GB2306996A - Glazing system with separate pane edge support means and securing and retaining means - Google Patents

Abstract

A timber frame 10 for a window has an inwardly facing surface 11 and a co-extensive upstanding abutment 12 which together define a rebate in which a glazing panel 14 may be received. Extending along each side of the frame is an extruded plastics peripheral strip 16 which abuts the inwardly facing surface 11 of the frame and lies between that surface and the peripheral edge of the glazing panel, and a separate upstanding retaining strip 17, also of extruded plastics, which is detachably connected to the peripheral strip 16 and holds the edge of the panel against the abutment 12 on the frame. At least one supporting member 27, which is separate from the peripheral strip 16 and the retaining strip 17 and engages the edge of the glazing panel, passes through an aperture 9 in the peripheral strip so as to support the panel directly on the surface 11 of the timber frame, independently of the plastics peripheral strip 16.

Description

"A system for mounting a panel within a surrounding frame" The invention relates to a system for mounting a panel within a surrounding frame. it is particularly, but not exclusively, applicable to systems for mounting a glazing panel, such as a sealed double-glazing unit, within a timber window frame.

As is well known, a rectangular window frame for glazing normally comprises four frame members providing an inwardly facing peripheral surface and a co-extensive upstanding abutment surface which together define a rebate in which the glazing panel is received. Such frames may be formed from timber or from suitably profiled plastics or aluminium extrusions.

In order to secure the glazing panel within the frame, it is common to use a securing structure in the form of an extruded plastics or aluminium strip comprising a peripheral portion which abuts the peripheral surface of the frame and lies between that surface and the peripheral edge ofthe panel, and a retaining portion which is upstanding from the peripheral portion so as to retain a marginal portion of the glazing panel between the retaining portion and the abutment surface of the frame. Resiliently flexible sealing strips are normally inserted between the retaining portion and the glazing panel and between the abutment surface and the glazing panel. Many different profiles of window frames and securing strips are commercially available.

In all cases, when the securing strips are being fitted it is necessary to locate the glazing panel in the desired position within the frame. This is usually achieved by first inserting the securing strips around the frame and then supporting the glazing panel on the lowermost horizontal securing strip in such position that the vertical and upper horizontal sides of the glazing panel are at the correct spacing from the sides of the frame.

While the lower edge of the glazing panel may bear directly on the peripheral portion of the lower securing strip, this may have the disadvantage that all four side edges ofthe glazing panel are not equidistant from their adjacent frame members It is therefore the usual practice, when fitting the glazing panel, to place two or more spacers or blocks at different positions on top of the peripheral portion of the lowermost securing strip These spacers or blocks are of such a thickness as to locate the glazing panel in such position that its four side edges are substantially equidistant from the surrounding frame members. However, such arrangement suffers from certain disadvantages.Thus, the peripheral portion of the lower securing strip has to bear substantially the whole weight of the glazing panel, which can be very heavy in the case of a double or triple glazed unit for a large window. The weight is concentrated at just two or three regions of the securing strip where the spacers or blocks are located. The peripheral portion of the securing strip therefore has to be designed to be of such a profile that it can withstand this weight, and this may provide constraints in the design which necessitate compromises in other desirable features of the strip. The supporting blocks are generally merely located in roughly appropriate positions by the installer so that they may not be located in the optimum positions to achieve the best weight distribution. Also they may become dislodged during the fitting of the glazing panel.

The present invention sets out to provide an arrangement whereby the glazing or other panel, during installation, is not supported by the peripheral portion of the sealing strip but is supported directly and independently on the frame member itself. In a preferred embodiment this arrangement can also ensure accurate location of the supporting members.

According to the invention there is provided a glazing system for mounting a panel, such as a glazing panel, within a surrounding frame which has an inwardly facing peripheral surface and a co-extensive upstanding abutment surface defining a rebate in which the panel is received, the system comprising, extending along each side each of the frame, a securing structure comprising a peripheral portion which abuts said peripheral surface of the frame and lies between said surface and the peripheral edge of the panel, a retaining portion connected to the peripheral portion and upstanding therefrom so as to retain a marginal portion of the panel between the retaining portion and the aforesaid abutment surface, and at least one supporting member, separate from the securing structure, which bears against said peripheral surface of the frame and engages the peripheral edge of the panel so as to support the panel directly on the peripheral surface of the frame independently of said securing structure.

The peripheral portion of the securing structure preferably includes an aperture through which a part of the supporting member extends so as to transmit loads directly from the panel to the peripheral surface of the frame. In this case the aperture also serves to locate the support member accurately in a required position along the length of the securing structure.

The peripheral portion may be an elongate extrusion in which case said aperture may be formed in the extrusion, e.g. by punching, after it has been extruded.

The support member may comprise a deck engageable with the side edge of the panel, and a base which passes through the aperture in the peripheral portion to bear against the peripheral surface of the frame. The base may comprise two spaced legs.

For example, the support member may comprise a length of an extrusion where the legs are spaced parallel flanges extending at right angles from one side of the deck.

The deck may at least partly overlap the aperture, in which case the height of the base is slightly greater than the thickness of the peripheral portion of the securing strip, so that the deck of the support member is slightly spaced from the surface of the peripheral portion.

Although the invention includes within its scope arrangements where the retaining portion of the securing structure is integral with the peripheral portion, the retaining portion is preferably connected to the peripheral portion by a detachable connection. Such arrangement allows the peripheral portion to be located within the frame before the glazing or other panel is inserted, the retaining portion then being fitted to the peripheral portion after the glazing panel is in position.

In such cases the detachable connection is preferably adjustable so that the distance ofthe retaining portion from the abutment surface may be varied. This enables the same type of securing structure to be used for different thicknesses of panel. For example, the retaining portion and peripheral portion may be formed with an interengaging projection and recess formed with inter-engaging formations to retain the projection at a plurality of alternative positions within the recess. The projection may comprise an elongate strip engageable within an elongate channel, engaging faces on the strip and panel being formed with inter-engaging ribs and grooves.

Preferably the projection is formed on the retaining portion and the channel is formed on the peripheral portion.

At least one resiliently flexible elongate sealing element may be located between the retaining portion and the panel and between the abutment surface and the panel, in known manner. Preferably the sealing element between the retaining portion and the panel is integral with the retaining portion. For example it may comprise a resiliently flexible bead co-extruded with the remainder of the retaining portion.

The peripheral portion of the securing structure preferably has means for locating it in a desired position in relation to the abutment surface on the frame. For example, the peripheral portion may have an edge surface, remote from the retaining portion, which in use bears against the abutment surface. In this case said edge surface of the peripheral portion is preferably formed with a locating projection which enters within a recess in the abutment surface.

The system may further include a facing strip secured to the frame adjacent and outwardly of the retaining portion. As previously mentioned, the present system is particularly applicable to systems where the frame members are formed from timber and in this case the facing strip may comprise a suitably shaped wooden strip which is secured to the timber frame. The facing strip will then hide the majority of the securing structure, which will usually be a plastics extrusion, so as to give the impression of an all-wooden glazing system.

The invention includes within its scope components for use in the system according to the invention, such components comprising one or more elongate securing structures and one or more supporting members of any of the kinds referred to above.

The following is a more detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic vertical section through part of a glazing system for timber windows, in accordance with the invention, and Figure 2 is a plan view of part of the securing strip of the system of Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 1: the rectangular window frame is constructed from four wooden elongate frame members of constant cross-section, the bottom horizontal frame member 10 being shown in section in Figure 1.

The main body of the wooden frame member provides an inwardly facing peripheral surface 11 on one side of which (on the interior of the building) is integrally formed with an upstanding abutment 12 providing an abutment surface 13. The abutment surface 13, with the surface 11, forms a rebate extending around the window frame in which the side edges of the glazing panel 14 are located and retained by a securing structure 15.

The securing structure 15 extends along each wooden frame member and comprises a peripheral strip 16 to which is detachably connected a retaining strip 17.

Both strips are preferably extruded from suitable plastics material.

The peripheral strip 16 generally of inverted channel-section. One flange 18 of the channel section bears against the surface 13 of the abutment 12 and is formed with a longitudinal triangular rib 19 which is received in a rectangular recess 20 formed in. the abutment surface 13.

The opposite edge of the peripheral strip 16 is formed with two spaced horizontal flanges 21, 22 which define a channel in which is received a projecting flange 23 on the lower end ofthe retaining strip 17. The inwardly facing surfaces of the flanges 21 and 22 are formed with parallel longitudinal triangular-sectioned ribs which are engaged by ribs on the upper and lower surfaces of the projecting flange 23 on the retaining strip. A further flange 24 on the retaining strip 17 bears on the upper surface of the peripheral strip 16 for added stability.

The peripheral strip 16 is secured in position on the frame member 10 by fixing pins 25 which pass through holes 26 in the flange 21 and are driven into the timber of the frame member.

After the peripheral strips 16 have been secured to the four frame members, and before the retaining strips 17 are fitted, two or more supporting members 27 are placed at spaced locations along the peripheral strip 16 on the lowermost horizontal frame member 10. Each supporting member comprises a deck 28 from which extend downwards two spaced legs 28. Each supporting member 27 may, for example, comprise a short length of an extrusion having the profile shown in Figure 1.

The legs 29 of the supporting member pass through an elongate aperture 9 formed in the peripheral strip 16 so as to rest on the surface 11 of the timber frame member 10. The lengths of the legs 29 are such that the deck 28 is spaced a short distance above the upper surface ofthe peripheral strip 16. The strip 16 is also formed with one or more drainage hole 8 (see Figure 2) which are similar to the apertures.9.

When the supporting members 27 are in position, the glazing panel 14 is introduced into the opening in the window frame and lowered on to the spaced supporting members 27. Since the legs of the members 27 pass through apertures 9 in the peripheral strip 16, the weight of the glazing panel, which may be considerable, is transmitted directly to the wooden frame member 10, without any downward load being imparted to the peripheral strip 16 itself.

The retaining strips 17 are then connected to the peripheral strips 16, by inserting the projecting flange 23 of each retaining strip into the channel between the flanges 21 and 22, and a glazing wedge 30 of well known kind is inserted between the rear surface ofthe glazing panel 14 and the abutment 12, i.e. on the side of the glazing panel facing the interior of the building. Each retaining strip 17 is integrally formed with resiliently flexible sealing strips 31, 32 and the retaining strip 17 is urged as far as possible towards the abutment 12 so that the glazing panel 14 is securely held between the glazing wedge 30 and the sealing strips 31, 32 on the retaining strip.

Although support members 27 may also be mounted in the securing strips which extend up the vertical side frame members of the window, in order to centralise the glazing panel 14 within the opening, this is not essential and the primary purpose of the supporting members is to carry the weight of the glazing panel along the lower horizontal frame member.

To complete the installation, a shaped wooden trim strip 33 is secured to the frame member 10 by fixing pins 34. The resiliently flexible sealing strip 32 has a flange 35 which overlies the edge of the timber trim strip 33 so as to provide a watertight seal between the trim strip and the glazing panel.

It will be appreciated that, when the assembly is complete, the plastics extrusions 16 and 17 forming the securing structure, and the support members 27, are entirely hidden except for the sealing strip 32, which thus gives a clean and attractive external appearance to the assembly where only the wooden components are visible.

Claims (23)

1. A glazing system for mounting a panel, such as a glazing panel, within a surrounding frame which has an inwardly facing peripheral surface and a co-extensive upstanding abutment surface defining a rebate in which the panel is received, the system comprising, extending along each side each ofthe frame, a securing structure comprising a peripheral portion which abuts said peripheral surface of the frame and lies between said surface and the peripheral edge of the panel, a retaining portion connected to the peripheral portion and upstanding therefrom so as to retain a marginal portion of the panel between the retaining portion and the aforesaid abutment surface, and at least one supporting member, separate from the securing structure, which bears against said peripheral surface of the frame and engages the peripheral edge of the panel so as to support the panel directly on the peripheral surface of the frame independently of said securing structure.

2. A glazing system according to Claim 1, wherein the peripheral portion of the securing structure includes an aperture through which a part of the supporting member extends so as to transmit loads directly from the panel to the peripheral surface of the frame.

3. A glazing system according to Claim 2, wherein the peripheral portion comprises an elongate extrusion said aperture having been formed in the extrusion after it has been extruded.

4. A glazing system according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein the support member comprises a deck engageable with the side edge ofthe panel, and a base which passes through the aperture in the peripheral portion to bear against the peripheral surface of the frame.

5. A glazing system according to Claim 4, wherein the base of the support member comprises two spaced legs.

6. A glazing system according to Claim 5, wherein the support member comprises a length of an extrusion where the legs are spaced parallel flanges extending at right angles from one side of the deck.

7. A glazing system according to any of Claims 4 to 6, wherein the deck of the support member at least partly overlaps the aperture in the peripheral portion.

8. A glazing system according to Claim 7, wherein the height of the base is slightly greater than the thickness ofthe peripheral portion of the securing strip, so that the deck ofthe support member is slightly spaced from the surface ofthe peripheral portion.

9. A glazing system according to any ofthe preceding claims, wherein the retaining portion is connected to the peripheral portion by a detachable connection.

10. A glazing system according to Claim 9, wherein the detachable connection is adjustable so that the distance of the retaining portion from the abutment surface may be varied.

11. A glazing system according to Claim 10, wherein the retaining portion and peripheral portion are formed with an inter-engaging projection and recess formed with inter-engaging formations to retain the projection at a plurality of alternative positions within the recess.

12. A glazing system according to Claim 11, wherein the projection comprises an elongate strip engageable within an elongate channel, engaging faces on the strip and panel being formed with inter-engaging ribs and grooves.

13. A glazing system according to Claim 11 or Claim 12, wherein the projection is formed on the retaining portion and the channel is formed on the peripheral portion.

14. A glazing system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one resiliently flexible elongate sealing element is located between the retaining portion and the panel and between the abutment surface and the panel.

15. A glazing system according to Claim 14, wherein the sealing element between the retaining portion and the panel is integral with the retaining portion.

16. A glazing system according to Claim 15, wherein the sealing element between the retaining portion and the panel comprises a resiliently flexible bead co-extruded with the remainder of the retaining portion.

17. A glazing system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the peripheral portion ofthe securing structure has means for locating it in a desired position in relation to the abutment surface on the frame.

18. A glazing system according to Claim 17, wherein the peripheral portion has an edge surface, remote from the retaining portion, which in use bears against the abutment surface.

19. A glazing system according to Claim 18, wherein said edge surface of the peripheral portion is formed with a locating projection which enters within a recess in the abutment surface.

20. A glazing system according to any of the preceding claims, further including a facing strip secured to the frame adjacent and outwardly of the retaining portion.

21. A glazing system according to Claim 20, wherein the facing strip is formed from wood.

22. A glazing system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

23. A set of components for use in a glazing system according to any of the preceding claims, such components comprising one or more of said elongate securing structures and one or more of said supporting members.