Composite building siding

Claim 1

A LAMINATED LAP SIDING PANEL FOR THE EXTERIOR WALL SHEATHING OF BUILDINGS, SAID PANEL INCLUDING AN OUTER METAL LAYER, AN INSULATION LAYER OF FOAMED RIGID PLASTIC MATERIAL ADHERED TO THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID METAL LAYER, SAID PLASTIC MATERIAL BEING IMPERMEABLE TO PENETRATION AND ABSORPTION OF MOISTURE, AND AN INNER MOISTURE BARRIER LAYER OF METALLIC INSULATION FOIL ON THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID INSULATION LAYER, SAID METAL LAYER HAVING PARTIAL INTERLOCK MEANS AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES THEREOF ADAPTED FOR INTERENGAGEMENT OF SAID PANEL WITH IDENTICAL PANELS ABOVE AND BELOW IT, THE BOTTOM EDGE OF SAID INSULATION LAYER BEING SPACED ABOVE THE BOTTOM EDGE OF SAID METAL LAYER, SAID FOIL TERMINATING SHORT OF THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID INSULATION LAYER A DISTANCE SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT CONTACT BETWEEN SAID FOIL AND THE METAL LAYER OF A LOWER INTERENGAGED PANEL THEREBY FORMING A THERMAL BREAK BETWEEN INTERENGAGED PANELS, THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID METAL LAYER BEING TURNED INWARDLY AT THE BOTTOM AND THEN UPWARDLY AT ITS INNER EDGE FORMING A CHANNEL AND COACTING WITH THE SPACED BOTTOM EDGE SAID INSULATION LAYER TO FORM A LOWER VENTILATING CHANNEL BELOW AND SPACED FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE INSULATION LAYER, SAID CHANNEL HAVING SPACED VENT OPENINGS THERETHROUGH OPENING INTO SAID CHANNEL FROM THE EXTERIOR THEREOF, AND A PLURALITY OF NOTCHES IN THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID INSULATION LAYER EXTENDING UPWARDLY THERETHROUGH AND PROVIDING FOR CONTROLLED AIR CIRCULATION BETWEEN SAID LOWER VENTILATING CHANNEL AND THE REAR OF SAID PANEL, SAID PANEL BEING ADAPTED WHEN APPLIED AS AN EXTERNAL BUILDING WALL SHEATHING COMPONENT TO PREVENT MOISTURE CONDENSATE FROM FORMING ON THE INNER SIDE THEREOF BY PERMITTING FLOW OF MOISTURE VAPORS THROUGH SAID NOTCHES INTO SAID VENTILATING CHANNEL AND DISSIPATION THEREOF FROM THE CHANNEL INTO THE OUTER ATMOSPHERE THROUGH SAID VENT OPENING