AU2015271993A1 - Apparatus and Method for Mounting Building Panels to the Framework Assembly of a Wall Structure - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract An apparatus, and method of using the apparatus, for fastening a plurality of building panels to a frame assembly of a wall structure. The apparatus includes at least one base member, which is adapted to be secured to the frame assembly of the wall structure and one or more elongate members for mounting the building panels thereon. Each of the elongate mounting members are adjustably positionable with respect to the base member. In use, the position of each of the elongate mounting members is adjusted relative to both the frame assembly of the wall structure and the ground. When in a desired position, each of the elongate mounting members is securely fixed to the base member, such that one or more building panels can be mounted" to each of the one or more elongate members, thereby forming a substantially flush external wall surface.

Description

Apparatus and Method for Mounting Building Panels to the Framework Assembly of a Wall Structure TECHNICAL FIELD 5 The present invention relates to an apparatus for supporting building panels from the framework assembly of a wall structure and a method of cladding at least a portion of a wall structure using the apparatus and a plurality of building panels. 10 BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION In Australia, there are two basic methods of building homes. The first and most common is the framed construction method, traditionally used for brick veneer over a timber frame. The second is the solid, or load bearing construction method, generally used for double brick or block homes. 15 The present invention relates particularly to the framed construction method, though it may also be used to clad a load bearing wall. With the framed construction method, a load bearing skeleton, 20 typically of timber or steel, is assembled to provide the frame for the building. The frame is then provided with roofing and cladding to provide weather resistance. The cladding can be formed of a number of materials including timber, fibreboard, sheet metal, stone, brick veneer, and concrete panels. Usually, several sheets or panels of cladding will be required to 25 cover a single wall. The construction of conventional walls, either by the framed construction method or by the load bearing construction method is typically slow and labour-intensive as well as requiring a high degree of skill and workmanship. Any failure in the workmanship may result in unevenness in the wall surface, and can lead to a wall surface that is not flush or smooth. In the construction of conventional walls, any variation in the wall 5 frame will need to be accounted for in order to avoid a wall surface that deviates from a substantially flush or smooth finish. Typically, this is achieved by tedious efforts at straightening the wall frame itself and/or packing the space behind the building panels. 10 United States Patent No 5575124 discloses a wall system comprising an assembly of independent building panels. Each of the building panels has a peripherally closed rectangular supporting frame forming one, or by means of intermediate frame elements fixed to this supporting frame, several open compartments. These open compartments are arranged in a 15 wall framework for receiving and fixing the building panels. Thereby, the wall can be constructed by slotting each of the building panels including the intermediate frame elements into the wall framework. However, this method suffers the disadvantage of requiring a special 20 supporting or intermediate frame for each building panel as well as a unique wall frame work, which is customised to receive the building panels including the special supporting intermediate frame. This system therefore may have limited applications and relatively high associated construction costs. 25 A concealed ceiling system is manufactured and sold under the trade name SlimceilTm by Studco Building Systems Pty Ltd, which is the subject of Australian Innovation Patent No. 2009100758 entitled "Bracket and Mounting Arrangement". 30 This system includes a bracket for connecting a first structure to a second structure. The bracket includes a first leg, a second leg and a web portion extending between the first and second legs. The bracket includes one or more elongate apertures that are located in each of the legs. The bracket is attached to a surface of the first structure through the 5 web portion and connection of the bracket is made to the second structure through an intermediate portion via one or more of the elongate apertures. The relative position of the bracket to the intermediate portion is adjustable via the elongate apertures to account for variations in the 10 surface of the first structure. This system is designed for use in ceilings and it is not adapted for use in the construction of a wall structure, i.e. a vertical application rather than a horizontal application. Similarly, the previous Studco system is not 15 designed or engineered to withstand the various wind load classifications (N1, N2, N3 and Cl). Furthermore, the previous Studco system is not adapted for external panel types such as relatively heavy autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) 20 masonry panels, fibre cement, polystyrene, vinyl and timber cladding to be secured to the intermediate portion. Thus, it would be advantageous to have apparatus for supporting building panels from a wall structure and a method of cladding at least a 25 portion of a wall structure using the apparatus and building panels, which provide for a relatively fast, simple and reduced cost construction of a wall structure, as well as providing a flush or smooth wall surface which has an aesthetically pleasing finished appearance. 30 The present invention overcomes at least some of the disadvantages of previously known approaches in this field, or at least would provide a useful alternative.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Throughout this specification and claims, the terms "wall structure" and "wall assembly" are used to include the structural portion of either a solid wall or the stud frame of a framed construction. 5 According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for fastening a plurality of building panels to a frame assembly of a wall structure comprising: at least one base member adapted to be secured to the frame 10 assembly of the wall structure; one or more elongate members for mounting the building panels thereon, each of the elongate mounting members being adjustably positionable with respect to the base member; wherein, in use, the position of each of the elongate mounting 15 members is adjusted relative to both the frame assembly of the wall structure and the ground and is securely fixed to the base member when in a desired position, such that one or more building panels can be mounted to each of the one or more elongate members, thereby forming a substantially flush external wall surface. 20 According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of mounting a plurality of building panels to a frame assembly of a wall structure, the method comprising the steps of: securing at least one base member to the frame assembly of the wall 25 structure; adjusting one or more elongate members for mounting building panels thereon with respect to the frame assembly for the wall structure and the ground; securely fixing the elongate member to the base member when a 30 desired position of the elongate member with respect to the wall structure and ground is reached; and mounting one or more building panels to the elongate members to form a substantially flush external wall surface.

Preferably, the building panels are lightweight aerated concrete (AAC) masonry panels. 5 Preferably, the elongate member includes a body portion having an external surface adapted to have one or more building panels mounted thereon and two opposed, spaced apart flange members adapted to be movably positioned with respect to the base member and secured thereto when the elongate member is in a desired position. 10 Preferably, the elongate member has a substantially C-shaped cross section when viewed in end view. Preferably, the elongate member is manufactured from a rigid material 15 selected from one or more of plastic, aluminium, steel, metal or wood. In one embodiment of the present invention the base member is preferably a batten. 20 In a second embodiment of the present invention the base member is preferably a length of angle having a substantially C-shaped cross section when viewed in end view. Preferably, the base member is manufactured from one or more of 25 plastic, fibre cement, aluminium, steel, wood or compressed foam. Preferably, the base member defines a channel for receiving a portion of one of the elongate mounting members therein. 30 Preferably, the portion of the elongate mounting members that is received in the channel of the base member is the spaced apart flange members.

Preferably, the elongate members are securely fixed to the base member by one or more mechanical fixing means selected from the group consisting of a nail, a screw or a rivet. 5 Preferably, the length of each elongate member is longer than the vertical height of each of the building panels. In this specification, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the term "comprising" has the non-exclusive meaning of the word, in the 10 sense of "including at least" rather than the exclusive meaning in the sense of "consisting only of". The same applies with corresponding grammatical changes to other forms of the word such as "comprise", "comprises" and so on. 15 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 20 FIG 1 shows a perspective view of a framework assembly for a wall structure of a building adapted for use with the present invention; FIG 2 shows a perspective view of a building panel adapted for use with the present invention; 25 FIG 3 shows a perspective view of a base member in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG 4 shows a perspective view of an elongate mounting member of 30 the present invention; FIG 5 shows a perspective view of a base member in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; FIG 6 shows a front perspective view of the base member of FIG 3 5 installed on a frame assembly as shown in FIG 1; FIG 7 shows a perspective view of the elongate mounting member of FIG 4 being installed onto a wall assembly 1 as shown in FIG 1 by engaging with a plurality of base members; 10 FIG 8 shows a perspective view of a frame assembly of a wall structure as shown in FIG 1 fitted with a plurality of the elongate mounting members of FIG 4 secured to a plurality of base members; 15 FIG 9 shows a perspective view of the adjustment of one of the elongate mounting members of FIG 4 with respect to the frame assembly of the wall structure as shown in FIG 1 and the ground; FIG 10 shows a perspective view of the adjustment of a plurality of 20 the elongate mounting members of FIG 4 with respect with respect to the frame assembly of the wall structure as shown in FIG 1; FIG 11 shows a perspective view of a partially completed wall structure including a frame assembly as shown in FIG 1 fitted with a 25 plurality of the elongate mounting members of FIG 4 secured to a plurality of base members; FIG 12 shows a front perspective view of a plurality of building panels secured to the partially completed wall structure of FIG 11 with an optional 30 horizontal stud member; FIG 13 shows a front perspective view of a completed wall assembly constructed according to the method of the present invention; FIG 14 shows a top view of the plurality of building panels secured to the partially completed wall structure of FIG 11 with an optional horizontal stud member; 5 FIG 15 shows a side perspective view of the building panels secured to the partially completed wall structure of FIG 11 with an optional horizontal stud member; 10 FIG 16 shows a side plan view of a completed wall assembly constructed according to the method of the present invention; FIG 17 shows a perspective view of a base member in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention being installed on a frame 15 assembly as shown in FIG 1; FIG 18 shows a front perspective view of the base member of FIG 19 installed on a frame assembly as shown in FIG 1; 20 FIG 19 shows a sectional view of a completed wall assembly constructed according to the method of the present invention, including a control joint; FIG 20 shows an enlarged sectional view of the control joint of FIG 25 19; FIG 21 shows a front perspective view of a completed wall assembly including a window frame, constructed according to a first embodiment of the method of the present invention; 30 FIG 22 shows a front perspective view of a completed wall assembly, including a window frame, constructed according to a second embodiment of the method of the present invention; FIG 23 shows a front perspective view of a completed wall assembly, including a window frame, constructed according to a third embodiment of the method of the present invention; 5 FIG 24 shows a top plan view of a completed internal wall assembly constructed according to the method of the present invention, including a combination of the base members shown in FIG 3 and FIG 5; and 10 FIG 25 shows an enlarged top plan view of a corner portion of the completed internal wall assembly shown in FIG 24. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 15 The present invention generally relates to an apparatus for mounting building panels on a supporting structural frame, such as those constructed of steel or timber. 20 Specifically, the building panels are lightweight autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) masonry panels. One such suitable type of building panels are manufactured and sold under the Hebel* trade mark by CSR Building Products Limited. 25 Similarly, the present invention also relates to a method of cladding at least a section of a wall structure using the apparatus of the invention and a plurality of building panels. The apparatus and method of the present invention are described below in combination with the drawings shown in FIGS 1 to 25. 30 FIG 1 shows a sample stud frame assembly 20 for a wall structure of a typical building construction. Typically, the stud frame assembly 20 is at least 1000 mm high and 1000 mm wide, having a plurality of 600mm centre studs 22 spaced along the length of the stud frame. The apparatus of the present invention includes at least one base 5 member 30 for attaching to the centre studs 22 of the wall frame assembly 20 and one or more elongate mounting members 40 for mounting a plurality of building panels 10 thereon. In one preferred embodiment, the base member 30 is in the form of a 10 C-section bracket 36, as is best shown in FIG 3. The C-section bracket 36 is made of a pliable but rigid material, such as rigid plastic, aluminium, timber, steel or the like. This configuration is particularly suitable for use in the construction of 15 a wall to be erected in a moderate to high wind load application. In a moderate wind load application, the C-section bracket 36 can be securely fixed to the stud 22 of the frame wall with the use of a nail gun. In a high wind load application, the C-section bracket 36 can be securely fixed to the stud 22 of the frame assembly of the wall structure 20 with the use of a 20 mechanical fastener such as a screw 34. This is best shown in FIG 6. In another embodiment of the present invention, the base member 30 is in the form of a block 32, as is best shown in FIG 19. The block 32 is made of rigid material, such as timber, fibre cement, aluminium, steel, 25 plastic, compressed foam or the like. This configuration is particularly suitable for use in the construction of a wall to be erected in a low to moderate wind load application. In a low wind load application, the block 32 can be securely fixed to the stud 22 of 30 the frame wall 20 with the use of a nail gun. In a moderate wind load application, the block 32 can be securely fixed to the stud 22 of the frame wall 20 with the use of a mechanical fastener such as a screw 34.

In either embodiment, each of the base members 30 has a height that is substantially shorter than that of the studs 20. Also, each of the base members 30 has a similar width as the studs 20 and have a depth, which is sufficient for engaging with the elongate mounting members 40. This is best 5 shown in FIG 7. Each of the elongate mounting members 40 of the present invention is adapted to engage with one or more base members 30. To facilitate this, each elongate mounting member 40 is a C-section frame, having two 10 flanges 46 extending from a body portion, which has a substantially flat external mounting surface 44 that is adapted to have a building panel 10 affixed thereto. Each of the flanges 46 is adapted to engage with a base member 30 in 15 one of two ways. Firstly, the flanges 46 may fit within the side surfaces of the base members 30. This is the preferred engagement combination where the base member 30 is in the form of a C-section bracket 36. Alternatively, the flanges 46 may fit over, and substantially surround, 20 the side surfaces of the base member 30. This is the preferred engagement arrangement where the base member 30 is in the form of a block 32. In either embodiment, when the elongate mounting member 40 has been adjusted to be located in a desirable position, the flanges 46 are then 25 secured to the base members 30 using a mechanical fastener, an adhesive or combination of the two. In order to achieve a substantially flush external wall surface, it is necessary for a builder to account for any deviation or irregularities that 30 may be present in the frame work assembly 20 of the wall structure. This is achieved through the interaction of the base members 30 and the elongate mounting members 40. Specifically, this is achieved by adjusting the position of each of the elongate mounting members 40 with respect to its respective base member 30, the frame assembly of the wall structure 20 and the ground. As best shown in FIGS 9 and 10, when all of the necessary base 5 members 30 have been installed on the studs 22 of the frame assembly of the wall structure 20, a builder will position a plurality of elongate mounting members 40 along the frame work assembly corresponding with the location of the base members. The builder will then ensure that the elongate mounting members 40 are square both with respect to the ground 10 (FIG 9) and each other (FIG 10). This will ensure that the building panels 10 will form a substantially flush external wall surface when the panels are affixed to the flat mounting surface of the elongate mounting members 40. When each of the elongate mounting members 40 are in the correct 15 and desired position, the builder will then securely fasten in turn each of the elongate mounting members to its respective one or more base members 30, typically using a mechanical fastener such as a screw, nail or rivet, or alternatively using adhesive, or a combination of both. 20 The builder will then securely fasten the building panels 10 to the flat mounting surface 44 of the elongate mounting members 40. As each of the elongate mounting members 40 is substantially longer than the each of the building panels 10, a plurality of building panels can be installed on each of the elongate mounting members in an adjacently stacked arrangement. 25 Typically, the adjacently stacked arrangement of the building panels is a stretcher bond pattern. In this way, the building panels 10 can be laid in a similar fashion to conventional bricks. As is shown in FIGS 12 to 15, optional horizontal stud members 50 30 may be connected to a building panel 10 that has been installed and affixed to an elongate mounting member 40 before adjacent building panels are installed. The optional horizontal stud members 50 act as a blocking member to secure two adjacent building panels together, independently of the stud wall frame assembly 20 or the elongate mounting members 40. The optional horizontal stud members 50 are particularly used where 5 the length of the unsupported building panel 10 from the last fixing point, i.e. one of the elongate mounting members 40, is greater than half of the mid-span of one of the building panels 10. Used in this way, the optional horizontal stud members 50 assist in 10 aligning, stiffening and supporting the building panels 10 at the vertical joints. The horizontal stud members 50 may also be used vertically between a horizontal panel joint if so desired. Additional components may be utilised within the apparatus and 15 method of using the apparatus of the present invention to create wall structures having particular features. These will now be discussed below. During the life cycle of a building, the building and the materials that it is constructed from will move. These movements are due to many factors 20 working together or individually, such as support structure movement (lateral sway or vertical deflection), thermal expansion and contraction and differential movements between materials. This movement, unless relieved or accommodated for, will induce stress in the materials, which may be relieved in the form of cracking. 25 To accommodate these movements and relieve any induced stresses, which could potentially crack the wall, movement joints may need to be installed. These movement or control joints are provided to relieve the induced stresses resulting from thermal expansion or contraction of the 30 building panels 10, or differential movement between the building panels and another material or structure, such as abutting walls or columns of concrete or brickwork. Control joints can delineate coating shrinkage breaks.

Vertical control joints should coincide with control joints in the supporting structure (i.e. the wall frame assembly 20) and anywhere that significant structural movement is expected, where the wall abuts a vertical 5 structure, such as an existing building, or adjacent to large openings. The use of a vertical control joint is best shown in FIG 19. Typically, the vertical control joint is nominally 5mm to 10mm wide and filled with an appropriate backing rod 60, a solid packer 80 and flexible 10 polyurethane sealant 70. This is best shown in FIG 20. Another issue that may be considered is condensation. Condensation is a complex problem, and can occur under a variety of conditions, not just cold conditions. Where condensation is likely to be an issue, the appropriate 15 use of a wall wrap as a vapour barrier or as thermal insulation, or both, can be effective in controlling condensation. When constructing a wall structure with a window frame, there are a number of different ways to arrange the building panels 10. Three 20 alternative options are shown in FIGS 21 to 23. In FIG 21, the wall structure includes a vertical control joint 50 adjacently located to the window frame 55. 25 In FIG 22, the wall structure includes a building panel 10a that has a length that is longer than that of the window frame 55 installed above the frame. In this way the building panel 10a acts as a lintel above the window frame 55. In this arrangement, although the installation of the panel 10a above the window frame 55 is relatively simple, the panels on either side of 30 the window frame that support the lintel panel need to be installed in line with the top of the window frame. This requires some preplanning and relatively more skill by the installer.

In FIG 23, a building panel 10c is again installed above the window frame to act as a lintel. However, unlike the arrangement shown in FIG 22, the building panels on either side of the window frame 55 do not need to be installed inline with the top of the frame. Instead, the building panels 10 5 either side of the window frame 55 can be notched out to accept the lintel panel 10c. This arrangement and method is typically easier to install. Where the wall structure that is constructed using the apparatus and method of the present invention is an internal wall structure including a 10 corner, a length of angle 31 as is best shown in FIG 5, will be used in the corner junction. The length of angle 31 is secured to the frame assembly 20 of the wall structure by using a mechanical fastener (such as a screw) to pass 15 through the length of angle, through a building panel 10 and into an elongated mounting member 40 that is located behind the panel. The mechanical fasteners penetrate the face 44 of the elongate mounting member 40. However, the length of angle 31 provides a surface for an end section of the building panels 10 to abut against to form a flush internal 20 finish. The arrangement of the corner assembly is best shown in FIG 24. In order to allow for some movement of the building panels 10 and to prevent moisture egress into the internal wall structure, an appropriate backing rod 60 and flexible polyurethane sealant 70 will typically be 25 positioned between the length of angle 31 and the adjacently abutting building panels 10. This arrangement is best shown in FIG 25. According to the method of the present invention, a plurality of the base members 30 are attached along each of the vertical stud risers 22 of 30 the frame assembly 20 of the wall structure. This is best shown in FIG 16. A first elongate mounting member 40 is then positioned over the base members 30 of a first vertical stud riser 22, such that the elongate mounting member can be movably positioned with respect to the base members that secured to the first vertical stud riser. This is best shown in FIG 7. 5 The elongate mounting member 40 is then adjusted with respect to the frame assembly 20 of the wall structure and the ground until it is positioned as desired. The main adjustment of each of the elongate members 40 is with respect to the distance of the flat mounting surface 44 of the elongate members from the frame assembly 20 of the wall structure. 10 In other words, the flanges 46 of the elongate mounting members 40 can be adjusted with respect to the depth of the base member 30, such that the flat mounting surface 44 reaches a desired position with respect to the frame assembly 20 of the wall structure and base member 30. 15 In this way, the flat mounting surface 44 of each successive elongate mounting member 40 that is affixed to the frame assembly 20 of the wall structure can be adjusted to be made substantially flush with the flat mounting surface of each other elongate mounting member that is affixed to the frame assembly of the wall structure. This is best shown in FIGS 9 20 and 10. Furthermore, when an elongate mounting member 40 is secured to a plurality of base members 30 that are located along the same vertical stud member 22, the angle of the elongate mounting member with respect to 25 the ground can be adjusted to ensure that the finished wall surface will have a desired angle. The angle of the elongate mounting members 40 relative to the ground is referred to as the inclination. Once the first elongate mounting member 40 is adjusted to the 30 desirable inclination, it is then securely fixed to the base members 30 on the first stud member 22 with suitable fixing means. For example, when a low wind load application is required, the typical fixing means will be a nail gun, whilst when a high wind load application is required, the typical fixing means will be a screw. A second elongate mounting member 40 is then positioned with 5 respect to one or more base members 30 fixed to a second vertical stud riser 22, such that the second elongate mounting member can be movably positioned with respect to the base members secured to the second vertical stud riser. 10 The second elongate mounting member 40 is then adjusted with respect to the frame assembly 20 for the wall structure, the ground and particularly to match both the angle and the distance from the frame assembly 20 of the first elongate member on the first stud riser 22. 15 Once the second elongate mounting member 40 is adjusted to the desirable inclination and distance from the frame assembly 20, it is then securely fixed to the base members 30 on the second stud member 22 with suitable fixing means. For example, when a low wind load application is required, the typical fixing means will be a nail gun, whilst when a high 20 wind load application is required, the typical fixing means will be a screw. Further elongate mounting members 40 are then affixed to further stud risers 22 in a similar process and this process is repeated as necessary until the wall structure reaches a desired length. 25 A plurality of building panels 10 are then secured to the flat mounting surfaces 44 of the elongate mounting members 40 in an adjacently stacked arrangement. Typically, this adjacently stacked arrangement of the building panels is a stretcher bond pattern. In this way, the building panels 10 can 30 be laid in a similar fashion to conventional bricks. As discussed above, optional horizontal stud members 50 may also be connected to the previously installed building panels 10 before the adjacent building panels are erected. The optional horizontal stud members 50 assist in aligning, stiffening and supporting the building panels 10 at the vertical joints. The horizontal stud members 50 may also be used vertically between a horizontal panel joint if so desired. 5 In this way, due to the positioning of each of the elongate mounting members 40, the building panels 10 are installed uniformly at the desired inclination and distance from the frame assembly 20. This overcomes any inconsistencies or deviations in the frame assembly, 20 and allows for the 10 construction of a wall structure having a substantially flush or smooth external wall surface. In most cases, it will be desired that the wall surface be substantially vertical with respect to the ground, although in some cases a wall assembly having a different angle may be desired. 15 The method provided by the present invention, when compared to traditional construction methods of wall assemblies, allows a builder to achieve a wall structure having a substantially uniform and flat wall surface quickly, simply and cheaply regardless of how straight or flat the stud wall frame assembly 20 is to begin with. 20 This is achieved by securing one or more base members 30 to the upright studs 22 of the frame assembly 20, engaging one or more elongate mounting member 40 with the base members on each stud riser, adjusting each of the elongate mounting members in one straight line, and fixing off 25 to the base members. In this way, no tedious packing of the wall assembly is required and there is no need to individually adjust each building panel 10 before securing it to the elongate mounting members 40 of the wall structure. 30 As this system and method allow the builder to build a substantially flat wall with a plurality of building panels 10, it reduces the cost of texture coat finishes. This is because if the wall surface of the finished wall is not smooth, then thicker texture coatings are usually required to mask the uneven building panel installation. As a result of the present invention, cost savings may be achieved through the use of thinner texture coat systems as a result of flatter building panel installation in the wall structure. 5 It is envisaged that other fixing means, such as adhesive, may be used for attaching the base members 30 to the stud risers 22 of the frame assembly 20 of the wall structure. Adhesive may also be used to affix the building panels 10 to either the elongate mounting members 40 and/or the optional horizontal stud members 50. Indeed, it is also envisaged that a 10 combination of adhesive and mechanical fasteners can be used to provide a more secure join between these elements. It will be apparent that obvious variations or modifications may be made which are in accordance with the spirit of the invention and which are 15 intended to be part of the invention, and any such obvious variations or modifications are therefore within the scope of the invention. Although the invention is described above with reference to specific embodiments, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that it is not 20 limited to those embodiments, but may be embodied in many other forms. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 25 The invention can be utilised in building clad walls. Particularly, the present invention can be used to facilitate the fastening of sections of cladding to the wall structure in the construction of clad walls having a lower cost through reduced time to adjust the building panels, and improved ability to adjust the relative position of adjacent cladding panels. 30 The present invention also facilitates a method of installing cladding onto a wall structure.

Claims (25)

1. An apparatus for fastening a plurality of building panels to a frame assembly of a wall structure comprising: at least one base member adapted to be secured to the frame assembly of the wall structure; one or more elongate members for mounting the building panels thereon, each of the elongate mounting members being adjustably positionable with respect to the base member; wherein, in use, the position of each of the elongate mounting members is adjusted relative to both the frame assembly of the wall structure and the ground and is securely fixed to the base member when in a desired position, such that one or more building panels can be mounted to each of the one or more elongate members, thereby forming a substantially flush external wall surface.

2. An apparatus of claim 1 wherein the building panels are lightweight autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) masonry panels.

3. An apparatus of claim 1 wherein the elongate member includes a body portion having an external surface adapted to have one or more building panels mounted thereon and two opposed, spaced apart flange members adapted to be movably positioned with respect to the base member and secured thereto when the elongate member is in a desired position.

4. An apparatus of claim 2 wherein the elongate member has a substantially C-shaped cross section when viewed in end view.

5. An apparatus of claim 1 or 2 wherein the elongate member is manufactured from a rigid material selected from one or more of plastic, aluminium, steel, metal or wood.

6. An apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base member is a batten.

7. An apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base member is a length of angle having a substantially C-shaped cross section when viewed in end view.

8. An apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base member is manufactured from one or more of plastic, fibre cement, aluminium, steel, wood or compressed foam.

9. An apparatus of claim 7 wherein the base member defines a channel for receiving a portion of one of the elongate mounting members therein.

10. An apparatus of claim 9 wherein the portion of the elongate mounting members that is received in the channel of the base member is the spaced apart flange members of claim 2.

11. An apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the elongate member is securely fixed to the base member by one or more mechanical fixing means selected from the group consisting of a nail, a screw or a rivet.

12. An apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the length of each elongate member is longer than the vertical height of each of the building panels.

13. A method of mounting a plurality of building panels to a frame assembly of a wall structure, the method comprising the steps of: securing at least one base member to the frame assembly of the wall structure; adjusting one or more elongate members for mounting building panels thereon with respect to the frame assembly for the wall structure and the ground; securely fixing the elongate member to the base member when a desired position of the elongate member with respect to the wall structure and ground is reached; and mounting one or more building panels to the elongate members to form a substantially flush external wall surface.

14. An apparatus of claim 13 wherein the building panels are lightweight autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) masonry panels.

15. A method of claim 13 wherein the elongate member includes a body portion having an external surface adapted to have one or more building panels mounted thereon and two opposed, spaced apart flange members adapted to be movably positioned with respect to the base member and secured thereto when the elongate member is in a desired position.

16. A method of claim 14 wherein the elongate member is substantially C-shaped cross section when viewed in end view.

17. A method of claim 13 wherein the elongate member is manufactured from a rigid material selected from one or more of plastic, aluminium, steel, metal or wood.

18. A method of claim 13 wherein the base member is a batten

19. A method of claim 13 wherein the base member is a length of angle having a substantially C-shaped cross section when viewed in end view.

20. A method of claim 13 wherein the base member is manufactured from one or more of plastic, fibre cement, aluminium, steel, wood or compressed foam.

21. A method of claim 19 wherein the base member defines a channel for receiving a portion of one of the elongate mounting members therein.

22. A method of claim 13 wherein the elongate member is securely fixed to the base member by one or more mechanical fixing means selected from the group consisting of a nail, a screw or a rivet.

23. A method of claim 13 wherein the length of each elongate member is longer than the vertical height of each of the building panels.

24. An apparatus for fastening building panels to a wall structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one or more of the accompany drawings.

25. A method of mounting building panels to a wall frame substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one or more of the accompany drawings.