GB2023703A

GB2023703A - Infill mounting arrangement

Info

Publication number: GB2023703A
Application number: GB7924578A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Reynolds D A
Current assignee: Reynolds D A
Priority date: 1978-04-22
Filing date: 1979-07-13
Publication date: 1980-01-03
Also published as: GB2023703B

Abstract

An arrangement for mounting an infill, e.g. a glass pane or a construction panel, in a building framework comprises a frame (12) having a shoulder (14) to receive the infill (20) and, adjacent to and parallel with the shoulder, a channel 18 shaped to receive and grip the foot (28) of a flexible rubber gasket (26). The gasket (26) has a limb (34) extending over the shoulder (14) to bear against the infill (20). The retaining force on the gasket (26) and hence on the infill (20) is normal to the plane of the infill giving positive retention without additional fixing means. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Infill mounting arrangement This invention relates to the mounting of construction panels, glass panes or the like (hereinafter referred to as 'infills') within a frame.

In the construction of buildings such as office blocks, schools and the like, it is now common to mount glass sheets or other external cladding panels in a frame by means of flexible gaskets shaped to receive the infill and, usually, to locate in the frame. In one proposed arrangement the infill is positioned in the frame, the gasket is located around the edges of the infill, and then the whole is rendered rigid by means of a 'zipper' strip being pressed into a corresponding channel in the gasket causing the latter to spread and positively hold the infill in the frame. Another arrangement uses mechanical retaining means for the infill in conjunction with a gasket, e.g.

a retainer plate screwed to the frame. A disadvantage of the zipper system, particularly for ground level infills, is that the zipper strips can be removed, e.g. by children, allowing the infill to fall out. Both of the above arrangements require an additional operation after locating the gasket to secure the infill. A further arrangement employs a gasket located in a channel in the frame, the channel opening in the plane of the infill. Thus the force retaining the gasket in place is substantially parallel to the plane of the infill, the infill being held in the frame by torsional forces within the gasket itself. Under certain conditions of negative wind loadings on the infill, very large forces are exerted on the gasket which, being flexible, may twist back sufficiently to allow the infill to be blown from the frame.

The invention seeks to provide a method of mounting infills which requires one operation to secure the gasket in place, and in which the retaining force is normal to the plane of the infill.

According to the present invention there is provided an arrangement for mounting an infill which comprises a frame member having a shoulder to receive the infill and, adjacent to and parallel with the shoulder, a channel shaped to receive and grip the foot of a flexible gasket, the gasket having a limb extending over the shoulder to bear against the infill, the channel opening in a direction normal to the plane of the infill.

The frame member may be made from any suitable material such as wood, plastics or metal, but it is preferred for the frame to be an aluminium extrusion.

The shoulder preferably forms one wall of the channel. The latter is advantageously provided with 'saw-tooth' indentations on its internal walls for engagement with corresponding indentations on the foot of the gasket.

The gasket may be made from any suitable flexible material but is preferably an extruded elastomeric polymer, e.g. a nitrile, thiol, silicone or alkylene rubber. Ethylene/propylene compounds and 'Neoprene' rubbers have been found especially suitable.

As is well known in this type of construction, additional sealing strips, setting blocks and the like may be interposed between the infill and the frame before affixing the gasket of the invention.

The channel opening in a direction normal to the plane of the infill ensures that the gasket retaining force is normal to the plane of the infill, giving very positive retention of the infill.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a partial perspective view of an example of a mounting arrangement according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a sectional view of the arrangement on an external corner.

Referring to Fig. 1, a construction framework comprises extruded aluminium frame members 10 defining a plurality of openings for receiving infills. Each member 10 has a box section main body portion 12 carrying on one side a shoulder 14. A rib 16 defines with the shoulder 14 a channel 18. An infill 20, in this case a pane of glass, rests on a setting block 22 made from a tough plastics material, on the shoulder 14. A sealing strip 24, for example of deformable open-cell 'Neoprene' rubber, is positioned between the infill and the frame body 12 to act as a cushion to allow the necessary pressure to be applied to the infill without causing damage. It will be appreciated that the thickness of the strip 24 can be altered to accommodate a wide range of infill thicknesses.

A flexible gasket 26, of extruded close-cell 'Neoprene' rubber (Du Pont), has a foot 28 with saw-tooth indentations 30 which cooperate with corresponding indentations 32 on the walls of the channel 18 to provide a 'ratchet' effect for gripping and locking the foot firmly in the channel. The gasket 26 also has a limb 34 which, in use, extends over the shoulder 14 and bears against the infill 20, holding it firmly in place against the sealing strip 24. In Fig. 1 a second shoulder 36 is shown, defining with the central rib 16 a second channel 38, for receiving and holding a second infill and gasket which have been omitted from the figure for clarity.

It will be noted that the rib 1 s is T-shaped in section. This is to make it difficult or impossible to insert an instrument, such as a knife or screwdriver, between adjacent gaskets 26 in an attempt to remove them. Further, the fact that adjacent gaskets 26 extend over the ribs 16 and abut ensures that no part of the frame is exposed to the outside atmo sphere. Since the frame will normally be metal, this cuts down heat losses considerably and helps prevent condensation which can be a problem with this type of construction.

The construction of the frame and gasket, in which the foot is positively gripped in a channel very close to the infill, provides an infill mounting arrangement in which no fur ther fixing means is required. In particular, pushing the foot into the channel causes the gasket as a whole to be urged closer to the frame and infill, and the limb 34 to exert an even greater retaining pressure, since the re taining force from the foot is normal to the plane of the infill, rather than parallel to it as is the case with the previously mentioned type of gasket arrangement.

The proximity of the channel 18 to the infill ensures that the gasket 26 transmits the bulk of any negative wind loadings to the shoul ders 14 and ribs 16, and the torsional loading within the gasket will not become great enough for the gasket to twist back away from the infill.

Fig. 2 illustrates the arrangement of the invention on an external corner employing three different types of infill. The frame mem ber 10 is of extruded aluminium as before and shoulders 14, 36 and ribs 16 are pro vided. The gaskets 26 retain infills 120 and 220 which are a glass pane and a flat cladd ing panel respectively, and the sealing strips 124 and 224 are of complementary thick ness.

The gaskets 226 however have extended limbs 234 which secure and enclose an infill 320, which may be a fillet of wood or an aluminium extrusion, to complete the corner.

It can thus be seen that the arrangement of the invention provides a simple and conve nient method of mounting infills, whether glass or cladding panels, in the construction of buildings.

Claims

1. An arrangement for mounting an infill which comprises a frame member having a shoulder to receive the infill and, adjacent to and parallel with the shoulder, a channel shaped to receive and grip the foot of a flexible gasket, the gasket having a limb extending over the shoulder to bear against the infill, the channel opening in a direction nor mal to the plane of the infill.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 in which the frame member is made from extruded aluminium.

3. An arrangement as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2 in which the gasket is made from a synthetic rubber.

4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 3 in which the synthetic rubber is an alkylene rubber.

5. An arrangement as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 in which the shoulder forms one wall of the channel.

6. An arrangement as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 in which the channel has sawteeth indentations in its internal walls for engagement with corresponding indentations on the foot of the gasket.

7. An arrangement as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 in which additional sealing strips, setting blocks, or the like, are interposed between the infill and the frame before affixing the gasket.

8. An arrangement for mounting an infill substantillly as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Fig. 1 or Fig.

2 of the accompanying drawings.