GB2376974A

GB2376974A - Leaded light window produced from a sheet of lead

Info

Publication number: GB2376974A
Application number: GB0115888A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hugh William Wootton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-06-28
Filing date: 2001-06-28
Publication date: 2002-12-31
Anticipated expiration: 2021-06-28
Also published as: GB2376974B; GB0115888D0

Abstract

A method of creating a leaded-light glazing comprising producing sheet lead workpieces each with a protected adhesive layer on one side, using a cutting device in a press to cut away regions of each workpiece to produce a perforated lead product with a continuous pattern and then removing a protective layer from the product to expose the adhesive layer and fixing the product in face-to-face adhesive contact with a sheet of glass. The workpieces may be treated with the cutting device in pairs which are in mirror image to one another and the resultant products are fixed on opposite sides of a double glazed window unit or a sheet of glass. The perforated lead products may be flattened after cutting in the press. The cutting device may be composed of a die 2 with a cutter blade of predetermined shape, a support blade for supporting the die 2 and a resilient material 3 surrounding the die supported on the block. The workpieces may be made from a roll of solid lead and the roll may be initially degreased on one side face and the adhesive layer with the protective backing is applied to the degreased side face prior to cutting to form the workpieces.

Description

Improvements in or relating to leaded-light glazing The present invention relates to leaded-light windows or displays and particularly to leaded-light double glazing.

In the creation of leaded-light windows it is conventional practice to secure individual strips of lead to a window surface and to join the strips together at joints to form a pattern. This is a time consuming skilled operation and there is a need for an alternative method of creating leaded-light windows.

According to the invention there is provided a method of creating leaded-light glazing, said method comprising producing sheet lead workpieces each with a protected adhesive layer on one side, subjecting each of the workpieces to the action of a selected cutting device in a press to cut away regions of the workpiece to produce a perforated lead product with a continuous pattern removing a protective layer from the product to expose the adhesive layer and fixing the product in face-to-face adhesive contact with a sheet of glass.

Usually the workpiece would be cut with the cutting device in pairs in mirror image to one another which are fixed on either side of a single sheet of glass or opposite sides of a doubleglazed window unit.

The invention may be understood more readily, and various other aspects and features of the invention may become apparent, from consideration of the following description.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic cross-section of a cutting device used in carrying out the method of the invention and Figures 2 to 5 depict a variety of typical patterns for perforated lead sheets produced in accordance with the invention.

In carrying out the invention use is made of a cutting device shown in Figure 1. The device is composed of a support block 1 conveniently made from wood onto which a separate cutter die 2 is placed. Resilient material in the form of strips or blocks of rubber 3 generally surround the region of the upper surface of the block 1 which receives the die 2. The die 2 has cutter blades which have a predetermined configuration to define a pattern. Typical patterns defined by the cutter blades of the die 2 are shown in Figures 2 to 5. Each such pattern is characterized by continuous strip regions 10 of non-uniform width which adjoin one another and define perforations 11 therebetween. Such patterns are intended for use in creating stained glass for use in windows or displays. A typical sequence of events in carrying out the method of the invention is as follows.

The method starts with a roll of solid sheet lead with standard dimensions 1200 mm wide, 6 m in length and 1.25 mm thickness and a roll of adhesive transfer with a backing layer 1260 mm by 50

m. The lead sheet is degreased on one side face and the adhesive layer is applied to the cleaned face with the removable backing layer on the outside to protect the adhesive. The lead sheet with the adhesive backing is next cut into smaller size workpieces, typically 1200 mm by 1200 mm. Having chosen the desired pattern and selected the appropriate cutter die 2 one workpiece is placed backing layer downmost onto the base of a clicking press, typically a 20 ton clicking press. The cutter die is then placed onto the workpiece with the block 1 uppermost. The press is then operated to lower a platten onto the block 1 to compress the resilient blocks 3 and cause the cutter blades of the die 2 to penetrate the workpiece and separate the regions corresponding to the perforations 11 as well as to support the perimeter 12 of an individual lead product from the remainder of the workpiece. The workpiece is then repositioned on the base of the press with the backing side uppermost to present a different area/region to the die 2 and the press is operated again to provide another lead product with the same shape as the first product but forming mirror images of the pattern with respect to the adhesive layer. The two continuous lead products shaped e. g. as in Figure 2,3, 4 or 5, are placed back in the press on the base and a flat block of wood is placed on top before the press is operated again to press the products flat. A window unit or sheet of glass has the two matching lead products applied to opposite sides in register with one another.

Unlike conventional leaded light windows there are no joints and the strips of lead merge continuously with one another. Moreover unlike conventional leaded light windows the width of the strip regions 10 can vary as shown in Figures 2 to 5 whereas the width of the strips of conventional lead patterns is uniform.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A method of creating leaded-light glazing, said method comprising producing sheet lead workpieces each with a protected adhesive layer on one side, subjecting each of the workpieces to the action of a selected cutting device in a press to cut away regions of the workpiece to produce a perforated lead product with a continuous pattern removing a protective layer from the product to expose the adhesive layer and fixing the product in face-to-face adhesive contact with a sheet of glass.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the workpieces are treated with the cutting device in pairs which are in mirror image to one another and the resultant products are fixed in face-to-face adhesive contact on opposite sides of a double-glazed window unit or a sheet of glass.
3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the perforated lead products are flattened after cutting in the press.
4. A method according to claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the cutting device is composed of a die with a cutter blade of predetermined shape, a support blade for supporting the die and resilient material surrounding the die supported on the block.
5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the workpieces have a size of 1200 mm by 1200 mm.

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6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the workpieces are made from a roll of solid sheet lead typically 1200 mm wide, 6 m long and 1.25 mm in thickness.
7. A method of creating leaded-light glazing substantially as described herein.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the roll is initially degreased on one side face and the adhesive layer with the protective backing is applied to the degreased side face prior to cutting to form the workpieces.

8. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the continuous pattern is composed of strip regions of varying width.

9. A method of creating leaded-light glazing substantially as described herein.

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Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A method of creating leaded-light glazing, said method comprising determining a pattern for the leaded light glazing, making a composite die with cutter blades conforming to the pattern, mounting the die on a support block with resilient material surrounding the die and supported on the block to produce a cutting device, producing sheet lead workpieces each with a protected adhesive layer on one side, placing each of the workpieces on the die of the cutting device and subjecting the workpiece to the action of a press to cut away regions of the workpiece to produce pairs of mirror image perforated lead products each with a continuous identical pattern, removing a protective layer from the perforated lead products to expose the adhesive layers and fixing the products in face-to-face adhesive contact on opposite sides of a double-glazed window unit or a sheet of glass.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the perforated lead products are flattened after cutting in the press.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the workpieces have a size of 1200 mm by 1200 mm 4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the workpieces are made from a roll of solid sheet lead typically 1200 mm wide, 6 m long and 1. 25 mm in thickness.

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5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the roll is initially degreased on one side face and the adhesive layer with the protective backing is applied to the degreased side face prior to cutting to form the products.

6. A method according to any one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the continuous pattern is composed of strip regions of varying width.