NZ561106A - Panel clamp with slot for panel and tongues within slot to hold panel - Google Patents

Abstract

A clamp for holding a panel is disclosed. The clamp 10 has a base for fastening to a substrate 30. The clamp also features a body 11 and a slot 14 within the body. The slot has an inner end and an outer end and is dimensioned to be able to hold the panel 20 between a pair of opposed walls 15 of the slot. At least one of the walls is supported as an elongate tongue 16 connected to the body at a root 18. At least one adjustable bearing member 19 extends between the body and a part of a said tongue distanced from the root.

Description

Patents Form No. 5.

Patents Act 1953 Priority application: NZ P 561106; filed on August 31, 2007 Complete Specification.

NZP561 106 'PANEL CLAMP' I/We, Adam Alexander Trott, and Kay Margaret Trott, both of 42 Edward Jonkers Drive, RD 3 Albany, North Shore City; and both citizens of New Zealand, hereby declzre the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in the following statement: 1 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.2. 1 6 OCT 2008 RECEIVED TITLE: PANEL CLAMP FIELD This invention relates to a clamp for holding and supporting a flat panel, with particular application to a clamp to support a sheet of glass.

BACKGROUND Glass panels, and in particular toughened safety glass panels are often used as a fencing material for decks, balconies and around pools, where they can provide a secure barrier 10 without blocking the view. They may also be used in staircases, tables, projecting awnings or other substantially horizontal applications, and in architecturally designed buildings and outdoors constructions for use by the public. A variety of different systems have been devised to support panels of glass or other materials for the construction of fences and~ ffie like with such panels.

Some systems have used a frame or set of fittings on opposing edges of the panel, into which the panel is fitted and locked with capping elements, and between which the panel is securely held. Such a system however necessarily involves the use of a fairly robust support construction on opposite sides of the panel, and often this is considered to be undesirable because the intention when constructing with a glass panel is generally to 2 0 provide a light, transparent construction.

Alternatively, the panel can be drilled with a number of attachment holes, and fastened to a support structure with bolts or other pins. By this means a panel can be fastened along one edge only. However, this can be relatively expensive and requires careful planning, as the holes must be drilled before the glass is toughened and no adjustment is possible 25 subsequently. Each hole presents a point of weakness on account of the production of micro-cracks during drilling. Furthermore, the fastening system is generally exposed to view, and may present an undesirable appearance. 2 There may also be a risk of the fasteners cracking or otherwise damaging the panel, if twisted or otherwise put under tension. Accordingly it is difficult or dangerous to 3 0 straighten or level a pane of glass if for some reason the mountings have not been aligned or positioned correctly, and hold the pane off vertical or otherwise off square with other components of the structure PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED Accordingly there is a need for an unproved fastening system by which a panel - and in 3 5 particular a panel comprised of a brittle material - can be secured to a substrate, and in particular a fastening system which can readily allow some adjustment of the orientation of a panel.

OBJECT It is an object of this invention to provide an improved fastening clamp for panel materials, 40 or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION In a first broad aspect the invention provides a clamp for holding a panel; the clamp having a base for fastening to a substrate, a body, and a slot within the body; wherein the slot has an inner end and an outer end and is dimensioned to be able to hold the panel between a 45 pair of opposed walls of the slot, at least one of the walls is supported on an elongate tongue connected to the body at a root, and wherein at least one adjustable bearing member extends between the body and a part of a said tongue distanced from said root In a second broad aspect, the invention provides.a clamp for holding a panel, the clamp having a base for fastening to a substrate, a body, and a slot within the body; the slot 50 having an inner end and an outer end and being dimensioned to be able to hold the panel between a pair of opposed walls of the slot, wherein at least one of the walls is supported on an elongate tongue connected to the body at a root, and wherein at least one adjustable bearing member extends between the body and a part of a said tongue distanced from said root. 5 Preferably the roots of the tongues are positioned at one end thereof. 3 Preferably the roots of the tongues are positioned at an outer end thereof, like a frog's tongue.

Preferably the tongues are formed contiguously with said body, and the root comprises a flexion point. 6 0 Preferably the body and tongues are formed contiguously from metal.

More preferably the body and tongues are formed contiguously from a corrosion-resistant metal, selected from a range including stainless steel, aluminium, and alloys thereof.

Alternatively the tongues are hingedly connected to the body, and the root comprises a pivot point. 6 5 Preferably the walls of the slot are faced with a resilient surface material.

Preferably the resilient surface material is a plastics material such as (without limitation) a Nylon (T ) or a polyethylene.

Preferably the adjustable bearing member comprises a screw-threaded rod mounted in a threaded aperture on said body with an end bearing against a said tongue, whereby rotation 70 of said rod drives the end towards or away from the tongue relative to the body.

Preferred bearing members include grub screws made of a stainless steel.

In another aspect the invention provides a clamp for holding a pane of glass having a body for fastening to a substrate and paired clamping surfaces for holding said glass, wherein the orientation of the clamping surfaces is adjustable relative to said body. 75 In a third broad aspect the invention provides a clamp for holding a panel with reference to a substrate to which the base of the clamp is secured, wherein the orientation of the clamping surfaces is adjustable relative to the orientation of said base.

These and other aspects of the invention may be made apparent in the following description of preferred embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 80 4 PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The description of the invention to be provided herein is given purely by way of example and is not to be taken in any way as limiting the scope or extent of the invention.

Throughout this specification unless the text requires otherwise, the word "comprise" and 8 5 variations such as "comprising" or "comprises" will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

DRAWINGS 9 0 Figure 1: illustrates a preferred form of the invention in perspective view from the front as in use.

Figure 2: shows the clamp of Figure 1 from the rear.

Figure 3 a to f: shows the clamp of Figure 1 in plan, end and side elevations. (Screws not shown). 95 In a preferred form as illustrated herein, the invention provides a clamp 10 for fastening a sheet material such as a pane of toughened safety glass 20 to a substrate such as a deck 30, to create a free-standing fence or other such structure. Of course more than one such clamp would be used for each such pane. The clamp 10 is preferably comprised of a single-piece metal body 11 with an orthogonal plate 12 for fastening to the substrate 30, having holes 100 for bolts 13 or the like. The body may take a variety of shapes, but preferably has a rounded, vertically elongate lozenge-shape as shown in the drawings, so as to give a pleasing, natural appearance and avoid sharp corners or projections. Compliance with particular architectural concepts may instead require a polygonal outline, a circular outline or a square one, for example. 105 To hold a pane of glass 20, the body 11 is provided with a vertical slot 14 with a specified width in relation to the thickness of a pane of glass. The walls of the slot are faced with strips of resilient material 15 such as polyethylene, or other resilient plastics materials with a good weathering capability. Rubber (often synthetic), or natural materials such as leather might be used. The width of the slot including two layers of the lining should be slightly 110 greater than the thickness of a pane of glass As shown particularly in Figure 3c and 3e, the two side walls of the slot 14 comprise moveable tongues 16, each separated from the body 11 by a recursive slot 17 extending horizontally into the body 11 from the base of the slot 14 and back upwardly substantially parallel to the slot 14, so that the tongues 16 are connected to the body 11 at a root only at 115 the top end 18. This resembles the anatomy of a frog's tongue. Flexion of the tongues 16 at the top end 18 where they attach to the body 11 allows the lower end of the tongues 16 to flex inwardly or outwardly.

Near the lower end of each tongue 16, a threaded hole extends usually perpendicularly to the slot through the body 11 behind each tongue, inside which an adjustment screw 19 is 12 0 rotationally mounted. By turning either screw 19, the lower end of the tongue 16 on that side can be driven inward or released outward by the tip of the screw. When the pane of glass 20 is mounted in the slot 14, the adjustment screws 19 can be tightened to press the tongues 16 inwardly, and thereby clamp the pane between the resilient facings 15. The facings 15 provide a wide area of resilient contact with the pane of glass 20, by which it 12 5 can be held firmly but without risk of damage. A second grub screw tightened against the back of the first may help to secure it in place, or one of the commercial screw fixing materials such as "Loctite"® may be used. Resultant stress in an installed sheet of glass might be assessed by looking through the pane with a pair of sheets of "Polaroid", one on each side of the pane of glass and one rotated to maximum extinction. Stressed areas 130 instantly become visible.

Two opposing screw assemblies (19, 19A (Fig 3c)) are provided so that small errors in alignment of a row of brackets can be compensated by relative screw movement before final tightening. One would not want to impose distortions and stress on an originally flat pane. Furthermore, the angle of the side walls of the slot 14 can be adjusted relative to the 135 body 11 of the clamp 10. If an inconsistency in the substrate 30 or an inaccuracy in the placement or fastening of the clamp 10 means that the slot 14 is not exactly vertical, the angle can be altered by releasing one screw 19 and further tightening the other. By this means the pane of glass 20 can be held at the correct angle without being put under tension, even if the body 11 is not mounted at exactly the correct angle on the substrate 30. 6 14 0 Preferably the screws once adjusted are sealed in place with a waterproofing compound such as a wax. Many environments would expose the brackets to sea spray, pool water or rain water and opportunities for any corrosion should be minimised.

Preferred materials (listed here without limitation) are the stainless steel alloys 304 and 316; alternatively the aluminium alloy 6061 T6. The preferred thickness for initial 14 5 applications is 16 mm, Hence it is possible to make the brackets from sheet material, using a water cutter (as is known in the relevant arts) or possibly a laser cutter; all driven from a CNC console. Outer edges or corners may be chamfered or rounded. Then the brackets are drilled and threaded, and finally surface-finished such as by polishing or painting or anodizing as appropriate. (The inventor has found the laser cutter prone to wander and 150 prefers the water cutter, but this may reflect the condition of particular machinery).

The brackets could first be cast or stamped to outline shape and then finished using a suitable metal cutting device, and drilled and finished as above. Casting or stamping is unlikely to be able to form the slots that create the tongues, and a water-cutting device is needed for those. 155 VARIATIONS The specific form of the clamp may vary considerably within the scope of the invention.

In particular, the fastening plate 12 may take any of a wide range of forms to suit attachment in different ways, as needed, onto or against different substrates. The example shown is a vertical plate for mounting on the vertical facing of a deck or the like, but it 160 could equally comprise a horizontal plate for mounting onto a horizontal surface, or a member adapted for bolting onto ties set in cement, one adapted for bolting to a rod or pipe, or a clamp or other type of fastener. The version of plate 12 as shown in Fig 3d and 3e is bolted into the body of the bracket with cap screws, for example, into holes 20. It might alternatively be welded into place, or comprise part of a casting. 165 While the rounded lozenge-shaped body as shown in the drawings is currently preferred as an aesthetically-pleasing form unlikely to cause injury or damage to things knocking against it in normal use, it will be appreciated that the same structural characteristics could be achieved with an angular body such as a generally triangular or rectangular form, and that such forms might be preferred for example in applications where the clamp will be 7 17 0 hidden from view in use.

While it is preferred for the tongues 16 to be attached to the body at the top end as shown, a similar function could be achieved with tongues attached at the bottom end only, with the adjustment screw being positioned near the top end. In this case the slots 17 would comprise simple vertical slots parallel to the main slot 14. Such a construction might 175 however hold the glass panel less securely, in that the top end of the tongues could flex sideways relate to the body allowing the pane to pivot. Accordingly the arrangement described above is preferred at present.

Similarly, the tongues 16 could be pivotally mounted on the body with a hinge at one end, or even partway along its length, and the adjustment screw 19 used to pivot the tongue 18 0 about the hinge-point. This is considered less preferable at present because the mechanism would necessarily be somewhat more complex, and also because the tongue would not resiliently press against the adjustment screw 19, introducing a potential degree of slack. One advantage of the present invention is that there is little opportunity for corrosion to take place, in the absence of a hinge. 18 5 A variety of different adjustment mechanisms could be used, possibly including a wedge to be driven between the body and the tongue by action of the mechanism. A tapered screw might be used; perhaps coming from the outer end or directly into the slot, rather than from a side as shown. A single adjustment mechanism could be provided on one tongue only, with the other simply flexing to stay in alignment, but some alteration or care would be 190 required in this case to ensure secure clamping of the panel.

Different materials and thicknesses could be used for the clamp and/or the resilient facings of the slot, to suit different styles or uses. The material of the clamp would however need to be sufficiently strong and/or resilient to allow the tongues to be adjusted without breaking. Some transparent plastics may be strong enough despite possible exposure to 195 daylight over time, and would provide a pleasing appearance. It is likely that they will be thicker than 16 mm. Engineer acceptability in terms of building regulations would be required for any proposed material.

Finally, it will be understood that the scope of this invention as described by way of example and/or illustrated herein is not limited to the specified embodiments. Where in 8

Claims (12)

WE CLAIM

1. A clamp for holding a panel; the clamp having a base for fastening to a substrate, a body, and a slot within the body; wherein the slot has an inner end and an outer end and is dimensioned to be able to hold the panel between a pair of opposed 210 walls of the slot, at least one of the walls is supported as an elongate tongue connected to the body at a root, and wherein at least one adjustable bearing member extends between the body and a part of a said tongue distanced from said root.

2. A clamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein the root of each tongue is positioned at one end of the tongue. 215

3. A clamp as claimed in claim 2, wherein the root of each tongue is positioned at an outer end thereof, like a frog's tongue.

4. A clamp as claimed in any previous claim, wherein each tongue is formed contiguously with said body, and the root comprises a flexion point.

5. A clamp as claimed in any previous claim, wherein the body and the at least one 22 0 tongue is formed contiguously from metal.

6. A clamp as claimed in claim 5, wherein the body and tongues are formed contiguously from a corrosion-resistant metal, selected from a range including stainless steel, aluminium, and alloys thereof.

7. A clamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one tongue is hingedly 225 connected to the body, and the root comprises a pivot point.

8. A clamp as claimed in any previous claim, wherein the walls of the slot are faced with a resilient surface material selected from a range of plastics materials including Nylon (T ) and polyethylene.

9. A clamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one adjustable bearing member 230 comprises a screw-threaded rod mounted inside a threaded aperture within said body with an end bearing against a said tongue, whereby rotation of said rod drives the end towards or away from the tongue relative to the body. 10 intellectual Property Office of N Z. 29N3V 2007 RECEIVED.

10. A clamp as claimed in claim 9, wherein the adjustable bearing member is made of a metal screw; the metal being selected from a range including stainless steel.

11. A clamp as claimed in any previous claim, wherein the orientation of the clamping surfaces is adjustable relative to the orientation of said base.

12. A clamp as described in the accompanying text with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings. Ensor and Associates for Adam Alexander Trott and Kay Margaret Trott 1 2 3 NOV 2007 \recejveJ5.