Fire-retardant glazing

A fire-retardant glazing arrangement comprising:

• a frame for supporting a pane of glass having opposite surfaces, the frame including a frame channel with depending first and second beams spaced from one another and having spaced opposed surfaces defining a channel therebetween with a first bevel in the channel extending at an acute angle with respect to the pane;
• a pair of gaskets disposed between the opposed surfaces defining the channel and opposite surfaces of the pane;
• movable wedge means disposed between one of the gaskets and the first bevel for exerting pressure against the one gasket to help hold the pane against the other gasket and thus clamp the pane in the channel between the opposed surfaces, the wedge means including a second bevel in engagement with and extending at an interface therewith at a wedge angle which is substantially parallel to the first bevel;
• and
• thermally sensitive biasing means disposed in the channel and urging the wedge means in a direction parallel to the surfaces of the pane upon the application of heat to provide a pressure medium which increases clamping forces on the pane upon the occurrence of fire.