GB2128237A

GB2128237A - Window frame

Info

Publication number: GB2128237A
Application number: GB08324005A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Karl-Heinz Fruchtnicht; Dieter Auerochs; Georg Jahnert
Original assignee: Rehau Plastiks GmbH
Current assignee: Rehau Plastiks GmbH
Priority date: 1982-09-08
Filing date: 1983-09-07
Publication date: 1984-04-26
Also published as: FR2532680B3; FR2532680A1; GB2128237B; DE8225258U1; GB8324005D0

Abstract

A frame for windows or doors comprises a main frame 2 with retaining channels 21 for glazing beads 3. A corner piece 1 is secured in the retaining channels 21 by an integral latching means and comprises limbs 11, 12 positioned at right angles to one another and arranged to bear against and overlap the ends of the abutting glazing bars. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Plastics frame for windows or doors This invention relates to a plastics frame for windows or doors and in particular to a glazing bar frame of the type consisting of half-open and/or hollow sectional elements which abut each other optionally by way of angled faces and which are clipped on to a main frame.

It is known to fit glazing bars of very many different kinds in frame constructions such as window casements, door wings, fixed frames, building elements etc., the glazing bars being in the form of a frame and being arranged along the entire length of all the sides of the main frame. For the purpose of forming the glazing bar frame, the corner zones of the glazing bars are either mitred or they are assembled with the end-face of one of them in abutment with the side-face of the other.

Since the main frames, such as window casements, door wings etc., are not of exactly the same size, because of manufacturing tolerances of the sectional elements or other differences in dimensions, it is necessary, when forming the glazing. bar frame by the known assembly methods, for the bars to be measured and cut individually exactly to the inside dimensions of the main frame concerned. These measuring and cutting operations can be carried out in-the factory where the windows are produced, but they may also be undertaken at the building site. It has been repeatedly found that the glazing bars are cut to too short or too great a length.When glazing bars have been cut too short, unsound joints have resulted when assembling the bars to form the frame, whereas with glazing bars cut to too great a length, excessively great compressive stresses have occurred in the corner zones of the main frame.

Unsound joints, on the one hand, are unsightly and, on the other hand, make it possible for rainwater, draughts, etc., to pass through the frame and into the interior of the building. When high compressive stresses have occurred as the result of glazing bars having been cut to too great a length, the welded corners of the main frame have been so badly affected by these stresses that cracks have been able to develop in the main frame in the welded corner zones. The same thing has occurred in the case of bonded corners formed by the sectional elements of the main frame where, because of the excessive compressive stresses, the excessively long sectional elements of the glazing bars have been able to break open the bonded joint in the corner zone of the sectional elements of the main frame.

The present invention seeks to eliminate or reduce the above-described disadvantages and to form the abutting ends of the glazing bars, assembled as a frame, so that unsound joints in the corner zones of the glazing bars as well as the development of excessive compressive stresses are avoided.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a plastics frame for windows or doors, said frame comprising a main frame made up of half-open and/or hollow sectional elements to which are clipped respective glazing bars and an angled corner connecting piece which is arranged in the zone of abutment of two of said glazing bars at each corner of the main frame, each corner connecting piece being secured, by way of integral latching means, in a glazing bar retaining channel formed in the respective sectional elements of the main frame, and wherein each corner connecting piece comprises limbs which are disposed at right angles to each other and correspond to the outer contour of the glazing bars andwhich bear firmly against and overlap the end zones of the abutting glazing bars.

The corner connecting piece may have, in the two covering zones which are angled with respect to each other, a length of limb which, by means of its overlapping zone, ensures that the end faces of the glazing bars are covered, although the ends of these bars are not in abutment. This arrangement offers the advantage that the glazing bars can be cut to such a length that their end faces are not in contact. Thus, the disadvantage resulting from excessive compressive stresses in the corner zones and caused by oversize glazing bars is eliminated. The gaps occurring in the corner zones when undersize glazing bars are fitted together are completely covered by the corner connecting piece.

The form of the corner connecting piece in accordance with the invention also enables the cutting of the glazing bars to be carried out with less precision than was hitherto required. Since the cut faces of the end zones are completely covered by the corner connecting piece, the manner in which the cut is made can be ignored. If the L-shaped limbs of the corner connecting piece are of appropriate length, it is possible, for example, for inclined cuts at the ends of the glazing bars also to be covered.

When the corner connecting piece of the invention is used, the glazing bars can be cut to the required size prior to the fitting of the window frame. The clearance dimension of the frame which, in the known methods, was mainly based on the length of the cut pieces of glazing bar, can now be ignored.

In order that the invention may be better understood, an embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a diagrammatic perspective view of one corner connection of a frame in accordance with the invention.

The frame comprises a corner connecting piece 1 which is clipped into a glazing bar retaining channel 21 formed in a sectional element 2 forming part of the main frame. Clip means, not illustrated in the drawing, may be associated with the glazing bars, which latter are individually shown under reference 3.

The corner connecting piece 1 comprises limbs 1 1 and 12 which are disposed at right angles to each other and which have internal dimensions corresponding to the external dimensions of the glazing bar and overlie the end faces of the glazing bars 3. The L-shaped limbs 11 and 12 of the corner connecting piece 1 cover the front zone A and the top zone B (as seen in the drawing) of the glazing bar frame 3. The surface zone of the glazing bar frame 3, that cannot be seen in the drawing, is not covered by the cornet connecting piece, since in this zone, the sealing means, which is pressed into the frame opening 31, is not, for practical purposes, adversely affected as regards its sealing action along the side of the frame.

The corner connecting piece 1, in a modified form of the assembly, can be first pressed by means of its latching elements, into the glazing bar retaining channel 21 formed in the sectional element 2 of the main frame. Then, the glazing bars 3, cut to a slightly shorter length, are inserted into the retaining channel 21 and, as this happens, they are pushed under the L-shaped limbs 11 and 12 of the corner connecting piece 1. In a second variant, the undersize glazing bars 3 can be inserted into the retaining channel 21 at a corresponding distance from the mitred corner 22 of the sectional elements 2 of the main frame.

Thereafter, the corner connecting piece 1 is latched into the retaining groove 21 by means of U-shaped limbs 1 1 and 12 which overhang the end faces of the glazing bars 3.

When use is made of the above-described corner connecting piece, the glazing bars can be cut to the determinable undersize length before the main frame is finished.

When the main frame itself is being produced, the dimensional differences that then occur or are already present in the sectional elements of the frame are not of any importance. Roughly cut portions with interfaces that do not abut can be ignored in the glazing bars, since the overlapping limbs of the corner connecting piece cover these cut portions.

Finally, by means of the above-described corner connecting piece, it is possible to eliminate the disadvantage of the formation of cracks in the corner zones of the sectional elements of the main frame, which cracks are due to compressive stresses caused by glazing bars that are cut to too great a length.

Claims

1. A plastics frame for windows or doors, said frame comprising a main frame made up of halfopen and/or hollow sectional elements to which are clipped respective glazing bars and an angled corner connecting piece which is arranged in the zone of abutment of two of said glazing bars at each corner of the main frame, each corner connecting piece being secured, by way of integral latching means, in a glazing bar retaining channel formed in the respective sectional elements of the main frame, and wherein each corner connecting piece comprises limbs which are disposed at right angles to each other and correspond to the outer contour of the glazing bars and which bear firmly against and overlap the end zones of the abutting glazing bars.

2. A plastics frame according to claim 1 wherein said limbs are L-shaped.

3. A plastics frame for windows or doors substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.