Abstract:
A support for a window, includes a plurality of edge parts defining an opening to receive a window wherein at least one of the edge parts includes a first abutment surface and a second abutment surface, the fist abutment surface being substantially planar and the second abutment surface being curved, each abutment surface being adapted to engage a window of a corresponding configuration.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to support for a window, particularly in a load handling machine.  
         DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART  
         [0002]    Windows which include curved panes of glass are used in many load handling machines. Curved windows are used to provide a more aesthetic appearance to a machine, and in some circumstances to provide improved lines of sight. Such panes conventionally includes toughened or laminated glass. It is more expensive to produce a curved pane, particularly of toughened or laminated glass than to produce a comparably sized pane of flat glass. A flat pane of glass may also be easier to obtain and/or cut to shape.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    According to a first aspect of the present invention, we provide a support for a window, the support including a plurality of edge parts defining an opening to receive a window wherein at least one of the edge parts includes a first abutment surface and a second abutment surface the first abutment surface being substantially planar and the second abutment surface being curved, each abutment surface being adapted to engage a window of a corresponding configuration.  
           [0004]    The window may include a casement with a pane of glass supported thereby, or may include a pane of glass with no or substantially no casement.  
           [0005]    The window may be openable and may be fixed.  
           [0006]    The second abutment surface may be provided on an abutment part releasably attached to the remainder of the support means, which abutment part may be removed from the remainder of the support means to expose the first abutment surface.  
           [0007]    Preferably though, the first and second abutments are integrally provided by a respective edge part.  
           [0008]    The support may include four edge parts, wherein two opposed edge parts include a first abutment surface and a second abutment surface and wherein the other opposed edge parts each include a single third abutment surface to engage the window, wherein the first abutment surfaces and third surfaces are substantially co-planar  
           [0009]    The second abutment surfaces may each have a pair of end parts wherein the end parts are generally co-planar with the first abutment surfaces and third abutment surfaces.  
           [0010]    The window may be provided with a seal to engage an abutment surface.  
           [0011]    Such a support may therefore receive either a curved or flat pane of glass as desired.  
           [0012]    According to a second aspect of the invention, we provide a floor part for a cab of a vehicle or machine wherein the floor part provides an edge part for a support according to the fist aspect of the invention.  
           [0013]    The edge part may have a first abutment surface and a second abutment surface.  
           [0014]    The floor part may be made of a moulded synthetic plastics material and the edge part may be integrally provided by the floor part.  
           [0015]    According to a third aspect of the invention, we provide a cab for a vehicle or machine, the cab including a support according to the first aspect of the invention.  
           [0016]    The cab may include a roof part and the roof part may provide an edge part having a first abutment surface and a second abutment surface.  
           [0017]    The cab may have at least one upwardly extending member and the at least one upwardly extending member may provide an edge part of the support means.  
           [0018]    The cab may include a floor part according to the second aspect of the invention.  
           [0019]    According to a fourth aspect of the invention we provide a method of assembling a window in a support according to the first aspect of the invention including the step of locating a window adjacent to one of the first abutment surface and the second abutment surface.  
           [0020]    Where the second abutment surface is provided on a releasable abutment part, the method may include the step of attaching or removing the abutment part to or from the support means prior to locating the window.  
           [0021]    According to a fifth aspect of the invention we provide a method of repairing a window having support according to the first aspect of the invention including replacing a window of curved configuration with a window of planer configuration. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]    The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a frame for a machine cab,  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a floor for a machine cab,  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cab including the fie, of FIG. 1 and the floor of FIG. 2,  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 4 a  is a perspective view of a support means according to the present invention with a curved window provided thereon, and  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 4 b  is a view similar to FIG. 4 a  but with a planer window in position.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 5 is a section through a support means according to the present invention provided with a window. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0029]    Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a frame  10  and a floor pan  11  for a load handling machine cab are shown. The frame  10  includes a roof part  12   a  and a base part  12   b  interconnected by forward upwardly extending parts which provide forward pillars  13 , and located rearwardly thereof, further upwardly extending parts providing rear pillars  14 . The fame  10  is provided with a floor cross member  15   a  with seat support  18  corner braces  15   b  and optionally, a roof stiffening member  16 .  
         [0030]    The forward pillars  13  are interconnected by a cross member  13   a.  The floor pan  11  is provided with recesses  21  disposed adjacent at the sides thereof to receive the rear pillars  14  and recesses  22  at the forward corners thereof to receive the forward pillars  13 . The floor pan  11  is in the present example made of a moulded synthetic plastics material such as glass-fiber reinforced plastic, but may be made of other materials such as metal.  
         [0031]    To assemble the cab, the floor pan  11  is introduced into the frame  10  from a rearward direction until the forward pillars  13  are received in the recesses  22  and the rear pillars  14  are received in the recesses  21 . When the floor pan  11  is in place, it is supported by the floor frame cross member  15   a  and corner braces  15   b.  As seen in FIG. 3, the floor pan  11  and a roof part  12   a  may be interconnected by further additional upright members providing pillars  23 . The cab may be then provided with glazed windows including at least a windscreen  24 , quarter lights  24   a,    4   b,  a forward side window  25  and a rearward side window  26 . The rearward side window  26  as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 a  includes a pane of curved glass in the present example, to enhance the aesthetic appearance of the cab  10 .  
         [0032]    The windscreen  24  is a pane of usually laminated glass, which is bonded to the forward pillars  13 , the cross member  13   a  and roof part  12   a,  the quarter lights  24   a,    24   b,  usually of toughened glass, are bonded to the cross member  13   a,  the forward pillars  13 , and either the base part  12   b  of the frame  10 , or the floor pan  11 . Between the quarter lights  24   a,    24   b  there is provided a panel  19  e.g. of composite material, to which the quarter lights  24   a,    24   b  are also bonded, the panel  19  providing a closure for an operator&#39;s console which may be provided in the cab.  
         [0033]    A support means  30  for the rearward side window  26  is shown in more detail in FIGS. 4 a  and  4   b.  The support means  30  includes first and second side edge parts  31 ,  32  which in the present example are provided by the rear pillars  14  and further pillars  23  respectively. The support means  30  further includes an upper edge part  33 , and a lower edge part  34 . The edge parts  31 , 32 , 33 , 34  define an opening  35 .  
         [0034]    The upper edge part  33  includes a generally flat planer first abutment surface  33   a,  adjacent the opening  35 , and a curved second abutment surface  33   b  interconnected by a transverse. surface  33   c.  The lower edge part  34  similarly includes a generally flat planer first abutment surface  34   a,  adjacent the opening  35 , and a curved second abutment surface  34   b  interconnected by a transverse surface  34   c.  The side edge parts  31 ,  32  each have provide a generally planar non-stepped third abutment surface  36   a,    36   b  respectively. The upper first abutment surface  33   a  lower first abutment surface  34   a  and third abutment surfaces  36   a    36   b  are generally co-planar. The second abutment surfaces  33   b,    34   b  each include a pair of end parts  37 ,  38  respectively, wherein the end parts  37 ,  38  are co-planar with, or are disposed close to the plane of. the first abutment surfaces  33   a,    34   a  and third abutment surfaces  36   a    36   b,  but between the end parts  37 ,  38  the second abutment surfaces  33   b,    34   b  curve outwardly of the support means  30  relative to the first abutment surfaces  33   a ,  34   a.    
         [0035]    The curvature of the second abutment surfaces  33   b,    34   b  is selected to match the curvature of an inwardly directed face of the window pane  26 .  
         [0036]    The support means  30  of FIGS. 4 a  and  4   b  is therefore able to accommodate both curved and flat windows. The edges of a curved window will engage the second curved abutment surfaces  33   b,    34   b  and the third abutment surfaces  36   a    36   b.  Alternatively, if it is desired to insert a generally flat planer window, a window is provided of such a size that it will fit between the transverse surfaces  33   c,    34   c  to engage the first abutment surfaces  33   a,    34   a  and the third abutment surfaces  36   a,    36   b.    
         [0037]    The edge part  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34  may be provided integrally with or attached to the pillars  14 ,  23 , roof part  12   a  and floor pan  11  respectively of the cab  10 . The lower edge part  34  of the support means  30  in the present example is integrally provided by the floor pan  11  but may be provided in base frame  12   b  member. In FIG. 2 the floor pan  11  is shaped accordingly with upstanding structures  39   a,    39   b  to provide the lower edge parts  34  of a pair of windows  26 .  
         [0038]    One or other or both of the second abutment surfaces  33   b    34   b  might be provided on a respective removable abutment portion (see  34   d  on FIG. 5) which may be attached to the corresponding first abutment surface  33   a    34   a  when it is desired to fit a curved window, but which may be removed to expose the planer first abutment surface  33   a    34   a  when it is desired to fit a flat window in the window opening.  
         [0039]    As shown in FIG. 5, where the window as is an openable window, the window  26  may include a pane of glass  27  having an edge frame  28  of suitable material, with a seal  29  attached to the edge frame  28  to engage an abutment surface, in the present example, the lower first flat abutment surface  34   a,  However, the window  26  may be openable and frameless, as desired. It might alternatively be envisaged that the window  26  might be firmly held in position adjacent to the first abutment surface  34   a  or second abutment surface  34   b  or an abutment surface of any other edge of the support means as appropriate by means of suitable beading or other attachment means. The window may include a casement if desired  
         [0040]    When it is desired to replace, for example, a broken window  26  according to the method of the fourth aspect of the invention, the replacement window may include either a flat or curved piece of glass. The method may, for example include the steps of removing the remains of the previous window  26 , fitting a replacement flat pane such that it engages surfaces  36   a,    36   b,    34   a  and  33   a  either bonding the pane to the abutment surfaces or providing a suitable seal  29  and edge frame  28  to hold the window in place. Where one or other or both of the curved abutment surfaces  33   b,    34   b,  are provided on removable abutment portions, the removable abutment portions may be detached from the roof part  12   a  and/or floor pan  11  or floor frame members, to expose the first abutment surfaces  33   a,    34   a  Where it is designed to replace a flat pane of glass with a curved pane of glass, the process may be adapted accordingly.  
         [0041]    The window  26  pane may be made of toughened or laminated glass as desired.  
         [0042]    A support means in accordance with the invention may be provided for any desired window on a vehicle or machine, of any appropriate desired shape or curvature.