EP0356297B1 - Precast cornice for a building - Google Patents

Abstract

The cornice for a building is intended to top a facade wall or entablature of a building for purposes of consolidation, anchorage and decoration. It consists of at least one precast element provided with at least one longitudinal cavity (4) capable of receiving anchoring or horizontal reinforcing means, the said element defining a substantially plane base surface (2) and an upper surface (7) which is substantially plane and parallel to the said base surface, as well as a decorative front surface (1) provided, if necessary, with a decorative design. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a prefabricated cornice for a building, intended to crown the entablature of a building facade for consolidation and decoration purposes and, if necessary, chaining, or connection between this facade wall and the roof of said building. .

Cornices of this type are known which are formed by assemblies of different elements, for example elements made of ceramic material and elements made of cement or concrete. To build these known cornices, one must set up, on the site, its various constituent elements, or even form them in situ by molding or the like, and assemble or fix them in a suitable manner. These operations are tedious and therefore costly. In addition, they require the use of specialized labor.

French patent 1,140,550 describes a known cornice, made up of prefabricated cement concrete elements and which has a longitudinal U-shaped cavity on its upper face. These elements are easier to mount than the previously known cornices, but they do not make it possible to solve all the problems which arise in the assembly of the cornices.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate these drawbacks by creating a cornice, the installation of which can be carried out quickly and easily, without having to resort to specialists, said cornice having, moreover, to lend itself to multiple applications, that is to say in particular to the installation in any desired size, of any desired decorative motif and on any type and configuration of building.

This object is achieved, according to the invention, by a cornice which is constituted by at least one prefabricated element comprising a substantially planar base surface, provided on its outer edge with a longitudinal alignment projection, an upper surface substantially flat and parallel to said base surface, a front surface provided, where appropriate, with a decorative pattern, and a longitudinal cavity, open at its two ends, having a constant U-shaped section capable of receive a filling and / or means of reinforcement or longitudinal chaining and / or a waterproof covering profiled substantially to occupy the section of this cavity and constitute a gutter for collecting and evacuating rainwater and cast iron.

Advantageously, the horizontal filling of the cornice according to the invention consists of reinforcement materials, such as stabilized sand, concrete or the like, introduced into said longitudinal cavity.

In a variant, the horizontal chaining of the cornice according to the invention consists of reinforcing means formed of longitudinal reinforcing bars, in particular metallic, embedded in the aforementioned reinforcing materials and, where appropriate, connected to bars of transverse or splitting reinforcement.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, to ensure the continuity of the chaining, the cornice is associated with an additional element of transverse formwork or of splitting which makes it possible to obtain an adequate connection between the various materials possibly used in the construction of the interested building.

In another embodiment, the cavity of an upper cornice is provided with a waterproof covering, for example, metallic or plastic or other, substantially shaped to occupy the section of this cavity and constitute a collection and evacuation channel rainwater and meltwater.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the cornice according to the invention comprises two separate longitudinal cavities, offset horizontally and vertically with respect to one another. This arrangement makes it possible to use a single prefabricated cornice in place of two superimposed cornices, each having a single longitudinal cavity; this results in significant savings in labor and in connection material (such as mortar) used to assemble the two superimposed cornices.

The present invention also relates to a building cornice according to the invention associated with at least one other cornice of similar type, which is superimposed on the first cornice so that the respective longitudinal cavities of said cornices are offset horizontally one by relation to each other, while being parallel to each other. In the case of the use of the ledge according to the invention in association with a gutter, this ledge is preferably associated with at least one other ledge of similar type, which is superimposed on the first ledge so that the longitudinal cavities respective said cornices are offset horizontally relative to each other, while being parallel to each other. To connect two cornices according to the invention which extend perpendicular to each other, it is advantageous to use two corner pieces having the same profile as said cornices and each adjusted end-to-end to the cornice associated, these two corner pieces being assembled to each other by a bevel joint.

In order to ensure satisfactory support and anchoring of the roof of the building concerned, the cornice is associated, according to one embodiment of the invention, with an intermediate piece called a riser and assembled or linked, using cement or similar, by its lower surface, to the upper surface of the cornice and, by its upper surface, to the lower surface of the roof or surface of the tile.

The invention will be described below in more detail, in particular with reference to the appended figures which illustrate, by way of illustration, but not limitation, several embodiments of the invention.

Figure 1 shows, in perspective, a cornice according to the invention, which is provided by way of non-limiting example of a decorative relief of the type called "Genoese cornice".

Figure 2 shows in vertical cross section a set of cornices consisting of two superimposed elementary cornices.

Figure 3 shows, in perspective, a formwork element intended to be associated with a cornice according to the invention.

Figure 4 is a vertical section illustrating a cornice according to the invention, interposed between a front wall and the roof of a building.

FIG. 5 represents, in perspective, partially in section and with cutaway, a set of cornices according to the invention, reinforced by metal linking bars and associated with a formwork element also reinforced and forming with the cornice a right angle.

FIG. 6 schematically shows, in vertical section, a set of two superimposed cornices, the cavity of the upper cornice acting as a gutter for collecting and discharging rainwater and / or cast iron.

Figure 7 shows, in plan, two corner elements connecting two cornices placed on front walls which form a right angle between them.

Figure 8 shows, in perspective and partially in section, a cornice according to the invention, formed in one and the same piece, which has two longitudinal cavities superimposed with horizontal offset.

The cornice shown in FIG. 1 is formed from a single prefabricated part and has a decorative face 1, a lower planar surface 2 provided with a longitudinal projection 3 and an upper planar surface 7 parallel to the lower surface 2, as well as a longitudinal cavity 4. The decorative face 1 can have any desired pattern, either in plan or, preferably, in relief. FIG. 1 schematically shows the example of a so-called "Genoese cornice" motif, but could be any other motif such as, inter alia: quarter round, cavet, astragalus, scotia, elegi, heel leave, headband, Greek, doucine, torus chamfer, groove, etc. The longitudinal projection 3 is used to place the cornice on the interested wall of a building, in a perfectly aligned manner, that is to say in such a way that the extreme edge of the decorative face 1 , as well as the longitudinal cavity 4 are perfectly parallel to the median plane of the aforementioned wall. This projection can also serve as a drip line. This cornice can be secured to the wall of the building using a layer of binder 6 interposed between the lower surface 2 of the cornice and the upper surface of the wall, while the longitudinal projection 3 is put in place so as to match the upper front edge of said wall, as is shown, for example, in Figure 2 where the front wall is designated by reference 5, the aforementioned binder layer (or the like) being interposed between the top of the wall 5 and the lower cornice A.

In the embodiment, shown in FIG. 2, a cornice A according to the invention, having a decorative surface 1A (of cavet type) and a longitudinal cavity 4A is laid, by means of the binder layer 6, on the wall 5, and a second cornice B having a decorative surface 1B, (of quarter-round type) is superimposed on the cornice A so that the longitudinal projection 3B of this cornice B follows the upper longitudinal edge of the cornice A. The junction between the two cornices A and B can be provided by another layer of binder or the like (not shown in the figure). As is apparent from the drawing, the two cornices are superimposed in a horizontally offset manner, the upper cornice B being the most projecting with respect to the exterior surface of the wall which can be coated with a layer of plaster or the like, designated by 5a and resting on the longitudinal projection 3A. In the case where the cornices are made of a material other than ceramic, it may prove necessary to treat them like the wall (by crepe, or the like).

The longitudinal cavity of the cornice according to the invention is capable of receiving a filling or a chaining consisting, for example, of stabilized sand, concrete or the like. This is indicated in FIG. 4 which shows a single cornice A interposed between a front wall 5 of a building provided with a plaster 5a or the like and the roof T of this building. Cornice A is provided with a filling or chaining placed - for example by casting - in the longitudinal cavity and constituted by stabilized sand, concrete or the like, preferably reinforced. To provide support and anchoring of the roof on the cornice, there is interposed between them a suitably profiled riser 9 which is secured to the cornice A with the aid of a layer of anchoring binder 10, however that another layer of binder or the like 10a connects the above the extension 9 at the end portion concerned of the roof T.

In order to obtain a satisfactory connection between the material of the cornice proper and the other materials used in the building concerned, it may prove advantageous to provide a formwork element 11 which is substantially U-shaped, as shown in FIG. 3 .

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, two superimposed cornices A and B are used, an extension 9 for the roof support, as well as, on a cross wall forming a right angle with that of the facade which carries the assembly of cornices and risers, formwork elements 11. The longitudinal cavity 4A of the lower cornice A is filled with a chaining material 8, such as concrete, in which metal reinforcing bars 8a are embedded. Similarly, the formwork element 11 is lined with a chaining material 11a similar to that of the cornice A, in which are also embedded metal reinforcing bars 11b whose ends are entangled with those of the rods 8a, as the figure shows. It will be noted that the metal armatures of the facade 8 and of the splitting 11a intersect with armatures of waiting posts 11c and are if possible hooked or otherwise connected to these transverse armatures 11C. As a variant, when reinforced concrete roof beams are used, the reinforcing bars of these beams can also be attached to the reinforcing bars 8a embedded in the chaining material 8.

To fill the angles formed between two cornices perpendicular to one another or between a cornice and a formwork element such as 11 (Figure 5), provision is made, according to the invention, to use two angle elements connected by a beveled joint. Figure 7 shows a ledge C placed on a building wall and a ledge D forming a right angle with the ledge C. Each of the two ledges is extended by a corner piece 12a, 12b respectively, these corner pieces being joined to each other at a bevel, as indicated in 12c. These parts 12a and 12b could moreover constitute only one and the same part.

In order to obtain an advantageous arrangement in which the longitudinal cavity of a cornice according to the invention acts as a gutter, an embodiment is provided such as that shown in FIG. 6, in which the longitudinal cavity 4B of the cornice upper B of two superimposed cornices A and B is placed substantially flush with the roof and coated with a suitably profiled lining 13, preferably formed of a metallic or plastic material suitable for gutter. This lining extends to above the edge of the roof, on the one hand, and covers, on the other hand, the upper exposed surface of the cornice, as indicated in 13a and 13b, respectively to form a gutter of rainwater and meltwater collection and disposal.

Figure 8 shows an embodiment in which a single prefabricated cornice has two longitudinal cavities 4x, 4y parallel and offset from each other in the horizontal and vertical direction. This embodiment allows a faster and more practical implementation of the aforementioned advantageous arrangement and replaces for example the set of two elementary cornices shown in FIG. 2. The cavity or lower longitudinal groove 4y serves, for example, as formwork for the rebar chaining represented in FIG. 5 while the upper longitudinal cavity or groove 4x can be used to receive the gutter 13 represented in FIG. 6.

It should be noted that the cornice according to the invention can also be prefabricated without decorative relief; it can then have a surface and / or a front housing specially arranged to receive colored or added decorations in the form of moldings. For this type of added decoration, different materials can be used, such as terracotta, stoneware, earthenware, glass paste, stainless steel, anodized aluminum, enameled steel, ceramic, colored glass, enameled glass, natural wood, marine type plywood. decorated, decorated glazed concrete and the like.

For the manufacture of the cornice according to the invention, it is possible to use, as starting material, materials such as terracotta, expanded clay, clay foam, heavy concrete. reinforced or unreinforced molded, agglomerated heavy concrete, or even lightweight concrete such as cellular or cellular concrete, foaming concrete, pozzolan concrete, polystyrene concrete, glass bead concrete, vermiculite concrete, mineralized wood concrete and the like.

Claims (9)

1. Cornice for a building, for topping an outer wall or coping of the building for strengthening, and/or wall tying or linking and/or decorative purposes consisting of at least one prefabricated element comprising a substantially plane base surface (2) provided on its outer edge with a longitudinal projection for alignment purposes, a substantially flat upper surface (7) substantially parallel to said base surface, a front surface (1) optionally provided with a decorative pattern, and a longitudinal recess (4) open at both ends having an unchanging U-shaped cross-section and adapted to receive a filling and/or longitudinal reinforcing or wall tying means (8, 8a, 11a, 11b) and/or a waterproof lining (13) substantially shaped so as to occupy the cross section of said recess and to constitute a gutter for rainwater and melting snow.
2. Cornice according to claim 1, characterized in that the horizontal filling of said cornice comprises reinforcing material (8) introduced into said longitudinal recess (4).
3. Cornice according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the longitudinal wall tie comprises reinforcing means consisting of longitudinal reinforcing rod means (8a), notably of metal, embedded in said reinforcing materials (8) and optionally linked to transverse or corner reinforcing rod means (11C).
4. Cornice according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it is associated with a complementary transverse or corner formwork element (11).
5. Cornice according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it includes two separated longitudinal recesses (4x, 4y) horizontally and vertical offset with respect to each other.
6. Cornice according to claims 1 to 5, associated with a second cornice extending perpendicularly to said first cornice, characterized it is further associated with two corner pieces (12a, 12b) having the same outer shape as said cornices (C,D) and each fitting end-to-end to the associated cornice, said two corner pieces being fitted together along a bevelled joining line (12c).
7. Cornice according to claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it is additionally associated with a corner piece (12a + 12b) having the same outer shape as said cornices (C, D) and adapted to fit end-to-end to said cornices.
8. Cornice according to claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it is associated with a spacing or raising component (9) linked, by means of cement (10, 10a) or similar, by means of its lower surface, to the upper surface of said cornice and, by means of its upper surface, to the lower surface of the roofing (T) of said building.
9. Cornice according to claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it is associated with at least one other cornice (1B) of a similar type, placed on top of said first cornice (A) whereby the respective longitudinal recesses (4A, 4B) of said cornices are horizontally offset with respect to each other while remaining parallel to each other.

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