GB2074222A - Insulated glazing bar for a greenhouse - Google Patents

Abstract

A glazing bar suitable for a double or triple glazed assembly in the construction of glass-houses comprises two members 1, 2 joined by a connecting member 30 of insulating material. The first member comprises a first flange 3, a web 5 and second flange 4 having side wings 6 offset towards the first flange. The second flange 4 is connected to an L-shaped part 10 so as to form a U-shaped part. The second member 2 has second wings 18 parallel to the first wings 6. The connecting member 30 interengages with the undercut grooves 12, 15 in the members 1,2. Panes 20, 23 are mounted on the wings 6, 18 using packing strips 21 in the grooves 22 and spring clips 25. To form triple glazing the flange 3 of a third member of the same form as the first member may be engaged in the groove 31 of the second member. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Section member suitable for forming glazed assemblies The present invention relates to a novel section member with which it is very easy to produce glass-houses which are double-glazed, and which may permit the fitting of the double-glazing being able to be carried out in a single manner, without the need to touch the initial glazing. A section member which was already suitable for such a purpose was described in French Patent No. 77 06 398 of the 4th March 1 977 and in the name of the present applicant. Nevertheless this section member presented certain inconveniences, particularly in that it only permitted the fitting of two glazing systems, whereas it is desirable to be able to provide three thicknesses of glass for glass-houses which are intended for the cultivation of tropical plants.

Moreover, it was found that a certain amount of condensation was formed between the two glazing systems, the said condensation forming droplets, which drop on to the plants and stain them, especially the blooms.

The present invention seeks to develop a section member overcoming these inconveniences.

The section member according to the invention is of the type having an I-section part with a first transverse bar, a centre-rib or web and a second transverse bar, this latter comprising a wing on each side, which wing is offset in the direction of the first transverse bar, while at one end and on the side opposite to the wings, the said second transverse bar is connected to the free end of one leg of an L-shaped part, so that the said second bar and the L-shaped part form a substantially Ushaped part, the free end of the leg of the said U being connected to second wings parallel to the aforesaid wings, and is characterised in that it is in two parts, the first part including the I-shaped part and the U-shaped part, of which the external surface of the free leg is provided with a seating adapted to receive a connecting member of the second part, which comprises at least one corresponding seating, the connecting member being formed by a packing or joint of insulating material.

By this arrangement, there is obtained a thermal gap, which permits the condensation to be reduced. Furthermore, better insulation is thereby obtained, and in cold countries this permits the heating costs to be reduced by a considerable proportion.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, the free leg of the U is provided on the outside with a conduit having a constricted opening situated in the plane of the web of the I, while the second part comprises a conduit with a constricted opening designed to be positioned facing the opening of the first conduit so as to permit the assembly of the two section members by a pad or cushion of plastic material inserted into the said conduits.

According to another preferred feature of the invention, the internal section of the first conduit corresponds to the section of the first transverse bar. It thus becomes possible for the first conduit of one section member to have engaged therein the first transverse bar of another section member and to provide an assembly for receiving three glazing unit.

According to yet another preferred feature of the invention, the second section member comprises a third conduit with a constricted opening situated in the plane of the centre-rib or web of the I and of which the internal section corresponds to the section of the first bar, the constricted opening of this third conduit being formed from the side opposite to the opening of the second conduit.

By means of this feature, it is possible to assemble two section members with two thermal gaps for obtaining a triple glazing.

According to a modified constructional form the external surface of the free wing of the U is provided with two small divergent bars, while a crampon extends in the plane of the web or centre-rib of the I, the joint being formed by an element of pliable material, which is elastic and insulating and which comprises a base designed to match the surface of the second part turned to face the free wing, the said base being terminated by resilient tongues adapted to be inserted underneath the second wings, a flange or bead extending from the base, which bead has a slot for the resilient engagement of the crampon and the small bars being adapted to be tightened for gripping the rims of the slot. In this way, a simple assembly is obtained, which makes it possible for the two parts to be very quickly connected to one another.

Finally, the second wings may be connected to the second part by U-shaped parts, the legs of the U-shaped parts adjacent to the surface turned to face the free leg of the L being provided with notches or teeth, and the joint assuming a corresponding shape and having teeth adapted to cooperate with the aforesaid teeth or notches.

The invention is now to be described in greater detail by reference to specific constructional forms which are given simply by way of example and which are represented in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a sectional view of a section member according to the invention; Figure 2 is a sectional view showing the formation of a double glazing; Figure 3 shows in section the assembly of two section members for providing a triple glazing; Figures 4 and 5 are views in section which show two other procedures of assembling two section members so as to establish a triple glazing, and Figures 6 and 7 are sectional views of a modified form of the invention.

The section member which is shown in Figure 1 is formed of a first part 1 and a second part 2.

The first part 1 has a I-shaped element, with an upper transverse bar 3 and a lower transverse bar 4, these bars being connected by a centre-rib or web 5.

The bar 4 is extended on each side by a wing 6, the said wings being raised so as to form channels 7.

One of the ends of the bar 4 is fast or integral with one of the legs 9 of an L-section element 10, of which the other leg 11 comprises, on its outer side and at its free end, a passage or conduit 12 with a constricted opening 13.

The opening 13 corresponds to the thickness of the web 5 and is situated in the plane of the latter, while the conduit 12 has an internal dimension corresponding to the width of the bar 3, so that it is able to receive the latter, as will be explained in connection with Figure 3.

The second element 2 comprises a conduit 15 with a constricted opening 16 and two wings 18 joined to the lateral sides so as to form channels 19, and a third conduit 31, of which the internal dimensions correspond to those of the conduit 12, the said conduit 31 being formed with a constricted opening 32 situated in the plane of the centre-rib or web 5 and turned from the same side as the opening 13.

The assembling of the elements 1 and 2 is effected by injecting synthetic plastics material 30 into the conduits 12 and 15, and this material, after having hardened, constitutes a thermal barrier for insulating the upper glazing from the lower glazing and thus for reducing the condensation.

Figure 2 shows the construction of a double glazing, the outer pane 20 resting on the wings 6 with interposition of a joint or packing 21 fitted into a groove 22 in the said wings, while the second pane 23 rests on the wings 18.

It is to be pointed out that the panes 23 can be placed in position after the positioning of the panes 20 by introducing one edge between the transverse bar 4 and the leg 11 as far as the leg 9, then causing the pane to rock, so as to enable it to clear the wing 18 of the adjoining section member and causing the said pane to slide on the said wing 18, so that it is able to rest on the two adjacent section members, The panes 20 are held by spring clips 25, cooperating with the bottom face of the bars 3, it being possible for these latter to receive a sealing joint in a groove 26 which is formed in the said bars.

As will be seen from Figure 3, it is possible for two elements 1 to be assembled together, by the conduit 12 of one element having introduced thereinto the bar 3 of the other, this latter comprising an element 2. It is understood that, in this case, it is possible for two panes to be positioned on the wings 6 and a third pane on the wings 18.

From the point of view of thermal insulation, it is preferable to assemble the section members as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

In the case of Figure 4, the conduit 31 of the element 2 has engaged therein the bar 3 of a second element 1. Panes can be positioned on the wings 6 of the upper element 1, on the wings 18 and on the wings 6 of the lower element. Having regard to the separation of the elements 1 and 2 by the bar or mass of plastic material 30, the lower part is at the ambient temperature of the glass-house.

It is also possible to provide an assembly such as that which is shown in Figure 5, the panes being able to be placed either on the wings 6 or 18 of the lower section member which, in this case, comprises the two elements 1 and 2.

Represented in Figures 6 and 7 is a modified constructional form, in which the section member is formed of a first part 33 and a second part 34, the first part 33 having an I-section element with an upper transverse bar 37, a web 36 and a lower transverse bar 38, the said lower transverse bar 38 being extended on each side by a wing 39, this latter being raised and comprising grooves designed to receive pane-supported joints or packings.

One of the ends of the lower transverse bar 38 is integral with one of the legs 41 of an L-section element 40, of which the other leg 42, on the outside and close to its free end, comprises two small bars 44, which are divergent. The transverse bar 38, the leg 41 and the leg 42 form a U-section part which, as in the previous constructional forms, is designed for permitting a pane to be fitted without having to displace the principle panes.

Extending between the small bars 44 and in the plane of the web 36 is an element 45 of cramponlike form.

The second part 34 comprises a main web 55 and two wings 48 connected to the web 55 by channels 47, the side walls 49 of the said channels 47 being provided with notches, while the main web 55 is shaped so as to form a conduit 51 with a constricted opening 52, the width of the conduit 51 being substantially equal to the width of the upper transverse bar 37, so that it is possible for several section members to be assembled one below the other, as represented in Figure 5.

Provided for fixing the part 34 to the part 33 is a joint or packing 46 consisting of a pliable, elastic and insulating material, such as synthetic plastics material, the said packing having a base 56 designed to cooperate with the main web of the second part 34 ar,d extended on each side by legs 57 provided with notches or teeth corresponding to the notches or teeth of the walls 49 and adapted to cooperate with the latter, the said legs being extended by resilient tongues 50 designed to be inserted beneath the second wings 48.

The packing 46 comprises a flange 43 with a slot 53, of which the internal edges of the lips are terminated by rims 54 adapted to be engaged in grooves 58 formed in the parts of the crampon 45 which are adjacent to the leg 42.

For assembling the part 34 with the part 33, the joint or packing 46 is so positioned that the legs 57 cooperate with the walls 49 and the resilient tongues 50 are inserted beneath the wings 48, whereafter the flange 43 is placed in position, so that the rims 54 are inserted into the grooves 58, by means of an elastic deformation of the said flange, caused by the introduction of the crampon 45 into the slot 53, and then the small bars 44 are applied (Figure 7), in order that the lips of the slot 53 are locked between the small bars 44 and the crampon 45.

An external glazing bears the reference 60 and an internal glazing the reference 59.

The external glazing rests on the wing 39 with interposition of a packing inserted into the groove of the latter, while the internal glazing rests on the wing 48 and is in abutment with a boss 61 of the packing 46. Resilient clips 25, as shown in Figure 2, are used for fixing the glass panes 60.

It is obvious that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments which have just been described and illustrated. It is possible to incorporate numerous detailed modifications, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (8)

1. Section member suitable for the construction of glass-houses, having, in section, an I-shaped part with a first transverse bar, a centre-rib or web and a second transverse bar, this latter comprising a wing on each side, which wing is offset in the direction of the first transverse bar, while at one end and on the side opposite to the wings, the said second transverse bar is connected to the free end of one leg of an L-shaped part, so that the said second transverse bar and the L-shaped part form a substantially U-shaped part, the free end of the leg of the said U being connected to second wings parallel to the preceding wings, the section member being in two parts, the first part including the I-shaped part and the U-shaped part, of which the external surface of the free leg is provided with a seating designed to receive a connecting member of the second part, which second part comprises at least one corresponding seating, the connecting member being formed by a joint or packing of insulating material.

2. Section member according to claim 1, wherein the free branch or leg of the U is provided on the external side with a conduit having a constricted opening situated in the plane of the web of the I, while the second part comprises a conduit with a constricted opening designed to be positioned facing the opening of the first conduit, so as to permit the assembly of the two section members by a pad or cushion of plastic material which is inserted into the said conduits.

3. Section member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the internal section of the first conduit corresponds to the section of the first transverse bar.

4. Section member according to claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the second section member comprises a third conduit with a constricted opening situated in the plane of the centre-rib or web of the I and of which the internal section corresponds to the section of the first transerve bar, the constricted opening of this third conduit being turned away from the side opposite to the opening of the second conduit.

5. Section member according to claim 1, wherein the external surface of the free wing of the U is provided with two comparatively small divergent bars, while a crampon extends in the plane of the web of the I, the joint or packing being formed by an element of pliable material which is elastic and insulating and which comprises a base designed to match the surface of the second part which is turned to face the free leg, the said base being terminated by resilient tongues adapted to be inserted beneath the second wings, a flange or bead extending from the base and having a slot for the resilient engagement of the crampon, the small bars being designed for being tightened in order to grip the rims of the slot.

6. Section member according to claim 5, wherein the second wings are connected to the second part by U-shaped parts, the legs of the Ushaped parts which are adjacent to the surface turned to face the free leg of the L being provided with notches or teeth, the joint or packing assuming a corresponding shape and having teeth or notches adapted to cooperate with the aforesaid teeth or notches.

7. Section member suitable for the construction of glass-houses substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 5 or Figures 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A double or triple glazed assembly comprising a section member according to any one of the preceding claims.