SYSTEM FOR MOUNTING GLAZING OR OTHER INFILL PANELS IN CLADDING FOR BUILDINGS

Abstract: A system for mounting infill panels (30), such as glazing panels, in cladding of the kind consisting of a series of cladding panels (110, 210) each formed along opposite edges with profiles adapted to engage correspondingly profiled edges of adjacent cladding panels when the panels are joined together. At least two elongate mounting members (140, 240) are provided, extending along opposite edges of the infill panel. Each mounting member has along one edge a profile adapted to receive and support the edge of the infill panel (30) and along the opposite edge a profile shaped to interengage with one of the profiled edges of the cladding panels. Each mounting member has a flange (144, 244) positioned so that the mounting member can be fixed to a structural member (32, 34) of a building by means of a fastener, such as a clamp (160, 260) and screw (166, 266) which can be secured by means of a tool inserted between the mounting member and the adjacent cladding panel. The mounting system provides ease of installation, requiring only face fixing from the exterior of the building, and of providing a system which is attractive in appearance.

Description: System for Mounting Glazing or Other Tnf-ffi. Panels in Cladding for Buildings. This invention relates to a system for mounting glazing panels or other infill panels in cladding for buildings. The invention is concerned particularly with cladding of the kind consisting of a series of cladding panels each formed along opposite edges with profiles shaped to engage correspondingly profiled edges of adjacent panels when the panels are joined together. Such panels are provided, for example, in the form of "sandwich" panels, consisting of inner and outer skins of metal separated by an insulating filling such as foamed plastics. The panels are usually supplied in lengths, which are arranged horizontally or vertically and joined to one another to form cladding for the walls of a building. There is a need for a system of mounting glazing panels or other infill panels in such cladding, which is convenient to use and does not detract from the appearance of the cladding. This invention consists in a system for mounting infill panels in cladding of the kind referred to, the system comprising at least two elongate members, each member being of a unitary construction and having along one edge a profile adapted to receive and support the edge of an infill panel and along the opposite edge a profile shaped to inter-engage with one of the profiled edges of the cladding panels, and a flange positioned so that the member can be fixed to a structural member of a building by a fastening extending perpendicular to the plane of the panels. The invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic cross-section through cladding panels of known form, Figure 2 is a vertical cross-section through a mounting member in accordance with the invention, positioned at the head of a window opening, and Figure 3 is a vertical cross-section through a mounting member in accordance with the invention, positioned at the ci l of a window opening. Referring to the drawings, a system is provided for mounting infill panels to wall cladding made up of cladding panels of the kind illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 1. Each panel 10 consists of inner and outer skins 12 of metal, such as aluminium or stainless steel, separated by an insulating filling, for example of polyure hane foam. Each panel is formed along opposite edges with profiles which enable the panel to engage with adjacent panels, in a form of tongue and groove connection. Thus, at one edge the outer skins 12 are formed to provide flanges 16, closer together than the main part of the skins 12, to form a "tongue" whilst at the opposite edge the outer skins 12 are turned inwards at 18 to define a groove which can receive the flanges 16 forming the "tongue" of an adjacent panel. Between the inturned flanges 18 is a central portion 20, which may be formed by a plastics extrusion fitted onto the flanges 18, of such a width that the central portion 20 fits closely between the flanges 16 of the adjacent panel. The spacing between the inturned flanges 18 forming the groove is greater than that between the projecting flanges 16 forming the tongue of the adjacent panel, so that there is a gap between each flange 16 and the adjacent flange 18, to receive, for example, a sealing gasket 22 or a clip 24 by means of which the panel can be fixed to the supporting structure, such as a steel frame member of the building, to provide a concealed fixing. The panels 10 are usually supplied in lengths of a standard width, the tongue and groove profiles extending along the longer edges of the panels. The panels may be installed with the longer edges running horizontally or vertically. Figures 2 and 3 illustrate a mounting system in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, employed to mount a glazing panel 30 between two cladding panels 110 and 210. The panels are arranged horizontally, with the "tongue" flanges 16 of each panel projecting upwards. The glazing panel is fixed to structural members 32 and 3^ of the building, as described below. The glazing panel 30 itself may, for example, be a conventional double-glazed sealed unit. The mounting system includes upper and lower mounting members l4θ and 240, each consisting of an elongate member of uniform cross-section. The two members 140 and 240 are of identical cross-section, and only the upper member l4θ will be described in detail. In the drawings, corresponding parts of the members 140 and 240 are given the same two-digit reference numeral, prefixed with the digit "1" for the upper member and "2" for the lower member. The upper member 140 is of unitary construction. As illustrated, it consists of two lengths of aluminium extrusion l4l and 142, permanently connected together by a plastics extrusion 143 providing a thermal break, but the member 140 could alternatively be formed in one piece, as a single extrusion. The member 140 has upwardly projecting flanges 144 and 146, which define the outer vertical faces of the member. These faces lie in the same planes as the faces of the cladding panels 110 and 210, the overall depth of the member 140, measured in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the cladding, being the same as the overall thickness of the cladding panels. The flanges 144 and 146 correspond to the inturned flange portions 18 of the cladding panels. The member 140 is additionally formed with a structure corresponding to the central portion 20 of the cladding panels. As shown in Figure 2, this central structure consists of two further upwardly projecting flanges 148 and 150, spaced from the flanges 144 and 146. The side of the member 140 which is uppermost as shown in Figure 2 (as well as the corresponding side of lower member 240, which is lowermost as shown in Figure 3) thus has a profile which corresponds generally to that of the "groove" edge of the cladding panels. At the other side of mounting member l4θ (the underside as seen in Figure 2) , the member is profiled to receive the top edge of the glazing panel 30. A flange 152, aligned with flange 144, projects downwards to a position in which it can engage the glazing panel 30, through a sealing gasket 155 housed in a channel 1 4 formed in the flange. A channel 1 6 formed in the lower side of the member 140 receives a clip 158, in the form of an aluminium extrusion, which is clipped into place and engages the glazing panel 30, through a sealing gasket 15 . to hold the glazing panel in position. As shown in Figure 2, the mounting member 140 is spaced downwards from the edge of the adjacent cladding panel 110, and is fixed to the structural member 3 by means of a number of clamps 160, positioned at suitable intervals along the length of the mounting member. Each-clamp 160 has a body portion 162 which engages the structural member 32, and a flange 164 which extends into the gap between the flanges 144 and 146 of the mounting member l4θ. A fixing screw 166 passes through a hole in the body portion 162 and engages the structural member 32, so that when the screw is tightened the flange 144 is clamped to the structural member. The vertical spacing between the cladding panel 110 and the mounting member l4θ enables the fixing screws 166 to be driven into place by a tool inserted from the front of the claddding. The vertical gap at the front is subsequently closed by a weather strip 170, consisting of an aluminium extrusion, which fits into the gap between the flange 18 and the central portion 20 of the cladding panel 110 and engages, along its lower edge, the flange 146 of the mounting member 140. A sealing gasket 171 is interposed between the flange 18 and the weather strip 170. As shown in Figure 3, the lower mounting member 240 engages the adjacent cladding panel 210, in a similar manner to the engagement of adjacent cladding panels, the central portion formed by flanges 248 and 250 on member 240 fitting between the "tongue" flanges 16 of the cladding panel 210, and the flanges 16 being accommodated in the gaps between flanges 244 and 248 and between flanges 246 and 250. The mounting member 240 is fixed to the structural member 3 by means of a series of clamps 260, which are screwed to the structural member 3 and clamp the flange 244 of the mounting member 240 to the structural member, in the same way as clamps 160 on the upper mounting member l4θ. A sealing gasket 271 fits between the flange 246 of the mounting member 240 and the adjacent flange 16 of the cladding panel 210. The glazing panel 30 is seated on a carrier 36 which is supported on ribs 280 of the mounting member 240. The glazing panel is held in place by a series of clips 258 which clamp the panel to the flange 252 of the mounting member 240. The mounting members l4θ and 240 are fixed in place during assembly of the cladding, in the following sequence. After the cladding panel 110, adjacent the upper edge of the window opening has been fixed in position, the upper mounting member 140 is placed in position and secured by clamps 160. The weather strip 170 is then placed in position and tapped into engagement with the flange 146 of mounting member 140. The lower mounting member 240 is placed into position, and secured by clamps 260. The cladding panel 210 is then moved upwards into engagement with the lower mounting member 240, and secured to the structural member. The mounting members 140 and 240 are then ready to receive the glazing panel 30. The joints between the vertical edges of the window opening and the glazing panel may be finished in any suitable way. In accordance with another aspect of this invention, the ends of the cladding panels defining the vertical edges of the window opening may be profiled in the same way as the longitudinal edges of the panels, and the glazing panel 30 may be connected to the adjacent ends of the cladding panels by vertical members having the same cross-section as the upper and lower mounting members 140 and 240. The described mounting system has the advantage of relative ease of installation, requiring only face fixing from the exterior of the building, and of providing a system which is attractive in appearance. The clamps holding the mounting members in position are concealed both from the outside and also from the inside of the building, allowing flexibility in interior decorative finish. The mounting members and the glazing panels lie generally in the same plane as the cladding panels, giving an attractive appearance. It will be appreciated that the described system can be used also when the cladding panels are installed vertically, the mounting members 140 and 240 extending along the vertical edges of the window opening. The system could be used to mount other infill panels, or to provide mountings for, e.g., doors. The side of the mounting members receiving the glazing panels may be suitably modified for such uses, or may be provided in a standard form, with additional pieces to be attached to enable it to be used with various forms of infill. The edges of the mounting members which engage the cladding panels may be profiled in different ways to suit different forms of cladding panel.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A system for mounting infill panels (30) in cladding of the kind consisting of a series of cladding panels (110, 210) each formed along opposite edges with profiles adapted to engage correspondingly profiled edges of adjacent cladding panels when the cladding panels are joined together, the system comprising at least two elongate members (l4θ, 240) , each member being of a unitary construction and having along one edge a profile adapted to receive and support the edge of an infill panel (30) and along the opposite edge a profile shaped to interengage with one of the profiled edges of the cladding panels (110, 210), and a flange (144, 244) positioned so that the elongate member (140, 240) can be fixed to a structural member (32) of a building by a fastener (166, 266) extending perpendicular to the plane of the cladding panels (110, 210). 2. A system as claimed in Claim 1, for mounting infill panels in cladding consisting of cladding panels (110, 210) each having along one profiled edge a projecting portion (16) and along the opposite profiled edge a recess (18) shaped to receive the projecting portion (16) of an adjacent cladding panel when the cladding panels are assembled, in which the profile of each elongate member (l4θ, 240) shaped to interengage with one of the profiled edges of the cladding panels (110, 210) is shaped to interengage with the projecting portion (16) of an adjacent cladding panel (210) . 3- A system as claimed in Claim 2, in which the interengaging profile of each elongate member (l4θ, 240) comprises two inner flanges (148, 150; 248, 250) arranged to engage the projecting portion (16) of an adjacent cladding panel (110, 210) and two outer flanges (144, 1 6; 244, 246} spaced from the inner flanges, one of the outer flanges forming the flange (144, 244) enabling the elongate member (l4θ, 240) to be fixed to a structural member (32) of a building. 4. A system as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, in which the fastener for connecting the elongate member (l4θ, 240) to a structural member (32) of a building comprises a clamp (l6θ, 260) having a body portion (162, 262) adapted to engage the structural member (32) and a flange portion (164, 264) positioned to engage the flange (144, 244) of the elongate member (l4θ, 240). So that the flange (144, 244) of the elongate member is in use clamped between the flange portion (164, 264) of the clamp and the structural member (32), and a screw or bolt (166, 266) extending through the body portion (162, 262) of the clamp (160, 260) to engage the structural member (32) . 5. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which, in use, a pair of elongate members (l4θ, 240) extend along opposite edges of an infill panel (30) , one elongate member (240) engages the adjacent cladding panel (210) whilst the other elongate member (140) is spaced from the adjacent cladding panel (110) so that the latter elongate member (l4θ) can be fixed to the structural member (32) by means of a tool inserted between the elongate member (140) and the adjacent cladding panel (110) . 6. A system as claimed in Claim 5, in which a weather proof strip (170) is provided to bridge the gap between the outer faces of the second elongate member (140) and the adjacent cladding panel (170) , the weather proof strip (170) being detachably connected to the elongate member (140). 1. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which removable clips (158) are provided to clamp an infill panel (30) to each elongate member (140, 240). 8. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which two pairs of elongate members (140, 240) are provided for each rectangular infill panel, the elongate members extending along four sides of the infill panel. 9. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which each elongate member (l4θ, 240) comprises two metal extrusions (l4l, 142; 24l, 242) jointed together by a plastics extrusion (143, 243) forming a thermal break. 10. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which each elongate member (140, 240) has an overall dimension, measured in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the cladding panels, substantially equal to that to of the cladding panels (110, 210).

Inventors: JERRARD-DUNNE ANDREW PETER, JERRARD-DUNNE, ANDREW, PETER
Applicants: CONST UTILITIES GROUP LTD, CONSTRUCTION UTILITIES GROUP LIMITED
Application year: 1989
Main classification: E04B2
IPC codes: E04B2, E06B1, E06B3