GB2095316A - Door and window structure - Google Patents

Abstract

A door or window structure 10 comprises spaced metal stiles 11 (24) extending throughout the height of the structure 10 and spaced metal top and bottom members 23, 12 extending between the stiles 11 (24) wood cladding stile 14, top and bottom cladding members, 15 overlie the respective metal members and are secured thereto by screws 19, which are covered by trim 20. The cladding top and bottom members 1 5 extend the full width of the structure 10 so as to overlie the joints between the metal members 11, 12, 23, 24 and are also joined to the metal stiles 11, 24, thus strengthening the joints between the metal members and giving added rigidity to the structure 10. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Door and window structure This invention relates to door or window structures, and in particular to door or window structures in the form of a metal framework having a cladding on at least one side thereof, such cladding providing both a decorative and a thermal insulating covering for the frame structure.

It has been known for many years to provide such cladding for doors and windows, such doors and windows generally being structured of aluminium and having a cladding of wood, plastics material or the like secured to the aluminium frame structure.

However, particularly in the case of doors, such cladding can add considerably to the weight of the structure, thus causing problems as regards the loads to be carried by the hinges and as regards warping of the frame structure. As regards the former problem there is a tendency for the door or opening window to drop after a relatively short period of use due to wear and/or loosening of the hinges, and in consequence frequent maintenance to, or replacement of, the hinges is necessary. As regards the latter problem the warped frame structure has to be replaced or restructured if a satisfactory fit within the surrounding frame is to be achieved.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a door or window structure of metal having a cladding applied thereto but which is not subject to the abovementioned disadvantages, or at least is subject thereto to a considerably lesser extent than such structures known heretofore.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a door or opening window in respect of which the hanging is simple, quick and effective, by the provision of hinges adapted to facilitate the hanging of the door or window. Furthermore, such hinges provide that the door or window should not drop after constant use over a long period of time.

The invention provides a door or window structure formed of a plurality of elongate metal.

members joined at their respective ends to form a frame, and having a cladding of a non-metallic material applied to at least one side of said frame, said cladding comprising a plurality of elongate cladding members, at least one of said cladding members overlying at least one joint of said metal members and being secured to the two metal members forming said joint.

Preferably each joint of metal members has a cladding member overlying, and being secured to the two metal member forming said joint In a preferred arrangement the frame comprises two spaced stile members extending throughout the vertical extent of the frame and top and bottom members extending between said stile members. In this case the cladding may comprise members the ends of which are mitred, or preferably comprises spaced top and bottom members which extend throughout the lateral extent of the frame and stile members disposed between said cladding top and bottom members.

The cladding members may be secured to the metal members by means of screws and/or adhesive.

The structure may comprise glazing panels and said glazing panels may be retained in said structure by means of metal glazing beads. In this case a respective cladding member preferably overlies and is secured to each glazing bead and each joint between adjacent glazing beads is preferably overlaid by a cladding member which is secured to the two glazing beads forming said joint.

The structure may also comprise at least one mid-rail, in which case said mid-rail may comprise a bar of non-metallic material and a pair of spaced metal lay bars may be secured to said bar of nonmetallic material. The metal stiles of the structure may be secured to said non-metallic bar, which is preferably of wood. A cladding mid-rail may overlie and be secured to said non-metallic bar and each of said lay bars, and may also overlie the metal stiles.

The structure may also comprise at least one hinge, said hinge comprising a pair of leaves, a first leaf having a plurality of first apertures therein lying alternatively in each of two spaced rows of first apertures extending longitudinally of the hinge, and the second leaf having a plurality of second apertures therein spaced longitudinally of the hinge, the axially outermost second apertures lying in a first row of second apertures extending longitudinally of the hinge and the axially innermost aperture or apertures being spaced laterally of said hinge from said first row of second apertures. Said second leaf may have a slot extending longitudinally of the hinge in the face thereof which in use abuts a casing for said structure. The or each hinge may be secured to the structure by means of rivets.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows a corner of one embodiment of door according to the invention with a bottom rail shown in sections: Fig. 2 is an end elevation of part of the door of Fig. 1 with top and mid-rail members in vertical section; Fig. 3 is a sectional plan of the door of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is part front elevation of the door of Figs.

1 to 3 showing an end of the mid-rail member; and Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a hinge.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 4 there is shown a door 10. The door 10 comprises a metal stile 11 and a metal bottom rail 12 which together with a second metal stile 24 and a metal top rail 23 form a rectangular metal framework of the door 10. In such framework the metal stiles 11, 24 extend throughout the vertical extent of the door 10 whilst the metal top rail 23 and metal bottom rail 12 extend between the metal stiles 11, 24. Such a construction is customary for doors whether of metal or wood, and provides for the strongest and most rigid frame structure. This arrangement provides a vertical joint 13 between the metal bottom rail 12 and the metal stile 11. A double glazing unit 1 6 is secured in the framework of the door 10 by means of glazing beads 17 which also have therebetween a vertical joint 18.

Secured to the metal stile 11 and the metal bottom rail 12 are respectively wood cladding stile 14 and bottom rail 15 as is seen particularly in Fig.

1. The cladding members 14, 15 are secured to the metal members 11, 12 by means of screws 19, the heads of which are hidden from view by means of a timber infilor cover strip 20. The cladding members 14, 1 5 also overlie the glazing beads 17 and are secured thereto by means of screws (not shown) whose heads lie in channel 21 and which may be covered if desired. Furthermore the cladding members 14, 1 5 may be secured to the metal members 11, 12 and to the glazing beads 17 by means of an adhesive, preferably a water repellent silicone adhesive.Cladding bottom rail 1 5 extends to the vertical edges of the door 10 and the cladding stile 14 extends to the cladding bottom rail 1 5, there being a horizontal joint 22 between the cladding members 1 4, 1 5. By means of this construction cladding bottom rail 1 5 overlies joint 13 between the metal stile 11 and the bottom rail 12 to both of which cladding bottom rail 15 is secured by screws 19, and adhesive if required. In this way the presence of the cladding adds strength to the joint 13. thus providing that the door 10 is very rigid and resistance to dropping or warping. Furthermore cladding bottom rail 1 5 overlies the joint 1 8 between the horizontal and vertical glazing beads 17 and is secured to both such glazing beads.

Again this construction adds strength and rigidity to the joint 1 8 and provides good support for the glazing unit 16.

As can be seen particularly in Figs. 2 and 4 the door 10 also comprises a mid-rail 25, itself comprising a mid-rail member 26 of timber to both top and bottom of which is secured a metal lay bar 27 by means of screws 28. The mid-rail member 16 is secured to the stiles 11,24 by screws 29 so that a very rigid mid-rail 25 is firmly secured to, and adds considerable rigidity to the framework of the door 10. Glazing beads 17 are retained by the lay bars 27 so as to secure upper and lower glazing units 16 in the door 10. A cladding mid-rail 30 is secured to mid-rail member 26 by means of screws, dowels and/or adhesive and to glazing bars 17 in the manner described in respect of cladding members 14, 1 5. There is a vertical joint 31 between mid-rail member 26 and metal stile 11.Although not shown the cladding mid-rail 30 may be secured so as to overlie and strengthen the joint 31 if desired. The cladding mid-rail 30 does however overlie the vertical joints 18 between the glazing beads 17 as previously described so as to strengthen such joints.

By virtue of the construction described above a very strong and rigid door 10 is ensured.

Furthermore, due to the very secure fixing of the mid-rail 25 in the door the weight of the upper glazing unit 1 6 is carried by the mid-rail 25 and not through the lower glazing unit 16 to the bottom rail 12. As a consequence there is less loading on the joints between bottom rail 12 and stiles 11,24 than would otherwise be the case.

For further strengthening of the door the cladding members may be secured to each other at the respective joints by means of dowels and/or adhesive if required.

The provision of a timber mid-rail member 26 is advantageous in the case of a door in that an aperture is readily provided therethrough to serve as a mail posting aperture.

In the case of a window the mid-rail may comprise a single mid-rail member of metal which is equivalent to members 26 and 27 of the door embodiment of Figs. 2 and 4.

Referring now to Fig. 5 there is shown a hinge 32 adapted for hanging the door 10 to a casement 33. The hinge 32 comprises two leaves 34, 35 which are pivotally secured to each other by pin 36 in conventional manner. Leaf 34 is secured to door 10 by rivets 37 which are disposed in a staggered arrangement i.e. alternately in each of two spaced rows, so as to spread the loading as much as possible. The door 10 with the requisite number of hinges 32 secured thereto, is then presented to the casement 33. A groove 38 is provided in the face of leaf 35 which is to abut the casement 33, to assit in locating the door in a lateral direction by engagement of a flange 39 of a metal sub-frame 40 in the groove 38. The subframe 40 is secured to the timber casement frame 41, and has a lipped channel 42 in the front face thereof.A retaining plate 44 is slidable in channel 42 and axially innermost screws 43 pass through leaf 35 to engage plate 43. The door 10 may be positioned vertically as required by raising or lowering the hinges 32 relative to the casement 33, screws 43 being tightened only sufficiently at this stage to allow sliding of plate 44 in channel 42 and flange 39 along groove 38. When the door 10 is in the desired position screws 43 are tightened and the axially outermost screws 45, which are laterally spaced from screws 43, are inserted so as to pass into the timber casement frame 41. Further screws 46 may also be inserted if required, laterally spaced from and longitudinally intermediate screws 43 and 45. The screws into the timber are spaced as far as possible to spread the loading.

In this way the hanging of the door 10 is performed in a quick and simple manner whilst being accurately located relative to the casement 33. Furthermore, the loadings into both door and casement are spread as much as possible, thus ensuring that the door may be used for a considerable period of time without dropping due to its own weight.

The door 10 may be fitted during assembly with both rim latch and mortice locks so that it may be used conveniently at either the front or rear of, for example, domestic premises.

Although the invention has been particularly described in relation to the construction of a door, the invention is equally applicable to a window construction. In that case however, the problems associated with providing adequate strength and rigidity of the clad structure are not as great as those experienced in case of doors.

As an alternative to the horizontal joints formed between the cladding members as shown in the drawings, mitred joints may be provided if desired, or as a further alternative vertical joints between the cladding members laterally displaced from the vertical joints between the metal members may be provided.

Claims (22)

1. A door or window structure comprising a plurality of elongate metal members joined at their respective ends to form a frame, and having a cladding of a non-metallic material secured to at least one side of said frame, said cladding comprising a plurality of elongate cladding members, at least one of said cladding members overlying at least one joint of said metal members and being secured to the two metal members forming said joint.

2. A structure according to claim 1 wherein each joint of metal members has a respective cladding member overlying said joint, and being secured to the two metal members forming said joint.

3. A structure according to claim 2 wherein said frame comprises two spaced stile members extending throughout the height of said frame, and spaced top and bottom members extending between said stile members.

4. A structure according to claim 3 wherein said cladding comprises cladding members, the ends of which are mitred.

5. A structure according to claim 3 wherein said cladding comprises spaced top and bottom members extending throughout the lateral extent of the frame, and spaced stile members extending between said cladding top and bottom members.

6. A structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein said cladding members are secured to said frame members by means of screws.

7. A structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein said cladding members are secured to said frame members by means of adhesive.

8. A structure according to any one of claims 1 to 7 comprising at least one glazing panel which is retained in said frame by means of metal glazing beads.

9. A structure according to claim 8 wherein each glazing beads overlaíd by a respective cladding member which is secured thereto.

10. A structure according to claim 9 wherein each joint between glazing beads is overlaid by a cladding member which is secured to the two glazing beads forming said joint.

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11.-A structure according to any one of claims 2 to 10 comprising at least one mid-rail.

12. A structure according t6 claim 11 wherein said frame comprises two spaced stile members which are secured to said mid-rail.

13. A structure according to claim 12, in the form of a door and wherein said mid-rail comprises a bar of non-metallic material and a pair of spaced metal lay bars secured thereto.

14. A structure according to claim 13 wherein a cladding mid-rail overlies and is secured to said mid-rail bar and each of said lay bars.

1 5. A structure according to claim 14 wherein said cladding mid-rail overlies said frame stile members.

1 6. A structure according to any one of claims 1 to 15 further comprising at least one hinge.

17. A structure according to claim 16 wherein the or each hinge comprises a pair of leaves, a first of said leaves having a plurality of first apertures therein lying alternately in each of two spaced rows of first apertures extending longitudinally of said hinge, and a second of said leaves having a plurality of second apertures therein, the longitudinally outermost second apertures lying in a first row of second apertures extending longitudinally of the hinge and the innermost aperture or apertures being spaced laterally of said first row of second apertures.

18. A structure according to claim 17, wherein said second leaf has further second apertures longitudinally intermediate said outermost and innermost second apertures and spaced laterally thereof.

19. A structure according to claim 17 or claim 18 wherein said second leaf has a slot extending longitudinally of the hinge in a face thereof which in use abuts a casing for said structure.

20. A strucutre according to any one of claims 17 to 19 wherein the or each hinge is secured to said frame by means of rivets.

21. A door or window structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

22. A door or window structure comprising a hinge substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.