A hinge wing and extruded member

Abstract

A hinge wing 12 for engagement with a channel (Figure 2, 60) in an extruded member (Figure 2, 50). The hinge wing comprises a unitarily formed body including: a faceplate 14; a retaining means 18 for

Description

A HINGE WING AND EXTRUDED MEMBER The present invention relates to a hinge wing and particularly but not exclusively to a hinge wing for use with extruded members. The present invention also relates to an extruded member and particularly but not exclusively to an extruded member for use with a hinge wing. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Hinge assemblies used in frames formed by extruded members, such as aluminium extrusions, require a means to secure the hinge to the extruded member. Typically, the hinge assembly will include a further component in the form of a tapped backplate or a shaped nut as the means to secure the hinge to the extruded member. The tapped backplate is located within a channel of the extruded member and connected to the hinge by a fastener. The tapped backplate can either be located in the channel prior to connection to the hinge or connected to the hinge prior to location in the channel. The step of locating the tapped backplate may need to be performed while the end of the channel is open, i.e. the frame has not been finished. This can make fitment process fiddly increasing time and complexity. Once in the channel, the fastener is operated to draw the tapped backplate towards the hinge causing some of the walls forming the channel to be clamped therebetween. If the backplate is incorrectly placed in or sized for the channel it may rotate freely upon operation of the fastener which can further increase time and complexity of fitment. An altemative is to use self-tapping screw, rivnuts, pre-tapped holes or similar to secure the hinge to the extruded member. These add further components to the hinge assembly, and, moreover, require holes to be formed in the extruded member which can cause issues with alignment and limit the reuse of the extruded member. It is an object of the present invention to reduce or substantially obviate the aforementioned problems. STATEMENT OF INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided a hinge wing for engagement with a channel in an extruded member, the hinge wing comprises a unitarily formed body, the unitarily formed body includes: a faceplate; a retaining means for being received in and for engaging with the channel of the extruded member, the retaining means having first and second retaining arms connected at a connection post and extending from one another, the connection post extending from the faceplate and spacing the first and second retaining arms from the faceplate; and a screw threaded locking means for pressing and for holding the first and second retaining arms in a fixed position against walls of the channel of the extruded member. A hinge wing, also known as a hinge leaf, with integrally formed retaining means removes the need for a separate backplate to secure said hinge wing to an extruded member. An integrally formed retaining means reduces the number of components and simplifies installation which lowers the cost of the hinge and improves installation speed. A first receiving groove and a second receiving groove for receiving a wall section of channel may be provided. The first receiving groove may be defined by a surface of the first retaining arm and a surface of the faceplate. The second receiving groove may be defined by a surface of the second retaining arm and an angled portion extending from one side of the faceplate towards the connection post. The second groove may have a greater depth than the first groove. The provision of grooves, especially when one is larger than the other and includes an angled portion, increases the method of installation. For example, one of the methods provided by the grooves allows the retaining means to be inserted at an angle to the channel and later rotated into the channel. This means the hinge wing can be installed after the frame created by the extruded members is finished, i.e. there is no open end to the channel in the extruded members to insert the backplate. The screw threaded locking means may comprise at least one screw threaded bore extending through the faceplate and the retaining means. The second retaining arm may include a narrowed section for being received in a concave portion of the channel during fitment. The narrowed section may include a curved edge. The provision of a narrowed section assists in the method of installation mentioned above. Furthermore, it ensures that the channel in the extruded member can be reduced in size. The curved surface can help to prevent the retaining means binding in the channel. The first retaining arm may include a curved edge. This curved edge helps to reduce the size of the gap needed in the channel. The extent of the first and second retaining arms may substantially correspond to a retaining section of the channel. The hinge wing may include at least one knuckle for receiving a hinge pin disposed on a side of the faceplate. The retaining means may extend substantially along the faceplate. By providing a retaining means along the longitudinal length of the faceplate it is possible to ensure a contact force is applied along the hinge wing to secure it in the fix position. The screw threaded locking means may include a threaded fastener. The threaded fastener may be a pointed fastener or ‘dog point’ fastener. A hinge may be provided with the hinge wing according to the above aspects of the invention. The hinge may be provided with two hinge wings according to the above aspects of the invention. Each hinge wing may be coupled by a hinge pin. A kit of parts for manufacturing a hinge may be provided. The kit of parts may comprise one, or preferably two, hinge wing(s) according to the above aspects of the invention. The kit of parts may comprise a hinge pin. The kit of parts may include at least one threaded fastener. The threaded fastener may be a pointed fastener or ‘dog point’ fastener. In another aspect of the present invention there is provided an extruded member for a window or door frame, the extruded member comprising a channel disposed in the extruded member, the channel including: a base wall; a first wall extending from one end of the base wall; a first locking wall for engaging with and for holding a retaining means of a hinge wing in a fixed position within the channel, the first locking wall being disposed at one end of the first wall and extending substantially orthogonal to the first wall; a second wall extending from the other end of the base wall, the second wall having a substantially concave portion for allowing a portion of the retaining means to be received and rotationally fitted into the channel; and a second locking wall for engaging with and for holding the retaining means in a fixed position within the channel, the second locking wall being disposed at one end of the second wall and being substantially on the same plane as the first locking wall, wherein a gap for receiving the retaining means is provided between the ends of the first and second locking walls. The provision of the concave portion in one of the walls of the channels allows a hinge wing with a unitarily formed retaining means to be fitted by angular insertion and rotation. The extruded member is especially useful for the hinge described in the above aspects of the invention. The channel may include a retaining section for retaining the retaining means of the hinge wing when in a fixed position. The retaining section may be sized to receive the arms of the retaining means. The retaining section may be defined by the first and second locking walls, a portion of the first wall and a portion of the second wall parallel to the portion of the first wall. The substantially concave portion may include a curved portion extending from the base wall and an angled portion extending from the end of the curved portion. The first wall may extend substantially orthogonal to the base wall. The channel may have a shaped profile. The shaped profile may be shoe-shaped, especially when the concave portion includes a curved portion and an angled portion. The extruded member may be made from a metal, such as aluminium, or a plastic. The channel may extend substantially along the longitudinal length of the extruded member. In another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of coupling a hinge wing to an extruded member. The method comprises the steps of: providing a hinge wing according to the above aspects described above and an extruded member according to the aspects described above; inserting the retaining means of the hinge wing through the gap provided between the ends of the first and second locking walls of the extruded member; and operating the screw threaded locking means move the first and second retaining arms into a fixed position against the first and second locking walls The step of inserting may further comprise the steps of: disposing the first retaining arm into the channel such that a portion of the second retaining arm is receiving in the concave portion of the second wall and the second locking wall is disposed in the second retaining groove; and rotating the hinge wing so as to dispose the first retaining arm in the channel. The method may include the step of sliding the retaining means so that the first locking wall is disposed within the first receiving groove. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made by way of example only to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows an exploded view of a hinge; Figure 2 shows a cross sectional view of an extruded member; Figure 3 shows a cross sectional view of the hinge shown in Figure 1 partially inserted into the extruded member shown in Figure 2: and Figure 4 shows a cross sectional view of the hinge shown in Figure 1 fixed to the extruded member shown in Figure 2. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring firstly to Figure 1, a hinge is generally indicated at 10. The hinge 10 includes two hinge wings 12 according to the present invention. Each hinge wing 12 has a unitarily formed body comprising a faceplate 14, at least one hinge knuckle 16 and a retaining means 18. A first retaining arm 20, a second retaining arm 22 and a connection post 24 form the retaining means 18. The connection post 24 extends from a surface of the faceplate 14. The first retaining arm 20 and the second retaining arm 22 are connected to the connection post 24 and extend away from each other. In the current embodiment, the retaining means 18 extends the longitudinal length of the faceplate 14. However, in other embodiments, there may be one or more retaining means which extend only partially along the longitudinal extent of the faceplate 14. For example, there may be three retaining means spaced apart from each other and disposed along the same longitudinal axis. A first channel wall receiving groove 26 is defined between a surface of the first retaining arm 20 and a surface of the faceplate 14. The first channel wall receiving groove 26 extends to the connection post 24. A second channel wall receiving groove 28 is defined between a surface of the second retaining arm 22 and an angled surface portion 30 of the faceplate 14. The second channel wall receiving groove 28 extends to the connection post 24. The second channel wall receiving groove 28 has a greater depth than the first channel wall receiving groove 26. That is to say the distance between the end of the second retaining am 22 and the connection post 24 is larger than the distance between the end of the first retaining arm 20 and the connection post 24. A narrowed portion 32 of the second retaining arm is distal to the connection post. An edge 34 of the narrowed portion 32 is curved from one face to another of the second retaining arm. A curved edge 36 is provided on the first retaining arm 20. In the current embodiment, three threaded screw bores 38 extend through the faceplate 14 and retaining means 18. However, there may be more or less threaded screw bores provided in other embodiments. Each threaded screw bore 38 is spaced from another. A threaded fastener 39, preferably a pointed or ‘dog point’ fastener, for interfacing with the channel of extruded member, is provided for each threaded screw bore 38. In some embodiments the threaded fastener will partially pierce a wall of the channel to provide a more secure fixing. A substantially cylindrical tube with a pin bore extending therethrough forms a hinge knuckle 16. The hinge knuckle 16 is disposed to one side of the faceplate 14 opposite the side with the second wall retaining groove 28. In the current embodiment, a single hinge knuckle 16 is provided on one hinge wing 12 and two hinge knuckles 16 are provided on the other hinge wing 12. When both hinge wings 12 are brought together the hinge knuckles 16 are interdigitated and the pin bores are substantially concentric. In other embodiments, the number and positioning of the hinge knuckles may vary. Bushings 40 are provided. A tubular body and flange extending from one end of the tube body form the bushing. When fitted, the bushings are disposed in at least one end of each hinge knuckle. The tubular body extends partially into the pin bore and the flange extends over the end of the hinge knuckle. The bushings 40 provide a bearing surface between the pin 42 and knuckles. The bushings also provide a bearing surface between knuckles. A hinge pin 42 is provided to pivotally connect both hinge wings 12. A substantially cylindrical body, preferably made of metal such as steel, forms the hinge pin 42. The substantially cylindrical body has a smaller diameter than the pin bores. The hinge pin 42, when fitted, extends through the pin bores and bushing of each hinge knuckle 16. Pin end caps 44 are provided. The pin end caps 44 are fitted over the ends of the hinge pin 42. In use, the pin end caps 44 hold the hinge pin 42 within the pin bores. Referring to Figure 2, a cross section of an extruded member is generally indicated at 50. In the current embodiment, the extruded member is a sash for a window or door frame. It may be a different frame member for a different purpose in other embodiments. The extruded member 50 is substantially h-shaped with two prongs 52, 54 and a central element 56 joining the prongs together. A channel 60 is provided at the end of each prong 52, 54. The channels 60 have an internal profile which is shaped, for example shoe-shaped, to allow a hinge wing, such as that shown in Figure 1, to be retained in the channel 60 through an insertion and rotation motion. The shaped profiles in each channel are mirrored between the pronged elements 52, 54. Each channel 60 is defined by a base wall 62, a first wall 64 and second wall 66 extending from the base wall 62, and a first locking wall 68 and second locking wall 70 extending from the first wall 64 and second wall 66 respectively. A gap is provided between the ends of the first and second locking walls 68, 70. The first wall 64 extends substantially orthogonal to the base wall 62. The first locking wall 68 extends substantially orthogonal to the first wall 64. A concave portion of the second wall 66 is provided and creates a toe-shape. The concave portion has a curved portion 72 disposed proximate the base wall 62 and an angled portion 74 extending from the curved portion 72. A retaining section is formed from a portion 76 of the second wall 66, a portion of the first wall 64 and both the first and second locking walls 68, 70. The portion 76 of the second wall extends orthogonal from the second locking wall 70 to the angled wall 74. A method of coupling the hinge wing 12 to the extruded member 50 will now be discussed with reference to Figures 3 and 4. Figures 3 and 4 show the complete hinge 10 being fitted but a single hinge wing 12 can be fitted prior to creating the hinge 10. Prior to installation the threaded fasteners 39 are either removed from the threaded bore holes 38 or only partially removed such that they do not obstruct the first wall receiving groove 28. The hinge wing 12 is inserted at an angle relative to the channel 60 such that the narrow portion 32 of the second retaining arm is received in the concave portion of the channel formed by the curved portion 72 and angled portion 74. At the same time the second locking wall 70, the portion of the second wall 76 and the angled portion 74 are received in the second wall receiving groove 28. Once the hinge wing 12 has been inserted as described above, it is rotated such that the first retaining arm 20 is received in the channel 60. This results in both the first and second retaining arms being disposed in the channel 60. Once both the first and second retaining arms are in the channel 60, the hinge wing 12 can be moved so that the first locking wall 68 is disposed in the first wall receiving groove 26. The movement can be done by an individual fitting the hinge wing or as a result of advancing the threaded fasteners 39 and angled portion 74. The second locking wall 70 will remain disposed in the second wall receiving groove 28. The threaded fasteners 39 are advanced through the threaded bores 38. During the advancement, one end of the threaded fasteners will engage with the base wall 62 of the channel 60. Once engaged, continued advancement of the threaded fasteners 39 will cause the first and second retaining ams to move into engagement with the first and second locking walls. Once the threaded fasteners 39 have been advanced enough, the retaining means 18 will be locked in a fixed position within the retaining section of the channel 60. The embodiments described above are provided by way of example only, and various changes and modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. ASPECTS OF THE INVENTION Various aspects of the invention will now be enumerated in the following clauses. 1. A hinge wing for engagement with a channel in an extruded member comprising: a unitarily formed body including: a faceplate; a retaining means for being received in and for engaging with the channel of the extruded member, the retaining means having first and second retaining arms connected at a connection post and extending from one another, the connection post extending from the faceplate and spacing the first and second retaining arms from the faceplate; and a screw threaded locking means for pressing and for holding the first and second retaining arms in a fixed position against walls of the channel of the extruded member. 2. A hinge wing according to clause 1, comprising first and second receiving grooves for receiving walls of the channel, the first receiving groove being defined by a surface of the first retaining arm and a surface of the faceplate, and the second receiving groove being defined by a surface of the second retaining arm and an angled portion extending from one side of the faceplate towards the connection post. 3. A hinge wing according to clause 2, in which the second groove has a depth greater than the depth of the first groove. 4. A hinge wing according to any one of clauses 1 to 3, in which the screw threaded locking means comprises at least one screw threaded bore extending through the faceplate and the retaining means. 5. A hinge wing according to any one of clauses 1 to 4, in which the second retaining arm includes a narrowed section for being received in a concave portion of the channel during fitment. 6. A hinge wing according to clause 5, in which the narrowed section includes a curved edge. / . A hinge wing according to any one of clauses 1 to 6, in which the first retaining arm includes a curved edge. 8. A hinge wing according to any one of clauses 1 to 7, in which the extent of the first and second retaining arms substantially correspond to a retaining section of the channel. 9. A hinge wing according to any one of clauses 1 to 8, in which the hinge wing includes at least one knuckle for receiving a hinge pin disposed on a side of the faceplate. 10. A hinge wing according to any one of clauses 1 to 9, in which the retaining means extends substantially along the faceplate. 11. A hinge comprising a hinge wing according to any one of clauses 1 to 10. 12. A hinge according to clause 11, comprising two hinge wings according to any one of clauses 1 to 10 coupled by a hinge pin. 13. A kit of parts for manufacturing a hinge, the kit of parts comprising two hinge wings according to any one of clauses 1 to 10 and a hinge pin. 14. A kit of parts according to clause 13, further comprising at least one threaded screw for interfacing with the screw threaded locking means. 15. An extruded member for a window or door frame comprising: a channel disposed in the extruded member, the channel including: a base wall; a first wall extending from one end of the base wall; a first locking wall for engaging with and for holding a retaining means of a hinge wing in a fixed position within the channel, the first locking wall being disposed at one end of the first wall and extending substantially orthogonal to the first wall; a second wall extending from the other end of the base wall, the second wall having a substantially concave portion for allowing a portion of the retaining means to be received and rotationally fitted into the channel; and a second locking wall for engaging with and for holding the retaining means in a fixed position within the channel, the second locking wall being disposed at one end of the second wall and being substantially on the same plane as the first locking wall, wherein a gap for receiving the retaining means is provided between the ends of the first and second locking walls. 16. An extruded member according to clause 15, in which the channel includes a retaining section for retaining the retaining means of the hinge wing when in a fixed position. 17. An extruded member according to clause 16, in which the retaining section is defined by the first and second locking walls, a portion of the first wall and a portion of the second wall parallel to the portion of the first wall. 18. An extruded member according to any one of clauses 15 to 17, in which the substantially concave portion includes a curved portion extending from the base wall and an angled portion extending from the end of the curved portion. 19. An extruded member according to any one of clauses 15 to 18, in which the extruded member is made from a metal. 20. An extruded member according to any one of clauses 15 to 19, in which the channel extends substantially along the longitudinal length of the extruded member. 21. An extruded member according to any one of clauses 15 to 20, in which the first wall extends substantially orthogonal to the base wall. 22. A method of coupling a hinge wing to an extruded member, the method comprising the steps of: providing a hinge wing according to any one of clauses 1 to 10 and an extruded member according to any one of clauses 15 to 21; inserting the retaining means of the hinge wing through the gap provided between the ends of the first and second locking walls of the extruded member; and operating the screw threaded locking means to lock the first and second retaining arms in a fixed position against the first and second locking walls respectively. 23. A method according to clause 22, when the hinge wing is dependent on clause 2, further comprising the steps of: disposing the second retaining arm into the channel such that a portion of the second retaining arm is received in the concave portion of the second wall and the second locking wall is disposed in the second retaining groove of the hinge wing; and rotating the hinge v dispose the first retaining arm

Claims

AIMS 1. A hinge wing for engagement with a channel in an extruded member, the channel having a base wall, a first wall extending from one end of the base wall, a first locking wall disposed at one end of the first wall and extending substantially orthogonal to the first wall, a second wall having a substantially concave portion and a second locking wall disposed at one end of the second wall and being substantially on the same plane as the first locking wall, the hinge wing comprising: a unitarily formed body including: a faceplate; a retaining means for being received in and for engaging with the channel of the extruded member, the retaining means having first and second retaining arms connected at a connection post and extending from one another, the connection post extending from the faceplate and spacing the first and second retaining arms from the faceplate; and a screw threaded locking means for pressing and for holding the first and second retaining arms in a fixed position against the locking walls of the channel of the extruded member; and first and second receiving grooves for receiving the locking walls of the channel, the first receiving groove being defined by a surface of the first retaining arm and a surface of the faceplate, and the second receiving groove being defined by a surface of the second retaining arm and an angled portion of the faceplate extending from one side of the faceplate towards the connection post.

2. A hinge wing as claimed in claim 1, in which the thickness of the angled portion increases as it extends from the side of the faceplate towards the connection post.

3. A hinge wing as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which a surface of the angled portion facing towards the surface of the second receiving groove is an angled or sloped surface.

4. A hinge wing as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the second groove has a depth greater than the depth of the first groove.

5. A hinge wing as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the screw threaded locking means comprises at least one screw threaded bore extending through the faceplate.

6. A hinge wing as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the screw threaded locking means comprises at least one screw threaded bore extending through the faceplate and the retaining means.

7. A hinge wing as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the second retaining arm includes a narrowed section for being received in a concave portion of the channel during fitment.

8. A hinge wing as claimed in claim 7, in which the narrowed section includes a curved edge.

9. A hinge wing as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the first retaining arm includes a curved edge.

10. A hinge wing as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the extent of the first and second retaining arms substantially correspond to a retaining section of the channel.

11. A hinge wing as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the hinge wing includes at least one knuckle for receiving a hinge pin disposed on a side of the faceplate.

12. A hinge wing as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the retaining means extends substantially along the faceplate.

13. A hinge wing as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the screw threaded locking means includes a threaded fastener for interfacing with the channel of the extruded member.

14. A hinge wing as claimed in claim 13, in which the threaded fastener is a pointed fastener or dog point fastener.

15. A hinge comprising a hinge wing as claimed in any preceding claim.

16. A hinge as claimed in claim 15, comprising two hinge wings as claimed in any of claims 1 to 14 coupled by a hinge pin.

17. A kit of parts for manufacturing a hinge, the kit of parts comprising two hinge wings as claimed in any claims 1 to 14 and a hinge pin.

18. A kit of parts as claimed in claim 17, further comprising at least one threaded screw for interfacing with the screw threaded locking means.

19. A method of coupling a hinge wing to an extruded member, the method comprising the steps of: providing a hinge wing as claimed in any of claims 1 to 14 and an extruded member; inserting the retaining means of the hinge wing through a gap provided between ends of the first and second locking walls of the extruded member; and operating the screw threaded locking means to lock the first and second retaining arms in a fixed position against the first and second locking walls respectively; and disposing the second retaining arm into the channel such that a portion of the second retaining arm is received in the concave portion of the second wall and the second locking wall is disposed in the second retaining groove of the hinge wing; and rotating the hinge wing to dispose the first retaining arm in the channel.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, further comprising the steps of sliding the retaining means so that the first locking wall is disposed within the first receiving groove.