GB2117422A - Lintel - Google Patents

Abstract

The lintel 1 has a lower planar surface 5, from which depends a lip 6, which can engage between adjacent bricks at each end of the lintel (1), and provide a face against which a window frame can engage to improve the weather seal. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to lintels The present invention relates to a lintel for use in supporting brickwork above an aperture in a building.

Known lintels are elongate members which extend, for example, over a window aperture in a building and are embedded at each end in the brickwork, the lintel supporting the construction above the aperture and presenting a planar lower surface against which, for example, the top planar surface of a window frame can engage. This interengagement of planar surface of a window frame can engage. This interengagement of planar surfaces is usually sufficient to provide a weather seal for the construction. However, in especially windy areas, the mere interengagement of the said planar surfaces does not always provide an efficient weather seal and rain and wind can get through to the building interior.

To combate the above problem a lintel was conceived which incorporated an axially extending shoulder in its lower surface, the shoulder being of sufficient depth to allow the window or door frame located below the lintel, to engage thereagainst to thus provide a more efficient weather seal. However, this construction required the lower surface of the lintel to have two axially extending surface sections at substantiaily different levels and this caused problems at the end regions of the lintel, in mating the lintel with supporting brickwork. Two adjacent levels of brickwork are required and whilst such a construction is possible, it is difficult and thus more expensive.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a lintel which is simple in construction, can provide an efficient weather seal, and does not require a special form of supporting brickwork.

According to the present invention there is provided a lintel for use in building construction, the lintel comprising an elongate member having a planar surface which, in use, is the lower surface of the lintel, said planar surface having an upstanding lip which extends along the length of the elongate member.

By virtue of the present invention the lintel can be easily supported at each end on a layer of brickwork, the lip merely engaging between two adjacent bricks. This lip in the completed construction engages outside, for example, a window frame and provides an efficient weather seal between lintel and frame.

To further improve the weather seal, the lip can be provided with holes so that the lip can be screwed to the outer face of the frame.

The present invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of lintel constructed according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view from below of the lintel of Fig. 1;and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the lintel of Figs. 1 and 2, located in use in a building over a window frame.

The lintel 1 shown in the accompanying drawings is formed from elongate pressed steel sections 2, 3 and 4 which are welded together to provide the required shape and configuration of elongate lintel.

The lintel 1 has a generally planar surface 5 from which a lip 6 is upstanding. The lip 6 extends axially along the full length of the lintel (see Fig. 2) and in use (see Fig. 3) is at its end regions, slotted between adjacent bricks in the brickwork of the building construction, defining the sides of the window or door aperture. In Fig. 3, the lintel 1 is shown supporting brickwork 7 above a window frame 8, the window frame 8 engaging snugly against the lip 6 to provide an efficient weather seal between lintel 1 and window frame 8. A door or other frame can equally well replace window frame 8.

To further enhance the weather seal, the lip 6 can be provided with holes (not shown) at spaced apart locations along its length, and these holes may be used to screw the lip 6 to the frame 8.

The present invention thus provides a simple solution to the problem of efficient weather sealing between lintel and frame, whilst not requiring any modification in the brickwork of the building construction supporting the lintel.

Claims (Filed on 17 Feb 83) 1. A lintel for use in building construction, the lintel comprising an elongate member having a planar surface which, in use, is the lower surface of the lintel, said planar surface having an upstanding lip which extends along the length of the elongate member.

2. A lintel as claimed in claim 1, in which the lip is provided with holes at spaced apart locations along its length.

3. A lintel for use in building construction, constructed substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (3)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to lintels The present invention relates to a lintel for use in supporting brickwork above an aperture in a building. Known lintels are elongate members which extend, for example, over a window aperture in a building and are embedded at each end in the brickwork, the lintel supporting the construction above the aperture and presenting a planar lower surface against which, for example, the top planar surface of a window frame can engage. This interengagement of planar surface of a window frame can engage. This interengagement of planar surfaces is usually sufficient to provide a weather seal for the construction. However, in especially windy areas, the mere interengagement of the said planar surfaces does not always provide an efficient weather seal and rain and wind can get through to the building interior. To combate the above problem a lintel was conceived which incorporated an axially extending shoulder in its lower surface, the shoulder being of sufficient depth to allow the window or door frame located below the lintel, to engage thereagainst to thus provide a more efficient weather seal. However, this construction required the lower surface of the lintel to have two axially extending surface sections at substantiaily different levels and this caused problems at the end regions of the lintel, in mating the lintel with supporting brickwork. Two adjacent levels of brickwork are required and whilst such a construction is possible, it is difficult and thus more expensive. The aim of the present invention is to provide a lintel which is simple in construction, can provide an efficient weather seal, and does not require a special form of supporting brickwork. According to the present invention there is provided a lintel for use in building construction, the lintel comprising an elongate member having a planar surface which, in use, is the lower surface of the lintel, said planar surface having an upstanding lip which extends along the length of the elongate member. By virtue of the present invention the lintel can be easily supported at each end on a layer of brickwork, the lip merely engaging between two adjacent bricks. This lip in the completed construction engages outside, for example, a window frame and provides an efficient weather seal between lintel and frame. To further improve the weather seal, the lip can be provided with holes so that the lip can be screwed to the outer face of the frame. The present invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of lintel constructed according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view from below of the lintel of Fig. 1;and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the lintel of Figs. 1 and 2, located in use in a building over a window frame. The lintel 1 shown in the accompanying drawings is formed from elongate pressed steel sections 2, 3 and 4 which are welded together to provide the required shape and configuration of elongate lintel. The lintel 1 has a generally planar surface 5 from which a lip 6 is upstanding. The lip 6 extends axially along the full length of the lintel (see Fig. 2) and in use (see Fig. 3) is at its end regions, slotted between adjacent bricks in the brickwork of the building construction, defining the sides of the window or door aperture. In Fig. 3, the lintel 1 is shown supporting brickwork 7 above a window frame 8, the window frame 8 engaging snugly against the lip 6 to provide an efficient weather seal between lintel 1 and window frame 8. A door or other frame can equally well replace window frame 8. To further enhance the weather seal, the lip 6 can be provided with holes (not shown) at spaced apart locations along its length, and these holes may be used to screw the lip 6 to the frame 8. The present invention thus provides a simple solution to the problem of efficient weather sealing between lintel and frame, whilst not requiring any modification in the brickwork of the building construction supporting the lintel. Claims (Filed on 17 Feb 83)

1. A lintel for use in building construction, the lintel comprising an elongate member having a planar surface which, in use, is the lower surface of the lintel, said planar surface having an upstanding lip which extends along the length of the elongate member.

2. A lintel as claimed in claim 1, in which the lip is provided with holes at spaced apart locations along its length.

3. A lintel for use in building construction, constructed substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.