US2831553A - Glazing assembly - Google Patents

Description

April 22, 1958 G. J. POLLOCK GLAZING ASSEMBLY FiledDec. 20, 1955 V INVENTOR. GORD N J. POL. LOC K A TTO/ZNEZS.

United GLAZING ASSEMBLY Application December 20, 1955, Serial No. 554,282

2 Claims. .(Cl. 189-77) This invention relates to improvements in the art of glazing and, more particularly, to a glazing assembly which is eminently suited for use in panel walls constructed of movable partitions.

Panel walls of this type are distinguished not only by the ease with which they maybe erected, but also by their flexibility with respect to relocation, for example, to keep pace with and suit best changing space requirements. A wall to be relocated often includes glass areas, such as ordinary windows, which prove inappropriate or even objectionable in the new position of the Wall. In such cases, the glass must or desirably should be replaced with sheet metal inserts, or other similar elements, or it may be desired to substitute a different type of glass, for example, to replace previously used transparent glass with a translucent pane. All such changes, as well as the obvious replacement of broken glass, require an original pane to be removed from its frame and thus a glazing assembly which permits this to be done conveniently would be most advantageous.

Accordingly, in addition to providing a glazing assembly which permits the glass to be installed quickly and conveniently, it is an important object of my invention to provide such an assembly which affords as well easy removal and substitution of the nature discussed, or for any other reason.

Another object is to provide a glazing assembly comprised of inexpensive and readily fabricated preformed elements of such nature as to serve the above functions and thereby enhance the flexibility of panel walls and the like in which it may be used.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view in perspective of an upper corner of a Window mounted in panel wall structure in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the lower corner of the window at the same side thereof;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the glazing elements employed in the new assembly;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the bottom edge of the glass pane;

Fig. 5 is a like sectional view taken along the top edge of the pane;

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of one of the glazing elements used at the side edges of the window;

Patent Fig. 7 is a sectional view of one of such side edges illustrating the manner in which this last-mentioned element is employed; and

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Fig. 8 is a transverse section of the molding and head assembly forming the top of the window frame.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will first be understood that panels 10 and 11 are components of a movable partition of conventional construction, and that a similarly formed partition is arranged in spaced relation at what would be the other side of the intended window area. in the particular embodiment illustrated, the lower region of the space between the panels, arranged, of course, in aligned relation, is closed by laterally spaced panel elements 12 and 13 having inwardly directed flanges 14 and 15 respectively at their upper edges.

Supported on such flanges is a sill member 16 having upwardly sloping walls 17 and a longitudinal off-set formed centrally in its upper wall to define a groove 18 of generally rectangular cross-section. A stile element 19, likewise having a longitudinal ofi-set centrally thereof is disposed between the partition panels 10 and 11 at each side and extends upwardly from the region of flanges 14 and 15 of the middle panels. As illustrated, the thusformed grooves 2b in the stiles are somewhat deeper than the bottom groove for added clearance.

At the top of the windowarea and extending between the spaced partitions there is a molding in the form of a downwardly open channel 2i having relatively small inwardly directed flanges 22 along its edges. A head member 23 shaped to a crosssection somewhat similar to that of the sill but having outwardly oti-setedges 24 is disposed partially within the channel 21 with such edges thereof overlying the top surfaces of the channel flanges 22. Adequate clearance between these two members is provided to permit the head to be moved vertically within the channel, and U shaped spring clips, one of which is shown at 25, are arranged within the molding in suitable spacedapart relation to maintain the head resiliently in either a retracted or lowered operative position. Each such spring clip has inwardly bowedsections 26 which normally overlie the extreme edges of the head 23 as shown most clearly in Fig. 8, thereby to maintain the same in its lowermost position. Upon raising of the head within the molding, the vertically extending head margins pass over spring sections 26, and the off-set edges 24. of the head become seated on such sections to afford a positive holding of the head in such elevated condition. The clips are preferably formed with the leg portions thereof divergent, so that the contraction resulting from containment within the molding serves to hold the clips in place.

The head extends from one stile member to the other at the opposite side and has a groove 27 formed therein in the same manner as in the sill. The stiles, sill and head thus define a frame having grooves lying in the same plane and adapted to receive the respective edges of a pane of glass.

The pane 23 is secured at its lower edge within the sill groove or channel 18 by means of the glazing element 29 shown most clearly in Fig. 3. Such element is. in the form of a preformed channel strip having outwardly extending and somewhat bevelled flanges 30 at its respective longitudinal edges and a number of integral fins 31 at each outer side of its body portion. Thefins 31 like Wise extend over the length of the strip, and they have a normal inclination toward the flange or open face of the strip. The strip is made of a resiliently deformable material, such as an elastomeric or suitable synthetic resin material, and preferably one of the latter type which is characterized by its absence of deterioration with age. As a more specific example, a polymer of vinyl chloride, such as sold under the trade name Geon, is well-suited for the purpose.

As will be evident from Fig. 4, the bottom strip 29 is dimensioned such that its over-all normal width is greater than the width of sill groove, whereby the relatively thin side fins 31 are deformed outwardly in the assembly. The strip thus functions resiliently to grip the bottom edge of the pane within the sill.

An identical strip 29 serves in the same manner to secure the top edge of the pane within the head groove or channel 27.

For reasons which will appear below, a slightly different form of glazing element, indicated at 32, is used at the respective side edges of the pane received within the stile grooves 20. Such further element, shown separately in Fig. 6, comprises a body portion 33 having a longitudinal flange 34, substantially at right angles, and fins 35 projecting to the same side as such flange. As in the first-described glazing element, this strip is made of resiliently deformable material and the fins are normally inclined toward the flanged edge. There is a small, oppositely extending flange 36 at the other longitudinal edge of the strip, and it will be seen that each element 32 is approximately a longitudinal half section of the channelform glazing element 29. Accordingly, the former may be fabricated to its final illustrated form or had by cutting of spare elements 29.

Two strips 32 are employed at each stile, in the manner shown most clearly in Fig. 7, with one disposed between each side of the pane and the respectively adjacent groove wall. Once again, the transverse dimensions of the elements are so related as to provide deformation of the fins 35, and the desired resilient gripping of the pane edges.

The ease with which my new glazing assembly permits the glass to be installed will be evident from the preferred procedure of installation which is as follows. The top and bottom glazing elements or channels 29 and 2.9 are first applied to the top and bottom edges of the glass pane, before setting the glass in the window opening. The movable head 23 is raised within the molding 21 and the bottom edge of the pane, with the element 29, is inserted in the sill groove 18, after centering of the pane between stiles 19 so that approximately the same insertion in the latter obtains at both sides. The head is then moved down tightly over the top glazing channel and pane edge, and thereafter the stile glazing strips 32 are inserted. The latter are most conveniently placed by forcing each strip, cut to proper length, inwardly first at the top and bottom and then progressively towards the center.

It will be noted that the normal inclination of the fins of the several glazing strips is outward, and that the deformation is in the same general direction. This facilitates insertion within the frame member grooves and provides the desired resistance to withdrawal of the pane edges, without, however, making the latter operation impossible or impracticable. To remove the pane for replacement or any reason, the procedure set forth above would be substantially reversed, both insertion and removal being greatly facilitated by the head adjustment provided.

The preformed glazing elements disclosed may be readily fabricated by conventional methods and may be of varying flexibility, although an extremely flexible element is less convenient to handle. Such elements are very easily cut to the desired lengths in any given installation, and the whole assembly will be seen to afford an exceedingly simple and quick glazing operation.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims, or the equivalent of such, be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. in an assembly of the character described, a pair of elongated panel-framing members arranged and rigidly maintained in spaced-apart parallel relation, said members being so formed as to define longitudinal channels at their opposed faces, a panel insert having opposite edges respectively received in the channels of said members, the thickness of said insert being less than the width of the channels and the extent of the insert between such edges thereof being less than the distance from one channel bottom to the other, th clearance thus provided being adequate for withdrawal of the insert by moving the same into the channel of one framing member sufficiently to free it from the other member and then withdrawing it from such one member at an angle to clear the other, and two strips of resiliently deformable material locating and maintaining each such insert edge within its channel in spaced relation to the walls and bottom thereof, said strips having body portions and oppositely directed flanges respectively at their longitudinal edges, each strip being disposed between a side of the insert and the adjacent channel wall with one flange overlying the outer edge of such Wall and the other engaged about the edge of the insert in the channel, the body portion of each strip contacting the insert side and having a plurality of outwardly directed integral fins deformed against the channel wall, said strips by virtue of such resilient deformation normally holding the panel insert edges firmly in the framing members and being removable whereupon the insert is withdrawable from the assembly as aforesaid.

2. In an assembly of the character described, a rigid generally rectangular frame one side of which is provided an adjustable inner section adapted to be moved in and out to vary the distance between the same and the frame side opposite thereto, the frame having a continuous groove at its inner periphery, defined at such one side by said adjustable section, a panel removably inserted in said frame with its margins received in such groove, the frame and groove being of such dimensions relative to said panel that the latter is thus inserted with the adjustable section of the frame in its outward position by 'angularly directing a panel edge into the groove at a side contiguous to such section and then after swinging the panel into the plane of the groove shifting the same edgewise into the groove at the opposite frame side, positioning of the members being completed by moving the panel into the groove at the side opposed to the adjustable section andradjusting the latter inwardly to embrace the remaining panel margin, and a pair of resiliently deformable strips releasably anchoring each of the two panel margins at the frame sides adjacent the movable section, each such strip having an outer longitudinal flange, a body portion formed with plural fins projecting at one side at an angletoward said outer flange, and an oppo sitely directed inner longitudinal flange, the two strips at each panel margin to be anchored thereby being disposed at the respective sides of such margin between the same and the adjacent groove walls with their inner flanges engaged about the enclosed panel edge and their outer flanges overlying the frame to either of the groove, the combined thickness of such panel edge and associated strip assembly being greater than the Width of the groove so that the fins of the strips are deformed upon placement of the strips in the frame groove, thereby to hold such parts resiliently in the desired assembled relation, said strips being removable from the frame for withdrawal of the panel by reversing the aforesaid a justments for insertion.

Gall Feb. 2, 1954 Wooten May 3, 1955

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