Building wall assembly with weepage channels

Claim 2

A building wall assembly comprising a pair of spaced generally parallel vertically disposed hollow load bearing mullions, each said mullion formed from a first elongated mullion element and a second elongated mullion element, said first and second mullion elements each having a body portion, a rearwardly disposed flange extending transversely inwardly from said body portion and a forwardly disposed flange generally parallel to said rearwardly disposed flange extending transversely inwardly from said body portion to define a generally channel shaped mullion element, each said first and second mullion element body portion having a generally Z-shaped configuration with a forward section, a rear section and a connecting transition section, said mullion elements being secured to each other so as to permit relative longitudinal sliding movement responsive to expansion and contraction caused by changes in thermal conditions, each said mullion element body portion having at least one rearwardly disposed outwardly facing recessed portion, said generally channel shaped mullion elements disposed with their openings facing each other with said flanges cooperating to define a closed hollow mullion, one of said flanges of said first and second mullion elements terminating in a transversely inwardly open channel and an adjacent flange of the other said mullion element having a tongue portion extending into said channel, each said mullion having fixedly secured thereto a substantially rigid generally L-shaped framing member having a first portion disposed adjacent one said mullion body portion with at least a portion thereof extending into said rearwardly disposed recessed portion and a second portion disposed generally perpendicular to said first portion and projecting away from said mullion element body portion, said generally L-shaped framing member disposed in contact with said rear section, whereby said first portion of said generally L-shaped framing member is at least partially recessed with respect to the outer surface of said forward section, said recessed portion and said first portion of said generally L-shaped framing member being so configurated as to provide a first relative position wherein said first portion is at least partially received within said recessed portion with said second portion projecting from the rear portion of said first portion and a second position wherein said first portion is at least partially received within said recessed portion with said second portion projecting from the forward portion of said first portion, whereby said assembly may permit panel replacement either from the interior side or exterior side of said wall assembly, said generally L-shaped framing member having said second portion positioned adjacent a marginal portion of said panel, first panel retaining means cooperatively associated with said generally L-shaped framing member securing a panel to said hollow load bearing mullion, a first compressible gasket element secured to said second portion in contact with a surface of said panel, said first portion of said L-shaped member having recesses for receipt of a panel retaining clip, said first panel retaining means having a panel retaining clip secured to said L-shaped member, a second compressible gasket secured to said panel retaining clip with said gasket in contact with a surface of said panel, and second panel retaining means generally horizontally disposed securing horizontal marginal portions of said panel and having ends secured to said mullions, whereby said panel is substantially continuously secured in position by said L-shaped framing member and said first and second panel retaining means and is supported by said mullions.

Claim 3

The building wall assembly of claim 1 wherein an upwardly open weepage channel is integrally formed within said secOnd panel retaining means and extends to at least one said adjacent mullion, said weepage channel being substantially continuous between adjacent mullions, a passageway through said mullion wall aligned with said weepage channel to permit water flowing in said channel to pass through said mullion wall and into the hollow interior of said mullion, and a sill element underlying and supporting said mullion adapted to receive water flowing downwardly within said hollow mullion and discharge the same exteriorly of said wall structure, whereby water received within said weepage channel will be transported generally horizontally within said channel to said adjacent mullion which will transport said water generally vertically to said sill.

Claim 4

The building wall assembly of claim 2 including a vertically disposed tubular weepage conduit defined within the interior of said hollow mullion and formed integrally with said mullion, and said vertically disposed weepage conduit communicating with said horizontal weepage channel through said mullion passageway, whereby weepage water entering the interior of said mullion will be confined within said conduit.

Claim 5

The building wall assembly of claim 1 including said first portion of said L-shaped member being substantially completely disposed within said rearwardly disposed mullion body recessed portion.

Claim 6

A building wall assembly comprising a pair of spaced generally parallel vertically disposed hollow load bearing mullions, each said mullion formed from a first elongated mullion element and a second elongated mullion element, said first and second mullion elements each having a body portion, a rearwardly disposed flange extending transversely inwardly from said body portion and a forwardly disposed flange generally parallel to said rearwardly disposed flange extending transversely inwardly from said body portion to define a generally channel shaped mullion element, each said first and second mullion element body portion having a generally Z-shaped configuration with a forward section, a rear section and a connecting transition section, each said mullion element body portion having at least one rearwardly disposed outwardly facing recessed portion, said generally channel shaped mullion elements disposed with their openings facing each other with said flanges cooperating to define a closed hollow mullion, each said mullion having a substantially rigid generally L-shaped framing member having a first portion disposed adjacent one said mullion body portion with at least a portion thereof extending into said rearwardly disposed recessed portion and a second portion disposed generally perpendicular to said first portion and projecting away from said mullion element body portion, said generally L-shaped framing member disposed in contact with said rear section, whereby said first portion of said generally L-shaped framing member is at least partially recessed with respect to the outer surface of said forward section, first panel retaining means cooperatively associated with said generally L-shaped framing member securing a panel to said hollow load bearing mullion, one of said flanges of said first and second mullion elements terminating in a transversely inwardly open channel and an adjacent flange of the other said mullion element having a tongue portion extending into said channel, said mullion elements being secured to each other so as to permit relative longitudinal sliding movement responsive to expansion and contraction caused by changes in thermal conditions, said generally L-shaped framing member having said second portion positioned adjacent a marginal portion of said panel, a first compressible gasket element secured to said second portion in contact with a surface of said panel, said first portion of said L-shaped member having recesses for receipt of a panel retaining clip, said first panel retaining means havIng a panel retaining clip secured to said L-shaped member, a second compressible gasket secured to said panel retaining clip with said gasket in contact with a surface of said panel, second panel retaining means generally horizontally disposed securing horizontal marginal portions of said panel and having ends secured to said mullions, whereby said panel is substantially continuously secured in position by said L-shaped framing member and said first and second panel retaining means and is supported by said mullions, an upwardly open weepage channel defined within said second panel retaining means and extends to at least one said adjacent mullion, a passageway through said mullion wall aligned with said weepage channel to permit water flowing in said channel to pass through said mullion wall and into the hollow interior of said mullion, a sill element underlying and supporting said mullion adapted to receive water flowing downwardly within said hollow mullion and discharge the same exteriorly of said wall structure, a vertically disposed weepage conduit disposed within the interior of said hollow mullion and communicating with said horizontal weepage channel through said mullion passageway, whereby weepage water entering the interior of said mullion will be confined within said conduit, said weepage conduit integrally formed with one said mullion element, and vertical splice joints between a pair of vertically axially aligned weepage conduits by means of a tubular splice element received partially within each of said conduits, whereby relative sliding movement responsive to thermal expansion and contraction is permitted.

Claim 7

A building wall assembly comprising a pair of spaced generally parallel vertically disposed hollow load bearing mullions, each said mullion formed from a first elongated mullion element and a second elongated mullion element, said first and second mullion elements each having a body portion, a rearwardly disposed flange extending transversely inwardly from said body portion and a forwardly disposed flange generally parallel to said rearwardly disposed flange extending transversely inwardly from said body portion to define a generally channel shaped mullion element, each said first and second mullion element body portion having a generally Z-shaped configuration with a forward section, a rear section and a connecting transition section, each said mullion element body portion having at least one rearwardly disposed outwardly facing recessed portion, said generally channel shaped mullion elements disposed with their openings facing each other with said flanges cooperating to define a closed hollow mullion, each said mullion having a substantially rigid generally L-shaped framing member having a first portion disposed adjacent one said mullion body portion with at least a portion thereof extending into said rearwardly disposed recessed portion and a second portion disposed generally perpendicular to said first portion and projecting away from said mullion element body portion, said generally L-shaped framing member disposed in contact with said rear section, whereby said first portion of said generally L-shaped framing member is at least partially recessed with respect to the outer surface of said forward section, first panel retaining means cooperatively associated with said generally L-shaped framing member securing a panel to said hollow load bearing mullion, one of said flanges of said first and second mullion elements terminating in a transversely inwardly open channel and an adjacent flange of the other said mullion element having a tongue portion extending into said channel, said mullion elements being secured to each other so as to permit relative longitudinal sliding movement responsive to expansion and contraction caused by changes in thermal conditions, said generally L-shaped framing member having said second portion positioned adjacent a marginal portion of said panel, a first compressible gasket element secured to said second portion in contact with a surface of said panel, said first portion of said L-shaped member having recesses for receipt of a panel retaining clip, said first panel retaining means havIng a panel retaining clip secured to said L-shaped member, a second compressible gasket secured to said panel retaining clip with said gasket in contact with a surface of said panel, second panel retaining means generally horizontally disposed securing horizontal marginal portions of said panel and having ends secured to said mullions, whereby said panel is substantially continuously secured in position by said L-shaped framing member and said first and second panel retaining means and is supported by said mullions, an upwardly open weepage channel defined within said second panel retaining means and extends to at least one said adjacent mullion, a passageway through said mullion wall aligned with said weepage channel to permit water flowing in said channel to pass through said mullion wall and into the hollow interior of said mullion, a sill element underlying and supporting said mullion adapted to receive water flowing downwardly within said hollow mullion and discharge the same exteriorly of said wall structure, a vertically disposed weepage conduit disposed within the interior of said hollow mullion and communicating with said horizontal weepage channel through said mullion passageway, whereby weepage water entering the interior of said mullion will be confined within said conduit, said weepage conduit integrally formed with one said mullion element, and vertical splice joints between a pair of vertically axially aligned weepage conduits by means of a tubular splice element received partially within each of said conduits, whereby relative sliding movement responsive to thermal expansion and contraction is permitted.