A series of elements for use in the construction of ventilated facades

Abstract

 The invention relates to the field of ventilated facades, more precisely referring to a series of elements for constructing a ventilated facade, comprising vertical uprights (1) provided with slots (6 and 7); U-bolts (2) for anchoring said uprights (1) to a wall (15) busing fixing means (13) which insert into the slots (7); horizontal crossbars (3) also provided with slots (8) in which fixing means (16) of the crossbars (3) to the uprights (1) are mounted; tiles (4) exhibiting grooves (11) aimes at embracing corresponding tabs (14) exhibited by the crossbars (3), to be inserted by simple fitting between the crossbars (4).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a series of elements to be used in the construction of ventilated facades. Ventilated facades are wall-coverings made with ceramic tiles or other materials (marble, granite) and kept out of contact, by means of a frame, with the wall they are destined to cover, so as to create a ventilated channel between the wall and the facade.

[0002] The ventilated channel functions as a heat-insulating channel and allows better transpiration of the wall to be covered. The prior art in the field of ventilated facades teaches the application of the tiles on special metallic frames without the use of cements, having rather complex hooking systems, and offering only a limited possibility of regulating either the tiles or the frame during the mounting operation.

[0003] An aim of the present invention is thus that of eliminating the above-mentioned drawbacks and realising a ventilated facade in a very simple and economical way, with a support frame for the tiles, which frame position can be regulated during the mounting operation, and with tiles shaped in such a way as to be applicable by simple fitting on the frame.

[0004] A further aim of the invention is that of obviating wrong mounting, for example fitting tiles upside down. This is particularly useful when dealing with square tiles having special designs on the side in view.

[0005] The said aims are fully satisfied by the series of elements, object of the present invention, for realising a ventilated facade, characterised in that it comprises:

• horizontal cross-bars equipped with a slot on at least one side for the insertion of fixing means of said cross-bars;
• tiles which can be inserted by a simple fitting between two cross-bars, said tiles being equipped with peripheral grooves hidden from view and cut into the breadth of the material constituting the tile, to enable its application by simple fitting between the cross-bars in such a way that a shaped profile of the said cross-bars inserts into the corresponding grooves in the tiles.

[0006] The series may also comprise vertical uprights provided with slots on at least three sides, whereon the said crossbars are anchored, as well as U-bolts for anchoring the vertical upright 3 to a wall.

[0007] An object of the present invention is also to provide a tile for realising ventilated facades, applicable to a metallic frame constituted by the series of elements as above-described, or to another metallic frame, for example of the type for walls which to be erected between a floor and a ceiling, the said tile being equipped, in the part of it hidden from view, with grooves and bevellings such that the posterior surface of the tile is hidden below and the anterior surface of the tile is in view.

[0008] These and other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will better emerge from the detailed description that follows, of an embodiment of the invention, herein illustrated purely in the form of a non-limiting example in the accompanying figures, in which:

• figure 1 shows the series of elements, assembled, in an upturned lateral view;
• figures 2, 3 and 4 show single elements of the series in a perspective lateral view;
• figures 5 and 6 show a single component of the series, respectively in plan view and in a lateral view;
• figures 7 and 8 show, in section, crossbars, being part of the series, according to alternative embodiments of the invention;
• figure 9 shows the crossbar of figure 7 in a perspective view;
• figure 10 shows a vertical upright of an alternative embodiment of the invention;
• figures 11 and 12 show a fixing plate respectively in plan view and in a lateral sectioned view.

[0009] With reference to the drawings, 1 denotes a metallic vertical upright, constituting the third element of a series, which upright 1 has a transversal section which is substantially shaped in a "U" and which is equippped with a triple series of slots. There is a plurality of frontal slots 6 and lateral slots 7, the latter being made on two opposite sides of the upright 1 and having a superior interaxis with respect to the axis of the frontal slots 6.

[0010] A plurality of uprights 1 are fixed to a wall 15 to be covered by a ventilated facade, by means of U-bolts 2 constituting the fourth element of the series.

[0011] The U-bolts 2, as illustrated in figures 1 and 2, are equipped with two through-holes 10 for anchoring to the wall 15 with screws 5, and are further equipped with a couple of opposite lateral threaded holes 9 in which conventional fixing means 13 (for example, bolts) are inserted to anchor the U-bolts 2 to the uprights 1.

[0012] The anchoring of the uprights 1 can be effected during the placing of the uprights 1 themselves since the fixing means 13, inserting into the lateral slots 7 of the uprights 1 can thus permit of small movements in their positioning, which is especially useful in cases where the wall 15 is not perfectly flat but exhibits irregularities that manifest themselves in an imperfect alignment of the U-bolts 2 previously fixed loosely on the uprights 1.

[0013] In an alternative embodiment of the invention, illustrated in figure 10, the vertical uprights 1 can have a "C"-shaped transversal section and can be internally equipped with milling 29 to create friction against fixing plates 28 inserted in the uprights 1.

[0014] The uprights 1 can be provided with a plurality of lateral slots 27.

[0015] With reference to figure 4, a horizontal crossbar 3 constitutes the first element of the series and exhibits a profile which is substantially equal to that of the vertical uprights 1, but which is also equipped with two tabs or appendices 14, perpendicular with respect to the vertical sides of the "U", which when mounted are arranged parallel to the wall 15 as shown in figure 1.

[0016] The tabs 14 are asymmetrical, that is, there are a smaller-width tab 14a and a wider-width tab 14b.

[0017] Each crossbar 3 is equipped on a central side with a plurality of slots 8 in which fixing means 16 are inserted, which fixing means 16 can be very similar to the said fixing means 13, to anchor the crossbars 3 to the vertical uprights 1, in the manner shown in figure 1. The fixing means 16 are inserted into the slots 8 of the crossbars 3 and into the frontal slots 6 of the uprights 1.

[0018] The crossbars 3 can be equipped with a plurality of apertures 19 to permit the draining of any eventual accumulations of rainwater.

[0019] The interaxis of the slots 8 in the crossbars 3 is less than the longitudinal dimension of the corresponding frontal slots 6 and the longitudinal dimension of the slots 8 of the crossbars 3 is larger than the interaxis of the frontal slots 6 of the uprights 1 so that a possible coupling between crossbars 3 and uprights 1 in any of their relative positions can always be guaranteed.

[0020] In a further emobdiment, illustrated in figures 7, 8 and 9, the crossbars 3 can have a substantially "L"-shaped transversal section with a short leg terminating in the tabs 14.

[0021] The fixing means 16 can be used to fix the crossbars 3 to the uprights 1 of figure 10, using the fixing plates 28.

[0022] The highest and lowest crossbars 3 will be equipped only with the tab 14a, as shown in figure 8.

[0023] With reference to figures 5 and 6, 4 denotes a plate constituting the second element of the series, which can be made of ceramic material, marble, granite or other materials besides, and can be of various shapes.

[0024] Each tile 4 is equipped with two grooves 11, parallel to each other and hidden from view, channelled peripherally into the breadth of the material constituting the tile, on two opposite sides of the tile itself. The said two grooves 11 are asymmetrical since the tabs 14a and 14b of the crossbars 3 insert into them by simple fitting.

[0025] As is shown in figures 1 and 6, the two grooves 11 are shaped so that the posterior surface of the tile is lower than its front surface, which latter is in view; in other words, in a vertical section the tile exhibits two asymmetrical edges of the two tile grooves 11. A front edge 17 reaches up to the peripheral edge of the tile, while a posterior edge 18 of the groove is substantially lowered to permit of perfect coupling of the tiles when mounted, as shown in figure 1.

[0026] The series of elements which is object of the present invention is constituted by the crossbars 3 and the tiles 4, to which can be added, preferably but not necessarily, a third and a fourth element constituted by the uprights 1 and the U-bolts 2, or by the uprights 1 and the fixing plates 28. Ventilated facades can be realised by using all four of the above elements, as illustrated in figure 1, or they can be made simply with the crossbars 3 and the plate 4, with the crossbars 3 anchored for example to metallic frames of known type, for external walls or erections between floor and ceiling.

[0027] The realisation of a ventilated facade with the complete series of elements of the invention envisages the following phases:

• a preliminary and loose anchoring of the U-bolts 2 internally to the uprights 1 to enable a subsequent regulation of the position of the uprights 1;
• fixing the U-bolts 2 to the wall 15 and a final adjustment of the uprights 1 position, then a tightening of the fixing means 13;
• application of the crossbars 3 to the uprights 1, through the fixing means 16, to define the spaces destined to house the tiles 4;
• fitting insertion of the tiles 4 between the horizontal crossbars 3, inserting first, for example, with the wider groove 11 in an upwards direction embracing the corresponding tab 14b of the crossbars 3, followed by a slight translation of the tile 4 in the opposite direction to favour a coupling between the narrower groove and the corresponding tab 14a.

[0028] Obviously, depending on the elements employed, one or more of the pahses just described may not take place.

[0029] The tile 4 can if need be equipped with one or more elastic elelemts constituted preferably by bend springs 12 inserted in the wider groove 11 to offer a more stable and secure coupling between the tile 4 and the crossbars 3.

Claims

1. A series of elements for realising a ventilated facade, characterised in that it comprises:

- horizontal cross-bars (3) equipped with a slot (8) on at least one side for insertion of fixing means (16) of said crossbars (3);

- tiles (4) which can be inserted by a simple fitting between two crossbars (3), said tiles (4) being equipped with peripheral grooves (11) hidden from view and channelled into breadth of a material constituting the tile (4), to enable its application by simple fitting between the crossbars (3) in such a way that a shaped profile of the said crossbars (3) inserts into the corresponding grooves (11) in the tiles.

2. A series of elements as in claim 1, characterised in that it further comprises:
vertical uprights (1) provided with slots (6 and 7) on at least three of its sides, the said fixing means (16) inserting into the slots (8) in the horizontal crossbars (3) to anchor the said crossbars (3) to the uprights (1).

3. A series of elements as in claim 2, characterised in that the vertical uprights (1) have a substantially "U"-shaped transversal section and in that the lateral slots (7) arranged on opposite faces of the uprights (1) have a same interaxis to house fixing means of U-bolts (2), while the frontal slots (6) arranged on a third side have a lower interaxis with respect to the other slots (6 and 7).

4. A series of elements as in claim 1, characterised in that that it comprises slotted vertical uprights (1) having a substantially "C"-shaped transversal section and being internally equipped with millings (29) aimed at causing friction with fixing plates (28) of the crossbars (3) to the uprights (1).

5. A series of elements as in claim 1, characterised in that the horizontal crossbars (3) exhibit a profile which in transversal section has substantially an "L" shape, a shorter end of which is equipped with two perpendicular tabs (14).

6. A series of elements as in claim 1, characterised in that the horizontal crossbars (3) exhibit a profile which in transversal section has substantially a "U" shape, and which is superiorly equipped with perpendicular tabs (14).

7. A series of elements as in claim 5 or 6, characterised in that said perpendicular tabs (14) are asymmetrical.

8. A series of elements as in claim 2, characterised in that an interaxis of the slots (8) of the crossbars (3) is smaller than a longitudinal dimension of corresponding frontal slots (6) in the vertical uprights (1), with which frontal slots (6) a coupling is made using the said fixing means (16), and the longitudinal dimension of the slots (8) of the crossbars (3) is superior to an interaxis of the corresponding frontal slots (6) of the uprights (1).

9. A series of elements as in claim 1, characterised in that each tile (4) is provided with two parallel and opposite grooves (11) for a fit-coupling with corresponding tabs (14) exhibited by the horizontal crossbars (3).

10. A series of elements as in claim 1, characterised in that each tile (4) comprises at least one elastic element inserted in one of the two grooves (11) to favour a stable coupling of the tile (4) with the crossbars (3).

11. A series of elements as in claim 10, characterised in that said elastic element is constituted by a bend spring (12).

12. A tile for realising ventilated facades, applicable to a metallic frame constructed with the series of elements as in any of the preceding claims, and more in general applicable to a metallic frame constructed with crossbars (3) anchored to uprights (1), characterised in that the said tile (4) is provided with two grooves (11) hidden from view, channelled in the breadth of a material constituting the tile (4) along two opposite edges of it.

13. A tile as in claims 1 or 12, characterised in that the posterior surface of the said tile (4) is lower than the front surface of the same tile (4), which frontal surface is in view.

14. A tile as in claims 1 or 12, characterised in that it exhibits, in vertical section, asymmetric edges of the said grooves (11), with a front edge (17) reaching up to a peripheral edge of the tile (4) and a posterior edge (18) of the groove (11) which is substantially lower than that of the front edge (17) in order to permit of perfectly coupling the tiles (4) when mounted, in combination with tabs (14) of the crossbars (3) which insert into the grooves (11).

Drawing