A WINDOW COMPRISING A TOP-HINGED SASH, FOR INSTALLATION IN AN INCLINED ROOF

Abstract: In a window to be installed in an inclined roof and having a top-hinged window sash (7) the side members (5) of the main frame do not only include ordinary, outwards facing abutment faces (6) but also inwards facing abutments (10, 11) against which the lateral edges of the sash may be retained after opening for airing. The top hinges (12) may be releasable with a view to allow for a downwards displacement of the sash to a position (7'') from which the sash may be further openable by swinging about an axis at its one side.

Description: 1 A window comprising a top-hinged sash, for installation in an inclined roof. In living rooms under »an inclined roof it is known to make use of windows with a main frame and a glass-carrying reversible sash that is mounted in an intermediate frame, top-hinged in the main frame, and in its closed position seals against outwards facing abutting faces in the main frame. By means of releasable coupling fixtures the reversible sash may be secured to the intermediate frame and is then operable as an ordinary, outwards opening roof window, i.e. it may be opened and closed by pivoting about the top hinge axis. Opening the glass-carrying sash produces not only a rectangular aperture between the lower members of the sash and main frame but also triangular aper- tures between their side members. When the sash is opened for airing, for instance 15° to 20°, it prevents in many cases rain from coming in through the rectan¬ gular aperture, but even at moderate wind rain may fre¬ quently pass through one of the triangular apertures and the window should therefore be kept closed in rainy weather or in case of rain forecast. A proposal for solving this problem is disclosed in US patent No. 4 663 905 which in its abstract illus¬ trates a skylight assembly with a bottom-hinged inwards opening sash and in which each of the sash side members extending in the height direction of the roof is tight¬ ly connected with one edge of a flexible, accordion- folded gusset portion, the opposite edge of which is sealingly connected with the roof. In the opened posi- tion of the window the gusset portion covers the actual triangular opening. The present invention provides a window which is outwards openable and which in spite of a simple 2 structure eliminates the risk of rainfall through win¬ dows of this type, i.e. windows including a main frame for installation in an inclined roof and an outwardly opening sash that is top-hinged in said main frame, and for which abutment faces are provided on the inner side of the side members of the main frame. The window according to the invention differs from the prior art windows in that the main frame side members besides a set of outwards facing abutment faces for the closed sash also include inwards facing abut¬ ments against which the sash may be retained in its open position. Like in prior, top-hinged roof windows the hinge axis may advantageously be located substantially in the plane of the roofing and if it is desired to prevent the main frame from protruding considerably in relation to the roofing (as is for instance the case with so- called single pitch skylights), also the inwards facing abutments of the main frame must consequently lie mainly in the same plane. This means that the sash by normal operation remains within the main frame thickness (the height of the main frame perpendicular to the roof surface) and, therefore, the above men¬ tioned, triangular apertures will not occur. Another consequence is that the sash in the closing position has a steeper inclination than the roof proper, but this may in itself constitute an advantage, on one hand, from an architectural point of view and, on the other hand, because the outer glass surface will then to a smaller degree retain dust and dirt. Moreover, the view out of the window may be improved. The omission of the triangular apertures in the opened position of the window further simplifies the solution of another problem, viz. the provision of a protection preventing insects from flying in through the window opened for airing. This only requires the 3 mentioned rectangular aperture to be shielded which is easily complied with by mounting an insect net in this aperture. If such a net is carried by a stable frame, this frame may as well be used to or contribute to firmly holding the window sash against the inwards facing abutments and may further make it difficult to get access from outside to the operating means posi¬ tioned internally of the sash, thereby reducing the risk of burglary. The inwards facing abutments may be simple stops for the outwards opening movement of the window sash, and in that case necessary seal between the sides of the main frame and the sash may be provided by means of suitable sliding or frictional gaskets, but according to the invention it is preferred that the abutments comprise sealing faces which are substantially parallel to the external plane of the main frame and cooperate with the external surface of the window sash in its opened position. Wear on possible gaskets on the seal- ing faces is thereby avoided. The omission of the triangular apertures at opended sash entails that the airing effect in certain cases becomes smaller than desired, but this may be remedied in that the window sash may further be dis- placeable downwards and transversely of the top hinge axis. Such a downwards displacement of the sash in relation to the main frame causes an extra aperture between the sash and the top member of the main frame, thereby increasing quite considerably the airing effect and this extra aperture may, if desired, be protected in a simple manner against rain and insects coming in. A particular embodiment of the window with a sash displaceable in this manner is characterized in that the top and bottom edges of the sash from the closing position are displaceable parallel to the out¬ wards facing abutment faces of the main frame and 8 4 approximately horizontally outwards from said faces, resp., until the sash occupies a position substantially parallel to the external surface of the main frame so that the sash by swinging about an axis along one main frame side member gets clear of the inwards facing abutment on the opposite main frame side member. The latter condition means that the distance from the pivot axis to the opposite edge of the sash in the downwards displaced position thereof is shorter than the shortest distance from the same axis to the abutment on the opposite main frame side member. This may be obtained without difficulty by suitably dimensioning the window. In this embodiment the sash is actually openable in the same manner as an ordinary, side-hinged window and this offers the specific advantage that the aper¬ ture surrounded by the main frame in case of need may serve as exit, e.g. in emergency situations. Further details of the invention according to the last mentioned embodiment will appear from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which Fig. 1 illustrates the window, viewed from out¬ side, the sash being in downwards displaced and fully open position, Fig. 2 is a vertical centre section, illustrating the sash in closed position (solid line) and in two different, opened positions (dotted line), respectively, Fig. 3 is a broken section analogous with Fig. 3, on a larger scale, and Fig. 4 is a detail as marked by the arrow indication in Fig. 3. Fig. 1 illustrates a section of a roof provided with any arbitrary roofing 1 and in which a main frame 2, Fig. 2, is installed in an ordinary manner. This frame comprises a top member 3, a bottom member 5 4 and two side members 5, which together form an out¬ wards facing abutment surface 6, with which a window sash 7 consisting of a frame with one or more layers of glass is in sealing contact, for instance via a gasket, when the window is closed. Main frame 2 includes an ordinary flashing 8 overlying the roofing 1 and, likewise in an ordinary manner, it is provided with internal panel members 9, Fig. 2. It appears, moreover, from this figure that the plane of the abutment face 6 has a somewhat greater inclination than the roof surface, while the upper or outer edges of the main frame side members 5 are parallel thereto. On the inner surface the main frame side members are provided, along said upper or outer edges, with projecting strips or rails 10 forming inwards facing abutment faces 11 for cooperation with the external surface of sash 7. This sash is provided with top hinges 12 permitting the sash to be pivoted between the closed position and an airing position 7' in which it is kept tight against the underside of the strips 10, e.g. by means of spring clips 13, thereby preventing rain from coming in at the window sides, while airing may still take place through the rectan¬ gular aperture 14 between the sash 7' and the main frame bottom member 4. If desired, this aperture may be covered with a detachable or collapsible net that makes the window "insect-tight". In the illustrated embodiment the window may also be opened in another way, viz. by a downwards displacement of sash 7 in relation to main frame 2 to the position marked 7" in Fig. 2. In this respect the top hinges 12 must be releasable and may thus, as best illustrated in Fig. 3, be constituted by a pair of ball-shaped or cylindrical bearing members 15 posi- tioned at a respective one of the upper corners of the window sash and which in the dotted line position are 6 in snap engagement with associated bearing sockets 16 on the main frame top member 3. Similar bearing mem¬ bers 17, Fig. 3, are positioned at a respective one of the lower corners of the sa§h, and for cooperation therewith the main frame is provided with slide grooves 18 extending somewhat obliquely outwards from the main frame bottom member 4 towards the roof surface. After the top bearing members 15 have been pulled clear of the bearing sockets 16 as illustrated in solid line in Fig. 3, the sash 7 is solely carried by the bearing members 15 and 17 at the four corners and may be displaced downwards to the position 7" that may be determined by suitable stops. Both the bearing sockets 16 and the slide grooves 18 may include ramplike portions 19 which by the intitial downwards displacement raises the sash 7 slightly from the abutment face 6, thereby protecting a possible packing or gasket thereon against wear. From the displaced position 7" the window sash may, as explained above and as illustrated in Fig. 1, be swung open in the same manner as a side-hinged win¬ dow, the pivot axis being then determined by the said two bearing members 15 and 17 at one side of the window. With a view to avoid, in this situation, a complete release the window sash 7 from the main frame 2, a guide rail 20 may be provided on the main frame side member at the hinge side, Figs 3 and 4. This guide rail is parallel to the abutment face 6 and is connected with the top bearing member 15 through a pivot joint or link 21. If the side hinge function is abstained from, such a slidable retaining of the window sash may be used at both sides thereof. In order to tighten and lock the closed window sash 7 it may include a rotary catch 22 at either side, see bottom of Fig. 3, connected with a common handle 23 which in the position illustrated in solid 7 line cooperates lockingly with a pin 24 mounted in the main frame side member, while in a second position, illustrated in dotted line, said catches let off the pin, thereby allowing the window to open. The active edge of the catches may further be shaped so that by the initial rotation away from and the final rotation into the locking position it draws the bearing members 15 out of and presses them into the associated bearing sockets 16.

Claims: 8 P A T E N T C L A I M S 1. A window including a main frame (2) for installation in an inclined roof (1) and an outwardly opening sash (7) that is top-ϊΛnged in said main frame and for which abutment faces (6) are provided on the inner side of the side members (5) of the main frame, characterized in that the main frame side members (5) besides a set of outwards facing abutment faces (6) for the closed sash (7) also include inwards facing abut¬ ments (10) against which the sash is retained in its open position. 2. A window as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the inward facing abutments (10) comprise seal¬ ing faces (11) which are substantially parallel to the external plane of the main frame and cooperate with the external surface of the window sash in the opened posi¬ tion thereof. 3. A window as claimed in claim 1 or 2, charac¬ terized in that the window sash (7) is displaceable downwards and transversely of the top hinge axis (12). 4. A window as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that top and bottom edges of the sash (7) from the closing position are displaceable parallel to the out¬ wards facing abutment faces (6) of the main frame and approximately horizontally outwards from said faces, resp., until the sash occupies a position substantially parallel to the external surface of the main frame so that the sash by swinging about an axis along one main frame side member (5) gets clear of the inwards facing abutment (10) on the opposite main frame side member. 5. A window as claimed in claim 3 or 4, charac¬ terized in that the sash (7) at either of its upper corners includes a bearing member (15) for releasable engagement with a bearing socket (16) mounted on the main frame (2) . 6. A window as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the bearing member (15) at one corner is con- 9 nected through a link (21) with a guide rail (20) extending along the adjacent main frame side member (5). 7. A window as calmed jrn claim 3 or 4 , charac- terized in that the window sash (7) at either of its lower corners includes a bearing member (17) for dis¬ placement on a slide groove (18) which from the out¬ wards facing abutment face (6) of the main frame is directed substantially horizontally towards the external surface pf the main frame. 8. A window as claimed in claim 5 or 7, charac¬ terized in that the bearing sockets (16) as well as the slide grooves (18) are provided with ramps (19) which by the initial displacement of the window sash down- wards from the closing position causes the sash to be raised clear of the outwards directed abutment faces (6) of the main frame. 9. A window as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the window sash (7) at either side is provided with rotary catches (22) connected with a handle (23) and which in one position engage pins (24) on the main frame side members (5) for tightening the sash against the outwards facing abutment faces (6) of said main frame side members and allowing in a second position the movement of the sash towards its open position.

Inventors: JENSEN ARNE BRANDT, JENSEN, ARNE, BRANDT
Applicants: RASMUSSEN KANN IND AS, V. KANN RASMUSSEN INDUSTRI A/S
Application year: 1989
Main classification: E04D13
IPC codes: E04D13, E05D15, E06B3