Patent Publication Number: US-2005138883-A1

Title: Frame and panel assembly

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
      This invention relates to a frame and panel assembly, and has particular though not exclusive application to glazed window and door frames as well as curtain walling, rooflights, skylights and screens.  
     BACKGROUND ART  
      When glazing frames such as door frames and window frames, it is conventional practice to locate the glass in position in the frame and then to retain the glass in the frame using glazing beads. Such a procedure is appropriate regardless of the material of the frame, which may be aluminium, stainless steel, mild steel, pvc, grp, timber or the like.  
      The use of such beads has a number of disadvantages not the least of which is the cost associated with their manufacture and installation. Furthermore, glazing beads are prone to vandalism, their forcible removal enabling illegal access to buildings and the like.  
      Attempts have been made to overcome this latter problem by modifying the beads to make them more secure and more difficult to remove. However such modifications add further to the overall cost of the assembly.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      It would be desirable to be able to provide a frame and panel assembly that is relatively economic to manufacture and is less prone to vandalism than heretofore.  
      According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a frame and panel assembly comprising a frame defining an aperture therein, opposed inner extents of the frame being recessed to receive therein associated edge extents of a panel, characterised in that the recesses are each of channel section with the base portions of opposed recesses being spaced apart a distance greater than the width of the panel, the free ends of the front portions of opposed recesses being spaced apart by a distance less than the width of the panel, and a gasket within each recess lining the rear and base portions of the associated recess whereby one edge extent of a panel can be located into the recess in one inner extent of the frame against the resilience of the associated gasket, and the opposed edge extent of the panel can then be manoeuvred into the recess in the opposed inner extent of the frame, the gaskets reacting between the panel and the recesses to locate the panel centrally within the frame to close the aperture and to urge the panel towards the front portions of the recesses.  
      With such an arrangement it will be appreciated that the rear portions of the recesses within the opposed inner extents of the frame provide support for the rear of the edge extents of the panel, by way of the gaskets therebetween, and the front portions of the recesses within the opposed inner extents of the frame serve to retain the panel within the frame without the requirement for additional beads to be applied subsequently.  
      In a preferred embodiment of the invention the assembly further comprises, for each recess, a second gasket reacting between the front portion of the recess and the panel to seal the panel in the aperture.  
      According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of assembling a frame and panel assembly, the frame defining an aperture therein to receive a panel, characterised by providing channel section recesses in opposed inner extents of the frame with the base portions of opposed recesses being spaced apart a distance greater than the width of the panel, and the free ends of the front portions of the opposed recesses being spaced apart by a distance less than the width of the panel, locating a gasket in each recess to line the rear and base portions thereof, locating one edge extent of the panel into the recess in one inner extent of the frame and compressing the associated gasket therewith, manoeuvring the other edge extent of the panel into the recess in the opposed inner extent of the frame, and centralising the panel within the frame.  
      In such a method, it will be appreciated that the resilience of the gaskets enables shuffling of the panel into the frame and subsequently serves to locate the panel centrally within the frame.  
      The method may further include the step of locating a second gasket to react between the front portion of each recess and the panel thereby to seal the panel in the aperture. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      FIGS.  1  to  4  are horizontal sections through opposed side members of a frame and panel assembly according to the invention at various stages during the assembly process, and FIGS.  5  to  7  are vertical sections through the upper and lower members of a frame and panel assembly according to the invention at various stages during the assembly process. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Referring to the drawings, there is shown a main window frame to be glazed which includes opposed side members  2 , 4  (FIGS.  1  to  4 ), a top member  6  and a bottom member  8  (FIGS.  5  to  7 ). A mullion  10  divides the window frame into two sub-frames each of which is to receive an associated glass panel  12 , 14 .  
      The resultant assemblies and the method of assembly are the same for both sub-frames, and only one will be described in detail hereinafter.  
      The side member  2  and the opposed side of the mullion  10  are formed with recesses  16 , 18  respectively along the full lengths thereof, each recess  16 , 18  being of generally channel shape in transverse section and including a rear defining wall  20 , a base wall  22  and a front wall  24 .  
      The distance between the opposed base walls  22  is greater than the width of the panel  12 , the distance between the free ends of the front walls  24  is less than the width of the panel  12 , and the spacing between the front and rear walls  24 , 20  is greater than the thickness of the panel  12 .  
      Located in each recess  16 , 18  is an associated gasket  26 , 28  respectively, each gasket being of generally L-shape in transverse section, with the arms of the gaskets  26 , 28  lining the rear walls  20  and the base walls  22  of the recesses  16 , 18  as clearly seen in FIGS.  2  to  4 . The spacing between opposed faces of those parts of the gaskets  26 , 28  lining the base walls  22  of the recesses  16 , 18  is less than the width of the panel  12 .  
      The panel  12  is located in the sub-frame as follows. One edge extent of the panel  12  is inserted at an angle into the recess  18  in the mullion  10  as indicated by arrow ‘A’ in  FIG. 2  and is urged against, to compress, the gasket  28  until the other edge extent of the panel  12  can be manoeuvred past the free end of the front wall defining the recess  16  in the side member  2 . The panel  12  is then moved in the direction of arrow ‘B’ in  FIG. 2  until it is centrally located in the sub-frame gripped between the opposed, partially compressed arms of the gaskets  26 , 28  as shown in  FIG. 3 .  
      The resilience of the gaskets  26 , 28  may be such as to urge the front face of the panel  12  against the front walls  24  of the recesses  16 , 18 . In the illustrated embodiment, however, further gaskets  30 , 32  are inserted between the panel  12  and the front walls  24  of the recesses  16 , 18  to provide a weatherproof seal to the installation as shown in  FIG. 4 .  
      The top and bottom members  6 , 8  of the frame are provided with recesses  34 , 36  therein of similar shape to those in the side member  2  and in the mullion  10 , as best seen in  FIG. 5 , gaskets  38 , 40  being located in the recesses  34 , 36  as shown in  FIG. 6 . However the outer, opposed faces of those parts of the gaskets  38 , 40  lining the base walls of the recesses  34 , 36  are substantially aligned with the free ends of the front walls of said recesses  34 , 36  the spacing between said faces, and between the free ends of the front walls of the recesses in the top and bottom members being substantially equal to the length of the panel  12 .  
      Thus, as the panel  12  is located between the side member  2  and the mullion  10 , the upper and lower ends thereof are received in the gaskets  38 , 40  as shown in  FIG. 7 . Further gaskets  42 , 44  provide weatherproof/seals at the top and the bottom of the panel  12 .  
      It will be appreciated that, with the panel  12  closing the aperture in the sub-frame, the rear side edge extents of the panel  12  are supported, through the gaskets  26 , 28 , by the rear walls  20  of the recesses  16 , 18 , while the front side edge extents of the panel are retained in the recesses  16 , 18  by the front walls  24  of the recesses  16 , 18 . These walls  20 , 24  are integrally formed with the sub-frame whereby the panel  12  is located and retained without the requirement for separate beads either internally or externally of the panel.  
      The frames to be panelled may be of any suitable material dependent upon the particular application, location, degree of security required and the like, and may be of, for example, aluminium, stainless steel, mild steel, pvc, grp, timber and the like.  
      The panels may be glass, wood, steel, plastic or other rigid material.  
      The gaskets are of any conventional material such as rubber, silicone, neoprene and the like.  
      The frame to be panelled may be a single frame or may include a plurality of sub-frames therein, and may be a window frame, a door frame, curtain walling, a rooflight, a skylight, a screen or the like.