GB2425560A - Window assembly comprising separable inner element, glazing element and outer element - Google Patents

Abstract

A window assembly comprising an outer element 101, an inner element 106 and at least one glazed element 105 intermediate the inner and outer elements wherein the glazed and inner elements are adapted to be separated from the outer element. The glazed and inner elements may be mounted on hinges such that they may be pivoted separately with respect to the outer element.

Description

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WiNDOW ASSEMBLY The present invention relates to windows.

Windows having a number of panes of glass are more attractive architecturally to most people than those windows which have only a single pane of glass. However, the maintenance of multi-pane windows is time-consuming and requires considerable skill if paint is not to be deposited upon the window glass during the painting of the windows.

This is so particularly in the case of the outside of a window when a person painting the window may be working from a ladder.

The external maintenance of windows, particularly those above groundfloor level, which require the use of a ladder, presents a problem to many people. The problem is exacerbated in the case of windows which have a number of panes of glass separated by bars known as glazing bars as considerable skill is needed to avoid paint getting onto the window glass during painting of the glazing bars.

Increasingly, modern windows are of the double-glazed type in which the glazed component consists of two sheets of glass which are spaced apart in a frame which is sealed to prevent the ingress of moisture. Often for cosmetic reasons false glazing bars are included within the sealed enclosure, but except from considerable distances, these do not provide convincing imitations of the real thing, particularly on sunny days when it is apparent that light is being reflected from a single surface and not an interrupted surface.

Multi-pane windows are expensive and time-consuming to produce using conventional materials because a separate joint has to be produced at each position where glazing bars intersect, but such windows still are popular and may even be required in the case of older buildings which are listed as of architectural merit.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved form of window which facilitates the maintenance of the external surfaces of the window structure and the cleaning of the external glass surface from within the building.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a simplified construction for imitation multi- paned windows and a form of window consu-uction which facilitates the inclusion of unobtrusive security elements.

According to the present invention, there is provided a window assembly comprising an outer element, an inner element and at least one glazed element intermediate the inner and outer elements wherein the glazed and inner elements are adapted to be separated from the outer element.

Preferably, the glazed and inner elements are mounted with hinges or demountable catches so that they can be pivoted separately with respect to the outer element. or separated therefrom.

The outer element and the inner element preferably are provided with simulated glazing bars which are superimposed when the elements of the window assembly are in their normal operating positions.

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There may be included a security grid, or grids, having the same dimensions as the simulated glazing bars of the outer element so as to be unobtrusive in use. Either the inner element, the outer element, or both elements, may be constructed so as to accommodate the security grid, or grids.

Also the window assembly may include a recess in which a motion-sensing security sensor can be installed.

The outer element may be adapted to fit into an existing window frame or it may include a frame element, which may or may not be an integral part of it.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a schematic cross-section in an horizontal plane of a window assembly, and Figure 2 illustrates the manner in which the elements of the window assembly shown in Figure 1 are connected together, and Figure 3 is a schematic horizontal section of a window assembly embodying the invention and including a security grid, and Figure 4 is a schematic horizontal section of another window assembly embodying the invention.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, a window assembly 100 embodying the invention consists of an outer element 101 which is provided with a lattice of simulated glazing bars 102. The number and disposition of the simulated glazing bars 102 are chosen to correspond with various architectural styles, as required. A sub-frame 103 is attached to the, in use, inward-facing surface 104 of the outer element 101, but if so desired, the outer element 101 may be so shaped as to provide the subframe 103. The frame 103 encompasses a double-glazed glazed element 105. An inner element 106 has the same external dimensions as the sub-frame 103 and the same overall aperture as the outer element 101 and simulated glazing bars 107 which are co-incident with those of the outer element.

The simulated glazing bars 102, 107 interrupt the exposed surfaces 108, 109 of the sheets of glass forming the glazed element 105 and cast shadows on the exposed areas of glass 110 as do the glazing bars of a true multi-paned window, giving a much more realistic appearance to an observer than do conventional double-glazed window units in which a lattice simulating glazing bars is positioned between the two sheets of glass forming the double-glazed window units so that the outer surfaces of the sheets of glass forming the double-glazed units are smooth, reflecting light uniformly and not possessing the shadows cast on the glass by the glazing bars of true multi-paned windows.

Referring to Figure 2 of the drawings, the glazed element 105 is attached to one side of the sub-frame 103 by vertically-oriented hinges 201 so that it can be opened and closed in the manner shown by the arc 202 and the inner element 106 also is attached to the sub-frame 103 by verticallyoriented binges 203 so that it can be opened and closed in the manner shown by the arc 204. Thus, the glazed and inner elements 105, 106, respectively, can be opened inwardly to provide access to both of the glass suthces 108, 109 of the glazed element 105 without the need to gain external access to the window assembly 100. Also, the painting of the outer and inner elements 101, 106, respectively, is facilitated because with the elements 101, 105, 106 of the window assembly separated, there is no need to take the care which normally is necessary to avoid getting paint on the panes of glass in a true multi-paned window.

Figure 3 shows a horizontal cross-section of a window assembly 100 such as that described above, in which a metal reinforcing lattice 301 is embedded in the inner element 106 so that it is invisible to an observer when the elements 101, 105 and 106 of the window assembly are closed together. Also, the surrounds of the outer and/or inner elements 101, 106 may be provided with recesses in which motion-sensitive security sensors can be installed as part of a perimeter security system.

The window assembly 100 depicted is intended to be fitted into a separate frame, either as original equipment or as a replacement for an existing window, but the outer element 101 can be provided with returned edges 401 as shown in Figure 4, so that the window assembly 100 can be fitted directly into a window aperture. In either case, hinges may be used to enable the window assembly 100 to be opened as a whole.

Window assemblies embodying the invention can be made from wood, plastics materials or metal, as so desired using conventional techniques, but particularly convenient materials are sheets of material such as external grades of man-made wood fibre materials or marine ply as these materials lead themselves readily to machine fabrication.

Hitherto, the use of fibre-board materials for windows, particularly those which are multi-paned, has been hindered by the lack of resistance to bending stresses of such materials, but the construction of the windows of the present invention, reduces the need for high resistance to bending stresses, so the use of such material becomes practicable, particularly when a metal security grid is included because this provides reinforcement for the sheet material.

In the embodiments of the invention described above, the three elements forming the window assembly are joined together by hinges. An alternative means of releasably joining the elements of the window is by catches mounted on the outer surrounds of the elements.

In order to provide realistic profiles for the simulated glazing bars 102. . 107, the outer and inner elements 101, 106 may be manufactured as laminations, having cross-sections of different widths.

Claims (1)

1 A window assembly comprising, an outer element, an inner element and at least one glazed element intermediate the inner and outer elements, wherein the glazed and inner elements are adapted to be separated from the outer element.

2 A window assembly according to claim I wherein the glazed and inner elements are mounted on hinges so that they can be pivoted separately with respect to the outer element.

3 A window assembly according to claim I wherein the glazed and inner elements are attached to the outer element by de-mountable catches so that they may be detached from the outer element of the window assembly.

A window assembly according to claim 1, claim 2, or claim 3, wherein the outer element includes simulated glazing bars.

A window assembly according to claim 4 wherein inner element includes simulated glazing bars arranged to be coincident with those of the outer element when the elements of the window assembly are joined together.

6 A window assembly according to any of claims 1 to 5 wherein there is included at least one security grid.

7 A window assembly according to claim 6 when dependent on claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the security grid or giids conform with the simulated glazing bars so as to be inconspicuous in use.

8 A window assembly according to any preceding claim wherein at least one of the elements includes a recess into which can be fitted a motionsensing device adapted to form part of a security system.

9 A window assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the window assembly is adapted to be mounted in a separate window frame.

A window assembly according to any of claims 1 to 8 wherein the outer element of the window assembly is adapted to be mounted directly in an aperture in a wall structure.

ii A window assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the window assembly is adapted to be opened as a unit.

12 A window assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the inner and outer elements of the window assembly are manufctured from a sheet of material.

13 A window assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the sheet material is a fibrous board material.

14 A window assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the glazed element of the window assembly is a double-glazed unit.

A window assembly substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.