US2617159A

US2617159A - Mounting device for glazing units

Info

Publication number: US2617159A
Application number: US121207A
Authority: US
Inventors: George A Leighton
Original assignee: Libbey Owens Ford Glass Co
Current assignee: Libbey Owens Ford Glass Co
Priority date: 1949-10-13
Filing date: 1949-10-13
Publication date: 1952-11-11
Anticipated expiration: 1969-11-11

Description

Nov. 11, 1952 a A. L IG T N 2,617,159

MOUNTING DEVICE FOR GL AZING UNITS Filed 00 13, 1949 3nventor X56076 Q egg/M072 7 70666 fdwope Patented Nov. 11, 1952 MOUNTING DEVICE FOR GLAZING UNITS George A. Leighton, Toledo, Ohio, asisignor to Libbey-.owenseFord Glass Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio,

Application October 13, 1949, Serial No. 121,207

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates broadly to the art of la s in an mo e art cu a to an impr d d v ce o s in; he mo n of ult ple assshe t a ina its A is. W ll kn wn. mi: i le sheet zi un include two or more sheets of glass secured together to produce a unitary structure and, because of this, their manner of installation departs considerably from the method conventionally employed in glazing single lights of glass. Typicalof such units is the one beingmanufactured and sold by the assignee company under the trade-mark Thermopane. In this particular unit, the glass sheets are secured in properly spaced, parallel relationship by metallic separator means arranged between the glass sheets and soldered to metallic coatings, provided around the marginal portions thereof, to form a. hermetically sealed structure.

When installing units of this type in a window opening or sash frame, the bottom edges thereof are ordinarily secured in a. bed of glazing compound. Inthe case of large units,- it has been considered necessary to employ special soft-surface setting blocks which maintain the 1.:

unit out of actual contact with the framing structure.

Briefly stated, according to the present invention, there is provided a novel mounting device in the form of a specially formed spring clip, a plurality of which may be resiliently attached to a double glazedunih at spaced intervals around the. edges thereof, at the time of its installation. Being directly associated with the glass sheets of said unit, these clips, in the case of large 1 units, eliminate the necessity for the use of the usual setting blocks and, at, the same time, afford positive protection for the bottom edge. of the unit as it is installed in the sash frame.

When the glazing unit is installed in a substantially vertical position, each mounting clip, by reason of its novel construction, will independently support each of the glass sheets of the double; glazing unit at their lower edges so that, with a plurality of the clips, surface irregularities of the sash or the unit will be compensated for and the weight of the units mass equally distributed.

It is an aim of the invention to provide an improved mounting clip for multiple glazing units which affords spring type, separate supporting surfaces for the glass sheets of such units whereby any unevenness in the sash frame, either transversely or longitudinally, will be compensated for and the weight of the unit evenly and uniformly distributed throughout the frame, thereby reducing or eliminating the creation of strains and stresses in the unit which would act to rupture the seal thereof o cause breakage of the glass.

Another objectofthe invention is to provide a mounting clip for multiple glazing units associated with such units in such a manner as to protect the bottom; edgesf-rom contact with the sash frame without the use of setting blocks.

Another object of the invention is to provide a, mounting clip of novel construction fo multiple glazing units, said clip being. so formed as to equally space the double glazing unit within a sash frame thereby. permitting equalized fill of glazing compound with respect to either face of the unit and the adjacent edges of the frame and consequently-reducing the time required for glazmg.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mounting clip of the characterdescribed, so formed that, in cooperating association with similarly arranged clips, balanced spacing of the unit within the rabbeted portion of a sashor Window framing structure will be effected whereby the glazing compound may thoroughly seal said unit around its entire perimeter.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mounting clip of the character described adapted to frictionally grip the surface of a sash frame thereby sustaining the multiple glazing unit from shifting and without the use of points or other securing devices A still further object of the invention is to provide a mounting device of multiple glazing units that is characterized by its exceedingly efficient functioning, ease of installation, strength ofconstruction and economy of manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent, during the course of the following description, when taken in connectidn with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings,- wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Fig. l is a front elevation illustrating a, window glazed with the clips of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one form of double glazing unit showing the mounting clips arranged thereon;

Fig. 3 is a perspective of a preferred form of mounting clip constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 4 is avertical, transverse section on line 44 of Fig. 1; v

Fig. 5 is a vertical, longitudinal section on line 55 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail of a modified form of gripping means for the mounting clip.

With reference now to the drawings and particularly to Figs; 1 and 4, there is disclosed a window, the panes of which are composed of multiple glazing units 9, mounted in a sash H! by the spring clips ll of the invention. By way of example, and in nowise to limit the scope of 3 the invention, the window sash or frame 10 in which the units 9 are mounted has been illustrated as a conventional metal sash, movably or stationarily arranged within the window opening l2.

The multiple glazing unit 9, as shown, comprises two sheets of glass it and M (Fig. 4) spaced from one another to provide an insulating space l5 therebetween. Arranged between the glass sheets (3 and M and soldered to metallic coatings [6 provided around their marginal areas, is a metallic separator strip IT. Although there has been illustrated here, by way of example, a type of multiple glazing unit, manufactured and sold by the assignee company under the trademark Thermopane (more particularly disclosed and claimed in Patent No. 2,235,680, dated March 18, 1941), it is to be understood that the invention may be used in the mounting of other types of multiple or double glazing units; also that it is adapted to the mounting of units comprising three or more sheets of glass.

It will be noted from Fig. 4 that it is possible to mount a double glazed unit 9 in a window frame in with the clips l I as the sole mechanical mounting means. Heretofore, when installing Thermopane units of a size necessary for large, single sashes, picture or store windows and in which lights over 80 united inches were employed, it was considered necessary that they be supported on soft surface setting blocks. Such blocks were made of soft rot-proofed wood, soft lead, or of steel or aluminum with soft lead tops, and were required to be of the same width as the thickness of the unit to be glazed. The mounting blocks had to be located on the sash or frame to sustain the unit above and substantially level on the sash. They were located in place before the installation of the glazing unit and constituted an additional expense, and time-consuming factor, in the glazing procedure.

According to the present invention, however, and by employing the novel glazing clips H, the use of setting blocks can be entirely eliminated,

with a corresponding reduction in cost, glazing time and number of mechanical glazing devices reouired.

The special spring type glazing clip of the invention can best be seen in Fig. 3. In its preferred form, it is substantially U-shaped, being provided with upwardly directed sides l8 and I9 rising convergently from the central web or base 20. The clip is preferably formed of thin, tempered steel plate and may be, by way of example, of 28. gauge medium carbon steel which may be cadmium plated or cement coated according to trade demands. When the

sides

18 and 19 are struck or otherwise bent from the base 20, the elasticity of the metal supplies a desired amount of resilien y when the clip is operatively associated with the double glazing unit. The sides 18 and [9 thus constitute opposed gripping portions of the clip and to increase the efiectiveness of their action, the outer edges 2! are spaced apart a distance slightly less than the thickness of the unit with which the clip is to be employed. These outer edges 2! are suitably rolled or bent over, as at 22, so that the engaging surfaces will be provided over a relatively smooth, continuing area.

By reason of the inward inclination of the sides l8 and 19, the base 20 is considerably wider between the corner areas 23 at the juncture of the sides and the base. The corners 23 on their exterior surfaces may thus provide shoulders, as

4 indicated at 24, which serve to locate and space the unit 9 from any portion of the sash frame, as will be more fully hereinafter described.

In the base 20, and preferably equally spaced between the ends thereof, are a pair of

tongues

25 and 26. The tongues are struck from the base 20 so as to project diagonally upward from the

bend areas

21 and 28 of their formation. Preferably the

tongues

25 and 26 rise from the opposite corner areas 23 of the base 20 and so that the tongue 25 will be diagonally directed toward the side [9 while the tongue 26 will extend toward the side 18. The free end 29 of each tongue is suitably arched, as at 30, to provide ample support or bearing surface upon which a glass sheet of the double glazing unit may be supported. Since the tongues are adapted to flex along their bend areas, they actually are spring leaves flexible about their anchored portion.

As shown in Fig. 3, the end areas 31 of the base may be pierced or otherwise ruptured to create protruding friction areas 32 that are forcible, when the clips are located on a portion of the sash, into the material thereof, or the surface coating thereon. As will be noted in Figs. 3 and 5, the protrusions 32 act to frictionally hold the clips in position and cooperate, at the bottom and top of the unit, to sustain said unit from displacement and against ordinary pressures to be withstood by window enclosing structures. In Fig. 6, there is shown a slightly modified type of friction area which is embodied in an extended tip or prong 33 that is struck from the marginal edges of the clip at each end so as to project outwardly and downwardly when the sides of the clip are bent upwardly with reference to the base.

Prior to installation of a double glazing unit 5 into a sash or frame, such as the frame l0, mounting clips H are arranged along the bottom and top edges, as is shown in Fig. 2. In so locating these clips, the outer end 2| of one side is placed over the edge of the unit and the opposite side is sufficiently flexed until the same can be snapped over the opposite edge of the unit. The clip is then forced inwardly until the

tongues

25 and 26 engage the edge surfaces of the glass sheets, such as the sheets I3 and 14. As shown in Fig. 4, the arched surface 30 of one tongue 25 will now engage one glass sheet l3 of the unit 9 while the surface 30 of the oppositely directed tongue 26 will engage the other glass sheet It. In the case of thicker units, such as may be comprised of three or four sheets of glass, the accommodating size of mounting clip will locate the arched surface 30 of each tongue so that it will engage the outer sheet on each side of the unit and thus adequately support the same.

The mounting clips H, now associated with the unit 9, and particularly along its bottom edge are placed in the bed of glazing compound on the sash frame. As herein shown, the sash frame I!) is of the conventional metal construction having a T-section which comprises a horizontally disposed leg 34 and a vertical web 35 which constitutes the face of the frame; however, it will be quite apparent that various other structures, such as wood sashes having a rabbeted glass receiving section are contemplated in the use of the mounting clips. In placing the unit within the open area of the sash and, by way of example, on the horizontal leg 34, the clips act to effectively protect the unit from contact thereby reducing or eliminating any possibility of chipping or fracture. As previously set forth, in th; case of large size glazing units,

the lower clips II also reduce the glazing time by eliminating the use of setting blocks upon which the units have heretofore been supported.

The upper edge of the unit is now directed inwardly of the sash; in this instance, the upper mounting clips H are employed as pressure points to spring the unit into a vertical position within the frame. Since the bases 20 of the clips are spaced, by the resiliency of the

tongues

25 and 26, from the edges of the unit; in one instance, said unit will now be supported above the top surface of a horizontal leg 34 of the sash frame while in the other, the base sections of the clips at the top of the unit and adjacent the under surface of a leg 34 are adapted to absorb the force of the inward thrust as said unit is moved into a vertical position. In either event, the inward sliding displacement of the clips with respect to the double glazing unit Will be compensated for by individual fleXure of the

tongues

25 and 26 and the unit 9 eventually will become balanced vertically within the frame.

As particularly shown in Fig. 4, a double glazing unit 9 is thus supported on the leg 34 of the frame by the clips H. Upon further inward movement, by pressure equally distributed at the top and bottom of the unit, the bed of glazing compound, as indicated at 36, will be forced or squeezed out until the shoulders 24 of the clip contact the inner face of the web of the frame I0. This will ordinarily effect a reduction in the amount of glazing compound required by assuring a minimum thickness of compound throughout the installation.

The upper and lower edges of the unit being provided with clips II and preferably near the vertically disposed sides of the unit, the contacting of the shoulders 24 of the several clips ll automatically assures an even space between the unit and the frame at all points without manual adjustment and repeated shifting of the unit. A continuous seal of the compound 38 is thus also established to thoroughly enclose the unit and without detraction of appearance by irregular filling of the compound.

As the unit is finally placed in the sash frame, its normal weight reacts upon the

tongues

25 and 26 to substantially balance the unit since each of the glass sheets 13 and I4 is independently mounted and one or the other will individually affect the flexing of the tongue with which it is associated. Moreover, when the leg 34 of the frame I0 is not substantially horizontal or parallel to the unit, either longitudinally or transversely, the resilient relation of the

tongues

25 and 26 to the base 20 causes the base to suitably locate itself on the surface of the leg 34 while the tongues rise or are depressed until the weight of the unit is evenly distributed across and between the bottom edges of the glass sheets. Consequently, the entire weight of the unit can not be borne by one sheet of glass, and strains or stresses, such as would rupture the seal between the sheets, will not be set up. This is particuand dust which practically destroys the efficiency and insulating effect of the structure. In extreme cases, the supporting of such a unit by one sheet only may cause fracture of the glass and thus render the multiple glazing unit entirely useless.

When the mounting clips II are finally settled in relation to the double glazing unit and contact with the frame, the protrusions 32 have become forced into the surface or surface coating of the leg 34 of the frame I0. Since each clip has a plurality of such friction areas, each in engagement with said leg, their multiplicity materially increases the resistance normally required to sustain the unit from undue lateral pressure. In fact, when employed in connection with wood sash constructions, the protruding areas will enter even more efiectively to hold the unit. The installation is completed in the usual manner by a fill of glazing compound as shown at 31 in the drawings.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred embodiment of the same, but that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

I claim:

A mounting clip for a multiple glass sheet glazing unit of the type including two sheets of glass which are secured together in spaced relation by separator means arranged between said sheets around the marginal edge portions thereof, said clip comprising a base, resilient side portions extending longitudinally of the base and convergently upward therefrom and adapted to actively receive the glazing unit therebetween and to actively grip th two glass sheets thereof, a pair of longitudinally spaced and oppositely directed tongues of substantially equal length struck from the base of the clip and extending transversely to and diagonally upward from said base in substantially equal angular relation thereto and toward opposite side portions, and a bearing surface at the upwardly disposed end of each of said tongues, the bearing surface of one of said oppositely disposed tongues being disposed adjacent one of said side portions and the bearing surface of the other tongue disposed adjacent the other side portion, said first-mentioned bearing surface being adapted to resiliently support the edge of one glass sheet gripped by its adjacent side portion and said second-mentioned bearing surfac being adapted to resiliently support the edge of the other glass sheet gripped by its adjacent side portion.

GEORGE A. LEIGHTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Sweet Aug. 2,