Framing bracket and method of cladding building walls

Abstract

A system, device and method of framing an opening, such as a window, in a clad façade 12 structure to align the window units 22 to be positioned adjustably so that the exterior sight lines align the windows without custom fabrication of the clad façade. This allows irregular variations in the original building structure to be eliminated by a perfectly aligned façade. A frame 20 has wide flanges 40 to allow the defined inner box frame area 34 to be positioned and then the frame can be shimmed to that position. Sections of frame 20 are joined by an angled member 54 with flat portion which are received in slots 56 in frame sections at their edges.

Claims

1. A boundary frame for installation in a building, said building having a building wall with a plurality of fixed size openings for receiving a window or door frames and wherein said building wall is overclad with a cladding wall which covers said building wall; said cladding wall having cladding wall openings for said windows or door frames; wherein said boundary frame is insertable into said cladding wall openings; and configured to align said openings of the building and the cladding walls openings with each other regardless of whether the openings in said building wall and said cladding walls are aligned; said boundary frame, comprising: a. a plurality of boundary frame elements having interior and exterior surfaces, said boundary frame elements joined to each other at corners to form a rectangle defining a rectangular inner box for receiving a window or door; said boundary frame elements being oriented generally orthogonally to and inserted into the cladding wall opening and the opening of the building wall; said interior surfaces of the boundary frame elements being flat; b. each of said boundary frame element further including: a first planar flange extending orthogonally from the exterior surface of each of said boundary frame elements; said first planar flange being in a first plane and extending outwardly; a second planar flange extending outwardly; said second planar flange being in a second plane orthogonal to the first plane; c. a joiner configured to connect adjacent boundary frame elements, so that when said boundary frame elements are joined by said joiner, the boundary frame elements are fixed relative to each other by said joiner.

2. The frame of claim 1, wherein each of said exterior surfaces lies in a frame plane, and said frame plane and said second plane are in parallel offset planes, thereby making said exterior surface and said second planar flanges parallel and offset from each other.

3. The frame of claim 1, wherein said joiners include: L-shaped members; and a channel formed in said exterior surface of said boundary frame element; said L-shaped members each having a pair of extensions connected at right angles from each other sized to be received within said channel.

4. The frame of claim 1 wherein the cladding wall is formed with vertical lines and wherein the boundary frame is aligned in parallel with the vertical lines.

5. The frame of claim 1 wherein a window is affixed to said boundary frame.

6. The frame of claim 1, wherein said opening in said building wall includes an internal frame having a front edge receiving flanges and wherein said boundary frame element is at least partly received within said front edge receiving flanges.

7. A boundary frame for installation in a building, said building having a building wall with a plurality of fixed sized openings for receiving a window or door frames and said building wall is overclad with a cladding wall which covers a building wall, said cladding wall having openings for said windows or door frames, wherein said boundary frame is insertable into said openings in said cladding wall; and said openings of the cladding wall are configured to align with each other regardless of whether the openings in said building wall are aligned, said boundary frame, comprising: a. a plurality of boundary frame elements having interior and exterior surfaces, said boundary frame elements joined to each other at corners to form a rectangle defining a rectangular inner box for receiving a window or door; said boundary frame elements being oriented generally orthogonally to and inserted into the opening of the cladding wall and the opening of the building wall; b. each of said boundary frame elements further including: a planar flange extending orthogonally from the exterior surface of each of said boundary frame elements; c. joiner elements having a pair of planar extensions, configured to overlap adjoining said exterior surfaces of said boundary frame elements, so that when said boundary frame elements are formed into a rectangle, said joiner elements maintain said boundary frame elements together; and d. wherein said exterior surface has a top edge; e. said boundary frame element further including an outwardly projecting flange offset from said top edge a predetermined distance, said flange being in a plane parallel with the exterior surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective schematic view of a box frame in a cladding wall with a window opening.

(2) FIGS. 2A and 2B are perspective views of half of a frame (the other half not shown but symmetrical thereto) in exploded and connected orientations.

(3) FIGS. 3A and 3B are portions of the frame in FIG. 2A, installed with the opening of a cladding wall.

(4) FIG. 4 is a top plan of a portion of the frame in FIG. 2A.

(5) FIGS. 5A and 5B are top sectional views of a portion of the frame installed.

(6) FIG. 6 is a top sectional view of a portion of the frame installed.

(7) FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C are top sectional views of a portion of the frame installed.

(8) FIGS. 8A, 8B, 8C and 8D are top sectional views of a portion of the frame and window unit installed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(9) This disclosure relates primarily to devices and method for framing in window/door openings in a clad façade to be applied over an original building façade, however, the devices and techniques can be used for other purposes related to the building trades beyond clad façade. To understand clad façade, reference should be had to my U.S. Pat. No. 7,752,818 which relates to devices and methods for attachment of such facades.

(10) The problem of putting a façade over an original building face is that to reduce costs, the façade should be prefabricated with the least amount of custom fitting on site. That is, the best outcome is that measurements can be taken, but final adjustments can be made without customization. Window and doors (and other openings) in buildings are rarely square and even good measurement can be off enough that final adjustment of the openings in the clad cover would need to be customized. Furthermore, window placement in the clad cover need to be accurately aligned with each other, no matter the errors in the original façade or the clad façade will not look neat and clean. Imagine an old building with windows which are several centimeters out of alignment. Normally that is hardly noticeable in a standard façade, but in a clad façade where lines are very straight vertically and horizontally such errors are very noticeable. The eye tends to follow straight lines.

(11) To solve these problems, the present disclosure describes a framing system and method which allows the opening in the clad over façade to have fixed openings relatively close to where the original façade's openings are, but then the frame which has wide flanges allows for the exact alignment of the openings to be made on site and without customization of the new façade wall. This greatly speeds installation and lowers costs.

(12) FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a window system 10, with a portion of the façade wall 12, shown as a clad section, which has a precut opening 14. The opening receives the frame 20 which will be explained in greater detail, and a window unit 22 which is inserted into the frame at final installation.

(13) FIGS. 2A and 2B show half a frame section connected (2B) and exploded (2A). In this embodiment, the building wall has its own framing 31, or a new frame has been installed. The framing 31 is configured to mate with the flanges 30 of the outer frame virtue of recesses or flanges 33 in the inner or outer frame.

(14) The other half is symmetric/mirror image of the shown half. See FIG. 1.

(15) The frame is constructed of a building material such as aluminum. Here there are 4 sections (more are possible for complex openings). Each section 30 has a planar portion 32 which will end up being oriented generally orthogonally to the façade. The four sections 30 will be joined together to form an inner box area 34. Between top and bottom edges of the section, a wide flange 40 extends orthogonally from section 30 away from the inner box. It is this flange which allows for adjustment of the position of the frame in the larger opening provided in the clad façade. The term “wide” is intended to mean wide enough to allow adjustment side to side or top to bottom and still provide a flange to façade overlap, for weatherproofing purposes. In practice 100 mm (50-250 mm) would work for many window openings. A second flange 44 extends orthogonally to wide flange 40 in a direction away from the building and provides an abutment surface for a window unit 22.

(16) Flanges 44 may be coplanar with planar portion 32 or it may be offset 60 in parallel planes as shown.

(17) The edges of frame portions 20 may have mitered edges to allow a close fit when joined. They may be joined by spot welding, adhesive or other means. The structure shown is a right angle joint element 54 which planar and has a thickness sized to be received in channel 56 formed of spaced apart guides 58. This allows for easy on site assembly of smaller parts and some degree of slideably adjustability if the inner box size 34 is an issue during installation.

(18) FIGS. 3A and 3B show a frame 20 installed. Notice that the window unit 22 can be positioned anywhere in the inner box space 34 and wooden/plastic/metal blocks/spacers are used to shim the window unit into exact position. The frame 20 can be shimmed into place with blocks 66 to be perfectly aligned with the sight lines of the clad façade, i.e. so that the windows are aligned from the exterior, making the exterior look perfectly aligned, without customizing the cladding fabrication. Wide flanges 40 “fill in the gap” allowing substantial centering flexibility and still maintain a seal between the cladding and the frame. Previously, the cladding had to be made to specific requirements, typically onsite to accommodate variances. Prefabricated construction is far simpler and cheaper but could not account for variances.

(19) FIG. 4 shows a top view of a frame portion in FIG. 2A.

(20) FIGS. 5A and 5B are top section views which include the abutting edge of the clad façade 70 and various screens which are used to attach the frame to the façade.

(21) FIG. 6 shows a further façade element 72.

(22) FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C show a top view of the full window unit 22 installed in various configurations. FIG. 7A is without the adjustable frame. FIG. 7B is with the adjustable frame 20 in place and FIG. 7C is an exploded view of FIG. 7B.

(23) FIG. 8A shows the subject matter of FIG. 5A bit with a façade element 72 in place over the frame 20 to show how the gap between the frame and the façade is fully covered. FIG. 8B is similar to FIG. 5A. FIGS. 8C and 8D show alternative covering materials 70 such as a corrugated metal surface.

(24) The description of the invention and its applications as set forth herein is illustrative and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Variations and modifications of the embodiments disclosed herein are possible and practical alternatives to and equivalents of the various elements of the embodiments would be understood to those of ordinary skill in the art upon study of this patent document. These and other variations and modifications of the embodiments disclosed herein may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.