The invention concerns a clamp that is particularly suitable for blocking together the dome and the frame that compose the cover of a skylight or of a smoke extractor.
It is known that skylights and smoke extractors are substantially composed of a cover which, by means of one or more hinges, is connected to a base which marks off an opening made in the structure of a building and communicates with the outside environment.
The cover comprises a frame which supports a dome which is generally transparent and which is fixed to it by means of special clamps around the perimeter.
According to an embodiment of a known type which is shown in FIG. 1, a clamp, indicated overall with M, comprises a first element Ma having a first end Ea connected to the frame T of the skylight or of the smoke extractor and a second element Mb having the free end Eb resting on the outside of the dome C, above the frame T.
Both the elements Ma and Mb are connected to each other by fastening means composed of knurls Za, Zb on the ends of each element, reciprocally in contact, and of a screw V passing through a slot A in the second element Mb and mating in a threaded hole F in the first element Ma.
The screw V tightening pressure and the interference between the knurls block the two elements together, securing the dome C to the frame T below.
A first inconvenience presented by the clamps of the type described lies in the fact that, to fasten them, the operator must apply pressure manually on the second element Mb, forcing it down in the direction indicated by the arrow F and sliding the knurls Za and Zb reciprocally until the desired degree of pressure is obtained between the dome C and the frame T.
He then fastens the screw V which holds the clamp elements tight in the desired position.
It may be understood that the degree of pressure with which the clamp M holds the dome C against the frame T depends on the regulation carried out by the operator, and therefore his experience and ability is decisive.
Furthermore, by proceeding in this way it is difficult to ensure the same degree of tightness for all the clamps.
Another inconvenience of the clamps of the type described lies in the fact that the first element Ma is fixed onto the frame T by means of a through screw Va which anchors the end Ea to the upper plate P.
The fixing of the clamp M therefore requires the drilling of the first element Ma, the drilling of the frame T and their reciprocal connection by applying the through screw Va.
The maker must therefore drill a series of holes on the frame and on the clamp which, once made, require him to apply the clamp always in the same position. Using clamps of the known type, the clamp fixing position is therefore fixed and invariable and is defined before installation of the skylight or of the extractor.
A further inconvenience lies in the fact that, as the end Ea of the first element Ma is on the plate P of the frame T, it is covered by the sealing gasket S placed between the dome C and the frame T. This leads to a non homogeneous distribution of pressure along the frame perimeter and may cause deformation, with the result that closure is not hermetic.
DE-A-1 509 096 discloses a clamp for a skylight having two hangers connected together by a screw and wherein one of said hanger is fixed to the frame of the skylight by a bolt.
US-A-2,144,140 discloses a clamping device adapted for mounting an electric switch on the dashboard of a car which comprises a pair of jaw members connected together for movement toward and away from each other.
This invention aims to overcome all the inconveniences listed.
In particular, a first aim of the invention is to realise a clamp which allows the installer to regulate the tightening force of the dome against the frame with greater precision.
Another aim of the invention is to realise a clamp which, as well as holding together the dome and the frame which make up the cover of a skylight or of a smoke extractor, can be applied on the frame without having to make a hole in it.
Another aim is that, when applied on the frame, the clamp shall not interrupt the linearity and flatness of the gasket inserted between the frame and the dome.
Another aim is that the clamp in the invention may be applied in any position on the frame.
The last but not the least aim is that the position of application of the clamp on the frame may be shifted as the installer wishes, even after installation of the skylight or smoke extractor.
These aims are achieved by realising a skylight or smoke-extractor assembly with a clamp suited to blocking together the dome and the frame which compose the cover of said assembly the main features of which are according to the main claim.
In a preferred embodiment, said at least one hinge is placed corresponding to the fixing means and comprises a concave seat with a substantially C-shaped transverse profile, created in the first/second element, and a pin, created in the second/first element, having a transverse profile mating with the concave seat. The pin and the respective seat may be removably coupled by sliding them reciprocally in an axial direction following the common axis of rotation.
Preferably, at one end the first element presents coupling means which couple removably by snapping into a longitudinal channel located in the edge on the outer side wall of the frame.
The coupling means comprise a recess, created in the first element, which holds a corresponding first protruding edge belonging to the longitudinal channel and an angular heel, created in the first element on the part opposite the above-mentioned recess, which mates by interference and snaps into an angular seat in the frame itself.
The angular seat is located between a second protruding edge, also belonging to the longitudinal channel and facing the previous one, and a shaped appendix of the frame protruding from the above-mentioned channel.
In cross section, this channel has a C-shaped profile in which the free ends are composed of the protruding edges, facing each other.
The fixing means are placed corresponding to the hinge and comprise a nut screw which belongs to the second element, in which mates a screw the end of which meets a contact surface belonging to the second element.
Advantageously, the hinged fastening means and the screw fixing means with which the clamp is provided enable the fitter to make sensitive and extremely precise regulation of the degree of compression with which the dome and the frame are reciprocally tightened.
Also advantageously, the clamp of the invention may be applied on the skylight or on the smoke extractor even after this has been put in place and in any position along the outside edge of the frame.
The aims and advantages stated will be better shown in the description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, which is given as an example without limitation and which refers to the enclosed diagrams in which:
According to the invention the fastening means are composed of at least one hinge 6 which forms an axis of rotation X of the elements 2, 3 substantially parallel to the plain defined by the frame T.
More precisely the hinge 6 comprises a concave seat 6a having a substantially C-shaped transverse profile, created in the first element 2 and a pin 6b created in the second element 3 having a transverse profile mating with the concave seat 6a.
The seat and the pin may be coupled in a stable but removable manner by sliding them reciprocally in an axial direction following the common axis of rotation X stated above, which they define when they are reciprocally coupled. Corresponding to the hinge 6 there are also fixing means indicated overall with 11, which, as may be seen in greater detail in the exploded view shown in FIG. 4, comprise a nut screw 11a belonging to the second element 3 and a contact surface 11b belonging to the first element 2, combined with a screw 12 which mates with the nut screw 11a and which presents a manoeuvring head 12a and an end 12b which cooperates by contrast against the contact surface 11b.
It may also be seen that the nut screw 11a is located just upstream from the pin 6b and that, in the contact surface 11b, there is a concave seat 6a into which fits the above-mentioned pin 6b.
One edge of end 11c made in relief and protruding at a right angle to the contact surface 11b, laterally catches the end 12b of the screw 12 holding it in place corresponding to the contact surface 11b.
The first element 2 has coupling means at one end 2a, indicated overall with 7, which couple removably by snapping into a longitudinal channel 8 located in the edge on the outer side wall 9 of the frame T.
In particular it may be seen in FIG. 4 that the coupling means 7 comprise a recess 7a which holds a first protruding edge 8a belonging to the longitudinal channel 8 and an angular heel 7b, on the part opposite the recess, 7a, which snaps into an angular seat 8b located between a second protruding edge 8c of the longitudinal channel 8 and a shaped appendix 10 of the frame T protruding from the longitudinal channel 8.
It may also be seen that the free end 4 of the second element 3 supports a flexible element 13 with a concave surface 13a facing the dome C, coupled in an articulated manner to the free end by means of a hinge element, indicated overall with 14 and substantially the same as the hinge element that forms the fastening means 6 between the elements 2 and 3.
As regards the operation for securing the dome C on the frame T it is first of all necessary to connect the first element 2 of the clamp 1 to the frame T.
For this purpose, as may be seen in FIG. 5, the first element 2 is tilted and brought closer to the frame T so as to insert the first protruding edge 8a of the channel 8 into the recess 7a. Then, forcing the first element 2 in a substantially horizontal direction as indicated by the arrow F, the angular heel 7b is pushed into the angular seat 8b until it snaps into place.
The protruding profile 7c of the first element 2 to which the angular heel 7b belongs, thus rests on the corresponding shaped profile 10a of the shaped appendix 10.
The flexible element 13 then snaps onto the free end 4 of the second element 3 and the elements 2 and 3 are connected to each other, coupling the pin 6b by sliding it along the axis X into the corresponding concave seat 6a.
To force the dome C against the frame T, the operator adjusts the head 12a of the screw 12 and, screwing it into the respective nut screw 11a, forces the end 12b against the contact surface 11b.
The second element 3 therefore tends to turn around the axis X following the anticlockwise direction indicated by the arrow R in FIG. 3, forcing the dome C against the frame T.
Preferably, a gasket G is inserted.
The operator can perform sensitive regulation of the thrust of the dome C against the frame T by tightening or slackening the screw 12 in the respective nut screw 11a.
The advantages offered by the use of the clamp described above may be understood.
Above all it is not necessary to drill a hole in the frame T or even in the elements that make up the clamp, since the connection is guaranteed by the snap closure of the coupling means 7.
This leads to a reduction of workshop processes and allows the clamp to be fitted in any position along the frame, even on site, when the skylight or smoke extractor has already been installed.
Moreover the operator receives an advantage in tightening operations, because the closing thrust of the dome against the frame may be very precisely regulated with the screw torque, if necessary using a torque wrench. Moreover the arrangement of the clamp fastening at the side of the frame means that the contact between the dome C and the frame T takes place continuously along the whole plate P of the frame T. A uniform distribution of pressure is thus obtained in all points of the frame, guaranteeing the same degree of hermetic seal in every point.
For greater safety, each of the elements 2 and 3 which compose the clamp presents a seat respectively. 15, 16 between which is secured a tie rod 17 which guarantees lasting stability of the closure, even if the screw 12. should accidentally work slack.
In particular the tie rod 17 may be composed, for example, of a screw passing through the elements 2, 3, against which it is tightened by nuts placed at the end.
In another embodiment the tie rod may also be composed of a snap-on metal collar fitted with suitable means of manoeuvring to keep it tight.
It may therefore be understood that the clamp in the invention achieves all the set aims.
Although the clamp in the invention has been described with reference to the enclosed figures, it may present different shapes and dimensions from those illustrated.
Also as regards the coupling means and fastening means, these too may be made with different shapes and dimensions from those illustrated and described.
It is therefore understood that any variations in execution made to the clamp that are not mentioned and described, in so far as they fall within the field covered by the following claims, are all to be considered protected by this patent.