GB2177153A - Striking plates - Google Patents

Abstract

A striking plate (4) is adjustably mounted to a frame portion (2) by passing screws (18) through countersunk holes (20, 22) in the striking plate (4) to engage with eccentric tapped holes (14) in cylindrical adjusting members (8) received within an inwardly-open channel (6) of the frame portion (2). The cylindrical face of each adjusting member is provided with grooves (16) which can be engaged by a screwdriver tip to slide the member axially of the channel or rotate it in order to adjust the position of the eccentric hole both longitudinally and transversely of the channel and therefore adjust the position of the striking plate. Tightening of the screws results in immovable engagement of the adjusting member with inner faces of flanges (10, 12) of the channel. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Striking plates The present invention relates to striking plate mounting assemblies which can be used on windows or doors. Striking plates are fixed to the outer frame or a co-operating leaf of the window or door. The striking plate has to be positioned so that it corresponds with a locking part of a hinged or sliding leaf of the window or door.

Conventionally a striking plate is secured to the frame by screws which pass through holes in the striking plate into the adjacent part of the frame. This provides a permanent rigid fixing. The position for the striking plate is usually determined by closing the leaf against the frame and marking the required position on the frame. Holes are then drilled in the frame and the striking plate secured. However, small errors in the positioning of the striking plate can easily occur during this procedure and this may result in the door or window not closing correctly or being difficult to close. This may result in the door or window not giving its best weathering performance.

Where it is appreciated that the striking plate is incorrectly positioned, it is difficult to achieve an improved positioning since this usually requires the holes to be re-drilled close to their original positions. This generally results in the production of enlarged holes which may mean that the striking plate tends to move from its set position in use.

The present invention is therefore directed towards solving the problem of mounting a striking plate to a frame portion of a door or window or of a leaf of a door or window with a high degree of accuracy so that correct closing is ensured.

The present invention accordingly provides a striking plate mounting assembly comprising a frame portion defining therein a channel, at least one adjusting member received in said channel, a striking plate which is to be secured to said frame portion, fastening means adapted to engage with said striking plate and the adjusting member such that when the fastening means is in a secured position the adjusting member is immovably fixed in the channel and when the fastening means is in a released position the adjusting member can be moved within the channel to adjust the position of the striking plate relative to the frame portion.

The provision of an adjusting member which is movable in the channel when the fastening means is released readily allows adjustment of the position of the striking means. Such adjustment can be made when the striking plate is first being mounted and also subsequently during use of the door or window if there has been some shifting of the relative position of the door or window leaf within the frame.

Preferably the adjusting member is a cylindrical member which is mounted in the channel with its end faces parallel to the base of the channel, the cylindrical member having an eccentric hole adapted to co-operate with the fastening means, rotation of the cylindrical member causing an adjustment of the striking plate position transversely of the channel and movement of the cylindrical member axially of the channel producing a corresponding axial adjustment of the striking plate.

Preferably the cylindrical member has a grooved outer cylindrical surface so that the position of the cylindrical member within the channel can be adjusted by engagement of a screwdriver with an accessible groove to either rotate or axially slide the cylindrical member within the channel.

An assembly for the adjustable mounting of a striking plate in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the assembly; and Figure 2A shows a plan view and Figure 2B shows an elevational view of an adjusting member for use in the assembly of Figure 1.

The frame portion 2 as shown in Figure 1 carries a striking plate 4. The frame portion 2 may be the outer frame of a door or window or a peripheral frame of one leaf of a door or window which closes against an adjacent leaf.

The frame portion includes in its profile an inwardly facing open channel 6. The striking plate 4 is mounted over the open face of the channel 6. Two adjusting members 8 are received within the channel 6. The channel 6 has two inwardly facing flanges 10, 12 which prevent the adjusting members 8 from becoming disengaged from the channel 6. The adjusting member 8 is illustrated in more detail in Figure 2. Each adjusting member 8 is cylindrical and has an axially extending hole 14 which is positioned eccentrically of the axis of the cylindrical member. The hole is tapped to receive a screw 18. The cylindrical outer surface of the member 8 is provided with axial grooves 16 sized to be readily engageable with a screwdriver tip.

The cylindrical member 8 is mounted loosely in the channel with one flat end face facing the base of the channel 6 and the other end face facing the flanges 10,12. The adjusting member is sized so that it can be received in the channel and be moved about therein to the required position by sliding it axially of the channel and rotating it about its cylindrical axis to vary the position of the hole 14 axially and transversely of the channel respectively.

The striking plate 4 is of conventional design and has upper and lower countersunk holes 20, 22 through which screws 18 pass.

The striking plate 4 also includes openings 24, 26 for receiving bolts of a locking device (not shown) which is carried by the leaf of the door or window which closes against the frame portion. The countersunk holes 20, 22 are press formed to act as spacers to stop the striking plate being deformed by overtightening of the screws.

The striking plate 4 is secured to the frame portion 2 by passing the screws 18 through the holes 20, 22 and into the eccentric trapped holes 14 in each of the adjusting members 8. When the screws are tightened to the secured position, the adjusting member 8 is held securely by friction against the inner faces of the flanges 10,12 and is no longer movable within the channel. If the screws 18 are loosened to a released position, the adjusting members 8 can be moved by engaging a screwdriver in the peripheral grooves 16.

In the embodiment described the engagement of the screws 18 through the holes 20, 22 of the striking plate 4 and into the holes 14 of the adjusting members provides fastening means for the striking plate.

The use of the above-described assembly for mounting a striking plate to, for example, a door frame will now be described.

The approximate position of the striking plate in the frame portion 2 is estimated by the conventional method of closing the door against the frame portion and marking on the frame the approximate required position. The two mounting members 8, are then inserted into the channel 6 with their holes 14 at the marked positions. The striking plate 4 is placed over the open face of the channel 6 and secured by means of the screws 18. The door is closed against the frame to check the position of the striking plate. If adjustment is required, then the screws are loosened and a screwdriver is used to adjust the horizontal and/or verticai position of the holes 14 in the adjusting members so as to make corresponding adjustments in the mounting position of the striking plate 4. The screws are then tightened again and the door re-closed against the frame portion. Any futher readjustments of the position of the striking plate can be made in a similar manner until the striking plate is precisely in the required position. Finally, the screws are securely tightened into the holes of the adjusting member to ensure that no relative movement of the adjusting members within the channel will take place.

It is also possible to utilise the adjustment facility provided by the described mounting assembly during subsequent maintenance of the door or window. This may be required if the door or window has dropped in use and closing has become difficult. In this case the screws are loosened and the position of the adjusting members 8 corrected to achieve the required position of the striking plate. The screws are then re-tightened.

The adjusting members are preferably formed in aluminium.

Claims (4)

1. A striking plate mounting assembly comprising a frame portion defining therein a channel, at least one adjusting member received in said channel, a striking plate which is to be secured to said frame portion, fastening means adapted to engage with said striking plate and the adjusting member such that when the fastening means is in a secured position the adjusting member is immovably fixed in the channel and when the fastening means is in a released position the adjusting member can be moved within the channel to adjust the position of the striking plate relative to the frame portion.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjusting member is a cylindrical member which is mounted in the channel with its end faces parallel to the base of the channel, the cylindrical member having an eccentric hole adapted to co-operate with the fastening means, rotation of the cylindrical member causing an adjustment of the striking plate position transversely of the channel and movement of the cylindrical member axially of the channel producing a corresponding axial adjustment of the striking plate.

3. An assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cylindrical member has a grooved outer cylindrical surface so that the position of the cylindrical member within the channel can be adjusted by engagement of a screwdriver with an accessible groove to either rotate or axially slide the cylindrical member within the channel.

4. A striking plate mounting assembly substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.