Internal anchor board-up system

• US 8,490,346 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SecureView, LLC
• Original Assignee: SecureView, LLC
• Inventors: Wedren, Howard Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Katcheves, Basil
• Assistant Examiner(s): MINTZ, RODNEY K
• Application Number:
  US13/076,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20110239559A1
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 522/02, 522/03, 521/06, 527/452.1, 52D/IG.12, 49/57, 494/63, 49/50, 49/54, 494/65
• US Class Current: 52/202
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/00 Screening or protective devices for wall or similar openings, with or without operating or securing mechanisms; Closures of similar construction E06B5/10 takes precedence; wings for doors or windows, connected at their edges, E06B3/48; additional indoor equipment of doors or windows, not forming part of the proper finishing work of a building, e.g. curtains, A47H; gratings as building elements E04C2/24; fastening means E05; operating-mechanisms for wings in general E05F

Abstract

An internal anchor board-up system for windows is disclosed. The internal anchor board-up system may include an exterior window cover, one or more interior clamping beams, and bolts or fasteners connecting the cover to the beam. The exterior cover is preferably transparent, such as a plexiglass cover, so that the internal anchor board-up system is substantially more aesthetically pleasing than traditional board-up systems relying upon plywood. Further, a transparent plexiglass or acrylic cover is stronger and harder to cut through than plywood.

Claims

1. A system for securing a window pane framed by a pair of opposing side frame members, a top frame member and a bottom frame member, the frame members being surrounded by a pair of side casings, a head casing and a window sill, the system consisting essentially of:

an exterior polycarbonate cover including four corners and four through-holes wherein each of the four through-holes are each disposed diagonally inside one of the four corners, the cover including a pair of opposing side edges, a top edge and a bottom edge, the cover being sized so that the opposing side edges rest on the side frame members with two side gaps disposed between the side edges of the cover and the side casings, the two side gaps having a cumulative width of 0.5 inches or less;

a first interior clamping beam and a second interior clamping beam, each of the clamping beams including two opposite ends and only two through-holes with a single through-hole disposed inside each of the opposite ends, the first and second clamping beams being elongated and flat, wherein each end of each clamping beam includes a foot for engaging an interior surface of a building structure and supporting the clamping beams above said interior surface; and

four threaded fasteners and four nuts, each fastener having a head connected to a threaded shaft that passes through one of the four corners of the cover and one of the through-holes inside the opposite ends of one of the beams, each head directly engaging the cover, each nut threadably engaging one of the threaded shafts for imposing a clamping force between the cover and one of the clamping beams.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first clamping beam and second clamping beam are disposed parallel to each other.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first clamping beam and second clamping beam are disposed parallel to each other and horizontally.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the exterior cover is transparent.

5. A method for boarding up a window pane framed by a pair of opposing side frame members, a top frame member and a bottom frame member, the frame members being surrounded by a pair of side casings, a head casing and a window sill, the method consisting essentially of:

providing an exterior polycarbonate cover including four corners and four through-holes, each through-hole being disposed diagonally inside one of the four corners, the cover including a pair of opposing side edges, a top edge and a bottom edge, the cover being sized so that the opposing side edges rest on the side frame members with two side gaps disposed between the side edges of the cover and the side casings, the two side gaps having a cumulative width of 0.5 inches or less;

providing first and a second interior clamping beams sized to be wider or longer than a window opening, each clamping beam including two opposite ends and only two through-holes with a single through-hole disposed inside each of the opposite ends, the first and second clamping beams being elongated and flat, wherein each clamping beam includes a foot at each opposite end for engaging an interior surface of a building structure and supporting the clamping beams above said interior surface;

providing four threaded fasteners and four nuts, each fastener having a head connected to a threaded shaft, each nut for threadably engaging one of the threaded shafts;

placing the exterior cover over an exterior of the window pane;

placing the first interior clamping beam across an interior the window pane;

connecting the exterior cover to the first clamping beam with two of the threaded fasteners by passing one of the two threaded shafts through one of the through-holes in the cover so that each of said threaded shaft passes through one of said through-holes of the first clamping beam;

threadably engaging one nut on each of the two threaded shafts that have passed through the through-holes of the first clamping beam and clamping the first clamping beam and cover towards each other as each head directly engages the cover;

connecting the exterior cover to the second clamping beam with the two remaining threaded fasteners by passing one of the two threaded shafts through one of the remaining through-holes in the cover so that each threaded shaft passes through one of the through-holes of the second clamping beam; and

threadably engaging one nut on each of the two threaded shafts that have passed through the through-holes of the second clamping beam and clamping the second clamping beam and cover towards each other.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the first clamping beam and second clamping beam are disposed parallel to each other.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the exterior cover is transparent.

8. A kit for boarding up a window pane framed by a pair of opposing side frame members, a top frame member and a bottom frame member, the frame members being surrounded by a pair of side casings, a head casing and a window sill, the kit consisting essentially of:

a first exterior polycarbonate cover with four corners and four through-holes, each through-hole being disposed diagonally inside one of the four corners, the cover including a pair of opposing side edges, a top edge and a bottom edge, the cover being sized so that the opposing side edges rest on the side frame members with two side gaps disposed between the side edges of the cover and the side casings, the two side gaps having a cumulative width of 0.5 inches or less;

a first interior clamping beam and a second interior clamping beam, each clamping beam including two opposite ends and only two through-holes with a single through-hole disposed inside each of the opposite ends, the first and second clamping beams being elongated and flat, wherein each clamping beam includes a foot at each opposite end for engaging an interior surface of a building structure and supporting the clamping beams above said interior surface; and

four threaded fasteners and four nuts, each fastener having a head connected to a threaded shaft that passes through one of the four corners of the cover and one of the through-holes inside the opposite ends of one of the beams as the head directly engages the cover, each nut threadably engaging one of the threaded shafts for imposing a clamping force between the cover and one of the clamping beams.

9. The kit of claim 8 wherein the first clamping beam and second clamping beam are disposed parallel to each other and horizontally.

10. The kit of claim 8 wherein the exterior cover is transparent.