BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to building components, and more specifically to structures configured for forming window wells and improvements therein.
In the construction of buildings, many homebuilders desire, or building codes require, the provision of windows in poured concrete foundation walls. Such windows admit light and ventilation and provide a point of egress directly to the exterior. Where the windows are below the grade of the earth proximate the foundation, a clear area around the exterior of the window which extends below the grade to at or above the grade is necessary. To retain the earth from entering this open area, window wells are commonly used.
For many years, sub-terrain window systems have been designed to allow light into basement areas to make the space more desirable, as well as meet building code requirements, as discussed below. These window systems generally include a standard size or other window located, at least in part, below grade. Provided at the window location is a window well structure surrounding the outside window surface which acts, at least in part, to retain the earth.
Structural integrity has also been an important part of window well structure design. For this reason, window well structures have typically been corrugated to provide rigidity. Additionally, window well structures having a U-shaped cross section have been the design of choice of most manufacturers. This is likely because most window well structures are formed of metal. The U-shaped cross section is a convenient and low-cost shape to manufacture in metal, and U-shaped window well structures are relatively strong due simply to the inherent advantages of the geometry.
Galvanized steel windows are commonly used and are placed near or attached to the structure around the window opening before backfilling of the earth. These galvanized steel window wells are of common sizes and retained in inventory by the concrete contractor until needed for use. These structures are normally bolted or otherwise fastened to the building foundation by a pair of laterally extending flanges and held in place by back filling of soil or gravel around the exterior of the window well structure. Settlement of the gravel can often result in shifting of the structure resulting in improper alignment and possible leakage around the interface between the foundation and the window well. In some cases, damage to the window well structure itself may occur.
While relatively lightweight and thus portable, such window wells present numerous disadvantages. For example, they are not particularly attractive, the galvanizing layer may be penetrated resulting in rusting, attachment strength to the foundation is problematic and require a great deal of expense to rectify such problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other shortcomings in the prior art have been addressed by a window well mounting system according to various embodiments of this invention. A window well structure according to various embodiments of this invention may be constructed of galvanized steel, recycled plastic materials, or any other material. The window well structure is snapped into place on the foundation adjacent a window opening. During the pouring of the foundation wall, a pair of spaced and generally parallel channels are embedded in the wall and directed outwardly on the outer face of the poured concrete wall. The channels are seated on the wall form panels used in constructing the foundation wall and after the concrete has been poured and cured, the wall form panels are removed and the channels remain embedded and exposed on the outer face of the concrete wall. The channels provide a slot into which one of the generally vertical terminal edges of the window well structure may be inserted for attachment to the wall.
According to various embodiments of this invention, the window well structure includes a number of clips which function to secure the window well structure to the foundation wall once they are inserted into the channel. The bottom edge of the window well structure is supported by the bottom edge of the channel member formed in the foundation wall. This arrangement allows for additional support on the window well structure after the surrounding soil has been backfilled on the exterior surface of the window well structure and the foundation wall. Settlement of the backfill gravel and other material does not shift the window well structure due to the vertical support provided by the channel mounting system for the window well.
An additional advantage of various embodiments of the mounting system according to this invention is that the window well structure may be easily mounted to the foundation wall without the need for tools or other labor-intensive assembly procedures. The clips provided on the window well structure allow for the one-time secure attachment to the foundation wall adjacent the window opening. Moreover, the window well structure may be made of plastic or other recycled materials thereby avoiding the use of galvanized steel structures of prior window well systems.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a window well system mounted on a poured concrete wall according to this invention;
FIG. 1A is a view similar to FIG. 1, but of an alternative configuration for the poured concrete wall;
FIG. 1B is a view similar to FIG. 1, but of a further alternative configuration for the poured concrete wall;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of channel members for the window well system being mounted to a wall panel;
FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2 with the channel members mounted to the wall panel;
FIGS. 4-9 are perspective views of various channel members according to embodiments of this invention;
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the channel member of FIG. 4 taken along line 10-10 in FIG. 4;
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a channel member mounted to a wall panel in a poured concrete wall system;
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a poured concrete wall with a pair of channel members embedded in the poured concrete wall proximate to the window frame opening with a window well according to one embodiment of this invention about to be installed on the poured concrete wall;
FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of one portion of the window well being secured in one of the channel members embedded in the poured concrete wall according to one embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 14 is a cross sectional view of one portion of a window well being inserted into the channel member embedded in a poured concrete wall adjacent to a window frame according to one embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 14 with the window well secured in the channel member; and
FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the channel member and associated clips securing the window well into the channel member according to one embodiment of this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to FIG. 1, a first embodiment of a window well system 10 according to this invention is shown. The window well system 10 may include a window well 12 which in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is a generally semi-circular structure which is mounted to a poured concrete wall 14. The window well 12 of this invention may take any of a variety of shapes and designs and may include a series of ribs 16 on an inner face of the window well 12. The window well 12 may be of any of a variety of appropriate materials including recycled plastic material, aluminum, steel or other materials.
The window well 12 is mounted proximate to a window opening 18 in the wall 14 which, as shown in FIG. 1, is at an upper edge 20 of the poured wall 14. The window well 12 has an inner surface confronting an outer face of the poured wall 14. Earth or soil 22 surrounds the window well 12 and the level thereof may be increased from that shown in FIGS. 1 ad 1A. In alternative embodiments as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the window well system 10 may be utilized in a setting in which the window opening 18 is positioned downwardly from the upper edge 20 of the poured wall 14 and a header 24 of concrete is positioned on top of the window opening 18 such that the window is down in the wall 14 as opposed to a top of the wall application as shown in FIG. 1.
Referring once again to FIG. 1, the window well 12, and more particularly each of two spaced terminal edges of the window well 12, is secured to an outer face 26 of the poured concrete wall 14 in a pair of channels 28 which are embedded in the wall 14 with one channel 28 on each lateral side edge and slightly spaced from the window opening 18 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A.
As is well understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, the poured concrete wall 14 may be constructed utilizing a series of wall panels 30, an example of which is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The wall panel 30 may be as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,651,910; 6,283,439 and 6,991,205, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference. The wall panel 30 may include a perimeter frame 32 and have a front face 34. Multiple wall panels 30 are arranged, positioned and joined together to define a form into which concrete is poured and allowed to cure or harden and form the wall 14. After the wall panels 30 are removed, the poured concrete wall 14 remains.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, one aspect of various embodiments of this invention is the mounting of one or more channel members 36 on the wall panel 30. The wall panel 30 may include a series of pairs of holes 38 in the front face 34 of the wall panel 30 to receive mounting bosses 40 protruding from the channel member 36 according to various embodiments of this invention. One or more channel members 36 may be arranged longitudinally on the wall panel 30 as shown generally in FIGS. 7-9 thereby forming the channel 28 in the poured concrete wall 14. Depending on the particular installation, size and arrangement of the window well system 10, channel members 36 of different sizes may be arranged together and cooperate to form the channels 28. Two generally parallel and spaced channels 28 are formed on opposite sides of the window opening 18. The appropriate channel members 36 are arranged, positioned and mounted on the wall panel 30 by inserting the mounting bosses 40 into the holes 38 in the wall panel face 34.
Referring more particularly to FIGS. 4-6, each channel member 36 may have a pair of forward flanges 42 spaced on either side of an opening in the form of a slot 44 in one embodiment of this invention. The mounting bosses 40 are spaced longitudinally and project forwardly from the flanges 42 as shown in FIGS. 4-6. A sidewall 46 projects rearwardly from the forward flanges 42 and a pair of anchor flanges 48 project laterally from the sidewall 46 and are spaced from the front flanges 42. A joint control feature 50 projects rearwardly from the anchor flanges 48 and may have a generally triangular-shaped profile as shown in FIG. 10. The joint control feature 50 directs cracks or fissures in the poured concrete wall 14 so as to control the location and propagation of such cracks. The forward flanges 42, anchor flanges 48 and sidewalls 46 contribute to form the slot 44 within the channel member 36. The channel member 36 also includes a pair of lips 52 extending the length of the forward flanges 42 and projecting inwardly toward the slot 44 as shown most particularly in FIG. 10. Due to the shape and configuration of the sidewalls 46, the slot 44 formed in the channel member 36 may have a configuration as shown in FIG. 10 with a pair of stacked rectangular shapes 54, 56 in cross section. The channel member 36 may have an endcap 58 or the slot opening may be exposed at the longitudinal top or bottom of the channel member 36. The endcap 58 may include a bridge 60 which extends across the slot 44 to join the forward flanges 42 as shown particularly in FIG. 5.
Exemplary arrangements of multiple channel members 36 are shown in FIGS. 7-9 which may be appropriate for different sizes of window wells 12 and installation parameters. The installer arranges the appropriate channel members 36 on the wall panel 30 and mounts them to the wall panel 30 as needed by inserting the mounting bosses 40 into the holes 38 in the front face 34 of the wall panel 30. The wall panel 30 would then be included in an arrangement of similar wall panels 30 to form the poured concrete wall 14. When the wall panels 30 are removed from the cured wall 14, the channel members 36 remain embedded in the poured concrete wall 14 to form the channels 28 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A. The mounting bosses 40, which may be plastic, rubber or another material, are broken, sliced or removed from the forward flanges 42 of the channel members 36 once the wall panels 30 are disassembled from the poured concrete wall 14. A cross-sectional view of the channel members 36 mounted to the wall panel 30 is shown in FIG. 11 with the mounting bosses 40 of the channel members 36 inserted into the holes 38 of the wall panel 30.
After the mounting bosses 40 are removed from the channel members 36 and the wall panels 30 are removed from the poured concrete wall 14, the window well 12 may be mounted to the wall 14. As shown in FIGS. 12-16, the window well 12 according to various embodiments of this invention includes one or more clips 62 which are mounted proximate to the terminal longitudinal edges 64 of the window well 12. In one embodiment, the clips 62 are mounted to the window well 12 by mechanical fasteners such as rivets 66 as shown generally in FIG. 13. The clips may be spaced on alternating sides of the window well as shown generally in FIG. 13. A pair of rivets 66 may be used at the general center portion of a rectangular-shaped clip body 68. Positioned above and below the rivets 66 according to one embodiment of a clip 62 according to this invention is one or more tangs 70 which project outwardly at an angle from the clip body 68 as shown generally in FIG. 14. Each tang 70 may include a boss 72 formed in the tang 70 for added structural rigidity. Each tang 70 is biased or cantilevered outwardly at a distal edge 74 of the tang 70 and is joined to the clip body at an opposite end of the tang 70 as shown in FIG. 14.
Installation of the window well 12 into the channel 28 may begin by seating the bottom edge of the window well 12 on a bottom of the channel 28 embedded in the poured concrete wall 14 as shown in FIG. 13. The window well 12 is then pivoted upwardly to insert the longitudinal edges 64 of the window well 12 into the associated channel 28. When inserting the edges 64 of the window well 12 into the channel 28, the tangs on the clips 62 are initially deflected inwardly towards the clip body 68. Once the clips 62 are seated within the slot 44, the tangs 70 return to their normal position in a cantilevered outward orientation. The distal edge 74 of the tang 70 seats in the slot 44 against the lip 52 on the channel 28 thereby securing the window well 12 within the channel 28 as shown in FIG. 15. The terminal edge 64 of the window well 12 is seated within the narrower portion 56 of the slot 44 and the clips engage the lip 52 and are positioned within the wider portion 54 of the slot 44. One or more beads of caulk 76 or other sealant (FIG. 15) may be applied to the juncture between the window well 12 and the forward flange 42 of the clip 62 on the outer face of the window well 12 to thereby make the connection between the window well 12 and the channel 28 more impervious to moisture and water. A window 78 may be installed in the window opening 18 and a window buck system such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,884, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein, may be utilized to form the window opening 18 and allow for mounting the window 78 in the wall 14.
One advantage of the installation of the window well system 10 according to embodiments of this invention is that the weight of the window well 12 is supported by the bottom caps 58 on the channel members, which are embedded within the poured concrete wall 14 and are shown generally in FIG. 16. Therefore, shifting of the window well 12 due to movement of the surrounding earth and gravel 22 is counteracted by the secure installation of the window well 12 into the channel 28 and the support thereof by the bottom endcap 58 on the channel members 36.
From the above disclosure of the general principles of this invention and the preceding detailed description of at least one embodiment, those skilled in the art will readily comprehend the various modifications to which this invention is susceptible. Therefore, we desire to be limited only by the scope of the following claims and equivalents thereof.
Patent Application
20180347208
