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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a rail support system for glass panels to enable the panel to function as a door, window or partition. More particularly, the rail support system of the present invention is of the dry-set or dry glazing type that is easily installed in a variety of applications and includes readily replaceable decorative faceplates. 
         [0002]    Glass panels have been used for years in buildings as doors, windows and partitions. A currently popular method of supporting such panels is the use of dry-set rails or “dry glazing” wherein the glass panel is held within a support rail by a clamping means without the use of a cement or other sealant material that requires time to set and makes what is called a “wet glazing” process more labor intensive and time consuming and producing results that are relatively permanent. Dry-set rails address these issues in that they can be economical to manufacture and install and allow for the adjustment, removal and replacement of the glass pane contained therein. While they also can be very versatile in that they can be readily adaptable for a variety of applications, they are relatively inflexible in appearance. Typically, such support rails are formed of extruded aluminum and are provided with a decorative cladding or side covers, (e.g. typically stainless, copper or brass) that are secured to the rails by an adhesive or double-sided tape that effectively permanently affixes the cladding to the support rail. If the side covers become scratched or otherwise damaged or if one merely wishes to change the appearance of the support rail, the options are quite limited. One can either paint the side covers (if not damaged) or replace virtually the entire rail support system. An example of such a rail support system with permanently affixed cladding is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,010. It would be highly desirable to provide a dry-set rail support system for glass panels which retains or improve upon the benefits of existing dry-set rail systems, but which additionally allows for the simple replacement of the decorative side covers on the support rails in the event of damage, or simply to effect an aesthetic change of the rail support system, without the need to replace the entire system. The present invention obtains these results. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Briefly, the rail support system of the present invention comprises a pair of longitudinally extending rail sections joined together in an opposed parallel disposition so as to define an upper U-shaped channel for receiving an edge portion of a glass panel and a lower inverted U-shaped channel for receiving a portion of a window or door frame or other mounting structure, and an adjustable securement means for operatively connecting the two rail sections and drawing the sections together about the glass panel and to the mounting structure to effect securement of the support rail to the glass panel and mounting structure. A decorative replaceable side cover is slidably mounted on each rail section and a removable end plate is affixed to the ends of the joined sections, securing the side covers in place on the rails. 
         [0004]    To provide the removable mounting of the decorative side covers, the opposed rail sections preferably each define a vertically extending cover support surface and a longitudinally extending groove formed in an upper surface of the rail section, inwardly of the cover support surface, for receiving in a sliding fitment a depending flange formed by the upper inner edge portion of one of the side covers. The lower edge portions of the side covers preferably each define an inwardly extending flange terminating in a raised lip portion adapted to extend about and mate with the lower end portion of the adjacent rail section whereby the decorative side covers can be slid onto the rails and secured in place by a pair of complimentary end plates that are removeably secured to the extended ends of the two joined rail sections. To remove the side covers, it is only necessary to remove one of the end plates from the joined rail sections and slide the side covers along and off the two rail sections. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is an end view of the rail support system of the present invention secured to the upper and lower end portions of a glass panel. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional end view of the lower portion of the rail support system of the present invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of an end portion of the glass panel rail support system of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a partial perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a decorative side panel for use with the rail support system of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the support rail system of the present invention illustrating the use of an alternate side panel configuration. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0010]    Referring now in detail to the drawings, the glass panel rail support system  10  of the present invention typically comprises a lower support rail  12  and an upper support rail  14 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . In certain smaller applications, only the lower support rail  12  of the glass support system is employed. As both the upper and lower support rails are identical in configuration, the following description will be of the lower rail  12  only. It is to be understood, unless otherwise stated, that the terms upper and lower are used herein with respect to the orientation of the lower support rail  12 . 
         [0011]    The lower support rail  12  of system  10  is adapted to be secured to and extend substantially the entire length of the bottom edge portion of a glass panel  100 . Support rail  12  comprises a male section  18 , a female section  20  and a clamping assembly  22  for joining together rail sections  18  and  20 , as will be described. 
         [0012]    The male rail section  18  is preferably formed of extruded aluminum so as to be durable and light weight and defines an upper mounting portion  24 , a lower mounting portion  26 , a vertical wall  28  extending therebetween and a horizontal flange  30  projecting inwardly from wall  28 . The upper mounting portion  24  of the male rail section  18  defines a vertical upstanding arm  32  and a horizontal support surface  34 , the inner surface of arm  32  defining an upper clamping surface  33 . The lower mounting portion  26  of the male rail section  18  defines a vertical depending leg  36  and a horizontal wall  38 , the inner surface of leg  36  defining a lower clamping surface  37  and the inner surface of wall  38  defining a channel wall surface  39 . 
         [0013]    The female rail section  20  also is preferably formed of extruded aluminum and defines an upper mounting portion  44 , a lower mounting portion  46 , a vertical wall  48  extending therebetween and upper and lower vertically spaced and inwardly projecting horizontal flanges  50  and  52 . The flanges  50  and  52  define a recess  54  therebetween sized so as to receive the horizontal flange  30  on the male rail section  18 , as seen in  FIG. 1 . The upper mounting portion  44  of the female rail section  20  defines a vertical upstanding clamping surface  56  and a horizontal support surface  58  adapted to cooperate with surfaces  33  and  34  of the male rail section  18  to define the upper channel  40  for receiving a lower edge portion of glass panel  100 . The lower mounting portion  46  of female rail section  20  defines a vertical depending leg  60  and a horizontal wall  62 , the inner surface of leg  60  defining a lower clamping surface  61  that cooperates with surfaces  36  and  37  of the male rail section  18  to define channel  42 . 
         [0014]    In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the clamping assembly  22  comprises a plurality of equidistantly spaced, threadably engaged, bolts  64  and nuts  66  that project through a corresponding plurality of aligned apertures  66 ′ and  66 ″ in the central walls  28  and  48  of rail sections  18  and  20 , as seen in  FIG. 3 . Tightening of the nuts  66  about bolts  44 , preferably with a torque wrench to ensure uniform tightening, pulls the two rail sections together, causing the upper clamping surfaces  33  and  56  to bear against the sides of a gasket  70  and glass panel  100  and the lower clamping surfaces  37  and  61  to bear against the mounting surface to effect the securement of the rail  16  to the glass panel and mounting structure. A U-shaped gasket  70  formed of a suitable flexible rubber or plastic material preferably is provided in channel  40  between clamping surfaces  33  and  56  to enable the rail sections to securely grip the glass panel without scratching or otherwise damaging the panel. 
         [0015]    As seen in  FIG. 2 , with the rail sections joined together by the clamping assembly  22 , the extended end  38 ′ of the wall  38  on the male rail section  18  abuts the upper end of the clamping surface  61  on the female rail section  20 , defining the minimum widths of channels  40  and  42  that are sized for given glass panel thicknesses and for the thickness of the mounting surface to which the rail  12  is to be secured. However, the extended ends  50 ′ and  52 ′ of flanges  50  and  52  respectively are preferably spaced slightly from vertical wall  28  and the end  30 ′ of flange  30  is slightly spaced from the end  54 ′ of recess  54  so as to provide a relatively loose fit of the flange  30  on rail section  18  within the recess  54  of rail section  20  and allow for slight relative pivotal movement between the male and female rail sections  18  and  20  upon the tightening of nuts  66  on bolts  44 , to ensure a tight gripping of the glass panel by the two rail sections. 
         [0016]    In the rail configuration illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , rail walls  28  and  48  are preferably inwardly offset to define longitudinally extending recesses  72  and  74  in the two rail sections to accommodate the head portions  65  of bolts  64  and the nuts  66  in the clamping assembly  22 , as seen in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0017]    To provide the support rail  12  with a removable decorative side covers or faceplates  80  and  82 , the upper mounting portions of the male and female rail sections  18  and  20  each define a longitudinally extending groove  76  or  78  therein which, upon the joining together of the two rail sections, extend in parallel disposition along the length of the support rail  12 . The lower inner end portions of the depending legs  36  and  60  of the two rail sections define cutout areas  84  and  86 . The decorative covers  80  and  82  preferably conform to the general profile of the rail sections. Thus, in the rail configurations illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , the side covers define vertical walls  80 ′ and  82 ′ that taper inwardly at  80 ″ and  82 ″ into inclined upper surfaces  80 ′″ and  82 ″′. The upper inner end portions of the inclined cover surfaces  80 ′″ and  82 ″′ define downwardly inclined flanges  88  and  90  respectively. The lower ends of the vertical cover walls  80 ′ and  82 ′ define inwardly extending flanges  92  and  94  that terminate in upstanding lips  96  and  98 . So configured, the decorative cover  80  can be easily slid over and along the male rail section  18  with its upper flange  88  being disposed within groove  76  and the lower flange  92  thereon extending under the lowermost end of the depending leg  36  of the male rail section  18  such that the upstanding lip  96  at the lower end of the cover is received within cutout area  84  of the leg so as to continue to provide a smooth wall surface for the lower channel  42 . Decorative panel  82  is similarly slid onto and over the female rail section with the upper flange  94  thereon disposed within groove  78  and the lower panel flange  94  extending about the underside of leg  60  such that the upstanding lip  98  is received within cutout area  86 . When the panels are slid into position such that the extended ends thereof are substantially flush with the extended ends of the opposed rail sections, end plates  102  and  104  are removably secured to the extended ends of the support rail  12 , preferably by means of threaded fastening members  106 , to prevent any relative sliding movement between the decorative side covers and the rail section. So secured, panels  80  and  82  provide the glass panel support rail system of the present invention with an attractive appearance and allow the user to readily replace the panels in the event of scratching or other damage to the existing side covers or to change the color or ornamental appearance of the rails by simply removing the end plates from the rails, sliding the old covers off the rails, sliding the new panels onto the rails and replacing the end plates. 
         [0018]    The above described side cover configuration is well suited for aluminum anodized finishes or for painting. However, if the user desires a stainless steel, polished brass, satin or copper finish, the use of removable cladded side covers is preferable to provide uniform coloration. An example of such a cladded side cover  200  is illustrated in  FIG. 4 . As seen therein, a backing  201 , preferably formed of extruded aluminum and having the same configuration as side cover  80  and  82  is employed and a thin outer metal sheet  202  formed of the desired outer cover material is adhered to the outer surface of the backing  201  by means of double-sided adhesive tape  202  or other suitable adhesive. As seen in  FIG. 4 , the outer metal sheet  202  extends adjacent to the flat surface on the backing  201  and the securement of the cladded cover  200  is provided by the flange  204  and upstanding lips  206  formed by the backing  201  in the same manner as described above with respect to decorative side plates  80  and  82 . 
         [0019]    While the present invention was illustrated with respect to a support rail configuration employing a tapered upper portion, the invention could also be employed with rail sections having different configurations, different clamping mechanisms and different side cover configurations. 
         [0020]      FIG. 5  illustrates the use of a different side cover configuration with the same support rail sections  18  and  20  illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , giving the support rail  212  an overall rectangular appearance. As seen in  FIG. 5 , the side panels  280  and  282  define vertical side walls  280 ′ and  282 ′ that extend the entire height of the support rail  212  and are bent inwardly at their upper ends  280 ″ and  282 ″ respectively to define inwardly extending upper cover surfaces  280 ″′ and  282 ′″. Upper surfaces  280 ″′ and  282 ″′ terminate at their inner ends in downwardly extending flanges  288  and  290  respectively. Flanges  288  and  290  are slidably received in the grooves  76  and  78  in the upper mounting portions of the male and female rail sections  18  and  20  as previously discussed in connection with the depending flanges  88  and  90  on side covers  80  and  82 . The lower ends of the vertical side walls of side covers  280  and  282 ′ define inwardly extending flanges  292  and  294  that terminate in upstanding lips  296  and  298  that cooperate with the lower ends of the rail sections  18  and  20  in the same manner as previously described in connection with the side covers  80  and  82 . Thus, by varying the configuration of the walls of the side covers, the outer configuration of the support rails can be varied as well as the decorative finish thereon. 
         [0021]    Other rail configurations also could be employed in the present invention, as could different mechanisms for drawing together the two rail sections to effect securement of the rails to the glass panels and mounting surfaces. Insofar as such changes and modifications are within the purview of the appended claims, they are to be considered as part of the present invention.

Summary:
A support rail having replaceable decorative side covers for mounting a glass panel on a window, door frame or other mounting structure. The support rail includes opposed longitudinally extending rail sections that cooperate to define an upper U-shaped channel for receiving an edge portion of a glass panel and a lower inverted U-shaped channel for receiving a portion of a mounting structure. A clamping assembly carried by the rail sections operatively connects the sections together to effect securement of the rail to the glass panel and mounting structure. A pair of decorative side covers are slidably mounted along the rail sections by means of flanges formed at the upper and lower ends of the side covers that project into grooves formed in the rail section. A pair of end plates are removably mounted on the rail sections for holding the side covers in place on the rail sections and allowing the removal thereof.