GB2264972A

GB2264972A - A glazing construction

Info

Publication number: GB2264972A
Application number: GB9304766A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Leslie George Briggs; Edward Kenneth Coventry
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-03-09
Filing date: 1993-03-09
Publication date: 1993-09-15
Anticipated expiration: 2013-03-09
Also published as: GB2264972B; GB9304766D0; GB9205084D0

Abstract

A glazing construction (2) comprising a main frame (14) and at least one non-operable glazed unit (12) secured to the main frame (14), the glazed unit (12) comprising a sub-frame (16) and glazing, the glazed unit (12) being secured to the main frame (14) by interlocking clips (18, 20) which are fixed to the main frame (14) and the sub-frame (16), and the interlocking clips (18, 20) being such that they lock together by a push fit and such that once they are locked together they cannot be separated without damaging the main frame (14) and/or the sub-frame (16) whereby the glazed unit (12) is permanently secured in position in the main frame (14) by a simple pushing action. <IMAGE>

Description

A GLAZING CONSTRUCTION This invention relates to a glazing construction such for example as a window construction having dummy fan-lights and dummy casements.

Window constructions having opening fan-lights, dummy fan-lights, opening casement windows and dummy casement windows are well known. The window constructions comprise a main frame which is secured to a building. With opening fan-lights and casements, the fan-lights and casements can be opened in order to enable appropriate access to be had to the main frame for the purpose of securing the main frame to a building, for example by screws which pass through the main frame and into timber lining the hole in the building in which the window construction is to be fitted. With dummy fan-lights and dummy casements, it is not possible to open the fan-lights and the casements and so the dummy fan-lights and casements prevent appropriate access to the main frame for fixing purposes.In view of this, it is customary not to fix the dummy fan-lights and casements to the main frame at the time of factory manufacture. The dummy fan-lights and casements are fixed in position on site but this takes time, One known attempt to overcome the problem of glazing on site has been to make the dummy fan-lights and casements of an openable construction. Generally this means providing the dummy fan-lights and casements with the same hinges as are employed for opening fan-lights and casements. This enables the dummy fan-lights and casements to be installed in the main frame at the time of factory manufacture, and they can be opened on site to enable appropriate fixing access to the main frame for the purpose of securing the main frame to a building.

Once the main frame has been secured in position, it is then necessary to secure the dummy fan-lights and casements in position so that they cannot open and this may be done by one or more locking screws. Whilst locking with the screws takes less time than glazing on site, the locked dummy fan-lights and casements have to be provided with the hinges and this represents a waste of material which causes an increase in the price of the window construction which in turn can cause a lost sale since the glazing construction industry and especially the double glazing window industry is very competititive. Still further, when the dummy fan-lights and dummy casements are provided in position at the time of factory manufacture, this substantially increases the overall weight of the window construction.With large window constructions, the increase in weight may require the presence of additional fitters in fitting the window construction, and this again can lead to increased costs.

It is an aim of the present invention to obviate or reduce the above mentioned problems.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the invention there is provided a glazing construction comprising a main frame and at least one non-openable glazed unit secured to the main frame, the glazed unit comprising a sub-frame and glazing, the glazed unit being secured to the main frame by interlocking clips which are fixed to the main frame and the sub-frame, and the interlocking clips being such that they lock together by a push fit and such that once they are locked together they cannot be separated without damaging the main frame and/or the sub-frame whereby the glazed unit is permanently secured in position in the main frame by a simple pushing action.

With the glazing construction of the present invention, dummy fan-lights and casements for example do not have to be fitted in position at the time of factory manufacture. This enables easy access to be achieved to the main frame for fitting purposes and it also avoids increasing the weight of the overall glazing construction during fitting. Once the main frame has been fitted in position, the non-openable glazed units such for example as a dummy fan-light or a dummy casement can easily be fixed in position simply by offering up the glazed unit to the main frame and pushing it in position. This requires very little installation time on site and is much faster than traditional glazing on site.Once the interlocking clips have locked together, the glazed unit is fixed in position with a high degree of security and it will usually only be removable by substantially destroying the main frame and/or the sub-frame. Still further, the glazed unit can be fixed in position to exert desired correct pressures on weather seals, beads or other members as may be required.

Preferably, the glazing construction of the present invention is in the form of a window construction, the glazed unit then forming a dummy non-openable window.

Where the dummy non-openable window is a fan-light, then six of the clips may be employed. More or less the clips may be employed as desired. Where the dummy non-openable window is a casement window, then ten of the clips will preferably be employed but more or less of the clips can be employed as required. The present invention is not restricted to the use of glazed constructions in the form of windows and the glazed constructions may also be patio doors, glazed front doors, sunlounges and greenhouses.

Preferably, the glazing construction is one in which the clips have inclined faces for facilitating the pushing together of pairs of the clips, and in which the clips have interlocking abutment faces for enabling pairs of the clips to be locked together.

The clips will usually have fixing apertures for enabling them to be secured to the main frame or to the sub-frame, for example by screws.

The glazing construction may be one in which the main frame is made of a plastics material, and in which the clips which are fixed to the main frame are the same as the clips which are fixed to the sub-frame. Preferable, the plastics material is that known as UPVC (unplastisised polyvinvyl chloride).

Where the main frame is made of a plastics material, then the glazing construction is advantageously one in which the clips which are fixed to the main frame and the clips which are fixed to the sub-frame each have two flexible interlocking hooked members. Preferably the flexible interlocking hooked members extend completely along the length of the clips.

The main frame may alternatively be made of wood, and in this case the glazing construction may be one in which the clips which are fixed to the main frame are different from the clips which are fixed to the sub frame.

Where the main frame is made of wood, then the clips which are fixed to the main frame will usually be larger than the clips which are fixed to the sub-frame Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a glazing construction in the form of a window construction having openable fan-lights, dummy fan-lights, openable casement windows and dummy casement windows; Figure 2 is a cross sectional view showing the fixing of a non-openable glazed unit to a main frame of the window construction shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the clips shown in Figure 2; Figures 4 and 5 are an end view and a top plan view of the clip shown in Figure 3;; Figure 6 shows a pair of interlocking clips which are different from the clips shown in Figures 2 to 5 and which are employed on a different type of glazing construction; Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the clips shown in Figure 6 as seen from above; Figure 8 is a perspective view of the clip shown in Figure 7 as seen from below, Figure 9 is a cross section through the clip as shown in Figure 7; Figure 10 is an end view of the clip as shown in Figure 7 looking from left toright; Figure 12 is a top plan view of the clip as shown in Figure 7; Figure 12 is a perspective view from above of the other clip shown in Figure 6; Figure 13 is a perspective view of the clip shown in Figure 12 but seen from underneath; Figure 14 is an end view of the clip as shown in Figure 12;; Figure 15 is an end view of the clip shown in Figure 12 looking from left to right as shown in Figure 6s and Figure 16 is a top plan view of the clip shown in Figure 12.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a glazing construction in the form of a window construction 2 for fitting in a building 4. The window construction 2 has openable fan-lights 6, non-openable fan-lights 8, openable windows 10 and non-openable windows 12. The non-openable fan-lights 8 are known as dummy fan-lights 8 and the non-openable windows 12 are known as dummy windows, Referring now to Figures 2 to 5, there is shown part of the window construction #2. More specifically, there are shown part of a UPVC main frame 14 and a UPVC nonopenable dummy window 12. The window 12 comprises a subframe 16 and glazing (not shown). The main frame 14 is provided with an interlocking clip 18, and the window 12 is provided with an interlocking clip 20.The clips 18, 20 are of the same construction and they are each held in position by a pair of screws which pass through access apertures 22 and locate in fixing apertures 24.

The clips 18, 20 each have inclined faces 26 for facilitating the pushing together of the clips 18, 20o The clips 18, 20 each have interlocking abutment faces 28 for enabling the clips 18, 20 to be locked together.

The clips 18, 20 are such that the inclined faces 26 and the abutment faces 28 are formed as part of flexible interlocking hooked members 30. As can be seen from Figures 3 and 5, the hooked members 30 extend along the entire length of the clips 18, 20. The clips 18, 20 are dimensioned to give the correct sealing pressure on seals 33 The window 12 cannot be forced open by inserting a screwdriver or the like between the window 12 and the frame 14 at the junction of the seals 33 firstly because any levering of the window 12 against the frame 14 merely tightens the clips 18, 20 together, and secondly because the clips 18, 20 prevent all but the tip of the screwdriver or the like from being inserted between the window 12 and the frame 14o Figures 6 to 16 show two alternative interlocking clips 32, 34 which are for use on window constructions made of wood. As can be seen from Figures 6 to 11, the clip 32 is formed as a hollow moulding having fixing apertures 36, an inlined face 33 and an abutment face 40, As can be seen from Figures 6 and 12 to 16, the clip 34 has an inclined face 42, an abutment face 44, and fixing apertures 46.

During use of the clips 32, 34, the inclined faces 38, 42 slide over each other until the clips 32, 34 occupy the position shown in Figure 6, in which the abutment faces 40, 44 abut each other.

It will be seen from the drawings that the clips 18, 20 and 32, 34 are such that they lock together by a push fit. The clips 18, 20 and 32, 34 are also such that, once they are locked together, they cannot be separated without damaging the main frame 14 and/or the sub-frame 16.

Thus the glazed unit formed by the non-openable dummy window 12 is permanently secured in position in the main frame by a simple pushing action. In spite of this simple pushing action, a high degree of security is achieved since the window 12 cannot be withdrawn unless extensive damage is going to be made to the main frame 14 and/or the sub-frame 160 It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, a different type of window construction to that shown may be provided with the interlocking clips or the glazing construction may be a glazing construction other than a window construction. The clips may be made of a plastics material or any other suitable and appropriate materials.

Claims

1. A glazing construction comprising a main frame and at least one non-openable glazed unit secured to the main frame, the glazed unit comprising a sub-frame and glazing, the glazed unit being secured to the main frame by interlocking clips which are fixed to the main frame and the sub-frame and the interlocking clips being such that they lock together by a push fit and such that once they are locked together they cannot be separated without damaging the main frame and/or the sub-frame whereby the glazed unit is permanently secured in position in the main frame by a simple pushing action.

2. A glazing construction according to claim 1 in which the clips have inclined faces for facilitating the pushing together of pairs of the clips, and in which the clips have interlocking abutment faces for enabling pairs of the clips to be locked together.

3. A glazing construction according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the clips have fixing apertures for enabling them to be secured to the main frame or the sub-frame.

4. A glazing construction according to any one of the preceding claims in which the main frame is made of a plastics material, and in which the clips which are fixed to the main frame are the same as the clips which are fixed to the sub-frame.

5. A glazing construction according to claim 4 in which the clips are fixed to the main frame and the clips which are fixed to the sub-frame each have two flexible interlocking hooked members,

6. A glazing construction according to claim 5 in which the flexible interlocking hooked members extend completely along the length of the clips.

7. A glazing construction according to any one of claims 1 to 3 in which the main frame is made of wood, and in which the clips which are fixed to the main frame are different from the clips which are fixed to the sub-frame.

8. A glazing construction according to claim 7 in which the clips which are fixed to the main frame are larger than the clips which are fixed to the sub-frame.

9. A glazing unit substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.