GB2209786A - Window installation - Google Patents

Abstract

An adjustable support 10 which is extendable vertically to locate between a floor and ceiling of a room, has an arm 15 to abut a wall above a window opening, and has a telescopic rotatable boom 13 fitted with a carrier 14 including saddle(s) 35 with cradle (39 Fig. 4 not shown) for supporting a window frame whilst the latter is manipulated out of the room through the window opening prior to being drawn back into and fixed in the opening. The use of external scaffolding when fitting window assemblies in high-rise buildings is avoided. <IMAGE>

Description

WINDOW SUPPORTS This invention concerns window installations, and methods and means for installing window assemblies; and particularly concerns apparatus for supporting window assemblies during installation of the latter.

It is known to manufacture prefabricated, substantially complete, window assemblies as units ready for fitting into window openings in buildings or like structures; and such assemblies usually comprise one or more window frames fixedly or movably located in an outer or fixed frame, together with the usual window furniture such as hinges, stays, seals, locks and catches. The window frames may be glazed during manufacture of the units.

It is accepted practice to install such units from the exterior of the building, and such practice is usually most convenient except where the window openings are so high as to necessitate the use of a hoist or like lifting apparatus.

In some instances, especially where the elevated openings are in buildings under construction, the window units can be installed from within the buildings, but in many other instances it is either inconvenient or impossible to do so.

Particularly difficult problems arise where the opening is elevated, is stepped so as to have an inner part smaller than an outer part into which the window unit is to be fitted, and where external access for lifting apparatus is restricted. In such instances it may be possible to manipulate and lift the window unit out through the opening and to hold the unit up from within the building as the unit is re-orientated and lifted back into the outer part of the opening. However, such units vary considerably in size and weight, so that such lifting and manipulation thereof may be so difficult and harzardous as to make it preferable to enlarge the inner part of the opening, e.g. by removal of plasterworks, tiles, masonry and interior sills at considerable extra cost.

An object of the invention is to enable such problems, difficulties and hazards to be avoided without incurring said expense of enlarging the opening.

According to the present invention there is provided window support apparatus comprising a vertically extensible column, a collar arcuately movable about the column mounting supported by the collar, an extensible boom supported by the mounting, and a carrier supported by the boom; wherein the apparatus is arranged to permit adjustment of the height, horizontal spacing and angular position of the carrier relative to the column.

The invention further provides a method of installing a window assembly using said apparatus and comprising the steps of: (a) locating the column at a selected distance from a window opening in a room and extending the column to be engaged between the room's floor and ceiling; (b) locating the window assembly upon the carrier within the room; (c) extending the boom to support the window assembly as it is manoeuvred outwards through the window opening; (d) aligning the window assembly with, and retracting the boom to locate the window assembly in, said window opening; and (e) disengaging the apparatus from the window assembly.

The carrier is preferably pivotally connected to the boom to facilitate manipulation and manoeuvring of the window assembly.

The column is preferably provided with an arm to engage the wall of the room above the window opening, to support the column against forces arising from some cantilever loads applied to the boom when the latter is extended through the window opening.

The mounting is preferably provided with a bearing or bearings to support the boom.

The collar is preferably vertically adjustable relative to the boom, and the latter is preferably supported so as to be perpendicular to the column.

Both the upper and lower end portions of the column are preferably provided with extension devices, which devices are preferably interposed between a body of the column and end plate members.

The apparatus is preferably at least partially collapsible and/or able to be dismantled for transportation.

The boom may be retainable in a predetermined position for transportation.

The invention will be described further by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings wherein: - FIGURE 1 shows apparatus of the invention in side elevation in situ in a room, FIGURE 2 shows an enlarged detail from FIGURE 1, FIGURE 3 shows apparatus of the invention in rear elevation, FIGURES 4 and 5 are part-sectional enlarged views of parts of a carrier of the apparatus, and FIGURE 6 shows an enlarged part-sectional view on the line VI-VI in FIGURE 2.

The apparatus primarily comprises a column 10, a collar 11, a mounting 12, a boom 13, a carrier 14 and an arm 15.

The column 10 has a detachable upper end plate 16 secured to a body 18 of the column by a device 17 which permits incremental adjustment of the height of the plate 16 above the body; and has a detachable lower end plate 19 connected by a further device 17 to a screw threaded jack device 20 provided on a lower end portion of the body 18 so that the height of the body can be both incrementally and steplessly varied.

The arm 15 is connected by a hinge 21 to an upper part of the body 18, and by a catch 22 to releasably retain the arm in a nominally horizontal position.

The collar 11 is rotatably supported around the body upon a bearing 23 carried by a screw-jack device 24 provided on the body, to permit stepless adjustment of the height of the collar 11 on the body.

The mounting 12 is secured to one side of the collar 11, and comprises a hollow square-section tubular member 25 which houses a rear part of the boom and carries a front bearing 26 (FIGURE 6).

The boom 13 is telescopically slidable in the mounting 12; is supported internally by the front bearing 26 and by a rear bearing 27 which is mounted at the rear end of the boom; has lateral slots 28 through which a spindle 29 of the front bearing extends so that the front and rear ends of the slots serve as stops 31 to limit extension and retraction of the boom by engaging the spindle 29 (or abutments 30 on the spindle).

The front and rear bearings comprise rollers supported by ball-bearings.

The front end of the boom supports a pivot 32 having a vertical axis 33 which pivot 32 carries a cross-member 34 of the carrier 14 for movement about said axis.

The carrier 14 is an assembly of said cross-member 34 and two saddles 35 mounted on respective arms 36 of the cross-member 34 by means of horizontl co-axial pivots 38 so as to permit restricted movement of the saddles 35 through a limited arc of nominally about 10" to 20 .

Each saddle 35 provides a shaped cradle 39 for an upper run 50 of a sash frame, or an adaptor 40 providing a further shaped cradle 41 for an upper run 51 of an outer frame, for supporting a window assembly.

In use, to instal a window assembly (in a steppedelevated window opening 52 in a room 53 having a floor 54, ceiling 55 and wall 56 around the opening), the column 10 is located near the opening so that the arm 15 engages the wall above the opening (to space the column from the opening), and is expanded vertically to engage the floor and ceiling to secure the column in the room.

The collar is then moved vertically to position the boom at the correct elevation; the boom is retracted; the window assembly is hung upon the cradles within the room; the assembly is then swung and tilted so as to be able to be manipulated through the opening whilst being supported by the boom which is relatively freely extensible so as not to hinder the outwards movement of the assembly; a sill is then fixed in the opening and the window assembly is then aligned with and retracted back into the larger outer part of the opening, and secured in position; and, lastly, the boom is lowered to disengage the apparatus from the assembly and the column is retracted for removal of the apparatus from the room Where it is desired to instal a fully pre-glazed assembly, the assembly may be provided with engagement means (which is optionally removable) to engage the saddles or other suitable supporting members provided by or on the carrier.

The invention includes any novel part, feature or operation disclosed herein or in the drawings; and any novel combination thereof.

The terms and expressions used herein are by way of example and encompass functional and mechanical equivalents of the parts, features and operations disclosed, and the invention includes such equivalents.

Claims (15)

1. Window support apparatus comprising a vertically extensible column, a collar arcuately movable about the column, a mounting supported by the collar, an extensible boom supported by the mounting, and a carrier, for supporting a window assembly, which carrier is supported by the boom; wherein the apparatus is arranged to permit adjustment of the height, horizontal spacing and angular position of the carrier relative to the column.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the carrier is pivotally connected to the boom to facilitate manipulation and manoeuvring of a window assembly.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 wherein the column is provided with an arm to engage the wall of a room above a window opening.

4. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the mounting is provided with a bearing or bearings to support the boom.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the collar is vertically adjustable relative to the boom.

6. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the boom is supported so as to be perpendicular to the column.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein both the upper and lower end portions of the column are provided with extension devices.

8. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 7 wherein said devices are interposed between a body of the column and end plate members.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the apparatus is at least partially collapsible and/or able to be dismantled for transportation.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the boom is retainable in a predetermined position for transportation.

11. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the carrier is an assembly of a cross-member and two saddles mounted on respective arms of the cross-member by means of horizontal co-axial pivots so as to permit restricted movement of the saddles through a limited arc.

12. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 11 wherein each saddle provides a shaped cradle for an upper run of a sash frame or for an adaptor providing a further shaped cradle for an upper run of an outer frame, for supporting a window assembly.

13. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A method of installing a window assembly using said apparatus and comprising the steps of: (a) locating the column at a selected distance from a window opening in a room and extending the column to be engaged between the room's floor and ceiling; (b) locating the window assembly upon the carrier within the room; (c) extending the boom to support the window assembly as it is manoeuvred outwards through the window opening; (d) aligning the window assembly with, and retracting the boom to locate the window assembly in, said window opening; and (e) disengaging the apparatus from the window assembly.

15. A method of installing a window frame substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.