Window well system for poured concrete walls

Abstract

A window well is snapped into place on the foundation adjacent a window opening. During the pouring of the foundation wall, a pair of spaced and generally parallel channels are embedded in the wall and directed outwardly on the outer face of the poured concrete wall. The channels are seated on the wall form panels used in constructing the foundation wall and after the concrete has been poured and cured, the wall form panels are removed and the channels remain embedded and exposed on the outer face of the concrete wall. The channels provide a slot into which one of the generally vertical terminal edges of the window well structure may be inserted for attachment to the wall. The window well includes a number of clips which secure the window well to the foundation wall once they are inserted into the channel.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A window well system on a poured concrete wall having a window opening in the poured concrete wall, the window well system comprising:
 a window well having an interior surface confronting an outer face of the poured concrete wall proximate the window opening, the window well having a pair of spaced generally parallel terminal edges; and   a pair of channels each embedded in the poured concrete wall and presenting an opening on the outer face of the poured concrete wall, the pair of channels being spaced on opposite sides of the window opening;   wherein each of the terminal edges of the window well is mounted to one of the channels with at least a portion of the terminal edge seated within the opening of the associated channel to thereby mount the window well to the poured concrete wall.   
     
     
         2 . The window well system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a plurality of clips on the terminal edges of the window well each of which is seated within one of the openings of one of the channels. 
 
     
     
         3 . The window well system of  claim 1  wherein each of the terminal edges of the window well is concealed within one of the pair of channels embedded in the poured concrete wall. 
     
     
         4 . The window well system of  claim 1  wherein each opening in each channel of the pair of channels extends substantially an entire height of the associated channel. 
     
     
         5 . The window well system of  claim 1  wherein each of the pair of channels further comprises:
 a bottom cap at a lowermost end of the opening and at least a portion of a lower edge of the window well is seated on the bottom cap to thereby support at least a portion of the weight of the window well by the pair of channels. 
 
     
     
         6 . The window well system of  claim 1  wherein the pair of channels each extend to an upper edge of the poured concrete wall. 
     
     
         7 . The window well system of  claim 1  wherein each channel further comprises:
 a joint control feature to direct cracks in the poured concrete wall. 
 
     
     
         8 . A window well system on a poured concrete wall having a window opening in the poured concrete wall, the window well system comprising:
 a window well having an interior surface confronting an outer face of the poured concrete wall proximate the window opening, the window well having a pair of spaced generally parallel terminal edges;   a pair of channels each embedded in the poured concrete wall and presenting an opening on the outer face of the poured concrete wall, the pair of channels being spaced on opposite sides of the window opening, each opening in each channel of the pair of channels extending substantially an entire height of the associated channel;   wherein each of the terminal edges of the window well is mounted to one of the channels with at least a portion of the terminal edge seated within the opening of the associated channel to thereby mount the window well to the poured concrete wall;   a plurality of clips on the terminal edges of the window well each of which is seated within one of the openings of one of the channels;   wherein each of the terminal edges of the window well is concealed within one of the pair of channels embedded in the poured concrete wall; and   a bottom cap at a lowermost end of the opening on each channel and at least a portion of a lower edge of the window well is seated on the bottom cap to thereby support at least a portion of the weight of the window well by the pair of channels.   
     
     
         9 . A system for mounting a window well proximate a window opening in a poured concrete wall, the system comprising:
 a plurality of wall panels at least two of which are spaced from each other in a confronting relationship with a face of each of the at least two wall panels facing one another;   a pair of channels each of which is mounted to one of the faces of one of the at least two wall panels, each channel of the pair of channels being spaced from the other channel of the pair of channels and on opposite sides of a location of the window opening, each channel of the pair of channels having an opening therein adapted to receive a terminal edge of the window well;   a mounting mechanism releasably mounting the pair of channels to the one of the faces of one of the at least two wall panels;   wherein when uncured concrete is poured between the spaced wall panels, the pair of channels are embedded in the uncured concrete such that when the uncured concrete cures and the plurality of wall panels is removed from the poured concrete wall, the pair of channels remain embedded in the poured concrete wall with the opening of each of the channels of the pair of channels exposed on the poured concrete wall to receive the terminal edge of the window well, the mounting mechanism releasing the associated wall panel from the pair of channels upon removal of the plurality of wall panels from the poured concrete wall.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein each of the terminal edges of the window well is concealed within one of the pair of channels embedded in the poured concrete wall. 
     
     
         11 . The window well system of  claim 9  wherein each opening in each channel of the pair of channels extends substantially an entire height of the associated channel. 
     
     
         12 . The window well system of  claim 9  wherein each of the pair of channels further comprises:
 a bottom cap at a lowermost end of the opening and at least a portion of a lower edge of the window well is seated on the bottom cap to thereby support at least a portion of the weight of the window well by the pair of channels. 
 
     
     
         13 . The window well system of  claim 9  wherein the pair of channels each extend to an upper edge of the poured concrete wall. 
     
     
         14 . The window well system of  claim 9  wherein each channel further comprises:
 a joint control feature to direct cracks in the poured concrete wall.