Miscellaneous hardware (e.g. – bushing – carpet fastener – caster – Closure checks – Inertia
Patent
1995-12-07
1998-05-12
Mah, Chuck
Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,
Closure checks
Inertia
16 86R, E05F 504
Patent
active
057491232
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a safety device, and in particular to a safety device for a sliding panel, such as a patio door.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
When not in use, sliding panels (particularly if external to the building, such as patio doors) need to be lockable for security. However, for ease of use, when unlocked they are made so as to be freely slidable in their surrounding framework.
During closing of a patio door, any person interposing for instance their hand or fingers between the leading edge(s) or leading edge surface of the door and the closure jamb of the framework can be seriously injured; it is known that such fingertip injuries are most commonly suffered by children, typically either acting alone or when an adult has inadvertently or accidentally quickly closed the door.
The door lock mechanism is typically face-mounted on the door leading edge, and comprises an espagnolette with mushroom headed security bolts intended to engage behind narrowed portions of keyhole slots in the closure jamb; inquisitive children in particular are known to interfere with and misuse the lock and then to seek to close the door with the mushroom headed security bolts already in the locked position, so damaging the locking mechanism in whole or in part, and affecting the security offered by the door.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
A safety device already proposed for sliding doors is shown in FIG. 1. A deformable ball (preferably resilient) is spring-biased, normally against an inward face of a closed door and in such position that upon door opening the ball can automatically pivot into an abutment position between the leading edge surface of the door and the closure jamb of its framework, whereby to prevent door closure. The ball of the proposed safety device is mounted on a rod having (in its position of use) a vertical portion of considerable length, the vertical portion carrying at its lower end a knurled knob which can be gripped to rotate the rod whereby to move the ball out of the pathway of the closing door i.e. away from the abutment position. However, even when the safety device is mounted at the top of the framework closure jamb, because of the vertical rod portion the knob can be reached and turned by all but the smallest children who can then "de-activate" the safety device; this could occur even though the rod could be difficult to turn from its lower end because of the limited space between the knob and housing mounting. Alternatively considered, the need to turn the lower end of the rod determines the minimum acceptable thickness of the housing projecting into the room or building, perhaps into the path of a curtain or the like, and with sharp edges and corners (dangerous unless above head-height). The housing is shown as closed on all sides and would appear therefore difficult to mount. The rod is loosely retained (in a closed housing apparently of significant length and weight). Lie device is "handed" so that two designs need to be made, assembled and stocked, one for each opposed panel closure end, and each with a differently wound spring. Fitting a spring onto the rod appears complicated. The ball is non-rotatably mounted upon the rod, and so may mark the inward face of the sliding panel and/or may become scuffed thereby.
A safety device with the features of the pre-characterising part of claim 1 is disclosed in French Patent 2,110,636.
STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
According to one feature of the invention we provide a safety device which includes an abutment means, carrier means for the abutment means, a mounting arm for the carrier means, pivot means for the mounting arm, the pivot means being substantially parallel to the carrier means, support means for the pivot means, resilient bias means urging the mounting arm towards an abutment condition, the resilient bias means being connected between the mounting arm and the support means, the abutment means being movable manually in one direction to an inoperative position against said resilient bias, characterised
REFERENCES:
patent: 1042829 (1912-10-01), Sheffer
patent: 2869171 (1959-01-01), Levine
patent: 3051983 (1962-09-01), Dale
patent: 3335453 (1967-08-01), LoveLace
patent: 3661413 (1972-05-01), Silva
patent: 4028772 (1977-06-01), Salerno
patent: 4982474 (1991-01-01), Kjellostrom
Corbett Desmond
Warren Andrew
Gurley Donald M.
Mah Chuck
Middleton James B.
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