GB2030204A - Cladding buildings - Google Patents

Abstract

A mounting assembly (3) is mounted on a vertical stanchion (1), the mounting assembly providing a recess (7, 8, 9) for receiving an edge portion of a cladding panel (2) which is to be secured to the building structure, the panel edge portion being engaged into the recess (7, 8, 9) by resilient deformation of the mounting assembly (3). The mounting assembly (3) comprises sheet metal members (4, 12) which fit around the stanchion (1), first such members (4) forming the recess (7, 8, 9) and second such members (12) engaging around the outside of the first members (4) to secure them to the stanchion. In another embodiment the mounting assembly may comprise a resiliently deformable block having a recess for receiving the panel edge portion. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Cladding buildings This invention relates to a method of cladding a structure, in particular a steel-framed building, and means for carrying out such a method.

A method of constructing buildings which is being increasingly used nowadays, in particular for largersize buildings such as warehouses, storage buildings and factories, is firstly to construct a steel frame and then fix a cladding wall material to the frame.

The cladding material is usually formed by panels of large but handleable size, in the form for example of asbestos-cement panels or metal panels such as aluminium sheet. Panels of this kind are usually of a generally corrugated section, forming channels or troughs to increase the strength of the panel so that the panel is sufficiently rigid to bridge the gap between one fixing position and the next. For the purposes of fixing such panels to the steel frame, the frame, which primarily comprises vertical stanchions with horizontal beams across the top end of the stanchions, further includes a number of horizontal fixing rails fixed to the stanchions. The fixing rails are spaced vertically by a distance which substantially corresponds to the vertical dimension of the panels when installed, and the panels are fixed to the rails by fixing bolts or screws.

In one form of this previously proposed cladding system, panels are fixed to the fixing rails on the outside of the frame, so that the rails and stanchions remain exposed within the building. This kind of cladding is generally non-insulated, although insulation may be provided on the inside face of the panels. However, this cladding system is not of attractive appearance from inside the building.

In another form of cladding system, exterior cladding panels are also fixed to rails, but in addition a separate framework is erected inside the building for fixing thereto an inner skin of material such as platerboard, hardboard, or metal sheet. An insulating material is disposed between the inner and outer skins, so that this cladding is of more pleasing appearance from the inside of the building, as well as providing improved insulation. However, fixing the outer skin and the inner skin is a tedious, slow operation, and it is also difficult to provide openings such as for windows and doors in the panels.

There is another form of cladding system in which an outer cladding skin, an inner skin and insulation are produced as a prefabricated unit in sandwich form. Thus, each panel comprises outer and inner skins bonded to insulating material and is secured to a rail, as described above. There is therefore no need for a separate framework within the building, for fixing the inner skin, and the insulation does not need to be fixed separately.While this system is easier and therefore quicker to install than the double skin cladding system described above, it will be appreciated that the rails and stanchions are still exposed within the building, so that the cladding is not of pleasant appearance when viewed from within the building, while furthermore it is necessary to cut away the inner skin and the insulation to provide overlap of the outer skin in order to form a waterproof joint between adjacent panels.

All the methods described above for cladding a steel-framed building tend to suffer from similar disadvantages, for example a skilled labour force is required to fix the panels, because the panels must be suitably positioned relative to the fixing rails. In addition, the panels must be held in place relative to the rails while the necessary bolts or screws are inserted, and this increases the number of men required to carry out the cladding operation. Particular difficulties are encountered in this respect where it is necessary to fit for example a window or door, since it is difficult to bring together in the correct relationship the window assembly, the cladding panels, and any finishing members required to cover parts of the panel where it is cut away to fit around the window assembly, while also partitioning all these components relative to the main steel frame.

Furthermore, where the cladding panels are made from profiled sheet, the panels are produced by heavy machinery of the rolling mill or brake press type and it will be appreciated that, although the sheets can be supplied cut to the required length, the width of the sheet is primarily determined by their manner of manufacture. Experience has shown that it is almost impossible to arrive at a combination of such predetermined sheet widths, which coincides with the dimensions of the building to be clad. For this reason, it is necessary to fit part or extension members, in order to extend the cladding right up to a corner or window opening and thus to close the cladding on the building.

There is the further disadvantage that the fixing bolts or screws are liable to corrode unless they are made of an expensive material such as stainless steel or are coated with plastics material. Even in the latter case however, the plastics coating may easily suffer damage during the operation of erecting the cladding, and the fixing means will suffer corrosion as a result.

According to the present invention, there is provided a method of cladding a structure including a frame having stanchions, wherein a mounting assembly is mounted on said stanchion, the mounting assembly providing a recess for receiving an edge portion of a cladding panel to be secured to said stanchion, and a said panel edge portion is engaged into said recess by resilient deformation of the mounting assembly.

The invention also provides means for cladding a structure having a frame including stanchions, comprising a resiliently deformable mounting assembly capable of being mounted ot a stanchion and providing a recess for receiving an edge portion of a cladding panel to be secured to said stanchion, and a cladding panel whose edge portion is capable of being engaged into said recess by resilient deformation of the mounting assembly.

In one embodiment of the method and means set forth above, the mounting assembly may comprise a block, possible at least partly hollow, defining the recess for the panel edge portion, while in another embodiment the mounting assembly comprises a first member having lip portions arranged to be positioned around the outside of a part of a stanchion which has a web, for example of H-section, and further portions forming said recess which extends inwardly of the stanchion towards the web thereof. The assembly may further include a second member capable of securing the first member to the stanchion by a resilient clipping action.

In a preferred form, the second member is shaped to fit around the outside of a flange of the stanchion section, while also providing lip portions which extend into the recesses of two said first members when fitted to respective sides of the stanchion section. Thus, each first member will extend across the gap between the two flanges of the e.g. H-section on respective sides of the web thereof, while a respective second member will engage around the ends of each two first members on a respective stanchion, the two second members thus holding the two first members in place.

The invention also provides a panel for use in a cladding system, formed of sheet material bent to form a hollow box structure, with insulation material in the hollow interior thereof.

A method, means and panel according to the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure I shows a.plan view in cross-section of part of a cladding system, at the position of a vertical stanchion of the steel frame of a building, Figure2 shows a view in vertical section through a panel of the cladding system.

Referring firstly to Figure 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a vertical stanchion which is shown as one of H-section, which forms one of the vertical members of a steel frame of a building to be clad. The web of the stanchion extends transversely to the line of the wall of the building, so that one of the transverse limbs or flanges of the stanchion section faces inwardly of the building and the other flange faces outwardly of the building. The stanchions 1 are spaced at suitable intervals, for example 3 metres as a typical distance.

Cladding panels 2 are secured to the stanchions 1, each panel 2 extending between each two adjacent stanchions, with a plurality of panels being disposed one above the other to form the height of the wall.

As will be seen from Figure 1, the ends of two adjacent cladding panels 2a and 2b are secured to the stanchion 1 by mounting clip assemblies indicated generally at3. Each assembly 3 comprises a first or inner clip member 4 which spans across the two flanges of the stanchion section, extending over a part of its length substantially parallel to the web of the stanchion section.Thus, referring to the righthand member 4 in Figure 1, starting from the upper end thereof as viewed in the drawing, the member 4 comprises a lip portion 5, a first portion 6 normal to the lip portion 5, a second portion 7 normal to the portion 6 and inwardly towards the web of the stanchion section, a third portion 8 extending normal to the portion 7 and parallel to the web of the stanchion section, a fourth portion 9 parallel to the portion 7, a fifth portion 10 in line with portion 6, and a lip portion 11 which fits over the outward face of the other flange of the stanchion section. It will be seen from Figure 1 that the two lip portions 5 and 11 locate the member 4 laterally on the stanchion section by a clipping action, while the portions 7, 8 and 9 form a recess or channel extending inwardly of the stanchion section towards the web.The distance between the two lip portions 5 and 11 is not generally critical, provided that the member 4 can be fitted into its position as shown in Figure 1 without excessive difficulty and also without excessive clearance. A slight spring fit of the member 4 on the stanchion 1 is of no disadvantage, as this spring fit will increase the clipping effect and thus assist in holding the member 4 in place during assembly of the cladding system.

The assemblies 3 further comprise two outer members indicated at 12 in Figure 1, each of which comprises a lip portion 13 which extends into the respective channel 7,8 and 9 of one of the members 4, a first portion 14 which extends alongside and outside of the portion 10 of one member 4, a second portion 15 which extends across the outside of the flange of the stanchion 1, a third portion 16 parallel to the portion 14, and a lip portion 17 which extends into the channel 7,8 and 9 of the other member 4 on the same stanchion. It will be appreciated that a respective outer member 12 will hold two inner members 4 in place on the stanchion 1, at each end of the two members 4.

To assemble a cladding system comprising the panels 2 and the members 4 and 12 shown in Figure 1, a respective member 4 is fitted to each side of the relevant stanchion 1. The members 12 are then fitted into place around the members 4, which can easily be done by spreading open the members 12 so that the lip portions 13 and 17 will pass around the outside of the members 4 and will then snap back into the position in which they are within the respective channels 7, 8 and 9. In this way the members 4 are firmly held in place on the stanchion 1.

This operation is then repeated on the other of the two stanchions between which the cladding panels are to be fixed.

The panel 2 to be held by the members 4 and 12 is then offered to the channels 7 to 9, which face towards each other, on the two adjacent stanch ions.

A typical size for each such cladding panel will be 3 metres in length, 500 metres in width (ie the vertical dimension when the panel is fitted into place), and 30 mm in thickness. Fitting the panel is conveniently effected by positioning the panel between the two facing channels 7 to 9 with the length of the panel extending somewhat vertically. The panel 2 can then be turned until diagonally opposite corners of the panel 2 are engaged into the respective facing channels 7 to 9. With the panel dimensions listed above, the dimension of the panel from one diagonal corner to the other will be approximately 3041 mm, and the resiliency afforded by the members 4 and 12 will be such that the clip members can be flexed towards the webs of the respective stanchions 1, by a distance such that the panel 2 can now be turned fully into the installed position in which its length extends horizontally. In doing this, each assembly 3 will be required to flex inwardly of the stanchion 1 by a distance of about 20 mm, to permit the panel to be fitted fully into place.

Once the panel has been so fitted, it is held in position by being engaged in the channels 7 to 9 and also by the resiliency of the clip members, for example by virtue of the panel being very slightly longer than the overall distance between the portions 8 of the two facing channels 7 to 9, when the members 4 and 12 are in a rest or relaxed condition.

Once a first cladding panel has been fitted as described above, further cladding panels can then be fitted to the same two adjacent stanchions, by stacking one panel upon the other in the same two channels 7 to 9.

Conventional finishing members such as bottom sills and top cladding closures may be fitted in the usual way, to finish off the cladding edges, while insulating material may be disposed within the spaces formed in the H-section of the stanchion 1 by the assemblies 3. The insulating material may be a foam material which can be injected into the stanchion after installation of the cladding, or for example granular or loose-fill insulation which is also put in the stanchion after installation, or lightweight aggregate concrete. A suitable insulation is for example vermiculite.

It will be seen therefore that the members 4 and 12 not only secure the panels 2 in position, by virtue of a resilient fit and also by virtue of the positive interengagement between the vertical edge portions of the panels 2 and the respective channels 7 to 9, but the members 4 and 12 also provide a metal encasement for the stanchions to improve the aesthetic appearance thereof, both from inside and outside the building.

If for example windows are to be provided in the cladding wall, it is then possible to produce panels which are of the same dimensions as the cladding panel described above, incorporating a window assembly. It will be seen that such a window-bearing panel can be readily inserted in the same way as the cladding panel described above. Alternatively, instead of the panel simply incorporating a window assembly in its area, the window may be formed by the whole of the panel so that in effect the whole panel is transparent to form the window. Fitting of such a window panel is effected as just described above.

In the same way, various other forms of panel may be fitted, such as panels bearing or forming for example vents, ventilators and lighting units, and solar heating panels. Thus one or possibly two walls of a building, which are most exposed to sunlight in the course of a day, may be formed by panels incorporating or forming solar heating units. Similarly, a fluid circulation circuit may be readily incorporated into the cladding panels, for example by simply fitting copper or like piping within the cladding panels, to provide for heating or cooling of the cladding wall for space heating or space cooling purposes.

Reference is now made to Figure 2 which shows a preferred form of a cladding panel which can be used in the cladding system described above with reference to Figure 1. As shown in Figure 2, the cladding panel is fabricated from flat metal sheet which can be folded as required by simple sheet metal working machinery, in the required lengths and widths. This ease of production makes it possi ble to produce a multiplicity of panel sizes such that the panels can be precisely adapted to the length and height of the building to which they are to be fitted, thereby to avoid the need for partial panels for filling in gaps.

In Figure 2, each panel comprises two side wall assemblies 18 and 19, fitted together to form a flat box-like structure. The long edges of the assemblies 18 and 19 are shaped so as to fit together, as indicated at 20 and 21, where they are fixed together as by welding, riveting or adhesive. At the upper long edge shown in Figure 2, a portion of the thickness of the panel projects outwardly, forming a rib 20, while at the other lower long edge in Figure 2, a portion of the thickness of the panel projects inwardly, forming a recess or channel 21. When two panels are thus fitted together one above the other between two adjacent stanchions 1, the panels overlap at their long edges so as to provide a waterproof joint, while however maintaining a flat vertical plane across the faces of the two panels, on both sides thereof.Other forms of overlapping configuration may be employed to give the same effect.

Provided within the box structure of each panel are additional reinforcing members 22 and 23, while an insulating material is disposed within the box structure, for example a foam insulating material which may be injected into the box structure after it has been fabricated, or insulation of board or loose-fill type which can be disposed within the box structure during its fabrication.

If the panel is required to carry vertical loads, it would also be possible to fit vertical strut members extending vertically within the panel, from the lower edge to the upper edge thereof. Such vertical strut members may be additional to or alternative to the members 22 and 23.

It will be appreciated that with the abovedescribed cladding system the panels may be fitted to the steel frame of a building without requiring fixing rails as in the previously proposed fixing methods, without visible fixings such as bolts or screws (although fixing means such as bolts may be employed in circumstances so dictate), without exposed cut edges, since all edges of the panel are enclosed within the clip assemblies 3, and without exposed stanchions. The absence of fixing means has the further advantage of improving the wall insulation, insofar as fixing an outer cladding skin to a fixing wall by fixing screws provided a path of increased heat conductivity through the wall by way of the material of the screws, which thus reduces the overall insulation of the cladding of the previously proposed methods.The operation of fitting the cladding assembly is greatly facilitated, as there is no need to position panels precisely relative to holes in fixing rails, and the cladding panels and clip members may be fitted from the inside of the building, where working conditions are often easier and more convenient, insofar as the interior of the building may be already cleared of building materials and the like, providing ready access to the steel frame. As there is no need for the labour force to have access to fixing rail which extend between the stanchions, since the cladding erectors only need to work at the location of the two adjacent stanchions to which each panel is to be secured, there is no need for scaffolding extending the whole length of the wall of the building.Thus, it is only necessary to provide for example two scaffolding towers on wheels, of known kind, whereby the cladding erectors position a respective tower at each of two adjacent stanchions, install the cladding panels between those two stanch ions, and then wheel their towers along to the next two adjacent stanchions on which a cladding operation is to be effected.

Furthermore, in a building where fire regulations require the stanchion to be fully encased in concrete, it is usual to build a wooden former around each stanchion, into which concrete is poured. No further progress on the building, in that part thereof, is then possible until the concrete is sufficiently hard to permit removal of the former, causing a delay which is of considerable length, usually in the region of 21 days. There may be for example about 5 cm of concrete around the stanchion for thermal insulation and to prevent the stanchion from softening when subjected to the heat of a fire.

With the method and cladding structure described above, the members which are secured to the stanchions to hold the cladding panels and which thus form a kind of casing around the stanchion may be made of oversize dimensions, relative to the stanchion, by the thickness of the concrete encasement required, and positioned in relation to the stanchion by means of spacers which may be for example clipped into place, so that the casing provides a permanent containment into which the concret is poured, as well as providing means for fixing the cladding panels, thereby avoiding the above-mentioned delay.

Various modifications may be made without thereby departing from the scope of the invention, for example the clip assembly may be of different constitution and configuration from that shown, for example for use on stanchions of different sections.

Furthermore, in a modified form of the outer members 12 shown, each clip portion 13 and 17 may be extended to the bottom of the channel or recess formed by the portions 7 to 9 of the inner clip member 4, and may then also extend at least partly across the bottom of the channel, to such an extent that the edges of the parts of the two members 12, which extend across the bottom of the channels 7 to 9, are adjacent to each other or said parts may even overlap each other.

Alternatively the mounting assembly may com prise a block of resiliently deformable material, such as rubber or a suitable plastics, which provides the recess for receiving the edge portion of a panel. The block may be hollow in at least part of its interior, to provide a greater degree of resiliency than that afforded by its constituent material, if required.

The block may be used in conjunction with outer members corresponding to the members 12 in the illustrated embodiment, if full cladding of the stan chions is required.

In addition, although the recess in the mounting assembly for the panel edge is shown equidistant between the two flanges of the stanchion, the position of the recess may be varied if desired, eg may be closer to one or other of the stanchion flanges.

Claims (15)

1. A method of cladding a structure including a frame having stanchions, wherein a mounting assembly is mounted on a said stanchion, the mounting assembly providing a recess for receiving an edge portion of a cladding panel to be secured to said stanchion, and a said panel edge portion is engaged into said recess by resilient deformation of the mounting assembly.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said mounting assembly comprises a resiliently deformable block which provides said recess and which is mounted to a said stanchion by resilient engagement therewith.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said block is hollow.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein a first member of said mounting assembly is mounted to a said stanchion by means of lip portions of the first member being positioned to engage around the outside of a part of the stanchion, the first member having further portions which form said recess which in the mounted position of the mounting assembly extends inwardly of or towards said stanchion.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein a second member of said mounting assembly is mounted to said stanchion and engages around at least a part of said first member thereby to secure said first member to said stanchion by a resilient clipping action.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein said stanchion has a pair of flanges and a web interconnecting the flanges, wherein two said first members are fitted to respective sides of the stanchions, and wherein said second member is fitted around the outside of a said flange, said second member also providing lip portions which in the mounted position of the assembly extend into the recesses of said two first members.

7. A method of cladding a structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. Means for cladding a structure having a frame including stanchions, comprising a resiliently deformable mounting assembly capable of being mounted to a stanchion and providing a recess for receiving an edge portion of a cladding panel to be secured to said stanchion, and a cladding panel whose edge portion is capable of being engaged into said recess by resilient deformation of the mounting assembly.

9. A means according to claim 8 wherein said mounting assembly comprises a resiliently deform able block providing a said recess.

10. A means according to claim 9 wherein said block is hollow.

11. A means according to claim 8 wheren said mounting assembly comprises a first member having a lip portions arranged to be positioned around the outside of a part of a said stanchion and further portions forming said recess which in the mounted position of the assembly extends inwardly of or towards said stanchion.

12. A means according to claim 11 wherein said mounting assembly further comprises a second member capable of securing said first member to said stanchion by a resilient clipping action.

13. Means according to claim 11 for use on a said stanchion having a pair of flanges and a web interconnecting same, wherein said second member is shaped to fit around the outside of a said flange and also provide lip portions-which in the mounted position of the assembly extend into said recesses in two said first members which are fitted on respective sides of said stanchion.

14. Means for cladding a structure, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

15. A panel for use in a cladding system, formed of sheet material bent to form a hollow box structure, with insulation material in the hollow interior thereof.