Window construction
[ Apr. 22, 1975 United States Patent 1 Brown et al.  
  Prinmr E.\&#39;aminerKenneth Downey Ridge Rd Bowling Green OhiO Attorney, Agent, or Fzrm-Owen &amp; Owen 43402; Michael C. Rizza, 2863 I WINDOW CONSTRUCTION [76] Inventors: I-Ioward R. Brown, 15315 Sand [57] ABSTRACT This invention relates to a window construction having a sash pivotal about a central vertical axis which facilitates reversal of the sash for cleaning the window from Encina Camino, Walnut Creek. Calif.  
 [22] Filed: Oct. 11. I973 [21] Appl. No.: 405,415 within the building. Means for sealing the sash within the window vframe is provided by an independent. open compression frame which inwardly pivots from one side of the window frame. The compression frame includes a continuous resilient sealing gasket which upon closure tightly engages edges of the sash and window frame around their periphery. forming a posi- [56] References cued tive weathertight compression seal. For pivoting the UNITED STATES PATENTS sash, the compression frame is unlocked and swung 2,716,447 8/!955 Adams et 49/67 X into the interior of the building, whereupon the sash 2,758,344 8/1956 49/390 X may be unlocked and freely rotated about its vertical axis.  
 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 347,988 3/1905 France 49/67 2 C aims. 3 rawing Figures FXTERMR WINDOW CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Windows with pivotal sashes. including those pivotal about a central vertical axis. are well known in the art. See. for example. US. Pat. Nos. 1.346.663. 2.869.691. 2.811.754. 2.889.591. 3.562.954. and 2.892.220. The problem with prior art pivotal sashes has been in their means of sealing the window against the weather.  
  Most prior art pivotal sashes have utilized one or more wiper gaskets around the outer edge of the sash designed to slidably engage the window frame upon closing. Several problems and disadvantages are inherent in this construction. The wiper gaskets tend to wear quickly because of their sliding movement across the window frame. They tend to provide an insufficient seal against the elements because they do not engage the window frame with sufficient pressure. If arranged to engage the window frame more tightly. they would wear even more rapidly and possibly even become tattered close to the pivot points from the strong shear effect present there during closing of the sash. Also. when the sash is in closed position. the flexed wiper gaskets necessarily have a reversal in their direction of flexure in the area close to the pivot point. The gaskets tend to be somewhat twisted at this reversal point and consequently provide an even poorer seal at this point.  
  Another problem with the wiper gaskets is that their elasticity varies greatly with temperature change. As a result. they tend in cold weather to become stiff and brittle. forming a poor weather seal. and in hot weather to become soft. resulting in a poor seal.  
  Some prior art pivotal sashes utilize a sealing means retractable into the window frame during pivoting of the sash. the sash being grooved for receiving the sealing means when in the closed position. This construction necessitates a great deal of expensive mechanical equipment and increases the probability of malfunction of the window.  
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a pivotal-sash window free of the disadvantages inherent in prior art pivotal windows. This is accomplished by the provision of a compression gasket which. over a wide temperature range. provides an effective weather tight seal. Rather than being attached to the fixed window frame or to the sash itself. the sealing gasket resides on a compression frame which pivots preferably interiorly from one side of the window frame. The sealing gasket is retained around the periphery of the interior face of this open frame in such a position as to engage edges of both the window frame and the closed sash upon closure and locking of the compression frame. In this way a compression seal. far superior to a wiper gasket seal. is formed.  
  When the outside of the window is to be cleaned. the compression frame is unlocked and opened into the room about 90 or more to facilitate pivoting of the sash. The sash is then unlocked. whereupon it will pivot freely without the hindrance of any sealing gaskets or Weatherstripping. The sash is rotated 180 and may be locked in this new position during cleaning. Following cleaning. the sash is unlocked. rotated back to its original position. locked. and then resealed by closure and locking of the compression frame.  
  It is noted that for relatively small windows. the primary purposes of this invention could be accomplished by means ofa window sash which interiorly pivots from one of its sides. with a compression gasket around the outside face of the sash to engage a flange of the fixed window frame. However. for very large windows of oflice buildings. for example. such a pivot placement would subject the sash. window frame and pivot members to extreme stresses. necessitating very heavy and expensive structural members. Therefore. the present invention provides a window construction particularly adapted for application to large windows. yet simple in construction. durable and effective in operation. and inexpensive to manufacture and install.  
 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view ofa window construction according to the present invention with the compression frame and the pivoted window in a closed position. diagrammatically indicating the compression frame in its open position;  
  FIG. 2 is a sectional plan view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1 and shown on an enlarged scale: and  
  FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1. also shown on an enlarged scale.  
 DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings. FIG. I shows a window assembly according to the invention and generally indicated by the reference number 10. The assembly includes a fixed window frame 11 which is rigidly secured within a building wall 12. A window sash 13 including a glass pane I4 is freely rotatable in the frame 11 on a central vertical axis 15 from pivot pins 16 and 17. Pivoting from pivot points 18 at one side of the frame 11 is an open compression frame 19. so denominated because its purpose is to compress a resilient gasket 20 against both the sash l3 and the edge of the fixed window frame 11. thus forming a weather tight seal between the sash 13 and the window frame 11 when the compression frame 19 is tightly closed. To facilitate a tight closure. releasable compression frame locks 21 are located within the fixed window frame 11 for engaging the edge 22 of the compression frame 19. In order that the window sash 13 will not experience a bowing effect when tightly engaged by the compression gasket 20. the window frame 11 also includes releasable negative load locks 23 which engage the edges of the pivotal window sash 13 in the closed position. Both the frame locks 21 and negative load locks 23 are shown in greater detail in FIGS. 2 and 3.  
  Referring now to FIG. 2, the window assembly is shown in sectional plan with the compression frame 19 unlocked and swung open into the interior of the building. The negative load locks 23 may be released so that the window sash 13 can be freely rotated about its vertical axis 15. as indicated. The negative load locks 23 preferably comprise a stop member 24 affixed to a rotatable rod or bolt 25 which pivots within the fixed window frame 11. The bolt 25 preferably has a head 26 operable by an allen head wrench and is accessible only when the compression frame 19 is in an open position. as shown in FIG. 2.  
  The compression frame locks 21 are substantially similar to the negative load locks 23, having a stop member 27 affixed to a rotatable&#39;rod or bolt 28 which has an allen head 29 accessible from the interior of the building.  
  In this preferred embodiment the compression frame 19 swings open into the interior of the building. However. the window assembly may be so oriented that the compression frame 19 swings open exteriorly. in which case the bolts 25 and 28 would be reversed and somewhat lengthened (not shown) for access from the opposite side of the window frame 11. 1  
  Both the compression frame locks 21 and negative load locks 23 are indicated in their locked configurations in FIG. 2. A flange 30 of compression frame 19 is engaged by stop member 27 of compression frame lock 21, thus retaining the compression frame 19 in compression against the sash l3 and the window frame 11. A flange 31 of the sash 13 is engaged by the stop member 24 of the negative load lock 23 to reinforce the sash 13 against deflection under load. An opposite sash flange 32 also provided so that when the sash is reversed by rotation through 180 some or all of the negative load locks may be rotated to block these flanges from significant movement in either direction. Thus. the reversed sash can be given rotational stability for cleaning purposes.  
  HO. 3 shows a portion of the. window assembly with its sash 13 and compression frame 19 in the closed. locked position. The lower pivot pin 17 is shown on the axis of rotation of the window sash 13. The resilient compressible gasket preferably resides in a slot or channel 33 of the compression frame 19 and is continuous around the frame 19. Should this gasket 20 become worn and need replacement, it may be pulled out of the channel 33 and readily replaced by forcing a new gasket into the channel 33. As shown in FIG. 3. the gasket 20 compressibly and tightly engages protruding portions 34 and 35 of the window frame 11 and sash 13. respectively.  
  As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the compression frame 19 is hollow with a continuous opening 36 through its length. This opening 36 accommodates corner reinforcement members 37 at the corners of the frame 19.  
  When the outside of a window according to the invention is to be cleaned. the compression frame 19 is first disengaged by rotation of the bolts 28 of the compression frame locks 21. The compression frame 19 is then pivoted interiorly about 90 or more to allow pivoting of the window sash l3 and to expose the negative load lock bolts 25. Thereupon these bolts 25 on either side of the window frame 11 are rotated. releasing the negative load locks 23. The window sash 13 is then pivoted through about 180 to a reversed position for cleaning, whereupon some or all of the negative load locks 23 may be re-engaged for stability. Following cleaning of the window pane 14, the negative load .locks 23 are released and the sash 13 is rotated back to its original position. Finally. the negative load locks 23 are engaged again and the compression frame 19 is closed and locked by rotation of the compression frame locks 21. The window assembly 10 is again tightly weather-sealed by the compression of the resilient gasket 20 against the window frame 11 and the sash 13.  
  The above described preferred embodiment provides a window construction which reduces window cleaning in tall buildings to a safe. efficient and inexpensive operation. In addition it provides a means of weather sealing the window which is completely effective and yet easy to operate and inexpensive to manufacture and install. Various modifications of this preferred embodiment will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the following claims.  
 We claim:  
  1. A window construction comprising, in combination, a rigid fixed frame defining a window opening, a window sash and pane positioned within said opening on a pivot axis whereby said sash and pane can be pivoted to reverse the position thereof, said fixed frame and sash including releasable locking means at opposite sash edges on either side of the pivot axis for reinforcing said pivotal sash in its closed position, and an open compression frame secured to said fixed frame and adapted to move from an open position remote from said fixed frame and sash to a closed position in engagement with said fixed frame and sash said compression frame carrying a resilient gasket and said fixed frame and said sash including adjacent engagement surfaces around their peripheries, said resilient gasket engaging both of said surfaces when said compression frame is in the closed position, said engagement surface of said sash being inwardly offset from the adjacent surface on said fixed frame. said resilient gasket engaging said adjacent surfaces at an angle oblique to the plane of the closed window pane, whereby said sash is reinforced against lateral and vertical movement in the closed position and said compression frame is secured in closed position relative to said fixed frame against lateral and vertical movement.  
  2. A window construction comprising. in combination, a rigid fixed frame defining a window opening, a window sash and pane positioned within said opening on a pivot axis whereby said sash and pane can be pivoted to reverse the direction therof, said sash and frame including adjacent parallel surfaces. said surface of said sash being inwardly offset from said parallel frame surface, and an open compression frame secured to said fixed frame and adapted to move from an open position remote from said fixed frame and sash to a closed position in engagement with said fixed frame and sash, said compression frame carrying a resilient gasket which, in the closed position of the compression frame, engages the adjacent parallel surfaces of said fixed frame and said sash at an angle corresponding to the offset of said parallel surfaces and oblique to the plane of the closed window pane, whereby said sash and said compression frame are tightly retained in the closed position against lateral and vertical movement.  
 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,878,644 D d April 22, 1975 Inventor(s) Howard R. Brown and Michael C. Rizza It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:  
 Name of Assignee:  
 The D. S Brown Company of North Baltimore, Ohio A Corporation of the State of Ohio.  
 Signed and Salad this twenty-ninth D3) Of July 1975 [SEAL] Arrest:  
 RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Allesring Officer (umnzissl&#39;mu-r uj&#39;lutenrs and Trademark-x USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 u.s, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE I969 o2ss-334.  
 FORM PO-IOSO (10-69)