Patent Application
20090249739
The disclosures made herein relate to tools and methods for installing manufactured windows into a building structure and, in particular, to tools and devices for safely supporting a manufactured framed window in a rough window opening during window unit installation.
Manufactured window units are utilized in the vast majority of construction projects, both residential and commercial. Such windows are available in a plurality of catalog or stock sizes to fit standard sized rough window openings. The installation of new or replacement windows is generally performed by licensed builders and professional window hangers or installers. The installation of a window normally involves lifting the often heavy and awkward window unit into alignment for insertion into the rough framed window opening and then proceeding to work the window into the rough opening. This procedure is often difficult and unsafe, particularly when performed at elevated heights from a ladder or scaffolding or when the window unit is heavy or large. Additionally, the task of installing a window unit is hazardous and of risk to life and health, for example if the craftsmen installing the window unit should lose their grip on the window and the window unit falls, especially when the work is performed on multistory buildings.
Another problem arises when installing window units into a rough opening in a framed sidewall. Once the window unit is placed in the rough opening it must be maneuvered and worked into proper position by a process of lifting, shimming, measuring and leveling. Installing a window unit typically requires a team effort of at least two people, one on the outside of the structure to strong arm the window unit into the rough opening, and eventually nail the window in place, and a person on the inside to shim and level the window. The procedures to properly position and secure a window to the rough framing require manual dexterity in the use of the hands. This task becomes substantially more difficult and dangerously unsafe when an installer must use one hand solely to hold the window in place in the rough opening, preventing the window unit from falling out of the rough opening while attempting to nail the window unit nail fin to the rough framing.
There remains a need in the art for a window unit installation device that is configured to support a window unit safely in place in the rough opening during installation, while still permitting the window unit to be slid side to side, raised, lowered, leveled, shimmed and otherwise worked into proper position in the rough opening by the installer.
Accordingly, embodiments of the inventive disclosures made herein comprise embodiments of a window unit installation device for supporting a window unit in place during window unit installation into a rough opening. The window installation device is securable onto the window unit and is configured to support the window unit in a framed rough opening, such as a framed sidewall of a residential or commercial building, during window positioning and final installation.
In one or more embodiments of the inventive disclosures made herein, the window unit installation device for supporting a window unit in place during installation includes a substantially flat rectangular body provided with a hole through the body. The body of the window unit installation device includes an upper portion with an attachment hole provided in the upper portion of the body and a lower portion having a plurality of substantially parallel slits. The slits open through a lower edge of the lower portion of the body with the slits dividing the lower portion into a plurality of spaced legs. A tubular plastic molly is received through the hole in the upper portion of the body; the molly includes a cylindrical void extending through a central portion of the molly. The cylindrical void through the molly is sized to receive a nail for securing the molly and the window installation device to the framing about the window opening. The legs of the window unit installation device are sized and adapted so as to be supportively received onto an edge of a nail fin of the window unit. In general, but not by way of limitation, a minimum of four window unit support devices are typically used to support the window unit in the rough opening, generally at least two positioned along each of the side nail fins of the window unit. To install the window unit installation device on a window unit, the legs of the window unit installation device are pushed against and inserted over the outside edge of the nail fin of the window unit. The legs and slots of the window unit installation device are sized and adapted to supportively grip the nail fin in the slots between the spaced legs so as to support the window frame in a rough window opening during installation of the window. The window unit installation device then supports the window unit in the rough opening, preventing the window unit from falling out of the opening, while the installer works to shim, level, and position the window unit in the opening prior to final nailing the nail fin to the rough opening framing.
In one or more embodiments of the inventive disclosures made herein, the window unit installation device is configured to safely support the window unit in the framed opening by use of a nail or screw driven through the window unit installation device into the framing. The use of a screw is preferred for use with structures using metal framing.
In one or more embodiments of the inventive disclosures made herein, the window unit installation device is secured to the window unit by slidably mounting onto the nail fin of the window unit, whereby the window unit installation device supports the window in the window opening by the nail fin.
In another embodiment of the inventive disclosures herein, the window unit installation device is provided with two slots separating three legs with the legs sized and configured for slideably securing the device onto the nail fin of a window unit.
In another embodiment of the inventive disclosures herein, the window unit installation device has a hole through the upper portion which is sized to frictionally retain the molly in the hole, and the molly has a void therethrough sized to frictionally retain the nail or screw within the molly so as to hold the nail in position in the body of the window unit installation device in preparation for driving the nail or screw into the window opening framing. This feature eliminates the need for the installer to hold the window unit in position while driving nails or screws through the window unit nail fin and into the window rough framing, thereby freeing the use of one hand for other tasks.
In another embodiment of the inventive disclosures herein, the window unit installation device is made of metal.
In another embodiment of the inventive disclosures herein, the window unit installation device is made of plastic.
These and other objects of the invention made herein will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and associated drawings.
The drawings show a form of the invention that is presently preferred, however, the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement shown in the drawings.
In preparation for explaining the details of the present inventive disclosure, it is to be understood by the reader that the invention is not limited to the presented details of the construction, materials and embodiments as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, as the invention concepts are clearly capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and realized in various ways by applying the disclosure presented herein.
Turning now to
Turning now to
Turning now to
Turning now to
During window unit installation, typically four or more window installation devices 10 are installed onto the nail fin 32 of the window unit 30 to temporarily support the window unit 30 in place in the rough opening 26 (see
The discussed construction, illustrations and sequence of operation are for one embodiment of the invention, but is in no way limiting to other embodiments. The operating modes may be changed and enhanced without deviating from the intention of this inventive disclosure.
In the preceding detailed description, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments and certain variants thereof have been described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. It is to be understood that other suitable embodiments may be utilized and that logical, material, and mechanical changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. To avoid unnecessary detail, the description omits certain information known to those skilled in the art. The preceding detailed description is, therefore, not intended to be limited to the specific forms set forth herein, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as can be reasonably included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
