GB2034390A - Device for use in fastening facing panels - Google Patents

Abstract

The device comprises a shank part 1 which is circular at its front end 1a which is longitudinally slotted at 1b for expansion in a borehole (not shown) in a foundation such as a wall. Rear and 1c is square to resist rotation and formed with opposed ledges 1e engageable into grooves 3b provided by turned- over tabs 3a on two opposite sides of an intermediate part 3, and corresponding grooves 3b on the other two sides of the part 3 receive ledges 2b of a supporting part 2 having a slot 2c and a pin 4 for facing-panel engagement. The groove and ledge arrangement provides for possible adjustment, of the attachment to the panel, in two directions substantially at right angles to one another in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the panel. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Device for use in fastening facing panels This invention relates to a device for use in the clearance fastening of facing panels, comprising a shank part which can be anchored in a foundation such as a wall, and a supporting part which has retaining means for the facing panels, in which the supporting part is engageable with the shank part by means of longitudinal guides perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shank part.

Various fastening elements are already known for the clearance mounting of facing panels. For reasons of rationalisation, nowadays very often an entire facade to be clad is firstly provided with the necessary boreholes for accommodating the fastening elements.

Since, however, facing panels have dimensional discrepancies arising from production tolerances, and also the borehole spacings are subject to deviations, a subsequent adjustability of the fastening elements is necessary. For this purpose, in one known fastening element the end face of the shank part is provided with a slit into which a retaining plate, provided with retaining means for the positional securing of the facing panels, is inserted so as to butt against the base of the slit, and is clampable by a fastening screw which can be positioned, transversely to the slit, through a bore in the shank part and in a slotted hole, extending parallel to the base of the slot, in the retaining plate. Because of the presence of this slit the supporting part, designed as a retaining plate, is adjustable and securable perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the shank part.

A considerable disadvantage of this known fastening element consists in that the possibility of adjustment is afforded only in one axis.

However, both the borehole spacings and the dimensions of the facing panels can deviate in two directions from the intended dimension.

In the event of a deviation which cannot be accommodated by the known fastening element, an expensive or complicated correction by use of shims of different thickness is necessary.

The problem underlying the invention is to provide a device for the clearance fastening of facing panels which offers a possibility of both height adjustment and lateral adjustment.

In accordance with the invention, this is achieved in that an intermediate part, which engages with the longitudinal guides of the shank part and of the supporting part, is provided between said parts, the longitudinal guides thereof standing substantially perpendicular to one another.

As a result of the provision of the intermediate part in the arrangement in accordance with the invention, full possibilities of adjustment within a plane lying parallel to the facing panel are afforded. Since the two longitudinal guides stand substantially perpendicular to one another, lateral adjustment and height adjustment can be effected independently of one another. In combination with length adjustability of the shank part, full three dimensional spatial adjustment is rendered possible.

Adjustment of clearance fastenings is very often effected when the facing panel is already connected to the supporting part. In this event, considerable forces occur at the point of attachment. In order to ensure the possibility of adjustment even in the loaded state, it is advantageous for the longitudinal guides to be designed as grooves and ledges which engage therein. With such a design, the forces occurring at the longitudinal guides are distributed and the surface loadings are reduced. The adjustment can thus be effected with small expenditure of energy.

The arrangement of the grooves and ledges on the shank part, the intermediate part and the supporting part can in principle be selected in arbitrary manner. For manufacturing reasons, however, it has proved to be advantageous for the intermediate part to have guide grooves which extend perpendicularly to one another. The intermediate part can thus by symmetrical in design, so that no special attention has to be given to its position upon the mounting.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the component parts of a preferred embodiment of the device of the invention; Figure 2 comparable with Fig. 1 but showing the components in their assembled condition; and Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating a modified form for the intermediate piece of the device of the invention.

The embodiment of the device in accordance with the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a shank part which is designated as a whole by the reference numeral 1, a supporting part designated as a whole by the reference numeral 2, and an intermediate part which is designated as a whole by the reference numeral 3. The shank part 1 has longitudinal slots 1 b at its front end region 1 a that is to be introduced first into the borehole.

Means, such as a tapered plug (not shown), is provided for expanding said front end region 1 a after introduction of the shank part 1 into a borehole in a foundation, such as a wall (not shown) to which facing panels are required to be attached. The front region 1 a, which has a round cross-section, merges gradually with rearward region 1 C of the shank part 1 which is of square cross-section. This provides a safeguard against rotation of the shank part 1 in the borehole. Ledges 1 e are arranged at the rearward end 1 dof the shank part 1. These ledges 1 e extend perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the shank part 1 and serve to guide the intermediate part 3. The supporting part 2 consists basically of a web 2a having ledges 2bwhich protrude at both sides therefrom.The web 2a is provided with a slotted hole 2 c. Furthermore, the web 2a is traversed by a pin 4. The pin 4 and the slotted hole 2c both serve as retaining means for facing panels (not shown) that are to be fastened.

The intermediate part 3 has, on both sides, bentover tabs 3a. Pairs of grooves 3b, which serve to guide the shank part 1 and the supporting part 2 respectively, are formed by the bent-over tabs 3a.

Fig. 2 shows the supporting part 2 having been slipped onto the intermediate part 3 and this intermediate part 3 having been slipped, in turn, onto the shank part 1. The intermediate part 3 is adjustable, together with the supporting part 2, relative to the shank part 1 in the direction of arrow A. The supporting part 2, for its part, is in turn adjustable relative to the intermediate part 3, in the direction of the arrow B. Since the two directions of adjustment A and B stand perpendicular to one another, this yields a possibility of adjustment of the supporting part 2 relative to the shank part 1 in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shank part 1.

When the desired position is reached, the tabs 3a are compressed with the aid of a special pair of tongs and the shank part 1 as well as the supporting part 2 are thereby fixed in this position. For subsequent adjustment, the tabs 3a of the intermediate piece can be bent open somewhat, once more, so that displacement of the parts relative to one another is possible.

Fig. 3 shows a modified form for the intermediate part, which is designated as a whole by the reference numeral 5. In this embodiment, tabs 5a are punched or stamped out of the intermediate part and bent over, so that grooves 5b arise, which grooves 5b serve to guide a respective supporting part. Edges Sc of the intermediate part 5 are similarly bent over, over the entire length of said part 5, so that there arise also on the reverse of the part, grooves 5b for the accommodation of ledges 1 e of the shank part 1. As compared with the version shown in Fig. 1, this arrangement has the advantage of greater lateral adjustability.

Since the edges Scof the intermediate piece 5 are considerably longer than the ledges 1 e of the shank part, the intermediate piece 5 is also adequately guided in its extreme positions, so that the necessary practical stiffness of the device is achieved.

Claims (4)

1. A device for use in the clearance fastening of facing panels, comprising a shank part which can be anchored in a foundation such as a wall, and a supporting part having retaining means for the facing panels, in which the supporting part is engageable with the shank part by means of longitudinal guides perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shank part, characterised in that an intermediate part, which engages with the longitudinal guides of the shank part and of the supporting part, is provided between said parts, the longitudinal guides thereof standing substantially perpendicular to one another.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the longitudinal guides are in the form of grooves and ledges which engage therein.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the grooves are provided on the intermediate piece.

4. A device for use in the clearance fastening of facing panels substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 or Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawing.