US3452480A - Spring sash counterbalance - Google Patents

Description

July 1, 1969 E. E. FOSTER 3,

. spams SASH COUNTERBALANCE Filed Sept. 14, 1967 Sheet of s FIG.5

INVENTOR I EDWIN E. FOSTER ATTORNEY ofS y 1969 E. E. FOSTER SPRING SASH COUNTERBALANCE Filed Sept. 14, 1967 INVENTOR EDWIN E. FOSTER ATTQRNEY 7 Filed Sept. 14, 1967 July 1, 1969 E. E. FOSTER SPRING SASH COUNTERBALANCE FIG. 7

FIG/4 I l l l O INVENTOR EDWIN E. FOSTER VBY Qu d W- ATTORNEY Sheet 1' of FIG. 3

United States Patent 3,452,480 SPRING SASH COUNTERBALANCE Edwin E. Foster, 1801 Camp Craft Road, Austin, Tex. 78746 Filed Sept. 14, 1967, Ser. No. 667,809 Int. Cl. Ed 13/00 U.S. Cl. 49-445 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A counterbalance having a window sash being of selfcoiling spring type with one end of the spring ribbon attached to the lower end portion of the sash and with the coil being mounted within an opening in the window frame; there being a support member for said coil for maintaining same within the frame opening.

Background of the invention Heretofore with sash counterbalances of the self-coiling spring type, it has been the accepted practice of mounting the coil within the sash for movement therewith and having the free end of the spring ribbon attached to the frame. This type of construction may be seen in United States Letters Patent No. 2,609,193 issued Sept. 2, 1952. Such type of installation has proven in extensive experience to have various serious undesirable features. Among the same is the problem of installation for the spring coil located within an opening in the side of the sash, replacement and installation has understandably required a dismantling of the window necessitating removal of portions of the frame so as to allow withdrawal of the sash to permit access to the recess carrying the spring coil. Another drawback has been the fact that with such recess being opened toward the frame, various foreign matter, such as for instance, paint flakes and the like, will tend to be collected therein and to be carried by the coils of the spring causing increase in the coil size with resultant interference between coil and the sides of the recess.

In an effort to overcome these problems, the industry started to utilize a spring coil housing attached to the top corner of the frame and with the free end of the spring being attached to the top of the sash. Such expedient has not proven satisfactory since the spring ribbon is at all times visible, but more so the extended portion of the spring would tend to rub on the frame creating undesired friction and also was subject to kinking.

Summary of the invention It is an object of the present invention to provide a spring sash counterbalance which is adapted for disposi-- tion within the window frame and which would at all times remain invisible.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a unique mounting for a sash counterbalance comprising an opening within the side of the window frame and with mounting means for maintaining the coil in proper operative disposition.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a sash counterbalance mounting which permits of ease of access so as to allow for ready inspection and repair without necessitating a dismantling or dissassembly of the window frame or sash.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a mounting for a sash counterbalance which is adapted to allow for the provision of a plurality of counterbalance members commensurate with the weight requirements of the particular sash.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a mounting for a sash counterbalance which 3,452,480 Patented July 1, 1969 may be utilized with existing window and sash con-struction and installed therein without extensive costly operations.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a sash counterbalance mounting which assures of continuous requisite operation of the counterbalance at all times and one wherein the extended portion of the coun- FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary front view of a window having a sash provided with a counterbalance constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse section view taken in the area indicated by the numeral 2 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a front view of the mounting member.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the sash bracket.

FIGURE '5 is a fragmentary elevational view of a window having a sash provided with two counterbalances constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section taken in the area indicated by the numeral 6 in FIG- URE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the adapter.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring now by reference characters to the drawings which illustrate practical embodiments of the present invention, A generally designates a window which may be made of any suitable material such as wood, aluminum, or the like, and which comprises a window frame having jambs 1, a header 2, and a sill 3. Provided for slideable reciprocal vertical movement within frame 1 is a sash 4 which embodies side components 5 and upper and lower transverse members 6, 7, which elements coact in conventional manner for supporting a pane of glass or if desired a multiplicity of smaller panes as indicated at 8. Each side component 5 is of channel form in cross section opening laterally toward the adjacent jamb 1 and having a web portion 9 and rear and front side flanges as at 10 (the front flange not being shown). Each jamb 1 substantially intermediate its length and in a zone proximate the upper end of sash 4 when the same is in closed condition (see FIGURE 1) is provided with a recess 11 having upper and bottom surfaces 12 and 13, being open toward its inner side, as at 14, for direct communication with the channel or the proximate side of sash 4 and with its opposed or outer side being closed, as by a wall Provided for mounted disposition upon the inwardly directed surface of each jambs 1 is a counterbalance support member 16 which may be fabricated of any suitable material, such as plastic or metal, and which embodies a lower faceplate portion 17 for disposition against the related jamb 1 immediately beneath recess 11 and having a chamfered opening 18 for receiving a screw 19 for securement of support member 16 upon the proximate jamb 1. Said support member 16 in its upper portion is provided with an inwardly extending body 20 for projecting into recess 11 having a lower horizontal base 21 for disposition upon bottom surface 13 of recess 11 with an upper, horizontally presented wall 22 in planar parallel relationship to base 21 and being preferably of greater extent so that its outer end will be in immediate proximity to vertical wall 15 of recess 11; there being side gussets 23 connecting wall 22 and base 21 for rigidifying the structure. It is to be further observed that mounting member 16 is so formed as to present its forward, or faceplate-carrying portion spaced inwardly of jambs 1, as by means of providing a spacer portion 24 at its lower end so that the inner portion of support member 16 will project into the channel of the adjacent side of sash 4. Additionally, the width of mounting member 16 is less than the distance between the flanges of the sash channel whereby said member 16 may be moved relatively therebetween without the development of interference. At its inner end, within the said channel, wall 22 is provided with an upwardly inclined detent 25 for inhibiting undesired inward displacement of the coil 26 for a self-coiling spring 27 which is presented for counterbalancing sash 4. Coil 26 will be disposed upon the upper surface of wall 32 and by reason of its diameter with respect to the depth of recess 11 will extend into the sash channel but spacedly outwardly of web 9 even when fully coiled. Counterbalance 27 may be of any suitable self-coiling type but may well be of the type set forth in United States Letters Patent No. 2,609,191.

The free end of ribbon 28 of counterbalance 27 is provided with an opening 29 for extension therethrough of a finger 30 formed on the upper vertical leg 31 of an L-shaped sash bracket 32 having a lower horizontal leg 33 presented in flatwise abutment against the underface of the lower end of lower transverse member 7 of sash 4 and being secured thereto, as by a screw 34. Vertical leg 31 is relatively short and is presented against the lower side face of web 9 for registration of finger 30 with an aperture 35 formed therein so that said spring ribbon 28 is securely maintained between sash web 9 and leg 31 of bracket 32 by means of finger 30.

As shown in FIGURE 1, spring 27 will be in fully extended condition when sash 4 is in downward, closed position; and as illustrated in FIGURE 2, spring 27 will be in maximum coiled state when sash 4 is in full upward or open condition. It will accordingly be seen that ribbon 28, as well as coil 26, will at all times be masked from view by reason of the novel arrangement of sash, jamb and mounting member 16. In addition thereto, ribbon 28 will be maintained spacedly from jamb 1 so that no undesirable impeding or interfering contact is made therewith, with any attendant scraping action which might tend to produce paint flakes or dislodge foreign matter which could be ultimately received within the coils of spring 27.

Additionally, the present invention permits of facile inspection and repair of counterbalance 27 without necessitating a dismantling of the entire window construction. All one needs to do, with sash 4 in upward position (FIGURE 2) is to remove screw 19 and thus withdraw mounting member 16 from operative position since there is no obstacle to prevent its withdrawal. The operator will then remove screw 34 so as to release sash bracket 32 and by slight outward movement, dislodge finger 30 from aperture 35 and opening 29 in ribbon 28. Thereupon spring 27 is free for removal and will drop downwardly and outwardly of its recess 11.

Installation is accomplished by thep recise reversal of the foregoing procedure. When mounting member 16 is first placed in recess 11, it will contact coil 26 and the spring must be slightly extended before it has reached its full lift which would be about inch that mounting member 16 would have to be lifted to permit base 21 to be positioned above bottom surface 13.

In the event sash 4 were to be of substantial weight and thus require a counterbalancing force greater than that provided by spring 27, it is within the contemplation of the present invention that a plurality of such springs 27 may be utilized. Referring now to FIGURE 6 in which figure jamb 41 is provided with a recess 42 of relatively greater vertical extent than recess 1 hereinabove described. Secured to the inner face of jamb 41 is a mounting member 16 which is in the same relationship to recess 42 as to recess 11 hereinabove described. Disposed upon upper wall 22 of mounting member 16 is a counterbalance spring 27. Also supported upon upper wall 22 of mounting member 16 are the lower edges of the upstanding, parallel side walls 43, 43 of an adapter 44 being of generally U-form and having a top wall 45 extending between the upper edges of side walls 43, 43'. Side walls 43, 43 are of such extent as to present top wall 45 above the coil 26 of the spring 27 disposed on upper wall 22 of mounting member 16 when the said coil is in fully coiled state so as to prevent any undesired contact therewith. The said top wall 45 serves as a support for a second coil 26' of a counterbalance spring 27 which may be in all respects of similar character and capacities as spring 27. The free end of the ribbon 28' of counterbalance 27 is provided with an opening 29 for registration with the opening 29 of the ribbon 28 of counterbalance 27 so that the same may receive finger 30 of the sash bracket 32 for anchoring thereby to the lower end of the sash 4.

Thus, by the foregoing novel arrangement any suitable counterbalancing force may be easily provided to compensate for any of various window sash weights without in any way departing from the novel features of this invention.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the formation, construction, and arrangement and combination of the several parts of the spring sash counterbalance may be made and substituted for these herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

I claim:

1. For use with a window having a frame incorporating side jambs, each of said side jambs having an inwardly opening recess, the improvement comprising a sash presented for vertical, reciprocal slideable movement with relation to said jambs between lowered or closing position and upper or open position, said sash incorporating vertical side components, each of said side components having throughout its extent an outwyardly ;opening channel in confronting relationship to the adjacent jamb, said jamb recesses being located proximate the upper end portions of said sash side components when said sash is in lowered or closed position, a counter-balance for said sash comprising a self-coiling spring of ribbon character, the coil of said spring being disposed within each jamb recess, the diameters of said coils being greater than the depth of said recesses so that a portion of said coil normally projects into the channel of the adjacent sash side component, each of said springs having an outer free end for extension downwardly from its coil within the adjacent outwardly opening channel of the proximate sash side component wherefore said free end will be spaced from the inner face of the adjacent jamb for avoiding contact with foreign particles normally associated with such jamb, and means for securing the outer free end of said spring to the adjacent side component of the sash proximate its lower end.

2. For use with a window having a frame incorporating side jambs, each of said jambs having an inwardly opening recess, the improvement as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by a support member secured to each jamb for extension into said recess, said support member having a lower-face plate portion engaged to the related jamb downwardly of the associated recess, and an upper portion projecting into, and received by, said recess, said member upper portion having a lower horizontal base for disposition upon the bottom surface of said recess and a substantially horizontal upper wall in planar parallel relationship to said base, said counter-balance coil being received upon said upper wall.

3. For use with a window having a frame incorporating side pambs, each of said jambs having an inwardly opening recess, the improvement as defined in claim 2 and further characterized by said support member being of such configuration as to project into the channel of the confronting side sash component.

4. For use with a window having a frame incorporating side jambs, each of said jambs having an inwardly opening recess, the improvement as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by said jamb recesses being located in substantial adjacency to the upper end portion of the sash when the latter is in downward or window-closed condition, and means engaging said counterbalance to the lower end portion of said sash.

5. For use with a window having a frame incorporating side jambs, each of said jambs having an inwardly opening recess, the improvement as defined in claim 2 and further characterized by an adapter for disposition upon said support member, said adapter having a substantial, horizontal upper surface located spacedly above the upper, horizontal wall of said support member, a second counterbalance received upon the upper, horizontal surface of said adapter, said second counterbalance being engaged to the lower end portion of the related side component of the sash.

6. For use with a window having a frame incorporating side jambs, each of said jambs having an inwardly opening recess, the improvement as defined in claim 2 and further characterized by said member upper wall having an upwardly inclined detent extending into said channel of the confronting side sash component for maintaining said spring within said recess.

7. For use with a window having a frame incoporating Side jambs, each of said jambs having an inwardly opening recess, the improvement as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by an L-shaped sash bracket mounted on the lower end of each sash, said sash bracket having a lower horizontal leg presented in flatwise abutment against the under face of the lower end of said sash and a vertical leg presented in spacedly parallel relationship to the lower side face of the channel web of the adjacent sash side component, a finger mounted on said vertical leg, the outer end of said spring having an aperture, said finger being received within said aperture for securing said spring between said channel web and said vertical leg of said sash bracket.

8. For use with a window having a frame incorporating side jambs, each of said jambs having an inwardly opening recess, the improvement as defined in claim 5 and further characterized by said second counter-balance comprising a self-coiling spring of ribbon character, the axis of said second spring being in vertically aligned, parallel relationship with the axis of said first counter-balance spring, the outer ends of both said first and second counter-balance springs being secured to each other and to the lower end portion of the related side component of said sash.

9. For use with a window having a frame incorporating side jambs, each of said jambs having an inwardly opening recess, the improvement as defined in claim 5 and further characterized by said adapter having an upwardly inclined detent extending into said sash component channel for maintaining said second counter-balance spring within said recess.

10. For use with a window having a frame incorporating side jambs, each of said jambs having an inwardly opening recess, the improvement as defined in claim 3 and further characterized by said support member having a spacer located at its lower end for presenting the inner portion of said support member within the channel of said adjacent sash side component.

11. For use with a window having a frame incorporating side jambs, each of said jambs having an inwardly opening recess, the improvement as defined in claim 9 and further characterized by an L-shaped sash bracket mounted on the lower end of each sash, said sash bracket having a lower horizontal leg presented in flatwise abutment against the under surface of the lower end of said sash and a vertical leg presented in spaced parallel relationship to the web of the related side channel component of said sash, a finger mounted on said vertical leg, the outer end of said first and second counter-balance springs having an aperture, each of said apertures of said first and second counter-balance springs being received over said finger for maintaining said outer ends between the web of said side component channel and the vertical leg of said sash bracket.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,627,091 2/1953 Kass 49-445 X 2,635,282 4/1953 Trammell et al. 16-197 2,684,499 7/1954 Lewis 16197 2,732,594 1/1956 Adams et al 16-197 X DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner. I. K. BELL, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.*R. l6197

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