Reciprocal joining device for flat parallelepiped objects, particularly for glass blocks

Abstract

 Reciprocal joining device for flat parallelepiped objects, particularly for glass building blocks, including side-to-side corner fillers (4) contiguously toothed by a pair of opposed lateral crosses (7) twinned by a tie-rod (8) and respective pairs of teeth (9) on the inner face of each arm in order to engage the respective receptacles (6) inside the holes (5) on the sides of said corner fillers (4).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Field of the invention

[0001] Due to their boundless potential in realizing architectural constructions, the use of the so-called glass blocks in the building sector is constantly expanding: they can harmonize decorative aims with requirements, opportunities or simple aesthetic options to full exploit the natural or artificial light.

[0002] In this context, glass blocks are very often used to build walls, portions of walls, islands or peninsulas.

State of the art

[0003] The most popular existing technique for the reciprocal assembly of glass blocks (which are known to be manufactured in such a way as to allow the reciprocal gluing of two symmetrical moulded semi-structures) involves the application of wooden strips to each side of the blocks; the strips are usually grooved longitudinally in order to house metal alignment bars running over a large number of blocks, leaving gaps which must be sealed and/or filled up with silicone.

[0004] This valid assembly technique requires particular precision during the operation, otherwise the gaps can remain uneven and, consequently, unattractive.

[0005] To overcome the above-described technical hitch, the applicant hereto has conceived a reciprocal joining device for the ribs of flat-parallelepiped objects, particularly for glass blocks, which is object of the Italian patent application No. PS2006A000013 filed on 19th May 2006. This patent application contemplates a device with interface lists on each side of a glass block, supplied with at least one channel defined by at least one pair of opposing parallel toothed undercuts with the corresponding list interfaced by at least one sliding bolt with bifid sides located in the air space tunnel defined by the symmetrical specular twinning of two channels, as it is illustrated in the descriptive text we are referring to.

[0006] Said device has proved to be effective and functional; the presence of the interface lists on each side of the glass block, however, limits the passage of light from one glass block to the other, thus opacifying the overall structure, whose greatest quality lies in being as bright as possible.

Objects of the invention

[0007] The main object of the invention, within this frame, is to provide reciprocal assembly methods for glass blocks that could simplify current assembly techniques, particularly allowing even gaps to be homogeneous between the assembled pieces, but also to minimise the presence of opaque structures in the interfaces between the glass blocks, so as to make the overall assembled structure as bright as possible.

[0008] The second object of this invention is to achieve the above-mentioned purpose using methods that are simple and immediate to implement, promoting rapidity of installation and also allowing reciprocal dismantling of the assembled pieces.

[0009] The third object of this invention is to achieve the previous purposes by using a simple and effective device which is operationally safe and relatively cheap in relation to the practical results that it achieves.

Summary of the invention

[0010] These and other objects are all achieved with the reciprocal joining device for flat parallelepiped objects, particularly for glass blocks; this invention includes side-to-side corner fillers (4) contiguously toothed by a pair of opposed lateral crosses (7) twinned by a tie-rod (8) and provided with pairs of teeth (9) on the inner face of each arm in order to engage the respective receptacles (6) inside the holes (5) on the sides of said corner fillers (4).

Brief description of the drawings

[0011] Additional features and advantages of the device, according to this invention, will appear more evident from the following detailed description of a favourite but not exclusive form of realisation, purely represented by way of example and not limited to the eleven attached drawings, where, according to this invention:

picture 1 shows a perspective view of a pair of glass blocks fitted with the joining devices;

picture 2 shows a perspective view of a differently-shaped pair of glass blocks fitted with the joining device;

pictures 3 to 8 show construction details of the joining device;

picture 9 shows an exploded view of several glass blocks assembled by means of the joining device;

pictures 10 to 13 show certain details of picture 9;

pictures 14 to 17 show certain phases of the assembly procedure of several glass blocks using the joining device.

Static description of the preferred embodiment

[0012] With reference to the above-listed pictures, in particular picture 1, item 1A indicates some parallelepiped glass blocks, made up of two symmetrical moulded glass semi-structures, according to the current manufacturing technique; when fitted together, these semi-structures produce some concavities 2 defined by perimeter ribs 3 on the four sides, i.e. on the four minor faces.

[0013] The four corners separating these four minor faces of the parallelepiped glass blocks 1A act as bases for the assembly, for example by gluing, of the respective corner fillers 4, preferably made of plastic, shaped with a pair of median grooves and featuring slots 5 on the sides with externally-opening receptacles 6 on each side.

[0014] 7A indicates pairs of opposing crosses, preferably made of plastic, twinned with central screws 8, (see also picture 3) and fitted with pairs of teeth 9 on the inner side of each arm, used to respectively engage the receptacles 6 on the sides of said corner fillers 4.

[0015] Pictures 4 and 5 show alternative crosses, with three arms 7B and two arms 7C respectively, for the purposes indicated below.

[0016] In picture 2, the glass blocks 1B are ogival; within the profile of the arch described on the two opposed minor faces, arched fillers 10 are assembled (for example by gluing and preferably made of plastic) and shaped with a median hemi-cavity 11 and four receptacles 12 with a coplanar direction of opening to the application faces of the arched fillers 10.

[0017] Item 13 in picture 8 indicates a toothed claw, operated by a screw 14 with a stop ring 15, fitted with two parallel rows of four teeth 16 each, which respectively engage the receptacles 12 in said arched fillers 10.

[0018] Picture 9 is an exploded assembly view of several glass blocks: parallelepiped 1A, ogival 1B and ogival-arched 1C.

[0019] In the same picture, item 17 indicates an overall portion of frame, preferably made of metal, supporting an assembly of several glass blocks 1 and elements, which are not described as they are beyond the aim of the invention in question.

[0020] In this invention, the frame 17 features a longitudinal groove 18 holding inextricable flat plates 19A, preferably made of plastic, which slide longitudinally and can be positioned alternatively, as well as corner plates 19B with the same characteristics as said flat plates 19A.

[0021] Picture 9 also shows the lists 20 used to fill the gaps between the glass blocks 1, positioned behind the ribs 3 and kept in such position by being fitted between the corner fillers 4 and the arched fillers 10 at the front and the perimeter ribs 3 of the glass blocks 1 at the back, for the functions that are specified below.

Dynamic description of the preferred embodiment

[0022] Having thus ended the static description of the preferred embodiment of the device, according to this invention, a dynamic and functional description will now be given:

the corner fillers 4 are attached, for example and preferably by gluing, to the four corners of the glass blocks 1, sunk between the ribs 3 inside the concavities 2 which are created on the four sides, also known as minor sides, of the glass blocks 1 through the reciprocal joining of the two moulded glass symmetrical semi-structures constituting them (see also picture 1);

[0023] The arched fillers 10 are also attached by gluing, sunk between the ribs 3 inside the concavities 2 of the glass blocks 1, lying within the profile of the arch described by the tapered shape of the ogival glass blocks 1B (see also picture 2).

[0024] Both the corner fillers 4, and the arched fillers 10, project from the perimeter of the ribs 2 of the glass blocks 1 by a specific homogenous thickness in order to allow the relative functions, as described below, to be correctly performed.

[0025] Assembly of several glass blocks 1 is illustrated in picture 9 and, with reference to the relative phases, in pictures 14 to 17.

[0026] To carry out this assembly, the cavity 18 of the frame 17 is used to house both the corner fillers 19B and the flat plates 19A, the latter being appropriately placed over the gaps in a lower initial row, or base row, of parallelepiped glass blocks 1A.

[0027] A second row of parallelepiped glass blocks 1A is placed on top of this base row, and so on following such procedure, until an upper stop is reached, if this exists, or, alternatively, until the required height is reached with a top layer of ogival glass blocks 1B and, if necessary, angular ogival glass blocks 1C, as illustrated by way of example in picture 9 and pictures 14 to 17.

[0028] The parallelepiped glass blocks 1A are attached to one another with the opposing corner fillers, which are contiguously toothed by a pair of opposing lateral crosses 7, joined together by tie-rods 8; in this operation, the crosses 7A are housed inside the side holes 5 of the corner fillers 4 (see also picture 11).

[0029] At the same time, the respective pairs of teeth 9 on the inner face of each arm of the cross 7A, engage the respective outward facing receptacles 6 located inside the side holes 5 of said corner fillers 4.

[0030] In greater detail: a single tooth 9, of each pair of each arm, penetrates the receptacle 6 of a corner filler 4, while the other tooth 9 of the pair of the same arm penetrates the receptacle 6 of the adjoining corner filler 4, thus creating a reciprocal joint of the contiguous corner fillers 4 due to the engagement of each tooth 9 of each pair of each arm in the one and the other corner filler 4, hence, the joining of four adjoining glass blocks 1A by the four arms of the crosses 7A.

[0031] The parallelepiped glass blocks 1A are joined to the frame 17 by the three-arm crosses 7B, for joints on straight sections with the flat plates 19A, and the two-arm crosses 7C, for junctions on the corner sections with the corner plates 19B (see also pictures 12 and 13).

[0032] The tops of the ogival glass blocks 1B are joined to one another and to the arched ogival glass blocks 1C by the reciprocally opposing arched fillers 10. These are contiguously engaged by the toothed claws 13 whose rows of teeth 16 enter the four receptacles 12 with a coplanar direction of opening to the application side of said arched fillers 10 (see also picture 10).

[0033] The teeth of the claws 13 engage the two contiguous faces of the receptacles 12 of two opposing arched fillers 10 by tightening the screw 14 through the hole defined by the two median semi-cavities 11, against the stop ring 15.

[0034] The gaps between the glass blocks 1 can be closed with the occlusion lists 20, imprisoned between the glass blocks 1 when the latter were installed during the above-described assembly phase.

Alternative configurations

[0035] It is evident that in additional alternative forms of implementation, nonetheless falling within the innovation concept, implicit in the preferred embodiment described above and claimed below, the device can be realised with equivalent techniques and mechanics, in other words it could be equipped with additional integrative devices, as well as all the conformations of the constituent parts can be altered in a manner suited to the purpose; in particular:

[0036] All the components of the device (that is to say the corner fillers, the crosses, the arched fillers, the toothed claws, the flat and corner plates and the occlusion lists) can be advantageously realised with silver, mirror or other reflecting surfaces in order to maximise the brightness of the overall result.

[0037] As indicated in the description, the corner fillers preferably feature a pair of median grooves that are used to house longitudinal metal bars for the purpose of strengthening the assembly, according to the solution indicated in the above-described technical note

[0038] The frame supporting the glass blocks can be alternatively structured in any way suitable for the purpose. In particularly, instead of the cavity with sliding plates, the frame can be shaped with supports for the teeth of the crosses along its entire length.

[0039] Interacting frame profiles can be advantageously realised with corner fillers and crosses constituting the bases of the walls, refinishing of gaps, such as windows and doors, and possibly adapted for the application of locks.

[0040] Although expressly designed as a system for assembling glass blocks, the device for the reciprocal joining of flat parallelepiped objects can be effectively used whenever the sides of panel-shaped and similar structures must be joined together to their relative supports.

Advantages of the invention

[0041] As it appears evident from the previous detailed description of a preferred embodiment example as well as from the above-mentioned indication of some implementation changes, the device offers the advantages in relation to the achievement of the fixed and other purposes: it integrates a functional, modular, multi-purpose and inexpensive device suitable for the reciprocal assembly of glass blocks without the disadvantages of long and imprecise assembly, the possibility of dismantling and the additional advantage of maximising the brightness of the overall structure.

KEY TO NUMBERS

[0042] 

1A) parallelepiped glass blocks

1B) ogival glass blocks

1 C) arched ogival glass blocks

2) lateral concavities of the glass blocks

3) perimeter ribs of the glass blocks

4) corner fillers

5) relative side holes

6) relative outward-facing receptacles

7A) four-arm crosses

7B) three-arm crosses

7C) two-arm crosses

8) relative central twinning screws

9) relative teeth

10) arched fillers

11) relative median semi-cavity

12) relative receptacles with a coplanar direction of opening to the application side

13) toothed claws

14) relative screw

15) relative stop ring

16) relative teeth

17) overall frame

18) relative longitudinal groove

19A) relative inextricably held and positionable sliding flat plates

19B) corner plates

20) occlusion lists

Claims

1. Reciprocal joining device for flat parallelepiped objects, particularly for glass blocks, characterised by the fact that it includes side-to-side corner elements (4) contiguously joined by a pair of opposed lateral devices (7) fitted with reciprocal twinning elements (8) and attachment devices (9) on the inner face in order to engage the respective receptacles (6) on the sides of said corner elements (4).

2. Reciprocal joining device for flat parallelepiped objects, particularly for glass blocks, as per the first claim, characterised by the fact that it includes side-to-side corner fillers (4) contiguously toothed by a pair of opposed lateral crosses (7) twinned by a tie-rod (8) and respective pairs of teeth (9) on the inner face of each arm in order to engage the respective receptacles (6) inside the holes (5) on the sides of said corner fillers (4).

3. Device as per the second claim, characterised by the fact that it includes:

- corner fillers (4) assembled on the corners between the minor faces of parallelepiped glass blocks (1A), with holes (5) in the sides fitted with outward opening receptacles (6);

- pairs of opposing crosses (7A) twinned with central screws (8) and fitted with pairs of teeth (9) on the inner side of each arm which are used to respectively engage said receptacles (6) on the sides of said corner fillers (4);

4. Device as per the third claim, characterised by the fact that it also includes:

- arched fillers (10) assembled on two minor faces within the profile of the arch described by ogival shaped glass blocks with median semi-cavity (11) and receptacles (12) with a coplanar direction of opening to the application faces of the arched fillers (10);

- a toothed claw (13) operated by a screw (14) with a stop ring (15) fitted with parallel rows of teeth (16) used to engage said receptacles (12) in said arched fillers (10).

5. Device as per the third and fourth claims, characterised by the fact that it also includes:

- a frame (17) featuring a longitudinal groove (18);

- sliding flat plates (19A), inextricably held in said longitudinal groove (18) of said frame (17), which can be positioned alternatively and to which are joined said parallelepiped glass blocks (1A) by means of three-arm crosses (7B);

- corner fillers (19B), inextricably held in said groove (18) of said frame (17) to which are joined said parallelepiped glass blocks (1A) by means of two-arm spiders (7B).

6. Device as per any of the previous claims, characterised by the fact that it includes lists (20) for occluding the gaps between said glass blocks (1) positioned behind the ribs (3) of said glass blocks (1) and kept in such position by being positioned between said corner fillers (4) and said arched fillers (10) on one face and said perimeter ribs (3) of the glass blocks (1) on the other.

7. Device as per any of the previous claims, characterised by the fact that said corner fillers (4) and said arched fillers (10) are glued to said glass blocks (1).

8. Device as per any of the previous claims, characterised by the fact that said corner fillers (4) and said arched fillers (10) feature any number and shape of receptacles (6).

9. Device as per any of the previous claims, characterised by the fact that said crosses (7) and said toothed claws (13) feature any number and shape of teeth (9).

10. Device as per any of the previous claims, characterised by the fact that said corner fillers (4) feature a pair of median grooves that are used to house bars for strengthening the assembly.

11. Device as per any of the previous claims, characterised by the fact that all the components of the device, that is, said corner fillers (4), said crosses (7), said arched fillers (10), said toothed claws (13), said flat plates (19A), said corner plates (19B) and said occlusion lists (20) feature silver, mirror or other reflecting surfaces in order to maximise the brightness of the overall assembly.

Drawing