GB2397310A

GB2397310A - Mullion support bracket

Info

Publication number: GB2397310A
Application number: GB0300864A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Wilson
Original assignee: DESIGN FACADES Ltd
Current assignee: DESIGN FACADES Ltd
Priority date: 2003-01-15
Filing date: 2003-01-15
Publication date: 2004-07-21
Anticipated expiration: 2023-01-15
Also published as: GB0300864D0; GB2397310B

Abstract

A tie-back bracket for adjustably retaining a vertical mullion comprises a fixing member 2 for attachment to the edge of a floor slab. The fixing member 2 slidingly retains a mullion support member 16 and comprises mounting means (19, 20 fig 1) for detachable adjustment means for vertical adjustment of the mullion support member 16. In a preferred embodiment the mounting means (19, 20 fig 1) comprise vertical channels in the fixing member 2 and the adjustment means are provided by a bridge member 22, formed with holes to align with the channels, and bolts 24. The shanks of bolts 24 pass through the channels (19, 20 fig 1) and through the holes in bridge member 22. The head of each bolt seats against the underside of the mullion support member 16 and nuts 26 are threaded onto the projecting ends of the bolts 24 and hold the bridge member against the upper surface of the fixing member 2, thus supporting the dead load carried by the mullion support member. Vertical adjustment of the mullion support member 16 with respect to the fixing member 2 is achieved by tightening or loosening the nuts 26.

Description

Mullion Support Bracket This invention relates to a support bracket for

supporting a mullion for a curtain walling system.

Curtain wall mullions for a multi-story building are generally supported either by being hung from the upper end or propped from the lower end between adjacent floor slabs by means of dead-load bearing brackets fixed to the edge of individual floor slabs. Such brackets generally must provide means for adjusting the position of the mullion along the all three-dimensional (x, y, z) axes. While these brackets provide dead load support they also provide wind load support and are referred to as tieback brackets. Mullion lengths are usually such that each mullion extends between adjacent floor slabs and sleeves are provided to connect the adjacent free ends portions of the mullions in both hung and propped systems. In some locations, for example at the lower end of the lower most mullions in a hung system and at the upper end of the upper most mullions in a propped system, a separate tie-back bracket is provided which will allow for free vertical movement to allow for thermal movement or structural deviation and in this case a tie back bracket is required to accommodate wind load but not dead load.

This invention consists in a tie-back bracket for adjustably retaining a vertical mullion comprising: a fixing member for attachment to the edge of a floor slab, the fixing member being adapted to slidingly inter- engage with a mullion support member and means for mounting adjustment means for the vertical adjustment of the mullion support member under dead load.

The adjustment means may include a detachable bridge member mountable with respect to the fixing member and traction means operatively connected between the bridge member and the mullion support member for the sliding adjustment of the mullion support member under dead load with respect to the fixing plate.

The traction means is preferably in the form of a threaded member extending between the mullion support member to the bridge member.

To provide a tie-back bracket which is not required to support a dead load the traction means such as the bridge member and threaded members are not utilised so that mullion support member is capable of sliding freely with respect to the fixing plate.

Preferably the fixing plate has an outwardly facing first channel adapted to inter-engage with the mullion support member. Preferably the first channel is integrally formed with the fixing plate.

Preferably the detachable bridge member is located across the open upper end portion of the said first channel member.

The mullion support member preferably comprises a second channel section having outwardly extending side walls adapted to receive between them an edge portion of a vertical mullion and an inwardly directed edge portion adapted to be retained for sliding movement by inter-engaging formations formed in the said first channel member.

The mullion support member is also preferably formed as an aluminium alloy extrusion. Further, since the mullion support member is held captive within the said first channel member by means of co-operating inter-engaging formations the bridge member may simply be in the form of a plate resting on the supporting upper ends of the first channel member.

In this form the device may be manufactured substantially without the need for machining or fabrication, which minimizes production costs.

The means for adjustably suspending the mullion support member under dead load from the bridge member may comprise an elongate rod member having an upper end portion adapted to be mounted on the bridge member over a range of axially adjustable positions and having a lower end portion which is adapted to carry the mullion support member whereby axial adjustment of the length of rod member with respect to the bridge member raises or lowers the mullion support member in the first channel member.

Preferably the rod member comprises a shank, a head member at one end of the shank the opposite end portion of the shank having a screw thread.

The bolt shank may pass through a port or other aperture provided in the mullion support member, whereby the dead load carried by the mullion support member is supported by the head of the bolt. An aperture is also provided in the bridge member through which may pass the threaded end portion of the shank. A nut may be threaded onto the projecting end portion of the shank and threaded along the shank to adjust the position of the mullion support member with respect to the first channel member.

Preferably, a pair of spaced apart rod members is provided to bilaterally support the mullion support member in the first channel member.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood two embodiments will be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an isometric view of a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2, 3, 4 and 5 show respectively isometric, front elevation, side elevation and plan views of a second embodiment.

Referring to Figure 1 the tie back bracket 2 comprises a fixing member 2 having opposed flanges 2a, 2b each formed with an inclined slotted hole 4 through which a fixing may pass to secure the fixing member 2 to a Halfen channel cast into the edge of a concrete floor slab, not shown. The inclined slotted holes 4 allow side to side adjustment of the fixing member in the y direction and also provide for some vertical adjustment should the Halfen channel deviate from the horizontal.

The fixing member 2 has an outwardly opening channel formation 3 (constituting first channel means) defined by opposed walls side walls 3a, 3b and a base wall 3c from which projects a rail 5 of T shaped cross section. A mullion support member 16 has an inner edge portion 18 located in the channel 2 and provided with a central groove of complimentary form to Rail 5 to slidingly retain the mullion support within the channel 3.

The direction of sliding movement is in the vertical

(z- axis) direction. In this description, side-to

side displacement with respect to the floor slab is represented by displacement along the y-axis while displacement perpendicular to the plane of the building elevation (that is the in/out direction) is represented by displacement along the x-axis.

The mullion support 16 has opposed outwardly extending side walls 16a, 16b forming between them a channel (constituting second channel means) and formed with pairs of aligned slotted holes such as 17. In use, an end portion of a mullion may be retained between the arms 16a, 16b by fixings passing through slotted holes 17 which permit adjustment of the mullion in the x direction.

The inner edge portion 18 of channel support member 16 is formed with opposed longitudinally extending ports 19, 20 constituting in part means for mounting adjustment means for adjusting the mullion support under dead load. The adjustment means comprise bolts passing upwardly through the ports 19, 20 and being adjustably retained by a bridge member supported on abutment surfaces formed by the upper edge of the channel 3, as will be further described with reference to Figures 2-5 below.

The embodiment described and illustrated with reference to Figure 1 is suitable for use as a fully adjustable restraining tie back bracket in all circumstances in which the bracket is required to provide wind load support but not dead load support.

The tie back bracket illustrated with reference to Figures 2-5 comprises the tie back bracket as described above with reference to Figure 1 further having mounted thereon detachable traction means for the vertical adjustment of the mullion support member when mounted in si to to support a dead load. A bridge member in the form of a metal plate 22 formed with holes to align with bi-lateral channels 19, 20 is arranged to bridge the upper end of channel 12. The shanks of bolts 24 are passed upwardly through the ports 19 and 20 and through the aligned apertures in bridge member 22. The head of each bolt seats against the underside of mullion support member 16 and supports the dead load carried by the mullion support member in use.

Nuts 26 are threaded onto the projecting upper end portions of the bolts 24, which transfer the load to the bridge member and to the upper end of the channel, which constitutes in part means for mounting detachable adjustments means for the mullion support member. The adjustment means are constituted by the adjustment bolts, which suspend the mullion support from a detachable plate 22, which rests on the upper end of the channel 3. Vertical adjustment (z axis Fig.1) of the mullion support 16 under dead load is obtained by tightening or loosening the nuts 26 and thereby adjusting the relative position of the mullion support device within the channel 3 The fixing member 2 with its integral channel 3 and mullion support member are both readily formed as aluminium alloy extrusions. Cut lengths of the two extrusions provide respectively the fixing member and the inter engageable mullion support member.

Claims

Claims 1. This invention consists in a tie-back bracket for adjustably

retaining a vertical mullion comprising: a fixing member for attachment to the edge of a floor slab, the fixing member being adapted to slidingly retain a mullion support member and means for mounting detachable adjustment means for the vertical adjustment of the mullion support member under dead load.
2. A bracket as claimed in Claim 1 in which the fixing member incorporates means for mounting a bridge member and traction means operatively connected between the bridge member and the mullion support member for the sliding adjustment of the mullion support member under dead load with respect to the fixing plate.
3. A bracket as claimed in Claim 2 in which the traction means is in the form of a threaded member extending between the mullion support member and the bridge member.
4. A bracket as claimed in any preceding claim in which the fixing plate has an outwardly facing first channel member adapted to inter-engage with the mullion support member.
5. A bracket as claimed in Claim 4 in which the first channel member is integrally formed with the fixing member.
6. A bracket as claimed in any preceding claim in which the detachable bridge member is located across the open upper end portion of the said first channel member.
7. A bracket as claimed in any preceding claim in which the mullion support member is provided with a second channel section having outwardly extending side walls adapted in use to receive between them an edge portion of a vertical mullion and an inwardly directed edge portion adapted to be retained for sliding movement by inter-engaging formations formed in the said first channel member.
8. A bracket as claimed in Claim 6 or 7 in which means for adjustably suspending the mullion support member under dead load from the bridge member comprises an elongate rod member having an upper end portion adapted to be mounted on the bridge member over a range of axially adjustable positions and having a lower end portion which is adapted to carry the mullion support member whereby axial adjustment of the length of rod member with respect to the bridge member raises or lowers the mullion support member in the first channel member.
9. A bracket as claimed in Claim 8 in which the rod member comprises a shank, a head member at one end of the shank the opposite end portion of the shank having a screw thread.
10. A bracket as claimed in claim 9 in which the bolt shank passes through a port or other aperture provided in the mullion support member, whereby the dead load carried by the mullion support member is supported by the bolt.
11. A bracket as claimed in Claim 10 in which an aperture is also in the bridge member through which passes the threaded end portion of the shank for the receipt of an adjustment nut for the urged adjustment the position of the mullion support member with respect to the first channel member.
12. A bracket as claimed in Claims 6-11 in which a pair of spaced apart rod members is provided to bilaterally support the mullion support member in the first channel member.