FACING BUILDING MEMBER

Abstract

A facing building member, a method of forming a facing building member and a method of forming a cladding panel. The facing building member is usable with other building members in forming a cladding panel. The building member has a front face and a rear side, the rear side being profiled by cutting with a water jet so as to provide at least one mechanical key on the facing building member.

Claims

1. A cladding panel comprising a plurality of facing building members mounted on a cementitious backing layer, each facing building member having a front face and a rear side, the rear side being profiled so as to provide at least one mechanical key provided by a rounded dovetail shape recess in the rear side of the facing building member, wherein the cementitious backing layer extends into the rounded dovetail shape recess of each facing building member and extends into joins between adjacent facing building members.

2. The cladding panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of mechanical keys are provided by recesses in the rear side of each facing building member.

3. The cladding panel as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the recesses provides more than one mechanical key.

4. The cladding panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein each facing building member is in the form of a brick facing member, and may be formed by cutting a brick into two or more parts.

5. The cladding panel as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the recesses extends from between 10 and 60% of the thickness of the facing building member.

6. The cladding panel as claimed in claim 2, wherein the rear side of each facing building member has a regular pattern of recesses, and wherein the recesses are separated by correspondingly profiled projections.

7. The cladding panel as claimed in claim 2, wherein the recesses are separated by correspondingly profiled projections.

8. The cladding panel as claimed in claim 2, wherein the rear side of each facing building member has a recess which extends to one end of the facing building member.

9. The cladding panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the profile of the rear side is configured with an inclination such that the distance between the rear side and the front face decreases in one or more directions across the respective facing building member.

10. The cladding panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the facing building members is in the form of a corner member with a front face and a side face, with at least one mechanical key on the rear side from the front face.

11. A method of forming the cladding panel as claimed in claim 1, the method comprising forming a plurality of facing building members, the rear side of each facing building member being profiled by cutting with a water jet so as to provide the at least one mechanical key, the method further comprising locating the plurality of facing building members in a pattern in a mould, and locating a settable material onto the rear of the plurality of facing building members to form the cladding panel once set, wherein the settable material once set forms the cementitious backing layer on which the plurality of facing building members are mounted, wherein the cementitious backing layer extends into the rounded dovetail shape recess of each facing building member and extends into the joins between adjacent facing building members.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the settable material is ultra high performance concrete.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the settable material is fibre reinforced.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the water jet includes an abrasive.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the abrasive includes garnet.

16. The cladding panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rear side is profiled by cutting with a water jet so as to provide the at least one mechanical key.

17. The cladding panel as claimed in claim 16, wherein the water jet includes an abrasive.

18. The cladding panel as claimed in claim 17, wherein the abrasive includes garnet.

Description

[0026] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0027] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a conventional cladding panel according to the invention;

[0028] FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of part of a conventional cladding panel according to the invention;

[0029] FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of a first building member according to the invention;

[0030] FIG. 4 is a similar view to FIG. 2 but showing the member of FIG. 3;

[0031] FIG. 5 is a similar view to FIG. 3 but of a second building member according to the invention;

[0032] FIG. 6 is a similar view to FIG. 4 but including the building member of FIG. 5;

[0033] FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating forming of the building member of FIG. 5;

[0034] FIG. 8 is a similar view to FIG. 7 diagrammatically showing the forming of further building members according to the invention;

[0035] FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 are similar views to FIG. 3 but of further building members according to the invention

[0036] FIGS. 12 to 14 show potential use of building members according to the invention; and

[0037] FIG. 15 is a similar view to FIG. 1 but showing building members according to the invention.

[0038] FIGS. 3 to 15 all show building members according to the invention. These building members are formed by cutting a moulded clay brick to a required profile using a high pressure water jet with a solid abrasive medium such as garnet in the water flow. The water jet may be CNC controlled to permit automatic and accurate profiling.

[0039] FIGS. 3 and 4 show a first facing building member 30 which has a front face 32 and a rear side 34. The rear side 34 has a profile comprising a complete rounded dovetail shape recess 36 in plan view, and a second partial rounded dovetail shape recess 38 which extends to one end, the right hand end as shown of the member 30. The two recesses 36, 38 are separated by correspondingly profiled rounded dovetail shape projections 40, 42, one 40 of which is only partial and extends to the left hand end as shown of the building member 30.

[0040] It is to be realised that the building member 30 can be cut from a single brick to provide two identical building members 30. This building member 30 is suitable for use in half bond brickwork and will provide significantly enhanced bonding between the building member and cementitious material 14, for instance as shown in FIG. 4. This is due to the larger contact surface area between the member 30 and cementitious material 14, and the mechanical keys formed by the recesses 36, 38 and respective projections 40, 42.

[0041] FIGS. 5 and 6 show a further facing building member 46 which is similar to the building member 30 but is suitable for use in quarter bond brickwork and therefore includes essentially double the number of recesses 48 and projections 50 relative to the building member 30. As can be seen there are three full dovetail recesses 48, and a further one 52 which extends to the right hand end of the building member 46. Similarly, three full dovetail profile projections 50 are provided, with a further projection 56 extending to the left hand end. Again, this building member 46 can be cut from a single brick to provide two identical building members 46 as illustrated in FIG. 7.

[0042] FIG. 8 diagrammatically illustrates how a brick could be cut into three building members using quarter bond brickwork. The first being the building member 46, a second being a short member 58 usable in forming a corner, with a dovetail profiled projection 60 at one end, and a dovetail profiled other end 62 to permit joining to a dovetail part shape projection 56 on another building member 46. A third building member 64 is provided which is equivalent to a half brick, i.e. a header. As can be seen this building member 64 extends for a little under a half of the length of the building member 46, to provide a space for the cementitious material to extend between adjacent building members. FIG. 9 shows this building member 64.

[0043] FIG. 10 shows a further building member 66 usable as a corner or pistol with two full 68 and one part dovetail shape projection 70 on the rear of the front face 72, and a side face 74 with part of a dovetail shape projection 76 at the end thereof.

[0044] FIG. 11 shows a similar corner member 78, but in this instance only two full dovetail shape projections 80 are provided such that a dovetail shape recess 82 extends to the right hand end as shown.

[0045] FIGS. 12 and 13 respectively show the corner building members 66, 78 connected to the half brick building member 64, with the orientation of the half brick building member 64 determined by which of the corner building members 66, 78 is used, depending on the orientation of the corner.

[0046] FIG. 14 shows the stretcher building member 46 with two half brick building members 64 located thereon, illustrating the gap provided between the half brick building members 64 to enable cementitious material to locate therebetween in a conventional manner, relative to mortar used to join bricks together.

[0047] FIG. 15 is a similar view to FIG. 1 but showing use of building members 78, 64, 46, 66 according to the invention. This illustrates the significantly increased surface area of the join between the cementitious material 14 and the building members 78, 64, 46, 66. As also can be seen the join between adjacent building members 78, 64, 46, 66 is provided between a part recess and a part projection which permits cementitious material 14 to extend further between the adjacent building members 78, 64, 46, 66 to provide a strong bond therebetween.

[0048] As can be seen a wide range of profiles or building members can be produced as required, and multiple building members can be provided from each brick. The building members may be cut to suit particular bond types and corner details.

[0049] The above described examples therefore provide a system for significantly enhanced bonding between the cementitious material and building members due to the increased surface area of the contact surface therebetween, and the mechanical keys. The use of the water jet cutting permits different profiles to be achieved with a greater surface area of contact faces between the cementitious material and the building members. The water jet cutting exposes the rough nature of the bricks providing a positive keying thereto of the cementitious material. The water jet cutting also removes any slurry from the surface of the brick in contrast to sawing. The rounded edges of the dovetail profile allows the cementitious material to flow around corners to fill voids, and to avoid trapped air which can occur with sharply angled corners. This cutting readily permits computer control for automatic cooperation whilst providing consistent profiles.

[0050] It is to be realised that a wide range of modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. A different abrasive such as said may be used. For instance, the building members may gently diverge in one or both directions to provide increased bonding, with the rear side of the building members being cut at an inclination. The recesses and projections may have a different profile. Whilst the above invention is described in relation to bricks, other building members could be cut in this way.

[0051] Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.