AU714385B2

AU714385B2 - An aluminium face-fix window

Info

Publication number: AU714385B2
Application number: AU28599/95A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Robert Burns; Denis Alan Miller; Leslie Miller
Original assignee: PARAFIELD ALUMINIUM WINDOWS PT
Current assignee: Parafield Aluminium Windows Ptyltd
Priority date: 1995-08-16
Filing date: 1995-08-16
Publication date: 1999-12-23
Anticipated expiration: 2015-08-16
Also published as: AU2859995A

Description

I 45094 AWT:PFB P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE

SPECIFICATION

FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant: PARAFIELD ALUMINIUM WINDOWS PTY. LTD.

*Name of inventors: ROBERT BURNS, DENIS ALAN MILLER AND LESLIE MILLER Address for Service: *COLLISON CO.,117 King William Street, Adelaide, S.A. 5000 Invention Title: AN ALUMINIUM FACE-FIX WINDOW The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: *o including the best method of performing it known to us: This invention relates to a window assembly and more particularly to a window assembly made from aluminium extrusions and which is suitable for face-fix applications.

Aluminium extrusions are extremely convenient for window assemblies because complex cross-sectional shapes may be formed in a single extrusion. Such complex shapes may include tracks for sliding or fixed windows and mounting recesses for mounting or joining screws. Window frames made from such extrusions are adapted for installation in garages, houseboats or in domestic or commercial dwellings but there is a problem 1 0 with such windows presently on the market.

One window frame assembly described in Australian Patent specification 495250 is formed from rolled steel sections and has a complicated head profile with two components necessary to provide efficient flashing. The frame cannot be assembled before installation but must be assembled insitu.

1 5 Window frame assemblies are normally designed to be mounted into a window aperture rather than on the face of an aperture. It is usually been necessary where such windows are to be fixed onto the face of cladding around a window aperture to provide an extra flashing around the window 9°'9 2 and this requires a separate joint and extensive sealing to make it seal °2 0 properly. There is always a concern that such sealing can fail with the effluxion of time.

It is the object of this invention to provide a face-fix aluminium extrusion window frame which does not have these problems or at least provides the public with a useful alternative.

go 2 5 In one form therefore the invention is said to reside in an aluminium face-fix window assembly including a head extrusion, a sill extrusion and left and right jamb extrusions, all four extrusions joined together to form a window frame adapted in use to fit into a window aperture, characterised by each extrusion including on its outermost face a flashing flange extending away from the window aperture in use, such that the window assembly includes a flashing over cladding of a wall surface around the window aperture, and wherein the head extrusion includes at least one upwardly opening channel behind the flashing flange and at least one drain hole in the channel, the channel being adapted to catch water run off from the wall surface above the window assembly in use.

The channel is adapted to catch water run off from the wall surface above the window assembly in use and to drain into the window aperture in front of glass in the window frames.

Each extrusion may include recesses to receive a fixed glass pane and a sliding glass pane or be adapted to receive a louvre frame assembly.

The sill extrusion may include a sloping sill portion between the outermost 1 0 flange and the recesses which are adapted to receive the glass panes.

The aluminium face-fix window assembly of the present invention is particularly adapted for mounting on walls which comprise face-fixed cladding such as sheet cladding materials. Such sheet materials include corrugated iron, fibrous cement sheets and the like.

5 A particular advantage of the frame system of the present invention is that it reduces the cost of installation because installation of the window frame .requires less skill, it can be timesaving and a further operation to provide a flashing around the window is not necessary. Because there is an all- a.

aluminium single piece construction of frame and flashing there may be reduced maintenance costs and with the ability to anodise and colour aluminium there may be no colour compatibility problem between the window frame itself and its flashing.

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This then generally describes the invention but to assist with understanding reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which show 2 5 preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings: Fig 1. shows a window assembly made from aluminium extrusions according to this invention; Fig 2. shows a cross-sectional view of a sill extrusion according to this invention; Fig 3. shows a cross-sectional view of a jamb extrusion according to this invention; Fig 4. shows a cross-sectional view of a head extrusion according to this invention; Fig 5. shows a vertical cross-sectional view of an installed window frame assembly according to this invention; and Fig 6. shows a horizontal cross-sectional view of an installed window assembly according to this invention.

Now looking more closely to the drawings it will be noted that the window 1 0 frame assembly according to this invention comprises a head extrusion 1, a sill extrusion 2 and left jamb extrusion 3 and right jamb extrusion 4. It may be noted that the left and right jamb extrusions are in fact of the same cross- *:*section.

A sliding window 5 and a fixed window 6 are included within the window 15 frame with a mullion bar 7 between them.

Now looking at more detail at the sill extrusion shown in Fig 2 it will be seen that the extrusion comprises a base 10 with an outermost front flashing providing the flashing 11 underneath the window frame assembly. Recesses 12 and 13 for fixed and sliding windows respectively are included in the 2 0 extrusion. It will be noted that the base 10 is sloping in the region 14 so that water run off will occur on the sill outside the window. There may be a drain hole 15 formed in the web 16 to allow water to drain out of the region between the channels 12 and 13.

The left and right jamb extrusion shown in Fig 3 comprises a base 20 with 2 5 recesses 21 and 22 for receiving the sliding and fixed windows respectively with an outermost flange 23 providing the flashing on the sides of the window frame assembly.

The head extrusion shown in Fig 4 comprises a base 30 with recesses 31 and 32 for sliding and fixed windows respectively and an outermost flange 33 3 0 providing a flashing above the window frame assembly. A channel 34 is

_I

formed immediately behind the outermost flange 33 between the outermost flange 33 and a further upstanding flange 35 and the channel 34 acts as a recess to receive the cladding material used in the window frame and any water run off from the cladding. Apertures 36 are cut at intervals along the length of the channel 34 in its base so that the water run off from the cladding above the window will drain into the channel 34 and out through the apertures 36. As the aperture 36 is in fact outside the panes of glass which are received in the recesses 31 and 32 the water will drain off to outside the window. For Accommodating wider cladding profiles there may also be a drain hole 38 out 1 0 of the channel formed between the flange 35 and flange 37 and the flange may be removable by flexing along line of weakening 39.

Fig 5 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of an installed window frame according to this invention. In this embodiment the window frame is mounted between a internal window sill 40 and a upper window stud 41 with cladding 42 mounted onto the upper window stud 41. It will be noted that the cladding extends into the channel 34 so that any water run off from the cladding will be S'collected in the channel and drain through the aperture 36. The cladding 42 *may to the bottom of the channel 34 if desired. The flashing 33 extends over the front of the cladding 42 at the top and the flashing 11 extends over the 20 cladding 42 below the window.

Fig 6 shows a horizontal cross-sectional view of an installed window frame.

The window frame is fitted between window studs 45 with the flashing flanges 23 extending over the surface of the cladding 42 to provide a seal around the *.sides of the window.

25 The arrangement of the present invention therefore provides an easy arrangement for installation of window frames into window apertures Sl particularly for face-fix type cladding.

Claims

1. An aluminium face-fix window assembly including a head extrusion, a sill extrusion and left and right jamb extrusions, all four extrusions joined together to form a window frame adapted in use to fit into a window aperture, characterised by each extrusion including on its outermost face a flashing flange extending away from the window aperture in use, such that the window assembly includes a flashing over cladding of a wall surface around the window aperture, and wherein the head extrusion includes at least one upwardly opening channel behind the flashing flange and at least one drain hole in the channel, the channel being adapted to catch water run off from the wall surface above the window assembly in use.

2. An aluminium face-fix window assembly as in claim 1 wherein each extrusion includes recesses to receive a fixed glass pane and a sliding glass pane or a louvre frame assembly. 15

3. An aluminium face-fix window assembly as in claim 2 wherein the sill extrusion includes a sloping sill portion between the flashing flange and the recesses to receive the glass panes. 4

4. An aluminium face-fix window assembly adapted for installation on a wall including a face-fix cladding, the assembly including in a head portion thereof an upwardly opening channel and a drain hole in the channel, the channel being adapted to catch water run off from cladding above the window assembly.

An aluminium face-fix window assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

6. An aluminium window flame extrusion including an outermost flange adapted to provide flashing around a window frame, the assembly including in a head portion thereof an upwardly opening channel and a drain hole in the channel, the channel being adapted to catch water run off from cladding above the window assembly.

7. An aluminium window frame extrusion substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and is illustrated in any one of figures 2, 3 or 4. Dated this 4th day of August 1999 PARAFIELD ALUMINIUM WINDOWS PTY. LTD. By their Patent Attorneys COLLISON CO. a a. 9**a a a a a a. a a a a .a a a a a. .a a a a a. a a a a a a. a. a. a a a a a. a. a a a a. a a