AU5719099A - Improvements in sealing for sashless windows - Google Patents

Description

-1- P/00/0011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for service in Australia: ANEETA WINDOW SYSTEMS (VIC) PTY LTD Robert Charles LANGNER CARTER SMITH BEADLE 2 Railway Parade Camberwell Victoria 3124 Australia Invention Title: IMPROVEMENTS IN SEALING

WINDOWS

FOR SASHLESS .0 Details ofAssociated Provisional Application.

IP Australia Documents received on, PP6943 filed 5 November 1998 PP9037 filed 4 March 1999 1 NOV 1999 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including tet Qhof of performing it known to us -2- IMPROVEMENTS IN SEALING FOR SASHLESS WINDOWS This invention relates to sashless windows, and more particularly to the type of window known as a "double hung" window which generally consists of at least one pane suspended in a frame, the pane being guided for substantially vertical movement relative to the frame with the pane being connected either to another pane or to a counterbalancing weight by cord means which extend around pulley means so that upward or downward movement of said at least one pane causes a corresponding downward or upward movement of the other pane or other counterbalancing weight.

Whilst sashless double hung windows, such as described in our Australian Patent No. 681864, have several advantages over hinged or sash windows, they generally do not provide as effective sealing against draughts when closed as compared with hinged or sash windows. The type of seal conventionally used in sashless, double hung windows is a brush strip. Such a brush strip may be mounted on a window frame or stile member with the brush of the strip bearing against the window pane. Alternatively, it is possible for a brush strip to be mounted on a panereceiving member with the brush bearing against a window frame or stile member.

Such brush seals allow the window pane to slide vertically relative to the window oeuoo frame while still providing reasonable sealing against draughts. However, building regulations in some areas are becoming more demanding in relation to the degree of sealing required for windows in new buildings.

S" It is therefore desirable to provide a sashless window which has improved sealing properties.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a sashless window comprising: 25 a window frame having an upper frame member, a lower frame member and o.: side frame members; at least one pane mounted in the window frame for sliding movement relative to another pane or a counterbalanced weight; and at least one sealing means, wherein at least one of the sealing means includes a fin received in a groove in a pane-receiving member on an edge of said at least one JRG:JA:TOC:29745.CAP 29 October 1999 -3pane or in a groove in a window frame member or a stile member.

Preferably, the sealing means has a base part and a fin part connected at one end to the base part. The base part is preferably adapted to be mounted in a groove in one of the members of the window and the fin part extends from the base part into the groove iin another member and is adapted to flex relative to the base part.

In a preferred embodiment, the base part of the sealing means is mounted in a groove in a stile member defining a channel within which the at least one pane is guided for sliding movement, and the end of the fin remote from the base part is received in a groove in a pane-receiving member secured on an edge of said at least one pane. Alternatively, the base part of the sealing means may be mounted in a groove in a pane-receiving member with the end of the fin part remote from the base part being received in a groove in a stile member or in another pane-receiving member.

Preferably, a sashless window in accordance with the invention has a plurality of panes mounted for sliding movement within the window frame. The present S.invention is particularly applicable to the type of sashless window known as a "double-hung" window having at least one pane suspended in the window frame for eoeee vertical sliding movement relative to another pane or a counterbalanced weight. The window may be a standard two-pane double hung window having two counterbalanced panes connected by cord means extending around pulley means in at least one channel defined by stile members of the window. Alternatively, a multipane window having at least three panes, such as disclosed in our Australian Complete Patent Application No. 39136/99, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, may include fin-type seals mounted on stile members and/or on 25 pane-receiving members of the window. It will, however, be appreciated that a :eeei window with fin-type sealing means in accordance with the invention may be a sashless window in which at least one pane is slidable in a horizontal direction relative to another pane within the window frame.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a fin-type seal for a sashless window wherein the seal comprises: JRG:JA:TOC:29745.CAP 29 October 1999 It 'I -4a base part adapted to be mounted in a groove in a member of the sashless window; and a flexible fin part having one end connected to the base part and extending therefrom whereby the other end of the fin part remote from the base part is adapted to be received in a groove in another member of the sashless window.

The fin part of the sealing means is preferably formed from an elastomeric material, such as rubber or a synthetic elastomeric material. The sealing means may also include a plurality of brush hairs on one or both sides of the fin part.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, at least some of the pane-receiving members provided on the side edges of the panes have a body portion adapted to fit onto a side edge of a pane and a pair of arms which extend alongside front and rear surfaces of the pane, each arm having a groove provided therein for receiving a base part or a fin part of a sealing strip.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a sashless window comprising: at least one pane mounted in an opening frame for sliding movement relative to S"another pane or a counterbalanced weight, and pane-receiving members attached to the side edges of said at least one pane, said pane-receiving members each having a body portion adapted to fit onto the side edge of the pane, said .body portion having a pair of arms which extend alongside front and rear surfaces of the panes, wherein each arm has a groove for receiving part of a sealing strip.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a panereceiving member for a sashless window comprising a body portion adapted to fit onto an edge of a pane, said body portion having a pair of arms adapted to extend alongside front and rear surfaces of a pane, wherein each arm has a groove for receiving part of a sealing strip.

A sealing strip may be mounted in the groove in at least one of the arms of the body portion. Such a groove is preferably channel-shaped and adapted .to receive a base part of a sealing strip with the seal part of the sealing strip engaging with a central guide member extending between adjacent panes in a double hung sashless window or with a window stile member of the window. The groove in the other arm JRG:JA:TOC:29745.CAP 29 October 1999 tI I of the body portion may receive either the base part of a sealing strip or the seal part of a sealing strip having its base part mounted in an adjacent window stile member.

The provision of pane-receiving members having grooves for receiving sealing strips on both sides of a window pane in a sashless window enables more seals to be included in the window, thereby providing better sealing acoustically and for weatherproofing.

The various aspects of the present invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures l(a) to l(f) are front views of different types of sashless windows which may incorporate various aspects of the present invention; Figure 2 is a horizontal section through one of the side jambs of the window of Figure 1 incorporating a sealing arrangement in accordance with the first aspect of the invention; Figure 3 is a vertical section through a three-pane window such as that of Figure l(d); Figure 4 is a horizontal section through a window stile at one of the sides of the o:ooo three-pane window of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a horizontal section through the window stile of Figure 3; Figure 6 is an enlarged section through an intermediate guide member of the S• stile ofFigure S"Figure 7 is a vertical section through a four-pane window such as that of Figure l(f); i Figure 8 is a horizontal section through a window stile at one of the sides of the four-pane window; Figure 9 is a section through a modified stile arrangement for a two-pane window; Figure 10 is a section through a stile member of the stile arrangement of Figure 9; Figure 11 is a section through another stile arrangement for a two-pane JRG:JA:TOC:29745.CAP 29 October 1999 -6sashless window with modified pane-receiving members; Figure 12 is a perspective view of one of the pane-receiving members of Figure 11; and Figure 13 is a section through the pane-receiving member of Figure 12.

Different types of sashless double hung windows are shown in Figures 1 to The window shown in Figure 1 is a standard two-pane double hung window with two counterbalanced panes 1 and 2 mounted for relative sliding movement in a frame 3. In the closed position of the window, the panes 1 and 2 overlap slightly and are connected by at least one cord 16 extending around a pulley. The arrangement is such that an upward movement of the lower pane 2 leaves an opening between the lower pane and the bottom frame member 4 and causes a corresponding downward movement of the upper pane to leave another opening between the upper pane 1 and the top frame member In the servery type window or hatch of Figure the upper pane 1 is fixed in the frame 3 and the lower pane is connected by a cord to a counterbalanced weight.

S.When the lower pane 2 is moved upwards, an opening is created between the bottom frame member 4 and the lower pane 2. Figure 1(c) shows a similar type of servery ooooo window, but with the lower pane 2 fixed, and the upper pane moveable within the frame 3 so that when the upper pane is moved downwards, an opening is formed between the upper pane 1 and the top frame member Two further types of sashless double hung windows, each having three panes are shown in Figures l(d) and In the three-pane system of the Figure the bottom pane 9 is fixed and the other two panes 7 and 8 are relatively moveable within the frame. The arrangement is such that upward movement of the middle pane to 25 create an opening between the middle pane 7 and the bottom pane 9 causes a ooooi corresponding downward movement of the top pane to form an opening between the top pane and top frame member 5. This arrangement is reversed in the three-pane window system of Figure 1 in which the top pane is fixed and the other two panes 7 and 9 are relatively moveable. In this arrangement, upward movement of the bottom pane 9 to create an opening between the bottom pane 9 and the bottom frame member JRG:JA:TOC:29745.CAP 29 October 1999 4 causes a corresponding downward movement of the middle pane 7 to form an opening between the middle pane 7 and the top pane 8.

It should be appreciated that the panes of the windows need not necessarily be made of glass. They may, for example, be made of a transparent plastics material, or even of an opaque material so as to form a hatch rather than a "see-through" window.

Therefore, the term "pane" as used herein, is to be take to refer to a pane formed of any type of material, glass or otherwise.

The sashless double hung window of Figure 1(f) differs from the windows of Figures l(a) to l(e) in that it has four panes 11, 12, 13 and 14 mounted in a fixed window frame 10. The top and bottom panes 11 and 12 are fixed relative to the frame and first and second intermediate counterbalanced panes 13 and 14 are slidably movable within the frame 10. As shown in Figure 7, the intermediate panes 13 and 14 are counterbalanced by being connected by at least one cord 16 extending around a pulley 18 and the arrangement is such that the intermediate panes 13 and 14 are movable from a first, closed position into a second, open position in which an opening is formed between the intermediate panes 13 and 14.

~Referring to Figure 2, there is shown a side frame member or jamb 6 of a twooooot pane double hung window such as illustrated in Figure 1(a) incorporating a sealing arrangement in accordance with the first aspect of the invention.

In Figure 2, a window stile 20 is mounted to the side frame member or jamb 6.

The window stile 20 is formed from first and second interlocking stile members 21 S"and 22. The first stile member 21 is generally L-shaped in section having a base portion 23 adapted to be attached to the jamb 6 and a side portion 24 extending from the base portion 23. The second stile member 22 has a base portion 25, a side portion 26, and an elongate guide member 27 extending from the base portion 25 in substantially the same direction as the side portion 26.

The base 25 of the second stile member 22 has an attachment portion 28 with a recess 29 and a projection 30 on its surface facing towards the jamb 6 at the free ends of the attachment portion 28 remote from the guide member 27. The base portion 23 of the first stile member 22 has a complementary projection 31 and recess 32 at its JRG:JA:TOC:29745.CAP 29 October 1999 -8free ends so that the base portion 23 can clip behind the attachment portion 28 and be retained thereby by the interlocking formations 29,30, 31 and 32. The second stile member 22 may be secured to the jamb 6 by means of a screw 33 extending through the attachment portion 28 and through a central member 34 of the jamb 6.

Each side edge of the upper and lower panes 1, 2 has attached thereto a respective pane-receiving member 60. Each pane-receiving member is of a uniform cross-section have a U-shaped body portion 62 adapted to receive an edge of a respective one of the panes 1, 2 and a leg 64 extending from the body portion 62. The pane-receiving members 60 are of similar form to the pane-receiving members of the double hung window described in our aforementioned Australian Patent No. 681864, and are preferably formed from an extruded plastics material which has sufficient flexibility allowing the U-shaped portions to snap onto an edge of a pane. Each Ushaped body portion 62 has a first arm 61 adjacent the guide member 27 and a second arm 63 with a channel-shaped groove 65 formed therein.

As shown in Figure 2, the pane-receiving members 60 are mounted in the channel defined between the side portions 24 and 26 of the first and second stile members 21 and 22 with the central elongate guide member 27 extending between the first arms 61 of the pane-receiving members 60 so that the surfaces of the guide member 27 guide the panes 1 and 2 for vertical sliding movement in the channel in the same manner as described in Australian Patent No 681864.

The ends of the side portions 24 and 26 are also formed with channel-shaped grooves 35 within which are mounted sealing strips 36. Each sealing strip 36 has a flat base part 37 and a fin-part 38 connected at one end to the centre of the base part ooooo2 37 and extending generally perpendicularly therefrom in its free state. A plurality of brush hairs 39 are also attached to the base part 37 on each side of the fin part 38.

The fin part 38 of each sealing strip 36 is formed from a flexible material, such as rubber or a synthetic elastomeric material and is able to flex laterally relative to the base part 37. In the assembled double hung window the end of each flexible fin parts 38 remote from the base part 37 is received in the channel-shaped groove 65 of a respective pane-receiving member 60. This type of sealing arrangement has been JRG:JA:TOC:29745.CAP 29 October 1999 -9found to provide better sealing against air leakage than conventional brush-type seals without a fin part. With a such a fin-type seal received in a groove 65 in the panereceiving member 60, it is possible to reduce the leakage of air through the sashless window from about 4 litres per minute to 2 litres per minute or less, a rating similar to that of hinged or sash windows when closed. Further, because the fin part 38 of the seal 35 is received in the groove 65 of the pane-receiving member it effectively locks in the groove 65 and cannot pop out of the groove. Thus, the fin part 38 rides in the groove 65 allowing the panes to slide vertically relative to one another and also helps to control lateral movement of the panes 1 and 2 within the window frame.

Referring to Figures 3 to 5, there is shown a multi-pane sashless window of the type shown in Figure l(d) having a fixed bottom pane 9 and relatively movable middle and top panes 7 and 8. The middle and top panes 7 and 8 are connected by cord means 16 extending around a pulley 18. A handle 19 is attached to the middle pane 7 to enable the middle pane to be raised to create a gap between the middle pane 7 and the bottom pane 9 and the cord 16 and pulley 18 arrangement causes a corresponding downward movement of the top pane 8 to create a gap between the top pane 8 and the top frame member Pane-receiving members 60 are secured on the sides of the panes 7, 8 and 9.

The pane-receiving members 60 are identical to the pane-receiving members of Figure 2 and corresponding reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts.

he top frame member 5, the bottom frame member 4 and the side frame members 6 are preferably formed from aluminium extrusions. Referring more particularly to Figure 3 and 4, each frame member 4, 5, 6 is generally in the form of an E-shaped channel having a base portion 41 and two side portions 42 with a recessed part 43 provided in the centre of the base portion 41. A sill adaptor 44 is •"mounted in the recessed part 43 of the bottom frame member or sill 4. A head adaptor is mounted within the recessed part 43 of the top frame member 5, and a jamb adaptor 46 is mounted in the recessed part 43 of each side frame member or jamb 6.

Referring more particularly to Figure 4 a window stile 50 is attached to each jamb 6. The window stile 50 includes a first stile member 21 identical to the first stile JRG:JA:TOC:29745.CAP 29 October 1999 member of window stile 20 and, a second stile member 22 identical to the second stile member 22 of window stile 20 and corresponding reference numerals haye been applied to corresponding parts. The stile 50 also includes an intermediate stile member 51 which is shown in greater detail in Figure 6.

The intermediate stile member 51 is generally T-shaped in cross-section having a base portion 52 and an elongate guide portion 53 extending substantially perpendicularly to the base portion 52. The base portion 52 has first and second limbs 54 and 55 extending transversely on opposite sides of the guide portion 53. The end of the first limb 54 remote from the guide portion 53 is formed with a recess 56 and projection 57 similar to the recess 29 and projection 30 on the second stile member 22 so that the base portion 23 of the first stile member 21 with its complementary projection 31 and recess 32 can clip underneath the end of the first limb 54 to be retained thereby. The second limb 55 of the base portion 52 has a projection 58 and a recess 59 similar to the projection 31 and recess 32 of the first stile member 21 so that the second limb 55 can clip underneath the attachment portion 28 of the second stile member 22 to be retained thereby. The second stile member 22 and intermediate stile member 51 can be secured to the side frame member or jamb 6 by screws 33 in similar manner to that of Figure 2.

channel-shaped groove 66 similar to the channel-shaped grooves 35 of the first and second stile members is provided towards the end of the guide portion 53 for receiving the base part of a sealing strip 67. As shown in Figure 4, the sealing strip 67 and the sealing strips 68 mounted in the channel-shaped grooves 35 of the first and second stile members 21 and 22 are fin-type sealing strips similar to the sealing strips oooo, 36 with fin parts received in channel-shaped grooves in the pane-receiving members 60 as in the embodiment of Figure 3 and 4.

For the purposes of security, a key-operated locking device 82 is mounted on the first stile member 21, the locking device 82 having a locking member 84 which is movable into a locking position in which it extends through an aperture in the leg parts 64 of the pane-receiving members on the middle and bottom panes 7 and 9 as well as through an aperture in the guide portion 53 of the intermediate stile member JRG:JA:TOC:29745.CAP 29 October 1999 -11- 51. This is similar to the locking arrangement described in our aforementioned Australian Patent No. 681864 and provides a very secure locking mechanism owing to the locking member 84 extending through at least three different elements in its locking position.

As shown in Figure 3, horizontally extending U-shaped pane-receiving members 70 are provided on the upper edges of the bottom pane 9 and the middle pane 7. Each of the pane-receiving members carries a respective sealing strip 72 which is engageable with the adjacent pane 7 or 9. Further sealing strips 74, 75 are provided on the head and sill adaptors 45 and 44 for engagement with the top and bottom panes 8 and 9 respectively. As shown in Figure 3, the window may include an optional flyscreen 76 mounted externally of the top pane 8, and a removable closure member 78 mountable internally of the bottom pane 9. The closure member may also carry a seal 79.

Referring to Figures 7 and 8, there is shown a four-pane sashless window of the type shown in Figure l(f) having fixed top and bottom panes 11 and 12 and relatively movable intermediate panes 13 and 14. The intermediate panes 13 and 14 are connected by cord means 16 extending around a pulley 18. A handle 80 is attached to intermediate pane 14 to enable the pane 14 to be lowered causing a "'"'"corresponding raising of the other intermediate pane 13 to create a gap between the intermediate pane members 13 and 14.

The construction of the four-pane window of Figures 7 and 8 is generally similar to the three-pane window of Figures 3 to 5 and corresponding reference numerals have been applied to corresponding parts. Each window stile 50' of the four-pane window differs from the stile 50 shown in Figures 4 and 5 in that it includes two intermediate stile members 51a and 51b instead of a single intermediate stile member 51. The intermediate stile members 51a and 51b are identical to the stile member 51 shown in Figure 6. In the assembled window stile 50', the first limb 54 of the base portion 52 of the intermediate stile member 51a clips over the base portion 23 of the first stile member 21 with the recess 56 and projection 57 of the stile member 51a interlocking with the projection 31 and recess 32 on the base portion 23. The JRG:JA:TOC:29745.CAP 29 October 1999 12second limb 55 of the base portion 52 of intermediate stile member 51a clips underneath the first limb 54 of the base portion 52 of intermediate stile member 51b with the projection 58 and recess 59 of the second limb 55 of intermediate stile member 51 a interlocking with the recess 56 and projection 57 of the first limb 54 of the intermediate stile member 51b. The second limb 55 of intermediate stile member ib clips underneath the attachment portion 28 of the second stile member 22 with the projection 58 and recess 59 of the intermediate stile member 51b interlocking with the recess 29 and projection 30 on the attachment portion 28. A screw 33 is provided for securing the attachment portion 28 to the side frame member or jamb 6, and if required, further screws (not shown) may be provided for securing the intermediate members 51a and 51b to thejamb adaptor 46 and the base portion 41 of the jamb 6.

As shown in Figure 8, the elongate guide portion 53 of the intermediate stile member 51 a extends between pane-receiving members 60 on the side edges of the bottom pane 12 and the lower intermediate pane 14, and the elongate guide portion 53 of the intermediate stile member 5 ib extends between the pane-receiving members on the side edges of the upper and lower intermediate panes 13 and 14. The guide portion 53 of each intermediate stile member 5 la, 5 lb has a groove 66 which carries a seal 67. The seals 67 and seals 68 mounted in grooves in the side portions 24 and 26 the first and second stile members 21 and 22 preferably are also fin-type seals of the type shown in Figure 2 with fin parts of the seals 67,68 being received in grooves of pane-receiving members 60 on adjacent panes.

As in Figure 3, pane-receiving members 70 on the upper edges of the bottom pane 12 and of the intermediate panes 13 and 14 carry sealing strips 72 and further eeoe° sealing strips 74 and 75 are provided on the head and sill adaptors 45 and 44 for engagement with the top and bottom panes 11 and 12 respectively. As in the embodiment of Figures 3 to 5, the window may also include an optional flyscreen 76 and a removable closure member 78 which may also carry a seal 79.

A key-operated locking device 82 mounted on the side portion 24 of the first stile member 21 has a locking member 84 which is movable into a locking position in which it extends through apertures in the pane-receiving members 60 attached to the JRG:JA:TOC:29745.CAP 29 October 1999 -13bottom pane 12 and lower intermediate pane 14 and through an aperture in the guide portion 53 of the intermediate stile member 51 a.

Referring to Figures 9 and 10 there is shown a modified stile arrangement for a two-pane sashless window of the type shown in Figure The side edges of the panes 1 and 2 of the window are received in pane-receiving members 60 identical to those of Figure 2 and corresponding reference numerals have been applied to corresponding parts. The window stile differs from that of Figure 2 in that it has wooden stile members 90, 91 extending from a side frame member or jamb 6 and an extruded guide member 92. The extruded guide member 92 has a base portion 94 secured to the jamb 6 by a screw 93, a side portion 95 engageable with one of the wooden stiles 90 and a central guide portion 96 which extends between the panereceiving members 60 on the side edges of counterbalanced panes 1 and 2 of the twopane sashless window. Each of the wooden stile members 90, 91 carries a sealing strip 100 which is in the form of a fin-type seal having a base part 101 mounted in a recess 98 in the stile member 91 or 92 and a fin part 102. One end of the fin part 102 is connected to the base part 101 and the other end of the fin part 102 is received in the channel-shaped groove 65 of the pane-receiving member 60 of a respective pane 1 or 2. The sealing strip 100 may also include a plurality of brush hairs 103 on each side of the fin part 102.

As in the embodiment of Figure 2, the fine-type seal 100 with its fin part 102 received in a groove 65 in the pane-receiving member 60 provides an efficient seal against air draughts while allowing the panes 1 and 2 to slide vertically relative to one another and relative to the stile members 91 and 92. The fin part 102 effectively locks in the groove 65 and is thus prevented from popping out of the groove.

Referring to Figure 11, there is shown a window stile arrangement for a twopane sashless double-hung window which is similar to that of Figure 2 and corresponding reference numerals have been applied to corresponding parts. The window stile arrangement of Figure 11 differs primarily from that of Figure 2 in the form of modified pane-receiving members 120 provided on side edges of the panes 1, 2.

JRG:JA:TOC:29745.CAP 29 October 1999

S

-14- Referring more particularly to Figures 11 to 13, the pane-receiving members 120 attached to the side edges of the panes 1 and 2 are of a uniform cross-section having a U-shaped body portion 121 adapted to receive an edge of a respective one of the panes 1, 2 and a leg 122 extending from the body portion 121. Each U-shaped body portion 121 has a first arm 123 joined to a second arm 124 by a joining portion 125.

As shown in Figure 11, the pane-receiving members 120 are mounted in the channel defined between the side portions 24 and 25 of the first and second stile members 21 and 22 with the central elongate guide member 27 extending between the first arms 123 of the pane-receiving members 120.

The first arms 123 of the pane-receiving members 120 have channel-shaped grooves 126 formed therein. The base parts of sealing strips 127 may be mounted in the grooves 126 so that the sealing parts thereof are engageable with the central elongate guide member 27. Alternatively, the base parts of sealing strips may be mounted to the central guide member 27 so that their sealing parts are received in the grooves 126. The second arms 124 of the pane-receiving members 120 also have channel-shaped grooves 128 formed therein. Sealing strips may also be mounted in the grooves 128 for engagement with the side portions 71, 81 of the first and second stile members 21, 22 or, as shown in Figure 11, the grooves 128 may be adapted to receive the fin parts of sealing strips 129 having their bases mounted in channelshaped grooves in the side portions 24, 26 of the first and second stile members 21, S"22.

As shown in Figures 11 to 13, a central bump or protuberance (136, 138) is ooooo provided in each groove (126, 128). The protuberances (136, 138) assist in directing the fin part of a seal (127; 129) into a side of the respective groove (126; 128) so that the fin part is less likely to move out of the groove.

Each of the pane-receiving members 120 is preferably formed from an extruded plastics material which has sufficient flexibility allowing the U-shaped body portions 121 to snap onto an edge of a glass pane. Although the U-shaped portions 121 of the pane-receiving members 120 are conveniently arranged to snap onto edges JRG:JA:TOC:29745.CAP 29 October 1999 S 1 of the glass panes 1 and 2, small recesses may be provided in the internal surfaces of the arms 123, 124 of the body portions 121 for receiving a small quantity of glue to assist in fixing the pane-receiving members 120 more securely to the glass panes 1 and 2.

It will be appreciated the double hung sashless window construction described above has all of the advantages of our Australian Patent No. 681864, including accurate alignment and guiding of the panes 1 and 2 for efficient vertical sliding movement by the central elongate member 82. Further, the fin-type seals provide an effective sealing mechanism for a sashless window. Also, the modified panereceiving members 120 in Figures 11 to 13 provide further advantages over the window construction of Australian Patent No. 681864. The inclusion of additional grooves 126 for sealing strips in the first arms 123 of the side pane-receiving members 120 enables even better sealing, both acoustically and for weatherproofing to be achieved.

It will be appreciated that various modifications may be made to the preferred embodiments described above without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.

a o* a *oooo JRG:JA:TOC:29745.CAP 29 October 1999

Claims (24)

1. A sashless window comprising: a window frame having an upper frame member, a lower frame member and side frame members; at least one pane mounted in the window frame for sliding movement relative to another pane or a counterbalanced weight; and at least one sealing means, wherein said sealing means includes a fin receivable in a groove in a pane-receiving member on an edge of said at least one pane, or in a groove in a window frame member or a stile member of the window.

2. A sashless window according to claim 1 wherein said at least one sealing means has a base part and a fin part connected at one end to the base part.

3. A sashless window according to claim 2 wherein the base part is adapted to be mounted in a groove of one of the members of the window and the fin part extends from the base part and is adapted to flex relative to the base part.

4. A sashless window according to claim 3 wherein the base part of the sealing means is mounted in a stile member defining a channel within which said at least one pane is guided for sliding movement, and the end of the fin part remote from the base part is received in a groove in a pane-receiving member secured to an edge of said at least one pane.

A sashless window according to claim 3 wherein the base part of the sealing means is mounted in a groove in a pane-receiving member on an edge of said at least one pane, and the end of the fin part remote from the base part is received in a groove in a stile member or in another pane-receiving member.

6. A sashless window according to any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein the JRG:JA:TOC:29745.CAP 29 October 1999 -17- window is a double-hung window having at least one pane connected to another pane or a counterbalanced weight by cord means extending around pulley means in at least one channel defined by stile members at the sides of the window frame.

7. A sashless window according to claim 6 wherein the window has at least two panes with at least one intermediate stile member extending between adjacent panes of the window.

8. A sashless window according to claim 7 further including a sealing means having a base part mounted in a groove in a pane-receiving member on a side edge of a pane and a fin part connected to and extending from the base part and receivable in a groove in said intermediate stile member.

9. A sashless window according to claim 7 further including a sealing nrrieans having a base part mounted in a groove in said intermediate stile member and a fin part connected to and extending from said base part and receivable in a groove in a pane-receiving member on a side edge of an adjacent pane. S: 15

10. A sashless window according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the """"!pane-receiving member has a body portion adapted to fit onto a side edge of a pane and a pair of arms extending alongside front and rear surfaces of the pane, each arm having a groove provided therein for receiving a base part or a fin part of a sealing strip.

11. A sashless window comprising: at least one pane mounted in an opening for sliding movement relative to another pane or a counterbalanced weight; and pane-receiving members attached to side edges of the panes, each pane-receiving member having a body portion adapted to fit onto the side edge of a pane, said body portion having a pair of arms which extend alongside front and rear surfaces of the panes, wherein each arm has a groove for receiving part of a sealing strip.

12. A pane-receiving member for a sashless window comprising a body portion adapted to fit onto an edge of a pane, said body portion having a pair of arms JRG:JA:TOC:29745.CAP 29 October 1999 -18- adapted to extend alongside front and rear surfaces of a pane, wherein each arm has a groove for receiving part of a sealing strip.

13. A sashless window or a pane-receiving member according to claim 11 or claim 12 wherein the groove in each arm is channel-shaped and adapted to receive either the base part or the seal part of a sealing strip.

14. A sashless window or a pane-receiving member according to claim 13 wherein a central protuberance is provided in each groove of the pane-receiving member. A fin-type sealing means for use in a sashless window wherein the seal comprises: a base part adapted to be mounted in a groove in a member of the sashless window; and a flexible fin part having one end connected to the base part and extending therefrom whereby the other end of the fin part remote from the base part is adapted to be received in a groove in another member of the sashless window.

15

16. A sashless window or a sealing means according to any one of claims 2 to or claim 15 wherein the fin part is formed from an elastomeric material.

17. A sashless window or a sealing means according to any one of claims 2 to or claim 15 or 16 wherein a plurality of hairs are provided which extend from the base part on at least one side of the fin part. 20

18. A sashless window substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.

19. A sashless window substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 3 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

20. A sashless window substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to JRG:JA:TOC:29745.CAP 29 October 1999 19- Figures 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.

21. A sashless window substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 9 of the accompanying drawings.

22. A sashless window substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 11 of the accompanying drawings.

23. A pane-receiving member for a sashless window substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 12 and 13 of the accompanying drawings.

24. A fin-type seal for a sashless window substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 2 or Figure 9 of the accompanying drawings. DATED: 29 October, 1999 •1 CARTER SMITH BEADLE Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: ANEETA WINDOW SYSTEMS (VIC) PTY LTD o e•i JRG:JA:TOC:29745.CAP 29 October 1999