GB1582560A

GB1582560A - Method of making window frames from timber

Info

Publication number: GB1582560A
Application number: GB2083277A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Goslyn H I
Current assignee: Goslyn H I
Priority date: 1978-04-24
Filing date: 1978-04-24
Publication date: 1981-01-14

Description

(54) A METHOD OF MAKING WINDOW FRAMES FROM TIMBER (71) I, HOWARD IVOR GOSLYN, a British Subject of 3, High Street, Amblecote, Stourbridge, Worcestershire, DY8 4DA, do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a kit of parts for and a method of making window frames from timber.

Particularly in the renovation of older housing, built for example in the 19th Century and earlier, the builder or handyman tackling the job is often faced with removal of windows (i.e. frames which may include fixed or openable sashes) which are unserviceable and being left with window openings in the brickwork or stonework which are not of a size (in height or in width, or both) which can be filled by any windows which are made by manufacturers who make their windows according to certain British Standards and in a range of standard sizes. The position is not likely to be improved with metrication. Consequently, the builder or handyman is faced with one of two alternatives.

Firstly, he can order a standard window which may incorporate the desired top-hung and/or side-hung casements and which will be of the size which is nearest to that of the opening in the wall and either enlarge or reduce the opening to fit the window frame. By doing this, the cost of the replacement window is kept down by virtue of the fact that a standard mass-produced article of commerce is bought but, in that case, the proportions of the original structure and particularly the overall window area relative to the overall wall area are altered. This sometimes ruins the appearance of an otherwise attractive "period" building and many local authorities are keen to prevent this happening nowadays. The alternative is for the builder or handyman to order a window frame which will exactly fit the opening in the wall; in this case, the cost of the specially ordered and fabricated window, tailor-made to fit the existing opening, is approximately double that of the nearest size of standard mass-produced window.

Quite a large part of the cost of manufacture of windows arises from the fact that the frame consists of two parallel jambs which are tenoned into mortises made in each of the head and sill. If, by way of example, the area within the frame is to be subdivided to provide a fourlight window, a transome extends from jamb to jamb and has its opposite ends tenoned into said jambs and a divided vertical mullion consisting of two pieces is added, each piece having one of its ends tenoned into the head or the sill (whichever applies) and having the other of its ends tenoned into the transome. Similar remarks apply to glazing or sash bars and the joint connections of such bars with each other and with whatever other part is concerned (namely, head, sill, jamb, mullion, stile, rail).

All of these mortise and tenon joints are a considerable if not complete deterrent to the handyman who is daunted by the technical difficulties. For the manufacturer of windows on a commercial scale, the difficulties are minimised by the use ofjigs and special machinery but the machinery is expensive. For the small builder or joiner for whom the making of good mortise and tenon joints presents no problems, there is the time or labour factor which will often price his tailor-made window out of the market.

The object of the present invention is to provide the handyman and the building trade with a method of manufacturing window frames of various shapes and sizes from the minimum number of different sections of framing and also to provide a kit of parts usable to carry the invention into effect.

Timber for making window frames is known as framing and can be bought already rebated for glazing and moulded to stock sections and patterns, and the word "framing" as used herein is to be so interpreted.

The present invention stems from the realisation that nowadays, with the availability of adhesives which are not liable to attack by various living organisms and which are resistant to virtually all normal environmental conditions, the use of mortise and tenon joints in the construction of windows is quite unnecessary. Accordingly, the present invention consists in a method of making a window frame, which method includes the step of applying to a first piece of framing (as defined above) a template which can be slid along said first piece of framing, in the manner of a close fitting sleeve, the cross-sectional shapes of said first piece of framing and of said template being identical; sliding said template along said first piece of framing to a first selected position thereon and temporarily securing said template to said first piece of framing so as to maintain said positioning; removing the waste from one end of said first piece of framing by cutting said first piece as closely as possible to the edges at one end of said template to shape said one end of the piece of framing; butting the cut and shaped end of said first piece of framing up against a second piece of framing so as to bring their rebates into alignment and securing said first and said second pieces of framing to one another; and repeating said steps with other pieces of framing and appropriate templates in order to make various other constituent parts of the window frame which is to be built, the securing of said other constituent parts to each other and to said first and second pieces of framing being done at one time or in the order best suited to the stage of construction which has been reached.

The present invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the diagrammatic drawings which accompanied the Provisional Specification and in which: Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a template for a transome and a mullion, said template being for use in carrying out a part of the method of the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of said template, namely, looking through the hollow template in the direction of the arrow A in Figure 1; Figure 3 and Figure 4 are two perspective views, looking from different positions, of a hollow template for a jamb and a head, said template being for use in carrying out another part of the method according to the invention; Figure 5 illustrates in perspective the template of Figures 3 and 4 applied to one end of a piece of framing suitable for use as jambs or as a head; Figure 6 illustrates a plan view of the underside of the template/framing shown in Figure 5; Figures 7, 8 and 9 illustrate scrap views, each in perspective, of joints prepared in accordance with the method of the invention between a sill and a jamb, a transome and a jamb, and a jamb and a head, respectively; and the two other sheets of drawings containing Figures 10 to 23 set out the manner in which various exemplary kits (Figures 10 to 15) could be made up for sale and the window frames which could be made using said kits (Figures 16 to 23).

Referring briefly to the drawings, a sill 10 is cut to the length (to include horns if required) necessary for the wall opening and is placed in position in said opening. Said sill is provided with a glazing rebate 11. A piece of framing of section suitable for a jamb is then taken and has applied thereto the template of Figures 3 and 4, in the manner shown in Figures 5 and 6; In fact, said template 12 will need to be slid down to the other end of the framing 13 because the piece of framing in the attitude depicted is suitable to form a left-hand side jamb and the template is so illustrated as being at the top of said piece of framing. The template is temporarily fixed to the flaming. A saw-cut is then made transversely of the framing 13, using the three edges 14 (see Figure 4) as guides for the saw whose blade should be kept as close as possible to and parallel to the plane containing said edges 14. This saw-cut will be complete when the teeth of the saw are at the two edges 15. There-upon, another saw-cut is made longitudinally of the framing 13, using said edges 15 as guides for the saw whose blade should be kept as close as possible to and parallel to the plane containing said edges 15. In this manner, the waste portion of framing falls away when the saw-cuts join up with one another, leaving a nose 16 (Figure 7) on the framing 13. Said nose 16 becomes accommodated in the rebate 11 of the sill 10. The framing or jamb 13 is now a perfect fit at the sill end thereof and said rebate 11 is in perfect alignment with the rebate 17 of the framing 13. This procedure must be repeated, with suitable framing, to produce the right-hand side jamb.

Another piece of framing, whose crosssectional shape is identical with that of the two jambs,,is placed temporarily in said opening to form the head. Each jamb 13 is placed on the sill 10 as shown in Figure 7 and is then offered up to the head and the template is slid along to the required position. Saw-cuts similar to those described in the preceding paragraph are made to remove the waste wood and to leave a nose 18 (Figure 9) which will be accommodated in the glazing rebate 19 of the head 20. The rebates 17 of the two jambs (only one of which is illustrated) will be perfectly aligned with the rebate 19 of the head 20.

Thus, the constituent elements of a frame are ready and may be secured to one another by means of a suitable modern adhesive such for example as P.V.A. or epoxy resin adhesives.

Transomes and mullions are treated in a similar manner, a piece of framing 30 suitable for transome or mullion being shown in Figure 8 and being used as a transome. A template 31 is employed (Figures 1 and 2), and, as before, one end of the transome is made first and then the half-made transome or mullion is offered up to enable the worker to mark the next sawcut positions at the other end of the transome with the slidable template 31.

Although templates have not been illustrated for sliding along framing suitable for making opening lights and opening casements, nor templates for sliding along glazing bars where such glazing bars have a section different from that of the transome/mullion, it will be readily appreciated that the principle will be the same for such other templates and their mode of use.

It will be noticed that each template has at least one hole 40 therein. This is to enable the workman to fix the template concerned temporarily in position so as to enable the sawing to be carried out with the greatest possible accuracy. The fixing means could resemble a large drawing pin.

All thjoints provided will be very strong in spite of the fact that the surfaces concerned only butt up against one another. Both compression joints and tension joints are provided as parts of each joint.

The glazing rebates referred to above can also be used to accommodate casements and lights where required.

It may be desirable to provide some.mechanical connection between any two pieces of framing which have been butted up against one another in addition to applying an adhesive to the respective surface(s) of at least one of the pieces of framing which are to be joined to one another in a permanent manner. Said mechanical connection could be effected for example by means of a screw or a nail, said screw or nail being driven through one piece across the grain thereof and into the other piece along the grain thereof. The mechanical connection thus provided, or however else provided, may be desirable because an applied adhesive is likely to be absorbed more quickly by the grain of timber at a cut end than it will be by the grain of timber at any surface which does not extend across the grain; said mechanical connection will constitute a fail-safe way making a secure joint.

From yet another aspect, the present invention consists of a kit of parts which is usable to carry out the method according to the present invention and which comprises at least: (1) a first piece of framing for the sill; (2) three second pieces of framing for the jambs and head; and (3) a template whose cross-sectional shape is identical with that of each of the three second pieces of framing. The precise make-up of the kit will depend on the window frame which is to be made but examples of kits and of the windows which can be made with those kits are diagrammatically set out in Figures 10 to 15 and Figures 16 to 23, respectively, of the accompanying drawings.

Said basic window frame kit could be augmented by adhesive of the correct type and quantity, and a quantity of preservative for application to any cut ends, and possibly a fixing means by the use of which the template can be temporarily fixed to the framing.

The templates could be of metal or of some appropriately rigid synthetic resin material.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A method of making a window frame, which method includes the steps of applying to a first piece of framing (as defined above) a template which can be slid along said first piece of framing in the manner of a close-fitting sleeve, the cross-sectional shapes of said first piece of framing and to said template being identical; sliding said template along said first piece of framing to a first selected position thereon and temporarily securing said template to the first piece of framing so as to maintain said positioning; removing the waste from one end of said first piece of framing by cutting said first piece as closely as possible to the edges at one end of said template to shape said one end of the piece of framing; butting the cut and shaped end of said first piece of framing up against a second piece of framing so as to bring their rebates into alignment and securing said first and said second pieces of framing to one another; and repeating said steps with other pieces of framing and appropriate templates in order to make various other constituent parts of the window frame which is to be built, the securing of said other constituent parts to each other and to said first and second pieces of framing being done at one time or in the order best suited to the stage of construction which has been reached.

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the step of securing said pieces of framing to one another is effected by the application of an adhesive to at least one of said pieces prior to their being butted up against one another.

3. A method as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said step of securing said pieces of framing to one another includes the provision of a mechanical connection of said two pieces to one another after they have been butted up against one another.

4. A kit of parts for carrying out the method claimed in Claim 1, said kit comprising at least: (a) a first piece of framing for the sill; (b) three second pieces of framing for the jambs and head; and (c) a template whose cross-sectional shape is identical with that of each of the three second pieces of framing.

5. A kit of parts as claimed in Claim 4, which further includes at least an adhesive.

6. A kit of parts substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any of Figures 10 to 23 of the accompanying drawings.

7. A method of making a window frame, said method being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any of Figures 1 to 23 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A window frame when made in accordance with the method as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3 and 7.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. of the transome/mullion, it will be readily appreciated that the principle will be the same for such other templates and their mode of use. It will be noticed that each template has at least one hole 40 therein. This is to enable the workman to fix the template concerned temporarily in position so as to enable the sawing to be carried out with the greatest possible accuracy. The fixing means could resemble a large drawing pin. All thjoints provided will be very strong in spite of the fact that the surfaces concerned only butt up against one another. Both compression joints and tension joints are provided as parts of each joint. The glazing rebates referred to above can also be used to accommodate casements and lights where required. It may be desirable to provide some.mechanical connection between any two pieces of framing which have been butted up against one another in addition to applying an adhesive to the respective surface(s) of at least one of the pieces of framing which are to be joined to one another in a permanent manner. Said mechanical connection could be effected for example by means of a screw or a nail, said screw or nail being driven through one piece across the grain thereof and into the other piece along the grain thereof. The mechanical connection thus provided, or however else provided, may be desirable because an applied adhesive is likely to be absorbed more quickly by the grain of timber at a cut end than it will be by the grain of timber at any surface which does not extend across the grain; said mechanical connection will constitute a fail-safe way making a secure joint. From yet another aspect, the present invention consists of a kit of parts which is usable to carry out the method according to the present invention and which comprises at least: (1) a first piece of framing for the sill; (2) three second pieces of framing for the jambs and head; and (3) a template whose cross-sectional shape is identical with that of each of the three second pieces of framing. The precise make-up of the kit will depend on the window frame which is to be made but examples of kits and of the windows which can be made with those kits are diagrammatically set out in Figures 10 to 15 and Figures 16 to 23, respectively, of the accompanying drawings. Said basic window frame kit could be augmented by adhesive of the correct type and quantity, and a quantity of preservative for application to any cut ends, and possibly a fixing means by the use of which the template can be temporarily fixed to the framing. The templates could be of metal or of some appropriately rigid synthetic resin material. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A method of making a window frame, which method includes the steps of applying to a first piece of framing (as defined above) a template which can be slid along said first piece of framing in the manner of a close-fitting sleeve, the cross-sectional shapes of said first piece of framing and to said template being identical; sliding said template along said first piece of framing to a first selected position thereon and temporarily securing said template to the first piece of framing so as to maintain said positioning; removing the waste from one end of said first piece of framing by cutting said first piece as closely as possible to the edges at one end of said template to shape said one end of the piece of framing; butting the cut and shaped end of said first piece of framing up against a second piece of framing so as to bring their rebates into alignment and securing said first and said second pieces of framing to one another; and repeating said steps with other pieces of framing and appropriate templates in order to make various other constituent parts of the window frame which is to be built, the securing of said other constituent parts to each other and to said first and second pieces of framing being done at one time or in the order best suited to the stage of construction which has been reached.