GB2116619A - Glazing - Google Patents

Abstract

A glazing system comprising a glazing bar (1) having two pairs of ribs (3, 4) which are headed to engage U- shaped clips (10), bearing directly on the inner glass (25). An outer sheet which may be of reinforced plastics material or glass is also held by the same type of clip. The glazing bars (1) are provided with water drainage channels (29) and can be used vertically, horizontally or in an inclined position. Other embodiments of a glazing bar and clip system are shown in Figures 9-11. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Glazing This invention relates to glazing and principally to double glazing, although certain features of the invention are capable of use in single glazing.

The invention was devised with a view to providing a secure and vandal-resistant form of double glazing for roof and wall lights.

Such glazing may be particularly useful in large public buildings such as swimming pools which have double glazed roof lights to admit a large amount of natural light while conserving heat inside the building. If such rooflights are accidentally or deliberately damaged, the danger of broken glass in the pool makes it advisable to drain, clean and refill the pool.

Rooflights are also often used in factory premises where, in addition to the danger caused by breakage, it is important to ensure that access cannot readily be gained through the rooflights for example by removal of glazing sheets.

While certain aspects of the invention make it especially suitable for such applications, more general objects of the invention are to provide a new or improved glazing system, glazing bar and glazed unit.

According to a broad aspect of the invention, there is provided a glazing system comprising, in combination, a plurality of glazing bars, each provided with seating means adapted to seat an edge of a glazing sheet, and a plurality of clips which are adapted to snap-engage the bars to retain glazing sheets seated thereon.

Preferably, each glazing bar has two seating means adapted to seat respective edges of two generally parallel glazing sheets as a double glazing unit.

in one form, the clip may comprise a generally channel-shaped member having a pair of slightly resilient generally parallel arms, each having an inwardly facing barb at its free end, the barbs being snap-engageable with respective cooperating elements on the glazing bar.

The arms of the clip may be joined by a web having a pair of rounded beads projecting slightly proud of the respective arms and adapted to bear on an adjacent glazing sheet.

In an alternative form, the clip may comprise a section including a pair of limbs subtending an obtuse angle, and an engagement element projecting in a direction away from the included obtuse angle, one of said limbs and said engagement element being snap-engageable with co-operating elements of the glazing bar, and the other limb, or means provided on the other limb, being adapted to bear on a glazing sheet.

Said other limb may be generally planar with a terminal bead at its free end.

Alternatively, said other limb may terminate in a channel portion facing inwardly towards the glazing bar and underlying said other limb, a wall of the channel spaced from and generally parallel to the limb being adapted to bear on the glazing sheet.

Said other limb may be adapted to receive fixing elements such as screws or rivets so as positively to prevent removal of the clip.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a glazing bar comprises a constant cross-section member having a base portion; a pair of base seatings for respective glazing sheets, the base seatings being provided on or adjacent the base portion; a central web extending away from the base portion between the base seatings; a head portion at the free end of said web; and a plurality of glazing clip-engaging elements projecting laterally from said web in opposed pairs.

The base portion may comprise a fixing portion which includes a central recess facing away from the web and which is adapted to receive a threaded fixing such as a nut and bolt assembly or a screw.

The head portion may have a central recess facing away from the web.

The head portion may be undercut at or adjacent its junction with the web.

The base seatings may comprise flanges projecting from the base portion generally parallel to the web.

The free end of the flange may receive a soft or resilient seating member, adapted to contact the associated glazing sheet in use.

The glazing clip-engaging elements may each comprise a rib which may be either acutely angled with respect to the web or provided with a head or barb at a position spaced from the web.

The invention also provides a glazed unit comprising a glazing system as set out above assembled together with one or more glazing sheets.

Glazing sheets may be of glass, either plain or wire-reinforced, or of plastics materials such as polycarbonate, glass-fibre reinforced polyester, PERSPEX (RTM), or the steel-mesh reinforced plastics material sold under the Trade Mark MESHLITE.

The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:~ FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of a first embodiment of glazing bar forming part of a glazing system, FIGURE 2 is a detail sectional view of an alternative form of fixing, FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the glazing bar in use in a sloping roof light, FIGURE 4 shows an apex fixing of two glazing bars used in roof lights, FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the glazing bar used in a vertical wall light, FIGURE 6 is a plan sectional view of the frame of the wall light, FIGURE 7 is a sectional view of the same glazing bar used in a modified glazing system employing two sheets of glass, FIGURE 8 is a partial side elevational view of the system shown in Figure 7, FIGURE 9 is an isometric view of a glazing system incorporating a second embodiment of glazing bar and clips, FIGURE 10 is a sectional view of a glazing system incorporating a third embodiment of glazing bar, FIGURE 11 is a sectional view of a glazing system incorporating a fourth embodiment of glazing bar.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the glazing bar 1 is of constant crosssection and is conveniently formed as an extrusion in metal or plastics. The section is symmetrical about a central web 2 which has two pairs of ribs 3 and 4 extending laterally from it, to form glazing clip-engaging elements. The base portion carries two base seatings 5 which serve to support glazing sheets and which are provided with channels 6 to receive soft or resilient seating members or gaskets (omitted).

The base portion has a longitudinal slot 7 opening into a recess 8 to serve as a fixing portion to receive a threaded fixing such as a nut of a nut and bolt assembly.

Glazing sheets are secured to the glazing bar by means of clips 10 which are also extruded in metal or plastics and which are of channel section, having a pair of slightly resilient arms 11 joined by a web 13, the arms terminating in respective barbs 12 which are turned inwardly towards each other. The arms can be slightly deflected from their generally parallel positions shown, to snapengage the ribs of the glazing bar. The base web of the clip has a pair of rounded beads 14 to bear on glazing sheets in use.

It will be seen that the ribs 3, 4 are provided with heads or barbs, so as firmly to engage with the barbs 12 on the arms 1 1 of the clips.

The web of the glazing bar terminates at its free end in a head portion 9 which is recessed at a central position facing away from the web, to allow fitment of a cover or cap to be referred to later.

In use, the glazing bar is secured to a supporting structure, which is illustrated in Figure 1 as being a structural steel member 24. A bolt 15 passes through washers 16 and 18 and a spacer 19 to engage within a captive nut 20 within the recess 8. Bolt and nut assemblies are provided at suitable distances along the length of the glazing bar 1. A draught excluder 21 is interposed between the glazing bar and the steelwork 24.

Each of the channels 6 receives a seating member or gasket (omitted) which may be of a resilient material in the form of an extrusion or which may comprise a mastic or putty. This provides both an abutment and a seal to receive a sheet of glazing, in this case a sheet 25 of 7 mm wired glass. The glazing clips 10 are then snapengaged with the lower ribs 4, where they serve to retain the sheets 25 in position. The rounded bead 14 of each clip bears on the glass sheet 25.

Although the wired glass is secure for most purposes, it can be shattered by a forceful blow and may therefore be vulnerable to vandalism. The glazing bars shown enable an outer glazing sheet of the double glazing to be made of a relatively vandal-proof material such as a steel-reinforced plastics material known as MESHLITE, which is reinforced with a sturdy expanded metal mesh and is very resistant to breakage. Not only does this outer sheet retain its security in use, but it also protects the inner sheet of glass. it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited by the particular material described in this example; other materials may be found more suitable, for example polycarbonate sheet, which can be regarded as being bullet-resistant.

The second sheet of glazing 26 is brought to rest on top of each of the glazing clips 10, to lie parallel with the first sheet 25. Further glazing clips are then snap-engaged with the upper ribs 3 of the glazing bar. The outer sheet may be secured positively in position by screws 27 passing through the sheets 26 and the upper and lower clips 10.

The double glazing system illustrated in Figure 1 is simple to install, using the snapengaged clips and variation of the materials of the glazing sheets can be accommodated.

The glazing bar 1 and snap-engaging clips 10 are formed as extrusions and can therefore very readily be cut to length for any particular application from stock.

Figure 2 shows the type of fixing which can be used to secure the glazing bar 1 to a timber member 32, the same arrangement being suitable for fixing to masonry. A steel plate 31 is secured at intervals to the timber 32 by woodscrews 33. A countersunk bolt 30 engages the nut 20 within the recess 8, its head being received in a countersink in the plate.

Figure 3 shows the use of the glazing system already described in an inclined rooflight secured at the top to a timber wall plate 38 and at the bottom to structural steelwork 44, the central portion of the rooflight being broken away for reasons of scale. The fixing to the wall plate is as shown in Figure 2 but the top part of the glazing bar 1 is cut away to accommodate a lead or other suitable flashing 39, which extends from the wall to which the wall plate 38 is secured. Any water entering the glazing bar 1 will run down inside its section from the upper to the lower end.

The lower end of the bar 1 is fixed in the manner described with reference to Figure 1 to the steelwork 44. A stop member 40 is, however, clamped beneath the bar 1, to act as an abutment for the lower end of the glazing sheet 25 and to form a draught excluder. A further stop 42 is secured to the lower edge of the glazing bar 1 as an abutment for the sheet 26 of plastics material.

The lead flashing 43 catches any rain water running down through the glazing bar 1 and diverts it into a suitable gutter (not shown). The flashing 43 is also clamped between the glazing bar 1 and the steelwork 44.

In Figure 4 there is shown an apex fixing where two rooflights of the type already described meet each other. The upper end of each glazing bar 1 is formed to receive both an end section 50 and one side of a ridge cap 51. Each end section 50 has a lower flange 52 secured to the underside of a respective glazing bar 1. The sides of the ridge cap 51 are secured to respective upper flanges 53 of the end section 50. A length of insulation board 54 extends along the ridge, between the ridge cap 51 and the end sections 50, to reduce condensation problems.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate the use of the same glazing bar 1 in a vertically disposed wall light.

Referring to Figure 5, it will be seen that the upper end of the glazing bar 1 is shaped so as to receive a lead flashing 60, which is secured between the upper end of the glazing bar 1 and the lower face of a lintel 61. A fixing cleat 62 secures the glazing bar 1 to the lintel 61. The cleat 62 also secures a cavity cover 63 of right-angle section which abuts the inner glazing sheet 25 of glass.

Figure 6 illustrates how the front face of the glazing bar 1 is finished off by means of an angle section member 64, having one flange secured to the front face of the glazing bar 1 by means of bolts 65 which engage the recess 9 in the head portion of the glazing bar. The other flange of the member 64 lies adjacent the window jamb 66 with any gap being filled with mastic 66a. A resilient seating member in the form of an extruded elastomeric strip 90 is shown in position in the channel 6 of the base seatings 5 of the glazing bar 1.

The lower end of the glazing bar 1 has a cill section member 67 attached to it, together with a lower cavity cover 68 of right angle section. The cill section member 67 is in turn secured to a flat fixing cleat 69, which is itself secured to the cill 71 of the window opening, with adjusting shims being used if necessary at 70.

The foregoing description has referred to the use of an inner sheet of glass and an outer sheet of reinforced plastics material for double glazing.

Figure 7 shows the same glazing bar used to provide double glazing with inner and outer sheets of glass, shown as 7 mm wire-reinforced glass.

The inner sheet 25 is secured as before, using glazing clips 10 engaging the lower or inner ribs 4.

However, the outer sheets 75 of wire reinforced glass rest on the glazing clips 10 and are secured in position by means of a capping member 76, bolted at 78 within the channel of the head portion of the bar 1.

The capping member 76 is generally U-shaped and each of its limbs carries a gasket 77 which bears against a respective glass sheet 75. The thickness of the outer sheet may vary to suit particular applications and can be accommodated either by adjusting the screw-threaded fixing or by employing different sizes of capping member.

Figure 8 shows a double glazed unit including two sheets of glass 25 and 75, in a view similar to that of the left hand side of Figure 3. A lower glass stop 80 is secured onto the top channel 9 of the head portion of the glazing bar 1 by bolts 81 to serve as an abutment for the outer glass 75.

Figure 9 illustrates a modified form of glazing bar 100, used with glazing clips 10 and with modified form glazing clips 101, which are more secure against deliberate attempts to remove the outer glazing sheet.

The glazing bar 100 is similar to the bar 1 except that its head portion 102 is undercut at 103 to receive the modified clip 101 to retain the outer glazing sheet, shown as a reinforced plastics sheet such as MESHLITE. The outer glazing clips 101 are of generally obtusely angled section having a first limb 104 carrying a barbed flange 105, and a second limb 106. The free end of the limb 104 is introduced into the undercut 103 of the head portion of the glazing bar 100 and the barbed flange 104 snap-engages with the upper rib 3 of the glazing bar, to cause the second flange 106 to bear resiliently against the outer glazing sheet 26. The clip 101 preferably extends along the whole length of the glazing bar 100 so as to be intrinsically difficult to remove.Additionally the clip is secured positively by means of rivets of the one-side or "pop-rivet" type, passing through the clips, the glazing sheet 26 and into the inner glazing clip 10. A self-sealing type of rivet is preferred, to prevent access for rain water. The clip can be provided as an extrusion and may then be formed with a guide line to enable the location for the rivets to be judged more readily. A typical rivet is shown at 107.

The glazing bar is also provided with grooves 108 in the fixing portion of the base to receive machine screws 109 for attaching the glazing bar to steelwork, timber or other substrates, and for attaching items such as the glass stop 42 illustrated. The latter shows openings for drainage of water from the base portion of the glazing bar through the channels 29, the openings being shown at 11 0.

The arrangement shown in Figure 9 is particularly suitable for factory use where the danger of vandalism is accompanied by the risk of burglary being carried out through the roof lights, if it is possible to remove the glazing sheets. When the outer sheet is of very tough material and is not only secured by the type of clip 101 which is difficult to remove but is also positively rivetted in position, the system will be seen to offer very secure protection.

Figure 10 shows a further modified section used for a glazing bar 111. In this case the outer ribs 3 of the original section 1 are replaced by downwardly turned ribs 1 12 having no barbs. The unit is shown glazed with two sheets of glass, 25 and 75, but the clips 10 are not used to secure the inner sheet of glass 25. Instead, clips generally similar to those shown at 101 in Figure 9 are used. The second limb 106, however, terminates in a channel section, facing inwardly towards the glazing bar 111 and including a terminal flange 1 13 parallel to the limb 106. The terminal flange bears on the glazing sheet.

To assemble the glazing, the inner glazing sheet 25 of glass is positioned, the limbs 104 are positioned below the ribs 1 12 and the clips are then pressed home to snap-engage the barbed flanges 105 with the inner ribs 4.

A second glazing sheet of glass 75 is positioned on the clip 101 and held in position by a capping member 76 having gaskets 77 and secured to the recess 9 of the head portion of the glazing bar 111 by screws (not shown). It will be appreciated that different thicknesses of the sheet 75 can be accommodated by different sizes of capping section and it is feasible to provide the latter as a strip to be bent to size before use.

Figure 10 also shows the seating members 90 in place in the channels 6 of the base seatings to support the glass sheet 25 resiliently and seal against water ingress.

A further modified glazing bar section is shown in Figure 11, the main difference from that of Figure 10 being the addition above the ribs 1 12 of further barbed flanges 1 14. The section can be used as shown with two sets of clips of the modified type 101 shown in Figure 10.

Although not illustrated, the modified forms of glazing bar and clips of Figures 9, 10 and 1 1 can be used in the various ways shown in relation to the first embodiment, for example in vertical and inclined positions and attached to timber, structural steelwork and ridge attachments.

Claims (40)

1. A glazing system comprising, in combination, a plurality of glazing bars, each provided with seating means adapted to seat an edge of a glazing sheet, and a plurality of clips which are adapted to snap-engage the bars to retain glazing sheets seated thereon.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein each glazing bar has two seating means adapted to seat respective edges of two generally parallel glazing sheets as a double glazing unit.

3. A system according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the clip comprises a generally channel shaped member having a pair of slightly resilient, generally parallel arms, each having an inwardly facing barb at its free end, the barbs being snapengageable with respective cooperating elements on the glazing bar.

4. A system according to claim 3 wherein the arms of the clip are joined by a web having a pair of rounded beads projecting slightly proud of the respective arms and adapted to bear on adjacent glazing sheets.

5. A system according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the clip comprises a section including a pair of limbs subtending an obtuse angle, and an engagement element projecting in a direction away from the included obtuse angle, one of said limbs and said engagement element being snapengageable with cooperating elements of the glazing bar, and the other limb, or means provided on the other limb, being adapted to bear on a glazing sheet.

6. A system according to claim 5 wherein said other limb is generally planar with a terminal bead at its free end.

7. A system according to claim 5 wherein said other limb terminates in a channel portion facing inwardly towards the glazing bar and underlying said other limb, a wall of the channel spaced from and generally parallel to the limb being adapted to bear on the glazing sheet.

8. A system according to any one of claims 5 to 7 wherein said other limb is adapted to receive fixing elements such as screws or rivets so as positively to prevent removal of the clip.

9. A glazing bar comprising a constant crosssection member having a base portion; a pair of base seatings for respective glazing sheets, the base seatings being provided on or adjacent the base portion; a central web extending away from the base portion between the base seatings; a head portion at the free end of said web; and a plurality of glazing clip-engaging elements projecting laterally from said web in opposed pairs.

10. A bar according to claim 9 wherein the base portion comprises a fixing portion which includes a central recess facing away from the web and which is adapted to receive a threaded fixing such as a nut and bolt assembly or a screw.

1 A bar according to claim 9 or claim 10 wherein the head portion has a central recess facing away from the web.

12. A bar according to claim 11 wherein the head portion is undercut at or adjacent its junction with the web.

13. A bar according to any one of claims 9 to 12 wherein the base seatings comprise flanges projecting from the base portion generally parallel to the web.

14. A bar according to claim 13 wherein the free end of the flange receives a soft or resilient seating member, adapted to contact the associated glazing sheet in use.

15. A bar according to any one of claims 9 to 14 wherein each glazing clip-engaging element comprises a rib.

16. A bar according to claim 15 wherein the rib is acutely angled with respect to the web.

17. A bar according to claim 15 wherein the rib is provided with a head or barb at a position spaced from the web.

18. a glazed unit comprising a glazing system according to any one of claims 1 to 8 assembled together with one or more glazing sheets.

19. A glazed unit according to claim 18 wherein the glazing sheets are of glass.

20. A glazed unit according to claim 19 wherein the glass is wire-reinforced.

21. A glazed unit according to claim 18 wherein the glazing sheets are of plastics material.

22. A glazed unit according to claim 21 wherein the plastics material is mesh-reinforced.

23. A glazed unit according to claims 19 and 21 wherein the unit is double-glazed and the inner glazing sheet is of glass and the outer glazing sheet is of plastics material.

24. A glazing system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

25. A glazing system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings as modified by Figure 4.

26. a glazing system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings as modified by Figures 7 and 8.

27. A glazing system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.

28. A glazing system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 9 of the accompanying drawings.

29. A glazing system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 10 of the accompanying drawings.

30. A glazing bar substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

31. A glazing bar substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 9 of the accompanying drawings.

32. A glazing bar substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 10 of the accompanying drawings.

33. A glazed unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

34. A glazed unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.

35. A glazed unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 9 of the accompanying drawings.

36. A glazed unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 10 of the accompanying drawings.

37. A glazing system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 11 of the accompanying drawings.

38. A glazing bar substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 11 of the accompanying drawings.

39. A glazed unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 11 of the accompanying drawings.

40. Any feature of novelty described in the foregoing specification, either alone or in combination.