CONTINUOUS FRONT FOR COVERING THE OUTSIDE WALLS OF BUILDINGS, MADE OF MODULAR SECTION MEMBERS AND HAVING HIGH INSULATION PROPERTIES

Abstract: The present invention relates to a continuous front or facade for covering the outside surfaces of walls of buildings, which front is made of modular section members (2, 3, 4, 5) and has high insulation properties, wherein the front supporting frame (2) is assembled by intercoupling a plurality of bearing section members (40), which have a substantially rectangular profile which is provided with a projection projecting from the middle or center line of one of the sides thereof or, in angle section members (16), from two adjacent sides,in the end portion of which a gasket (7) and coupling means for an outer tight section member can be arranged. The tightness section member (5) substantially consists of a web having,on the two faces thereof, two further projections (4) symmetrically arranged with respect to the middle line and operating as respective abutments (6) for the projection of the bearing section member,for the gasket (7) and for the coupling means.

Description: The present invention relates to a continuous front or facade, for covering the outside surfaces of buildings in general, which front is made of modular section members and is provided with high insulation properties. As is known, continuous fronts of buildings, which are generally used for forming the exposed envelope of a building, are presently made starting from metal, plastics and the like materials and are specifically designed for coating, by broad glass surfaces having metal frames, industrial and office use buildings. Continuous fronts are also used, the so-called structural continuous fronts, in which the metal shaped elements supporting glass and panel elements are not exposed to view. For assembling the above mentioned continuous fronts a great amount of resilient silicone based glue materials must be used and the thus made structural assemblies can not be universally applied to buildings, because of a lack of operating flexibility. A section member assembly according to the first portion of the claim is already known from the document US-A-4 418 506. A combination section member is known from US-A-3 858 375. Accordingly, the task of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks above mentioned of conventional fronts, by providing such a front which is provided with a frame the component elements of which can be used in a very flexible way, so as to drastically reduce the construction and storing costs. Within the scope of the above mentioned task, a main object of the present invention is to provide such a continuous front which can be safely and quickly installed and which, moreover, assures a very high insulation of the covered building. Another object of the present invention is to provide such a front including a supporting frame which, in addition to compensating the differential expansion movements of metal and glass materials, can be easily and quickly assembled, with a very reduced labour, within the tolerance ranges of the building field. According to one aspect of the present invention, the above mentioned task and objects, as well as yet other objects, which will become more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a section member assembly for making continuous front for coating the outside surfaces of walls of buildings in general, according to the characterizing portion of the claim. Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more apparent hereinafter from the following detailed description of some preferred, though not exclusive, embodiments of the continuous front according to the present invention which is illustrated, by way of an indicative but not limitative example, in the figures of the accompanying drawings, where: Figure 1 is a partial view of the continuous front; Figure 2 is a vertical cross section view of the continuous front or facade; Figure 3 is a horizontal cross-section view of the continuous front taken at a panel, at a glass gap or "chamber" and at a window frame; Figures 4, 5 and 6 are respective cross-sectional views illustrating some exemplary corner upright members; Figures 7 and 8 schematically show the section members used for making the upright members of the preceding figures; Figure 9 schematically shows reducing or restraining members arranged between a upright member or cross-member and the tightness section members; Figure 10 schematically shows the section member used for making a reducing member; Figures 11 and 12 are respectively a side and front cross-sectional view illustrating joints of sheet metal elements of the top end portion of the subject continuous front; Figure 13 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating a variation of the joint of the end elements of the front; Figures 14 and 15 show the section members used for making the mentioned joint; Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a top and/or side end portion for inner panels, taken at a sill level; Figure 17 shows the section member for making the end portion of figure 16; Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a flush covering element for the middle joints of the sill covering inner panels; Figure 19 shows the section member used for making the above flush covering element; figure 20 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a combination section member; Figures 21 and 22 show the component elements of the combination section member; Figure 23 schematically shows an interposed element; Figures 24 and 25 show section members which can be used both as upright members and as cross-members; Figure 26 show a section member generally used as a cross-member; Figures 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31 show several types of tightness section members; Figure 32 shows the procedure for applying a replacement gasket and a snap flush covering element; Figures 33 to 38 show the section members used as wire covering elements for several types of different configuration fronts; figure 39 show a perimetrical restraining frame; Figure 40 shows a section member to be used for forming panels with glass outside and sheet metal inside; Figure 41 shows a possible coupling of two upright members of cross-members, arranged mutually at an angle; and Figures 42 and 43 show the section members used for performing the above coupling; Figure 44 shows a section member to be used for forming withdrawable wings. With reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, a continuous front according to the present invention is provided with a supporting or bearing frame 1, made by assembling a plurality of load bearing section members, comprising upright members 2 and cross-members 3, tightness members 4 and flush covering members 5, comprising a modular constructional arrangement. The upright members 2 and cross-members 3, on the inside side, and the tightness section members 4, on the outside side of the front, are formed with seats 6 for housing gaskets 7, made of a rubber or plastics special material, which, as they are engaged with panels 8, glass gaps 9, glass plates 10 and board 11, either individual or mutually associated, as well as with movable window frames, will provide a high thermal and acoustic insulation. Further gaskets 13 are provided which, in cooperation with sealing materials, will provide the front with air and water tightness properties. The subject section members are used depending on the configurations-flat, concave or convex angle-assumed by the structure 14 to be covered or its projecting portions and comprise elements which can be indifferently used as cross-member 15 or corner members 16, or as a restraining perimetrical frame 17, or as joints 18 between the sheet metal elements 19 forming the end portion of the continuous front. The modular section member arrangement further comprises section members 20 which can be used: as top and/or side end portion for internal panels 21, at a sill level; as flushcovering elements 22 for covering the joint region of the panels 21; as section members 23 for forming special panels 24, with outside glass element 25 and inner steel or aluminium sheet element 26 which provide coupling 27 of two upright element 2 or two cross-members 3, which are arranged with an adjoining relationship with angles from 20° to 60°. The upright members 2 and cross-members 3 have their load bearing structural portions arranged inside the plates 10 or panels 11, in order to conceal them to view; in a like manner is arranged the movable frame 12, for making withdrawable wings 28, so as to form a continuous structural front. In the openings defined by the supporting aluminium frame 1, glass "chambers" can be engaged, indicated at 9, as well as glass plates 10 and panels or boards 11, of different thicknesses, the perfect leveling of which is assured by suitable gaskets and space reducing section members 29, between the upright member 2, or the cross member 3, and the tightness section member 4. Some section members 30 of the subject modular section member arrangement consist of the assembled combination of two fitting or mating component elements, which are assembled with the interposition of a further intermediate element 31, for fitting the combination section member to the glass plate 10 to compensate for movements due to temperature and load variations. The tightness section members 4 are provided with double T-shaped legs 32 defining engaging seats 33 in which there are snap engaged the flush covering section members 5, provided in turn with corresponding coupling means and abutment legs 34 and of different shapes depending on the application type, such as on a flat front, at a corner region or as projections. The tightness section members 4 are mounted by means of threaded means 35 in seats defined on elements 36 projecting from the outer sides of upright members 2 and cross-members 3 and operate to pressure hold the glass plates 10, panels 11 and frames 12 applied to the continuous front. Instead of the section members 5 rubber or plastics material gaskets 37 providing the same function can be used. With reference to figure 1, at 38 there is shown the coupling, by adjustable brackets, to the building bearing structure 39. In figure 2 there are shown: a cross-member 3 made by using a section member 40, and used generally as a cross-member proper, in particular cases as a upright member; the tightness section member 4 made by using the section member 41; the flush covering section 5, made by using the section member 42; at 43 there being shown a further section member adapted to operate as a flush covering section member 5. Figures 4, 5 and 6 show : corner upright members 16, made by using section members 44 and 45; a flush covering section member 5, made by using section members 46 and 47, a tightness section member 4, made by using the section member 48. Figures 13, 14 and 15 show the joints 18 between the sheet metal members 19, made by using the section members 49 and 50. Figures 20, 21, 22 and 23 show the section members 30 formed by the combination of the members 51 and 52 with the interposition of the member 31 having a substantially double T shaped profile, provided with lugs on the legs in order to facilitate the assembling procedure. Figures 24 and 25 show the section members 53 and 54 used, indifferently, as upright members and as cross-members. Figure 26 shows the cross-member 55. Figures from 27 to 31 show the section members 41, 56, 57, 58 and 59 which form the tightness members 4. Figures 33 to 38 show the flush covering members 5, made respectively by using the section members 60, 61, 62, 47, 63 and 46. Figures 41, 42 and 43 show the section members 64 and 65 which are used for forming the joints 27 between two upright members 2 or two cross-members 3. Figure 44 shows the section member 66, which has been specifically designed for making withdrawing wings 28, that is wings the movable frame 12 of which is rather concealed to view from outside of the front or facade. While preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and disclosed, it should be apparent that the disclosed embodiments are susceptible to several modifications and variations within the scope of the appended claim.

Claims: A section member assembly for making a continuous front having high insulation properties for covering the outside surfaces of buildings, said section member assembly including upright and cross load bearing section members (2,3) having a substantially rectangular profile and adapted to be mutually coupled so as to define a load bearing frame (1) of said front, each said section member comprising a projection located at least on one side of each said section member and two end seats (6) in which seats (6) a respective thermally insulating gasket (7) can be engaged, a coupling section member (4) for tightly coupling a glass sheet (10) to said section members (3), said coupling section member (4) having two H-shaped end portions, a recess of each said H-shaped portion defining a respective seat for engaging therein a said thermally insulating gasket (7) to be abutted against said glass sheet, characterized in that in said coupling member (4) there is further defined a central seat adapted to be aligned with a corresponding seat of said projection of a said section member (3) for engaging in said two aligned seats a further thermally insulating gasket (13) for tightly coupling by screw means (35) said coupling member (4) and section member (3) and resiliently tightly restraining said glass sheet, and in that said assembly further comprises a combined section member (30) to be fitted to said glass sheet for compensating possible movements due to temperature and load variations, said combined section member (30) comprising two C-shaped section members (51,52) having mutually facing legs, with an intermediate element (31) being interposed between said C-shaped section members (51,52), the profile of said combined section member (30) being closed on a side thereof by said intermediate element (31) and, on the other side thereof, by a resilient element, said intermediate element (31) having a substantially double T-shape provided with lugs on the legs to be mated with said section members (51,52).

Inventors: GIACOMELLI, MARIO METRA METALLURGICA TRAFILATI
Applicants: METRA METALLURGICA TRAFILATI ALLUMINIO S.P.A.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: E04B2
IPC codes: E04B2