Railing equipped with a device for adjusting the height of the railing panel

Abstract

The invention relates to a guardrail (100), comprising: - at least one panel (1), - a rail (3), configured to be attached to a floor and having a housing (31) for the panel (1) when installed, - means for fixing the panel (1) to the rail (3), characterized in that it further comprises a height adjustment device (7) for the panel (1), said device comprising - a bracket (71), having: * an outer surface fitted at least in sections to a base and vertical walls of the housing (31), so as to form a guide in vertical translation with the walls of the housing (31) of the rail (3) by bearing the outer surface on the vertical walls of the housing (31), * a bearing surface (11) for the panel (1) when installed, * a lateral hole (13), vertical and transversely offset with respect to the bearing surface (11) for the panel (1), passing through the bracket (71) and having a threaded hole (17), * a screw (15),configured to be inserted into and pass through the lateral hole (13), and to cooperate with the tapped hole (17) in the lateral hole (13).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of construction of panel railings such as glass. In particular, the invention relates to the positional adjustment of such a railing panel during assembly of the railing.

[0002] Railings, banisters, or balustrades are both practical and aesthetically pleasing pieces of furniture. Panel railings are particularly well-known, and they use a series of vertical panels to create them. Glass panels are primarily used, usually tempered, stacked, and / or laminated. PRIOR ART

[0003] Structures are known that use a rail into which the lower edge of the panels is inserted. Supporting elements, such as wedges and spacers, are then inserted between the panels and the rails to secure the panel. The railing is then mostly transparent and can easily be integrated into an already decorated facade.

[0004] The panels making up the guardrails are of significant dimensions and mass, and the different elements making up the guardrail are delivered in kits, which a professional then installs on site.

[0005] The attachment of these panels to the rail also requires a significant number of constraints. Indeed, the panels must not move, or move very little, when they are subjected to a force at their free end, for example due to wind or a person leaning on the guardrail.

[0006] In particular, the deflection of the free end of the panels must generally remain below a limit value for a given horizontal force per linear unit of guardrail. The precise values ​​depend in particular on local legislation.

[0007] In Europe, for example, a force of 100 kg per meter of guardrail is applied for fifteen minutes to the free end of the panels. This free end must then have a maximum displacement of less than 35 mm, and, once relaxed, a final deviation from the starting position of less than 3 mm.

[0008] The rail, where the stresses exerted on the panel are concentrated, is therefore an element of fixing to the support formed by the ground, and of mechanical connection with the panel.

[0009] Adjusting the vertical position of the panels, both in height and horizontality, is important for the aesthetics of the railing. To maintain the continuity and horizontality of the railing panels, installers often use shims of varying heights placed under the panels.

[0010] Adjusting or setting these shims is then done either by changing the shim for one of different dimensions, or by adjusting the dimensions of the shim. It is then necessary to lift the panel and remove it from the rail in order to access the shims.

[0011] The weight of the panels is generally several tens of kilograms per meter of railing. Also, vertical adjustment of the panel position is complicated and laborious. In addition, removing and handling the panels increases the risk of damaging one of the panels, which are generally made of brittle materials such as glass or cut stone.

[0012] There is therefore a need for a means of adjusting the height of the panels of a guardrail, in particular without compromising the strength of the mechanical connection to the ground. This means of adjustment must be simple and easy to use, and in particular avoid having to handle the panels themselves as much as possible.

[0013] Document EP2479357 describes a device for adjusting the height of a panel with a shoe and screws.

[0014] Documents US2017 / 037653, US2018 / 002949 and FR3017909 describe means for fixing panels in a rail of the prior art.

[0015] However, these devices leave something to be desired. STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0016] In order to meet this need, the invention proposes a guardrail, comprising: at least one panel, a rail, configured to be attached to a support and having a housing for the panel when it is installed, means for fixing the panel to the rail, further comprising a device for adjusting the height of the panel, said device comprising a shoe, having: * an outer surface adjusted at least in sections to a bottom and vertical walls of the housing, so as to form a guide in vertical translation with walls of the housing of the rail by pressing the outer surface on the vertical walls of the housing, * a support surface for the panel when it is installed, * a lateral drilling, vertical and transversely offset relative to the support surface for the panel, passing through the shoe and having a thread, * a screw, configured to be inserted into the lateral drilling and pass through it, and to cooperate with the thread of the lateral drilling.

[0017] By turning the screw, the guardrail installer causes the shoe to move vertically, which guides the translation in the rail. The screw, due to the transversely offset nature of the lateral drilling, is accessible without removing the panel, thus simplifying height adjustment.

[0018] The shoe can be made of plastic, possibly reinforced, particularly by injection. In some applications, the shoe can also be made of metal, or even a combination of several materials. The screw can be standard.

[0019] The height adjustment device is therefore simple and inexpensive to produce, and can be added to the known and used guardrail mounting kits.

[0020] The height adjustment device may further comprise a nut, inserted into a horizontal groove and carrying the thread of the lateral drilling.

[0021] The nut is then advantageously metallic. The thread is then more solid, and the machining of the shoe is further simplified.

[0022] If the bottom of the housing is rounded, the screw advantageously has a conical point. This conical point then fits into the rail, which reinforces the support of the shoe and therefore of the panel.

[0023] If the bottom of the rail is flat, the screw advantageously has a flat tip. This flat tip has significant friction, which reinforces the support of the shoe and therefore of the panel.

[0024] The rail may have a step on a vertical wall, and the shoe a shoulder, forming an upper stop limiting the upward travel of the shoe.

[0025] The shoe may have, on the side opposite the lateral drilling, an arm, carrying at its free end a finger, coming, when the shoe carries the panel, to bear against a substantially vertical wall of the housing of the housing.

[0026] This arm and finger brace the shoe when it is subjected to the vertical forces of the screw and the weight of the panel.

[0027] The shoe may have an upright on the side opposite the drilling in the form of a vertical lip.

[0028] The shoe may comprise an upright crossed by the drilling, having a horizontal protuberance, oriented towards the expected position of the panel and forming a support surface for the shoe on the panel.

[0029] This shoe is particularly suitable for asymmetrical guardrails, with one side facing, for example, the void and therefore difficult to access.

[0030] The shoe may further comprise a lower recess, for example on the support surface of the panel, forming a passage for a strip of diodes for lighting from below the panel.

[0031] The shoe can be made of plastic, possibly loaded, in particular by injection.

[0032] Alternatively, the shoe can be made of metal, particularly aluminum. DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0033] Other characteristics and advantages of the fixing according to the invention will appear on reading the detailed description of the figures below, figures among which: there figure 1 is a perspective view of a segment of guardrail, the figure 2 is a perspective view from another angle of the railing segment, the figure 3 is a sectional view of the guardrail segment at the height of a panel fixing system, the figure 4is a sectional view of the guardrail segment at the height of a height adjustment device according to the invention, the Figure 5 is a perspective view of the height adjustment device, the figure 6 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the height adjustment device, the figure 7 is a perspective view of a guardrail according to another embodiment, the figure 8 is a perspective view of the height adjustment device for the guardrail of the figure 7 .

[0034] The embodiments shown are given as illustrative and non-limiting examples. Other embodiments are directly derivable from these by minor modifications. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] Figure 1is a schematic perspective view of a segment of a guardrail 100. The guardrail 100 comprises a panel 1, in particular made of glass, and here composed of two panels of tempered glass, stacked with a layer of plastic lamination between them. Alternatively, the panel 1 may be a panel made of stone, laminated glass, tempered glass, or even simply metal.

[0036] The panel 1 is arranged vertically, and forms the barrier of the guardrail when installed. Gravity, or at least the direction of the panel, provides a vertical axis, the length of the panel corresponds to a longitudinal direction of the guardrail 100, and the third direction, corresponding to the thickness of the panel, is considered transverse.

[0037] The lower edge of the panel 1 is embedded in a lower rail 3. The rail 3 is made in the form of a metal profile, in particular extruded. The rail 3 is for example made of aluminum, and is fixed to the support, here the floor, for example by means of holes and masonry screws (not shown).

[0038] Between the upper edge of the rail 3 and the panel 1 are arranged seals 5, in particular lip seals. These seals 5 are for example clipped or fitted onto the upper edge of the rail 3, and their lips bear against the panel 1. These seals 5 form an aesthetic facing by ensuring the continuity of the visible external surface, and also make it possible to limit the penetration and accumulation of dust and moisture between the rail 3 and the panel 1.

[0039] The 100 guardrail of the figure 1 is cut at the longitudinal level of a height adjustment device 7 of the panel 1 according to the invention.

[0040] In figure 2 , the guardrail segment 100 is seen in three-quarter view from above, the joints 5 having been removed for better visibility of the elements located in the rail 3.

[0041] The guardrail 100 has means 9 for fixing the panel 1 to the rail 3. The fixing means 9 shown in figure 2 are for example those described in document FR3096704, in the name of the applicant.

[0042] There figure 3 is a vertical cross-section at the height of the fixing means 9.

[0043] These fixing means 9 comprise corners 91 and a cradle 93. The panel 1 rests on the cradle 93, the corners 91 are arranged on either side transversely of the panel 1, facing each other. Screws 95 or other tightening means bring the corners 91 of the cradle 93 together when tightened. In doing so, a transverse pinching force is exerted on the panel 1 due to an upwardly flared shape of the rail 3 and the corners 91.

[0044] Other fixing means 9 are notably possible: with clips, with guides, etc. as are known from the state of the art.

[0045] The fixing means 9 and the height adjustment device 7 are both arranged and contained in a housing 31 of the rail 3, in which the lower portion of the panel 1 is also inserted.

[0046] The fixing means 9 and the height adjustment device 7 are offset longitudinally, and both engage with the panel 1.

[0047] The height adjustment device 7 is more visible in figure 4 , which shows the guardrail in cross-sectional view, at the longitudinal level of the height adjustment device 7.

[0048] The height adjustment device 7 is further shown outside the rail 3 in perspective in Figure 5 .

[0049] The height adjustment device 7 comprises a shoe 71. The shoe 71 is notably made of plastic, such as polyethylene, in particular high or very high density (HDPE). It can be made by molding, and be packaged and sold with the guardrail construction kit 100.

[0050] Depending on the expected weight of the panels 3, particularly when they are thick and heavy, the shoe 71 can be made of other materials: metal and particularly aluminum, resin or composite material, etc. In particular, the shoe 71 can be made of several materials, with support parts made of metal or a more solid material, and deformation parts made of flexible plastic to allow insertion into the rail 1.

[0051] The shoe 71 has an outer surface adjusted in sections to the bottom and to the vertical walls of the housing 31 of the rail 1, so as to form a guide in vertical translation with said vertical walls of the housing 31 of the rail 1 by pressing the outer surface on the vertical walls of the housing 31, in particular on both sides of the shoe 71, allowing translational guidance during vertical movements.

[0052] Shoe 71 of the embodiment of the figure 4has a general U shape, corresponding to the rounded bottom of the housing 31 of the rail 1. The bottom of the U is here delimited by a support surface 11 for the panel 1. This support surface 11 is flat, and the panel 1 rests on it by its edge when it is installed.

[0053] The vertical arm of the U of the shoe 71 on the left in figure 4 forms a shoulder comprising a lateral, vertical and transversely offset hole 13 relative to the support surface 11 for the panel 1. The hole 13 is crossed by a screw 15 which cooperates with the tapping of the hole 13.

[0054] The screw 15 is notably of greater total length than the length of the hole 13.

[0055] The vertical arm of the U of the shoe 71 on the left in figure 4forms a shoulder comprising a lateral, vertical and transversely offset hole 13 relative to the support surface 11 for the panel 1. The hole 13 is crossed by a screw 15 which cooperates with the tapping of the hole 13.

[0056] Depending on the particular embodiment of the figures 1 to 5 , the thread is carried by a metal nut 17, inserted into a horizontal groove of the shoe 71. The nut 17 is here parallelepipedal and adjusted to the groove 19. The nut carries a thread complementary to the thread of the screw 15.

[0057] The vertical arm of the U of the shoe 71 on the right in figure 4 , on the side opposite the drilling 13, carries at its free end a finger 21 pointing transversely towards the outside of the shoe 71. The finger 21 comes, when the shoe 71 carries the panel 1, to bear against a vertical wall of the housing 31 of the rail 3.

[0058] By thus coming into support, the finger 21 and the arm form a force grip, which reinforces the support of the panel 1. This shape allows a removal of material which lightens and reduces the cost of the shoe 71, while increasing its deformability for better insertion.

[0059] The screw 15 is made in particular of a material such as chrome steel, notably harder than the material of the rail 3, here aluminum.

[0060] The screw 15 has a conical point, which, when the panel 1 is raised and resting against the shoe 71, engages forcefully with the rail 3 by embedding itself in the softer material of the rail 3. Any tilting or translation is then avoided, or will at least require greater efforts to set the panel 1 in motion.

[0061] The rail 3 has a step 23, and the shoe has a stop shoulder 25, forming an upper stop limiting the upward travel of the shoe 71 by pressure on the stop shoulder 25. The total travel of the shoe 71 is therefore delimited by the bottom of the housing 31 downwards, and by the step 23 upwards.

[0062] The shoe 71 also has a lower recess 27, produced in the form of a withdrawal on the outer surface of the bottom of the U. The lower recess 27 increases the compressive deformability of the shoe 71, and forms a longitudinal passage for a strip of light-emitting diodes, for lighting from below the panel 1.

[0063] The deformability of the shoe 71 allows it to be inserted from above, overcoming the indentation 23. However, if said shoe 71 is made of a material that is not very elastically deformable, it can always be inserted from the open side of the housings 31 of the rails 1.

[0064] The height adjustment device 7 according to the invention is compact and easy to install. The height adjustment is carried out by turning the screw 15, which is accessible from the transverse side of the panel 1, until it protrudes from the bore 13 at the bottom, which will raise the shoe 71 and therefore the panel 1 to bear against it. The panel 1 can thus remain in place in the rail 3, and does not have to be moved for each adjustment.

[0065] By placing two height adjustment devices 7 at each longitudinal end of a panel 1, it is then possible to simply adjust the total height of the panel 1 by simultaneous action on the two height adjustment devices 7, as well as the orientation in the plane of the panel 1 by action on only one of the two height adjustment devices 7.

[0066] In figure 6 an alternative embodiment of height adjustment device 7 is shown.

[0067] In this embodiment, the lower recess 27 is arranged at the bottom of the U formed by the shoe 71, at the level of the bearing surface 11, said bearing surface 11 being separated in two by the lower recess 27.

[0068] When a diode strip or other lighting device is inserted into the lower recess 27, this diode strip is arranged against the lower edge of the panel 1, without interruption of this contact, unlike the embodiment of the Figure 5 .

[0069] In the embodiments discussed in connection with the preceding figures, the arrangement of the rail 3 and the panel 1 is relatively symmetrical: the panel 1 is, transversely, in the center of the housing 31 of the rail 1, and an opening is present on each side of the panel 1, allowing for example access with a tool, such as a screwdriver, indifferently from both sides. The fixing means 9 of the panel 1 exert symmetrical forces, with a substantially symmetrical arrangement.

[0070] However, it is also common to create 100 guardrails at the end of a slab or opposite a void. These 100 guardrails then no longer have to be accessible from both sides, and are therefore highly asymmetrical in their design.

[0071] Such an asymmetrical guardrail 100 is shown in figure 7 . The associated height adjustment device 7 is shown separately in figure 8 .

[0072] Panel 1 of guardrail 100 of the figure 6 is notably offset towards the right of the figure 6 in the housing 31 of the rail 1. In particular, the spacing between the panel 1 and the vertical wall of the rail 3 on the right in figure 6 is minimal, and corresponds to the thickness of the joint 5, which is compressed by the panel 1 against said vertical wall.

[0073] In particular, the fixing means 9 (not shown) then comprise a single corner 91, arranged opposite the inaccessible side, therefore on the left in figure 7 , which presses panel 1 against the vertical wall of rail 3.

[0074] The shoe 71 has a general U shape, with a flat bottom, corresponding to the flat bottom of the housing 31 of the rail 3, a left upright 73 crossed by the drilling 13, and a right upright of reduced size, in particular restricted to a simple vertical lip 75.

[0075] The vertical lip 75 is arranged, when the guardrail 100 is assembled, between the vertical wall of the housing 31 of the rail 3 and the panel 1, on the side of the void and supposed to be inaccessible (on the right in figure 6 ).

[0076] The upright 73 crossed by the hole 13 has a horizontal protuberance 77, oriented towards the expected position of the panel 1. The horizontal protuberance 77 forms a support surface of the shoe 71 on the panel 1, which contributes to the holding by compression and pinching of the panel 1 against the vertical wall of the rail 3. The width of this horizontal protuberance 77 can be adapted to the panel 1 and its thickness, and thus reinforces the holding of said panel 1.

[0077] The screw 15 here also has a conical tip which is driven into the flat bottom of the housing 31 of the rail 3. Thus, a longitudinal translation effect by rolling on the screw 15 is avoided when said screw 15 is turned to adjust the height of the panel 1.

[0078] The space and openings for the infiltration and accumulation of water and dust are then minimized on the side of the void, and all elements that must be handled (corners, screws, etc.) are arranged on the accessible side. Simplified use is thus preserved.

Claims

1. Railing, comprising: - at least one panel (1), - a rail (3), configured to be attached to a support and having a housing (31) for the panel (1) when installed, - means (9) for securing the panel (1) to the rail (3), further comprising a device (7) for adjusting the height of the panel (1), said device comprising - a shoe (71), having: a bearing surface (11) for the panel (1) when installed; a lateral bore (13), vertical and transversely offset with respect to the bearing surface (11) for the panel (1), passing through the shoe (71) and having a tapping (17); a screw (15), configured to be inserted into and pass through the lateral bore (13), and to cooperate with the tapping (17) of the lateral bore (13); characterised in that the shoe (71) further comprises: an outer surface adjusted at least in sections to a bottom and vertical walls of the housing (31), so as to form a guide in vertical translation with walls of the housing (31) of the rail (3) by bearing said outer surface on the vertical walls of the housing (31).

2. Railing according to claim 1, characterised in that the height adjustment device (7) comprises a nut (17), inserted in a horizontal groove (19), carrying the tapping of the lateral bore (13).

3. Railing according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the screw (15) has a conical tip.

4. Railing according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the rail (3) has a step (23) on a vertical wall, and the shoe (71) a shoulder, forming an upper stop limiting the upward travel of the shoe (71).

5. Railing according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the shoe (71) has, on the side opposite the lateral bore (13), an arm, carrying at its free end a finger (21) which, when the shoe (71) carries the panel (1), bears against a substantially vertical wall of the housing (31).

6. Railing according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the shoe (71) comprises an upright on the side opposite to the bore (13) in the form of a vertical lip (75).

7. Railing according to claim 6, characterised in that the shoe (71) comprises an upright (73) through which the bore (13) passes, having a horizontal protuberance (77) of a thickness adapted to the thickness of the panel (1), facing to the expected position of the panel (1) and forming a bearing surface for the shoe (71) on the panel (1).

8. Railing according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the shoe comprises a lower recess (27) on the bearing surface (11) for the panel.

9. Railing according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the shoe (71) is made of plastic.

10. Railing according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the shoe (71) is made of aluminium.

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