CA2684277A1

CA2684277A1 - Thin wall veneer brick and manufacturing assembly therefor

Info

Publication number: CA2684277A1
Application number: CA2684277A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Benoit Slavinsky; Keith Leach
Original assignee: Abbotsford Concrete Products Ltd; Slab Innovation Inc
Current assignee: Abbotsford Concrete Products Ltd; Slab Innovation Inc
Priority date: 2009-11-03
Filing date: 2009-11-03
Publication date: 2011-05-03
Also published as: CA2719638A1; US20110162309A1; CA2719638C

Abstract

A brick having a peripheral shoulder provided with indentations allowing fasteners to be inserted wherein when two adjacent bricks have facing indentations is described herein. The peripheral shoulder of the bricks allows mortar to be inserted therein to create a conventional brick look and to hide the fasteners. Also described herein is a machine to manufacture such bricks.

Description

TITLE

Thin Wall Veneer Brick and Manufacturing Assembly Therefor BACKGROUND

[0001] Thin Wall veneer brick constructions are well known in the art of exterior and interior wall covering. Conventional bricks are generally laid with mortar provided between adjacent bricks and between adjacent brick rows.
This may be viewed as a drawback since it is difficult to keep brick rows level.
Furthermore, the task of laying out bricks with mortar is time consuming, costly and labour intensive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0002] In the appended drawings:

[0003] Figure 1 is a front elevation of a brick wall made with different sizes of bricks according to embodiments of the present invention;

[0004] Figure 2 is a close-up view of two adjacent thin wall veneer bricks of the brick wall of Figure 1;

[0005] Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2;

[0006] Figure 4 is a schematic side elevation of part of a brick edge aging machine illustrated in the operation of aging a brick according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0007] Figures 5A to 5H illustrate the dimensions of the bricks used in the brick wall of Figure 1;

[0008] Figure 6 is an exploded side elevational of an assembly for manufacturing thin wall veneer bricks according to embodiments of the present invention;

[0009] Figure 7 is a side elevational of the assembly of Figure 6 ready to mold bricks of different sizes;

[0010] Figure 8 is a side elevational similar to Figure 7 illustrating the assembly when it contacts the concrete provided in the molds;

[0011] Figure 9 is a side elevational similar to Figure 7 illustrating the assembly partially compressing the concrete provided in the molds;

[0012] Figure 10 is a side elevational similar to Figure 7 illustrating the assembly totally compressing the concrete provided in the molds;

[0013] Figure 11 is a side elevational similar to Figure 7 illustrating the assembly when the brick shoulders are formed;

[0014] Figure 12 is a side elevational similar to Figure 7 illustrating the assembly when the newly formed bricks are released therefrom; and;

[0015] Figures 13A and 13B are respectively side elevation and top plan views of a thin Wall veneer corner brick according to an embodiment of the present invention, DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The use of the word "a" or "an" when used in conjunction with the term "comprising" in the claims and/or the specification may mean "one", but it is also consistent with the meaning of "one or more", "at least one", and "one or more than one". Similarly, the word "another" may mean at least a second or more.

[0017] As used in this specification and claim(s), the words "comprising" (and any form of comprising, such as "comprise" and "comprises"), "having" (and any form of having, such as "have" and "has"), "including" (and any form of including, such as "include" and "includes") or "containing" (and any form of containing, such as "contain" and "contains"), are inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or process steps.

[0018] The term "about" is used to indicate that a value includes an inherent variation of error for the device or the method being employed to determine the value.

[0019] Other objects, advantages and features will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of illustrative embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0020] Generally stated, illustrative embodiments are concerned with concrete bricks having a peripheral shoulder provided with indentations allowing fasteners to be inserted wherein when two adjacent bricks have aligned indentations. The peripheral shoulder of the bricks allows mortar, or other covering material, to be inserted therein to create the conventional brick look while hiding the fasteners. Another aspect is concerned with a assembly to manufacture such concrete bricks.

[0021] Turning now to Figures 1 to 3 of the appended drawings, a wall 20 covered with bricks according to an illustrative embodiment will be described. The wall 20 is covered with concrete bricks defining eight brick sizes 22A-22H.

[0022] Figure 2 illustrates two adjacent bricks 22D and 22E. As can be seen from this figure, each brick is generally rectangular, thereby provided with four corners 26, and includes a peripheral shoulder 24 provided with eight semi-cylindrical indentations 28A-28H. Each indentation 28A-28H is located at the same distance from a corner 26 of the brick. Accordingly, since the bricks 22D and 22E are of the same height, the two indentations 28C and 28D of brick 22E are respectively aligned with the two indentations 28H and 28G of brick 22D. Fasteners 30 are driven through the aligned indentations to enter the wall substrate (not shown) to mount the bricks 22D and 22E to the wall. As wan be better seen from Figure 3, the fasteners 30 include a head portion 32 abutting the shoulders 24 to adequately mount the bricks to the wall.

[0023] Once the bricks are mounted to the wall via fasteners 30, mortar can be used to fill the shoulders 24 to give the brick wall a conventional look.

[0024] Figures 5A to 5H give illustrative dimensions for the bricks 22A to 22H. As can be seen from Figure 1, given those brick dimensions, each brick has four of its eight indentations aligned with indentations of adjacent bricks therefore allowing four fasteners 30 to contact each brick to adequately mount the bricks to the wall.

[0025] It is to be noted that the dimensions of Figures 5A to 5H are given for illustration purpose only. Similarly, the number of different size bricks may also vary. Alternatively, all the bricks could be the same.

[0026] Turning now to Figures 6 to 12 of the appended drawings, an assembly for manufacturing thin wall veneer bricks 100 will be described.

[0027] The assembly 100 is shown in an exploded side view in Figure 6.

[0028] The assembly 100 includes a mold 102 provided with cavities 104 each having a brick dimension and defining an aperture through the mold 102. The mold 102 is designed to be pressed against a flat surface 106. Each cavity 104 is so shaped as to define the eight indentations of the particular brick size.

[0029] The assembly 100 also includes a shoulder making assembly 108 including shoulder sized walls 110 configured and sized to enter the cavities 104 to shape the shoulders 24 as will be described hereinbelow.
It is to be noted that the walls 110 also define apertures 111 in the assembly to allow the brick pressing elements therethrough as will be described hereinbelow.

[0030] A brick pressing assembly 112 is also part of the assembly 100. The pressing assembly 112 includes plungers 114 each provided with an adequately sized brick pressing element 116 that may pass through a corresponding apertures 111 in the shoulder making assembly 108. The plungers 114 are mounted to a plate 115 that includes stoppers 117 the purpose of which will be described hereinbelow.

[0031] Finally, the assembly 100 includes a pressure applying assembly 118 that can be powered by a hydraulic press (not shown), for example. The pressure applying assembly 118 includes a plate 119 provided with four projecting posts 120 (only two shown) configured and sized to allow sleeves 122 mounted to the plate 115 of the brick pressing assembly 112 thereunto.

[0032] The projecting posts can be replaced by any other interconnecting assembly (not shown).

[0033] To assemble the assembly 100, the brick pressing assembly 112 is mounted to the pressure applying assembly 118 by sliding the sleeves 122 onto the posts 120. The shoulder making assembly 108 is then mounted to the posts 120 via bolts 126 and nuts 128.

[0034] The assembled assembly 100 is shown in Figure 7. As can be seen from this figure, the pressure limiting elements 124 are snugly fit between the plates 115 and 119 while the sleeves 122 are about midway on the posts 120. It is also to be noted that the brick pressing elements 116 are level with the walls 110.

[0035] Turning now to Figures 7 to 12 of the appended drawings, the operation of the assembly for manufacturing thin wall veneer bricks 100 will be described.

[0036] Figure 7 illustrates the assembly 100 when the mold 102 is applied against the flat surface 106. Concrete 130 is provided in each cavity 104 of the mold 102.

[0037] Then, in Figure 8, the pressure applying assembly 118, to which the brick pressing and shoulder forming assemblies are mounted, is lowered (see arrows 132) so that the brick pressing elements 116 contact the concrete 130 provided in the cavities 104.

[0038] Figures 9 and 10 illustrate the compression of the concrete 130 by the continued movement of the brick pressing elements 116 (see arrows 134 and 136). Figure 10 shows the final position of the pressing elements 116, i.e. when the concrete 130 completely fills the cavities 104.

[0039] It is to be noted that the relative displacement of the walls 110 with respect to the brick pressing elements 116 is limited by the stoppers 117 that abut against the plate 119 of the pressure applying assembly 118, preventing further relative displacement therebetween. The stoppers 117 therefore limit the depth of the shoulders 24 of the bricks.

[0040] It is also to be noted that the brick pressing elements 116 are slightly raised (see arrows 140) to the final thickness of the brick by the displacement of the concrete by the walls 110.

[0041] Figure 12 illustrates the disengagement of the assembly for manufacturing thin wall veneer bricks 100 from the newly formed bricks 22. To do so, the pressure applying assembly 118 and the mold 102 are moved away from the flat surface 106 (see arrows 140 and 142).

[0042] It is to be noted that the brick pressing elements 116 may have a textured surface to form texture faced bricks.

[0043] Figure 4 of the appended drawings, which illustrates the process of aging a brick 22, illustrates how the configuration of the brick 22 allows edging the edges and/or top surface thereof by any known edging process, while preserving intact the peripheral edge 24 thereof.

[0044] Figures 13A and 13B illustrate a corner brick to be used with any of the bricks 22A to 22H in constructing a wall (not shown).

[0045] It is to be noted that the brick arrangement illustrated in Figure 1 is for illustration purpose since a plurality of brick patterns can be created using some or all of the eight sized of bricks disclosed herein.
Furthermore, the brick sizes are also given for illustration purpose since any brick size is possible.

[0046] It is to be noted that even though the bricks have been shown herein as being mounted to a wall, the same bricks could be used on other surfaces such as a floor.

[0047] One skilled in the art will understand that the shape of the indentation is not critical, as long as two aligned indentations allow passage of a fastener therein.

[0048] It is also to be noted that should appropriately smaller fastener (not shown) be used, these smaller fastener could be inserted in any indentation of the bricks, not only in the indentations aligned with another indentation of an adjacent brick. Thin Wall veneer bricks according to embodiments of the present invention can be used in constructing any types of wall, including ashlar pattern, herringbones, etc.

[0049] The manufacturing process of Wall veneer bricks according to embodiments of the present invention as described herein may further include a secondary process such as aging, splitting and pitching.

[0050] While concrete has been described herein as the material of choice to make bricks as described herein, other materials could be used.

[0051] Similarly, while nails are illustrated as the fastener entering the indentations, other types of fasteners could be used such as, without limitations, screws with washers [0052] While the thin Wall veneer bricks according to embodiments of the present invention have been described herein as including four (4) indentations on the peripheral shoulder, a different number of indentations, such as for example three (3), can also be provided.

[0053] It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described hereinabove. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced in various ways. It is also to be understood that the phraseology or terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not limitation.

Claims

1. A thin wall veneer brick as described herein.

2. An assembly for manufacturing thin wall veneer bricks as described herein.