| DE9112961U1 | 1993-02-11 | |||
| DE29507600U1 | 1995-07-27 | |||
| FR2625244A1 | 1989-06-30 | |||
| US4688761A | 1987-08-25 | |||
| US6018916A | 2000-02-01 |
| 1. | Device for use in installation of elements such as windows and doors, particularly where the element is temporarily fixed in the relevant opening by means of wedges and subsequently finally secured by means of fastening bolts/screws, characterised by consisting of several, preferably two, coacting wedges and designed, wedged together, to form a fixed spacer between the frame of the element and the opening without protruding beyond the face of the frame, the first of which wedges (1), called the"main wedge", incorporates a longitudinal slot (8) that begins at the thick end of the wedge and is designed to coact with the fastening bolt/screw (3), the width of said slot at its closed end being such that the main wedge when fully home is held in position by the fastening bolt/screw, and where the other wedge (2), called the"insertion wedge", has a corresponding longitudinal slot (9), beginning at its thin end and having a width that permits the wedge to be inserted in position around the fastening bolt/screw. |
| 2. | Device in accordance with Claim 1, characterised by the slot in the main wedge widening (7) at the front end so as to facilitate the locating of the main wedge around the fastening bolt/screw. |
| 3. | Device in accordance with Claim 2, characterised by the slot in the main wedge having a width that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the fastening bolt/screw, causing the main wedge to grip the bolt/screw tightly, and the slot (9) in the insertion wedge having a slightly greater width. |
| 4. | Device in accordance with Claim 1, characterised by there being one insertion wedge. |
| 5. | Device in accordance with Claim 1, characterised by the main wedge being provided with guides (4), which maintain the mutual positions of the main wedge and the insertion wedge during rotation. |
| 6. | Device in accordance with Claim 1, characterised by the parallel edges (5) of the main wedge and the insertion wedge being chamfered in order to facilitate rotation of the spacer wedge assembly. |
| 7. | Device in accordance with Claims 16, characterised by the main wedge having a small, preferably circular, raised area (8) in the vicinity of the closed end of the slot on the surface facing away from the insertion wedge. |
Area of application The spacer wedge is used in the installation of building elements etc. such as windows and doors.
The prior art Various techniques are used today for the installation of windows and doors. The window is fixed temporarily in the correct position by means of wedges (wooden or plastic).
Either of two methods (and there may be others) is used for the final fixing of the window: Cellular material infilling-or bolt/screw fixing.
When the infilling method is used, the wedges used for the installation will be in the way of the subsequent making good. The infilling must therefore be carried out as several operations, which is impractical and time-consuming.
When the bolt/screw fixing method is used, the plastic or wooden wedges will similarly be in the way of the subsequent making good. The part that protrudes beyond the frame must be cut off, after which the wedges are knocked in to below the level of the frame while at the same time being turned through 90° (so as not to protrude on the other side).
Alternatively, spacer blocks are made on site from wood or other material.
The technical problem There are several problems connected with the known method. It is difficult to avoid the wedges being in the way of the subsequent making good.
In practice the two surfaces-that of the window element and that of the walling-are not parallel. A cut-off wedge (i. e. cut off so that it does not protrude) no longer fits when it is forced into the cavity between the non-parallel surfaces. Either the wedge is too tight, or it is too loose and, if the distance is too great, drops down.
Another problem is that when the wedges are being tapped in, the window is easily dislodged from the position in which it has been temporarily fixed, so that the process of temporarily fixing the window in the correct position has to be begun again.
The task often requires two persons, as it is necessary to work both on the inside and on the outside simultaneously.
The invention The idea behind the new spacer wedge is to use the window fastening bolts/screws to hold the wedge in place during installation, and also to use these bolts/screws as rotation axes for the subsequent rotation of the spacer wedge into position in the cavity between the window element and the walling.
The window/door is put into the correct position in the usual way using traditional plastic or wooden wedges. Holes are drilled for the fastening bolts/screws in the frame and the walling, and the fastening bolts/screws are screwed in loosely.
The spacer wedge consists of two co-acting wedges-a main wedge (1) and an insertion wedge (2). See drawing.
The main wedge is provided with a slot in its thick end, the slot widening at its front end to facilitate the positioning of the main wedge around the fastening bolt/screw. At the other end, the width of the slot is slightly smaller than the diameter of the fastening bolt/screw, which causes the main wedge to grip tightly round the bolt/screw. The main wedge is introduced at a right angle into the narrow space between the walling and the frame where the bolt/screw has been installed. When the bolt/screw has been located in the slot, the main wedge is pressed home. The squeeze fit between the bolt/screw and the main wedge causes the main wedge to remain in the position in which it is left.
Now the insertion wedge is introduced-see drawing-and is pressed as far in as is possible using minimum force. The outer surfaces of the wedges will be parallel and can be steplessly adjusted so that a perfect fit is obtained. The use of tools or strength is not required-all that is needed is to fill the space between the two surfaces perfectly.
The spacer wedge is now turned 90° in relation to the introduction angle using the fastening bolt/screw as rotation axis. The spacer wedge thereby vanishes into the cavity between the window element and the walling, and will no longer be in the way of subsequent insulation and making good.
The fastening bolt/screw is then tightened in its final position.
The inclination of the two wedges is so small that the wedges will always be self-locking, i. e. it is impossible that the wedges move subsequently in relation to each other.
Technical avantages The locating aperture/slot in the main wedge serves three purposes. Firstly, the wide opening at the front end of the slot will help locate the wedge on the bolt/screw. Secondly, the slot has been dimensioned to grip the fastening bolt/screw in a"squeeze fit". Thirdly, the slot terminates in a hole ("half hole") which functions as a bearing when the wedge is rotated through 90° so as not to protrude beyond the face of the frame. This construction ensures that a fixed spacer is installed in the appropriate place-namely around the fastening screw-which has parallel outer surfaces with a large area, which, due to the ribbed construction (see drawing), can take the forces from the fastening bolt/screw, and which can be adjusted steplessly without hammering, which could affect the temporary fixing of the window/door.
The main wedge is provided with guides on both, see drawing. This serves two purposes- facilitating the insertion of the insertion wedge, and retaining the position of the two wedges in relation to each other when they are being finally rotated into position through 90°. To help the rotation, the edges of the parallel surfaces are rounded, and a small circular, raised area is provided on the outer face of the main wedge (the side facing away from the insertion wedge) in the vicinity of the closed end of the slot.
The spacer wedge is easily fitted by one person from one side.