MOUNTING ASSEMBLY FOR A SHEET-LIKE PIECE, PARTICULARLY A BALCONY GLAZING

Abstract: The invention relates to a mounting assembly for a sheet-like piece, particularly a balcony glazing, for covering partially or entirely openings in the exterior of the building or the like. The mounting assembly comprises a guide arrangement (1, 2) or the like to be fixed to the horizontal edge of the opening to be covered and to support one or several sheet-like pieces, such as a balcony glass. The guide arrangement (1, 2) of the mounting assembly is at least partly pre-installed in a stationary manner in the exterior of the building or the like, wherein the mounting assembly can be used, when necessary, for mounting said at least one plate-like piece in said opening.

Description: MOUNTING ASSEMBLY FOR A SHEET-LIKE PIECE, PARTICULARLY A BALCONY GLAZING The invention relates to a mounting assembly for a sheet-like piece, particularly a balcony glazing, as presented in the preamble of the appended claim 1. In this specification, a sheet-like piece refers to any sheet or plate which is manufactured of glass, plastic or a corresponding material and has usually a rectangular shape, and is used for protecting e.g. balcony spaces and for insulating them from outside air. Consequently, in this specification the invention will be presented as part of a balcony glazing system, but it can be applied also in other uses where it is necessary for example to separate two or more rooms from each other by means of glass walls or the like. A mounting assembly refers to the unit consisting of structures, to which the balcony glazings or the like must be supported when glazing a balcony. In known solutions for balcony glazing, the mounting is conducted as so-called post-installation, whereby the whole balcony glazing system is installed at a time for one or several balconies. In practice, this means that for glazing balconies of a finished building, for example frames or horizontal linings or a corresponding assembly system must also be mounted at the same time for mounting the balcony glazing itself. Balcony glazing systems of this kind are known for example from Finnish Patent publications No. 78962 and 80753. The structures of the known solutions are often complicated and the mounting involves several work stages, so that post-installation will, at best, take several hours for one balcony, which, particularly when carried out on single balconies, will considerably raise the price of a balcony glazing. It often happens that balconies of one and the same building are glazed at several different times, at long intervals. This may induce that several different suppliers of balcony glazings are used and thus also several different balcony glazing solutions. As a result, particularly the facade of e.g. a larger block of flats easily receives a non-uniform architectural appearance. This feature will be even more pronounced, if the owners of the flats of the block can each make an independent decision on the glazing option. A further disadvantage is the fact that the time- consuming operation of mounting an entire balcony glazing system on the balcony of a finished building will cause unnecessary disturbance to the people already living in the flat. The purpose of this invention is to present a novel kind of a mounting assembly for a balcony glazing system for eliminating the above- mentioned disadvantages related to the use of known solutions, such as a non-uniform appearance of the facade, and for reducing considerably the time required for mounting the actual balcony glazing and thus for reducing the costs on mounting work. For achieving this purpose, the mounting assembly according to the invention is primarily characterized in what will be presented in the characterizing part of the appended claim 1. An important advantage of the invention is the fact that the mounting assembly to be used for balcony glazing can be mounted in the balcony opening already at the construction stage of the building or at the stage of renewing the protective walls of the balconies without harm to the use of the balcony even without a glazing. Thus during the final glazing of the balconies, no time-consuming and troublesome mounting work for glass installation systems will be required but the glazing can be installed in a simple and quick manner to rest on pre-installed horizontal guides. Thanks to mounting assemblies having a uniform appearance and being pre-installed in a stationary manner at the construction stage, the architectural uniformity of the facade of even a large block of flats is retained even if balconies were glazed at several different times during a long term, because pre-installed mounting assemblies contribute to guiding also the final glazing options to be uniform. Also, the uniformity of the facade will be retained even if some of the balconies were glazed and others were not, because in both cases the balconies comprise parts with uniform appearance belonging to the mounting assembly according to the invention. A further advantage will be provided in that the pre-installed lower guide for the balcony glazing of a non-glazed balcony can, as such, be used as the protective railing of the balcony, or as a part of the same. In the following specification, the invention will be described in detail with reference to the appended drawings. In the drawings, Fig. 1 shows the mounting assembly pre-installed on the balcony, seen as a cross-sectional view from the side, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of pre-installed horizontal guides of the mounting assembly, Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the horizontal guides before installing the balcony glazing, and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the mounting assembly after installing the balcony glazing. As shown in Fig. 1 , the mounting assembly for a sheet-like piece comprises: a protective wall 6, preferably a plate-like protective wall, such as a tempered glass sheet, - fixing elements K for mounting the protective wall 6 to a balcony slab 9, 9', at least two horizontal guides, namely one or several upper guides 1 , one or several lower guides 2, - covers 3 for covering the open parts of each horizontal guide, and joining elements L for mounting the lower guide 2 to the protective wall 6. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the sheet-like piece is a rectangular sheet, particularly a glass sheet or the like, for covering the opening of the balcony facing outside the building. The glass sheets or the like compose a balcony glazing substantially covering the entire opening. Each glass sheet or the like is usually equipped with slide elements A for moving, supported by the horizontal guides, in their longitudinal direction, whereby each glass sheet (Fig. 4) can also be arranged to turn to a desired angle against the balcony glazing. The upper guide 1 is mounted to the upper balcony slab 9 of the balcony, for example underneath its the lower surface substantially to its outer edge, in the longitudinal direction of the outer edge by means of a screw attachment or the like. For mounting the lower guide 2 to the upper edge of the protective wall 6, the lower guide 2 is coupled with joining elements L having substantially the length of the lower guide 2 and comprising (Fig. 2) joining parts 4, packing 10 and fixing means 11a. The lower guide 2 is mounted at the upper edge of the protective wall 6 by placing the upper edge of the protective wall 6 between the joining parts 4. The joining parts 4 as well as the packings 10, arranged between the joining parts and the protective wall 6 and having substantially the length of the joining parts 4, are pressed against the vertical surfaces of the protective wall, thus fixing the lower guide 2 in a stationary manner. As shown in Figs. 2 to 4, it is possible that the joining part 4 is mounted to the lower guide 2 by means of quick locking elements 11a or the like, which have the shape of a joining nose and being advantageously part of the integrated structure of profile pieces functioning as the lower guide 2 and the joining parts 4. The pre-installation of the guide arrangement 1 , 2, i.e. the upper guide 1 and the lower guide 2, in the opening of the balcony in the above-described manner is conducted in connection with construction of the building at the stage of completion of the balconies or later e.g. in connection with renovation or repair work of the balconies. It is obvious that this can also be conducted as post-installation at the same time with the actual mounting of the balcony glazing or that, for example, only the lower guide 2 is pre-installed and the upper guide 1 is mounted in connection with the balcony glazing, or vice versa. Figure 2 shows the guide arrangement 1 , 2, i.e. the upper guide 1 and the lower guide 2, when installed. Each horizontal guide is equipped with a detachable cover 3 having substantially the length of said guide. For locking the cover 3 to the respective horizontal guide, both the cover 3 and the horizontal guide are provided with fixing means 11 b which are also advantageously part of the integrated structure of said profile pieces. According to the advantageous embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the cross-sectional form of the cover 3 installed on the lower guide 2 is substantially upwards convex, thus preventing e.g. water or dirt from accumulating on top of the lower guide 2. Because the lower guide 2, equipped with the cover 3, can also be used as the protective railing of the balcony or part of the same, the convex shape of the cover is also most suitable for this purpose. It is obvious that the cross- sectional form of the cover 3 can also be different from that described above and that the cover 3 can form e.g. a planar upper surface for the lower guide 2 used as a protective railing. The cross-section of the cover 3 of the upper guide 1 is advantageously determined according to the profile form of the upper guide 1 to be used at a time. Figure 3 shows the upper guide 1 and the lower guide 2 without the covers 3. Figure 4 shows a situation where at least one balcony glass 7 or the like, advantageously equipped with slide elements A, known as such and shown in Fig. 4, is mounted to be supported by the upper guide 1 and the lower guide 2. The preferable embodiment for installing the balcony glass 7 depends e.g. on the structures of the slide elements A used and the corresponding slide surfaces of the profile forms of the horizontal guides. Further, the slide elements A of the balcony glass to be installed can also comprise means for turning the balcony glass to a desired angle towards the balcony glazing, thus providing a so-called turnable balcony glazing. The cover 3 can be advantageously fixed back to said horizontal guide for example in a situation where the balcony glazing is removed but the horizontal guides are left in place and the lower guide 2 is used again as the protective railing of the balcony, or as part of the same. The upper guide 1 is equipped with a support 5, fixed at the vertical part on the side of the edge of the balcony opening and having substantially the length of the upper guide 1. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 2 to 4, this support 5 consists of a fixing means 5a, with which the support 5 is fixed to the upper guide 1 , a horizontal bottom part 5b and a vertical support part 5c. The support 5 is arranged to hold in place an outer lining plate 8 extending substantially upwards from the bottom part 5b and having the purpose of covering a part of the facade of the building, such as the outer edge of the balcony slab 9. The bottom part 5b supports the lining plate 8 from below, and the support part 5c keeps the outer lining plate 8 in a desired position, usually in a vertical position, and prevents the outer lining plate 8 from being displaced from the support s. A corresponding structure is placed also at the outer edge of the outer lining plate. It is obvious that the support 5 can be an integrated part in the profile piece used as the upper guide 1 and that the support 5 can consist of two or more successive parts which are separate from each other and placed in the same horizontal plane, and also that a part or parts of the support 5 can be placed between two or more balconies in the same horizontal plane. The fixing elements K (Fig. 3) comprise profile beams to be fixed at the front edge of the balcony slab 9, 9', for example beams 14 which have a cross-sectional form in the L-shape and are connected with bolts 12, 13 to the balcony slab on one hand and to the lower frame guide 15 of the protective wall 6 on the other hand. In the shown embodiment, there are two profile beams 14 at each balcony slab 9, 9', fixed in connection with the upper and lower surface of the balcony slab respectively. The outer lining plate 8 covers both profile beams. The upper guide 1 , the lower guide 2, the covers 3, the joining parts 4 of the joining elements L, and the lower frame guide 15 of the fixing elements K are partly or entirely housing-like profile pieces manufactured e.g. of aluminium by extrusion. The guide arrangement 1 , 2 is equipped with slide surfaces formed for slide elements A and with sealing grooves formed for sealings 10. An advantageous embodiment for the guide arrangement 1 , 2 is known from Finnish Patent No. 84645. As shown in Fig. 1 , the above-described parts of the mounting assembly according to the invention, installed on each balcony in the building, constitute a uniform facade system beginning from the height of the balcony slabs used as the floor for the lowermost balconies of the building, or underneath the same, and extending to the height of the balcony slabs used as the roof for the uppermost balconies, or above the same. In this facade system, seen from the outside of the building, the same parts of the mounting assembly are reduplicated in the same order as presented in the advantageous embodiment described above. The possible uses of the mounting assembly according to the invention are not limited only to the above-described embodiment, where the lower guide 2 is mounted in connection with the plate-like protective wall 6 by means of joining elements L and 11a. In balcony constructions where the above-described embodiment cannot be applied, the lower guide 2 can be fixed to the protective wall 6 in other fashions for fixing, such as with screw joints or by using joint elements L differing from the above-described embodiment or by embedding the lower guide 2 as part of the upper surface of the protective wall 6 e.g. in connection with casting a concrete protective wall. Also for fixing the upper guide 1 to the balcony slab 9, separate joining elements can be used, or another fixing fashion described above. Particularly with reference to Fig. 1 , the lower and/or upper guide 1 , 2 is formed of an elongated profile piece, wherein it comprises preferably a hollow or cavity-cored body part 1a, 2a, against which the cover 3 is ar¬ ranged to be fixed by locking elements 1 b, 2b, 3a arranged on one hand in the body part 1a, 2a and on the other hand in the cover 3. The lower guide 2 or the joining part 4 is arranged to receive the plate-like protective wall 6. Consequently, this embodiment of the invention can be implemented e.g. by using extruded aluminium profiles. The protec¬ tive wall is advantageously a rectangular tempered or laminated glass sheet which is fixed at its edges to the aluminium profile. Although the above description discloses the invention with reference to mounting a balcony glazing, the invention can also be applied in several other uses, e.g. in glass wall constructions with an option for providing a tumable glazing later.

Claims: Claims: 1. A mounting assembly for a sheet-like piece, particularly a balcony glazing, for covering partially or entirely openings in the exterior of the building or the like, wherein the mounting assembly comprises a guide arrangement (1 , 2) or the like to be fixed to the horizontal edge of the opening to be covered and to support one or several sheet-like pieces, such as a balcony glass sheet, characterized in that the guide arrangement (1 , 2) of the mounting assembly is at least partly pre- installed in a stationary manner in the exterior of the building or the like, wherein the mounting assembly can be used when necessary for mounting said at least one plate-like piece in said opening. 2. A mounting assembly according to claim 1 , characterized in that the guide arrangement (1 , 2), when pre-installed, is arranged to be covered by an element (3) for those parts which are used for installing said at least one sheet-like piece in said opening. 3. A mounting assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the guide arrangement (1 , 2) of the mounting assembly comprises elements for placing one or several sheet-like pieces in the mounting assembly, wherein the guide arrangement is equipped with a detachable cover (3) or the like for substantially covering said elements. 4. A mounting assembly according to any of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the guide arrangement (1 , 2) of the mounting assembly comprises elements for placing one or several sheet-like pieces provided with slide means in the mounting assembly, wherein the guide arrangement (1 , 2) is equipped with a detachable cover or the like for substantially covering said elements. 5. A mounting assembly according to any of the claims 1 to 4 above, intended for balcony glazing or the like, characterized in that joining elements (11a, L) are connected to the lower guide (2) of the guide arrangement (1 , 2) for fixing the lower guide (2) to the protective wall (6) of the balcony or to a joining part (4) connected to the same. 6. A mounting assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that the joining elements (L) comprise two joining parts (4) which are parallel to the lower guide (2) and are advantageously equipped with a sealing (10) having the length of the lower guide (2), the upper edge of the protective wall (6) being placed between the joining parts (4). 7. A mounting assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that the joining elements (11a) are placed between the joining part (4) and the lower guide (2). 8. A mounting assembly according to claim 1 , characterized in that the lower guide (2) of the guide arrangement (1 , 2) is pre-installed in a stationary manner in the exterior of the building or the like, wherein the upper guide (1) can be post-installed. 9. A mounting assembly according to claim 1 , characterized in that the lower and/or upper guide (1 , 2) is formed of an elongated profile piece, wherein it comprises preferably a hollow or cavity-cored body part (1a, 2a), against which the cover (3) is arranged to be fixed by locking elements (1b, 2b, 3a) arranged on one hand in the body part (1a, 2a) and on the other hand in the cover (3). 10. A mounting assembly according to claim 1 , 5 or 9, characterized in that the lower guide (2) or the joining part (4) is arranged to receive the plate-like protective wall (6).

Inventors: HILLIAHO ERKKI, HILLIAHO, ERKKI
Applicants: HILLIAHO ERKKI, LUMON OY, HILLIAHO, ERKKI
Application year: 1996
Main classification: E06B3
IPC codes: E06B1, E06B3