Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Novelty siding has long been available to the public in
. the form of elongflted boards having an upper edge with an integral
upstanding tongue nnd a lower edge with a tongue recess, rabbett
or groove, the front face of each board usually having a groove
to simulate clapboarding.
S~ch siding, panelling or sheathing is shown in many
forms in, for example, a publication entitled "Standard Patterns",
Western Wood Products Co. of Western~Wood Products Association,
Yeon Building, Portland, Oregon 97204.
Prior patents exemplary of such siding, decking, flooring,
roofing or panelling are the following:
U`. S. Patent 2,400,357 May 14, 1946 to Krajci
- U S. Patent 3,262,239 July 26, 1966 to Mills
U. S. Patent 4,065,899 January 3, 1978 to Kirkhuff
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in all of which the siding unit has an upper tongue and lower tongue groove
but requires attachment to a substrate of boards or plyscore.
In the following United States Patents, however, all of which also
disclose an upper tongue and a lower tongue re oess, no backer board is used
and the units are attached directly to the studs:
United States Patent 2,231,007 February 11, 1941 to Vane
United States Patent 2,390,087 December 4, 1945 to Fink
United States Patent 2,693,621 November 9, 1954 to Errion
United States Patent 2,831,218 April 22, 1958 to Stark
United States Patent 3,626,439 December 7, 1971 to Knessel
United States Patent 4,034,439 July 12, 1977 to Sanders
Most of the above mentioned patents disclose an outer, lower,
integral depending rib on the lower edge of the board for covering the joint
with the next lower most board.
The above mentioned Mills Patent 3,262,239, Fink Patent 2,390,087
and Stark Patent 2,831,218 all disclose laminated board units, and the Errio~
patent 2,693,621 discloses one piece units, which are of sufficient thickness,
strength and insulative properties to be directly applied to frame studding
thereby eliminating the cost and expen æs oE an in~ervening suhstrate of ship-
lapped boards, plyscore or ccmposition board.
SUMMARY OF T~E INUENTION
The combined backer board and siding of this invention is character-
ized by being sufficiently thick at the top and bottom to serve as a rigid
connection between upright studs without other support. Ihe upper edge is
preferably at least one and one quarter inches in thickness as is the lower
edge, the lower edge being at least about one and one half inches in thickness
when the outer or front face is tapered. Unlike the above prior patents, in
this invention the upper edge contains a front, upstanding tongue and a rear,
downward sloping surface to shed rainwater, there being no pockets, or
grooves, in the upper edge to permit water to acc~lmulate. l~e lower edge in-
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clu~es a rear depending tongue and a front depending tongue separated by a
tongue groove which re oe ived the tongue of the next lower board. Standard
boards of uniform thickness are used and preferably a compressible gasket be-
tween upstanding tongue and tongue groove is provided to seal the joint be-
tween boards.
To avoid leakage of air or water at the joints, when the upstanding
tongue is integral the tongue groove in the lower edge is made of slightly
greater dim~nsions than the corresponding dimensions of the tongue to provide
a predetermined clearance spaoe for caulking or sealing comFound. No caulk-
ing is necessary when the seal is a separate gasket of oompressible material.
To enable nailing of each unit directly onto the studs of a build-
ing a nailing surfaoe, or plane, at an angle of about 45 to the vertical may
be provided on the front upper edge. A corresponding surface, or plane, at a
different angle is formed on the rear faoe of the rib depending from the
front of the lower edge to create an air spaoe for ventilating the joint.
In one form of the invention the rear faoe of the unit is flatwise
against the studs while a front face is inclined to present a clapboard
appearance. In another form of the unit both front and rear face are
parallel but the tongu~ and tongue recess position the boards with the upper
edge touching the studs and the lower edge spaced away from the studs to per-
mit air circulation. ln still another form of the invention, the front and
rear surfaoes taper away from each other from top to bottom with plural
tongues and tongue recesses which position the units with lcwer edges flat-
wise against the studs and the upper edges spaoe d away from the studs for air
circulation. In this form the boards are reversible.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF T~E DR~WING
Figure 1 is an end elevation, in section, of the combined backer
board and siding units of the invention
Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the nailing surfaoe
of the invention
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Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a m~dification in
which the front and rear surfaces are parallel
Figure 4 is a view simil æ to Eigure 1 showing the tongue and
tongue recess so located as to permit the use of boards of rectangular cross
section
Figure 5 is a view simil æ to Figure 1 of a modification in which
there are plural tongues and tongue re oesses and the front and rear surfaces
æe both tapered
Figure 6 is a view similar to Eigure 5 of a reversible board, the
sealing tongue being formed by an elongated flexible, resilient member and
Figure 7 is a view simil æ to Figure 3 of the preferred form of the
invention in which standard width boards æe provided with the tongue, groove,
rib and air spaces of the invention.
DESCRIPTICN OF THE PREFERRED EMEODIMENT
-
The one piece combined backer and siding board 20 of the invention
includes the elongated body 21 of solid, heat insulative material such as
wood 22 having a front face 23, a rear face 24, an upper edge 25 and a lower
edge 26. In the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, the rear faoe 24 is normal to
the plane of the upper edge 25 and, when applied to stud 27, lies flatwise
against the front face 28 of the stud in the conventio~al manner. The front
faoe 23 of the board 20 is inclined from the v~rtical to taper outwardly and
downwardly from upper edge 25 to lower edge 26.
Unlike relatively thin shingles, clapboards and novelty siding
which must be nailed to backer boards, or plywood panels which in turn are
nailed to studs, the boards 20 of this invention are about one and one quarter
inches thick at the upper edge 25 and about one and one half inches thick at
the lower edge 26 to provide sufficient rigidity and insulation between the
conventionally sixteen inch spaoe d studs 27 to require no reinforcement.
l'he relatively thick upper edge 25 includes a sealing groove 29 of
curved cross section and predetermined dimensions which extends longitudin-
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ally along the central portion thereof and which is flanked on each opposite
side by the rear, integral upstanding rib 31 and the front, integral upstand-
ing rib 32. As shown in Figure 1 the front rib 32 preferably includes an
under but longitudinally extending groove 33, which serves as a water check
and toe nail groove. The angular cross section of groove 33 permits the
upper angular surface 34 to block admission of water into the joint ketween
boards while the lower angular surface 35, preferably at 45 to the vertical,
provides a nailing surface which guides nails, driven normal thereto, below
sealing groove 29, without entering the groove, and into a stud 27.
The relatively thick lawer edge 26 of body 21 includ~s a downwardly
depending, integral sealing tongue 36 of predetermined dimensions and curved
cross section which extends longitudinally along the intermediate portion of
the lower edge. The dimensions of each tongue 36 and tongue groove 29 are
such that when a lawer board 20 is nailed by a nail 37 to a stud 27 and the
tongue of a next higher board 20 is inserted in the tongue graove there is
sufficient clearance, or space, 38 at the rear of the groove 29 to re oe ive a
substantial amount of caulking campound 39, thereby filling the groove 29 and
tightening the seal of the joint 41 between boards.
Each board 20 includes an integral, dcwnward depending front rib 42,
which extends longitudinally along lower edge 26, parallel to the tongue 36
cmd which preferably is of curved cross section as shawn. ~ the rib 42 is
ccnsidered to form a rabbett groove at the lower edge 26, then the sealing
tongue 36 is central of the rabbett groove as shawn. It will be seen that if,
as proposed in the prior art, an upper tongue is seated in a lower tongue
groove, and a lawer outer rib is also provided, there is substantial waste of
lumber whereas in this invention by tongue grooving the upper edge and form-
ing the depending integral, sealing tongue alongside the depending integral
front rib there is much less waste of material.
As shawn in Figure 1, in the lowermost board 20, nailed to stud 27,
the upper edge 43 of a vinyl plastic covering 44 may be inserted in the space
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45 behind the rib 42 and the lcwer portion 46 thereof may be pre-curved to
fit around the cuLved surface 47 of rib 42 for nailing through holes 48 by
nails 49.
In Figure 2 another emtodlment is illustrated in which the front
rib 32 of each board 20 includes a beveled surface 51, corresponding to sur-
faoe 35 and the rib 42 of each board 20 includes a rear faoe 52, uniformly
spaoe d from the front faoe 23 to create a substantial air space 45.
In Figure 3 still another em oiiment is illustrated in which the
board 54, corresponding to board 20, has the front faoe 55 parallel to the
rear faoe 56 and the front faoe 55 is still inclined in the manner of shingles
or clapboards by the positioning and structure of the tongue 57 and tongue
groove 58. As shcwn, the tongue 57 extends along the lower edge 59 of the
board parallel to the cover rib 61 but the rib 61 is of greater depth than
tongue 57. mis construction not only enables boards of rectangular cross
section to be used but also spaoes the lower edges 59 away from the studs 27
to give air acoess all around the board to prolong the useful life of oe rtain
w~od.
In the emkcdiment of Figure 4 a board 62 of rectangular cross sec-
tion is also used, the tongue 63 in the lcwer edge 64 being equal in depth to
the depth of the rib 65 and the rib 65 and front upper rib 66 having beveled
nailing surfa oes 67 and 68 respectively which form an air space 45.
In the embodimest of Figure S the board 69 has a front faoe 71 and
a rear faoe 72 which are both inclined and taper away from each other from
upper edge 73 to lower edge 74. The cross section of board 69 is thus
symetrical so that the board is reversible. A central tongue groove 75 is
flanked by rear rib 76 and front rib 77 all of curved cross .section in the
upper edge 73. A central tongue 78 in the lower edge 74, seats in the tongue
groove 75 of the next lowermost board, and is flanked by a lower rib 79 and a
lower rear rib 81. A caulking space 38 f.or cauIking compound 39 is provided
in groove 75 and an air spaoe 45 is provided under cover rib 77.
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As shown in Figure 6 a reversible board 82, corresponding to revers-
ible board 69 of Figure 5, is provided with a front, lawer, cover rib 83, a
central, lawer groove 84, a rear, lower rib 85 and an upper edge tongue 86
which fits in the tongue groove 84 of the next higher board. An air spaoe
87, corresponding to air spaoe 45 is provided under cover rib 83 to ventilate
the joint. In this emkcdiment, instead of an integral, depending, sealing
tongue in the lower edge of each board, a resilient, compressible, element 88,
which may be of 0 ring material and configuration, such as of rubber, is
seated in a groove 89, to depend dcwnwardly for also seating in a correspond-
ing tongue groove 91 in the upper edqe, or tongue 86, of the next lower board.
The reversible boards 82 are affixed fram bottom to top of vertical studs 92,
by means of the shims 93 shown in dotted lines, for positioning ~le bottom
board at the correct angle by screws or nails 94. ~he shims 93 are then re-
moved and suc oe ssive, upper boards are self-positioned, without shims, an
elongated member 88 being placed in the grooves 89 and 91 for slight compres-
sion, to seal each joint.
In the preferred embodiment of Figure 7, the cambined backer board
and siding 95 is formed fram standard boarding of uniform thickness so that
no special knives are neq1ired to taper ane or both faoes thereof. Each
board 95 corresponds to board 54 of Figure 3 except that ~le rear lower
tongue 96, corresponding to rear lower tongue 57, is seated on a downward
sloping surfaoe 97 to permit run-off of any accumulatian of moisture in the
joint. Instead of a caulking spaoe, caulking co~?ound and integral dep~nding
sealing tongue in a t~lgue groove, the board 95 includes a sealing gasket 98,
similar to element 88 of Figure 6, the sealing gasket 98 being of resilient,
flexible, compressible rubber or the like seated in a suitable gasket groove
99 in the tongue groove 84 in the board 95, and in a corresponding gasket
groove 101 in the upper tangue 86 in the next lawer board and being compressed
for a firm, tight seal when ane board 95 is affixed above another as illus-
trated in Figure 7. An air space 102, similar to air space 45, is provided
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under cover tongue, or rib, 103 to ventilate the joint. me shim 104 forms
the starter for the boards 95, nailed by nails or screws 94. The air apaoe
105 is advantageous from an insulation point of view in the finished wall of
a building.
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