Doors, Window, Glass and Curtain Wall Terminology...
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tempered glass
glass that has first been cut to size, then heated to a very high temperature and then rapidly brought back to room temperature. It will withstand severe punishment from a blunt object; however, any pointed object will break the glass instantly and the glass will crumble into many, very small pieces. Typical applications include a car’s side and back windows, sliding glass doors, and entrance doors.
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terrace door
a door in which the operating panel swings out or in from the master frame. Usually used in high-rise applications where passage to exterior patios is desired, while providing weather resistance and security. Not to be confused with entrance doors which provide ground-floor security but little weather resistance.
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thermal break
an element of low conductivity (polyurethane) placed between elements of higher conductivity (aluminum) to reduce the flow of heat and cold.
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thermosetting
baking the organic paint finish on aluminum to endure a tight bond and long life.
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tilt release
hardware in a tilt hung window to hold the sash within the frame jambs and, if desired, release the operating sash to the tilt position for cleaning of the exterior glass and sash removal. Common release design options include finger buttons, slots for a common tool, hardware for special tools, or key operation.
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tilt window
a hung window in which the lower sash is removed by raising the sash 4", releasing the tilt releases while supporting the sash weight, and releasing the sash pivot bars to remove the sash from the master frame. The top sash removal is similar. A tilt window cannot be a side load window.
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tinted glass
glass of special formulation to produce light reducing and/or heat absorbing glass products (bronze, gray or green).
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trolley
the "T" shaped extrusion on which nylon sealed bearings are attached to allow the fluid movement of the folding glass wall, distributing its weight evenly over both the head and sill.
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