Glass framing system

Claim 2

In combination, a construction element of the type including transversely aligned inner and outer face portions and interconnecting portions, said interconnecting portions including a longitudinally extending transverse web having one edge integrally secured to one of said face portions intermediate its width and forming the bottom of opposed shallow glazing pockets, a longitudinally extending web extending from the other edge of the first mentioned web in one direction therefrom, and a longitudinally extending transverse jamp web extending from the edge of said second mentioned web to the other of said face portions to define a deep glazing pocket contiguous with one of said shallow glazing pockets; and a mullion filler locked to said construction element and including a longitudinally extending web normal to the first mentioned web seated in said deep glazing pocket, and a longitudinally extending transverse jamp web extending from the edge of the last mentioned web to said other of said face portions whereby said combination defines a mullion having opposed shallow glazing pockets.

Claim 3

A combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said mullion is provided with opposed gasket channels in each said surface of each shallow glazing pocket.

Claim 4

A mullion comprising a construction element having a jamp surface and parts defining a glazing area in the jamp surface, and a mullion filler cooperatively associated with said construction element for retaining the edge of a panel in said glazing area, said parts defining said glazing area including web portions forming a channel having a longitudinally extending interlocking element spaced inwardly from said jamp surface, and said mullion filler being of a generally U-shape including a first leg received against the bottom of said channel and including a projection extending from the opposite leg having a longitudinally extending interlocking element along its outer surface complimentary to the first mentioned interlocking element, and further including a camming surface on its outer edge snapped over the first mentioned interlocking element with said mullion filler in said channel in mating position and said other leg being substantially coplanar with said jamb surface.

Claim 5

A mullion comprising a construction element having a jamp surface and parts defining a glazing area in the jamp surface, and a mullion filler cooperatively associated with said construction element for retaining the edge of a panel in said glazing area, said parts defining said glazing area including web portions forming a channel having a longitudinally extending interlocking element spaced inwardly from said jamp surface, and said mullion filler being of a generally U-shape including a first leg received against the bottom of said channel and including a projection extending from the opposite leg having a longitudinally extending interlocking element along its outer surface complimentary to the first mentioned interlocking element, and further including a camming surface on its outer edge snapped over the first mentioned interlocking element with said mullion filler in said channel in mating position and said other leg being substantially coplanar with said jamb surface.

Claim 6

A mullion comprising a construction element having a jamb surface and parts defining a glazing area in the jamb surface, and a mullion filler cooperatively associaTed with said construction element for retaining the edge of a panel in said glazing area, said parts defining said glazing area including web portions forming a channel having a longitudinally extending filler retainer spaced inwardly from said jamb surface, and said mullion filler including a first element having one end received against the bottom of said channel and including another element extending from the other end of said first element having a longitudinally extending retainer means at its outer surface complimentary to said longitudinally extending filler retainer for interlocking therewith, and further including a camming surface on its outer edge snapped into interlocking relation with said filler retainer in said channel in mating position and said other element being substantially coplaner with said jamb surface.

Claim 7

A mullion comprising a construction element having a jamb surface and parts defining a glazing area in the jamb surface, and a mullion filler cooperatively associaTed with said construction element for retaining the edge of a panel in said glazing area, said parts defining said glazing area including web portions forming a channel having a longitudinally extending filler retainer spaced inwardly from said jamb surface, and said mullion filler including a first element having one end received against the bottom of said channel and including another element extending from the other end of said first element having a longitudinally extending retainer means at its outer surface complimentary to said longitudinally extending filler retainer for interlocking therewith, and further including a camming surface on its outer edge snapped into interlocking relation with said filler retainer in said channel in mating position and said other element being substantially coplaner with said jamb surface.

Claim 8

A framing system comprising a first vertical mullion, a second vertical mullion, said first and second mullions being disposed in a substantially parallel, spaced-apart relationship to define a space for receiving a planar panel therebetween, each of said first and second mullions comprising a substantially identical, elongated, unitary construction element having an outer, generally rectangular, cross-sectional configuration in a plane transverse to its longitudinal axis, said rectangular cross-sectional configuration being defined by a first outermost pair of substantially parallel, unitary, face portions of said mullion that define the width of said mullion and one outer side dimension of said rectangular cross-sectional configuration and that extend between the form uninterrupted, jointless facial surfaces between the planes of a second pair of substantially parallel side portions of said mullion that define the other outer side dimension of said rectangular cross-sectional configuration, said first pair of portions being disposed substantially perpendicularly to said second pair of portions and substantially parallel to the plane of said planar panel, said unitary construction element further including first, second and third means for receiving a panel, said first and second means comprising a first, stepped glazing pocket opening in a first direction from each of said first and second mullions, said third receiving means comprising a second glazing pocket opening in a second direction, generally opposite from said first direction, from each of said first and second mullions, said first receiving means comprising a comparatively deep portion of said first stepped glazing pocket and means for initially receiving a first longitudinal edge of a panel being mounted between said first and second mullions and said second receiving means comprising a comparatively shallow portion of said first stepped glazing pocket and means for receiving said first edge of said panel from said first receiving means and for retaining said panel in a relatively fixed, mounted condition with said first edge of said panel disposed in said second receiving means of one of said first and second mullions and with a second, parallel, longitudinal edge of said panel being disposed in said third receiving means of the other one of said first and second mullions, said first receiving means having a greater depth than the depth of said third receiving means, and means mounted on at least one of said first and second mullions for maintaining said panel in said relatively fixed mounted condition between said first and second mullions.

Claim 9

A framing system comprising a first vertical mullion, a second vertical mullion, said first and second mullions being disposed in a substantially parallel, spaced-apart relationship to define a space for receiving a planar panel therebetween, each of said first and second mullions comprising a substantially identical, elongated, unitary construction element having an outer, generally rectangular, cross-sectional configuration in a plane transverse to its longitudinal axis, said rectangular cross-sectional configuration being defined by a first outermost pair of substantially parallel, unitary, face portions of said mullion that define the width of said mullion and one outer side dimension of said rectangular cross-sectional configuration and that extend between the form uninterrupted, jointless facial surfaces between the planes of a second pair of substantially parallel side portions of said mullion that define the other outer side dimension of said rectangular cross-sectional configuration, said first pair of portions being disposed substantially perpendicularly to said second pair of portions and substantially parallel to the plane of said planar panel, said unitary construction element further including first, second and third means for receiving a panel, said first and second means comprising a first, stepped glazing pocket opening in a first direction from each of said first and second mullions, said third receiving means comprising a second glazing pocket opening in a second direction, generally opposite from said first direction, from each of said first and second mullions, said first receiving means comprising a comparatively deep portion of said first stepped glazing pocket and means for initially receiving a first longitudinal edge of a panel being mounted between said first and second mullions and said second receiving means comprising a comparatively shallow portion of said first stepped glazing pocket and means for receiving said first edge of said panel from said first receiving means and for retaining said panel in a relatively fixed, mounted condition with said first edge of said panel disposed in said second receiving means of one of said first and second mullions and with a second, parallel, longitudinal edge of said panel being disposed in said third receiving means of the other one of said first and second mullions, said first receiving means having a greater depth than the depth of said third receiving means, and means mounted on at least one of said first and second mullions for maintaining said panel in said relatively fixed mounted condition between said first and second mullions.

Claim 10

A framing system as defined in claim 5 wherein the width of each of said first and second mullions is substantially one inch.

Claim 11

A framing system as defined in claim 5 wherein each of said first and second mullions further comprises means for securely mounting a horizontal mullion between said first and second mullions.

Claim 12

A framing system for framing a planar member comprising a first elongated mullion formed by a first elongated construction element, a second elongated mullion formed bY a second elongated construction element, said first and second construction elements having substantially identical cross-sectional configurations in a direction transverse to their longitudinal axes, each of said first and second construction elements including a pair of parallel, spaced-apart, outermost face portions defining the width of each of said mullions in a direction transverse to said longitudinal axes and parallel to the plane of said planar member, said face portions comprising unitary, jointless surfaces substantially across the entire width of each of said mullions, each of said first and second construction elements further including an inner portion extending between and joining said pair of outermost face portions, said inner portion comprising first, second and third means for receiving a planar member, said first and second means comprising a first, stepped glazing pocket opening in a first direction from each of said first and second construction elements, said third receiving means comprising a second glazing pocket opening in a second direction, generally opposite from said first direction, from each of said first and second construction elements, said first receiving means comprising a comparatively deep portion of said first stepped glazing pocket and means for initially receiving a first longitudinal edge of a panel being mounted between said first and second construction elements and said second receiving means comprising a comparatively shallow portion of said first stepped glazing pocket and means for receiving said first edge of said panel from said first receiving means for retaining said panel in a relatively fixed, mounted condition with said first edge of said panel disposed in said second receiving means of one of said first and second construction elements and with a second, parallel, longitudinal edge of said panel being disposed in said third receiving means of the other one of said first and second construction elements, said first receiving means having a greater depth than the depth of said third receiving means, and means mounted on at least one of said first and second construction elements for maintaining said panel in said relatively fixed mounted condition between said first and second construction elements.

Claim 13

A framing system for framing a planar member comprising a first elongated mullion formed by a first elongated construction element, a second elongated mullion formed bY a second elongated construction element, said first and second construction elements having substantially identical cross-sectional configurations in a direction transverse to their longitudinal axes, each of said first and second construction elements including a pair of parallel, spaced-apart, outermost face portions defining the width of each of said mullions in a direction transverse to said longitudinal axes and parallel to the plane of said planar member, said face portions comprising unitary, jointless surfaces substantially across the entire width of each of said mullions, each of said first and second construction elements further including an inner portion extending between and joining said pair of outermost face portions, said inner portion comprising first, second and third means for receiving a planar member, said first and second means comprising a first, stepped glazing pocket opening in a first direction from each of said first and second construction elements, said third receiving means comprising a second glazing pocket opening in a second direction, generally opposite from said first direction, from each of said first and second construction elements, said first receiving means comprising a comparatively deep portion of said first stepped glazing pocket and means for initially receiving a first longitudinal edge of a panel being mounted between said first and second construction elements and said second receiving means comprising a comparatively shallow portion of said first stepped glazing pocket and means for receiving said first edge of said panel from said first receiving means for retaining said panel in a relatively fixed, mounted condition with said first edge of said panel disposed in said second receiving means of one of said first and second construction elements and with a second, parallel, longitudinal edge of said panel being disposed in said third receiving means of the other one of said first and second construction elements, said first receiving means having a greater depth than the depth of said third receiving means, and means mounted on at least one of said first and second construction elements for maintaining said panel in said relatively fixed mounted condition between said first and second construction elements.

Claim 14

A framing system as defined in claim 8 wherein said first and second mullions comprise first and second vertical mullions, respectively.

Claim 15

A framing system as defined in claim 9 wherein the width of each of said first and second mullions is substantially one inch.

Claim 16

A framing system as defined in claim 9 wherein each of said first and second construction elements further comprise means for securely mounting a horizontal mullion between said first and second mullions.