Structural assemblies

Abstract

A planar structural assembly has a series of cells formed by elongate structural members, the cells each receiving a pane or panel. To provide a weather-seal, closed loops of resilient sealing strips extend around the exterior edge of each pane or panel and are mounted on auxiliary members secured to the structural members. The auxiliary members clamp the sealing strips in compression against their panes or panels to ensure the seal there. The contiguous edges of the sealing strips of adjacent cells are locked in place and a seal formed between them by locking or zipper strips.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 
     
       1. A structural assembly comprising, in combination, a frame structure, a series of rigid elongate members being attached together to form said structure and at least two contiguous spaces being defined by the elongate member in the structure to receive infill elements, and means making a seal between the members of each each infill element, said means comprising a flexible sealing device for each said space in the form of a closed loop of a strip-like material engaging the infill element at the periphery of the space, auxiliary rigid frame elements secured to the elongate members clamping said sealing devices in place, at least at the common boundary between each contiguous pair of said spaces, said auxiliary elements comprising forward portions projecting laterally oppositely away from a central portion, a recess being provided between the front faces of the forward portions and each forward portion having a respective flexible sealing device mounted on it, a forward element of said sealing device covering the front face of said forward portion and an inner marginal element of said sealing device extending into said recess in a self-retaining manner, and further, bridging sealing means being provided between the adjacent edges of said inner marginal elements of the respective sealing devices in said recess and lockingly securing the sealing devices in the recess. 
     
     
       2. A structural assembly comprising, in combination, a frame structure, a series of rigid elongate members being attached to form said structure and a series of enclosed spaces being defined by the elongate members in the structure each to receive an infill element, said elongate member including at least one member extending continuously over the extent of at least two contiguous said spaces, means making a seal between the members and each infill element, said means comprising an inner flexible sealing device for each space in the form of a closed loop of a strip-like material engaging the infill element at the periphery of the space, respective auxiliary rigid frame elements for each side of said space being secured to the elongate members forming said space and projecting forwardly of their frame members, said auxiliary elements clamping said sealing device in place, contiguous spaces of said series having a common boundary being provided with respective loop-form sealing devices that are clamped by a common auxiliary frame element at said common boundary, said auxiliary elements comprising forward portions projecting laterally oppositely away from a central portion, a recess being provided between the front faces of the forward portions and each forward portion having a respective flexible sealing device mounted on it, each said sealing device comprising a forward element covering said front face and an inner marginal portion of said sealing device extending from said forward element into said recess in a self-retaining manner, and further, bridging sealing means being provided between adjacent edges of said inner marginal portions of the respective sealing devices in said recess and lockingly securing the sealing devices in the recess. 
     
     
       3. A structural assembly according to claim 1 wherein rear sealing members are provided behind said infill elements in opposition to the loop-form sealing devices whereby to engage sealingly the edges of each said infill element between a loop-form sealing device and the associated rear sealing members. 
     
     
       4. A structural assembly according to claim 1 wherein said forward portion of the auxiliary frame elements extend over the edges of their associated infill elements and thereby to apply sealing pressure to said edges. 
     
     
       5. A structural assembly according to claim 4 wherein each loop-form sealing device comprises a portion disposed at the rear of the forward portions of the auxiliary frame elements clamped in compression between said forward portions and the associated infill element. 
     
     
       6. A structural assembly according to claim 4 wherein rearward projections are provided on said forward portions of the auxiliary elements, the rearward projections being disposed intermediate the lateral extent of said rearwardly disposed portions of the sealing devices adapted to engage the infill element, said clamping pressure being applied through said projections. 
     
     
       7. A structural assembly according to claim 4 wherein each loop-form sealing device has a profiled rear face adapted to bear on the infill element, the profile of the rear face providing a plurality of laterally spaced lines of sealing the infill element to extend substantially parallel to the associated edges of the infill element, a marginal lip of said sealing device disposed beyond the lateral extent of its engaging frame element forward portion having a rear face profile providing one of said lines of sealing. 
     
     
       8. A structural assembly according to claim 7 wherein said profile includes an inner portion within the lateral extent of its engaging frame element and providing a further of said lines of sealing, an intermediate portion between said line of sealing of the lip profile and said inner portion providing an additional line of sealing but projecting rearwardly to a lesser extent than said lip and inner portion before clamping pressure is applied. 
     
     
       9. A structural assembly according to claim 1 having a sandwich infill in at least one cell of the frame structure, said infill comprising two spaced infill elements overlying each other in mutually parallel planes, said auxiliary frame elements extending the depth of said sandwich infill between said parallel planes. 
     
     
       10. A structural assembly according to claim 1 having at least two rigid elongate members directed transversely to each other and junction means connecting together said elongate members permitting relative movement of one of said members towards and away from the other in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said one member, each junction means providing relative location between said secured members in a direction perpendicular to the plane in which the longitudinal axes of the respective members lie. 
     
     
       11. A structural assembly according to claim 1 wherein the auxiliary frame elements comprise a rearwardly directed web, a forwardly open slot being provided in the elongate members to receive said web in a freely fitting manner, openings being formed in the auxiliary frame elements extending over the width of said web and screws in said openings thereby projecting to engage opposed inner faces of said forwardly open slot to secure the auxiliary elements to the elongate members. 
     
     
       12. A structural assembly according to claim 11 wherein said engagement of the screws with said slot inner faces permits relative longitudinal displacement between the auxiliary frame element and its associated elongate member. .Iadd. 13. A glazing structure comprising an elongated structural member having two spaced apart surfaces to abut against, with or without the interposition of gaskets, the one faces of two panel edge portions respectively, a glazing bead of open channel section whereof the channel base is arranged to engage the structural member between the said surfaces with the side walls of the channel extending outwardly away from the structural member, the side walls being turned outwardly from one another at their end portions to provide abutments facing towards the surfaces to lie opposite the other faces of the edge portions of the panels respectively, means accessible from the outer side of the channel section of the glazing bead to secure the base of the channel of the bead to the structural member and two gaskets of elastomeric material each having a first portion to lie between the abutment and the other faces and second portions to enter within the channel of the glazing bead, the arrangement being such that the glazing bead can first be secured to the structural member with the first portions of the gaskets secured between the bead and the panels to hold the panels in position and the second portions can then be pressed side by side in the channel to form a weatherproof seal for the channel. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 14. A glazing structure as claimed in claim 13 wherein an additional panel is arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the first panel and where the first portion of each gasket lies between said abutment and the outside face of the additional panel. .Iaddend.