Glazing gasket

United States Patent ^[11] 3,571,994

<td> [72]</td><td> Inventors</td><td> Howard R. Brown Bowling Green, Ohio; Michael C. Rizza, Walnut Creek, Calif.</td>

<td> [21]</td><td> Appl. No.</td><td> 806,561</td>

<td> [22]</td><td> Filed</td><td> Mar. 12,1969</td>

<td> [45]</td><td> Patented</td><td> Mar. 23,1971</td>

<td> [73]</td><td> Assignee</td><td> The D.S. Brown Company North Baltimore, Ohio</td>

2,878,535 3/1959 Bush............................. 52/208X

3,336,707 8/1967 Horgan......................... 52/400X

3,411,255 11/1968 Casebolt....................... 52/498X

3,438,166 4/1969 Bakke.......................... 52/209X

FOREIGN PATENTS

750,252 6/1956 Great Britain................ 52/400

Primary Examiner— Alfred C. Perham Attorney—Owen and Owen

[54] GLAZING GASKET 9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl........................................................ 52/209,

52/208,52/400,52/628

[51] Int.Cl......................................................... E06b7/14,

E06b3/62

[50] Field of Search............................................ 52/208,

209,397, 398,399,400,498,628

[56] References Cited

UNITED STATES PATENTS

2,763,345 9/1956 Clingmanetal.............. 52/400

ABSTRACT: A resilient glazing gasket for positioning and sealing window panes within a rigid channel frame. The gasket, in cross section, has an outer strip and a normally extending intermediate web to be positioned between the pane and one edge of channel leg. A deformable locking flange extending from the intermediate web is adapted to be slipped past the edge of the channel leg and then pushed into the channel by a wedge which is forced into locking position between one side of the glass pane and the other channel leg. The wedge and locking flange include complementarity shaped configurations which engage with each other to hold the wedge and locking flange in position within the channel.

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PATENTED MAR2 31971

3,571,994

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3,571,994

GLAZING GASKET

A number of glazing gaskets or means for sealing a glass pane relative to its frame member are currently in commercial use and are especially desirable in modem building installations where an extensive use of glass is made for architectural and functional purposes. Such glazing constructions, which eliminate the necessity of hand-applied glazing compounds and the like, considerably reduce the cost of installation and also facilitate ready replacement in the event that one of the panes becomes broken.

The usual glazing gasket construction includes a continuous rectangular loop of the gasket which extends around the periphery of the building window frame within which the glass pane is to be placed. In such constructions, a glass pane is placed within a slot in the gasket and various locking means or wedges (sometimes referred to as zippers) are used to engage portions of the gasket to force it in sealing engagement around the periphery of the pane. Other such constructions, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,248,297, include essentially a two-piece gasket which is used in a similar manner, with one half being placed around the window pane after it has been installed upon the first half and in the frame.

It is an object of this invention to provide a gasket which, due to its cross-sectional design, facilitates a method of installation which eliminates certain disadvantageous procedures which have accompanied the use of gaskets of the prior art. This object is accomplished by providing a gasket construction in which the main portion of the construction is first installed around the outer periphery of the window pane which can be done while the pane is positioned at a convenient place for the installation. The gasket portion installed around the periphery of the window pane is designed so that it will adhere itself to the pane which can then be installed within the building frame by moving the pane in a direction normal to its plane and, thus, directly into the frame of the window, without the necessity of deforming any portion of the gasket installed on the pane. Once the pane and first portion of the gasket have been thus installed, the installation is completed, preferably from inside the building, by inserting a locking wedge between the surface of the pane and a rigid framing member.

The locking wedge performs two functions. The first function of the locking wedge is to deform a flange on the first portion of the gasket to a lower, locked position where this flange is in engagement with a portion of the building frame. The second function of the wedge is to engage itself with the adjacent surface of the pane and a portion of the building frame so that, when the installation is complete, both the glass pane and building frame are firmly engaged, an^ gripped, on both sides by the gasket construction.

The above briefly-described construction and its method of operation will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a complete window installation using the glazing gasket construction of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view in perspective of the portion of the gasket which is first attached to the window pane, showing its cross-sectional configuration prior to installation within the building frame member;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view in perspective of the locking wedge used in conjunction with the gasket portion shown in FIG.2;and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view in perspective of the completed construction of this invention, taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1 and shown on an enlarged scale.

Referring briefly to FIG. 1, the completed installation including the gasket construction of this invention which extends around on all four sides of the window pane 10 which is installed within a rigid frame 11 secured around the opening in the building wall 12. As described in this embodiment, the glazing gasket of this invention is used in an installation where the final assembly is completed from the inside of the building, but it is to be understood that with suitable changes in the con2 figuration of the framing member, that the installation could be completed from outside of the building. Also as described herein, the various portions of the gasket are described with reference to its position along the lowermost side of the window pane 10, as the completed construction is shown in FIG. 4. It is to be understood that on the sides and top of the pane 10, the relative positions of the parts described would be reversed or sideways from those described in the pending claims, and that the claims define the gasket in its position as shown in FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 2, the gasket portion of the construction is, in this embodiment, a continuous peripheral strip of resilient material having the cross section shown in FIG. 2 and which extends entirely around the periphery of the pane 10, as shown in FIG. 1. The gasket 13 of FIG. 2 includes an outer strip 14 having upper and lower edges 15 and 16, respectively, formed by sloped surfaces 17 and 18 which gradually lead to the outer surface 19 of the outer strip 14. The slope of the surfaces 17 and 18 and the angle at which they join the outer surface 19 is determined by the desired outside appearance of the gasket and may be gradually rounded or tapered as desired. A sufficient slope for the surfaces 17 and 18 is desirable to prevent water or dust from accumulating thereon.

Extending from the outer strip 14 inwardly and generally normally to the general plane of the outer strip 14 is an intermediate web 20 whose upper and lower surfaces join the outer strip 14 along lines which are undercut, as indicated by reference numeral 21. An upwardly extending lip 22 is formed at the inner portion of the intermediate web 20 along a line which is also undercut, as indicated by reference numeral 23. The lip has a tapered cross section terminating in an upper edge 24 which, in its free position as shown in FIG. 2, is spaced from the opposed inner surface of the outer strip 14 by a distance less than the width of the glass pane 10, for reasons which will be subsequently explained.

A locking flange, generally designated by reference numeral 25, extends from the intermediate web 20 with its lower surface and edge 26 positioned generally parallel with the lower surface of the intermediate web 20, as seen in FIG. 2. A groove 27 and bead 28 extend along the lower surface of the locking flange 25. The upper surface of the locking flange 25 is separated from the lip 22 by a pair of grooves 29 and 30 on either side of a bead 31. The function of the grooves 27, 29 and 30, and the beads 28 and 31, will be subsequently explained.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the gasket wedge, generally designated by reference numeral 32, has an upper portion extending from an inner edge 33 to an outer rim 34 and a lower portion extending downwardly from the upper portion and terminating in a lower tip 35. The width of the upper portion between the inner edge 33 and the outer rim 34 is slightly larger than the distance between the inner side of the window pane 10 and the opposed inner leg of the channeled window frame. On pne side of the lower portion of the wedge 32 is a groove 36 extending between beads 37 and 38 which are generally complementary in shape to the grooves 29 and 30 and the bead 31 on the locking flange of the gasket 13 shown in FIG. 2. Below the outer rim 34 of the wedge 32 is a groove 39 formed between the outer rim 34 and a tapered flange 40 which extends along the arcuate surface 41 leading to the lower tip 35 of the wedge 32. Finally, at least one void or passage 42 extends longitudinally throughout the wedge 32, as shown in FIG. 3, in order to facilitate proper deformation of the wedge 32 when it is inserted in place as described below.

FIG. 4 shows in cross section the completed glazing construction of this invention as it is used to position the window pane 10 within a channeled frame member 11 having an outer leg 43 and a spaced-apart inner leg 44. In the construction shown, the channeled frame 11 also includes a rigid sill 45 which is secured to the building structural member 46 by any suitable fastener, such as the screws 47 shown in FIG. 4. On the inner face of the inner leg 44 of the channeled frame 11 is a longitudinally extending channel 48 which is designed to

3,571,994 receive the tapered flange 40 of the wedge 32 when it is inserted in position.

The gasket 13, as it is shown in FIG. 2, is installed around the periphery of the window pane 10 by inserting the edge of the pane 10 within the space between the upper edge 15 of the outer strip 14 and the lip edge 24. As previously stated, the distance between these two edges 15 and 24 is less than the width of the pane 10 so that the entire peripheral gasket 13 will stay in place upon the pane 10. With the gasket 13 so installed, the pane 10 is moved into position within the frame 11 by moving it normally to the plane of the frame 11 so that the locking flange 25, which lies parallel to the intermediate web 20, as shown in FIG. 2, slips over the upper surface 49 of the outer leg 43 of the frame 11 without the necessity of deforming the gasket or other manipulation of the pane 10. When the pane 10 has been moved into position, the upper surface 49 lies closely adjacent the lower surface of the intermediate web 20 throughout the periphery of the frame 11 and the lower edge 16 of the outer strip 14 rests against the outer surface of the outer leg 43 of the frame 11, as shown in FIG. 4.

With the pane 10 and gasket 13 fully inserted in this position, the wedges 32 are then installed. Preferably, a length of wedge material corresponding in length to each side of the pane 10 is used so that four individual wedge pieces 32 are installed in each window. The ends of each of the four pieces should be mitered or otherwise made to fit with one another. Each wedge piece 32 is installed by inserting the lower tip 35 between the lip 22 on the gasket 13 and the inner leg 44 of the frame 11 and pushing it downwardly into the position shown in FIG. 4. As the wedge 32 moves into its downward position, its lower tip 35 contacts the locking flange 25 of the gasket 13 and deforms it downwardly, primarily flexing the area between the grooves 27 and 29. Continued downward movement of the wedge 32 will force its bead 38 into the groove 30 of the gasket 13 and also the bead 37 into the groove 29, as shown in FIG. 4. Continued downward movement will deflect the flange 25 until its bead 28 rests against the inner face of the outer leg 43 and the further movement of the wedge 32 will push the locking flange down, along a force line indicated by reference numeral 50. This movement causes portions of the flange 25 to pivot around the bead 28 to pull the material in the web 20 inwardly to cause the outer strip 14 to press inwardly. The final downward movement of the wedge 32 will move its tapered flange 40 past the upper surface of the inner leg 44 of the frame 11 until it snaps into the channel 48 so that upward movement of the wedge 32 is now prevented. It will be seen that unintentional removal of the wedge 32 is now prevented by these interlocking parts, as well as the engagement between the bead 37 of the wedge 32 with portions of the gasket at the area designated by reference numeral 51 in FIG. 4.

When the construction has been completed, as it is shown in cross section in FIG. 4, certain advantages are apparent. Firstly, the purpose of the voids 42 in the wedge 32 is to facilitate deformation of the wedge 32 as it is inserted between the pane 10 and inner leg 44 of the channel 11. Because rubber and similar thermoplastic resilient materials are essentially noncompressible, these spaces are used to facilitate deformation in the areas subject to the most compression. Secondly, due to the dimensions of the upper portion of the wedge 32, the glass pane 10 is held securely between the upper edge 15 of the outer strip 14 and the inner edge 33 of the wedge 32, which also forces the tapered flange 40 deeply within the channel 48 in the inner leg 44 of the frame 11. Thirdly, as the locking flange 25 is deformed from its horizontal position shown in FIG. 2 to its locked position shown in FIG. 4, it pivots about the upper surface 49 of the outer leg 43 and further downward movement of the wedge 32 causes it to urge the locking flange 25 along a line of force at 50, slightly to the right of the bead 28, so that the entire outer strip 14 is pulled inwardly to tightly bear against the outer surfaces of the glass pane 10 and outer leg 43 of the frame 11. Thus, in locked position, the outer leg 43 of the frame 11 is securely gripped , 4 between the lower edge 16 of the outer strip 14 and the lower tip 35 and other portions of the wedge 32.

It is also noted that, when installed, the undercut portions 21 and 23 and groove 27 on the gasket 13 are out of contact with the sharp edges of the glass pane 10 and outer leg 43 so that any consequent working or movement of the glass pane 10, due to wind loads, etc., will not cause these sharp edges to dig in or cut the gasket 13. Finally, the gasket, when fully installed, as shown in FIG. 4, contains considerable air spaces such as those designated by reference numeral 52 which provide a certain amount of insulation to the construction and also are large enough to prevent a pumping action due to wind loads on the pane 10 which might cause water to be forced from the construction in the absence of such large air spaces 52. In order to further assure that the installation is not subject to filling and squirting water from such pumping action, a number of liquid drains or weep holes 53 are formed at the bottom of the frame 11, extending from the lower air space 52 to the outside, as shown in FIG. 4. Thus, if water should unintentionally enter the construction between the edges of the glass pane 10 and the gasket or wedge, it will eventually pass downwardly to the lower space 52 and drain to the outside of the building through the drains 53.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the preferred embodiment of the invention thus described enables the installation of window panes without certain disadvantages encountered when using prior art constructions and which presents a number of other advantages. As previously stated, the gasket is adapted for inside or outside installation and, of course, is used on all four sides of the window so that the relative terms used in the description and claims hereof in defining the invention are applicable to all such installations.