Patent ID: 8001743

Claim:
A sliding window or door apparatus comprising a frame and a sliding window or door slidable horizontally within the frame, the frame comprising a horizontal upper crosspiece, a horizontal lower crosspiece, a first vertical stile and a second vertical stile, the two crosspieces being joined by the two stiles to form the frame, said lower crosspiece comprising a connecting and joining element, a first section and a second section, the lower crosspiece having a sliding track, the lower crosspiece sliding track being formed by the first section, the connecting and joining element and the second section, the sliding window or door being slidable horizontally in the lower crosspiece sliding track, said first section being spaced apart from said second section, said connecting and joining element joining said first section to said second section, said connecting and joining element having a front, a back, a first side, a second side, a top and a bottom, said connecting and joining element having a first track and a second track which are parallel with each other and which run from the front of the connecting and joining element to the back of the connecting and joining element, at least one of said connecting and joining element tracks being a sliding track having a cross-sectional configuration, said connecting and joining element sliding track being a part of said lower crosspiece sliding track, said connecting and joining element sliding track engaging a portion of said sliding window or door to form a sliding connection, said connecting and joining element being made of heat insulating material.