Curtain Wall Bracket Attachment

Abstract

There is provided a method of attaching bracket apparatus to a curtain wall mullion having a fastening channel for receiving screw-threaded fasteners for a bracket element having upper and lower attachment ports. The method comprises the steps of: a) positioning the bracket element on the fastening channel so that a longitudinal opening of the channel is blocked along the longitudinal extent of the bracket element, and providing upper and lower blocking elements within the fastening channel so that the upper and lower attachment ports are in between the upper and lower blocking elements; and b) forcing an adhesive into one of the said upper and lower attachment ports until it appears in the other of the upper and lower attachment ports. There is also provided curtain walling bracket apparatus for use in such a method, and curtain wall mullion apparatus wherein said curtain walling bracket apparatus is attached to a curtain wall mullion using said method.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of attaching bracket apparatus to a curtain wall mullion having a fastening channel in which screw-threaded fasteners for a bracket element having upper and lower attachment ports are receivable, the method comprising the steps of: a) positioning the bracket element on the fastening channel so that a longitudinal opening of the channel is blocked along the longitudinal extent of the bracket element, and providing upper and lower blocking elements within the fastening channel so that the upper and lower attachment ports are in between the upper and lower blocking elements; and b) forcing an adhesive into one of the said upper and lower attachment ports until it appears in the other of the upper and lower attachment ports. 
     
     
         2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a step c) subsequent to step b) of inserting screw-threaded fasteners into the upper and lower attachment ports. 
     
     
         3 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the screw-threaded fasteners are inserted prior to setting of the adhesive. 
     
     
         4 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the screw-threaded fasteners do not penetrate a bottom surface of the fastening channel, so as to prevent or limit moisture ingress. 
     
     
         5 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the upper and lower blocking elements are further screw-threaded fasteners which engage with walls of the fastening channel and which bottom or substantially bottom out on the bottom surface of the fastening channel. 
     
     
         6 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bracket element includes upper and lower blocking ports for receiving the upper and lower blocking elements. 
     
     
         7 . A method as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the upper and lower blocking elements when provided in the upper and lower blocking ports are engagable in the fastening channel to hold the bracket element to the curtain wall mullion whilst the adhesive is inserted. 
     
     
         8 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bracket element includes at least one further attachment port intermediate the upper and lower attachment ports, and in step a) a removable plug element is inserted into the further attachment port to prevent or limit leakage of adhesive from the further attachment port during step b). 
     
     
         9 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein a plurality of spaced apart said further attachment ports and a plurality of said removable plug elements are provided. 
     
     
         10 . A method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of said removable plug elements is interengaged with each other to form a plug strip. 
     
     
         11 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bracket element is a thermal break member to which a bracket member of the bracket apparatus can be directly or indirectly mounted. 
     
     
         12 . A method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the bracket apparatus further includes an adaptor member which is mountable on the thermal break member so as to be thermally isolated from the curtain wall mullion, and to which the bracket member is engagable. 
     
     
         13 . Curtain walling bracket apparatus comprising a bracket element having upper and lower attachment ports, blocking elements which block a fastening channel of a curtain wall mullion, and adhesive insertable into one of the upper and lower attachment ports. 
     
     
         14 . Curtain walling bracket apparatus as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the bracket element further includes at least one further attachment port intermediate the upper and lower attachment ports. 
     
     
         15 . Curtain walling bracket apparatus as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising a removable plug element for the or each said further attachment port. 
     
     
         16 . Curtain walling bracket apparatus as claimed in  claim 13 , further comprising an adhesive applicator for the adhesive, the adhesive applicator having a nozzle adapted to fit the upper and lower attachment ports. 
     
     
         17 . Curtain wall mullion apparatus comprising a curtain wall mullion and curtain walling bracket apparatus as claimed in  claim 13 , the bracket element being engaged with a fastening channel of the curtain wall mullion via said adhesive. 
     
     
         18 . Curtain wall mullion apparatus as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the adhesive extends into the attachment ports to engage the bracket element. 
     
     
         19 . Curtain wall mullion apparatus as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the bracket element includes retainer fasteners which engage the adhesive. 
     
     
         20 . Curtain wall mullion apparatus as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the fastening channel includes non-planar interior side surfaces for promoting engagement with the adhesive.