Patent Publication Number: US-6988334-B2

Title: Sash tilt resistance control

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a tilt control which provides resistance against free fall tilt opening of a tilting sash relative to its supporting frame. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Windows with tiltable sashes are known and currently available. The sashes are held at a desired tilt angle by a person cleaning or doing other work on the sash. If that person inadvertently lets go of the sash it will generally fall completely out of the window. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a window assembly including a tilt control specifically designed to avoid the hazardous problem of a free falling tiltable sash. More specifically, the tilt control of the present invention used in a window assembly comprising a frame and a sash pivotally mounted to the frame provides resistance to the tilt opening of the sash. The resistance provided by the tilt control increases with increased tilt angles of the sash. This compensates for increased force applied on the tilt control by the sash the farther the sash is tilted open. 
     According to an aspect of the invention the tilt control comprises an arm and spring. The arm has a first end pivotally secured within the frame and a second end engaged within and slideable along the sash. The arm limits the tilt opening of the sash to a tilt angle of less than 90 degrees and the spring, which is acted on by the second end of the arm as it slides along the sash, provides the resistance to the tilt opening of the sash. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above as well as other advantages and features of the present invention will be described in greater detail according to the preferred embodiments of the present invention in which; 
         FIG. 1  is front view of a window assembly having, a frame supporting a pair of sashes including tilt controls for each of the sashes according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the window assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is sectional view along lines  3 — 3  of  FIG. 1  with the lower sash tilted open to a relatively shallow angle; 
         FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 3  showing the lower sash tilted open to a steeper angle; 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view through a window according to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view through a window according to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view through a window having sash tilt controls according to another embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION ACCORDING TO THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION IN WHICH 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show a window assembly generally indicated at  1 . This window assembly is formed by a frame comprising side jambs  3 , a header  5  and sill  7 . Contained within that frame are a pair of sashes  13  and  15 . 
     In  FIGS. 1 and 2  both of the sashes are closed relative to the frame. Lock  17  cooperating between the top of the lower sash and the bottom of the upper sash holds them in their closed positions. 
     As will be described later in detail both of the sashes can be opened in a sliding mode upon release of lock  17  and a tilting mode upon the release of locks  16 ,  17  and  18 . 
       FIG. 3  shows one of the jambs  3  of the frame as having a pair of channels  9  and  11 . The other jamb has the identical construction. 
     Both of these channels are referred to in the industry as balance channels. Balance channel  9  is located to the interior side of the window i.e., the side of the window facing the interior of a building in which the window is used while balance channel  11  is located to the outer side of the window. 
       FIG. 3  also shows the mounting of each of the sashes relative to the frame. This mounting is identical to both sides of the window. 
     More specifically, a rigid slide member  19  is trapped within balance channel  11  while a rigid slide member  31  is trapped within balance channel  9 . The lower end of sash  13  is pivotally mounted at  21  to slide member  19  while the lower end of sash  15  is pivotally mounted at  33  to slide member  31 . As will be appreciated from  FIG. 3 , when the lock  17  is released both sashes with their slide members are slideable relative to the frame in their respective channels to provide for the slide opening of the window. 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  show sash  15  also being openable in the tilting manner relative to the frame. Here it will be seen that when the sash  15  is not locked the upper end of the sash is free to move outwardly and downwardly away from the frame for tilting sash  15  open. Sash  13  has the same capacity. The two sashes can be tilted open one at a time or simultaneously with one another. 
     Each of the sashes is provided with a tilt control. In the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  this tilt control is in the form of an arm and spring combination. Such a combination may be provided to only one side or to both sides of each of the sashes. 
     More specifically, a rigid arm  37  in combination with a spring  45  is used to control tilting movement of sash  15  to prevent a free falling of this sash from its fully closed to its fully tilted open position. An identical arm and spring combination is used to control sash  13  but because sash  13  is in its closed position only the control arm  23  can be seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     Again referring to the lower interior sash  15 , control arm  37  has a first end pivotally secured at  39  to the rigid slide  31  and a second end in the form of a pivot  41  rotatably and slideably trapped within a slot  43  of sash  15 . Also trapped in slot  43  between the first and second ends of arm  37  is a spring  45 . In comparing  FIGS. 3  and  4  it will be seen that as sash  15  is tilted farther open i.e., moved to increased tilt angles, the pivot end  41  of arm  37  slides inwardly along slot  43  of the sash. At the same time, the pivot end  39  of the arm pivots or rotates relative to slide  31 . This produces a compression of spring  45 . Once the spring is fully compressed as shown in  FIG. 4  the sash has reached its maximum tilt angle of something slightly less than 90 degrees relative to the frame. 
     Two separate forces counteract one another during the tilt opening of the sash. Firstly, the downward loading of the sash on the control arm increases the farther the sash is tilted open. This is due very simply to the outward levering of the weight of the sash as the sash moves from a more vertical to a more horizontal position i.e., as the upper end of the sash moves downwardly, outwardly away from the frame. 
     At the same time as the sash is applying more force on the tilt control arm the compression of spring  45  increases to provide increased resistance to the tilt opening of the sash the farther it tilts open. This resistance is not sufficient to prevent the tilt opening of the sash i.e., it will not push the sash back upwardly, but it is sufficient to prevent a free falling of the sash. 
     As will be apparent from  FIGS. 3 and 4  the tilt control i.e., arm  37  and spring  45  do not block sliding of the sash within the frame. 
       FIG. 5  shows a window assembly generally indicated at  51  with a tilt control which again provides resistance to tilt opening of the window but without the use of a spring. 
     More specifically, window assembly  51  comprises a frame  53  with balance channels  55  and  57  to the outer and inner sides of the frame. Sashes  59  and  71  are pivotally mounted at  63  and  75  to slide members  61  and  73  in the respective balance channels. Once again, both of the sashes are capable of opening in both a slide and a tilt manner relative to the frame. 
     Like the earlier embodiment the tilt control includes an arm with an outer end slideably mounted within a slot in each of the sashes. In particular, the inner sash  71  includes an arm  77  having an outer end  83  slideably trapped within slot  81  of the sash. The other sash  59  includes a control arm  65  having an outer end  66  slideably trapped within a slot identical to slot  81  but which cannot be seen because it is covered by the arm. 
     The two arms  65  and  77  have inner ends formed by cam members  67  and  79  respectively trapped within the balance channels  55  and  57 . Each of these cam members has a somewhat elliptical configuration formed by rounded ends and flattened sides. In the case of cam member  67  the rounded ends are indicated at  67   a  and the flattened sides are indicated at  67   b . Cam member  79  has an identical configuration. 
     As will be seen in  FIG. 5  each of the cam members is relatively long in one dimension and shorter in another dimension. Specifically, each of the cam members is relatively long in the direction running parallel to the flattened side walls and is relatively short in the direction at 90 degrees to the flattened side walls. 
     In  FIG. 5  the upper outwardly located sash  59  is in a fully closed position where it is neither slid nor tilted open. However, in this position because of the orientation of cam member  67  where its flattened side walls  67   b  lie parallel to the length of the balance channel  55 , sash  59  is capable of sliding within the balance channel to an open position. It is also capable of tilting open in the same manner as sash  71  is tilted open. However, in the case of sash  71  cam member  79  has been rotated by arm  77  to turn cam member  79  such that its flattened side walls are out of alignment with the length of balance channel  57  with the rounded end walls of the cam member binding against the balance channel. In this position, the cam member provides a resistance to any further tilt opening of the sash counterbalancing the load placed on arm  77  by the sash as the sash is tilted open. Also note that the outer end  83  of arm  77  has slid away from the upper end of slot  81  in sash  71  as the sash is tilted open. 
     Once again the amount of resistance provided by the binding action of the cam member within the balance channel is not sufficient to prevent the tilt opening of the window. It is however sufficient to prevent a free falling of the window to its fully tilted open position which is at an angle of slightly less than 90 degrees relative to the frame. 
     When the sash is tilted open as shown in  FIG. 5  the tilt control cam not only resists the tilt opening of the window but in addition resists a slide opening of the window to provide both a tilt and a slide control. As such the window should be tilted completely closed before attempting to slide the sash within the frame. 
       FIG. 6  shows a window assembly generally indicated at  91  having yet another type of tilt control. 
     More specifically the window assembly comprises a frame  92  having channels  93  and  95 . Sashes  97  and  99  are slideably and pivotally mounted in these channels. The tilt controls are identical for both sashes. 
     As will be best seen with respect to the lower sash, the tilt control comprises an arm  105  having an inner cam end  107  located within channel  95 . The arm also has an outer end  111  pivotally secured to a plunger arm  115  which slides in and out relative to a fixed base  113  of a piston like control member  112 . The base of control member  112  contains hydraulic fluid through which the plunger arm slowly moves with the tilt opening and closing of the sash. The sash is provided with a slot  109  to provide for the movement of arm  115  relative to the sash. 
     Once again there is a resistance to the free fall tilt opening of the sash. In this case the resistance is provided by both the cam and the hydraulic piston. 
       FIG. 7  shows another embodiment of the invention in the form of a window assembly generally indicated at  121 . This assembly comprises an inner sash  123  and an outer sash  125 . These two sashes are slideably and tiltably held within channels  139  and  126  respectively of a supporting frame  138 . 
     The inner sash includes a tilt control arm  127 . The outer sash includes a tilt control arm  129 . 
     Tilt control arm  127  is provided with an outer end pivot  131  slideably trapped within an elongated slot  135  of sash  123 . The inner end of arm  127  comprises a cam member  137  rotatably and slidably secured within frame channel  139 . 
     The lower end of sash  123  is held by a slide member  124  in frame channel  139 . Slide member  124  like the earlier described embodiments allows both a sliding and tilt opening of sash  123  relative to the supporting frame. A corresponding slide member  128  is used for sash  125 . 
       FIG. 7  shows sash  125  in its tilted closed position with sash  123  in a tilted open position. In this particular case, the resistance to the tilt opening of sash  123  is provided by means of a coil spring  141 . This coil spring is trapped within sash slot  135  with the upper outer end of the spring being attached at,  143  to the sash. The inner lower end of spring  141  is attached at  145  to the pivot  131  of control arm  127 . 
     In the  FIG. 7  embodiment, the spring  141  rather than being compressed is stretched or expanded relative to its normal or non stressed configuration with the tilt opening of the sash. This stretching of the spring which is biased to pull back to its normal non stretched length provides the resistance needed to prevent a free fall tilt opening of sash  123 . 
       FIG. 7  also shows that the tilt control spring  130  associated with sash  125  is allowed to compress sufficiently for a complete tilt closing of sash  125 . The same is true of sash  123 . 
     Although various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.