GB2164988A

GB2164988A - Glazing

Info

Publication number: GB2164988A
Application number: GB08424331A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Christopher Webster
Original assignee: Anglian Windows Ltd
Current assignee: Anglian Windows Ltd
Priority date: 1984-09-26
Filing date: 1984-09-26
Publication date: 1986-04-03
Also published as: GB8424331D0; GB2164988B

Abstract

A glass pane 10 is held against the frame shoulder 12 by a glazing bead 16 having a flange 24 which extends into a groove 26 on the shoulder-side of the frame section and recess 32 which engages with a undercut lip 34 on the frame section. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A window construction Field of the Invention This invention relates to a window construction in which a window pane is held against a shoulder on a window frame by a glazing bead. Such constructions are used particularly in connection with aluminium and/or plastics and/or composite window frames.

Background to the Invention With a window construction of this nature, it has been found that in some instances it has been possible for the glazing beads to be removed from outside the window, allowing thieves to easily remove a window pane and thereby to gain access to a house. The present invention seeks to promote improved security against removal of the glazing bead from a completed window.

Summary of the Invention According to the present invention, there is provided a window construction in which a window pane is held against a shoulder on a window frame by a glazing bead, wherein the frame includes a longitudinal groove and an undercut lip, and the bead includes a flange adapted to enter the groove and a recess adapted to engage the undercut lip, the dimensions of the bead being such that when the flange on the bead is fully inserted in the groove, the recess on the bead can drop behind the lip.

With this construction, once the usual seals have been inserted between the pane and the window frame shoulder and between the pane and the glazing bead, the bead is urged outwardly so that the recess on the bead locks into the undercut lip.

Preferably the flange on the bead extends across the thickness of the pane.

Because the glazing bead drops into place behind the lip on the frame, a relatively large area of engagement can result when compared with other existing types of glazing bead which are sprung into place. The bead described here is therefore more secure against being distorted and removed from the frame.

The glazing bead may be open or closed in section. When the bead is of open section, the opening will be between the recess and the flange of the bead.

In a preferred embodiment, the groove on the frame is raised from the floor of the frame by a distance at least equal to the thickness of the bead flange. The length of the flange can then be chosen so that, when the window construction is complete and the recess on the bead is fully engaged with the undercut lip on the frame, the flange leaves the recess and drops to the floor of the frame section. If an attempt is then made to push the bead inwards, this is resisted by abutment between the inner edge of the flange and the shoulder.

To enhance security still further, in the embodiment just mentioned where the groove is raised off the floor of the section, the groove may be blocked once the window construction has been completed and the flange has dropped out of the groove, to prevent the flange re-entering the groove.

Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a section through a window construction in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows a stage in the assembly of the window construction of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-section through an alternative form of construction in accordance with the invention; and Figure 4 is a cross-section through yet another different form of construction in accordance with the invention.

Description of Preferred Embodiments In Figure la a glass pane 10 is shown supported against a shoulder 12 of a frame section 14. The frame section 14 will form either a mullion or a transome in the finished window.

A glazing bead 16 engages with the frame section 14, and seals 20 and 22 seal the pane 10 to the glazing bead 16 and the shoulder 12 respectively.

The window is assembled by first mounting the frame sections 14 in the desired positions. The pane 10 is then inserted in the frame sections (the seal 22 is missing at this stage). The glazing beads 16 are then inserted, and a flange 24 on each bead extends across the thickness of the pane 10 and into a groove 26 at the base of the shoulder 12. The groove 26 is in fact a continuation of the floor 28 of the frame section. The seal 20 will be attached to the bead 16 at this stage, although for reasons of clarity this seal has been omitted from Figure 2. Because the seal 22 is absent, the pane 10 can be pressed hard up against the shoulder 12 allowing the bead 16 to be inserted in the direction shown in Figure 2.

It will be seen that the edge of the flange 24 penetrates right into the groove 26 and once this condition has been achieved an edge 30 with the recess 32 on bead 16 can be dropped behind a lip 34 on the frame section.

To complete the assembly, the seal 22 is pressed into place between the pane 10 and the shoulder 12 thus forcing the pane and the glazing bead 16 to the left in the figures so that the recess 32 engages fully on the lip 34. The dimensions of the lip and of the recess are such that no vertical movement between these is possible once they are fully engaged.

This window construction can be disassembled, but only by reversing the sequence of assembly operations just described which would start with the removal of the seal 22. Since the seal 22 is on the inside, unauthorised removal from the outside is not possible. The depth of engagement between the lip 34 and the recess 32 will be such that the left-hand edge of the bead cannot be compressed sufficiently to release this engagement without removal of a sealing bead.

Figure 3 shows an alternative construction. In this construction, the frame section 14 is modified in that the groove 26a for the flange 24 is now raised slightly off the floor 28 of the frame section. Figure 3 shows the relative positions of the bead 16 and the frame section 14 once the assembly has been completed, and it will be seen that, when the lip 34 and recess 32 are fully engaged, the edge of the flange 24 drops out of the slot 26a and fits snugly behind the lower vestigial portion of the shoulder 12. There is thus a positive abutment to prevent any attempted movement to the right of the bead 16. As additional security, once the assembled position has been reached the groove 26a may be blocked up so that the flange 24 cannot accidentally re-enter the groove.

In addition, the glazing bead 16 can be modified by the inclusion of a web 36 bridging the bottom of the bead between the recess 32 and the flange 24 to prevent any flexing of the bead cross-section. This bead 36 could also be included in the embodiments of Figures 1 and 2 and indeed in the embodiment of Figure 4, to be described.

Figure 4 shows a window construction applied to a double-glazed window pane 10b. Parts which are equivalent to parts already described with reference to earlier figures are indicated by the same reference numerals with the addition of the suffix b.

In this construction, the groove 26b is positioned between the opposite faces of the double-glazed panel 1 Ob, but apart from this feature, the construction differs only in details of shape, not principle, from what has already been described.

Claims

1. A window construction in which the window pane is held against a shoulder on a window frame by a glazing bead, wherein the frame includes a longitudinal groove and an undercut lip, and the bead includes a flange adapted to enter the groove and a recess adapted to engage the undercut lip, the dimensions of the bead being such that when the flange on the bead is fully inserted in the groove, the recess on the bead can drop behind the lip.

2. A window construction as claimed in Claim 1, wherein seals are inserted between the pane and the window frame shoulder and between the pane and the glazing bead.

3. A window construction as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the flange on the bead extends across the thickness of the pane.

4. Awindow construction as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the glazing bead is of open section, and the opening is between the recess and the flange of the bead.

5. A window construction as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the groove on the frame is raised from the floor of the frame by a distance at least equal to the thickness of the bead flange.

6. A window construction as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the length of the flange is chosen so that, when the window construction is complete and the recess on the bead is fully engaged with the undercut lip on the frame, the flange leaves the recess and drops to the floor of the frame section.

7. Awindow construction as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the groove is blocked once the window construction has been completed and the flange has dropped out of the groove, to prevent the flange reentering the groove.

8. A window construction substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.