ELEMENTS FOR SUPPORTING AND BRACING SEALED-GLAZING UNITS

Abstract: Supporting and bracing element (1) adapted to engage an edge (10) of a plate-like means, such as a sealed glazing unit (9) received by glazing means. The supporting and bracing element (1) comprises an elongated disc-formed body having at least two longitudinally extending edge ribs (2, 3). The edge ribs (2, 3) are provided with at least one loop formation (8) at one of its short sides (12) and extend perpendicular to the upper- or under side of the edge ribs (2, 3) and the extension of which exceeds the thickness of the edge ribs (2, 3), said loop formation (8) is provided to be jammed between the edge portion (10) of the sealed glazing unit (9) and the surrounding frame bar (11) during the mounting of the sealed glazing unit (9).

Description: Elements for supporting and bracing sealed-glazing units. The present invention relates to elements for supporting and bracing sealed-glazing units or similar plate-like bodie intended to be placed between the edge portion of a sealed glazing unit and the surrounding frame bar in order to suppo or brace the sealed glazing unit at a predetermined distance from the frame bar. Supporting and bracing elements are used when mounting seale glazing units between the edge portion of the sealed-glazing unit and the frame bar in order to support the sealed-glazin unit and when casement windows are used also to brace said un laterally. The purpose of the elements is to distribute the pressure forces acting between the unit and the casement or frame in a manner so controlled that the panes of glass in t unit take up substantially equal pressure forces. The elemen used up to now usually consist of an elongated, disc-formed body, the width of which exceeds a short distance the width said unit. A large problem in using the elements known is especially when bracing said units laterally. In these cases jamming forces between the unit and the surrounding frame ba often cannot keep the elements in their position so the ele¬ ments therefore slide down along the flange of the frame bar and are gathered in the lowermost corner of the sealed glazin unit. An object of the present invention is to provide a supporting and bracing element of the type described in the introduction in which the drawbacks to be found with the known elements me tioned above are entirely eliminated without using adhesive o other moments which are expensive and difficult to handle.Thi is obtained with an element of the kind in question which, in accordance with the invention, comprises at least two paralel longitudinally extending edge ribs connected to each other by a central part having a thickness less than the thickness of the parallelly extending edge ribs, said ribs are provided with at least one loop formation located between the two edge ribs in a traverse direction preferably at one of its short sides, said loop formation extends perpendicular to the uppe or underside of the edge ribs a distance exceeding the thick ness of the edge ribs and said loop formation being provided to be jammed between the edge portion of the sealed glazing unit and the surrounding frame bar before or when mounting the sealed glazing unit. By virtue of the invention there is now obtained a supportin and bracing element which admirably fulfils its objects, but which is simultaneously simple and cheap to manufacture. By means of the loop formation of the supporting and bracing element it is prevented to slide downwards before or when mounting the glazing bar. The parallel elongated edge ribs owing to their elongated grooving can be combined or coupled together with corresponding grooving on the edge ribs of othe supporting and bracing elements without sliding laterally in relation to each other. By the special configuration of the centrally located part a drainage is obtained permitting that condensation or moisture can get out from the frame bar by • way of drainage openings provided in said frame bar. The locking pins extending from one side of the edge ribs in a direction opposite to the loop formation are provided to fix the supporting and bracing element in its placed position after mounting of the glazing bar. So that the invention will be more readily understood and further features thereby made apparent, an exemplary embodi¬ ment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which Fig 1 is a perspective view of a supporting and bracing ele ment according to the present invention. Fig 2 illustrates an element mounted in a glazed frame bar and Fig 3 illustrates the mounting of elements in a frame bar wwhhiicchh iinncclliinnees 15 - 45° and is intended to be used for a special hang. In Fig 1 the supporting and bracing element 1 comprises two elongated parallel edge ribs 2,3, said ribs 2,3 are connect to each other by a lot of transverse ribs 4 constituting a centrally located part 5. The thickness of the central part of the transverse ribs 4 is less than the thickness of the edge ribs 2,3 in order to form a draining groove 6 for remo ing condensation or moisture. The transverse ribs 4 forming the central part 5 have an arched tapering thickness in a direction towards its central portion. A loop formation 8 i provided at the end 7 of the edge ribs 2,3, said formation 8 is connecting the edge ribs 2,3.and extending perpendicular t said edge ribs 2,3. The loop formation 8 has an extension perpendicular to the upper side of the supporting and bracin element which mainly corresponds to the thickness of the edge ribs 2,3. When mounting the element 1 between the edge portion 10 of a sealed glazing unit 9 and a surrounding fram bar 11 the loop formation 8 is compressible to the same thic • ness as the edge ribs 2,3, which is possible by the location of the loop formation 8 outside the short side 12 of the edge ribs 2,3. The loop formation 8 is fastened to the ends 7 of the edge ribs 2,3. A grooving 13 is provided on the upper- and under side of th edge ribs 2,3, said grooving 13 extends in a longitudinal di rection and is indended to couple together or connect a lot of elements 1 placed on on top of each other and in the same time prevent a sliding movement laterally of the elements 1 in relation to each other. Two locking pins 14 are provided on one longitudinal side of the edge ribs 2,3 and extend in a direction from the edge ribs 2,3 opposite to the direction of the loop formation 8. The locking pins 14 are provided to fix the supporting and bracing element 1 after mounting of a glazing bar 15. The supporting and bracing elements 1 are preferably manufactured of plastics material in differei thicknesses of the edge ribs 2,3 for example 2, 3 and 5 mm, said thicknesses by arranging the elements 1 one on.the top of each other cover the actual distances which exist betwee the edge portion 10 of a sealed glazing unit 9 and a sur¬ rounding frame bar 11. In order to distinguish elements 1 having different thickness easier from each other a special colour can be used for each thickness. _OMPI

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A supporting and bracing element adapted to engage an edge (10) of a plate-like means such as a sealed glazing uni (9) received by glazing means, comprising an elongated, disc- formed body, the width of which mainly corresponds to the width of the sealed glazing unit (9), c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the elongated body consists of at least two parallel, longitudinally extending edge ribs (2,3) conneced to each other by a central part (5) having a thickness less than the thickness of the parallelly extending edge ribs (2, 3), said ribs (2,3) comprising at least one loop formation (8) situated between the two edge ribs (2,3) in a transverse direction preferably at one of its short sides (12), said loop , formation (8) extending perpendicular, to the upper- or underside of the edge ribs (2,3) a distance exceeding the thickness of the edge ribs (2,3) and said loop formation (8) being provided to be jammed between the edge portion (10) of the sealed glazing unit (9) and the surrounding frame bar (11 before or during the mounting of the sealed glazing unit (9) 2. An element according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d i n that the extension of the loop formation (8) perpendicular to the upper- or underside of the edge ribs (2,3) mainly corresponds to the thickness of the edge ribs (2,3). 3. An element according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d i n that the upper- and underside of the edge ribs (2,3) is provided with longitudinally extending grooves (13) to make it easier to fit several supporting and bracing element (1) on the top of each other and to prevent a sliding of the individual elements (1) relative each other. 4. An element according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d i n that the central part (5) connecting the two longitudinally extending edge ribs (2,3) consists of a num¬ ber of ribs (4) extending transversely in relation to the edge ribs (2,3) . 5. An element according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the loop formation (8) is located mainly outside or beyond the short side (12) of the edge ribs (2,3) and fastened thereto by its ends. 6. An element according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that at least two locking pins (14) are extending from one longitudinal side of the edge ribs (2,3) in a direction opposite to that of the loop formation (8) in fastening the supporting and bracing elemen (1) after mounting of a glazing bar (15). 7. An element according to any of the preceding claims, • c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the transverse ribs (4) forming the central part (5) have an arched tapering thick¬ ness in a direction towards its central portion. I J URE Λ TJ OMPI

Inventors: ERIKSSON LARS ERIK, RICKARDSSON GOETE, ERIKSSON, LARS, ERIK, RICKARDSSON, GOETE
Applicants: ERIKSSON LARS ERIK, ERIKSSON, LARS, ERIK
Application year: 1982
Main classification: E06B3
IPC codes: E06B3