US2866527A - Extruded window mullion and curtain wall structures - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 30, 1958 F. A. SCHILLING 2,866,527

EXTRUDED WINDOW MULLION AND CURTAIN WALL STRUCTURES Filed Dec. 10, 1956 M I [III/Ill IN VENTOR FREDERICK A. SCH/LLING fad/(51m ATTORN United States Patent EXTRUDED WINDOW MULLION AND CURTAIN WALL STRUCTURES Frederick A. Schilling, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Application December 10, 1956, Serial N 0. 627,310

4 Claims. (Cl. 189-76) My invention relates to improvements in extruded window mullion and curtain wall structures.

The present general form of mullions for use in large windows and in curtain walls of large buildings is usually of two parts, one of which is erected vertically across an opening to carry wall and window panels and is usually an external U-shaped member and the other a member to be used exteriorly to close the open back of the U-shaped member and to serve also as interior trim for the window or curtain wall. In structures of this nature it becomes necessary to drill complementary bolt or screw holes in the members in order to bind them together with bolts or screws and obviously it is a tedious procedure to align the parts together with the bolt holes properly in register.

To obviate the above, is the principal object of the present invention.

Further objects are to provide a capping member which can be put into place with consummate ease and secured to the supporting member by the simple expedient of lightly tapping the capping member into close proximity to the supporting member.

Other objects will appear as the specification proceeds.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a mullion made up of outer and inner extruded metal sections.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of a mullion having an outer extruded metal section and a wood inner section.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective of a building showing the position in which the mullion sections are used.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

The numeral indicates generally an outer mullion which consists of a U-shaped generally extruded section having side walls 12, a front or connecting wall 14 and outwardly extending flanges 16. The flanges 16 serve in part to receive the edges of curtain wall panels, sash frames, window frames or other parts 18 which form part of a curtain Wall 20. The inner edges of the side walls 12 are provided with opposed sawtooth ribs 22, each having an inwardly inclined bevel 24 and a substantially right angular latching seat 26.

The inner mullion generally indicated by the numeral 30 is not generally required to serve as a supporting member and is preferably made of thinner members, but is otherwise largely similar to the outer mullion 10. The inner mullion is provided with similar side walls 12, connecting wall 14, flanges 16 and sawtooth ribs 22 as before described. The flanges 16 of the inner mullion section 30 may be provided with right angularly turned cap strips 32 which overlie the flanges 16 of the outer mullion and extend to whatever curtain Wall member is carried by said outer mullion.

Where a wood finish member is substituted for the inner mullion section 30, said wood member or casing, as indicated by the numeral 34 and shown in Figure 2, is hollow backed or provided with the shallow groove 36 having spaced side Walls 38 which extend forwardly towards the sash or other parts 18.

, The mullion sections 10 and 30 are secured in intimate contact with each other by a connector strip 40 which is engaging position.

preferably of plastic having a small amount of flexibility and resilience. The connector strip 40 has a web 42 which is preferably of substantial thickness and supports a pair of flanges 44 on its front and rear face. Each flange 44 is provided with a sawtooth rib 46 which ribs aer provided with leading bevels 48 and a latching seat 50. If it is desired to insulate the outer and inner mullions 1i and 30 respectively against each other and to utilize the connector strip 40 as a vapor barrier, a ribbon 52 is formed integrally with the strip and extends parallel to the flanges 16 of the outer mullion and is then inwardly turned as at 54 towards the curtain will sash 18. The inner part 54 of the ribbon also serves as a stop to prevent the flanges 44 from extending too far inwardly between the side walls 12 when closing the opening of the mullion into which the connecter has been inserted. The part 54 is not, however, necessary when using a wood casing 34 since the casing itself backs up the sawtooth ribs of the co-nnecter so that they will extend properly into engaging position with the complementary parts.

Obviously if wood casings 34 are used to cap the outer mullion one set of sawtooth ribs 22 only are used and the wood will be secured to the connector strip by a suitable cement, or by any other preferred means.

When the outer mullions 10' are in place and the curtain wall and window parts are all connected thereto, the inner mullions 30 or the wood casings, are affixed by inserting a suitable length of connector strip into a member 10 until the sawtooth ribs of both become mutually engaged. The inner mullion is then placed over the exposed flanges of the connector strip and forced into What I claim as my invention is:

l. A mullion structure for curtain walls comprising an extruded metal U-shaped mullion section having spaced side walls defining an elongated opening, each of said side walls having on its inner face a sawtoothed rib, an extruded metal capping member to close said opening, a connector strip of low heat transfer material carried by the capping member, said connector strip having a pair of spaced flanges each provided with a rib, the ribs of the flanges being mutually shaped to enter into locking engagement one with the other when the capping member is forced into juxtaposition with the first-named mu1- lion section and a ribbon formed integrally with the connector strip and extending between the metallic mullion section and the metallic capping member to isolate the metallic sections one from the other.

2. A mullion structure for curtain walls as claimed in claim 1, wherein the co-nnecter rib is provided with a pair of stop members extending outwardly beyond the spaced flanges and parallel thereto.

3. A mullion structure for curtain walls as claimed in claim 1, wherein the capping member is U-shaped having side walls each provided with a sawtoothed rib and the connecter strip is provided with spaced flanges on both of its faces and extending in opposite directions.

4. A mullion structure for curtain walls as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mullion and the capping member are U-shaped and provided with latching ribs and the connector strip is a web having a pair of flanges extending from each face, the flanges having latching ribs at their free ends, and a pair of stop members aligned with the web and adapted to be engaged between contiguous faces when the mullion structure is assembled and form a vapour barrier separation between said faces.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS

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