GB2355475A

GB2355475A - Curtain wall assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2355475A
Application number: GB0023542A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Susan Mary Boardman; William Boardman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-09-27
Filing date: 2000-09-26
Publication date: 2001-04-25
Anticipated expiration: 2020-09-26
Also published as: GB0023542D0; GB2355475B; GB9922863D0

Abstract

The assembly, particularly for use with glazed panels, has a framework 10 designed to be on the inner side of the assembly and which supports infill panels 3. The panels are secured in place by T-shaped elements 4 that are positioned on the outside of the assembly so that the panels situated either side of the element are held against the frame by the cross-bar 5 of the element. The leg 6 of the T-shaped element extends between the adjacent panels and into a recess in the framework where it is secured by a fastening element 14 that passes through both the element and the framework.

Description

2355475 Agent's Ref- P02968GB WALL ASSEMBLY The invention relates to

walling comprising a framework of relatively light construction and infill panels, e.g. glazed panels, supported by the framework. Such walling is sometimes called 'curtain walling'. The invention also relates to a method of mounting glazed windows within the curtain wall.

It is known for curtain walling to comprise a metal framework made up of vertical studs and horizontal cross-bars each with a T-shaped crosssection and with glazed panels supported on the central leg portions of the T-shape. The cross-arms of the T-shape are at the inside face of the wall (assuming this is an external wall of a building) and, to hold the glazed panels in place, flat metal fixing strips are provided overlying adjacent edges of the panels and fixed by screws to the ends of the central web of the frame members. Each fixing strip is then provided with a spring-on cover strip that covers the screw heads. Not only is this method of assembly inconvenient but it lacks security because the springon strips can be removed and the screws in the fixing strips removed from outside the building.

It is an object of this invention to provide a method of making an assembly of a wall containing panels which are more reliably held in place.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a wall comprising a framework made up of members having portions at one side of the wall, infill panels supported by the framework and fixing members at the other side of the wall and having leg portions which extend through to the one side of the 2 wall between adjacent panels and are fixed to the framework by fixing means accessible at said one side.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an assembly comprising a wall having an outer face and an inner face and at least two panels arranged in line between the faces, a pressure plate being present at the outer face and having a leg which extends through the wall between the two panels and projects beyond the inner face to enter a housing at the inner face, and a cross member passing through the housing and the leg to hold the assembly engagement.

Preferably a compressible pressure pad is present between the inner surface of each fixing member and the facing surface of the outer face and is held under compression. Preferably the ffidng means comprises pins or bolts passed through holes in the framework and in the leg of the fixing member, the holes being axially offset, so as to generate a compression force applied to the pressure pad.

In another aspect the invention provides a method of making the defined assembly, the method comprising connecting the leg of the pressure plate to the housing at the inner face of the wall by a cross member.

In order that the invention may be well understood it will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

3 Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of an assembly; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the end portions of a pressure plate and a housing used in the Figure 1 assembly; Figure 3 is a perspective outside view of part of a curtain wall; Figure 4 is a section on the line 44 in Figure 3, and Figure 5 is a perspective inside view of part of a frame comprised in the Figure 3 wall, one of two cross-bars shown in the figure being exploded from an adjacent stud to render visible the end of the cross-bar.

The assembly of Figures 1 and 2 forms part of a curtain wall having an outer face 1 and a parallel inner face 2. At locations between the faces glazed panels 3 are present, arranged in line with a slight gap in between. A pressure plate 4 comprises a web 5 and a leg 6. The plate is located so that the web 5 overlies the front face I in line with both panels, and the leg 6 extends through the thickness of the wall between the panels to emerge at the inner face 2. A gasket 7 is present between the inner surface of the web 5 and the underlying wall face 1. As shown in Figure 2, the leg 6 has a through hole 8 near its free end. A housing 10 is secured to the inner face by screws passed through holes 11. The housing is generally channel shaped, and two aligned holes 12 are present in the sides 13. A bolt 14 is adapted top pass through holes 8,12 and be held in place by a nut S. The holes 12 and 8d are arranged to be axially offset so that when the bolt 14 is passed through tension is applied to 4 leg 6, to draw the plate to compress the gasket 7 between the plate 4 and the face 1.

The assembly is made by passing the leg 6 of the plate 4 through the outer face (through a preformed hole not shown) from the outside and then the bolt is passed through the holes 12, 8 at the inside face of the building. The method is simple to perform, and the assembly is secure in that the plate cannot easily be detached from the front face.

The housing may have a cover for cosmetic purposes and may be inset into the inner face.

As with the wall of Figures 1 and 2, the wall 30 of Figures 3 and 4 comprises a framework made up of upright aluminium studs 31 and aluminium cross-bars 32, the studs 31 and cross-bars 32, having a like crosssectional shape which is prismatic, i.e. the same throughout the length of the studs and bars. This cross-sectional shape comprises a flat portion 33 with two parallel flanges 34 extending in the same direction from the strip at respective sides of the centreline of the strip, i.e. to form what looks like a T with a double upright or a Greek figure pi. However, between the two flanges 34, extending in the opposite direction from strip 33, there is a relatively narrow rectangular channel portion 35 forming a recess which opens towards the space between flanges 34.

The cross-bars 32 are butted to the studs 31. However, for appearance sake, the ends of the cross-bars 32 are cut so that the channel portions 35 are longer than the portions 33 as shown in Figure 5. The channel portions 35 of the cross-bars 32 then butt right up to the channel portions of the studs.

Also, if required, the Ranges 34 of the cross-bars could be slightly longer than the portion 33 so that the flanges of the cross-bars will butt to the flanges of the studs.

Double-glazed panels 36 are provided in the respective spaces formed by the studs and cross-bars, the panels being supported by the adjacent flange 34 beneath it. In Figure 3, the panel that would be at the top left of the figure is removed for clarity.

The panels 36 are held by fixing strips 37, each having a T-shaped crosssection. In each case, the central web 38 of the T-shape passes between the flanges 34 and enters the channel portion 35. A gasket 39 (not shown in Figure 3), i.e. a strip of plastics material such as Neoprene, hes between each side arm 40 of the fixing strip 38 and the adjacent glazed panel. The fixing strips 37 are kept in place by pins 41 engaged in holes extending through the channel portions 35 and central web 38. The pins can be wedge shaped or the holes for the pins can be angled so that as the pins are engaged, the web 38 is drawn further into the channel portion 35 and the fixing plates 37 are clamped against the panels 36 with the gasket 39 therebetween.

6

Claims

1. A wall comprising a framework made up of members having portions at one side of the wall, infill panels supported by the framework and fixing members at the other side of the wall and having leg portions which extend through to the one side of the wall between adjacent panels and are fixed to the framework by fixing means accessible at said one side.

2. A wall according to Claim 1, wherein the infill panels are glazing panels and the fixing members comprise elongate fixing bars each having a Tshaped cross-section and arranged with the cross-webs of the bars positioned over the edge portions of the faces of adjacent glazing panels and the central webs of the bars extending between adjacent glazing panels to said one side of the wall.

3. A wall according to Claim 2, wherein the framework is made up of members having portions defining recesses along the lengths of the members and wherein the central webs of the fixing bars are engaged in the respective recesses, the central webs being fixed to said members by pins or bolts extending through holes in the walls of the recesses and aligned holes in the central webs.

4. An assembly comprising a wall having an outer face and an inner face and at least two panels arranged in line between the faces, a pressure plate being present at the outer face and having a leg which extends through the wall between the two panels and projects beyond the inner 7 face to enter a housing at the inner face, and a cross member passing through the housing and the leg to hold the assembly engagement.

5. An assembly according to Claim 4, in which a pressure pad is present between the inner surface of the pressure plate and the facing surface of the outer face and is held under compression.

6. An assembly according to Claim 4 or 5, in which the cross member is passed through holes in the housing and in the leg, the holes being axially offset so as to generate a compression force which is applied to the pressure pad.

7. An assembly according to Claim 4, 5 or 6, in which the panels are glazed panels.

8. A method of making an assembly according to Claim 1, comprising connecting the leg of the pressure plate to the housing at the inner face of the wall by means of a cross member.