Window Installation Stand

A window stand system for supporting a worker outside a window opening of a building. The system includes a plurality of stand support components each having a hook portion dimensioned and configured to secure the stand support component to a windowsill, a vertical support member disposed adjacent the hook portion and dimensioned and configured to extend below the windowsill adjacent an outside surface of the building, and a platform receiving member extending substantially perpendicular from the vertical support member. When each of the plurality of stand support components are secured to a windowsill, the platform receiving members of the plurality of stand support components are operable to receive a platform for supporting the worker outside the window opening.

FIELD

This disclosure relates to the field of window installation. More particularly, this disclosure relates to a stand that allows a window installer to safely and easily install a window into a window frame that is high above the ground.

BACKGROUND

To mount a pre-hung window into the opening of house or building, an installer must generally (1) place the window into the opening, (2) adjust the window so that it is level and plumb, and (3) secure the window to the opening by driving nails or screws into the window casing. Each of these steps is typically performed from outside the window, particularly the step of securing the window to the opening. Thus, installing a window often requires the installer to use a ladder or mechanical lift to access the outside of the window opening, particularly when installing windows in tall buildings. This is often times dangerous for the installer, particularly when using a ladder. Further, it makes installing windows more costly and time consuming.

What is needed therefore is a tool allowing a person to quickly and safely install windows.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides a window stand system for supporting a worker outside a window opening of a building. The system includes a plurality of stand support components each having a hook portion dimensioned and configured to secure the stand support component to a windowsill, a vertical support member disposed adjacent the hook portion and dimensioned and configured to extend below the windowsill adjacent an outside surface of the building, and a platform receiving member extending substantially perpendicular from the vertical support member. When each of the plurality of stand support components are secured to a windowsill, the platform receiving members of the plurality of stand support components are operable to receive a platform for supporting the worker outside the window opening.

According to certain embodiments, each stand support component further includes a diagonal support member extending from a bottom of the platform receiving member to the vertical support member; the hook portion and vertical support member together form a candy-cane shape; a top portion of the hook portion is operable to telescopically extend and collapse to hook over windowsills having varying widths; the system further includes a platform dimensioned and configured to be passed through the window opening and laid across the platform receiving members of the plurality of stand support components secured to a windowsill; each of the plurality of stand support components further include a vertical hand rail member extending up from a distal end of the platform receiving member when the stand support component is secured to the windowsill; the system further includes a horizontal support system operable to be secured between the vertical hand rail members of adjacent stand support components or a net is secured to the vertical hand rail members of the stand support components; each of the plurality of stand support components further include a first space filling member disposed adjacent an end of the hook portion intended to be hooked underneath the windowsill inside the building and a second space filling member disposed adjacent the distal end of the vertical support member to provide cushioned contact points between the stand support component and surfaces of the building; the system further includes a platform height extender have a first vertical leg operable to be secured adjacent a proximal end of the platform receiving member and a second vertical leg operable to be secured adjacent a distal end of the platform receiving member, the platform height extender further including a second platform receiving member disposed between the first and second legs; and/or the system further includes a height adjusting member telescopically connected to a distal end of the platform receiving member and a leveling mount attached to a lower end of the height adjusting member, the leveling mount operable to adjust to different pitches of a roof of the building outside the window.

According to another embodiment of the disclosure, a method is provided for installing a pre-hung window to a building wall including: placing the pre-hung window into an appropriate open space in the building wall; moving the pre-hung window to the open position; providing a first and second stand support component, each stand support component including a hook portion dimensioned and configured to secure the stand support component to a windowsill of the pre-hung window, a vertical support member disposed adjacent the hook portion and dimensioned and configured to extend below the windowsill adjacent an outside surface of the building, and a platform receiving member extending substantially perpendicular from the vertical support member; passing the first stand support component through the window opening and securing the hook portion of the first stand support component to a first area of the windowsill; passing the second stand support component through the window opening and securing the hook portion of the second stand support component to a second area of the windowsill such that the platform receiving member of the first stand support component is aligned with the platform receiving member of the second stand support component; passing a stand platform through the window opening and placed on top of the platform receiving members of the first and second stand support components; and standing on the stand platform to finish installing the pre-hung window to the building wall.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure provides a window installation stand system that can be quickly secured to a windowsill from inside a building to allow a window installer to safely stand outside a window opening when installing a window. For purposes of the present disclosure, the term “window” refers to a moveable framework containing a typically transparent material used to close an open space in a wall or roof of a building. The phrase “window opening” refers to the window when the moveable framework is in an open position such that a window installer is able to access the outside of the building through the window. The term “windowsill” refers to a stationary, typically horizontal, bottom portion, of the window framework. As described below, the stand system generally includes two or more stand support components operable to be secured to a windowsill. Once two or more components are secured to the windowsill, the stand support components are operable to receive a stand platform passed through the window opening to complete the window installation stand system. Once the stand system is completed, the window installer can pass through the window opening and physically stand on the platform and complete installation of the window from outside the building. While the stand system is described herein as being used for installing windows, it should be understood that the stand system could be used for a number of other purposes, particularly where work is done to the exterior of a building in proximity to a window such as painting exterior portions of the building, cleaning gutters, etc.

Referring toFIGS. 1, each stand support component12includes a hook portion14for securing the stand component12to a portion of a windowsill, a vertical support member16that extends from a distal end of the hook portion14down along an outside surface of a building wall when the stand component12is secured to a windowsill (it is noted that vertical support member16is often just an extension of the hook portion14further down on the side intended to be hooked to the outside of a windowsill as compared to the side of hook portion14intended to be hooked to the inside of the windowsill such that hook portion14and vertical support member16form a “candy-cane” shape), and a platform receiving member18extending substantially perpendicular from the vertical support member16. According to preferred embodiments, each stand component12further includes a diagonal support member20extending from the bottom of the platform receiving member18to the vertical support member16to provide additional support for a stand platform placed on top of the platform receiving member18as described below. While the hook portion14, vertical support member16, platform receiving member18, and diagonal support member20of stand component12may all be formed together in a permanent manner (e.g., welding or brazing) from high strength to weight ratio materials as known in the art, the stand component12preferably includes one or more removable or telescoping parts to enhance positioning of the stand component with respect to a window, portability, and storing of the components. In particular, hook portion14in certain embodiments is operable to telescopically extend based on varying widths of the windowsill to which the hook portion is intended to be secured.

According to certain embodiments, each stand component12further includes a vertical hand rail member22extending upward from a distal end19of the platform receiving member18. While vertical rail member22may take many forms, its objective is to help prevent window installers from falling off the sides or rear of the window installation stand system. In its simplest embodiment, vertical rail members22of each stand component are simply configured to warn an installer if they are getting close to the sides or rear edges of the stand by providing points of contact when the installer gets close to the side or edge of the stand. However, in preferred embodiments and as shown best inFIG. 2, a netting28or similar type of horizontal support system (hand rails, fencing, etc.) is disposed between adjacent rail members22to stop installers before they would fall off the stand. Additionally, in preferred embodiments, the vertical rail members22are operable to be removably secured to the distal ends of the platform receiving members18to make it easier to pass the stand components12through a window opening as well as make possible more rail system configurations. For example, in embodiments where a net is disposed between adjacent rail members22as shown inFIG. 2, the netting28can be permanently secured to the rail members22, passed through the window opening by bundling the rail members22and netting28together, and then extended to complete the rail system by securing the rail members22to their appropriate platform receiving members18. Alternately, vertical rail members22are permanently secured to platform receiving members, but are operable to telescopically extend to a use position and then collapse back to a storage position.

In another aspect of the disclosure, one or more space filling members24may be provided to provide contact points between the stand support components12and the inside/outside surfaces of the building. As shown inFIG. 1, in preferred embodiments, each stand support component12preferably includes a first space filling member24adisposed adjacent the side of hook portion14intended to be hooked underneath the inside of the windowsill and a second space filling member24bdisposed adjacent the bottom end of vertical support member16. Referring toFIG. 2, space filling members24bprovide a contact point between the stand support components12and the outside surface of a building wall underneath the window opening. Referring toFIG. 3, space filling members24aprovide a similar contact point between the stand support components12and the inside surface of the building wall directly underneath the windowsill. In preferred embodiments, space filling members24are formed of an expanded polymer foam or similar material as known in the art such as polystyrene, polyurethane, or polyethylene to prevent damage at the contact points between the stand support components12and the inside/outside surfaces of the building (i.e., “cushioned” contact points). Additionally, space filling members24may be removable to customize the stand support components12to particular window configurations. For example, in situations where the windowsill extends more significantly away from the inside surface/wall of the building directly underneath the window, space filling member24ahaving a smaller width may be replaced with a space filling member24ahaving a greater width.

With reference toFIGS. 2-4, a typical procedure is depicted to install a window using the window installation stand system of the present disclosure. First, from inside the building, a pre-hung window is placed into the appropriate open space in a building wall. The installer makes sure the window is plumb with the opening. The installer next moves the moveable framework of the window to the open position (e.g., raises the bottom window sash) and, preferably, reaches out the window opening from inside the building to nail the sides of the window to the building with a few preliminary nails. Two or more stand components12are then passed through the window opening and, using hook portions14, secured to the windowsill from inside the building. As shown inFIGS. 2-3, the vertical support members16extend vertically along the exterior side of the building and the platform receiving members18extend horizontally from the side of the building when the stand components12are secured to the windowsill.

After the stand components12are secured to the windowsill, a stand platform26is passed through the window opening and placed across the platform receiving members18as shown inFIG. 3. If used, the vertical rail members22are also secured to the distal end19of the platform receiving members18. The installer then moves through the window opening and stands on the stand platform to finish nailing or screwing the window to the window casing of the building. Finally, the stand platform22and stand components12are brought back through the window opening to the inside of the building and the process is repeated for each window needing to be installed.

It should be understood that the stand platform26may take various forms and constructions. In its simplest form, stand platform26could simply be a 2×4 piece of wood stretched across the platform receiving members18. In other embodiments, the stand platform is constructed of more advanced materials and may also be operable to be removably secured to the platform receiving members18. For example, the stand platform26in certain embodiments includes apertures and the platform receiving members18include appropriately placed recesses for screwing the stand platform26to the platform receiving members18.

Referring toFIG. 5, a height adjustable version of the stand component ofFIG. 1is provided. According to this embodiment, the distal end19of platform receiving member18preferably includes an aperture for receiving either a vertical rail member22(as described above) or one leg of an optional platform height extender30. The top of vertical member16or top of hook portion14also includes an aperture for receiving the other leg of the platform height extender30. The platform height extender30further includes a second platform receiving member38extending between the legs of the height extender30. Thus, when each stand component12includes a platform height extender30, the stand platform26may be placed across the second platform receiving members38at height above the original platform receiving members18.

Referring toFIG. 6, an alternate embodiment of the disclosure is provided for situations where the window is installed just above a roof. According to this embodiment, the stand component includes a leveling mount or swivel foot40to adjust to different pitches of the roof. A height adjusting member42extends up from the leveling mount40and is connected to the distal end of platform receiving member18. In preferred embodiments, the distal end of platform receiving member includes a receiver and the height adjusting member42is operable to slide within the receiver to adjust the height of the leveling mount40based on the space between the roof and the platform receiving member18.

The foregoing descriptions of embodiments have been presented for purposes of illustration and exposition. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments are chosen and described in an effort to provide the best illustrations of principles and practical applications, and to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the various embodiments as described and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.