IL126644A - Device for draining infiltration water from a fixed frame - Google Patents

Abstract

A draining device for draining infiltration water from a fixed frame, in particular for a door or window frame, the device being adapted to a horizontal bottom cross-member constituted by means of a metal bar forming a part of the frame, which bar defines an open rabbet for receiving at least one panel (optionally a glazing panel) which is held in the rabbet by an upwardly-directed vertical flange which is provided with a sealing gasket pressed against the outside of the panel in the vicinity of its bottom edge which extends parallel to the cross-member, the cross-member also including a downwardly-directed wing extending the vertical flange, the device being characterized in that it consists in an open insert (17) forming a water flow channel (19) suitable for being fixed against the inside surface of the wing, said insert being fixed beneath an opening formed in the metal bar of the cross-member behind the vertical flange so that water which has infiltrated and been collected inside the rabbet beneath the gasket carried by its vertical flange passes through the opening and flows through the insert to beneath the cross-member beyond the downwardly- directed wing. 196 ז' באייר התשס" א - April 30, 2001

Description

A device for draining infiltration water from a fixed frame Alcan France C.113421 A DEVICE FOR DRAINING INFILTRATION WATER FROM A FIXED FRAME , IN PARTICULAR A DOOR OR WINDOW FRAME ■The present invention relates to fixed frames, in particular to door or window frames, that comprise in usual manner a framework made up of metal bars assembled together at the corners of the framework, and in which at least one panel (optionally a glazing panel) is. mounted pressed against a gasket in the bottom of an open rabbet formed in a bar of the f amework and held by a flange parallel to the panel, the flange being of the wing or strip type and also being fitted with a gasket which presses against the outside face of the panel in the vicinity of its peripheral edge.

In a construction of that kind, regardless of whether the frame has one or more juxtaposed panels, some of which may. be fixed so as to constitute a fanlight or the like, and others of which may be moving, being mounted to swing, tilt, or slide, the frame has at least one horizontal cross-member at the bottom of a panel towards which rain or other water flows under gravity when trickling down the outside face of the panel.

Because assembly does not always provide an accurate fit, i.e. because small or not so small gaps can be left, water can infiltrate in troublesome manner between the outside surface of the panel and the gasket carried by the panel -holding flange, thereby penetrating into the inside of the bar constituting the cross-member.

It is therefore necessary to drain such .water from the cross -member .

To this end, it is known to form one or more openings in the cross-member, in particular in the outside face thereof, via which any water that has collected in the cross-member can flow out, thereby draining away without running the risk of stagnating inside the frame where it might damage it, or from which it might even overflow onto the top edge of another panel situated beneath the first, and thus find its way into the premises closed by the frame.

These drainage openings are made by machining the bar which constitutes the cross-member, and they are sometimes associated with deflectors which mask them in part, such a deflector acting .like an oscillating flap so as to avoid outside water entering into the cross-member under the effect of the wind or of rain striking the panel .

As an indication, reference can be made more particularly to French patent FR 2716920 in the name of the Applicant, which shows an embodiment of that kind. '·* It may also be observed that the gasket carried by the flange which holds the panel in the rabbet of the frame is. not continuous but has gaps in places, both to facilitate assembly of the framework constituted by the bars of the frame, and also to allow air pressure to reach equilibrium between the inside and the outside of the rabbet which receives the. panel by allowing air to pass through the gaps, and possibly also allowing trickling water to pass through the' gaps.

Drainage openings, whether or not they are provided with a deflector flap, can be seen on. the outside of the frame, thereby interupting the uniform appearance thereof, and can sometimes constitute a highly visible defect in the appearance of the frame.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device for draining infiltration water from a fixed frame, in particular a door or window frame, enabling the presence of such openings in the outside faces of cross-members to be avoided while still enabling such water to be drained effectively and while still allowing pressure on either side of the panel received in the rabbet of the frame to reach equilibrium.

'.To this end, the drainage device in question, is adapted to a horizontal bottom cross-member constituted by means of a metal bar forming a part of a frame, the bar defines an open rabbet for receiving' at least one panel (optionally a glazing panel) which is held in the rabbet" by an upwardly-directed vertical flange which is provided with a sealing gasket pressed against the outside of the panel in the vicinity of its bottom edge which extends parallel to the cross-member, and the cross-member also including a downwardly-directed wing extending the vertical flange. The device is characterized in that consists in an open insert forming a water flow channel suitable for being fixed against the inside surface of the wing, said insert being fixed beneath an opening.. formed in the metal bar of the cross-member behind the vertical- flange so that water which has infiltrated and been collected inside the rabbet beneath the gasket carried by its vertical flange passes through the opening and flows through the insert to beneath the cross-member beyond the downwardly-directed wing.

By means of these dispositions, the infiltration water drainage zone is situated behind the vertical, flange and the- wing which extends it downwards and is invisible ■ from outside the frame, thereby making it possible to preserve its appearance.

According to another' characteristic of the device, the insert also has a passage extending parallel to the flow channel for infiltration water and independently thereof, said passage serving to bring the pressures inside, and outside the rabbet into equilibrium.

According to another characteristic, the insert has a gutter for receiving sealant for sealing the link between the insert and the opening in the metal bar of the cross-member. ■ According to yet another characteristic, the insert has two lateral tabs each having a projecting catch suitable . or being snapped into a groove formed in the inside surface of the wing to hold the insert against said surface.

Other characteristics of a device for draining infiltration water in a door or window, frame and made in accordance with the invention appear from the following description of an embodiment given by way of . non-limiting indication and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: • Figure 1 is a diagrammatic front view of a fixed frame in which the horizontal cross-members situated at the bottoms of glazed panels have drainage openings that can be seen from the outside; · • Figure 2 is a detail on a larger scale in cross-section on line II-II of a frame cross-member of Figure 1, for. explaining the . function -.of the drainage openings and how they are implemented; · Figure 3 is a section view analogous to Figure 2, through a frame cross-member made in accordance with the invention; • Figure 4 is a perspective view of the insert . constituting the device of the' invention; · Figure 5 is a front view on a larger scale' of the insert of Figure 4, showing the means for fixing the insert beneath the frame cross-member; and • Figure 6 is a section view showing how the device is assembled.

In Figure 1, reference 1 designates a conventional door or window frame,. shown diagrammatically and essentially comprising a framework 2 made by assembling together metal bars 3 and having two glazing panels respectively 4 and 5 mounted in the framework, the frame having a horizontal separating cross-member 6 between the panels 4 and 5, and the panel 5 situated in the bottom of the frame 1 itself being bordered by a second cross-member 7 constituting the bottom side of the frame.

With reference now to Figure 2, it can be seen that the bar constituting the cross-member 6 is formed, in particular, by two parallel metal webs, respectively 8 and 9, with an. upwardly directed vertical flange 10, said flange which extends perpendicularly to the horizontal cross-member 6, i.e. vertically, supports a sealing gasket 11 at its end, which, gasket is pressed against the outside face 12 of the glazing panel 4 in the vicinity of the bottom edge thereof.

The cross-member 6 also has an extension 13 lying in the same plane as the flange 10 but extending downwards, this extension forms a wing which also carries a sealing, gasket 14 which is pressed against the outside face of the glazing panel 5, located in the frame beneath the cross-member, whereas the panel 4 is itself situated above the cross-member .

In a conventional embodiment of this kind, openings are provided in the flange 10 in the immediate vicinity of the metal web of the cross-member 6 so that any runoff water that has trickled down the outside face 12 of the panel 4 and has managed to get past the gasket 11 is collected above the gasket- between the cross-member and the flange 10 before draining out from the frame through the openings 15.

To avoid the unattractive appearance of the openings 15 in the cross-member 6, the invention provides for eliminating said openings and for making orifices 16 in the cross-member 10, specifically in the metal webs 8 and 9, so that water that has infiltrated past the gasket 11 carried by the flange.10 can flow downwards behind the wing 13 and then trickle over the outside face of the panel 5.

To ensure that the water thus collected beneath the panel 4 and passed through the orifices 16 is channelled appropriately, the invention provides for mounting an insert 17 with a through opening beneath the cross--member 6, and in particular beneath its metal web 9, with Figure 4 showing the structure of the insert in greater detail. The insert 17 is in the form of a molded part 18 made of plastic material or the like, having a water flow channel 19 with a substantially vertical axis that is open at its top and bottom ends 20 and 21, said channel having its section narrowed internally by a transverse partition 22.

Beneath the partition, the insert has two parallel walls 23 and 24 that define a passage 25 which is isolated from the water flow channel 19 and which serves to establish communication past the wing 13 for the purpose of bringing air pressure on the inside and on the outside of the rabbet into equilibrium.

The insert 17 also includes an open gutter 26 level with its top end 20 suitable for receiving an appropriate quantity of sealant 27 to prevent the water which runs into the channel 19 beyond the orifices 16 of the cross -member 6 spreading out behind the glazing panel 5.

The insert 17 also has means for enabling it to be held in place against the inside surface of the downwardly-extending wing 13 which extends the cross-member 6 beneath the flange 10, these means are integrally molded with the part 18 and consist in providing the part with two lateral tabs 28 and 29, each of said tabs having a catch 30 suitable for being snapped into a groove 31 machined in the surface of the wing 13, with Figure 5 showing the insert installed in this way while Figure 6 is a. diagram showing various assembly stages.

The drainage device of the invention enables a single part to perform two distinct functions: firstly downward flow of water that has infiltrated without any need to pierce the outside face of the cross-member that can be seen from the outside; and secondly bringing air pressures into equilibrium across the rabbet of the glazing.

A simple device is thus provided which is particularly easy to mount and which leaves the appearance of the frame unspoilt.

Naturally, the invention is not limited to the particular embodiment described above with reference to the accompanying drawings; on the contrary it covers all variants thereof.

Claims (5)

1. / A draining device for draining infiltration water from a fixed frame (1) , in particular for a door or window frame, the device being adapted to a horizontal bottom cross-member (6) constituted by means of a metal bar forming a part of the frame, which bar defines an open rabbet for receiving at least one panel (optionally a glazing panel) (4, 5) which is held in the rabbet by an upwardly-directed vertical flange (10) which is provided with a sealing gasket (11) pressed against the outside of the panel in the vicinity of its bottom edge which extends parallel to the cross-member, the cross-member- also including a downwardly-directed wing (13) extending the vertical flange, the device being characterized in that it consists in an open insert (17) forming a water flow channel (19) suitable for being fixed against the inside surface of the wing (13) , said insert being fixed beneath an opening (16) formed. in the metal bar of the cross-member (6) behind the vertical flange (10) so that ■ water which has infiltrated and been collected inside the rabbet beneath the gasket (11) carried by its vertical flange passes through the opening and flows through the insert to beneath the cross-member beyond the downwardly- directed wing (13) .

2. / A drainage device according to claim 1, characterized in that the insert (17) also has a passage (25) extending parallel to ,the flow channel (19) for infiltration water and independently thereof, said passage serving to bring the pressures inside and outside the rabbet into equilibrium.

3. / A drainage device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the insert (17) has a gutter (26) for receiving sealant (27) for sealing the link between the insert (17).. and the opening (16) in the metal bar of the cross-member (6) .

4. / A drainage device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the insert (17) has two lateral tabs (28, 29) each having a projecting catch (30) suitable for being snapped into a groove (31) formed in the inside surface of the wing (13) to hold the insert against said surface.

5. / A drainage device according to any one of claims 1 'to 4, characterized in that the insert (17) is made by molding a plastics material or the like. For the Applicants RBNH01D COHN AND PARTNERS