Patent GB-871954-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in, or relating to, glazed structures
Inventor: HINCHLIFFE ERNEST DARBY
IPC: E04B2/96
Filed: 1956-07-13
Abstract: 871,954. Glazed curtain walling structures. HILLS (WEST BROMWICH) Ltd. July 8, 1957 [July 13, 1956], No. 21822/56. Class 20(3) A glazed curtain walling structure comprises auxiliary glazing bars 13 which are connected at right angles to a number of vertical glazing bars 4, each auxiliary bar 13 having end tongues 17 each of which passes through one of a plurality of recesses 12 in the adjacent side walls 8 of the associated bar 4 and is anchored to the latter by a keeper plate 25. Vertical mullions 1, comprising the bars 4 and capping strips 5, support horizontal transoms 2, consisting of the auxiliary bars 13 and capping strips 14, to form a framework having a number of rectangular openings for sheets of glass 3. Each vertical bar 4, located on the inside of the walling, has parallel flanges 9 which extend from the lateral walls 8 and have longitudinal grooves 10 which accommodate resilient packing cords 11. The auxiliary bars 5, cut away at their ends to form the tongues 17, are of general T-shape and have grooves 20 along the free edges of side walls 18 which extend from the heads 16 of the bars, to receive respectively the upper edge 20 of a weather-proofing strip 35, and.a resilient packing cord 21. The neighbouring ends of two aligned bars 13, accommodated in a corresponding pair of recesses 12, are connected to the respective vertical bar 4 by means of a corresponding keeper plate 25, a pair of pegs 27 on which engage with some freedom in corresponding holes 17a in the tongues 17. The keeper plate 25 is attached to the bar 4 by a pair of threaded studs 24, one above and one below the respective pair of apertures 12, each stud 24 being threaded into a hole 23 in a strap 22, to engage an end wall 6 of the bar 4, and urge the ends of the strap into engagement with the walls of receiving grooves 1a. The grooves 1a extend between the base portions of the grooves 10 and the adjacent side portions of the wall 6, the straps 22 being provided with angled portions 22a and chamfered ends 22b to facilitate engagement with the walls of the grooves 1a. The keeper plate 25, having holes 26 which receive the studs 24, is secured by nuts 28, which also secure a flashing strip 31 having lateral grooves 33 which receive the corresponding inner sides of the grooves 10 and form, with lips on the plate 25, 30, channels which bridge the apertures 12 as continuations of the grooves 10 for the cords 11. The upper edge of the flashing strip 31 is sealed by mastic against the end wall 6. Similar studs 24a carrying nuts 40 and screwed into straps 22c are secured to the vertical bars 4 to facilitate the attachment of the capping strips 5b. Each sheet of glazing 3 is inserted into an opening in the framework, the upper edge being engaged between the corresponding cord 21 and a depending wing 36 of the respective weather-proofing strip 35, the lateral edges seating upon the cords 11 of the respective vertical bars 4, and the lower edge being bedded in mastic 38. The sheet 3 is retained temporarily in position by clips 39b applied to the studs 24a. Each capping strip 5 has a pair of inwardly directed wings 5e which, when the capping strip is pressed towards the associated vertical bar 4, are sprung into engagement with reduced neck portions on the nuts 40. Grooves along the free edges of the capping strips 5 accommodate sealing cords 39, winged portions 39a of which press upon the corresponding marginal edges of the respective sheets 3. The capping strips 14 are secured to the respective auxiliary bars 13 by bolts which, passing through holes 14c in the crown 14b of the strip, countersunk resilient bushes 41 and holes 35a in the respective waterproofing strip 35, are screwed into corresponding holes 15a in the stem 15 of the associated bar 13. To permit expansion and contraction of the mullions 1, the opposite ends of a spigot-sleeve 47 fit into the adjacent hollow ends of the respective bars 4 which are tied by bolts 44, 45 to a bracket 46 on the main building structure. The bolts 44, 45 pass through longitudinal slots 48, 49 and holes and 50, 51 formed respectively in the corresponding ends of the bars 1 and the bracket 46. The capping strips of the two vertically aligned mullions are joined in a similar manner by a spigot 52 having a rib 53 which projects into the clearance between the crowns of the strips 5. A flashing strip 54, similar to the strip 31, is assembled on the studs 24a at the foot of the upper bar 4, the upper end 54a being bent over to contact the corresponding wall 6 and sealed with mastic 54b. The head of the uppermost section of mullion makes sliding engagement With a spigot sleeve similar to the sleeve 47 depending from a bracket fixed to the main structure at the top of the walling. In the case where a single transom only is connected to a mull:on, the vertical bar 4 is formed with a single recess 12 to receive the adjacent tongue 17 of the auxiliary bar 13, the keeper plate being formed with a single lipped ear 29 which fits within the recess. If desired, instead of producing each main bar 4 in one piece the wider end wall 6 and the extensions of the side walls 8 may form or e unit, and the side walls 8 and the narrower end wall 7 may form a second unit, the first unit being provided with parallel lateral lips which socket into the mouth of, and are secured, e.g. by bolts to, the second unit. Some of the sheets of glass may be replaced by opaque, translucent, or transparent panels, or by windows or ventilators.