GB2394246A

GB2394246A - Improvements in or relating to glazing

Info

Publication number: GB2394246A
Application number: GB0224142A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Brian Potter; Sean Duncan Bairstow
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-10-17
Filing date: 2002-10-17
Publication date: 2004-04-21
Anticipated expiration: 2022-10-17
Also published as: GB2394246B; GB0224142D0

Abstract

Fire resistant glazing comprises a panel 2 having an aperture with a recess 6'' in each of two opposed edges. The glazing further comprises a glass pane 3 positioned in the aperture with an edge of the pane 3 received in each of the recesses 6''. An intumescent strip 4 is provided between the edge of the pane 3 and the edge of the aperture. The intumescent strip 4 may be positioned within the recesses 6''. Beading 16, 17 may be secured to the panel 2 to hold the pane 3 in place. The pane 3 may be longer than the aperture in a direction extending between the opposing edges having recesses 6'' and substantially the same length as the aperture in a direction in which the opposing edges having recesses 6'' extend. The opposing edges having recesses 6'' may be at the top and bottom of the aperture in use or may be at either side of the aperture in use. One of the recesses 6'' may be of greater depth than the other. The panel 2 may be fixed or may be moveable between closed and open positions.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO GLAZING

This invention concerns improvements in or relating to glazing, specifically fire resistant glazing. The invention has particular, but not 5 exclusive, application to fire resistant barriers for buildings such as doors, windows, screens, partitions, walls or the like having glazed apertures. The term glazing used herein includes any transparent or translucent 10 materials such as glass, plastics and the like. For convenience, the invention will be described hereinafter with reference to glass.

Building regulations require large buildings to be sub-divided into smaller volumes or areas bounded by building elements that form fire resistant 15 barriers which resist the spread of fire and smoke. It is common for these fire resistant barriers to include glazed panels, such as doors, screens or partitions having glazed apertures. For the glazed panel to form an effective fire resistant barrier, interfaces between the glass and dissimilar materials bordering the glass need to be sealed during a fire.

Typically, fire resistant glazing, for example in a door, is formed by cutting an aperture in the door, typically rectangular in shape, placing a strip of intumescent material around the marginal edge of a glass pane cut to the size of the aperture and securing the glass pane in the aperture by 25 attaching beading to edges of the door bordering the aperture either side of the glass pane. In use, in a fire, the intumescent material expands as it heats up to seal any air gaps between the glass pane and the door to prevent the passage of smoke/fire through the door.

30 A disadvantage of the known fire resistant glazing systems is that, during a fire, the beading may be eventually broken away from the door by the

expansion of the intumescent material or burnt away on one side of the door by the fire. If this occurs, the intumescent material is not rigid enough to hold the glass pane in place and the glass pane will simply fall from the aperture. In this way, the fire resistant barrier fails and the fire 5 can spread. Even if the glass pane does not fall from the aperture, it is not supported on at least one side and the glass pane can slump in this direction as the glass softens. This can open gaps between the top of the glass pane and door allowing flame through.

10 A further disadvantage of the known fire resistant glazing systems is that, during assembly, the resilience of the intumescent material inhibits accurate positioning and alignment of the beading on the edges of the door around the aperture such that a flush finish may not be obtained.

This is particularly evident in the corners of the aperture. As a result, 15 the glazed aperture may not be aesthetically pleasing.

An object of the present invention is to overcome or at least mitigate the aforementioned disadvantages.

20 A preferred object of the invention is to provide fire resistant glazing wherein a glass pane is supported in an aperture by means other than the beading. Another preferred object of the invention is to provide fire resistant 25 glazing that mitigates the problem of air gaps developing due to slumping of the glass pane as it melts during a fire.

A further preferred object of the invention is to provide fire resistant glazing that is easy to install and provides an aesthetically pleasing finish.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided fire resistant glazing comprising a panel having an aperture therein, a glass pane positioned within the aperture such that a marginal edge of the glass pane is received within two opposed recesses in an edge of the panel bordering 5 the aperture, and an intumescent strip between marginal edge of the glass pane and the edge of the panel bordering the aperture.

In this way, fire resistant glazing is provided in which, during a fire, the glass pane is held in place by location of the marginal edge in the recesses 10 without the need for beading. Accordingly, the problem of the glass pane falling from the aperture during a fire when the beading is dislodged or burnt away is overcome.

The panel may be fixed, for example a partition, screen or a wall 15 separating areas of a building. Alternatively, the panel may be movable from a closed position to open positions, for example a door or a window.

The panel may form part of a fire resistant barrier in which the glazed aperture allows people to see if there is a fire on the other side of the barrier. In one arrangement, the marginal edge of the glass pane is received within recesses at a top and bottom of the aperture. In this way, air gaps may not develop at the top of the aperture if the glass pane slumps during a fire. In this arrangement, the vertical length of the glass pane is greater 25 than the size of the space between the top and bottom edges of the aperture and the horizontal width of glass pane is substantially the same as the size of the space between side edges of the aperture.

Preferably, the recess in the edge of the panel at the top of the aperture is 30 of greater depth than the recess in the edge of the panel or the bottom of

the aperture. This facilitates insertion of the glass pane into the aperture defined by the panel.

In an alternative arrangement, the marginal edge of the glass pane is 5 received within recesses at either side of the aperture. In this arrangement, the horizontal width of the glass pane is greater than the size of the space between the side edges of the aperture and the vertical length of the glass pane is substantially the same as the size of the space between the top and bottom edges of the aperture.

Preferably, the recess in one side edge of the aperture is of greater depth than the recess in the opposed side edge of the aperture. This facilitates insertion of the glass pane into the aperture defined by the panel.

15 Preferably, at least a portion of the intumescent strip is located in the recesses. The portion of the strip within the recesses is preferably shaped to correspond with the shape of the recesses.

In one embodiment, the recesses have a first portion of channel-section 20 opening out into a second portion of channel-section, the second portion having a greater width than the first portion, and the intumescent strip has a U-shaped portion received in the first portion and arms integral with the U-shaped portion received within the second portion of the recesses.

Preferably, the arms of the intumescent strip are substantially flush with 25 the edges of the aperture.

Preferably, recesses are provided in all edges of the panel bordering the aperture. In this way, only one shape of recess has to be cut into the edges of the panel bordering the aperture and manufacture of the aperture 30 is facilitated. Furthermore, only one shape of intumescent strip has to be

extruded as the same shaped intumescent strip can be used in all edges of the aperture.

Beading may be provided on both sides of the glass pane. The beading 5 provides additional support and an aesthetically pleasing finish to the glazing. The beading may be secured to the panel beside the intumescent material such that expansion of the intumescent strip during a fire dislodges the beading.

10 In one arrangement, the beading is positioned above the arms of the intumescent strip. As the intumescent strip is flush with the edges of the panel, the resilience of the intumescent strip does not inhibit accurate positioning and alignment of the beading on the edges of the panel during assembly. Preferably, the beading is secured to the panel by pins.

In one arrangement, the edges of the aperture provide a rigid abutment portion that co-operates with a portion of the beading to assist with positioning of the beading during assembly. The beading may be made from any one of the materials selected from wood, wood composites, 20 plastics and metal. The glass pane may be a Georgian wired glass pane.

The aperture may be of any shape including rectangular, circular or oval.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of forming fire resistant glazing comprising providing an aperture in a 25 panel, forming two opposed recesses in edges of the panel bordering the aperture, positioning a glass pane within the aperture such that a marginal edge of the glass pane is received within the recesses, and positioning an intumescent strip between the marginal edge of the glass pane and the edge of the panel bordering the aperture.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by example only, with reference to the following drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a front view of a fire resistant glazed door according to 5 the invention; Figure 2 shows a cross-section of a lower section of the fire resistant glazed door according to the invention; and 10 Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a lower section of the fire resistant glazed door according to the invention.

With reference to the accompanying drawings, a fire resistant glazed barrier I is shown comprising a door 2 having a rectangular aperture 15 therein, a glass pane 3 within the aperture and extruded intumescent strip 4 (only shown in Figures 2 and 3). The material of the strip 4 swells up as its temperature rises. The glass pane 3 can be made of Georgian wired glass. 20 Edge portions 5 of the door 2 bordering the aperture have a recess 6 (shown in Figure 1 by dotted lines) therein, having a narrow portion 7a of channel-section that opens out into a wider portion 7b of channel section.

The recess 6 extends around the entire circumference of the aperture.

25 Lower and upper marginal edges 8 and 9 (shown in Figure 1 by dotted and dashed lines) of the glass pane 3 are received within the narrow portion 7a of the recess 6 to project into the profile of the door 2. The recess 6 provides support for the glass pane 3 holding the glass pane 3 in position.

( As shown clearly in Figure 1, the depth of the recess 6' at the top of the aperture is greater than the depth of the recess 6" and 6"' at the bottom and sides of the aperture. In this way, the glass pane 3 can be assembled into the aperture by inserting the upper marginal edge 9 of the glass pane 5 3 into the upper recess 6', positioning/pushing the glass pane 3 to align the lower marginal edge 8 with the lower recess 6" and dropping the lower marginal edge 8 into the lower recess 6".

When the glass pane 3 is in the centre of the aperture, vertical marginal 10 edges 12 of the glass pane 3 are not received within the profile of the door 2.

With particular reference now to Figures 2 and 3, the intumescent strip 4 has a U-shaped base portion 13, received within the narrow portion 7a of 15 the recess 6 and arm portions 14 and 15, located within the wider portion 7b of the recess 6 in all the edges of the aperture.

By providing recess 6 around the entire circumference of the aperture, the same shaped intumescent strip 4 can be used for all regions of the fire 20 resistant barrier 1. This reduces manufacturing costs, as the tools/machinery for extruding the intumescent strips 4 only have to be arranged for creating one shape of intumescent strip 4. In addition, cutting of the aperture into the door 2 is easily accomplished as the same shape is cut into all edge portions 5 of the door 2. Furthermore, the 25 recess 6 facilitates positioning of the intumescent strip 4 on the door 2 during assembly.

The upper and lower marginal edges 9 and 8 of the glass pane 3 are located in the base portion 13 of the intumescent strip 4 located in the 30 upper and lower recesses 6' and 6".

Beading 16 and 17 provides an aesthetically pleasing finish to the glazed door 2 and further support for the glass pane 3. Beading 16 is positioned partially above arm portion 14 of the intumescent strip 4 and beading 17 is positioned partially above arm portion 15 of the intumescent strip 4.

5 The beading 16 and 17 is secured to the door 2 by pins 18 and 19 passing through the beading 16 or 17 and arm portion 14 or 15 of the intumescent strip 4.

In this embodiment the beading 16 and 17 provides an obtuse angled 10 corner 20, however it will be understood that the beading 16 and 17 can be of any shape to provide any desired finish to the glazed panel. The beading 16 and 17 can be made of any appropriate material including I wood, wood composites, plastics or metal.

15 As the intumescent strip 4 is located within the recess 6 flush with the edge of the aperture, the resilience of the intumescent strip 4 does not effect the positioning of the beading 16 and 17. In this way, assembly of the beading 16 and 17 onto the door 2 is facilitated. Assembly is facilitated further, as the beading 16 and 17 can be aligned accurately in 20 both horizontal and vertical directions by abutment of rigid edges 21 of the beading 16 and 17 with rigid corners 22 of the edge portions 5 of the door 2.

In use, when a fire occurs on one side of the glazed door 1, the 25 intumescent strip 4 heats up and expands to seal air gaps between the glass pane 3 and the door 2. In this way, flame through is prevented and the glazed door 1 acts as a barrier to spreading of the fire. The expansion of the intumescent strip 4, particularly in the wide portion 7b of the recesses 6, dislodges the beading 16 and 17, however the glass 30 pane 3 is supported in the aperture by location of the marginal edges 8 and 9 of the glass pane 3 in the recesses 6' and 6" at the top and bottom

of the aperture. This is advantageous, as the glass pane 3 does not fall from the door 2 when the beading 16 and 17 has been dislodged and the period of time that the glazed door 2 provides a barrier to the fire may be extended. Furthermore, as the glass pane 3 is retained within the recess 6' at the top of the door 2, the risk of air gaps opening between the upper marginal edge 9 of the glass pane 3 and the upper edge portion 5 of the aperture due to slumping of the glass pane 3 as it melts during a fire may be 10 reduced.

Furthermore, dislodging of the beading 16 and 17 from the door 2 prevents heat from burning of the beading from being in close proximity to the glass pane 3. In particular, dislodging of the beading 16 and 17 15 from the door 2 is assisted as the beading 16 and 17 is only pinned to the door 2 and is positioned above an arm 14 or 15 of the intumescent material 4.

Another advantage of the invention is that the intumescent strip 4 is 20 retained in position as it expands by abutment with the walls of the recess 6. In this embodiment, the invention has been described in relation to a door, however it will be understood that the invention can be embodied in 25 any one of a door, screen, partition, wall, window or the like.

Furthermore, it is not necessary that the aperture is rectangular and the aperture can be any shape, for example any other polygon, circular or oval. 30 The glass pane could also be replaced with a transparent or translucent pane of a different material, for example transparent plastic.

The wide portion of the recesses or the beading could be omitted.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the above 5 described embodiment and other modifications and alterations within the scope of the invention as described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

For example, recesses for supporting the glass pane may only be provided to in opposing side portions of the panel backing the aperture, for example at the top and bottom or either side of the aperture. This may require intumescent strips of different shapes to be employed in the edges having the recesses and the edges without the recesses. For example, an intumescent strip as described above, received within the recesses, and an 15 intumescent strip having a U-shaped section without arms, positioned between edges of the aperture not having a recess and the glass pane.

Claims

1. Fire resistant glazing comprising a panel having an aperture therein, a glass pane positioned within the aperture such that a marginal edge of the glass pane is received within two opposed recesses in an edge 5 of the panel bordering the aperture, and an intumescent strip between marginal edge of the glass pane and the edge of the panel bordering the aperture.

2. Fire resistant glazing according to claim 1 wherein the panel is 10 fixed.

3. Fire resistant glazing according to claim 1 wherein the panel is movable from a closed position to open positions 15

4. Fire resistant glazing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the marginal edge of the glass pane is received within recesses at a top and bottom of the aperture.

5. Fire resistant glazing according to claim 4 wherein a vertical 20 length of the glass pane is greater than the size of the space between the top and bottom edges of the aperture and a horizontal width of glass pane is substantially the same as the size of the space between side edges of the aperture. 25

6. Fire resistant glazing according to claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the recess in the edge of the panel at the top of the aperture is of greater depth than the recess in the edge of the panel or the bottom of the aperture. 30

7. Fire resistant glazing the marginal edge of the glass pane is received within recesses at either side of the aperture.

8. Fire resistant glazing according to claim 7 wherein the horizontal width of the glass pane is greater than the size of the space between the side edges of the aperture and the vertical length of the glass pane is 5 substantially the same as the size of the space between the top and bottom edges of the aperture.

9. Fire resistant glazing according to claim 8 wherein the recess in one side edge of the aperture is of greater depth than the recess in the 10 opposed side edge of the aperture.

10. Fire resistant glazing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein at least a portion of the intumescent strip is located in the recesses.

11. Fire resistant glazing according to claim 10 wherein the portion of the strip within the recesses is preferably shaped to correspond with the shape of the recesses.

20

12. Fire resistant glazing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the recesses have a first portion of channel-section opening out into a second portion of channel-section, the second portion having a greater width than the first portion, and the intumescent strip has a U-

shaped portion received in the first portion and arms integral with the U 25 shaped portion received within the second portion of the recesses.

13. Fire resistant glazing according to claim 12 wherein the arms of the intumescent strip are substantially flush with the edges of the aperture.

14. Fire resistant glazing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein recesses are provided in all edges of the panel bordering the aperture. 5

15. Fire resistant glazing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein beading is provided on both sides of the glass pane.

16. Fire resistant glazing according to claim 15 wherein the beading is secured to the panel beside the intumescent material such that expansion 10 of the intumescent strip during a fire dislodges the beading.

17. Fire resistant glazing according to claim 15 or claim 16 wherein the beading is positioned above the arms of the intumescent strip.

15

18. Fire resistant glazing according to any one of claims 15 to 17 wherein the edges of the aperture provide a rigid abutment portion that co-operates with a portion of the beading to assist with positioning of the beading during assembly.

20

19. Fire resistant glazing according to any one of claims 15 to 18 wherein the beading is made from any one of the materials selected from wood, wood composites, plastics and metal.

20. Fire resistant glazing according to any one of the preceding claims 25 wherein the aperture is of rectangular, circular or oval shape.

21. Fire resistant glazing substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

30

22. A fixed panel comprising fire resistant glazing according to any one of the preceding claims.

23. A movable panel comprising fire resistant glazing according to any one of the preceding claims.

5

24. A method of forming fire resistant glazing comprising providing an aperture in a panel, forming two opposed recesses in edges of the panel bordering the aperture, positioning a glass pane within the aperture such that a marginal edge of the glass pane is received within the recesses, and positioning an intumescent strip between the marginal edge of the glass 10 pane and the edge of the panel bordering the aperture.

25. A method of forming fire resistant glazing substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.