Hardened operable window systems and methods

A blast, ballistic, and entry resistant operable window system for installation in a wall of a building, comprising:

• a sliding exterior glazing panel assembly having an exterior glazing frame, an interior glazing frame coupled with the exterior glazing frame, a glazing panel disposed between the exterior glazing frame and the interior glazing frame, a plurality of settling blocks in contact with the glazing panel, a plurality of upper exterior ball transfer units, and a plurality of lower exterior ball transfer units;
• a sliding interior glazing panel assembly having an exterior glazing frame, an interior glazing frame coupled with the exterior glazing frame, a glazing panel disposed between the exterior glazing frame and the interior glazing frame, a plurality of settling blocks in contact with the glazing panel, a plurality of upper interior ball transfer units, and a plurality of lower interior ball transfer units;
• an exterior frame assembly having an upper raceway that receives the plurality of upper exterior ball transfer units of the exterior glazing panel assembly, a lower raceway that receives the plurality of lower exterior ball transfer units of the exterior glazing panel assembly, and a plurality of plates;
• an interior frame assembly having an upper raceway that receives the plurality of upper interior ball transfer units of the interior glazing panel assembly, a lower raceway that receives the plurality of lower interior ball transfer units of the interior glazing panel assembly, and a plurality of plates;
• an exterior gasket configured for placement between the exterior frame assembly and the wall of the building;
• a central gasket configured for placement between the exterior frame assembly and the interior frame assembly;
• and
• an interior gasket configured for placement between the interior frame assembly and the wall of the building,
• wherein the plurality of plates of the interior frame assembly are positionally aligned with the plurality of plates of the exterior frame assembly when the blast, ballistic, and entry resistant operable window system is installed in the wall of the building.

A method of installing a blast, ballistic, and entry resistant operable window system in a wall of a building, comprising:

• placing a sliding exterior glazing panel assembly of the system into an exterior frame assembly of the system, the sliding exterior glazing panel assembly having an exterior glazing frame, an interior glazing frame coupled with the exterior glazing frame, a glazing panel disposed between the exterior glazing frame and the interior glazing frame, a plurality of settling blocks in contact with the glazing panel, a plurality of upper exterior ball transfer units, and a plurality of lower exterior ball transfer units, and the exterior frame assembly having an upper raceway that receives the plurality of upper exterior ball transfer units of the exterior glazing panel assembly and a lower raceway that receives the plurality of lower exterior ball transfer units of the exterior glazing panel assembly;
• placing a sliding interior glazing panel assembly of the system into an interior frame assembly of the system, the sliding interior glazing panel assembly having an exterior glazing frame, an interior glazing frame coupled with the exterior glazing frame, a glazing panel disposed between the exterior glazing frame and the interior glazing frame, a plurality of settling blocks in contact with the glazing panel, a plurality of upper interior ball transfer units, and a plurality of lower interior ball transfer units, and the interior frame assembly having an upper raceway that receives the plurality of upper interior ball transfer units of the interior glazing panel assembly and a lower raceway that receives the plurality of lower interior ball transfer units of the interior glazing panel assembly;
• positioning the exterior frame assembly exterior to the wall of the building;
• positioning the interior frame assembly inferior to the wall of the building;
• placing a central gasket between the exterior frame assembly and the interior frame assembly;
• placing an exterior gasket between the exterior frame assembly and an exterior surface of the wall of the building;
• placing an interior gasket between the interior frame assembly and an interior surface of the wall of the building;
• and
• coupling the exterior frame assembly with the interior frame assembly.