GB2370294A

GB2370294A - Sill assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2370294A
Application number: GB0127954A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Boardman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-11-22
Filing date: 2001-11-21
Publication date: 2002-06-26
Anticipated expiration: 2021-11-21
Also published as: GB2370294B; GB0127954D0

Abstract

An assembly comprising a sill having a channel (5) with a plate member (10) located therein. The plate having a first hole (12 fig. 2) which in use receives a bolt for fixing an upright and a second hole (11 fig. 2) for fixing the member to the sill. Two adjacent sill portions may be fixed together by straight or angled plate members (figs. 4, 5). In a further aspect of the invention (figs. 7, 8) a sill assembly comprises a bracket (105 fig. 8) fixed to a wall (101 fig. 7), a sill having a channel, a slide member located in the channel and a support mounted between the bracket and the slide member. In use the support, preferably a bolt (110), is rotatable to adjust the height of the sill relative to the bracket (105 fig. 8). The sill may be fixed in position by tightening nuts (111, 112).

Description

SECURING DEVICE FOR SECTIONS OF A CILL AND AN ASSEMBLY COMPRISING CILL SECTIONS AND A SECURING DEVICE The invention relates to a securing device for sections of cill and an assembly comprising cill sections and a securing device. The cill section may form part of a wall of a building or like structure, for example, comprising glazed panels, such as in a conservatory or wintergarden.

A glazed conservatory or wintergarden may comprise a foundation such as a concrete slab or dwarf brick or block wall on which glazed panels are mounted with metal or plastics material cilla between the foundation and panels. Usually such cills are fixed to the foundation by screws or bolts engaged through holes in the cills, the holes being preformed or drilled during erection of the structure. Further components, for example upright load bearing members or the frames of the glazed panels, are then fixed on top of the cills also by screws engaged in preformed holes in the components.

The cills are usually made up of several sections. There may be two sections in line one with another or at an angle, for example, 90 , 45'or 30'.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a cill comprising a channel shaped recess and, engaged in the recess, a securing device including a member having therein a hole for receiving a bolt fixing an upright component and a hole for enabling the member to be fixed with respect to the cill.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a securing device for a cill having a channel shaped recess, the device comprising a member for engaging the recess and means for fixing the member to the cill and also to an upright component to be fixed to the cill.

The dimensions of a foundation whether it be a concrete slab or a dwarf wall of bricks or blocks are not usually precise even if the foundation has been made according to a predrawn plan. The cilla and glazing panels may be made according to a plan but even then such structures tend not to be made to the kind of precise tolerances found in the engineering industry. Possible results include the need for time consuming trial and error during erection of the structure or the need to apply undue force to make things fit, or the excessive use of mastic to fill up oversized gaps between components. Even if the fixing holes are made on site, it may be that one part of the structure is erected but the holes then have to be re-drilled to allow for an error which has crept in elsewhere. One object of the invention is to alleviate such problems.

Thus, according to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a cill and cill mounting assembly for forming part of a wall of a building or like structure, the cill and cill mounting assembly comprising an elongate cill formed with a channel section extending in the lengthwise direction of the cill, a slide member for engaging the channel section for adjustment of the relative position of the cill and slide member in the lengthwise direction of the cill, a bracket for being fixed to said foundation, a support member for being mounted between the bracket and the slide member and providing adjustment of the relative position of the bracket and slide member in the direction between the bracket and the slide member and in the direction transverse to said lengthwise direction and to said direction between the bracket and the slide member, and locking means for fixing the relative positions of the cill, slide member and bracket.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a cill for forming part of a wall of a building or like structure, the cill comprising a first portion for forming the top and exterior side of the cill, and a second portion connected to said first portion and being channel shaped for receiving a slidable member therein.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a sectioned view of part of a cill and cill section securing device; Figure 2 is a plan view of the securing device; Figure 3 is an end view of the device; Figures 4 and 5 are top views of two cill sections fixed at 1350 and in-line one to another with a securing device; and Figure 6 is a top view of a straight securing device.

Figure 7 is a partly sectioned front view of part of a conservatory including a cill and cill mounting assembly ; Figure 8 is a side view corresponding to Figure 7; Figure 9 is a section on the line IX-IX in Figure 8; Figure 10 is a section on the line X-X in Figure 7 of the cill and cill mounting assembly; Figure 11 is an exploded view corresponding to Figure 10; Figure 12 is a plan view of a slidable member forming part of the Figure 10 assembly.

A conservatory may comprise a relatively low brick or block wall (not shown). A bracket or brickloop (not shown) has a central portion which lies over the top of the wall side portions positioned at and fixed to each side of the wall.

The cill 3 comprises a portion 2 which forms the top and front of the cill and a portion 3 extending down beneath the top of the cill and defining a downwardly opening channel 4, extending along the cill. The portion 3 also defines an upwardly opening channel 5 extending along the cill. The channels 4 and 5 are separated by a web 6.

A rectangular slide member (not shown) is engaged in the lower channel 4. The slide member is bolted to the central portion of the brickloop.

To join two sections of cill 1 together at right angles, there is provided a securing device 10 which is an L-shaped member having respective limbs engaged in the upwardly opening channels 5 of the sections. Two holes 11 are provided in member 10 near its outer comer portion so as to lie over corresponding holes in the wall 6 of respective ones of the cill sections. Tapered metal pins or dowels are then driven down through the holes 11 and the corresponding holes in the cill webs. The holes 11 and the holes in the cill webs 6 are preferably off-set slightly so that, as the pins are driven in, a wedging action is created so as to pull the cill sections together.

Instead of the tapered pins, the members 10 could be fixed to the cill sections by screws or grub-screws through holes 11.

Each member 10 has a tapped hole 12 therein to receive a bolt for fixing an upright component (not shown), for example, a mullion or glazing frame above the cill.

By way of example, the member 10 might have a cross-sectional dimension of 11.5 mm by 19.5 mm to slide in channel 5 which is say 12 mm by 20 mm. The longer sides of the member 10, i. e. from corner to end, might be 30 mm long. Holes 11 might be of 5 mm diameter with hole 12 tapped for an M12 bolt.

Instead of being L-shaped, the member 10 can be formed to fix two cill sections at respective different angles. A selection of different members 10 can be provided for the installer to fix two cill sections at chosen angles. For example, 900, 600, 450, 300 devices may be provided. Figure 4 shows two cill sections fixed together with a securing device 20 at 1350.

A straight securing device 30 may be used for fixing two cill sections 31 and 32 together in line as shown in Figure 5.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, a member 40 may be used within a single cill section 41 to form an adjustable mounting for a mullion, glazed frame or other upright component (not shown). This member 40 is provided with a hole 42 tapped to receive an M12 bolt for fixing the upright component and a tapped hole 43 for receiving a grub screw 44. When member 40 has been slid to the correct position in the channel 5, the grub screw is tightened down to hold the member 40 in position.

The cill suite described with reference to Figures 7 to 12, gives a secure fastening to a foundation allowing adjustment in any direction without altering any component in the suite and also allowing fastening of additional components to that same suite without further alteration and permitting linear adjustment of those additional components along the linear axis of the cill suite without further alteration to any component. One application of the design might be for glazed load-bearing structures and might include conservatories or wintergardens. The present practice where cills are screwed down or bolted by drilling a hole through the cill to allow passage of that same screw or bolt is adequate but does not allow adjustment that might be required due to the foundation not being prepared in accordance with a plan or even if the cill has not been prepared in accordance with a plan.

Components such as glazed assemblies also are fixed by means of screws through prepared holes, which do not allow adjustment.

In the embodiment to be described, brickwork 101 has been laid with a brickloop 102 mortared in place during the erection. The brickloop is made from strong durable material.

The ends are turned up to provide an anchor in the set mortar.

The top of the brickloop passes over the top of the brickwork and has incorporated in the design a slot 109 that permits the passage of a bolt 110, which is prevented from sliding along the slot by means of tightening a nut 111.

The other end of the bolt 110 is located in a threaded hole 119, which has been prepared in a rectangular block 118, which has previously been loosely positioned in groove 116 formed in the cil 113. The height of the cill above the brickwork can be adjusted by means of rotating the bolt 110 which rotation consequently moves the captive block 118 up or down dependent on the direction of rotation.

The height of the cill rotation and linear position of the cill relative to the block 118 being agreed then the tightening of nut 111 locks the position by means of pulling the block 118 tight against the side of the groove 116.

Prior to the positioning of the cill captive bolts 120 are placed in the groove 116 so that additional components can be fastened along the length of the groove 116 as required.

Although a conservatory is described, the invention is applicable to other structured buildings.

In more detail, the conservatory comprises a relatively low brick or block wall 101 supported on footings (not shown). Four brick courses are shown but there could be more or less than this. Also, in Figure 7, only one column of bricks are shown but normally there would be more than this. A bracket or brickloop 102 has a central portion 103 which lies over the top of the wall with a clearance 104 between the central portion 103 and the top of the wall. At each end of the portion 103, the bracket comprises downwardly extending side portions 105 positioned at each side of the wall along three brick courses. At the lower ends of the side portions 105, there are inwardly extending portions 106 with upturned ends 107. Portions 106 and upturned ends 107 are mortared into the wall between two brick courses. Side portion 105 may be painted or patterned to provide decoration 108. The bracket is made of durable material, for example it could be made of bent sheet metal such as steel. The central portion 103 of the bracket has a slotted hole 109 in it extending in the direction from one to the other side of the wall. A bolt 110 is engaged in the hole and with its head down.

A nut 111 is engaged with the bolt above the central portion 103 of the bracket. The bolt 110 could have been fitted before the bracket was fixed to the wall, or the clearance 104 could be sufficient to allow the bolt to be fitted later. Also, the bolt head could be assymetrically shaped, e. g. rectangular, so that it can be entered through the hole 109 when turned to one position and turned to another position to become locked beneath the portion 103.

A second nut 112 is engaged with the bolt 110.

The cill 113 comprises a portion 114 which forms the top and front of the cill and a portion 115 extending down beneath the top of the cill and defining a downwardly opening channel 116, extending along the cill. The portion 115 also defines an upwardly opening channel 116 extending along the cill. The channels 114 and 116 are separated by a web 117. A rectangular slide member 118 is engaged in the lower channel 116. The member 118 has a threaded hole 119 in it and the bolt 110 is engaged with the hole 119. The head of another bolt 120 is engaged head down in the upwardly extending channel 116.

With the nuts 111 and 112 loosened, the head of bolt 110 can be turned so as to screw the slide member 118 up and down above the central portion 103 of bracket 102 and hence adjust the height of the cill 113 above the top of the wall 101. The slide member 118 and the cill 113 can be moved relative one to another to adjust the position of the cill, in the direction of its length, relative to the wall 101. Nut 112 can then be tightened to clamp the slide member 113 in the lower channel and fix the relative position of the cill and wall.

Finally, the position of the bolt 110 can be adjusted in hole 109 to adjust the position of the cill towards and away from the wall and the nut 111 then tightened. Upwardly extending bolt 120 is available for fixing other structural components, say the frame of a glazing panel.

The conservatory could comprise panels fixed down to a concrete slab (not shown) foundation instead of wall 101 and then the bracket 102 could be replaced by a modified bracket (not shown) say comprising just a central portion with side portions bent down just enough to give clearance beneath the central portion and bolted to the slab, or mortared into holes therein.

Claims

CLAIMS 1 A cill comprising a channel shaped recess and, engaged in the recess, a securing device including a member having therein a hole for receiving a bolt fixing an upright component and a hole for enabling the member to be fixed with respect to the cill.
2. A cill comprising two cill sections held one to another by a securing device including a member engaged in channel shaped portions of the respective cill sections, the device further including means for fixing the device to the respective sections and the said member having a hole for receiving a bolt to attach an upright component to the cill.
3. A cill according to Claim 2, wherein the member has two end portions at an angle one to another for securing cill sections fixed at a like angle one to another.
4. A cill according to Claim 2 or 3, wherein said fixing means comprises respective holes for receiving pins to engage the cill section.
5. A securing device for a cill having a channel shaped recess, the device comprising a member for engaging the recess and means for fixing the member to the cill and also to an upright component to be fixed to the cill.
6. A cill and cill mounting assembly for forming part of a wall of a building or like structure, the cill and cill mounting assembly comprising an elongate cit) formed with a channel section extending in the lengthwise direction of the cill, a slide member for engaging the channel section for adjustment of the relative position of the cill and slide member in the lengthwise direction of the cill, a bracket for being fixed with respect to said wall, a support member for being mounted between the bracket and the slide member and providing adjustment of the relative position of the bracket and slide member in the direction between the bracket and the slide member and in the direction transverse to said lengthwise direction and to said direction between the bracket and the slide member, and locking means for fixing the relative positions of the cill, slide member and bracket.
7. A cill for forming part of a wall of a building or like structure, the cill comprising a first portion for forming the top and exterior side of the cill, and a second portion connected to said first portion and being channel shaped for receiving a slidable member therein.