Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E06—DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; LADDERS
  • E06B—FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES
  • E06B3/00—Window sashes, door leaves, or like elements for closing wall or like openings; Layout of fixed or moving closures, e.g. windows in wall or like openings; Features of rigidly-mounted outer frames relating to the mounting of wing frames
  • E06B3/54—Fixing of glass panes or like plates
  • E06B3/64—Fixing of more than one pane to a frame
  • E06B3/645—Fixing of more than one pane to a frame of units comprising two or more parallel panes to frames designed for single panes only, e.g. having too shallow a rabbet
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E06—DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; LADDERS
  • E06B—FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES
  • E06B3/00—Window sashes, door leaves, or like elements for closing wall or like openings; Layout of fixed or moving closures, e.g. windows in wall or like openings; Features of rigidly-mounted outer frames relating to the mounting of wing frames
  • E06B3/54—Fixing of glass panes or like plates
  • E06B3/5427—Fixing of glass panes or like plates the panes mounted flush with the surrounding frame or with the surrounding panes

Definitions

• This invention generally relates to mounting double-paned window units to buildings, and more parti ⁇ cularly to a system providing a secondary or safety mount for securing a sealed double-paned window unit to a building.
• Glass units made from two, and sometimes more, panes of glass are well known. They are particularly used as insulating glass units where the two panes, or lights, of glass are sealed together in spaced apart relation. Spacers separate the two lights and are affixed to the respective lights around the entire perimeter of the combined lights. The lights are thus sturdily secured into a unit with an air or'other gas layer typically trapped between the two lights, establishing the insula- tive character of the unit.
• Fairly large glass units may be used on office buildings and the like, such as glass units running from floor to ceiling.
• a number of different techniques have been developed to attach such glass units to a building.
• One method, for instance, is to attach the glass unit using end caps or exterior stops.
• the end caps or stops overlie the outside light of the unit and are anchored or clamped to the building.
• Such a mount ⁇ ing mechanism is shown in U.S. Patent No. 3,367,077 for example, although a double-paned unit is not described therein.
• the application of such a mount as a secondary mount to back up a primary mount for a double-paned glass unit, such as a structural silicone adherent, is a more particular aspect of this principal objective.
• the objective is met by the present invention which comprises a resilient or flexible member having a first portion received in a channel formed between the glass plates of a double-paned glass unit and a second portion extending beyond the perimeter of the glass unit.
• the second portion of the resilient member is fixed to the structure on which the glass unit is to be mounted, such as a building.
• the means for fixing the resilient member to the building may advantageously take the form of a separ ⁇ ate anchor member that can be fixed to the building and which interlocks with the second portion of the resilient member.
• the interlock of this embodiment uses a sliding interfit between- complimentarily contoured portions of the resilient member and the anchor member in a tongue and groove-type of engagement.
• the resilient member is an elongated block of a rubber or elastomeric material, such as EPDM.
• the block has a first portion that is sized to fit between the panes or lights of the double- paned glass unit in the recessed channel typically formed about the unit's perimeter.
• a second portion of the block extends beyond the perimeter of the glass unit.
• the second portion is formed with a contoured surface presenting one and preferably more laterally extending (i.e. perpendicular to the general plane of the glass unit) flanges or ridges. These ridges run along the longitudinal length of the block.
• the anchor member used with this present embod ⁇ iment is an L-shaped metal bracket.
• the base of the L is fixed to the building, as by welding it to the mullion.
• the other part of the L has a surface formed thereon that is complimentary to that of the block's second portion so that the block and anchor interfit and inter ⁇ lock.
• the surface of the L of this embodi ⁇ ment has a recessed channel defined therein within which one of the block flanges is received in a tongue and groove interengagement.
• the foregoing mount has found particular appli ⁇ cation in a system for mounting such double-paned glass units to a building.
• a plurality of the connectors are located about the perimeter of the glass unit in spaced apart relation.
• the invention could readily be applied as a primary mount for a glass unit, it is presently considered to be most useful as a secondary or safety mount to a primary mounting using a silicone adherent. That is, the glass unit is adhesively secured to the building in a conventional fashion and the connector of the present invention—is employed as a back-up in the event of the failure of the adherent. So applied, the glass unit would be field glazed or attached to the building in a unitized arrangement using standard techniques.
• the anchor L's are positioned about the perimeter of the unit and fixed in place, as by welding to the mullion.
• the mounting blocks are then interlocked with respective L's by inserting the first portion of a block into the channel between the glass lights and longitudinally sliding the second portion into the complimentary recess of the L.
• this mount and mounting system used as a secondary mount can thus be readily seen.
• the system precludes the catastrophic effects that formally resulted from failure of the primary adherent. If the primary mount fails, the system of the present invention prevents the glass unit from falling out, and enables repair or reattachment of the unit.
• the connector and system are also readily used with standard glass units and building materials. No modification of either the glass unit, building or frame is thus required. Standard field glazing techni- ques are employed with the present invention, and the ability to unitize is unaffected.
• the connector also allows normal expansion and contraction of the glass lights. All of the advan ⁇ tages of a four sided captured silicone system are re- tained', including less restriction on movement of the lights during expansion and contraction and a seal with the building against air and water infiltration. Fur ⁇ thermore, point contact with the interior light and undesirable pressure points are not associated with the present invention.
• Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view showing an arrangement of anchor members for mounting of a pair of adjacent glass units
• Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a resilient block used in a mount made in accordance with, this invention
• Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1;
• Fig. 4 is a sectional view along line 4-4 of Fig. 1.
• the invention has presently found particular application as a secondary mounting system for a double- paned glass unit that is secured to a building using a silicone adhesive as a primary mount. While the follow ⁇ ing embodiment will be described in the context of this application, it will be understood that the invention may have other employments beyond what is specifically described.
• a pair of glass units 10 are shown as they would be approximately posi ⁇ tioned on a frame 11 including a mullion 12 on a build- ing 13.
• the frame 11 is fixed to the building 13 in a conventional fashion well known in the building indus ⁇ try.
• the glass units 10 are standard double-paned insulative glass units having two panes or lights of glass 10a, 10b (Figs. 3 and 4); light 10a is the interior light.
• the lights 10a, 10b are separated by a spacer assembly 14 that is slightly inset from the edge of the unit 10 and extends around the entire perimeter of the unit.
• the spacer assembly 14 is adhered to both lights in a conventional manner, such as through the use of a one or two part silicone compound.
• Each unit 10 is thus sealed with an insulative layer of air or other gas sandwiched between the lights.
• Each of the units 10 is supported on the frame 11 by a structural seal of a silicone compound.
• each unit 10 is standard, and are mounted to a typical frame 11 in; a. conventional manner using a structural sealant.
• the structural sealant forms the primary means for mount ⁇ ing the units 10.
• This method of supporting the glass 1 units 10 provides the desired mounting without exterior stops or endcaps. The problem is that each unit 10 is entirely supported by the adhesive bond with the frame 11. If the bond fails, the unit 10 falls out.
• a back-up or secondary mount is therefore provided by the present invention in this embodiment.
• the inventive securement holds the unit in place and prevents catastrophic failure of the entire unit mounting.
• the illustrated mount made in accordance with the invention has two parts.
• One part is a resilient block 20 (Fig. 2) made of a rubber or rubber-like mater ⁇ ial, such as a shore A type EPDM having a durometer of about 70.
• This elastomer is compatible with the struc ⁇ tural silicone sealant used as the primary mount.
• the block 20 has a first portion 20a that fits in the recess or channel formed around the edge of a glass unit 10 between the lights 10a, 10b, and a second portion 20b that extends beyond the perimeter of the unit 10.
• the other part of the mount is an anchor member in the form of an L-shaped metal bracket 21 (Figs.
• the block 20 and anchor bracket 21 are engaged or interlocked through a sliding fit.
• the second portion 20b of the block has a contoured surface that is received and seats within a complimentarily contoured surface of the bracket flange 21b.
• the second block portion 20b when viewed in cross-section has a stem 23 from which outboard and inboard lateral flanges 24 and 25 extend.
• a third lateral flange 26 extends inboard from the end of the stem 23, and is spaced a slight distance away from the other inboard flange 24.
• These flanges 24-26 extend along the entire longitudinal length of the block 20.
• the flange 21b of the bracket 21 is configured to interlock with the block second portion 20b. It has a recess 28 formed therein with an inboard extending channel or groove 29 defined within the recess. A lip 30 overlies this channel 28. A ridge 31 extends perpen ⁇ dicularly from the flange 21b. All of these surface features of flange 21b extend along the entire longitu ⁇ dinal length of the flange 21b. The recess 28 and channel 29 are open at each end of the flange 21b.
• bracket flange 21b The contour of the bracket flange 21b exactly matches that of the block 20 so that they interlock when engaged.
• the flange 26 of the block 20 is first inserted into one end of the channel 29, and then the block 20 is longitudinally slid along the bracket flange 21b. Once positioned, the block flanges 24 and 25 are flush with the bracket flange 21b, with bracket ridge 31 received in a complimentary recess 32 formed between stem 23 and flange 25.
• Block flange 26 is received in channel 29 in a tongue and groove-type connection.
• the block 20 of Fig. 3 has flanges 24 and 25 which are slightly thicker than those of block 20 illustrated in Fig. 4. This is primarily because the flanges 24, 25 of the Fig. 3 block, which is used along the bottom or base of the unit 10, would bear some of the weight of the glass unit 10 in the event of failure of the primary sealant mount. The blocks along 5 the sides of the unit 10 (Fig. 4) would not be weight bearing. Blocks of the type shown in Fig. 4 are also used along the top of the unit 10.
• Figs. 1 and 4 illustrate the mounting arrange ⁇ ment used along a mullion 12 which is intermediate two
• brackets 21 are alternated along the length of the mullion 12 so that brackets 21' form part of the mount for one glass unit 10 while every other bracket 21' ' forms part of the mount for the other glass unit 10.
• a backer rod 32
• a unit 10 is attached to the frame 11 using structural silicone sealant in a conventional manner.
• Anchor brack ⁇ ets 21 are then fixed to the frame 11 such as by welding.
• the blocks 20 are thereafter slid into place in the channels along the perimeter of the unit 10 and into engagement with respective anchor brackets 21.
• a weather seal 34 is provided around the edges of the exterior light 10b between the light 10b and the frame (Fig. 3)
• the invention can be used in field glazing as well as in a unitized arrangement.
• An embodiment made in accordance with this invention was tested to determine its supportive capa ⁇ bility exclusive of the use of structural sealant, i.e. as if the structural sealant had completely failed and the unit was supported exclusively by the mounting assem ⁇ bly of this invention.
• Two standard insulative glass units 10 measuring 4' by 8' in a 7' by 11" two light wide system were arranged in a manner similar to that depicted in Fig. 1.
• Anchor brackets 21 were welded to the aluminum extrusion frame 11 so that blocks 20 were located at quarter points along the top and bottom of each unit 10 (the retaining mount illustrated along the major axis of each unit being omitted).
• Mounts were located along the outer sides of the units 10 spaced 6' ' from the ends (top and bottom) and along the minor axis (3 retaining mounts being used instead of the illus ⁇ trated 5).
• the mullion 12 had mounts located 6'' from either end in alternating pairs, with a pair of alternat ⁇ ing mounts at about the midpoint of the mullion 12 (the other intermediate mounts likewise being omitted) .
• the blocks were 6' ' in longitudinal length and manufactured by Tremco of Columbus, Ohio, under the designations TR 2140E and TR 2140E.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Securing Of Glass Panes Or The Like (AREA)
• Load-Bearing And Curtain Walls (AREA)
• Window Of Vehicle (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

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Family Applications (1)

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• 1987
  • 1987-04-24 EP EP19870903514 patent/EP0271518A4/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 1987-04-24 JP JP50315287A patent/JPH01500448A/ja active Pending
  • 1987-04-24 WO PCT/US1987/000937 patent/WO1987006644A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1987-04-24 AU AU74303/87A patent/AU591293B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1987-04-28 CN CN198787104304A patent/CN87104304A/zh active Pending

Patent Citations (3)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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