GB2264524A

GB2264524A - Window or door frame structure

Info

Publication number: GB2264524A
Application number: GB9302728A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Colin Martin White
Original assignee: BKL Extrusions Ltd
Current assignee: BKL Extrusions Ltd
Priority date: 1992-02-27
Filing date: 1993-02-11
Publication date: 1993-09-01
Anticipated expiration: 2013-02-11
Also published as: GB2264524B; GB9302728D0; GB9204226D0; IE930108A1; NL9300314A

Abstract

A window or door frame comprises at least one cross member (16) connected between opposed frame elements (10). Each frame element (10) comprises joined-together parts (12 and 14) having respective abutment flanges (22 and 24) on the, in use, interior and exterior of a building in which the frame is installed. The two pans (12 and 14) are joined together in a plane inclined to a base plane of the element (10). The crossmember (16) has spaced parallel abutment flanges (40 and 42) mateable respectively with the frame element flanges (22 and 24) when the connector is secured to the frame element at the join between the parts (10 and 12). Respective flanges (22 and 40) define an internal abutment frame against which an externally openable window may abut whereas respective flanges (24 and 42) define an exterior abutment frame against which a fixed glazing panel may be glazed from the interior of the building. <IMAGE>

Description

TITLE: Window or Door Frame Structure This invention relates to a window or door frame of the type having one or more transoms or mullions spanning opposed elements of the frame and wherein some or all of the frame elements and the transoms and/or mullions are formed of a plastics material, or a metal or a composite structure of plastics and metal or a fabrication of plastics and metal.

Window frames made of a plastics material, typically PVCu, are well known and typically comprise four frame elements arranged to provide a rectilinear structure with mitred corners. The corner joints may be welds produced by a known method comprising assembling a pair of adjacent frame elements with their ends which are to be joined in close proximity with one another, inserting a heated blade between said ends, pressing the elements towards one another to melt the plastics material at said ends where they contact the heated blade, removing the heated blade and further pressing the elements towards one another and retaining them under pressure to bond the adjoining ends together.

Each frame element of such a frame may be produced as a hollow box section extrusion which can be then provided with a metal insert secured within the box section to stiffen the element and hence the frame as a whole. Each such extruded element may typically also include a flange providing an abutment for one face of a glazing panel and means for receiving a glazing bead providing an abutment for the other face of the glazing panel. An elastomeric sealing gasket may typically be provided on the flange, the gasket being compressed to seal to the one face of the glazing panel when the panel is located in the frame and retained in place by the glazing bead.

It has been the practice to install such frames in buildings with the said abutment flanges on the interior side of the frame i.e. on the inside of the building and the glazing beads on the exterior. This arrangement is known to present a security problem in that, in the absence of any counter-measures, one or more of the glazing beads may be prized off the frame from the exterior of the building whereby the glazing panel may then be removed from the frame.

Various security measures have been proposed to overcome this problem but many of these measures have been too complex and hence unduly expensive to incorporate or have suffered from lack of reliability. Thus it has become a more recent requirement of the building industry that window frames should be installed with the said abutment flanges on the exterior of the frame i.e. on the outside of the building and the glazing beads on the interior. With such an arrangement there is nothing accessible for removal on the exterior of the building and thus security is enhanced.

Such an installation with its flanges on the exterior is extremely satisfactory for a fixed glazing installation but, where an outwardly opening window is to be provided, the adjacent flanges must be provided on the interior of the frame to permit the window to be opened and to provide abutment flanges against which the window may be closed.

Thus, in a typical multi-panel window frame structure, there could be a requirement for exterior flanges on one part of a frame element for fixed glazing panels and for interior flanges on an adjacent part of the same length of frame element to accommodate opening glazing panels. A mullion or transom would extend perpendicularly from the frame element at the transition from the interior to the exterior flange with the mullion or transom providing an exterior flange on one side thereof and an interior flange on the other side thereof.To accomplish such a structure in a window frame having plastics frame elements and plastics mullions or transoms it has been the practice, when assembling the frame, to cut a frame element perpendicular to its length, reverse one cut length relative to the other, and then weld the two lengths together again to provide a frame element wherein one part thereof will have a flange presentable exteriorly of the assembled frame and the other part thereof will have a flange presentable interiorly of the frame.

A V-cut is then made into the flanged surfaces of the frame element with one cut of the V being made in each of the two said parts and a mullion or transom then being assembled into the V. The end of the mullion or transom is suitably cut to provide a profile to mate to the corresponding profiles of the frame element at the join between the two parts. The mullion or transom is then itself welded into the V-cut whereby, at the welded joint, there will be visible on both interior and exterior surfaces of the frame a generally Y-shaped weld line comprising the single weld line between the abutted ends of the two weldedtogether parts of the frame element and the two weld lines where the end of the mullion or transom is welded into the V-cut. It has been found that the appearance of such weld lines is not always visually acceptable.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved construction of window or door frame having a crossmember comprising a transom or mullion connected between opposed frame elements of the frame and wherein the crossmember and the frame elements may each be formed of a plastics material or of a metal or a composite structure of plastics and metal or may comprise a fabrication of plastics and metal. It is also an object of the invention to provide a new or improved method of producing such a window or door frame.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention there is provided a window or door frame structure comprising: a window or door frame structure comprising a plurality of elongate frame elements connected together to provide a rectilinear said structure, each frame element having an elongate base portion containing a base plane of the frame element and an elongate upstanding abutment flange containing an abutment plane normal to said base plane; and a crossmember connected between a pair of opposed said frame elements, each said frame element of a said pair thereof comprising first and second frame element parts joined together in end-to-end relationship, said first frame element part having a said flange thereof located at one side of the frame element and said second frame element part having a said flange thereof located at the other side of the frame element in parallel relationship with the flange of said first frame element part, and the crossmember having elongate parallel spaced apart abutment flanges thereon, wherein the frame element parts are joined together along a joint plane which is normal to said base plane thereby to provide a joint line at an adjacent end of each flange on an exterior surface of the frame element which is normal to said base plane thereof, the said flange on each respective said frame element part extending continuously therealong from said joint line to a respective free end of the frame element, and the crossmember being secured at each of its ends to a respective frame element at the joint therein between said frame element parts thereof whereby a respective said flange on the crossmember abuts against a said flange of a frame element part on each side of the joint plane.

Also in accordance with the invention there is provided a method of forming a window or door frame structure including a plurality of elongate frame elements connected together to provide a rectilinear said structure, each frame element having an elongate base portion containing a base plane and an elongate upstanding abutment flange containing an abutment plane normal to said base plane, and a crossmember having elongate parallel spaced apart abutment flanges thereon connected between a pair of opposed said frame elements comprising the steps of forming each said frame element of a said pair thereof by taking first and second frame element parts, each of which has a said base portion and a said abutment flange, and joining said parts together in end to end relationship along a joint plane such that when so joined together said first frame element part has a said flange thereof located at one side of the frame element and said second frame element part has a said flange thereof located at the other side of the frame element in parallel relationship with the flange of said first frame element part, and said joint plane is normal to said base plane thereby providing a joint line at an adjacent end of each flange on an exterior surface of the frame element which is normal to the base plane thereof with said flange on each respective frame element part extending continuously therealong from said joint line to a respective free end of the frame element; and securing the crossmember at each of its ends to a respective frame element at the joint therein between said frame element parts thereof in such manner that a respective said flange on the crossmember abuts against a said flange of a frame element part on each side of the joint plane.

The said joint plane is preferably inclined to the said abutment plane of the flanges, conveniently at an angle of between 600 and 70 , whereby the flanges on the frame element parts overlap one another longitudinally of the frame element in parallel spaced apart relationship with one another.

The cross sectional profile of each of said frame element parts may be identical with that of the other said part, and the two parts may be cut from a single length of frame element material. The cross sectional profile of each of said frame element parts may be different from one another. The two frame element parts may be joined together in end-to-end relationship by welding or by an adhesive or by a mechanical connection.

Each of said frame element parts may be formed of a plastics material, which may be reinforced by a metal member, or each of said frame element parts may be formed wholly or partly of metal and conveniently each of said frame element parts is formed as an extrusion.

The crossmember may be formed of a plastics material or of a metal or may comprise a composite structure of metal and plastics material or a fabrication of metal and plastics material. The crossmember may be connected to the frame element by mechanical fastening means, such as by threaded fasteners or brackets or the like, or the crossmember may be bonded to the frame element such as by an adhesive.

Other features of the invention will become apparent from the following description given herein solely by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a vertically disposed frame element and horizontally disposed transom of frame structure in accordance with the invention, the view being taken from the, in use, exterior of the building in which said structure would be installed to provide exterior flanges for internal glazing of a fixed glazing panel below the transom and to provide interior flanges above the transom to receive an outwardly opening pivoting or hinged transom window; Figure 2 is a front view of the exterior of the other end of a transom in position for connecting to a vertically disposed frame element which is in opposed relationship to the frame element shown in Figure 1;; Figure 3 is a transverse cross sectional view through the upper frame element part of the frame element of Figure 2 showing the transom in top plan view; and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view through the transom of Figure 2 showing also a transom window in an open position.

A frame structure constructed in accordance with the invention comprises a plurality of frame elements connected together such as by mitred corner joints to form a rectilinear structure with one or more crossmembers connected between a respective pair or pairs of opposed such frame elements; each of said opposed frame elements comprising two frame parts connected together at the position at which the crossmember is connected thereto. In the drawings there is shown one such vertically disposed frame element 10 in Figure 1, and an opposed frame element 10 in Figures 2, 3 and 4, comprising two vertically disposed parts 12 and 14 together with a horizontally disposed crossmember or transom 16 for connection between opposed frame elements 10.

Each of the said parts 12 and 14 of the frame element conveniently comprises an identically or similarly profiled plastics extrusion, typically PVCu, of generally conventional cross-section comprising a hollow box section body 18 and 20 respectively of generally rectangular profile and two opposed sides one of which extends perpendicularly from the body 18, 20 to provide a respective abutment flange 22 and 24. Each body 18 and 20 comprises a respective base portion of a frame element part 12 and 14 containing a base plane normal to an abutment plane contained in each of the respective flanges 22 and 24. That face of each body which is adjacent to the flange 22 or 24 provides a base portion 26 and a grooved portion 28 for the reception of a conventional clip-in glazing bead (not illustrated).Each abutment flange 22, 24 is provided with a longitudinally extending groove 30 for the reception of an elastomeric sealing strip (not illustrated). As will be clearly seen from the drawings the two parts 12, 14 of the frame element are assembled in mirror image relationship to one another so that the flange 22 on the upper part 12 projects from the frame element 10 on one side thereof and the flange 24 on the lower part 14 of the frame element 10 projects from the other side thereof.Each adjoining end of the two parts of the frame element lies in a joint plane 32 normal to the base plane but inclined at between 600 and 700 to the abutment plane whereby, when said two ends are joined together in abutting relationship, the flanges 22 and 24 overlap one another in the axial direction and are disposed in spaced apart parallel relationship with one another on opposite sides of the frame element 10.

It will be appreciated that each part 12 and 14 of the frame element 10 may be produced from the same length of frame element extrusion by cutting the extrusion transversely at an angle of between 600 and 700 to its longitudinal axis. The two cut lengths i.e. the two parts 12 and 14 are then assembled together in mirror image relationship for connection in the orientation shown in the drawings. The two parts 12 and 14 may be connected together by any suitable means such as for example by welding, by an adhesive or by a mechanical connection. A mechanical connection between the two parts 12 and 14 gives greater dimensional reproducibility to the frame structure as a whole and thus this method is preferred to a welding or adhesive joining technique.Although not shown in the drawings, each of the two parts 12 and 14 of the frame element 10 may be provided with an internal metal reinforcement within the hollow box section bodies 18 and 20 with a single length of such a reinforcement bridging the two parts 12 and 14 of the frame element. Suitable screw fasteners, not shown, are provided to secure the parts 12 and 14 of the frame element to the internal metal reinforcement whereby the two parts 12 and 14 may be held in abutting relationship with one another as shown in the drawings.

Although the frame element 10 is described herein as comprising two plastics frame element parts 12 and 14 of substantially the same profile it should be appreciated that such parts may be of metal, or may be a composite structure of metal and plastics material or may be a fabrication of metal and plastics material, and may be of differing profiles from one another.

A crossmember 16 for connecting to the joined together parts 12 and 14 of the frame element 10 comprises a plastics extrusion provided either as a transom or as a mullion. In the drawings, the frame element 10 is shown to extend in a vertical direction with the crossmember 16 comprising a transom although it should be appreciated that a similar connection may be made between a vertically extending mullion and a horizontally extending frame element. Such a transom or mullion may be formed of metal or may comprise a composite structure or fabrication of metal and plastics material.

The crossmember extrusion comprises a hollow box section central portion 34 providing opposed base faces and including two side faces 36, 38 from each of which projects a respective abutment flange 40, 42, the two flanges 40 and 42 extending in opposite directions relative to one another from the central portion 34. Each of the flanges 40 and 42 includes a longitudinally extending groove 44 for the reception of an elastomeric sealing gasket (not illustrated) and each base face of the box section portion 34 is provided with a longitudinally extending groove 46 for a clip-in glazing bead (not illustrated). As will be clearly seen from Figure 1 of the drawings a tubular metal reinforcement 48 is located within the hollow box section portion 34 with the reinforcement 48 having longitudinally extending flutes 50 whereby a screw fastener 52 may be secured within an open end of each flute.That end of the crossmember 16 which is to be secured to the joined together parts 12 and 14 of the frame element 10 is cut to provide a profile, as can be seen from all of the drawing figures, to mate to the profile of the frame element. The crossmember 16 is assembled to the joined together parts 12 and 14 of the frame element at the joint in such a position that the rearward edge 54 of the face 36 from which the flange 40 extends is aligned with the end 56 of the adjacent flange 22 on the one part 12 of the frame element.The rearward edge 58 of the other face 38 of the crossmember is aligned with the end 60 of the other flange 24 on the other part 14 of the frame element as will be particularly clearly seen from Figures 1 and 2; this alignment being possible by virtue of the 600 to 700 join between the two parts 12 and 14 of the frame element providing the longitudinal overlap between the two flanges 22 and 24.

Also as will be seen from Figure 1, the crossmember is mechanically connected at the joint by the screw members 52 each passing through a box section body 18, 20 of each part 12, 14 of the frame element into engagement with a corresponding flute 50 in the reinforcing member 48 of the crossmember 16, the crossmember itself being secured by screws (not shown) to the reinforcing member 48 at spaced apart intervals. As will be seen from Figure 1, each part 12 and 14 of the frame element is secured independently to a respective flute 50 of the reinforcing member 48 in the crossmember 16. The crossmember may be bonded to the frame element parts at the joint therebetween such as by an adhesive.

When the crossmember 16 has been connected to the joined together parts 12 and 14 the major visible joint lines will comprise firstly a single joint line across the opposed faces of the frame element at each end of the joint (i.e. along the lines of the ends 56 and 60 normal to the base planes of the parts 12 and 14), and secondly a single overlap line where each flange 40, 42 of the crossmember 16 is mated to a respective flange 22, 24 of the frame element (i.e. at the base lines 62 of the flange chamfers). An additional short mitre joint line will be visible where each respective flange 40 and 42 of the crossmember 16 is chamfered (as shown at 64 in Figure 2) to overlie the chamfer on a respective flange 22 and 24 of the frame element.Thus from either the interior or exterior of the frame structure there will be only two mutually perpendicular major joint lines and a mitre joint line visible at each connection of a crossmember to the joined together parts of a frame element. If the respective flanges are not provided with chamfers then the only visible joint lines will comprise the two mutually perpendicular lines referred to above but in either case each respective flange 22 and 24 extends continuously of the frame element part 12 and 14 from the respective joint line 60 or 56 to a free end of the frame element where it is connected to other elements of the frame structure.

Referring to the orientation shown in the drawings, a completed frame structure would be assembled with the flanges 22 and 40 presented internally of the frame and the flanges 24 and 42 presented externally. A fixed single, double or triple glazing panel 66 would be retained against the flanges 24 and 42 by means of a glazing bead engaged within the grooves 28 and 46. An externally opening transom window may be pivotally mounted so as to have its frame 68 closable against the interior abutment flanges 22 and 40.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. A window or door frame structure comprising a plurality of elongate frame elements connected together to provide a rectilinear said structure, each frame element having an elongate base portion containing a base plane of the frame element and an elongate upstanding abutment flange containing an abutment plane normal to said base plane; and a crossmember connected between a pair of opposed said frame elements, each said frame element of a said pair thereof comprising first and second frame element parts joined together in end-to-end relationship, said first frame element part having a said flange thereof located at one side of the frame element and said second frame element part having a said flange thereof located at the other side of thé frame element in parallel relationship with the flange of said first frame element part, and the crossmember having elongate parallel spaced apart abutment flanges thereon, wherein the frame element parts are joined together along a joint plane which is normal to said base plane thereby to provide a joint line at an adjacent end of each flange on an exterior surface of the frame element which is normal to said base plane thereof, the said flange on each respective said frame element part extending continuously therealong from said joint line to a respective free end of the frame element, and the crossmember being secured at each of its ends to a respective frame element at the joint therein between said frame element parts thereof whereby a respective said flange on the crossmember abuts against a said flange of a frame element part on each side of the joint plane.

2. A frame structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said joint plane is inclined to the said abutment plane of the flanges.

3. A frame structure as claimed in claim 2 wherein said joint plane is inclined at an angle of between 600 and 700 to said abutment plane.

4. A frame structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the cross-sectional profile of each of said frame element parts is identical with that of the other said part.

5. A frame structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the cross-sectional profile of each of said frame element parts is different from that of the other part.

6. A frame structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein each of said frame element -parts comprises a plastics extrusion.

7. A frame structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein each of said frame element parts comprises a metal extrusion.

8. A frame structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein each of said frame element parts comprises a composite structure or fabrication of metal and plastics material.

9. A frame structure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the crossmember comprises a plastics extrusion.

10. A frame structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the crossmember comprises a metal extrusion.

11. A frame structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the crossmember comprises a composite structure or fabrication of a metal and a plastics material.

12. A frame structure as claimed in claim 9 wherein the crossmember is reinforced by a metal member.

13. A frame structure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the crossmember is connected to the frame element by mechanical fastening means.

14. A frame structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein the crossmember is bonded to the frame element.

15. A method of forming a window or door frame structure including a plurality of elongate frame elements connected together to provide a rectilinear said structure, each frame element having an elongate base portion containing a base plane and an elongate upstanding abutment flange containing an abutment plane normal to said base plane, and a crossmember having elongate parallel spaced apart abutment flanges thereon connected between a pair of opposed said frame elements comprising the steps of forming each said frame element of a said pair thereof by taking first and second frame element parts, each of which has a said base portion and a said abutment flange, and joining said parts together in end to end relationship along a joint plane such that when so joined together said first frame element part has a said flange thereof located at one side of the frame element and said second frame element part has a said flange thereof located at the other side of the frame element in parallel relationship with the flange of said first frame element part, and said joint plane is normal to said base plane thereby providing a joint line at an adjacent end of each flange on an exterior surface of the frame element which is normal to the base plane thereof with said flange on each respective frame element part extending continuously therealong from said joint line to a respective free end of the frame element; and securing the crossmember at each of its ends to a respective frame element at the joint therein between said frame element parts thereof in such manner that a respective said flange on the crossmember abuts against a said flange of a frame element part on each side of the joint plane.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein each of said frame element parts is of identical cross sectional profile and is cut from a single length of frame element material.

17. A method according to either one of claims 15 or 16 wherein said two frame element parts are joined together in end-to-end relationship by welding.

18. A method according to either one of claims 15 or 16 wherein said two frame element parts are joined together in end-to-end relationship by an adhesive.

19. A method according to either one of claims 15 or 16 wherein said two frame element parts are joined together in end-to-end relationship by a mechanical connection.

20. A method according to either one of claims 17 or 18 wherein said two frame element parts are formed of a plastics material.

21. A method according to claim 19 wherein said two frame element parts are formed of metal.

22. A method according to claim 19 wherein said two frame element parts are formed of a plastics material reinforced by a metal member.

23. A method according to any one of claims 15 to 22 including the step of securing the crossmember to the joined-together frame element parts by a mechanical connection.

24. A method according to any one of claims 15 to 22 including the step of securing the crossmember to the joined-together frame element parts by an adhesive.

25. A method according to claim 23 wherein the crossmember is formed of metal and is secured to the joined-together frame element parts by threaded fasteners.

26. A method according to claim 23 wherein the crossmember is formed of a plastics material reinforced by a metal member, and said metal member is secured to the joined-together frame element parts by threaded fasteners.

27 A method of forming a window or door frame structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompany drawings

28. A window or door frame structure constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

29. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.