Opening a kitchen window - REMAP - Custom made equipment for disabled people
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Opening a kitchen window

The kitchen window handle has a button off-set from the handle. It must be depressed to engage the handle which otherwise remains locked. Commercially available opening poles do not take this into account. Several solutions have been posted on MakeAbility and a modification of one was used. The client is short of stature and needed to stand on a small folding step to get a suitable angle to operate the pole.

The solution

The ‘finger’ needed to depress the button is made from an M8x80 Hook bolt. This is heated with a blow torch and opened to a right angle using two mole wrenches, being mindful of the Hook bolt being very hot. The dowel is 20mm and fits into a plastic ’20mm Tee’ with an internal diameter of 22mm, used for water overflows. One side of the Tee was cut off to allow the Tee to slide far enough along the handle for the ‘finger’ to reach the button. The dowel was cut to 1 m. One reversed Nyloc nut and washer was fitted to the cold Hook bolt. An 8mm hole was drilled through both Tee and inserted dowel. The Hook bolt was pushed through the hole and a second washer and Nyloc nut was added to make a tight fit. A pencil rubber, available from good stationers, was fitted to the ‘finger’ end of the Hook bolt and cut to fit the window button. A rubber handle grip was added to the other end of the dowel to help the client turn the dowel. A little washing up liquid was used to lubricate the inside of the grip.

                           

The benefit

The client was now able to open and close the window. It took a number of attempts to learn to raise the pole with the rubber on the button and to then twist the pole so that the handle opened. Once mastered, the client was happy with the result and asked for assistance with another window where the button is on the other side of the handle. The ‘finger’ could be turned to suit this as the Nyloc washers would not work loose.

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11 responses to “Opening a kitchen window”

  1. Steve Green says:

    Hi Paul,

    Thanks for your comment. I belong to the Southampton and West Hants Remap Panel and have visited the lady concerned. I have seen the various devices on makeability and shall, hopefully, produce something suitable for her particular application.

    Steve

  2. Paul says:

    Good morning Mary,

    I think I now have a way of solving your problem. However there are many designs of window openers. To help make one that fits your window, would you be able to send me a close up photo of the handle please? If this is difficult for you, maybe you can ask a friend or carer to do this. Whilst I can design one for my windows, which also have push buttons, the shape of the handle will vary as well as the position of the button.

    Another question I need to ask is at what sort of angle would you have to hold the opener, horizontal, vertical or somewhere in between? Ideally, one opens a window by being directly opposite it, but this won’t necessarily be so in your case.

    With Covid, we are not allowed to make home visits. I live near to Melton Mowbray but no doubt you live a long way away. I have made site visits in the past but this is not possible.

    Best wishes,

    Paul

  3. Mary Lewis says:

    As I can raise my chair quite high to about 30inches from the floor to the seat and I sit on top of that. The widest surface i have to reach across when high is about 35 ins , my arm can cover a part of that but not enough to reach the handle of the bottom windows it would need to be a little longer to reach the top ones . I have tried to measure the
    Distance from the lower handle to the top handle and its about 22 ins.
    I do hope that helps and do let me know if you need anymore details. Thank you so much for trying to help.

    Kindest of regards

    Mary

  4. Paul says:

    Hi Mary,

    Can you tell me what reach you need to open the window in question please? I have looked at some ways of solving the problem and think I have a solution.

    Paul

  5. Paul Taylor says:

    Hi Mary,

    The window opener I designed was possibly 4 feet long as it had to reach above a kitchen sink and window to a top window. I am not sure that from a wheel chair position, this design is going to work as it requires the user to move the pole to the side in order to depress the button. How high up is the window you wish to open? I might be able to come up with an idea by modifying a litter picker but it rather depends if this would be long enough. It is a common problem as most new windows fasteners seem to have these push buttons.

    Paul

  6. Mary Lewis says:

    Thank you

  7. Mary Lewis says:

    Thank you

  8. KFUSSELL says:

    Hi Mary, we will email you directly to see how we can help. Best wishes

  9. Mary Lewis says:

    Hello, I need to buy a new long handle window opener as ì am in a wheelchair. Some of my windows are straight and I could use the window pole I had till I broke it this week. Some of my windows have buttons to push in, those I can’t open as never can reach the button. What I need is one that will turn the handle to push open and also be able to press a button and then I turn it to push the window open. Do you make one that does this or will I just have to buy just the long handled one to open the normal window, and again never opening the windows in my room unless I have visitors. Any help would be appreciated, and how do I go
    Regards. Mary Lewis.

  10. Sophie Morrison says:

    Hi Susan,

    We’re a charity that custom makes equipment for disabled people when there’s nothing on the market. If you’re in the UK, this is likely to be something we can make for you for free. Please contact us with your address and we’ll link you up with a local volunteer who should be able to help.

    Sophie

  11. Susan Park says:

    I have been looking for a gadget to open my fan light kitchen window and like this one it has a button which needs to be depressed to operate, PLEASE send me details and price! As this is the only ventilation in the kitchen I am desperate! Many thanks.

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