Patent ID: 9297166
Filing Date: 2016-03-29
CPC Classification: E04F

Claim Text:
1. A cladded structure comprising: a support structure for cladding; rows of spaced-apart fixing devices mounted to the support structure such that the fixing devices are spaced apart vertically and horizontally relative to one another, each fixing device comprising an engagement member for engaging with and supporting a cladding board, the engagement member comprising a seat surface that is angled upwardly relative to the horizontal; rows of partially overlapping cladding boards covering the support structure with each row of cladding boards being supported by a respective row of fixing devices, each cladding board being defined along the length of the board by front and rear surfaces that extend between upper and lower surfaces of the cladding board, wherein adjacent rows of cladding boards overlap such that the front surface of a top portion of each cladding board substantially abuts a rear surface of a lower portion of a cladding board from an upper adjacent row of cladding boards, and a recess being provided in and along the rear surface of each cladding board into which the engagement members of a number of fixing devices of a row engage to support the cladding board on the support structure such that each row of cladding boards is supported by a respective row of fixing devices and each recess of the cladding boards comprises a complementary angled engagement surface that is configured to sit upon the angled seat surfaces of the engagement members of its respective row of fixing devices in a hook-like engagement relationship to support the cladding boards in place on the support structure, and wherein retaining gaps are formed between lower surfaces corresponding to sections of the upper surface of each cladding board and upper surfaces corresponding to lower surfaces of the row of fixing devices supporting the next upper adjacent cladding board; and a plurality of resiliently deformable retaining components arranged to exert a force on the upper surfaces of the cladding boards in a direction toward and to retain the cladding boards in an engaged state with their respective rows of fixing devices, the plurality of resiliently deformable retaining components comprising a retaining component being located in a deformed state in at least one retaining gap associated with each cladding board, each retaining component being oversized relative to its respective retaining gap with respect to a dimension extending between the upper surface and the lower surface of the retaining gap such that it is held under compression in a deformed state within its respective retaining gap so as to generate the said force on the upper surface of its associated cladding board.