Window and door frame components

Abstract

 An elongated component for use in the construction of a window or door frame in which one external face of the component (5) is provided with at least two longitudinally extending channels (13) incorporating retaining means (14) enabling fitments to be attached to the component. Preferably the surface of the component opposite to that in which the grooves or channels are formed incorporates inwardly directed formations (9, 9A) adapted to locate a glazing element (10). The external or outer face may incorporate a central longitudinal groove or channel (12) disposed between a pair of peripheral channels (13). Preferably the central groove or channel is of greater width and greater depth than said peripheral channels.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to components for use in the construction of window and door frames.

[0002] Windows and doors are produced in a large variety of shapes and sizes and require to be fitted and adapted to a wide range of locations requiring modification of the window and door frames with regard to size, location of seals, attachment and location of sills and other projections or fitments and so forth. Traditional window and door frames of wooden construction lend themselves to the attachment of various fitments but are not readily adapted in other respects and it has traditionally been necessary to produce a wide range of different frames to suit different applications. With the advent of plastic window and door frames a problem arises insofar as individual frame components require separate and expensive tooling, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a window or door frame-component so constructed that it may be used in a variety of locations and fitted with seals and other attachments without requiring-modification to the component itself.

[0003] According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an elongated component for use in the construction of a window or door frame in which one external face of the component is provided with at least two longitudinally extending channels incorporating retaining means enabling fitments to be attached to the component.

[0004] Preferably the component incorporates a central longitudinal groove or channel disposed between a pair of peripheral channels. The central groove or channel is preferably of greater width and greater depth than the peripheral channels.

[0005] Preferably said retaining means comprise inwardly directed lips extending along opposed edges of said peripheral channels. The lips are preferably undercut and provided with chamfered or sloping faces facilitating engagement of seals or other attachments therewith.

[0006] The frame component is preferably of hollow extruded plastics construction and may have a main cavity extending longitudinally thereof and adapted to receive a metal reinforcing member.

[0007] Preferably the surface of the component opposite to that in which said grooves or channels are formed incorporates an outwardly directed longitudinally extending projection serving as an abutment for a glazing element, and locating means for _'a removable retaining bead which may be attached thereto to retain the glazing element in engagement with said abutment.

[0008] The invention also provides a set of components for use in the construction of a window or door frame comprising a plurality of main frame members consisting of components according to the preceding paragraphs, and a plurality of fitments provided with formations adapted for engagement with said retaining means to retain the fitments in engagement with the frame members.

[0009] Said fitments may include attachment members for use in securing a frame constructed from the components in an opening in a wall or the like drip sills, height extension pieces and trim members adapted to encase corner pillars of bay window constructions. The fitments may also include capping members adapted to engage with both said peripheral channels and to extend over and conceal the channels in the frame component to provide an attractive outer surface where the component is visible in use.

[0010] By the provision of frame components having projecting formations on the edges thereof which are directed outwardly of the frame in use together with trim strips detachably connectable to said formations to conceal same, the components may be used in conjunction with the trim strips in the construction of patio doors where some of the outer edges are exposed to view in use, or may be used without the trim strips to construct outer frames of windows in which the projecting formations are exposed and may be used to locate or anchor the frame in a window opening in a building or the like.

[0011] Thus according to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a component for use in the construction of a window or glazed door frame, the component comprising a frame member having-inwardly-directed formations adapted to locate a glazing element, outwardly-directed formations which may serve as anchorage or location points when the component is used in the construction of a window frame, and a removable trim strip attachable to said outwardly-directed formations to conceal same when the component is used in the construction of exposed portions of a door frame.

[0012] In the construction of bay windows considerable problems arise in interconnecting the adjacent window frames at the corners of the bay. Such problems are increased in the case of angled or variable bay windows where the frames are not at right angles and the angle of inclination of the adjacent frames to one another may vary considerably from window to window. Frame components according to the invention may be used to form bay windows of a variety of different constructions in conjunction with cladding or trim members serving to cloak the junction between adjacent frames.

[0013] Thus the invention also provides a bay window construction incorporating a plurality of window frames constructed from frame components according to the invention and cladding members enclosing the junctions between adjacent window frames and engaged with said retaining means on the window frame components.

[0014] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a cross section through the upper portion of a window frame construction showing a frame component according to the invention fitted with a drip sill;

Fig. 2 is a cross section through the lower portion of a window frame construction showing a frame component according to the invention fitted with a sealing member;

Fig. 3 is a cross section through a frame member according to the invention fitted with height increasing attachments;

Fig. 4A is a cross section through a frame member fitted with an attachment member for securing the frame to a wall or the like;

Fig. 4B is a perspective view of an attachment member;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal cross section through a patio door assembly incorporating frame components according to the invention; and

Fig. 6 is a horizontal cross section through a right angle bay window construction incorporating frame components according to the invention.

[0015] Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a frame component suitable for the construction of a window or door frame comprising a main body portion 5 of hollow extruded plastics construction incorporating a central longitudinal passage or cavity 6 in which a metal reinforcing member 7 may be inserted as shown, for example in Fig. 2. The surface of the frame which is directed inwardly of the window or door construction in use incorporates an inwardly-directed longitudinally-extending projection 9 forming an abutment for a glazing element such as a sealed double glazed unit shown at 10 in Fig. 2. Provided on the same surface of the component 5 but spaced from the projection 9 are locating members 9A with which a longitudinally extending glazing bead 11 shown in Fig. 2 may be engaged so as to retain the glazing element 10 in engagement with the abutment 9.

[0016] The opposite surface of the frame component 5 is provided with a central longitudinally extending recess or channel 12 flanked by a pair of side channels 13 of lesser width and depth than the channel 12. Inwardly directed longitudinally-extending lips 14 are provided at the outer edges of the recesses 13 and are undercut so as to form retaining members with which various seals and other components can be engaged as will be described hereafter.

[0017] In Fig. 1 a drip sill 15 is clipped into engagement with the outermost recess 13 in the surface of the frame which is uppermost in use, the drip sill incorporating an extension 16 having projecting flanges 17 formed with undercut formations engageable with the formations 14 at the edges of the channel 13 to retain the drip sill in engagement with the frame component. In use the drip sill directs water forward and clear of the window frame below.

[0018] Referring now to Fig. 2 of the drawings, there is shown a cross section through the lower portion of a window frume construction incorporating a window sill 18 surmounted by a frame component 5 of the kind shown in Fig. 1 but in an inverted position. In this instance the surface of the component 5 provided with the recesses 12 and 13 is directed downwardly and supported on the upper surface of the sill 18, and a longitudinally extending seal 19 is engaged in the outer one of the recesses 13 to form a seal between the frame component 5 and the sill 18.

[0019] Fig. 3 shows a frame component 5 constructed in the some manner as the components shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and having height-increasing extension pieces engaged with the recesses 13. The extension pieces comprise inverted channels 20 of similar cross-section to the channels 13 and having upwardly projecting flanges 21 provided with undercut lips engageable with the formations 14 of the channels 13 to retpin the extension pieces in engagement with the respective channels. The lower edges of the channels 20 are provided with similar longitudinally-extending lips 22 having undercut formations which may be engaged by the formation on the flanges 21 of further extension pieces if it is desired to increase the heaght of the frame component still further.

[0020] Extension pieces of the kind shown in Fig. 3 are required in many different situations including cases where through error the frame is too small, where excessive thicknesses of plaster are present or the adjacent walls are tiled, and in cases where the sill is unusually thick. Such situations commonly arise when replacing windows in existing buildings.

[0021] Referring now to Figs. 4A and 4B of the drawings, there is shown a frame component of the kind shown in Figs. 1 to 3 in which a fitment is engaged with one of the channels 13 to facilitate attachment of the.frame to a wall or the like. The fitment is shown in Fig. 4B and comprises a fixing cleat or tab having an attachment portion 23 provided with holes 24 by means of which it may be nailed or otherwise secured to a wall or the like and a locking portion 25 having projecting ears 26 enabling the fitment to be engaged with the channel 13 and rotated through 90° to a locking position as shown in Fig. 4A. Fixing members of this kind may be engaged with appropriate ones of the channels 13 at desired intervals to effect attachment of a frame to a surrounding wall or the like. Fig. 5 of the drawings shows a horizontal cross-section through a patio door assembly comprising an outer fixed door 30 having a frame 31 constructed from components of the kind described in Figs. 1 to 4 and a glazed door panel 32, and an inner sliding door 33 of similar construction slidingly engaged in a track at the foot of the door assembly so as to be movable from a closed position as shown in Fig. 5 to an open position alongside the fixed door 30. One vertical frame member 31 of the fixed door 30 and both vertical frame members 31 of the sliding door 33 are visible at their outer edges in different positions of the patio door assembly. In order to conceal the channels 12 and 13 from view capping members or trim strips 34 are fitted to the exposed end faces. For this purpose each trim strip 34 is provided-with longitudinally extending flanges having undercut formations engageable with the outer retaining lips of each of the channels 13 in the associated frame member whereby to secure the trim member 34 in position and present a neat and attractive appearance to the exposed end of the door frame.

[0022] Fig. 6 of the drawings shows a right angled bay window construction incorporating window frames constructed from components according to the invention. The window comprises three frames 5A, 5B and 5C disposed at right angles to one another in abutment with angled pillars 40 forming the corners of the bay and engaging in the central channels 12 of the frames. In order to conceal the pillars 40 detachable cladding or trim members are disposed around the pillars and engaged with the frame components. For this purpose a single inner cladding or trim member 41 bridges the gap between the adjacent frames at the inside of the corner and a pair of identical outer cladding members 42A, 42B interconnected by a corner connector 43 close the gap at the outside of the corner. All three of the cladding or trim components 41, 42A and 42B incorporate retaining projections 44 having undercut formations engageable with the complementary formations formed at the edges of the channels 13 in the associated frame components.

[0023] It will be appreciated that frame components of the kind described are extremely versatile in that they may be used in the construction of a variety of different window and door frames incorporating seals and other fitments without requiring modification of the frame components themselves, thereby resulting in considerable cost saving due to elimination of the need to manufacture separate components for each purpose. The construction of the frame members is also such that various components may be attached by a single clipping action without requiring the use of screws or other detachable fittings.

[0024] Various modifications may be made without departing from the invention. For example while the greatest versatility is attained by the provision of the central longitudinal recess flanked by peripheral recesses at each side, the peripheral recesses may be provided alone to produce a component having many of the advantages of the invention but capable of a more restricted range of uses. Wide variations may also be made in the shape, size and dimensions of the frame components to suit individual requirements.

Claims

1. An elongated component for use in the construction of a window or door frame characterised in that one external face of the component (5) is provided with at least two longitudinally extending channels (13) incorporating retaining means (14) enabling fitments to be attached to the component.

2. A component according to claim 1 characterised in that the surface of the component opposite to that in which said grooves or channels (13) are formed' incorporates inwardly directed formations (9, 9A) adapted to locate a glazing element (10).

3. A component for use in the construction of a window or glazed door frame, characterised in that the component comprises a frame member (5) having inwardly-directed formations (9, 9A) adapted to locate a glazing element (10), outwardly-directed formations (13) which may serve as anchorage or location points when the component is used in the construction of a window frame, and a removable trim strip (34) attachable to said outwardly-directed formations to conceal same when the component is used in the construction of exposed portions of a door frame.

4. A component according to claim 3 characterised in that said outwardly directed formations comprise at least two longitudinally extending channels (13) incorporating retaining means (14) enabling fitments to be attached to the component.

5. A component according to claim 1, 2 or 4 characterised in that said external or outer face incorporates a central longitudinal groove or channel (12) disposed between a pair of peripheral channels (13).

6. A component according to claim 5 characterised in that said central groove or channel (12) is of greater width and greater depth than said peripheral channels (13).

7. A component according to any of claims 1, 2 or 4 to 6 characterised in that said retaining means comprises inwardly directed lips (14) extending along opposed edges of said peripheral channels (13).

8. A component according to claim 7 characterised in that said lips (14) are undercut and provided with sloping faces facilitating engagement of fitments therewith.

9. A component according to any of claims 2 to 8 characterised in that said formations adapted to locate a glazing element comprise a longitudinally extending projection (9) serving as an abutment for the glazing element (10) and locating means (9A) for a removable retaining bead (11) which may be attached thereto to retain the glazing element in engagement with said abutment (9).

10. A component according to any preceding claim characterised in that it is of hollow extruded plastics construction and has a main cavity (6) extending longitudinally thereof and adapted to receive a metal reinforcing member (7).

11. A set of components for use in the construction of a window or door frame characterised in that it comprises a plurality of main frame members consisting of components (5) according to any of the preceding claims and a plurality of fitments (15, 20, 23) provided with formations (17, 21, 26) adapted for engagement with said retaining means (14) to retain the fitments in engagement with the frame members.

12. A set of components according to claim 11 characterised in that said fitments include attachment members (23) for use in securing a frame constructed from the components in an opening in a wall or the like.

13. A set of components according to claim 11 or 12 characterised in that said fitments include a drip sill (15).

14. A set of components according to claim 11, 12 or 13 characterised in that said fitments include height extension pieces (20).

15. A bay window construction characterised in that it incorporates a plurality of window frames constructed from frame components (5) according to any preceding claim and cladding members (41, 42A, 42B) enclosing the junctions between adjacent window frames (5A, 5B, 5C) and engaged with said retaining means (14) on the window frame components.

Drawing