Method of making a building panel

Claim 1

A method of making a building panel which panel comprises a first reinforced concrete layer having first and second ends; a second reinforced concrete layer having first and second ends; a layer of thermal insulating material between the first and second concrete layers; and prestressing strands extending within the first concrete layer, the method comprising the steps of: (a) casting the first concrete layer on a surface so as to embed the prestressing strands with ends projecting from the ends of the first concrete layer; (b) casting the second concrete layer on a surface in such manner as to be longer than the first concrete layer thereby providing two end portions of the second concrete layer; (c) placing a layer of thermal insulating material on the cast second concrete layer; (d) placing the first concrete layer over the layer of thermal insulating material with the projecting ends of the prestressing strands extending over the two end portions of the second concrete layer; and (e) casting concrete portions on the two end portions of the second concrete layer in such manner as to embed the projecting ends of the prestressing strands of the first concrete layer and to provide an expansion gap between at least one end of the first concrete layer and a respective said concrete portion of the second layer.

Claim 2

A method of making a building panel which panel comprises a first reinforced concrete layer having first and second ends; a second reinforced concrete layer having first and second ends; a layer of thermal insulating material between the first and second concrete layers; and prestressing strands extending within the first concrete layer, the method comprising the steps of: (a) casting the first concrete layer on a surface so as to embed the prestressing strands with ends projecting from the ends of the first concrete layer; (b) casting the second concrete layer on a surface in such manner as to be longer than the first concrete layer thereby providing two end portions of the second concrete layer; (c) placing a layer of thermal insulating material on the cast second concrete layer; (d) placing the first concrete layer over the layer of thermal insulating material with the projecting ends of the prestressing strands extending over the two end portions of the second concrete layer; and (e) casting concrete portions on the two end portions of the second concrete layer in such manner as to embed the projecting ends of the prestressing strands of the first concrete layer and to provide an expansion gap between at least one end of the first concrete layer and a respective said concrete portion of the second layer.

Claim 11

A method of making a wall panel which panel comprises a first upright reinforced concrete layer having upper and lower ends, a second upright reinforced concrete layer having upper and lower ends; a layer of thermal insulating material between the first and second concrete layers; prestressing strands extending within the first concrete layer; and reinforcing means in the second concrete layer; the method comprising the steps of: (a) casting the first concrete layer on a flat surface so as to embed the prestressing strands with ends projecting from the ends of the first concrete layer; (b) casting the second concrete layer on a flat surface in such manner as to be longer than the first concrete layer thereby providing upper and lower end portions and so that said reinforcing means projects from the said end portions; (c) placing a layer of thermal insulating material on the cast second concrete layer; (d) placing the first concrete layer over the layer of thermal insulating material with the projecting ends of the prestressing strands extending over the said end portions of the second concrete layer; (e) casting concrete portions on the said end portions of the second concrete layer in such manner as to embed the said projecting ends and the said projecting reinforcing means, and to provide a thermal expansion gap between (i) that end of the first concrete layer which in use of the panel will be the lower end and (ii) that end of said concrete portion of the second concrete layer which in use of the panel will be at the lower end of the second concrete layer.

Claim 12

A method of making a wall panel which panel comprises a first upright reinforced concrete layer having upper and lower ends, a second upright reinforced concrete layer having upper and lower ends; a layer of thermal insulating material between the first and second concrete layers; prestressing strands extending within the first concrete layer; and reinforcing means in the second concrete layer; the method comprising the steps of: (a) casting the first concrete layer on a flat surface so as to embed the prestressing strands with ends projecting from the ends of the first concrete layer; (b) casting the second concrete layer on a flat surface in such manner as to be longer than the first concrete layer thereby providing upper and lower end portions and so that said reinforcing means projects from the said end portions; (c) placing a layer of thermal insulating material on the cast second concrete layer; (d) placing the first concrete layer over the layer of thermal insulating material with the projecting ends of the prestressing strands extending over the said end portions of the second concrete layer; (e) casting concrete portions on the said end portions of the second concrete layer in such manner as to embed the said projecting ends and the said projecting reinforcing means, and to provide a thermal expansion gap between (i) that end of the first concrete layer which in use of the panel will be the lower end and (ii) that end of said concrete portion of the second concrete layer which in use of the panel will be at the lower end of the second concrete layer.