GB2383369A

GB2383369A - Glazing bar with ratchet and locking insert

Info

Publication number: GB2383369A
Application number: GB0130633A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dennis Anthony Jones; Paul Malcolm Hullock
Original assignee: Aspect Management Ltd
Current assignee: Aspect Management Ltd
Priority date: 2001-12-20
Filing date: 2001-12-20
Publication date: 2003-06-25
Anticipated expiration: 2021-12-20
Also published as: GB2383369B; GB0130633D0

Abstract

A glazing bar 10 comprising inner and outer parts 14, 16 which are coupled by rachet formations 51 and locking insert 70. The inner part may have shoulders 22 to supporting the roofing panels, outer part may overlay these panes and both parts may have inter-fitting channel shape parts 68, 45. The insert may be wedge shaped, insert into either the inner or outer part, and may have at least one barb.

Description

GLAZING BAR ASSEMBLIES This invention relates to glazing bar assemblies for use in the construction of roofs, especially conservatory roofs.

The invention is applicable for example to glazed roofs of the type comprising panels, e. g. of glass or a plastics material such as polycarbonate or polyvinyl chloride, supported between glazing bars which may be produced as aluminium extrusions and which extend between a ridge and an eaves beam. In a known form of glazing bar assembly, as disclosed in British Patent Application No. 2347963, the assembly comprises an elongated bar which serves to support the panels and an elongated capping element which has a plastics connector which engages as a push fit in a channel in the bar.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved glazing bar assembly and, in particular, one which affords greater security against thieves making entry through the roof of a conservatory or the like by removing one or more panels.

According to the present invention there is provided a glazing bar assembly comprising an elongate inner member and an elongate outer member adapted to be coupled together by interfitting parts associated with the members, which parts engage with a ratchet action to prevent disengagement, and an insert which is adapted for co-operation with at least one of the interfitting parts to block disengagement of the ratchet formations when the parts are assembled together.

The inner elongate member may have at least one shoulder for providing support, in use, for the inner face of an edge of a roofing panel and the outer elongate member may be adapted, in use, to overly an outer face of the roofing panel edge, the

interfitting parts comprising a first part of channel-shape associated with one of the members and a second part associated with the other member and being adapted for entry into the first part to couple the members together, co-operating ratchet formations being provided on the parts and arranged to resist withdrawal of the second part from the first part, and the insert being insertable, e. g. endwise, at a location where it is effective to block disengagement of the ratchet formations when the parts are assembled together.

In this manner, greater security is afforded against break-in to a conservatory or the like by removal of a roof panel or panels. This is in contrast with the glazing bar assembly of British Patent Application No. 2347963 where break-in can simply effected easily by forcing the capping upwardly from the bar at the eaves end to free that end of the capping and then peeling the capping away from the bar so that one or more roofing panels can then be removed.

The second part may also be channel-shaped and the insert may be arranged to fit within the second channel part to block ratchet-disengaging deflection of its side walls in the event of attempted forced removal of the outer member.

The first channel part may be provided on the inner member.

The inner and outer members may be fabricated as extruded profiles, e. g. of aluminium or aluminium alloy or of a plastics material. The insert may be fabricated from a plastics material, and may be resiliently deformable.

The insert may be wedge-shaped and it may have a cross-sectional shape complementary to the second channel part.

The insert may be provided with at least one barb for biting into at least one side wall of the second channel part to enhance engagement with the second channel part.

The insert may have a length which is substantially shorter than that of the inner and outer members. In use, it is envisaged that the insert need only be provided at the end of the assembly which is carried by the eaves beam as that location is more vulnerable to attempts at forcing the outer member away from the inner member.

The internal surfaces of the side walls of the second channel part may be inclined relative to one another such that the internal width of the second channel part increases toward the open mouth thereof.

Each member may be provided with at least one ratchet formation.

The invention will now be described by way of an example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of one embodiment of a glazing bar assembly in accordance with the present invention for use in conjunction with two glazing panels ; and Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the insert of the glazing bar assembly of Figure 1.

The glazing bars 10 of the present invention are typically used in the construction of a glazed conservatory roof with each glazing bar extending between a ridge structure and an eaves beam. Glazing roofing panels 12 are supported by glazing bar 10

and are typically in the form of polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride or glass, each panel 12 being supported at its edges 26 by the glazing bar 10.

Each glazing bar 10 comprises an inner member 14 and an outer member 16 either or both of which may be manufactured as aluminium extrusions. As used herein, "inner"and"outer"refer to the location of the components relative to the roofing structure.

The inner member 14 is generally T-shaped, comprising a central portion 18 and a crosspiece 20 which has upwardly directed flanges 22 forming shoulders 24 on which the inner faces at the panel edges 26 of panels 12 can seat. The panels 12 may sit directly on the shoulders 24 or indirectly via interposed seals (not shown). The central portion 18 is bifurcated at its upper end to form a first channel part 40 having a base 46 and generally parallel side walls 45 provided with ratchet formations 51.

The cross-piece 20 may in use be concealed on the internal side of the glazing bar 10 in known fashion by a cladding section (not shown) or sections of plastics material, aluminium or wood for example, the cladding section (s) being attachable to the inner member. The cladding section (s) may be provided with the seals on which the panels seat.

Outer member 16 is generally V-shaped having downwardly directed legs 50 which extend from each side of a central section 34. The legs 50 together with flanges 22 form openings which receive the edge portions 26 of panels 12. The legs 50 may contact the outer face of the panels 12 directly or indirectly via seals. A pair of diverging walls 60 extend inwardly from the central section 34 and define a channel part 65 which, when the inner and outer members are assembled together as shown with the panels 12 in place, can be inserted into channel part 40 in such a way that ratchet formations 68 ride over the ratchet formations 51 until the channel part 65 is firmly engaged within channel part 40.

Once the members 14,16 have been assembled together in this way, they trap the panels 12 over the length extending from the eaves beam of the roof to the ridge.

However, in practice, after the conservatory has been assembled, it may be possible with the aid of implements such as a screwdriver and hammer to gain access to the glazing bar assembly at the eaves beam end, e. g. between the gutter and the eaves beam, and hammer the outer member upwardly to release it from the inner member at this location. Once this has been done, it is then possible to peel the outer member away along the span from the eaves beam towards the ridge. In this way, an intending intruder can remove one or more roof panels to gain access to the interior of the conservatory.

In order to afford greater security, an insert 70 is provided which can be inserted into the channel parts 40 and 65. Insert 70 comprises a base 80 which is generally complementary to the base 46 of the upwardly open channel part 40 defined by the inner member 14, and a wedge-shaped upstand 90. The base 80 is so shaped that when the insert 70 is introduced into the channel part 40, it is held captive against removal through the lengthwise extending opening of channel 40. The upstand 90 is provided with barbs 100 (see Figure 2).

When, after assembly of the glazing bar, insert 70 is introduced endwise into the channel parts 40 and 65 in the manner illustrated in Figure 1, it will be seen that the wedge-shaped insert co-operates with the walls 60 to block inward ratchet-disengaging deflection thereof and thereby strongly resist forced withdrawal of the channel part 65 from channel part 40. This resistance is further enhanced as a result of barbs 100 biting into the walls 60 together with the insert 70 being held captive to the channel part 40 by virtue of the co-operation between base 80 and the bottom portion of the channel part 40.

Although the scope of the invention is not limited to the insert being operative at any particular location along the length of the glazing bar assembly, because of the

vulnerability at the eaves beam end of the glazing bars, the insert is conveniently provided at that location. The insert may, in practice, be substantially shorter in length compared with the length of the glazing bar.

If desired, the insert feature of the present invention may be used in conjunction with a glazing bar assembly having features as disclosed in any one or more of prior UK patent applications Nos. 0118713. 7, 0118715. 2 and 0118716.0 dated 1 August 2001,0119047. 9 and 0119048.7 dated 4 August 2001, and 01124767. 5 dated 16 October 2001, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by this reference.

Claims

1. A glazing bar assembly comprising an elongate inner member and an elongate outer member adapted to be coupled together by interfitting parts associated with the members, which parts engage with a ratchet action to prevent disengagement, and an insert which is adapted for co-operation with at least one of the interfitting parts to block disengagement of the ratchet formations when the parts are assembled together.

2. An assembly as claimed in Claim 1 in which the inner elongate member has at least one shoulder for providing support, in use, for the inner face of an edge of a roofing panel and the outer elongate member is adapted, in use, to overly an outer face of the roofing panel edge, the interfitting parts comprising a first part of channel-shape associated with one of the members and a second part associated with the other member and being adapted for entry into the first part to couple the members together, co-operating ratchet formations being provided on the parts and arranged to resist withdrawal of the second part from the first part, and the insert being insertable, e. g. endwise, at a location where it is effective to block disengagement of the ratchet formations when the parts are assembled together.

3. An assembly as claimed in Claim 2 in which the first channel part is provided on the inner member.

4. An assembly as claimed in Claim 2 or 3 in which the second part is also channel-shaped.

5. An assembly as claimed in Claim 4 in which the insert is arranged to fit within the second channel part to block ratchet-disengaging deflection of its side walls.

6. An assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 4 in which the insert, when inserted in place, is captive against removal from the first channel part through the open mouth of the latter.

7. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims i hich the insert is wedge-shaped.

8. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claim in which the insert is provided with at least one barb.

9. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the insert is only a minor fraction of the length of the assembly.

10. An assembly as claimed in Claim 4 or any one of Claims 5 to 9 when dependent on Claim 4 in which the internal surfaces of the side walls of the second channel part are inclined relative to one another such that the internal width of the second channel part increases toward the open mouth thereof.

11. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which each member is provided with at least one ratchet formation.

12. A glazing bar assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

13. A roof structure comprising a number of glazing bar assemblies and roofing panels supported by thereby, at least one of the glazing bar assemblies being as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

13. A method of assembling a glazing bar assembly comprising coupling together an elongate inner member and an outer elongate member by means of interfitting parts associated with the members, which parts engage with a ratchet action to prevent disengagement, and introducing an insert to block disengagement of the ratchet formations.

14. A method as claimed in Claim 13 in which the members are coupled together after putting one or more roofing panels in place relative to the inner member.