Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to slabs of stone adapted to
be mounted on the side of a building in the form of siding.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
United States patent No 1,982,560 issued in 1934 to
the Rostone, Inc. corporation, discloses a clip system for
both releasably interlocking a pair of superimposed concrete
blocks as well as for releasably interlocking each given block
to a vertical wall against which it is adapted to be applied.
Three different embodiments of clips are envisioned to be used
in this invention: clips 5, 7 and 8, as illustrated in figures
5, 6 and 8 respectively of the drawings. Clip 5 defines a
rectangular metal plate, having first and second long edges.
Said first edge of each clip 5 is located outwardly relative
to the wall 1, and defines a plurality of alternating,
coplanar, upwardly and downwardly extending tongues 5b and 5c
which extend orthogonally of the main body of the clip.
Tongues 5b and 5c snugly engage into corresponding registering
grooves b and c made on the bottom edge portion of an upper
concrete block and on the top edge portion of an underlying
lower concrete block, respectively. Therefore, relative
horizontal play of the blocks is substantially prevented.
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Moreover, said second edge of each clip 5 defines an upturned
elongated flange 5a, orthogonal to the main body of the clip
5. Flange 5a snugly engages into a pocket, under a wedge
action behind a projecting ear 2 which is integral to the
vertical wall 1, whereas horizontal motion of each block B
relative to the wall 1 is substantially prevented. The
generally cross-sectionally L-shape clip 7 is for use in
securing the lowermost block B to the wall 1, as suggested in
fig 7. Clip 8 is somewhat U-shape in cross-section, with a
peg-like pointed leg on one side. It is further noted that
the invention declares (column 2, lines 9-16) that he feels
his invention is not limited to the use of such grooves b, c,
in the concrete blocks and clips 5, 7 and 8, whereas other
''interengaging devices'' to secure the blocks in place are
envisioned not to be excluded from the scope of this invention
- an all-encompassing claim that would appear far-fetched.
Canadian patent No 911,193 issued in october 1972 to
the German company Max Langensiepen Kom. Gesellschaft, as well
as Canadian patent No 274,045 issued in 1927 to J.F. Makowski,
both disclose a clip similar to clip 5 of the Rostone
patent, supra.
U.S. patent 4,170,857 issued on 16 October 1979 to
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the Austrian company Bauhutte Leitl-Werke Rieger-
Anlaggentechnik GmbH discloses a facade construction
consisting of a number of superimposed blocks 2 and 3, which
are interconnected to one another and to the supporting wall
8 by connecting means and applied against that upright wall 8.
The connecting means includes: first vertical rods, 9,
connected to the wall 8 by fasteners 9'; and second horizontal
rods, 14, engaging complementary horizontal edgewise grooves
13, 13' in each pair of superimposed blocks 3 and being
connected to the first rods 9. Figure 3 suggests how the rods
9 and 14 would be interconnected. Moreover, there is shown in
figure 7 an alternate block interconnecting means clip,
defining a configuration having a first T-shape extension at
one end and a second L-shape extension at the opposite end.
Canadian patent 1,057,928 issued on 10 September
1979 to the United States Gypsum company, limited, further
discloses in figure 3 a similar clip of H-shape.
Both United States No 1,334,599 issued in 1920 to
Wilfred CUSICK, and U.S. patent No 2,708,358 issued in 1955 to
Carl SCHELS, show that it is well known to provide a building
block with a downwardly projecting rib at its bottom outer
edge, in order to outwardly overlap the upper edge of an
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underlying second block. Clearly, such overlapping ribs are
directed at substantially preventing undesirable weathering of
the edgewise joints between superimposed pairs of building
blocks.
Canadian patent 1,057,928 discloses a clip for
mounting a facing member spaced from a wall with the clip
having upwardly and downwardly extending flanges which extend
into recesses in the facing members.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The gist of the invention is therefore to improve
upon existing facade assemblies for upright walls.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The facade wall of the invention comprises
superposed courses of tile blocks the load of which is
entirely supported by the building footing and which is
disposed at a predetermined distance from the building wall by
clip means, by bottom retaining rails and by junction strips.
The clip means solely maintain the facade wall at a set
distance from The building wall without supporting the load of
the blocks. Each tile block defines an interior face, an
exterior face, a top edge face and a bottom edge face together
with said edge faces which are normal to the interior face.
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The block is provided with a peripheral groove running through
the top edge face, the bottom edge face and both side edge
faces; this groove lies in a plane which is parallel to the
interior face and which is nearer the latter than the external
face of the grooved tile block. The portions of the top and
bottom edge faces which are external to the groove form rest
faces which directly abut each other. The portion of the
bottom edge face which is internal to the groove is recessed
with respect to the portion of the bottom edge face which is
external to the groove. These recessed portions form a
passage through which freely extends the clip attaching the
tile blocks to the building wall. The external portion of the
bottom edge face of the blocks of the lowermost course
directly rest on the building footing.
Preferably, each said tile block is a slab of stone.
Preferably also, each tile block has a lower lip to
form a shingle lap with the tile blocks of a lower course.
The clip means include top clips to engage the tile blocks of
the uppermost course, intermediate clips to engage the tile
blocks of two superposed courses, and a bottom retaining rail
to engage the groove of the blocks of the lowermost course.
The clips are secured to the building wall while the rail is
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secured to the building footing. Junction strips are further
provided to interconnect adjacent tile blocks of any given
course. Each bottom retaining rail consists of a horizontal
strip with an edgewisely upturned flange, said strip to be
horizontally anchored to the footing of the building, said
flange snugly engaging and releasably receiving the lower run
of the grooves of a number of successive tile blocks of the
lowermost course.
The upturned flange of the horizontal strip includes
lengthwisely spaced notches, and each said junction strip
vertically extends through side runs of the grooves of each
pair of adjacent tile blocks of a given course, the junction
strips of the lowermost course, releasably engaging at its
bottom end a selected one of said notches.
Advantageously, each said intermediate clip defines
a web with an-upturned L-shape first end and a T-shape
o~posite second end, said L-shape first end to be anchored
against said upright wall, said T-shape second end releasably
engaging the lowermost run of the groove of a tile block and
the upper run of the groove of an underlying tile block.
Preferably each said top clip defines a web with an
upturned leg at one end and a downturned leg at the opposite
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end, said upturned leg to be anchored to said upright wall,
said downturned leg releasably engaging into and securing the
upper run of the groove of a tile block of the uppermost
course.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment
of wall portion made from stone slabs of the invention;
Figure 2 is a partial, front elevational view of the
~ wall portion of Figure l;
. Figure 3 is a perspective view of a second
embodiment of wall portion made from stone slabs of the
nventlon;
Figure 4 is a partial, front elevational view of the
wall portion of Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a broken, isometric view of a first
embodiment of stone slab of the invention;
Figure 6 is a long edge view of the rectangular
stone slab of Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a short edge view of the rectangular
stone slab of Figure 5;
Figures 8-8a are perspective views, from opposite
sides, of a second embodiment of stone slab;
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Figure 9 is a long edge view of the slab of Figures
8-8a;
Figure 10 is an end view of a third embodiment of
stone slab;
Figure 11 is a broken front elevation of the slab of
Figure 10;
Figure lla is a broken rear elevation of the slab of
Figure 10;
Figure 12 is a perspective view of the slab of
Figure 10;
Figures 13 and 13a are enlarged cross-sectional
views taken along lines 13-13 of Figure 3 and 13a-13a of
Figure 1, respectively;
Figures 14 and 15 are enlarged cross-sections about
lines 14-14 and 15-15 respectively of Figure 4;
Figure 15a is an enlarged cross-section about line
15a-15a of Figure 2;
Figure 15b is an enlarged cross-section about line
15-15 of figure 3;
Figures 16 and 16a are enlarged cross-sections taken
along lines 16-16 of Figure 2 and 16a-16a of Figure 4,
respectively;
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Figure 17 is a sectional view along line 17-17 of
Figure 13;
Figures 18-20 are perspective views of the three
clips used for interconnecting the present stone slabs; and
Figure 21 is a perspective view of the corner plate
from Figure 17, for anchoring the slabs at the wall corner
portion illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The ground standing building 30 (figures 1 and 3)
includes a footing or base 32, for example made in concrete,
being embedded into ground G, and a wall 34' (figures 13-13a)
secured to base 32. A facade or siding assembly, 36 tor 36')
is mounted against the exterior face of the wall 34' and rests
on the forwardly protruding footing 32. Figures 1 and 3 show
only a corner portion of building 30 fitted with the two
embodiments of siding assemblies 36 and 36', respectively.
Facade or siding assembly 36 includes a first set of
horizontally extending, elongated, straight block units namely
tile blocks 38, and a second set of left- and right-angled,
horizontally extending, cross-sectionally L-shape elongated
block units 40, 40', respectively. The alternate mode of
facade or siding assembly, 36', includes a first set of
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straight, horizontally extending, elongated block units, 42,
and a second set of straight, vertically extending, cross-
sectionally V-shape, elongated block units 44.
Tile blocks 38-44 are connected to wall 34' by a
number of top clips 48 and intermediate clips 46. Bottom
retaining rails 52 secure the lowermost course of tile blocks
to footing 32. Junction strips 52 interconnect the tile
blocks of any given course (Figures 18 to 20).
Block units 38 and 40, 40', sharing each horizontal
row or course of the facade assembly of fig 1, should be of
substantially the same height, to ensure joints of constant
resistance with the overlying as well as underlying rows of
tile blocks. Similarly, tile-blocks 42 should all be of
substantially constant height.
As suggested in figures 5-12, each tile block 38 or
42 includes a peripheral edgewise groove 38a-44a,
respectively, extending between the flat exterior and interior
faces thereof, and a downwardly projecting rib 38b-44b,
respectively, located at the bottom edge portion of the
exterior face thereof. Each block unit 38-42 tapers upwardly
on its portion located exteriorly relative to the rib 38b-42b.
Grooves 38a-44a are for engagement by the connector clip
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members 46, 48, junction strips 50 and rail 52, detailed
below. Ribs 38b-42b form lap joints between superimposed
pairs of tile blocks as a weather protection.
Preferably, tile blocks 38-44 are made from stone.
Referring to figs 13, 13a, 17 and 21, there is
illustrated how the bottom retaining rail 52 releasably
secures the lowermost row of tile blocks 40 and 44 to the
building concrete base 32. Rail 52 has an L-shape cross-
section defining a base flange 54 and an upturned flange 56.
Flange 56 include a number of lengthwisely spaced notches 56a.
Base flange 54 is laid flat against the top flat face of
concrete footing 32, with upturned flange 56 directed
exteriorly slightly short of the exterior edge 32a of footing
32. Base flange 54 is anchored to footing 32 by pegs P driven
thereinto through bores 54a. Flanges 56 snugly engage into
the horizontal lower section of the edgewise grooves 40a, 44a,
of corresponding tile blocks 40, 44, respectively.
Accordingly, rail 52 maintains the tile blocks 40,
44 of the lowermost course at a set distance from wall 34' but
do not support these tile blocks. Each notch 56a in flange 56
is in turn engaged by the bottom end of an upright, straight,
- rectangular junction strip 50 (fig 20).
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As suggested in figures lSb, 16b and 17, junction
strip 50 extends through and is sized to fit the two facing
grooves of the vertical side portions of any pair of adjacent
tile blocks 38-44 of a given course. For example, in fig 16,
registering grooves 38a, 40a, from tile block 38, 40, form a
single vertical channel through which vertically extends the
flat rectangular strip 50. Accordingly, junction strips 50
positively maintain successive pair of tile blocks 38 and 40
in substantially coplanar fashion in any given course.
Referring now to figs 15, 15a and 19, there is shown
how-the uppermost course or row of tile blocks are releasably
connected to wall extension 34' of the building 30 to be
facaded, to prevent the falling down of the tile blocks. Top
clip 48 defines a quadrangular plate 58 with a long upturned
flange 60 at one edge thereof and a short downturned flange 62
at the opposite edge thereof. Flange 60 includes a central
bore 60a. Hence, flange 60 is applied flatly against wall 34'
of the building, slightly above the uppermost row of block
units, and anchored thereagainst by a peg P driven thereinto
through bore 60a. The exteriorly downwardly oriented flange
62 snugly engages the top run of the groove 44a (in fig 15) or
40a (in fig 15a) of the uppermost row of tile blocks 44 or 40
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respectively.
We will now refer to figs 14 and 18 of the drawings.
Intermediate clip 46 is similar to top clip 48, with a
quadranguular flat web 64, a rear upturned flange 66 with
associated through-bore 66a, and a front downturned flange
68a; but clip 46 further includes an upturned flange 68b
coextensive with downturned flange 68a. Flat flange 66 is
applied flatly against the building wall 34' and anchored
thereto by driving a peg P thereinto through bore 66a.
Flanges 66a, 68a are made to engage the horizontal channel
made by the two registering grooves 42a, 42a (in fig 14)
defined by the lower edge of an overlying tile block 42 and
the upper edge of an underlying tile block 42; whereby
successive pairs of superimposed tile blocks are positively
maintained in coplanar fashion.
Rail 52 and clips 46 and 48 constitute spacer means
that define and maintain a gap A between wall 34' and facade
36. Gap A desirably promotes air ventilation therebetween.
Referring to Figures 7 and 14, peripheral groove
38a, 42a of tile block 38, 42 is parallel to block interior
face 70 and nearer face 70 than block exterior face 72. The
portion 74 of the block top edge face which is external to
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groove 38a, 42a directly abuts against portion 76 of the block
bottom edge face which is external to groove 38a, 42a. The
portion 78 of the block bottom edge face which is internal to
groove 38a, 42a is recessed relative to external bottom edge
face portion 76. It follows that the load of facade 36 is
directly supported by footing 32 while the clips 46, 48 and
bottom rail 52 together with junction strips 50 serve only to
prevent tilting of the wall and to maintain gap A.
