GB2333551A

GB2333551A - Building Elements

Info

Publication number: GB2333551A
Application number: GB9801733A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Harry Mitchell; David John Carroll
Original assignee: MERCANTILE INTERNATIONAL GROUP
Current assignee: MERCANTILE INTERNATIONAL GROUP
Priority date: 1998-01-27
Filing date: 1998-01-27
Publication date: 1999-07-28
Anticipated expiration: 2018-01-27
Also published as: GB2333551B; GB9801733D0

Abstract

A basic building element such as a door, conservatory panel or window has a rectangular frame and a panel (10) within the frame. The panel may be made of glass. A decorative structure (16) is applied to the door over the panel to emulate for example a multi-pane door. The structure has a frame which fits within the frame of the door over the glass panel (10) and projects closely to the panel. The structure may be pinned or glued to the frame or it could be hinged and secured by spring clips.

Description

BUILDING ELEMENTS The present invention relates to building elements such as doors, windows. and conservatory panels. Preferred embodiments relate to doors, windows and conservatory panels of wood, preferably hard wood, but the invention is not limited to wood.

The term " building element " as used herein and in the claims and aspects of the invention means door, window and conservatory panel.

"Panel" as used herein ,and in the aspects of the invention and in the claims means pane (e.g. of glass or plastics) and other sheet form material (e.g. plywood).

Building elements (i.e. doors, conservatory panels and windows) are well known and there are very many different designs both in terms of the structure thereof and in terms of the appearance (hereinafter referred to as "style") thereof. Even elements of the same basic structure may be manufactured with many different styles.

For example doors are designed in many different styles requiring different sizes and shapes of panes of glass or other sheet form material. The need to provide many different styles of doors or other building elements leads to inefficiencies in production and stocking of finished building elements.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a building element comprising: a self supporting frame within which there is defined a space suitable for receiving a panel, the frame having a surface defining at least part of the face of the building element; and a structure having a further frame which has means which project into the said space and engage the edge of the frame to position the structure relative to the frame of the building element.

Preferably the further frame overlaps the said face surface, The structure allows a basic building element e.g. a door, in the form of the said self supporting frame, to be modified, simply by adding the structure, to produce a desired style.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a building elements comprising: a self supporting frame within which there is defined a space containing a panel, the frame having a surface defining at least part of the face of the building element, and the surface of the panel being set-back from the said surface of the frame; and a structure having a further frame which projects into the said space for engagement with ,or near-engagement with, the surface of the panel and which fits snugly within the frame of the building element.

Preferably, the further frame overlaps the said face surface.

Thus according to the another aspect of the invention, as applied to doors, a basic door, in the form of the said frame, is provided into which a single panel is fitted and over which panel any selected one of many different styles of structure is fitted Thus only one door frame is needed for many different styles of door.

Furthermore only one size of panel is needed for many different styles of door. Only a variety of styles of structure are needed. These measures increase the efficiency of production, and reduce the need to stock large quantities of finished doors of different styles. It will be appreciated that the same applies to windows and conservatory panels according to the invention.

The structure may be fixed to the frame of the building element in any one of a variety of ways. For example, the structure may be pinned, screwed and/or fixed by suitable adhesive. In one preferred embodiment of the invention the structure is hinged to the frame of the building element. In another more preferred embodiment, the structure is fixed to the frame of the building element by resilient clips which engage grooves in those edges of the structure which are concealed within the frame of the building element. Such clips allow fast and simple fixing of the structure in the frame.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a structure for use in a building element, which building element comprises a self supporting frame within which there is defined a space suitable for receiving a panel, the frame having a surface defining at least part of the face of the building element; the structure having a frame and means which project into the said space and engage the edge of the frame of the building element to position the structure relative thereto.

According to a yet further aspect of the invention there is provided a structure for use in a building element, which building element comprises a self supporting frame within which there is defined a space containing a planar, panel, the frame having a surface defining at least part of the face of the building element, and the surface of the panel being set-back from the said surface of the frame, the structure having a frame which projects into the said space for engagement with, or near-engagement with, the surface of the panel and which fits snugly within the frame of the building element.

Preferably the frame of the structure is arranged to overlap the said face surface of the frame of the building element.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a glazed door; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the door of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a front view of a glazed door embodying an illustrative example of the present invention; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the part of the door of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a plan view and front view of a clip; Figure 6 is a view of an alternative arrangement of the illustrative door of Figure 3; Figure 7 is a plan view and front view of a hinge useful in the door of Figure 6; Figure 8 is a front view of an illustrative alternative embodiment of the invention; Figure 9 is a front view of another illustrative structure for use with the door of Figure 1 and a partial sectional view of the structure; Figures 10 A to K are front views of illustrative building elements to which the structures of Figure 11 may be applied; Figures 11 A to P are front views of illustrative structures ; and Figure 12 illustrates a modification of the invention.

Figures 1 and 2 show a plain glazed wooden door comprising a self supporting frame having a top rail 2, a bottom rail 4, a butt rail 6, a lock rail 8 and a glazing panel 10. The rails 2, 4, 6, 8 form a rectangular outer frame. The panel may be single glazed or double glazed. The panel is held in place between beads 12 which are fixed by nails and/or glue to the door, and shoulders 14 formed in the rails 2, 4, 6, 8.

It is desired to transform the plain glazed door of Figure 1, which has a single glazed panel 10 into a decorative door as shown in Figure 3.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 3, a decorative structure 16, shown also in Figures 4 and 6, is inserted into the frame and superimposed on the glazing panel 10 to give the appearance, in this example, of a multi-pane door.

The decorative structure of Figures 3, 4, and 6 comprises a rectangular, preferably self-supporting, frame which, as best shown in Figure 4, fits snugly within, and overlaps, the inner periphery of the frame 2-8 of the door of Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 2 and 4, the door frame of Figure 2 is shown as having shoulders 14 and beads 12 of identical form. The outer periphery of the frame of the decorative structure has a rebate, which receives the edge of the frame 2, 4, 6, 8 of the door. The rebate has a recessed surface 18 which overlaps the front 27 of the frame of the door, and a part 20 which projects snugly into the frame 2-8 of the door within the beads 12 or shoulders 14 and abuts ,or projects closely adjacent to, the glazing panel 10.

The decorative structure shown in Figures 3, 4 and 6 comprises beads 24 forming a rectangular lattice emulating a multi-paned door.

The decorative structure is fixed to the frame 2-8 of the door. In one example, the decorative structure is pinned to the door. In another example, shown in Figure 6, the decorative structure is hinged to the door at one edge using hinges as shown by way of example in Figure 7. A suitable latch or latches may be provided at the other edge of the door and/or decorative structure to secure the structure.

In a further example, the decorative structure has a frame as shown in Figure 4.

In this further example, the surface 20 of the decorative structure which projects into the frame and faces the inner periphery of the frame has a groove 22. The decorative structure is held in place by spring clips having detents which project into the groove as shown by way of example in Figure 5. The clips are screwed or otherwise fixed to the front surface 22 of the door in a position where they are hidden by the overlap of the decorative structure 16. In the example of Figure 5 each clip 50 comprises a plate 54 having a screw-hole for fixing it to the front surface of the door, and a bent leg 51 having a first portion 52 projecting towards the glazed panel of the door, and a second portion 53 projecting away from the glazed panel and ending in a detent 53 which projects into the groove 22 in the surface 20 of the frame of the decorative structure. In this further example, the spring clips 50 are provided on at least two opposing edges of the decorative structure. Preferably, two spring clips are provided on each of the vertical edges. Spring clips may be provided on the horizontal edges.

In yet another example, the decorative structure is hinged at one vertical edge and secured by spring clips 50 as shown in Figure 5 at the other vertical edge.

Whilst the decorative structure 16 of Figure 4 having the groove 20 may be pinned and/or glued to the door frame, the groove is then unnecessary. Figure 8 shows a decorative structure 16' without the groove 20, suitable for pinning and/or gluing to the door frame.

In Figures 1 to 8, a decorative structure which emulates a multi-pane door has been described by way of example. Other designs of decorative structure are possible.

One example is shown in Figure 9. The example of Figure 9 is a simple frame having an arched top rail 90 shown in partial section in Figure 9.

The panel 10 may be of plain glass, double glazed or single glazed as described.

Alternatively, for example, it could be of pattemed glass, polycarbonate sheeting, or methyl-methacrylate sheeting such as Perspex (Trade Mark). Such panels allow the transmission or light. Other possibilities include opaque panels, such as plywood. It will be appreciated that the panel 10 could be omitted.

The examples described above relate to a door having a single panel 10 in a rectangular frame. Whilst the invention has been described in relation to a door, it may also be applied to windows or conservatory panels.

The invention may be applied to doors, windows and conservatory panels as shown in Figure 10. Figure 10A shows a basic door as also shown in Figure 1. Figure 10 B shows a similar door with a centre rail 100 and two panels 10' and 10". One of the panels may be provided with a decorative structure, or both panels may be provided with decorative structures. Figure 10 C shows a door having a centre rail and a filled bottom panel below the rail. The decorative structure is provided ion the top panel 10.

Figures 10 D and E show pairs of French doors corresponding to the doors of Figures 10 A and C. Figures 10F to H show conservatory panels having panels 10 onto which decorative structures may be applied. The conservatory panels of Figures 10G and H have filled bottom panels 10"'. The conservatory panel of Figure 10H also has a window 101 above the panel 10. Figures 1 0J and K show windows having panels 10 to which decorative structures may be applied.

Figure 11 shows various designs of decorative structure. Figures 11 A to H show designs for the top panel of a door having a centre rail as shown in Figures 1OB,C and E Figure llJ, K, L show designs for a door as shown in Figure 10A.

Figures 11 M, N, P show designs suitable for pairs of French doors as shown in Figure 1 OD. Any of the designs shown in Figure 11 may be adapted for use in the conservatory panels of Figures 1 OF to H or in the windows of Figures 1 0J and K.

Figure 12 illustrates a modification of the invention. In the examples of Figures 1 to 11, the decorative structure overlaps the face of the basic building element. In the example of Figure 12 there is no overlap: the decorative structure fits within the basic door or window rebate without overlap. The example of Figure 12 is a modification of Figure 8 to which attention is invited.

Preferably the basic building element and the decorative structure are of hard wood. However, the invention may be applied to soft wood basic elements and decorative structures. The invention is also applicable to elements and decorative structures of other materials such as Aluminium and UPVC. The material of the decorative structure may differ from that of the basic element.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the preferred decorative structure comprises a rectangular frame the external dimensions of which match the internal dimensions of the frame of the building element where the decorative structure projects into the building element. Preferably, the decorative structure overlaps the face of the building element. The decorative structure is preferably self supporting. The decorative structure may comprise just the frame but in some embodiments it also comprises beading and/or panels and /or other parts supported in the frame. The internal shape of the frame of the basic building element may not be rectangular: the external shape of the decorative frame matches that of the internal shape of the basic building element.

It will be appreciated that a basic building element such as a door as shown in Figure 1 or Figure 10 is modified by the addition of the decorative structure. Thus a manufacturer, may make many basic doors of the same design as shown in Figures 1 and/or 10 and also make many different decorative structures, allowing both economies of scale in the manufacture of the basic door and a large choice of designs to the customer. Similarly, a wholesaler or retailer may stock many basic doors and many different decorative structures.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A building element comprising: a self supporting frame within which there is defined a space suitable for receiving a panel, the frame having a surface defining at least part of the face of the building element; and a structure having a further frame which has means which projects into the said space and engages the inner edge of the self-supporting frame to position the structure relative to the frame of the building element.
2. A building element according to claim 1, further comprising a single panel received in and filling the said space, the face of the panel being spaced from the said face surface of the frame of the building element.
3. A building element comprising: a self supporting frame within which there is defined a space containing a planar panel, the frame having a surface defining at least part of the face of the building element, and the surface of the panel being set-back from the said surface of the frame; and a structure having a further frame which projects into the said space for engagement with ,or near-engagement with, the surface of the panel and which fits snugly within the frame of the building element.
4. A building element according to claim 1, 2 or 3,which overlaps the said face surface.
5. A building element according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the structure is a decorative structure.
6. A building element according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, wherein the decorative structure emulates a multi-panelled building element.
7. A building element according to claim 2 or 3, or to claim 4, 5 or 6 when dependent thereon, wherein the panel is of light transmissive material.
8. A building element according to claim 7, wherein the panel is of glass.
9. A building element according to claim 2 or 3, or to claim 4, 5 or 6 when dependent thereon, wherein the panel is opaque.
10. A building element according to claim 9, wherein the panel is of plywood.
11. A building element according to any preceding claim, wherein the said structure is pinned and/or glued to the said frame of the building element.
12. A building element according to anyone of claims 1 to 10, wherein the said structure is hinged to the said frame.
13. A building element according to anyone of claims 1 to 10 and 12, wherein the said structure is secured to the said frame of the building element by spring clips.
14. A building element substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 optionally as modified by: Figure 8, 9, 11 or 12; and/or by Figure 5 or Figures 6 and 7.
15. A door according to claim 14 and modified by Figure 10.
16. A structure for use in a building element, which building element comprises a self supporting frame within which there is defined a space suitable for receiving a panel, the frame having a surface defining at least part of the face of the building element; the structure having a frame and means which project into the said space and engage the edge of the frame of the building element to position the structure relative thereto.
17. A structure for use in a building element, which building element comprises a self supporting frame within which there is defined a space containing a planar, panel, the frame having a surface defining at least part of the face of the building element, and the surface of the panel being set-back from the said surface of the frame, the structure having a frame which projects into the said space for engagement with ,or near-engagement with, the surface of the panel and which fits snugly within the frame of the building element.
18. A structure according to claim 16 or 17, which overlaps the said face surface
19. A structure according to claim 16, 17 or 18, wherein the structure is a decorative structure.
20. A structure according to claim 16, 17, 18 or 19, which emulates a multipanelled building element.
21. A structure according to claim 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20, wherein the frame of the structure comprises a rebate for receiving the edge of the frame of the building element and whereby the frame of the structure projects into the said space within the frame of the building element.
22. A structure according to claim 21, wherein an edge of the rebate, which in use projects into the said space, contains a groove for receiving a detent.
23. A structure according to claim 16, and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 4, 8, 9 or 11.
24. A set of parts for making a building element and comprising: a self supporting frame within which there is defined a space suitable for receiving a panel, the frame having a surface defining at least part of the face of the building element; and a structure according to anyone of claims 16 to 23.
25. A set according to claim 24, further comprising means for connecting the structure to the building element.