AU2005227425B2

AU2005227425B2 - Lightweight Simulated Brick Panel

Info

Publication number: AU2005227425B2
Application number: AU2005227425A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Chan Wiryakusuma
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-10-29
Filing date: 2005-10-31
Publication date: 2011-11-10
Anticipated expiration: 2025-10-31
Also published as: AU2005227425A1

Abstract

- 30 A prefabricated, interlocking and lightweight simulated brick panel comprising a foundation and a facade; said facade formed so as to present the appearance and texture 5 of a conventionally-laid brick surface; said foundation distinguished by an array of voids extending through said foundation from a first edge of said panel to an opposite second edge so as to lighten significantly said panel; whereupon a plurality of said panels are fitted such that 10 by an interlocking system of toothed end formation so as to form a continuous simulated brick facade.

Description

P/00/009 Regulation 3.10 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Invention Title; LIGHTWEIGHT SIMULATED BRICK PANEL The invention is described in the following statement, including the best method of performing it known to us: Our Reft 052036 -2 LIGHTWEIGHT SIMULATED BRICK PANEL The present invention relates to prefabricated building components and, more particularly, to preformed wall or paving fabrication systems. 5 BACKGROUND Masonry brick walls have been used in domestic buildings, community buildings and commercial buildings for hundreds of years. More recently, walls simulating a masonry brick appearance have also gained considerable 10 acceptance. Already in the market, are a number of products that offeri-ng masonry facing for pre-existing. walls. Most of these are attached to a vertical surface of a wall by fasteners or suitable adhesive. These products generally need to be made on site, therefore requiring a relatively 15 large flat surface acting as a support on which to fabricate them. Such a generally large surface may not be available or adequate on site. Pre-cast products, are generally of heavy construction, complicated to manufacture, incurring significant transport costs and 20 therefore relatively expensive. Known in the art is GB1432584 - A.A Thornton & Co / David Vale - 1976. Method and Means for building Construction. This invention specifically relates to a method and means for domestic dwelling with expectancy on 25 advancement in speed and economy on the building construction. The invention is a forming of non-structural - 3 wall panel consist of three main layers, the internal layer, the core layer and the external layer which comprises blocks of discs that are adhered to the backing sheet to simulate the regular "brick wall pattern" and or 5 the irregular one. Therefore, on site, this wall panel is built of minimum 4 different building products that individually "pre-manufactured". This invention of non-structural panel is installed on site within the timber studs and wall plates or timber wall 10 frames structure. The invention involves intensive on-site works in constructing the panel especially the time and labour consume to construct the regular or irregular conventional "brick pattern" of the blocks/discs that adhered to the 15 backed sheet one by one. Known in the art is US4644719 (Salazar - 1987) for a Decorative Wall Panel. This invention specifically relates to materials and techniques for making decorative wall panels, which can be applied to a variety of wall 20 structures. These relatively thin decorative wall panels are made on site and comprise a continuous base layer of cementations materials and a patterned layer bonded to the surface of the base layer. The installation of the panels is by attachment to a pre-existing wall structure by 25 fasteners. Disadvantages "onsite fabrication" is specified above on lines 64, 65 & 66. Another disadvantage of such -4 thin panels is that they cannot be self supporting or load bearing. Nor can they offer the thermal property advantages of a conventional brick wall. US4183188 (Goldsby - 1980) discloses a Simulated Brick 5 Panel Composition and Method. This invention again relates to a pre-cast decorative building panel simulating a brick wall. This invention is to produce a panel having plurality of metal reinforcement members moulded within panel. Installation of the panels is to a pre-existing vertical 10 surface, for example by driving nails through the panels. Thus these panels likewise cannot be considered self supporting or load bearing. US 3304673 (Ramoneda - 1967) discloses a Simulated Brick structure. The invention relates to precast wall 15 sections. The sections comprise 3 separate panels, a front panel, core panel and inner panel. The front panel comprises 2 layers; a base layer and simulated brick face layer. The construction is relatively complex and requires several different mould configurations to cater 20 respectively for flat wall sections, corners and joiner elements. The individual panels are clearly very heavy and would require heavy lifting equipment to raise and position them. It is an object of the present invention to address or 25 ameliorate some of the above disadvantages.

-5 Note The term "comprising" (and grammatical variations thereof) is used in this specification in the inclusive sense of "having" or "including", and not in the exclusive 5 sense of "consisting only of". BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION Accordingly, in a first broad form of the invention, there is provided a prefabricated, interlocking lightweight 10 simulated brick panel including a foundation and a facade; said facade formed so as to present the appearance and texture of a laid brick surface; said foundation provided with an array of voids extending through said foundation from a first edge of said panel to an opposite second edge. 15 Preferably, said facade comprises a plurality of courses of brick shaped formations projecting from said foundation. Preferably, said brick shaped formations are of a 20 depth and length equivalent to the depth and length of standard building bricks. Preferably, combined thickness of said foundation and said facade are equivalent to thickness of a conventional laid brick wall.

-6 Preferably, said courses and said brick shaped formations are separated by pointing; dimensions of said pointing equivalent to dimensions of pointing of a standard laid brick wall. 5 Preferably, alternate courses are horizontally offset one to another by one half of one brick shaped formation. Preferably, horizontal offset of said courses provides at least one end portion of said panel with a toothed formation; said toothed formation adapted for interlocking 10 of adjoining ones of said panel so as to form a desired length of simulated brick panel. Preferably, said panel may be formed with one said toothed formation at each of a first end and a second opposite end of said panel. 15 Preferably, said panel may be formed with one said toothed formation at a first end and a straight edge at a second end of said panel. Preferably, said voids are adapted to reduce the weight of said panel. 20 Preferably, said voids are adapted to accept structural reinforcing elements throughout.

Preferably, said reinforcing elements comprise concrete poured into said voids after erection of said panels to form a wall. Preferably, said reinforcing elements comprise a 5 combination of concrete and steel reinforcing rods. Preferably, said voids are adapted to accept load bearing elements throughout. Preferably, said foundation is moulded of a lightweight concrete material. 10 Preferably, said pointing comprises a layer of suitably coloured material bonded to a surface of said foundation. Preferably, said brick-shaped formations are moulded of a powdered clay-fired brick material bonded to said 15 layer. Preferably, said brick-shaped formations are moulded of a lightweight concrete material. Preferably, one said panel is joined to an adjoining said panel by a suitable bonding agent. 20 Preferably, selected panel configurations are moulded in selected moulds.

Preferably, said selected moulds comprise sets of moulds; each set of moulds of said set of moulds comprising a foundation mould and a facade mould. Preferably, said sets of moulds include at least 5 (a) a set for moulding a panel with toothed formations at- each end of said panel, (b) a set for moulding a panel having a toothed formation at one end only of said panel, (c) a set for moulding a panel having straight edges 10 at each end of said panel. Preferably, said foundation mould comprises a tray provided with raised side and end portions of a depth equal to the thickness of said base portion. Preferably, a said foundation mould may be provided 15 with blocking elements at each end of said tray to provide said toothed formation at each end of said panel. Preferably, said foundation mould may be provided with blocking elements at one end of said tray to provide said toothed formation at one end only of said panel. 20 Preferably, any said foundation mould may be provided with blocking elements to reduce in number said brick- - 9 shaped formations in at least one said course of said panel. Preferably, any said foundation mould may be provided with blocking elements to reduce in number said courses of 5 said panel. Preferably, said facade mould comprises a grid; said grid conforming to jointings between said courses and brick-shaped formations of a said panel. Preferably, said grid is formed of rectangular 10 sections; said grid so located relative upper edges of said raised edges of said tray of a said foundation mould so as to allow a layer of jointing material to flow between a surface defined by said upper edges and undersides of said rectangular sections. 15 Preferably, open spaces defined by said grid conform to said brick-shaped formations. In a further broad form of the invention there is provided a method for moulding the said simulated brick panels comprising the steps of: 20 (a) determining panels required for a predetermined area, (b) arranging said moulds for said foundation of said panels on a supporting surface, - 10 (c) filling said moulds for said foundation with a suitable foundation material, (d) arranging said moulds for said facade in registration with each of said moulds for said 5 foundation, (e) filling said mould for said facade with a layer of said jointing material to a first level, (f) filling openings in a grid forming said mould with a simulated brick material. 10 Preferably, said determining of said panels required for walls of said building include the steps of: (a) representing each wall of said building in a CAD package, (b) dividing each wall of said building into 15 sections comprising whole numbers of courses and whole numbers of brick-shaped formations, (c) determining moulds and mould configurations suitable for each of said sections. In still a further broad form of the invention, there 20 is provided a lightweight simulated brick panel including a foundation and a facade; said facade formed so as to present the appearance of a laid brick wall; said - 11 foundation provided with an array of voids extending through said foundation from a first edge to an opposite second edge so as to lighten said panel; and wherein adjoining ones of said panel are provided with a toothed 5 end formation adapted for interlocking of said adjoining ones of said panel so as to form a continuous simulated brick facade. 10 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a front elevation view of a preferred 15 embodiment of a simulated brick panel section according to the invention, Figure 2 shows a rear view, plan view and end and sectioned views of the panel of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a perspective view of the panel of Figures 20 1 and 2, Figure 4 is a perspective view showing two of the panels of Figures 1 and 2 assembled together vertically, Figure 5 is a perspective view showing two of the panels of Figures 1 and 2 assembled together horizontally, 25 Figure 6 is a perspective view of two of the panels of Figures 1 and 2 assembled to form a right angled corner, - 12 Figure 7 shows various views of a fagade mould for casting a first part of the panels of Figures 1 and 2, Figure 8 shows various views of a facing mould for casting a second part of the panels of Figures 1 and 2, 5 Figure 9 is an elevation view of the design of an exemplary facade of a building to which the brick panels of the invention are to be applied, Figure 10 shows the facade of Figure 9 divided into a number of sections, 10 Figure 11 shows one of the sections of Figure 10 overlaid with a number of standard panel templates and one truncated panel template, Figure 12 shows further examples of the sections of Figure 10 overlaid with panel templates, 15 Figure 13 is a plan view of an array of moulds comprising the sections of Figure 10 prepared on a manufacturing bench ready for moulding. 20 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMNTS With reference to Figures 1 to 3, and as best seen in Figures 2 and 3, a simulated brick wall panel 10 forms a structural element of the brick wall construction system of the present invention. Panel 10 comprises a combination of 25 foundation 12 and facade 14. Foundation 12 is dimensioned and configured to simulate a number of courses of a section - 13 of brick wall, for example, eight courses of eight brick each; each course 16 being made up of a number of simulated bricks 18 formed in facade 14. The depth "A" and length "B" of individual bricks 18 5 are equal to the equivalent dimensions of conventional bricks. Likewise, the combined thickness "C" of foundation 12 and facade 14 is equal to the thickness of a conventional laid brick wall. As best seen in Figure 2, the rear or inward facing surface 26 of wall panel 10 is flat. 10 Furthermore, the thickness and pointing of the simulated mortar jointing 20 between courses 16 and bricks 18 is equal to that used in conventional brickwork so that in all respects the dimensions and configuration of the panel 10 corresponds to an equivalent section of a 15 conventionally laid brick wall having that number of courses and bricks per course. As can be seen in Figures 1 to 3 the bricks 18 of successive courses 16 are offset by half their length "B", again as in a conventional brick wall. Thus the first end 20 22 and second end 24 form a "toothed" arrangement. Every second course is one brick shorter than the preceding course so that with an even number of courses, of the two courses forming the uppermost course 22 and lowermost course 24, one will be one brick longer than the other. 25 Thus, by inverting alternate panels, successive panels may be placed one on top of the other as in Figure 4, or end to - 14 end to form a desired length of wall with the toothed ends interlocking as shown in Figure 5. The toothed arrangement at the ends of panel 10 also allow for two panels to be fitted together to form a corner of a building (as shown in 5 Figure 6). Panels may also be formed with either a toothed formation at one end only, or with straight edges at both ends as more particularly described below. With reference again to Figures 2 and 3, a feature of the construction of foundation 12 is the provision of an 10 array of continuous vertical hollows or voids 28 arranged at intervals along the length of the panel 10. These may be of any desired shape, for example elliptical, but in any case are formed so as to not weaken panel 10 significantly while greatly reducing the weight of the panel. A further 15 function of the voids 28 is that they may, subsequent to the erection of an assembly of panels, be filled with concrete, optionally with reinforcing rods. The voids 28 may in addition be used to house supporting structures, such as steel columns (not shown), 20 to render the wall assembly load bearing in those embodiments of the panels where the material used in their construction is not inherently load bearing. The panel of the present invention are manufactured by means of first and second moulds for the foundation 12 and 25 facade 14 respectively. Three types or sets of corresponding foundation and facade moulds are envisaged; a - 15 first set providing for toothed formations at both ends of a panel, a second set providing a toothed formation at one end only, and a third set with even edges at both ends. In addition to the standard size trays, ancillary 5 blocking elements (not shown) in the form of either a straight element or a toothed blocking element are provide, which may be positioned in a tray to shorten the length of panel to be produced from that of a standard panel. Blocking elements are also provided to enable the number of 10 courses to be reduced from that of a standard tray. This allows for the height of walls to any desired number of courses. With reference now to Figure 7a, a facade mould 30 of the first type, comprises a generally rectangular tray 32 15 bounded by raised sides of height equal to the thickness of foundation 12, that is to dimension "C" less the thickness of facade 14. At each end of the tray 32 are closed or blocked sections 34 corresponding to the toothed arrangement of panel 10 described above. Of these, the two 20 outer blocked sections 34a and 34b at first end 36 and blocked sections 34c and 34d at second end 38 are provided with holes 40 adapted to provide registration for the second mould defining the grid pattern of jointing 20.

- 16 As shown in Figure 7b, the long sides 42 and 44 of tray 32, are provided with locating holes 46 adapted to locate and support cores 48 during the filling of the mould for creating the voids 28 of panel 10. 5 A second mould 50 is provided to form the pattern of jointing and brick faces of the facade 14 of panel 10. With reference to Figure 8, mould 50 comprises an interconnected grid of rectangular sections 51 (as can be seen in the enlargement of Figure 8a) defining the horizontal and 10 vertical jointing 20 (Figures 1 and 3) between courses and bricks. The extent of the grid and the blocked section 52 correspond to the extent and blocked sections of the foundation mould 32 described above. Blocked sections 52a and 52b at first end 54 and blocked sections 52c and 52d at 15 second end 56, are provided with downwardly projecting nipples 58 for engagement with holes 40 provided in the corresponding blocked sections of foundation mould 32. As can be seen from the enlargement of Figure 8a, the sections 51 of the grid defining the jointing between 20 courses and bricks are raised some little distance above the periphery 60 of the mould when place over the foundation 26. This allows jointing material 62 representing the jointing 20 to flow under these sections. The open areas 64 may then be filled with brick simulating 25 material 66.

- 17 Design and Manufacture Preferably, panels are produced at a manufacturing facility prior to transporting to and erection at a building site. The manufacturing process is as follows: 5 Stage 1. Design With reference to Figure 9, a facade 100 of a building 110 to be constructed making use of the panels of the invention, is assessed for locations of openings, making adjustment to arrange for lengths and heights to correspond 10 to even numbers of bricks and courses. The facade 100 is then divided into sections as shown in Figure 10 and labelled for identification for both the manufacturing phase and ultimate on-site erection. Each section is further divided into a number of standard panels 15 and, where required a shorter end panel. The design process is most conveniently carried out by means of a computer aided design (CAD) package, which readily allows the facade design to be rendered at 1:1 scale. This may then be superimposed by previously prepared standard brick 20 patterned mould templates. This may then be identified by a reference code for position. Additionally, the code may reference a particular colour and/or brick texture.

-- 18 - An example of this division into mould panels is shown in Figure 11 where the lower section of the facade "RA" of Figure 10 has been divided into panels RAl to RAID, with RA 10 a shorter than standard panel. 5 Figure 12 shows a similar process for determining the arrangement of moulds for producing the sections RB and RC of Figure 10. Thus all sections of a facade are prepared at the design stage so that the appropriate mould configurations can be used. 10 The finished drawing them becomes the "work sheet drawing" and print-outs of the design may then be used for both the manufacturing process and erection on site. Each moulded panel is provided during the mould process with an identifying batch and location code. 15 Stage 2. Manufacture Depending on the facilities available, trays may be filled individually, or arranged in large arrays for greater efficiency. Figure 13 shows a preferred manufacturing arrangement where a large surface area, or 20 workbench 120 is adapted to arrange an array of trays for moulding. The bench is provided with fixed guide elements 122 and 124 along one end and one side respectively, and with adjustable guide elements 126 and 128 to retain moulds 130 in position.

- 19 The required number of standard foundation moulds are positioned on the bench and such blocking elements as indicated on the work sheet drawing placed in position. Preferably, moulds are prepared prior to moulding with a 5 spray-on release agent or lined with thin plastic sheeting to aid in the removal of moulded panels. Foundation 26 is moulded from a lightweight concrete or similar material. The foundation moulds are first filled with this material, screed to a uniform flat surface and 10 allowed to harden. The facade moulds are then positioned over the foundations, locating each in the holes 40 of the foundation trays to ensure proper registration. The material, also a lightweight concrete or similar, suitably coloured to represent the jointing between the 15 bricks, is then poured into the facing mould to the level of the underside of the grid of rectangular sections 51 as described above. If required, the surface of the foundation layer may be prepared with a suitable bonding agent prior to pouring the jointing layer. 20 Finally, when the jointing layer has sufficiently hardened, the brick shaped openings of the facade mould are filled with a brick simulating mixture to the tops of the grid of rectangular sections. This mixture may be composed of a coarse brick powder in a suitable bonding matrix.

- 20 When the facing layer has properly hardened, the facade moulds are removed, the panels extracted from the trays and core formers removed. The panels may then be transported to the building site for erection. 5 Erection on Site Erection on site is greatly simplified when compared to the erection of conventional laid brickwork. Following the directions of the work sheet drawing, panels may be 10 handled by two workers and placed into position on previously prepared footings or concrete slab. Individual panels are bonded together by means of suitable bonding agents or a strip adhesive such as for example the prefabrication bonding compound MBC. 15 Strip adhesive such as the Bonding compound MBC is applied to all edge surfaces of foundations of panels where two panels connect, that is both along the upper horizontal edge surface of a lower panel and the lower horizontal edge surface of the next higher panel as well as the surfaces of 20 the toothed formations. Where appropriate, voided 28 may be prepared with reinforcing and filled with concrete to aid in locking 21 vertically adjoining panels together or to provide load bearing strength. It will be appreciated that the wall design, manufacturing and erection processes of the present 5 invention offer significant savings in both the amount and skill of labour required, and moreover provide significant on-site cost and time savings. Other cost savings and advantages provided by the panels of the present invention is that for walls of 10 buildings, smaller lintels or no lintels for windows and doors are required. As well, there is no requirement for cleaning after erection as is invariably the case with laid brick walls. Although the above description is with reference to 15 the use of the invention for walls of a building, it will be appreciated that the panels may equally be used for fencing, retaining walls and the like. Furthermore, the panels may be laid horizontally to form paved areas. The above describes only some embodiments of the 20 present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A prefabricated, interlocking and lightweight simulated brick panel comprising a foundation and a facade; said facade formed so as to present the 5 appearance and texture of a conventionally-laid brick surface; said foundation distinguished by an array of voids extending through said foundation from a first edge of said panel to an opposite second edge so as to lighten significantly said panel; whereupon a 10 plurality of said panels are fitted such that by an interlocking system of toothed end formation so as to form a continuous simulated brick facade.

2. The panel of claim 1 wherein said facade comprises a plurality of courses of brick shaped formations 15 projecting from said foundation.

3. The panel of claim 1 or 2 wherein said brick shaped formations are of a depth and length equivalent to the depth and length of standard building bricks.

4. The panel of any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein combined 20 thickness of said foundation and said facade are equivalent to thickness of a conventional laid brick wall. - 23 5. The panel of any one of claims 2 to 3 wherein said courses and said brick shaped formations are separated by pointing; dimensions of said pointing equivalent to dimensions of pointing of a standard brick wall.

5

6. The panel of any one of claims 2 to 3 wherein alternate courses are horizontally offset one to another by one half of one brick shaped formation.

7. The panel of any one of claims 2,5,6 wherein horizontal offset of said courses provides at least 10 one end portion of said panel with a toothed formation; said toothed formation adapted for interlocking of adjoining ones of said panel so as to form a desired length of simulated brick panel.

8. The panel of claim 7 wherein said panel may be formed 15 with one said toothed formation at each of a first end and a second opposite end of said panel.

9. The panel of claim 7 wherein said panel may be formed with one said toothed formation at a first end and a straight edge at a second end of said panel. 20

10. The panel of any one of claims I to 9 wherein said voids are adapted to reduce the weight of said panel. - 24

11. The panel of any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein said voids are adapted to accept structural reinforcing elements throughout.

12. The panel of claim 11 wherein said reinforcing 5 elements comprise concrete poured into said voids after erection of said panels to form a wall.

13. The panel of claim 11 wherein said reinforcing elements comprise a combination of concrete and steel reinforcing rods. 10

14. The panel of any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein said voids are adapted to accept load bearing elements throughout.

15. The panel of any one of claims I to 14 wherein said foundation is moulded of a lightweight concrete is material.

16. The panel of claim 5 wherein said pointing comprises a layer of suitably coloured material bonded to a surface of said foundation.

17. The panel of claim 16 wherein said brick-shaped 20 formations are moulded of a powdered clay-fired brick material bonded to said layer. -25

18. The panel of claim 16 wherein said brick-shaped formations are moulded of a lightweight concrete material.

19. The panel of any one of claims 1 to 18 wherein one 5 said panel is joined to an adjoining said panel by a suitable bonding agent.

20. The panel of any one of claims 2 to 19 wherein selected panel configurations are moulded in selected moulds. 10

21. The panel of claim 20 wherein said selected moulds comprise sets of moulds; each set of moulds of said set of moulds comprising a foundation mould and a facade mould.

22. The panel of claim 21 wherein said sets of moulds 15 include at least (a) a set for moulding a panel with toothed formatione at each end of said panel, (b) a set for moulding a panel having a toothed formation at one end only of said panel, 20 (c) a set for moulding a panel having straight edges at each end of said panel. - 26

23. The panel of claim 21 or 22 wherein said foundation mould comprises a tray provided with raised side and end portions of a depth equal to the thickness of said base portion. 5

24. The panel of any one of claims 22 to 23 wherein a said foundation mould may be provided with blocking elements at each end of said tray to provide said toothed formation at each end of said panel.

25. The panel of any one of claims 22 to 23 wherein said 10 foundation mould may be provided with blocking elements at one end of said tray to provide said toothed formation at one end only of said panel.

26. The panel of any one of claims 21 to 25 wherein any said foundation mould may be provided with blocking 15 elements to reduce in number said brick-shaped formations in at least one said course of said panel.

27. The panel of any one of claims 21 to 26 wherein any said foundation mould may be provided with blocking elements to reduce in number said courses of said 20 panel.

28. The panel of claim 21 wherein said facade mould comprises a grid; said grid conforming to jointings - 27 between said courses and said brick-shaped formations of a said panel.

29. The panel of claim 28 wherein said grid is formed of rectangular sections; said grid so located relative 5 upper edges of said raised edges of said tray of a said foundation mould so as to allow a layer of jointing material to flow between a surface defined by said upper edges and undersides of said rectangular sections. 10

30. The panel of claim 28 or 29 wherein open spaces defined by said grid conform to said brick-shaped formations.

31. A method for moulding the simulated brick panels of any one of claims 19 to 30 said method comprising the 15 steps of: (a) determining panels required for a predetermined area, (b) arranging said moulds for said foundations of said panels on a supporting surface, 20 (c) filling said moulds for said foundations with a suitable foundation material, -28 (d) arranging said moulds for said facade in registration with each of said moulds for said foundation, (e) filling said mould for said facade with a layer 5 of said jointing material to a first level, (f) filling openings in a grid forming said mould with a simulated brick material.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein said determining of said panels required for walls of said building 10 include the steps of: (a) representing each wall of said building in a CAD package, (b) dividing each wall of said building into sections comprising whole numbers of courses 15 and whole numbers of brick-shaped formation, (c) determining moulds and mould configurations suitable for each of said sections.

33. A prefabricated, interlocking and lightweight simulated brick panel including a foundation and a 20 facade; said facade formed so as to present the appearance of a laid brick wall; said foundation distinguished by an array of voids extending through said foundation from a first edge to an opposite SCL -29 second edge so as to lighten significantly said panel; whereupon a plurality of said panels are fitted such that by an interlocking system of a toothed end formation so as to form a continuous 5 simulated brick facade.

34. A prefabricated, interlocking and lightweight simulated brick panel as herein described and with reference to accompanying drawings. 10