GB1580646A

GB1580646A - Interlocking cladding panels

Info

Publication number: GB1580646A
Application number: GB4263677A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Cegedur Societe de Transformation de lAluminium Pechiney SA
Current assignee: Cegedur Societe de Transformation de lAluminium Pechiney SA
Priority date: 1976-10-14
Filing date: 1977-10-13
Publication date: 1980-12-03
Also published as: AT351214B; FR2367879A1; DE7731578U1; LU78301A1; IT1087924B; NL7711222A; BE859673A; CH616192A5; ES231332Y; ES231332U; ATA738977A; DK456177A

Description

(54) INTERLOCKING CLADDING PANELS (71) We, CEGEDUR SOCIETE DE TRANSFORMATION DE L'ALUMINIUM PECHINEY, a body corporate organised under the laws of France of 10 Rue Du General Foy, Paris 8e, France, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to panels which are adapted to interlock to form a cladding, for example for a wall of a building.

In modern buildings, facades are currently constructed in the form of curtain walls composed of a supporting structural frame on the external side of which a light cladding of metal sections is fixed.

Claddings have to be economical, light, strong, impervious and aesthetic. For aesthetic reasons, the mountings for attaching the panels to the frame often have to be invisible from the outside and the joints between panels have to be as invisible as possible.

In order to satisfy these various requirements, numerous panels made of folded thin steel plate, the cross-sections of which are generally channel-shaped, have already been proposed. The element of the panels which is visible from the exterior and which corresponds to the bottom of the channel is hereafter referred to as the "web". The two substantially parallel elements corresponding to the two upright walls of the channel are hereafter referred to as the "wings".

One of the wings of the panels has a flange extension which is bent back at an angle of 90" towards the outside of the channel and is thus parallel to the web of the channel. These flanges are hereafter referred to as "fixing flanges". They comprise holes or devices by means of which they may be fixed on to the frame. The panels are positioned by hiding each fixing flange beneath the web of the adjacent panel. The wing from which the fixing flange extends is hereafter referred to as the "fixed wing" as opposed to the other wing, the so-called "free wing".

In order to improve the cohesion of the assembly and to prevent deformations of the free sides of the panels, it is usual to shape the two wings in a similar manner so that there is lateral interlocking, i.e. either direct interlocking of the wings, the shapes of which are complementary, or interlocking by a flange of a wing which is introduced into a suitable groove in the complementary wing. The shape of these panels will be understood better by referring to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings given by way of example of the prior art.

The conventional panels are generally manufactured from 1 to 2 mm thick steel plate. They have an "apparent thickness" of the order of 35 mm corresponding to the height of the wings or the branches of the channel, and a width generally of 200 to 300 mm, corresponding to the width of the web of the channel. They are currently manufactured in lengths of 4 to 6 mm.

However, with 1 to 2 mm steel plate panels which are 200 to 300 mm wide, it is observed that the panels, particularly their wings (corresponding to the branches of the channel), can be deformed elastically. Although the lateral interlocking of the panels effectively resists an external thrust which tends to push the panels against the frame, it resists less well an external suction which tends to make the channel open and to be deformed elastically. Thus, it is noticed that the panels of the conventional type shown in Figure 1 hardly resist suctions of more than 0.015 bar.

We have sought to provide a panel whose shape allows wedged interlocking, a type of ratchet mechanism resisting practically until breakage.

The invention provides a cladding panel adapted to interlock laterally with like panels, comprising a web and two wings respectively located along parallel edges of the web and substantially perpendicular to the web, one of these wings known as the "fixed wing" being extended by a flat flange for fixing to a support, the flat flange being bent back by 90" away from and parallel to the web of the panel, the end of this fixed wing defining a parallel faced groove, one of the faces of the groove being formed by the flange and the width h3 of this groove being from 1/4 to 1/2 of the apparent thickness of the panel, while the other wing, the so-called "free wing", which is substantially flat and substantially perpendicular to the plane of the web, is extended by a flat element which is bent back by substantially 90" away from and parallel to the web, the width of this element being at most equal to the width of the planar faces of the groove, the flat element itself being extended by a flat flange which is bent back towards the web by an angle a of from 95" to 1300, thus making an angle of from substantially 185 to 2200 with the free wing, this flat flange having a width c which is substantially equal to h3/sin CL.

Like the prior art panels, these new cladding panels, with invisible mounting and lateral interlocking, have a generally channelshaped cross-section, composed of a flat web and two wings which are substantially perpendicular to the web.

One of these wings, hereafter known as the "fixed wing", is extended with a flat fixing flange which is bent back by 90" towards the exterior of the channel, parallel to the web of the panel. The end of the fixed wing of the panel according to the invention near to the fixing flange is shaped to form a groove which is similar to the grooves in the prior art, but which has two parallel faces, the external face of the groove being formed by the extension of the fixing flange itself. The depth of this groove measured parallel to the web of the panel is preferably slightly larger than one-half of the apparent thickness of the panel, whereas its internal width is generally from 1/4 to 1/2 of this same apparent thickness. The other wing of the panel, the socalled "free wing", also has an appropriate shape.In the first instance, it is not shaped as in the prior art by creating a convex rib or a flat flange which is introduced into a narrow groove on the fixed wing. The free wing is substantially flat and perpendicular to the plane of the web. It is extended by a flat element whose width is at most equal to the width of the planar faces of the groove of the fixed wing this flat element being bent by back 90" towards the outside of the panel, parallel to its web and thus to the faces of the groove.This flat element is itself extended by a flange which is bent back towards the exterior in relation to the element by an angle a of from 95" to 1300, and thus makes an angle of from 185 to 2200 with the YY, axis of the cross-section of the panel. (The YY1 axis is perpendicular to the plane of the web.) The width of this flange is substantially equal to the internal width of the groove in the fixed wing divided by the sine a. The angle cr is preferably from 105 to 115". This flange may thus be introduced without clearance, or at least by forcing very lightly in the groove of the fixed wing of a similar section.

The invention will be understood better by the following description of a preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, Figure 1 represents the cross-section of a prior art panel through a plane of symmetry; Figure 2 represents, on a larger scale, two adjacent prior art panels fixed on to a frame and laterally interlocked; Figure 3 represents the cross-section of a panel according to an embodiment of the invention; and Figure 4 represents, on a larger scale, two panels according to an embodiment of the invention fixed on to a frame and interlocked laterally by wedging.

The prior art panel which is shown in cross-section in Figure 1 is 6 m long (not shown). It is made of steel plate of thickness e = 1.5 mm. The cross-section of the panel has a generally channel-shaped form of apparent width 1 = 300 mm, and height h1 = 35 mm.

The apparent width 1 of the panel is the width of its web 1, i.e. the width occupied by one panel in a cladding formed from a plurality of interlocked panels. Its height hl is also the width of the fixed wing 2 of the panels as well as the apparent thickness of the panel in relation to the plane of fixation on to the frame. The two wings of the panel are unequal. The free wing 3 on the left-hand side of the drawing has a width h2 which is 33.5 mm, i.e. less than h, and such that h2 = h1 - e. The fixed wing 2 is extended by a flange 4 of width a = 55 mm, the so-called fixed flange, which is bent back towards the exterior parallel to the web 1 of the panel. It includes three perforations on the axes XX1 superimposed over its length, allowing the panel to be fixed on to the frame. The other wing 3, the so-called free wing, is extended by a smaller flange 5, which is bent back towards the interior of the panel parallel to its web 1. The width b of the free flange 5 is 20 mm.

The two wings 2 and 3 are deformed in a similar manner. The fixed wing 2 includes, in particular, a concave groove 6, while the free wing 3 comprises a convex rib 7 of corresponding size to allow elastic interlocking of two adjacent panels as shown in Figure 2.

This elastic and precise interlocking of the two panels renders their joint J hardly visible from the outside. It also ensures that the two panels are well connected when subjected to normal stresses.

The panels having a width 1 = 300 mm or even 200 mm which have been produced from steel plate of thickness e = 1.5 mm are relatively flexible about an axis passing through the three fixing points X-Xl. When they are subjected to a pressure from outside, they are pressed against the frame and buttress against each other. They are resistant practically until breakage. But if they are subjected to an external suction, represented in Figure 2 by a force F, the sections tend to deform by rounding off their channel-shaped cross-section, i.e. the webs tend to become convex. The ribs 7 of the free wings 3 manage to escape from the grooves 6 of the adjacent panel as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 2. It is observed that such panels become dislocated under suctions F of the order of 0.015 bar.

The panels according to an embodiment of the invention are represented in Figures 3 and 4. They are made of steel plate of the same qualtity and the same thickness e = 1.5 mm. They have the same general shape with a channel-shaped cross-section, the same width 1, the same apparent thickness hl, and the same wing widths hl and h2. The width a of the fixed flange 4' is substantially the same as that of the flange 4 of the prior art panel.

The essential difference between the two panels consists in the free wing 3' of the new panel not being curved in its plane and not comprising a convex rib. On the contrary, it is substantially flat and perpendicular to the plane of the web 1'. It is extended like the wing 3 of the prior art panel by a flat element 5' which is similar to the flange 5 but bent back, not towards the interior of the panel, but on the contrary by 90" towards the exterior, parallel to the web 1'. The width b of this element 5' is substantially equal to that of the prior art flange 5. This element 5' is again extended by a flat flange 8 turned back towards the interior by an angle a = 110 , that is a total of 200 in relation to the free wing 3' of the panel. The width c of this flange is 12 mm, that is substantially equal to h1/3.

Similarly to the fixed wing of the prior art panels, the fixed wing 2' of the new panel comprises a fixing flange 4' having a width a which is substantially equal to that of the flange 4 of the prior art panel. The wing 2' is shaped to create a groove 6' at its end which is similar to the groove 6 of the prior art panel. However, the two faces of this groove 6' are parallel to the plane of the web 1' of the panel, one of the faces being formed by the fixing flange 4'.

The internal dimensions of this groove correspond to those of the elements 5' and 8.

Since the depth of the groove 6' is 20 mm, as shown in Figure 4, and its width h3 is 11 mm, it allows the flange 8 to be introduced with a very slight effort causing the flange 8 to bend very slightly beyond the angle a = 110 , since in this Figure: c sin a = 11.28.

It is seen that under the effect of external suction or pressure F, the web 1' of the new panel tends to bulge towards the outside as in the prior art case. The element 5' tends to withdraw from the groove 6' by rotating in an anticlockwise direction.

Therefore, the flange 8 also tends to rotate, tending to unbend itself. It is thus wedged by becoming overlayed in the upper face of the groove 6' and it therefore buttresses in this groove. It is observed that the new type of panel resists external suctions of 0.030 bar and above. This new panel doubles the resistances of the panels to wrenching without material expenditure or extra machining costs in relation to prior art panels.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A cladding panel adapted to interlock laterally with like panels, comprising a web and two wings respectively located along parallel edges of the web and substantially perpendicular to the web, one of these wings known as the "fixed wing" being extended by a flat flange for fixing to a support, the flat flange being bent back by 90" away from and parallel to the web of the panel, the end of this fixed wing defining a parallel faced groove, one of the faces of the groove being formed by the flange and the width h3 of this groove being from 1/4 to 1/2 of the apparent thickness of the panel, while the other wing, the so-called "free wing", which is substantially flat and substantially perpendicular to the plane of the web, is extended by a flat element which is bent back by substantially flat and substantially perpendicular to the plane of the web, is extended by a flat element which is bent back by substantially 90" away from and parallel to the web, the width of this element being at most equal to the width of the planar faces of the groove, the flat element itself being extended by a flat flange which is bent back towards the web by an angle a of from 95" to 1300, thus making an angle of from substantially 185 to 2200 with the free wing, this flat flange having a width c which is substantially equal to h3/sin CL.

2. A cladding panel according to claim 1, wherein the width h3 of the groove of the fixed wing is substantially equal to 1/3 of the apparent thickness of the panel.

3. A cladding panel according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the flat flange extending the free wing is bent back by an angle a of from 105 to 1150.

4. A cladding panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the depth of the groove of the fixed wing is slightly greater than one-half of the apparent thickness of the panel.

5. Acladdingpanel according to claim 1,

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. The panels having a width 1 = 300 mm or even 200 mm which have been produced from steel plate of thickness e = 1.5 mm are relatively flexible about an axis passing through the three fixing points X-Xl. When they are subjected to a pressure from outside, they are pressed against the frame and buttress against each other. They are resistant practically until breakage. But if they are subjected to an external suction, represented in Figure 2 by a force F, the sections tend to deform by rounding off their channel-shaped cross-section, i.e. the webs tend to become convex. The ribs 7 of the free wings 3 manage to escape from the grooves 6 of the adjacent panel as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 2. It is observed that such panels become dislocated under suctions F of the order of 0.015 bar. The panels according to an embodiment of the invention are represented in Figures 3 and 4. They are made of steel plate of the same qualtity and the same thickness e = 1.5 mm. They have the same general shape with a channel-shaped cross-section, the same width 1, the same apparent thickness hl, and the same wing widths hl and h2. The width a of the fixed flange 4' is substantially the same as that of the flange 4 of the prior art panel. The essential difference between the two panels consists in the free wing 3' of the new panel not being curved in its plane and not comprising a convex rib. On the contrary, it is substantially flat and perpendicular to the plane of the web 1'. It is extended like the wing 3 of the prior art panel by a flat element 5' which is similar to the flange 5 but bent back, not towards the interior of the panel, but on the contrary by 90" towards the exterior, parallel to the web 1'. The width b of this element 5' is substantially equal to that of the prior art flange 5. This element 5' is again extended by a flat flange 8 turned back towards the interior by an angle a = 110 , that is a total of 200 in relation to the free wing 3' of the panel. The width c of this flange is 12 mm, that is substantially equal to h1/3. Similarly to the fixed wing of the prior art panels, the fixed wing 2' of the new panel comprises a fixing flange 4' having a width a which is substantially equal to that of the flange 4 of the prior art panel. The wing 2' is shaped to create a groove 6' at its end which is similar to the groove 6 of the prior art panel. However, the two faces of this groove 6' are parallel to the plane of the web 1' of the panel, one of the faces being formed by the fixing flange 4'. The internal dimensions of this groove correspond to those of the elements 5' and 8. Since the depth of the groove 6' is 20 mm, as shown in Figure 4, and its width h3 is 11 mm, it allows the flange 8 to be introduced with a very slight effort causing the flange 8 to bend very slightly beyond the angle a = 110 , since in this Figure: c sin a = 11.28. It is seen that under the effect of external suction or pressure F, the web 1' of the new panel tends to bulge towards the outside as in the prior art case. The element 5' tends to withdraw from the groove 6' by rotating in an anticlockwise direction. Therefore, the flange 8 also tends to rotate, tending to unbend itself. It is thus wedged by becoming overlayed in the upper face of the groove 6' and it therefore buttresses in this groove. It is observed that the new type of panel resists external suctions of 0.030 bar and above. This new panel doubles the resistances of the panels to wrenching without material expenditure or extra machining costs in relation to prior art panels. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A cladding panel adapted to interlock laterally with like panels, comprising a web and two wings respectively located along parallel edges of the web and substantially perpendicular to the web, one of these wings known as the "fixed wing" being extended by a flat flange for fixing to a support, the flat flange being bent back by 90" away from and parallel to the web of the panel, the end of this fixed wing defining a parallel faced groove, one of the faces of the groove being formed by the flange and the width h3 of this groove being from 1/4 to 1/2 of the apparent thickness of the panel, while the other wing, the so-called "free wing", which is substantially flat and substantially perpendicular to the plane of the web, is extended by a flat element which is bent back by substantially flat and substantially perpendicular to the plane of the web, is extended by a flat element which is bent back by substantially 90" away from and parallel to the web, the width of this element being at most equal to the width of the planar faces of the groove, the flat element itself being extended by a flat flange which is bent back towards the web by an angle a of from 95" to 1300, thus making an angle of from substantially 185 to 2200 with the free wing, this flat flange having a width c which is substantially equal to h3/sin CL.

5. Acladdingpanel according to claim 1,

substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.

6. An interlocking cladding comprising a plurality of interlocked cladding panels according to any one of claims 1 to 5 mounted on a supporting frame.