Balcony

Abstract

A balcony 10 for attaching to a building, the balcony comprises a base 100, a balustrade (400 fig 6) connected to the balcony which extends around at least part of the periphery of the balcony. The ba

Description

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a balcony for attachment to a building. The present invention also relates to a method for attaching a balcony to a building and to a building with at least one balcony attached. Background It is known to attach balconies to buildings, particularly residential buildings, in order to provide the occupants of the building above ground floor level an outdoor space. Such buildings typically have a fagade secured to, or forming part of, the face of the building using windposts (i.e., vertical structural members of steelwork or other metal, or made of any other suitable material such as concrete (e.g. reinforced concrete)) that may be situated inside or outside of the fagade. Sapphire Balconies Limited have developed hook-on balconies. Such balconies are attached to a building by a latching mechanism actuated by movement of the balcony into a mounted position with respect to the building. This allows the balcony to be initially secured to the building before any final tightening of the attachments. Such balconies may be provided in the form of a balcony cassette comprising an arrangement of joists or rafters that support a balustrade, decking, fascia panels, soffits, and any other components of the balcony. The balcony cassette may be attached to a building using various support arrangements disposed at lateral sides thereof, each with vertically spaced attachments for securing the balcony to the building. For example, each support arrangement may include solid side walls, side walls with stress skins, or bracing elements such as tie bars or wires that extend back to the building. An example of a hook-on balcony for attachment to a building, and a method of securely attaching the hook-on balcony to a building, is disclosed in Sapphire Balconies Limited’s WO 2022 / 112505 (the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference). In that disclosure, the balcony has lateral side walls fixed to the balcony cassette. Each side wall is formed of a frame that is fixed to and extends upwardly from the cassette, and further extends along the respective side of the balcony. Each side wall comprises an upper latch assembly and a lower latch assembly vertically spaced from the upper latch assembly for secure attachment of the balcony to the building. An outward facing panel of each side wall forms a stress skin that is a structural support which transfers load to the building, and specifically to the upper latch assembly. As the stress skin transfers the load to both the lower and upper latch assemblies, the weight of the balcony and any load is distributed vertically along the building between the latch assemblies. In WO 2022 / 112505, the support arrangement for the balcony extends upwardly from the balcony cassette for attachment to an upper part of the building, relative to the balcony cassette. The weight of the balcony is therefore distributed along vertical structural members (e.g., the fagade or windposts) of the building for a stable connection between the balcony and the building. The support arrangements are fixed near the lateral sides of the balcony. As such, the balcony may be securely attached to a building without the need for a direct connection or load transfer to floor slabs of the building (or any other horizontal structural member). Thermal transfer and cold bridging to the floor slabs is therefore mitigated. Summary of the Invention To ensure hook-on balconies are securely and safely attached to the building, the support arrangements disclosed in WO 2022 / 112505 extend along the entire lateral sides of the balcony. The present inventors have realised that in some circumstances this may diminish the aesthetics of the balcony, restrict the view from the balcony and cast unwanted shadows onto the balcony. The present invention has been devised in light of the above considerations. In particular, the present inventors have realised that improvements may be made to hook-on balconies. It is of particular interest to provide a hook-on balcony that may be securely attached to a building without the need for support arrangements that extend along the entirety of the lateral sides of the balcony. Accordingly, in a first aspect, the present invention provides a balcony for attachment to a building, the balcony having a depth direction perpendicular to a face of the building to which the balcony is to be attached, a width direction perpendicular to the depth direction and parallel to the face of the building, and a height direction perpendicular to the depth direction and width direction and oriented substantially vertically when the balcony is attached to the building, the balcony comprising: a base; a balustrade connected to the base and extending around at least part of a perimeter of the balcony; a first load transfer member connected to the base and extending upwardly from the base in the height direction, the base being cantilevered from the first load transfer member; a first lower balcony support bracket for attachment to a first lower building support bracket; and a first upper balcony support bracket for attachment to a first upper building support bracket, the first upper balcony support bracket connected to the first load transfer member and spaced from the first lower balcony support bracket along the height direction of the balcony; and wherein the first load transfer member extends for a depth which is not more than half the depth of the balcony. In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method of attaching a balcony to a building, the building comprising a first lower support bracket and a first upper support bracket, the balcony having a depth direction perpendicular to a face of the building, a width direction perpendicular to the depth direction and parallel to the face of the building, and a height direction perpendicular to the depth direction and width direction and oriented substantially vertically when the balcony is attached to the building, the balcony comprising: a base; a balustrade connected to the base and extending around at least part of a perimeter of the balcony; a first load transfer member connected to the base and extending upwardly from the base in the height direction, the base being cantilevered from the first load transfer member; a first lower balcony support bracket for attachment to the first lower building support bracket; and a first upper balcony support bracket for attachment to the first upper building support bracket, the first upper balcony support bracket connected to the first load transfer member and spaced from the first lower balcony support bracket along the height direction of the balcony; and wherein the first load transfer member extends for a depth which is not more than half the depth of the balcony, the method including the steps of: lifting the balcony towards the building; attaching the first upper balcony support bracket to the first upper building support bracket; and attaching the first lower balcony support bracket to the first lower building support bracket. In a third aspect, the present invention provides a building with at least one balcony attached to the building, the building having a first lower support bracket and a first upper support bracket, the balcony having a depth direction perpendicular to a face of the building, a width direction perpendicular to the depth direction and parallel to the face, and a height direction perpendicular to the depth direction and width direction and oriented substantially vertically, the balcony comprising: a base; a balustrade connected to the base and extending around at least part of a perimeter of the balcony; a first load transfer member connected to the base and extending upwardly from the base in the height direction, the base being cantilevered from the first load transfer member; a first lower balcony support bracket attached to the first lower building support bracket; and a first upper balcony support bracket attached to the first upper building support bracket, the first upper balcony support bracket connected to the first load transfer member and spaced from the first lower balcony support bracket along the height direction of the balcony; and wherein the first load transfer member extends for a depth which is not more than half the depth of the balcony. By providing a load transfer member that is connected to the base of the balcony and extends for a depth which is not more than half the depth of the balcony, the base is cantilevered from the load transfer member when it is securely attached to the building using the upper and lower balcony support brackets. This means that the balustrade of the balcony, which provides a guard barrier to prevent a user from accidentally falling therefrom, may extend along a greater portion of the perimeter of the balcony compared to that of known hook-on balconies in which the support arrangement spans the lateral sides of the balcony. This substantially increases the design flexibility available for the balcony so that the required format of balustrade can be used around more of the perimeter of the balcony. Embodiments of the present invention may include a combination of one or more of the aspects and / or optional features described herein, except where a combination is clearly impermissible or expressly avoided. As mentioned above, the first load transfer member extends for a depth (that is along the depth direction of the balcony) which is not more than half the depth of the balcony. For example, the depth may be not more than 40%, not more than 30%, or not more than 20% of the depth of the balcony. The phrase “depth of the balcony” is used herein to define the maximum dimension of the balcony when measured along the depth direction of the balcony, as determined when the balcony is attached to the building. As will be understood in the light of the explanation above, the advantage of reducing this measurement is that the proportion of the depth of the balcony occupied by the first load transfer member is reduced, making additional space available for the style of balustrade preferred for the balcony design. Considering the typical dimensions of a balcony, it has been found that a load transfer member with a depth in the range 200-500mm (or 200-400mm, such as about 300mm) can be suitable for achieving the required support to the balcony while having a relatively low profile in the depth direction. The load transfer member extends upwardly from the base in the height direction. Preferably, a height of the first load transfer member is substantially equal to the overall height of the balcony. This may allow the distance between the first lower and upper support brackets (along the height direction of the balcony) to be maximised. As the distance between the lower and upper support brackets is increased, the distance over which the weight of the balcony and any load thereon is distributed along the building is increased, and the balcony is more stably attached to the building. In some embodiments, the height of the first load transfer member may be more than 50%, more than 75%, or more than 90% of the overall height of the balcony. The phrase “overall height of the balcony” is used herein to define the maximum dimension of the balcony when measured along the height direction of the balcony, as determined when the balcony is attached to the building. The following components are taken into account when determining the overall height, depth or width of the balcony: the base of the balcony, the components of the balcony that are supported by the base (i.e., the balustrade), and the support arrangement of the balcony from which the base is supported (i.e., the load transfer member and balcony support brackets). The components supported by the base may further include decking, soffits and fascia panels of the balcony. The first load transfer member, the first lower balcony support bracket, and the first upper balcony support bracket may be provided at a first lateral side of the balcony in the width direction. The first lower balcony support bracket may be connected to the first load transfer member. The first lower balcony support bracket and the first upper balcony support bracket may be aligned in the width direction of the balcony. The balcony may comprise a second load transfer member connected to the base and extending upwardly from the base in the height direction, the base being cantilevered from the second load transfer member. The second load transfer member may extend for a depth which is not more than half the depth of the balcony. For example, the depth may be not more than 40%, not more than 30%, or not more than 20% the depth of the balcony. Preferably, the depth which the second load transfer extends may be equal to the depth which the first load transfer member extends. Features described with respect to the first load transfer member may also apply to the second load transfer member. The balcony may comprise a second lower balcony support bracket for attachment to a second lower building support bracket and a second upper balcony support bracket for attachment to a second upper building support bracket. The second upper balcony support bracket may be connected to the second load transfer member and may be spaced from the second lower balcony support bracket along the height direction of the balcony. To increase the distance between the second upper balcony support bracket and the second lower balcony support bracket, the second load transfer member may have a height that is substantially equal to the overall height of the balcony. This may allow the distance between the lower and upper support brackets (along the height direction of the balcony) to be maximised. In some embodiments, the height of the second load transfer member may be more than 50%, more than 75%, or more than 90% of the overall height of the balcony. Preferably, the height of the second load transfer member is substantially equal to the height of the first load transfer member. As such, the second upper balcony support bracket and the first upper balcony support bracket may be aligned in the height direction of the balcony. The second load transfer member, the second lower balcony support bracket, and the second upper balcony support bracket may be provided at a second lateral side of the balcony in the width direction, the second lateral side being opposite to the first lateral side. As such, the second upper balcony support bracket and the second lower balcony support bracket may be aligned in the width direction W of the balcony. The second lower balcony support bracket may be connected to the second load transfer member. Preferably, the second lower balcony support bracket and the first lower balcony support bracket may be aligned in the height direction of the balcony, that is, provided at the same height relative to the balcony, albeit at different width positions. . The balcony support brackets (i.e., the first upper balcony support bracket, the first lower balcony support bracket, the second upper balcony support bracket, and the second lower balcony support bracket) may be aligned in the depth direction of the balcony. The position of each of the balcony support brackets may be adjustable in any of the width, depth, and / or height direction of the balcony to ensure the balcony is secure and level with the building when attached thereto. With the first and second load transfer members being provided on respective lateral sides of the balcony, it will be understood that the balcony is therefore supported at its lateral extremities. This is different to other modes of balcony attachment, such as bolt-on balconies and glide-on balconies, where the balcony is typically supported only at the base but at positions inboard from the lateral extremities of the balcony. Accordingly, in some embodiments of the present invention, an intermediate balcony support bracket may be provided for engagement between the base and a respective building support bracket. The intermediate balcony support bracket may be positioned between the first lateral side and the second lateral side of the balcony along the width direction of the balcony. The intermediate balcony support bracket may be vertically aligned with the first and / or second lower support bracket. When engaged, the respective building support bracket may take vertical load from the intermediate balcony support bracket to minimise vertical deflection of the base. The intermediate lower balcony support bracket may therefore be positioned at a mid-point between the first load transfer member and the second load transfer member, that is, at the point at which maximum deflection of the balcony would otherwise occur. Each load transfer member (i.e., the first load transfer member and / or the second load transfer member) may be monolithic. Accordingly, each load transfer member may be formed from a single integral piece of material such as metal. For example, each load transfer member may be made by working of a sheet metal workpiece, such as by folding or rolling of metal sheet, or by forging, rolling, extruding, milling or cutting of a metal workpiece, or by casting for example. Each load transfer member may be substantially U-shaped or any other suitable shape to support the relevant loads. Each load transfer member may be attached to a joist (e.g., a rearmost joist) of a framework structure of the balcony. This attachment may be achieved using a bracket, for example. Each load transfer member (i.e., the first load transfer member and / or the second load transfer member) may further be fixed to a substructure that extends along the depth direction of the balcony. This attachment may be achieved using welding or an array of bolts, for example. The substructure may form part of the base. That is, the substructure may be fixed to one or more joists of the framework structure. The substructure may be substantially U shaped or any other suitable shape to support the relevant loads. The substructure may be formed by working of a sheet metal workpiece, such as by folding or rolling of metal sheet, or by forging, rolling, extruding, milling or cutting of a metal workpiece, or by casting for example.. Each upper balcony support bracket (i.e., the first upper balcony support bracket and / or the second upper balcony support bracket may comprise a latch that is configured to engage with the respective upper building support bracket to securely attach the balcony to the building. The latch may engage with a slot of the respective upper building support bracket. Preferably, the slot is arcuate. The latch may be configured to move from an unlatched configuration to a latched configuration by the balcony being moved into a mounted position. This may be assisted by the shape of the upper building support bracket, for example by a bevelled leading shape of the upper building support bracket. In some embodiments, the latch may be pivotably coupled to the balcony. As such, the latch may be biased under gravity to move from the unlatched configuration to the latched configuration as the balcony is moved into the mounted position. The latch may be pivotable about an axis of rotation. In some embodiments, the axis of rotation may be parallel to the width direction of the balcony. The latch (and the axis of rotation of the latch) may be moveable, along a depth direction of the balcony for example, to engage with the respective upper building support bracket. Preferably, the latch may be movable towards a front of the balcony. This may be done once the balcony has been moved into the mounted position. Each lower balcony support bracket (i.e., the first lower balcony support bracket and / or the second lower balcony support bracket) may comprise at least two locking elements that bear the respective lower building support bracket. For example, two or three locking elements may be provided. Some or all of the locking elements may be adjustable. For example, adjustment may be carried out along the height and / or depth direction of the balcony. This may be to further secure the balcony to the building once the upper balcony support bracket of the respective load transfer member is engaged with the respective upper building support bracket. Each locking element may be a bolt or a plate that transfers horizontal and / or vertical load from the lower balcony support bracket to the respective lower building support bracket. Preferably, each lower balcony support bracket may be securely attached to the respective lower building support bracket to prevent unintentional detachment. Further optional features of the present invention are set out below. Summary of the Figures Embodiments illustrating the principles of the invention will now be discussed with reference to the accompanying figures of which: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a plurality of balconies secured to a building; Figure 2 is a perspective view of an upper building support bracket; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a lower building support bracket; Figure 4 is a perspective view of an intermediate balcony support bracket; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a balcony, from the front and from the left-side, according to a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 is a perspective view of the first embodiment, from the rear and from the right-side of the balcony; Figure 7 is a perspective view of the right-side of the first embodiment, from the rear and from the leftside of the balcony, with the covers of the support arrangement of the balcony omitted to show the load transfer member of the balcony; Figure 8 is an orthographic view of the right-side of the first embodiment, from the rear of the balcony, that shows the height of the load transfer member relative to the overall height of the balcony; Figure 9 is an orthographic view of the right-side of the first embodiment, from above the balcony, that shows the depth of the load transfer member relative to the depth of the balcony; Figure 10 is a perspective view of the first embodiment similar to Figure 6 with the decking, soffits and balustrade of the balcony omitted to show the framework structure and support arrangements of the balcony; Figure 11 is a perspective view of a right-side of the framework structure of the first embodiment, viewed from the rear and from the right-side; Figure 12 is a perspective view of the support arrangement near the right-side of the first embodiment, viewed from the rear and from the left-side; Figure 13 is a perspective view of a rear, right-side portion of the first embodiment, viewed from the front and from the left-side, that shows how the support arrangement seen in Figure 12 is fixed to the framework structure seen in Figure 11; Figure 14 is a perspective view of the rear, right-side portion of first embodiment similar to Figure 13, with the substructure of the support arrangement omitted; Figure 15 is a perspective view of the rear, right-side portion of the first embodiment, from the rear and from the left-side of the balcony, further showing part of the support arrangement shown in Figures 13 and 14 fixed to the framework structure; Figure 16 is a perspective view of the latch mechanism of the first embodiment; Figure 17 is an orthographic view of the latch mechanism seen in Figure 16 engaged with the respective building support bracket; Figure 18 is a perspective view of the locking mechanism of the first embodiment; Figure 19 is an orthographic view of the locking mechanism seen in Figure 18 engaged with the respective building support bracket; Figure 20 is a perspective view of another latch mechanism of the first embodiment; Figure 21 is an orthographic view of the latch mechanism seen in Figure 20 engaged with the respective building support bracket; Figure 22 is a perspective view of another locking mechanism of the first embodiment; Figure 23 is an orthographic view of the locking mechanism seen in Figure 22 engaged with the respective building support bracket; Figure 24 is a perspective view of the intermediate balcony support bracket of first embodiment; Figure 25 is an orthographic view of the intermediate balcony support bracket seen in Figure 24 engaged with the respective building support bracket; Figure 26 is a perspective view of the lateral balustrade module of the first embodiment; Figure 27 is a perspective view of a lower portion of the front balustrade module of the first embodiment; Figure 28 is a perspective view of front, right-side portion of the first embodiment, viewed from the rear and from the left-side of the balcony, that shows the lateral and front balustrade modules fixed together with the support arrangement and the framework structure of the balcony; Figure 29 is a perspective view of a lateral balustrade module of a second embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the rear and from the left-side of the balcony to show the interior side of the balustrade module; Figure 30 is another perspective view of the lateral balustrade module of Figure 29, viewed from the rear and from the right-side of the balcony to show the exterior of the balustrade module; Figure 31 is an orthogonal view of the lateral balustrade module of Figure 30, viewed from the right-side of the balcony to show the exterior of the balustrade module, with the faux balustrade bars and support bracket covers omitted to show the load transfer member of the second embodiment; Figure 32 is a perspective view of the latch mechanism of the second embodiment, from the rear and from the left-side of the balcony; Figure 33 is a perspective view of the locking mechanism of the second embodiment, from the rear and from the left-side of the balcony. Detailed Description of the Invention Aspects and embodiments of the present invention will now be discussed with reference to the accompanying figures. Further aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For the sake of efficiency, the same reference numbers are used for similar or identical features as seen in different drawings. Certain features may be indicated and described with reference to one drawing only. As mentioned above, it is of interest to provide an improved hook-on balcony. One or more (i.e., a series) of such balconies may be attached to a building. Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a building 50 with a series of balconies attached to a face 55 of the building 50. As will be understood, in practice, the building 50 may have a more complex configuration than shown, there may be more or fewer balconies attached to the building 50, and each balcony 10 of the series of balconies may be attached to more than one side of the building 50. For example, the building 50 may have a fapade (not shown) fixed to the face 55, preferably using windposts (not shown). Windposts are vertical structural members fixed inside or outside of the fapade. The facade and / or windposts may be constructed into pre-cast wall panels. As shown in Figure 1, the building 50 has a height direction Hbuiiding, which is the vertical direction. When attached to the building, each balcony 10 has a height direction H which is also the vertical direction, a depth direction D which is perpendicular to the face 55 of the building 50, and a width direction W which is perpendicular to the depth direction D, parallel to the face 55 of the building 50, and extends from the leftside to the right-side of the balcony 10. That is, the height direction H of each balcony 10 is perpendicular to the depth direction D and width direction W, and is oriented substantially vertically when the balcony 10 is attached to the building 50. A rear of each balcony 10 is for location adjacent the building 50 and a front of each balcony 10 projects from the building 50. In order to attach each of the series of hook-on balconies to the building 50, support brackets are provided on or as part of the building 50. Figures 2 to 4 provide examples of support brackets that are fixed to the building for attachment of a hook-on balcony to the building: a first building support bracket 60a, a second building support bracket 60b, and a third building support bracket 60c. Each support bracket has a back plate 62 that is fixed to the building using mechanical fasteners 64. An additional plate 66 is positioned between the building and the back plate 62, to provide dampening for example. A hook 68a, 68b, 68c projects from the back plate 62 for securing the balcony to the respective support bracket 60. As shown in Figure 2, the hook 68a of the first building support bracket 60a includes an arcuate slot 70a for receipt of and engagement with a latch. As shown in Figure 3, the hook 68b of the second building support bracket 60b includes opposing surfaces 70b for engagement with a locking mechanism. As shown in Figure 4, the hook 68c of the third building support bracket 60c includes a horizontal surface 70c upon which the balcony can rest and an aperture 70c for receipt of an optional mechanical fastener (not shown). A first embodiment of the present invention will now be discussed. Figure 5 is a perspective view of a balcony 10, from the front and from the left-side, according to the first embodiment of the present invention and Figure 6 is a perspective view of the first embodiment, from the rear and from the right-side of the balcony. For reference, the width direction W, depth direction and height direction H of the balconies are shown. One or more of the series of balconies, discussed above, may be the balcony 10 according to the first embodiment. It can be seen that balcony 10 comprises a base 100 supporting decking 200, soffits 300, and a balustrade 400. The decking 200 is fixed atop the base 100 to provide a substantially flat surface on which a user may walk, the soffits 300 are fixed to the underside of the base 100 to provide a neat finish and drainage for rainwater, and the balustrade 300 extends above the base 100, around the perimeter of the balcony 10, to provide a guard barrier to prevent a user from accidentally falling from the balcony 10. The base 100 is therefore covered in use (that is when the balcony has been installed, i.e. attached to a building) and the external appearance of the balcony is formed by the decking 200, soffits 300 and the balustrade 400 of the balcony 10. Referring to Figure 6, the base 100 is supported by a support arrangement 500 at each lateral side, that is near the left-side and the right-side, of the balcony 10. Each support arrangement 500 comprises two balcony support brackets (not visible) that are spaced apart along the height direction H of the balcony. In Figure 6, the support brackets of each support arrangement 500 are attached to respective building support bracket 60a, 60b provided on the building (not shown) to fix the balcony to the building. The balcony is further attached to the building using an intermediate support bracket 600 which is attached to a respective building support bracket 60c provided on the building (not shown). The intermediate support bracket 600 is connected to a rear of the base 100, at a position intermediate the support arrangements 500. More specifically, the intermediate support bracket 600 is fixed centrally between the support arrangements, along the width direction W of the balcony. This provides the base 100 with additional support to keep deflections minimal. In some embodiments, in which the support arrangements 500 are spaced apart by a relatively short distance along the width direction W such that deflection is negligible, the intermediate support bracket 600 and the respective support bracket 60b provided on the building may be omitted. While not illustrated, the balcony 10 is detachable from the building. That is, the support brackets of the support arrangements 500 are detachable from the respective support brackets 60a, 60b fixed to the building. Likewise, the intermediate support bracket 600 is disengageable with the respective support bracket 60c fixed to the building. Figure 7 is a perspective view of the right-side of the first embodiment, from the rear and from the left-side of the balcony. For reference, the width direction W, depth direction D and height direction H of the balcony are shown. For simplicity, the features of the support arrangement are discussed with reference to the support arrangement near the right-side of the balcony only. The description should therefore be treated as applicable to either support arrangement except where explicitly mentioned. The features mentioned with respect to the support arrangement near the right-side of the balcony may be mirror images of the corresponding features of the support arrangement near the left-side of the balcony. That is, the features may be symmetrical about a plane defined by the height direction H and depth direction D of the balcony, that is positioned between the support arrangements in the width direction W of the balcony. In Figure 7, the covers of the support arrangement 500 of the balcony 10 are omitted. As such, the load transfer member 510 of the balcony is visible. It can be seen that a latch mechanism 700 (that is the upper support bracket of the support arrangement 500) is connected near the top of the load transfer member near the top of the balcony, and a locking mechanism 800 (that is the lower support bracket of the support arrangement 500) is connected to the load transfer member near the bottom of the balcony. The support brackets fixed to building are also omitted in order to show apertures 512 in the load transfer member 510 through which said support brackets are received for attachment with the respective support bracket fixed to the balcony. The balcony 10 is therefore shown detached from the building. Figures 8 and 9 are orthographic views of the right-side of the first embodiment, from the rear of the balcony and from above the balcony respectively. It can be seen that the load transfer member 510 is fixed to the base 100 near the rear of the balcony, at the respective lateral side of the balcony. That is the right-side of the balcony in Figures 8 and 9. The load transfer member 510 extends upward from the base 100 along the height direction H of the balcony, which allows the load transfer member 510 to be connected to each of the latch mechanism 700 and the locking mechanism 800. The load transfer member 510 therefore supports the base 100 and transfers the weight of the balcony and any load thereon to the building using the latch mechanism 700 and the locking mechanism 800. The load transfer member 510 also extends along the respective side of the balcony 10 (which is parallel to the depth direction D of the balcony) for a depth Di that, in this embodiment, is approximately 14% of the depth D2 of the balcony 10. The base 100 is therefore cantilevered from the load transfer members 510 that are fixed to the building (not shown), using the support brackets (not shown) fixed to the building. Moreover, in contrast to known hook-on balconies in which the support arrangement extends above the base along the entire depth of the balcony at each lateral side, the user’s view from the balcony and the transmission of light through the lateral sides of the balcony is substantially unrestricted through the balustrade. In the present embodiment, a height Hi of the load transfer member is approximately 88% of the overall height H2 of the balcony 10. This allows the latch mechanism 700 and the locking mechanism 800 to be spaced apart and the load transferred to the building to be distributed between the upper and lower support brackets fixed to the building, to which the latch mechanism 700 and the locking mechanism 800 respectively attach. This provides a more stable connection between the balcony and the building. The first embodiment will now be discussed in more detail with reference to Figures 10 to 31. Figure 10 shows a perspective view of the first embodiment similar to Figure 8, in which the decking, balustrade and soffits of the balcony are omitted to show the framework structure 101 that forms the base 100 of the balcony. Herein, the base 100 may include the framework structure 101 and the decking 200 and soffits 300 supported thereon. As seen in Figure 10, the framework structure 101 comprises parallel joists (i.e., rafters) that span the balcony 10 along the width direction W. The joists include a rear structural member 112 near the rear of the balcony 10, intermediate joists 114 disposed towards the front of the balcony 10 relative to the rear structural member 112, and a front structural member (not shown) spaced from a foremost one of the intermediate joists 116 (referred to herein as the foremost intermediate joist 116). The front structural member is discussed below with the portion of the balustrade that spans the front of the balcony. Each of the joists is formed of two panels that are joined together using a plate 150. In alternative embodiments, each joist 110 may be a continuous panel. Regardless, the joists are connected and spaced apart along the depth direction D of the balcony 10 by noggins 140. Each noggin 140 therefore extends along the depth direction D of the balcony 10 and is connected to the adjacent joists. Each joist and noggin 140 is formed by folding of sheet metal. As such, each joist provides an upward facing surface to which the decking is fixed and a downward facing surface to which the soffits are fixed, and each noggin 140 provides a forward and rearward facing surface where required to attach to adjacent joists. At the top and bottom of each noggin 140, plates (best shown in Figure 11) are provided to bridge to each adjacent noggin 140, through the joist therebetween, to provide additional support. Each noggin 140 further provides an upward facing surface and a downward facing surface. For the noggins 140 that project forward of the foremost intermediate joist, the front structural member (not shown) is fixed to the upward facing surface and the adjacent soffits are fixed to the downward facing surface. Each support arrangement 500 is fixed to the framework structure 101 at a respective lateral side. It can be seen that the load transfer member 510 is fixed to framework structure 101 of the base 100 near the rear of the balcony, at the respective lateral side. Each support arrangement has a cover 502 (see Fig. 10) which extends over the interior and exterior portion of the load transfer member 510 that extends above the base 100 to provide an improved appearance to the balcony. As will be discussed in more detail with reference to Figures 11 to 15, each support arrangement 500 is fixed to the rear structural member 112 and to a substructure that forms part of the base, in that the substructure is fixed to each intermediate joist 114. Figure 11 is a perspective view of a right-side of the framework structure 101 of the first embodiment, viewed from the rear and from the right-side. The lateral end of each intermediate joist 114 (including the foremost intermediate joist 116) has upper and lower slots 115 for receipt of the support arrangement, and more specifically the substructure of the support arrangement. Each slot extends substantially along the width direction of the balcony. The lateral end of the rearmost joist 112 is provided with a cutout 113 to allow the load transfer member (not shown in this drawing) to extend upwards from the base 110. Figure 12 is a perspective view of the support arrangement 500 near the right-side of the first embodiment, viewed from the rear and from the left-side. It can be seen that the load transfer member 510 is a substantially U-shaped beam that extends along the height direction of the balcony, with the cavity of the beam facing toward the centre of the balcony. It may be formed by folding of sheet metal and cut such that a rearmost flange 511 of the load transfer member has apertures therethrough for receipt of the support brackets fixed to the building. Brackets 513 for attaching the cover (not shown) of the support arrangement 500 thereto, and the fixing bracket 512 for securing the load transfer member 510 to the rear structural member, are attached to the rearmost flange 511 of the load transfer member 510. The latch mechanism 700 and locking mechanism 800 for attachment to respective building support brackets, once received through apertures 512 in load transfer member 510 are shown in more clearly, unobstructed for the rest of the balcony. These will be discussed in detail below. It can be seen in Figure 10 that these mechanisms are provided within the cavity of the load transfer member 510, in a position near the rear of the balcony for attachment with the support bracket fixed to the building. In alternative embodiments, the locking mechanism 800 may be provided in a portion of the base 100 rather than in the first load transfer member, providing it is positioned near the rear of the balcony for attachment to the respective support bracket fixed to the building. A foremost flange 515 of the load transfer member 510 is fixed to the substructure 550. More specifically, the load transfer member 510 is welded to the substructure 550 near the rear of the balcony. The substructure 550 is a substantially U-shaped beam that extends along the depth direction of the balcony, with the cavity of the beam facing toward the centre of the balcony. Upright plates 554 are welded to an interior of the cavity, between the flanges 552 of the substructure 500, for attachment of the substructure 550 to each intermediate joist of the framework structure. Each upright plate 554 has protrusions that extend through the substantially U-shaped substructure 550 to provide additional stability. Such protrusions may be provided between any plates that are welded together. An end plate 556 is welded to the substructure at the foremost end to provide an upright surface to which the front structural member of the framework structure is attached. Figures 13 to 15 show how the support arrangement 500 is fixed to the framework structure 100. Figure 13 is a perspective view of a rear, right-side portion of the first embodiment, viewed from the front and from the right-side, that shows how the support arrangement seen in Figure 12 is fixed to the framework structure seen in Figure 11. Figure 14 is a perspective view of the rear, right-side portion of first embodiment similar to Figure 13, with the substructure of the support arrangement omitted. It can be seen that flanges of the substructure 550 are received within the slots 115 of the intermediate joists 114 of the framework structure, such that the upright plates overlap with and are fixed to the intermediate joists. More specifically, the upright plates are bolted to the respective intermediate joist. It is therefore possible to form the support arrangement out of a high strength material that would not be weldable to the framework structure 101, for example where the framework structure 101 is made of aluminium. Figure 15 is a perspective view of the rear, right-side portion of the first embodiment, from the rear and from the left-side of the balcony, further showing part of the support arrangement shown in Figures 13 and 14 fixed to the framework structure. Here, it can be clearly seen how the bracket 514 fixed to the load transfer member 510 is riveted to the rear structural member 512 of the framework structure 101. As discussed above, each support arrangement 500 comprises a latch mechanism and a locking mechanism for attaching the balcony to the building. Different variations of latch and locking mechanism are detailed below. Any suitable alternatives for attaching the balcony to the building may be used, providing that at least the upper attachment is connected to the load transfer member and the balcony is attached to the building at two positions vertically spaced from each other. Preferably, both the upper and lower attachment are connected to the load transfer member. Figure 16 is a perspective view of the latch mechanism 700 of the first embodiment. Figure 17 is an orthographic view of the latch mechanism seen in Figure 16 engaged with the respective support bracket 60a fixed to the building. The latch mechanism 700 is fixed to an upper end of the load transfer member 510, adjacent the aperture 512 for receipt of the support bracket 60a fixed to the building. More specifically, the latch mechanism 700 comprises horizontal plates 702a, 702b that are welded into the cavity of the load transfer member 510. Once again, the horizontal plates have protrusions that extends into the first load transfer member to provide additional support to the welds. The upper horizontal plate 702a supports a post 704 that is adjustable to bear against a latch 706. The post 704 may therefore be lowered to apply a downward pressure on the latch 706 that ensures a secure connection between the latch and the support bracket 60a fixed to the building. The support bracket 60a illustrated, and as discussed in more detail above in relation to Figure 2, comprises an arcuate slot for receipt of and engagement with the latch 706. The latch 706 may engage with other support brackets 60a, for example the support bracket 60b shown in Figure 3. The lower horizontal plate 702b supports the latch 706. The latch 706 is fastened at each end, along the width direction of the balcony, to an arm 708. The latch 706 therefore extends along the width direction of the balcony. Each arm 708 is pivotably connected to a base 710 to allow rotation of the latch 706 about an axis of rotation A (which is horizontal to the width direction of the balcony) between an unlatched and a latched position. The base 710 is movably held within held within a frame 712 that is welded atop the lower horizontal plate 702b. That is, the base 710 is adjustable along the depth direction of the balcony to tighten the engagement between the latch 706 and the support bracket 60a fixed to the building. More specifically, a bolt 714 is provided to push the base 710 along the depth direction of the balcony, towards the front of the balcony. The bolt 714 is moved relative to a nut 715 that is encased within the frame 712. Before the balcony is attached to the building, i.e., the latch is engaged with the support bracket fixed to the building, a post 716 is provided in the frame 712 to hold the latch 706 (and corresponding arms 708) in a position in which the latch may engage with the support bracket 60a fixed to the building, that is, a position from which the latch may drop from the unlatched configuration to the latched configuration under gravity. Once in the latched configuration, the bolt 714 may be used to adjust the horizontal position of the base 710, and as such the horizontal position of the axis of rotation A, to tighten the engagement between the latch 706 and the support bracket 60a fixed to the building to securely attach the balcony to the building. Figure 18 is a perspective view of the locking mechanism 800 of the first embodiment. Figure 19 is an orthographic view of the locking mechanism 800 seen in Figure 18 engaged with the respective building support bracket 60b. The locking mechanism 800 is fixed to a lower end of the load transfer member 510, adjacent the substructure 550 welded to the load transfer member 510 and the aperture 512 in the load transfer member 510 for receipt of the support bracket 60b fixed to the building. More specifically, the locking mechanism 800 comprises horizontal plates 802a, 802b that are welded into the cavity of the load transfer member 510. The horizontal plates 802a, 802b are separated and connected by a pair of vertical plates 804a, 804b. It can be seen that these horizontal plates, vertical plates, and the substructure 550 have protrusions that extend into the member to which they are welded to provide additional support. It can also be seen that an aperture 821 is provided in a plate 820 welded to the bottom of the load transfer member 510. This provides access to the load transfer member 510, for drainage for example. The upper horizontal plate 802a supports a first locking element 806 and a second locking element 812 that engage with respective surfaces of the support bracket 60b fixed to the building. The support bracket 60b illustrated, and as discussed in more detail above in relation to Figure 3, comprises an upward-facing surface, a downward-facing surface and a forward-facing surface against which the locking mechanism 800 bears. The locking mechanism may therefore engage with other support brackets with such surfaces, for example the support bracket 60a and 60c shown in Figures 2 and 4. The support bracket 60b (or any alternative support bracket) with a rearward facing surface prevents disengagement between the locking mechanism, in combination with the other surfaces and the locking mechanism. The first locking element 806 is an L-shaped plate that bears against the downward- and the forwardfacing surfaces of the support bracket 60b fixed to the building. The L-shaped palate is fixed to an adjustable member 807. The adjustable member 807 is supported by the upper of the horizontal plates 802 with a mechanical fastener, such that the adjustable member 807 and the first locking element 806 is adjustable along the height direction of the balcony (i.e., the first locking element 806 is vertically adjustable). The adjustable member 807 is pivoted against a horizontal shaft 808 that is fixed to the lower horizontal plate 802b, such that the adjustable member 807 and the first locking element 806 are pivotable about the horizontal shaft. The pivoting may be controlled by a bolt 810a attached to one of the vertical plates 804b. Once pivoted to the desired angle, the member 807 may be fixed by a bolt 810b attached to the other of the vertical plates 804b. The second locking element 812 is supported by the upper horizontal plate 802a with a mechanical fastener, such that the second locking element 812 may bear against the upward-facing surface of the support bracket 80b fixed to the building. Figure 20 is a perspective view of another latch mechanism 700b for use with the first embodiment. Figure 21 is an orthographic view of the latch mechanism 700b seen in Figure 20 engaged with the respective building support bracket. The latch mechanism 700b of the support arrangement near the leftside of the balcony differs slightly from the latch mechanism 700 of the support arrangement near the right-side of the balcony. In an alternative embodiment, the latch mechanism used by each support arrangement may be the same. The features are identical or similar in function, except where explicitly mentioned. The latch mechanism 700b differs in that, instead of a vertically adjustable post, a bracket 704b is provided to prevent disengagement between the latch 706 and the support bracket 60a fixed to the building. The bracket 704b is installed after the latch mechanism 700 has engaged with the support bracket 60a fixed to the building, and circumscribes the support bracket 60a to prevent unwanted movement. Figure 22 is a perspective view of another locking mechanism 800b for use with the first embodiment. Figure 23 is an orthographic view of the locking mechanism 800b seen in Figure 22 engaged with the respective building support bracket. The locking mechanism 800b of the support arrangement near the left-side of the balcony differs slightly from the locking mechanism 800 of the support arrangement near the right-side of the balcony. In an alternative embodiment, the locking mechanism used by each support arrangement may be the same. The features are identical or similar in function, except where explicitly mentioned. The locking mechanism 800b differs in that the first locking member that bears against the downward- and forward-facing surfaces of the support bracket 60b to which the locking mechanism is attached is formed of two separate elements 830, 832 rather than an L-shaped plate. That is, a first element 830 is mechanically fastened to the upper horizontal plate 802a such that it may be adjusted in the vertical direction to bear against the downward-facing surface of the support bracket 60b fixed to the building. The first element 830 is formed from a box beam from which a bolt extends vertically, through the lower horizontal plate 802b to be fastened to the upper horizontal plate 802a. A second element 832 is bolted to the vertical plate 804c (there is only one vertical plate rather than two in Figures 21 and 22) such that the member 807 may be pivoted against the horizontal shaft 808 to bear against the forwardfacing surface of the support bracket 60b fixed to the building by adjustable of the bolt 810 fixed to the vertical plate 804c. As mentioned above, the balcony has an intermediate support bracket 600 to reduce deflection of the base 100. Figure 24 is a perspective view of the intermediate balcony support bracket of first embodiment. Figure 25 is an orthographic view of the intermediate balcony support bracket seen in Figure 24 engaged with the respective building support bracket. The intermediate support bracket 600 includes a horizontal element 602 that is configured to transfer load to the respective balcony support bracket 60c on which it is supported. That is, a downward facing surface of the horizontal element 602 bears down on an upward facing surface of the building support bracket 60c. As such, in other embodiments, alternative support brackets with an upward facing surface may be used - e.g., lower building support bracket 60b. An aperture 117 is formed in the rear structural member 112 of the framework structure to receive the balcony support bracket 60c when the balcony is attached to the building. The horizontal element 602 is supported at each end by a threaded fastener 604. The horizontal element 602 is therefore adjustable in the height direction H of the balcony. Each threaded fastener 604 is fixed in an upright position by a nut 606 that is held in place. The horizontal element 602 therefore moves as the threaded fastener 604 is rotated. Each nut 606 is held in place by a pair of folded metal plates 608, 610 that are mechanically fastened to the rear structural member 112. The folded metal plates 608, 610 further provide a protective cover around at least a portion of the perimeter of the threaded fastener. This may prevent a construction worker trapping their finger between the threaded fastener 604 and the rear structural member 112 when adjusting the height of the horizontal element 602. As mentioned above, the balcony has a balustrade supported by the base that extends above the base, around the perimeter of the balcony to provide a guard barrier to prevent a user form accidentally falling from the balcony. The balustrade is formed of lateral balustrade modules (one at each lateral end, adjacent the respective support arrangement) and a front balustrade module that are fixed to the framework structure. Figure 26 is a perspective view of the lateral balustrade module 400a of the first embodiment. Figure 27 is a perspective view of a lower portion of the front balustrade module 400b of the first embodiment. Figure 28 is a perspective view of front, right-side portion of the first embodiment, viewed from the rear and from the left-side of the balcony, with the decking omitted, that shows the lateral and front balustrade modules fixed together with the support arrangement and the framework structure of the balcony 101. In the present embodiment, the balustrade is a railing balustrade formed of vertical bars 410 that support the handrail 420. The modules are further fixed to each other using connectors 425 concealed in the handrail 420. It will be understood that other types of balustrade, such as a glass panel balustrade, may be used instead. The balustrade modules are similar in that each balustrade module comprises an upper member (430a, 430b), a fascia panel (440a, 440b), and a lower member (450a, 450b) that are fixed together and fixed to each of the vertical bars 410 that are positioned along the respective side of the balcony. Each upper member spans the respective side of the balcony and is fixed to the upward-facing surface of the framework structure 101. For the lateral modules 400a, the upper member 430a is fixed to the intermediate joists and the frontal structural member 130 (which is the upper member 430b of the front module 400b). The upper member 430b of the front module 400b is fixed to the upward-facing surface of the noggins at the front of the balcony and the upward-facing surface of the support arrangement (i.e., of the end plate 556 of the substructure 550). The fasteners used to connect the decking to the upward-facing surface of the joists are shown in Figure 28. The balustrade modules differ in that a rear portion of the upper member 430a of the lateral module 400a is folded to allow the support arrangement (and specifically, the load transfer member) to extend upwards from the base. Furthermore, the lower member 450a of the front module is folded to envelop the soffits when they extend forward of the vertical bars 410. This allows rainwater to drain out of the front of the balcony, away from the face of the building to which the balcony is attached. Due to the relatively large span of the balcony, the upper member 430b, fascia panel 440b and the lower member 450b of the front module 400b are formed of multiple panels. For this reason, the fascia panel 440b must be joined with a connecting panel 460. The fascia panel 440b acts as a connecting panel for each of the upper and lower members. Referring back to Figure 6, when the balustrade 400 is connected to the base 100, it extends around the perimeter of the balcony along the front and lateral sides. It extends over the support arrangements 500 to provide a uniform external appearance to the balcony. This does however require the support arrangements 500 (and the load transfer member) to be positioned internally of the balustrade 400. A second embodiment of the present invention will now be discussed with reference to Figures 29 to 33, in which the support arrangements are formed into the balustrade to reduce the bulkiness of the sides of the balcony. Here, the support arrangement includes faux vertical bars 415 so that the external appearance of the balustrade is similar to that of the first embodiment. Features that are not discussed should be considered identical to that of the first embodiment. Figure 29 is a perspective view of a lateral balustrade module 400c of the second embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the rear and from the left-side of the balcony to show the interior side of the balustrade module. Figure 30 is another perspective view of the lateral balustrade module 400c of Figure 29, viewed from the rear and from the right-side of the balcony to show the exterior of the balustrade module. Figure 31 is an orthogonal view of the lateral balustrade module of Figure 30, viewed from the right-side of the balcony to show the exterior of the balustrade module, with the faux balustrade bars and support bracket covers omitted to show the load transfer member 510 of the second embodiment. It can be seen that the load transfer member 510 of the second embodiment has a height of about 98% of the overall height of the balcony and extends for about 17% of the depth of the balcony. It will be noted that the lower member (not visible) of the front balustrade module does not extend past the vertical bars 410 because the soffits do not extend past the vertical bars. It can be seen that the latch mechanism 700c and the locking mechanism 800c are different from those of the first embodiment. The support arrangement of the second embodiment will be discussed with reference to Figures 32 and 33. Figure 32 is a perspective view of the latch mechanism 700c of the second embodiment, from the rear and from the left-side of the balcony. Figure 33 is a perspective view of the locking mechanism 800c of the second embodiment, from the rear and from the left-side of the balcony. In both of these figures, the covers of the support arrangement have been omitted. It can be seen that the load transfer member 510 is still a substantially U-shaped beam that extends along the height direction of the balcony. In contrast to the first embodiment, the cavity of the beam is facing away the centre of the balcony to allow the faux vertical bars 415 to be installed flush with the balustrade. As a result, the latch mechanism 700c and locking mechanism 800c are provided in laminated structures on the load transfer member rather than within the cavity of the load transfer member 510. The latch mechanism 700c works in substantially the same way as described with respect to the latch mechanisms 700a, 700b of the earlier embodiment, apart from the post to hold the latch 706 (and corresponding arms 708) in a position in which the latch may engage with the support bracket fixed to the building is omitted. Instead, the latch 706 may rest against an edge 716b of the load transfer member before attachment to the building. The locking mechanism 800 works in substantially the same way as described with respect to the locking mechanism 800b of the earlier embodiment, except that because of the laminated structure, the second element 832 of the first locking element 830 (i.e., the locking element that bears against an upward-facing surface of the support bracket fixed to the building) and second locking element 812 (i.e., the locking element that bears against a forward-facing surface of the support bracket fixed to the building) are each provided as a bolt fastened with a respective nut 840 embedded in the laminated structure. The laminated structure provides a cavity for the bolts to be moveable, to adjust the locking elements in the horizontal and vertical directions respectively. The support bracket could be any one of the support brackets shown in Figures 2 to 4, as they have an upward-facing surface and a forward-facing surface that the locking elements may bear against. In alternative embodiments, a further nut may be encased in the laminated structure to provide an upstanding bolt to bear against a downward-facing surface of the support bracket fixed to the building. Thus, a secure attachment may be provided instead of the locking mechanism 800 just taking load from the balcony to the building. Advantageously, the laminated structure of the locking mechanism 800c allows an array of bolts to secure the load transfer member 510 to the substructure 550. As seen in Figure 33, in the second embodiment, the substructure 550 is extended and fixed to the upper member 430a and lower member 450a of the lateral balustrade module 400c. The support arrangement and balustrade are therefore both fixed to the upward-facing surface of the framework structure, rather than the substructure being received in the slots 115 in the lateral ends of the intermediate joists (as shown in Figure 10). There is also no need for substructure to have upright plates for attachment to the framework structure 100, nor is a rear portion of the upper member 430a to be folded to allow the load transfer member 510 to extend upwards from the base, as in the first embodiment. The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or in the following claims, or in the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for obtaining the disclosed results, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof. While the invention has been described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments described above, many equivalent modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art when given this disclosure. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments of the invention set forth above are considered to be illustrative and not limiting. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For the avoidance of any doubt, any theoretical explanations provided herein are provided for the purposes of improving the understanding of a reader. The inventors do not wish to be bound by any of these theoretical explanations. Any section headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the subject matter described. Throughout this specification, including the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word “comprise” and “include”, and variations such as “comprises”, “comprising”, and “including” will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps. It must be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value, and / or to “about” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and / or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by the use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment. The term “about” in relation to a numerical value is optional and means for example + / -10%.

Claims

:

1. A balcony for attachment to a building, the balcony having a depth direction perpendicular to a5 face of the building to which the balcony is to be attached, a width direction perpendicular to the depth direction and parallel to the face of the building, and a height direction perpendicular to the depth direction and width direction and oriented substantially vertically when the balcony is attached to the building, the balcony comprising:a base;10 a balustrade connected to the base and extending around at least part of a perimeter of thebalcony;a first load transfer member connected to the base and extending upwardly from the base in the height direction, the base being cantilevered from the first load transfer member;a first lower balcony support bracket for attachment to a first lower building support bracket; and15 a first upper balcony support bracket for attachment to a first upper building support bracket, thefirst upper balcony support bracket connected to the first load transfer member and spaced from the first lower balcony support bracket along the height direction of the balcony; andwherein the first load transfer member is formed from a single integral piece of sheet metal, and wherein the first load transfer member extends for a depth which is not more than half the depth of the20 balcony.

2. The balcony of claim 1, wherein the depth that the first load transfer member extends is not more than 20% of the depth of the balcony.25 3. The balcony of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a height of the first load transfer member issubstantially equal to the overall height of the balcony.

4. The balcony of any preceding claim, wherein the first load transfer member, the first lower balcony support bracket, and the first upper balcony support bracket are provided at a first lateral side of 30 the balcony in the width direction.

5. The balcony of claim 4, the balcony comprising:a second load transfer member connected to the base and extending upwardly from the base in the height direction, the base being cantilevered from the second load transfer member;35 a second lower balcony support bracket for attachment to a second lower building supportbracket; anda second upper balcony support bracket for attachment to a second upper building support bracket, the second upper balcony support bracket connected to the second load transfer member and spaced from the second lower balcony support bracket along the height direction of the balcony;wherein the second load transfer member extends for a depth which is not more than half the depth of the balcony.

6. The balcony of claim 5, wherein the second load transfer member, the second lower balcony5 support bracket, and the second upper balcony support bracket are provided at a second lateral side of the balcony in the width direction, the second lateral side being opposite to the first lateral side.

7. The balcony of claim 6 further comprising an intermediate balcony support bracket for engagement with a respective building support bracket, to further support the base, wherein the10 intermediate lower balcony support bracket is positioned intermediate the first load transfer member and the second load transfer member along the width direction of the balcony.

8. The balcony of any preceding claim, wherein each load transfer member is fixed to a substructure that extends along the depth direction of the balcony and forms part of the base.

159. The balcony of any preceding claim, wherein each upper balcony support bracket comprises a latch that is configured to engage with the respective upper building support bracket to securely attach the balcony to the building.20 10. The balcony of claim 9, wherein the latch is pivotably coupled to the balcony and is configured tomove from an unlatched configuration to a latched configuration by the balcony being moved into a mounted position.

11. The balcony of any preceding claim, wherein each lower balcony support bracket respectively25 comprises at least two locking elements that bear against the respective lower building support bracket.

12. A method of attaching a balcony to a building, the building comprising a first lower support bracket and a first upper support bracket, the balcony having a depth direction perpendicular to a face of the building, a width direction perpendicular to the depth direction and parallel to the face of the building, 30 and a height direction perpendicular to the depth direction and width direction and oriented substantially vertically when the balcony is attached to the building, the balcony comprising: a base; a balustrade connected to the base and extending around at least part of a perimeter of the balcony; a first load transfer member connected to the base and extending upwardly from the base in the height direction, the base being cantilevered from the first load transfer member; a first lower balcony support bracket for35 attachment to the first lower building support bracket; and a first upper balcony support bracket for attachment to the first upper building support bracket, the first upper balcony support bracket connected to the first load transfer member and spaced from the first lower balcony support bracket along the height direction of the balcony; wherein the first load transfer member is formed from a single integral piece of sheet metal, and wherein the first load transfer member extends for a depth which is not more than half 40 the depth of the balcony,the method including the steps of:lifting the balcony towards the building;attaching the first upper balcony support bracket to the first upper building support bracket; and attaching the first lower balcony support bracket to the first lower building support bracket.

513. A building with at least one balcony attached to the building, the building having a first lower support bracket and a first upper support bracket, the balcony having a depth direction perpendicular to a face of the building, a width direction perpendicular to the depth direction and parallel to the face, and a height direction perpendicular to the depth direction and width direction and oriented substantially10 vertically, the balcony comprising: a base; a balustrade connected to the base and extending around at least part of a perimeter of the balcony; a first load transfer member connected to the base and extending upwardly from the base in the height direction, the base being cantilevered from the first load transfer member; a first lower balcony support bracket attached to the first lower building support bracket; and a first upper balcony support bracket attached to the first upper building support bracket, the first upper15 balcony support bracket connected to the first load transfer member and spaced from the first lower balcony support bracket along the height direction of the balcony; wherein the first load transfer member is formed from a single integral piece of sheet metal, and wherein the first load transfer member extends for a depth which is not more than half the depth of the balcony.

Images