wall of housing 14. It will be apparent that unless the pin 68 is retracted from the housing 40 the slide 34 cannot move vertically in the housing 40 and therefore the door or doors controlled by the device cannot be operated.

The door or doors may also be locked open in like manner but this is ordinarily unnecessary because of the fact that when the door or doors stand open, they are sufficiently close to vertical dead center so that the closing movement will not initiate itself. The same would be true in the closed position of the parts were it not for the fact that the geometry of link 22 is such as to prevent it from reaching dead center position, the object being to permit the parts to yield under manual pressure without requiring the person opening the door to lean over and lift the link.

Claims

I claim:

1. Hardware for biasing a sliding part toward one of two extreme positions thereof and with reference to another part, said hardware comprising a pintle-fitting for mounting on one of said parts, a slide housing for mounting on another of said parts, a slide reciprocable in the housing, a link connected with the pintle-fitting and with the slide, and biasing means having an anchorage on the housing and having a thrust bearing on the slide, the geometry of the slide housing and link and pintle fitting being such that the action of the biasing means upon the slide is substantially at right angles to the direction of movement of the pintle fitting effected by said link.

2. Hardware according to claim 1 in which said housing has a slot through which said link is connected to said slide, said slide having a bearing on said housing, the housing having means for mounting it upon one of said parts, and the pintle-fitting having means for mounting it on another of said parts.

3. Hardware according to claim 2 in which the biasing means comprises a spring within the housing, the housing being elongated as for connection with the margin of a sash.

4. The combination of a pair of relatively movable parts at least one of which comprises a sash, means providing a guideway in which said sash is reciprocable in a generally horizontal direction, a pintle in connection with one of said parts, an elongated guide connected with the other of said parts and disposed substantially at right angles to the direction of relative movement between said parts, a slide reciprocable along said guide between first and second positions, said first position being close to the level of the pintle, a link connected with said pintle and pivotally connected to said carrier and disposed approximately normal to the path of movement of the slide between the first and second positions thereof, the link having a pivotal connection with the slide in a position slightly elevated above the level of the pintle in the said first position of the carrier, and means for biasing said slide toward said first position.

5. A combination according to claim 4 in which the last mentioned means comprises a compression spring provided with a seat on said slide.

6. A combination according to claim 4 in which said last means comprises a tension spring of such length as to maintain the slide under only slight tension when the slide is in said first position.

7. A combination according to claim 4 in which the slide has means guiding it for reciprocation in a generally up and down direction, the guide comprising a tube having a slot and the slide having means projecting from the slot and connected with said spring.

8. A combination according to claim 4 in which the other of said parts comprises another sash, the bias of said spring acting through the slide and said link to bias both of said parts in a direction to effect relative separation thereof, the movement of either of said parts in a direction to move the parts closer together and opposite to said bias being adapted to increase the bias in a part-separating direction.

9. In a slidable sash unit having relatively slidable parts at least one of which comprises a relatively slidable sash, a frame for said sash, means comprising a link for controlling relative movement between two relatively slidable parts of said unit said link being rotatably connected near one end of said link to a first said relatively slidable part, the other end of said link being vertically movably connected to a second said relatively slidable part, and resilient means adapted to apply a force to said vertically movable end of said link in the plane of the connection, said link being displacable substantially through a right angle during relative movement of said parts from one extreme of movement to the other.

10. The device of claim 9, the first and second relatively slidable parts comprising two relatively slidable sash.

11. The device of claim 9, the first and second said relatively slidable parts comprising said sash and said frame.