S&F Ref: 964871 D1 AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name and Address Architectural Window Systems Pty Ltd, of Applicant: an Australian company, ACN 067 950 903, of 76-78 Jedda Road, Prestons, New South Wales, 2170, Australia Actual Inventor(s): David McCleary Address for Service: Spruson & Ferguson St Martins Tower Level 35 31 Market Street Sydney NSW 2000 (CCN 3710000177) Invention Title: Glass framing system The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 5845c(3436381_1) Glass Framing System Background of the Invention The present invention relates to a framing system for glass, such as those used for segmented shopfront windows, and, in particular, to a glass framing system having 5 perimeter frames and intermediate frames. Object of the Invention It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative glass framing system. Summary of the Invention to According to a first aspect of the present invention there is disclosed herein a glass framing system including: a longitudinally elongated sub-head frame member, the sub-head frame member providing a longitudinally extending open recess; a first longitudinally elongated perimeter frame member, the first perimeter is frame member including an elongated perimeter frame portion that is to be received within the recess of the sub-head frame member so as to extend longitudinally therealong, a longitudinal surface of the first perimeter frame member being recessed to provide a pocket which is to receive an edge portion of a first window panel; a longitudinally elongated sub-sill frame member, the sub-sill frame member 20 providing a longitudinally extending open recess; a second longitudinally elongated perimeter frame member, the second perimeter frame member including: (i) a first elongated perimeter frame portion that is to be received within the recess of the sub-sill frame member so as to extend longitudinally therealong; and 25 (ii) a second perimeter frame portion that is adapted to be snap fitted to the first perimeter frame portion, the first and second perimeter frame portions defining a second pocket for holding an edge portion of a second window panel; at least one longitudinally elongated intermediate frame member for location at a position spaced between the sub-head frame member and the sub-sill frame member; and 30 at lease one cover bead for snap engaging the at least one intermediate frame member, thereby to hold an edge portion of at least one of the first or second window panel.
2 Preferably, the at least one intermediate frame member is selected from the group consisting of a transom and a mullion. It is preferred that the at least one intermediate frame member includes a female portion for receiving a male portion of the at least one cover bead. 5 In a preferred form, the female portion is defined by a first pair of arms projecting from the at least one intermediate frame member in a direction towards a front of the system, and the male portion is defined by a second pair of arms projecting from the at least one cover bead in a direction towards a rear of the system, the second pair of arms being received in an arm recess between the first pair of arms. 10 Preferably the first pair of arms includes a lug part projecting into the arm recess, and the second pair of arms includes a crimped part, the crimped part engaging behind the lug part when the at least one cover bead is snap fitted onto the at least one intermediate frame member. Preferably, the perimeter frame member includes a recessed glazing pocket for 15 sealably receiving respective edge portions of the first and second window panels. In one preferred form, the recessed glazing pocket is integrally formed with the perimeter frame member. Preferably, the perimeter frame member is an aluminium extrusion. Preferably, the sub-frame member and the intermediate frame member is an 20 aluminium extrusion. Preferably, the cover bead is an aluminium extrusion. According to a second aspect of the invention there is disclosed herein a glass framing system including: a longitudinally elongated sub-frame member, the sub-frame member providing 25 a longitudinally extending open recess; a longitudinally elongated perimeter frame member, the perimeter frame member including: (i) a first elongated perimeter frame portion that is to be received within the recess of the sub-frame member so as to extend longitudinally therealong; and 30 (ii) a second perimeter frame portion that is adapted to be snap fitted to the first perimeter frame portion, the first and second perimeter frame portions defining a second pocket for holding an edge portion of a window panel; 2a at least one longitudinally elongated intermediate frame member for location at a position spaced from the sub-frame member; and at lease one cover bead for snap engaging the at least one intermediate frame member, thereby to hold an edge portion of the window panel. 5 According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a snap-on, front cover intermediate framing system for use in defining frame segments of a glass framing system having pocketed perimeter frames, the intermediate framing system comprising at least one intermediate frame member, and a front cover adapted for snap-fitting onto the or each intermediate frame member. 10 Brief Description of the Drawings Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig I is a cross-sectional view of part of a preferred glass framing system according to a first embodiment of the invention, 15 3 Fig 2 is a cross-sectional view of part of a preferred glass framing system according to a second embodiment of the invention, Fig 3 is a cross-sectional view of part of a preferred glass framing system according to a third embodiment of the invention, 5 Fig 4 is a cross-sectional view of part of a preferred glass framing system according to a fourth embodiment of the invention, Fig 5 is a bottom perspective view of part of a preferred glass framing system according to a fifth embodiment of the invention, Fig 6 is a bottom perspective view of part of a preferred glass framing system 1o according to a sixth embodiment of the invention, Fig 7 is a bottom perspective view of part of a preferred glass framing system according to a seventh embodiment of the invention, Fig 8 is a top perspective view of part of a preferred glass framing system according to an eighth embodiment of the invention, is Fig 9 is a top perspective view of part of a preferred glass framing system according to a ninth embodiment of the invention, Fig 10 is a top perspective view of part of a preferred glass framing system according to a tenth embodiment of the invention, Fig 11 is a cross-sectional view of part of a preferred glass framing system 20 according to an eleventh embodiment of the invention, and Fig 12 is a cross-sectional view of part of a preferred glass framing system according to a twelfth embodiment of the invention. Description of Preferred Embodiments The glass framing system shown (in part) in Fig 1 has a pocketed perimeter 25 frame member 12, which includes a recessed glazing pocket 14 integrally formed therewith, an intermediate frame member 16 defining thereabout a first frame segment 18 and a second frame segment 20, and a "flat" front cover bead 22 which is snap fitted onto the intermediate frame member 16. The intermediate frame member 16 includes a female portion in the form of a first pair of arms 24, 26 projecting from the intermediate frame 30 member 16 in a direction (as shown) towards a front of the system. The front cover bead 22 includes a male portion in the form of a second pair of arms 28, 30 projecting from the 4 front cover bead 22 in a direction (as shown) towards a rear of the system. The arms 24, 26 frictionally receive the arms 28, 30 in a recess between the arms 24, 26. The arms 24, 26 include a lug part 32 projecting into the recess, and each of the arms 28, 30 include a crimped part 34. Each crimped part 34 engages behind a respective lug part 32 when the 5 front cover bead 22 is snap fitted onto the intermediate frame member 16. A first edge portion 142 of a first glass panel 36 is sealably received via various rubber support components (not shown in detail) in the recessed glazing pocket 14. A second edge portion 144 opposed to the first edge portion 142 of the glass panel 36 is sealably received via various rubber support components (not shown in detail) 1o in a recessed glazing pocket defined by walls 42, 44 of the intermediate frame member 16 and by walls 46, 48 of the front cover bead 22 when the intermediate frame member 16 and front cover bead 22 are connected together. A first edge portion 146 of a second glass panel 50 is sealably received via various rubber support components (not shown in detail) in a recessed glazing pocket is defined by similar walls as aforementioned. Fig 2 is identical to Fig I except that the "flat" front cover bead 22 is replaced by a "raised square" front cover bead 54. In this embodiment, the face of the front cover bead 54 does not project beyond, but is in line with, the face of the pocketed perimeter frame member 12. 20 Fig 3 is identical to Fig 1 except that the "flat" front cover bead 22 is replaced by a "raised splayed" front cover bead 56, the face of which is slightly behind the line of the face of the pocketed perimeter frame member 12. The glass framing system shown (in part) in Fig 4 has a pocketed perimeter frame member 58, which includes a recessed glazing pocket 60 formed by connecting 25 together first and second perimeter frame portions 62, 64 in a snap-fit as shown. Fig 4 also shows front and rear rubber pressure seals 66, 68 and rubber mounting strips 70, 72 for the glass panels. The glass framing system shown (in part) in Fig 5 has four frame segments 74,76,78, 80, a perimeter frame member 82, intermediate frame members 84, 86, and 30 front cover beads 88, 90 snap fitted onto each intermediate frame member. Intermediate frame member 84 is a transom which receives a "flat" front cover bead 88, and 5 intermediate frame member 86 is a mullion which also receives a "flat" front cover bead 90. Fig 6 is identical to Fig 5 except that the "flat" front cover bead 90 is replaced by a "raised square" front cover bead 92. 5 Fig 7 is identical to Fig 6 except that the "flat" front cover bead 88 is replaced by a "raised splayed" front cover bead 94. The glass framing system shown (in part) in Fig 8 has four frame segments 96, 98, 100, 102, a pocketed perimeter frame member 104, intermediate frame members 106, 108, and "flat" front cover beads 110, 112 snap fitted onto each 1o intermediate frame member. The pocketed perimeter frame member 104 includes a recessed glazing pocket 106 formed by connecting together first and second perimeter frame connecting portions 114, 116. There is a sub-frame member, here a sub-sill 118, which provides a "skirting board" like lower panel. The sub-sill 118 is provided in the form of a longitudinally elongated sub-frame member that is to be located within a recess is of a wall defining an open wall cavity (not shown). The sub-sill 118 provides a longitudinally extending open recess 119. The elongated perimeter frame member 114 includes a first longitudinally elongated perimeter frame portion 121 that is to be received within the recess 119 so as to extend longitudinally therealong. Fig 9 is identical to Fig 8 except that the intermediate frame member 108 20 (mullion with female portion) is replaced by an intermediate frame member 120 lacking a female portion. There is no front cover bead 112 and the edges of the glass panels are structurally secured to the intermediate frame member 120. Fig 10 is identical to Fig 8 except that the intermediate frame member 106 (transom with female portion) is replaced by an intermediate frame member 122 lacking a 25 female portion. There is no front cover bead 110 and the edge of the glass panels are structurally secured to the intermediate frame member 122. The glass framing system shown (in part) in Fig 11 illustrates a sub-frame member, here a sub-head 124, fitted to the pocketed perimeter frame member 12 of the system of Fig 1. First longitudinally elongated perimeter frame portion 126 is fitted in a 30 recess 127 of sub-head 124. The glass framing system shown (in part) in Fig 12 illustrates a sub-sill 128 fitted to the pocketed perimeter frame member 104 of the system of Fig 8. A 6 longitudinally elongated perimeter frame portion 130 is fitted in a recess of the sub-still 128. In all of the above embodiments, the perimeter frame members, perimeter frame portions, intermediate frame members, front cover beads, sub-sill and sub-head are s aluminium extrusions, although it is to be understood by persons skilled in the art that other materials and methods may be used in the manufacture of the aforementioned components. Various modifications may be made in detail of design and construction without departing from the scope and ambit of the invention.