US2770853A - Louvered window frame - Google Patents

Description

1956 D. M. GROFF ET AL LOUVERED WINDOW FRAME Filed March 3, 1954 away/4?? ATTORNEY United StatesPatent O LOUVERED WINDOW FRAME Dana M. Grotf and Charles S. Stanley, Tampa, Fla.; said Stanley assignor to said Groif Application March 3, 1954, Serial No. 413,836

7 Claims. (Cl. 20-62) This invention relates to building construction, including dwellings and the like, and more particularly to openings or windows for the passage of light and air, and

means by which such windows or openings. are closed or protected against the weather.

In relatively warm climates it is desirable to have windows or other openings with a minimum of obstruction, to permit the 'free passage of light and air therethrough, or to provide full ventilation for the interior of the building to which it is applied.

Windows or other openings have been provided with closures of various kinds, such as solid doors, shutter or louver structures, awnings or the like, to protect against the rain or inclement weather, but which can be operated to permit substantially unobstructed ventilation or airflow.

With closures and other related devices previously in use, diflicuity has been encountered in preventing leakage of air or water particularly at the joints. This is true of structures having shutters or louvers, and due to such leakage and the lack of the desired Weather seal,- prior devices have been unsatisfactory.

It is an object of the invention to provide a frame [for a window or other opening and shutters or louvers for closing the opening in the frame and to mount the louvers in a manner so that they may be operated to permit substantially unobstructed circulation of air but which may be closed and when in such position provide a joint seal against the weather.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive structure capable of being easily manufactured from readily available materials which can be quickly installed with minimum effort and without. special tools or equipment. I

Further objects and advantages of the invention [will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective of a building illustrating one application of the invention;

'Fig. 2, an enlarged fragmentary side elevation;

Fig. 3, a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5, a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6, an enlarged detail section of an extruded louver holder.

Briefly stated, the invention contemplates a window frame of aluminum or other relatively inexpensive lightweight metal or other weather-resistant material. Within the frame are mounted in spaced horizontally disposed relation louvers of glass or other transparent, semi-transparent, or opaque material. The louvers are supported in the holders one at each end of each louver and pivoted near its upper end to the side of the adjacent frame.

The invention further contemplates cooperating tongue and groove weather-sealing portions on the holder and the frame which engage or interfit in such a way that when the louvers are closed an effective seal against the weather is provided.

the front or forward portion of the louver.

In order to mount the louver and provide the desired cooperating weather resistant interfitting of the parts, the holder is provided with a pair of channels disposed at right angles one to the other, one facing inwardly [for receiving the end of the louver and one facing rearwardly for receiving the reversely and forwardly disposed rear portion of the frame. These channel members may be produced in one piece by extrusion or may be formed of two members fastened together in any desired manner. Also the louvers may be connected to an operating link for gang operation or operation of the group as a unit.

With continued reference to the drawing, a house is provided having a wall 10 with a window or other opening in which is mounted a window frame 11 having opposed transverse walls or side members 12 each with a rear edge bent reversely upon itself and providing a substantially parallel forwardly extending wall 13 separated by a space 14 from the transverse wall. The frame may be of aluminum or other desired material preferably lightweight and inexpensive and which will resist weather.

Louver supporting structure i mounted between the side members of the frame on pivots 15 such louver supporting structure comprising a holder having a front portion 16 (-Fig. 5) which engages the top or front surface of the louver and has a lower end supporting portion 17 (-Figs. 3 and 6) disposed substantially at right angles to the front portion and with the upper end of the front portion terminating short of the mounting pivotlS. The louver holder also includes an end port-ion 18 integral with but disposed at right angles to the front portion 16. The end portion 18 is adapted to be disposed at the end of the louver while the front portion extends over The end portion '18 bears against the main body portion of the side member and is of a width sufiicient to extend into the recess 14 beside the reversely bent portion 13.

The holder has a rear portion 19 parallel to the front portion 16 and spaced therefrom a distance corresponding to that of the thickness of a louver 20 of glass or other material. The rear portion 19 of the holder has forwardly and rearwardly extending flanges 21 and 22, the forwardly extending flange being disposed at the end of the louver and the rearwa-rdly extending flange being parallel to the rear-wardly extending end portion 18 of the holder but offset slightly therefrom to provide a recess 23 for the reversely bent portion 13 of the window frame. The front and rear portions 16 and 19 are fixed together by rivets .24 so that the parts are maintained in fixed relation and a groove or channel is thus provided for the louver and for the forwardly extending portion 13 of the frame so that when the parts are in a definite relation the joint between the fixed frame 11 and the movable louver holders is weather-tight.

The flange 22 has an extension 25 with an aperture 26 in which is received a pivot 27 carried by a link 28 for gang operation of the several louvers. The forwardly extending flange 21 is provided at its upper end with a relatively .short flange 21 which extends over the upper edge of the louver to retain it in position against upward movement. The rearwardly extending flange 19 is upwardly off-set from the member 16 to provide a receiving notch or recess 18' for receiving the upper edge of the succeeding lower louver, the supporting mechanism being so constructed that the louvers may seal against each other to form a tight joint.

The part just described provide channels at right angles but of two separate members. The combined sealing and holding member may be extruded as shown in Fig. 6. In this figure members 30, 31 and 32 form the channel for the end of the louver and the member 30 extended and a parallel member 33 form a second or sealing channel. The remaining parts are similar to those previously described.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore, the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicatedin the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination a window frame having parallel side walls with rear edge portions reversely bent upon themselves and providing spaced substantially parallel forward extending walls, a series of louvers between said side walls, supports for said louvers at the ends of the same, each support comprising a holder with front, rear, top, bot-tom and end portions for receiving the end of the louver and rearwardly extending spaced wall portions, and means pivotally mountingsaid holder through the upper part of said end portion so that the spaced wall portions will be "disposed on opposite sides of the wall formed by the adjacent reversely bent portion of the side of the frame and providing a weather-tight joint.

2. In combination a window frame having parallel side walls with rear edge portions reversely bent upon themselves and providing spaced substantially parallel forward extending walls, a series of louvers between said side walls, support for said louvers at the ends of the same, each support comprising a holder with front, rear, top, bottom and end portions for receiving the end of the louver and rearwardly extending spaced wall portions, and means pivotally mounting said holder through the upper part of said end portion so that the spaced wall portions will be disposed on opposite sides of the wall formed by the adjacent reversely bent portion of the side of the frame and providing a weather-tight joint and a link connecting said holders for gang operation.

3. In combination, spaced parallel wall members, a series of louvers between said wall members, holders for the ends of said louvers, pivots mounting said holders so that said louvers can be swung to open and close the same, each holder and it associated frame being provided with interfitting weather-sealing tongue and groove portions positioned rearwardly from said louvers.

4. In combination, spaced parallel wall members having reversely bent forwardly extending portions at their rear edges, a series of louvers between said wall members, holders for the ends of said louvers, pivot mounting said holders so that said louvers can be swung to open "and close the same, said holder comprising a plate having a forward portion for engaging the front surface of the louver and a flat portion for disposition at the end of the louver parallel to the said wall member and of a width to extend between said wall member and the reverse bent forwardly extending portion of the wall member, said holder also having a rear portion disposed parallel to the forward portion between which and the forward portion the end of the louver is received.

5. In combination, spaced parallel wall members having reversely bent forwardly extending portions at their rear edges, a series of louvers between said wall members, holders for the ends of said louvers, pivots mounting said holders so that thelouvers can be swung to open and close the same, each holder comprising a plate having a forward portion for engaging the front surface of the louver and a fiat portion for disposition at the end of the louver parallel to the said wall member and of a width to extend between said wall member and the reversely bent forwardly extending portion of the wall member, said holder also having a rear portion disposed parallel to the forward portion between which and the forward portion the end of the louver is received, said rear portion having a rearwardly extending part disposed in a manner to overlie said reversely turned forwardly extending portion to form with the first member of the holder a groove.

6. In combination a frame member comprising a first relatively fiat portion and a second portion extending reversely in spaced parallel relation to the first portion, a louver holder comprising a channel forming structure for receiving the end of the louver, the end of said holder being in engagement with said first relatively flat portion and having a rearwardly extending channel forming struc' ture at .right angles to said first channel structure for re oeiving the reversely extending portion of the frame to provide a weather-sealing joint.

7. A series of holders for louvers having channels for the ends of the louvers and the holder for each end of the louver havinga rearwardly extending channel member at right angles to the first and adapted to bear against and seal with a support "adjacent which the louvers are mounted, one of the side walls of said rearwardly extending channel member being aligned with the end wall of said holder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,551,590 Ferri May 8, 1951 2,565,447 Andresenet a1 Aug. 21, 1951 2,613,405 Moseley Oct. 14, 1952 2,635,306- Zankl Apr. 21, 1953 2,654,921 Blanchard Oct. 13, 1953

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