GB2284634A

GB2284634A - Security glazing beads

Info

Publication number: GB2284634A
Application number: GB9424662A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Holloway
Original assignee: Alcan Aluminium UK Ltd
Current assignee: SIMEC Lochaber Hydropower 2 Ltd
Priority date: 1993-12-07
Filing date: 1994-12-07
Publication date: 1995-06-14
Also published as: GB9424662D0

Abstract

A window system having a glazing panel 3 held within a frame 2 by elongated glazing beads 5 disposed between the panel and the frame externally of the panel characterised in that at least one of the beads has a part or parts 22 extending inwardly of the panel and is releasably secured relative to the frame by means accessible only internally of the panel. <IMAGE>

Description

WINDOWS This invention relates to window systems. In such systems it is well known to use glazing beads to secure glazing panels into a frame.

It is also well known to provide removable glazing beads on the outside of a window frame. To maintain security it is then necessary to ensure that this external beading cannot be removed to permit easy removal of the glazing panel by an intruder.

Thus glazing panels can only be removed by breaking them.

Particularly in the case of large glass panels, whether single or double glazed, this can be both difficult and dangerous.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved window system.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a window system having a glazing panel held within a frame by elongated glazing beads disposed between the panel and the frame externally of the panel characterised in that at least one of the beads has a part or parts extending inwardly of the panel and is releasably secured relative to the frame by means accessible only internally of the panel.

The above and other aspects of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 is a vertical section through the lower part of a double glazed window system incorporating the invention, Figure 1A is a detail of Fig. 1 showing an external bead in uncompressed form, Figure 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a modified arrangement, Figure 2A is a view of a detail of Fig. 2 showing an external bead in uncompressed form, Figures 3 and 4 are views similar to Fig. 1 of further modified arrangements, and Figures 5 and 6 show details to a larger scale of modifications to the arrangement of Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1 the lower part 1 of a window system comprises a horizontally extending extrusion 2 as part of a window frame, a double glazed panel 3 supported on glazing blocks 4, the panel 3 being held in place by external beads 5 and 6 and an internal bead 7. The extrusion 2 may be of plastics such as PVCu or of an aluminium alloy. Fig. 1A shows the bead 6 in uncompressed form.

The frame extrusion 2 has a base part indicated at 8 the upper part of which comprises a flat horizontal platform 9 extending between an upwardly and inwardly turned lip 10 and an upwardly extending formation 11 having an inclined upper surface 12 terminating in a lip 13. It is assumed that the formation 11 is on the inner side of the window system and the lip 10 is on the outer side thereof.

Intermediate its length the platform 9 is formed with an upward extension 14 having an inwardly extending part 15.

The panel 3 is a sealed unit comprising an inner pane 16 and an outer pane 17 held in spaced relation by sealed edging strips (not shown), in conventional manner. It will here be understood that the panel 3 could alternatively be a single pane or a plastics panel.

The external bead 5 is of rigid material having an inclined outer face 18 terminating at its upper end in an inwardly directed lip 19. At its lower end the face 18 has a part 20 and a hook formation 21 depending therefrom. A base 22 extends inwardly from the formation 21 spaced from but parallel with the platform 9. The base 22 rests upon the part 15 and has a box formation 23 at its inner end. The box formation rests on the platform 9, has a rear wall 24 and an outwardly extending part 25 engaging beneath the part 15. A wall 26 extends upwardly from an intermediate position along the base 22 to join the inclined outer face 18 just outwardly of its upper lip 19. The inwardly projecting parts of the bead 5 are notched (not shown) to pass around downwardly projecting parts 4a of the blocks 4 which rest upon the platform 9.

A bead part 6 (Fig. 1A) is of flexible material having arms 27 and 28 the outer ends 27a and 28a of which engage the outer pane, a part 29 engaging the wall 26 and an outward recess 30 engaging the lip 19. It will be understood that upon assembly of the system (to be described later) the bead 6 is compressed to be forced into the position shown in Fig. 1. It will here be understood that the external bead 5 and the bead part 6 could be integrally formed of plastics material with the bead 5 being rigid and the part 6 being flexible.

The internal bead or wedge 7 has an upper part 31 with tongues 32 and 33. The inner end of the part 31 extends downwardly as a wall 34 to terminate in a part 35 and at its upper end the wall 34 has a notch 36 to engage the lip 13. The wedge bead 7 is of a known plastics material that enables the tongues 32 and 33 to be flexible with the remainder of the bead rigid.

Figs. 2 and 2a shows an arrangement similar to Fig. 1 with an external bead 6 of different shape from that of Fig. 1 and an internal bead 7 engaging only between the pane 16 and the lip 13. In this arrangement semi-flexible blocks 37 are disposed between the wall 24 of the box formation 23 to prevent inward or upward movement of the bead 5.

Fig. 3 is an arrangement in which the extension 14 and part 15 are omitted. The base 22 rests directly on the platform 9 and has an upturned inner end wall 38. The internal bead 7 is in the form of a bar having its lower end engaging over the end wall 58 of the wall 38. At its upper end the bead 7 carries flexible tongues 32 and 33.

Fig. 4 shows another modification in which the extension 14 and part 15 are retained. In this case the base 22 rests on the part 15 and at its inner end has a trough formation the end wall 38 of which is engaged by an internal bead 7 as in Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 and 6 show modifications to the internal bead 7 of Fig. 1. In Fig. 5 the rigid part of the bead is in the form of a box-section with a part 31a forming the lower wall of the box. The tongues 32, 33 are of flexible material. The arrangement of Fig. 5 is for use with a panel which is, say, 20 mm thick while Fig. 6, without the box is for use with a panel which is, say, 28 mm thick.

In both cases the part 35 is extended at 35a to bear against a wall lla (Fig. 1) of the formation 11. This arrangement ensures that when the bead 7 is located in position it remains stable. Without the extension 35a there is a tendency for the part 35 to move towards the wall lla.

To assemble the system two glazing blocks 4/4a are disposed at each end of the frame with the blocks resting upon the part 15 of the platform 9 on the base 22 extending through the notches (not shown) in the bead 5. In the arrangement of Fig. 3 the blocks rest wholly upon the base 22.

The external beads 5 and 6 are fitted together (not necessary if they are integrally formed of PVCu) and the lower horizontal bead assembly is disposed in the frame to fit around the two blocks with the lips 10 engaged between the parts 20 and the formation 21.

The glazing panel 3 is then lowered on to the glazing blocks 4/4a (or 4, Fig. 3) from the outside of the system and swung into the window aperture. Additional glazing blocks 4/4a (or 4 alone) are then positioned at the sides and top of the aperture and are held in position by a sealant or glue.

Bead formations 5/6 are then inserted into the aperture at the sides and top and engaged with the corresponding lips 10 (not shown). The lower ends of the side beads are cut so that they fit over the front of the bottom bead assembly and the ends of the top bead assembly fit over the side beads.

The internal wedge beads 7 (or block 37 and bead 7, Fig.

2), which applies sufficient pressure to the panel 3 to force it outwardly to compress the bead 6 (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4) and lock the outer bead 5 in place.

Once assembled this unit cannot be dissembled from outside the system without breaking both panes 17 and 16. However, if the panel is to be changed legitimately this may readily be done by removing the internal beads 7 and reversing the steps described above.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A window system having a glazing panel held within a frame by elongated glazing beads disposed between the panel and the frame externally of the panel characterised in that at least one of the beads has a part or parts extending inwardly of the panel and is releasably secured relative to the frame by means accessible only internally of the panel.

2. A system according to claim 1 in which said one bead has a formation to engage a corresponding part of the frame to prevent movement of the bead outwardly of the frame in a direction normal to the plane of the panel.

3. A system according to claim 2 in which said one bead is locked in position by removable means acting between the inner part of said bead and an inner part of the frame to prevent movement of the bead inwardly of the frame in a direction normal to the plane of the panel.

4. A system according to claim 3 in which the removable means incorporates at least one flexible member to engage the inner surface of the panel and is a clip fit between said inner part of the frame and the panel to compress the flexible member against said inner surface and force the panel into tight engagement with a flexible bead acting between the outer surface of the panel and an outer rigid part of said one glazing bead.

5. A system according to any one of the preceding claims in which the frame is rectangular with four frame members joined together with a glazing bead corresponding to said one bead being associated with each member.

6. A system according to claim 5 in which glazing blocks are disposed between each edge of the panel and the inwardly extending part of the associated glazing bead.

7. A window system substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 1 and 1A or Figs. 2 and 2A or Fig. 3 or Fig. 4 or Fig. 5 or Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawing.

8. A method of assembling and dissembling a window system substantially as herein described.