GB2216938A - Frames for window or door assemblies - Google Patents

Abstract

A frame assembly for, e.g. a patio door, comprises a frame member (10), a track carrying member (13), and a track member (18) to support a horizontally movable panel. The track carrying member is an extrusion of a plastics material so as to insulate the frame and track members from one another and prevent electrolytic corrosion if they are of different metals. The track carrying member also permits repair of a frame assembly having a damaged track. <IMAGE>

Description

FRAMES FOR WINDOW OR DOOR ASSEMBLIES This invention relates generally to frames for windows or doors of the kind which incorporates a horizontally slidable opening panel More particularly, the invention relates to an arrangement of a frame assembly suitable for forming the sill of such a window or door, provided with a track which supports the opening panel for its horizontal movement.

One construction which has been commonly used in such windows or doors, e.g. patio doors, has been to provide a frame member forming the sill of the window or door with a separate track member which bears the weight of the openable panel, supporting the latter for its horizontal movement. For example, the track member may afford a surface which is engaged by supporting rollers provided on the openable panel. One construction which has been adopted is to provide a frame member in the form of an extruded section of an aluminium alloy, and a track member of stainless steel rolled into a cross-sectional shape which interfits with the cross-sectional shape of the frame member to hold it thereto. Fitting the track member to the frame member is carried out by sliding the two members together lengthwise, in interfitting engagement.

One disadvantage of the particular frame construction above described is that the proximity of two different metals, namely stainless steel and the aluminium alloy, can lead to electrolytic corrosion. The aluminium alloy frame member may be painted or otherwise given a protective coating, but such a coating can be scraped off during fitting of the track member to the frame member by sliding them lengthwise into engagement.

Corrosion may then lead to further lifting of paint.

It is the broad object of the present invention to overcome or reduce the above described problems. Further advantages of the present invention will be referred to hereafter.

According to the invention, we provide a frame assembly for use in a window or door having a horizontally movable panel, the frame assembly comprising an extruded frame member, a track member for supporting the panel for said horizontal movement, and a track carrying member in the form of an extrusion of a plastics material, the track carrying member holding the track member and itself being held by the frame member such that contact between the frame member and the track member is prevented.

When a frame assembly according to the invention as above defined is used in a window or door, it has the primary advantage that the track carrying member provides electrical insulation between the frame member and the track member if they are, as will usually be the case, of different materials. Therefore the problem of electrolytic corrosion is overcome.

The frame member may afford an undercut groove, and the track carrying member may have a formation which engages in such undercut groove to hold the track carrying member to the frame member. Preferably the formation of the track carrying member is a snap fit in the groove of the frame member, so that the track carrying member does not have to be assembled to the frame member by relative lengthwise sliding but can if required be fitted by exertion of appropriate force in a direction transverse to the length of the frame and track carrying members.

The track carrying member may itself afford an undercut groove for reception of the track member, preferably of the same shape as the undercut groove in the frame member. The shape of the track member and of the groove in the track carrying member may be such that these two members have to be assembled by lengthwise relative sliding.

Because the track carrying member is of a plastics material, snap fitting of the track carrying member to the frame member need not carry any risk of removing paint or other surface finish from the frame member. It also, as described hereafter, permits in situ fitting of a new track member to a frame, which is not possible in a window or door wherein the track member and frame member have to assembled by lengthwise sliding.

A further advantage of the invention is that the track carrying member, being of plastics material, has sound deadening properties and therefore reduces noise from operation of the movable panel of the window or door.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a cross-section through part of a frame assembly according to the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-section through a further embodiment of track carrying member for the assembly; and Figure 3 is a cross-section through a portion of a further embodiment of a frame assembly according to the invention.

Referring firstly to Figure 1, there is shown part of a frame member 10, which is an extrusion of an aluminium alloy and is intended to form a sill member of a window or door with a horizontally movable panel, such as a patio door. Its cross-sectional shape includes formations 11 which define an undercut groove 12 facing upwardly.

Supported by the frame member 10, is a track carrying member 13 which is an extrusion of a plastics material, e.g. UPVC. The track carrying member 13 has a somewhat U-shaped downwardly extending portion 14 with two oppositely extending lips 15 whose spacing is slightly greater than the distance between the formations 11 on the frame member, so that the track carrying member can be fitted to the frame member either by engaging these components with one another and sliding them together lengthwise, or, as described hereafter, by snap fitting the track carrying member to the frame member in a direction perpendicular to the length of such members.

When the track carrying member is used in construction of a new frame assembly, it would normally be fitted by lengthwise sliding into engagement with the frame member.

The track carrying member further comprises formations 16 which define an undercut groove 17 of the same shape as the groove 12.

The track carrying member carries a track member 18 which is a rolled stainless steel section of inverted U-shape, with oppositely directed flanges 19 which are received in the groove 17 beneath the formations 16. To fit the track member to the track carrying member, these members have to be slid together lengthwise.

The illustrated part of the frame assembly further includes a generally U-shape filler member 20 which engages with formations 21, 22 provided on the frame member 10 and track carrier member 14 respectively.

As above described, the frame assembly according to the invention has the advantage that the provision of the plastics track carrier member 13 prevents electrolytic corrosion between the dissimilar metals of the stainless steel track member and the aluminium alloy frame member.

The track member is of the same shape as a track member which would be used if the track carrier member were not present, and in that case the track member would be received directly in the groove 12 in the frame member 10. The track carrier member can, as an additional advantage, be used in repair of a frame assembly of the hitherto known type if the track member thereof should become damaged.

Such a repair would be carried out by deforming the existing track member until it can be removed from the groove 12 in the frame member, the frame member remaining in situ. A new track member can then be fitted to a track carrier member of appropriate length, by sliding these two members lengthwise into engagement with one another. This sub-assembly can then be fitted by snapping the formation 14 of the track carrier member into engagement with the groove 12, such fitting requiring the application of hammer blows or the like.

It will be appreciated that, in a frame assembly to which such a repair has been carried out, the track member stands slightly higher than the track member in the original assembly not having a track carrier member.

This is allowed for by adjusting the vertical position, relative to the movable panel, of the roller members or the like with which the panel is provided and which engage the track member.

Figure 2 shows an alternative cross-sectional shape of track carrier member. This has formations 25 defining an undercut groove 26, and two downwardly extending legs 27 with outwardly extending flanges 28 to engage in the groove 12 in the frame member. Otherwise it is used in the same manner as the embodiment of Figure 1.

A track carrier member as shown in Figure 1 or Figure 2 can also be used to carry weather stripping, a decorative strip, or a buffer. The track carrier member can be used in conjunction with a frame member disposed horizontally or vertically, for such purposes.

Figure 3 shows another frame assembly for use in a window or door having a horizontally movable panel 64.

The frame assembly comprises an extruded frame member 60 of aluminium alloy on which a thermally insulating cover 61 is mounted. The frame member 60 receives, as a snap fit, a plastics insert 62 forming a track carrying member which defines an upwardly facing undercut groove in which is received a stainless steel track carrying member 63 which is of inverted U-shape. The panel 64 is provided with rollers 65 at its lower edge which run on the track member 63. Fixing screws (not shown) for the frame member 60 are concealed by the insert 62. The track carrying member 62 holds the track member 63 and is itself held by the frame member 60 such that contact between the frame member 60 and the track member 63 is prevented.

A front portion 66 of the frame member 60 has its visible surface provided with an adhered lamina as indicated by hatching 67. The plastics insert 62 comprises a forwardly-extending lip 68 which covers the edge of the lamina 67, to protect the latter. Such protection for the lamina is particularly valuable in the case of a door where the lamina may otherwise be vulnerable to damage due to persons stepping on it. A forwardly-facing surface of the frame member 60 behind the door 64 is also provided with an adhered lamina, as indicated by the hatching 69. This lamina extends, at its upper edge, around a lip formation 70 on the frame member, to an inaccessible position so that it is protected from damage. At its lower edge, the lamina is covered by the plastics insert 62 also to protect it from damage. The laminas 67 and 69 provide a decorative finish.

The lamina may be applied to the required surfaces of the aluminium alloy extrusions by a profile wrapping process. Such a process, which is well known, passes the extrusion through a machine wherein an adhesive is applied thereto, after which the lamina is introduced to the surface of the extrusion and caused to conform to the shape thereof by successive profiled rollers. However, any other suitable alternative process may be employed.

If the lamina is of a suitable material, a separate adhesive need not be employed, for example if the lamina will fuse or otherwise adhere to the extrusion when applied thereto at an elevated temperature.

By use of the adhesively secured lamina, a much wider range of surface finishes can be obtained than those possible by use of painting or anodising processes.

For example, a "wood grain" finish can be applied.

Further, the adhesively secured lamina can provide greater protection for the aluminium alloy under hostile environmental conditions than can a painted or anodised finish, so the appearance of the frame member is maintained over a greater period of time.

The aluminium extrusion may be thermally insulated by being provided, on a surface which would otherwise be accessible when the frame member is installed, with a thermally insulating covering of a plastics material, and the lamina may then be provided on a surface of the extrusion which, in an installed window or door, is opposite the side of the frame member at which the covering of thermally insulating material is provided.

Alternatively, the frame member may be thermally broken, comprising two extrusions of aluminium alloy joined by a thermally insulating portion, e.g. of a plastics material, at least one of the aluminium alloy extrusions then being provided with the lamina.

Claims (9)

1. l. A frame assembly for use in a window or door having a horizontally movable panel, the frame assembly comprising an extruded frame member, a track member for supporting the panel for said horizontal movement, and a track carrying member in the form of an extrusion of a plastics material, the track carrying member holding the track member and itself being held by the frame member such that contact between the frame member and the track member is prevented.
2. 2. A frame assembly according to Claim 1 wherein the frame member affords an undercut groove, and the track carrying member has a formation which engages in such undercut groove to hold the track carrying member to the frame member.
3. 3. A frame assembly according to Claim 2 wherein said formation of the track carrying member is a snap fit in said groove of the frame member.
4. 4. A frame assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the track carrying member affords an undercut groove for reception of the track member.
5. 5. A frame assembly according to Claim 4 as appendent to Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein the shape of the groove of the track carrying member is the same as that of the undercut groove in the frame member.
6. 6. A frame assembly according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein a lamina surface is adhered to the surface of the frame member providing a decorative finish.
7. 7. A frame assembly according to Claim 6, wherein the track carrying member has a lip covering an edge of the lamina.
8. 8. A frame assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 or Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.
9. 9. A track carrying member substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 or Figure 2 or Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.