GB2253234A

GB2253234A - Door or window frame assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2253234A
Application number: GB9202759A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roger Gamble
Original assignee: Epwin Group PLC
Current assignee: Epwin Group PLC
Priority date: 1991-02-12
Filing date: 1992-02-10
Publication date: 1992-09-02
Also published as: GB9102961D0; GB9202759D0

Abstract

A frame assembly suitable for a door or a window has a first outer frame 50 or pair of opposed frame members which may be attached to the periphery of an opening in a wall at an early stage of construction of a building, and a second inner frame (22) which may be attached to the edges of a glazing panel off-site, and inserted whole into the apparatus defined by the first frame (50) at a later stage of construction, thus enabling the door or window opening to the used for passing components for the interior of the building during construction without damage to the door or window frame. Resilient elements (18) on the outer frame engage in recesses in the inner frame to retain it in position, and the cill (28) may be retained in a similar way. <IMAGE>

Description

FRAME ASSEMBLY The present invention relates to a frame assembly and is particularly, but not exclusively, concerned with a frame for a door or a window.

In the construction of a new building, it is normal for the door and/or window apertures to be used as openings through which are passed components for the interior of the building. Therefore, it is normal for any glazing in the window or door to be fitted only at a late stage in the construction of the building, to prevent any damage to the glazing.

Traditionally, therefore, a wooden frame has been installed around the window or door opening, to which the glazing is subsequently fitted.

It is also known to provide window units in which the glazing is surrounded by a plastics (e.g. UPVC) or metal (e.g. aluminium) frame, with the resulting unit installed in a building that is already built, usually as a replacement window or door. However, existing units cannot satisfactorily be used in the construction of a new building, because it has been the established practice for the glazing and the surrounding frame to be constructed as a single unit, and thus the installation of such a unit would prevent that window (or door) being used for the passage of components for the interior of a building. There is the further point, that where the frame is of plastics material, such as UPVC, it could be easily damaged and this could cause a further problem when the frame is used as a opening through which bulky or heavy items may be passed.

Therefore, the present invention seeks to provide a frame assembly for e.g. a window or door which permits part of that frame assembly to be positioned in a suitable opening during construction and for other parts of the assembly subsequently to be fitted to the parts already in the opening.

In its broadest aspect, the present invention proposes that a first element be provided which can be installed during the construction of an opening in a building wall, and which itself defines an aperture, and a second element which is a frame surrounding or adapted to surround a glazing panel, i.e. insertable in the aperture defined by the first element.

Suitable means is then provided for causing engagement of the first and second element.

Thus, a first element, which may be a wood, metal or plastics part, is designed to be fitted in an opening of a building as the opening is formed, and may then be attached to either or both of the structural walls of the building and/or between those structural walls, and thus defines an aperture acting as an opening through which components intended for the interior of the building may pass. At a later stage in the construction of the building, the second element, which may e.g. carry the glazing when the frame is to form a window, is inserted in the aperture. Engagement of the first and second elements thus forms the completed window. The second element may itself be of wood, metal or plastics.

The means for causing engagement of the first and second elements may be a separate component, but is preferably a resilient catch provided on either the first or second element which engages a corresponding recess in the other element. In a further preferred option, that resilient catch is on the first element.

Preferable, each element is a hollow extrusion and in this case it may be desirable for at least the first element to be of metal so that it is relatively robust. This also helps to deal with the problem of damage to the element when objects are passed through the opening during the construction of the building.

In a further development of the present invention, the first element may further be shaped so as to receive a further element which may then provide a cill for the window or door. In this case, there is preferably means for causing engagement of the first and further elements, and this engagement means may again be a separate component, or preferably a resilient catch which engages a corresponding recess.

Again, particularly when the first element is of metal, it is desirable for that engagement member to be on the first element. This development of the present invention, involving engagement of first and further elements to define a cill, is a further, independent, aspect of the present invention.

Where the engagement of the elements is by engagement of a resilient flange with a corresponding recess in another of the members, then that recess may be defined as one of a series of recesses between ribs, so that the engagement of the elements may be progressive, to ensure satisfactory sealing. This has the further advantage of making dis-engagement of the elements more difficult, which is desirable.

When the engagement means is a catch, or even when it is a separate component, its edge which engages an element is preferably serrated as this will ensure good grip, particularly when the engagement means is of metal and is engaging an element of plastics material.

Thus, consider the construction of a window using the frame assembly of the present invention. As the building is built, a suitable opening will be formed in a wall to define that window. The first element is fitted to the periphery of that opening by e.g.

securing it to one or both of the structural walls, during the construction of those walls and then the aperture defined by that element can be used for the passage therethrough of components destined for the interior of the building. If the element is of metal, as discussed above, it will not be damaged during this operation. The securing of the first element to the walls may be direct or via another component. When the interior of the building is substantially complete, the second element, carrying the glazing, is then fitted in the aperture and engaged with the first element. Of course, the second element should be of a size matched to the aperture defined by the first element, and suitable seals on either or both of the elements may be provided to ensure a good and watertight join.The second element is slotted into the aperture in the first element and the engagement means then fixes the elements together. Since the glazing and the second element may be formed as a single unit, away from the building, by standard methods of the formation of such units currently used in window units for fitting to existing buildings, the only on-site operation that is necessary is the insertion of the second element, and this is a simple and trouble free operation. Therefore, the ease of fitting of the window is improved.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows a section through a frame assembly of a first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 shows in more detail a element used in the embodiment of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows a sectional view through a frame assembly being a second embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 4 shows a element used in the embodiment of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 shows an assembly according to a third embodiment of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 shows an alternative assembly to the embodiment of Fig. 1, being a fourth embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 7 shows a second alternative assembly to the embodiment of Fig. 1, being a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

The first embodiment, of Figs. 1 and 2, is concerned with the mounting of a window in a suitable opening in the wall of a building. Fig. 1 shows the wall 10 to which a frame bracket 12 is secured by suitable sealing 14. That bracket 12 thus acts as a support for all or part of a frame assembly according to the present invention. In the embodiment of Fig.

1 a first element 16 is then secured to the bracket 12. That element 16 is shown in more detail in Fig.

2, and it can be seen that it consists of a substantially "C" shaped extrusion of e.g. metal which is fitted with the mouth of the "C" open to a part of the bracket 12. A deformable, but resilient, catch 18 is provided in the element 16 opposite to its mouth, projecting outwardly. The free edge 20 of that catch 18 may be serrated. With the element 16 mounted to the bracket 12, which in turn is secured to the wall 10, construction of the building may continue. At this point, no glazing is fitted in the window opening.

Then, towards the end of the construction of the building, a second element 22 is secured to the first element 16. The element 22 carries the glazing (not shown) of the window and may be an extrusion of plastics or metal. The second element 22 has a recess 24 therein, and when the second element 22 is inserted into the aperture defined by the first element 16 (it must be remembered that the first element 16 will extend either wholly around the opening in the wall 10 or at least be on two opposed sides of that wall), then the catch 18 is received in the recess 24 and thus the first and second elements 16, 22 are secured together.

A plurality of catches 18 may be provided along the first element 16, with a corresponding plurality of openings 24 being provided in the second element 22, but preferably the catch 18 and the corresponding recess 24 is elongate, extending substantially the length of the corresponding side of the opening.

Suitable sealing means may be provided at a lip 26 of the second element 22, which seals that element to the first element 16. It can also be seen that that lip 26 acts as a limit when the second element 22 is inserted in to the recess defined by the first element 16 (the second element 22 being inserted from left to right in Fig. 1).

Fig. 1 also shows that the bracket 12 is approximately "U" and a cill member 28 may be positioned so that one end of that cill member 28 is received within the "U" of the bracket 12. The bracket 12 may further support a back plate 30, and suitable sealing may be provided between the back plate 30 and the second element 22 at their join 32.

This seal, together with the sealing at lip 26 ensures that moisture cannot pass the assembly defined by the first and second elements 16, 22.

Where the free edge 20 of the catch 18 is serrated, it may engage a side edge of the recess 24 and, where the first element 16 is of metal and a second element 22 is of plastics, the serrations will then ensure a non-sliding fit.

As was mentioned above the first element 16 may extend wholly around the opening in the wall 10, or may be on two opposed surfaces. Since the element 16 will have some resilience, due to its "C" shape, there will be forces from opposite sides of the opening on the second element 22, so that that the second element 22 will be held securely within the opening defined by the first element 16.

In the first embodiment, described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 the cill 28 is simply inserted into the U-shaped bracket 12, and must be attached thereto.

The embodiments of Figs. 3 and 4 modify this by suitable shaping of the first element 50. The structure of the second element 22 in the embodiment of Figs. 3 and 4 and of the back plate 30 may be the same as in the first embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2, and will not be discussed in detail. Therefore, corresponding parts are indicated by the same reference numerals.

In the embodiment of Figs. 3 and 4, however, the bracket 12 is not provided, and the first element 50 is extended so that it can be secured directly to the wall 10 by the sealing 14. The first element 50 then has a lower surface 52 which is secured to the wall 10, which lower surface 52 has one or more further catches 54 projecting therefrom Those catches 54 are resilient and deformable in a similar way to the catch(s) 18. It can be seen from Fig. 3 that the or each catch 54 then engages a corresponding recess 56 in the lower surface of the cill 28, thereby securing together the cill 28 and the first element 50. A suitable seal 58 may be provided at the free end 60 of the first element 50, to seal that free end 60 to an upper surface 62 of the cill 28, thereby trapping the cill 28 between the lower surface 52 and the free end 60.

It is, of course, possible for the first element to be shaped as in the embodiment of Fig. 3 along the lower surface of the opening in the wall 10, where a cill will be necessary, and for it to be shaped as in the embodiment of Fig. 1 for the side and upper edges of the opening in the wall 10. In that case, the embodiment of Fig. 1 may be modified by the omission of the bracket 12 for the side and upper edges (since a cill 28 is not required for those edges), and the first element 16 may then be secured directly to the wall 10.

Fig. 5 shows a third embodiment of the invention.

It has a first element 16 identical to that of Fig. 1.

There is a second element 22' substantially similar to the second element 22 of Figs. 1 and 3, which is inserted in the same manner, but has a recess 24 incorporating a hook member 42 such that when the catch 18 of the first element 16 engages the recess 24, the hook member 42 extends between the free edge 20 of the catch 18 and the first element 16. Thus it is more difficult to separate the first and second elements after installation. In order to allow engagement of the hook member 42, a resilient tape 40 is provided on the second element 22' on a surface thereof abutting the first element 16 such that the second element 22' is urged away from the first element 16 in a direction parallel and opposite to the direction of insertion of the second element 22', i.e.

to the left in Fig. 5.

This tape 40 will then bias the second element 22' such that on insertion of the second element 22' into the first element 16, pressure may be applied to the second element 22' against the biasing of the tape 40 to engage the catch 18 fully. Then, when the pressure is released, the tape 40 urges the second element 22' such that the hook member 42 engages the catch 18.

Fig. 5 also shows in cross-section a tie 70, for attaching the first element 16 to the wall, which has a wall engagement portion 74 which is serrated to facilitate engagement in concrete or cement and an outer engagement portion 72 which is shaped to engage with the first element 16. The tie 70 may be made of metal or (preferably) plastics. If made of plastics it may be moulded as one. Of course, other methods of attaching the first element 16 to the wall may be employed, and the present invention is not restricted to any particular method of attachment.

Figure 6 shows an embodiment which is an alternative to Fig. 1 whereby the cill member 28 is incorporated within an enlarged second element 22".

Thus the second element 22" consists of an upper portion 66 for receiving glazing and a cill member 28.

This means that the glazing, second element and cill member can be assembled as one part and installed on site with less effort, and in less time. The upper portion 66 and the cill member 28 may be joined by a screw 64 as shown, or by a mechanical hooking arrangement of the two parts. To accommodate the height of the cill section 28, the first element 16' is of reduced height relative to the first element 16 of Figs. 1, 2 and 5. Also shown is the method by which the glazing panel 34 is attached to the upper portion 66 by gripping the glazing panel 34 between the upper portion 66 and a bead 68, the bead 68 being attachable to the upper portion 66. Suitable seals 36 are also incorporated to prevent entry of water.

Fig. 7 also shows another embodiment which is an alternative to that of Fig. 1 whereby the cill member 28 is incorporated within an enlarged second element 22". In this alternative, the catch 18 and recess 24 are relocated to an asymmetric position which avoids the screw 64 projecting into the recess 24 and potentially fouling the resilient catch 18. Also, the recess 24 shown in Fig. 7 has a dovetail shape and therefore effectively has a hook member in a similar manner to the third embodiment shown in Fig. 5. Thus it is again more difficult to separate the first and second elements after installation. No resilient tape is necessary as in the third embodiment of Fig. 5, as the embodiment of Fig. 7 is for use on the lower edge of the window (having a cill), and thus has no overlapping lip 26 as in Fig. 5.

In all embodiments, all the components of the frame assembly are hollow extrusions, and therefore the frame assembly is light in weight, which offers an advantage over traditional wooden frames. The construction of the parts of the frame assembly may thus be achieved by standard techniques used in the production of window or door frames, and indeed at least the second element (and possibly the cill) may be of standard construction.

Thus, in conclusion, the window shown in the embodiments of Figs. 1 to 7 has a substantially rigid first element, to which a glazed second element is mounted to seal off the aperture defined by the first element. The engagement of the flange 18 and the corresponding recess 24 acts as engagement means between the first and second elements, although it is alternatively possible to use a separate component.

By inserting the second element in one direction, the engagement of the first and second elements occurs automatically and the second element cannot then be removed in the opposite direction.

Claims

1. An assembly for supporting a glazing panel having a first element installable about two or more sides of an opening in a wall and leaving an opening thus defined when so installed, a second element which is a frame surrounding or adapted to surround a glazing panel, the second element being insertable into the opening thus defined, and means for securing the second element to the first element, whereby the second element optionally with the glazing panel are insertable as one preassembled part into the opening thus defined.

2. A frame assembly according to claim 1, wherein the means for securing the second element to the first element in at least one resilient catch engageable with at least one corresponding recess and being depressed by the action of offering the second element to the first element.

3. A frame assembly according to claim 2, wherein the resilient catch is provided on the first element and the recess is provided in the second element.

4. A frame assembly according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the at least one recess is a series of recesses between ribs offering a bearing surface, whereby the at least one resilient catch is engageable with a selected one of the recesses in dependence on the relative positions of the first and second elements upon the insertion of the further element into the opening.

5. A frame assemble according to any one of the preceding claims, having a further element forming a cill of the assembly, which further element is insertable into a part of the first element, and means for securing the further element to the first element being at least one resilient catch engageable with at least one corresponding recess and being depressed by the action of inserting the further element in the first element.

6. A frame assembly for forming a cill arrangement in a window or door, having a first element attachable to an opening for the window or door in a wall, and a further element forming a cill of the assembly, which further element is insertable into a part of the first element, and means for securing the further element to the first element, being at least one resilient catch engageable with at-least one corresponding recess and being depressed by the action of inserting the further element in the first element.

7. A frame assembly according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the means for securing the further element to the first element is at least one further resilient catch engageable with at least one corresponding further recess and being depressed by the action of inserting the further element on the first element.

8. A frame assembly according to claim 7 wherein the further resilient catch is provided on the first element, and the further recess is provided in the further element.

9. A frame assembly according to any one of claims 5 to 8 wherein the at least one of further recess has a series of further recesses between further ribs offering a bearing surface whereby the further resilient catch is engageable with a selected one of the further recesses according to the relative position of the first and further elements on insertion of the further element into the opening.

10. A frame assembly substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, or Figs. 3 and 4 or Fig. 5, or Fig. 6, or Fig. 7 of the accompanying drawings.

11. A method of constructing a window or door, in which a first element is fixed to two or more sides of an opening in a wall, a glazing panel forming the window or door and framed by a second element is inserted into the opening thus defined and the second element is secured to the first element.

12. A method of constructing a window or door according to- claim 10 wherein the second element is secured to the first element by causing a resilient catch to be depressed by partially inserting the glazing panel and second element and allowing the resilient catch to engage a corresponding recess on insertion of the glazing panel and second element.

13. A method of providing a cill in a window or door, on which a first element is fixed to an opening in a wall, a further element is inserted into a part of the first element and the further element is secured to the first by engagement of at least one resilient catch with at least one corresponding recess, the resilient catch being depressed by the action of inserting the further element into the first element.