Gripping and sealing system for slab facing materials

Claim 2

In planar wall mounting system for thin slab facing materials, the combination of a plurality of contiguous unconnected slabs, with every slab having a kerf formed in each peripheral edge thereof, and multiple substantially similar structural channel members, permanently attached to every one of said facing slabs, for independently gripping and framing each peripheral edge of every one of said facing slabs, each of said structural channel members comprising: a. a main body portion substantially parallel with and adjacent to the rear surface of every one of said facing slabs; b. a first flange portion on one end of said main body portion and having an inwardly directed flange face; c. a second flange portion, extending from said main body portion, in the vicinity of said one end; and d. a third flange portion, extending from said main body portion, and spaced from said first and second flange portions, wherein the inwardly directed flange face of the first flange portion of one of said structural channel members is fixedly inserted into the kerf formed in each peripheral edge of every facing slab, thereby cooperatively gripping said facing slab therebetween.

Claim 3

In a corner wall mounting system for thin slab facing materials, the combination of two adjacent angularly disposed slabs with both slabs having a kerf formed in at least the adjacent peripheral edges thereof, and a structural channel member for permanently gripping said adjacent peripheral edges, wherein said structural channel member comprises: a. an angular main body portion adjacent To rear surface portions of said angularly disposed slabs; b. a first flange portion extending from one side of said main body portion substantially in the middle of said main body portion and having diverging dual flange faces; and c. dual second flange portions extending from another side of said main body portion and spaced substantially between the middle and the two ends of said main body portion, d. wherein said diverging dual flange faces of said first flange portions are inserted into the kerfs formed in the two adjacent peripheral edges of said two adjacent angularly disposed slabs, thereby gripping said slabs on their adjacent peripheral edges.

Claim 4

In a corner wall mounting system for thin slab facing materials, the combination of two adjacent angularly disposed slabs with both slabs having a kerf formed in at least the adjacent peripheral edges thereof, and a structural channel member for permanently gripping said adjacent peripheral edges, wherein said structural channel member comprises: a. an angular main body portion adjacent To rear surface portions of said angularly disposed slabs; b. a first flange portion extending from one side of said main body portion substantially in the middle of said main body portion and having diverging dual flange faces; and c. dual second flange portions extending from another side of said main body portion and spaced substantially between the middle and the two ends of said main body portion, d. wherein said diverging dual flange faces of said first flange portions are inserted into the kerfs formed in the two adjacent peripheral edges of said two adjacent angularly disposed slabs, thereby gripping said slabs on their adjacent peripheral edges.

Claim 5

The corner wall mounting system of claim 2 wherein said two adjacent angularly disposed slabs form an outside corner and said dual second flange portions are rearwardly and inwardly converging.

Claim 6

The corner wall mounting system of claim 2 wherein said two adjacent angularly disposed slabs form an inside corner and said dual second flange portions are rearwardly and outwardly diverging.

Claim 7

In a planar wall construction, the combination of a plurality of contiguous thin slabs of facing material, with every slab having a kerf formed in each peripheral edge thereof, and an apparatus for sealing adjacent edges of each of said facing slabs, said apparatus comprising: a. a plurality of substantially similar juxtaposed structural channel members, one of such juxtaposed channel members having attaching means inserted into the kerf of each of said contiguous facing slab edges, with each of said channel members including: a1. a main body portion adjacent to a rear surface portion of each of said facing slabs, and a2. a flange portion rearwardly extending from said main body portion in the vicinity of one end of said main body portion and including spaced first and second outwardly-directed flange faces, wherein the juxtaposed channel members of two contiguous slabs defined a first plenum chamber between said main body portions and said first flange faces of said flange portions and a second plenum chamber between said first and second flange faces of said flange portions; b. spline means inserted into said first plenum chamber, said spline means serving as a moisture stop and said plenum also serving as an equalizer for the air pressures acting on said facing slab front and rear surfaces; and c. gasket means inserted into said second plenum chamber for sealing purposes.

Claim 8

In a planar wall construction, the combination of a plurality of contiguous thin slabs of facing material, with every slab having a kerf formed in each peripheral edge thereof, and an apparatus for sealing adjacent edges of each of said facing slabs, said apparatus comprising: a. a plurality of substantially similar juxtaposed structural channel members, one of such juxtaposed channel members having attaching means inserted into the kerf of each of said contiguous facing slab edges, with each of said channel members including: a1. a main body portion adjacent to a rear surface portion of each of said facing slabs, and a2. a flange portion rearwardly extending from said main body portion in the vicinity of one end of said main body portion and including spaced first and second outwardly-directed flange faces, wherein the juxtaposed channel members of two contiguous slabs defined a first plenum chamber between said main body portions and said first flange faces of said flange portions and a second plenum chamber between said first and second flange faces of said flange portions; b. spline means inserted into said first plenum chamber, said spline means serving as a moisture stop and said plenum also serving as an equalizer for the air pressures acting on said facing slab front and rear surfaces; and c. gasket means inserted into said second plenum chamber for sealing purposes.

Claim 9

The wall construction of claim 5 wherein said spline means comprises a resilient, curved, mechanical spline, and said gasket means includes two abutting, oppositely disposed, hollow and resilient gaskets which by reason of their abutment are compressed and thereby provide a seal.

Claim 10

In a planar wall construction, the combination of a plurality of contiguous thin slabs of facing material, with every slab having a kerf formed in each peripheral edge thereof, and an apparatus for gripping and sealing adjacent edges of each of said facing slabs, said apparatus comprising: a. a plurality of substantially similar juxtaposed structural channel members, one of such juxtaposed channel member being provided for each of said facing slab edges, with each of said channel members including: a1. a main body portion adjacent to a rear surface portion of every facing slab, a2. a first flange portion on one end of said main body portion and having an inwardly directed flange face inserted into the kerf formed in each peripheral edge of every facing slab, thereby cooperatively gripping said facing slab therebetween; a3. a second flange portion extending from said main body portion in the vicinity of said one end, said second flange portion extending in a direction opposite to that of said first flange portion, and including spaced first and second outwardly-directed flange faces, with the juxtaposed channel members of two contiguous slabs, which adjoin at their first flange portions, defining both a first plenum chamber between said main body portions and said first outwardly-directed flange faces, and a second plenum chamber between said first and second outwardly-directed flange faces; b. spline means inserted into said first plenum chamber, said spline means acting as a moisture stop, with said first plenum chamber and also providing for the equalization of the air pressures acting on said slab front and rear surfaces; and c. hollow, resilient, gasket means inserted into said second plenum chamber for sealing purposes.

Claim 11

In a planar wall construction, the combination of a plurality of contiguous thin slabs of facing material, with every slab having a kerf formed in each peripheral edge thereof, and an apparatus for gripping and sealing adjacent edges of each of said facing slabs, said apparatus comprising: a. a plurality of substantially similar juxtaposed structural channel members, one of such juxtaposed channel member being provided for each of said facing slab edges, with each of said channel members including: a1. a main body portion adjacent to a rear surface portion of every facing slab, a2. a first flange portion on one end of said main body portion and having an inwardly directed flange face inserted into the kerf formed in each peripheral edge of every facing slab, thereby cooperatively gripping said facing slab therebetween; a3. a second flange portion extending from said main body portion in the vicinity of said one end, said second flange portion extending in a direction opposite to that of said first flange portion, and including spaced first and second outwardly-directed flange faces, with the juxtaposed channel members of two contiguous slabs, which adjoin at their first flange portions, defining both a first plenum chamber between said main body portions and said first outwardly-directed flange faces, and a second plenum chamber between said first and second outwardly-directed flange faces; b. spline means inserted into said first plenum chamber, said spline means acting as a moisture stop, with said first plenum chamber and also providing for the equalization of the air pressures acting on said slab front and rear surfaces; and c. hollow, resilient, gasket means inserted into said second plenum chamber for sealing purposes.

Claim 12

The wall construction of claim 7 including a third flange portion extending from said main body portion and spaced from said first and second flange portions, said third flange portion extending in a direction opposite to that of said first flange portion and serving as a joiner member for an attachment lug.

Claim 13

In a planar wall construction, the combination of a plurality of unconnected adjacent panel members and an apparatus for independently and permanently gripping the peripheral edges of each panel member and sealing adjacent edge portions of said unconnected panel members, said apparatus comprising a plurality of juxtapositioned substantially identical structural channel members, one of such juxtapositioned channel members being secured to adjacent rear edge portions of each of said panel members, means forming a first and second plenum chamber between said juxtapositioned unconnected structural channel members rearwardly of a rear surface of said panel members, sealing means positioned within one of said plenum chambers, and moisture stop means positioned within the other of said plenum chambers, said other plenum chamber also equalizing air pressure acting upon front and rear surfaces of said panel members.

Claim 14

In a planar wall construction, the combination of a plurality of unconnected adjacent panel members and an apparatus for independently and permanently gripping the peripheral edges of each panel member and sealing adjacent edge portions of said unconnected panel members, said apparatus comprising a plurality of juxtapositioned substantially identical structural channel members, one of such juxtapositioned channel members being secured to adjacent rear edge portions of each of said panel members, means forming a first and second plenum chamber between said juxtapositioned unconnected structural channel members rearwardly of a rear surface of said panel members, sealing means positioned within one of said plenum chambers, and moisture stop means positioned within the other of said plenum chambers, said other plenum chamber also equalizing air pressure acting upon front and rear surfaces of said panel members.

Claim 15

In the planar wall construction as defined in claim 9 wherein said means for forming a first and second plenum chamber comprises opposed unconnected F-shaped flange portions integral with and extending rearwardly of each of said structural channel members, and said second plenum chamber being formed between substantially parallel first and second outwardly-directed flange faces of the opposed F-shaped flange portions.