GB2193237A

GB2193237A - Apparatus for providing an architectural decorative feature

Info

Publication number: GB2193237A
Application number: GB08618715A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Charles Goose
Original assignee: LEAVLITE Ltd
Current assignee: LEAVLITE Ltd
Priority date: 1986-07-31
Filing date: 1986-07-31
Publication date: 1988-02-03
Also published as: GB8618715D0

Abstract

This invention relates to apparatus for providing architectural decorative features and in particular, but not exclusively, columns and dentil mouldings. For example, a half column, generally indicated at 10, can be abutted to a part of a structure 11. The column 10 comprises a capital 12, an upright 13 and a base or plinth 14. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for providing an architectural decorative feature This invention relates to apparatus for providing architectural decorative features and in particular, but not exclusively, to columns and dentil mouldings.

Over the centuries it has been fashionable, from time to time, to decorate the fronts of buildings, and the insides of larger rooms, with columns and other mouldings. Sometimes the columns are half columns abutted against a wall or glazed unit and on other occasions they are free standing. Traditionally these columns have been formed either of cast iron or wood or as a plaster moulding and more recently of glass fibre and are not only expensive to make but also require considerable labour to affix. To date no satisfactory alternative has become available.

It is also known to decorate the front of a building with a dentil moulding, which comprises a series of tooth-like projections spaced beneath the gutter level. These are individual wooden or moulded items which have to be separately secured to the building at regular intervals. It is an object of the invention to provide apparatus for forming architectural decorative features which reduce or overcome at least some of the above mentioned problems.

The present invention consists in apparatus for providing an architectural decorative feature, comprising a channel section mountable on a building and an extruded element shaped such that at least one surface provides at least part of a decorative feature, the channel section and the element having interengaging formations whereby the element can be retained on a building by the channel.

Where the decorative feature is a dentil "moulding" or the like there may be a plurality of elements and the interengaging formations may be such that the elements can be slid along the channel section to required position. Preferably the position may be defined by spacers inserted into the channel between adjacent pairs of elements and spacers may be formed to lie within the channel so that they are hidden from view.

In an alternative construction the element may be formed to represent at least part of a column. In this case the apparatus may further comprise a cast part plinth element engageable at the bottom of the extruded element and/or a cast part capital element engageable at the top of the extruded element.

If the apparatus is to form a fuil column it may comprise a pair of back-to-back channel sections, a pair of extruded elements in the form of a part column elements engageable in respective channel sections, a pair of interengageable half plinth elements and a pair of interengageable cast half capital elements. It is to be understood that reference to half elements in this context mean merely that the two elements together form a continuous whole, although normally for manufacturing convenience the elements will be mirror images. In certain cases, however, it may be desirable to have male/ female formations on respective ones of the pair.

Although the invention has been defined above it is to be understood that it includes any inventive combination of the features set out above or in the following description.

The invention may be performed in various ways and specific embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings; in which: Figure 1 is a view of part of a structure showing a traditional half column shape; Figure 2 is an exploded view of part of the apparatus of the invention for making the column of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view showing the extruded element of Figure 2 mounted on its associated channel section; Figure 4 is a perspective part sectional view showing the lower end of a free standing column; Figure 5 is a perspective view showing an alternative lower end of a column; Figure 6 is a schematic illustration of a dentil moulding; and Figure 7 is a part sectional view illustrating the apparatus of the invention mounted on a glazing unit and forming both a column and a dentil moulding.

Figure 1 shows a half column generally indicated at 10 abutted to part of a structure 11.

The column 10 comprises a capital 12,an upright 13 and a base or plinth 14. As has been explained above the capital,upright and plinth are normally formed as a unit and are in any case curved or moulded.

As can be seen in Figures 2 and 3 the applicant has much revolutionised the manufacture of these columns by forming the capital 12 and the plinth 14 as separate castings and forming the upright 13 as a hollow extrusion, for example in aluminium or plastics. The extruded upright 13 carries hook like formations 15 on its free edges 16 which are formed to engage on corresponding formations 17 on a channel section 18.

The channel section 18, which is itself extruded, may be attached to a wall or may form part of a glazing unit. Prior to the attachment of the upright 13 to the channel section 18, the cast half capital 12 and half plinth 14 are affixed to the upright 13 by respective single screws 19.

It will thus be appreciated that such columns can be made with great precision and cheapness using the combination of casting and extrusion and columns of any required height can be provided without any re-tooling whatsoever. It is simply necessary to cut a greater length of extrusion for the upright 13.

As the columns can be made in plastics or metal they are extremely weather resistant and this resistance can be enhanced using pre-painting techniques.

Figure 2 illustrates a Grecian style column but the same principle can be used to form any other desired shape.

Figure 4 illustrates the application of the invention to a free standing column. Here the uprightsl3, and hence the plinthsl4 are attached to a free standing member 20 which defines back to back channel sections 21, 22.

Figure 5 illustrates an alternative form of column which can be constructed using this system.

Turning to Figure 6 a dentil moulding, generally indicated at 23 comprises a number of tooth elements 24 located beneath a gutter 25. Such a decorative feature can be constructed using the Applicant's invention in the manner illustrated in Figure 7. Here a channel section 26 is formed with retaining formations 27, 28 which can be engaged by cooperating formations 29, 30 on extruded tooth elements 31. The construction is such that the tooth elements 31 can be inserted from one end and slid along the channel. Simple tube like spacers 32 can be inserted within the formation 27 and between each tooth element 31 to achieve precisely regular spacing. The dimensions of the spacers 32 are such that they lie entirely within the formation 27 and are hidden from view.

It will be seen that only the channel section 26 and one of the end tooth elements 31 need to be secured in any way and hence the on site labour requirements are extremely low.

The manufacture of the tooth elements 31 as extrusions is extremely cost effective, because one long extrusion is formed, and then chopped up to provide the required number of elements.

Figure 7 also illustrates how the dentil moulding of the invention can cooperate with a column of the invention and how the two can be combined with a glazing unit and gutter support generally indicated respectively at 33 and 34.

Figure 3B shows an alternate clipping arrangement for engaging the upright 13 on the channel section 18.

Claims

1. Apparatus for providing an architectural decorative feature, comprising an anchor section mountable on a building and an extruded element shaped such that at least one surface provides at least part of a decorative feature, the anchor section and the element having interengaging formations whereby the element can be retained on a building by the anchor section.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the decorative feature is a dentil "moulding", wherein there are a plurality of elements and wherein the interengaging formations are such that the elements can be slid along the anchor section to required positions.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, further comprising spacers for spacing the elements apart.

4. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the spacers are formed to lie within the anchor section.

5. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the spacers are hidden from view by the anchor section.

6. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the element is formed to represent at least part of a column.

7. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, further comprising a cast part plinth element engageable at the bottom of the extruded element.

8. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6, further comprising a cast part capital element engageable at the top of the extruded element.

9. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, for forming a column comprising a pair of backto-back anchor sections, a pair of extruded elements engageable in respective channel sections, a pair of interengageable cast part plinth elements and a pair of interengageable cast part capital elements.

10. Apparatus for providing an architectural decorative feature substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.