Abstract
The invention concerns a rail system for mounting facing elements on a facade, wherein the rail system includes an elongated rail with a longitudinal direction, the rail including means for direct or indirect mounting on a faade, the rail further including means for fixing facing elements to the rail, and wherein the rail system further includes at least one fixing unit for each facing element, the means for direct or indirect mounting on a facade being constituted by at least one flange member, and wherein the means for fixing facing elements to the rail includes a body part with a contact face for a back side of a facing element. The new feature of a rail system according to the invention is that the body part includes at least a first set of fixing means and at least a second set of fixing means, each set of fixing means being adapted to an individual type of fixing units. In a rail according to the invention there is thus provided at last two different types of fixing means.
Claims
1. A rail system for mounting facing elements on a facade, wherein the rail system includes an elongated rail with a longitudinal direction, the rail including means for direct or indirect mounting on a faade, the rail further including means for fixing facing elements to the rail, and wherein the rail system further includes at least one fixing unit for at least one facing element, the means for direct or indirect mounting on a facade constituted by at least one flange member, the flange member extending in a first plane, and wherein the means for fixing facing elements to the rail includes a body part with a contact face for a back side of a facing element, the contact face extending in a second plane, wherein the first and second planes are mutually offset, the body part including at least a first set of fixing means and at least a second set of fixing means, each set of fixing means being adapted to an individual type of fixing units.
2. The rail system for mounting facing elements according to claim 1, wherein an elongated rail includes at least one of the following sets of fixing means, the fixing means arranged longitudinally of the rail: a series of uniform and evenly distributed holes for receiving a first type of fixing units, e.g. screws, wherein the holes are disposed in at least one row in longitudinal direction of the rail; a series of evenly distributed cutouts equidistantly spaced in longitudinal direction of the rail for receiving a second type of fixing units, e.g. spring clips; at least one longitudinal slot, wherein the slot or slots are arranged on the body part in longitudinal direction of the rail and adapted for receiving at least one hook part of a joining rail.
3. The rail system for mounting facing elements according to any of claim 1, wherein a fixing unit in the form of a spring clip includes a front leg and a rear leg, the rear leg adapted with means for engaging one or more holes, slits or cutouts in the rail, the front leg adapted with means for fixing a first facing element against the body part of the rail, the fixing occurring at the upper edge of the first facing element, the front leg further including means for supporting a second facing element at its lower edge, the second facing element being held directly or indirectly against an area along the upper edge of the first facing element.
4. The rail system for mounting facing elements according to claim 3, wherein the fixing unit in the form of the spring clip includes a rear leg having a length and a shape which, when the spring clip is fitted in a rail, allow the rear leg to protrude through an opening, an cutout or a slit in the rail, and in contact with the rear side of a first facing element.
5. The rail system for mounting facing elements according to claim 1, wherein a fixing unit in the form of a joining rail includes a U-shaped rail part, the rail part including means for fixing at least one facing element at the upper edge (11) of facing element.
6. The rail system for mounting facing elements according to claim 5, wherein a fixing unit in the form of the joining rail (21) includes a rail part and a hook part, the hook part adapted with means for engaging one or more holes, slits, edges, slots or cutouts in the rail, the rail part including means for arranging at least one facing element at the upper edge of facing element.
7. The rail system for mounting facing elements according to claim 5, wherein the joining rail at the outer side of the rail part includes an elastic coating for contact with the back side of overlying facing elements.
8. The rail system for mounting facing elements according to claim 5, wherein the joining rail on the U-shaped rail part includes at least one elastic flange, where at least one of the two flanges of the U-shaped rail part includes securing means for engaging the surface of a facing element.
9. The rail system for mounting facing elements according to claim 5, wherein the elongated rail includes a longitudinal depression on its body part, the depression being arranged for receiving a longitudinal inner part of a joining rail.
10. The rail system for mounting facing elements according to claim 1, wherein a fixing unit in the form of a spring clip is made of metal wire.
11. The rail system for mounting facing elements according to claim 10, the metal wire being a resilient spring wire.
Description
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0047] The invention is described in the following with reference to the drawing, wherein:
[0048] FIG. 1 shows a rail with two sets of fixing means in a front view and an end view, respectively.
[0049] FIG. 2 shows a rail as shown in FIG. 1 in an end view but with two facing elements and with a fixing unit in the form of a clip.
[0050] FIG. 3 shows a rail with two sets of fixing means in a front view and an end view, respectively.
[0051] FIG. 4 shows a rail as shown in FIG. 3 in an end view but with two facing elements and with a fixing unit in the form of a clip.
[0052] FIG. 5 shows a rail as shown in FIG. 3 in an end view but with two facing elements and with a fixing unit in the form of a clip.
[0053] FIG. 6 shows a rail with two sets of fixing means in a front view and an end view, respectively.
[0054] FIG. 7 shows a rail with facing element in a front view and an end view and with a fixing unit in the form of a joining rail with hook part.
[0055] FIG. 8 shows a rail in an end view with two facing elements and with a fixing unit in the form of a joining rail with mounting bands and with hook part, and with an additional fixing unit in the form of a screw.
[0056] FIG. 9 shows a rail in an end view and with two facing elements and with a fixing unit in the form of a screw.
[0057] FIG. 10 shows a rail in an end view and with a facing element, with fixing units in the form of a joining rail with rail part and hook part and with a screw.
[0058] FIG. 11 shows a rail in an end view and with a facing element, with fixing units in the form of a joining rail with rail part and hook part and with a screw.
[0059] FIG. 12 shows a facing element with four and one with five facing elements that are both joined into one facing element via a joining rail.
[0060] FIG. 13 shows a rail in an end view and with one facing element, with fixing units in the form of a joining rail without hook part and in the form of a screw.
[0061] FIG. 14 shows a rail in an end view and with one facing element, with fixing units in the form of a joining rail without hook part but with elastic flanges, and in the form of a screw.
[0062] FIG. 15 shows a right and a left corner joining rail, each fitted on three facing elements.
[0063] FIG. 16 shows a facing element with three and one with two facing elements that are both joined into one facing element via a joining rail.
[0064] FIG. 17 shows a variant of a rail with three sets of fixing means in a front view and an end view, respectively.
[0065] FIG. 18 shows a variant of a rail with two sets of fixing means in a front view and in an end view where the rail is supported on the building structure located behind it.
[0066] In the explanation of the Figures, identical or corresponding elements will be provided with the same designations in different Figures. Therefore, an explanation of all details will not necessarily be given in connection with each single Figure/embodiment.
LIST OF DESIGNATIONS
[0067] 1 rail [0068] 2 means for mounting on facade/flange member [0069] 3 body part [0070] 4 contact surface [0071] 5 first set of fixing means [0072] 6 second set of fixing means [0073] 7 facing element [0074] 8 back side of facing element [0075] 9 front side of facing element [0076] 10 lower edge of facing element [0077] 11 upper edge of facing element [0078] 12 fixing unit [0079] 13 spring clip [0080] 14 front leg [0081] 15 rear leg [0082] 16 cutout [0083] 17 bend on rear leg [0084] 18 hole [0085] 19 building structure [0086] 20 screw [0087] 21 joining rail [0088] 22 hook part [0089] 23 rail part [0090] 24 flange on rail part [0091] 25 securing means on flange [0092] 26 depression in surface of facing element [0093] 27 elongated hole in facing element [0094] 28 elastic cover/clatter safeguard [0095] 29 longitudinal depression on rail [0096] 30 glue in rail part [0097] 31 barbs/lips [0098] 32 thin lip [0099] 33 corner joining rail [0100] 34 right leg [0101] 35 left leg [0102] 36 third set of fixing means [0103] 37 rabbet at upper edge of body part
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0104] In FIG. 1 appears a rail 1 with means 2, here in the form of a flange member 2, for mounting on a faade and with a body part 3 having a contact face 4 for the back side 8 of a not shown facing element. The rail 1 has a first set of fixing means 5 on the contact face 4 and at the upper edge of the body part a second set of fixing means 6.
[0105] The rail 1 appears in a front view as well as an end view. The rail 1 can be fixed to a faade or a building structure directly or indirectly by means of fittings, nails, screws or other suitable methods.
[0106] As seen on the Figure, the body part 3 has inclining surfaces at the sides, enabling a closer stacking when the product is stored and during transport. Such a rail 1 may advantageously be made of aluminium or steel or other metal, and it may be shaped by bending and/or rolling from a rolling material. A rail 1 may, however, also be extruded in e.g. aluminium or other suitable material. It can be pultruded in fibre composite or be moulded in moulds suited for the purpose.
[0107] FIG. 2 also shows a rail 1 in an end view as shown in FIG. 1, but here with two facing elements 7. Facing elements 7 each have a back side 8, a front side 9, a lower edge 10 and an upper edge 11. The facing elements 7 are seen kept in place by a fixing unit 12 in the form of a spring clip 13. It appears that the lower facing element 7 is held against the contact face 4 at the upper edge 11 by the front legs 14 of the clip that also support the lower edge 10 of the facing element 7 in the next row. Furthermore it appears that the rear leg 15 of the clip is passed through a cutout 16 in the second set of fixing means 6, and that the rear leg 15 is made with a bend 17 supported in a hole 18 in the first set of fixing means 5. It also appears that the contact face 4 is offset in relation to the flange member 2 whereby space is provided for placing the spring clip 13.
[0108] FIG. 3 shows a rail 1 with two sets of fixing means 5, 6 as seen in a front view and an end view, the second set of fixing means including an upper cutout 16 and a lower cutout 16, the lower cutout 16 acting as a drain hole for possible water behind the faade but also as a support for the rear leg of a spring clip 13 or another type of fixing unit 12.
[0109] FIG. 4 shows a rail 1 as shown in FIG. 3 in an end view but with two facing elements 7 and with a fixing unit 12 in the form of a spring clip 13. The spring clip 13 is here designed with a rear leg 15 that has a shape allowing its being passed through the lower cutout 16, and that the rear leg 15 at the same time is brought in contact with the back side 8 on the actual facing element 7. Hereby is achieved a good support and a very firm grip on the upper edge 11 of the facing element. The rear leg 15 is here designed such that the end is partly directed away from the back side 8 of the facing element.
[0110] FIG. 5 shows a rail 1 as shown in FIG. 3 in an end view but with two facing elements 7 and with a fixing unit 12 in the form of a spring clip 13. The spring clip 13 is here designed with a rear leg 15 that has a shape allowing its being passed through the lower cutout 16, and that the rear leg 15 at the same time is brought in contact with the back side 8 on the actual facing element 7. Hereby is achieved good support and a very firm grip at the upper edge 11 of the facing element. The rear leg 15 is here designed such that the end is partly directed towards the back side 8 of the facing element.
[0111] FIG. 6 shows a rail 1 with two sets of fixing means 5, 6 in a front view and an end view, respectively. By this variant there is a long row of holes 18 that are regularly broken by elongated cutouts 16, and below these cutouts at the lower edge of the body part cutouts 16 are arranged, acting as drain holes for possible water behind the faade but also as support for the rear leg of a spring clip 13 or another type of fixing unit 12. In this Figure, the rail 1 appears fixed at its flange member 2 to a building structure 19 by a screw 20.
[0112] FIG. 7 shows a rail 1 with facing elements 7 in a front view and an end view, and with a fixing unit 12 in the form of a joining rail 21 with a hook part 22 and with a rail part 23. The joining rail 21 is here mounted at the upper edge of the body part 3 in a slit, slot or in a number of cutouts, and is intended for mounting without facing elements 7 as the latter are pushed up into the rail part 23 and fixed therein by the joining rail 21 provided with a flange 24 with securing means 25 that interact with a longitudinal depression 26 in the front side of the facing element 9.
[0113] In this variant, the rail part 23 is formed by the flange 24 and by the contact face 4 on the body part 3. After mounting the facing elements in the joining rail 21, they may advantageously be fixed to the rail 1 by fixing units 12 in the form of clips or screws 20 that are placed in the first set of fixing means 5. In FIG. 7 is also seen that the facing elements 7 have a horizontal, elongated hole 27 at the upper edge 11 through which it will always be possible to target a hole 18 in the contact face 4, something which is ensured by the size of the elongated hole 27.
[0114] FIG. 8 shows a rail 1 in an end view with two facing elements 7 and with a fixing unit 12 in the form of a joining rail 21 with an elastic cover 28, herein the form of a rubber band, with a hook part 22 and with an additional fixing unit 12 in the form of a screw 20 pressing individual facing elements against the body part 3 of the rail. The elastic cover 28 may, as mentioned, be constituted by rubber band or other elastic material, which e.g. can be an adhesive material of suitable type.
[0115] The rails 1 appearing in FIGS. 8 to 14 are all the same as the rail 1 appearing in FIG. 3 to FIG. 5, and it has a longitudinal depression 29. The depression 29 provides space for a joining rail 21 at the upper edge 11 of the facing elements without the internal flange 24 of the joining rail on the rail part 23 being in contact with the contact face 4 on the body part 3.
[0116] In FIGS. 8, 13 and 14 there are examples of joining rails 21 that are not in direct contact with the body part 3.
[0117] FIG. 9 shows a rail 1 in an end view and with two facing elements 7 and with a fixing unit 12 in the form of a screw 20. In principle this is the simplest form of mounting facing elements with a rail system according to the invention.
[0118] In FIG. 10 appears a joining rail 21 which is pressed down over a number of facing elements 7 and which via a hook part 22 is mounted on the rail at its upper edge, either in a slit, a slot or in a number of cutouts. The facing element 7 is further fixed to the rail 1 by a screw 20. In this variant, the joining rail 21 is provided with glue 30 in the rail part 23 such that the facing elements 7 and the joining rail 21 are securely joined. Besides, a kind of barbs/lips 31 are arranged on the two flanges 24 on the rail part 23, ensuring an even better joining.
[0119] In FIG. 11 appears a joining rail 21 which is pressed down over a number of facing elements 7 and which via a hook part 22 is mounted on the rail at its upper edge, either in a slit, a slot or in a number of cutouts. The facing element 7 is further fixed to the rail 1 by a screw 20. In this variant, the joining rail 21 is also designed with barbs/lips 31 on the two flanges 24 on the rail part 23, ensuring good joining. On this joining rail 21 is additionally formed an elastic cover 28, a clatter safeguard, here consisting of one longitudinal thin lip 32 where the back side 8 of a not shown facing element 7 is intended to bear on the thin lip 32. Obviously, such thin lips 32 with other shapes than shown here may be provided, and there may be more than one of these lips 32 along a joining rail 21. In the shown variant, the thin lip is arranged on a flange 24 on the rail part 23, but it may e.g. be arranged at the back of the rail part 23 as well.
[0120] The joining rails 21 can be made of metal, plastic or fibre composite, or of any other suitable material. They may be moulded, extruded, pultruded, bent or rolled.
[0121] FIG. 12 shows two joined facing elements 7 consisting of four and of five, respectively, juxtaposed and adjacent facing elements 7, which via a joining rail 21 are joined into one facing element 7 that can be suspended on a rail 1 if the joining rail 21 includes a hook part 22. If the joining rail 21 has a hook part 22, the assembled facing element can e.g. be mounted by one or more fixing units 12, e.g. screws 20 or a suitable type of clips.
[0122] In FIG. 13 appears a rail 1 in an end view and with one facing element 7, with fixing units 12 in the form of a joining rail 21 without hook part 22 and in the form of a screw 20. The joining rail 21 is here without a hook part 22 and therefore only comprises a rail part 23 with two flanges 24, where in the rail part 23 there is arranged a glue run 30 for fastening the individual facing elements.
[0123] In FIG. 14 appears a rail 1 in an end view and with one facing element 7, with fixing units 12 in the form of a joining rail 21 without hook part 22, but with elastic flanges 24, and in the form of a screw 20. The elastic flanges 24 are provided with securing means 25 which, when a facing element 7 is pressed into the joining rail 21, is forced aside for then dropping in place in the depressions 26 arranged for the purpose in the surfaces 8, 9 of the facing elements 7.
[0124] FIG. 15 shows a right and a left corner joining rail 33, each fitted on three facing elements. The right model has two facing elements 7 mounted in the right leg 34 and one facing element 7 in the left leg 35. The left model is arranged reversed. However, such corner joining rails 33 can obviously be made adapted for mounting only on one facing element at each leg 34, 35, or on more than two facing elements 7, if so desired.
[0125] FIG. 16 shows a composed facing element 7 with three facing elements 7 and one with two facing elements 7, both joined into one facing element 7 via a joining rail 21.
[0126] FIG. 17 shows a variant of a rail 1 with three sets of fixing means 5, 6, 36 in a front view and an end view, respectively. The rail 1 has a first set of fixing means 5 on the contact face 4, at the upper edge of the body part a second set of fixing means 6, and evenly distributed between the first fixing means is disposed is a third set of fixing means 36. The means 36 are also disposed evenly but with greater spacing than the holes 18. The rail 1 appears in a front view as well as an end view. The rail 1 can be fixed to a faade or a building structure directly or indirectly by means of fittings, nails, screws or other suitable methods.
[0127] FIG. 18 shows yet a variant of a rail 1 with two sets of fixing means 5, 6 in a front view and an end view, respectively, where the rail 1 is supported on the building structure 19 located behind it. At the upper edge of the body part 3 there is arranged a kind of rabbet 37 with the purpose of the rail being supported on the said building structure 19 via this rabbet, and such that a greater pressure can be applied on the rail 1 itself during mounting of the facing elements 7, so that the rail 1 is not deformed or yields resiliently.
