IE911093A1 - Improvements in or relating to multiple-glazed units - Google Patents

Abstract

''Georgian'' grids for double-glazed unit have ends of the grid members (4) attached to the peripheral frame (7) by means of ''feet'' (5) which adhere to the peripheral frame members and which have tongues which slide in tubes forming the grid.

Description

This invention relates to sealed multiple-glazed window and door units and mpre specifically to such units in which a grid of tubes or bars is Inserted between the panes of glass to break up the glass area. it is already known to assemble multiple glazed units wherein a corrugated strip of metal embedded in sealant material is used to form the peripheral seal between the sheets of glass. Reference Is made, in this regard to UK patent specification No.2,04l,434B in the name of TREMCO INC.

It is also already known to use spacer tubes joined at corners to form a frame for spacing two sheets of glass apart, the volume outside the spacer frame being filled with a sealant compound usually of a synthetic rubber or resinous nature.

It is further known to include between the panes of glass a grid or framework of metal tubes (Georgian in the UK; Mutin in USA) joined by cruciform or Y-shaped connectors so as to give a ‘Georgian* or similar window effect.

However there is a problem in joining the ends of these tubes to the peripheral frame or sealing strip in a way which allows for thermal expansion and contraction of the metal tubes and still permits a rigid grid to be maintained between the sheets of glass without buckling or sagging due either to the weight of the tubes or thermal expansion.

This invention seeks to overcome the problems referred to in the last paragraph. -2According to this invention there is provided a multiple-glazed unit having a peripheral seal made of metallic and desiccant-impregnated resinous sealant materials and a grid of tubes joined by cruciform or Y-shaped connectors inserted between sheets of glazing material; characterized in that the outermost tubes of the grid are rigidly fixed to said connectors at their inner ends and are attached to the peripheral seal at their outer ends by means of a member having an expanded foot area and a tongue, the foot area being fixed to the inner surface of the peripheral seal and the outer tube ends being mounted to friccionally slide on the tongue* so as to accommodate differential thermal expansion and contraction of the tubes within the unit. preferably the foot is adhered to the resinous sealant material of the peripheral seal, Preferably the tongue is a frictional fit in the tube and has features which approximate to internal dimensions of the tube.

Preferably the tubes are weld-bonded and have internal weld beads left in place.

Preferably the connector is firmly fixed in the tube by means of vanes or fins on the connector which allow the connector to be Inserted into the tube and to be lockingly engaged therein with the fins forming an interference fit with the tube inner surface, so that once inserted it is not easily withdrawn. -3Preferably the foot and tongue of the member joining the tubes to the.seal are of the same colour as the material of the seal or transparent.

The invention will be further described by reference to the following drawings which show: FIGURE 1; a plan view of a cruciform connector according to the Invention.

FIGURE 2, a section through a welded 'Georgian* grid tube as used in the invention, showing the weld-line.

FIGURE 3; a perspective view of a member for joining a tube to a peripheral seal, having foot and tongue portions.

FIGURE 4, a view of an assembled unit with the tubes attached to the peripheral seal by members as shown in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE S. a typical Georgian grid for insertion between sheets of glass.

With reference first to Figure 1# the cruciform joining-piece or connector 1 has four limbs la, lb, lc and Id terminating in flattened end portions 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d, with fins 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d which slope backwardly towards a central boss. In practice this connector will be injection moulded In Nylon (RTM) or other similar thermoplastic or thermosetting polymer material. -4With reference to Figure 2, this shows a section through a typical aluminium Georgian* bar window tube 4, having flat areas 4a, 4b, and slightly-tapered ends 4c and 4d with shoulders between the flat areas and the tapered ends· This is a weld bonded tube with an internal weld bead left standing proud of the inner surface.

With reference to Figure 3, this is a perspective view of a joining member 5 for joining a tube as illustrated in Figure 2 to a peripheral seal of a double-gla2ed sealed unit. The salient features ace the foot portion 5a which is essentially a plate shaped to exclude air when fixed,and the tongue 5b which stands up in a plane at right angles to 5a and which is dimensioned to fit within a tube as shown in Figure 2.

With reference to Figure 4 the double glazed unit 6 has a peripheral seal 7, of which at least the inner surface is of a synthetic rubber or resinous material such as those specified in UK patent specification No.2,041,434 in the name of TREMCO INC. at lines S3 to 93 on page 4.

To the inner surface of the four sides of this seal are adhered joining members 5 with the feet 5a thereof being directly adhered to the inner surface of the resinous part of the seal. The four tubes (4) which form the Georgian grid are rigidly fixed onto the cruciform piece 1 by virtue of the fins 3a - 3d being a rigid interference fit with the inner eurfaces of the tubea 4. The outer ends of tubes 4 are a frictional fit over the tongues 5b of joining members 5 and are able to slide in and out on these tongues. 9‘d (QND >1Η3Ί0 3 S'/lddW 6S:ET 16, 20 ddd -5On assembly, the tubes 4 are forced over the fins of the cruciform piece 1 up to the central boss. The four joining members in a simple cross matrix 5 are then fitted into the outer ends of tubes 4, the tongues 5b being frictional sliding fits within the tube ends. A lower sheet of glass is then furnished with a peripheral seal 7 which is a single strip of metal/desiccant impregnated resin which is eventually joined at one corner. The feet 5a of joining members 5 are then adhered to the peripheral seal by aelf-adhesion, the tubes remaining as a sliding fit over the tongues 5b.

Finally a second sheet of glass is superimposed on the peripheral seal/Georgian grid combination and the seal is completed by means of pressure with or without heat imposed on the assembly, and the final corner of the peripheral seal is then heat sealed.

As shown in Pigure 5, the grid need not be a simple cross, but is more often a matrix of vertical and horizontal tubes, where tubes (4) are fixed on to the connectors and the outermost tubes only are attached to feet (5) to allow them to be fixed to the peripheral metal/resin seal.

The resinous compound of the seal contains a desiccant to ensure that the air space between the two glass sheets is kept substantially dry. -6Various modifications may be made within the scope of this invention. Thus the shapes of the cruciform, Georgian tubes and joining member 5 may be varied as long as the limbs of the cruciform and the tongues of the joining members fit within the inner cross-section of the tubes. Further the cruciform may be substituted by a γ-section as opposed to an x-section connector for the tubes.

Desirably the joining members 5 will be of the same colour and surface texture as the resinous inner surface of the peripheral seal 7, so that it will tend to merge with the seal in appearance.

On thermal expansion, the outermost tubes remain locked on the cruciform but will be able to move in and out on the Joining members 5.

Claims (7)

1. CLAIMS «

1. A multiple-glazed unit having a peripheral seal made of metallic and desiccant-impregnated resinous sealant materials and a grid of tubes joined by cruciform or Y-shaped connectors inserted between sheets of glazing material; characterized in that the outermost tubes of the grid are rigidly fixed to said connectors at their inner ends and are attached to the peripheral seal at their outer ends by means of a member having an expanded foot area and a tongue, the foot area being fixed to the inner surface of the peripheral seal and the outer tube ends being mounted to frictionally slide on the tongue, so as to accommodate differential thermal expansion and contraction of the tubes within the unit.

2. A multiple-glazed unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the foot area is adhesively attached to the resinous material of the eeal.

3. λ multiple-glazed unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tongue is a sliding fit in the tube and has features which frictionally fit with internal dimensions of the tube.

4. A multiple-glazed unit as claimed in claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein the tubes are weld-bonded and have internal weld beads left in place. -85. A multiple glazed unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the connectors have fins which enable limbs of the connectors to be forced into the tubes but which resist withdrawal of the connectors from the tubes.

5. 6. A member for joining a tube to a peripheral seal having an expanded flat foot and a tongue at right-angles thereto, the tongue having features complementary to the inner surface of a tube into which it is to fit.

6.

7. A multiple glazed unit substantially as hereinbefore described.