IES80584B2

IES80584B2 - A sheet of glass and a window comprising the sheet of glass

Info

Publication number: IES80584B2
Authority: IE
Inventors: James Carey; William Gerard Carey
Original assignee: James Carey; William Gerard Carey
Priority date: 1997-04-25
Filing date: 1998-04-21
Publication date: 1998-10-07
Also published as: GB2324560A; IES980306A2; IE980305A1; GB9808292D0

Abstract

A sheet of glass for fitting in a frame for forming a simulated Georgian, Regency or Tudor window or door, the sheet of glass having at least one strip of paint applied to simulate a sash bar. The strips of paint may be screen printed or stamped onto the glass, the strips may alternatively be sandblasted. The invention is applicable to both single and double glazing.

Description

A sheet of glass and a window comprising the sheet of glass The present invention relates to a sheet of glass for fitting in a frame for forming a simulated georgian, regency or tudor type window, door or the like and to a method of forming a simulated georgian, regency or tudor type window, door or the like. The invention also relates to a frame comprising the sheet of glass for simulating the georgian, regency or tudor window or door. The invention also relates to a georgian, regency or tudor window or door.

Georgian and regency type windows are well known.

Typically, they comprise a main outer frame within which a plurality of spaced apart sash bars extend vertically and horizontally for defining a plurality of relatively small openings. The frame is glazed with a plurality of correspondingly small sheets of glass which are located in the respective openings defined by the main frame and the horizontally and vertically extending sashes. In general, while such frames tend to resemble both georgian and regency type windows, in the building trade, they are generally collectively referred to as georgian frames, windows and doors, and for convenience they will be similarly referred to herein.

Attempts have been made to simulate such georgian windows without the need to glaze a frame with a plurality of relatively small sheets of glass. Such attempts, in particular, have been made in the area of double glazed windows and doors where a relatively large outer frame is glazed with a double glazing unit.

A double glazing unit typically comprises a pair of spaced apart sheets of glass which are separated by a peripherally extending spacer, and the spacer and the two sheets of glass are sealed around their entire outer periphery by a suitable resin based sealant. A plurality of spaced apart horizontally and vertically extending bars are located between the two sheets of glass for simulating horizontal and vertical sashes, for in turn simulating a georgian window.

While the glazing units and frames containing glazing units of the prior art simulate a georgian window or door, they are relatively expensive. Firstly, the vertical and horizontal bars which simulate the sashes in general, are aluminium and require painting to a desired colour, typically, white or brown, to simulate a wood finish. Secondly, the assembly of such glazing units with the horizontally and vertically extending bars located between the two sheets of glass tends to be relatively expensive. Additionally, the arrangement of the prior art is unsuitable for simulating a georgian window or door of single glazed construction.

Similar problems arise in the case of tudor type windows, with the exception that the bars for simulating small diamond shaped openings, instead of extending horizontally and vertically, are inclined to form tudor style diamond shaped panes of glass.

Hereinafter the term georgian is used to mean georgian, regency and tudor.

An object of the invention is to provide a sheet of glass which is suitable for fitting in a frame for forming a georgian type window or door which overcomes the problems of the prior art.

A further object of the invention is to provide a double glazed unit for fitting in a frame, which simulates a georgian window or door.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a frame which simulates a georgian window or door.

A further object of the invention is to provide a georgian window or door which overcomes the problems of known simulated georgian windows and doors.

According to the invention there is provided a sheet of glass for fitting in a frame for forming a simulated georgian window or door, the sheet of glass having at least one elongate strip applied to one major surface thereof to simulate a sash bar. Preferably, the at least one elongate strip comprises an elongate strip of paint.

In another embodiment of the invention the sheet of glass comprises at least one first elongate strip of paint applied to the sheet of glass, extending in a first direction, and a second elongate strip of paint applied thereto extending in a second direction transverse of the first direction. Preferably the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction and ideally, the second elongate strip crosses the first elongate strip.

In another embodiment of the invention a plurality of spaced apart parallel first elongate strips are provided, and generally, a plurality of spaced apart parallel second elongate strips are provided.

Ideally, the first and second strips of paint are applied to the same major surface. Preferably, the strips of paint are screen printed onto the glass. Generally, the paint comprises a colour pigment.

In a further embodiment of the invention the paint is bakeable onto the glass, and ideally, is bakeable onto the glass in a toughening process.

In one embodiment of the invention the paint is a ceramic paint, and typically, is of the type which comprises crushed glass, and ideally, a binding agent for suspending the crushed glass particles.

Alternatively, the at least one elongate strip comprises a sand blasted elongate strip.

Additionally, the invention provides a double glazed unit comprising at least one sheet of glass according to the invention. Preferably, the double glazed unit comprises a pair of spaced apart parallel sheets of glass defining a hollow interior region therebetween and the at least one sheet of glass Is located with the elongate strip of material adjacent the hollow interior region.

Further the invention provides a frame for forming a georgian window or door comprising a sheet of glass according to the invention.

The invention also provides a georgian window comprising a sheet of glass according to the invention.

Further the invention provides a georgian door comprising a sheet of glass according to the invention.

The invention also provides use of the sheet of glass according to the invention for simulating a georgian window or door.

Additionally, the invention provides a method for forming a georgian window or door, comprising applying at least one elongate strip to a sheet of glass to simulate a sash bar, and mounting the sheet of glass in a frame to form the georgian window or door.

Preferably, the at least one elongate strip of material comprises an elongate strip of paint. More preferably, the strip of paint is screen printed onto the sheet of glass. Alternatively, the strip of paint is stamped onto the sheet of glass. Suitably, the strip of paint is baked onto the glass and ideally is baked onto the glass in a toughening process.

Alternatively, the strip is sandblasted onto the sheet of glass.

The invention eliminates the need to provide bars between the respective panes of a double glazed unit for simulating a georgian, regency or tudor effect. Accordingly, georgian windows, doors and the like can be produced relatively inexpensively, and significantly less expensively than heretofore. Significant material savings are also made in the manufacture of such windows and doors, as well as significant savings in labour costs. A further advantage of the invention is that rattle is eliminated unlike the windows, doors and the like of the prior art where in windy conditions, the bars which are located between the panes for simulating the georgian effect are known to rattle against the inner and outer panes of a double glazed unit.

The invention will be clearly understood from the following description of an embodiment thereof which is given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an embodiment of a double glazed window in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged partly cut-away perspective 20 view from above of the double glazed window of Fig. 1 of the strips applied to one sheet of glass, and Fig. 3 is a partial cross-sectional end view of the double glazed window of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated a simulated georgian window according to the invention indicated generally by the reference numeral 1 which comprises a frame 2, and a double glazed unit 3 located in the frame 2 in accordance with the invention.

The frame 2 may be of any suitable material, for example, aluminium, wood, timber, PVC, uPVC or the like. Aluminium finished in a suitable colour, e.g. white is a particularly preferred combination.

The double glazed unit 3 comprises a pair of spaced apart parallel sheets of glass which have been cut to the appropriate size, namely, a plain sheet 5 of glass having an inner surface 11 and a simulated georgian sheet 6 of glass having an inner surface 12 spaced apart by a peripherally extending spacer 7. The plain sheet of glass 5 and the simulated georgian sheet 6 and the spacer 7 together define a hollow interior region 8. The plain sheet 5 and the georgian sheet 6 are sealably secured to the spacer 7 and the assembly is held together by a resin based sealant 10 which also extends completely around the periphery of the double glazed unit 3.

A suitable sealant is a two-part polysulphide sealant.

The spacer 7 although illustrated as a solid unit, is a tubular unit which houses a hygroscopic material for maintaining the hollow interior region 8 dry. The hygroscopic material prevents the formation of condensation on the inner surfaces 11 and 12 of the sheets 5 and 6, respectively. Openings (not shown) in the spacer 7 into the hollow interior region 8 facilitate communication between the hygroscopic material in the spacer 7 and the hollow interior region 8.

The spacer bar 7 is typically formed from aluminium although other materials can be used. The spacer 7 is typically hollow and perforated to facilitate communication between hygroscopic material in the spacer and any moisture remaining in the double glazed unit following assembly.

The construction and arrangement of a spacer 7 in a double glazed unit will be familiar to those skilled in the art.

A plurality of spaced apart first and second strips 15 and 16, respectively, of paint are applied to the inner surface 12 of the georgian sheet 6 for simulating a plurality of sashes, for in turn simulating a georgian window.

The first strips 15 of paint extend parallel to each 5 other between a first end edge 19 and a second end edge of the georgian sheet 6 for simulating vertical sashes. The second strips 16 of paint are disposed parallel to each other and extend transversely, substantially at right angles, to the first strips 15 and also extend from one side edge of the georgian sheet 6 to the other for simulating horizontal sashes.

The paint of the first and second strips 15 and 16 is a ceramic paint formed from particles of crushed glass suspended in a binding agent. Suitable paints include paints of the type employed in the pottery and ceramic arts. Such paints are available from Johnson & Deegosa. An appropriate colour pigment is incorporated into the ceramic paint for colouring the paint to the desired colour, which is typically white or brown. In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3 the frame 2 is finished white and the ceramic paint has a white pigment incorporated therein.

In a preferred method for forming the simulated georgian window of the invention the first and second strips 15 and 16 are applied to the georgian sheet 6 by a printing process such as a screen printing process. Initially, the first strips 15 are applied to the surface 12 by the screen printing process, and the georgian sheet 6 is placed in a drying oven with a drying environment of approximately 100°C for drying the first strips 15. The second strips 16 are then screen printed onto the georgian sheet 6 on the same surface 12, and the georgian sheet 6 is passed through a toughening process which toughens the glass and more importantly bakes the strips 15 and 16 of paint onto the glass.

At the overlapping points of the strips 15, 16 the paint appears denser and whiter to enhance the aesthetics of the georgian sheet.

The toughening process requires raising of the temperature of the georgian sheet 6 to a temperature in the range of 680°C to 720°C, preferably 680°C to 700°C for a time period in the range of 1¾ to 4 minutes, depending on the thickness of the glass sheet.

Alternatively it is possible to bake the strips in a non-toughened process for a mild finish e.g. heat treatment between approximately 350°C and approximately 400°C.

The toughening process is completed by quenching the georgian sheet 6 by subjecting the georgian sheet 6 to a plurality of jets of air which are directed onto both major surfaces 11, 12 of the georgian sheet 6, and in particular, onto the surface 12. The toughening process fuses the first and second strips 15 and 16 of paint onto the glass of the sheet 6.

Following fusing of the first and second strips 15, 16 onto the georgian sheet 6, the plain and georgian sheets 5 and 6 are assembled in conventional manner with the spacer 7 to form the double glazed window 1. The surface 12 of the georgian sheet 6 onto which the first and second strips 15 and 16, respectively, have been fused forms one face of the hollow interior region 8. The sealant 10 is then applied completely around the periphery of the sheets 5 and 6 and the spacer 7 to complete the double glazed unit 3. The frame 2 is then glazed with the double glaze unit 3 in conventional fashion.

While the strips 15 and 16 of paint have been illustrated as having relatively sharp side edges 18, it is envisaged that the side edges 18 may be formed to give a faded or feathered edge effect. A feathered effect can be formed during the screen printing of the strips 15 and 16 onto the georgian sheet 6, and will be well known to those skilled in the printing art. An advantage of forming the side edges 18 with a feathered edge is that imperfections in the side edge 18 are not readily apparent.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the paint strips 15, 16 may be stamp printed (stamping) onto the inner surface 12 of the georgian sheet 6. In stamping, the paint is deposited on the sheet 6 from a softpad onto which the paint has been deposited from a roller, reservoir or the like.

In yet an alternative embodiment of the invention the strips 15, 16 are formed by sand blasting the inner surface of the georgian sheet 6 e.g. with aluminium oxide.

While the double glazed unit 3 has been described as comprising a georgian sheet 6 according to the invention with a plurality of first and second strips 15 and 16 of paint, it is envisaged that in the case of a relatively small double glazed unit 3, only one single strip of paint, which may be a first strip or a second strip may be provided.

While the georgian sheet according to the invention has been described as forming a double glazed unit, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the georgian sheet may also be glazed into a frame as a single glazed sheet. Moreover, the double glazed unit and/or georgian sheet may be glazed into a frame for forming a window or a door.

Claims

1. A sheet of glass for fitting in a frame for forming a simulated georgian window or door, the sheet of glass having at least one elongate strip applied to 5 one major surface thereof to simulate a sash bar.

2. A sheet of glass as claimed in Claim 1 characterised in that the at least one elongate strip comprises an elongate strip of paint.

3. A double glazed unit comprising at least one sheet 10 of glass as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2.

4. A frame for forming a georgian window or door comprising a sheet of glass as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2.

5. A method for forming a georgian window or door 15 comprising applying at least one elongate strip to a sheet of glass to simulate a sash bar and mounting the sheet of glass in a frame to form the georgian window or door.