AU613600B2

AU613600B2 - Limestone tile

Info

Publication number: AU613600B2
Application number: AU11370/88A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Patrick Oliver McLaughlin
Original assignee: Mclaughlin Po
Current assignee: Mclaughlin Po
Priority date: 1987-02-05
Filing date: 1988-02-05
Publication date: 1991-08-08
Anticipated expiration: 2008-02-05
Also published as: AU1137088A

Description

UTE AFTER PROV-±b.LUNU PATENT.S .A CT .1952 SPECIFICATION NO. PI 199 I COMPLETE

SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE: Application Number: Lodged: Class Int. Class Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: prority: Reelated Art: 11 Na~ne of Applicant(s): Adrs ofApi*n~) Address ofnApploantss) PATRICK OLIVER MCLAUGHLIN 13 Clune Street BAY SWATER WESTERN AUSTRALIA 6053

AUSTRALIA

PATRICK OLIVER MCLAUGHLIN Address for Service: Kelvin Lord Co., 4 Douro Place, WEST PERTH, Western Australia 6005.

Complete Specification for the invention entitled: "LIMESTONE TILE" The following statement is afull description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to Me/ us 2 The present invention relates to a method of producing limestone tiles for wall cladding and limestone tiles made according to the method.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of producing a limestone tile for wall cladding comprising: forming a composite comprising particulate limestone, cementitious material and liquid; mixing said composite; pouring said composite into a mould; allowing said composite to set in said mould to form a limestone tile; and, removing a formed limestone tile from said mould, wherein said cci.posite is subjected to vibration.

15 The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figures l(a) to l(f) are schematic representations of the steps involved in the method according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 20 Figure 2 is a first perspective view of a mould used to form 9* S• corner tiles; Figure 3 is a second perspective view of the mould shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a portion of a conventional brick wall being 25 covered with tiles in accordance with the present invention.

According to the method of a first embodiment of the present invention, raw limestone 8 is crushed to particulate form of suitable particle size. This may be done in a crushing Spparatus 10 as shown in Figure If particulate -3limestone is already available, the crushing step is omitted.

The particulate limestone is then added to a cementitious material, such as cement.

The ratio of particulate limestone to cement is preferably in the range from 3:1 to 5:1. The precise ratio used is dependent upon the colour required for the final limestone tiles that are to be formed.

A suitable light weight particulate material may also be added to reduce the weight of the final formed tile.

An example of a suitable light weight material is "K Cells" (a mixture of volcanic ash and porous stone).

The addition of "K Cells" helps to displace water, limestone and cement and increases strength of the final formed tile- 15 By displacing volume of the aforesaid ingredients, weight is reduced.

noeoo "K Cells" may be added at a ratio of 15% by weight to the cement. The addition of "K Cells" results in a weight reduction of the final formed tile by about 10% to 12%. The 20 addition also increases the strength and density of the tile by 18% to 22% pounds per square inch.

Further, oxides may be added in with the particulate limestone and cement to enhance the colour of the final formed tile, if desired.

25 Sufficient liquid, e.g. water is then added to achieve a slump of 100mm, as measured in a standard test cone.

The additives form a composite which is then thoroughly mixed. This mixing may be done in a mixing apparatus 12 as shown in Figure hown in Figure 1(b).

04t-dl 3a After mixing, the composite may be poured into moulds 14 as shown in Figure The moulds 14 are preferably made of fibreglass.

The moulds 14 containing the composite are then subjected to vibration. This may be done on an electrically driven vibrating table 16, as shown in Figure l(d).

The step of vibration of the composite compacts the composite and removes air bubbles or pockets that are formed therein during the mixing step. The result is a hard, solid tile without bubble defects.

When the air bubbles have been removed from the composite, the moulds are placed aside and the composite is allowed to eOC 9

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i I ii i 4 set for a period of approximately 24 hours, as shown in Figure At the end of this period, the composite in the moulds 14 has set to form limestone tiles 18 which may be removed from the moulds 14, as shown in Figure l(f).

Alternatively, in accordance with a second embodiment, the composite may be subjected to vibration before being poured into the individual moulds.

Approximatley seven days curing is allowed before the tiles are fixed to walls and similar surfaces to form wall :0I0.6 10 cladding. The limestone tiles may be affixed to brick, concrete, compressed cement sheeting and other surfaces by tilers or bricklayers using suitable adhesives as specified by the manufacturer.

It is envisaged that the adhesives used may be epoxy based.

15 In Figures 2 and 3, there is shown a mould 20 used for making corner tiles.

The mould 20 comprises four sheets 22, 24, 26 and 28 which are connected together by way of wing nuts and bolts 30, 32, 34 and 36, and form walls of the mould In use, the sheets 22 and 24 are connected by way of wing nuts and bolts 30. The sheets 22 and 24 are provided with side lips 38 and 40, respectively. Reinforcing members 42 may be used to reinforce the corner tiles to be made using the mould 20. The reinforcing members 42 may preferably be galvanized wires bent at right angles and placed in appropriate position. (The reinforcing members 42 are shown in phantom in Figure 4 in a formed corner tile 56).

The sheet 26 is then connected to the sheet 22 by way of wing nuts and bolts 32 and 8A, and the sheet 28 is connected to the sheet 24 by way of wing nuts and bolts 36. The sheets 26 and 28 are provided with side lips 44 and 46, respectively.

The side lip 38 of the sheet 22 and the side lips 44 of the sheet 26 overlap to enclose the interior of the mould.

Similarly, the side lips 40 of the sheet 24 and the side lips 46 of the sheet 28 overlap. An opening 50 is formed between the edge 52 of the sheet 24 and the edge 54 of the sheet 28 as lips are not provided for the sheets 24 and 28 10 at these edges.

4 The composite is prepared as previously described and poured :.into moulds 20 via the opening 50, with the mould positioned in an upright manner with the opening S0. uppermost. The moulds 20 are then subject to the same steps 15 as previously described.

o When the composite in the moulds 20 has set, the moulds are disassembled by undoing the wing nuts and bolts 30, 32, 34 and 36 and the formed corner tiles 56 are removed therefrom.

The sheets 22 and 24 thus form the external faces of a formed corner tile 56.

Further, moulds to produce corner tiles for corners other than at right angles, e.g. for use with bay windows, may be constructed along similar lines to the mould 20. In such cases, the internal angle of the mould would change from 900 (as is the case with the mould 20) to the angle appropriate to the particular situation at hand.

The moulds that are used to form the limestone tiles of the present invention are preferably made as a cast using a r

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S i i c- 6 genuine limstone block. In this way, the bottom inside surface of each of the moulds 14 reflects the face of an actual limestone block, and the inside surfaces of each of the sheets 22 and 24 of a mould 20 reflect the face of an actual limestone block. This then ensures that the appearance of the limestone tiles 18 and 56 formed from the moulds 14 and 20 is authentic.

Several limestone blocks may be used to form the moulds so that there will be some variety in texture and appearance of 10 the limestone tiles formed from the moulds. This will futher enhance the authentic appearance of the tiles when affixed to a surface as wall cladding.

The limestone tiles may be made in sizes similar to the sizes of genuine limestone blocks.

15 The limestone tiles are formed so that they are preferably about 20mm thick around the edges and about 40mm thick over the rest of the tile.

When the limestone tiles of the present invention are used to form wall cladding, the appearance is similar to one of genuine .k-acut limestone.

In Figure 5 a portion of a brick wall 60 is shown in the process of being covered with limestone tiles made in accordance with the present invention. The use of corner tiles 56 gives the appearance of a limestone wall of approximately 100mm in thickness. The corner tiles thus eliminate straight lines at corners and provide the impression of a genuine solid wall made of limestone blocks.

Modifications and variations such as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed within the scope of the present -7 invention.

0 4***25 I

Claims

1. A method of producing a limestone tile for wall cladding comprising: forming a composite comprising particulate limestone, 5 cementitious material and liquid; mixing said composite; pouring said composite into a mould; allowing said composite to set in said mould to form a limestone tile; and, removing a formed limestone tile from said mould, wherein said composite is subjected to vibration.

2. A method of producing a limestone tile according to Claim 1, in which said composite is subjected to vibration after nixing.

3. A method of producing a limestone tile according to Claim 2, in which said composite is subjected to vibration prior to being poured into said mould.

4. A method of producing a limestone tile according to Claim 2, in which said composite is subjected to vibration 20 after bieng poured into said mould.

5. A method of producing a limestone tile according to Claim 4, in which said vibration is effected by a vibrating table.

6. A method of producing a limestone tile according to any 25 one of Claims 1 to 5, in which the ratio of particulate limestone to said cementitious material is in the range of substantially from 3:1 to 5:1.

7. A method of producing a limestone tile according to any one of the preceding claims in which said composite further 4 S. 4 4 9 comprises weight of

8. A met Claim 7, 5 added at E cementitic

9. A met Claim 7 oi comprises 10 10. A met one of thE in suffici of 100mm a

12. A met 15 one of thE at least c block. 12. A met one of the 20 at least t said mould

13. A met Claim 12, composite 25 is reinfor

14. A met C:Laim 13, wire-like A lim *.SS .9 95 0 5.94 S 0 4 45 4.4. @4 4

444. OS 9 44 ~7-7 9-- comprises a light weight particulate material to reduce the weight of said formed limestone tile. 8. A method of producing a limestone tile according to Claim 7, in which said light weight particulate material is added at a ratio of substantially 15% by weight to said cementitious material. 9. A method of producing a limestone tile according to Claim 7 or 8 in which said light weight particulate material comprises a mixture of volcanic ash and porous stone. 10. A method of producing a limestone tile according to any one of the preceding Claims, in which said liquid is present in sufficient quantity in said composite to achieve a slump of 100mm as measured in a standard test cone. sees 11. A method of producing a limestone tile according to any 15 one of the preceding Claims, in which said mould comprises o o S at least one inner surface cast from a genuine limestone 0 block. 12. A method of producing a limestone tile according to any one of the preceding Claims, in which said mould comprises 20 at least two portions which are connectable together to form 0 S"said mould. 13. A method of producing a limestone tile according to Claim 12, in which reinforcing means is placed in the composite in said mould such that tho formed limestone tile 25 is reinforced. 14. A method of producing a limestone tile according to C:aim 13, in which said reinforcing means comprises wire-like members. 15. A limestone tile for wall cladding made in accordance z 4:a~ rJ 10 with the method defined in any one of the preceding Claims. 16. A limestone tile according to Claim 15, in which said tile is substantially flat and oblong such that said width and breadth of said tile are greater than the depth thereof. 17. A limestone tile according to Claim 15, in which said tile comprises two substantially flat oblong portions each having a width and breadth greater than their respective depths. 18. A method of producing a limestone tile for wall cladding substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 19. A limestone tile for wall cladding substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 0 OOOS @0 4 0 0 15 DATED APRIL 26 1991 PATRICK OLIVER MCLAUGHLIN By his Patent Attorneys KELVIN LORD AND COMPANY PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 00 S 0O B 000 S a.