Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
SNAP STUD
DescriRtion
Technical Field
- This invention pertains to a snap stud
particularly for use in window hardware for releasably
pivotally interconnecting two members. The snap stud
is constructed to facilitate assembly of the window
hardware by use of automatic equipment and to releasably
retain the window hardware members in pivotally inter-
connected relation whereby the members may be separatedfor movement of a window free of restraint by the
window hardware.
Background Art
There are many different types of window hard-
ware having pivotally interconnected members. One type
is a window operator having an operating arm connected
to a bracket mounted to a window sash. A releasable
connection is achieved by the use of a slidable keeper
member on the operating arm which, in one posi-tion,
interfits with a stud on the bracket to lock the parts
together in a pivotally interconnected relation. A
slidable keeper of this type is shown in Armstrong U.S.
Patent No. 3,~57,675.
Another type of window hardware is a window
hinge. A sash arm is pivotally attached to a slider or
shoe movable along a guide track fixed to a window sill
and a support arm or link extends between the guide
track and the sash arm and is pivotally connected to both~
A commercial embod~ment of a window hinge utilizes a
keeper and stud structure of the type shown in the
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referred to Armstrong patent for releasably connecting the
support arm to the guide track. In assembly, the sash arm
must be manually oriented with the end adapted for mounting
the keeper positioned adjacent the guide track and the keeper
must be manually handled.
The present commercial window hardware using a
slidably mounted keeper is not readily assembled by use of
automatic equipment because of the required handling of the
keeper and orientation of the hardware elements.
Disclosure of the Invention
A primary feature of the invention is to provide a
snap stud for releasably holding a pair of members, such
as components of window hardware, in pivotally inter-
connected relation and which avoids the need for a slidably
mounted keeper with resulting cost reduction and the ability
to perform part of the assembly of the window hardware on
automatic equipment because of ease of handling and orientation
of components. The snap stud enables separation and assembly
of the members relative to each other to be accomplished
without tools and the snap stud emits a positive "snap" sound when
returning to its retention position, thereby signalling
proper interconnection of the members to each other.
The snap stud replaces the slidable keeper used in
the prior commercial window hardware structures and thus
avoids a number of problems encountered in the use o~ a keeper,
including special orientation of the member which is to mount
the keeper, difficulty in manufacturing the keeper, the
inability to automatically manipulate the keeper in assembly
processes as well as possible damage thereto during assembly.
Additionally, the snap stud is not readily apparent as
constituting a releasable connection between the members and,
therefore, the window hardware is more tamper-proof than when
a keeper is used which is readily visible as being a member
which, when moved, will disconnect the two members and
permit movement of a window sash independently of the
window hardware. Further, the use of the snap stud in place
of the stud and keeper of the prior art results in a cost
savings of approximately 1/3 in the cost of the parts.
Generally, the invention seeks to provide a snap
stud for mounting on a first member and releasably holding a
second member in pivotal relation with the first member
comprising a generally cylindrical portion having an
external peripheral groove intermediate the ends of the
portion. A C-ring of spring wire is positioned in the
peripheral groove and has a pair of spaced-apart ends, the
C-ring having inner and outer diameters selected to have a
part thereof in the peripheral groove and a part extending
beyond the periphery of the cylindrical portion when the C-
ring is in a retention position. The peripheral groove has
a depth to enable compression of the C-ring to a release
position in which substantially all of the C-ring is in the
peripheral groove.
More particularly, one embodiment of the invention
pertalns to a releasable connection means for window
hardware which comprises a snap stud including a generally
cylindrical portion having an outer periphery, a first
window hardware member and means attaching the cylindrical
portion to the first member so that the cylindrical portion
and the first member are fixed against relative movement
axially of the cylindrical portion. A second window
hardware member has a through opening, the cylindrical
portion extending through the opening so that the first and
second window hardware members are pivotable with respect to
each other. The cylindrical portion has an external
peripheral groove intermediate the ends of the cylindrical
portion and a C-ring of spring wire defining a generally
circular centerline is positioned in the peripheral groove
and has a pair of spaced-apart ends. The C-ring has inner
and outer diameters selected to have a part thereof in the
peripheral groove and a part extending beyond the outer
periphery of the cylindrical por-tion when the C-ring is in
a retention position. The diameter of at least a
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portion of the through opening of the second member is less
than the outer diameter of the C-ring and is greater than
the diameter of the csnterline of the C-ring when the C-ring
is in the retention position~ The peripheral groove has a
depth to enable compression of the C-ring to a release
position in which substantially all of the C-ring is in the
peripheral groove and which enables disassembly of the first
and second members by pulling one member away from the other
a~ially of the stud.
Other aspects and embodiments of the invention will
become apparent from the more detailed description of the
invention herein.
Brief Descri~tion of the Drawings
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a window hinge
utilizing the snap stud;
Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section, taken
generally along the line 2 - 2 in Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a plan section, taken generally along the
line 3 - 3 in Fig. 2; and
Fig. 4 is a view, similar to Fig. 2, showing the
snap stud action that occurs during an assembly operation.
Best Mode for Carrying Out The Inventlon
As previously mentioned, there are different types
of window hardware which have releasable pivotally
interconnected members including window operators and window
hinges. The snap stud embodying the invention is shown in
association with a window hinge and it will be understood
that the snap stud also has utility in a window operator.
The window hinge, indicated generally at 10, mounts
a window sash (not shown).
The window hinge has a guide track 22 mountable to
the sill of a window frame. A sash arm 23 fastens
to the underside of a window sash and at one
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end is pivoted at 24 to a slider or shoe 25 which is
movably mounted in the guide track 22. A support arm
26 has one end pivotally connected at 27 to the sash
arm 23 and at it~ other end 28 is pivotally connected
to the guide trac~ 22 by a snap stud, indicated
generally at 30.
The snap stud 30 functions to releasably
retain the support arm and the ~uide track in
pivotally interconnected relation.
I The snap stud is shown more particulàrly in
Figs. 2-4. The snap stud com~rises a cylindrical portion or
stud 40 which extends from the guide track 22 and is
fixed thereto. The stud has a tubular lower part 42 of
reduced diameter extending through an opening 44 in
the guide track 22 and pressed outwardly to form a
rim 46. The guide track 22 is captured between a
flange 48 on the stud and the rim 46.
The stud 40 has a stud section 50 with an
external peripheral groove 52 defining a neck adjacent
a head 54 at the free end of the stud. A C-ring 60 of
round spring music wire is posi~ioned in the external
peripheral groove 52. The C-ring i8 partially circular
and has an inner diameter less than the diameter of the
stud 40 and an outer diameter larger than the stud 40.
As seen in Figs. 2 and 3, the C-ring has a retention
position wherein part of the spring is within the ex-
ternal peripheral groove 52 and part thereof extends
beyond the periphery of the stud 40. The C-ring has
spaced-apart ends 62 and 64 which are spaced apart less
than the diameter of the stud base section 50 whereby
the C-ring must be forced into position in the exter-
nal peripheral groove 52 in assembly and, thereafter,
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is retained in assembled relation. The external periph-
eral groove 52 has a depth approximately equal to the
diameter of the spring music wire.
The action of the snap stud in releasably
retaining the window hardware members in pivotally
interconnected relation is best seen in Fig. 2. The
external peripheral groove 52 is at a distance from the
stud flange 48 at least equal to the thickness of the
support arm, and the C-ring 60 is in its retention
position and overlies the end 28 of the support arm.
The support arm has an opening 70 to receive the
snap stud which is of a diameter less than the outer
diarneter of the C-ring when the latter is in its re-
tention position. In assembly or disassembly of the
window hardware members relative to each other, the C-
ring 60 is compressed by the support arm 26 to a
position where it lies substantially entirely within
the external peripheral groove 52, as illustrated in
Fig. 4, whereby the support arm can move to and
; 20 from its associated position with the guide track 22.
The action of the support arm in compressing the C-ring
60 is facilitated by the camming action derived from the
roundness of the wire used in forming the C-ring.
From the foregoing, it will be evident that
two window hardware members can be releasably pivotally
interconnected merely by forcing the stud 40 into the
opening 70 of the support arm 26 with automatic com-
pression of the C-ring 60 and, aftçr the members are
assembled into the position shown in FigO 2, the C-
ring returns to a retention position to maintain themembers in assembled relation. The snap stud emits a
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positive "snap" sound when the parts reach the
assembled position shown in Fig. 2, thus signalling
proper interconn~ction of the members.
When the snap stud is used to pivotally
interconnect a support arm of a window hinge to a
track associated with the windo~ sash, it is possible
to utilize a simplified support arm having openings
of the same size adjacent each end thereof, with one
opening being used for the pivot connection to the
sash arm and the other for association with the snap
stud. This simplification of the support arm in not
requiring a mounting for a slidable keeper facilitates
the automatic assembly of the window hinge by avoiding
the necessity for orienting one particular end of the
support arm in a particular position.
The snap stud can be used in a window operator
of the type shown in Van Klompenburg U.S. Patent No. 4,241,541
to pivotally interconnect the ~onnecting link 41 and
the bracket 42.
