Abstract:
A window or door sash of the type having a sash frame for receiving a transparent sheet, which is retained in the sash frame by a plurality of removably mounted glazing beads. A plurality of overlying wooden or other decorative covering members are each attached only to a glazing bead and extend over both the glazing beads and the interiorly facing surfaces of the sash frame. This arrangement provides the aesthetic beauty of wood, the durability of vinyl, aluminum, fiberglass or composite window working components, no unsightly fasteners and the easy and convenient replacement of a broken glass without damage to the wood or other components and without requiring complete replacement of the entire sash.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to components for building construction and more particularly relates to a prefabricated window sash or door sash having structural components of durable, man-made materials and an aesthetically, attractive interior wood covering. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Windows and doors are essential components of buildings intended for human habitation. Windows ordinarily have an outer, stationary window frame and a movable sash having an outer frame surrounding a transparent sheet, such as glass or plastic, which are collectively referred to as glass. These include double hung, casement, slider and awning windows, which are distinguished by their type of sash movement. Some doors, such as patio doors and entry doors which can slide or pivot on hinges, are essentially a large sash, sized and positioned to permit passage of a human. Some windows, such as picture windows are stationary. All these types of sashes are known in the prior art and the invention is applicable to all of them. However, for convenience and brevity, the invention is described and illustrated in terms of windows, particularly a double hung window. 
     Windows and doors, including their sashes, have been constructed of a variety of materials, but the most common, traditional material is wood. However, modern technology has provided durable, man-made materials which can conveniently and inexpensively be extruded into window and door components, particularly framing components for forming a sash. These materials include vinyl, aluminum, fiberglass and composites of these and other materials. Sash frames formed of these materials offer the advantages of durability and stability because they are not subject to rotting or splitting and cannot soak up water and expand. The same materials have also been used to cover the exterior of a wooden sash and as a wrap enveloping wooden window components. 
     However, because wooden components are traditional and because the esthetic appearance of wood has come to be more highly regarded and appreciated than a half century or more ago, there is a demand for windows and doors which provide a wooden appearance. As a consequence, workers in the prior art have designed structures in which wooden coverings are attached on the interior side of durable, man-made sash framing members in order to simultaneously offer the advantages of the durable material together with the improved appearance and prestige of a wooden sash. 
     Although the attachment of a wooden covering to the outer window frame of a window may be accomplished in a relatively conventional manner, such as by the use of adhesives or screws, there have been significant problems and disadvantages with those prior art structures which provide a wooden covering on window sashes. While wooden covering members may be easily and conveniently bonded by a suitable adhesive to the sash frame of a window, a major problem is created if the transparent sheet mounted in the sash frame becomes broken and needs to be replaced. By using adhesives for attaching a wood covering to a sash frame, a window sash is constructed in a way that makes it impossible to replace the glass, or other transparent sheet, without damaging or destroying the wood and perhaps the entire sash frame. The consequence is that a broken window requires complete replacement with a new sash. This can be particularly troublesome if the window was manufactured several years previously and is discontinued, or if the manufacturer is unknown to the owner of the building. The only remaining option becomes replacement of the entire window. 
     To overcome this problem, some workers in the prior art utilize fasteners and/or complicated interfitting parts to permit replacement of the glass. However, such prior art structures suffer from the disadvantage that unsightly fasteners are visible and therefore detract from the esthetic value of the window, or they require extensive manual manipulation, including for example the removal and reinstallation of screws, to accomplish disassembly, replacement of the glass and reassembly of the sash. 
     It is therefore an object and feature of the present invention to provide a window having the durability of durable, man-made materials and the prestigious appearance of wood, while having window sashes which are reglazable so that the glass can be replaced without damage or destruction of any component of the window. 
     Another object and feature of the present invention is to provide a sash with the above characteristics which has glass which is easily and conveniently removable and replaceable with a minimum of effort and manual manipulation and without the need to remove any fasteners. 
     Still another object and feature of the present invention is to provide a sash of the above type which has no unsightly fasteners, nail or screw holes visible from the building interior to detract from the wood finish. 
     Still another object and feature of the present invention is to provide a sash from which the wood covering layer may be easily removed for repair or replacement with a minimum of manual effort and yet when the entire sash is assembled in its operable position, the wood covering is locked in place. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is an improved sash having glazing beads, which are removably mounted to the sash frame for retaining a transparent sheet in the frame. The sash has a plurality of overlying covering members. Each covering member is attached only to a glazing bead. The covering members extend over both the glazing beads and the interiorly facing surfaces of the sash frame. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation of an embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a view in front elevation of a window sash constructed in accordance with the prior art but having components similar to some components of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a view in horizontal section taken substantially along the line  3 — 3  of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is a view in horizontal section similar to FIG. 3, but illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention and taken substantially along the line  4 — 4  of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is a front plan view of a glazing bead embodying features of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a bottom view of a segment of a covering member, which is used in a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     FIGS. 7-10 are views in front elevation of a window sash embodying the present invention and illustrating the removal of covering members with their attached glazing beads from their assembled positions on the sash. 
     FIG. 11 is a view in vertical section taken substantially along the lines  11 — 11  of FIG.  9 . 
     FIG. 12 is a view in vertical section taken substantially along the lines  12 — 12  of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     In describing the preferred embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, it is not intended that the invention be limited to the specific term so selected and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a window of conventional appearance, but embodying the present invention. The window of FIG. 1 has an outer window frame  10 , an upper sash  12  and lower sash  14 , each of which are vertically slidable in the frame  10  in the conventional manner. 
     Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a vinyl or aluminum window sash of the prior art consists of a plurality of extrusions joined at their ends to form a rectangular window sash frame  16 . Each extrusion forms a frame member, such as frame member  18 , on one side of the rectangular sash and has a flange forming an inwardly (i.e. toward the center of the window) extending shoulder  20 . The shoulder  20  receives a sheet of glass or other transparent material  22 , and retains the transparent sheet in the sash frame. The transparent sheet  22  illustrated in the figures consists of conventional double paned glass. 
     The sash frame  16  also has a plurality of inwardly extending glazing beads, such as glazing bead  24 , which are spaced from the shoulder  20  and are removably mounted to the sash frame  16 . The glazing beads, such as glazing bead  24 , retain the transparent sheet  22  in the frame between the glazing bead and the shoulder  20 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 4-6, the sash  26  embodying the invention has a sash frame member  28 , shoulder  30 , transparent, double paned glass sheet  32  and glazing bead  34 , all formed similarly to the structure illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. However, the sash of FIGS. 4-6 is additionally provided with a plurality of overlying covering members, such as wooden covering member  36 . These covering members are attached only to the glazing bead  34  and extend over both the glazing bead  34  and the interiorly facing surfaces, such as interiorly facing surface  38  of the sash frame  16 . Preferably each wood covering member extends inwardly beyond the glazing bead into contact with the transparent sheet  32 . 
     The glazing bead  34  and the frame member  28  are formed with releasable, mutually engaging latch members, which are oriented for engagement by sliding the glazing beads outwardly along the surface of the transparent sheet  32  into engagement with the frame  28 . The glazing bead  34  is disengaged from the frame  28  by sliding the glazing bead  34  inwardly in the opposite direction. More specifically, the preferred latch members, illustrated in the figures, comprise a flexible pawl  40 , preferably and most conveniently formed as a portion of the glazing bead  34  and a cooperating strike  42  formed on the window frame member  28 . 
     With this preferred structure the transparent sheet  32  is placed in the window frame and seated against the shoulder  30 . Then each of the glazing beads, such as glazing bead  34 , together with its attached wooden covering member  36  is, in turn, simply placed against the interior surface  44  of the transparent sheet  32  inwardly of the frame member  28  and then slid outwardly (e.g. to the left of FIG. 4) until the end of the pawl  40  rides up the inclined ramp formed on the strike  42  and finally passes the end of the ramp and moves upwardly in FIG.  4 . The pawl  40  thereby engages the strike and releasably retains both the glazing bead  34  and its covering layer on the sash frame. 
     Removal is accomplished by the opposite manipulation. The wooden covering member  36  is simply pushed inwardly to deflect the pawl  40  causing it to ride up over the strike  42  and be released. The glazing bead  34  together with its covering member  36  are then moved inwardly until clear of the frame member  28  and then removed from the window. 
     There are a variety of ways of attaching a covering member  36  to each of the glazing beads, such as glazing bead  34 , which can be used with the present invention without any attachment to the rest of the sash. For example, the covering members may be adhesively bonded or attached by suitable fasteners, such as screws, staples or nails, which are inserted first through the glazing bead and then into the wood so that the heads will not be visible upon assembly. 
     The preferred manner of attaching the covering member  36  to the glazing bead  34  is to form at least one and preferably two ridges  50  and  52 , extending from the glazing bead  34 . The covering member  36  is formed with mating slots  54  and  56 , which are positioned and oriented for receiving the ridges  50  and  52 . This interlocking of the ridges and slots retains the covering members in attachment to the glazing beads. Furthermore, this manner of attachment allows the wooden covering  36  to be easily removed from the glazing bead  34  after the glazing bead and covering assembly have been removed from the window. 
     Attachment of the wooden covering  36  to the glazing bead  34  is accomplished by simply aligning the slots and ridges end to end and then sliding one of these in the longitudinal direction of the slots and ridges with respect to the other to slide the ridges into the slots. Preferably, the slots have a width which is slightly less than the width of the ridges to provide frictional engagement. Removal is accomplished by simple longitudinal sliding of the glazing bead  34  relative to the wooden covering  36  until the ridges are slid out of the slots. 
     Although the ridges and cooperating slots could extend in parallel directions from the glazing beads and thereby rely solely on frictional engagement to retain the wooden covering member  36  on the glazing bead  34 , it is preferred that the ridges extend in nonparallel directions to prevent sufficient force from overcoming the frictional engagement and allow removal of the wooden covering member  36  from the glazing bead  34 . Most preferably, the ridge  50  extends generally inwardly of the window sash frame in a direction generally parallel to the transparent sheet  32  and the ridge  52  extends into the interior of the room and generally transverse to the transparent sheet  32 . Most preferably, the ridges are nearly orthogonal, as illustrated in FIG.  4 . 
     FIGS. 7-10 illustrate the ease with which the sash  26  may be sufficiently disassembled to permit the removal and replacement of the transparent sheet  32  in the case of breakage. 
     FIG. 7 illustrates the sash  26  having a horizontal, lower rail covering member  60 , a horizontal, upper rail covering member  62 , a left, vertical stile covering member  63  and a right, vertical stile covering member  64 . Each of these covering members is attached only to a glazing bead in the manner described above. The rail covering members  60  and  62  have their ends abutting the interior sides of the stile covering members  63  and  64 . Consequently, it is necessary to remove the rail covering members in order that the stile covering members become free to slide and be removed, as described above. Of course, these relationships can be reversed so that the ends of the stile covering members abut the interior sides of the rail covering members, in which event the stile covering members must be removed first. 
     As shown in FIG. 8, the lower, rail covering member  60  may be slid upwardly along the transparent sheet  32  until its pawl  40  exits from within the frame member extrusion  66 . It is then drawn perpendicularly away from the transparent sheet  32  for complete removal. Similarly, the rail covering member  62 , together with its attached glazing bead, is slid downwardly along the transparent sheet  32  until it may be removed in the same manner. 
     The stile covering members with their attached glazing beads then remain on the sash  26 , as illustrated in FIG.  9 . These are removed by similarly sliding the stile covering members  63  and  64  along the transparent sheet  32  until they too can be completely removed from the sash. 
     FIG. 10 illustrates the stile covering member  63  moved along the sheet to a position from which it can be removed from the sash. After removal of all four covering members and their attached glazing beads, the transparent sheet  32  is then removed from the sash and replaced. Then all four covering members and their attached glazing beads are replaced on the sash by reversing the manual manipulations described above. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 4, the preferred covering member, such as  36 , is L-shaped with the shorter leg of the L forming an ear which extends into contact with the transparent sheet to give a finished, completely wooden interior look. As illustrated in FIG. 11, on those covering members which must be installed first (e.g. the stiles  63  and  64  of FIG.  9 ), the ends of this ear  67  are routed or otherwise cut away to form a shoulder  68 . This shoulder  68  abuts the inner edge of the frame member extrusions, such as extrusion  66 , at each opposite end of the frame member extrusion, such as extrusion  63 , to which the covering member is attached. This eliminates any possibility that these covering members can slide longitudinally along the glazing beads after they are installed. 
     FIG. 12 is a view in vertical section of the embodiment of FIG.  1  and illustrates an entire window assembly embodying the present invention. Sashes  70  and  72  are conventionally positioned and slidable and have covering members in a form described above. In addition, a rail cap member  74  is also provided on the top of the lower sash  70 . In this manner, it can be seen that the entire window appears to be a wooden window when viewed from the inside, which is from the left side in FIG.  12 . 
     It should be apparent that some minor, insubstantial, supplemental attachment of the wooden covering member to the sash frame may be used without departing from the concept of the invention. Such supplemental attachment must necessarily be easily and rapidly removable and not be visible during operation of the door or window so that the covering member is still substantially only attached to the glazing bead in order to still obtain the advantages of the invention. For example, insubstantial small spots or a thin line of adhesive or an adhesive-like caulk or double sided tape can be interposed between the sash frame and the covering members so long as the bond can be severed easily and without damage, such as by running a razor blade or knife alone the edge of the sash between the sash frame and the covering member. Alternatively, an insubstantial number of small fasteners, such as staples or screws, could be used at the outer edges of some of the covering members, especially if their heads seated against the periphery of the sash frame. 
     While certain preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed in detail, it is to be understood that various modifications may be adopted without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the following claims.