US2681244A

US2681244A - Means for supporting a window sash

Info

Publication number: US2681244A
Authority: US
Inventors: Marshall V Noecker
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1952-01-16
Filing date: 1952-01-16
Publication date: 1954-06-15
Anticipated expiration: 1971-06-15

Description

June 15, 1954 M. V. NOECKER MEANS FOR'SUPPORTING-A WINDOW SASH File'd Jan. 16. 1952 INVENTOR.

Patented June 15, 1954 UNITED STATES eerie 8 Claims.

This invention refers to a device for supporting a window sash and particularly to such a device which is readily retractable, either temporarily or permanently, from its window supporting position.

In the manufacture of windows and screens of various types having sliding panels, and particularly those involving metal sash receiving elements, there has been proposed a wide variety of devices for holding a sash in a selected position, and many of these proposals have attained a reasonable degree of success. However, most of these devices, insofar as I am aware, usually require special parts of varying degrees of complexity or require the provision of special means for receiving such elements into the window sash or into the window frame. On the other hand, devices of satisfactory simplicity, usually are either insufiiciently sturdy for reliable operation or are somewhat limited in their adaptability to diiferent uses.

In a particular adaptation of metal frames for supporting storm and screen sash, such as that shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 249,643, filed October 14, 1951, there is required a device for normally holding a sash in its raised position but which should be retractable temporarily to permit the window panel to slide downwardly past said supporting means or which may be retracted, and will stay retracted without further attention from the operator, for as long as the operator desires in order to facilitate the installation or the removal of the sash into or from the window frame.

Accordingly, a principal object of the invention is to provide a resilient, retractable, window sash supporting means which is simple and economical to fabricate and install.

A further object of the invention is to provide a window supporting device, as aforesaid, which is simple and reliable in its operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a window supporting device, as aforesaid, which will be sturdy and not readily subject to failure.

Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons acquainted with apparatus of this general type upon reading the following disclosure and upon a study of the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side view of a typical window frame employing the supporting device of the invention. l

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line II--II of Figure 1.

2 Figure 3 is a section taken on the line III-III of Figure 1.

In illustrating the invention, one typical installation thereof will be utilized for illustrative with only slight modifications. Such modifications, in view of the description hereinafter given, will be obvious to those skilled in the art and will need no detailing.

Turning first to the structure of one particular sash and sash frame with which the supporting device of the invention is advantageously utilized, there is shown in the drawings a generally U- shaped panel receiving frame element 9 of a type No. 249,643, As set forth in more detail in said patent, or said application, such sash panel receiving element may be mounted in any of several convenient ways on the inside of a conventional window opening and usually outside of the blind stop normally found on the frame defining said window opening. A sash panel It, which may be either screen or glass, is received between the legs or sides of the U within the frame element 9 in the manner fragmentarily shown in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings and is further shown in detail in said Kaufmann patent or in my said co-pending application.

It will be observed from the drawings that both the sash panel and the frame element are in this illustrative embodiment formed of rolled sheet metal, as aluminum, but it will also be appreciated that the method of fabrication is of no importance inasmuch as it may equally well comprise extruded material. Further. it will be recognized in the light of the disclosure hereinafter following, that although the parts herein shown are assumed to be of metal, the supporting element may readily be modified for use with a wooden sash frame.

The supporting elements themselves are comprised of a leaf spring 14 which is pivotally affixed, as by riveting, at It: to one leg M of the U-shaped member 9. If, as is normal, it is desired to control the window supporting device from the inside of the building to which the window is aifixed, the leg I2 of said U-shaped member ii will be the leg which is interiorly of ings in each of said actuators and said leaf spring.

Said pin may be press fitted into place or, it may be fastened by any other convenient means,

such as soldering, providing only that the

ends

21 and 28 of the actuator and the leaf spring are held tightly and rigidly together. Said pin is of sufficient length as to extend through an opening 22 in the side l2 of the U-shaped frame member 9 and substantially across the open'space 23 between said legs II and I2 of said U-shaped member. The sash panel |0 rests upon this pin and is supported by it.

The actuator 26 extends from the pin 2| toward the end 1-38 of the leaf spring. At a point 3i intermediate the pin 2| and the rivet N5, said actuator is bent sufiiciently to extend away from said leaf spring at a relatively large angle, such as between about 30 and about :5". At the point st of bending, there may be advantageously placed a small embossing 25 for the double purpose of resisting the tendency of the actuator 2b to straighten and to provide a sharper pivot point for its hereinafter described ac ,ion. From the pin 2| to the point 3| of bending, said actuator and said leaf spring lie closely together.

Operation With the supporting device in the position shown in solid lines in the drawings, the supporting device will support a window sash upon the pin 2| solidly and firmly, and without likeli hood of slippage or other failure. When it is desired to lower the window sash, the end 24 of the actuator is urged toward the U-shaped member in any convenient manner, as by the if is necessary only to retract the pin 2|, as aforesaid, sufficiently to cause the pin 2| to be moved all of the way out of and away from the U-shaped member 9 and then to pivot the entire holding device around the rivet Iii into the position shown in broken lines at A in Figure 1. In this position the pin 2| will be out of register with the opening 22 and will rest against the adjacent side of the leg |2 of the U-shaped member. The actuating device will remain in this position for as V long as desired and thus leave the operator with both hands free to manipulate the window sash as desired. As soon as said manipuiation is completed and the sash restored into the position at which it is desired to support said sash, the

supporting device is again pivoted around the rivet l5 and as soon as the pin 2| comes into register with the opening 22 it will snap into position and resume its sash supporting functions.

It will be seen from inspection of the drawing 75 that the position of the pivot point 3| may be moved rather widely between the pin 2| and the rivet Is and in some instances it may even be moved a limited distance beyond said rivet. However, the proportions shown in the drawing will be found to provide a fully and effectively workable device and it will be found preferable to have the said pivot point lying somewhere between said rivet IE and a point about half way between the ends of said leaf spring.

Accordingly, I have illustrated and described a device carrying out the objects and purposes above set forth.

While I have disclosed and described above a specific embodiment illustrating my invention, it will be appreciated that a number of modifications may be made to adapt the device to a variety of difierent uses and accordingly it should be understood that the claims hereinafter appended should be construed to include such modifications except as said claims by their own terms expressly limit otherwise.

I claim:

1. In a device supporting a sash sliding within a metal sash frame, the elements of said frame which retain said sash each having spaced sides and an internal opening therebetween, the combination comprising: means defining an opening through one of said sides and in communication with said internal opening; a leaf spring element aligned longitudinally of said sash frame element and positioned externally thereof, having one end overlying said opening and its other end affixed to said sash frame element; a pin extending from said one end of said leaf spring element through said opening and substantially across said internal opening; an actuator element rigidly affixed to said leaf spring element at said one end and extending substantially adjacent said leaf spring element towards said other end of said leaf spring element and having a handle portion bearing against said leaf spring element at a point near said other end thereof and extending away from said leaf spring element, said actuator element being sufficiently rigid to flex said leaf spring element by moving said handle toward said leaf spring element, and said leaf spring element being sufficiently rigid to support independently said sash through said pin.

2. The device defined in claim 1 wherein said handle is located intermediate the ends of said leaf spring element.

3. The device defined in claim 1 wherein said handle is located between said other end of said leaf spring element and a point approximately half way between the ends of said leaf spring element.

4. The device defined in claim 1 wherein the leaf spring element is afiixed at said other end to said frame element for pivotal movement in a plane substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of said pin as it moves in and out of operating position.

5. The device defined in claim 1 wherein said Q pin constitutes also the means fastening said actuator element and said leaf spring element together.

6. The device defined in claim 1. wherein said actuator element has means projecting toward said leaf spring element located at the point of intersection between said handle and the body portion of said actuator element.

7. The device defined in claim 1 wherein said handle constitutes an extension of the body portion of said actuator element and is positioned at a relatively large acute angle to the plane of end adjacent said pin, the upper portion of said said leaf spring element.

actuator element being parallel with and ex- In a device for supporting a sash within tending toward the lower end of said leaf spring vertical, metal frame elements having U-shaped element and the lower portion of said actuator cross-sections each providing a pair of spaced, element being bent away from said leaf spring element between the upper and lower ends thereof, said actuator element being sufficiently rigid to flex said leaf spring element, thereby withdrawing said pin from said opening when said spring element lying against the outer surface of W lower portion is urged toward said leaf spring element.

element overlying said opening; means securing the lower end of said leaf spring element to said one side for pivotal movement of said leaf spring element in a plane parallel with said one side;

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date a pin secured to the upper end of said leaf spring element and extendable perpendicular to said Zg Behrmann 1916 plane through said opening toward, but spaced Pat July 1932 from, the other side of said one of said metal FOREIGN PATENTS frame elements, said leaf spring element being w sufficiently rigid to support said sash throu h sg g g gg i g g said pin; an elongated actuator elementrigidly 22145 Great Britain 20 1895 afiixed to said leaf spring element at said upper