GB2283043A

GB2283043A - Retaining panels,e.g. glazed panels within frames

Info

Publication number: GB2283043A
Application number: GB9419531A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kevin Donald Smith
Original assignee: J K R SERVICES Ltd
Current assignee: J K R SERVICES Ltd
Priority date: 1993-09-28
Filing date: 1994-09-28
Publication date: 1995-04-26
Also published as: GB9419531D0; GB9320017D0

Abstract

A panel 5 of, eg. laminated fire retardent glass, is retained in a wooden frame 3 by generally F-shaped metal members 7 screwed at 9 to the frame. Wooden beads 13 are screwed or glued in place to cover members 7. <IMAGE>

Description

A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RETAINING A PANEL WITHIN AN APERTURE DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for retaining a panel within an aperture. In particular, the invention relates to methods and apparatus for retaining a glazed panel within a door or window frame, to glazed units, for fitting into doors and window frames, and to doors and windows, comprising such glazed units. The invention also relates to the retaining means employed in the inventive methods and apparatus.

Glazed apertures are common design features of timber residential front doors. In a typical design, a glazed panel is secured into an opening, formed in the door, by timber beads, or putty, which hold the panel in place against a rebate, formed around the opening. Timber beads are normally applied to the inside of the door and putty is usually applied externally. Unfortunately, however, because it is vulnerable to being dislodged from the door, by a potential intruder levering the glazed panel against the internal timber bead, or removing the putty, the panel represents an area of weakness in the door, even if the glazing material itself is hardened or impact resistant.

Conventional windows, in which the glazing material is retained within a frame using putty, or timber beads, in either of the aforementioned ways, are equally vulnerable to attack.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of retaining a panel within an aperture, in such a way that the panel and surround (which may be a door, window frame or the like) is less vulnerable to attack than doors and window frames, glazed in the aforementioned conventional manner.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of retaining a panel within an aperture, comprising peripherally engaging the panel in retaining means and securing the retaining means to means defining the aperture, wherein the panel is located between jaw portions of the retaining means, the jaw portions are integrally formed with receiving means for receiving fixing means, the receiving means being disposed to one side of the panel, and fixing means are engaged with the receiving means and the means defining the aperture, securing the retaining means to the latter.

An advantage of the present invention is that, once installed, the fixing means are accessible from one side of the panel only. Also, a panel, installed by the inventive method, is less vulnerable to being removed from the aperture by violent means, acting from the opposite side of the panel to the fixing means.

In a second aspect, the invention provides a glazed unit comprising a glazed panel with peripherally engaged retaining means, wherein the panel is located between jaw portions of the retaining means, the jaw portions are integrally formed with receiving means disposed to one side of the panel, and the receiving means are arranged to receive fixing means for securing the retaining means to means defining an aperture.

In the third aspect, the invention provides means defining an aperture, such as a door or a window frame or sash, incorporating a glazed unit in accordance with the second aspect of the invention.

In a further aspect, the invention provides retaining means for use in a method in accordance with the first aspect of the invention.

In embodiments, the panel is engaged in channel means defined in the retaining means to provide the jaw portions and, preferably, the jaw portions and the receiving means form a single integral component. In an embodiment, the retaining means comprises an integrally formed elongate member having a, preferably sanserif, substantially "F" shaped cross-section, in which the two arms of the "F", preferably, are of substantially equal length, although either can be longer than the other. In such embodiments, the retaining means are simple to manufacture, by extrusion or similar techniques, and the retaining means are sufficiently slim to be covered and disguised by suitably shaped beads.

Retaining means can be engaged around the entire periphery of the panel, or along only a portion or portions thereof.

In the latter case, a plurality of retaining means can be employed.

Preferably, the retaining means comprises an elongate member, having a sanserif "F" shaped cross-section as aforementioned, with at least one and, preferably, an array of holes formed through the receiving means. Suitable fixing means, for use with this latter embodiment, include screw threaded means, such as wood screws, set screws and bolts.

Preferably, the means defining the aperture comprise a door or a window frame or sash which, in preferred embodiments, can be formed from timber. In an embodiment, the retaining means are formed from a hard material, such as a metal, and a weather proof gasket material can be located between the channel means and the panel.

In a preferred embodiment, once the retaining means have been attached to the means defining the aperture, bead members are then attached over the retaining means, so as to obscure the latter from view. Most preferably, the panel is monolithic and can be a glazed unit, formed from glass, a plastics material or a laminate.

A specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only and with reference to the following drawings.

Figure 1 is a view of a door with a glazed panel; Figure 2 is a scrap section through the edge of the glazed panel and adjoining portion of the door, shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of a channel member, of the type shown in Figure 2.

The door 1, shown in Figure 1, is conventionally formed from raised and fielded timber panels 2, held in a frame comprised of a plurality of timber frame members 3. A glazed unit 4 is retained between four of the frame members 3, in the upper part of the door 1.

The glazed unit 4, comprises a rectangular glazed panel 5 formed from laminated fire retardant glass, located within a frame comprised of four metallic channel members 7. Each channel member 7 has a sanserif "F" shaped cross-section, in which the arms 8, of the "F", extend an equal distance away from its back 9 (See Figures 2 and 3) and cooperate, with the back 9, to form a square section channel. An array of counter sunk holes 10 is formed through the portion of the back 9, which lies outside of the channel defined between the arms 8. Each channel member 7 is engaged upon one of the edges of the glazed panel 5, with the latter tightly located in the channel, defined between the arms 8 of the channel member 7. A mastic material can be injected between the arms 8, before each channel member 7 is engaged upon the glazed panel 5, in order to provide a weather proof seal.

The glazed unit 4 is located within the door 1 (as shown in Figure 1), with the channel members 7 abutting the frame members 3 which form the aperture for the glazed unit 4.

The channel members 7 are fixed to the abutting frame members 3 by a plurality OL wood screws 12, each extending through a hole 10, in the back 9 of a channel member 7, and into screw threaded engagement with a frame member 3. Eight timber beads 13 are then fixed around the periphery of the glazed panel 4, covering the channel members 7 and the adjacent parts of the frame members 3 (see Figure 2). The timber beads 13 can be retained by wood screws 14 and/or by a layer of adhesive (not shown).

Claims

1. A method of retaining a panel within an aperture, comprising peripherally engaging the panel in retaining means and securing the retaining means to means defining the aperture, wherein the panel is located between jaw portions of the retaining means, the jaw portions are integrally formed with receiving means for receiving fixing means, the receiving means being disposed to one side of the panel, and fixing means are engaged with the receiving means and the means defining the aperture, securing the retaining means to the latter.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the panel is engaged in channel means, defined in the retaining means to provide the jaw portions.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the jaw portions and the receiving means form a single integral component.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the retaining means comprises an integrally formed elongate members having a substantially "F" shaped cross-section.

5. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein retaining means are engaged around substantially the entire periphery of the panel.

6. A method as claimed in any of claims 1-4, wherein retaining means are engaged along a portion or portions of the periphery of the panel.

7. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein a plurality of retaining means are engaged to the periphery of the panel.

8. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the fixing means comprise screw threaded members driven to extend through the receiving means.

9. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the means defining the aperture comprise a door, or a window frame or sash.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the door or window frame or sash is formed from wood.

11. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the retaining means are formed from metal.

12. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein a gasket material is inserted between the jaw portions and the panel.

13. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein bead members are attached over the retaining means, so as to at least partially obscure the latter from view.

14. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the panel is a glazed unit, preferably formed from glass, a plastics material or a laminate.

15. A method as claimed in any of claims 3-13, wherein the elongate member has a substantially sanserif "F" shaped cross-section.

16. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one hole is defined in the receiving means for receiving the fixing means.

17. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the panel is monolithic.

18. A glazed unit comprising a glazed panel with peripherally engaged retaining means, wherein the panel is located between jaw portions of the retaining means, the jaw portions are integrally formed with receiving means disposed to one side of the panel, and the receiving means are arranged to receive fixing means for securing the retaining means to means defining an aperture.

19. A glazed unit as claimed in claim 18, wherein the panel is engaged in channel means, defined in the retaining means to provide the jaw portions.

20. A glazed panel as claimed in claim 18 or claim 19, wherein the jaw portions and the receiving means form a single integral component.

21. A glazed unit, as claimed in claim 19 or claim 20, wherein the retaining means comprises an integrally formed elongate member having a substantially "F" shaped crosssection.

22. A glazed unit as claimed in any of claims 18-21, wherein retaining means are engaged around the entire periphery of the panel.

23. A glazed unit as claimed in any of claims 18-21, wherein retaining means are engaged along a portion of the periphery of the panel.

24. A glazed unit as claimed in any of claims 18-23, comprising a plurality of retaining means.

25. A glazed unit as claimed in any of claims 18-24, wherein the retaining means comprise a metal extrusion.

26. A glazed unit as claimed in any of claims 18-25, wherein a gasket material is located between the jaw portions and the glazed panel.

27. A glazed unit as claimed in any of claims 21-26, wherein the elongate member has a substantially sanserif "F" shaped cross-section.

28. A glazed unit as claimed in any of claims 18-27, wherein at least one hole is defined in the receiving means for receiving the fixing means.

29. A glazed unit as claimed in any of claims 18-28, wherein the glazed panel is monolithic.

30. Means defining an aperture within which a glazed unit as claimed in any of claims 18-29 is retained by fixing means, wherein the fixing means are accessible from one side of the unit only.

31. Means defining an aperture, as claimed in claim 30, comprising a door or a window frame or sash.

32. Means defining an aperture as claimed in claim 30 or 31, wherein bead members are fitted over the retaining means so as to substantially obscure the latter from view.

33. Means defining an aperture as claimed in any of claims 30-32, wherein the fixing means comprise at least one screw threaded member, such as a wood screw, set screw or a bolt.

34. Retaining means suitable for use in a method of retaining a panel within an aperture as claimed in any one of claims 1-17.

35. A method of retaining a panel within an aperture, substantially as hereinbefore described.

36. A glazed unit, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.