Patent Application
20080000162
In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.
Referring to the accompanying figures there is illustrated a reinforcement for a sash 10 of an operator window 12. More particularly the reinforcement is arranged for reinforcing the attachment of a latching mechanism to an operator window formed of hollow plastic frame members.
The present invention is generally applicable to an operator window 12 of the type having a perimeter frame 14 arranged to be mounted about a perimeter of a window opening. A latching side 16 of the perimeter frame is shown formed of a hollow plastic frame member joined to similar hollow plastic frame members forming the top and bottom sides of the perimeter frame.
As in a conventional operator window, the sash 10 is mounted within the perimeter frame 14 for movement relative thereto between an open position in which the window opening surrounded by the perimeter frame is at least partially unobstructed and a closed position in which window panes fully span the window opening. The sash itself thus at least partially obstructs the window opening in the closed position. The sash also includes a latching side 18 formed of an elongate hollow plastic member, for example vinyl. The latching side 18 of the sash is opposite the hinged or otherwise mounted side of the sash which supports the sash on the perimeter frame 14. The latching sides 16 and 18 of the perimeter frame and sash respectively engage one another in the closed position of the window.
A latching mechanism is provided for latching or locking the sash relative to the perimeter frame in the closed position. The latching mechanism includes a common multipoint lock tie bar 20 which is mounted along the latching side of the perimeter frame for relative sliding movement in the longitudinal direction of the bar along the frame. The tie bar 20 includes a plurality of first mating connectors 22 mounted at spaced positions therealong. A set of three first mating connectors 22 is shown in the illustrated embodiment.
The latching mechanism also includes a set of lock keepers comprising second mating connectors 24 mounted at spaced positions along the latching side of the sash. The second mating connectors 24 correspond in number and location to the first mating connectors 22 so as to be similarly spaced for alignment of the first and second connectors in the closed position. The first and second mating connectors are thus arranged to mate with one another respectively to latch or lock the window in the closed position. Slidably displacing the tie bar 20 in the longitudinal direction thereof along the latching side of the frame causes the mating connectors to be selectively engaged with one another in the closed position of the window.
The reinforcement according to the present invention comprises a plurality of separate reinforcement members 26 which are supported spaced apart from one another along the latching side of the sash for respective alignment with the second mating connectors 24 so that the second mating connectors can be fastened to the sash by fastening to respective ones of the reinforcement members 26 using screws 27 or other suitable threaded fasteners and the like. The reinforcement members 26 are formed of steel or any other suitable material which is stronger than the plastic material forming the sash for better securement of the screws 27 therein when securing the second mating connectors to the sash.
A hollow channel is formed in the sash to span in the longitudinal direction of the latching side of the sash adjacent the mounting location of the second mating connectors 24. The reinforcement members 26 are thus slidably received in the channel formed in the frame member of the sash so as to be inserted in series with one another at spaced apart positions therein.
Each reinforcement member 26 comprises a flat steel bar which is plural times in length that of a corresponding second mating connector 24 which is fastened to it.
Spacers 28 formed of a dissimilar material, for example PVC plastic, are mounted between each adjacent pair of the reinforcement members 26 to maintain a space therebetween in the mounted position thereof. The spacers are much shorter in the longitudinal direction than the reinforcement members 26.
Each spacer 28 is arranged to span the full cross section of the hollow channel receiving the reinforcement members 26 therein to prevent any sliding overlap of the plates within the hollow channel of the sash. Each spacer is thus positioned between the ends of two adjacent reinforcement members.
The spacers 28 are formed of a soft plastic material which is arranged to be softer than the steel of the reinforcement members 26 as well as being softer than the vinyl forming the frame members of the sash and perimeter frame of the windows. The force required to compress the spacers 28 is arranged to be less that the force in the longitudinal direction of the latching side of the sash which would be required to cause the sash to bow. Accordingly, the spacers are soft enough to allow some deformation thereof rather than allowing bowing of the sash.
To further ensure that there are no undesirable forces causing the window sash to bow, the combined length of all of the reinforcement members 26 and the spacers in the longitudinal direction of the latching side of the sash is arranged to be shorter than that of the sash so that the spacers and reinforcement members 26. Accordingly gaps are installed between all of the spacers and the reinforcement members which accommodate for any differences in expansion or contraction between the reinforcement members and the latching side of the sash.
When more than two second mating connectors 24 are provided, the reinforcement members 26 which are located at opposing ends of the latching side of the sash are arranged to be shorter in the longitudinal direction thereof than any intermediate ones of the reinforcement members 26.
The members 26 located adjacent the opposing ends of the sash are also arranged to be longer than the distance between the outermost ones of the second connectors 24 and the respective outer ends of the sash in the longitudinal direction of the latching side to ensure that even when the reinforcement members 26 at the opposing ends are abutted against the respective opposing ends, they still overlap the mounting locations of the two outer second mating connectors 24.
Furthermore the intermediate reinforcement members 26 are arranged to have a length which will overlap the respective intermediate ones of the second mating connectors with which they are associated even if all of the reinforcement members are abutted against one another adjacent one end of the latching side of the sash or the other.
Depending upon the length of the latching side of the sash, a different number of second mating connectors 24 are provided and different lengths of reinforcement members 26 inserted within the hollow interior of the sash frame member are also provided. The following table illustrates the different lengths of reinforcement members 26 which can be used for different lengths of latching sides of the sash. In the illustrated embodiment for example when the tie bar has a length of 34.9 inches, three second mating connectors 24 are provided with three associated reinforcement members 26. The two outermost members 26 have a length of 8 inches in the longitudinal direction while an intermediate one of the reinforcement members has a length of the 15 inches.
In order to assemble the sash with the steel reinforcement members 26 inserted therein, the correct number and layout of reinforcement members are selected from the above chart and inserted in order with the spacers 28 abutted therebetween. The latching side of the sash is then positioned to span generally horizontally and can be quickly moved side to side to further separate the steel of the reinforcement members from the spacers 28 to maintain a gap therebetween. The central or intermediate one of the lock keepers forming the second mating connectors 24 can then be fastened to its respective reinforcement member 26 using suitable fasteners therebetween.
The latching side of the sash is then tilted to one end until the reinforcement member 26 at that end abuts the respective end of the sash. At this point the second mating connector 24 at that bottom end of the sash is then applied with fasteners. The process is then repeated by tilting the sash to the other direction so that the other end is located at the bottom and then the corresponding second mating connector 24 adjacent to that bottom end is then secured to the respective reinforcement member 26.
The spacers 28 serve primarily to ensure that the reinforcement members 26 cannot slide past or overlap one another when they are slidably inserted into the hollow channel formed in the sash.
Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without department from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.
