GB2179078A - Lintels and fittings therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

A lintel having a front portion 16 for extending through the outer skin 12 of a cavity wall and a portion 18 extending upwardly and rearwardly therefrom to bridge a cavity is further provided with an end wall 20 to restrain the discharge of water. This wall 20 may be a separate member having formations such as double walls 26 defining channels 28, or projections for engaging the edges of the lintel. For accommodating different lintel shapes the wall 20 may be flexible, e.g. due to flexing formations 30, and/or provide a plurality of alternative channels. The wall may also provide for ventilation and drainage, e.g. having a weephole 40, a grille 34 and a baffle 36. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Lintels and fittings therefor The present invention relates to lintels and fittings therefor. In particular, it relates to an end wall member for restraining the discharge of water at the end of a lintel; and to a lintel having an end wall portion (whether provided as a permanent part of the lintel or as an attached member).

The invention is generally concerned with lintels of sheet material such as steel, particularly to such as have a lower front portion for extending horizontally through the outer skin of a cavity wall, and a cavity bridging portion that extends upwardly and rearwardly from a rear region of the lower front portion towards the inside face of the inner skin of the cavity wall. When such a lintel is in use, there is a tendency for water to run down the inside face of said outer skin, and to be fed via the cavity bridging portion of the lintel on to the lower front portion. Quite a lot of water may thus feed on to the lower front portion, and at present it generally discharges at either end of the lintel, and generally ends up inside the cavity. But this is increasingly found unacceptable, especially when the cavity is filled with an insulating medium of some type.

Thus in one aspect the present invention provides a barrier portion for attachment to a lintel to inhibit or control the discharge of water from the end thereof. In another aspect it provides a lintel having such a barrier portion attached or integrally formed, In a preferred form, a barrier portion comprises an end wall portion having means for attachment to a lintel. The attachment means may comprise portions defining a channel for engaging over an edge portion of a lintel.

Thus there may be flange portions, or spaced pairs of projections such as pins. Preferably the barrier portion has, at least in part, a degree of flexibility to allow it to be attached to a plurality of different types of lintels. For example, the end wall portion may be inherently deformable, and/or might incorporate one or more formations for conferring displaceability, e.g. a "concertina" formation.

The arrangement may be such that the attachment means can accommodate differently shaped edge regions of lintels. This may be in part due to the flexibility of the barrier portion; and/or the attachment means may comprise a multiplicity of projections, so as to define a plurality of different channels for accommodating respective lintels. For example, a barrier portion may have a multiplicity of upstanding bristles into which the end of a lintel could be pressed. With this or other arrangements the attachment may be secured by adhesive, which may be provided on the barrier portion.

A barrier portion may include means for controlling the discharge of water, e.g. means defining a forwardiy-directed vent or weephole. Thus for example there could be a wall portion extending generally outwards of the main plane of the barrier portion, and incorporating a grille or other form of conduit for the discharge of water and/or for allowing ventilation.

Some embodiments of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic end view of a lintel assembly in a cavity wall, including a barrier portion embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of barrier portion; Fig. 3 is a plan view corresponding to Fig.

2; Fig. 4 is a partiai front elevation of the barrier portion of Figs. 2 and 3 connected to a lintel; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of barrier portion; Fig. 6 is a like view of a third embodiment; Fig. 7 is a like view of a fourth embodiment; Figs. 8 and 9 are respectively a perspective view and an elevation of a fifth embodiment of a barrier portion; and Fig. 10 is an elevation of a sixth embodiment.

Fig. 1 includes a highly schematic representation of a lintel 10 mounted in a cavity wall having an outer skin 12 and an inner skin 14.

The lintel 10 has a lower front portion 16 which extends within the front skin 12, and which is, at its rear, connected to, or formed integrally with, an upright portion 18 which extends within the cavity of the wall. Depending on the design of lintel this portion 18 may be substantially vertical adjacent the portion 16, or may extend rearwardly. Conventionally, water running down the inner face of the outer skin 12 (within the cavity) will collect on the lintel portion 16, and tend to discharge from the longitudinal ends, into the cavity. But the illustrated lintel bears a barrier portion 20 which is connected to edge portions of the lintel portion 16 and the lower region of the lintel portion 18, and forms a barrier to longitudinal discharge of water.

The barrier portion 20 could be provided by the lintel itself, e.g. being an upturned extension of the portion 16. More conveniently, it may be an additional element, and some forms of this will now be described.

Figs. 2 to 4 show a first embodiment 22 of a barrier portion. This and the other illustrated embodiments are made of a plastics material, though other materials could be used. A generally upright end wall portion 24 is approximately rectangular in outline, the actual shape and proportions being selected for particular applications. The material may be relatively thin plastics, so that it can be trimmed or cut away if required. Around two adjacent edges a double wall 26 extends outwardly to define a channel 28 in which edge portions of lintel portions 16,18 are engageable. The end wall portion 24 has a zig-zag or concertina formation 30 extending from adjacent the vertex between the two sides bearing the wall 26. This confers flexibility, allowing the channel 28 to receive edge portions of many types of lintels, differing slightly in overall shape and angle.The material also has some inherent flexibility, so that the channel 28 can resiliently embrace lintel portions of different thicknesses.

Fig. 5 shows a barrier portion 32 with many features in common with the barrier portion 22 (and these are referred to by the same reference numerals). It differs in having a front wall portion 34 and a diagonal guide wall 36 projecting inwardly from the end wall portion 24. The front wall portion 34 is formed as a ventilation grille, with ventilation apertures 38, and a weephole 40 level with the upper surface of the double wall 26. Thus water collecting in the lintel can be discharged forwardly through the weephole 40. The ventilation apertures 38 allow the entry of air (and also allow water to escape should the hole 40 become blocked). The diagonal wall 36 provides a baffle for capturing wind-driven rain carried through the apertures, and for reducing the tendency of wind to interfere with the outflow of water.

Fig. 6 is another variant, in which the front edge of the end wall portion 24 bears further wall portions which, together with the end wall portion 24 and the top of the double wall 26, define a front tube 42 for the discharge of water.

Fig. 7 shows an embodiment 44 rather similar to that of Fig. 5. It lacks the diagonal wall 36, though this could be provided. More significantly, it has a front wall portion 46 which extends on either side of the end wall portion 24. At each side it has apertures 48, and on the side of the double wall 26 it has a wee phole 40. In this example the wall 46 extends below the double wall 26. The apertures are of a different form from those shown in Fig.

5, but of course this is not essential.

Figs. 8 and 9 show a radically different ap proach to the connection of an end wall portion 50 to a lintel. Here, the portion 50 has a multiplicity of projecting fingers or bristles 52, so that virtually any edge configuration of a lintel can be pushed against the portion 50 and gripped by a multiplicity of fingers 52.

Preferably there is a layer 53 of sealing material, such as mastic, on the end wall portion 50 adjacent the bases of the fingers for bond ing to the edge of a lintel. The wall portion 50 may be somewhat flexible, so that it can be engaged on a non-planar edge region of a lintel, and held in place by bonding.

Fig. 10 shows a barrier portion 54 interme diate in type between those of Figs. 2 and 8.

An end wall portion 56 has a plurality (here seven) of upstanding fingers 58, which are rather larger and more robust that the fingers 52 of the Fig. 8 embodiment. As shown, they define two principal channels for different shapes of lintels; one having a cavity bridging portion 60 extending at right angles to its front portion 62; and the other having a bridging portion 64 extending rearwardly, at an obtuse angle to the front portion 62. If the fingers are somewhat flexible, they can accommodate a range of angles. The connection of the lintel may be made more reliable by the use of a sealant, e.g. a sealing solution applied to the areas of the lintel that will come in contact with the fingers 58. (8ealants, or other attachment means such as screwing, may be employed with other embodiments; though it is preferable if materials and dimensions are selected so that a reliable connection can be achieved by a push fit.) The skilled reader will appreciate that much variation is possible in the practice of the invention. - In particular, various features described with reference to particular embodiments may be combined with other features to produce yet further embodiments.

Claims (17)

1. A lintel having a lower front portion for extending through the outer skin of a cavity wall, and a cavity bridging portion for extending upwardly and rearwardly from a rear region of the lower front portion towards the inside face of the inner skin of the cavity wall, and, at at least one end, an end wall portion to inhibit or control the discharge of water from that end of the lintel.

2. A lintel according to claim 1 wherein the or each end wall portion is integrally formed with the lower front and cavity bridging portions.

3. A lintel according to claim 1 wherein the or each end wall portion is provided by a discrete barrier portion connected to the rest of the lintel.

4. A lintel according to claim 1 including a barrier portion having formations for attachment to a lintel.

5. A lintel according to claim 4 wherein the attachment formations comprise portions defining a channel for engaging over an edge portion of the rest of the lintel.

6. A lintel according to claim 5 wherein the channel defining portions are resiliently flexible so as to be engageable with edge portions of different thickness.

7. A lintel according to claim 4,5 or 6 wherein the attachment formations are adapted to engage edge portions of the lower front portion and of the cavity bridging portion.

8. A lintel according to claim 7 wherein the barrier portion is deformable so that the attachment portions can engage edge portions in any of a range of differently shaped lintels.

9. A lintel according to any of claims 4 to 8 having a barrier portion whose attachment formations comprise a multiplicity of projections, so as to define a plurality of different channels by means of which they can engage edge portions in any of a range of differently shaped lintels.

10. A lintel according to claim 9 wherein the attachment formations comprise a multiplicity of fingers or bristles projecting in the longitudinal direction of the lintel.

11. A lintel according to any preceding claim including a said end wall portion having means defining a forwardly-directed vent or weephole.

12. A lintel having an end wall substantially as any herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

13. An end wall member adapted to be connected to an end portion of a lintel having a lower front portion for extending through the outer skin of a cavity wall, and a cavity bridging portion for extending upwardly and rearwardly from a rear region of the lower front portion towards the inside face of the inner skin of the cavity wall to provide a barrier to inhibit or control the discharge of water from that end of the lintel.

14. An end wall member according to claim 13 adapted to be connected to a said lintel to provide a lintel according to any of claims 3 to 12.

15. An end wall member according to claim 14 for use in providing a lintel according to claim 10, the member comprising a wall portion bearing a multiplicity of projecting fingers or bristles and sealing material adjacent the bases of the fingers or bristles for sealing to the edge of a lintel.

16. An end wall member substantially as any herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

17. A method of constructing a lintel comprising connecting an end wall member according to any of claims 13 to 16 to a lintel portion comprising a lower front portion for extending through the outer skin of a cavity wall, and a cavity bridging portion for extending upwardly and rearwardly from a rear region of the lower front portion towards the inside face of the inner skin of the cavity wall.