Prefabricated wall panel

Claim 1

A panel for receiving a supply of liquid insulating material and producing therefrom a modular insulating building panel of the type over which surface coatings such as plaster and stucco can be applied, comprising: a plurality of slender, elongated rods arranged to define a 3-dimensional lattice, said lattice having a pair of substantially parallel major lateral upper and lower surfaces, side surfaces, and end surfaces; a plurality of wires transversing the interior of said lattice and interconnecting said major lateral surfaces to define a plurality of passages within said lattice, said wires describing identical zig-zag paths, having upper and lower points that alternatingly approach the upper and lower major lateral surfaces and being disposed within said lattice to form in said upper lateral surface rows of upper points extending perpendicularly to the path of said wires; fabric means for containing the supply of liquid insulating material defining a plane parallel to said major lateral surfaces, said fabric means being impervious to said supply; and a web for positioning said containing means, said web being fixedly attached to said wires in a plane parallelling said major lateral surfaces having portions lying within the interior of said upper points.

Claim 6

A method for producing a wall from modular insulating building panels of the type over which surfacing materials can be applied, said method comprising: positioning at the desired wall location a plurality of panels, each having a plurality of slender, elongated rods arranged to define a 3-dimensional lattice, said lattice having a pair of substantially parallel major lateral surfaces, side surfaces, and end surfaces, a plurality of wires transversing the interior of said lattice and interconnecting said major lateral surfaces to define a plurality of passages within said lattice, said wires extending across said lattice, tracing within said lattice a zig-zag path connecting straight sections and upper and lower points of said wires, said wires located within said lattice such that said points define rows extending across said lattice perpendicularly to the plane of said wires, fabric, impervious to a spray of insulation defining a plane parallel to said major lateral surfaces, and an interconnecting web fixedly attached to said wires holding said fabric in place, said web comprising a plurality of adhesive covered strips extending across said lattice parallel to said rows and each strip passing the interior of said points in said row, each panel being positioned so that said fabric lies closest the major lateral surface facing one side of the wall; connecting the panels together to form an erect wall; spraying coats of liquid insulation from a point remote from the wall onto said fabric where said insulation foams and hardens; and covering said insulation filled panel with wall surfacing materials by applying said surfacing materials over said insulation where said covering engages said rods forming said major lateral surfaces.

Claim 7

A method for producing a wall from modular insulating building panels of the type over which surfacing materials can be applied, said method comprising: positioning at the desired wall location a plurality of panels, each having a plurality of slender, elongated rods arranged to define a 3-dimensional lattice, said lattice having a pair of substantially parallel major lateral surfaces, side surfaces, and end surfaces, a plurality of wires transversing the interior of said lattice and interconnecting said major lateral surfaces to define a plurality of passages within said lattice, said wires extending across said lattice, tracing within said lattice a zig-zag path connecting straight sections and upper and lower points of said wires, said wires located within said lattice such that said points define rows extending across said lattice perpendicularly to the plane of said wires, fabric, impervious to a spray of insulation defining a plane parallel to said major lateral surfaces, and an interconnecting web fixedly attached to said wires holding said fabric in place, said web comprising a plurality of adhesive covered strips extending across said lattice parallel to said rows and each strip passing the interior of said points in said row, each panel being positioned so that said fabric lies closest the major lateral surface facing one side of the wall; connecting the panels together to form an erect wall; spraying coats of liquid insulation from a point remote from the wall onto said fabric where said insulation foams and hardens; and covering said insulation filled panel with wall surfacing materials by applying said surfacing materials over said insulation where said covering engages said rods forming said major lateral surfaces.

Claim 8

A method for constructing a framework used to receive a supply of liquid insulating material and produce therefrom a modular building panel of the type over which plaster can be applied, said framework having a plurality of slender elongated rods arranged to define a 3-dimensional lattice having a pair of substantially parallel major lateral surfaces, side surfaces, and end surfaces, a plurality of wires transversing the interior of said lattice and inter-connecting said major lateral surfaces to define a plurality of passages within said lattice, said wires describing zig-zag paths and having upper and lower points, fabric defining a plane parallel to said major lateral surfaces, and means attached to said wires and positioning said fabric with respect to said lattice, said method comprising: positioning a plurality of uniformly shaped rectangular forms within said plurality of passages, the upper surfaces of said solids defining a plane parallel to said major lateral surface; interlacing web members through said wires; attaching said web members to said wires adjacent to said plurality of solids, such that said web members define a plane; placing said fabric atop said plane-defining web where said web adhesively attaches to said fabric; attaching a top mesh comprising longitudinal and transverse members to said upper points defining said upper lateral surface atop said fabric; removing said framework from said forms; and attaching a bottom mesh to said lower points.

Claim 9

A method for constructing a framework used to receive a supply of liquid insulating material and produce therefrom a modular building panel of the type over which plaster can be applied, said framework having a plurality of slender elongated rods arranged to define a 3-dimensional lattice having a pair of substantially parallel major lateral surfaces, side surfaces, and end surfaces, a plurality of wires transversing the interior of said lattice and inter-connecting said major lateral surfaces to define a plurality of passages within said lattice, said wires describing zig-zag paths and having upper and lower points, fabric defining a plane parallel to said major lateral surfaces, and means attached to said wires and positioning said fabric with respect to said lattice, said method comprising: positioning a plurality of uniformly shaped rectangular forms within said plurality of passages, the upper surfaces of said solids defining a plane parallel to said major lateral surface; interlacing web members through said wires; attaching said web members to said wires adjacent to said plurality of solids, such that said web members define a plane; placing said fabric atop said plane-defining web where said web adhesively attaches to said fabric; attaching a top mesh comprising longitudinal and transverse members to said upper points defining said upper lateral surface atop said fabric; removing said framework from said forms; and attaching a bottom mesh to said lower points.

Claim 10

A method for producing a wall from modular insulating building panels of the type over which surfacing materials can be applied, said method comprising: positioning at the desired wall location a plurality of panels, each having a plurality of slender, elongated rods arranged to define a 3-dimensional lattice, said lattice having a pair of substantially parallel major lateral surfaces, side surfaces, and end surfaces, a plurality of wires transversing the interior of said lattice and interconnecting said major lateral surfaces to define a plurality of passages within said lattice, said wires extending across said lattice, tracing within said lattice a zig-zag path connecting straight sections and upper and lower points of said wires, said wires located within said lattice such that said points define rows extending across said lattice perpendicularly to the plane of said wires, fabric, impervious to a spray of insulation defining a plane parallel to said major lateral surfaces, and a web in a plane parallelling said major lateral surfaces having portions lying within the interior of said upper points fixedly attached to said wires holding said fabric in place, each panel being positioned so that said fabric lies closest the major lateral surface facing one side of the wall; connecting the panels together to form an erect wall; spraying coats of liquid insulation from a point remote from the wall onto said fabric where said insulation foams and hardens; and covering said insulation filled panel with wall surfacing materials by applying said surfacing materials over said insulation where said covering engages said rods forming said major lateral surfaces.

Claim 11

A method for producing a wall from modular insulating building panels of the type over which surfacing materials can be applied, said method comprising: positioning at the desired wall location a plurality of panels, each having a plurality of slender, elongated rods arranged to define a 3-dimensional lattice, said lattice having a pair of substantially parallel major lateral surfaces, side surfaces, and end surfaces, a plurality of wires transversing the interior of said lattice and interconnecting said major lateral surfaces to define a plurality of passages within said lattice, said wires extending across said lattice, tracing within said lattice a zig-zag path connecting straight sections and upper and lower points of said wires, said wires located within said lattice such that said points define rows extending across said lattice perpendicularly to the plane of said wires, fabric, impervious to a spray of insulation defining a plane parallel to said major lateral surfaces, and a web in a plane parallelling said major lateral surfaces having portions lying within the interior of said upper points fixedly attached to said wires holding said fabric in place, each panel being positioned so that said fabric lies closest the major lateral surface facing one side of the wall; connecting the panels together to form an erect wall; spraying coats of liquid insulation from a point remote from the wall onto said fabric where said insulation foams and hardens; and covering said insulation filled panel with wall surfacing materials by applying said surfacing materials over said insulation where said covering engages said rods forming said major lateral surfaces.