Patent ID: 6226940
Filing Date: 2001-05-08
Classification: E04B

Abstract:
A window wall or curtain wall system comprising:a panel of substantially rigid material having a pair of substantially parallel first edges and a pair of substantially parallel second edges, said pairs of substantially parallel first and second edges being substantially perpendicular one to another;a non-orthogonal first mullion constructed and arranged for supporting said panel of substantially rigid material along at least one of said first edges;a substantially hollow second mullion constructed and arranged for supporting said panel of substantially rigid material along at least one of said second edges;a non-rectangular shear block for connecting said non-orthogonal first mullion to said substantially hollow second mullion;said non-rectangular shear block being cut from a section of extruded material along angled, substantially parallel lines;said section of extruded material having a perimeter constructed and arranged to fit within a hollow portion of said substantially hollow second mullion;said non-rectangular shear block further including a solid central portion through which a plurality of fastener holes may be formed wherein said plurality of fastener holes are oriented along an axis substantially perpendicular to an exterior surface of said non-orthogonal first mullion; andwhereby said non-rectangular shear block may be used to connect said substantially hollow second mullion to said first non-orthogonal mullion by attaching said shear block to said non-orthogonal first mullion by passing fasteners through said plurality of fastener holes in the solid central portion of said shear block and into said first non-orthogonal mullion and passing the hollow portion of said second mullion over said non-rectangular shear block.