METHOD OF INSTALLING A BALCONY, AND DEVICE FOR THE SAME

Abstract

A method of securing a balcony to a façade of a building, an activatable balcony fixing, a balcony, and a kit. The method comprising the steps of: aligning the balcony with a projection of the façade, such that an activatable balcony fixing including a shaft, attached to the balcony, is aligned with a socket in the projection; driving the shaft through the socket in the projection, thereby securing the balcony to the façade; and locking the balcony to the façade through one or more further fixings, wherein the shaft and/or the socket in the projection are configured so as to provide tapering engagement between the shaft and the socket.

Claims

1. A method of securing a balcony to a façade of a building using an activatable balcony fixing including a shaft, the method having the steps of: aligning the balcony with a projection of the façade, such that the activatable balcony fixing including a shaft, attached to the balcony, is aligned with a socket in the projection; driving the shaft through the socket in the projection, thereby securing the balcony to the façade; and locking the balcony to the façade through one or more further fixings, wherein the shaft and/or the socket in the projection are configured so as to provide tapering engagement between the shaft and the socket.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the activatable balcony fixing is remotely activatable.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the shaft is driven through the socket via an actuator.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the actuator is powered by either electricity or hydraulics or pneumatics

5. The method of claim 1, including the step, after securing the balcony to the facade through the one or more further fixings, of removing the activatable balcony fixing from the balcony.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the balcony includes a joining plate, to which the activatable balcony fixing is mounted, and which is positioned so as to overlap a portion of the projection of the façade when the balcony is aligned with the projection.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the joining plate includes a socket, and wherein aligning the balcony with the projection includes aligning the socket of the joining plate with the socket of the projection, and wherein the shaft is driven through the socket of the joining plate and the socket of the projection.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the balcony includes a second activatable balcony fixing including a shaft, which is attached to the balcony at a point distal to the first activatable balcony fixing.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein aligning the balcony includes aligning the second activatable balcony fixing with a second socket in the projection or a second projection, and the method includes driving the shaft of the second activatable balcony fixing through the second socket, wherein the shaft of the second activatable balcony fixing and/or the second socket are configured so as to provide tapering engagement between the shaft of the second activatable balcony fixing and the second socket.

10-15. (canceled)

16. A balcony configured to be secured to a façade of a building, the balcony comprising: a support beam, suitable for securing to a projection of the façade; a joining plate, suitable for bridging a gap between the support beam and the projection, when the balcony is aligned with the projection; and an activatable balcony fixing, mounted to the joining plate, and configured to drive a shaft through a socket of the projection, to thereby secure the balcony to the projection of the façade, wherein the shaft and/or the socket in the projection are configured so as to provide tapering engagement between the shaft and the socket.

17. The balcony of claim 16, wherein the activatable balcony fixing is remotely activatable.

18. The balcony of claim 16, wherein the activatable balcony fixing includes an actuator, configured to drive the tapered shaft through the socket.

19. The balcony of claim 18, wherein the actuator is powered by either electricity or hydraulics or pneumatics.

20. The balcony of claim 16, wherein the joining plate includes a socket, and the activatable balcony fixing is configured to drive the shaft through the socket in the joining plate when securing the balcony to the projection of the façade.

21. The balcony of claim 16, further comprising: a second support beam, suitable for securing to the projection or another projection of the façade; a second joining plate, suitable for bridging a gap between the second support beam and the projection when the balcony is aligned with the projection; and a second activatable balcony fixing, mounted to the second joining plate, and configured to drive a second shaft through a second socket of the projection, thereby securing the balcony to the projection of the façade, wherein the second shaft and/or the second socket in the projection are configured so as to provide tapering engagement between the second shaft and the second socket.

22. A kit for securing a balcony to a façade of a building, the kit comprising: a balcony, the balcony including a support beam suitable for securing to a projection of the façade, and a joining plate suitable for bridging a gap between the support beam and the projection, when the balcony is aligned with the projection; and an activatable balcony fixing, mountable to the joining plate, and configured to drive a shaft through a socket of the projection, to thereby secure the balcony to the projection of the façade, wherein the shaft and/or the socket in the projection are configured so as to provide tapering engagement between the shaft and the socket.

23. The kit of claim 22, wherein the balcony is as set out in claim 16.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0055] Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0056] FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional schematic view of a balcony including an activatable balcony fixing;

[0057] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional schematic view of a projection, protruding from a façade of a building;

[0058] FIGS. 3A and 3B show, respectively, two steps of a method of fixing a balcony to façade of a building;

[0059] FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional schematic view of a balcony fixed to a façade of a building, viewed from the building looking out; and

[0060] FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional top-down schematic view of a balcony fixed to a façade of a building.

[0061] FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional schematic view of a balcony including an activatable balcony fixing

[0062] FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional schematic view of a balcony including an activatable balcony fixing

DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND FURTHER OPTIONAL FEATURES

[0063] 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.

[0064] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional schematic view of a balcony including an activatable balcony fixing 110. The balcony includes a support beam 101, for example an I-beam or rolled steel joist (RSJ) formed of galvanised steel, at one end of which are located one or more fittings 103. The fittings connect the support beam to a joining plate 102, on which is fitted the activatable balcony fixing 110. As will be appreciated, the activatable balcony fixing may be directly attached to the support beam 101, i.e. not via joining plate 102—in other words, the joining plate 102 is not an essential feature.

[0065] The activatable balcony fixing 110 broadly comprises an actuator 104 and a tapered shaft 105. The actuator 104 is operable so as to move the tapered shaft 105 relative to the support beam 101 of the balcony. In this example, the joining plate 102 includes a socket 106 wide enough to allow the passage of the tapered shaft 105. In other examples, the joining plate 102 may not extend as far from the support beam 101 as a portion of the tapered shaft 105 which is closest to the support beam 101. The end of the support beam 101 may be bevelled, i.e. at an angle relative to the extension of the tapered shaft. This angle may be greater than 0° but less than 2°. In some examples, this angle is around 1.6°. This bevelling allows for a degree of tolerance when fixing the balcony to the façade.

[0066] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional schematic view of a projection 210, protruding from the façade 201 of a building. The projection 210 is affixed to the façade via one or more fixings 203. In this example, the projection 210 comprises a stub 202, which is formed of a relatively short length of I-beam or RSJ. The projection or stub is generally shorter in length that the support beam 101 of the balcony to which it is to be secured. The projection 210 includes at least one socket 204, which may generally correspond in dimensions to the socket 106 of the joining plate. The fixings 203 may be, for example, one or more threaded metal rods sunk into concrete making up the façade of the building. The stub 202 can then be fitted to these protruding rods through one or more bolts.

[0067] FIG. 3A shows a first step of a method of attaching the balcony of FIG. 1 to the projection of FIG. 2. Here, the balcony is lifted (for example, via crane) into a position wherein the tapered shaft 105 is generally aligned with the socket 204 of the projection. This can be achieved by bringing the joining plate 102 into an overlapping position with an upper surface of the stub 202. In this example, due to their being an additional socket 106 in the joining plate 102, this means that both sockets are aligned. The balcony is then supported by the crane and retained in this position.

[0068] Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 3B, the actuator 104 is activated and the tapered shaft 105 descends through sockets 106 and 204 thereby fixing the support beam 101 of the balcony to the stub 202. The tapered nature of the shaft ensures that the fixing can be achieved when the initial alignment is not exact. As discussed previously, the actuator may be operated remotely such that the risk of trapped hands or fingers during fitting is minimised if not negated entirely. It will of course be appreciated that the aperture in the socket 106 is optional, in that the joining plate 102 may be configured to not extend over the socket 204 in the stub 202. In such examples, the tapered shaft 105 descents only through the socket 204 in stub 202.

[0069] After the step shown in FIG. 3B, operators can safely permanently secure the balcony to the façade through one or more further fixings. During this, the balcony is retained to the façade by the tapered shaft 105.

[0070] FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional schematic view of a balcony fixed to a façade of a building, viewed from the building looking out. Like features are indicated by like reference numerals. Here the engagement between the stub 202 and the tapered shaft 105 can be better seen, as well as the positioning of the joining plate 102 relative to the stub. Also shown in this figure is cable 401, which connects to actuator 104 and thereby (in this example) facilitates the remote operation of the actuator. Finally, decking or upper panelling 402 can be seen, which will form the upper surface of the balcony when installed. A gap may exist in the upper panelling 402 to allow the operation of the activatable balcony fixing. Once the fixing has been removed, this gap is preferably filled in such that the upper surface of the balcony is generally smooth and uninterrupted.

[0071] FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional top-down schematic view of a balcony fixed to a façade of a building. Like features are indicated by like reference numerals. Here the joining plate 102 can be better seen as spanning the gap between the support beam 101 and the stub 202.

[0072] FIG. 6 shows an alternative projection 610, protruding from the façade 601 of a building. The projection 610 is affixed to the façade via one or more fixings 603. In this example, the projection 610 comprises a stub 602, which is formed of a relatively short length of I-beam or RSJ. The projection 610 includes at least one socket 604. Here, the socket 604 is tapered, i.e. it decreases in diameter along the depth of the socket. In this way, the socket in the projection is configured so as to provide tapering engagement between the shaft and the socket. By the action of driving a shaft through the socket of the projection the balcony will be further aligned with the projection.

[0073] FIGS. 7A and 7B show cross-sectional schematic views of balconies including activatable balcony fixings 710, 711. These are substantially similar to the activatable balcony fixing 110 described in relation to FIG. 1, except that the shaft 705 is not a tapered shaft. The shaft is a straight shaft (optionally also referred to as a rod). Furthermore, the joining plate includes a socket 706a, 706b having a tapered portion to thereby allow for tapering engagement between the shaft and the joining plate. In FIG. 7A, the entire socket is tapered in a depth direction. In the arrangement shown in FIG. 7B, the socket comprises an upstanding tapered guiding part.

[0074] 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.