GB2247713A

GB2247713A - Mounting glazing or other panels

Info

Publication number: GB2247713A
Application number: GB9119257A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Charles Damar Dawson
Original assignee: Reddiplex Ltd
Current assignee: Reddiplex Ltd
Priority date: 1990-09-08
Filing date: 1991-09-09
Publication date: 1992-03-11
Also published as: GB9119257D0

Abstract

Glazing or other panels are conventionally mounted in a frame (1) having at its inner edge a flange (2) with a rebate (3) and at its outer edge a groove (4) for receiving a removable bead (9). The panel is mounted between the rebate flange (2) and the bead (9), but this arrangement has the disadvantage that an intruder can forcibly remove the bead (9) in order to remove the panel. In order to prevent this a removable stop pin (10) is provided to project through the rebate flange (2) in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the panel, and extending just clear of the plane of the panel, to engage against the inside face of the bead (9), preventing the bead (9) being moved towards the panel to a disengaging position. The pin (10) preferably has a screw-threaded engagement with the frame (1), in a hole which may be provided with a bush (11). The pin (10) may also end in a self-tapping screw to bite into the material of the bead. <IMAGE>

Description

MOUNTING GLAZING OR OTHER PANELS This invention relates to the mounting of glazing or other panels, and in particular to security arrangements for preventing the unauthorised removal of such panels.

Current conventional practice is to mount glass panels, e.g. windows, in extruded metal or plastics frames without the use of putty, by making use of a bead of a specially shaped section designed to hook into a groove provided in the frame. The glass (it may be a sealed double-glazing unit) is placed against a rebate in the frame, the bead is snapped into place, and sealing strips of rubber or EPDM are inserted on both sides of the glass, i.e. between the glass and the rebate on the inside of the building and between the glass and the bead on the outside. The presence of these sealing strips prevents the bead from becoming disengaged, as it is held resiliently urged away from the glass and thereby locked into the groove in the frame.

However, it has been found that a determined intruder can remove the outer sealing strip, force the bead towards the glass, forcing the glass back against the rebate in the frame (compressing the inner sealing strip) to a point at which he is able to disengage the bead from the groove. He can then lift out the glass.

In theory the problem could be overcome by glazing from the inside of the building, i.e. having the rebate facing inwards and the bead on the inside, but this is not popular with the construction industry and it gives rise to an unusual external appearance.

Another possibility would be to secure the bead in place permanently, but again this is unpopular for various reasons, and it gives rise to obvious difficulties when broken glass needs to be replaced.

According to the present invention, a mounting for a glazing or other panel comprises a frame having at its inner side a flange with a rebate and at its outer side a groove, and a bead removably received in the groove, the panel being mounted between the rebate flange and the bead, with at least one removable stop pin being provided to project through the rebate flange in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the panel, and extending just clear of the panel, to engage against the inside face of the bead, thereby preventing the bead being moved towards the glass to a disengaging position.

The pin or pins therefore provide a way of preventing unauthorised removal of the bead from outside, yet still allow removal of the glass (or other panel) when necessary.

The pin or pins are tightened against the bead as a final operation, after the panel, the bead and any sealing strips are; in place. Each pin preferably has a screw-threaded engagement with a hole in the frame, so that it can simply be screwed into place. The holes in the frame may be bushed, and provided with an internal screw-thread. Where a bush is not used, or not threaded, the pin is provided with self-tapping threads.

The pins can have very small heads, or no heads at all, and can be provided with sockets for engagement by an Allen key, so that they are unobtrusive. After the pin has been tightened the socket could be filled by a moulded snap-in plastics cap or disc, which may be coloured and provided with a legend such as 'Security'.

A further possibility is to provide a self-drilling tip on the pin so that it does not merely engage the inside face of the bead but actually drills into the bead, giving added security by resisting any attempts to force the bead inwards.

In practice, in the operation of glazing a frame, the lower bead can be put in place before the glass is inserted, and if at the same time solid block-like spacers of the correct thickness are inserted between the rebate and the bead below the glass before the glass is put in place no pins are needed at this edge, and it is sufficient to provide them only along the top of the frame. For a small window a single pin may be sufficient but generally speaking we prefer to use two, or possibly more in the case of a large window.

Whilst we have spoken above of glass it will be understood that the invention is equally applicable where the panel is of a material other than glass, and not necessarily transparent, but where it is mounted in the manner in question.

Some examples of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which : Figure 1 is a section through a portion of a window frame, showing a pin according to the invention; and Figure 2 shows an alternative construction.

Referring first to Figure 1, this shows a lower horizontal member of a window frame. The member is of extruded uPVC and of conventional form, having a horizontally extending portion 1, and an upstanding flange 2, on the inner edge of the frame. The flange 2 defines a rebate face 3 against which the inside face of a glass panel (not shown) is placed. A groove 4 at the outer edge of the portion 1 has front and rear undercuts 5 and 6 respectively to receive co-operating flanges 7 and 8 on an , extruded bead 9 which engages the outer face of the glass panel. To mount the bead, it is tilted, allowing the flange 8 to enter the undercut 6, and then moved towards the rebate face 3 far enough to allow the other flange 7 to engage the undercut 5.The resilience of sealing strips (not shown) between the glass and the flange 3 and between the bead 9 and the glass normally holds the bead in this position, but in the known constructions (everything described so far is known) it is possible for an intruder to force the bead towards the glass and disengage it.

To prevent this, after glazing, we insert a pin 10 from inside the building through a bushed hole in the flange 3, and of a length such as to bear against the inside face of the bead 9. The bush, shown at 11, could be of brass, flanged on the inside and provided with an internal screw thread engaged by a thread on the shank of the pin 10. The inner end of the pin 10, which is headless, is provided with a socket 12 for engagement by an Allen key. After the pin 10 has been screwed into place the socket 12 is closed by a moulded plastics cap 13.

Figure 2 shows a alternative arrangement in which the bead is of rather different profile designed to snap into the groove and to prevent this type of bead being removed the pin has a self-drilling tip 14 and actually enters the material of the bead as it is screwed home, preventing the bead being tilted to remove it.

Although the pin has been illustrated as being in the lower horizontal member of the frame, in practice, for the reasons stated above, it need only be provided in the upper member of the frame, and in the lower member spacer blocks of the appropriate thickness are used, placed before the glass is inserted.

The bush could be omitted, and the thread on the pin could be self-tapping, to cut its own thread directly in the plastics material of the frame. The invention is in fact equally applicable to metal frames. Moreover the pins could be in the form of standard commercially available screws, especially self-tapping screws.

Claims

1. A mounting for a glazing or other panel comprising a frame having at its inner side a flange with a rebate and at its outer side a groove, and a bead removably received in the groove, the panel being mounted between the rebate flange and the bead, with at least one removable stop pin being provided to project through the rebate flange in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the panel, and extending just clear of the panel, to engage against the inside face of the bead, thereby preventing the bead being moved towards the glass to a disengaging position.

2. A mounting as claimed in Claim 1, in which the or each pin has a screw-thread engagement in a hole in the frame.

3. A mounting as claimed in Claim 2, in which the hole is bushed.

4. A mounting as claimed in claim 3, in which the bush has an internal screw-thread for co-operation with the thread on the pin.

5. A mounting as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3, in which the pin has a self-tapping thread.

6. A mounting as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the or each pin has a very small head.

7. A mounting as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, in which the or each pin has no head.

8. A mounting as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the or each pin has a socket for an Allen key.

9. A mounting as claimed in Claim 8, in which the socket is filled by a plastic cap.

10. A mounting as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the or each pin is provided with a self-drilling tip which drills into the inside face of the bead.

11. A mounting for a glazing or other panel substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A mounting for a glazing or other panel substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.