GB2538727A

GB2538727A - Window assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2538727A
Application number: GB1508937.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wright Stephen
Original assignee: George Barnsdale & Sons Ltd
Current assignee: George Barnsdale & Sons Ltd
Priority date: 2015-05-26
Filing date: 2015-05-26
Publication date: 2016-11-30
Anticipated expiration: 2035-05-26
Also published as: GB2538727B; GB201508937D0

Abstract

A window assembly comprising a frame 1 and two slidable panels 2, 3 with internal and external faces enclosed within the frame which can partially overlap. The two panels are held within two sets of jambs, each set of jambs comprising one jamb 4 on one side of the frame and another one 5 on an opposite side of the frame. Both sets are separated by parting beads. Each parting strip 6 comprises an elastic deformable portion 11 positioned at the interface of the two panels and which seals the space between the internal face of one of the panels and the external face of the remaining panel. One of the panels may be a window 10. The pliable section of the parting bead may be manufactured from an expanded rubber material and the panels may have deformable seals which abut with this flexible portion.

Description

WINDOW ASSEMBLY

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to window assemblies, particularly those comprising a frame and two slidable panels.

Background to the Invention

New building construction requires that openings between the interior and the exterior of the building are sealed effectively. It is common practice nowadays for an air test to be performed on newly constructed buildings to test for leakage of air perhaps through gaps such as switch mountings, chimneys or windows. Windows are also tested in a lab to BS EN 6375 Part 1 which gives an air leakage performance rating for the window. Reducing the number of gaps in a building/window and therefore increasing how much it is sealed is important in preventing draughts and keeping the building insulated. It makes the building more efficient in heat retention and therefore reduces the energy consumption of the building.

Slidable openings such as windows or sliding panel doors, present a problem to designers and engineers, as whilst there needs to be an air tight closure when the window is closed, there is also the requirement for the windows or doors to be operable so that they can be opened. The operating forces re-quired to open and close a window are described in BS EN 6375 Part 2. A lot of normal types of draught proofing can affect this test. Due to the complexity of doors and windows, there are many small orifices through which air can travel even when the window is closed. Adding draught strips or frame seals can help, but there is nothing to close orifices where the panels meet together and/or overlap.

There has now been developed a window arrangement, which overcomes or substantially mitigates the above-mentioned and/or other disadvantages associated with the prior art.

Summary of the Invention

In one aspect of the invention there is provided a window assembly com- prising a frame and two slidable panels both having internal and external faces enclosed within the frame and superimposable over one another, the two pan- -2 -els being held within two sets of jambs, each set of jambs comprising one jamb on one side of the frame and one on an opposite side of the frame, the two sets of jambs being separated by parting beads, one on each of said opposite sides of the frame, and each parting bead comprising a resiliently deformable portion positioned adjacent the interface of the two panels and sealingly engaged with the internal face of one of the panels and the external face of the remaining panel.

The interface between the two panels means the region where the two panels meet and/or cross over. This position may be just prior to superimposi- tion, or when superimposition has just begun. The position just prior to superim-position is most commonly the position where both panels are closed (i.e. occupying greatest width or length in order to close the opening in which they are placed). In some instances, this may mean the top edge of one panel meeting with a meeting rail positioned on the bottom edge of a second panel.

The window assembly according to the invention is advantageous pri-marily because when both panels are closed, air is prevented from transiting between the two panels. That is to say air is prevented from moving between one side of the assembly to the other. This is particularly the case at the corners of the panels where the two panels meet (interface). At this point it is notoriously difficult to seal the panels because 1) the two panels are separated by a parting bead which must also allow sliding movement of the panels and therefore provide a gap and 2) where the two panels interface there is often a sealing strip which runs at right angles to the parting bead, but which is cut short to allow for sliding movement of the panels and this creates a gap. The present invention overcomes both of these problems.

The panels may be transparent, translucent or opaque. For example, the panels may comprise wood or metal or composite sheets which cannot be seen through. The panels may comprise glazing. The glazing may be partially obscured, for example as one might find in a bathroom. The panels may comprise clear glazing, such as glass or plastic for example, in order for the user to see through the panels. Preferably at least one of the panels is a window. Preferably the window assembly is a sash window. The window assembly may be a patio -3 -door assembly. The window assembly may be a slidable closure for a building. At least one of the panels may be an opaque sliding door closure for a building, such as slidable shutters or the like.

The panels may be slidable in a direction parallel to a base of the frame.

The panels may be slidable in a direction parallel to a side of the frame. Thus the panels may be slidable horizontally or vertically The resiliently deformable portion preferably comprises an expanded elastomeric material. This material provides the suitable sealing characteristics, as well as durability and ease of manufacture. The resiliently deformable mate-rial may comprise foam, rubber, silicone, polymer or cork.

In some instances the panels may have deformable seals running along their edges. These seals as most commonly on the edge portions of the rails and the stiles of the panels. Wherein the panels have deformable seals running along their edges, preferably the resiliently deformable portion is sealingly en-gaged with said deformable seals. The deformable seals are often present on panels to reduce draughts, but due to wear and tear they often break down and let air through. The benefit of having the resiliently deformable portion being sealingly engaged with said deformable seals is that there is a double sealing effect produced, i.e. the seal between the resiliently deformable portion and the faces of the panels, and the resiliently deformable portion and the deformable seals. The deformable seals may be draught strips, brushes, or flexible rubberised seals or the like. The deformable seals may extend the whole length of the stile and/or rail of the panels. For reference, a stile means a vertical member of a panel or frame, as in a door or window sash. A rail means a horizontal framing member in a door or piece of panelling.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view from the top of a conventional window assembly. -4 -

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view from the top of an embodiment of a window assembly according to the invention.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view from the side of an embodiment of a window assembly according to the invention.

Detailed Description of the Illustrated Embodiment

Figure 1 shows a cross sectional view from the top of a conventional window assembly. The window assembly is a conventional sash window and in the view only one side of the frame and window is shown. The sash window frame 1 retains a first sash window 2 and a second sash window 3. The first sash window 2 is held within a set of jambs comprising one jamb 4 on one side of the window and a second jamb on the opposite side of the window (not shown). The second sash window 3 is also held within a set of jambs comprising one jamb 5 on one side of the window and a second jamb on the opposite side of the window (not shown). The jambs 4, 5 are separated by a parting bead 6 which runs the full height of the window frame. A similar bead is also present on the opposite side of the frame, where the opposite jambs are positioned. Both sash windows 2, 3 have vertical draught excluding strips 7 which are retained within the edges of stiles of the sash and which engage with the jambs 4 and 5, and the parting bead 6. In the example shown the frame and sash win-dows are manufactured from timber, and have conventional glass glazing panels included at the region 10. Both windows 2 and 3 are slidable lengthwise with respect to the frame 1 (therefore into and out of the page as shown). In the example shown, the sash windows 2 and 3 are in the closed position. That is to say the sash window 3 is at the bottom of the frame and the sash window 2 is at the top of the frame if viewed from the direction A. An embodiment of a window assembly according to the invention is shown in Figure 2. In figure 2, the parts labelled are substantially as described above, and the window assembly is a sash window as described above. A section of the bead 6 on both sides of the frame at the approximate position of the interface between the two windows 3 and 4 is removed. An elastomeric foam plug 11 is inserted in its place. The plug measures approximately 10 cm long and is slightly wider and thicker than the remainder of the bead. Thus the plug 11 engages tightly with the external face 12 of the sash window 3 and the internal face 13 of the sash window 2. The plug 11 also engages tightly with the vertical strips 7 as shown in the drawings.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view from the side of the embodiment of the window assembly as shown in Figure 2. The lower internal frame 2 has glass 14 shown in dotted line, and the upper external frame 3 has glass 15 also shown as a dotted line. The bead 6 is shown dividing the two windows. As can be seen the plug 11 occupies a space on the bead 6 at the interface position of the two windows 2 and 3. The plug 11 is approximately the thickness of each of the stiles of the windows 2 and 3. The window 3, also has a meeting rail 16, which is a flexible plastic seal material which runs the whole length of the bottom of the window 3 (ie into and out of the page). The plug 11 is dimensioned to engage with this rail, and is thus slightly wider than the bead 6 at this point.

The plug 11 therefore seals the window effectively and prevents air from 15 escaping through the window, and between the sash windows 2 and 3. -6 -

Claims

CLAIMS1. A window assembly comprising a frame and two slidable panels both having internal and external faces enclosed within the frame and superimposable over one another, the two panels being held within two sets of jambs, each set of jambs comprising one jamb on one side of the frame and one on an opposite side of the frame, the two sets of jambs being separated by parting beads, one on each of said opposite sides of the frame, and each parting bead comprising a resiliently deformable portion positioned at the interface of the two panels and sealingly engaged with the internal face of one of the panels and the external face of the remaining panel.
2. A window assembly according to claim 1, wherein one of the pan-els is a window.
3. A window assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the resiliently deformable portion comprises an expanded elastomeric material.
4. A window assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the panels have deformable seals running along their edges and the resiliently de-formable portion is sealingly engaged with said deformable seals.
5. A window assembly substantially as described herein with refer-ence to and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.