GB2225051A

GB2225051A - Glazing panel

Info

Publication number: GB2225051A
Application number: GB8826721A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keith Partridge
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-11-15
Filing date: 1988-11-15
Publication date: 1990-05-23
Also published as: GB8826721D0

Abstract

A panel frame construction comprises a glazing bar (1) adapted to receive a panel (4), a glazing bead (3) to locate the panel against outward movement and location means to prevent inward movement. Inner and outer glazing gaskets are located respectively between the panel and the location means and between the panel and the glazing bead, and said glazing bead including an inner portion (45) having a latch (10) which can be resiliently snapped into engagement with an abutment (11) on or rigidly connected to the glazing bar and which is provided with means to receive a removable tool (58) passed between the panel and the inner portion of the glazing bead and by which the latch can be moved to disengage from the abutment to allow the glazing bead to be withdrawn. A retainer provides a surface (11) to engage the latch and also prevents removal of the pane after removal of the bead. <IMAGE>

Description

PANEL FRAME CONSTRUCTION This invention relates to a panel frame construction and a glazing bead for use with such a construction.

Panel frame constructions, for example window frames, frequently employ external glazing beads but these suffer from the disadvantage that they can often be prised away from the glazing bar on which they are mounted to effect unauthorised entry into,the premises concerned. With aluminium and synthetic plastic material frames the problem is often acute, especially as it is usually necessary to remove the glazing bead in order to replace a damaged panel, for example a damaged double glazed unit.

It has been proposed to make constructions in which it is only possible to remove an external glazing bead after an internal flexible wedge has been taken out. Nevertheless such glazing beads usually rely upon a sliding fit which enables the bead to be moved after the internal wedge and perhaps an external wedge has been taken out. The action of removing the wedges enables the glazing bead to be moved to then allow removal of the panel, for example a double glazed unit.

With all these constructions there is the possibility of removing the glazing bead by damaging it sufficiently to enable a tool to be prised beneath it.

The present invention is intended to provide a construction in which the glazing bead is held in a fixed position regardless of removal of the flexible wedges once the glazing bead has been attached and to thus reduce the possibilities of unlawful entry.

Another object of the invention is to provide glazing bead construction which can be used witn exist, glazing bars.

According to the present invention a pan#el frame construction comprises a glazing ba-r adapted-to receive apanel, a glazing bead-to locate the panel against outward movement and location means to prevent inward movement, inner and outer glazing gaskets located respectively-between the panel and the location means and between the panel and the glazing bead, and said glazing bead including an inner portion having a latch which can be resiliently snapped into engagement behind an abutment on or rigidly connected to the glazing bar and which is provided with means to receive a removal tool passed between the panel and the inner portion of the glazing bead and by which the latch can be moved to disengage from the abutment to allow the glazing bar to be withdrawn.

Thus, due to the particular construction of the glazing bead it can only be removed by a specifically designed removal tool and after the glazing gasket or wedge has been removed.

The latch can be arranged to engage an abutment provided on the glazing bar itself but preferably a retainer is included which is adapted for rigid but removable connection to the glazing bar and which carries said abutment for engagement with the deformable latch on the glazing bead.

The retainer can be arranged to engage beneath suitable abutments provided on the glazing bar but preferably it is rigidly secured by removable screws. The screws can be arranged so that they are covered by the glazing bead when it is in position.

The dimensions of the retainer are preferably arranged so that even when the glazing bead is removed the retainer itself continues to act to prevent removal of the panel from the glazing bar.

Means can be provided which extend between the retainer and the glazing bead to prevent movement of the bead towards the panel after engagement.

According to one preferred construction the outer edge of the glazing bead is located and held by the retainer when it is in place.

According to another preferred construction the retainer and the glazing bead are-hinged together and the hinge can be at the outer edge of the glazing bead.

This construction is particularly convenient for use when the glazing bead and retainer are made from a synthetic plastics material.

The means to receive the removal tool can take various forms but preferably comprises a hook on the latch, and this hook can be in the form of a projecting rail.

The invention also includes a glazing bar for use in a panel frame construction as set forth above and comprising an inner portion having a latch which can be resiliently snapped into engagement behind an abutment on or rigidly secured tp the glazing bar with which it is to be used, said latch being provided with means to receive a removal tool passed between the panel and the inner portion of the glazing bead and by which the latch can be to disengage from the abutment to allow the glazing bead to be withdrawn.

The glazing bar as set forth above can also include a retainer adapted for rigid but removable connection to the glazing bar with which it is to be used and carrying the abutment, and if desired the retainer and the glazing bar can be hinged together.

The invention can be performed in various ways and two embodiments will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a part-sectional view of the first embodiment of the invention when assembled; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the glazing bead and the retainer; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment according to the invention when assembled; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the combined retainer and glazing bead used in the construction shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a cross-sectioal view of the construction shown in Figure 3 with the seals removed and the removal tool in place; and Figure 6 is an isometric view of the removal tool.

As shown in Figure l the panel frame construction comprises a glazing bar made, for example, from aluminium or a synthetic plastics material such as UPVC which can be glazed from the exterior. Thus, reference numeral 2 indicates the interior side of the panel frame and reference numeral 3 the exterior side. The panel which is to be located in the frame is, in the embodiment shown, a pane of glass 4 which may be double glazed. A glazing bead 5 is provided to locate the panel 4 against outward movement and location means in the form of an upstand 6 prevents inward movement. A shaped inner glazing gasket 7 is located between the panel 4 and the upstand 6 and an outer glazing gasket 8 is located between the glazing bead 5 and the panel 4.The glazing bead 5 has an inner portion 9 having a deformable latch 10 which can be resiliently snapped into engagement behind an abutment 11 which is either provided on the glazing bar 1 or, as in the invention being described is formed on a retainer 12 which is rigidly connected to the glazing bar by a series of screws 13.

The retainer 12 is in the form of a section made from aluminium or synthetic plastics material and comprises a main box section portion 14 the outer wall 15 of which is curved and the inner wall 16 of which is formed with a protruding lip 17 the lower surface 11 of which provides the abutment for the latch 10. The upper wall of the box section is provided with a series of countersunk holes 18 and the lower wall 19 has a corresponding series of holes 20, the holes 18 and 20 being to receive the screws 13.

Projecting from the lower inner corner of the box section is a flange 21 which, in the embodiment being described is adapted to locate beneath a rail 22 provided on the glazing bar 1. Also projecting from the box section on the outer lower corner is a flange 23 the outer end of which carries an upstanding portion 24 which is cut back to provide two engagement surfaces, an upper engagement surface 25 and a lower engagement surface 26. The surface 26 is shaped to engage beneath an engagement rail 27 provided on the glazing bar 1. The upper end of the upstanding portion 24 is provided with a curved engagement surface 28 the operation of which will be described hereafter.

It will be appreciated that the terms upper and lower used herein relate to the apparatus as shown in the drawings in which the cross-section of the panel frame extends horizontally. It will be appreciated that other parts of the frame will extend vertically and in an inverted position at the top of the frame.

The distance between the end 30 of the flange 21- and.- the end 31 of the flange 23 is greater than the distance between the end 32 of the rail 22 and the endend 33 of the rail 27 but the distance between the surface 34 of the side wall 16 and is aess. wall 16 and the surface 35 of the upstanding portion 23 is less than the distance between ends .32 and 33 so that the end 30 can be slid into position beneath rail 22 and the retainer moved outwards so that the end 31 is beneath rail 27. In this position the screws 13 can be inserted to hold the retainer rigidly in place. The ends 30 and 31. further preventing upward movement.

The glazing bead 5 comprises an upper end of cover isportion 40 and outer end portion rail the lower end of which is inturned to provide an engagement rail 42. Projecting downwardly from the upper portion 40 is a curved safety leg 43 the reason for which will be explained hereunder.

The inner end of the glazing bead has a recess 44 to receive outer glazing gasket 8 and the latch 10 projects beneath this. The latch 10 has a downwardly projecting arm 45 indicate an inwardly projecting hook46 the upper surface of which is indicated by reference numeral 47. Also provided on the inner part of the glazing bead is a downwardly projecting rail 48 which acts as a downwardly projecting dimension of the hook.

The outwardly projecting dimension of the surface 47 of the hook is arranged to be greater than 48 and the distance between the surface 49 of the hook rail 48 and the outer surface 50 of the panel 4 when the glazing bead is in position.

The outer glazing in te gasket 8 has aprojecting portion 51 which can be engaged in the recess 44 to hold the glazing bead in place and the inner glazing bead 7 has a projecting portion 52 which locates in cavity 53 in the upstand 6.

When a panel is to be assembled the glass 4 is placed into the glazing bar frame and may be located on a bridge or packing pieces 55 indicated in broken lines in Figure 1.

The retainer in the form of a length of section is now slid into place and moved outwards to the position shown in Figure 1 when the retaining screws 13 are placed in position. The glazing bead 3 with the glazing gasket 8 in place is now located by placing the rail 42 under the surface 25 in the retainer and the inner portion is now pushed downwards until the latch 10 snaps into place beneath the surface 11 of the retainer. The security leg 43 is now located between the curved outer surface of the box section wall 15 and the curved surface 28 thus preventing inwards or outwards movement.

The glass panel 4 is now pushed outwardly against the glazing gasket 8 and the inner glazing gasket 7 is pushed into position.

It will be seen that it is not possible to remove the glazing bead without seriously damaging it and even if it is removed it will still not be possible to remove the panel 4 until the retainer 12 is also removed by taking out the screws 13 because the upper surface of the upper wall of the retainer is higher than the lower level of the glass panel In order to remove the glazing bar in order to, for example,#replace a damaged panel such as a broken glass pane, the inner glazing gasket 7 is first removed with an appropriate tool in well known manner so that the glass can be pushed inwardly to relieve the pressure on the outer gasket 8 and allow its removal. The glazing bead 3 is still firmly held in position. A specially designed tool as shown in Figures 5 and 6 is now used.This tool comprises a metal blade 56 the end of which is upturned to provide an hook 5 The upper end of the blade is angled as shown at 58 and carries a suitable handle 59. The tool is inserted into the gap between the panel and the inner end of thc glazing bead and hookedibeneath the rail 48. The tool is now pulled outwardly in the direction of the arrow 60, as shown in Figure 5, so that the blade pivots about the upper inner end of the glazing bead--indicated by; ref erence- humeral- 61 which causes the hook 57 to move--inwardly-in-the direction of- the arrow 62-thus creating a leverage on he:#railrn48 -an#d pulling it outwardly.This causes distortion of the upper end of the arm 45 allowing the latch 10 to be pulled clear of the surfcace 11. The tool can be slid along the glazing bead or operated at different points--until the-latch is clear. The glazing bead can now be removed by moving it upwardly and outwardly so that the rail 42 disengages.

The screws 13 are now removed so-that the retainer can also be removed thus allowing the panel to be taken out of the frame or a new panel to be inserted.

The glazing bead can be made from any suitable material, for example soft aluminium or UPVC provided there is sufficient resilience to allow operation of the latch.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 show an alternative construction in which the same reference numerals are used to indicate similar parts.

With this construction an alternative shape is shown for the lower portion of the retainer, thus, in this arrangement a lower bead 70 is provided to ensure a close fit beneath the rail 22. The upstanding portion 24 is replaced by a curved projecting tongue 71 and an extension 72 is provided.

The inwardly projecting rail 42 on the glazing bead is deleted and the end of the wall 41 is hinged at 73 to the extension 72. This construction is- therefore particularly directed to the use of UPVC which has sufficient characteristics to enable the hinge to be provided merely by providing a thinning of the material and the retainer and glazing bead are made as one piece and hinged together.

When the combined retainer and glazing bead are employed the retainer is placed in position in a similar manner to that described with regard to Figures 1 and 2. The glazing bead is however now snapped into place merely by pivoting it about the hinger 73 until the latch engages. Once again it will be appreciated that it is not possible to move the glazing bead inwardly or outwardly once it is in place having been moved in the direction of the arrow 80 in Figure 4.

The method of removing the glazing bead is as described with regard to Figures 1 and 2.

In the construction shown in Figure 5 a support block 55 is again shown but of larger dimensions. Thus a series of support blocks can be provided leaving spaces between them for the insertion of the removal tool. The larger block also enables the glass to be more easily moved inwardly as it is supported on it.

Glazing beads having a rail 22 and rail 27 are already known but for use with glazing beads of different construction. Thus, the present invention offers the provision of a glazing bead which can be used with existing glazing bars. The dimensions of the lower part of the retainer 12 will obviously made suitable to engage the glazing bar with which it is to be used.

Claims

1. A panel frame construction comprising a glazing bar adapted to receive a panel, glazing bead to locate the panel against outward-movement and location means to prevent inward movement inner and outer glazing gaskets located respectively between the panel and the location means and between the panel and the glazing bead, and said glazing bead including an inner portion having a latch which can be resiliently snapped into engagement with an abutment on or rigidly connected to the glazing bar and which is provided with means to receive a removable tool passed between the panel and the inner portion of the glazing bead and by which the latch-can be moved to disengage from the abutment to allow the glazing bead to be withdrawn.

2. A panel frame construction as claimed in claim 1 including a retainer adapted for rigid but removable connection to said glazing bar and carrying said abutment for engagement to the latch on the glazing bead.

3. A panel frame construction as claimed in claim 2 in which said retainer is secured to said glazing bar by removable screws.

4. A panel frame construction as claimed in claim 3 in which said screws are covered by the glazing bead when in position.

5. A panel frame construction as claimed in claims 2-4 in which the dimensions of the retainer are arranged so that it continues to act to prevent removal of the panel from the glazing bar after the glazing bead has been withdrawn.

6. A panel frame construction as claimed in any one of claims 2-5 including means extending between the retainer and the glazing bead to prevent movement thereof towards the panel after engagement.

7. A panel frame construction as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 2-6 in which the outer edge of the glazing bead is located and held by the retainer when it is in place.

8. A panel frame construction as claimed in claims 2-6 in which said retainer and the glazing bead are hinged together.

9. A panel frame construction as claimed in claim 8 in which said hinge is at the outer edge of said glazing bead.

10. A panel frame construction as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which said glazing bead and/or said retainer are made from a synthetic plastics material.

11. A panel frame construction as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the means to receive the removal tool comprises a hook on the latch.

12. A panel frame construction as claimed in claim 11 in which the hook is in the form of a projecting rail.

13. A glazing bead for use in a panel frame construction as claimed in claims 1-12 and comprising an inner portion having a latch which can be snapped into engagement with an abutment on or rigidly secured to the glazing bar with which it is to be used, said latch being provided with means to receive a removal tool passed between the panel and the inner portion of the glazing bead and by which the latch can be disengaged from the abutment to allow the glazing bead to be withdrawn.

14. A glazing bead as claimed in claim 13 including a retainer adapted for rigid but removable connection to the glazing bar with which it is to be used and carrying the abutment.

15. A glazing bead as claimed in claim 14 which is hinged to said retainer.

16. A panel frame construction substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 6 or Figures 4, 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.