GB2564540A

GB2564540A - A window system

Info

Publication number: GB2564540A
Application number: GB1808113.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Callaghan Morgan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-05-22
Filing date: 2018-05-18
Publication date: 2019-01-16
Also published as: GB201808113D0; IE20170108A1

Abstract

The window system comprises a glazing bar 4 and a body 6 extending from the glazing bar. In use the spacer bar 8 of a double glazed window panel is located within a rebate 24 defined by the body and glazing bar. The glazing bar may include a cap 18 into which a tip of the body is located. The body may be located in a groove of the glazing bar. Seal 26 may be located along a part of the rebate. Also claimed is a prefabricated window comprising the system including the glazing bar. Also claimed is a method of refurbishing a window comprising the steps of removing a section of the original glazing bar, adapting the original glazing bar by securing a body to define the rebate and capturing the edge of a multi glazed panel.

Description

A Window System

Field of Invention

This invention relates to a system for replacing at least one single glazed pane with at least one multi-glazed panel in a multiple paned window.

Background of Invention

Certain windows or doors (such as for example those from the Georgian era) comprise a thin glazing bar which separates the individual panes of glass within a sash. Although these windows were built to endure a certain amount of weather and passing of time, it is often necessary to repair or replace the panes of these windows. A number of old or historic buildings are protected under restoration or planning laws so that any reparation I replacement I refurbishment work performed on the windows of these buildings is tightly controlled and must be of a specific standard which ensures that the work is in line with the original features of the window or door.

In many cases single panes are replaced with double glazed panes in order to improve the thermal performance of the window. Double glazed panes comprise two single panes of glass (or other suitable material) which are separated by a vacuum or gas filled void and, as such, they are considerably thicker than single panes. Double glazed panes comprise a spacer bar around their perimeter in order to maintain the vacuum or filled gas between the panes. As the spacer bar is not a feature of single panes of glass, replacing the single pane with the double glazed pane means that additional space will be required on the glazing bar in order to accommodate the spacer bar.

Traditionally, the new space requirement of the double glazed panes was absorbed by removing a wider section of the glazing bar in order to accommodate the new panes however in many cases it was not possible to remove a deeper section of the glazing bar in order to hide the space bar from view so the spacer bar of the new double glazed pane was visible when the new double glazed panes were fitted to the old glazing bar. The visible spacer bar caused some problems as the view of the spacer bar could substantially change the appearance of the window and there was a risk that this style of replacement may be rejected by the local planning regulators due to the lack of continuity of the original appearance of the windows.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to advance the technology of window pane replacement or repair techniques such that the spacer bar of the new pane is less visible when the new window has been fitted

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a window system; comprising a glazing bar and a body extending from the glazing bar such that the glazing bar and the body form a rebated section within which, in use, a spacer bar of a multi glazed panel may be captured.

Preferably, the glazing bar comprises an original glazing bar having a section removed, and the body replaces the removed section of the original glazing bar.

Preferably, the glazing bar is a product of an original window.

Preferably, the body is dimensioned such that the rebated section is of an increased depth than a rebate of the original window.

Preferably, the spacer bar defines a captured edge, wherein the rebated section is dimensioned to fully accommodate the spacer bar.

Preferably, the system comprises a groove in a face of the glazing bar into which the body is fixed.

Preferably, the body is an elongate plate.

Preferably, the system comprises a cap which is adapted to fit on the projecting tip of the body.

Preferably, the system comprises a multi-glazed panel wherein a bead of glazing putty lies along an interface between the cap and the multi-glazed panel.

Preferably, the system comprises a seal along at least part of the rebate formed by the glazing bar and the body.

Preferably, the system comprises a pair of rebates situated on opposed sides of the body.

Preferably, the body is made of steel.

Preferably, the body is made of hard plastic.

According to a second embodiment of the present invention there is provided a prefabricated window surround comprising the system according to any of the preceding claims wherein the adapted glazing bar with pre-installed body is provided as an integral part of the prefabricated window surround such that standard multi glazed panels can be fitted into the window surround.

Preferably, the prefabricated window surround comprises at least one pre-installed multi glazed panel.

Preferably, the prefabricated window surround is adapted to be mounted on an existing window frame.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of refurbishing a window comprising the steps of removing a section of an original glazing bar; securing a body to the adapted glazing bar so as to define a rebate between the adapted glazing bar and the body, and capturing an edge of a multi-glazed panel in the rebate.

Preferably, the method comprises the step of forming a groove in a face of the adapted glazing bar following the removal of a portion of the original glazing bar; and inserting a portion of the body into the groove in order to secure the body to the adapted glazing bar.

Preferably, the method comprises the step of dimensioning the body such that a spacer bar which defines the captured edge of the multi- glazed panel can be fully accommodated in the rebate formed by the body and the adapted glazing bar.

Brief Description of Drawings

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a cross section of the traditional method for replacing a single pane with a double glazed pane, in use, with a double glazed pane fixed in place;

Figure 2 illustrates a cross section of a preferred embodiment of a window system according to the present invention, in use, with a double glazed panel fixed in place; and

Figure 3 illustrates a front view of a multi paned window incorporating the window system illustrated in Figure 2.

Detailed Description of Drawings

Referring now to Figure 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings there is illustrated in Figure 1 a traditional method for replacing a single pane with a double glazed pane, which results in the glazing bar being visible from an outward aspect when viewing the completed window. In Figure 2 there is illustrated a first embodiment of a window system, generally indicated as 100, which is designed to enable the replacement of a single paned window with a multi-glazed window whilst substantially preserving the appearance of an original window when the completed window is viewed from an outward aspect. Figure 3 illustrates a multi paned window, which could be considered as an example of the typical type of window for which the window system (100) method may be employed. Use of the window system (100) is not however limited solely to this type of window (20) and the window system (100) may be used in a wide configuration of window types.

In the preferred embodiment, a multiple paned window (20) comprises six panes, the panes being separated from each other by glazing bars (4) as shown in Figure 3. Windows (or doors) which consist of one single pane or windows (or doors) which consist of one single pane which is visually divided into two or more panes through means of a decorative glazing bar shall not be considered to be included in the definition of a multiple paned window for the purposes of this invention. Depending on the amount of panes within the one multiple paned window structure (20), the periphery of the panes may be in contact with glazing bars (4) on all four sides or the panes may be in contact with the glazing bars on some sides and in contact with a window surround (22) on other sides. The window surround (22) should be understood to be the structure which holds the glazing bars (4) and panes in place. The window surround (22) may be fixed directly to a window frame (26) or it may be moveably (hingedly or otherwise) connected to the window frame (26). The peripheries of the panes are fixed directly onto the glazing bars (4) (or onto a combination of the glazing bar (4) and the prefabricated window surround (22) depending on their location within the window (20)). In the preferred embodiment, the width of the glazing bar (4) is between 14mm and 22mm.

When multiple glazing (such as double glazing or triple glazing) is used, each single pane is replaced by a multi-glazed panel (2). Each multi glazed panel (2) comprises at least two individual panes (10) and a spacer bar (8), the spacer bar (8) being used to separate the individual panes (10) from each other and to create an airtight cavity (12) between the panes (10). The airtight cavity (12) maybe be filled with gas or it may be a vacuum. The airtight cavity (12) serves as an insulation barrier effectively reducing the thermal conductivity of the window (20).

As traditional single panes do not have a spacer bar (8), fitting a new multi glazed panel (2) into an existing glazing bar (4) (which was intended for use in conjunction with a single pane) without significant modification of the glazing bar (4) means that the spacer bar (8) is visible from an outward aspect when viewing the complete window and the appearance of the new window therefore differs significantly from the appearance of the original window. This traditional method for replacing single panes with multi-glazed panes can be seen in Figure 1.

The window system (100) of the new invention requires significant reworking of the original glazing bar in order to make space for the spacer bar (8) of the multi-glazed panel (2) without hindering the structural strength provided by the original glazing bar. The “original glazing bar” should be understood to mean a complete glazing bar prior to its refurbishment as described hereinafter. Any references to glazing bar (4) should be understood to mean the refurbished glazing bar or the glazing bar which is identical in geometry to the refurbished glazing bar.

In order to refurbish the original glazing bar, a section of the original glazing bar is removed by any suitable means so that the removed section can be replaced by a body (6) which is of significantly reduced thickness relative to the section of the original glazing bar that the body (6) replaces. In a preferred embodiment, following the removal of the section of the original glazing bar, a groove (or slot) is hollowed out of the remaining glazing bar (4) such that the body (6) is preferably fixed in an embedded position within the groove of the glazing bar (4) and extends outwardly therefrom in order to provide a platform or support against which abuts at least one, and preferably a pair, of the multi glazed panels (2). It should be understood that the body (6) could be attached to the glazing bar (4) by any other means without departing from the inventive concept of the invention, such as for example, by means of a substantially L-shaped bracket which fixed the body (6) directly to the glazing bar (4) therefore alleviating the need for the groove. The substantially L-shaped bracket could be an independent article which fixes the body (6) to the glazing bar (4) or the body (6) itself could take the form of the substantially L-shaped bracket and the body (6) could therefore be fixed directly to the glazing bar (4). The substantially L-shaped bracket could be fixed to the glazing bar (4) through means of at least one screw, adhesive or any other suitable fixing means. The body (6) is made from a strong material such as stainless steel or hard plastic thereby allowing it to provide structural support within the glazing bar (4) without compromising on the amount of space apportioned to the body (6). As the body (6) requires considerably less space than the portion of the glazing bar which was removed, there is ample space for the spacer bar (8) of the multi-glazed panel (2) to be placed so that it sits substantially inside a rebate (24) which is formed by the combination of the remaining glazing bar (4) and the body (6). The spacer bar (8) is therefore not substantially visible from an outward aspect when viewing the completed window (20).

Once the multi-glazed panel has been located in place against the rebate (24), a cap (18) is placed on the projecting tip of the body (6). A bead of putty (or another caulking substance) (16) is subsequently applied to the interface between the cap (18) and the spacer bar (8) in order to seal the multi-glazed panel (2) in place. In a preferred embodiment, the cap (18) resembles the appearance of the external portion of the original glazing bar from the original window.

The window system (100) may be utilised to replace the individual panes of an original multi paned window. In a second embodiment the window system (100) could be used to replace the full window surround (22) (rather than simply the individual panes of the window) such that a new window frame (26) is provided which already includes the pre-fabricated window surround (22) comprising the window system (100). In this second embodiment the full window surround could be provided with a window frame (26) or it could be adapted to fit an existing window frame (26).

The panes can be made from glass, plastic or any other suitable material which combines both transparency and durability.

Claims

1. A window system (100); comprising a glazing bar (4) and a body (6) extending from the glazing bar (4) such that the glazing bar (4) and the body (6) form a rebated section (24) within which, in use, a spacer bar (8) of a multi glazed panel (2) may be captured.

2. The system (100) of claim 1 wherein the glazing bar (4) comprises an original glazing bar having a section removed and the body (6) replaces the removed section of the original glazing bar.

3. The system (100) of any preceding claim wherein the glazing bar (4) is a product of an original window (20).

4. The system (100) of claim 3 wherein the body (6) is dimensioned such that the rebated section (24) is of an increased depth than a rebate of the original window (20).

5. The system (100) of any preceding claim wherein the spacer bar (8) defines a captured edge, and wherein the rebated section (24) is dimensioned to fully accommodate the spacer bar (8).

6. The system (100) of any preceding claim comprising a groove in a face of the glazing bar (4) into which the body (6) is fixed.

7. The system (100) of any preceding claim wherein the body (6) is an elongate plate.

8. The system (100) of any preceding claim comprising a cap (18) which is adapted to fit on the projecting tip of the body (6).

9. The system (100) of claim 8 comprising a multi-glazed panel (4) wherein a bead of glazing putty (16) lies along an interface between the cap and the multi-glazed panel (2).

10. The system (100) of any preceding claim comprising a seal (26) along at least part of the rebate (24) formed by the glazing bar (4) and the body (6).

11. The system (100) of any preceding claim comprising a pair of rebates (24) situated on opposed sides of the body (6).

12. The system (100) of any preceding claim wherein the body (6) is made of steel. I

13. The system (100) of any of the preceding claims 1 to 11 wherein the body (6) is made of hard plastic.

14. A prefabricated window surround (22) comprising the system (100) according to any of the preceding claims wherein the adapted glazing bar (4) with pre-installed body (6) is provided as an integral part of the prefabricated window surround (22) such that standard multi glazed panels (2) can be fitted into the window surround (22).

15. The prefabricated window surround (22) of claim 14 comprising pre-installed multi glazed panels (2).

16. The prefabricated window surround (22) of claim 14 or 15, which is adapted to be mounted on an existing window frame (26).

17. A method of refurbishing a window comprising the steps of removing a section of an original glazing bar; securing a body (6) to the adapted glazing bar (4) so as to define a rebate (24) between the adapted glazing bar (4) and the body (6), and capturing an edge of a multi-glazed panel (2) in the rebate (24).

18. A method according to claim 18 comprising the step of forming a groove in a face of the adapted glazing bar (4) following the removal of a portion of the original glazing bar; and inserting a portion of the body (6) into the groove in order to secure the body (6) to the adapted glazing bar (4).

19. A method according to claim 18 or 19 comprising the step of dimensioning the body (6) such that a spacer bar (4) defining the captured edge of the multi- glazed panel (2) can be fully accommodated in the rebate (24) formed by the body (6) and the adapted glazing bar (4).