GB2214964A

GB2214964A - Conservatory canopy

Info

Publication number: GB2214964A
Application number: GB8803981A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nigel John Wilson
Original assignee: Duraflex Ltd
Current assignee: Duraflex Ltd
Priority date: 1988-02-20
Filing date: 1988-02-20
Publication date: 1989-09-13
Anticipated expiration: 2008-02-20
Also published as: GB8803981D0; GB2214964B

Abstract

An apex forming device, for use in the construction of a multi-faceted canopy, has an elongate support member 2 the upper end portion of which is adjustably attached to a bracket 4 adapted to be mounted to a ridge bar 8 of an associated frame. The lower end portion of support member 2 carries a coaxial ring member 10 which is adjustably fixed along the axis of the support member 2. A plurality of frame support members are mounted, at their upper end portions, for pivotal and sliding movement about the ring member 10. The number and pitch of support members 16 may be selected to provide supports for a multi-faceted panel assembly. <IMAGE>

Description

APEX FORMING DEVICE This invention relates to an apex forming device suitable for use in the construction of a multi-faceted roof canopy, having a plurality of substantially triangular lights connected in relatively inclined, edge to edge relationship by glazing bars, the vertices of the triangular lights meeting in a common apex. Typically, a conservatory may have one or more such canopies constructed as an integral and extending part of the main roof structure.

A canopy for a conservatory roof may, typically, be constructed as an extension projecting from the gable and of the main structure. In a common arrangement, a ridge bar is provided to support the upper edge of a pitched roof, the gable and of the ridge bar supporting the apex of a multi faceted canopy, extending downwardly therefrom.

It is already known to provide an apex forming device, of standard form, to support and configure the glazing bar arrangement at the apex of a canopy, but the known device suffers from the disadvantage that the configuration of the canopy, with respect to the number of lights, the included angle between adjacent lights and the pitch of each light, is predetermined by the fixed configuration of the standard device.

Further, conservatories and similar structures are often custom built, for which the known device is unsuitable. Accordingly, it may be necessary to design and construct one or more individual apex forming devices to enable non-standard canopies to be constructed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apex forming device which may be adapted for use in a variety of custom-built canopy configurations, and obviating the need to fabricate fixed apex-forming framework for each particular configuration.

It is a further object of the invention to dispense with the need for an apex forming device of standard form.

In one aspect, this invention consists in an apex forming device, consisting of an elongate support member, or ring member supported coaxially about the elongate support member, and a plurality of frame support arms each having one and portion pivotally attached to the ring member.

The frame support arms may be continuously adjustable around at least a portion of the ring member whereby the angle between adjacent frame support arms may be continuously varied.

To further facilitate adjustment in situ, the ring member may be adapted to be supported at variable positions along the longitudinal axis of the elongate support member.

The ring number may be coaxially supported about the elongate support member by means of a radial arm connected to a coaxial sleeve adapted to receive the elongate support member. The sleeve may be adapted to slide along the elongate support member, which may be threaded and the sleeve retained at the required position by means of a locknut.

Alternatively, the sleeve may be threaded, whereby the position of the ring member may be obtained by screwing the sleeve along the threaded, elongate support member to the required position.

To facilitate assembly, means may be provided to support one end portion of the elongate support member from a roof ridge member said means being preferably adjustable along the longitudinal axis of the elongate support member, to further accommodate adjustment in situ.

The.ring member may be of generally arcuate, and more preferably of circular form, although the ring may be wholly, or partially in polygon form.

Where the ring member is not closed, the frame support arms may each have end portions formed with holes whereby each arm may be threaded onto at least a portion of the ring member.

Alternatively, the frame support arms may have end portions provided with formations adapted to pivotally engage the ring member.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, one embodiment will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a partly exploded perspective view of the device according to the invention, together with part of the structure on which the device is mounted.

- Figure 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Figure 1.

- Figure 3 is a side elevation of the device shown in Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, the device has an elongate support member in the form of a threaded bar 2, having slidably mounted thereon a bracket, 4, which may be adjustably secured at a required axial position along the bar 2, by means of locknuts 6. The bracket 4 is provided with flanges 4a and 4b, each having screw holes, to facilitate the attachment of the bracket 4 to the end portion of a ridge bar 8 of a frame assembly, not forming part of the present invention.

Accordingly, in use, the lower end portion of the bar 2 is firmly suspended by the bracket 4 from the end portion of ridge bar 8. The lower and portion of the bar 2 carries a frame support assembly, consisting of a ring portion 10, which is coaxially disposed and supported around the lower end portion of the bar 2 by means of a radial arm, 12, the outer end of which is welded to the ring portion 10, and the inner end is welded to a sleeve, 14, which is adapted to slide on bar 2. A plurality of frame support members, 16, are each formed with hole, 16a, at one end portion, through which the ring portion 10 is threaded. The arrangement is such that the support members 16 are free to slide around the available circumference of the ring portion, 10, and are free to pivot about the end portion retained by the ring portion 10.

The frame support assembly, consisting of support members 16, ring portion 10, radial arm 12 and the sleeve 14, is adjustably secured at a required axial position along the suspended portion of the bar 12 by means of lock nuts 18. Alternatively, the sleeve 14 may be internally threaded to engage the thread provided on bar 2 and by means of which the adjustment of the frame support assembly to a required axial position along the bar 2 may be obtained.

The support members 16 are each supported at end remote from the pivoted end portion, by means not shown and are adapted to support a glazing bar, or frame member, not shown. The illustrated support members, 16, are each adapted to be inserted inside a hollow frame member, not shown, which, in turn are adapted to retain panels, particularly plastics roofing panels.

The device considerably facilitates the assembly of a multi-faceted light admitting panel structure, such as a canopy, as the angles between the panels, the number of panels and the pitch of the panels may all be readily adjusted as required, during assembly by adjusting the position of the frame support assembly to the required axial position along the bar 2, and by selecting the appropriate number and orientation of the frame support members 16.

Claims

What we claim is:

1. An apex forming device consisting of an elongate support member, a ring member supported coaxially about the support member, and a plurality of frame support arms, each having an end portion pivotally attached to the ring member.

2. A device as claimed in Claim 1 wherein one or more frame support arms are continuously adjustable around at least a portion of the ring member, whereby the angle between adjacent arms may be continuously varied.

3. A device as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 in which the ring member is adapted to be supported at variable positions along the longitudinal axis of the elongate support member.

4. A device as claimed in Claim 3 in which the ring member is connected by a radial arm to a coaxial sleeve adapted to receive the elongate support member.

5. A device as claimed in Claim 4 in which the sleeve is adapted to slide over the elongate support member.

6. A device as claimed in any preceding claim in which means are provided to support one end portion of the elongate support member from a roof ridge member.

7. A device as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the means provided to support said one end portion are adapted to be adjustable along the longitudinal axis of the elongate support member.

8. A device according to any preceding claim in which the ring member is an arcuate member.

9. A device according to Claim 8 in which the arcuate member has a substantially constant radius of curvature.

10. A device according to Claim 8 or Claim 9 in which each support arm has one end portion provided with a hole to receive an end of the arcuate ring member.

11. A apex forming device substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.