GB2381804A

GB2381804A - Clip for assembling partitioning panels

Info

Publication number: GB2381804A
Application number: GB0302786A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lee Arnold Roth
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-03-07
Filing date: 2003-02-07
Publication date: 2003-05-14
Anticipated expiration: 2023-02-07
Also published as: GB0302786D0; GB2381804B; GB0205608D0

Abstract

A two part clip for joining partitioning panels comprises a first member 500 having a head 501 with a perpendicular limb including a first clipping formation, a second member 400 with a head with a perpendicular second clipping formation complementary to the first clipping formation so that when the two formations are engaged the two members 500, 400 are secured together, one of the members 500 including an additional elongate portion 504 to provide one surface of a pair of spaced opposed surfaces which can receive a panel member 600. In use, clip 500 is attached to a panel 600, a panel 601 is brought up against clip 500, and clip 400 pushed into place as shown, access only being needed to one side of the panel. In a modification, Fig 3, spacer member 300 has a clip part 200 at each end, and co-operating clips 100 are used to hold panels 301, 302, as shown.

Description

SPECIFICATION PARTITIONING SYSTEMS Description Technical Field The invention relates to partitioning systems having primary and secondary elongate members which together form the vertical and horizontal components of a structure of a building, the areas between these components being filled with panels of opaque or transparent material, thereby forming partitions. Such partitions are used as windows and/or walls to separate, for example, rooms and corridors within a building, or to separate the interior of a shop or other building from the outside. Accordingly in this specification the terms'partition'and'partitioning system'are to be interpreted broadly as embracing all such aspects.

In this specification the words'horizontal'and'vertical'are used merely as relative directions the one to the other, and are not intended to indicate directions in real space.

Disclosure of the Invention.

According to the invention a two-part clip for a partitioning system comprises a first member having a head provided with a perpendicular limb including a first clipping formation ; a second member having a head provided with a perpendicular limb including a second clipping formation complementary to the first clipping formation; the arrangement being such that with the two clipping formations engaged the two members are secured together; and one of the two members including an additional elongate portion to provide one surface of a pair of spaced, opposed surfaces in that member suitable to receive and hold a parallel-sided planar member.

Bfief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 represents a known arrangement of assembling two panels in-line in a partitioning arrangement.

Figure 2 represents a stiffening plate or separator for two skins of a double-glazing arrangement.

Figure 2a represents a female part of a two-part clip.

Figure 2b represents a male part of the same clip.

Figure 3 represents an arrangement using the clip of Figures 2a and 2b.

Figure 4 represents a male part of a further two-part clip.

Figure 5 represents a female part of said further two-part clip.

Figures 6 and 7 represent stages in assembling a partition..

Figure 8 represents a completed assembly. p Modes for carrying out the invention Figure 1 shows a known arrangement for connecting two partitioning panels, for example glass panes, in line. A two-part clip comprises a male member 900 having a head 901 and a perpendicular extending limb 902 with clipping formations 903. A complementary female member 904 has a head 905 from which extend perpendicular limbs 906 having clipping formations 907 to receive the formations 903. To join two glass panes G the member 900 is placed to abut the two panes and the member 904 is pushed home until the complementary clipping formations engage. In this assembly an operative is needed on both sides of the glass to provide the forces PI and P2. If PI is missing then pushing in the member 904 merely pushes out ths member 900.

Figures 4 and 5 show a clip according to the invention which avoids this disadvantage. The male member 400, shown in Figure 4, has head 401 which has a perpendicularly-extending limb 402 with a clipping formation 403 on one side only, the other side being smooth. Small feet 404 are provided at the sides of the head. The female member 500, shown in Figure 5, has a base 501 with two perpendicularly-extending limbs, 502,503, but only one, 502, has a complementary clipping formation 502A on one side. The outer side 502B of the limb 502 is smooth, The other limb 503 is smooth on both sides and carries at its end an elongate addition in the form of a transverse arm 504 parallel to the head. The distance between the arm and the inner side 501A of the head 501 is arranged to be the thickness of a glass pane 600.

Figures 6,7 and 8 show how two panes of glass are fitted in line. To a first pane 600 a female clip member 500 is fitted, engaging between side 501A and the arm 504. A second glass panel 601 is brought up to the clip to abut the smooth side 502B of the limb 502, and finally the male clip member 400 is pushed into place. The feet 404 provide a clearance to accommodate the arm 504. It will be clear that the arm 504 holds the member 500 to the glass so that it cannot be pushed out by the entry of member 400. Accordingly fitting can be effected by an operative on just one side of the panel assembly.

A second embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to Figures 2,2a, 2b and 3.

It is well-known that when glass sheets are formed into large skins of glass, as, for example, in double glazing, there is a tendency for the glass to bow. Moreover, to provide the necessary strength there is a need for the glass to have a certain thickness, for example, 10mm. In such systems it is known to provide support and stiffening elements between the two skins of glass to enable thinner glass to be used. However, such supports are complexly-shaped extrusions that require additional seals to prevent glass to metal contact, and are expensive to form. Furthermore since they are of metal and hence opaque, they, form unsightly interruptions in an expanse of glass.

The present invention envisages an arrangement in which these difficulties are overcome. Figures 2a and 2b indicate a further two=part clip for joining two sheets of glass in line, and provide support between two skins of glass. The female member 100 is similar to the female member 904 (see fig 1) having a head 104 with glass-abutting surfaces 103. Two perpendicularly-extending legs 101 have clipping formations 102. The male member 200 (see Figure 2b) is similar to member 900 (see fig 1) with a head 201 and an extending limb 202 with clipping formations 202A.

However, this member 200 is provided at the ends of the head 201 with two elongate additions in the form of rearwardly-directed arms 204, that is, directed in the opposite sense to the limb 202.

In Figure 3, which shows a completed assemblage, the reference number 300 applies to a block of transparent material used as a support and strengthening member between two skins of glass in a double-glazing system. As shown the member 300 has a rectangular cross-section. The rearwardly-directed limbs 204 of the clip member 200 are arranged to be of a size to receive the support member 300, and may be slightly inwardly inclined to constitute a spring-clip arrangement. As shown in Figure 2 clip members 200 can be mounted on each end of the support member 300, and double-glazing can be effected by providing, at each end of the support member 300, a clip member 200. Thereafter, glass panes 301,302 are applied and secured with a clip member 100 as shown in fig 3.

It will be apparent that the rearwardly-disposed arms may be provided on the female

member 100 instead ofthg mgtg member 200. . p. IQ mfmber 200, The support member 300 may be simply cut from a clear plastics sheet, of rectangular cross-section and formed from, for example, from an acrylic material; all the other elements described may be extruded from clear plastics material. Hence in a doubleglazing system the transparent clips and support members are scarcely visible in the whole partition.

Claims

1. A two-part clip for a partitioning system comprising a first member having a head provided with a perpendicular limb including a first clipping formation; a second member having a head provided with a perpendicular limb including a second clipping formation complementary to the first clipping formation; the arrangement being such that with the two clipping formations engaged the two members are secured together; and one of the two members including an additional elongate portion to provide one surface of a pair of spaced, opposed surfaces in that member suitable to receive and hold a parallel-sided planar member.

2. A Ì'No=part clip for a partitioning system according to Claim 1 comprising a male member having a head, a limb extending perpendicularly from the head, the limb being provided with at least one clipping formation; a female member having a head, two limbs extending perpendicularly from the head, one limb being provided with a clipping formation and the other limb being provided at its end with an additional elongate portion in the form of an arm perpendicular to the limb; the arm and part of the head providing surfaces suitable to receive and hold a parallel-sided planar member.

3. A two-part clip for a partitioning system according to Claim 2 comprising a male member having a head, a limb extending perpendicularly from the head, the limb being provided with at least one clipping formation; a female member having a head, two limbs extending perpendicularly from the head, one limb being provided with a clipping formation and the other limb being smooth; the smooth limb being provided at its end with an additional elongate portion in the form of an arm perpendicular to the limb; the arm and part of the head providing surfaces suitable to receive and hold a parallel-sided planar member.

4. A two-part clip for a partitioning system according to Claim 1 comprising a female member having a head, a pair of limbs extending perpendicularly from the head and provided with clipping formations ; a male member having a head, a limb extending perpendicularly from the head and provided with clipping formations arranged to engage complementarily with the formations on the female member; the head of either the male or female member also being provided with a pair of additional elongate portions in the form of arms extending in the opposite direction to the aforesaid limb (s), and being suitable to receive and hold a parallel-sided support member.

5. A method of providing strengthening between two glass skins in a double-glazed partitioning arrangement comprising taking a pair of two-part clips according to Claim 4, mounting the arms constituting the additional elongate portions on either end of a support member of width appropriate to the distance between the

two glass skins, mounting glass panes against these clip members, and inserting the complementary clip members to secure the glass panes,

6. A two-part clip for a partitioning system substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. A method for assembling in line two panels in a partitioning system, comprising, providing a two-part clip according to Claim 2, attaching one panel between the aforesaid arm and the aforesaid part of the head of the female member, bringing a second panel to abut the other limb of the female member, inserting the male member into the female member to secure the arrangement, the assembly being performable from just one side of the partition.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows CLACKS 1. A two-part clip for a partitioning system comprising a first member having a head provided with a perpendicular limb including a first clipping formation ; a second member having a head provided with a perpendicular limb including a second clipping formation complementary to the first clipping formation ; the arrangement being such that with the two clipping formations engaged the two members are secured together; and one of the two members including an additional elongate portion to provide one surface of a pair of spaced, opposed surfaces in that member suitable to receive and hold a parallel-sided planar member.

2., A > A=par cl. r a par. i > ^ ; ^nine, sJrsfern ^ > ^rdine, +^ rlaim 1 cvrtrisirg a male member having a head, a limb extending perpendicularly from the head, the limb being provided with at least one clipping formation ; a female member having a head, two limbs extending perpendicularly from the head, one limb being provided with a clipping formation and the other limb being provided at its end with an additional elongate portion in the form of an arm perpendicular to the limb; the arm and part of the head providing surfaces suitable to receive and hold a parallel-sided planar member.

3. A two-part clip for a partitioning system according to Claim 2 comprising a

male member havin a head a limb extsndin 'erendiculsri from the head the limb being provided with at least one clipping formation ; a female member having a head, two limbs extending perpendicularly from the head, one limb being provided with a clipping formation and the other limb being smooth; the smooth limb being provided at its end with an additional elongate portion in the form of an arm perpendicular to the limb; the arm and part of the head providing surfaces suitable to receive and hold a parallel-sided planar member.

4. A two-part clip for a partitioning system according to Claim 1 comprising a female member having a head, a pair of limbs extending perpendicularly from the head and provided w)ith capping formations ; a male member having a head, a limb extending perpendicularly from the head and provided with clipping formations arranged to engage complementarily with the formations on the female member; the head of either the male or female member also being provided with a pair of additional elongate portions in the form of arms extending in the opposite direction to the aforesaid limb (s), and being suitable to receive and hold a parallel-sided support member.

two glass skins, mounting glass panes against these clip members, and inserting the complementary clip members to secure the glass panes, 6. A two-part clip for a partitioning system substantially as described with reference to Figures 2 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.