Thermal barrier curtain wall
AssigneeThe William L. Bonnell Company
InventorCharles W. Echols, Sr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved curtain wall or wall system for building construction is provided which employs a unitary thermal barrier or thermal break vertical mullion. The novel unitary vertical thermal barrier mullion comprises metal exterior and interior vertical members uniquely joined together, and an insulating medium, or member further joining and separating the metal members. The members are so constructed that a fail-safe condition is provided which prohibits complete separation of the metal members should the insulating member or medium subsequently lose its structural integrity. The shape of the mullion may be varied without changing the construction providing the fail-safe condition.
Claims24
In a curtain wall or wall framing system for a building or the like including vertical mullions and horizontal mullions, the improvement therein wherein the vertical mullions comprise a metal exterior member and an interior metal member joined together by an insulating member or medium to form a unitary thermal break vertical mullion, insertion means on said exterior member integrally formed therewith for mating with said interior member and receiving means on Said interior member integrally formed therewith receiving said insertion means of said exterior member, said insertion means and said receiving means being adapted to be slidably or longitudinally mated with each other, and when said insertion means and said receiving means are mated with each other, lateral separation of said exterior and interior members is prohibited.
A unitary thermal break vertical mullion for use in a curtain wall to wall framing system for a building or the like comprising:
- an exterior metal member and an interior metal member joined together and separated therefrom by an insulating member, insertion means on said exterior member integrally formed therewith for mating with a receiving means on said interior member, receiving means on said interior member integrally formed therewith for mating with the insertion means on said exterior member, said insertion means and said receiving means being so related to each other that when mated with each other, lateral separation of the exterior and interior members from each other is prohibited.
A curtain wall or wall framing system for a building and the like comprising:
- spaced unitary thermal break vertical mullions, said vertical mullions including an exterior metal member, an interior metal member and an insulating member joined to said metal members so as to form a thermal break therebetween, insertion means on said exterior member integrally formed therewith for slidably mating with said interior member and receiving means on said interior member integrally formed therewith for receiving said insertion means of said exterior member, said insertion means and said receiving means being so constructed that when mated with each other, lateral separation of said exterior member from said interior member is prohibited, and said vertical mullions having channels therein for receiving ends of horizontal mullions and for receiving glazing or other panels;
- spaced horizontal mullions;
- and
- insulating members adjacent the ends of said horizontal mullions and adjacent said vertical mullions and in said channels thereof which form a thermal break or thermal barrier between said vertical mullions and said horizontal mullions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.