-1- P/00/00!13 Rgulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT ORIGINAL Name of Applicant: Gins Relate Hardwan Limited Actual Inventors: Bernhad Pieter VAN NOQIJN Address for service in Australia: Newuham & co Level 1. 425-429 Pacific Highway, Crows Nest PO Box 1325, Crows Nest New South Wales 2065, Australia Ph: 0064-27-231 6702 Fax: 0064-9-414 6012 Invention Title: UPRIGHT SHEET .BASE SUPPORT The fOllowing statement is a fuI description of this invention, including the best method of perform ing it known to us: Pauapp 2 This invention relates sheet Iass support brackets and in particular a support brdket suitable as a base mounting for an uprightly orientated glass pane or sheet such as for a stair or dock balustrade. Ofen it is desired to utilise glass panes or sheets as stair, deck balustrades or similar building 5 components. Difficulties can arise with their mounting to a substrate structure, such as a deck, without disturbing the integrity of the weathering capabilities of the substrate. In same instances building regulations or codes preclude the penetration of any associated weathering membrane or similar component rendering the mounting of such balistrades difficult. Further, some building codes require such a balustrade to be face mounted, that is, on a 10 generally vertically orientated face rather than a horizontally orientated face. An object of this invention is to provide a support bracket for such a sheet suitable for use on a vertically orientated face. A further object is to provide the public with a useful choice. According to a first embodiment of this invention there is provided a support bracket for a vertically orientated sheet element broadly comprising a clamp plate of indefinite length 15 having two arms disposed in a generally "U"-shaped cross-section configuration and incorporating a plurality of mounting apertures and a plurality of clamp retaining apertures extending through the arms thereof, the mounting apertures enabling mounting means to be fastened therethrough to vertically face mount the bracket with an exterior side of an inner of the arms in abutment with the vertical face and with the mouth of the bracket opening 20 upwardly, and' the Clwxmp retauing apertures enabling sheet element clamp means to be mounted therein to clamp a sheet element within the bracket.
3 According to a second embodiment of this invention there is provided a support brauket as described in the preceding paragraph wherein an outwardly projecting lip is formed on the mouth associated end of the inner arm to, in situ, seat on a horizontally disposed face at which the vertically disposed mounting face terminates. 5 According to a third embodiment of this invention there is provided a support bracket as described in either of the two immediately preceding paragraphs wherein the inner arm includes a downwardly extending mounting Range. According to fourth embodiment of this invention there is provided a support bracket as described in any one of the three immediately preceding paragraphs characterised in that the 10 bracket is fabricated as a unitary extrusion of constant cross-section. According to a fifth embodiment of this invention there is provided a support bracket as described in any one of the four immediately preceding paragraphs wherein elongate grooves are formed in an upper extremity of the outer arm and a lower extremity of the inner arm enabling a cover plate to be snap fitted thereto. 15 According to a sixth embodiment of this invention there is provided a support bracket as described in any one of the five immediately preceding paragraphs wherein sheet height adjustment means are provided in a lower section of the clamp. In further describing the invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein; Figure 1 is a perspective end view of a typical intallation but with cover plates and mounting 20 means removed, and Figure 2 is and end view of the bracket depicting the components in an exploded format, and 08-0-,fndrcpAU 4 Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view depicting a typical installation. Preferably the bracket 1 is fabricated as a unitary metallic element such as a mill finish aluminium, extrusion. In cross-section the bracket is generally "U" shaped with two arms 1 a and lb thereof spaced apart to provide an opening 3 of a width to provide a close fit for an 5 intended sheet 2 to be mounted thereby. A prime purpose for the bracket I is for mounting glass sheet(s) 2 as balustrades and to that end typically the width of the opening 3 is either 12mm or 15mm depending upon the installation. Preferably the thickness uf the arms Ia, lb is similar to that of an intended sheet 2 to be mounted thereby with preferably the outer arm lb and the connecting web or bottom le being marginally thicker than the inner ann la. This 10 increased thickness provides increased strength within the outer arm lb and web 1c zone of the bracket 1. For mounting a sheet 2 as typically used for a deck balustrade the depth of the opening 3 between the arms la, lb is preferably about 110mm. Preferably an 'utwardly extending lip Id is formed on the mouth 3a associated end of the inner arm la. In situ the lip Id can be seated on a horizontal surface or edge, typically a deck 15 surface 5, bordering the intended vertical face Sa to which the bracket 1 is to be mounted to thus provide basic horizontal alignment of the bracket 1. Also preferably a downwardly extending flange 1e forms an extension of the inner arm Ia to provide strengthening, particularly resisting outward leveraging of the outer arm lb about the web lc of the bracket 1. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the field that such outward leveraging can be 20 substantial owing to the leverage resulting from the mounting of a glass sheet 2 within the bracket 1.
081-16 - Aal rp ALT 5 Mounting apertures 6 are formed through the arms la lb by which a variety of mounting means such as screws 7 or anchor bolts can he placed to fasten the bracket 1 in situ. Preferably the mounting apertures 6 are arranged in pairs, one above the other, at intervals in rows along the length of the bracket 1. A lower of the rows of mounting aperture 6 are preferably formed 5 in the flange le and an upper of the mounting aperture 6 rows about mid-way up the arms la, lb. With the upper row of apertures 6 each arm la, lb is fonned with apertures 6, the apertures 6b in the outer arm lb aligning with its associated aperture 6a in the inner arm la. As depicted in figures 3 and 4, the apertures 6b in the outer arm are "oversized" to provide clearance for a fastening bolt or screw 7 (and an appropriately sized screw-driver) to pass 10 completely therethrough and butt up against the inner arm la. Preferably the inner arm apertures 6a are countersunk or otherwise recessed on the inner face of the arm 1a to provide clearance for a sheet 2 positioned in the opening 3 of the bracket I. Sheet clamp retaining apertures 8 are formed at intervals along the outer arm 1b. Preferably the clamp retaining apertures 8 are arranged in pairs one above the other. Preferably the 15 clamp means comprise suitably rubber capped grub-screws 9 or similar elements with the apertures 8 being screw threaded to adjustable retain the grub-screws 9. Similarly, preferably screw threaded apertures 8a and associated grub screws 9a are provided in the web le to provide height adjustment or horizontal alignment means. Thus, with positioning of a sheet 2 within the bracket 1 the web le associated grub-screws 9a can be adjusted as necessary to 20 marginally adjust the height of a sheet 2 to provide horizontal alignment. Following this the grub-screws 9 in the outer arm 1b can be "tightened" to clamp a sheet 2 within the bracket 1. Preferably a resilient packer 10 such as a reasonable hard rubber strip is provided in the bottom of the opening 3 to provide a seat for a glass sheet 2 therein.
6 Preferably cover plates 11 and 12 are provided to enhance the aesthetics of tliv mill finish bracket I and hide the mounting, clamping and height adjustment apertures 6, 8 as well as the associated fixing, clamping and means 7, adjustment means 9a and clamping means 9; Preferably a first cover plate 11 is of a generally "L"-shaped cross-sectional configuration with 5 each arm thereof tenninating in attachment lips 13. For attachment of the cover plate II elongate grooves or rebates 14 are preferably provided adjacent to or along the upper end of the outer arm lb and the lower end of the flange 1 e of the bracket 1. The cover plate 11 can be snap-fitted ontb the bracket I by engaging the lips 13 thereof in the grooves or rebates 14 to depend downwardly over the outer face of the bracket 1. Similarly a second cover plate 12 is 10 preferably provided to snap-fit ovcr Lhe deck seating lip Id, rebates 15 being provided to that end, with both covers 11, 12 being, for example, powder coated to provide an aesthetically desirable finish.