Weathershield and safety screen for opening windows in buildings

A window shield adapted for sliding windows in domestic buildings and providing weather protection, increased security, safety and noise reduction. The shield includes a sheet produced in plastics material to cover the window opening or a part thereof. The sheet includes edge strips along each transverse edge in the form of moulded portions of the plastics sheet bent in opposite directions to one another, out of the plane of the sheet. A central moulded rib is included in the sheet when extra rigidity is required. Further improvements in rigidity are provided by metal edges fixed along the edge strips. Two methods of attaching these shields are described: inserting lips of upper and lower attachments into grooves of extruded aluminium window frames, the lips being parallel to, and equally distant from, the sheet; and fastening pivoting feet to the window sill, the pivoting feature allowing attachment to sills of any slope, and fastening a rigid member to the window head.

This invention relates to externally fitted weather and safety shield 
applicable to building windows which may be opened. It particularly 
relates to sliding type windows although certain other types of windows 
such as hinged hopper types might also be suitable. 
It has always been desirable in buildings to provide adequate ventilation 
24 hrs a day. However where no one occupies a home, for instance through 
the day, there are disadvantages in leaving one or more windows even 
partially opened. Such practice has allowed easy unauthorised access to 
buildings, although this has to some extent been overcome by the provision 
of specially adapted locks to allow windows to be locked while partially 
opened. However another disadvantage is that adverse changes in the 
weather may result in strong winds and/or rain entering an open window for 
considerable time. This can lead to rain and/or wind damage to drapes, 
blinds, wall and floor coverings, furniture etc. Furthermore, especially 
in flats and home units, open windows allow a lot of outside noise to 
enter. 
A further disadvantage of leaving windows even partially open is that small 
children or even adults may climb through the windows and fall out of the 
building resulting in physical injury and possible death. In view of these 
abovementioned situations, windows left open are usually only left open a 
small amount and thus adequate ventilation is often not provided. In most 
cases all windows are kept completely closed providing no ventilation at 
all. 
Therefore the object of the present invention is to provide apparatus which 
will ameliorate the abovementioned problems.

In FIG. 1 sheet 10 is seen to include 3 moulded portions being edge strips 
11 and a central rib type strip 12. Sheet 10 is produced preferably from 
polycarbonate material but may equally well be formed from any strong flat 
sheet of perspex, acrylic or other suitable, plastics. In the sheet 10 
shown, rib 12 and edge strips 11 both provide additional strength and 
rigidity. In some situations the rib 12 may be omitted while in other 
situations additional ribs may be used for increased strength and 
rigidity. 
The sheet 10 may be produced in transparent, translucent or coloured 
variations depending upon requirements. 
A shield including the sheet 10 is attached external of, and spaced from, a 
window in one of two basic modes. The shield may be attached by means 
cooperative with extruded portions of aluminium window frames or directly 
to the upper head and lower sill of the building structure. 
FIG. 2 shows a shield including upper and lower attachment means 20 and 21 
respectively. Upper attachment means 20 is an extruded length including a 
channel portion adapted to fit snugly over the top edge of sheet 10 and a 
flat extension strip protruding at right angles to the plane of sheet 10. 
In practice the protruding strip extends inwardly towards the window. The 
protruding strip portion can be drilled or punched so as to allow 
attachment to an upper head of a window cavity by conventional means. 
Lower attachment means 21 includes a channel portion similar to attachment 
means 20 to fit around the lower end of sheet 10. These channel portions 
may then be glued or attached by rivets or similar known means. 
Lower attachment means 21 includes feet 22, one at each end of attachment 
means 21, and pivotally attached thereto. The pivotal movement of feet 22 
is such that the screen can be easily attached to a lower sill no matter 
what the inclination of the sill surface. Therefore there is no necessity 
to provide a set of attachment means for specific sill inclinations. As 
seen in FIG. 5 feet 22 are preferably produced from substantially channel 
shaped portions providing a recessed surface 23 in which a slot is located 
for cooperation with a nut and stud or similar conventional attaching 
means for securing the feet 22 to the sill. By providing the partially 
enclosed volume in which the attaching means is located security is 
improved by making removal of the screen more difficult especially from 
the outside of the fitted unit. 
Intermediate brackets 26 provide an alternate attachment of feet 22 to 
attachment means 21. Brackets 26 allow the use of feet 22 to be placed 
intermediate the length of attachment means 21 if so desired. 
In another embodiment (FIG. 4) of the invention the sheet 10 is attached 
via attachment means 30 which extend substantially at right angles to the 
plane of sheet 10 toward the window and include end portions 32 which 
cooperate with extruded portions of the window frame (for example, a 
channel for flyscreens) so as to secure the screen in place. End portions 
32 may be integral with sheet 10 or separate portions attached for example 
by rivets. Separate portions 32 may be metal or plastics. 
When the screen is in place as shown in FIG. 3 the edge strips 11 are 
located with one protruding outwardly and slightly displaced from the end 
wall 24 of the window cavity and the other protruding inwardly and 
displaced from the general plane of the window 25. The sheet 10 may be of 
a width sufficient to substantially overlap the maximum opening of the 
window. Where the window is equipped with a locking device allowing it to 
be locked in a partially open position the sheet 10 may be of a reduced 
width which is less than the maximum opening of the window but 
significantly wider than the lockable intermediate opening. 
The sheet 10 is of a length to effectively cover the complete height of a 
horizontally sliding window cavity. Prevailing wind or rain is deflected 
via the shield so that under all but extreme conditions no excessively 
strong wind or rain enters the open window. Furthermore the gaps between 
sheet 10 and existing structure are insufficient to allow small children 
to pass therebetween. However sufficient space is provided so as to allow 
free circulation of air. 
In some instances metal edge strips 34 are attached to edge strips 11 of 
sheet 10 to provide further rigidity. 
The above described invention provides a simple to install device which 
will give protection against wind, rain and noise and increase safety 
around the home.