GB2294959A

GB2294959A - A facing quoin

Info

Publication number: GB2294959A
Application number: GB9523118A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ronald WARREN
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-11-11
Filing date: 1995-11-10
Publication date: 1996-05-15
Anticipated expiration: 2015-11-10
Also published as: GB9523118D0; GB9422748D0; GB2294959B

Abstract

The facing quoin comprises first and second facing members 12, 14 arranged to define an external angle of a building 50 between the first and second facing members; and at least one support member extending between the first and second facing members. The support member may be a bar, coil or plate, shaped to extend between the first and second facing members, and embedded therein during moulding, e.g. of the concrete from which they are made. <IMAGE>

Description

A FACING QUOIN The present invention relates to a facing quoin for an external angle defined by adjacent walls of a building.

According to the invention there is provided a facing quoin which comprises first and second facing members arranged to form a substantially "L-shaped" facing quoin; and at least one support member extending between the first and second facing members.

Preferably, the support member is substantially "L-shaped".

More preferably, the support member is a substantially "L-shaped" bar.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective schematic view of several quoins according to the invention fixed onto an external angle of a building; and Figures 2 and 3 are sectional sequential views of a process for preparing a quoin according to the invention.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a facing quoin 10 according to the invention.

The facing quoin 10 for an external angle of a building comprises a first facing member 12 and a second facing member 14 arranged to define the external angle therebetween and form a substantially L-shaped" quoin. The first and second facing members 12, 14 respectively comprise plate members 16, 18 having flattened substantially convex projections 20, 22 extending respectively therefrom.

The plate members 16, 18 may have any desired dimensions. For example, the plate members 16, 18 may optionally have a depth of 10-40 mm, preferably 15 mm, and a height of 150-450 mm. The plate member 16 may optionally have a length of 300-600 mm, preferably 465 mm, and the plate member 18 may optionally have a length of 150-300 mm, preferably 240 mm.

Alternatively, the plate members 16, 18 may be of the same length.

The shape and configuration of the projections 20, 22 may be altered from that illustrated in the accompanying drawings, as desired, since these projections 20, 22 provide a decorative effect.

Alternatively, the projections 20, 22 can be omitted, if a flat facing quoin 10 of the invention is desired.

The projections 20, 22, if present, may have any desired dimensions, for example, a depth of 10-35 mm, preferably 25 mm.

Facing quoins 10 of the invention may be made from any suitable material including, but not limited to, concrete; reconstituted stone, for example, granite chips or limestone chips; fibreglass; glass reinforced concrete; clay/brick; or semi-dry sandstone. The expression concrete or the like material" will be used hereinafter to embrace such suitable materials.

The projections 20, 22 may be made from the same, or different, material as the plate members 16, 18.

Alternatively, the projections 20, 22 may be made from the same material as the plate members 16, 18, but coloured, to augment, if desired, the decorative effect of the facing quoins 10 of the invention.

As will be observed from Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings, the facing quoin 10 of the invention also comprises at least one support member 24 extending between the first and second facing members 12, 14. In the present embodiment, the support member 24 comprises a substantially "L-shaped" bar having a first leg 26 and a second leg 28.

The, or each, support member 24 may be made from any suitable material including, but not limited to, stainless steel, mild steel or galvanised steel.

Galvanised steel is preferred.

The first and second legs 26, 28 of each support member 24 can have the same length as the first and second facing members 12, 14. However, to reduce the weight of each facing quoin 10 of the invention, the length of the first and second legs 26, 28 can be 50-150 mm shorter than the length of the respective first and second facing members 12, 14. Thus, for example, when the first facing member 12 has a length of 465 mm, the first leg 26 may have a length of 350 mm and, when the second facing member 14 has a length of 240 mm, the second leg 28 may have a length of 150 mm.

The, or each, support member 24 may be formed as a high tensile coil, as a bar or as a plate. If a coil is used, the coil may be a 4-12 mm coil - 6 mm is preferred. If a bar is used, the bar may be a 4-12 mm diameter bar - 6 or 8 mm diameter is preferred. If a plate is used, the plate may be 6-8 mm thick and approximately 20-30 mm, preferably 25 mm, wide.

The facing quoin 10 of the invention is formed in the following manner, with reference to Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

A mould 30 is provided, the internal surface of which, forms the outer surface 42 of the facing quoin 10 of the invention. Referring now in particular to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings, the mould 30 is placed on a surface, so that concrete or the like material may be poured into the mould 30, to a level forming a surface 32 indicated by a dotted line. The first leg 26 of the support member 24 is then placed in position on the surface 32. Further concrete or the like material is then poured into the mould 30, to a level forming an inner surface 34. A clamp 36 is then fixed on the inner surface 34 for a period of time sufficient to allow setting of the concrete or the like material to begin, so that the concrete or the like material would substantially retain its shape if unmoulded but would not be completely set ("almost-set"). The clamp 36 is then removed (not shown).

Referring now in particular to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings, the mould 30 is then placed on a surface, so that concrete or the like material may be poured into the mould 30 to a level forming an inner surface indicated at 38. A clamp 40 is then placed on the inner surface 38 for a period of time sufficient to allow setting of the concrete or the like material to begin, so that the concrete or the like material would substantially retain its shape if unmoulded but would not be completely set ("almost-set") . The clamp 40 is then removed (not shown) and the mould 30 containing the "almost-set" concrete or the like material is then inverted and gently tapped to release the facing quoin 10 of the invention onto a substantially "L-shaped" pallet (not shown). Each facing quoin 10 of the invention is then dried, or allowed to dry, in conventional manner.

Facing quoins 10 of the invention may be used on corners of a building as schematically illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings. A building having adjacent walls 50 defining an external angle, the walls 50 being constructed of concrete blocks optionally, but not necessarily, with a brick finish, is constructed in conventional manner. Alternately inverted facing quoins 10 of the invention are then fixed in series in any conventional manner to the external angles of the building.

It will be appreciated that facing quoins 10 of the invention facilitate a desired decorative finish and can be affixed quickly to an already constructed building.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A facing quoin for an external angle defined by adjacent walls of a building, the facing quoin comprising first and second facing members arranged to define the external angle therebetween; and at least one support member extending between the first and second facing members.

2. A facing quoin according to Claim 1, in which the facing members comprise plate members each having a first or inner surface adapted for engagement against the respective adjacent walls of the building and an opposing second or outer surface.

3. A facing quoin according to Claim 2, in which the second surface has a flattened substantially convex projection extending therefrom.

4. A facing quoin according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the support member is a bar shaped to extend between the first and second facing members.

5. A facing quoin according to Claim 4, in which the bar has a diameter in the range of 4-12mm.

6. A facing quoin according to Claim 5, in which the bar has a diameter in the range of 6-8mm.

7. A facing quoin according to any one of Claims 1-3, in which the support member is a high tensile coil shaped to extend between the first and second facing members.

8. A facing quoin according to Claim 7, in which the coil is a 4-12mm diameter coil.

9. A facing quoin according to Claim 8, in which the coil is a 6mm diameter coil.

10. A facing quoin according to any one of Claims 1-3, in which the support member is a plate shaped to extend between the first and second facing members.

11. A facing quoin according to Claim 10, in which the plate has a thickness of 6-8mm and a width of 20-30mm.

12. A facing quoin according to Claim 11, in which the plate has a width of 25mm.

13. A facing quoin according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the external angle is a substantially right angle, the first and second facing members being arranged to form a substantially "L shaped" facing quoin in transverse cross-section.

14. A facing quoin according to Claim 13, in which the length of the second facing member is less than the length of the first facing member.

15. A facing quoin according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the support member comprises a first leg extending into the first facing member; and a second leg extending into the second facing member1 the lengths of the first and second legs being less than the lengths of the respective first and second facing members.

16. A facing quoin according to Claim 15, in which the lengths of the first and second legs are 60-80k of the lengths of the respective first and second facing members.

17. A facing quoin for an external angle defined by adjacent walls of a building, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1-3 of the accompanying drawings.