Cladding

Abstract

 A fixing element for attaching a cladding or building board (11) to a wall (17) comprises a hollow box member (1) having, on one side, an open channel portion (2) and, on the opposite side, elongated flanges (3) extending outwardly from the box member. The boards (11) are e.g. pop-rivetted to the flanges (3) and the box member is attached via channel portion (2) to the wall orto a bracket (15) attached to the wall.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a cladding system, and especially to an element for use in fixing cladding boards to existing walls or other forms of supports, e.g. primary steel or aluminium framework.

[0002] Building boards are widely used in the building industry nowadays, both for internal and external application, and various fixing systems are available for attaching the boards to walls or ceilings. Building boards are used for various purposes, for example to enhance the fire resistance or thermal or accoustic insulation of a wall, and, particularly where outside walls are concerned, to up-grade the wall and modernise its appearance. In some cases the boards are attached directly to the walls, e.g. by screws, rivets or "Hilti" bolts. In other cases, the boards may be spaced from the wall to which they are attached, so that for example insulation material in the form of glass fibre, mineral wool or foam slab may be inserted between the wall and the building board. Again, fixing systems are available to fix the boards in this way. One such fixing system is known as the "Ventisol" system. This comprises a supporting framework of T and L profiles fixed vertically to the face of the building to be clad by angle brackets, notched clamps and bolts. The cladding boards are fixed to the T and L profiles by monel or aluminium rivets. For example, the L profile brackets may be attached to the wall of the building,the T brackets by their central webs to the angle brackets, and the building boards to the cross-flanges of the T brackets to build up a fascia of decorative building or cladding boards.

[0003] The existing systems have a number of disadvantages . For example, they cannot be used to attach the boards directly to the wall. Further, they can only be used in systems which expose the joints between the edges of the boards.

[0004] There is a need in the industry for a system which does not suffer from these disadvantages, and it is an object of the present invention to provide such a system.

[0005] According to the present invention there is provided an element for attaching a building or cladding board or the like to a surface comprising a hollow box .member having, on one side, an open channel portion and, on the opposite side thereto, elongated flanges extending outwardly from the hollow box member.

[0006] The elongated flanges preferably extend parallel to the base of the channel portion.

[0007] In use, building or cladding boards will be attached e.g. by riveting, to the elongated flanges, and the fixing element will be attached through the channel portion either directly to the wall to be clad or indirectly thereto through a flanged bracket, the flange of which cooperates with the channel portion.

[0008] The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention. In the drawings, .

Figure 1 is a horizontal section through a fixing element of the invention, attached directly to an adjacent wall;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section through a similar element, but attached to an adjacent wall through a bracket; and

Figure 3 is a horizontal section similar to Figure 2, but illustrating a covered joint.

[0009] Referring to the drawings, the fixing element of the invention comprises a hollow box section 1 of square cross-section, one side of the box section being provided with an open channel 2 and the opposite side being provided with outwardly-extending flanges 3. Flanges 3 are parallel to the base 4 of the channel section 2.

[0010] With reference to Figure 1, building or cladding boards 5 are attached to the flanges 3 by means of pop rivets 6. The assembly of fixing element 1 and boards 5 is attached to an adjacent wall 7 by means of a screw 8 passing through the base 4 of the box section 1 and entering a wall plug 9 sunk into a bore 10 in the wall 7.

[0011] A plurality of fixing elements 1 and boards 5 are attached to the wall 7 in order to build up a new facing, of boards, on the wall.

[0012] In the construction shown in Figure 2, building boards 11 are attached to the flanges 3 of the fixing element by way of pop rivets 6. The flange 12 of a support bracket 13 is fixed to the channel portion 2 by a pop rivet 12'. At its other end support bracket 13 is adjustably attached to one arm 14 of an L-shaped bracket 15, the other arm 16 of which is bolted to a wall 17. Elongated slots 18,19 enable the positions of the brackets 13 and 15 to be adjusted with respect to each other and to the wall 17. Bracket 13 is attached to arm 14 by means of a tee bolt 20 and lock nuts 20'.

[0013] The space between the boards 11 and the wall 17 may be filled with insulating material, e.g. insulating foam, glass fibre or mineral wool.

[0014] It will be seen that the rivet 12' is coaxial with a bolt 21 attaching the bracket 15 to the wall 17. This enables the system to be sturdy and stable.

[0015] The embodiment of Figure 3 is in many respects identical to that of Figure 2. However, in the Figure 3 embodiment the boards 11 are not attached to the flanges 3 by rivets, but instead by a joint cover 25, e.g. an aluminium or plastics extrusion, attached through its central flange 26 to the box section 1 by a rivet nut and set screw 27. The joint may be completed by press- fitting a cap 28 having resilient limbs 29 into the opening 30 presented by the cover 25.

[0016] ₁ In each of the above-described embodiments it may be necessary, or at least desirable, to support the boards 5 and 11 at their midpoints, e.g. at 600mms or 610mms from the vertical edge of a 1200mms or 1220mms wide board respectively. This may be effected by using a fixing element ) similar to the fixing element 1, indeed by such a fixing element 1 without the flanges 3. The boards will be attached thereto by means of a pop rivet passing through the board and attached to the side of the box section opposite the channel portion.

Claims

1. An element for attaching a building or cladding board or the like to a surface comprising a hollow box member having, on one side, an open channel portion and, on the opposite side thereto, elongated flanges extending outwardly from the hollow box member.

2. An element according to claim 1 wherein the elongated flanges extend parallel to the base of the channel portion.

3. A wall assembly comprising a plurality of elements according to claim 1 or claim 2, each said element being attached to said wall via said open channel portion, and a plurality of building or cladding boards or the like attached to the elongated flanges of said elements.

4. An assembly according to claim 3 wherein said elements are attached directly to said wall.

5. An assembly according to claim 3 wherein said elements are attached via said open channel portions to respective brackets attached to said wall.

6. An assembly according to any of claims 3 to 5 wherein said boards are attached to said wall intermediate said elements by box-section intermediate members each having an open channel portion opposite a flat board-attaching face.

Drawing