Abstract:
Window frame spacing tape is used to prevent the latent crushing of a window frame when adjacently installed brick siding expands over time. The tape is comprised of a piece of moisture resistant foam with an adhesive backing covered by a removable nonstick cover. The thickness of the tape is set such that the tape will absorb any expansion of adjacently installed brick without allowing the expansion to deform the window frame. The width of the tape is set such that an edge of the tape forms the base of an appropriately sized caulk receptacle. The tape is placed on the outer periphery of the window frame. Brick siding is then installed such that it abuts the tape.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Virtually every building contains exterior windows. A typical window is secured by a window sash. The sash is framed by a window frame. The window frame is installed into a window opening within the building structure. A nailing fin extends from each side of the window frame. Nails are inserted through the nailing fins in order to secure the window frame to the building structure. Each side of the window frame has a lateral perimeter surface which extends outside the window opening of the structure. Siding material is installed along the face of the building structure and abuts the window frame. A common siding material is comprised of brick and mortar. Some of the brick edges of brick siding are adjacent to the window frame. 
         [0002]    Window frame manufacturers typically specify that a gap of approximately ⅜″ should exist between the brick edges and the window frame. This specification is often ignored by bricklayers. They brick in such a way that some of the brick edges directly contact the lateral perimeter surfaces of the window frame. This renders caulking between the brick edges and the window frame to be less effective than caulk which is inserted into a ⅜″ gap between the lateral perimeter surface of the window frame and the brick edges. In other words, without the appropriate gap, air and water leaks around the window frame are more likely. This, however, is not the primary problem caused by laying brick such that the edges of the brick contact the lateral perimeter surface of the window frame. When the brick edges contact the lateral perimeter surface of the window frame, initially there is no problem with window functioning or window aesthetics. The sash is free to move within the window frame, as designed by the window manufacturer. Unfortunately, over the course of time, the brick and mortar tends to expand. It is not unusual for that part of a brick wall contacting the lateral perimeter surface of a window frame at the time of construction to expand over the course of one or two years in such a way that the window frame crushes. As a result of the crushing, the window sash can bind and become inoperable. The crushing also has a negative impact on window aesthetics. This window frame crushing is directly attributable to bricklayers laying bricks such that edges of the brick directly contact the lateral perimeter surface of the window frame, instead of complying with the window manufacturer&#39;s specifications requiring the existence of a specified gap between the edges of the brick and the lateral perimeter surface of the window frame. General building settling over the course of time, as well as the drying of wooden structural members, can also cause the bricks to crush the window frame. What is needed is window frame spacing tape and a method for installing a window frame into a building which prevents bricklayers from laying brick such that brick edges abut against the lateral perimeter surface of a window frame. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    The window frame spacing tape and the method for installing a window frame into a building described herein provide a solution to the problem of brick siding installed too close to a window frame causing the window frame to crush over time. 
         [0004]    Window frames typically have a nailing fin extending from each side of the window frame. The plane of the nailing fin is parallel to the plane of the window within the frame. The fins are adapted to be nailed to the building structure when the frame is installed into a window opening within the structure. A portion of the frame extends exteriorly to the structure. Another portion of the frame extends into the interior aspect of the structure. That part of the window frame which is perpendicular to an adjoining nailing fin, which extends outwardly from the nailing fin to the exterior of the building and which is along the external perimeter of the window frame is denoted as the external lateral perimeter surface of the window frame. The term external lateral perimeter surface of the window frame can refer to one side of the window frame, or all sides of the window frame, depending upon the context within which that phrase is used. In the event of any ambiguity, the term external lateral perimeter surface of a window frame is intended to refer to all four sides of a rectangular window frame. Building siding material is typically installed such that the edges of some of that siding material are in close proximity to the external lateral perimeter surface of the window frame. As indicated above, window manufacturers specify that a predetermined first gap exists between the external lateral perimeter surface of the window frame and the edges of adjacent brick. 
         [0005]    Window frame spacing tape is comprised of a piece of resilient material and an adhesive backing on the resilient material. Preferably, the resilient material is moisture resistant foam, such as closed cell foam. The term foam, as used herein, means any of various light, porous, semi rigid or spongy materials used for thermal insulation or shock absorption, as in packaging. The resilient material is shaped such that, together with the adhesive backing, it has a thickness substantially the same as the thickness of the predetermined first gap. Preferably, this thickness is ⅜″. The width of the resilient material is such that when an edge is abutted against the nailing fin extending from the window frame and adhered to the external lateral perimeter surface of the window frame it leaves a predetermined second gap between the longitudinal edge of the foam distal to the nailing fin extending from the window frame and a section of a plane parallel to the window within the frame and abutting the external frontal surface of the window frame, wherein said section of the plane extends over the longitudinal edge of the foam, thereby providing a caulk receptacle between the window frame and the siding material of the building into which the window frame is installed. The length of this predetermined second gap is preferably ½″. The longitudinal edge of the foam distal to the nailing fin should be radiused. The additional surface area provided by a radiused edge, as compared to a flat edge, will provide an enhanced caulk base. In other words, there will be increased surface area for the caulk to adhere to. A removable nonstick cover should cover the adhesive backing. This will allow the window frame spacing tape to be handled before installation without the tape adhering to other objects. 
         [0006]    In order to use the window frame spacing tape for installing a window frame into a building, a window frame having an external lateral perimeter surface and a nailing fin extending from the frame is selected. Also, a building having a window opening for receiving the window frame is selected. The window frame is installed into the window opening in the traditional manner. An edge of the window frame spacing tape is abutted against the nailing fin extending from the window frame and adhered to the external lateral perimeter surface of the window frame. After this, brick siding is installed onto the building. The plurality of bricks which are adjacent to the external lateral perimeter surface of the window frame are abutted against the resilient material of the window frame spacing tape. When the brick siding expands it will now compress the resilient material, rather than crush the window frame. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a side elevation view showing a prior art window and frame installed within an opening of a building having brick siding. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged partial side elevation view of the prior art window, frame and building of  FIG. 1 , showing the window frame crushed into the window sash as a result of the expansion of the brick siding. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of a window opening within a building structure, a window and frame, window flashing tape, sill spacers and window frame spacing tape, showing the mode of assembly of these components. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a partial perspective view showing a window frame attached to a building structure and also showing window frame spacing tape attached to the external lateral perimeter surface of the window frame. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of window frame spacing tape showing the removable nonstick cover covering the adhesive backing of the window frame spacing tape partially removed. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a top view of a window installed into the window opening of a building structure, wherein window frame spacing tape is applied to the external lateral perimeter surface of the window frame and a piece of brick is abutting against the window frame spacing tape. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    The definitions of words and phrases stated above also apply to this section. 
         [0015]    Window frame spacing tape  20  is intended to be applied to the external lateral perimeter surfaces  32  of a window frame  30  which has a nailing fin  36  extending from each of its sides. Window frame spacing tape  20  spaces the siding material  52 ,  54  of a building  44  apart from of the window frame  30  by a predetermined first gap  56 . 
         [0016]      FIGS. 1-6  show window frames  30 . A typical window frame  30  is rectangular. The window frame  30  holds a window sash  38 . The window sash  38  holds a window  42 . Usually, the sash  38  can move within the window frame  30 . This allows the window  42  and the window sash  38  to be opened and closed. The window frame  30  has an external frontal surface  34 . Typical external frontal surfaces  34  are shown in  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 6 . The external frontal surfaces  34  are parallel to their respective windows  42 . The external frontal surfaces comprise the outermost surface of a window frame  30  when the window frame  30  is installed in the window opening  46  of a building  44 , as shown in  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 6 . Nailing fins  36  extend from each side of a window frame  30 , as shown in  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 6 . The nailing fins  36  have surfaces which are parallel to their respective window  42  surfaces. When a window frame  30  is installed within the window opening  46  of a building  44 , a part of the window frame  30  is on the exterior side of the extending nailing fins  36  and another part of the window frame  30  is on the interior side of the extending nailing fins  36 , as shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 6 . An extending nailing fin  36  is a nailing fin  36  which extends from an external lateral perimeter surface  32  of a window frame  30  substantially perpendicularly. In other words, if a part of a nailing fin  36  is attached to the external lateral perimeter surface  32  of a window frame  30  such that the surface of that part of the nailing fin is coplanar with and adjacent to the external lateral perimeter surface  32 , this part of the nailing fin  36  is not considered to be an extending part of the nailing fin  36 . An external lateral perimeter surface  32  exists on the exterior side outer periphery of each side of the window frame  30 . The external lateral perimeter surface  32  is perpendicular to the surface of its adjacent nailing fin  36 . The external lateral perimeter surfaces  32  of a window frame  30  form the exterior outer periphery of the window frame  30  after it is installed, as shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 6 . Many window frames  30  are fabricated with accessory grooves  40  along and within their external frontal surfaces  34 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . These accessory grooves  40  provide a means for holding window frames  30  together when they are installed adjacent to each other. 
         [0017]    The preferred embodiment of window frame spacing tape  20  is comprised of a piece of moisture resistant foam  22 , an adhesive backing  26  on the foam  22  and a nonstick cover  28  covering the adhesive backing  26 . The foam material  22  is as previously described. The material may also include light, resilient polystyrene plastic, such as that sold under the trade name STYROFOAM. The key feature required for the foam material is that when a piece of the material approximately ⅜″ thick is applied to the external lateral perimeter surface  32  of a window frame, that material may compress to less than 50% of its original thickness when an exterior force is applied to it without causing deformation of the window frame  30 . It will also tend to rebound to its original shape when the force is removed. In the preferred embodiment, the foam  22  is moisture resistant. This will prevent the foam  22  from permitting water leakage into the interior aspect of a building on which it is used. Therefore, a closed cell foam  22  is preferred and recommended. The closed cells of the foam  22  each resist water intrusion. For the same reasons, the adhesive backing  26  should also be moisture resistant. 
         [0018]    The usual window frame  30  manufacturer&#39;s specification for the gap between the external lateral perimeter surface  32  and the edge of adjacent brick siding  52  is ⅜″. This permits the bricks  54  which are adjacent to the external lateral perimeter surfaces  32  of the window frame  30  to expand without crushing the window frame  30 . This gap is referred to as the predetermined first gap  56  herein. Thus, the thickness of the foam  22  and the adhesive backing  26  should be the thickness of the predetermined first gap  56 . For the typical window frame  30  this is a thickness of approximately ⅜″. 
         [0019]    When the window frame spacing tape  20  is applied to the window frame  30  and edge is abutted against an extending nailing fin  36  of the window frame  30  and adhered to the external lateral perimeter surface  32  of the window frame  30 . The width of the foam  22  is less than the width of the external lateral perimeter surface  32  of the window frame  30 , as shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 6 . Thus, when the window frame  30 , the window frame spacing tape  20  and the brick siding  52  are installed there exists a predetermined second gap  58 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . This predetermined second gap  58  is measured from the longitudinal edge  24  of the foam  22  distal to the extending nailing fin  36  to the external frontal surface  34  of the window frame  30 . More precisely, the distance is measured from the longitudinal edge  24  of the foam  22  distal to the extending nailing fin  36  to a section of a plane which is parallel to the window  42  within the frame  30 . This geometric plane abuts the external frontal surface  34  of the window frame  30 . The predetermined second gap  58  depth is measured from the longitudinal edge  24  of the foam  22  distal to the extending nailing fin  36  to a section of the described plane which extends over the distal longitudinal edge  24  of the foam  22 . The distal longitudinal edge  24  of the foam is shown in  FIG. 5 . The term distal means that edge which is furthest away from the nailing fin  36 . The predetermined second gap  58  provides a caulk receptacle between the window frame  30  and the siding material  52  of the building  44  into which the window frame  30  is installed. A predetermined second gap  58 /caulk receptacle is shown in  FIG. 6 . A typical manufacturer&#39;s specification for caulk depth is ½″. This provides adequate adhesion between the siding material  52 , the window frame  30  and the backing within the predetermined second gap  58 . Therefore, the depth of the predetermined second gap  58  should be approximately ½″. In prior art installations manufacturers typically suggest that the second gap  58  be filled with ½″ backer rod to provide a base for the caulk. Since backer rod is cylindrical, the caulk base (i.e. the floor upon which the caulks sets) is radiused. A radiused base provides more surface area for caulk adhesion than a flat base. Therefore, in the preferred embodiment of window frame spacing tape  20 , the longitudinal edge  24  of the foam distal to its respective extending nailing fin  36  is radiused for the purpose of providing an enhanced caulk base. A recommended radius for a ⅜″ thick piece of foam  22  is one half the thickness— 3/16″. The gap depth should be measured from the crest of the radiused edge  24 . 
         [0020]    Window frame spacing tape  20  is used as follows. A window frame  30  having an external lateral perimeter surface  32  and a nailing fin  36  extending from the frame  30  (there are four such surfaces  32  and nailing fins  36  on a rectangular window frame  30 ) is selected. A length of window frame spacing tape  20  is selected which is sufficient to cover all of the external lateral perimeter surfaces  32  of the window frame  30 . A building  44  having a window opening  46  for receiving a window frame  30  is selected. See  FIG. 3 . The window frame  30  is installed into the window opening  46  of the building  44 . Typically, the window frame  30  is supported by a pair of sill spacers  50  and flashing tape  48  is used to create a waterproof seal between the window frame  30  and the building  44 . The window frame  30  is secured to the building  44  by inserting nails through the nailing fins  36 . After the nonstick cover  28  is removed from the adhesive backing  26 , the window frame spacing tape  20  is abutted against the extending nailing fins  36  of the window frame  30  and adhered to the window frame  30 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . The window frame spacing tape  20  may also be applied to the external lateral perimeter surfaces  32  of the window frame  30  before the window frame  30  is installed. The window frame spacing tape  20  may be applied by attaching an individual segment of the tape  20  to each of the four external lateral perimeter surfaces  32  of a rectangular window frame  30 . It may also be applied as one continuous segment of the tape  20  around all four external lateral perimeter surfaces  32  of a rectangular window frame. Brick siding  52  is then installed onto the building such that a plurality of the bricks  54  comprising the brick siding  52  abut against the foam  22  of the window frame spacing tape  20 .  FIG. 6  shows one such brick  54  abutting against the foam  22  of window frame spacing tape  20 . A correctly dimensioned predetermined first gap  56  and a correctly dimensioned predetermined second gap  58  results, as shown in  FIG. 6 . Therefore, the installed brick  54  may expand without crushing the window frame  30 . Additionally, an appropriately sized caulk receptacle is formed. 
         [0021]    Although the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments and methods, those skilled in the art undoubtedly will find alternative embodiments and methods obvious after reading this disclosure. With this in mind, the following claims are intended to define the scope of protection to be afforded the inventor, and those claims shall be deemed to include equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.