GB2238340A - Glazed unit retention device - Google Patents

Abstract

A glazed unit retention device for holding a portion of one edge of a glazed unit 25 in position comprises a plurality of spacer strips 32 made of rigid plastics material. The spacer has an outer edge and an inner edge. An L-shaped clip 35 is capable of snap-fitting locking engagements with the spacer strip in order to retain the glazed unit 25. One portion 51 of the clip 35 has slideable engagement with a flat mounting portion 38 of the spacer strip 32. The device is used in addition to the usual glazing bead. <IMAGE>

Description

GLAZED UNIT RETENTION DEVICE This invention relates to a retention device for use in holding a glazed unit in position in a frame.

The invention has been developed primarily in connection with a retention device for holding a double glazed unit in position in a rectangular frame built-up from extruded plastics sections (usually UPVC). However, it should be understood that the invention is applicable to the retention of single panes of glass, and also that the material from which the frame is made can be other than extruded plastics.

In the assembly of double glazed units into UPVC frames (for windows and doors), it is usual practice to introduce spacer or packing strips between the edges of the unit and the respective supporting surfaces of the frame members, so as to compensate for any tolerances in manufacture of the glazed units and / or the frame members.

Usually, two spacer strips are arranged at each corner of the frame i.e. one at one end of the horizontal frame member and the other at the other end of the adjacent vertical frame member. These strips are therefore able to take up any excessive clearances between the supporting surfaces and the edges of the glazed unit.

The installer will usually be provided with a range of thicknesses of spacer strips, to suit particular clearances, and after the spacers have been placed in position between the edges of the glazed unit and the supporting surfaces of the frame members, the unit is then secured in position by snap-fitted outer bead sections.

The frame members usually have an integral retaining bead on the inner side of the frame, against which the glazed unit is pressed, and then detachable outer beads are snapfitted into mountings provided along the front edges of the frame members in order to hold the glazed unit captive between the inner and outer beads.

The outer beads have depending lower tongues which are snap-fitted into receiving channels formed in the frame members. The assembly is then completed by the introduction of sealing strips between the inner faces of the beads and the adjacent surfaces of the glazed unit.

The existing method of installation can be carried out quickly and efficiently, using these known components, and which provides a system which is durable and well able to withstand adverse weather. However, by the very nature of the ease with which the assembly can be completed, namely the snap-fitting into position of the outer beads, this makes the system comparatively easy to be dismantled from the outside by intruders. Thus, it is only necessary to exert a modest opening force by means of a blade-type instrument inserted between the outer bead and its mounting on each frame member, so that the outer bead can become detached from its mounting. The glazed unit can then be removed after all of the outer beads have been detached, and an intruder can then gain access through the open window space now made available.All of these operations can be carried out by the intruder without any noise, or breaking of glass or other components of the system.

Therefore, there exists a need to improve existing techniques for assembling glazed units into frames, which keeps the advantages of easy assembly, but which is much more resistant to unauthorised attempts to dismantle the assembly from the outside.

According to the invention there is provided a retaining device for use in holding a portion of one edge of a glazed unit in position adjacent to a supporting surface of one frame member of a rectangular frame, said frame member having an inner bead at one side of the supporting surface and being provided with a mounting on the other side of the supporting surface which is engageable in a snap-fitting manner by an outer bead so as to locate the edge of the glazed unit between the inner and outer beads, and said device comprising: a spacer strip which is positionable at or near to a corner end of said one frame member so as to be engageable by said edge portion of the glazed unit, said strip having an outer edge and an inner edge; and an L-shaped retaining clip which is capable of snapfitting locking engagement with the spacer strip in order to retain said edge portion of the glazed unit in position prior to mounting of the outer bead, one portion of said clip being slidably engageable with a flat mounting portion of said retainer strip in a direction from said outer edge towards said inner edge until said one clip portion becomes locked in position, and the further portion of the clip serving to retain the edge of the glazed unit against removal from the frame.

The retaining device of the invention is therefore easy to use in the installation of a glazed unit in a frame, but by virtue of the locking engagement between the retaining clip and the spacer strip, it is able to retain the edge of the glazed unit in position even in the event of unauthorised removal of the outer bead. Thus, said one portion of the retaining clip is firmly held in locking engagement with the spacer strip, with the edge of the glazed unit located against it, and this assembly could only be dismantled by breaking the glass or the components of the system.

Usually, eight devices of the invention will be used to install a glazed unit in a frame, so that a pair of devices is arranged at each corner of the frame.

Devices according to the invention are particularly suitable for use in the installation of double glazed units in frames built-up from extruded plastics sections.

Preferably, the mounting portion of the spacer strip comprises a table over which said one portion of the clip is slidable, and grooves may be provided at each side of the table within which the edges of said one portion of the retaining clip can slide and be retained against movement in a direction perpendicular to the table.

The locking engagement between the clip and the spacer strip may comprise a snap fitting engagment between a locking element and a recess. This may comprise, for example, a locking ramp on the table and a recess formed in said one portion of the clip which snap fits over the ramp as the clip portion is advanced in the direction from the outer edge towards the inner edge of the spacer strip.

To enable the clip to be unlocked by authorised persons, preferably the end of the table adjacent to said inner edge of the strip is deformable (from the inside of the frame) so as to disengage the locking element from the recess, which then allows the clip to be withdrawn in a direction towards the outer edge of the strip. This may be made possible by providing slots which separate the end portion of the table from the remainder of the spacer strip.

The strip is preferably provided with holes through which screws or other fasteners can be taken in order to secure the strip at required positions on the supporting surface of the frame members of the frame.

To enable different clearances to be compensated for, each carrier strip may be capable of being locked together in a stack which is built-up to the required clearance.

Embodiments of a retaining device according to the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic sectional view of an existing design of glazed unit assembly; Figure 2 is a detailed view showing the positioning of a spacer strip on a supporting surface of a frame member of a frame on which a glazed unit is to be mounted; Figure 3 is a side view showing one corner of a glazed unit mounted against a pair of spacer strips at a corner of the frame; Figure 4 is a plan view of a retaining device according to the invention; Figure 5 is a detailed sectional view taken on X-X in Figure 4; and Figure 6 is a similar sectional view of a second embodiment of the retaining device.

Referring first to Figure 1 of the drawings, which shows an existing design of glazed unit assembly, which comprises a rectangular frame having a lower frame member 10 of extruded hollow section, and on which the lower edge of a double glazed unit 11 is mounted via a spacer strip 12 secured on a supporting surface 13 of the lower frame member 10. The frame member 10 has an integral outer retaining bead 14 at the inner side of its supporting surface 13, and also has a mounting 15 at the front side of the support surface 13 into which can be mounted in snapfitting manner a front bead 16. The inner bead 14 and inner bead 16 therefore are able to locate the lower edge of the glazed unit 11 therebetween. The assembly is then completed by the insertion of sealing strips 17 between the inner faces of the beads 14 and 16 and the outer surfaces of the glazed unit 11 alongside its lower edge.

The design shown in Figure 1 comprises an existing structure which can be easily assembled, and provides efficient weather resistance. However, by virtue of the ease by which the front bead 16 can be mounted in position, it can just as readily be removed by unauthorised personnel from the outside of the structure, if a blade-type instrument is introduced along the interface 18 between the frame member 10 and the bead 16, which can cause removal of the bead 16, thereby allowing access to the glazed unit 11 which can then readily be removed (after all of the front beads 16 have been removed) without any breakage of the components, and without making any noise.

The embodiment of the invention which will be described below seeks to provide a glazing assembly which can be installed readily, and in a weatherproof manner, but which provides improved resistance to unauthorised attempts by intruders to dismantle the assembly.

Referring first to Figures 2 and 3, this shows schematically the positioning of spacer strips 20 at the corner 21 of a rectangular frame built-up from frame members 22, 23 and 24, and which may be made of any conventional frame sections, such as hollow extruded UPVC sections. The corner of glazed unit 25 is shown mounted in position on the spacer strips 20. The thickness of the spacer strips 20 will be selected to meet the clearances which are to be filled, and then the assembly can be completed somewhat in the manner described above with reference to Figure 1. However, improved intruder resistance is provided by use of a retaining device according to the invention as shown in Figures 4 and 5, which is installed prior to the mounting in position of the front bead 16.

The retaining device according to the invention is designated generally by reference 30, and is intended for holding a portion of one edge of a glazed unit in position adjacent to a supporting surface of one frame member of a rectangular frame, one such surface being designated by reference 31 in relation to the lower horizontal frame member 23 shown in Figure 3. The frame member will have an inner bead at one side of the supporting surface and is provided with a mounting on the other side which is engageable in a snap fitting manner by an outer bead so as to locate the edge of the glazed unit between the inner and outer beads. This may be carried out in similar manner to that shown in Figure 1.

The retaining device 30 comprises a spacer strip 32 made of rigid plastics material and which can be positioned at or near to a corner end of the frame member 23 so as to be engaged by the edge portion of the glazed unit as shown in Figure 3. The spacer strip 32 has an outer edge 33 and an inner edge 34.

An L-shaped retaining clip 35 is capable of snapfitting locking engagement with the spacer strip 32 in order to retain the edge portion 36 (see Figure 5) of the glazed unit 25 in position prior to the mounting in position of the outer bead (16). One portion 37 of the clip 35 has slidable engagement with a flat mounting portion 38 of the spacer strip 32, and is movable in the direction of the arrow Y in Figure 4 from the outer edge 33 towards the inner edge 34 until the clip portion 37 becomes locked in position, in a manner described in more detail below.

The L-shaped strip 35 also has a further upright portion 39 which serves to retain the edge 36 of the glazed unit 25 against unauthorised removal from the frame.

The mounting portion 38 of the spacer strip 32 comprises a table over which the clip portion 37 is slidable, and grooves are defined below inturned ledges 40 which overlie the table 38, within which the edges 41 of the clip portion 37 can slide, and yet be retained against movement in a direction perpendicular to the table.

The locking engagement between the clip portion 37 and the spacer strip 32 comprises a snap fit engagement between a locking element and a recess. In the illustrated embodiment this comprises a ramp 42 on the table 38, and a recess 43 formed in the clip portion 37. The clip 35 can therefore be slid inwardly over the table 38, and the leading end of the clip portion 37 rises up over the ramp 42, and then the recess 43 snaps downwardly over the locking ramp 42.

Once the glazing assembly is completed, by mounting eight devices 30 according to the invention in pairs at each corner, and with the retaining clips 35 mounted in position. the outer beads can then be mounted in position in the usual way. The retaining clips 35 will be concealed from view, but even in the event of unauthorised removal of the outer beads. it will be impossible to disengage the retaining clips from the outside, without causing damage to the components of the system.

However, to enable each retaining clip 35 to be unlocked by authorised personnel from the inside of a building, the free end 44 of the table 38 adjacent to the inner edge 34 is made to be deformable so that the locking element 42 can be disengaged from the recess 43. This can be done by applying downward pressure at the end 44 by a blade or the like passed downwardly along the inner face of the inner bead.

In the illustrated embodiment of the spacer strip 32, mounting portion 38 has substantially the same width as the remainder of the spacer strip. An outer edge of the mounting portion 38 forms part of the outer edge 33 of the spacer strip 32. Also. the mounting portion 38 comprises a free end 44 which extends beyonds the ramp 42, such that the inner edge of the mounting portion is substantially colinear with the inner edge 34 of the remainder of the spacer strip 32.

In a second embodiment (not shown) the mounting portion 38 is narrower than the remainder of the spacer strip 32. and the inner and outer edges of the mounting portion are inset from the respective inner and outer edges of the remainder of the spacer strip 32. The spacer strip 32 is thus "waisted". In addition, the edge of the mounting portion does not extend beyond the ramp 42, and so there is no free end 44. In this embodiment, the clip 35 may be unlocked by authorised personnel by displacing the clip 35, rather than the table 38. This leads to a more secure system. In addition, the clip 35 may be made from metal shaped to define grooves which protrude from the clip 35. In this second embodiment, the clip 35 is adapted to be fitted onto the strip 32 in an opposite manner to the clip of the first embodiment, as shown in figure 6. In other words, the mounting portion 38 of the strip 32 is positioned adjacent the glazed unit 25, and the ramp is formed on a side of the mounting portion 38 remote from the glazed unit 25. Such an arrangement is more secure.

Each spacer strip 32 can be securely positioned in any required positions on the supporting surfaces of the frame members by passing screws or other fasteners through holes 45 provided in the end portions of the strip 32.

To enable different clearances to be compensated for, preferably each spacer strip 32 is capable of being assembled in a stack, with suitable interfitting components to prevent relative lateral displacement between the elements of the stack.

Claims (9)

1. A retaining device for use in holding a portion of one edge of a glazed unit in position adjacent to a supporting surface of one frame member of a rectangular frame, said frame member having an inner bead at one side of the supporting surface and being provided with a mounting on the other side of the supporting surface which is engageable in a snap-fitting manner by an outer bead so as to locate the edge of the glazed unit between the inner and outer beads, said device comprising: a spacer strip which is positionable at or near to a corner end of said one frame member so as to be engageable by said edge portion of the glazed unit, said strip having an outer edge and an inner edge; and an L-shaped retaining clip which is capable of snapfitting blocking engagement with the spacer strip in order to retain said edge portion of the glazed unit in position prior to mounting of the outer bead, one portion of said clip being slideably engagable with a flat mounting portion of said retainer strip in a direction from said outer edge towards the said inner edge until said one clip portion becomes locked in position, and the further portion of the clip serving to retain the edge of the glazed unit against removal from the frame.

2. A retaining device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mounting portion of the spacer strip comprises a table over which said one portion of the clip is slideable, and grooves are provided at each side of the table within which the edges of said one portion of the retaining clip can slide and be retained against movement in a direction perpendicular to the table.

3. A retaining device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the locking engagement between the clip and the spacer strip comprises a snap-fitting engagement between the locking element and a recess.

4. A retaining device according to claim 3 wherein the locking engagement comprises a locking ramp on the table and a recess formed in said one portion of the clip which snap fits over the ramp as the clip portion is advanced in the direction of the outer edge towards the inner edge of a spacer strip.

5. A retaining device as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the end of the table adjacent to said inner edge of the strip is deformable so as to disengage the locking element from the recess which then allows the clip to be withdrawn in a direction towards the outer edge of the strip.

6. A retaining device as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein the device comprises slots which serve to separate the end portion of the table from the remainder of the spacer strip.

7. A retaining device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the strip is provided with holes through which screws or other fasteners can be taken in order to secure the strip at required positions on the supporting surface of the frame members of the frame.

8. A retaining device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein a plurality of spacer strips are lockable together in a stack.

9. A retaining device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.