Abstract:
The invention relates to a holding device for holding glass closures ( 20 ) formed by individual glass profile elements, especially U-shaped glass profile elements ( 21, 21′ ), or other long glass elements, especially insulating glass elements. In order to prevent water condensation inside the glass closure ( 20 ), the holding device comprises at least one holding rail ( 2; 32, 36, 37; 34, 64, 65; 34, 64′, 76; 79; 80 ) for holding or mounting and for laterally guiding and supporting the individual long glass elements or glass profile elements ( 21, 21′ ) or the glass closure ( 20 ). Said holding rail ( 2; 32, 36, 37; 34, 64, 65; 34, 64′, 76; 79; 80 ) has a metal holding segment ( 3; 38; 54; 69, 77; 87; 88 ) for holding or supporting a front face area or a partial front face area of the glass closure ( 20 ) or individual glass elements or glass profile elements ( 21, 21′ ) at least one projecting metal flange section ( 4, 5; 4′, 5′; 49, 50; 57, 58; 71, 72; 81, 82 ) for laterally guiding or supporting the glass closure ( 20 ) and/or one, several or all the individual glass elements or glass profile elements ( 21, 21′ ) thereof, whereby the flange segment ( 4, 5; 4′, 5′; 49, 50; 57, 58; 71, 72; 81, 82 ) and the holding segment ( 3; 38; 54; 69, 77; 87; 88 ) are fixedly connected to one another by means of a heat-insulating and/or thermally separating connecting device ( 6, 7; 40, 41; 43, 44; 45, 46, 47, 48; 67, 68; 64, 65 ). The invention also relates to a holding rail that can be used in said holding device.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention concerns a device for retaining a glass fenestration composed of separate glass structural-section components, especially glass U-section components, or of other longitudinal, especially insulating, glass components. The invention also concerns a retaining rail that can be employed in such a retaining device. 
     Glass fenestrations composed of longitudinal glass components, glass structural-section components for example, are often employed for the large-area glazing of such buildings as gymnasiums, factories, free-standing staircases, houses, and commercial structures. The fenestrations are often secured by metal structural section in the opening that is to be fenestrated. Especially when a fenestration is insulating, as in the case of a hollow glass structural-section brick for example, water will at the current state of the art occasionally condense inside it and be almost impossible to remove. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is to effectively prevent such condensation within a glass fenestration. 
     The device for retaining a glass fenestration composed of separate glass structural-section components, especially glass U-section components, or of other longitudinal, especially insulating, glass components is accordingly characterized by at least one retaining rail for retaining and bearing and for the lateral guidance and support of the individual longitudinal glass component, glass structural-section component, or glass fenestration, whereby the retaining rail is provided on the one hand with a retaining length of structural section of metal for retaining or supporting a face-side area or part of a face side area of the glass fenestration or one, more, or all of its glass components or glass structural-section components and on the other hand with at least one length of metal flange for the lateral guidance and support of the glass fenestration and/or of one, more or all of its individual glass components or glass structural-section components. Since the length of flange and the retaining section are fastened together by a heat-insulating and/or thermally separating connecting fixture, not only will a reliable bearing or retaining of the glass fenestration be ensured, but the lengths themselves, which are to individually retained, will be thermally separated. The face side areas, which the retaining rails comprise, will not be subject to the undesirable climatological effects of heat bridge-over. Surprisingly, this feature will in turn not only effectively prevent the accumulation of condensed water inside the glass fenestration and the penetration of water thereinto, but the retaining rail will also contribute to the fenestration&#39;s insulating effect due to the absence of heat bridging at its retainer. 
     Advantageous embodiments of the present invention are addressed in the subsidiary claims. 
     Glass fenestrations of glass structural-section components, especially glass U-section components, are known from Europe Patent 0742324A1, which specific reference will be made to in its entirety for further details as to the design of glass fenestrations. The glass structural U-section components of the glass fenestration known therefrom, however, are to be oriented vertical rather than horizontal. There are accordingly no problems with statics or with installation in a building. Problems do occur, however, when glass structural-section components are to be installed horizontal in that the lowermost component must support the weight of the ones above it. 
     A retaining device of the aforesaid genus is accordingly of advantage in horizontal glass fenestrations of horizontal glass structural-section components to secure each glass structural-section component individually and ensure that the lower components will need to support no more weight than the upper components do. 
     Another retaining device for retaining glass structural-components is known from German 29809177 U1, FIG.  4 . This device features horizontal retainers mounted against a wall on bases. This device is accordingly appropriate only for fastening cladding in the form of glass structural-section components, components with L-shaped cross-sections, that is, to a wall, and not for retaining a glass fenestration in an opening in a building. 
     To ensure that the retaining device in accordance with the present invention provides simple means of securing the glass structural-section components at any desired height when fenestrating an opening in a building, the retaining device in one preferred embodiment is composed of glass structural-section components, especially glass U-section components, to be installed horizontal, whereby at least one retaining rail is installed vertical and designed to secure by tension and/or compression the glass structural-section component s that the glass structural-section components are retained by or rest against. This embodiment features a retaining section for securing by tension and/or compression, especially by way of hammerhead screws or of similar threaded fasteners, a metal structural-section securing section and at least one metal flat section for the lateral guidance or support of the glass structural-section components and/or the glass fenestration. The flat section and the securing section are fastened together by way of the heat-insulating and/or thermally separating connecting fixture. 
     The vertical and appropriately cross-sectioned retaining rail allows the height of the glass structural-section component holder to be continuously varied. The same retaining device can accordingly retain various glass fenestrations with glass structural-section components of different heights. It is also possible to construct the particular glass fenestration being retained out of glass structural-section components of different widths, of different heights, that is, as installed. The securing section and the flange section are metal for reasons of appearance and/or stability. In particular when closing off openings in a building and in the case of parallel spaces created by glass structural-section components, such metal rails could lead to misting up of the glass structural-section components due to the condensation of water on the inner surfaces of the components. It has, surprisingly, been demonstrated that fabricating the metal sections and thermally insulating them will at least extensively eliminate such misting. Thermal insulation will also of course lead to better k&#39;s in the glass fenestration retained by the retaining device. 
     Further advantageous embodiments of the present invention are addressed in the subsidiary claims. A retaining rail for use in a retaining device in accordance with the present invention is the subject of the ancillary claim. 
     Since the connecting fixture is intended for thermally separating the securing section from the flange section, all metal heat bridging should be avoided. The connecting fixture should accordingly be of a poorly heat-conducting material. The retaining section or securing section must on the other hand be able to withstand to some extent considerable forces, necessitating a very strong connecting between the flange section and the retaining or securing section. The connecting fixture in one advantageous embodiment of the present invention accordingly comprises a double or triple web or at least two connecting webs of a poorly heat-conducting material, especially plastics-based, extending along the length of the retaining rail and separated from each other at a right angle to that length. The connecting fixture and preferably the double web or connecting webs will also preferably be of polyamide or with a core of polyamide. The advantage of polyamide is that it can be coated subsequently along with the metal sections in accordance with the desired surface of the overall retaining rail. The retaining rail, comprising the retaining section and at least one and preferably two flange sections can accordingly be fabricated and subsequently coated in accordance with the desired appearance of the visible areas. The flange section and/or the retaining section, the aforesaid securing section for instance, will in this event be aluminum. 
     The retaining section can be of tubing or of another type of structural section reinforced by two walls. When the retaining section is a securing section it will preferably be of C section to allow the head of a threaded fastener to easily engage its back. It will be of advantage when employing tensioning for security to employ heads that can be appropriately oriented for insertion through the gap in the C and rotated 90° to engage the section. 
     To guide both sides of the glass structural-section component and/or the glass fenestration, comprising for example two lengths of glass structural section with their webs together, composed thereof, and in particular to retain it in the building opening that is to be fenestrated, one preferred embodiment includes two flange sections that extend along both sides of the retaining section, each connected to it by a connecting fixture. 
     To fasten the metal sections of the retaining rail securely together, it will also be preferable for the connection between the connecting fixture and the particular metal section to be established by engagement of the other side of the hooked edge of an accommodating groove in one of the components involved in the connection by an appropriately cross-sectioned head or end on the other component. It will be preferable in this case for every connecting web in the ends facing the metal section to be more or less T-shaped or otherwise thicker to provide rear engagement for an appropriate C-sectional accommodating groove for each connecting web in the section being connected. 
     It will also be preferable for the embodiment of the retaining device in accordance with the present invention employed for horizontal glass fenestrations to provide at least one glass structural-section component holder for each glass structural-section component or pair of glass structural-section components to be secured. It will be preferable to provide a retaining device at both vertical edges of the building opening being fenestrated, so that each horizontal glass structural-section component can rest on a glass structural-section component holder at each end. Glass structural-section component holders for retaining the ends of glass structural-section components can preferably be tensioned and hence secured at any desired height by means of at least one threaded fastener, especially a hammerhead screw, each on the C cross-sectional securing section. 
     It may, now, happen that glass fenestrations of different thickness must be installed in accordance with the on-site situation. It has until now always been necessary to fabricate special structural section, which is really expensive. Retaining devices for particularly thick glass fenestrations, like TWD (transparent heat-insulated glass fenestration) fenestrations are because of their special fabrication, really expensive to manufacture. This problem is eliminated in accordance with a particularly advantageous embodiment of the retaining device in accordance with the present invention. In this advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the retaining device is adjusted to glass fenestrations of different thickness not by fabricating special structural section but by using longer or shorter connecting fixtures. The connecting fixtures are again as hereintofore specified preferably based on plastics and are readily available in various lengths. Depending on whether a shorter connecting fixture or a somewhat longer connecting fixture is employed to connect the flange section to the retaining section, the distance between these two sections will be longer or shorter. Flange, retaining, or securing sections of metal structural section can always be fabricated equal and stocked by the manufacturer. Depending on the builder&#39;s specific requirements or on the particular glass fenestration to be retained, the appropriate metal structural sections, i.e. retaining sections and flange sections, can be fastened together by connecting fixtures of appropriate length, e.g. longer or shorter double webs or multiple connecting webs. This particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention accordingly ensures that the width of the retaining section will match the thickness of the glass fenestration being retained and that at least one matching connecting fixture can be selected from several of varying length. 
     Another particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention features a set of several retaining rails comprising an essentially U cross-sectional retaining rail designed for strictly lateral support with rectangular structural section as a retaining area adjacent to the face areas of the glass fenestration but with no supporting function, a T-sectional, H-sectional, or I-sectional retaining rail as a middle strut in a glass fenestration or to separate two glass fenestrations, and a lower, retaining rail that is provided on its lower surface, the surface facing away from the building&#39;s fenestration, with supporting components. These supporting components are themselves preferably supporting strips, of either simple straight section, I-sectional, or extending out in the form of vertical webs, that is, L-sectional, or T-sectional. 
     The retaining rail in accordance with the present invention, which is designed for use in a retaining device of the species hereintofore specified, is particularly characterized by a polygonally cross-sectional or, for the tensioned securing of glass structural-section component holders by means of hammerhead screws, C-sectional, retaining or securing section of metal, by at least one projecting flange of metal for the lateral guidance or support of glass structural-section components and/or the glass fenestration composed thereof on the side facing the glass fenestration that the glass structural-section component holder can optionally be applied to, and by a connecting fixture preferably comprising a double web or at least two connecting webs that fasten the two metal sections together thermally separate. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Various embodiments of the present invention will now be specified with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein 
     FIG. 1 is a horizontal section through a retaining rail in a retaining device for retaining glass fenestrations composed of horizontal glass structural-section components, 
     FIG. 2 is a frontal view of a glass fenestration retained by such a retaining device for closing an opening in a building, 
     FIG. 3 is a view from the right side of FIG. 1 of an area of the retaining rail in FIG. 1 with a length of glass structural U section retained therein, 
     FIG. 4 is an overhead view of a securing section in a retaining rail comparable to the one in FIG. 1 with a glass structural-section component holder secured therein, 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view along the line V—V in FIG. 4, 
     FIG. 6 is a view from the right side of FIG. 1 of an area of the retaining rail with an area of the glass fenestration retained therein comparable to the one in FIG. 2, 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-section through another embodiment of a retaining device for glass fenestrations with three horizontal retaining rails, 
     FIG. 8 is a view similar to that in FIG. 7 of a third embodiment of a retaining device with three retaining rails or lengths of retaining structural section that differs from the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7 in width an with respect to a lower retaining rail, 
     FIG. 9 is a cross-section similar to the ones illustrated in the previous two figures of a fourth embodiment of a retaining device with a retaining rail that again differs in width and wherein the lower retaining rail is further modified, and 
     FIGS. 10 and 11 are cross-sectional views of two further embodiments of lower retaining rails comparable to the lower retaining rails illustrated in FIGS.  7  through  9 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 is a horizontal section through part of a retaining device  1  for a glass building fenestration in the form of a retaining rail  2 . Retaining rail  2  has more or less in the middle a retaining section, a length of C section, in the form of a securing section  3  and two lateral flange sections  4  and  5 . Each flange section  4  and  5  is fastened to securing section  3  by a connecting fixture  6  and  7  respectively. The retaining rail  2  as a whole, with flange sections  4  and  5 , connecting fixtures  6  and  7 , and securing section  3 , is in the form of a length of structural U section, with flange sections  4  and  5  constituting the flanges and connecting fixtures  6  and  7  and, between them, securing section  3  the web. The groove  8  constituted by the inside of C-shaped securing section  3  opens into the inside of the U-sectional retaining rail  2 . The edges of flange sections  4  and  5  are in the same plane as the back  9  of retaining rail  2  opposite the flanges of the U section in retaining rail  2 . 
     Each connecting area  10  is provided with two C-shaped marginate accommodating grooves  11 . The sides of securing section  3  facing flange sections  4  and  5  are provided with matching connecting areas  12 . 
     Each connecting fixture  6  and  7  is provided with a multiple web in the form of two connecting webs  13  and  14  (whereof, although the situation is not illustrated, there may be more than two). Each connecting web  13  and  14  is in the form of a length of I section, the flanges of the I being, to ensure precise fit in accommodating grooves  11 , located at the terminating sections  15  facing the sections  3  through  5  being secured. The accommodation of I-shaped terminating sections  15  in grooves  11  provides connecting fixtures  6  and  7  with a solid attachment to both flange sections  4  and  5  and securing section  3 . To further improve stability, the accommodating grooves  11  in each connecting area  10  and  12 , and hence the connecting webs  13  and  14  accommodated therein, are a specific distance apart. Securing section  3  and flange sections  4  and  5  are metal, aluminum in the preferred embodiment illustrated. Connecting webs  13  and  14  are polyamide. The retaining rail  2  in some unillustrated embodiments is coated with plastic, powder, or a similar material. 
     The free end of each flange section  4  and  5  is provided with a hook-shaped structure  16  incorporating an inside groove  17  facing the interior of the U section that comprises the retaining rail. 
     The purpose of retaining rail  2  will now be specified with reference to FIGS. 2 through 6. 
     FIG. 2 is a frontal view of part of a wall  19  surrounding an unobstructed opening  18  in a structure, a building for example. Opening  18  is fenestrated by a glass fenestration  20 . Glass fenestration  20  is composed of several longitudinal and horizontally disposed glass U-section components  21 . 
     Since the longer glass structural-section components  21  are, the more considerable they can weigh, to eliminate rateable loads on the components, accordingly, they are retained at their ends in retaining rails  2  secured to the vertical soffit areas of opening  18 . Since it is the retaining of an individual glass structural-section component  21  that is the object, it rests, as illustrated by way of example in FIG. 3, on a glass structural-section component holder  22  with the component&#39;s end accommodated in retaining rail  2  and supported at the side by a flange section  5 . A sealing component  23  acts as a cushion between flange section  5  and glass structural-section component  21 . Glass structural-section component holder  22  is retained against securing section  3  by a threaded fastener  24  provided with a lock nut. The head  27  of threaded fastener  24  engages the back of the edge of groove  8 . The situation will now be specified with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. 
     The threaded fastener  24  in the embodiment illustrated therein comprises a hammerhead screw  25  with matching nuts  26  that tension and secure screw  25  in groove  8  with head  27  at any desired height ( 28 ). 
     The glass structural-section component holder  22  is angled and has a supporting surface  29  for a single glass structural-section component  21 . 
     FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment wherein a glass fenestration  20  composed of several interlocking glass structural-section components  21  and  21 ′ each with its flanges facing those of the others can be retained at its individual components. The glass structural-section component holder  22 ′ in this embodiment is essentially F-shaped in cross-section, whereby the resulting two supporting surfaces  29  each serve for bearing the upper flange of two mutually facing glass structural-section components  21  and  21 ′. The outward-facing webs of glass structural-section components  21  and  21 ′ are both retained by flange sections  4  and  5 , whereby here again sealing components  23  acting as cushions are accommodated in inside grooves  17 . Although appropriate seals  30  are provided between the horizontally aligned glass structural-section components  21  and  21 ′ sealing the hollow interior space  31  between them and preventing water vapor from escaping, the resulting double-walled glass fenestration is, in spite of its secure bearing in securing section  3  and the accordingly dictated thermal coupling thereto, very insensitive to misting up or condensed-water accumulation inside. The reason for this is that the connecting fixtures  6  and  7  constituted by connecting webs  13  and  14  ensure thermal uncoupling between the flange sections  4  and  5  that represent the wall of retaining device  1  and securing section  3 . 
     Various aspects of the first embodiment of the retaining device hereintofore specified and of the retaining rail accommodated therein will now be summarized with reference to FIG.  1 . 
     To provide a simple-to-produce and universally employable retainer for retaining a glass fenestration  20  comprising in particular horizontal glass structural-section components, specifically glass U-section components  21  and  21 ′, whereby misting up of the glass structural-section components from inside will be impossible, a retaining device  1  is proposed with at least one vertical retaining rail  2  for the tensioned or compressed attachment of the glass structural-section component holders  22  and  22 ′, on or by which the glass structural-section components  21  and  21 ′ are retained or borne, whereby the retaining rail  2  features a projecting flange section  4  or  5  for the tensioned or compressed, especially by means of hammerhead screws  25  or similar threaded fasteners  24 , attachment of a structural-section••sectional securing section  3  in the form of a retaining section and at least one flange section  4  for the lateral guidance or support of glass structural-section components  21  and  21 ′ and/or glass fenestration  20 . The flange section  4  or  5  and the retaining or securing section  3  are metal and are fastened together thermally separated from each other by a connecting fixture  6  or  8 . 
     FIGS. 7 through 11 illustrate further retaining rails for retaining devices  35 ,  66 , and  73  for glass fenestrations. These embodiments mainly include horizontal retaining rails that can easily be employed along with the laterally vertical retaining rails  2  in the first embodiment. The retaining rails illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 11, however, are also appropriate for retaining and supporting vertically mounted longitudinal glass components or glass structural-section components and glass fenestrations composed thereof. Further embodiments of the retaining device accordingly feature retaining rails of the species illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 11 along with for example, instead of the vertical retaining rails illustrated in FIG. 1, lateral retaining rails of the form illustrated as upper retaining rails  32 ,  33 , and  34  in FIGS. 7,  8 , and  9 . 
     The second embodiment of a retaining device  35 , the horizontal retaining rails  32 ,  36 , and  37  whereof are illustrated in cross-section in FIG. 7, features an upper retaining rail  32 , a middle retaining rail  36 , and a lower retaining rail  37 . 
     Upper retaining rail  32  is essentially similar to retaining rail  2  except that the securing section  3  employed as a retaining section  38  in retaining rail  2  is not C-sectional, the side facing the glass fenestration being continuous and without a gap. Retaining section  38  is accordingly on the whole essentially rectangular in cross-section, the side facing the glass fenestration being provided with a supporting surface  39  that can retain or support an unillustrated matching face-side area of the glass fenestration. The connecting fixtures  40  and  41  are comparable to connecting fixtures  6  and  7  although of different length, the distances A 1  and A 2  between flange section  5  and retaining section  38  or retaining rail  36  differ, in contrast to those apparent from FIG.  1 . The connecting fixtures  40 ,  41 ,  6 ,  7  (FIG.  1 ),  8 , or  40  and  44  (FIG. 9)  45  and  46 , or  47  and  48  (FIGS. 10 and 11) accordingly allow the thicknesses B 1 , B 2 , B 3 , B 4 , and B 5  between the individual flange sections to be adjusted to the particular glass fenestration or other structural conditions employed. 
     In order to accommodate glass fenestrations with particularly large faces, the flange sections  4 ′ and  5 ′ in upper retaining rail  32  are L-shaped, the shorter L-shaped web  4   a ′ being rectangular and provided with connecting areas  10 . Upper retaining rail  32  for example can be employed either as an upper guide for retaining the glass fenestration&#39;s upper face-side area inside the building opening (retaining section  38  taking no part in the support) or as lateral guides similar to the retaining rails  2  in FIG. 2 although applicable to vertical glass structural-section component glass fenestrations. 
     The middle retaining rail  36  in the illustrated embodiment is essentially H-shaped or I-shaped and features, in addition to the essentially rectangular cross-sectional retaining section  38 , I-shaped cross-sectional flange sections  49  and  50 , which are fastened to retaining section  38  by means of connecting fixtures  41  and  40 . The I-shaped cross-section of flange sections  49  and  50  derives from the shape of flange sections  4 ′ and  5 ′ in that another flange  51  extends opposite flange  52 . A rectangular cross-sectional and hence stronger web  53  extends halfway between flanges  51  and  52  with connecting area  10  at its free end. 
     Lower retaining rail  37  also features a retaining section  54  and two flange sections  57  and  58  secured to it by connecting fixtures  55  and  56  that are similar, with the exception of the distance between connecting webs  13  and  14 , to connecting fixtures  41  and  40 . Retaining section  54  has a rectangular cross-sectional section  54   a  with connecting areas  12  and supporting components  59 . The supporting components  49  [sic] in lower retaining rail  37  consist of supporting strips  60  in the shape of upside-down T&#39;s. 
     Flange sections  57  and  58  are provided with an outward-bent flange  61  that extends around the lower face-side area of the glass fenestration and with a supporting wall  62  that is also provided at its free lower end with supporting components  59  in the form of supporting strips  60 . Supporting wall  62  is provided on the side facing retaining section  54  with a connecting area  10 . On the opposite side, supporting wall  62  is provided with a more or less hook-shaped strip  63  for anchoring etc. 
     The upper, middle, and lower retaining rails  33 ,  64 , and  65  in the third embodiment of a retaining device  66  illustrated in FIG. 8 differ from the retaining rails  32 ,  36 , and  37  illustrated in FIG. 7 in the length of connecting fixtures  6  and  7 . This embodiment is accordingly provided with additional connecting fixtures  67  and  68 . Connecting fixtures  67  and  68  differ from the connecting fixtures  55  and  56  in the second embodiment in that they have the same length A 3  as connecting fixtures  6  and  7 . Flange sections  4 ′ and  5 ′ and  49  and  50  and the retaining sections  38  in upper retaining rail  33  and middle retaining rail  64  illustrated in FIG. 8 are similar to upper and middle rails  32  and  36  in the retaining device  35  illustrated in FIG.  7 . Lower retaining rail  65  also corresponds essentially, except with respect to its supporting components  59 , to the lower retaining rail  37  illustrated in FIG.  7 . Thus, retaining section  69  is provided on its lower side with a supporting component  59  in the middle in the form of a web  70  that extends straight down. Flange sections  71  and  72  have supporting components in the form of L cross-sectional supporting strips, although they are otherwise similar to flange sections  58  and  57 . 
     The fourth embodiment of a retaining device  73 , illustrated in FIG. 9, is also mainly similar to the hereintofore specified embodiments  35  and  66 , although its connecting fixtures  43  &amp;  44  and  74  &amp;  75 , the last on lower retaining rail  76 , differ in length. The supporting components  59  in both the flange sections  71  and  72  of lower retaining rail  76  and of the retaining section  77  in lower retaining rail  76  are in the form of L cross-sectional supporting strips  78 . FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate further embodiments of lower retaining rails  79  and  80  to be employed with glass fenestrations of shorter thicknesses B 4  and B 5  in building openings with more massive walls. Flange sections  81  and  82 , in contrast to those in the hereintofore specified embodiments, are not entirely symmetrical. One flange section  81  features, in addition to a flange  83  that extends out at an angle and is in turn provided with a downward-extending strip  84 , a windowsill area that extends out from supporting wall  62 . The supporting component  59  in this flange section  81  is an almost U cross-sectional supporting strip  86 . Flange section  82  features, in addition to a flange  87  that also extends out at an angle and to a supporting wall  62 , a supporting component  59  in the form of an L-shaped supporting strip  78 . The retaining sections  87  and  88  illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11 on the other hand are different. Although retaining sections  87  and  88  are indeed essentially also rectangular in cross-section like the retaining sections  54 ,  69 , and  77  in the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 9, they are in this case higher than they are wide, allowing them to function with lesser thicknesses B 4  and B 5 . Different thicknesses can also be further compensated by means of connecting fixtures  46  through  48  of different length. In this event, the retaining section  87  illustrated in FIG. 10 is even wider than the retaining section  88  in FIG.  11 . Because of the in this case shorter distance that must be spanned between supporting components  69  and flange sections  81  and  82 , there is no need for any supporting components  59  on retaining sections  87  and  88 . Embodiments similar to those in FIGS. 10 and 11 but employing retaining sections with supporting components are of course also conceivable. 
     Whereas the connecting fixtures  47  and  48  illustrated in FIG. 11 consist, like those in the hereintofore specified embodiments, of two straight connecting webs  13  and  14 , the connecting webs  89  and  90  in the connecting fixtures  45  and  46  illustrated in FIG. 10 differ essentially from connecting webs  13  and  14 . Upper connecting fixture  89  is, in order to enlarge the supporting surface  39  for the face side of the glass fenestration, either displaced upward at an angle or cropped, whereas lower connecting web  90  features not only a thicker T-shaped head for engaging the back of accommodating groove  11  but grooves in a thicker head  91  or end. 
     Further embodiments of retaining devices in accordance with the present invention can be obtained by combining the features described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 11 as desired. 
     List of Parts 
       1 . retaining device 
       2 . retaining rail 
       3 . securing section (retaining section) 
       4 . flange section 
       4 ′. L-shaped flat section 
       4   a ′. reinforced short web 
       5 . flange section 
       5 ′. L-shaped length of flange 
       6 . connecting fixture 
       7 . connecting fixture 
       8 . groove 
       9 . back 
       10 . connecting area 
       11 . accommodating groove 
       12 . connecting area 
       13 . connecting web 
       14 . connecting web 
       15 . terminating section 
       16 . hook-shaped structure 
       17 . inside groove 
       18 . opening 
       19 . wall 
       20 . glass fenestration 
       21 . glass structural-section component 
       22 ,  22 ′. glass structural-section component holder 
       23 . sealing component 
       24 . threaded fastener 
       25 . hammerhead screw 
       26 . nuts 
       27 . head 
       28 . adjustable height 
       29 . supporting surface 
       30 . seals 
       31 . Interior space 
       32 . upper retaining rail 
       33 . upper retaining rail 
       34 . upper retaining rail 
       35 . retaining device, second embodiment 
       36 . middle retaining rail 
       37 . lower retaining rail 
       38 . retaining section 
       39 . supporting surface 
       40 . connecting fixture 
       41 . connecting fixture 
       42 . connecting fixture 
       43 . connecting fixture 
       44 . connecting fixture 
       45 . connecting fixture 
       46 . connecting fixture 
       47 . connecting fixture 
       48 . connecting fixture 
       49 . T-shaped flange section 
       50 . T-shaped flange section 
       51 . additional second flange 
       52 . first flange 
       53 . web 
       54 . retaining section 
       55 . connecting fixture 
       56 . connecting fixture 
       57 . flange section 
       58 . flange section 
       59 . supporting component 
       60 . supporting strip 
       61 . angled flange 
       62 . supporting wall 
       63 . hook-shaped strip 
       64 . middle retaining rail 
       64 ′. middle retaining rail (fourth embodiment) 
       65 . lower retaining rail 
       66 . retaining device, third embodiment 
       67 . connecting fixture 
       68 . connecting fixture 
       69 . retaining section 
       70 . web 
       71 . flange section 
       72 . flange section 
       73 . retaining device, fourth embodiment 
       74 . connecting fixture 
       75 . connecting fixture 
       76 . lower retaining rail 
       77 . retaining section 
       78 . L-shaped supporting strip 
       79 . lower retaining rail 
       80 . lower retaining rail 
       81 . flange section 
       82 . flange section 
       83 . angularly projecting flange 
       84 . strip 
       85 . windowsill area 
       86 . more or less U cross-sectional supporting strip 
       87 . retaining section 
       88 . retaining section 
       89 . connecting web 
       90 . connecting web 
       91 . thicker head 
     A 1 -A 7 . differing distances 
     B 1 -B 5 . differing inside thicknesses