GB2358885A

GB2358885A - Modular conservatory construction

Info

Publication number: GB2358885A
Application number: GB0002476A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Terence Davies
Original assignee: WALDAU UWE; GREEN WINDOW Co Ltd
Current assignee: WALDAU UWE; GREEN WINDOW Co Ltd
Priority date: 2000-02-04
Filing date: 2000-02-04
Publication date: 2001-08-08
Also published as: GB0002476D0

Abstract

A method of constructing of a conservatory 20 comprises the steps of: a) forming a plurality of rectangular frames 1 of the same dimension, each being able to hold glass panes with or without transoms fitted, b) selecting a number of the frames according to the desired configuration of the conservatory, and c) joining the frames together. Preferably the frames also form frames for French doors and can both the frame and transom are manufactured from glass fibre reinforced plastic. The frames can be joined by either fixed joints or by hinges. The transoms may be fitted on site and at any desired location within the frame. This allows the conservatory to be easily adapted to meet the requirements of the purchaser. Each transom may divided a given frame into distinct areas, one of which may form a hinged top-light. The glass panes may be held in place by beading.

Description

1 1 2

3 The present invention relates to the field of conservatories and French doors. In particular, it relates to a new modular construction of conservatories and French doors from glass reinforced plastic (fibreglass, ORP).

MODULAR CONSERVATORY CONSTRUCTION 358885 1 4 5 6 7 8 9 GRP is an ideal material to use for doors, windows and 10 outside furniture due to its longevity and 11 weatherfastness. However, at the present time, despite 12 the very large size of the market for conservatories, 13 conservatories are not to our knowledge currently made 14 from GRP anywhere in the world. Furthermore, we are aware of only two companies in the United Kingdom who 16 make French doors from GRP.

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 The reason for this relates to the cost of making GRP windows and conservatory panels. This becomes especially important when one considers the standard shape of conservatories. Conservatories will typically have panels containing top lights. A top light is a smaller, usually rectangular portion of the window separated from 3 2 1 the main pane by a horizontal bar known as a transom. The 2 top light may sometimes be hinged so as to open separately to the panel as a whole. In different 4 conservatories one would wish to have different designs of panels with top lights of different sizes, or hinged in different manners. However, although these different 6 7 shapes are mass produced in PVC, it is not economically 8 viable to produce GRP panels having transoms. This is 9 because GRP is harder and more expensive to work with 10 than PVC and the GRP panel with transom could not be 11 prepared in a single manufacturing step. 12 13 Furthermore, it is particularly expensive to prepare 14 French doors from GRP in a range of different 15 configurations with the transom in different positions as 16 economies of scale would be lost. 17 18 The aim of this invention is to provide a new modular 19 construction for conservatories and French door. The 20 design makes these conservatories much more economically 21 viable to construct and adapt to the requirements of individual purchasers.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of constructing a French door, the method comprising the steps of fitting a transom into a preformed frame thereby dividing the frame into distinct areas and then fitting glass panes within the distinct areas.

Preferably, the frame and transom will be made from GRP.

Preferably, the frame will have a groove and the transom will have corresponding lugs which fit into the groove.

3 1 2 Preferably, the glass panes will be held in place by 3 beading.

4 The glass panes may be hinged.

6 7 Preferably also, the transom will be held in place by 8 beading. 9 10 Most preferably, the transom will be fitted within the frame at the site where the French door is to be fitted.

of the present invention.

11 12 13 According to a second aspect of the present invention 14 there is provided a French door made by the first aspect 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of making a conservatory, the method comprising the steps of joining together a plurality of frames.

Each frame may be the frame of a French door.

Preferably, the method includes the steps of fitting a transom within at least one frame, thereby dividing that frame into distinct areas, and then fitting glass panes within the distinct areas.

Preferably, the frame and transom will be made from GRP Preferably, the frame will have a groove and the transom will have corresponding lugs which fit into the groove.

4 1 Preferably, the glass panes will be held in place by 2 beading.

3 4 6 7 8 9 Most preferably, the transom will be fitted within the frame at the site where the conservatory is to be fitted.

The glass panes may be hinged.

Preferably also, the transom will be held in place by beading.

Neighbouring frame may be joined with flexible hinges.

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 An example embodiment or the present invention will now 29 be illustrated with reference to the following figures in 30 which:

31 32 Figure 1 is a plan view of conventional French 33 doors; Consecutive frames may be joined with flexible hinges in an appropriate configuration to allow them to concertina.

A further fixed framework may be interspersed around or between individual frames.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a conservatory made according to the third aspect of the present invention.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention there is provided a French door or conservatory made as described herein and illustrated in the attached Figures.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Figure 1 shows in plan view a known construction of 11 French door 1. The French door 1 consists of an outer 12 frame 2, a glass central pane 3 and, in some known 13 configurations, plastic beading 4 which sits on either 14 side of the glass pane 3 and holds it in place against 15 the frame 2.

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Figure 2 is a plan view of a conventional French door or conservatory section having a top light; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a conservatory according to the present invention; Figure 4 is a French door; and Figure 5 is a plan view of a conservatory panel according to the present invention- cross-sectional view through a GRP PVC based windows and French doors according to the configuration are well known; however, we are aware of only two companies in the UK who make French doors along similar lines using GRP.

Figure 2 shows in plan view an alternative design of French door. This French door 10 has a frame 11 and a central pane of glass 12 as before. However, there is a separate top light 13 which is divided from the majority of the pane 12 by a transom 14. The top light may be permanently fixed into position or may be hinged so as to provide an openable pane, as in the illustration.

It is the provision for transom and top light that makes GRP patio doors and French windows particularly impracticable to make by current techniques. Putting this extra bar in would require an extra manufacturing step and substantially increase the cost of the product.

6 1 2 Furthermore, if somebody did wish to manufacture conservatories or patio doors from GRP, with transoms, they would have to manufacture them in a variety of forms, varying in terms of the different configuration of top light and window pane which might be desired by customers.

3 4 6 7 8 9 At the present time, cost implications means that GRP French doors are only rarely found and GRP is not used in 11 the construction of conservatories.

12 13 14 16 17 18 19 21 22 23 24 26 27 28 29 31 32 33 34 S Figure 3 shows, in perspective view, a novel constructi of conservatory envisaged by the present invention. This conservatory 20 is made up from a plurality of panels. These panels can consist of plain French window frames 1 and French window frames with transoms and top lights 10 or 30.

A first immediate benefit of manufacturing conservatories from what are essentially French doors is that instead of having to prepare new shapes and configurations of panels, standard shapes already manufactured for French doors can be used and joined together, allowing economies of scale.

Individual doors within the construction may be joined to each other with inflexible joints or with hinges enabling them to open. In some embodiments a series of hinges will be provided in an appropriate configuration to allow the doors to concertina. Doors will preferably by joined directly to each other; however, it will be clear to one skilled in the art that a further fixed frame may be provided around and between individual doors if desired.

1 2 Figure 4 shows, in cross-section, the beading method 3 conventionally used to hold glass panes in place on 4 French doors. The frame 11 has a pane 12 held in place 5 by beading 15 which sits in a groove 16. This beading is 6 important in the embodiment described below. 7 8 9 7 Figure 5 illustrates a modular French door construction as envisaged by the present invention for use in both the 10 above conservatory construction and as standalone French 11 doors. The French door 30 has a frame 31 and glass panel 12 32. As before, a top light 33 which may be fixed or 13 openable is held in place by a transom 34. However, the 14 transom 34 is moulded as a separate piece. Flanges 36 on 15 the end enable it to be fitted into grooves in the French 16 window frame and all components are held in place by 17 beading 35. 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 Importantly, beading can be cut to size and fitted on a building site by the person carrying out an installation, allowing the conservatory to be customised.

The advantage of this construction is that only a single frame need be manufactured to make both French window style panes for conservatories and panels having top lights for conservatories. Furthermore, because the transom can be positioned at different heights easily on the spot apart from the actual buildi.ng site by workmen in different locations and configurations depending on a particular layout preferred by a given customer. Workmen can customise the configuration merely by varying the location of the transom and fitting beading as 33 appropriate, making the whole construction and its 34 customisation substantially more economical.

8 1 2 It is envisaged that by implementing this strategy and 3 modular construction it will become possible to make 4 economically viable GRP French doors and conservatories made precisely according to a customer's individual 6 wishes and at a cost which is low enough to make them 7 highly desirable in the marketplace.

8 9 It will be obvious to one skilled in the art that this construction approach could be improved for other 11 materials which are most economically provided in this 12 modular form and also the construction of greenhouses, 13 outbuildings and other similar structures.

14 16 17 18 19 Further modifications and improvements may readily be made by one skilled in the art within the scope of the 21 invention herein described.

Materials may be fixed; for example, a GRP framed French door may have a foamed PVC lining in contact with the glass panel framed therein.

Claims

1 CLAIMS

2

3

4

5

6

7

8 9 10 11 2. 12 13 14 15 3. 16 17 18 19 20 4. 21 22

23 24 5 25 26 27 28 6. 29 30 31 32 7. 33

9 A method of constructing a French door, the method comprising the steps of (a) forming a frame (b) fitting a transom into said frame thereby dividing the frame into distinct areas; and (c) fitting glass panes within the distinct areas.

A method of constructing a French door as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the frame and transom are made from GRP.

A method of constructing a French door as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the frame has a groove and the transom has corresponding lugs which fit into the groove.

A method of constructing a French door as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein beading is fitted to hold the glass panes are in place.

A method of constructing a French door as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein the glass panes are hinged.

A method of constructing a French door as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein beading is fitted to hold the transom in place.

A method of constructing a French door as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein the transom is fitted 1 2 3 4 8. 5 6 7 9.

8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 within the frame at the site where the French door is to be fitted.

A French door obtainable by the method of any of claims 1 to 7.

A method of making a conservatory, the method comprising the steps of: (a) making a plurality of rectangular frames of the same dimensions, each having the capacity to have a glass panel or panels fitted with or without a transom therein; (b) selecting a number of said frames of the same dimensions depending on the desired configuration of the conservatory; and (c) joining together a plurality of said frames of the same dimensions.

10. A conservatory obtainable by the method of any preceding Claim.

A conservatory made substantially as described herein and illustrated in the attached Figures.

10. A method of making a conservatory as claimed in Claim 9 wherein each frame is the frame of a French door.

A method of making a conservatory as claimed in any of Claims 9 or 10 wherein the frame and any transom is made from GRP.

12. A method of making a conservatory as claimed in any of Claims 9 to 11 including the steps of fitting a transom within at least one frame, thereby dividing that frame into distinct areas, and then fitting glass panes within the distinct areas.

13. A method of making a conservatory as claimed in of Claim 12 wherein the frame has a groove and the 1 2 3 4 14. A method of making a conservatory as claimed in any 5 of Claims 12 to 13 wherein the glass panes will be held in place by beading.

11 transom has corresponding lugs which f it into the groove.

6 7 8 15. A method of making a conservatory as claimed in any of Claims 12 to 14 wherein he glass panes are hinged.

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 18. A method of making a conservatory as claimed in any 22 of Claims 9 to 17 wherein neighbouring frames are 23 joined with flexible hinges. 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 16. A method of making a conservatory as claimed in any of Claims 12 to 15 wherein beading is fitted to hold the transom in place.

17. A method of making a conservatory as claimed in any of Claims 12 to 16 wherein the transom is fitted within the frame at the site where the conservatory is to be fitted.

19. A method of making a conservatory as claimed in any of Claims 9 to 18 wherein consecutive frames are joined with flexible hinges in an appropriate configuration to allow them to concertina.

20. A method of making a conservatory as claimed in any of Claims 9 to 19 wherein further fixed framework may be interspersed around or between individual frames.

12 1 21. A conservatory obtainable by the method of any of 2 claims 9 to 20.

3 22. A French door made substantially as described herein and illustrated in the attached Figures.

6 23. A conservatory made substantially as described 8 herein and illustrated in the attached Figures.

1 i Amendments 1 CLAIMS 2 4 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 14 2.

3.

21 22 23 4.

24 26 27 28 29 no 32 33 5.

to the claims have been filed as follows 1 -? A method of making a conservatory, the method comprising the steps of: (a) making a plurality of rectangular f rames of the same dimensions, each having the capacity to have a glass panel or panels fitted with or without a transom therein; (b) selecting a number of said frames of the same dimensions depending on the desired configuration of the conservatory; and (c) joining together a plurality of said frames of the same dimensions.

A method of making a conservatory as claimed in Claim 1 wherein each frame is suitable for use as the frame of a French door.

A method of making a conservatory as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein the frame and any transom is made from GRP.

A method of making a conservatory as claimed in any of any preceding Claim including the steps of fitting a transom within at least one frame at the site where the conservatory is to be constructed, thereby dividing that frame into distinct areas, and then fitting glass panes within the distinct areas.

A method of making a conservatory as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein the glass panes are part of hinged top lights.

1 1, 1 - ' 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 8.

1q- 1 6. A method of making a conservatory as claimed in any preceding Claim further comprising the step of adding beading to keep the glass panes and any transom in place.

11 12 13 14 15 7.

9.

A method of making a conservatory as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein neighbouring frames are joined with flexible hinges.

A method of making a conservatory as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein consecutive frames are joined with flexible hinges in an appropriate configuration to allow them to concertina.

A method of making a conservatory as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein a further fixed framework may be interspersed around or between individual frames.