Wood-clad aluminum window frame and associated window assembly

A metal-frame window assembly having an all-wood interior appearance and comprising:

• (a) an essentially all-metal window frame formed from metal head, sill and jamb sections having integrally formed along their lengths lip and flange means which define in the frame an exterior peripheral J-channel extending around essentially the entire periphery of said window frame and opening laterally outwardly, an exterior peripheral nailing and flashing flange, and a pair of jams channels configured to releasably receive and retain a pair of balance members;
• (b) a pair of balance members releasably retained in said jamb channels;
• (c) at least one wood window sash operatively secured to said pair of balance members for movement relative to said window frame;
• and
• (d) wood facing means secured to and concealing an interior peripheral side portion of said frame, said window frame, with said wood facing means secured thereto, being insertable into a preformed window opening and dimensioned to extend along essentially the entire depth thereof.

An assembly kit for use in constructing an essentially all-metal window frame having an essentially all-wood interior appearance, comprising:

• (a) an extruded metal head section having a wood-faced interior side edge portion;
• (b) an extruded metal sill section having a wood-faced interior side edge portion;
• (c) a first extruded metal jamb section having a wood-faced interior side edge portion;
• (d) a second extruded metal jamb section having a wood-faced interior side edge portion;
• and
• (e) means, formed integrally with and extending along two of said sections, for operatively receiving a fastening member extended through one of the other two of said sections,
• said head, sill and jamb sections having means, formed integrally thereon, for collectively defining on the constructed window frame;
• (1) a peripherally outwardly opening J-channel extending completely around the exterior periphery of said frame,
• (2) a combination nailing and flashing flange extending around said frame adjacent its exterior periphery, and
• (3) means for receiving and releasably retaining a pair of balance members adapted to operatively support within said frame at least one window sash,
• said frame being insertable into a preformed window opening in a wall and dimensioned to extend substantially completely through said window opening.

An essentially all-metal window frame having a substantially all-wood interior appearance, said window frame being insertable into a preformed window opening in a wall and comprising:

• (a) a metal head section having integrally formed therein:
• a generally J-shaped, laterally outwardly opening exterior side edge portion;
• a laterally outwardly projecting nailing flange portion;
• a first laterally inwardly projecting, spaced pair of flanges defining a screen-receiving channel;
• an interior side edge portion;
• a second laterally inwardly projecting, spaced pair of flanges positioned adjacent said interior side edge portion;
• a sight baffle member carried by said second pair of flanges, concealing an interior portion of said head section, and having a weather stripping portion extending generally toward said first pair of flanges;
• and
• a wood facing member secured to said interior side edge portion;
• (b) a metal, sloped sill section having integrally formed therein:
• a generally J-shaped, laterally outwardly opening exterior side edge portion;
• a laterally inwardly projecting screen-retaining flange;
• a laterally outwardly projecting nailing flange portion;
• a spaced duality of laterally outwardly projecting support flanges;
• a laterally inwardly projecting flange defining an interior side edge portion of said sill section, carrying a weather stripping element, and having a wood facing member secured thereto;
• (c) a pair of metal jamb sections each having integrally formed therein:
• a generally J-shaped, laterally outwardly opening exterior side edge portion;
• a laterally outwardly projecting nailing flange portion;
• an interior edge flange having laterally outwardly and inwardly projecting portions;
• a laterally inwardly projecting flange spaced from said laterally inwardly projecting portion of said interior edge flange, and defining therewith a lipped channel adapted to receive and releasably retain side edge portions of a balance member capable of movably supporting a pair of wood window sashes;
• and
• a wood facing member secured to said interior edge flange;
• (d) screw bosses integrally formed in two of said metal sections;
• and
• (e) a plurality of threaded fasteners extending through the other two of said metal sections into said screw bosses, said window frame being dimensioned to extend substantially completely through said preformed window opening when inserted therein so that said wood facing strips may be positioned essentially flush with the interior surface of said wall, whereby the inserted, essentially all-metal window frame, together with wood window sashes operatively supported therein, provides the interior appearance of an all-wood window assembly.

Window frame apparatus comprising four metal frame sections having wood-clad interior side surfaces and being interconnectable to form an essentially all-metal assembled window frame insertable in assembled form into a preformed window opening in a wall having interior and exterior surfaces, the interconnected frame sections defining in the assembled frame:

• an exterior peripheral nailing flange connectable to said exterior wall surface to support said assembled window frame within said preformed window opening,
• an exterior channel extending around the entire periphery of said assembled frame and adapted to receive and conceal a peripherally inner portion of siding material secured to said exterior wall surface and covering said nailing flange,
• first and second lipped flange pairs positioned on opposite peripherally inner side surfaces of said assembled frame and adapted to releasably receive and retain balance members capable of movably supporting wooden window sash elements, and
• a third lipped flange pair positioned on a peripherally inner upper surface of said assembled frame and adapted to releasably receive and retain a frame surface-concealing sight baffle member laterally interposed between the interior side surfaces of said assembled frame and said first and second lipped flange pairs,
• whereby, by operatively connecting wooden window sash elements and a sight baffle member to said assembled window frame the essentially all-metal frame may be quickly converted to a window assembly having an essentially all-wood interior appearance.