Support for facade panels of a curtain wall

Abstract

 Improved support for façade panels of a curtain wall, characterised in that the support (1) mainly consists of a body (2) upon which is provided at least one laterally directed wing (3), whereby the body (2) can be fixed on the post (9) of a curtain wall (8) and whereby, on the laterally directed wing, can rest a façade panel (16).

Description

[0001] The present invention concerns an improved support for façade panels, in particular glass panels, of a curtain wall.

[0002] It is known that, until now, façade panels are provided in a curtain wall on supports resting on the rails of the curtain wall.

[0003] A disadvantage of such known supports is that the weight of the façade panels rests entirely on the rails and that, as a result, the connections between the rails and the posts are heavily loaded.

[0004] Another disadvantage is that such supports are not fit for use in fire-resistant façade constructions, since, in case of fire, the rails usually melt away, as a result of which the façade panels can give way and, in this case, the flame resistance of the façade is thus no longer guaranteed.

[0005] The present invention aims to remedy the above-mentioned and other disadvantages by providing an improved support which at least partially transmits the weight of the façade panels on the posts instead of on the rails, such that the connections between the rails and the posts are largely relieved on the one hand, and which moreover can be applied in fire-resistant curtain walls on the other hand.

[0006] To this end, the invention concerns an improved support for façade panels of a curtain wall which mainly consists of a body upon which is provided at least one laterally directed wing, whereby the body can be fixed on a post of a curtain wall and whereby, on the laterally directed wing, can rest a façade panel.

[0007] As the improved supports are fixed on the posts of the curtain wall, the weight of the façade panels is mainly carried by the posts.

[0008] When, in case of fire, the rails melt through, the supports will remain connected to the posts, such that the façade panels stay in place and the flame resistance of the curtain wall remains guaranteed.

[0009] The improved support is preferably made of a material with a large fire resistance, such as steel or stainless steel.

[0010] In order to better explain the characteristics of the invention, the following preferred embodiments of an improved support according to the invention are described as an example only without being limitative in any way, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 schematically represents an improved support according to the invention in perspective;

figure 2 represents a view according to arrow F2 in figure 1;

figures 3 to 5 represent sections according to lines III-III, IV-IV and V-V in figure 2 to a larger scale;

figure 6 schematically represents a part of a curtain wall in which a support as in figure 1 is applied;

figure 7 represents a section according to line VII-VII in figure 6;

figure 8 represents a part of a curtain wall in which is applied a double support according to the invention;

figure 9 represents a variant of figure 8.

[0011] Figures 1 and 2 schematically represent an improved support 1 according to the invention which in this case mainly consists of a body 2 in the shape of a lath upon which is provided a laterally directed wing 3 on one side in the shape of a reinforcement strip, which wing 3 is in this case welded diagonally onto the body 2 at a distance from both ends of the body 2 concerned.

[0012] In the body 2, in the width, at a distance from each other, are provided two passages 4.

[0013] Also in the wing 3 are provided two passages, 5A and 5B respectively, in the width, of which at least one passage 5B is preferably provided with thread 6.

[0014] The wing 3 is in this case made just as wide as the body 2 and, at one edge, it is provided with a backward protruding lip 7 in the upper surface of the wing 3, extending over the length of the wing 3.

[0015] The use of such an improved support 1 according to the invention is illustrated by means of figure 6, in which a part of a curtain wall 8 is represented which is built of posts 9 connected to each other by means of rails 10.

[0016] The posts 9 and the rails 10 are in this case formed of similar, tubular struts, for example made of aluminium or the like, which are provided with two parallel, longitudinally directed ribs 12 on the side wall 11 directed towards the front side of the curtain wall 8, which together define a central groove 13 in which can be fixed a sealing strip or the like which is not represented in the figures.

[0017] The improved support 1 is provided with an edge of its body 2 against and in the extension of the above-mentioned ribs 12 of a post 9, and it is fixed on the post 9 concerned by means of screws 14 or the like which are screwed down through the passages 4 of the body 2 and through the central groove 13 in the side wall 11.

[0018] The support 1, when being provided, is positioned such that the lip 7 rests on a rail 10.

[0019] For an extra fastening of the support 1 can be provided an additional screw 15 or the like through the passage 5A of the wing 3, and it can be screwed down in an analogous manner as the above-mentioned screws 14 in the rail 10 concerned.

[0020] Once the supports 1 have been provided in the above-mentioned manner on the posts 9 and rails 10, as represented in figure 6 by means of a dashed line, after the required sealings have been provided, the façade panels 16 are provided on the wings 3 of the supports 1, such that the façade panels 16 rest on the wings 3.

[0021] When the façade panels 16 have been put up, the curtain wall 8 can be further finished with finishing panels which are not represented in the drawings and which can be fixed for example by means of bolts or the like, which bolts can for example be screwed down in the passage 5B.

[0022] It is clear that the weight of the façade panels 16 is not exclusively supported by the rails 10, as is the case with the known embodiments, but that the weight of the façade panels 16, thanks to the use of supports 1 according to the invention, is largely if not entirely absorbed by the posts 9.

[0023] It is also clear that, in the case of fire, should the rails 10 melt through, the supports 1 will stay connected to the posts 9, such that the façade panels 16 stay in place and the flame resistance of the curtain wall 8 is thus maintained.

[0024] In order to reinforce the posts 9, for example in order to be able to carry heavier façade panels 16, or in order to be able to resists longer in case of a fire, steel struts 17, for example in the shape of a tubular strut or a lath, can be provided in the struts of the posts 9.

[0025] The screws 14 for fixing the supports 1 can in this case, as represented in figure 7, be screwed down through the side wall 11 of the post 9 concerned in the additional strut 17 concerned in the post 9, in order to obtain an even stronger fastening of the supports 1 on the posts 9.

[0026] It is clear that the supports 1, especially when being applied in a fire-resistant façade construction, are preferably made of a material with a large fire resistance, such as steel or stainless steel.

[0027] Figure 8 represents a variant of a support 1, applied in a façade construction 8, whereby the support 1 is in this case a double support provided with two wings 3 provided on either side of the body 2, in this case in each other's prolongation.

[0028] The support 1 is in this case used in order to be able to carry two façade panels 16 on either side of a post 9, whereby the support 1 is fixed with its body 2 on the intermediate post 9 concerned.

[0029] Figure 9 represents a variant of a double support 1 whose wings 3 are not provided with a lip 7 in this case.

[0030] Such a support 1 is preferably positioned such that each wing 3, together with the top side of a rail 10 concerned, forms a single supporting surface for a glass panel 16.

[0031] It is clear that also some supports 1 with only one wing 3 must not necessarily be provided with a lip 7.

[0032] Nor is it necessary for a lip 7 to extend over the entire length of the wing 3 concerned.

[0033] The invention is by no means limited to the above-described embodiments given as an example and represented in the accompanying drawings; on the contrary, such an improved support according to the invention can be made in all sorts of shapes and dimensions while still remaining within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Improved support for façade panels of a curtain wall, characterised in that the support (1) mainly consists of a body (2) upon which is provided at least one laterally directed wing (3), whereby the body (2) can be fixed on the post (9) of a curtain wall (8) and whereby, on the laterally directed wing, can rest a façade panel (16).

2. Improved support according to claim 1, characterised in that it is made of a material having a large fire resistance.

3. Improved support according to claim 1, characterised in that it is made of steel, in particular stainless steel.

4. Improved support according to claim 1, characterised in that the body (2) is formed of a lath in which are provided one or several passages (4) in the width.

5. Improved support according to claim 1, characterised in that the laterally directed wing (3) is formed of a reinforcement strip fixed diagonally onto the above-mentioned body (2).

6. Improved support according to claim 1, characterised in that one or several passages (5A-5B) are provided in the above-mentioned wing (3), in the width.

7. Improved support according to claim 6, characterised in that at least one passage (5B) is provided with thread (6).

8. Improved support according to claim 5, characterised in that the above-mentioned wing (3) is provided with a backward protruding lip (7) along at least one edge.

9. Improved support according to claim 8, characterised in that the above-mentioned lip (7) extends over the entire or almost the entire length of the wing (3).

10. Improved support according to claim 1, characterised in that it is provided with two wings (3) provided on either side of a body (2).

11. Improved support according to claim 1, characterised in that the support (1) is fixed on a post (9) by means of screws (14) or the like which are provided through the aforesaid passages (4) in the body (2) of the support (1).

12. Improved support according to claim 11, characterised in that the above-mentioned screws (14) or the like for fastening the support on a post (9) are screwed in a metal strut (17) which is provided in the strut of the post (9) concerned.

Drawing