RECTANGULAR FRAME FOR DOORS AND WINDOWS

Abstract: One end (28) of one of the glazing bead portions (21) is spaced from its respective frame member (11) at one and preferably both of the corner joints (15, 16) between that frame member (11) and the adjacent frame members (13, 14) so as to define a recess (23) between the glazing bead portion (21) and its respective frame member (11) at this corner region (15, 16) and through which a part of the glazed unit is exposed; and in which a decorative infill panel (24) is located in the recess (23) so as to cover the exposed part of the glazed unit (19) and also to provide a decorative corner effect with the glazing bead portion.

Description: RECTANGULAR FRAME FOR DOORS AND WINDOWS This invention relates to a rectangular frame for doors and windows which incorporate single or double glazed units, and which are provided with decorative corner panels at at least some of the corners of the rectangular frame to modify the appearance of the frame. The invention has therefore been developed primarily with a view to enable the rectangular appearance of window / door frames to be modified in any required manner to provide decorative and / or distinctive effects at the corners. In traditional wooden framed windows, generally right angled corner inserts of wood have been provided to give a decorative appearance which softens the right angled corners of the window frame at the upper corners. These corner inserts are curved on their undersides, and together can form a curved edge which frames the upper edge of the window. These inserts are usually fitted in place by simple use of nails or screws. The invention is concerned with rectangular frames of extruded plastics, usually UPVC, which are being fitted to an ever increasing extent both in original construction of buildings, and also as replacement of existing wood framed windows. White UPVC frames provide an effective simulation of a conventional painted wooden frame, but without the need for routine maintenance, as no repainting is required. UPVC window frames are also now being supplied with wood grain effect on the exposed faces, and these are gaining in customer acceptance. However, there is a need to provide rectangular frames of suitable plastics and which can be modified in their appearance in a simple and reliable manner to provide any required decorative corner effects at some or all of the corners, and in order to simulate traditional designs previously only available with wood framed windows. The invention therefore addresses this need and provides a novel means of achieving this using decorative corner infill panels which can be easily and reliably installed at one or more corners of a rectangular frame composed of four frame members of extruded plastics joined together at their corners by any suitable means, including any of the techniques customarily involved. Therefore, the invention will enable conventional assemblies e.g. of UPVC window frames to have their corner appearances modified as desired, using decorative infill panels and without any need to modify the manufacture of the frame members. Accordingly, the invention provides a rectangular frame of extruded plastics composed of four frame members joined together at their corners to define a rectangular opening in which a single or double glazed unit can be mounted, and separately formed glazing bead portions arranged along one side of the frame members and secured thereto in order to retain the glazed unit in the frame with each glazing bead portion being secured to a respective one of the frame members, in which: one end of one of the glazing bead portions is spaced from its respective frame member at one of the corner joints between that frame member and the adjacent frame member so as to define a recess between the glazing bead portion and its respective frame member at this corner region and through which a part of the glazed unit is exposed; and, a decorative infill panel is located in said recess so as to cover said exposed part of the glazed unit and also to provide a decorative corner effect with the glazing bead portion. Preferably, the infill panel is located in position by a coupling engagement with the glazing bead portion. Each glazing bead portion preferably comprises a separate bead, though it is within the scope of the invention for two, or more preferably three glazing bead portions to be formed in one piece. The invention enables decorative corner effects to be achieved at any required corners of a rectangular frame, which can simulate any designs traditionally only available in wood framed windows, but in a way which is simple and yet reliable to carry out and without requiring any modifications to the design of the frame members and which can be of standard form. Further, the profile of the glazing beads also may remain of standard form. The invention therefore enables required decorative corner effects to be obtained without any need for major redesign of the main components of the frame, thereby minimising re-tooling cost. Preferably, the invention is applied to modify the appearance of the two upper corners of a rectangular window frame, and employs a separate infill panel at each corner. Conveniently, a single top glazing bead runs full width across the frame, and is secured at each end to a respective one of the adjacent upright frame members, but has a single mid-region of contact and engagement with the top frame member. Therefore, the top glazing bead effectively may be a standard glazing bead co-operating with a standard profile of top frame member, but having the opposed ends of the top glazing bead pulled downwardly to define corner recesses in which the infill panels can be located. This will, of course, require the top glazing bead to be of greater length than would otherwise be the case for a straight run across the width of the frame, but apart from that the top glazing bead can be of entirely known profile form, and be capable of suitable coupling engagement with the rectangular frame members of the frame. The ends of the glazing bead are therefore each located at a downward spacing from the respective corners, to define a pair of recesses in which the infill panels are located. The glazing bead is therefore required to extend non-linearly between its ends (its usual extruded shape for use as a conventional glazing bead will be rectilinear), and preferably the bead is deformed into the required shape by application of heat e.g. using an oil bath, and then deformation to the required shape on a special jig e.g. a gently curved shape. Suitably shaped infill panels will therefore be provided e.g. right angled corner pieces with curved lower edges which can merge to present a continuous curve with the top glazing bead, which overlies and frames the upper region of the glazed unit. The or each infill panel can be engaged or located in position by any suitable means, but without necessity for any provision to be made to secure the panel to any of the rectangular frame members. The infill panels can be manufactured cheaply, because their primary purpose is decorative rather than functional, and to fill the recesses defined to receive them, and the only necessary coupling parts are relatively simple shapes formed on the edge of the panel to permit coupling with the glazing bead. The panel(s) may have any suitable snap-fitting type of engagement with the top glazing bead, and in one form this may be such that the bead and panel have to be assembled as a unit prior to introduction of the unit into the frame, and in another form the bead can be installed first, followed by snap—fitting engagement of the panel. To improve the retention of the panel in its recess, double sided adhesive tape, or other adhesive means may be used in order to bond the inner (non-exposed) face of the panel to the exposed face of the glazed unit. The co-operation between the infill panel(s) and its associated glazing bead preferably is provided on what will be the outer face of the frame which is exposed to the weather, and a matching appearance on the inner face of the rectangular frame may be achieved by simple adhesion of overlying internal panels of the same shape, but without need for any location in specially designed recesses to receive them, or other forms of mechanical coupling. The frame members and the beads are preferably made of white UPVC, but if a surface decorative effect is required, the exposed faces may have a wood grain effect facing adhesively secured thereto. The infill panels can similarly be provided with a wood grain effect. In that the top glazing bead is deformed to shape, it can have its wood grain effect applied so as to run parallel to the general contour of the bead, and which can provide a distinctive effect in combination with the wood grain effect on the infill panels which can extend substantially horizontally. Although it is preferred to deform the top glazing bead (or any other of the beads if more than two corner pieces are required), the glazing bead may run straight as part of a multi-panel assembly e.g. for a multi-panel door frame, in which case one end of the glazing bead can be coupled with one of the frame members at a suitable position along its length e.g. approximately midway, whereas the other end of the bead is coupled with the adjacent frame member at a small spacing from the corner between the two frame members, thereby defining a triangular recess in which a correspondingly shaped infill panel can be located. When only the top glazing bead has its ends spaced from the two top corners of the rectangular frame to define two recesses for respective infill panels, the ends can seat themselves, in the manner of an arch, on the upper ends of the two vertical glazing beads extending along the two vertical frame members. The engaging faces will be suitably mitred, and if the curvature of the top glazing bead (and the infill panels) are made the same at each corner region, then the same mitre joint angle will be satisfactory, regardless of the width of the window, in that the intermediate part of the top glazing bead may be of varied length and / or curvature to suit different frame widths, while keeping the same radius of curvature at each corner region, so that the same mitre joints can be used, provided of course that a mid- region of the glazing bead can make coupling engagement with a mid-region of the associated frame member. Embodiments of rectangular frame according to the invention, for use as door or window frames, will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic front illustration of a general type of rectangular frame to which the invention may be applied; Figure 2 is a section taken on the line A-A in Figure 1 of an embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 is a view, similar to Figure 1 ; Figure 4 is a section taken on B-B in Figure 3 of the first embodiment of the invention; Figure 4a is a view, similar to Figure 4, illustrating further detail of the first embodiment; Figure 5 is a perspective illustration showing the way in which the first embodiment is assembled; Figure 6 is a view, similar to Figure 4, comprising a section on the line B—B in Figure 3, and showing a second embodiment; Figure 7 is a perspective illustration, similar to Figure 5, and showing the method of assembling the second embodiment; Figure 8 is a perspective illustration of a top left hand corner of a rectangular frame, and showing the means by which a corner infill panel is located; Figure 9 shows a series of different rectangular window and door frame styles which may be obtained by the invention; Figure 10 is a schematic illustration of the application of the invention to rectangular frames of different widths; and, Figure 11 shows schematically different types of glazing bead profiles which may be adopted in a rectangular frame according to the invention. Referring now to the drawings, there will be disclosed embodiments of rectangular frame for use as window or door frames, and which are made of extruded plastics material, and more usually UPVC. Rectangular frames for windows and doors are composed of four frame members joined together at their corners to define a rectangular opening in which one or more single or double glazed units can be mounted, and separately formed glazing beads are usually arranged along one side of the frame members and are snap-fitted to the edges of the frame members in order to retain the glazed unit(s) in the frame. Figure 1 and 3 show a typical design of rectangular frame, which happens to be a window frame, and to which the invention may be applied. The frame is designated generally by reference 10 and comprises horizontal top and bottom frame members 11 and 12 and vertical frame members 13 and 14 which are joined together at top corners 15 and 16 and bottom corners 17 and 18 by any conventional means. Glazing beads are provided, running the full length along bottom frame member 12, and part way upwardly alongside the vertical frame members 13 and 14. However, the arrangement of the top glazing bead associated with top frame member 11 is substantially different from normal, and will be described in more detail below, and comprising an embodiment of the invention. The first embodiment of the invention will therefore now be described with reference to Figures 2, 4, 4a and 5. In all embodiments of the invention, there will be a glazing bead associated with and secured each to a respective one of the four frame members making-up the rectangular frame, but in preferred embodiments of the invention, the glazing bead associated with the top frame member has its means of engagement substantially different from the other glazing beads. Referring now to Figure 2, this is a vertical section taken on A-A in Figure 1 and shows a double glazed unit 19 mounted within rectangular frame 10, with Figure 2 showing the way in which the top part of the frame is assembled. The glazed unit 19 is held along its upper edge by the top frame member 11 which has an integral downwardly projecting flange 20 on its inside face against which the upper edge of the glazed unit 19 can be seated. At the outer side of the frame 11, the glazed unit 19 has its upper edge held in position by a glazing bead 21. Figure 2 is a section on the line A-A in Figure 1 , which is a mid-region of both the glazing bead 21 and top frame member 11, and Figure 2 shows how the glazing bead 21 has a snap-coupling engagement at 22 with the top frame member 11, which can be of any one of standard forms. However, unlike a conventional glazing bead engagement, the engagement at location 22 occurs only in the middle region of the frame member 11 and glazing bead 21. Thus, in the embodiments shown in Figures 2 to 8, each end of the top glazing bead 21 is spaced downwardly from the respective corner joint 15, 16 of the top frame member 11 and thereby defines a recess between the glazing bead 21 and the frame member 11 through which a part of the upper end of the glazing unit 19 is exposed. This can be seen in Figures 5 and 7, which shows recess 23 which is approximately a right angled triangular shape, but having a curved downwardly facing longer side. A decorative infill panel 24 is located in the recess 23 so as to cover the exposed part of the glazed unit 19 and, together with the adjoining portion of the glazing bead 21 , provides a decorative corner effect which overlies the glazed unit. The illustrated embodiment, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, provides a curved corner profile at each of corner joints 15 and 16, which softens what would otherwise be a rectangular corner appearance, and this can simulate any desired traditional decorative effect obtainable previously only with wooden framed structures. Each infill panel 24 is located in position securely by any suitable means, and which does not involve any mechanical coupling with either of the adjacent frame members (11 and 13 and 11 and 14) of the rectangular frame 10. Infill panel 24 has any suitable snap-fitting coupling with the glazing bead 21, and two different means are shown in Figure 4, 4a and 5, and in Figures 6 and 7 respectively. To achieve the required curved profile of the glazing bead 21, any standard profile of glazing bead can be used as the starting point, which is usually of extruded rectilinear form, and which can be deformed permanently into the required shape by gentle heating e.g. in an oil bath, followed by deformation in a specially designed jig. Upon cooling, the glazing bead 21 maintains the deformed shape. Each end of glazing bead 21 has a projecting tongue which can fit into the groove formed in vertical frame members 13 and 14, whereas the mid-region of the glazing bead 21 is held captive with the top frame member 11, as can be seen in Figures 2, 4 and 6. The glazing bead therefore forms a strong arch structure which is rigid, and which retains the glazed unit 19 securely in position, while defining recesses 23 in which decorative infill panels can be located. The outer ends of glazing bead 21 will be suitably mitred, and will seat on the correspondingly mitred upper ends of the glazing beads associated with vertical frame members 13 and 14. The glazing beads 25 and 26 associated with the vertical frame members 13 and 14 can be of standard profile, (and also the bottom glazing bead 30 associated with bottom frame member 12) but do not run the full length thereof, but stop short at their upper ends 27 by the same distance as the downward spacing of the ends 28 of top glazing bead 21 from the corners 15 and 16, so that they can seat on the upper ends 27 of the glazing beads 25 and 26 (see Figure 1 ). The top glazing bead 21 extends full width across the rectangular frame 10, in the illustrated arrangement, and will be of greater length than a conventional arrangement, so as to allow its deformation downwardly at each end to take up the required shape which effectively "frames" the glazed unit. As indicated above, each infill panel 24 can be engaged and located in position by any suitable means, but without necessity for any provision to be made to secure the panel to any of the rectangular frame members 11 to 14. Any suitable snap-fitting type of engagement with glazing bead 21 may be provided, and in one form, as shown in Figures 2, 4, 4a and 5, the bead 21 and the or each panel 24 are assembled as a unit prior to introduction of the unit into the frame. In another form, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the bead is installed first, followed by snap-fitting engagement of the panel(s) . To improve the retention of panel 24, double sided adhesive tape, or other adhesive means may be used in order to bond the inner (non-exposed) face of the panel to the exposed face of the glazed unit. The co-operation between the infill panel(s) 24 and its associated glazing bead is provided on what will be the outer face of the frame 10 which is exposed to the weather, and a matching appearance on the inner face may be achieved by simple adhesion of overlying internal panels of the same shape. The frame members 11 to 14 and the glazing beads are made of white UPVC, but if a surface decorative effect is required, the exposed faces may have a wood grain effect facing adhesively secured thereto. The infill panels will be similarly provided with a wood grain effect. Although it is preferred to deform the top glazing bead 21 (or any other of the beads if more than two corner pieces are required), the glazing bead can run straight as part of a multi-panel assembly e.g. for a multi-panel door frame, as can be seen for styles C and D of Figure 9, whereas styles A and B in Figure 9 show a decorative rectangular window frame having a curved upper profile. In the preferred embodiment of curved deformed top glazing bead, preferably the curvature at each corner region is approximately the same, regardless of the width of the frame, so that the same mitre joints can be achieved between the top glazing bead 21 and the vertical glazing beads 25 and 26. The portion of top glazing bead 21 intermediate its ends may be differently curved, or include a straight portion, depending upon the overall width of the frame in which it is mounted. However, it will only be the mid—region of the top glazing bead which is coupled rigidly with a mid-region of the top frame member 11 , whereas the opposed ends of the top glazing bead are rigidly coupled with the side frame members 13 and 14. The invention therefore provides a simple and yet reliable means of achieving a decorative effect at one or more corners of a rectangular frame of extruded plastics, and without requiring any alteration in the design of the main components of the frame, namely the profiles of the frame members 11 to 14 and the profile of the glazing beads to co¬ operate therewith. The infill panels 24 can be made relatively cheaply, as they have a decorative function mainly, provided only that they can make suitable locking engagement at least with the glazing bead. As shown in Figure 11 , one design of external infill panel (left or right hand) can accommodate any style of bead design which may be required. Further, although Figures 1 and 3 show the use of four separate glazing beads, each associated with a respective frame member, and of which three (the bottom and the two vertical beads) extend alongside their respective frame members, the invention also includes the alternative of providing a single glazing bead which has vertical portions extending along each of the vertical frame members and which are joined together by a curved integral top portion.

Claims: CLAI S 1. A rectangular frame (10) of extruded plastics composed of four frame members (11, 12, 13, 14) joined together at their corners (15, 16, 17, 18) to define a rectangular opening in which a single or double glazed unit (19) can be mounted, and separately formed glazing bead portions (21, 25, 26, 30) arranged along one side of the frame members and secured thereto in order to retain the glazed unit (19) in the frame (10) with each glazing bead portion being secured to a respective one of the frame members, in which: one end (28) of one of the glazing bead portions (21) is spaced from its respective frame member (11) at one of the corner joints (15, 16) between that frame member (11) and the adjacent frame member (13, 14) so as to define a recess (23) between the glazing bead portion (21 ) and its respective frame member (11) at this corner region (15, 16) and through which a part of the glazed unit (19) is exposed; and, a decorative infill panel (24) is located in said recess (23) so as to cover said exposed part of the glazed unit (19) and also to provide a decorative corner effect with the glazing bead portion (21). 2. A frame according to Claim 1, in which the infill panel (24) is located in position by a coupling engagement with the glazing bead portion (21). 3. A frame according to Claim 1 or 2, in which each glazing bead portion (21, 25, 26, 30) comprises a separately formed bead. 4. A frame according to Claim 1 or 2, in which at least two of the glazing bead portions (25, 26, 30) are formed in one piece. 5. A frame according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, in which a separate infill panel (24) is mounted at each of the two upper corners (15, 16) of a rectangular window frame (10). 6. A frame according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, in which a single top glazing bead (21 ) runs full width across the frame (10) and is secured at each end (28) to a respective one of the adjacent upright frame members (13, 14) and has a single mid-region (22) of contact at engagement with the top frame member (11 ). 7. A frame according to Claim 6, in which the top glazing bead (21 ) comprises a standard glazing bead co¬ operating with a standard profile of top frame member (11), but having the opposed ends (28) of the top glazing bead pulled downwardly to define the corner recesses (23) in which the infill panels (24) can be located. 8. A frame according to Claim 7, in which the top glazing bead (21 ) comprises a rectilinear extrusion, subsequently deformed into the required shape by application of heat. 9. A frame according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, in which the or each infill panel (24) comprises a right angled corner piece with a curved lower edge which merges to present a continuous curve with the top glazing bead (21 ), which overlies and frames the upper region of the glazed unit (19). 10. A frame according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, in which the or each infill panel (24) has snap-fitting engagement with the top glazing bead (21 ). 11. A frame according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, in which the or each infill panel (24) is retained in position by adhesive means to bond the inner (non-exposed) face of the panel (24) to the exposed face of the glazed unit (19). 12. A frame according to Claim 1, and comprising a multi-panel door frame, in which one end of the glazing bead is coupled with one of the frame members at a suitable position along its length e.g. approximately midway, whereas the other end of the bead is coupled with the adjacent frame member at a small spacing from the corner between the two frame members, thereby defining a triangular recess in which a correspondingly shaped infill panel can be located. 13. A frame according to Claim 1, in which the top glazing bead (21) has its ends (28) spaced from the two top corners (15, 16) of the rectangular frame (10) to define two recesses (23) for respective infill panels (24), said ends (28) seating themselves, in the manner of an arch, on the upper ends (27) of the two vertical glazing beads (25, 26) extending along the two vertical frame members (13, 14). 14. A frame according to Claim 13, in which the engaging faces are mitred, and in which the curvature of the top glazing bead (21) and the infill panels (24) are made the same at each corner region, whereby the same mitre joint angle will be satisfactory, regardless of the width of the window, in that the intermediate part of the top glazing bead (21) can be of varied length and / or curvature to suit different frame widths, while keeping the same radius of curvature at each corner region (15, 16).

Inventors: SCHOLES ERNEST MALCOLM HEYWOOD, SCHOLES, ERNEST, MALCOLM, HEYWOOD
Applicants: SCHOLES ERNEST M H, SCHOLES, ERNEST, MALCOLM, HEYWOOD
Application year: 1992
Main classification: E06B3
IPC codes: E06B3