Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a novel window unit
and, more particularly, to manually operable windows, such as
those known as casement windows or awning windows.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Present casement or awning window assemblies include,
between the glass panel and the rectangular frame in which it
~ is mounted, a bulky structure consisting of wood parts and
-; which is not easily dismountable should it be required to
remove the glass panel from the frame. The wooden structure
does not provide, in most cases, the desired insulation which
it must maintain between both sides of the window assembly,
especially in locations where important atmospheric differential
exists, at certain time of the year, between the outside and
the inside of a building. ;
~; OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to provide a simple
window assembly for use as a casement window or as an awning
window.
It is an object of this invention to provide an
improved window unit which may be mounted directly to the
window frame without the aid of intermediate wooden supports.
It is also an object of this invention to provide
a novel window assembly of the type described which provides
adequate insulation between both sides of the window unit.
The present invention combines the features of a
light window unit, made of relatively light and inexpensive
material, such as plastics, with that of suitable insulation
between both sides of the window unit.
The present invention is achieved by providing a
double glazed window unit which includes a series of border -
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elements entirely formed of vinyl plastics. The cross-sectional
profile of each border element is characterized by a glass-
receiving base portion that consists of a web portion and of a
pair of leg portions projecting from the web portion; these leg
portions are adapted to surround the outer marginal edges of
the glass sheets. The cross-section of each border element
further includes two insulation chambers: a first chamber is
defined by an enclosed portion integral with the opposite face
of the web portion and the second chamber is defined by a
second enclosed portion integral with one of the pair of leg
portions and with the front wall of the first chamber. These
two insulation chambers provide a temperature barrier between
the outside and the inside of the window unit.
This novel construction of a border element allows
the window unit to be mounted directly to a correspondingly-
shaped window frame. By inserting in one of the insulation
chambers of some of the border elements a reinforcing member, -~
it is possible to construct a rigid casement-type window
assembly and an awning-type window assembly which are still
. 20 relatively light and which may be easily mounted in or dis-
' mounted from the window frame without intermediate wooden
structure. In the casement window assembly, this reinforcing
member serves to receive one extremity of the manually operable
' arm of the operator associated with the casement window. The -
same reinforcing member also serves to receive the hardware
, fixtures which serve to enable the window unit to pivot and
to slide relative to the window frame. A similar reinforcing
member is mounted in the head portion of the window unit to
receive the head fixtures which act as hinge means for the
- 30 pivotable and sliding movements of the window unit relativeto the window frame. Depending on the size of the window unit,
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a reinforcing member may or may not be installed in the jamb
portions of the unit. In the case of an awning window assembly,
a reinforcing member is provided in each jamb portion of the
window unit and serves to receive the hinge fixtures which
permit the pivotable and sliding movements of the window unit
relative to the window frame.
Therefore, the reinforcing member has a triple
function: reinforcing the window unit, serving as a hinge
attachment means and (in the case of the casement type window)
a guide rail for the manual operator.
In one form of the invention, the periphery of the
window frame is provided, on the outside thereof, with a
covering of vinyl plastics. By suitably positioning weather
strips on the border elements and on this covering, further
insulation chambers are defined between both sides of the glass
panel.
STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
` The present invention therefore relates to the novel
j construction of a border element for use in a double glazed
`- 20 window unit that includes a pair of spaced glass sheets; the
border element comprises an elongate unitary body formed en-
t;rely of vinyl plastics; the body has a cross-section that first
includes a glass-receiving base portion consisting of a web
portion and of a pair of leg portions projecting from one face
of the web portion at opposite edges thereof; the cross-section
of the body further includes a first enclosed portion contiguous ~ -
with the opposite face of the web portion and defining a first
elongate hollow insulation chamber with front and rear walls;
the cross-section of the body further includes a second enclosed
portion contiguous with one of the pair of leg portions and with
the front wall of the first chamber to define a second elongate
hollow insulation chamber.
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The present invention also relates to a novel sealed
double glazed window unit which includes the above-described
border element and which is specifically constructed to be used
as a casement-type window unit or as a awning-type window unit.
In the case of a casement window assembly, a rein-
forcing member is mounted in both the sill portion and the head
portion of the window unit. In the sill portion, the inside
wall of the border element is provided with an elongate opening
to receive the arm of a manual operator for opening and closing
the window unit.
In the case of an awning window assembly, the rein-
forcing members are further mounted in the jamb portions of the
window unit so that the hardware fixtures, which allow the
window unit to pivot and to slide relative to the window frame,
- 15 may be fixedly attached.
t~ Other objects, purposes and characteristic features
of the present invention will be, in part, obvious from the
accompanying drawings and, in part, pointed out as the
description of the invention progresses. In describing the
invention in detail, reference will be made to the accompanying
drawings, in which like reference characters designate corre-
sponding parts throughout the several views.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a casement window
assembly made in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 is a fragmented perspective view of the
window assembly shown in Fig. l;
- Figure 2a is a cross-sectional view showing the novel
border element used in connection with the present invention;
Figure 3 is an elevation cross-sectional view of the
casement window assembly shown in Fig. 1 with the glass panel
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shown in the closed position;
Figure 4 is a plane cross-sectional view of the
casement window assembly of Fig.l with the glass panel shown
in the closed position;
Figure 5 is a fragmented enlarged perspective view
of a corner of the glass panel of the present invention;
Figures 6 and 7 are diagrammatic representations of
two positions of the hardware fixtures used with the present
window assembly;
Figure 8 is a perspective view of an awning window
assembly made in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 9 is an elevation cross-sectional view of the
awning window assembly of Fig. 8, with the glass panel shown ~ -
in the closed position; and
Figure 10 is a plane cross-sectional view of the ~ -
awning window assembly of Fig. 8, with the glass panel shown
in the closed position.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
, In the drawings, there will be described two
~ 20 preferred embodiments of the present invention: a casement
-~ window assembly (Figs. 1-7) and an awning window assembly
(Figs. 8-10).
The window assembly of Fig. 1 consists of a window
frame 10 and of a sealed double glazed window unit 12. The
, 25 unit 12 is mounted to the frame 10 by means of two hinge
mechanisms, generally denoted as 14 and 16, at the lower and
upper parts of the window unit. These hinge mechanisms
consist of hardware fixtures which are well known in the
window art and which allow the window unit to pivot and to
slide relative to the window frame. The combination of these
two movements of the window unit provide, as seen in the open
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position shown in Fig. 1, an opening between the innermost jamb
portion of the window unit and the window frame thereby -
allowing access to the outside panel of the window unit for
cleaning purposes, for example. A manual operator 18 is
fixedly mounted to the sill of the window frame and includes
an arm 20 operatively connected to the window unit 12 to
permit this pivotable and sliding movements of the window unit
relative to the window frame.
The casement window assembly generally described
- 10 above as well as the awning window assembly described herein-
below are the results of a combination of separate novel
elements which will now be described in greater detail.
BORDER ELEMENT
2 One of these features is a novel border element,
~ 15 generally denoted by reference 21, which peripherally surrounds`~ a pair of glass sheets 22 and 24 arranged in spaced parallel
relationship and defining an air space therebetween. A spacing
unit 26 is disposed between the inner marginal edges of the
; glass sheets and extends completely around the periphery
thereof to maintain the sheets in spaced relationship. The
construction of the spacing unit 16 is considered to be well
known in the window art; it may be said generally that it
usually contains a desiccant which, by means of a series of
openings disposed on the air space side of the spacing unit,
is in communication with the air space between the glass sheets.
One example of such spacing unit is described in applicant's
Canadian patent No. 953,159 issued August 20, 1974. The edges
of the glass sheets 22 and 24 and the spacing unit 26 are
received within the glass receiving base portion of the border
element 21.
The protection border element 21 is entirely formed
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of vinyl plastics material. One vinyl plastics which has been
found to be highly suitable is one known under the trademark
GEON Plastic 8700-A. The cross-section of each border element
is composed of a web portion 30 and of a pair of leg portions
32 and 34 defining with the web portion a channel completely
surrounding the outer marginal edges of the glass sheets and
extending around the periphery thereof. As can be seen, the
leg portions 32 and 34 are, respectively, provided with
inwardly projecting lips 36 and 38 forming under pockets which
are adapted to receive an adhesive sealant. It will be evident
to the man skilled in this art to provide an adequate sealant
for bounding glass to vinyl plastics; however, one example of
such sealant is a polysulfide-base product. Integral with the
opposite face of web portion 30 are front and rear walls 40
lS and 42 which, together with opposite wall 44, define an enclosed
elongate hollow chamber 46. This chamber serves as an
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insulation between both sides of the window unit.
As described hereinafter, depending on the type and
size of the window unit for which this border element is used,
this chamber 46 may be empty or it may receive a reinforcing
element 48 as described hereinbelow.
Integral with leg portions 34 and with front wall
40 of chamber 46, there is provided a second elongate hollow
chamber 50 which is defined by upper and lower walls 52 and 54
~, 25 and outside wall 56 and which serves as a second insulating
separation between both sides of the window unit. This
insulation chamber 50 is empty except for correspondingly
shaped corner gussets 51 (see Figure 5). By having these
corner gussets made of the same shape, material and color
as that of the border element, any play resulting from temper-
ature contraction or expansion of the border element will be
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taken by these corner elements.
Border element 21 further includes a groove 58
longitudinally extending outside the two chambers 46 and 50
and extending substantially in the prolongation of wall 40
which is common to both chambers, to receive a weatherstrip
60, the function of which will hereinafter be described.
WINDOW UNIT
The novel border element described above enables the
construction of a novel window unit. Such window unit will
consist of a series of border elements 21, such as the window
unit 12 in Figure 1 which includes a sill portion 21a, a head
portion 21b and two jamb portions 21c and 21d. These window
units may vary in construction depending on their use and, for
example, these various border portions may or may not incorpo-
, 15 rate reinforcing members 48. When the window unit is used in
a casement window assembly, such as shown in Fig. 1, at least
border portions 21a and 21b must be provided with a reinforcing
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element for fixedly receiving the hinge fixtures 14 and 16.
Depending on the height of the window unit, reinforcing members
48 may or may not be provided in border elements 21c and 21d.
CASEMENT WINDOW ASSEMBLY
The reinforcing member 48 may have various shapes;
however, one preferred shape is shown in Fig. 2a for use in a
window unit particularly intended to be used in a casement
window assembly. The cross-section of this reinforcing member
includes at least three full side walls 67, 68 and 69 which
are in surface contact with the corresponding inner walls of
web portion 30, side portions 40 and 44 of the enclosed chamber
46. Screw loops 66 are provided in each corner of the cross-
section of this reinforcing member to receive at each end of
- the border element a series of screws 64 securing adjacent
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border elements together.
A similar reinforcing member is mounted in the upper
head portion 21b of the window unit. Again, screws 62 are
provided at each end of this head portion to secure it to
adjacent jamb portions 21c and 21b.
In the sill portion of the window unit, the open side
of the reinforcing member faces the inside of the room in which
; such window unit may be mounted. On the inside wall of border
element 21a, an elongate slot 65 receives the actuatable arm
20 of the manual operator 18. A roller mechanism 63 is mounted
on the extremity of arm 20 and has an under portion bearing
longitudinally on two guiding and supporting flanges 61 and 63
extending inside reinforcing member 48. The reinforcing member
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may be made of extruded aluminum; hence, various configurations,
such as screw loops 66 and flanges 61, may easily be formed on
the reinforcing member.
The casement window assembly further consists of a
~, flexible covering 70 which may be easily fitted over the outer
periphery of the window frame 10. This covering is preferably
made of plastics material. A weatherstrip 74 is snuggly
received in an appropriate groove 76 at one end of covering 70.
As can be seen from Fig. 3, an additional insulation chamber
is formed when the window unit is closed in the window frame;
~, this chamber is defined by weatherstrip 60, wall 44, weather- -
strip 74 and that portion of covering 70 which lies underneath
wall 44. In the case of a casement window assembly, the
hardware fixtures allowing the pivotal and sliding movement of
the window unit are received in this chamber. As indicated
the
above,/construction of these fixtures is well known in the
art; however, referring to Figs. 6 and 7, an illustration of
the hinging operation of these fixtures is given to show how
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the window unit may pivot and slide relative to the window frame.
One edge of window unit 12 is pivotally connected to a slider 78
which is guided along a metallic bar 80 provided over covering
70, but fixed to frame 10. A linking arm 82 pivotally connects
; 5 bar 80 to the window unit. In Fig. 6, window unit 12 is shown
in the closed position while, in Fig. 7, it is shown once it has
pivoted and slid in the open position.
A similar hinge mechanism is provided between the
frame 10 and the head portion 21b of the window unit.
, 10 A second extrusion 84 may be provided (see Fig.2) on
the window sill to receive a screen (not shown). This extrusion
- 84 is made of plastic material and includes a recess portion 86to receive the screen and a drip collectlng edge 88 bearing
against the inside wall 42 of the border element 21 to direct
droplets formed on this side of the window into recess 86.
To lock the window unit in the closed position, a
' manual lock 90 consists of a rotatable finger gripping portion
92 operatively connected to a lever 94; one end of this lever
is adapted to grasp a hook 96 fixedly secured to the jamb
portion 21d of the window unit 12. In cases where reinforcing
members are used in the jamb sections of the window unit, this
hook 96 may be fixed directed to the reinforcing member. One -
particular advantage of the present invention is that with
the elimination of intermediate supports between window unit
and window frame, it is possible to cut-out of the jamb on the
window frame portion and to install the lock directly in the
frame as shown in the drawings.
AWNING WINDOW ASSEMBLY
Referring to Figs. 8-10, there is shown an awning
window assembly which consists of a frame 110 and of a window
unit 112. Again, this is a type of window which pivots and
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slides so as to allow free access to both faces of the glass
panels.
The window unit includes border elements 121a, 121b,
. 121c and 121d, the cross-section of which is almost identical
to the border element 21 described above in connection with
the casement window assembly. There are two structural
differences: first, referring to Figs. 9 and 10, the sill
portion 121b of the window unit used in this type of window
assembly is not provided with an elongated slot to receive
the manual operator 118i secondly, the reinforcing member 148
inside the border element 121d is rotated 180 so that its
portion 168 faces the inside of the window assembly and that
¦ a hook member 100 may be fixedly attached, such as by screws
102 thereto. In the awning window assembly, a reinforcing
member is preferably provided in each border element of the
¦ window unit, at least in jamb portions 121a and 121c where
the hinge fixtures 114 and 116 are mounted.
The manual operator 118 shown includes an elongated
arm 120 which is folded parallel to the sill of the window
frame to lock the window unit in the closed position. This may
. be accomplished by providing a pivot 119 interconnecting
portions 120a and 120b of the arm. Portion 128 is shown
provided with two slots 104 at one end thereof to receive
the correspondingly shaped hooks 100 attached to the window
unit.
Structurally, the window frame 110 is identical to
~ the window frame 10 shown in the figures relating to the
:! casement window assembly. In other words, window frame 110 ;
is provided with a similar edge covering 170 and may be
provided with similar extrusions 184 to receive a screen.
It will be evident that, since no roller mechanism
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is required in an awning window assembly, the reinforcing member
may be structured somewhat differently; for example, flanges 61
on the inside walls of the reinforcing member are no longer
required
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