GB2259323A

GB2259323A - Systems for securing and sealing glass in frames

Info

Publication number: GB2259323A
Application number: GB9213500A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Charles Damar Dawson; Roger Victor Weaver
Original assignee: Reddiplex Ltd
Current assignee: Reddiplex Ltd
Priority date: 1991-06-25
Filing date: 1992-06-25
Publication date: 1993-03-10
Anticipated expiration: 2012-06-25
Also published as: GB9213500D0; GB9113705D0; GB2259323B

Abstract

A system for securing and sealing glass in a frame is of the dry glazing type, and for use with wooden frames. The frame (4) has an aperture with an inwardly-facing wall for supporting the glass (1, 2), and an abutment (5) projecting into the aperture. The system has a first sealing member (8) attached to the frame (4) and extending round the periphery of the glass, with a spacer portion (9) passing between the wail of the aperture and the adjacent edge of the glass, and a retaining portion (12) extending inwardly of the aperture, with at least one seal (13) contacting one side of the glass. A second sealing member (16) is located between the abutment (5) and the other side of the glass, so that the glass is secured between the first sealing member (8) and the abutment (5), and is sealed by the sealing members (8, 16). The glass may be a single sheet or a double or multiple glazing unit. <IMAGE>

Description

SYSTEMS FOR SECURING AND SEALING GLASS IN FRAMES The present invention relates to systems of the kind for securing and sealing glass in frames. As well as being applicable to windows in the walls of buildings, the present invention may be used wherever glass must be secured in a frame such as in a greenhouse or conservatory or a glass panelled door.

When glass is fitted into a frame a seal must be applied around the periphery of the glass to exclude moisture and draughts. In traditional windows, where the glass is a single sheet and the frame is made of wood, the glass is secured between a wooden bead and a strip of putty, which acts as the seal. In contrast, where a modern aluminium or plastics frame is used, typically the glass is in the form of a sealed double-glazing unit which is secured by abutment members mounted on the frame on each side of the glazing unit, and the seal is provided by plastics or rubber strips which are attached to the abutment members.

Generally, securing and sealing systems of the kind set forth which involve the use of putty or similar sealing compounds are called wet glazing systems while those which use only rubber or plastics seals are called dry glazing systems.

Dry glazing systems have advantages over wet glazing systems in that they are easier to install since they do not require fluid and potentially messy sealants to be handled, and they require less maintenance than the wet sealants, which tend to dry out and crack. However, they also require the frames and abutment members to be constructed to close tolerances. This makes them suitable for metal and plastics frames, for which they have been widely adopted, but not for wood. In fact, no entirely satisfactory dry glazing system for wooden frames has previously been available.

In US-A-4 628 655 there is disclosed a dry glazing system for use with wooden frames. Apart from an abutment on the frame, this system requires several separate components: inner and outer sealing members to form the seal, wooden blocks to support the glass and a wooden retaining bead. The glass is retained in a rebate in the frame between the abutment and the wooden bead, the inner and outer seals being inserted one each side of the glass to abut the bead and abutment respectively. In order for the system to work satisfactorily the rebate and bead must be made to close tolerances or else there will either be too much or too little gap for the seals.

The present invention provides a system for securing and sealing glass in a frame having an aperture with an inwardly-facing wall for supporting the glass, and an abutment projecting into the aperture at least part of the way around it adjacent a first side of the glass, and comprising a first sealing member attached to the frame and extending round the periphery of the glass, and having a spacer portion which passes between the inwardly facing wall of the aperture and an adjacent edge of the glass, and a retaining portion extending inwardly of the aperture and having at least one projecting seal for contact with a second side of the glass, and a second sealing member between the abutment and the first side of the glass, such that the glass is secured between the first sealing member and the abutment, and is sealed by the two sealing members.

The arrangement of the present invention requires fewer parts than the known system because the peripheral spacing and support of the glass is provided by the spacer portion of the first sealing member.

The system is preferably completed by a bead attached to the frame outwardly of the first sealing member, and in sealing engagement with it.

The spacer portion of the first sealing member is preferably so constructed and arranged that when it is brought into contact with the abutment its retaining portion is the correct distance from the abutment to locate the glass therebetween. This allows the system to be installed easily since the correct position of the first sealing member is achieved automatically. The position of the bead can be adjusted to take account of manufacturing tolerances in the frame.

In one preferred form, the abutment is formed integrally with the window frame.

The retaining portion of the first sealing member preferably has three projecting seals.

The second sealing member is preferably made of resilient material and arranged to deform from its natural state when installed so as to maintain a constant pressure on the glass so ensuring reliable sealing. The resilience can also accommodate small variations in dimensions of the components of the system.

Both sealing members may conveniently be made of plastics, rubber, or any suitable polymeric material. They are preferably formed as extrusions.

The first sealing member may be formed of stiff plastics for the spacer and retaining portions and of resilient plastics for the seals.

The glass may be either a single sheet or a sealed double or multiple glazing unit.

There will inevitably be a small amount of leakage past the sealing members which could result in water entering the space between the glass and the spacer portion of the first sealing member. It is particularly important in the case of sealed double-glazing units that the edge of the glass does not stay in contact with water for any length of time.

To facilitate draining a hole may be provided through the spacer portion of the first sealing member through which water can drain and a slot may be provided in the frame to allow the water to escape.

In a further embodiment, the spacer and retaining portions of the first sealing member may be made as separate parts which clip together. The spacer portion need not then be continuous, but attached as short lengths spaced by distances which ensure proper support of the glass. It is then not necessary to provide the drain holes in the spacer portion. The spacer portion may also be arranged to accommodate any slope on the inward facing wall of the aperture.

The present invention is particularly suited for use with wooden window frames but it could also be used with frames of other materials.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described in detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, of which the sole figure shows a section of a system for securing and sealing a double-glazing unit in a frame in accordance with the invention.

A double-glazing unit comprises inner and outer sheets of glass 1, 2 separated by a spacer 3. The double-glazing unit is mounted within an aperture of a wooden window frame 4 against an inwardly projecting abutment 5, by means of first and second sealing members 8, 16 respectively.

The abutment 5 projects inwardly of the aperture and extends all of the way around the aperture towards the inner side of the window frame 4. The abutment has upper and lower rebates 6, 7 cut into its outwardly facing surface.

The first sealing member 8 is elongate and in cross-section is L-shaped, with a spacer portion 9 for supporting the sheets 1, 2, and a retaining portion 12 for retaining the double-glazing unit and sealing against the outer sheet 2. The spacer portion 9 extends outwardly from the abutment 5, and at its inner end, has a tongue 10 which locates within the lower rebate 7 of the abutment 5. Outwardly of the tongue 10 the spacer portion has two raised supports 11 connected by a web engaging the inwardly facing wall of the aperture. The supports 11 support the sheets of glass 1, 2 of the double glazing unit a small distance away from the frame 4.

The retaining portion 12 extends upwardly from the spacer portion 9 a short distance from its outer end outside the outer sheet of glass 2. A sealing strip 13 extends along the top of the retaining portion. The inner edge of the sealing strip 13 projects towards and engages the outer sheet of glass 2, thereby providing a seal between the glass and the retaining portion. Two further sealing fingers 14 project from points along the length of the retaining portion and seal against the glass sheet 2.

A notch 21 is provided along the outer edge portion of the spacer portion 11. This notch 21 provides guidance for a fixing nail 22 to be driven through the spacer portion 11 into the frame 4 to secure the first sealing member 8 in position against the abutment 5.

The underside of the outer edge of the sealing strip 13 engages the top of a wooden bead 15, which is secured to the frame 4 and is spaced a short distance from the first sealing member 8. The gap between the bead i5 and the first sealing member 8 can vary so long as the outer edge of the first sealing strip 13 overlaps it. This allows the outer edge of the bead 15 to be accurately positioned flush with the edge of the frame 4 even if manufacturing tolerances cause the frame width to vary slightly. Water running down the glass sheet 2 is carried by the sealing strip 13 onto the upper surface of the bead 15 from where it may drain freely away.

The second sealing member 16 is elongate and inserted between the inner sheet of glass 1 and the abutment 5. It is made of resilient material and is, in its natural state, curved in cross section. The gap between the glass sheet 1 and the abutment 5 is arranged (by careful selection of the length of the spacer portion 9 of the first sealing member 8) such that the second sealing member 16 must be flattened in order to fit into it, thus urging the double glazing unit outwards against the seals 13, 14 thereby ensuring reliable sealing.

The second sealing member 16 is positioned with its concave side towards the glass 1 resulting in two lines of contact with the glass 1 at which seals are formed. A small projection 17 of the second sealing member 16 engages the upper surface of the abutment 5.

A barb 18 on the second sealing member 16 projects into the upper rebate 6 of the abutment to resist removal of the member 16.

The first and second sealing members 8, 16 may conveniently be made as extrusions. The second sealing member 16 can be formed as a simple extrusion of resilient plastics rubber or polymeric material.

The first sealing member 8 is preferably formed as a co-extrusion of a stiff plastics for the spacer and sealing portions 9, 12 and a resilient plastics for the seals 13, 14 themselves.

A hole 19 is provided near each end of the first sealing member 8 which extends through the spacer portion. The hole passes partly through the web which connects the two raised supports 11, and partly through the outer support itself, so that any water which collects in the space between the glazing unit and the spacer portion 9 may drain away through it. A slot 20 is provided in the window frame 4 extending below the hole 19 to the outside of the frame 4 through which this water then drains. In order to avoid surface tension in the water causing resistance to drainage, the hole 19 should be at least 4hmm in diameter and the slot 20 should be at least 6mm wide by 3mm deep.

The system is installed by first building the frame 4 into a wall in the normal way. The glass 1, 2 is then introduced into the frame and the first sealing member 8 is inserted around it. The first sealing member 8 is then be secured in place by the nails 22.

The second sealing member 6 is then inserted into the gap between the inner sheet of glass 1 and the abutment 5, and the installation is completed by the attachment of the bead 15 In a modification (not shown) the first sealing member 8 is made as two parts which clip together.

Thus, the spacer portion 9 may have its outer end at the support portion 11 for the outer glass sheet 2, and be formed with a channel into which an inner end of the retaining portion 12 clips. Alternatively, the spacer portion 9 has a portion extending to the outer edge of the member 8, the extended portion being formed with a channel at the support portion 11 for the sheet 2. The retaining portion 12 terminates at its lower end in inner and outer flanges, of which the inner flange clips into the channel, and the outer flange rests on the extension. These constructions enable the spacer portion 9 to be attached as short lengths, spaced apart by appropriate distances in order to ensure proper support of the glass. The drainage holes 19 need not then be provided. The alternative construction also has the advantage of being able to accommodate any slope on the inward-facing wall of the aperture 4, and of enabling one retaining portion 12 to be used with different spacer portions 9.

Claims

1. A system for securing and sealing glass in a frame having an aperture with an inwardly-facing wall for supporting the glass, and an abutment projecting into the aperture at least part of the way around it adjacent a first side of the glass, and comprising a first sealing member attached to the frame and extending round the periphery of the glass, and having a spacer portion passing between the inwardly-facing wall of the aperture and an adjacent edge of the glass, and a retaining portion extending inwardly of the aperture and having at least one projecting seal for contact with a second side of the glass, and a second sealing member between the abutment and the first side of the glass, such that the glass is secured between the first sealing member and the abutment, and is sealed by the two sealing members.

2. A system as claimed in Claim 1, in which a bead is attached to the frame outwardly of the first sealing member, and in sealing engagement with it.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the spacer portion of the first sealing member is so constructed and arranged that when it is brought into contact with the abutment the retaining portion is the correct distance from the abutment to locate the glass therebetween.

4. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the abutment is formed integrally with the window frame.

5. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the retaining portion of the first sealing member has three projecting seals.

6. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the second sealing member is of resilient material arranged to deform from its natural state when installed.

7. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the first sealing member is of plastics, rubber, or any suitable polymeric material.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7, in which the spacer and retainer portions of the first sealing member are of stiff plastics material, and the seals of resilient plastics material.

9. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the second sealing member is of resilient plastics, rubber or any suitable polymeric material.

10. A system as claimed in any of claims 7 to 9, in which the sealing members are formed as extrusions.

11. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which a drainage hole is provided in the spacer portion of the first sealing member.

12. A system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 10, in which the spacer and retaining portions of the first sealing member are formed as separate parts which clip together.

13. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the glass is a single sheet.

14. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the glass is a double or multiple glazing unit.

15. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the frame is of wood.

16. A system for securing and sealing glass in a frame substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.