Glass block panel anchor and reinforcing system
A reinforcing segment and anchor system for glass blocks which includes a plastic panel anchor having a perimeter wall engaging portion end for attachment to a perimeter wall and an elongated portion with retaining clips at right angles to said perimeter wall engaging portion, a plastic reinforcing segment having rails on each side for slidable insertion between the elongated portion and the retaining clips, the reinforcing segment being dimensioned to fit between rows of the glass blocks in conjunction with spacers that space the glass blocks apart with a predetermined gap.
The present invention relates to a panel anchor system for glass block walls, which is installed during the construction of the glass block wall.
BACKGROUND Glass block walls are gaining increasing acceptance both as feature walls and for use in providing walls for other purposes. For example, prisons are now using glass block walls so that guards can see that inmates are on the other side without seeing clear images of the inmates. Unlike brick walls, glass block walls must be supported from the perimeter structure around the wall. For glass block walls that use mortar, the conventional support as seen in
In order to eliminate this problem, suppliers began making the panel anchors out of stainless steel. However, stainless steel panel anchors are expensive and increase the cost of materials significantly. In any event, the panel anchors are only part of the problem. The reinforcing rods must also be made of stainless steel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccording to the invention there is provided a reinforcing segment and panel anchor system for glass blocks, which includes a plastic panel anchor having an injection molded 90° first end attachable to a perimeter frame and a second end rigidly attached and perpendicular to the first end having a plurality of openings along its length to permit passage of mortar.
Preferably. a first elongated plastic reinforcing segment is engageable with the plastic panel anchor being dimensioned to fit between rows of the glass blocks in combination with a spacer and to provide resistance to forces applied laterally to the glass blocks.
The reinforcing segment has a clasp at one end and a clasp connector at an opposite end so that a clasp end of one of the reinforcing segments may be inserted into and locked to a clasp connector end of another of the reinforcing segments.
The panel anchor and the reinforcing segment each have a series of holes along their length to permit the passage and bonding therethrough of mortar during construction. The panel anchor is also capable of accepting traditional wire reinforcing.
In another aspect of the invention there is provided a first plastic reinforcing segment having connectors operative to rigidly connect to another reinforcing segment, the reinforcing segment having openings along its length to permit passage and subsequent bonding of mortar and being dimensioned to fit between rows of the glass blocks in conjunction with spacers.
The reinforcing segment may have a clasp at one end and a clasp connector at an opposite end so that a clasp end of one of the reinforcing segments may be inserted into and locked to a clasp connector end of another of the reinforcing segments.
Advantageously, the plastic is any polymer, but the preferred polymer is a member of the olefin family, namely, glass filled polypropylene.
In yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a first plastic reinforcing segment having a plurality of clips spaced apart along its length on either side thereof, the reinforcing segment trip having openings along its length to permit passage and bonding of mortar and being dimensioned to fit between rows of the glass blocks. A second plastic reinforcing segment is snugly slidably insertable into the first plastic reinforcing segment through a space between said clips and a top surface of the first reinforcing segment, said second reinforcing segment having openings along its length to permit passage and bonding of mortar and being dimensioned to fit between rows of the glass blocks.
The retainer clips may be L-shaped with a base of the L's on one side spaced upwardly from a top surface of the first plastic reinforcing segment and facing the base of the L's on an opposite side.
The first plastic reinforcing segment may have a plurality of spaced apart abutments on an underside thereof dimensioned to provide a space for the mortar.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSFurther features and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description, given by way of example, of a preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
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Panel anchors 10 are used in every second or third row of glass blocks 30. First a layer of mortar is laid down over the perimeter side of the glass blocks. Next, the panel anchor 10 is positioned at either end of a row on top of the glass blocks 30 along the center thereof with a few reinforcing segments 22 attached. The panel anchors 10 are screwed into the perimeter of the window opening and the remaining reinforcing segments 22 inserted. Finally, the entire structure is coated with a second coating of mortar and another row of glass blocks is laid on top. Reinforcing segments 22 are used along with panel anchors 10 every second or third row of the glass blocks 30.
Another variant of the invention is shown in
In a further variant of the invention shown in
The use of plastic reinforcing segments and panel anchors provides a number of advantages. Firstly, there is no corrosion problem as with conventional galvanized steel. Secondly, several polymers have a very low coefficient of expansion and do not tend to crack the mortar after it has set. The plastic panel anchor is very rigid and imparts greater strength against forces applied laterally to a glass block wall. While reinforced polypropylene is particularly well-suited for this application, any polymer would work. However, all of the foregoing materials are preferably reinforced with glass fibres or other suitable reinforcing material.
Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A reinforcing system for a glass block wall, comprising:
- a plastic panel anchor having a first end attachable to a perimeter frame and a second end rigidly attached and perpendicular to said first end, said second end having a plurality of openings along its length to permit passage and bonding of mortar.
2. A system according to claim 1, including a first elongated plastic reinforcing segment engageable with said plastic panel anchor being dimensioned to fit between rows of said glass blocks in combination with a spacer and to provide resistance to forces applied laterally to said glass blocks.
3. A system according to claim 2, wherein said first reinforcing segment has a clasp at one end and a clasp connector at an opposite end and said panel anchor has one of a clasp and a clasp connector so that a clasp end of one of said first reinforcing segments and said panel anchor may be engaged and locked together.
4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said first reinforcing segment has a series of holes along its length to permit the passage therethrough of mortar during construction.
5. A system according to claim 2, wherein said panel anchor has a plurality of retainer clips spaced apart along a length of said panel anchor on either side thereof.
6. A system according to claim 5, wherein said retainer clips are L-shaped projections.
7. A system according to claim 6 wherein said first reinforcing segment is snugly, slidably received within said retainer clips.
8. A system according to claim 1, wherein said plastic is an injection moldable polymer.
9. A system according to claim 8, wherein said polymer is reinforced.
10. A system according to claim 2, wherein said clasp includes a pair of arms projecting forwardly from an end of one of a panel anchor or reinforcing segment and having shoulders at a distal end of said arms on outside edge surfaces thereof and said clasp connector includes laterally spaced abutments on another of said panel anchors or said reinforcing segments slidably contacting and pressing said arms closer together as said panel anchor and said reinforcing segment moves together until fully engaged at which point said arms spring outwardly and said shoulders engage said abutments to lock said panel anchor and said reinforcing segment together.
11. A system according to claim 1, including a second reinforcing segment having a plurality of retainer clips extending upwardly from a top surface thereof and snugly slidably receiving said first reinforcing segment.
12. A system according to claim 1, wherein said panel anchor and said second reinforcing segment have abutments spaced along their length of a thickness equal to a desired gap to facilitate the correct thickness of mortar below the panel anchor.
13. A system according to claim 1, wherein said first and second reinforcing segments have openings along their length to permit passage and bonding of mortar during construction of said glass block wall.
14. A system according to claim 1, including a corner piece having two reinforcing segments joined at an angle, said two reinforcing segments slidably engageable with ends of said first reinforcing segment.
15. A system according to claim 14, wherein one of said two reinforcing segments has a clasp and another a clasp connector.
16. A reinforcing system for a glass block wall, comprising:
- a first plastic reinforcing segment having connectors operative to rigidly connect to another reinforcing segment, said first reinforcing segment having openings along its length to permit passage and bonding of mortar and being dimensioned to fit between rows of said glass blocks in conjunction with spacers.
17. A system according to claim 16, wherein said first and second reinforcing segments have a clasp at one end and a clasp connector at an opposite end so that a clasp end of one of said first reinforcing segments may be inserted into and locked to a clasp connector end of another of one of said first and second reinforcing segments.
18. A system according to claim 16, wherein said first reinforcing segment has a plurality of retainer clips spaced apart along its length on either side thereof.
19. A system according to claim 18, including a second reinforcing segment slidably insertable into the retainer clips of said first reinforcing segment.
20. A system according to claim 16, wherein said plastic is an injection moldable polymer.
21. A system according to claim 20, wherein said polymer is reinforced.
22. A system according to claim 16, wherein said plastic is polypropylene.
23. A reinforcing system for a glass block wall, comprising:
- a first plastic reinforcing segment having a plurality of clips spaced apart along its length on either side thereof, and being dimensioned to fit between rows of said glass blocks; and
- a second plastic reinforcing segment snugly slidably insertable into said first plastic reinforcing segment through a space between said clips and a top surface of said first reinforcing segment, said second reinforcing segment and said first reinforcing segment when engaged being dimensioned to fit between rows of said glass blocks.
24. A system according to claim 23, wherein said retainer clips are L-shaped with a base of the L's on one side spaced upwardly from a top surface of said first plastic reinforcing segment and facing the base of the L's on an opposite side.
25. A system according to claim 23, wherein said first plastic reinforcing segment has a plurality of spaced apart abutments on an underside thereof spaced along its length dimensioned to provide space for the mortar.
26. A system according to claim 23, wherein said reinforcing segments have openings along their length to permit passage and bonding of mortar.
27. A system according to claim 23, wherein said plastic is an injection moldable polymer.
28. A system according to claim 27, wherein said polymer is reinforced.
Type: Application
Filed: May 9, 2005
Publication Date: Dec 7, 2006
Inventors: John Friesen (Vancouver), Matthew Friesen (South Surrey)
Application Number: 10/908,347
International Classification: E04C 1/42 (20060101);