GB2324549A

GB2324549A - Clayware wall cladding

Info

Publication number: GB2324549A
Application number: GB9708418A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony James Capo-Bianco; Peter Litchfield Moseley
Original assignee: BIANCO TEAM Ltd; CAPO BIANCO ANTHONY JAMES
Current assignee: BIANCO TEAM Ltd; CAPO BIANCO ANTHONY JAMES
Priority date: 1997-04-26
Filing date: 1997-04-26
Publication date: 1998-10-28
Anticipated expiration: 2017-04-26
Also published as: GB9708418D0; GB2324549B

Abstract

A rainscreen made up of clayware tiles 10 supported by rails 13 incorporates seating elements 16 spaced along the rails, each supporting adjacent corners of nibs 12 of two horizontally adjacent tiles. Elements 16 each has an upstand 32 dimensioned such that when beneath a tile 10 that tile cannot be lifted sufficiently to remove it from the rail. First each element 16 supporting a tile must be slid along the associated rail 13 until it is no longer under the tile to be removed but fully under an adjacent tile. In a preferred construction the seating elements 16 associated with all but one vertical row of tiles 10 have partitions 35 between the two tiles 10 supported thereby. The seating elements 16 associated with said one row have no partitions 35 so that they can be slid aside to remove a tile from said row, after which other tiles in the same horizontal course can be removed successively, moving them laterally off the partitioned seating elements.

Description

"CIAYWPRE FALL 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. Any such structure to be clad is hereinafter referred to as "the inner wall". European Patent Specification No. 0 278 842 exemplifies clayware wall cladding of the kind with which the present invention is concerned.

The Specification of our co-pending British Patent Application No. 9701690.1 filed on 28th January 1997 (to which reference is made for a fuller understanding of the present invention) discusses the fact that a clayware rainscreen needs to be ventilated and ventilation is achieved inter alia by supporting tiles 10 on their rails 13 by spaced apart seating elements 16, one seating element 16 supporting adjacent corners of the nibs 12 of two adjacent tiles 10 in the horizontal course of tiles supported by a given rail. Water can escape to the front of the rainscreen through the gaps between adjacent seating elements 16.

It is undesirable that individual tiles should be unintentionally removable fran the rainscreen, for example if a vertical row of tiles is lifted by the wind or by subjection to a high pressure water hose. It is also undesirable that malicious persons such as vandals should find it easy to remove a tile. It is therefore proposed in our said co-pending Patent Application No. 9701690.1 that T-shaped spacer elements should have arms 24 which occupy the gap between the top of a tile and the rail above it, thus preventing the tile lifting sufficiently to allow its nib 12 to be removed fran the rail 13 by which it is supported. Nevertheless it is desirable that individual tiles can be removed intentionally fran a position in front of the rainscreen when this is necessary for maintenance purposes or when it is desired to disassemble the screen. A principal object of the present invention is to provide a means whereby given tiles making up a rainscreen can be removed deliberately from a position in front of the rainscreen using a special tool but whereby the tiles are normally prevented fran lifting sufficiently to be removed from the rails on which they are supported.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a rainscreen comprising horizontal courses of clayware tiles or the like superimposed so that the surfaces of the tiles presented externally of the screen all lie generally in the same, vertical plane, each course being supported by a horizontal, elongated support member on which the tiles of said course are supported by means of a downstand of a rearwardly extending nib on each said tile, said support member opening downwardly to accept the cranked upper regions of the tiles of the course next below, each said cranked upper region comprising a forward projection which locates over a rearward projection of the front of said opening whereby a tile mist be swung outwardly of the screen about said forward projection thereof before the latter can be removed fran said opening and a plurality of seating elements in a mutually spaced relation on each said support member such that each seating element supports the adjacent corners of adjacent tiles on said support member, each seating element having an upward projection in front of the downstand of each nib supported thereby such that, with a seating element located between a tile and the support member by which it is supported, said tile cannot be lifted sufficiently for the downstand of its nib to clear said upward projection before the cranked upper region of said tile encounters the underside of the support member next above, wherein the seating elements are slideable along the associated support members to permit the two seating elements supporting a given tile to be moved laterally away fram the tile along the associated support member, after which said tile may be first lifted and then swung outwardly of the screen to permit its removal.

In a preferred construction the seating elements each have a flat supporting surface extending rearwardly behind said upward projection thereof, the supporting surfaces of at least sate of said seating elements being divided by an upstanding partition located between the two tiles supported thereby, the arrangement being such that said at least sate seating elements cannot be slid along the associated support member(s) until one of said two tiles has been removed.

seating elements associated with the tiles of said row only may be slid away fran said row without first removing any tile fran the screen.

The arrangement is preferably such that the seating elements are accessible from in front of the screen through the gap between the cranked upper region of a tile and the lower edge of the tile jitirediately above and a tool may be provided which has an elongate operating part at right angles to a shank, the operating part being insertable in said gap between two adjacent seating elements while held in a horizontal attitude and then rotated to a vertical attitude in which it may be moved laterally to displace a seating element along the associated support member.

Preferably the seating elements associated with said one vertical row of tiles each is identifiable fram in front of the rainscreen through the associated said gap by means of markings, coloration or the like which distinguishes seating elements having partitions from seating elements lacking the same.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of assembling a clayware rainscreen which comprises locating vertically spaced, horizontally elongated supports in front of a wall or the like to be clad and locating on each said support a horizontal course of clayware tiles or the like by means of a nib extending rearwardly of each tile and having a downstand such that upper, cranked regions of the tiles of a lower course are received in a downward opening of the support on which the course next above is located and such that front surfaces of all of the tiles lie generally in the same vertical plane, wherein seating elements more resilient than the support members are slideably located thereon and moved therealong to positions in which each seating element will support adjacent corners of the nibs of adjacent tiles in a course with a gap between adjacent seating elements through which rainwater may escape to the front of the screen.

When the seating elements have flat supporting surfaces all but some of which are divided by a partition which will extend into the gap between the two tiles supported thereby, said some seating elements each lacking a said partition are preferably selected to support the tiles making up one vertical row of the tiles, in the case of all other vertical rows of tiles the seating elements being slid under exposed lateral edges of the tiles until abutted by the partitions and in the case only of said one vertical row the seating elements lacking partitions being slid fran beneath tiles adjacent said row to positions where they will support the tiles of said row.

The method may comprise inserting a tool into the gap between vertically adjacent tiles of said one row or in the gap between vertically adjacent tiles of an adjacent row and utilising the tool to slide seating elements lacking partitions either beneath or away fram the corners of tiles making up said one row.

The tolerances are preferably such that a tile cannot be removed fran its support while seating elements are beneath it but such that a tile can be lifted to permit a seating element to be slid under or away fran the tile.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 illustrates a partially completed rainscreen in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a sectional elevation on a larger scale showing two superimposed tiles of the rainscreen of Figure 1 and the rail and one of the seating elements associated therewith, Figures 3A, 3B and 3C illustrate a partitioned seating element respectively in side elevation, rear view and plan view, and Figures 4A and 4B are respectively a side and a top view of a tool for use in sliding seating elements along the rails.

Rails 13, which are preferably metal extrusions, are fixed horizontally in vertically spaced relation in front of an inner wall (not shown) which is to be clad with a suitable ventilation gap between the inner wall and the rainscreen. A preferred way of fixing rails 13 utilising brackets 14 which can slide therealong is the subject of our co-pending British Patent Application No. 9701690.1 filed on 28th January 1997 and reference is made to the Specification of that Application for a fuller understanding of the present invention. As therein described, rails 13 have forwardly and downwardly sloping upper surfaces 25 whereby rainwater which has penetrated the rainscreen through ventilation gaps between tiles 10 is shed to the front of the rainscreen, preventing an accumulation of such water as it descends behind the horizontal courses of tiles. Adjacent corners of downstands on nibs 12 projecting rearwardly of the tiles 10 of a course supported by the same rail 13 rest on a cation seating element 16 engaging the rail, and gaps between the seating elements 16 distributed along a rail 13 provide a path for rainwater to be shed to the front of the rainscreen.

In accordance with the present invention at least the majority of the seating elements 16 used in the construction of a rainscreen take the form illustrated in Figures 3A, 3B and 3C and each is slideable along the length of the associated rail 13. Each element 16 is fabricated fran a material which is softer or more resilient than the material of the associated rail 13 to provide support for the corners of the nibs 12 of clayware tiles 10 which will protect them from damage and at the same time allow tolerance for slight misalignments. Each seating element 16 has a substantially C-shaped body 30 to engage the associated rail 13 and a flat, upper supporting surface 31 behind an upstand 32. The height of this upstand 32 is so calculated in relation to the vertical gap between the upper extremity 23 of a tile 10 and the underside 33 of the rail 13 above it that with seating elements 16 interposed between the nib 12 of a tile and the rail 13 on which it is resting that tile cannot be lifted sufficiently for the downstand 34 of nib 12 to clear upstands 32 of the associated seating elements 16.

Therefore the tile cannot be swung outward as indicated by arrow A in Figure 2 until nib 23 at the top of its cranked, upper portion 11 can be removed fram the opening in the rail 13 above.

Therefore in order to remove any tile 10 fran the rainscreen the two seating elements 16 on which its nib 12 rests must first be displaced along the associated rail 13 laterally of the tile in opposite directions until there is no upstand 32 under the nib.

The seating element 16 illustrated in Figures 3A, 3B and 3C has its supporting surface 21 divided by an upstanding, fin-like partition 35.

This will occupy the gap between the two adjacent tiles 10 supported by element 16. Obviously the element 16 cannot then be slid along the associated rail 13 without first removing one of the tiles. Therefore in accordance with the present invention the seating elements 16 associated with one vertical row only of the tiles 10 each lacks a partition 35.

When assembling the rainscreen a first vertical row of tiles 10 is mounted on the rails 13 using partitioned seating elements 16 and the latter are slid under the tiles until their partitions 35 abut the same. A second row can then be mounted on the rails, moving each tile 10 laterally until the leading corner of its nib 12 sits on the exposed part of the surface 21 of the associated seating element 16 up against the partition 35. When a final row of tiles is to be mounted there is no longer roan to mave the tiles laterally into position. They have to be moved in a direction perpendicular to the rainscreen and for this reason seating elements 16 lacking partitions 35 are used for this row and for the nearer corners of the two adjacent rows only. First the non-partitioned seating elements 16 are slid fully under the tiles which they are already supporting. A tile 10 of the final row is positioned over the respective rail 13 and then the two non-partitioned seating elements 16 on opposite sides of this tile are slid under it until its nib 12 can be supported by said two seating elements jointly with the tiles 10 on opposite sides of it. In all cases to permit seating elements 16 to be slid along the rails the affected tile 10 must be lifted within the tolerance of the gap between its top surface 23 and the underside 33 of the rail above it. This can be achieved by inserting the fingers in the gap between the bottom of the tile and the cranked portion 11 of the tile below it.

This gap is not large and it is undesirable that it should be or that the seating elements 16 should be readily accessible e.g. to vandals or thieves who might wish to dismantle the rainscreen. Therefore in accordance with a further feature of the invention the special tool 36 illustrated in Figures 4A and 4B is provided to facilitate removal fram the rainscreen, fran a position in front of it, of one of the tiles 10 supported by nonpartitioned seating elements 16. The tool 36 has a thin, blade-like operating part 37 extending at right angles to a shank 38 connected to a handle 39. In use the blade 37 is presented horizontally to the gap under the tile 10 to be removed and then the shank 38 is rotated so that the blade 37 is upstanding behind the tile. The tool 36 can then be moved laterally to displace first one and then the other of the two seating elements 16 on which the tile rests until both of them are fully under the respective tile 10 on opposite sides of the tile to be removed. The tile to be removed can now be lifted and swung outwardly as indicated by arrow A in Figure 2 until it can be removed fram the rainscreen. Replacement of to be removed can now be lifted and swung outwardly as indicated by arrow A in Figure 2 until it can be removed fram the rainscreen. Replacement of the tile requires that tool 36 is instead inserted under first one and then the other of the two adjacent tiles 10 fully covering the non-partitioned seating elements and by means of the tool half of the support surface 21 of each said seating element is moved beneath the nib 12 of the tile being mounted. This is now dropped into place.

It will not of course be immediately apparent fram the exterior of the rainscreen which vertical row of tiles 10 is supported only by nonpartitioned seating elements 16 so that its tiles can be removed. The nonpartitioned seating elements are therefore marked or coloured to distinguish them fran seating elements 16 having partitions 35 at least where they are visible beneath the associated tile.

It will be understood that if it is desired to replace any given tile, for example if it becomes damaged, this can be done using the two, slideable, non-partitioned seating elements 16 associated with the horizontal course of tiles in which the tile to be replaced is included. If the tile to be replaced is not the tile supported by said two non-partitioned seating elements first the latter is removed and then others successively until the damaged tile is reached.

Alternatively more than one vertical row of tiles may be supported by nonpartitioned seating elements 16, and indeed in a given rainscreen no partitioned seating elements may be used whatsoever in which case any individual tile will be removeable without disturbance of other tiles.

An additional advantage in using partitions 35 is however that they serve as dams against horizontal movement of rainwater along a rail 13 and channel it to the gaps between seating elements 16. Yet another advantage is that the partitions 35 conceal the bright metal of a rail 13 as viewed through the vertical joint between tiles, as this can be unsightly.

Claims

CIAIMS:

1. A rainscreen comprising horizontal courses of clayware tiles or the like superimposed so that the surfaces of the tiles presented externally of the screen all lie generally in the same, vertical plane, each course being supported by a horizontal, elongated support member on which the tiles of said course are supported by means of a downstand of a rearwardly extending nib on each said tile, said support member opening downwardly to accept the cranked upper regions of the tiles of the course next below, each said cranked upper region comprising a forward projection which locates over a rearward projection of the front of said opening whereby a tile must be swung outwardly of the screen about said forward projection thereof before the latter can be removed from said opening and a plurality of seating elements in a mutually spaced relation on each said support member such that each seating element supports the adjacent corners of adjacent tiles on said support member, each seating element having an upward projection in front of the downstand of each nib supported thereby such that, with a seating element located between a tile and the support member by which it is supported, said tile cannot be lifted sufficiently for the downstand of its nib to clear said upward projection before the cranked upper region of said tile encounters the underside of the support member next above, wherein the seating elements are slideable along the associated support members to permit the two seating elements supporting a given tile to be moved laterally away from the tile along the associated support member, after which said tile may be first lifted and then swung outwardly of the screen to permit its removal.

2. A rainscreen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seating elements each have a flat supporting surface extending rearwardly behind said upward projection thereof, the supporting surfaces of at least some of said seating elements being divided by an upstanding partition located between the two tiles supported thereby, the arrangement being such that said at least some seating elements cannot be slid along the associated support member(s) ( s) until one of said two tiles has been removed.

3. A rainscreen as claimed in claim 2, wherein none of the seating elements associated with one vertical row of the tiles making up the screen is provided with a said partition such that seating elements associated with the tiles of said row only may be slid away fram said row without first removing any tile from the screen.

4. A rainscreen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the arrangement is such that the seating elements are accessible fran in front of the screen through the gap between the cranked upper region of a tile and the lower edge of the tile immediately above and wherein a tool is provided which has an elongate operating part at right angles to a shank, the operating part being insertable in said gap between two adjacent seating elements while held in a horizontal attitude and then rotated to a vertical attitude in which it may be moved laterally to displace a seating element along the associated support member.

5. A rainscreen as claimed in claim 4 as appendant to claim 3, wherein the seating elements associated with said one vertical row of tiles each is identifiable from in front of the rainscreen through the associated said gap by means of markings, coloration or the like which distinguishes seating elements having partitions from seating elements lacking the same.

6. A method of assembling a clayware rainscreen which comprises locating vertically spaced, horizontally elongated supports in front of a wall or the like to be clad and locating on each said support a horizontal course of clayware tiles or the like by means of a nib extending rearwardly of each tile and having a downstand such that upper, cranked regions of the tiles of a lower course are received in a downward opening of the support on which the course next above is located and such that front surfaces of all of the tiles lie generally in the same vertical plane, wherein seating elements more resilient than the support members are slideably located thereon and moved therealong to positions in which each seating element will support adjacent corners of the nibs of adjacent tiles in a course with a gap between adjacent seating elements through which rainwater may escape to the front of the screen.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the seating elements have flat supporting surfaces all but some of which are divided by a partition which will extend into the gap between the two tiles supported thereby, and wherein said some seating elements each lacking a said partition are selected to support the tiles making up one vertical row of the tiles, in the case of all other vertical rows of tiles the seating elements being slid under exposed lateral edges of the tiles until abutted by the partitions and in the case only of said one vertical row the seating elements lacking partitions being slid fran beneath tiles adjacent said row to positions where they will support the tiles of said row.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 and comprising inserting a tool into the gap between vertically adjacent tiles of said one row or in the gap between vertically adjacent tiles of an adjacent row and utilising the tool to slide seating elements lacking partitions either beneath or away fran the corners of tiles making up said one row.

9. A method as claimed in any one of claims 6-8 wherein the tolerances are such that a tile cannot be removed fram its support while seating elements are beneath it but such that a tile can be lifted to permit a seating element to be slid under or away fran the tile.

10. A rainscreen comprising horizontal courses of clayware tiles or the like substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying Drawings.

11. A method of assembling a clayware rainscreen substantially as hereinbefore described.