WO1993005251A1

WO1993005251A1 - Cladding assembly

Info

Publication number: WO1993005251A1
Application number: PCT/AU1992/000476
Authority: WO
Inventors: Steffan Gottfried Klein
Original assignee: Steffan Gottfried Klein
Priority date: 1991-09-09
Filing date: 1992-09-09
Publication date: 1993-03-18

Abstract

A cladding support panel (10) comprising a sheet of metal adapted to be secured to a sub-structure, the panel having formed therein rows (21, 22) of punched or stamped upstanding teeth (20), each tooth (20) having an inwardly facing barb (26), the rows (21, 22) of teeth (20) defining a gap slightly less than the width of a standard brick or cladding tile, whereby in use, bricks or cladding tiles may be pressed into engagement with the barbs (26) of the teeth so that the teeth resiliently engage opposite edges of the bricks or cladding tiles and hold the bricks or cladding tiles in spaced parallel arrays within the rows, and whereby mortar and/or grout may be used to fill the gaps between the bricks or cladding tiles to key against and cover the teeth.

Description

TITLE

Cladding Assembly FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a cladding assembly and in particular relates to a cladding support panel adapted to be used with bricks, tiles or cladding pieces. The expression "brick" as used in this specification relates not to a standard brick but to a half brick or brick facing, elements or tiles. DISCUSSION OF PRIOR ART

In Australian Patent Application 34877/89 there is disclosure of a brick cladding assembly that comprises a backing plate having upstanding flanges which in use engage correspondingly positioned grooves or recesses formed in cladding pieces. This assembly suffers from the problem that the cladding support is restricted to a specific design of cladding piece, the support does not operate with other types of cladding such as conventional tiles and bricks .

In Australian Patent Application 64032/86 there is disclosed a brick support structure that comprises a sheet metal plate having arrays of punched outwardly projecting tabs. Bricks or tiles are affixed to the support structure by use of adhesive strips positioned on the underside of the bricks and affixed to the support. The array of tabs provide initial location for the bricks when positioned on the panel. There is also disclosure of using mortar or grout to fill the spaces between the bricks and cover the tabs so that they are not visible in the final product. The problem with this structure is that without the use of adhesives between the bricks and support structure there is an extreme danger of the bricks becoming dislodged.

The present invention has been designed to provide an improved cladding assembly that overcomes the problems associated with the assemblies described above. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided a cladding support panel comprising sheet material adapted to be secured to a sub-structure, the panel having formed therein rows of upstanding location means, adjacent rows of location means defining a gap that can accommodate the width of a brick or cladding tile, at least one row of the adjacent rows of location means comprising spaced apart upstanding resilient teeth each with a projection facing the adjacent row, whereby in use, bricks or cladding tiles may be held in spaced parallel arrays within the rows of location means, the location means resiliently engaging opposite sides of the bricks or cladding tiles and mortar and/or grout may be used to fill the gaps between the bricks, or cladding tiles.

According to the present invention there is further provided a cladding support panel comprising a sheet of metal adapted to be secured to a sub-structure, the panel having formed therein rows of punched or stamped upstanding teeth, each tooth having an inwardly facing barb, the rows of teeth defining a gap slightly less than the width of a standard brick or cladding tile, whereby in use, bricks or cladding tiles may be pressed into engagement with the barbs of the teeth so that the teeth resiliently engage opposite edges of the bricks or cladding tiles and hold the bricks or cladding tiles in spaced parallel arrays within the rows, and whereby mortar and/or grout may be used to fill the gaps between the bricks or cladding tiles to key against and cover the teeth.

According to the present invention there is still further provided a cladding assembly comprising a cladding support panel according to any one of the preceding claims arranged to be secured to a sub-structure, and a plurality of bricks or cladding tiles, the cladding support panel resiliently engaging and supporting the bricks or cladding tiles spaced end to end and in spaced rows, grout or mortar being positioned between the gaps between adjacent bricks or cladding tiles to key against and cover the location means. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cladding support panel, Figure 2 is a perspective view of a cladding support panel illustrating the panels supporting a number of cladding bricks or tiles,

Figure 3 is an end elevational view illustrating the support of bricks or tiles by the cladding panel, Figure 4 are front, back and side views of a tooth of the cladding support panel.

Figures 5 and 6 are side elevational views illustrating how two teeth of the cladding support panel cooperate with a brick or tile, and

Figures 7 and 8 are side elevational views of a support panel modified so that the teeth only engage the brick after engagement with the panel. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The cladding support panel 10 illustrated in

Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings is preferably constructed of sheet steel rolled into a corrugated format as shown in Figure 1. The corrugations are of square cross-section and define spaced planar lands 12 and rectangular reinforcing troughs 13. Spacing of the troughs 13 is uniform and it is understood that the sheet can be produced in a variety of widths and lengths. It is further understood that the sheet may include various apertures (not shown) through which fasteners can be positioned to enable the sheet to nailed, screwed or otherwise secured to a support structure such as a timber frame. It is also understood that the base of the troughs 13 may be provided with outwardly pressed projections that in use can be hammered into a timber frame to further secure the panel 10 to the frame.

Each planar land 12 of the panel 10 is provided with a pair of parallel equally spaced apart rows 21,22 of teeth 20. Each tooth 20 is illustrated in Figure 4 and comprises and upstanding back 25 of trapezoid cross- section extending approximately 70° to the planar surface of the land, the back 25 terminates in a downwardly extending barb 26 of triangular cross-section. The barb 26 extends more than half way down the length of the back and is inclined at the back at an angle of approximately 45°. Each tooth 20 is formed by punching out a triangular portion and then folding down the upper component to form the barb 26.

The folded portion is shown in dotted profile in its unfolded state. As shown in Figure 1 each land 12 has rows 21,22 of teeth 20 positioned back to back with the barbs 26 extending forwardly of the teeth. The rows of teeth are spaced specifically to accommodate conventional bricks, tiles or other cladding pieces. The gap defined between the tips of the barbs 26 of adjacent facing rows is designed to be slightly less than the width of a conventional brick, tile or cladding piece. Consequently, to fit the brick 50, tile or cladding piece to the support panel 10, the brick, tile or cladding piece must be made a press fit into the gap between adjacent rows of teeth. As shown in Figures 5 and 6 as the edges 51,52 of the brick 50 are pushed into the space between the rows of teeth 20 the bottom corners of the brick 50 force the barbs 26 of the teeth 20 downwardly and inwardly until the brick assumes the position shown in Figure 6 where the base 53 of the brick is in parallel abutting contact with the planar surface of the land 12. In this way the barbs 26 of the teeth have been resiliently pushed downwardly and inwardly and the resilience of the tooth structure provides sufficient gripping force on the brick to hold it in position and prevent accidental removal. The gripping force exerted by the teeth can be illustrated from Figure 2 in which it can be seen that each side of a particular brick is engaged by eight teeth. Thus, to pull the brick clear of the support panel the sixteen barbs would have to be pulled upwardly by the respective edges of the brick.

As shown in Figure 2 the bricks 50, tiles or cladding pieces are arranged slightly spaced end to end in spaced parallel rows. The spacing of the rows is determined by the positioning of the teeth but the end to end spacing is selected to define a uniform gap between adjacent brick ends. When all the bricks have been positioned on the cladding support panel, mortar or grout 75 is positioned between the bricks, tiles or cladding pieces. The mortar or grout 75 fills the gaps between the bricks 50 and keys to the teeth to provide a very positive and firm bond of the cladding to the cladding support panel. As shown in Figure 2, the mortar or grout 75 also covers the teeth to ensure that the finished product has an aesthetically pleasing appearance. The fact that each brick or cladding piece is firmly engaged by the teeth coupled with the keyed interengagement of the teeth with the mortar or grout ensures permanent attachment of the cladding to the support panel. The cladding support panel provides a simple yet effective means of ensuring that conventional bricks and/or cladding pieces may be secured to a variety of structures without the need of expert tradesmen to assembly the bricks or the use of additional fasteners such as adhesives.

Although the illustrated embodiment has rows of barbed teeth spaced at a distance less than the width of a brick or cladding tile, it is understood the spacing of the teeth could be slightly greater than the width of the brick. A lever (not shown) could be used to force the teeth into engagement with the bricks after the bricks have been placed on the support panel. In another variation shown in Figures 7 and 8, the support panel could be formed with an elongate raised indentation 60 in the base of the panel. When the brick 50 engages the indentation 60, it fastens the indentation which has the effect of drawing the adjacent teeth 61 and 62 inwardly so that the bars 63 and 64 engage and grip the sides of the brick 50.

It is also understood that one row of teeth could be furnished with the inwardly facing barbs. One row of teeth could also be replaced by an upwardly standing continuous flange.

Whilst the preferred embodiment illustrates a panel with squared corrugations in the form of reinforcing ribs it is understood that the panel could be of simple planar structure without the strengthening ribs and that the corrugations could have any other shape with the aim to stiffen up the sheet.

Claims

CLAIMS;

1. A cladding support panel comprising sheet material adapted to be secured to a sub-structure, the panel having formed therein rows of upstanding location means, adjacent rows of location means defining a gap that can accommodate the width of a brick or cladding tile, at least one row of the adjacent rows of location means comprising spaced apart upstanding resilient teeth each with a projection facing the adjacent row, whereby in use, bricks or cladding tiles may be held in spaced parallel arrays within the rows of location means, the location means resiliently engaging opposite sides of the bricks or cladding tiles and mortar and/or grout may be used to fill the gaps between the bricks, or cladding tiles.

2. The cladding support panel according to Claim 1 wherein the location means comprises upstanding teeth spaced apart in parallel rows, the spacing of the rows being slightly less than the width of a brick or cladding tile, whereby in use, the bricks or cladding tiles are pressed into engagement with the panel between adjacent rows.

3. The cladding support panel according to Claim 1 wherein the location means comprises upstanding teeth spaced apart in parallel rows, the spacing of the rows being slightly greater than the width of a brick or cladding tile, whereby in use, bricks or cladding tiles are positioned between adjacent rows of teeth and the teeth of at least one row are displaced towards the brick or tile to engage the side of the brick or tile so that the brick or tile is resiliently held in engagement with the adjacent rows of teeth.

4. The cladding support panel according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the projection on each tooth comprises a pointed barb that faces towards the adjacent row of teeth whereby the barbs in use engage the adjacent edge of the brick or cladding tile.

5. The cladding support panel according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the sheet material is rolled in steel to form spaced apart strengthening ribs.

6. The cladding support panel according to Claim 5 wherein the strengthening ribs comprise corrugations defining troughs and lands, the lands constituting planar support surfaces for the bricks or cladding tiles.

7. The cladding support panel according to either Claim 5 or Claim 6 when dependent on Claim 4 wherein each tooth is of triangular cross-section punched or stamped from the planar surface of the panel, the tip of the tooth being pressed forwardly and downwardly to define the barb, the teeth being arranged in parallel rows whereby the barbs of adjacent rows face each other to define a gap.

8. A cladding support panel comprising a sheet of metal adapted to be secured to a sub-structure, the panel having formed therein rows of punched or stamped upstanding teeth, each tooth having an inwardly facing barb, the rows of teeth defining a gap slightly less than the width of a standard brick or cladding tile, whereby in use, bricks or cladding tiles may be pressed into engagement with the barbs of the teeth so that the teeth resiliently engage opposite edges of the bricks or cladding tiles and hold the bricks or cladding tiles in spaced parallel arrays within the rows, and whereby mortar and/or grout may be used to fill the gaps between the bricks or cladding tiles to key against and cover the teeth.

9. A cladding assembly comprising a cladding support panel according to any one of the preceding claims arranged to be secured to a sub-structure, and a plurality of bricks or cladding tiles, the cladding support panel resiliently engaging and supporting the bricks or cladding tiles spaced end to end and in spaced rows, grout or mortar being positioned between the gaps between adjacent bricks or cladding tiles to key against and cover the location means.