GB2383353A

GB2383353A - Cladding hung in grooves of blocks

Info

Publication number: GB2383353A
Application number: GB0229546A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Michael Barnsley
Original assignee: Ibstock Brick Ltd
Current assignee: Ibstock Brick Ltd
Priority date: 2001-12-21
Filing date: 2002-12-18
Publication date: 2003-06-25
Anticipated expiration: 2022-12-18
Also published as: GB2383353B; GB0130622D0; GB0229546D0

Abstract

A composite cladding unit consists of backing means in the form of a brick 10 and a tile-like facing portion 12. The backing means 10 and facing portion 12 have inter-engaging formations 16, 34 by means of which the facing portion 12 is hookable on to the backing means 10. A plurality of the backing means 10 can be laid in conventional bonded courses, e.g. to form a wall, and respective facing portions 12 may then be simply hooked onto the backing means 10, without the need for a specialist tradesman or auxiliary securing means. The inter-engaging formations 16, 34 may be shaped to be complimentary to each other, for example having correspondingly curved surfaces. The backing means 10 and facing portion 12 maybe made from conventional brick- or blockwork materials and the facing portion 12 may have the appearance of traditional vertically hung tile.

Description

Title: Composite cladding unit The present invention relates to a composite cladding unit, more particularly, but not exclusively, to a composite cladding unit for use in a wall or like structure. The invention relates also to a building incorporating a plurality of such composite cladding units and a method of constructing a wall or like structure incorporating such cladding units.

Conventionally, cladding units are provided on buildings as a decorative or protective outer skin after completion of external brick-or blockwork of a wall or like structure. Various alternative cladding arrangements incorporating a plurality of cladding units are commercially available.

Typically, the cladding units are hung on horizontal rails fixed directly on to the external brick-or blockwork or on to an intermediate support structure by a specialist tradesman. The horizontal rails are usually provided with a vertical flange onto which the cladding units are securably placed.

Auxiliary securing means, for example nails, clips or mortar are also often required to secure the tiles in place on the rails. Typically, the positioning and securing of the cladding units on the horizontal rails is carried out by a specialist tradesman. Hence, the completion of a cladding arrangement on an external structure is a multi-stage process, which may require a number of different specialist tradesmen.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved cladding unit.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved method of constructing a wall or like structure incorporating cladding units.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a composite cladding unit comprising a facing portion and backing means, in which the backing means is in the form of a brick, the facing portion and backing means having inter-engaging formations provided in the longitudinal axis thereof, by means of which the facing portion is hookable on the backing means.

By the term brick is intended a brick-or blockwork building element.

The invention is advantageous, in that the backing means can be laid in the known manner of conventional brick-or blockwork, for example in a series ofbonded courses to form a vertical wall or other such structure.

The facing portion maybe simply hooked onto the backing means without the need for a specialist tradesman or auxiliary securing means. The facing portion simply hangs on the backing means, in use. Hence, the inter-engaging formations provide a cladding unit, which is easier to assemble than the prior art cladding arrangements referred to above.

In particular, it is possible to construct a vertical wall-like structure from superposed courses of a plurality of the backing means and subsequently hang respective facing portions directly onto the backing means, without the need for specialist positioning or auxiliary securing fixtures. Hence, the completion of a wall-like structure incorporating a plurality of composite cladding units according to the invention can be performed as a two stage operation, by the same tradesmen.

Conveniently, the backing means includes a shoulder on which the facing portion is hooked, in use. Also, the facing portion may be gravity loaded so that, in use, there is contact between the facing portion and the front face of the backing means, about the shoulder.

The shoulder and the gravity loading of the facing portion each provide a significant simplification over the prior art cladding arrangements discussed above, further reducing the need to use either a specialist tradesman or auxiliary securing means.

The inter-engaging formations may be shaped to be complimentary to one another and preferably consist of correspondingly curved surfaces. Preferably, the correspondingly curved surfaces are generally sinusoidal.

Both the facing portion and the backing means maybe manufactured using materials conventionally used for brickwork building elements such as clay, and by similar methods. For example, the two components may be produced by extrusion and cutting, by moulding or by pressing techniques.

Alternatively, the backing means may be manufactured using aerated, lightweight or other concrete, or insulation materials such as closed cell polyurethane and other rigid polymeric foams, or noncombustible insulation materials.

The facing portion may be produced in a different manner, e. g. handmade, and/or from adifferent material to the backing means. To give the appearance of a vertically hung tile, the facing portion may have a cambered outer surface in the vertical and/or horizontal planes, and may be provided with surface coatings, e. g. sands or glazes.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a building comprising a plurality of the composite cladding units according to the first aspect of the invention.

According to a still further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of constructing awall or like structure incorporating a plurality of composite cladding units according to the first aspect of the invention, comprising the sequential steps of laying successive courses of brick-or blockwork incorporating a plurality of the backing means and then hooking respective facing portions on to the backing means.

Preferably, the brick-or blockwork of the wall or like structure is laid in bond.

Conveniently, the successive courses of the wall or like structure are vertically aligned.

The invention will now be described, byway of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a composite cladding unit according to the invention; Figure 2 shows the use of a modified composite cladding unit in a wall construction; Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2 but showing a further modification of the composite cladding unit; Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 2 but showing a second further modification of the composite cladding unit; and Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the inter-engaging formations of the composite cladding unit of Figure 4.

Figure 1 shows a composite cladding unit consisting of backing means by which the unit is secured to a wall and a facing portion for attachment to the backing means. The backing means is generally in the form of a brick 10 and the facing portion is generally in the form of a tile 12. Both the brick 10 and the tile 12 are manufactured by extrusion from the same conventional brick materials e. g. clay.

The brick 10 includes a profiled front surface 14 having are-entrant hook section, shown generally at 16, which extends across the front face of the brick 10. The re-entrant hook section 16 has parallel sides 18,20, which are joined together by a partially curved surface 22. A curved surface 24 extends from parallel side 18 to the front surface 14 of the brick 10. Hence, the re-entrant hook section 16 defines a shoulder 26 and a channel 28.

The tile 12 has of a front surface 30 with a cambered profile, visible here in the vertical plane, to give the appearance, when hung, of a vertically hung tile. A rear surface 32 of each tile 12 includes an inverted hook section, shown generally at 34, which extends across the rear face of the tile 12 and has a profile complimentary to the re-entrant hook section 16 of the brick 10.

The inverted hook section 34 has parallel sides 36, 38 which are joined together by a partially curved surface 40. A curved surface 42 extends from parallel side 36 to the rear surface 32 of the tile 12. Hence, the inverted hook section 34 defines a nose 44 and an inverted channel 46. As can be seen in Figure 1, the re-entrant hook section 16 and the inverted hook section 34 have complimentary profiles of generally sinusoidal cross-section.

In use, the inverted hook section 34 on the tile 12 is introduced into the re-entrant hook section 16 in the brick 10. The tile 12 is then hung on the brick 10 by lowering the tile 12 into a resting position, in which the curved surface 42 of the tile 12 rests on point or line of contact on the shoulder 26 of the brick 10. With the tile 12 in this resting position, the moment of the tile 12 about the point or line of contact on the shoulder 26 causes pivotal and, if necessary, downward movement ofthe lower end of the tile 12, anti-clockwise as viewed. Hence, surfaces 14 and 32 are bought into general abutment in the region below the respective formations 16,34, due to a gravity loading effect ofthe tile 12 when in position on the brick 10. Since the composite cladding unit consists of two inter-engaging formations 16,34 having complimentary profiles, the inverted hook section 34 nests within the re-entrant hook section 16.

Both the brick 10 and the tile 12, and hence the two inter-engaging formations 16,34, are formed by extrusion with the formations extending longitudinally along the whole width ofthe respective abutting surfaces 14,32.

As can be seen in Figure 1, the tile 12 is of greater vertical dimension than the brick 10 so that, in use, the bottom edge ofthe tile 12 covers a bed of mortar 48 between successive brick courses (as indicated by the dotted lines).

A lip 50 is provided along the bottom edge ofthe tile 12. The lip 50 can increase structural stability between successive courses ofthe composite cladding units, for instance in wall construction, since the lip 50 will overhang, and act to prevent or inhibit substantial forward motion of, an underlying tile, particularly since the bottom ofthe tile 12 is gravity loaded in to abutment with the brick 10,

as described above. The lip 50 may have a thickness corresponding to that of a typical tile, so as to further give the appearance of vertically hung tiles.

Figure 2 shows an external wall of two-leaf cavity construction. The outer leaf 52 is constructed vertically using a plurality of composite cladding units, each as generally described with reference to Figure 1. In this embodiment, the facing portion is in the fonn of a tile panel 5 8. The inner leaf 54 is constructed using conventional blockwork. A layer of insulation 56 is provided between the leaves 52,54.

Each tile panel 58 has a generally planar outer surface, a rear surface having a single hook formation 59, and is of a length corresponding to substantially twice the height of each backing brick 60. It is therefore necessary to use bricks 62 of appropriate coursing height between the backing bricks 60, to complete the outer leaf 52. Each tile panel may be up to 444 mm wide.

In Figure 2, both the top and bottom edges of each tile panel 58 are provided with a lip 64,66, respectively. In particular, the upper lips 64 are provided to sit flush with the upper surface of the respective backing bricks 60, in use, and the lower lips 66 are provided to extend downwardly over a mortar joint 68 between successive brick courses, and to partially overlap with the upper lip of a tile panel already positioned below the composite cladding unit in question.

The bricks 60,62 are laid in a conventional manner, by a bricklayer, in mortar in successive courses, for example using a traditional running bond. The tile panels 58 are then simply hooked onto the bricks 60, substantially as described with reference to Figure 1 above, with each tile panel 58 covering an associated brick 62. If desired, the tile panels 58 may be arranged so as to lay across the joint between the bricks 60,62. The sides of the bricks 60,62 maybe butted directly against each other, with no intervening mortar joint.

Figure 3 is a similar view to that illustrated in Figure 2, showing a two-leaf cavity construction 70,72 having a layer of cavity insulation 74.

Each tile panel 76 has a generally planar outer surface, a single hook formation 78, and is of a length corresponding to substantially three times the height of each brick 80. The tile panels 76 are staggered in the vertical plane so that their rear surfaces cover successive mortar joints 82.

If desired, the sides of the bricks 80 maybe butted directly against each other, with no intervening mortar joint.

Figure 4 shows a composite cladding unit 84, in use, similar to that shown in Figure 2, including a tile panel 86 having upper and lower lips 88,90 which overlap in the opposite manner to that previously described. In this embodiment, the lower lip 90 is provided to extend to a level flush with the lower surface of a conventional brick 92 on which the respective backing brick 94 is placed. The upper lip 88 extends from a position flush with the upper surface of the backing brick 94, to partially overlap with the inner side of the lower lip of a successively placed tile panel, thereby covering the mortar joint 96 between successive brick courses.

As can be seen more clearly from Figure 5, the composite cladding unit 84 includes inter-engaging

formations 98, lOOofnon-complimentarypronle. mparticular. there-entranthook & rmationlOO is of substantially the same profile as the previously described embodiments, and the inverted hook formation 98 on the tile panel 86 does not correspond to the generally sinusoidal profile on the reentrant hook formation 100. Instead, the inverted hook formation 98 consists of a shallow curved inverted channel 102 having a nose 104. As shown, when the tile panel 84 is positioned on the reentrant hook formation 100, the nose 104 is free from abutment with the backing brick 94.

The inverted hook formation 98 is of a smaller cross-sectional area than the re-entrant hook formation 100. Hence, when positioning the tile panel 84 on the backing brick 94 in the manner described with reference to the embodiment of Figure 1, the smaller cross-sectional area of the inverted hook formation 98 provides a working clearance 106 between two inter-engaging formations, to account fortolerances in the building materials used to manufacture orproduce the

composite cladding unit. It will be appreciated that such a working clearance may be incorporated into any of the embodiments of Figures I to 3.

As can be seen from the illustrated embodiments, the composite cladding unit consists of correspondingly engaging tongue and groove formations formed on the facing portion and the backing means, respectively. The formation on the tile may be interrupted at intervals along its length. Similarly, the formation on the brick may consist of a plurality of formations spaced at intervals longitudinally along each surface formed, for example, by a pressing technique.

The inter-engaging formations provide a cladding arrangement, which is easier to assemble than known prior art cladding arrangements, in that the facing portion may be simply hooked on to the backing means without the need for a specialist tradesman or auxiliary securing means. In particular, it is possible to construct a vertical wall-like structure from superposed courses of the backing means and subsequentlyhook apluralityoffacingportions directlyonto respectivebacking means, without the need for specialist positioning or fixing.

Claims

Claims 1. A composite cladding unit comprising a facing portion and backing means, in which the backing means is in the form of a brick, the facing portion and backing means having inter- engaging formations in the longitudinal axis thereof, by means of which the facing portion is hookable on the backing means.
2. A cladding unit as claimed in claim 1, in which the backing means includes a shoulder on which the facing portion is hooked, in use.
3. A cladding unit as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the facing portion is gravity loaded, in use, to contact the front face of the backing means.
4. A cladding unit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the inter-engaging formations have complimentary shapes to one another.
5. A cladding unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the inter-engaging formations consist of correspondingly curved surfaces.
6. A cladding unit as claimed in claim 5, in which the correspondingly curved surfaces are sinusoidal.
7. A cladding unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the facing portion and the backing means are manufactured from clay.
8. A cladding unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the facing portion and the backing means are manufactured either by extrusion and cutting, by moulding or by pressing techniques.

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9. A cladding unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the backing means is manufactured from aerated, lightweight or other concrete, or insulation materials.
10. A cladding unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the facing portion has a cambered outer surface in the vertical and/or horizontal planes.
11. A cladding unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the facing portion is provided with a surface coating.
12. A building comprising a plurality of composite cladding units as claimed in any preceding claim.
13. A method of constructing a wall or like structure incorporating a plurality of composite cladding units as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising the sequential steps of laying successive courses ofbrick-or blockwork incorporating a plurality of the backing means, and then hooking respective facing portions on to the backing means.
14. A method of constructing a wall or like structure as claimed in claim 13, in which the successive courses of brick-or blockwork are laid in bond.
15. A method of constructing a wall or like structure as claimed in claim 13 or claim 14, in which the successive courses of the wall or like structure are vertically aligned.
16. A composite cladding unit as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3 and Figures 4 to 5.
17. A building comprising a plurality of the composite cladding units as hereinbefore described with reference to Figurel, Figure 2, Figure 3 and Figures 4 to 5.

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18. A method of constructing a wall or like structure incorporating a plurality of composite cladding units hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3 and Figures 4 to 5.