US1888417A - Multiple slab unit - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 223, 1932. N. a... ABERSON MULTIPLE SLAB UNIT Filed May 15, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l w m mm m M m m au m V n Nov. 22, 1932. N. 1.. ABERSON MULTIPLE SLAB UNIT Filed May 15, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 6mm up Patented Nov. 1932 NATHANIEL L. ABEBSON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN MULTIPLE SLAB UNIT Application filed May 15,

This invention relates to a multiple slab unit and method of forming and applying, and has to do particularly with compact, easily handled and applied units for giving wall structure an outward ornamental appearance without the necessity of an additional foundation.

in my prior application Serial No. 380,- 795, filed July 25, 1929, I have described and illustrated the use of an ornamental brick or slab having approximately the same length and width as a standard ornamental brick or slab but having materially less thickness than the standard brick or slab so that it may be directly applied to old or new wall structure to thus eliminate a standard ornamental brick or slab wall structure.

' It is' the object of the present invention to provide a novel construction unit which 29 not only greatly reduces the time required in forming and completing the thin bricklike veneer wall construction but which also completely eliminates the use of skilled laher and results in a much superior wall construction.

More specifically the present invention contemplates the combining of a plurality of relatively thin ornamental bricks or slabs into a single construction unit of novel form; the novel form of said unit residing mainly in a stepped formation which provides for the interfitting or" these units to show a con-' tinuous bond. Uther features include the method of forming this multiple construction unit and the method of applying the same to a wall. Other features reside in the details of construction as will be more clearly brought out in the specification and 40 claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a wall built up of multiple units embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the preferred form of my novel multiple unit.

Fig. 3 illustrates the method of applying the multiple units as shown in Fig. 2 to a wall.

Fig. 4 illustrates the manner in which my 1930. Serial No. 452,747.

novel stepped multiple unit may be divided for different uses.

Fig. 5 illustrates one form of corner construction.

Fig. 6 illustrates a modified form of corner construction.

Fig. 7 illustrates a modified form of multiple unit construction and showing the same as applied to a wall structure.

Fig. 8 illustrates a further modified form of multiple unit and also showing the manner of securing the same to a wall.

Fig. 9 illustrates one of the methods of applying my multiple units over existent frame wall structures of the siding type without removal of the siding and continuing the covering of the wall surface in a plumb line over a masonry wall foundation to grade.

One of the main features of the present 79 invention resides in the specific form of the multiple construction units, in that such multiple units are stepped or given what might be called a step-up design.

The advantages of such a step-up design are many as compared to the standard prong type of units such as shown in the patent to Kline No. 1,? 11,026 of April 30, 1929. Due to the step-up shape of my novel units they inherently, by their arrangement, rein- 89 force the wall structure so as to eliminate any additional reinforcin rods or other units. As best shown in *ig. 1, the joints between the multiple units are more completely broken, no joint being continuous, with the result that if any unit should inadvertently be spaced more than the usual distance from its adjacent unit, the break in the joint will be substantially obscured because of its isolation in the general wall 90 structure.

Furthermore, as best illustrated in Fig. 1, the joints of the stepped multiple units are spread out over the surface of the wall, in short diagonal lines, and since these joint lines are not continuous it will be obvious that the wall structure will stand u with great efficiency under a vertical line 0 stress formed by settlement, shrinkage, etc.

However, the main features of the stepup multiple slab unit reside in the manner of constructing the same, the ease of installation resulting therefrom and the economy and advantages of the final wall produced. In fabricating the preformed form of stepped unit I preferably utilize a very thin ornamental slab which is manufactured in a novel way to prevent warping and at the same time give the surface of each slab an ornamental burnt clay appearance. This method of manufacturing a thin slab does not enter into the present invention and it will be sufiicient to say that in the construction of my multiple units from such ornamental slabs that I prefer to use a slab which is approximately ninesixteenths of an inch in thickness. This thicknessmay vary considerably but I prefer to use such a thickness so as to come within the usual building restrictions wherein an ornamental wall surface is to be added to an already constructed wall structure having its own existent foundation.

In manufacturing multiple units to serve as brick veneer units for wall construction, I preferably cut out or form a common backing which is so cut out or formed as to correspond to the stepped shape of the final unit. Such common backing is best shown in Fig. 2 and may be generally designated 1. Such common backing is generally triangular in shape, the two inclined sides of the triangle being stepped as at 2. Such common backing.

may be of any material such as wall board, in-

, sulating board. compositions, asbestos board,

or even wire netting, sheet metal, and the like, but I prefer to use a backing which acts as an insulating material so as to improve the efliciency of the final wall construction.

In forming the complete unit in production lots ready for immediate application to wall surface, the finished unit may be formed by applying the brick like thin slabs directly to the common backing by the use of a suitable adhesive cement. The plurality of bricks making up each unit may be inserted in a suitable mold and the adhesive cement applied to the common backing or to theback of the slabs, or the preformed brick like slabs may be applied to the common backing individually. If desired, the common backing may be of such size, and the slabs so applied thereto, that the edges of the backing will pro]ect a slight distance beyond the edges of the slabs, as best shown in Figure 2. The amount ofprojection of the edges of the common backing past the slabs should be an amount substantially equal to half the mortar board between the slabs. Such projection of the backing is not necessary however, and may be found to be impracticalin many cases so that for general results it will be suflicient if the edges of the bricks align with the edges-of the backing, as best shown in F1g.4.

Another way of forming the novel stepped multiple units is to press the ornamental slabs directly to the surface of the material used to form the common backing, while such material is still in its plastic or semi-plastic state. When such material hardens, dries, or is compressed, the thin slab will be held as an integral part thereof as best shown in Fig. 7. The ornamental slabs may be the same in each form and may be generally designated 3.

After the stepped multiple units are formed either by directly affixing the slabs to the common backing as shown in Figs. 3 or 9, or impressing the slabs into the common backing so as to form an integral part thereof, as shown in Fig. 7, then such multiple slab units may be directly applied to the wall or walls to be covered. All that is necessary to do is to merely locate a multiple slab unit against the surface of a wall at and secure the unit to the wall by means of suitable fastening devices such as nails 5 which may be inserted between the spaced slab members 3. Such unit may, for instance, be that illustrated as at 6 in Fig. 1. A second unit, identical with the first, may then be very easily positioned and secured into place, in inverted position, as at 7 These identical units may thus be arranged in general as shown in *ig. l to complete the wall or walls to be surfaced.

The installation of the stepped units may be accomplished ,very quickly for the reason that it is not necessary to accurately position one unit relative to another. There may be a variation, plus or minus, of a quarter of an inch at the adjoining edge lines of the stepped units without affecting the interfittin of said units. In applying the units to sections of a wall between windows, doors, corners, etc., it may be found desirable to vary the spacing between units so as to effect a minimum amount of cutting and to eliminate the use of small pieces of brick. Because of the stepped or staggered relation of the joints between units any such slight variation will not be easily discernable. Also because of this stepped arrangement of the units and vertical operlapping of the same, such units may be fastened to the wall in such a manner that there is no continuous weak joint on the surface of the wall, and articularl no vertical weak joint of any kind. Nai s may be driven in haphazardly, and a nail as at 8 for instance, in one unit could be positione approximately below another nail, such as at 9, in an adjacent unit, the same being true as to horizontal arrangement of the fastening means so that a very strong reinforced structure is obtained by reason of the stepped form of the adjacent units. While the common backing for the ste ped multiple units lends itself to the prodhction of accurate units, it will be obvious that much leeway can i hy-the basewall structure with the result that- It will furthermore be obvious that there is really no interfitting between my adjacent units but such relationship might be more readily termed a rough abutment of adj acent units.

The units as illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, and 7 are approximately one inch in thickness and preferably less than two inches dependent upon the weight of the material used, whereby the entire units are directly supported by the main wall structure and do not require any foundation structure. Furthermore, the step-up design of the multiple slab units permits them to be more easily used with walls terminating in gable or diagonal roof lines. The thinness of the slabs due to the fact that they are secured to common backing makes it possible to readily cut away an entire portion of the multiple unit such as along the lines indicated at 100 and 10b in Fig. 4. After the various units have been secured into place, the joints between the units as well as the spaces between the slabs may or may not be pointed with a suitable mortar as in ordinary brick construction.

The corner units such as indicated'at 11 and 12 in Fig. 1 may be formed initially of substantially the same step-up design as the main multiple slab units in which casesaid corner units are preferably formed with mitered edges as best shown at 13 in Fig. 5, or the corner units may be made in one section as best illustrated in Fig. 6. However, I prefer to make these corner units as shown in Figs. t and 5 and in so forming the corner unit-s they may be initially fabricated and assembled similar to the main unit as shown in Fig. 2, or the corner units may be formed directly from a main unit by cutting as with a large cutting mill, by a suitable press,

or any other suitable means. it will be understood here that the thickness of the slab members combined with the insulating material or other common backing makes the unit readily susceptible to cutting or dividing.

A modified form of multiple slab unit is illustrated in Fig. 8 wherein the complete multiple slab unit is formed of terra cotta, clay or other similar materials, and burned in kilns, thus producing a single integral multiple unit having bIlCk like prominences divided by indentations simulating brick wall constructionor brick laid in broken joints. It will also be understood that this modified form of unit may be made of any-composition, the main point being that it is stepped similar to the unit shown in Fig. 2 and is provided with an exterior surface simulating ornamental brick or similar ornamental slabs.

It will be understood that in all forms of my invention that the individual multiple slab units are directly and mainlysupported no separate foundation is required for thethin brick-like veneer wall structure formed by the multiple slab units.

The standard brick as referred to in the specification and claims is intended to come under the present A. S. T. M. definition and surface dimensions of my veneer brick units 3 are substantially those of the standard brick, the materials for making said veneer units 3 may vary considerably and still come within the scope of the present invention.

What I claim is 1. An exterior building unit adapted to be secured to the base wall of a building for forming part of an ornamental veneer wall, comprising a rigid backing member and a plurality of relatively thin ornamental slabs directly secured to and supported by said backing member, said ornamental slabs having the surface appearance and texture of ornamental bricks and the like, said orna mental slabs being spaced apart to simulate a portion of an ornamental exterior building wall and to permit the insertion of nails between said spaced slabs to nail the unit to the building wall, the total thickness of the building unit including the backing and ornamental slabs being less than 1 2. An exteriorbuildingunit for use in forming ornamental veneer walls of brick and the like, comprising a portion of a wall formed by a plurality of spaced ornamental members having substantially the same facial cha acteristics and texture as ornamental brick and the like, and a substantially rigid sup porting and securing backing forming a permanent part of said ornamental members, portions of said backing extending past the surface contour of one or more ornamental members for receiving fastening means for securing the entire unit tothe base wall of a building, said ornamental members being relatively thin compared to standard ornamental bricks and the like having similar facial characteristics and extending not more than of an inch past the exposed surface of said backing.

3. An exterior building unit for use in forming ornamental veneer walls of brick and the like, comprising a substantially rigid supporting and securing member adapted to be fastened to a wall of the building, and ornamental means arranged in spaced relation on and forming a permanent part of said memher, said means extending not more than of an inch from the normal surface of said member and having substantially the same surface characteristics and texture as ornamental brick and the like. 7

4. An exterior building unit for use in forming ornamental veneer walls of brick and the like, comprising a substantiall rigid supporting and securin member 0 insulating material adapted to be fastened to a wall of the building, and ornamental means arranged in spaced relation on and forming a permanent part of said member, said means extending not more than of an inch from the normal surface of said member and having substantially the same surface characteristics and texture as ornamental brick and the like, said means being spaced apart a sufiicient distance to receive fastening means for securing the unit to the building wall.

5. An exterior building unit for use in forming ornamental veneer walls of brick and the like, comprising a substantially rigid supporting and securing member adapted to be fastened to a wall of the building, and ornamental means arranged in spaced relation on and forming a permanent partof said member, said means extending not more than of an inch from thenormal surface of said member and having substantially the same surface characteristics and texture as ornamental brick and the like, said member being formed of insulating material and havin an edge thereof of stepped formation and extending past the surface contour of the ornamental means.

6. A brick veneer Wall for covering wooden buildings, comprising a plurality of multiple slab units nailed directly to the base wall of the building, each slab unit consisting of a common supporting backing of rigid insulating material, a plurality of ornamental slabs secured to said common backing of insulating material by adhesive cement, said slabs belng spaced from each other and arranged on said common backing to simulate a portion of a brick wall, each slab being relatively thin as compared to a standard brick but havmg the exposed surface thereof of substantially the same length and width as the exposed face of a standard brick when laid fiatwise and also having substantially the same facial characteristics as brick, the nails for securing the slab units to the base wall being positioned in between spaced slabs when in finished position on the base wall, all the spaces between the slabs in each slab unit being filled up with a substance to cover the nails and seal the cement and insulating material from the weather.

7. A brick veener wall for covering wooden buildings, comprising a plurality of multiple slab units fastened directly to the base wall of the building, each slab unit consistin of a common supporting backing, a plura ity of ornamental slabs directly and permanently secured to said common backing, said slabs being spaced from each other and arranged on said common backing to simulate a portion of a brick wall, each slab being relatively thin as compared to a standard brick but having the exposed surface thereof of substantially the same dimensions as the exposed surfaces of a standard brick and also having substantially the same facial characteristics as brick, the total thiclmess of the complete brick veneer wall being not over one and one half inches.

8. A brick veneer wall for covering wooden buildings, comprising a plurality of multiple slab units fastened directly to the base wall of the building, each slab unit consisting of a common supporting backing, a plurality of oramental slabs directly and permanently secured to said common backing, said slabs being spaced from each other and arranged on said common backing to simulate a portion of a brick wall, each slab being relatively thin as compared to a standard brick but having the exposed surface thereof of substantially the same dimensions as the exposed surfaces of a standard brick and also having substantially the same facial characteristics as brick, the nails for securing the slab units to the base wall being positioned in between the spaced slabs when in finished position on the base wall, all the spaces between the slabs in each slab unit being covered with a substance to cover the nails.

9. A brick veneer wall for covering wooden buildings, comprising a plurality of multiple slab units fastened directly to the base wall of the building, each slab unit consisting of a common supporting backing of solid insulating material, a plurality of ornamental slabs secured to said common backing of insulating material by adhesive cement, said slabs being spaced from each other and arranged on said common backing to simulate a portion of a brick wall, each slab being relatively thin as compared to a standard brick and having the exposed surface thereof of substantially the same length and width as the exposed face of a standard brick andalso having substantially the same facial characteristics as brick, the means for securing the slab units to the base wall being inserted directly through the backing of in sulating material, all the spaces between the slabs in each slab unit being filled with a substance to seal the insulating material from the weather.

10. A brick veneer wall for covering wooden buildings, comprising a plurality of multiple slab units fastened directly to the base wall of a building, each slab unit consisting of a common supporting backing of solid insulating material, a plurality of slabs integrally secured to said common backing of insulating material, said slabs being spaced from each other and arranged on said common backing to simulate a portion of a brick wall, each slab consisting of a member having substantially the same facial characteristics as brick and being relatively thin as compared to a standard brick but having the exposed surface thereof of substantially the same length and width as the exposed surface of a standard brick, the backlng o'f insulating material for some of the units having a portion of the edges thereof in step formation, the fastening means for securing the slab units to the base wall being positioned in between spaced slabs when in finished position on the base wall, the spaces in between the slabs being covered with a substance for protecting the insulating material from the weather.

11. A brick veneer wall for covering buildings, comprising a plurality of multiple slab units fastened directly to the base wall of a building, each slab unit consisting of a common supporting backing, a plurality of ornamental slabs integrally secured to said common backing, said slabs being spaced from each other and arranged on said common backing to simulate a portion of a brick wall, each slab consisting of a raised surface having substantially the same facial characteristics as brick and being relatively thin as compared to a standard brick but having the exposed surface thereof of substantially the same length and width as the exposed surface of a standard brick, at least a portion of the outer edge of the backing for some of the units extending past the edges of the ornamental slabs, the fastening means for securing slab units to the base Wall extending through said portion of the backing material not covered by the ornamental slabs, the total thickness of the complete brick veneer wall being not over one and one half inches.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

NATHANIEL L. ABERSON.

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