GB2230040A

GB2230040A - Fire retardant panel or door

Info

Publication number: GB2230040A
Application number: GB8904064A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Falconer
Original assignee: ATLAS HYDRAULIC LOADERS LIMITE
Current assignee: ATLAS HYDRAULIC LOADERS LIMITE
Priority date: 1989-02-22
Filing date: 1989-02-22
Publication date: 1990-10-10
Also published as: GB8904064D0

Abstract

A fire retardant door or panel includes outer skins (3, 4) which can be of wood or hardboard and a core (8) of suitable fire retardant material which is located between the skins (3, 4). The skins (3, 4) are spaced by end lippings (5A) which may include portions comprising fire retardant blocks (12) capable of receiving screws to facilitate location of the panel or door. The use of these blocks improves the fire retarding performance of the panel/door. <IMAGE>

Description

"FIRE RETARDANT PANEL OR DOOR" DESCRIPTION: The present invention relates to a fire retardant panel and especially but not exclusively to such a panel in the form of a door.

With increasing requirements for higher fire safety performance in buildings, both commercial and dares tic, there is a need for panels and doors for buildings which have an improved fire retardant property but which nevertheless are economic to produce. Doors with hardboard outer facings are now catinonly used in buildings, especially in domestic buildings, and have incorporated non-combustible insulating sheeting between the facings to improve the fire retarding performance but the design has not been entirely satisfactory especially with regard to the door lipping and only limited fire performance e.g. up to 20 minutes has generally been achieved.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a relatively inexpensive panel or door which has an improved fire retardant performance.

According to the present invention a fire retardant panel comprises spaced outer facings, a central core or sheet of fire retardant material between said facings, and lipping members located at respective side edges of the panel such that the lipping members are positioned between the facings, at least one of said lipping members defining fastener holder trans capable of receiving and holding a fastener element such as a wood screw, at least one of said lipping xTffflibers being arranged or adapted such that fire retardant material extends substantially to the panel edge associated with that lipping mamber. In one preferred enbodinent, at least one lipping member is shaped such that material of the fire retardant core extends between a portion of that lipping merber and an outer facing and substantially up to the associated panel edge; in this case the lipping irertber can be of wood or hardboard.

In an alternative enbodiet at least one of the lipping trenbers includes a portion of fire retardant material which is sufficiently densely packed to enable the lipping member to receive and hold a fastener element.

Preferably the central core has a thickness such that the core lies substantially in abutment with the outer facings.

The core can be formed from any suitable material. Preferably this material is mineral based and a suitable such material is that sold under the trade name Astal.

The above fire retardant panel according to the present invention provides improved fire retarding performance in comparison with previous panels or doors, particularly with regard to the improved arrangement of fire retardant material at the lipping member. In previous panels and doors, lipping members in the form of rectangular-sectioned wooden blocks have been used which have precluded the fire retarding material from extending close to the edges of the panel with the result that the fire retarding performance of the panel has been restricted. The present invention overcomes this drawback.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accoMpanying drawings wherein: Fig. 1 shows a front elevation of a door embodying the present invention; Figs. 2 and 3 show sections A-A and B-B of the door of Fig. 1 respectively; Figs. 4 and 5 show similar views as Figs. 2 and 3 but illustrating an alternative entxxihnent of the invention; and Fig. 6 shows a sectional plan view of part of a door corresponding to section A-A of Fig. 1, illustrating yet a further embodsment.

Referring to Figs. 1-3, a fire door 1 is located in conventional manner in a door surround 2 which incorporates the door jams, and the door 1 comprises outer facings 3, 4 and peripheral lipping between the facings 3, 4 defined by vertical lipping members 5 at the side edges of the door (Fig. 2) and horizontal lipping members 6, 7 at the doors top and bottom edges (Fig. 3). The facings 3, 4 are bonded to the lipping by suitable means, for example by adhesive. The facings 3, 4 are made from plain hardboard sheet and thespace between the facings 3, 4 is filled with a core 8 of non-combustible insulating material i.e. fire retardant material. A variety of materials are available to serve as the fire retardant core, and one very suitable material is the mineral based product sold under the Trade Name Astal.

The lipping members 5-7 are preferably of wood or hardboard and are formed with a T-cross section, such that an outer portion 5A-7A of each lipping member defines a panel edge facing while the longer leg of the T can receive and bold a fastening element such as a wood screw. The advantage of this arrangement is that the core material can extend on each side of the lapping member i.e. between the lipping member and the respective facing 3, 4 right up to the edge facing and thus close to the edge of the door panel, and this improves the fire retardant performance of the door.

Astal fire retardant material supplied in appropriately cut blocks and serving as the core 8 can be readily grooved to receive the T-shape lipping members. The core 8 has a thickness such that it lies flush with the inner flat faces of the facings 3, 4 i.e. fully fills the inner space of the door for increased fire retarding performance. The bottom edge lipping member 7 can have a relatively thicker facing 7A as this lies at floor level and therefore in a potentially less severe fire environment.

The door hinges 9 can be satisfactorily attached to the appropriate lipping member 5 by means of wood screws, while an appropriate internal arrangement will be present to accomnrdate the door locs 10. Intumescent strips 11 are appropriately located, for example on the surrounds 2, to seal the door/ surround gap in a fire situation.

Figs. 4 and 5 show an alternative arrangement for the lipping members 5,7. In this case, the lipping members include blocks 12-14 of fire retardant material which abut against the respective edge facing 5A-7A, and it is a particular feature of this embodiment that at least certain of these blocks 12-14 are adapted to be capable of receiving and holding a fastener element such as for example a wood screw. To this end the blocks 12-14 can be of higher density material in comparison to the material of the core 8, and a suitable material for these blocks is the mineral based product sold under the trade name Astal H.D (high density). Therefore in Figs. 4 and 5, fire retarding material again extends substantially to the edge of the door panel for improved fire retarding performance. The use of the higher density fire retardant material only at the lipping is conducive to a lighter and relatively less expensive door.

The fire doors shown in Figs. 1-4 have a considerably increased fire performance in caparison with carparable prior-art doors and a fire rating of 1 hour is readily possible with the present doors. The doors of Figs. 1-4 are also relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Fig. 5 shows a further variation which is particularly useful where the facings 3, 4 are of non-plain form for example carry decorative indents.

Blocks 12-14 of higher density fire retardant material are again used but in this case grooves 15 are provided in the inner faces of the blocks to receive edges of the core sheet 8.

Further modifications are of course possible. Thus material other than hardboard could be used for the facings 3, 4. For example the facings 3, 4 could be made of metal e.g. aluminium. The core 8 could be formed by foaming in situ.

Whereas the above described enbodiments specifically related to a door it will be readily appreciated that the present invention could be applied to panels generally.

Claims

1. A fire retardant panel comprises spaced outer facings, a central core or sheet of fire retardant material between said facings, and lipping members located at respective side edges of the panel such that the lipping members are positioned between the facings, at least one of said lipping members defining fastener holder means capable of receiving and holding a fastener element such as a wood screw, at least one of said lipping members being arranged or adapted such that fire retardant material extends substantially to the panel edge associated with that lipping member.

2. The panel according to claim 1, wherein at least one lipping member is shaped such that material of the fire retardant core extends between a portion of that lipping member and an outer facing and substantially up to the associated panel edge.

3. The panel according to claim 2, wherein the lipping member is of wood or hardboard.

4. The panel according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the lipping members includes a portion of fire retardant material which is sufficiently densely packed to enable the lipping member to receive and hold a fastener element.

5. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the central core has a thickness such that the core lies substantially in abutment with the outer facings.

6. A fire retardant panel or door substantially as hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings.