Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2168814
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A double-hung window arrangement and an electrical
window operator for operating an upper sash section of
such an arrangement.
The present invention relates to a double-hung window
arrangement of the kind comprising a substantially
rectangular main frame with guide means for vertically
slidable upper and lower sash sections covering an upper
and a lower part of the main frame opening,
respectively, and locking means for securing said sash
sections with respect to said main frame in closed
positions of said sections.
Background of the Invention
In window installations of this kind ventilation is
normally provided by lifting the lower sash section from
its closed position, whereas the upper section is very
seldomly used for ventilation purposes.
In the prior art as represented by U.K. Patent
Specification Nos. 565,098, 887,533 and 1,038,956,
published U.K. Patent Application No. 2 242 225 and U.S.
Patent Nos. 2,067,106 and 3,324,594 various mechanical,
electromechanical and electropneumatic operators for
opening and closing the upper sash sections of such
window installations have been disclosed.
These prior art solutions have in common that mechanical
transmission members acting on the upper sash sections
must to a great extent be arranged within the vertical
side members of the main frame construction, whereby the
window installations may become unduly complicated and
expensive. In general, operators of this kind will,
therefore, not be suitable for retrofitting to existing
double-hung windows.
2168811
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In a double-hung window arrangement known from U.S.
Patent No. 1,105,784 ventilation by lowering of the
upper sash section is made possible by means of a simple
vertical screw shaft engaging a nut member secured to
the upper horizontal member of the upper sash section,
one end of said screw shaft being fitted and retained
against lengthwise movement in a socket secured to the
underside of the upper horizontal main frame member,
whereas the other end of the screw shaft is provided
with a hand wheel for turning the screw shaft and
thereby moving the upper sash section between a closed
position and a ventilating position determined by the
length of the screw shaft.
Since in double-hung window arrangements the upper main
frame member and the upper member of the upper sash
section are normally located at a significant height
above the floor, operation of the hand wheel of this
prior art arrangement is quite cumbersome and is made
even more difficult by the fact that the whole weight of
the upper sash section is carried by the engagement of
the nut member with the screw shaft, whereby turning of
the hand wheel will require a considerable force. In
addition, this solution is less attractive because the
screw shaft projecting downwards from the middle of the
upper horizontal main frame member will be visible from
the outside in any position of the upper sash section.
It is the object of this disclosure to provide an easily
operable window operator for the upper sash section of a
double-hung window arrangement of the kind defined and
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the installation of which can, moreover, be easily
accomplished by the do-it-yourself customer.
It is a further object to provide an operator of the
kind set forth of a relatively simple and inexpensive
structure which can be supplied as a do-it-yourself kit
for after installation on existing double-hung window
arrangements.
A still further object is to provide a design of such an
operator of which no component will be visible from the
outside in the closed position of the upper sash
section.
A double-hung window arrangement of the kind defined is
described which includes a remotely operated electrical
window operator for the upper sash section comprising an
operator housing with an electric drive motor and
transmission means arranged on a horizontal upper part
of the main frame, an elongate connection member in the
form of a chain engaged in said housing by the
transmission means and having a free end secured to an
upper horizontal member of the upper sash section so as
to be non-detachable from the upper horizontal member at
least in any open position of the upper sash section
whereby to allow electrically operated displacement of
the upper sash section from a closed position in which
the chain is entirely accommodated in the housing and an
open position in which the upper sash section is
downwardly displaced from the closed position.
In a preferred embodiment provision is made for
permitting operation of the upper sash section in a
situation where the electric operator has become
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inoperable, e.g. by interruption of the electric power
supply to the operator, by arranging bracket means
connecting the free end of the chain to the upper
horizontal sash member to allow relative vertical
displacement between said chain and the upper horizontal
sash member, releasable locking means being provided for
locking said free end of the chain with respect to the
upper horizontal sash member.
According to a further development a double-hung window
arrangement of the kind set forth may further comprise
the arrangement of a screen device including a rolled-up
web of a spring loaded screening material carried by a
supporting device secured to the upper part of the main
frame and having a free end to be connected with the
upper sash section to be automatically actuated by
opening of the sash section to provide screening of the
part of the main frame opening between the upper sash
section and the upper part of the main frame.
Such a screen device may typically be an insect screen.
Also described is an electrical window operator for
operating an upper sash section of a double-hung window
arrangement of the kind comprising a substantially
rectangular main frame with guide means for vertically
slidable upper and lower sash sections covering an upper
and a lower part of the main frame opening,
respectively, the operator comprising an operator
housing with an electric drive motor and transmission
members for arrangement on a horizontal upper part of
said main frame, an elongate connection member in the
form of a chain engaged in the housing by the
transmission means and having a free end designed to be
X168814
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secured to an upper horizontal member of the upper sash
section.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described with
reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in
which:
Figures 1 and 2 are front and side elevations,
respectively, of an embodiment of a double-hung
window arrangement with a remotely controlled
electrical chain operator;
Figure 3 shows an operator housing for the operator
in Figures 1 and 2 with transmission means engaging
an operator chain, connected with an upper
horizontal member of the upper sash section of the
arrangement in Figures 1 and 2; and
Figure 4 is a side elevation of a further
development of the window arrangement in Figures 1
and 2.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
The double-hung window arrangement shown in Figures 1
and 2 is of a generally well known construction with a
main frame composed of upper and lower horizontal frame
members 1 and 2 and vertical side members 3 and 4 in
which guide means 5 and 6 of a conventional design as
schematically illustrated in Figure 2, are provided for
vertically slidable upper and lower sash sections 7 and
8, respectively.
As further illustrated in Figure 2 the upper sash
section 7 is arranged on the external side of the lower
216~Si~
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sash section 8, so that ventilation can be provided by
raising the lower sash section 8 or lowering the upper
sash section 7 or both.
In conventional double-hung window arrangements of this
kind ventilation is normally provided by raising the
lower sash section, whereas lowering of the upper sash
section is seldom used for this purpose.
In the embodiment shown the lower sash section 8 is a
conventional manually operated window section which may
be raised by operating a handle 9 secured to the lower
horizontal sash member 10. Locking fittings, not
illustrated, will normally be provided for locking the
lower sash section with respect to the upper sash
section 7 in the closed position.
Experimental tests have shown, however, that a better
and technically more correct ventilation will be
provided by lowering of the upper sash section 8.
To facilitate opening of the upper sash section 7 the
window arrangement of Figures 1 and 2 is provided with a
remotely operated electrical window operator acting on
the upper sash section 7. The operator comprises an
operator housing 11 secured to the upper horizontal main
frame member 1 and accommodating an electric drive motor
and transmission means engaging an elongate connection
member in the form of a chain 12 having a free end
secured to the upper horizontal sash member 13 of the
upper sash section 7 by means of a bracket 14.
The electric drive motor, not illustrated in the
operator housing 11 is enabled and disabled from an
electrical control circuit 15 which may be arranged at a
216881
convenient location on the wall in which the window
arrangement is installed. In the embodiment shown the
control circuit 15 incorporates a signal receiver 16
arranged to receive control signals, e.g. IR signals,
from a separate remote control unit 17. The control
circuit 15 is further connected via a cable 18 with an
electrical power supply and via enabling/disabling line
19 with the electric motor in operator housing 11.
Wireless control of the control circuit 15 from a
separate remote control unit is, of course, not
necessary for the electrical operator embodied in the
invention. The control circuit may as shown be equipped
with a more conventional enabling/disabling switch
arrangement, which is conveniently accessible to the
customer.
As more clearly illustrated in Figure 3 the operator
chain 12 is composed of interconnected alternating chain
members 20 and links 21. The transmission means in
operator housing 11 engaging the operator chain 12
comprises a sprocket 24 secured to the mainshaft 25 of
the electric drive motor, not illustrated, and engaging
the operator chain 12 in generally V-shaped cut-outs 26
between teeth 27.
As shown in Figure 3 the bracket 14 connecting the free
end of operator chain 12 with upper horizontal sash
member 13 is arranged to allow relative vertical
displacement of the chain 12 with respect to the upper
sash member 13. To achieve this the bracket 14
comprises a generally U-shaped fitting secured to sash
member 13 and providing an opening 28 through which the
chain 12 is passed.
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_8_
To prevent disconnection of the chain 12 from the upper
sash member 13 a stop member 29 is secured to the free
end of the chain 12. In normal operation the free end
of chain 12 is fixed with respect to upper sash member
13 by means of a locking pin 30 projecting into the
chain 12 between adjacent rivets 22. The locking pin 30
may be mounted either as shown in the bracket 14 itself
or in a separate fixture to be retractable from its
engagement with the chain 12 to allow relative vertical
movement of the upper sash section 7 along the chain 12
in a situation where the chain 12 has become blocked in
a ventilation position, e.g. due to interruption of the
power supply for the electrical operator, without
disconnection of the chain 12 from the bracket 14.
Thereby, the upper sash section may be closed manually
in case of such a power failure.
As will be immediately apparent from Figure 3 the upper
sash section 7 may in the normal situation with the free
end of chain 12 fixed with respect to upper sash member
13 be lowered and lifted by clockwise and
counterclockwise rotation, respectively, of sprocket 24.
In the closed position of the upper sash section 7 the
chain 12 is as shown in Figure 3 entirely accommodated
within the operator housing 11 along a path defined by a
curved guide wall 31 so that no part of the electrical
operator will be visible from the outside.
In the side elevation in Figure 4 a further development
of the window arrangement is shown in which a screen
device 32 in the form of e.g. an insect screen is
arranged to cover the ventilation opening provided by
lowering of the upper sash section 33. The screen
device includes a rolled-up sheet 34 of a screening
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material carried under spring load by a supporting
device 35 secured to the upper main frame member 36 and
having a free end 37 connected with the upper sash
member. Thereby, the screening is automatically brought
into effective position by lowering of the upper sash
section 33.
As apparent from the drawings the entire electrical
operator is composed of relatively few components
including the operator housing 11 incorporating the
operator chain 12 and suitable electrical wiring, the
control circuit 15, the bracket and locking means for
connecting chain 12 with upper sash member 13 and
optionally the separate remote control unit 17.
Thus the entire operator may be supplied conveniently as
a do-it-yourself kit for easy installation on existing
double-hung windows.
