Kit for converting single-glazed window to double-glazed window

• US 4,074,480 A
• Filed: 02/12/1976
• Issued: 02/21/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Henry W.G. Burton
• Original Assignee: Henry W.G. Burton
• Inventors: Burton, Henry W. G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ridgill, Jr., James L.
• Application Number:
  US05/657,376
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 52/171, 52/172, 52/304, 52/305, 52/616, 52/127, 52/173, 52/202, 428/34
• US Class Current: 52/127.1
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/5418 Permanently fixing of an additional unframed pane compound frames E06B3/2605
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/667 Connectors therefor

Abstract

A double-glazed window is readily made by installing onto an existing window a spacing frame containing a desiccant and joining a matching pane of glass to the spacer around the periphery thereof, thereby making an air tight seal about the air between the glass panes, with the desiccant in the spacing frame or in a portion thereof being communicable with the air between the panes so as to remove moisture from it to prevent undesirable condensation. The described double-glazed windows are readily installed by the homeowner, using a kit of materials for construction of the spacing frame and installation thereof. The kit includes spacing sides, previously cut to size for the particular window, having desiccant inside at least one of said sides, at least one opening in such a side containing desiccant, which opening faces the air volume when the frame is installed, sealing means for closing the opening during shipment and before use and sealant at ends of the tubular sides to prevent air leakage to the desiccant through such ends. Corner pieces are utilized to hold the sides together and preferably a corner piece is installed on each of the four sides to make the frame and is held in place by sealant, which also prevents air access to the desiccant through such end at which the corner piece is installed.

By means of the present invention the homeowner can measure his windows, order a kit including the requisite side pieces, at least one of which includes desiccant sealed off from contact with the atmosphere but with at least part of such a seal being removable upon installation, and sealant, and with these and preferably also with framing strips for decoratively and functionally framing the panes to be installed, can easily convert an ordinary window to a doble-glazed window.

Also described are the kit for making the double-glazed window, the method in which it is employed and the structure of the spacing member utilized.

Claims

1. A kit of components for converting a single-glazed window into a double-glazed window which comprises a plurality of elongated spacing side members of tubular shape adapted to be assembled together at the ends thereof to form a spacing frame to fit about the periphery of the single-glazed window, at least one of said members having an opening in a wall communicating with the interior of such assembled frame, a desiccant inside such member, sealant in said member sealing off the desiccant therein so as to prevent contact between it and moisture in air except through the opening communicating with the interior of the assembled frame when said opening is not closed off, and readily removable tape sealing means closing off said opening.

2. A kit according to claim 1 wherein the desiccant is a molecular sieve zeolite and which kit contains a container of polysulfide rubber cement or sealant for holding the spacing frame in place against the window onto which it is installed and for holding window glass being installed to the spacing frame in air tight and moisture vapor tight assembly.

3. A kit according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of tubular spacing side members is four such members, which are of substantially straight sided cross-section, at least one of which has an opening or a plurality of openings in a side thereof which faces the interior of the assembled frame, which frame is of rectangular shape, the desiccant is of such characteristics that it does not pass through said opening(s), and the readily removable tape sealing means closing the openings in said member is a strip of pressure sensitive adhesive tape, and which kit includes four corner members adapted to be inserted into the tubes and to hold them together as a frame to facilitate installation.

4. A kit according to claim 3 wherein the sides of the spacing side members are of the same construction, with opposite pairs of said members, when installed, being of substantially the same dimensions, and with at least one thereof having a plurality of openings in a seam in a side thereof facing the interior of the frame, when assembled, the desiccant is in granular form and of such size as not to be passable through opening(s) in the seam in the spacing side member in which it is contained, the corner members are of such size and shape as to be fitted into the spacing side members, a corner member is present inserted into each of the spacing side members and sealant in such a member seals off desiccant therein except for the openings in the interior side seam by sealing off the spaces between the corner members and the spacing side members into which they are inserted.

5. A kit according to claim 4 which includes a framing strip or a plurality of said strips for framing window glass installed against the spacing frame, and a container of a polysulfide rubber cement or sealant for holding the spacing frame in place against the window onto which it is installed, holding window glass being installed to the spacing frame and holding the external framing strips to said glass, in air tight and moisture vapor tight assembly, and wherein the spacing side member containing desiccant contains molecular sieve zeolite desiccant.