GB2320263A - Clayware wall cladding: preventing removal - Google Patents

Abstract

A clayware wall cladding system comprises a plurality of similar clayware plates or tiles (10) each having at least one rearwardly extending nib (14) locatable over a support (13) whereby to hang the tile (10) and vertically spaced below said hanging nib (14) a downwardly-opening female formation (17) adapted to receive the upper edge (18) of another of said plates or tiles (10), said upper edge (18) of each tile projecting above said hanging nib (14) thereof, and a lift-preventer (19) of a relatively resilient material, the lift-preventer comprising a head portion (16) adapted to be secured relative to the support (13) and a stiffly flexible tail portion (23) projecting downwardly from said head portion (16), the dimensions of said tail portion (23) being such that when said hanging nib (14) of a plate or tile is hung on said horizontal edge over a said lift-preventer (19) the tail portion (23) of the latter extends to or nearly to a rearward projection (15) of said plate or tile below said hanging nib (14) thereof.

Description

"CLAYWARE WALL CLADDING" This invention relates to clayware wall cladding, by which is meant the construction of a screen of clayware plates or tiles to provide the outer, exposed leaf of a cavity wall. Such cladding may provide a rain screen for a new timber, metal or concrete frame or masonry structure or it may be applied as overcladding to an existing wall to provide an ornamental exterior effect, for example by simulating brickwork, at the same time enhancing weatherproofing and providing the insulating benefits of a cavity wall. European Patent Specification No. 0 278 842 exemplifies clayware wall cladding of the kind with which the present invention is concerned.

Although visually attractive and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and install clayware wall cladding presents a nwnber of problems. The plates or tiles, made by moulding or extruding and then firing clayware, are relatively fragile and friable. If they are formed with interlocking end regions or with nibs by which they are to be suspended these are particularly vulnerable to damage, for example fran metal fittings with which the nibs cooperate. When clayware plates or tiles are hung directly, by means of the nibs with which they are formed, on metal brackets or hard wooden battens, they may not "sit" properly and may be skewed relative to surrounding plates or tiles. In an arrangement such as disclosed in European Patent Specification No. 0 278 842 it is possible for individual tiles to be lifted relative to the battens on which they hang, thereby displacing or damaging adjacent tiles. This makes the clad wall vulnerable to vandalism and in an extreme case a sufficiently high wind, or for exarrple subjection of the wall to a high powered water hose, could cause an entire vertical array of tiles to lift fran the battens or brackets on which they hang.

Principal objects of the present invention are to improve upon prior art proposals and to mitigate or overuse sane of the problems associated therewith.

In accordance with the present invention a clayware wall cladding system comprises a plurality of similar clayware plates or tiles each having at least one rearwardly extending nib locatable over a support whereby to hang the plate or tile and vertically spaced below said hanging nib or nibs a downwrdly-opening female formation adapted to receive the upper edge of another of said plates or tiles, said upper edge of each plate or tile projecting above said hanging nib or nibs thereof, and a lift-preventer of a relatively resilient material, the lift-preventer comprising a head portion adapted to be secured relative to the support and a stiffly flexible tail portion projecting downwardly from said head portion, the dimensions of said tail portion being such that when said hanging nib of a plate or tile is hung on said horizontal edge over a said lift-preventer the tail portion of the latter extends to or nearly to a rearward projection of said plate or tile below said hanging nib thereof.

The support may be constituted by a bracket having horizontally spaced, vertically-extending arms and the upper edge region of the lift-preventer may be curled to fit similarly-shaped slots in said arms.

Alternatively the support may be constituted by a horizontally elongated rail or batten. In this case the upper, head portion of the liftpreventer preferably has a rearwardly- and downwardly-opening concavity adapted to accept and to lie over an upper, horizontal edge of the rail or batten.

The lift-preventer may be of a plastics material. If the support structure is a wooden batten the lift-preventer may be nailed to it. Alternatively or in addition the head portion of the lift-preventer and the said horizontal edge may be shaped and adapted so that the lift-preventer snapengages with the support.

Preferably the lift-preventer has a horizontal dimension such that two adjacent plates or tiles may, in use, be located over the same liftpreventer, and in this case the lift-preventer advantageously may be formed with a forwardly extending fin which in use will be located between said adjacent plates or tiles.

Preferred mbodiments of the invention will now be described by way of nonlimitative example with reference to the acccmpanying Drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a sectional elevation through a first cladding system in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a similar view of a second cladding system in accordance with the invention, Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line III-III of Figure 2, Figure 4 is a detail in perspective of the assembly of Figures 2 and 3, Figure 5 is a view similar to Figures 1 and 2 of a third enidinent of the invention, Figure 6 similarly illustrates a fourth embodiment of the invention, Figure 7 illustrates in perspective view a lift-preventer similar to that used in the embodiment of Figure 1, and Figure 8 illustrates in perspective view the lift-preventer used in the embodiment of Figure 5 as applied to a simple metal rail.

Figure 1 illustrates in sectional elevation a rectangular clayware plate 10.

Horizontal and vertical rows of similar plates 10 make up a rain screen in front of an inner structure 11 and are separated therefran by a cavity 12.

The cavity is afforded by the thickness of wooden battens, one of which is indicated at 13, fixed in horizontal rows to horizongtally spaced uprights, ibe if which is indicated at 1LA, in turn fixed to the inner wall 11. The structure 11 will be referred to as an "inner wall" but it will be understood that it may instead be an open framework over which, for example, a breather ,mllJrane 11B is applied. Each plate 10 is formed with two rearwardly-extending nibs 14 and 15 in vertically spaced relation. The upper nib 14 is undershot so that its lower surface 16 is inclined to the horizontal at roughly the same angle as the upper surface of the associated batten 13. The plate 10 has a daBadlysening female formation 17 along its bottan edge dimensioned to receive the upper edge 18 of the plate imnediately below it. In this way when a vertical row of plates 10 is hung each on a respective batten 13 the plates of the row will be interlocked, while the undershot nibs 14 cooperate with the upwardly and outwardly tapering upper surfaces of the battens 13 to prevent displacement of the plates 10 horizontally away fran the inner wall 11.

To prevent upward displacement of each plate 10 fran its associated batten 13 there is located on the latter a lift-preventer 19 of plastics material.

This is norse clearly illustrated per se in Figure 7. The lift-preventer 19 has a rearwardly- and downwardly extending flange 20 along its upper edge by which it is hung over the associated batten 13 before the plate 10 is hung over it. The lift-preventer 19 thus cushions the brittle plate 10, especially in the vulnerable nib 14 area. A single lift-preventer 19 spans two horizontally adjacent plates 10 hung on the same batten 13.

Advantageously the lift-preventer is formed with a central, forwardlyextending fin as shown at 21 in Figure 7. This projects between adjacent plates 10 and serves accurately to locate them. Also by spanning more than one plate 10 the lift-preventer maintains adjacent plates in proper aligmlentt helps them to "sit" properly and thus avoids skewing of plates 10 on the battens 13.

The lift-preventers are nailed to the battens 13 as indicated at 22. Each has a stiffly flexible tail portion 23 which extends down fran the batten 13 to a position close to the upper surface of the additional nib 15 of the plate 10 overlying the lift-preventer. Thus in use the tail 23 will abut nib 15 to resist any attempt to lift the plate 10 off the batten 13.

However when it is wished to do so a suitable implement may be inserted between the two plates 10 resting on the same lift-preventer 19 on each side of a given plate 10 to deflect the tails 23 of the lift preventers on each side of the plate clear of the nib 15 of that plate, whereupon it will be possible to lift the plate 10 concerned to the extent allowed by the fitting tolerances of the joints. By raising plates directly below in a like manner it is possible to lift a given plate off its support batten for replacement.

In the ettbent of the invention illustrated in Figures 2-4 the plates 10 are supported not by wooden battens 13 but by horizontal rows of metal supports 24 fixed to inner wall 11. As most clearly seen in Figure 4 each support 24 is channel-shaped to have two vertically-extending arms the extremities of the upper surfaces 25 and 26 of which project upward to engage under the undershot nib 14. In this tdbnt the lift-preventer 19A is of a shallow "S" shape, its upper edge 27 being curled forwardly to fit into carplementary slots in the undersides of the arms of the support 24.

In the enasodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 5 support of the plates 10 fran the inner wall is by rails such as 28 screwed to the inner wall 11 at suitable vertical spacings. The projecting arm 29 of the rail terminates at a bulbous end 30 which is snap-engaged by a suitably shaped rearwardly and downwardly opening concavity in the head portion 31 of the lift-preventer 19B.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 6 support of the plates 10 is by box-section rails 32 in turn supported by brackets 33 fixed to the inner wall 11. This support system is the subject of our other British Patent Application of today's date identified by the reference "LP00591" and reference is made thereto for a fuller understanding. It suffices for purposes of the present invention to say that the liftpreventer 19C is formed with a readly-projecting, hook-like rib 33 which snap engages under the bulbous projection 34 at the bottom, forward edge of the associated rail 32.

Preferably and as shown the tail portions 23 of the lift-preventers 19, 19A, 19B or 19C are formed with vertical ribs 34 as wall as bulbous bottom edges for stiffening purposes.

Claims (8)

CLABS:

1. A clayware wall cladding system calprising a plurality of similar clayware plates or tiles each having at least one rearwardly extending nib locatable over a support whereby to hang the plate or tile and vertically spaced below said hanging nib or nibs a daerdlysening female formation adapted to receive the upper edge of another of said plates or tiles, said upper edge of each plate or tile projecting above said hanging nib or nibs thereof, and a lift-preventer of a relatively resilient material, the liftpreventer catprising a head portion adapted to be secured relative to the support and a stiffly flexible tail portion projecting downwardly fran said head portion, the dilrensions of said tail portion being such that when said hanging nib of a plate or tile is hung on said horizontal edge aver a said lift-preventer the tail portion of the latter extends to or nearly to a rearward projection of said plate or tile below said hanging nib thereof.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support is constituted by a bracket having horizontally spaced, vertically-extending arms and the upper edge region of the liftpreventer is curled to fit similarly-shaped slots in said -.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support is constituted by a horizontally elongated rail or batten and wherein the upper, head portion of the lift-preventer has a rearwrdly- and doawardlysening cavity adapted to accept and to lie aver an upper, horizontal edge of the rail or batten.

4. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lift-preventer is of a plastics material and is nailed to the support structure.

5. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the head portion of the lift-preventer and the said horizontal edge are shaped and adapted so that the lift-preventer snap-engages with the support.

6. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lift-preventer has a horizontal invention such that two adjacent plates or tiles may, in use, be located aver the same lift-preventer.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the lift-preventer is formed with a forwardly extending fin which in use will be located between said adjacent plates or tiles.

8. A clayware wall cladding system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figurel, Figures 2-4, Figure 5 and 8, Figure 6 or Figure 7 the accompanying Drawings.