GB2479361A

GB2479361A - Glazing assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2479361A
Application number: GB1005730A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Lee Hughes
Original assignee: Epwin Group PLC
Current assignee: Epwin Group PLC
Priority date: 2010-04-06
Filing date: 2010-04-06
Publication date: 2011-10-12
Also published as: GB201005730D0

Abstract

Glazing for a window or door has a glazed panel 3 mounted in a channel 5 surrounding an aperture in a frame 7. A part 9 defining part of a wall of that channel is removable from the rest of the frame 7 to enable the glazing panel 3 to be mounted in the channel, and a protrusion 2 extends from the base 21 of the channel into the channel. A security device or glazing clip 11 is positioned in the channel 5 with a bracket engaging the glazed panel 3 and a projection extending away from the glazed panel 3 and engaging the protrusion 2. In this way the security device limits movement of the glazed panel 3 towards the removable beading 9, thereby resisting removal of the glazed part 3 from the frame 7 even if the removable beading 9 is removed.

Description

GLAZING

The present invention relates to glazing in e.g. a window or door. In particular, the invention relates to glazing for windows or doors with a security device for hindering unwanted removal of a glazed panel from a window or door frame.

Conventional glazed windows or doors have a frame surrounding an aperture and within the aperture a glazed panel is held by the frame. The glazed panel is usually held within a channel of the frame so that the walls of the channel retain the glazed panel. It is known for one wall of the channel to be integral with the frame and another wall of the channel to have one or more glazing beads releasably attached to the rest of the frame.

The use of glazing beads allows easy installation of the glazed panel in the frame. When installing the glazed panel, the glazing bead is detached from the frame to open one side of the channel. The glazed panel is positioned within the channel and then the glazing bead is reattached to the frame to retain the glazed panel within the frame.

The glazing beads are typically located on the inside of a window or door so that intruders on the outside of the window or door may not easily remove the glazing beads in order to remove the glazed panel and gain access to the inside of the window or door.

However, the present inventors have found that it is possible for a glazing bead located on the inside of the frame of the window or door to be detached from the frame from the outside, for example, by using long pointed tools to pierce the frame and reach through the frame to detach the glazing bead. Once the glazing bead is detached, the glazed panel is easily removed from the aperture and the inside of the window or door is accessible.

Easy removal of a glazed panel from its frame reduces the security of the window or door and is undesirable.

Therefore, it is an aim of the present inventors to improve the security of glazed windows or doors.

At its most general the present invention provides glazing for e.g. a window or door, having a glazed panel housed in a frame and a security device between the glazed panel and the frame, the security device having a bracket that engages with the glazed panel and a projection attached to the bracket that engages with part of the frame to limit the movement of the glazed panel relative to the frame.

Accordingly the present invention may provide glazing having a frame surrounding an aperture, the frame having a channel defined by a first wall, a base and a second wall, a portion of the first wall being releaseably attached to the frame, the frame also having at least one protrusion extending from the base into the channel a glazed panel located within the aperture, a periphery of the glazed panel being within the channel of the frame, and a security device positioned within the channel between the glazed panel and the frame, the device having a bracket for engaging the glazed panel and at least one projection attached to the bracket and extending away from the glazing panel into the channel, said at least one projection being engageable with said at least one protrusion whereby the security device limits movement of the glazed panel towards the first wall.

The glazing of the present invention enables the removal of the glazed panel from the frame to be resisted by the security device. In use, if the releasably attachable portion of the first wall (usually forming the glazing bead) is removed by an intruder, the intruder will then attempt to move the glazed panel out of the frame. When the glazed panel is moved in the direction of the first wall, the bracket will engage with the glazed panel (if not already engaged) and the security device will then move in the same direction as the glazed panel. As the or each elongate projection is attached to the bracket, it will also move towards the first wall until it engages with the or each protrusion extending from the base of the channel.

At this point, movement of the security device towards the first wall is stopped. Consequently the engagement of the bracket with the glazed panel limits the movement of the glazed panel towards the first wall and therefore hinders the movement of the glazed panel from the frame.

In this manner, the security device makes it more difficult to remove a glazed panel from its window or door frame and increases security of the window or door.

Thus, the or each protrusion in the channel is normally between the free end of the projection and the first wall or is formed by part of that first wall.

Preferably the or each protrusion extending from the base that is engageable with the or each projection of the security device forms a portion of the first wall that is fixed to (e.g. integral with) the base of the frame. When the or each protrusion forms part of the first wall, the protrusion forms part of the channel. In this manner, the or each protrusion does not obstruct the channel.

Preferably the bracket has a first member for engaging the glazed panel, the first member being positioned between the glazed panel and the first wall.

With the first member positioned between the glazed panel and the first retention means, the first member may engage with the glazed panel when the glazed panel is being moved out of the frame.

Preferably the bracket has a second member attached to the first member. The second member is preferably attached at a right angle to the first member (e.g. by being integral therewith) so that the first and second members have an L-shaped cross-section. The L-shaped first and second members may fit around an edge of the glazed panel to fit within the channel of the frame.

Preferably both first and second members are not secured to the glazed panel and so are loose within the channel.

By not securing the bracket to the glazed panel, the installation of the security device is simplified.

Preferably the security device has more than one projection attached to the bracket, each projection being engageable with a protrusion extending form the base of the channel of the frame. There may be a separate protrusion corresponding to each projection or each projection may engage with the same protrusion.

When there is more than one projection, the force created by the movement of the glazed panel out of the frame is shared amongst each projection. A greater force may be resisted by the security device having more than one elongate projection without the projections breaking or the security device being dislodged from the channel when compared to a security device having a single elongate projection.

Preferably the more than one elongate projections are spaced at regular intervals along the bracket. Spacing the projections at regular intervals on the bracket allows the force created by the movement of the glazed panel out of the frame to be distributed evenly and such force may be more effectively resisted.

Preferably the glazing has more than one security device positioned within the channel of the frame, each device having at least one projection engageable with at least one protrusion extending from the base of the channel. A window or door having more than one security device will have an increased engagement of projections with protrusions extending from the base of the channel and therefore increase the number of points of contact between the glazed panel and the frame when the glazed panel is being undesirably removed from the frame.

Typical windows and glazed doors have rectangular-shaped glazed panels with four edges. For rectangular-shaped glazed panels, it is preferred to have four security devices, each security device being positioned on a different edge of the glazed panel.

Preferably the releaseably attached portion of the first wall has a lug to releaseably attach the portion to a notch in the frame. The lug provides a convenient attachment means to attach the releasably attached portion of the first wall to the frame. The lug may be resiliently formable to snap-fit into the notch.

The first wall may extend along part or all of the length of the glazing panel edge.

The present invention may also provide a method of installing a security device to a glazed window or door having a frame surrounding an aperture, the frame having a recess defined by a side wall and a base, the frame also having at least one protrusion extending from the base, and the window further having a glazed panel located within the aperture, a periphery of the glazed panel being in the recess, the method including the step of: (i) inserting a security device into the recess of the frame between the glazed panel and the frame, the security device having a bracket for engaging the glazed panel and at least one projection attached to the bracket extendable towards said at least one protrusion extending from the base of the channel, said at least one projection being engageable with said at least one S protrusion so as to limit movement of the glazed panel; and (ii) attaching a further wall to the base of the frame, on the opposite side of the glazed panel from the side wall, to form a channel comprising the side wall, base and further wall, into which the periphery of the glazed panel and the security device are located.

Preferably the method of the present invention also includes the step of, before step (i), detaching the further wall from the base. This step of the method may be used if the security device is installed to glazed windows or doors that are already fitted with the further wall. The further wall may be, for example a glazing bead for the window or door.

Alternatively the security device may be installed in the channel of the frame at the same time as the glazing panel is fitted to the frame.

In addition, the present invention may provide a kit of parts for installing a glazing, including a frame surrounding an aperture, the frame having a channel defined by a first wall, a base and a second wall, a portion of the first wall being releaseably attachable to the frame, the frame also having at least one protrusion extending from the base of the channel, and the window further having a glazed panel locatable within the aperture, a periphery of the glazed panel being positionable within the channel of the frame, and a security device positionable within the channel between the glazed panel and the frame, the device having a bracket for engaging the glazed panel and at least one projection attached to the bracket, said at least one projection being engageable when the security device is positioned in the channel with said at least one protrusion so as to limit movement of the glazed panel.

The preferred and optional features of any aspect of the present invention may be applied to any other aspect of the present invention. In particular, the preferred features of the glazing of the present invention may be present in the relevant components used in the method of the present invention and vice versa.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a section through part of a glazed window being an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figure 1, there is illustrated a window 1 of the present invention having a glazed panel 3 positioned within a channel S of a window frame 7. A glazing bead 9 is releaseably attached to the frame 7 and a security clip 11 lies within the channel 5 positioned between the glazed panel 3 and the frame 7.

The glazed panel 3 has two sheets of glass 13a, 13b separated by a spacer 15. The separation of the glass 13a, 13b by the spacer 15 forms an insulating void. Of course, the glazed panel 3 may have a single sheet of glass or more than two sheets of glass with each sheet of glass being separated by a spacer 15.

The glazed panel 3 is rectangular in shape and has four edges. The glazed panel 3 may have any desired shape and would have a corresponding number of edges.

The window frame 7 surrounds a rectangular aperture for the glazed panel 3. The aperture is the same shape as the glazed panel 3 and slightly smaller than the glazed panel 3, so that the periphery of the glazed panel 3 fits into the channel 5 of the frame 7.

The window frame 7 is made of PVC-u, but could be made from any known or suitable window frame material.

The window frame 7 holds the glazed panel 3 in position as the width of the channel 5 is slightly greater than the width of the glazed panel 3.

The channel 5 has a front wall 17 and a back wall 19 extending from a base 21. The front wall 17 and back wall 19 are substantially perpendicular to the base 21 and, in Figure 1, the front 17 and back 19 walls extend substantially vertically from the base 21. The distance between the front wall 17 and the back wall 19 defines the width of the channel 5.

The front wall 17 is integral with the frame 7. The back wall 19 has a portion 20 that is integral with the frame 7 and a glazing bead 9 that forms a portion of the back wall 19 that is releaseably attached to the frame 7. The front 17 and back 19 walls provide support for the glazing panel 3. Buffer pads 23a, 23b provide a cushion between the glazed panel 3 and the front 17 and back 19 walls. The buffer pads 23a, 23b are made of a sponge material. Alternatively, other resiliently deformable materials may be used.

The integral portion 20 of the back wall 19 of the channel 5 is significantly smaller in height than the front wall 17. The glazed panel 3 is not supported by the integral portion of the back wall 19, but is supported by the releaseably attached glazing bead 9. The integral portion 20 of the back wall forms a protrusion extending from the base 21 of the channel 5 which the security clip 11 may engage.

The glazing bead 9 has a lug 27 to connect the glazing bead 9 to the frame 7. The lug 27 fits into a notch 29 of the frame 7 so that the glazing bead 9 is releaseably attached to the frame 7. A supporting surface 25 of the glazing bead 9 is substantially co-planar with the integral portion of the back wall 19.

On installation of the window 1, the glazing bead 9 is absent so that the glazed panel 3 is easily positioned within the channel 5. Once the glazed panel 3 is positioned within the channel 5, the glazing bead 9 is attached to the frame 7 by insertion of the lug 27 into the notch 29. The glazing bead 9 then secures the glazed panel 3 within the frame 7.

The security clip 11 lies within the channel 5 positioned between the glazed panel 3 and the frame 7. The clip 11 has a bracket 31 that engages with the glazed panel 3.

The bracket 31 has a first portion 33 attached to a second portion 35, first and second portions 33,35 being arranged perpendicular to one another so that the bracket is L-shaped in cross-section.

The first portion 33 of the bracket lies adjacent to the glass 13b of the glazed panel 3. The first portion 33 is roughly perpendicular to the base 21 of the channel 5.

In this embodiment, the first portion 35 extends substantially vertically from the channel 5.

The first portion 33 is not secured to the glass 13b of the glazing panel 3 but is loose within the channel 5. In use, the first portion 35 engages with the glazed panel 3 when the glazed panel 3 is moved towards the back wall 19. The first portion 33 could be secured to the glazing panel 3 using known securing methods, but installation of the security clip 11 is simplified if it is not secured to the glazing panel 3.

The second portion 35 of the bracket is roughly parallel to the base 21 of the channel 5. In this embodiment, the second portion 35 extends substantially horizontally.

The second portion 35 lies adjacent to the block 15 of the glazed panel 3 so that the glazed panel 3 rests on the second portion 35.

The second portion 35 of the bracket 31 is also not secured to the glazing panel 3 so that the bracket 31 is loose within the channel. Again, the second portion 35 could be secured to the glazing panel 3 using known securing methods, but installation of the security clip 11 is simplified if the second portion 35 is not secured to the glazing panel 3.

The bracket 31 extends approximately 50mm along a length of the edge of the glazed panel 3. The bracket 31 could extend a shorter distance along the edge of the glazed panel 3 so long as it effectively engages with the glazed panel 3. Equally, the bracket 31 could extend a longer distance along the edge of the glazed panel 3 so long as it does not interfere with other objects, such as glazing support blocks, located in the channel 5 of the frame 7.

The clip 11 also has a tang 37 attached to the bracket 31. The tang has a bracket end 39 secured to the second portion 35 of the bracket 31 and an abutting end 41 for abutting the protrusion formed by the integral portion 20 of the back wall 19 of the frame 7 so that the tang 37 projects from the bracket 31 towards the integral portion of the back wall 19 of the frame 7, which forms a protrusion projecting form the base of the channel.

The tang 37 is positioned between the bracket 31 and the base 21 of the channel 5. The tang 37 is angled with respect to the planes of the bracket 31 and the base 21 of the channel 5.

The tang 37 is resiliently bendable with respect to the bracket 31 at the bracket end 39 of the tang 37 so that the tang 37 can bend towards the bracket 31 during installation but will return to being angled towards the integral portion 20 of the back wall 19 when installed within the channel 5.

The tang 37 is rigid in the direction of the bracket end 39 to the abutting end 41 of the tang 37 so that when the tang 37 abuts protrusion formed by the integral portion of the back wall 19, any further motion of the security clip 11 towards the back wall 19 is resisted.

This resistance allows the first portion 33 of the bracket 31 to hinder the movement of the glazed panel 3 out of the frame 7.

The security clip 11 is formed from a single piece of spring steel metal that is cut and shaped to form the security clip 11. Using a single piece of material allows the easy manufacture of the security clip 11. In addition, the clip 11 is corrosion-resistant so that the clip does not deteriorate significantly over long periods of time. Other single piece materials that are corrosion-resistant, such as plastics, may also be used.

In this embodiment, it is envisaged that an intruder will want to gain access to the inside of the window 1 from the outside of the window 1. So, in Figure 1, the front wall-side of the frame 7 is positioned on the outside of the window 1 and the back wall-side of the frame 7 is positioned on the inside of the window 1.

In use, it is possible for an intruder from outside of the window 1 to remove the glazing bead 9 (for example, with a tool). In this situation, the glazed panel 3 is moved towards the inside of the window 1 in order to remove the glazed panel 3 and gain access to the inside of the window 1.

When the security clip 1]. is in place, the first portion 33 of the bracket 31 engages the glazed panel 3 and the tang 37 is moved towards the back wall 19 of the frame 7 until the tang 37 abuts the protrusion formed by the integral portion 20 of the back wall 19. When the tang 37 engages with the protrusion, the first portion 33 of the bracket 31 opposes the movement of the glazed panel 3 towards the inside of the window 1.

In this manner, the security clip 11 hinders the removal of the glazed panel 3 from outside of the window 1.

If the security clip 11 is absent, the glazed panel 3 is free to be dislodged from the frame 7 by moving the glazed panel 3 towards inside of the window 1.

The security clip 11 of Figure 1 can be installed to a window that had already been fitted, in other words, to a window that previously only had a glazed panel, frame and glazing bead.

To install the clip 11, the glazing bead 9 is removed to expose the channel 5. The second portion 35 of the bracket 31 is inserted into the channel 5 between the glazed panel 3 and the base 21 of the channel 5. The tang 37 is bent towards the second portion 35 of the bracket 31 so that the clip 11 will fit in the aperture between the integral portion 20 of the back wall 19 and the glazed panel 3. Once tang 37 is within the channel, the abutting end of the tang 37 is free to be biased towards the base 21 of the channel 5.

When the security clip 11 is in position between the glazed panel 3 and the base 21 of the channel 5, the glazing bead 9 is attached to the frame 7 to complete the window 1.

Once installed, the security clip can be removed from the channel from the inside of the window by removing the glazing bead and extracting the security clip. In this manner, the security clip may be removed by a user who has legitimate access to the inside of the window.

Although the embodiment described above shows glazing of a window, the present invention is also applicable to the glazing of doors.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. Glazing having a frame surrounding an aperture, the frame having a channel defined by a first wall, a base and a second wall, a portion of the first wall being releaseably attached to the frame, a glazed panel located within the aperture, a periphery of the glazed panel being within the channel of the frame, the frame also having at least one protrusion extending from the base into the channel; and a security device positioned within the channel between the glazed panel and the frame, the device having a bracket for engaging the glazed panel and at least one projection attached to the bracket and extending away from the glazing panel into the channel, said at least one projection being engageable with said at least one protrusion whereby the security device limits movement of the glazed panel towards the first wall.
2. Glazing according to claim 1 wherein the or each protrusion forms a portion of the first wall that is fixed to the frame.
3. glazing according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the bracket has a first member for engaging the glazed panel, the first member being positioned between the glazed panel and the releaseably attached portion of the first wall.
4. Glazing according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the bracket has a second member attached at a right angle to the first member so that the first and second members have an L-shaped cross-section.
5. Glazing according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the security device has more than one projection attached to the bracket, each projection being engageable with protrusion extending from the base of the channel.
6. Glazing according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the window has more than one security device of claim 1.
7. Glazing according to claim 6 wherein the glazed panel has four edges and four security devices of claim 1, each security deivce being positioned on a different edge of the glazed panel.
8. Glazing according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the releasably attached portion of the first wall is a glazing bead.
9. A method of installing a security device to a glazed window or door having a frame surrounding an aperture, the frame having a recess defined by a side wall and a base, the frame also having at least one protrusion extending from the base, and the window further having a glazed panel located within the aperture, a periphery of the glazed panel being in the recess, the method including the step of: (i) inserting a security device into the recess of the frame between the glazed panel and the frame, the security device having a bracket for engaging the glazed panel and at least one projection attached to the bracket extendable towards said at least one protrusion extending from the base of the channel, said at least one projection being engageable with said at least one protrusion so as to limit movement of the glazed panel; and (ii) attaching a further wall to the base of the frame, on the opposite side of the glazed panel from the side wall, to form a channel comprising the side wall, base and further wall, into which the periphery of the glazed panel and the security device are located.
10. The method according to claim 9 further including the step of, before step (i), detaching the further wall from the base.
11. A kit of parts for installing a glazing, the kit including a frame surrounding an aperture, the frame having a channel defined by a first wall, a base and a second wall, a portion of the first wall being releaseably attachable to the frame, the frame also having at least one protrusion extending from the base of the channel, and the window further having a glazed panel locatable within the aperture, a periphery of the glazed panel being positionable within the channel of the frame, and a security device positionable within the channel between the glazed panel and the frame, the device having a bracket for engaging the glazed panel and at least one projection attached to the bracket, said at least one projection being engageable when the security device is positioned in the channel with said at least one protrusion so as to limit movement of the glazed panel.