Window actuator linkage assembly for alignment adjustment at a moveable portion of a window

An actuator linkage assembly for mounting on a moveable portion of a window, comprising:

• a first barrel bracket comprising a first opening;
• a second barrel bracket comprising a second opening, wherein said first and second barrel brackets are capable of being arranged to have a window chain linkage comprising a third opening positioned between the first and second barrel brackets so that the first, the second and the third openings are in substantial axial alignment to receive a fastener for insertion into the first, second and third openings;
• a bracket comprising a first surface, a second surface and a third surface, the first and second surfaces comprising a first slot and a second slot, and the second and third surfaces forming a channel, wherein at least a portion of the first barrel bracket and at least a portion of the second barrel bracket contact at least a portion of the first surface;
• a clamping plate positioned within the channel and in contact with the second surface, the clamping plate comprising a first hole configured to receive a first fastener inserted through a hole of the first barrel bracket and the first slot, and a second hole configured to receive a second fastener inserted through a hole of the second barrel bracket and the second slot,
• wherein the first barrel bracket is capable of being positioned along the first slot and the second barrel bracket is capable of being positioned along the second slot, whereby positioning the first and second barrel brackets allows an actuator chain to be aligned along its length, from a fixed part of the window to the window chain linkage.

A method for making an actuator linkage assembly for mounting on a moveable portion of a window suitable for use to align a chain of an actuator along a length of the chain between a fixed part of a window and a moveable portion of the window, comprising:

• providing for use on the moveable portion of the window a first barrel bracket comprising a first opening;
• providing for use on the moveable portion of the window a second barrel bracket comprising a second opening, wherein said first and second barrel brackets are capable of being arranged to have a window chain linkage connected to the chain and comprising a third opening, positioned between the first and second barrel brackets, wherein the first, second and third openings are capable of receiving a fastener for insertion into the first, second and third openings;
• providing a bracket comprising a first surface and a second surface comprising a first slot and a second slot, wherein at least a portion of the first barrel bracket and at least a portion of the second barrel bracket are capable of being positioned to contact at least a portion of the first surface;
• providing a clamping plate capable of being positioned within a channel of the bracket and in contact with the second surface, the clamping plate comprising a first hole configured to receive a first fastener inserted through a hole of the first barrel bracket and the first slot, and a second hole configured to receive a second fastener inserted through a hole of the second barrel bracket and the second slot, so that the chain is capable of being maintained in alignment along its length, from the fixed part of the window to the window chain linkage, upon mounting the bracket to the moveable portion of the window and securing the first barrel bracket along the first slot and the second barrel bracket along the second slot by respectively tightening the first and second fasteners.

A method for connecting an actuator chain extending from a fixed part of a window to a moveable portion of the window, comprising:

• providing for use on the moveable portion of the window a first barrel bracket comprising a first opening;
• providing for use on the moveable portion of the window a second barrel bracket comprising a second opening, wherein the first and second barrel brackets are capable of being arranged to have a window chain linkage connected to the chain and comprising a third opening capable of being positioned between the first and second barrel brackets, wherein the first, second and third openings are capable of receiving a fastener for insertion into the first, second and third openings;
• providing a bracket comprising a first surface and a second surface, said first and second surfaces comprising a first slot and a second slot, wherein at least a portion of the first barrel bracket and at least a portion of the second barrel bracket are capable of being positioned to contact at least a portion of the first surface, whereby positioning the first and second barrel brackets allows an actuator chain to be aligned along its length, from the fixed part of the window to the window chain linkage;
• and
• providing a clamping plate capable of being positioned within a channel of the bracket and in contact with the second surface, the clamping plate comprising a first hole configured to receive a first fastener inserted through a hole of the first barrel bracket and the first slot, and a second hole configured to receive a second fastener inserted through a hole of the second barrel bracket and the second slot, wherein the first barrel bracket is capable of being secured along the first slot and the second barrel bracket is capable of being secured along the second slot by respectively tightening the first and second fasteners.

A window actuator linkage assembly for mounting on a moveable portion of a window, comprising:

• an elongate mounting member having a first barrel bracket and a second barrel bracket separated from the first barrel bracket by an opening along a length of the elongate mounting member, and a base portion having i) a bottom surface portion, ii) a first side surface portion extending substantially perpendicular from the bottom surface portion, iii) a first return surface extending substantially perpendicular from the first side surface portion, iv) a first shoulder extending substantially perpendicular from the first return surface, v) a second side surface portion extending substantially perpendicular from the bottom surface portion and substantially parallel to the first side surface portion, vi) a second return surface extending substantially perpendicular from the second side surface, and vii) a second shoulder extending substantially perpendicular from the second return surface and substantially parallel to the first shoulder, wherein a width of the bottom surface portion defined by the first and second side surface portions is greater than a width of the first and second barrel brackets;
• and
• an elongate base bracket, formed separately from and configured to be secured to the elongate mounting member, having i) an inner surface and an outer surface, ii) a first wall extending substantially perpendicularly from and along a first edge of the inner surface, terminating at a first wall edge distal from the first edge of the inner surface, iii) a second wall projecting substantially perpendicularly from and along a second edge of the inner surface and substantially parallel to the first wall, terminating at a second wall edge distal from the second edge of the inner surface, iv) a first return portion extending from the first wall edge and substantially towards the second wall, and v) a second return portion extending from the second wall edge and substantially towards the first wall,
• wherein the first side surface portion is configured to be slidably positioned along the first wall and the first return surface is configured to be slidably positioned along the first return portion, and
• wherein the second side surface portion is configured to be slidably positioned along the second wall and the second return surface is configured to be slidably positioned along the second return portion.