Rail, stile, mullion, door and wall jamb assemblies for framing glass doors and wall partitions

• US 9,074,413 B1
• Filed: 07/10/2014
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CR Laurence Company Incorporated (CRH PLC)
• Original Assignee: CR Laurence Company Incorporated (CRH PLC)
• Inventors: Sprague, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Glessner, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): FORD, GISELE D
• Application Number:
  US14/328,592
• Time in Patent Office: 362 Days
• Field of Search: 522/046.5, 522/045.95, 522/045.93
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/5821 hooked on or in the frame member, fixed by clips or otherwise elastically fixed E06B3/585 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/5864 with adjusting screws, wedges or cams
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/5871 pivotally fixed on the frame; Borders with pivoting parts
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/5878 the borders being pre-assembled in a frame-like manner on the pane or on the frame before the pane is fitted to the frame E06B3/645 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/605 made of sheet metal

Abstract

Rail, stile, wall jamb, mullion and sidelight rail assemblies for framing doors and wall partitions are presented. The rail assembly includes a rail body and a spring action clamping member. The rail assembly features geometry that utilizes wedging action to convert axial force exerted by clamp screws into a perpendicular clamping force against faces of the panel to be secured. The stile, mullion, wall jamb and sidelight rail assemblies present additional means for securing and framing a panel. The framing assemblies herein presented are particularly well-suited for use with insulated glass panels, i.e. glass panels constructed from two panes of glass which are separated by spacers.

Claims

1. A rail assembly for releasably securing a panel, the rail assembly comprising:

a rail body having mutually opposed inclined surfaces, angled inwardly towards the panel to be secured;

a spring action clamping member, having mutually opposed walls, the walls having mutually opposed upper ends, the upper ends configured to slide against the inwardly inclined surfaces of the rail body;

wherein the spring action clamping member is movable between an open position wherein the panel to be secured may be freely removed from the rail body and a closed position wherein the panel to be secured is clamped within the rail body;

a screw engaged with the rail body having an end in contact with the spring action clamping member; and

wherein actuation of the screw from the open position causes the clamping member to move upwardly causing the upper ends of the mutually opposed walls of the clamping member to slide upwardly against the mutually opposed inclined surfaces of the rail body, said upward motion causing the upper ends to translate inwardly, applying clamping pressure to each side of the panel to be secured.

2. The rail assembly for releasably securing a panel of claim 1, wherein the upper ends of the mutually opposed walls of the spring action clamping member are radiused on a side that contacts the inclined surfaces of the rail body.

3. The rail assembly for releasably securing a panel of claim 2, wherein the upper ends of the mutually opposed walls of the spring action clamping member include a compression gasket on a side opposite that of the side that contacts the inclined surfaces of the rail body.

4. The rail assembly for releasably securing a panel of claim 1, wherein each of the mutually opposed walls of the spring action clamping member includes a u-shaped element, wherein the u-shaped element acts as a spring member.

5. The rail assembly for releasably securing a panel of claim 1, wherein the rail body and the spring action clamping member are configured to include a positive stop feature which limits upward travel of the spring action clamping amber.

6. The rail assembly for releasably securing a panel of claim 5, wherein the positive stop feature comprises center channels having mutually opposed walls formed on the rail body and spring action clamping member, the center channel of the spring action clamping member being vertically movable within the center channel of the rail body, the mutually opposed walls of the center channel of the rail body including inwardly facing hook ends, and the mutually opposed walls of the center channel of the spring action clamping member including outwardly facing flanges, wherein upward movement of the spring action clamping member is limited by contact of the outwardly extending flanges of the center channel of the spring action clamping member with the inwardly extending hook ends of the center channel of the rail body.

7. The rail assembly for releasably securing a panel of claim 1, wherein the screw Is engaged with the rail body by means of threads formed in the rail body.

8. The rail assembly for releasably securing a panel of claim 1, wherein the rail body is surrounded by decorative cladding.

9. A stile assembly releasably securable about the edges of a panel to be secured, comprising:

a main channel configured to receive mutually opposed glass support channels, the main channel having mutually opposed positive stops;

the mutually opposed glass support channels having a C-channel configuration having inner and outer walls, wherein each glass support channel is disposed within the main channel such that the positive stops of the main channel protrude upwardly within the C-channel of the glass support channels;

wherein each inner wall of the glass support channels abuts a face of the panel to be secured;

set screws threadably engaged within the main channel and configured such that an end of each set screw bears against an outer wall of the glass support channels; and

wherein tightening the set screws causes the outer walls of the glass support channels to translate inwardly against the positive stops of die main channel thereby creating a controlled clamping force between the inner walls of the glass support channels and the faces of the panel to be secured.

10. The stile assembly releasably securable about the edges of a panel of claim 9, wherein adhesive tape strips are disposed between the inner walls of the glass support channels and the faces of the panel to be secured.

11. The stile assembly releasably securable about the edges of a panel of claim 9, wherein the main channel is surrounded by decorative cladding.

12. A rail and stile system for framing a door panel, comprising:

a rail assembly for releasably framing horizontal edges of a panel to be secured, the rail assembly comprising;

a rail body having mutually opposed inclined surfaces, oriented to be generally angled inwardly towards the panel to be secured;

a spring action clamping member, having mutually opposed walls, the walls having mutually opposed upper ends, the upper ends configured to slide against the inwardly inclined surfaces of the rail body;

wherein the spring action clamping member Is movable between an open position wherein the panel to be secured may be freely removed from the rail body and a closed position wherein the panel to be secured is clamped within the rail body;

a screw engaged with the rail body having an end in contact with the spring action camping member; and

wherein actuation of the screw from the open position causes the clamping member to move upwardly causing the upper ends of the mutually opposing walls of the clamping member to slide upwardly against the mutually opposed inclined surfaces of the rail body, said upward motion causing the upper ends to translate inwardly, applying clamping pressure to each side of the panel to be secured; and

a stile assembly for releasably framing vertical edges of a panel to be secured, the stile assembly comprising;

a main channel configured to receive mutually opposed glass support channels,

the main channel having mutually opposed positive stops;

the mutually opposed glass support channels having a C-channel configuration having inner and outer walls, wherein each glass support channel is disposed within the main channel such that the positive stops of the main channel protrude upwardly within the C-channel of the glass support channels;

wherein each inner wall of the glass support channels abuts a face of the panel to be secured;

set screws threadably engaged within the main channel and configured such that an end of each set screw bears against an outer wall of the glass support channels; and

wherein tightening the set screws causes the outer walls of the glass support channels to translates inwardly against the positive stops of the main channel thereby creating a controlled clamping force between the Inner walls of the glass support channels and the faces of the panel to be secured.

13. The rail and stile system for framing a panel of claim 12, wherein the upper ends of the mutually opposed walls of the spring action clamping member are radiused on a side that contacts the inclined surfaces of the rail body.

14. The rail and stile system for framing a panel of claim 13, wherein the upper ends of the mutually opposed walls of the spring action clamping member include a compression gasket on a side opposite that of the side that contacts the inclined surfaces of the rail body.

15. The rail and stile system for framing a panel of claim 12, wherein each of the mutually opposed walls of the spring action clamping member includes a u-shaped element, wherein the u-shaped element acts as a spring member.

16. The rail and stile system for framing a panel of claim 12, wherein the rail body and the spring action clamping member are configured to include a positive stop which limits upward travel of the spring action clamping member.

17. The rail and stile system for framing a panel of claim 16, wherein the positive stop comprise center channels having mutually opposed walls formed on the rail body and spring action clamping member, the center channel of the spring action clamping member being vertically movable within the center channel of the rail body, the mutually opposed walls of the center channel of the rail including inwardly facing book ends, and the mutually opposed walls of the center channel of the spring action clamping member including outwardly facing flanges, wherein upward movement of the spring action clamping member is limited by contact of the outwardly extending flanges of the center channel of the spring action clamping member with the inwardly extending book ends of the center channel of the rail body.

18. The rail and stile system for framing a panel of claim 12, wherein the screw is engaged with the rail body by means of threads formed in the rail body.

19. The rail and stile system for framing a panel of claim 13, wherein the rail body of the rail assembly and main channel of the stile assembly are surrounded by decorative cladding.