Prefabricated, insulated, metal wall panel

Claim 1

An insulated wall panel unit for joining, side-by-side, with a similar panel unit, comprising a metallic interior wall panel and a metallic exterior wall panel in spaced parallel relationship, both side edges of each of said panels being laterally offset with respect to the corresponding side edges of the other of said panels, insulation filling the gap between said panels, said insulation being bonded to said exterior and interior metallic wall panels, one side edge of said interior wall panel being flanged along the side edge of the insulation and terminating in a metallic flanged portion extending outwardly beyond said side edge portion of the insulation to form, per se, a male element, the other side edge of saiD interior wall panel being reversely bent to form a female element in spaced alignment with said male element, the side edge of said exterior wall panel corresponding to said one side edge of said interior wall panel having a reversely bent extremity for forming a female element extending immediately adjacent said male element but laterally offset therefrom with no continuous metallic extensions of the panels therebetween, the other side edge of said exterior wall panel terminating in a laterally outwardly extending metallic flange which, per se, constitutes a male element located immediately adjacent but laterally offset from said female element of said interior wall panel and in alignment with said female element of said exterior wall panel and with no continuous metallic extensions of the panels therebetween, a gasket of plastic material covering the sides of said male elements to provide a tight fit with the corresponding female elements, said male and female elements being located closer to said interior wall panel than to said exterior panel, whereby when joining like panels units, side-by-side, the end forming portions of said exterior panels will have continuous flat contact throughout the greatest portion of the width of said panel units, and whereby both male elements will penetrate both of the corresponding female elements, a barrier of insulation being provided between the respective adjacent male and female elements to prevent a continuous metallic connection and transfer of heat or cold between said interior and exterior panels at either side of said panel units, said interior panel being fastened to a frame member of a building by screw fasteners penetrating said outer metallic wall panel and said insulation at the insulation gap between said first mentioned male element and the female element of the outer wall panel.