Patent ID: 6055787
Filing Date: 2000-05-02
Classification: E04F

Abstract:
An externally suspended, back-ventilated facade system attached to a vertical wall, the facade system comprising:a subsystem coupled to the vertical wall, the subsystem having an external surface;a horizontal coupling member coupled to the subsystem;an upper facade board and a lower facade board, the upper facade board being disposed vertically above the lower facade board, each of the facade boards having an upper edge, a lower edge, a front surface and a back surface, the back surface facing the external surface of the subsystem, each of the facade boards further having a drop rabbet and a foot rabbet formed at the lower edge of the facade board, the drop and foot rabbets forming projections from the lower edge of the facade board, the foot rabbet extending coplanar with the back surface of the facade board and the drop rabbet extending coplanar with the front surface of the facade board; anda board holder coupled to the horizontal coupling member and coupled to the upper facade and lower facade boards such that:the drop rabbet of the upper facade board extends over the front surface of the lower facade board and extends below the upper edge of the lower facade board, wherein a distance from the front surface of the upper facade board to the front surface of the lower facade board, in the region of the drop rabbet, is equal to a thickness of the drop rabbet plus a depth of a front ventilation gap; andthe back surface of the upper facade board at the lower edge thereof is further away from the vertical wall than the back surface of the lower facade board at the upper edge thereof.