System Components Isolator Channel: High impact plastic channel 15/16" across the bottom, 2-1/2" long and 3" deep. This channel has a 1/2" wide slot that slides over the bottom edge of the glass panel. The top of the slot is slightly undersize allowing the channel to hold position when placed on the glass edge. Aluminum Wedge: High strength aluminum wedge 3-1/2" long with a matching groove for chisel and specially configured side cuts to allow removal with GlassWedge™ Systems removal tools Heavy Aluminum Shoe: GR2850H Aluminum extrusion 4" high x 2-1/2" wide. This is a high tolerance extrusion that has been manufactured for and load tested with the other GlassWedge™ Systems components. The shoe is supplied in stock lengths with pre-drilled countersunk holes at 12" on center for 1/2", high strength, flat head, cap screws.

GlassWedge™ GR9500 Patent Pending The GlassWedge™ is made up of two components -- a plastic isolator and an aluminum wedge. They are sold as a set in packages of three. By agreement with the manufacturer, the GlassWedge™ can only be sold as part of a system that includes the GR2850H, pre-drilled shoe moulding.

GlassWedge™ Systems Installation instructions

View article that appeared in June 2003 issue of US Glass Magazine

1. The Aluminum Shoe Moulding GR2850H must be installed using 1/2" high strength cap screws. The use of high strength flat head caps screws leaves 50 percent more aluminum to support the bolt head and assures a smooth flat bottom in the shoe with no protrusions to come in contact with glass or isolators. Most important!!! On all multi-panel railings, the mounted shoe should be adjusted, if required, to assure it is plumb to +/- 1/8" at an extended height of 42". Spend the time required to plumb the shoe to this tolerance since the glass will only be as plumb as the shoe. There are methods to deal with outof-plumb shoes, but they will require extra time.
2. Locate cap screws as follows:
   1. Lengths less than 1'-6", two cap screw minimum
   2. Lengths between 1'-6" and 2'-6", three cap screw minimum
   3. Lengths over 2'-6", space cap screws 12" on center
   4. The first hole should be located 3" from the end of the shoe moulding on lengths less than 2'-6" and 6" from the end on lengths over 2'-6"
   5. Please note that if you purchase the shoe moulding pre-drilled, additional or new holes may be required
3. The attachment of the shoe moulding to the structure is critical. You must have embeds, support angles, or other structures that have been designed to handle the required loads. GlassWedge™ Systems will not perform as tested if the structure that it is attached to cannot handle the required loads. We cannot and will not take any responsibility for the strength of embeds, support angles, the structure you are attaching to, or the method you choose to make this attachment.
4. Installation of the glass panels:
   1. Clear the shoe moulding interior of all debris.
   2. Slip the plastic isolators on the bottom of the glass panel
   3. Spaced plastic isolators 24" on center maximum, or 3 for a 48" glass panel. Exact spacing is not necessary.
   4. Insert the glass with the isolators into the shoe moulding channel. The isolator, while not tight fit in the shoe, fills most of the 1" wide opening and will keep the glass in near vertical position until locked into place.Check alignment and make spacing adjustments if required. Blocking can be added if one corner of the panel is low.
   5. GlassWedge™ Systems are self-centering and self-plumbing and the glass will follow the alignment of your shoe moulding. It is critical that the shoe moulding was installed plumb to +/- 1/8" at 42" extended
   6. When satisfied with the spacing and top height alignment for a group of panels, the locking operation can begin.
   7. Insert the aluminum wedge -- thinner side down -- between the tapered side of the isolator and the shoe moulding wall. The wedge is 1" wider then the isolator and should be centered by eye. If not centered, the removal tool will not have the clearance to lock on properly.
   8. Place the blade of the special chisel into the slot on top of the aluminum wedge and drive into place using an 18 oz. or heavier hammer.
   9. The first blows will drive the wedge 80 or 90 percent of the way to lock. Several additional blows will result in full locking and a very solid feel with no additional movement. Normally the wedge will lock just above or below the top of the shoe wall step, which is around 3/8" below the very top of the shoe. Glass varies in thickness slightly, so the system has been designed to handle most variations.
   10. Driving the wedges takes only seconds and when they are all driven into place, the panels are locked.
   11. If you need to remove a panel, the GlassWedge™ Systems allows you to do so in minutes with our removal tool. The panel will not be damage and it can be reused. Please note that the removal process may cause damage to the plastic isolator making it unusable for a reinstall .
   12. Once all wedges are removed on a panel you can lift out the glass. The wedges and the glass can be reused if required.
   13. Methods and material for sealing between the glass and the shoe are at installer's option. One option is to use a backer rod (i.e. Denver Foam®) and then caulk with a sealant.
   14. With exterior applications, provide weep holes to prevent water build up in shoe void. Freezing water could cause glass breakage or other damage

GlassWedge™ Systems has been tested and certified -- test results are available -- however your local or project requirements could require the railings you want to install to handle loads in excess of those for which GlassWedge™ Systems has been tested. Therefore it is the responsibility of the purchaser to determine if the test results and the performance data on are in compliance with project requirements.

A qualified Structural Engineer must review the complete performance requirements including GlassWedge™ Systems test results. The engineer must then review the attachment and certify that the GlassWedge™ Systems as tested, the embeds, support angles or other structure are of sufficient strength to handle the loads as required by the specification and all applicable building codes or the requirements of any other governing body. If you select the heavy weld blocks, which are bolted to the shoe and then welded to building structure, you must have the Structural Engineer review and verify the size of the weld required at each block and the ability of your welders to achieve the results required. Consideration should be taken for access to the required weld area and the qualifications of the welders who may have to the place welds.

GlassWedge™ Systems as tested included 1/2" high strength flat head cap screws at 12" on center bolted through the shoe to 1/2" x 2-1/2" x 3" heavy weld blocks which were welded to qualified structure by qualified welders. The tested panels included 4'-0" glass panels with four flat head cap screws for attachment and 1'-6" panels with two flat head cap screws for attachment. If you purchase Heavy Aluminum Shoe without holes you must use the exact method and spacing as described above or the test data will not be valid. The use of socket head cap screws or other bolts is prohibited.

We have been building and installing similar heavy extruded aluminum shoe type railing for almost forty years. In the past we have found under certain conditions socket head cap screws will, and can, punch through the bottom of the shoe. These conditions include, but are not limited to, counter bore drilled a little too deep, small panels that only have two fasteners, heavily overloaded railings. The weakest point on a properly installed 4-foot or wider glass panel with proper support structure is the metal under the screw or bolt head. While not an issue at all with the flat head cap screw or the socket head if properly installed, over boring for socket heads could cause failure. If any field applications should require purchaser or installer or any one else to add additional attachment points that person must follow and use same attachment methods as outlined above. In no case is it acceptable to substitute or change the attachment method. The bolts must be the high strength flat head cap screws and they must be installed through appropriate countersunk holes in the bottom of the heavy shoe extrusion. Socket head cap screws, standard grade bolts, alternate attachment methods or hardware, have not been tested on and cannot be used with this system. Alternate methods of anchoring that do not include 1/2" high strength flat cap screws at 12 inch on center maximum spacing installed through appropriate countersunk holes on the interior bottom surface of the shoe have not been tested and therefore cannot be authorized to be used with the GlassWedge™ Systems.

If you have a project that requires an alternate method of attachment, please contact a structural engineer to determine the proper attachment.