US4631886A — Method and system for the facing of structures

Claim 1

Independent Claim 290 words

A system for the facing of construction, said system consisting of several practically equalized proper panels forming a surface of the structure, said panels being fixed to an understructure (14) at such a distance as to leave space between said panels and said understructure (14) for insulating means; each of said panels having a planar surface approximately parallel with said understructure (14) and at least one pair of opposing edgings (2), (3), one of the edgings of said one pair on each panel being designed for longitudinal interlocking engagement with an opposing edging (2), (3) extending from the panel surface (1) toward said understructure (14), said system comprising: means for interlocking adjacent ones of said edgings (2), (3) of adjacent panels together when the angle between the panel surfaces (1) is changed, and at least one fastening device (22), (23) attached to a first fastening edging (2), that is turned away from another edging (3) interlocked with another panel, at a point along the length of said one edging (2), said fastening device having a profile complementary with the cross-sectional form of said first edging (2), said at least one fastening device (22), (23) being considerably shorter than the length of said first edging (2) and being supported on said firt edging for adjustment in a transverse direction from the panel surface (1) for fixing each panel to the understructure (14), said fastening edgings (2), (3), being supported by at least one supporting bead positioned between said edgings (2), (3) at the inner surface (2a), (3a), of the panel, said bead (10) supporting opposite fastening edgings (2), (3) of the panel on opposite sides thereof, and preventing buckling of each panel surface (1) by supporting opposing surfaces of said panels.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 290 words

A system for the facing of construction, said system consisting of several practically equalized proper panels forming a surface of the structure, said panels being fixed to an understructure (14) at such a distance as to leave space between said panels and said understructure (14) for insulating means; each of said panels having a planar surface approximately parallel with said understructure (14) and at least one pair of opposing edgings (2), (3), one of the edgings of said one pair on each panel being designed for longitudinal interlocking engagement with an opposing edging (2), (3) extending from the panel surface (1) toward said understructure (14), said system comprising: means for interlocking adjacent ones of said edgings (2), (3) of adjacent panels together when the angle between the panel surfaces (1) is changed, and at least one fastening device (22), (23) attached to a first fastening edging (2), that is turned away from another edging (3) interlocked with another panel, at a point along the length of said one edging (2), said fastening device having a profile complementary with the cross-sectional form of said first edging (2), said at least one fastening device (22), (23) being considerably shorter than the length of said first edging (2) and being supported on said firt edging for adjustment in a transverse direction from the panel surface (1) for fixing each panel to the understructure (14), said fastening edgings (2), (3), being supported by at least one supporting bead positioned between said edgings (2), (3) at the inner surface (2a), (3a), of the panel, said bead (10) supporting opposite fastening edgings (2), (3) of the panel on opposite sides thereof, and preventing buckling of each panel surface (1) by supporting opposing surfaces of said panels.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 283 words

A system according to claim 1, wherein at least two of the opposite fastening edging profiles of each panel have a first profile comprising a groove and a second profile comprising a tongue interlocking with said groove in an adjacent panel, said second profile including an edging back surface (7) supporting edging and primarily extending beyond an edge (18) of the panel surface (1), a first flexible tongue projection (28) extending from the edging back surface toward the panel surface (1) to the inner surface of a side (29) of said first groove in the fastening edging of the adjacent panel into which groove the second profile will be inserted, and the first edging profile of the panel including a groove extending from the edge (17) of the panel surface (1) toward the center of the panel and opening toward said edge (17), an inner surface (29) of said first profile groove facing toward the panel surface (1) for coacting with the flexible tongue projection (28) of the fastening edging of the adjacent panel, and a supporting side (6) of said groove facing away from the surface (1) for coacting with the back surface (7) of the fastening edging of the adjacent panel, and a separate fastening device having a second flexible tongue projection (27) and a supporting surface (25) inside the panel flexible which surrounds the outer surface of the groove profile at the side (29) of the groove facing toward the panel surface (1) and at the supporting surface (6) of the groove facing away from the surface (1), the points of contact between the fastening device and the fastening edgings being provided with surface formations for improving the contact therebetween.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 43 words

A system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the panels, the fastening edgings (2), (3) of the panels, and the fastening devices (22), (23) are made from abendable flat material such as sheet metal, plastic or some other suitable material.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 72 words

A system according to claim 1 wherein the panels are mounted on a wall understructure (14) in such a way that the fastening edgings (2), (3) are vertical whereby said panel is supported vertically be one or more fastening devices (22), (23) and preferably by the panel below resting on a gable edging (4), (5) perforated (15) for ventilation and suitably inclining upward from the panel surface (1) toward the understructure (14).

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 44 words

A system according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the panels, the fastening edgings (2), (3) of the panel, and the fastening devices (22), (23) are made from a bendable flat material such as sheet metal, plastic or some other suitable material.

Claim 7

Independent Claim 234 words

A method for facing structures, wherein an understructure (14) is faced with several facing panels, each panel having a substantially planar surface, in which method said panels are mounted one by one and fixed to the understructure (14) so that a space is achieved between the understructure (14) and the surface (1) of the panel, the planar surface of each panel proper being surrounded by edgings (2), (3), (4), (5) generally directed towards the understructure (14), and at least two opposite fastening edgings (2,3) of each panel proper being interlockable with the respective fastening edgings of two adjacent panels by turning one panel in relation to an adjacent one, wherein the method further comprises the following steps: fixing a separate fastening device (22), (23), comprising a fixing part (24) to be fastened to the understructure, to that inner side of the fastening edging (2) which is turned towards the center of each panel proper; turning said panel into a position where it is inclined with respect to the understructure (14); slipping the edgings (3) opposite to the edging (2) having the fastening device fixed thereto into the fastening edging of an adjacent panel which is already fixed to the understructure (14); pushing said other edging (2) having the fastening device (22), (23) fixed thereto toward the understructure (14); and fixing said fixing part (24) of said fastening device (22), (23) to the understructure (14).

Claim 8

Independent Claim 234 words

A method for facing structures, wherein an understructure (14) is faced with several facing panels, each panel having a substantially planar surface, in which method said panels are mounted one by one and fixed to the understructure (14) so that a space is achieved between the understructure (14) and the surface (1) of the panel, the planar surface of each panel proper being surrounded by edgings (2), (3), (4), (5) generally directed towards the understructure (14), and at least two opposite fastening edgings (2,3) of each panel proper being interlockable with the respective fastening edgings of two adjacent panels by turning one panel in relation to an adjacent one, wherein the method further comprises the following steps: fixing a separate fastening device (22), (23), comprising a fixing part (24) to be fastened to the understructure, to that inner side of the fastening edging (2) which is turned towards the center of each panel proper; turning said panel into a position where it is inclined with respect to the understructure (14); slipping the edgings (3) opposite to the edging (2) having the fastening device fixed thereto into the fastening edging of an adjacent panel which is already fixed to the understructure (14); pushing said other edging (2) having the fastening device (22), (23) fixed thereto toward the understructure (14); and fixing said fixing part (24) of said fastening device (22), (23) to the understructure (14).

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 213 words

The method of claim 6, wherein each fastening device further includes a flexible tongue (27) and a channel portion, having opposing arms and an interconnecting base, for engagement about one of the panel edgings, said fixing part and said flexible tongue being disposed on opposite sides of said channel portion, and wherein said step of fixing comprises: inserting said flexible tongue of said fastening device into a slit (30), defined between a surface of the fastening edging adjacent the panel planar surface and the planar surface itself, such that said channel base faces toward the center of the panel to which it is to be attached, and righting said fastening device by turning said channel portion base away from said panel center so that said channel portion becomes engaged about said fastening edging and so that said fixed part extends away from said panel center, and said step of pushing comprises: turning said panel to be attached, relative to said panel already fixed to the understructure, about a longitudinal axis defined by the edging of the fixed panel into which the edging of the panel to be attached has already been inserted, so that when the turning has been completed, the panel to be attached is locked substantially planar with the fixed panel.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 94 words

A method according to claim 6, wherein said panel edgings further include opposing gable edging perforated for ventilation, and said step of turning comprises first aligning said panel on the wall understructure (14) in such a way that the fastening edgings (2), (3) are vertical and said gable edgings are horizontal whereby said panel can be supported vertically on said understructure by one or more fastening devices (22), (23 and then positioning the lower gable edging of said panel to be attached over the upper gable edging of an already fixed panel disposed below.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1989-12-29	1990-06-30	1990-12-30	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1993-12-29	1994-06-30	1994-12-30	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1997-12-29	1998-06-30	1998-12-30	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and system for the facing of structures

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