This invention relates to a ventilated building and to a ventilating arrangeπent therefor.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

There is an increasing trend for buildings to be constructed using where possible factory-built sub-assemblies, since these can be accurately pre-formed to size and shape. Such buildings can still have an overall distinctive and individual appearance pleasing to purchasers notwithstanding that they share common components, units or sub-assemblies.

This approach to building constructions is widely believed to have improved the quality of recent buildings, particularly of high-rise buildings where renovation tools are difficult to store at the workplace. For mass-housing developments also, where the need for renovation or replacement may be caused by or only noticed by follow-on workers, the general reduced need for inspection and re-working consequent upon the fitting of pre-formed sub-assemblies is of advantage to the builder, and to the subsequent building occupier.

One sub-assembly for which this approach has been widely

adopted is the glazing unit, nowadays usually manufactured off-site by specialist glazing manufacturers, to the size and performance specified by the builder or architect.

A problem has however arisen, generally designated as "building sickness". Contributing to this is the lack of adequate building ventilation, in part as a result of better external wall construction, and better fitting glazing units (which for safety reasons on high rise developments are often not openable) and door panels. One indication of the problem has been the growth of moulds and the like inside buildings, with discomfort and possible health hazards to occupants and users.

Thus, the authorities in various countries are demanding higher ventilation standards, and legislation has been suggested.

DISCLOSURE OF THE PRIOR ART

One approach permitting the use of pre-fabricated building components was taught in USA patent 4,448,391 wherein the wall opening was defined by an outer frame into which a ready- glazed unit could subsequently be fitted. We also utilised this approach in the teaching of our international application WO 91/14066.

Ventilation bricks have long been used in building foundations, but these are permanently open to the external atmosphere and are not therefore acceptable for the ventilation of living or working accommodation. Furthermore, buildings increasingly have cavity insulating walls which the ventilating air must traverse.

It is common practice to fit a rotary ventilator into glazing, to create a controlled opening through the glass. Disadvantages of this approach are that the glass may be broken, or may subsequently crack due to the inbuilt cutting strains or to induced vibration from wind or traffic, or the rotating ventilator itself.

Another known practice is to fit a rotary or sliding ventilator in an existing wall, but this requires the brickwork to be cut through and removed, which is a relatively slow process, and unsuiteά for multi-storey buildings particularly.

Window manufacturers have heretofore sought to provide ventilation openings through the window frames, particularly for multi-glazed units, but if of wood or metal the frame has to be drilled through, whilst if of hollow profile plastics extrusion the internal metal strengthening bar has to be drilled through.

It has been suggested, but not seriously, that the depth of the window frame be significantly increased so that the frame can be drilled through without fouling the metal strengthening bar; but this approach is considered unlikely to be acceptable to building purchasers and intending users, since the glazing area is significantly reduced.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTIONS

We have realised that the gap between an outer frame and the glazing unit, for instance as provided in our international application WO 91/14066, can be used as a ventilation passage. This apparently simple expedient has surprisingly resolved many of the problems with which the building authorities, contractors and specialist wall panel (e.g. glazing unit) suppliers have been grappling.

Thus we provide a building having a wall opening defined by an outer frame, and a wall panel extending across the opening, characterised by a ventilation passageway between the outer frame and the wall panel. Preferably the wall panel is a sealed pre-formed glazing unit, and the outer frame is a former around which the opening is formed during construction. Usefully only part of the gap between the outer frame (former) and wall panel is used as the ventilation passageway, the remainder of the gap around the

- D - unit periphery being sealed, after fitting of the unit, with a flexible (preferably resilient) sealing compound.

We also provide a building having a wall opening defined by an outer frame, and a wall panel extending across the opening, the outer frame and panel defining a gap extending to the outside of the building characterised by an apertured grill across a part of the gap to the outside of the building, and securement means for the grill within the gap. The remainder of the gap around the unit periphery will be sealed, after fitting of the unit, as with a flexible (preferably resilient) sealing compound. The gap provides a ventilation passageway fed through the apertured grill with replacement air, or other ventilating gaseous flow, travelling along and around the securement means.

Preferably the securement means is a pin with resilient fingers to either side, at least one finger to each side being in engagement with a retention part of the former and frame. Preferably the former is made according to my WO 91/14066.

We also propose that the outer frame, preferably a former, has an abutment to limit the permitted inward location of the wall panel, as disclosed in WO 91/14066, but that this abutment be punctured or otherwise be discontinuous to provide a continuation to the ventilation passageway. Thus

we provide a building having a wall opening defined by an outer frame, an upstanding abutment having opposed side faces on the frame, and a pre-assembled wall panel fittable within the opening and engagable with one side face characterised in that the abutment is discontinuous whereby to provide a ventilation connection between the opposed side faces of the abutment. Preferably the abutment is locally discontinuous only, as be being puncture therethrough at one or more selected location. Preferably the frame is a former.

It will be understood that in the arrangement(s) above proposed that ventilation air can flow to and from the outside of the building, within the gap between the outer frame

(former) and unit and through the abutment. Thus although the air can flow in a continuous substantially linear path, I prefer that it be deflected so as to e.g. outflow into the building generally parallel to the glazing. We therefore propose an abutment and deflector combination, preferably a preformed abutment and deflector combination unit, with the deflector facing that side of the abutment away from the former-to-wall panel passageway. Thus we provide a building having an outer frame defining a wall opening, the frame having an upstanding abutment with an abutment face engagable by a wall panel characterised in that the former mounts an air flow deflector remote from said abutment face. Preferably the deflector is integrally formed with the frame, and that the frame is a former.

We propose that the control of the building ventilation be from within the building, preferably by a slider ventilator since this known ventilator type can usually be easily operated, and can blend with the decor (even if not concealed from general gaze, if so required by curtaining or the like) . We have now recognised that the wall panel abutment can be used in conjunction with a support to provide a slide ventilator support and guideway. thus we provide a building having an outer frame defining a wall opening, the frame having an abutment with first and second faces, the first face being engagable by a wall unit fitting internally of the former characterised by a support facing the said second abutment face, and by a slide ventilator mounted by the support and second face. Preferably the support is integral with the frame, the support and second face of the abutment are strengthened by buttresses located therebetween, the frame is a former and the abutment is integral with the frame and support.

The invention also includes a frame and former modified as above described, and suitable for defining a wall opening, preferably an opening in a "new build" structure permitting for example the wall brickwork and blockwork to be laid around the former, accurately spaced, as well as a frame and former sub-assembly when these are made by the same supplier fitted together or to be fitted together.

Property owners and users often wish the opportunity to select the window panel to be fitted. Thus, one purchaser of a newly built house may desire triple-glazed window units whereas the purchaser of an adjacent property may be satisfied with double-glazed window units. To permit this freedom of choice we now also propose an abutment which is adjustably fittable to a planar retention member; in use four planar lengths of retention member will be interconnected at their respective ends to form a square or rectangular outer frame for a window unit.

Thus we now provide a retention member having an abutment for a window unit upstanding therefrom characterised by releasable retaining means for the abutment on the retention member. Suitable, the releasable retaining means is a tongue and groove arrangement, with the retention member having a tongue (directed "inwardly" towards the window opening in use) and the abutment having a groove. Usefully, the retention member and abutment will be of plastics material, extruded, and cut to length on-site or at the factory prior to delivery; though in an alternative embodiment spaced groove recesses can be cut at selected positions along the length of the abutment corresponding to spaced teeth on the retention member. Preferably, the retention member will have at least two tongues, spaced in the inwardly fitting

direction, to permit different thickness of window unit alternatively to be readily accommodated.

In a preferred embodiment, the abutment is replaced by an abutment and deflector combination unit, for mounting a building slide ventilator, by relative sliding of the groove along the tongue.

Although air can perhaps flow into and around the grooves, the abutment, or if fitted the deflector, are used as a "plasterer\'s guide", and so are sealed by plaster or equivalent.

In other alternative embodiments, the retention member has a cavity column connected thereto, the column being removable, preferably to another relative position to permit the column to building cavity gap to be varied.

Thus I provide a retention member and upstanding cavity column characterised by releasable retaining means for the column on the retention member. Preferably, the releasable retaining means is again a tongue and groove combination, with more grooves than tongues to permit variation in the cavity gap to retention member relative position, in a preferred embodiment, the column has three grooves on each of its four sides (in section) , the grooves on opposite sides being offset whereby the column can be connected to the

retention member in a plurality of relative positions. Usefully the grooves also form brick tie gripper receiving slots. Thus we provide a retention member and cavity wall spacer, the cavity wall spacer being connected to the retention member, characterised by releasable mounting means for the cavity wall spacer. The retention means and cavity wall spacer or column can again be delivered separately, perhaps already cut to length, for assembly in the desired disposition on-site.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of a retention component located in a partly built "new-build" structure;

Figure 2 is a section of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is of a fixed ventilator member;

Figure 4 is of a movable ventilator member;

Figure 5 is of an outside grill;

Figure 6 is of a grill securing pin;

Figure 7 is a view as Figure 2, with in section a fitted outside grill, with the grill located by a grill securing pion;

Figure 8 is a section of an alternative embodiment of retention member and abutment; and

Figure 9 is a section of an alternative embodiment of retention member, re-positionable combination abutment and air deflector, and re-positionable cavity wall column.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the arrangement as shown generally in Figure 1, a bricklayer will typically lay a line of bricks 60 and blocks 70 to a selected height; he will then lay a further layer of either the bricks or blocks, position the column 200 (Figure 2 ) of a pre-formed rectangular retention component 230 (the outer frame) against the extra layer, and then clamp the column 200 in position by laying further bricks or blocks i.e. so as to sandwich the column in the cavity gap 100. Since each frame part of the component 230 has its own column outwardly extending therefrom, further bricks and blocks laid around the former act more firmly to locate the retention component 230; when the mortar between the bricks and blocks has set,

this retention component (providing the outer fixed window frame) can only be removed by partial dismantling of the wall.

In this embodiment the retention component 230 and column 200 are integral. Usefully the retention component will be from an extruded plastics strip, cut to length, mitred at the corners and connected to identical (or similar) cut lengths to form a square (or rectangular) former, around which the bricks 60 and blocks 70 can continue to be laid to form a wall opening 120 of selected size to receive a window unit, preferably a pre-assembled window unit. The retention component is thus assembled from sections, joined at the corners.

Although for clarity, clearance is shown between the column 200 and the bricks 60 and blocks 70, in practice the column 200 is of a width conforming closely to the industry standard cavity, and so can be tightly sandwiched between the bricks and blocks, or else an extra extension part is used as a cavity spacer (located in a wall tie aperture 20) during building of the cavity wall around the spacer.

To the opposite face from that with column 200, the retention component 230 has an integral upstanding abutment 336, in this embodiment supported by buttress 337.

To the left hand side of abutment 336 as viewed in Figure 2 the component has a generally flat surface 231, used to receive plaster or the like, perhaps with an overlying window shelf for the lower horizontal retention component section, as a building finishing operation. To the right hand side of abutment 336 the retention component carries on planar surface 232 a plurality of angled teeth 233, in this embodiment shaped as shark\'s teeth, with for each tooth the upstanding retention flank to the left and the rearwardly inclined lead-in flank to the right.

The wall panel, in this embodiment window 205, is of slightly smaller outer dimension than the inner dimension of the retention component teeth 233. Thus, there is an air passageway between the teeth 233 of the retention unit and the window frame 205 which is arranged to allow various fastening devices (not shown) such as tha t disclosed in our application PCT/GB88/00200, to fit between the window frame 205 and the base 232, and to secure one to the other, being located between projections 210 on the window frame and contacting angled teeth 233. In most installations the fastening devices are placed at discrete locations around the window frame.

Window frame 205 is fed from the right as viewed in Figure 2, towards abutment 336, until meeting a seal (not shown) to be located in recess 342.

At the inner end of the air passageway 130, the abutment 336 is locally discontinuous, as by having apertures 334 therethrough, and through supporting buttress 337. Thus air from outside the building can reach to the left of abutment 5 336 (and buttress 337) . In one embodiment, with air flow emerging and exiting parallel to the outer wall e.g. parallel to the plaster upon face 231, I provide a ventilator control in the abutment 336, or in buttress 337 if fitted. But in a preferred embodiment I seek to direct incoming air to flow parallel to the glazing i.e. upwardly as viewed in Figure 2. for this preferred embodiment I mount an upstanding support frame 436, with in this embodiment (outwardly facing) buttress 433, to face 231. In an alternative embodiment frame 436 and buttress 433 are extruded integrally with the remainder of retention component 230, and in particular integrally with face 231.

Frame 436 and abutment 336 have respective recesses 432, 332, in which are mounted vent member 30 (Figure 3) and vent member 40 (Figure 4) . Vent member 30 is non-movably mounted, as by adhesive though more simply be being of a length to fit from one mitred corner of a section of the outer frame 230 (see Figure 1) to the other. Vent member 40 is shorter, under the control of finger knob 42. Thus in one end position of vent member 40 the openings 34, 44 are aligned, to permit air

egress from and entrance into the building, whilst in the other end position of vent member 40 the openings are out of alignment to close off the passageway 130 from communication with the building interior i.e. to the left of abutment 336 as 5viewed.

It will be understood that as viewed in Figure 2, we utilise a modified abutment 336 for retention unit 230. Thus, the outer face of abutment 336 has a shaped recess 342, and which lOin Figure 12, 13 of my earlier disclosure of PCT/GB91/00342 I utilised to carry a resilient sealing gasket 341. I now propose a second frame member 436 back to back with abutment 336.

5Thus, the air flows from outside the building into air gap 130, over teeth 233, through apertures 334 and through the ventilator 30, 40 into the building.

In the orientation shown in Figures 2,7, the ventilator is 0fitted to the lower horizontal frame member, though in a more usual and preferred embodiment it is fitted to the upper horizontal frame member i.e. with downward outflow of air; in other embodiments, the ventilator is fitted to a vertical frame member. 5

The entrance and exit positions of the air passageway (to the right as viewed in Figures 2) are protected by a grill 70 (Figure 5)

of standard type, with permanently open slot apertures 72, of a size to prevent insects and the like from passing therethrough. Grill 70 is maintained in position by pins 80, passing through aperture 74, and retained in the air gap. 5 The ventilator pion 80 has on one side resilient fingers 82 adapted to engage with teeth 233 of retention unit 230, and on the opposite side projections 84, to engage window frame 205. In use (Figure 7) the ventilator pin is pressed through lOaperture 74 in grill 70; the resilient fingers 82 (only two of which are shown in this Figure for clarity) deform to allow the grill to be pressed fully against the outer edge of the window frame, the fingers 82 springing back to locate behind teeth 233 and secure the ventilator pin 80, and so the grill 70, in 5position. Projections 84 provide partial gripping contact with the window frame 205, and also act to space the ventilator pin 80 from the window frame 205, and so into greater engagement with the teeth 233, as well as helping to ensure an air flow path. 0

In an alternative embodiment, the grill can be located in industry standard fashion by screws or the like plugged into the building mortar, to the side of the air passageway exit/entrance. 5

The slots 72 in grill 70 are permanently open so that the air gap 130 is permanently ventilated. In an alternative

embodiment, for a ventilator fitted to the upper horizontal frame member, the grill has its outer surface angled inwardly to the building towards its lower edge, so that the likelihood of water ingress through the grill is reduced. 5 Thus the retention component 230 retains the vent, and not the window frame itself, nor the brickwork or blockwork of the cavity wall surrounding the window.

lOTo provide ventilation for an average sized room, the ventilator members 34,40 will typically span one of the four sides of the assembled retention component, whilst the grill provides sufficient ventilation in a 320mm length; thus the air gap between the window frame 205 and the base 232 where a grill

1570 is not fitted may be sealed as by known sealing compound.

In the embodiment of Figure 8 the abutment 536 has a groove 570 whilst retention member 530 has a pair of tongues 572a, 572b upon which the groove 570 can slidably locate, thus the 0abutment can alternatively be positioned about tongue 572a or tongue 572b, to adjust the relative position of the abutment on the retention member. In this embodiment, the abutment can be slid along the retention member, with the groove 570 embracing the tongue 572a,b for assembly on-site from separate 5components.

In an alternative embodiment, the retention member 530 fan be made thicker, sufficient to allow a groove to be formed therein, with the tongue on the abutment; or mor tongues can be formed, for additional adjustment positions. 5 Surface 576 is the plasterer\'s guide surface, permitting plaster sealing of the gap between the tongue and groove.

In the embodiment of Figure 9, both the abutment an column are lOreleasably retained by tongue and groove arrangements. Thus the retention member 630 is generally a flat plate with tongues

672 projecting from its upper (as viewed) surface, and tongues

673 projecting from its lower surface. IN this embodiment tongues 672, 673 are similarly sized and shaped, though in 5alternative embodiment they are differently sized and/or shaped.

Tongues 672 are adapted to releasably engage with the abutment, which in this embodiment is a combination abutment and air 0deflector assembly 636 i.e. air passageway 650 allows the air from air gap 130 to meet ventilator members 30, 40. combination abutment and air deflector assembly 636 is adjustably mounted on tongues 672 of retention member 630.

Plaster 680 is applied up to the face 638 of the combination 5abutment and air deflector assembly 636, and so seals the gap between this assembly and the retention member 630.

Column 600 has a single groove 670 in one side wall and two similarly shaped and sized grooves in its opposed side wall, the other side walls have in this embodiment two and three grooves respectively, also offset. The column 600 can thus be 5connected to one of the tongues 673 of the retention member at a plurality of separate relative positions (eight in this embodiment) ; for each tongue 673 (i.e. twenty four in total) in accordance with different traditional cavity gaps in different countries. The column 600 can be of extruded lOplastics material (extending into the paper as viewed) , and can be apertured to reduce the weight and material content. One or more of the grooves 670 can be used to receive a brick tie, to lock the column 600 and hence the assembled retention component to e.g. bricks and blocks to either side of the 5cavity. Alternatively stated, column 600 is trapped in the finished building in the building cavity.