Pivotally mounted hermetically sealed window unit

Claim 2

A window comprising a main frame mountable within a building wall, defining a window opening therein, and including first means defining a seal about said window opening adjacent the outer edge thereof and comprising a plurality of expandable members oriented in different planes, second means defining a seal about said window opening adjacent the inner edge thereof and comprising a plurality of expandable members oriented in different planes, a sub-frame pivotally mounted on said main frame for movement into said window opening and comprising first and second sealing surfaces, each having portions thereof oriented in distinct planes for cooperation with said first and second seal means, a peripheral member having spaced, inwardly directed glazing fins formed on the inner face thereof and a resilient structural gasket mounted on each of said fins adapted to receive and maintain airtight contact with the edges of glass panels, and glass panels mounted in each gasket and defining, with said gaskets, fins, and peripheral member, a hermetically sealed airspace, and flexible communication means for connecting said otherwise hermetically sealed airspace to an air filtration and drying system, regardless of the relative pivotal positions of said main and sub-frames.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 including a manifold in the building in which the window is mounted and connected to said flexible means, a plurality of such windows, each similarly in communication with said manifold.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 including means connected to said manifold for cleaning and drying air therein.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 2 including means in said manifold forming an open port at a location at which the ambient pressure is substantially identical to that pressure on the outside of the building wall.

Claim 6

A plurality of window units for installation in the wall of a building defining a substantially enclosed volume, each unit comprising a main frame having sealing means formed therein, a sub-frame having a sealed volume contained therein between a pair of laterally spaced window panes, means for pivotally mounting said sub-frame in said main frame for movement of said sub-frame against said sealing means to prevent the passage of air and moisture between said frames, and means, distant from said main frame, for removing moisture from within the said sealed volumes of each of the plurality of window units and for maintaining each said window unit substantially free from visual distortion as viewed from the exterior of said enclosed volume, said means comprising: a hygroscopic material, first flexible air passage means providing communication between each said otherwise sealed volume and said hygroscopic material regardless of the relative pivotal positions of any of said main and sub-frames, and second air passage means providing continuous communication between said hygroscopic material and a relatively unconfined volume, as compared to said sealed volume, in which the atmospheric pressure substantially corresponds to the atmospheric pressure prevailing exterIorally of said enclosed volume.

Claim 7

A plurality of window units for installation in the wall of a building defining a substantially enclosed volume, each unit comprising a main frame having sealing means formed therein, a sub-frame having a sealed volume contained therein between a pair of laterally spaced window panes, means for pivotally mounting said sub-frame in said main frame for movement of said sub-frame against said sealing means to prevent the passage of air and moisture between said frames, and means, distant from said main frame, for removing moisture from within the said sealed volumes of each of the plurality of window units and for maintaining each said window unit substantially free from visual distortion as viewed from the exterior of said enclosed volume, said means comprising: a hygroscopic material, first flexible air passage means providing communication between each said otherwise sealed volume and said hygroscopic material regardless of the relative pivotal positions of any of said main and sub-frames, and second air passage means providing continuous communication between said hygroscopic material and a relatively unconfined volume, as compared to said sealed volume, in which the atmospheric pressure substantially corresponds to the atmospheric pressure prevailing exterIorally of said enclosed volume.

Claim 8

An openable window having parallel panes therein separated by an air space comprising a main frame mounted in the wall of a building defining a main frame opening and having an inner edge at the inside of the building wall and an outer edge at the outside of the building wall, seal means mounted in said main frame adjacent each of said inner and outer edges and extending entirely about the periphery of said main frame opening, at least one portion of each of said inner and outer edge seal means being so positioned as to be angularly related to the common plane of the remainder of each said seal means, a sub-frame pivotally attached to said main frame along one edge thereof and having inner and outer edge sealing surfaces operatively aligned with said inner and outer edge sealing means, at least one portion of said inner and outer edge sealing surfaces being angularly related to the common plane of the remainder of said inner and outer edge sealing surfaces whereby said sub-frame may be pivoted into and out of said main frame opening without causing said sub-frame sealing surfaces to scuff or wear said seal means, at least two glazing fins extending inwardly from said sub-frame, glazing gaskets mounted on each of said fins, each sealingly supporting one of said parallel panes, and means for sealing each said glazing gaskets to said sub-frame about the entire periphery thereof.

Claim 9

An openable window having parallel panes therein separated by an air space comprising a main frame mounted in the wall of a building defining a main frame opening and having an inner edge at the inside of the building wall and an outer edge at the outside of the building wall, seal means mounted in said main frame adjacent each of said inner and outer edges and extending entirely about the periphery of said main frame opening, at least one portion of each of said inner and outer edge seal means being so positioned as to be angularly related to the common plane of the remainder of each said seal means, a sub-frame pivotally attached to said main frame along one edge thereof and having inner and outer edge sealing surfaces operatively aligned with said inner and outer edge sealing means, at least one portion of said inner and outer edge sealing surfaces being angularly related to the common plane of the remainder of said inner and outer edge sealing surfaces whereby said sub-frame may be pivoted into and out of said main frame opening without causing said sub-frame sealing surfaces to scuff or wear said seal means, at least two glazing fins extending inwardly from said sub-frame, glazing gaskets mounted on each of said fins, each sealingly supporting one of said parallel panes, and means for sealing each said glazing gaskets to said sub-frame about the entire periphery thereof.

Claim 10

The window of claim 6 including means for filtering and drying the air in said air space.

Claim 11

The window of claim 6 including means located at a position remote from said window for allowing said air space to breathe through an air filtration and drying means to a relatively unconfined volume having a pressure substantially equal to that at said outer edge of said main frame, and means connecting said air space to said breathing means in sealing relationship thereto whereby said air space may receive or exhaust air only through the air filtration and drying means, regardless of the pivotal relationship of said main frame and said sub-frame.

Claim 12

In a building having a plurality of windows, each comprising a main frame supporting a sub-frame therein in hermetically sealed relationship thereto at the respective inner and outer edges thereof, each said sub-frame supporting at least two parallel window panes therein in hermetically sealed relationship so as to define an airspace therebetween, means for allowing said otherwise hermetically sealed air spaces to breathe through a common manifold, air drying material, and filter to a relatively unconfined volume having substantially the same pressure as that on the outside of the building, means for pivoting each said sub-frame relative to one edge of said main frame to temporarily disrupt the hermetic seal between said main and sub-frames of said windows, and means for maintaining the otherwise hermetically sealed relationship of every said air space and the connection thereof to said breathing means, regardless of the pivotal relationship of said frames.

Claim 13

In a building having a plurality of windows, each comprising a main frame supporting a sub-frame therein in hermetically sealed relationship thereto at the respective inner and outer edges thereof, each said sub-frame supporting at least two parallel window panes therein in hermetically sealed relationship so as to define an airspace therebetween, means for allowing said otherwise hermetically sealed air spaces to breathe through a common manifold, air drying material, and filter to a relatively unconfined volume having substantially the same pressure as that on the outside of the building, means for pivoting each said sub-frame relative to one edge of said main frame to temporarily disrupt the hermetic seal between said main and sub-frames of said windows, and means for maintaining the otherwise hermetically sealed relationship of every said air space and the connection thereof to said breathing means, regardless of the pivotal relationship of said frames.

Claim 14

A window unit comprising a main frame mountable in a building wall and defining an opening, a sub-frame pivotally attached to said main frame along one edge of each said frame for movement into and out of said opening, first seal means in said opening and supported by said main frame in a first plane which is substantially parallel to the plane defined by said main and sub-frames when they are pivotally aligned, second seal means in said opening and supported by said main frame in a second plane which is angularly related to said first plane, said first and second seal means being closely adjacent near the ends thereof to define a continuous seal about said opening, third seal means on at least one edge of said sub-frame and oriented in said first plane, and fourth seal means on at least one peripheral wall of said sub-frame and oriented in said second plane, saiD third and fourth seal means being closely adjacent near the ends thereof to define a continuous seal about the exterior of said sub-frame such that said first and third and said second and fourth seal means cooperate to positively seal said main and sub-frames when they are pivotally aligned.

Claim 15

A window unit comprising a main frame mountable in a building wall and defining an opening, a sub-frame pivotally attached to said main frame along one edge of each said frame for movement into and out of said opening, first seal means in said opening and supported by said main frame in a first plane which is substantially parallel to the plane defined by said main and sub-frames when they are pivotally aligned, second seal means in said opening and supported by said main frame in a second plane which is angularly related to said first plane, said first and second seal means being closely adjacent near the ends thereof to define a continuous seal about said opening, third seal means on at least one edge of said sub-frame and oriented in said first plane, and fourth seal means on at least one peripheral wall of said sub-frame and oriented in said second plane, saiD third and fourth seal means being closely adjacent near the ends thereof to define a continuous seal about the exterior of said sub-frame such that said first and third and said second and fourth seal means cooperate to positively seal said main and sub-frames when they are pivotally aligned.

Claim 16

The window of claim 10 in which said second plane is perpendicular to said first plane and said second and fourth seal means extend along the same side of said window as the means by which said frames are pivotally connected, separated therefrom by the depth of said sub-frame.

Claim 17

The window of claim 10 in which said second plane is at an acute angle relative to said first plane and said second and fourth seal means extend along the same side of the window as the means by which said frames are pivotally connected and are closely adjacent the pivotal connection thereof.

Claim 18

The window of claim 10 including a plurality of windowpanes mounted in said sub-frame in sealed relationship therewith and spaced from one another to define a sound attenuating airspace therebetween.

Claim 19

The window of claim 13 including means for connecting said airspace to an air drying and filtering breather system regardless of the relative pivotal positions of said main and sub-frames.

Claim 20

The window of claim 10 wherein said first through fourth seals are substantially duplicated near the inner and outer edges of the window to define a sound attenuating airspace between said main and sub-frames when said frames are pivotally aligned and said window is fully closed.