I am a homeowner attempting to repair several Quaker tilt windows with inverted block and tackle balances. I think I have figured out most of the parts that I need, but there are a few that I am having trouble finding matches for.
I will start by identifying the matching parts I feel confident of, in case that helps:
Side mount pivot bar 26-402
Inverted Link 15-224
Tilt Latch Set 26-464
Apart from all my broken pivot bars and inverted links, the biggest issue is that I need to replace two sets of balances. The broken balances are stamped 31E B.S.I. P.A. I gather that 31 refers to the length in inches, and that E refers to the weight of the sash, which makes sense because these are wide, heavy windows. The balances look most similar to your series 795 and 765 channel balances, since the block and tackle mechanism is at the top and the spring is at the bottom. (I have included some photos below.) I believe the original balances may have been Series 716. I think the closest match I can find on your website is probably the 795. In mine, however, the cord coming from the top of the balance connects to the window frame via a metal clip, whereas the 795 looks like it screws in. That seems like it should be fine, and in fact will hopefully make the replacement easier; I found the clips very difficult to work with. The 795 comes with a lock balance shoe that is different from what I need, but it looks from the photo like it may be compatible with the 15-224 inverted link, which is what I need. Can you confirm whether that should indeed be the case? If not, can you recommend another channel balance that should meet these requirements?
The other parts that I need are some locks. The recess where those mount appears to be the same size and shape as your 90-281 flush mount lock; however, the mounting screws are a different side altogether (see photos below). Do you think that would work, or do you have any suggestions for a better match?
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Tom from SWISCO responded:
November 22, 2021
Hello there! I agree with the parts that you picked out for this window, they all seem to match up fairly well. The balance assembly would be custom; specifically, the Series 795 but with the bottom shoe removed and replaced with the 15-224 inverted link. These just pop on and off so swapping them isn't really a big deal. The catch is that your balances install using a hook instead of a screw-tab. It's not easy to adapt a screw-tab to your window, unfortunately. It's not as easy as just drilling a hole. The good news is that we can custom make this configuration for you here in our shop before we ship it out. Does that interest you at all? To reiterate, this would be a 31" long S795-31 channel balance but with the bottom shoe swapped out for our 15-224 and the top hook swapped out for our 15-198. We would also be using the 31E stamp. If you wanted to pull the trigger on that, just confirm how many you wanted altogether and I will email you a purchase link that will allow you to add those balances to your cart. That way you can checkout with everything all at once. |
