IES62908B2 - A process for producing double glazing panels - Google Patents

Abstract

A hallow section aluminium frame element is cut to size and bent at a bending station (10) intermediate its ends to form a spacer frame. Free ends of the frame element are welded (12) together. At a filling station (14) a hole is drilled in a sidewall of the spacer frame and a dessicant is injected into the frame. A butyl seal is laid down along both side faces of the spacer frame at a sealing station (16). The spacer frame is then delivered to a fitting station (18). Glass sheets are cut to a desired size at a cutting station (20) and passed through a washing station (22) prior to delivery to the fitting station (18). At the fitting station (18) the spacer frame is aligned with an associated pair of glass sheets, the glass sheets overlapping and extending outwardly of the spacer frame. Argon gas is injected into the cavity formed between the glass sheets and the spacer frame disclacing air. At a sealing station (26) and adhesive seal is injected into the channel formed between an outer face of the spacer frame and the periphery of the glass sheets to form the glazing panel. The panel is mounted in an upright position on a conveyor for setting the adhesive seal and delivering the glazing panel to a racking station (34). At the racking station, a batch of associated glazing panels are mounted on a mobile rack for delivery to a fitting station for mounting the glazing panels on windows and/or doors.

Description

A process for producing double glazing panels This invention relates to a process for producing double glazing panels.

The invention is particularly concerned with producing double glazing panels in relatively small dependent batches comprising one or more double glazing panels. Different batches will typically be in a range of different sizes and indeed glazing panels within a particular batch may vary in size also. There is therefore a need for flexibility in the production process while at the same time maintaining a good overall production throughput.

According to the invention there is provided a process for producing a double glazed panel comprising the steps: cutting a hollow section aluminium frame element to a desired length; bending the frame element intermediate its ends to form a spacer frame of a desired shape; welding free ends of the spacer frame together to form an endless spacer frame; drilling through a side wall of the spacer frame and injecting a dessicant into the spacer frame filling the spacer frame; applying a butyl seal around a front face and around a rear face of the spacer frame; delivering the spacer frame to a fitting station; 3^2903 cutting glass sheets to a desired size? delivering the glass sheets through a washing station to clean the glass sheets prior to delivery of the glass sheets to the fitting station? mounting the spacer frame between a pair of glass sheets at the fitting station, the glass sheets projecting outwardly of a periphery of the spacer frame? injecting argon gas into the cavity formed between an interior of the spacer frame and the glass sheets? applying an adhesive seal around the channel formed between an exterior of the spacer frame and the glass sheets to form a glazing panel? mounting the glazing panel in an upright position on a conveyor for delivering the glazing panel to a racking station? at the racking station mounting the glazing panel on a rack for delivery to a fitting station where the glazing panel can be mounted on a window or door.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the conveyor comprises an endless conveyor comprising a number of blocks mounted on a drive chain, a number of spaced-apart * 25 flexible supports being mounted on an upper surface of each block for supporting the glazing panels, a number of • sockets being provided in an upper surface of the block for reception of associated rods which are upstanding on the conveyor to support the glazing panels in an upright position spaced-apart from each other.

Q Optionally, the process includes the step of drilling a number of receiver holes in an inner face of the spacer frame by means of a drilling machine having a support bed for reception of the spacer frame and having an associated end support perpendicular to the support bed for squaring the spacer frame on the support bed, a clamp for clamping the spacer frame on the support bed and a drill for engaging and drilling a hole in the spacer frame.

In a further embodiment, the process includes the step of delivering the spacer frame from the welding station to the filling station on a mobile rack having a plurality of L-shaped channel receivers for engaging two adjacent sides of the spacer frame and supporting the spacer frame in an upright position separated from adjacent spacer frames on the rack.

The invention will be more clearly understood with the following description of some embodiments thereof given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in whichs Fig 1 is a schematic flow chart illustrating a process for producing double glazing panels according to the invention; Fig 2 is a detailed perspective view showing portion of a conveyor apparatus used in the process; Fig 3 is a detailed side elevational view of the 4 conveyor apparatus; Fig 4 is a perspective view of an element forming portion of the conveyor apparatus; Fig 5 is a perspective view of a drilling apparatus used in the process; Fig β is a detailed perspective view showing portion of the drilling apparatus; Fig 7 is a perspective view of a frame handling rack for use in the process; Fig 8 is a perspective view of another frame handling rack for use in the process; and Fig 9 is a perspective view of a glazing panel handling rack used in the process.

Referring to the drawings a process and apparatus for producing double glazed panels according to the invention will be described. At a bending station 10 a hollow section aluminium element is bent to form an endless spacer frame, free ends of the element being welded together at a welding station 12.

The endless spacer frame is delivered to a filling station 14 at which a hole is drilled in a side wall of the frame and a dessicant is injected into the frame.

The frame is delivered to a sealing station 16. At the sealing station 16 a butyl seal is laid down along both side faces of the spacer frame. The spacer frame is then delivered to a fitting station 18.

At a cutting station 20 sheets of glass of a desired size are prepared. Downstream of the cutting station 20 the sheets of glass are delivered through a washing station 22 to clean the glass sheets prior to delivery to the fitting station 18.

At the fitting station 18 the spacer frame is aligned with «. an associated pair of glass sheets, the spacer frame being mounted between the glass sheets with the glass sheets overlapping and extending outwardly of the spacer frame.

Argon gas is injected into the cavity formed between the glass sheets and the spacer frame displacing air.

At a sealing station 26 an adhesive seal is injected into the channel formed between an outer face of the spacer frame and the periphery of the glass sheets to form the glazing panel.

The glazing panel is then mounted in an upright position on a conveyor 30 (Figs 2-4) for setting the adhesive seal and for delivery of the glazing panels 32 to a racking station 34. At the racking station 34 the glazing panels are mounted in an upright position on racks for delivery to a fitting station 36 at which the glazing panels 32 are mounted in window or door frames.

Referring to Figs 2-4 the conveyor 30 for the double glazing panel 32 is shown. The conveyor 30 has an endless conveyor belt 40 formed by a number of conveyor elements 41 mounted on a drive chain 42. The conveyor element 41 comprises a block of wood having a number of spaced-apart transverse plastics or rubber supports 44 on which the glazing panels 32 are mounted in. use. A number of spacedapart sockets 46 are provided in the block 41 for « reception of associated wooden support rods 47, each double glazed panel 32 being supported between upstanding sets of rods 47. Thus advantageously the double glazed panels 32 are supported in an upright position spacedapart from each other to prevent damage.

Referring now to Figs 5 and δ there is illustrated a spacer frame drilling machine 60. This drilling machine 60 is provided for drilling a number of locating holes in inner side walls of the spacer frame 62. The holes are for mounting decorative cross bars within the spacer frame 62 for forming Georgian style windows. The drilling machine SO has a ground engaging base frame 64 with a support bed 65 having a channel 66 for reception of one side of the spacer frame 62. An upright end support 67 also has a channel 68 for reception of an end of the support frame 62, the channels 66, 68 being mutually perpendicular for squaring the frame 62 prior to drilling.

The end support 67 is mounted on a carriage (not shown) for movement along the bed 66 to accommodate spacer frames 62 of different size and for location of the spacer frame 62 at different positions on the bed 65. A drill 70 is mounted on the base frame 64 above the bed 65 and is operable to move downwardly to engage and drill the spacer frame 62. A ram operated clamp 72 is mounted on the base frame 64 adjacent the drill 70 and is operable to clamp the spacer frame 62 securely on the bed 65 prior to drilling, being released after the drilling operation has been carried out.

Referring now to Fig. 7, there is illustrated a mobile rack 80 for delivering spacer frames 81 between the welding station 12 and the filling station 14. The rack 80 has a wheeled base 82 with an upstanding support 83 at a rear of the base 82. A number of spaced-apart rods 84 project outwardly at a top of the frame 83 on which a batch of the spacer frames 81 can be mounted. Thus advantageously a batch of the spacer frames 81 can be kept together and transported in a safe manner on the rack 80.

Referring now to Fig. 8, there is illustrated a mobile rack 90 for transporting a number of spacer frames 91. The rack 90 has a wheeled base 92 on which a plurality of generally L-shaped channel receivers 93 are provided, each receiver 93 for reception of one of the spacer frames 91. In this way, advantageously a batch of spacer frames 91 can be supported in an upright position, the spacer frames 91 being spaced-apart on the rack 90. It will be noted that a lower portion 95 of the channels 93 are inclined to securely retain each spacer frame 91 within the channels 93. This rack 90 is particularly suitable for transporting Georgian style spacer frames between the welding station and the drilling machine 60 and the fitting station 18.

Referring now to Fig. 9, there is illustrated a mobile rack 100 for transporting batches of glazing panels. The rack 100 has a wheeled base 101 with an upstanding support frame 102 on the base 101. A number of spaced-apart poles 103 at a front of the rack 100 define slots within which individual glazing panels 104 can be mounted and supported in an upright position. A number of shelves 105 are provided above the base for supporting glazing panels 104.

It will be appreciated that, advantageously batches of glazing panels 104 of various different sizes can be conveniently mounted on the rack 100 for transport between the conveyor and a fitting station at where the glazing panels are mounted on windows or doors . Rubber or plastic supports are provided on the base 101, shelves 105 and poles 103 to prevent damage to the glazing panels 104. The glazing panels 104 tend to be readily easily and quickly mounted on and lifted from the rack 100.

It will be appreciated that the process and apparatus of the invention advantageously allows the production of batches of glazing panels in an efficient and trouble-free manner. Relatively high production throughput can be achieved while at the same time producing a high quality product. Machinery at the drilling stations can be readily easily and quickly adjusted to accommodate different sizes of spacer frame. Location and correct alignment of the spacer frames on the drilling machines can be simply and accurately achieved for a wide range of spacer frame sizes. The various racks and conveyor arrangement advantageously ensures each batch progresses through the process in a smooth and trouble-free manner.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments 15 hereinbefore described which may be varied in both construction and. detail.

Claims (4)

1. A process for producing a double glazed panel comprising the steps: cutting a hollow section aluminium frame element to a desired length; bending the frame element intermediate its ends to form a spacer frame of a desired shape; welding free ends of the spacer frame together to form an endless spacer frame; drilling through a side wall of the spacer frame and injecting a dessicant into the spacer frame filling the spacer frame; applying a butyl seal around a front face and around a rear face of the spacer frame; delivering the spacer frame to a fitting station; cutting glass sheets to a desired size; delivering the glass sheets through a washing station to clean the glass sheets prior to delivery of the glass sheets to the fitting station; mounting the spacer frame between a pair of glass sheets at the fitting station, the glass sheets projecting outwardly of a periphery of the spacer frame; injecting argon gas into the cavity formed between an interior of the spacer frame and the glass sheets; applying an adhesive seal around the channel formed between an exterior of the spacer frame and the glass sheets to form a glazing panel; mounting the glazing panel in an upright position on a conveyor for delivering- the glazing panel to a racking station; at the racking station mounting the glazing panel on a rack for delivery to a fitting station where the glazing panel can be mounted on a window or door.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the conveyor comprises an endless conveyor comprising a number of blocks mounted on a drive chain, a number of spaced-apart flexible supports being mounted on an upper surface of each block for supporting the glazing panels, a number of sockets being provided in an upper surface of the block for reception of associated rods which are upstanding on the conveyor to support the glazing panels in an upright position spaced-apart from each other.

3. A process as claimed in claim 1 and claim 2 including the step of drilling a number of receiver holes in an inner face of the spacer frame by means of a drilling machine having a support bed for reception of the spacer frame and having an associated end support perpendicular to the support 11 bed for squaring the spacer frame on the support bed, a clamp for clamping the spacer frame on the support bed and a drill for engaging and drilling a hole in the spacer frame.

4. 5 4. A process for producing glazing panels substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. A glazing panel whenever produced according process as claimed in any preceding claim. to the