IE922619A1 - Glazing assemblies - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of holding down a. glazing panel onto a sill / when constructing a glazing structure, the g’lazing panel compnsmg at least a lower frame member^ and the sill having an outer upstandjon which the lower frame member of the panel rests, the panel also having a downwardlyextending flange^'which, in use, is positioned close to the outer upstand of the sill so as to define a gap therebetween, the method comprising inserting into the gap at least one wedge^which is shaped to fill the gap to an extent sufficient to prevent relative vertical movement between the panel and the sill.

Description

A method of holding down a. glazing panel onto a sill / when constructing a glazing structure, the g’lazing panel compnsmg at least a lower frame member^ and the sill having an outer upstandjon which the lower frame member of the panel rests, the panel also having a downwardlyextending flange^'which, in use, is positioned close to the outer upstand of the sill so as to define a gap therebetween, the method comprising inserting into the S3 gap at least one wedge^which is shaped to fill the gap to an extent sufficient to prevent relative vertical movement between the panel and the sill.

(P6162.IE) to pup.j /ο η.,,· -y. ·~ η SECTION £8 and fi|jLe 23 1NLT'0 .....0F q. 3 .^ GLAZING ASSEMBLIES application This invention relates to glazing assemblies,- and particularly to « the holding down of a glazing panel, relative to a support surface, provided by a sill, on which the panel is to be located.

When constructing a glazing panel assembly, such as a conservatory, it may be necessary to fit together, in side-byside relationship, several glazing panels. Each panel is located on a supporting sill, and must be maintained in an accurate vertical orientation before the next adjacent panel is fitted. Once all the panels have been properly positioned, they may be permanently secured by means of a ring beam which is located on the top of the panels.

This invention is particularly concerned with the construction of a glazing panel assembly from pre-glazed panels, although the invention can also be made use of in connection with unglazed panels. One possibility with pre-glazed panels is to take the glass out of the panels as a first step. The resulting frame members can then be fixed directly to the sill by means of screws passing through the bottom frame member and into the sill. Such an approach is undesirable because the glass could be broken during this procedure and, particularly in the DIY (do-ityourself) market, would not be a particularly attractive proposition. • 922619 Another approach which has been proposed is to secure the free side edge of each panel to the sill by means of a small right* angle bracket which is screwed into the frame of the panel and into the sill. In order to fix such a bracket, holes have to be drilled into both the sill and the side frame member of the panels. The bracket has then to be positioned, and screws have to be located and secured. This procedure is relatively timeconsuming and complicated.

According to the present invention, there is provided a method of holding down a glazing panel onto a sill when constructing a glazing structure, such as a conservatory, the sill having an outer upstand on which the lower frame member of the panel rests, and the panel having a downwardly-extending flange which, in use, is positioned close to said outer upstand to define a gap therebetween, the method comprising inserting into said gap at least one wedge shaped to fill such gap to an extent sufficient to prevent relative vertical movement between the panel and the sill.

The present invention also provides a wedge for use in the above method. In addition, the present invention provides a glazing structure in which glazing panels are held down on a support sill by means of one or more wedges located between the outer upstand of the sill and a flange extending downwardly from the panel.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a vertical section through a lower portion of glazing panel and the sill on which it rests; Figure 2 shows in detail part of the arrangement of Figure 1; Figure 3 illustrates part of a glazing assembly including side-by-side positioned panels; and Figure 4 shows the arrangement of glazing panels in a leanto conservatory.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, a glazing assembly includes a continuous sill 1 made of UPVC or aluminium which provides support for, and is located under, a series of side-by-side mounted glazing panels 3. Sill 1 is a hollow member having an upper surface which slopes downwardly from its inner edge 5 to its outer edge 7.

Glazing panel 3 includes frame members of which bottom frame member 7 is shown in Figure 1. Mounted within the frame members are glass panels 9 and 11. Figure 1 also shows the presence of spacing element 13 located between panes 9 and 11, seal element 15 and combined mounting and seal element 17.

Bottom frame member 7 is an essentially hollow L-shaped element with an inner leg 19 extending upwardly from body 21. The inner surface of leg 19 extends upwardly from the inner edge 5 of sill « 1.

The bottom frame member 7 of panel 3 rests on sill 1 by means of engagement between downwardly extending inner flange 21 of bottom frame member 7 and sill 1 and upwardly extending outer flange 23 of sill 1 with the bottom surface of bottom frame member 7. Flange 21 of bottom frame member 7 engages with the horizontal surface of an inner recess formed at the upper inner corner of sill 1. Extending upwardly a short distance from the rear face of this recess is a sill flange 25 so that there is defined a gap 27 between flange 21 and flanged rear surface of the recess of the sill. Flange 21 is provided with an integral nib 29 which fills the lower part of this gap.

Bottom frame member 7 is provided, at its outermost edge, with a downwardly-extending flange 31 so that there is defined between this flange 31 and upwardly-extending flange 23 of sill 1 a further gap which, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, is filled by wedge 33. Wedge 33 is made of solid plastics material and, typically, is about 50mm long. It is very approximately rectangular in cross-section but is shaped so as to exactly fit the gap defined by flanges 23 and 31 as well as the lower surface of bottom frame member 7 and the upper surface of sill 1, there being a small entry portion 35 to said gap which is not bounded by either sill 1 or bottom frame member 7.

As indicated in Figure 1, a further nib 37 may be provided integral with and extending forwardly from the rear surface of recess 29, this nib being intended to engage with nib 29 of flange 21 to prevent relative vertical movement between the inner parts of the bottom frame member 7 and sill 1.

Referring to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings, there is shown part of a glazing assembly for a conservatory including sill 41 and glazing panels 43, 45 and 47, each having lower and upper panel elements 49 and 51 respectively. In constructing the assembly, panel 43 is fitted first and abuts wall 53. It is secured without de-glazing to the wall. The panel 43 is located over the sill 41 and two 50mm long wedges 55 are inserted into the positions described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2. To insert these wedges 55, they may be fit into position from the free lower edge of panel 43 (as indicated by the arrow in Figure 3) using a screw-driver or similar tool. The interference fit between the wedges and the nibs on flanges 23 and 31 (referring to Figures 1 and 2) results in the panel and sill being locked together, thereby preventing any possibility of an upward movement of the panel away from the sill.

Subsequently, panels 45 and 47 may be secured in position in the same way of panel 43.

« Referring to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a glazing assembly comprising lower sill 61 and a plurality of side-by-side positioned panels 63, the assembly being in the form of a lean-to conservatory. Such an assembly may be constructed using the method of the present invention, in particular the use of wedges to lock each panel in position during the construction process. As will be appreciated, the method of present invention can also be used in connection with any other glazing assembly configuration, for example, a Victorian-type conservatory.

Claims (12)

1. A method of holding down a glazing panel onto a sill when constructing a glazing structure, the glazing panel comprising at least a lower frame member and the sill having an outer upstand on which the lower frame member of the panel rests, the panel also having a downwardlyextending flange which, in use, is positioned close to the outer upstand of the sill so as to define a gap therebetween, the method comprising inserting into the gap at least one wedge which is shaped to fill the gap to an extent sufficient to prevent relative vertical movement between the panel and the sill.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the sill additionally comprises an inner upstand on which the lower frame member of the glazing panel rests, and the a second downwardlyis positioned close to the second downwardlypanel additionally comprises extending flange which, in use, the inner upstand of the sill, extending flange having an engaging portion which engages with a corresponding engaging portion provided on the inner upstand of the sill.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the wedge is made of a solid plastics material.

4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the wedge is about 50mm long.

5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein two wedges, each of length about 50mm, are inserted into the gap between the outer upstand of the sill and the downwardly-extending flange of the glazing panel.

6. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gap defined between the outer up'stand of the sill and the downwardly-extending flange of the glazing panel has an inlet which is accessible from the outside of the glazing structure being constructed, through which inlet the wedge may be inserted.

7. A wedge for use in the method of any one of the preceding claims.

8. A wedge according to claim 7, which is so shaped as to exactly fit the gap defined between the outer upstand of the sill and the downwardly-extending flange of the glazing panel, when used in the method of any one of claims 1 to 6.

9. A glazing structure in which a glazing panel is held down on a support sill by means of one or more wedges located between an outer upstand of the sill and a flange extending downwardly from the panel.

10. A glazing structure constructed using the method of any one of claims 1 to 6 in order to hold down a glazing panel onto a sill forming part of the structure.

11. A method of holding down a glazing panel onto a sill when constructing a glazing structure, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings. 92 2 6 1 9

12. A glazing structure substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings.