Abstract:
Trim bands for buildings having at least one trim element and one or more spacer elements which may be separate from or integral parts of the trim bands. The trim bands can be fabricated from a variety of materials including, but not limited to, wood, polymers, concrete, and other composites. The trim bands can be used to trim off siding, to dress a window or door, or as a corner treatment.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to buildings with novel, improved trim components. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Many houses (and other buildings) have exteriors faced with lap siding which is topped with a trim band. In conventional constructions of this character moisture is apt to penetrate between the trim band and the exterior wall sheathing (or sub siding) and migrate downwardly between the sheathing and the siding. This trapped moisture can lead to rotting of the trim bands and the siding and, perhaps, other building components. 
     Trim bands as heretofore constructed also tend to be expensive, both in terms of material cost and in the labor required to install them. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     There have now been invented and disclosed herein certain new and novel trim bands which do not have the defects of and are otherwise superior to conventional trim bands. 
     The novel trim bands of the present invention may be fabricated from wood, concrete and other composites, polymers, and perhaps other materials. They are significantly superior to conventional trim bands, which are made of dimension (2×) boards because they use much less material. The novel trim bands disclosed herein are also, by virtue of their novel construction, lighter and thereby easier and less expensive to install. 
     Furthermore, the cleats or spacer elements of the trim bands disclosed herein space the facing components of the trim bands from the substructures to which the trim bands are attached. This arrangement, in combination with appropriate flashing, helps to keep moisture from collecting behind the trim bands and rotting out that component and/or the substrate to which the trim band is fastened. 
     Yet another important advantage of the trim bands disclosed herein is that their construction involves principles which can equally well be employed in the fabrication of door, window, corner, and other trim components including the fabrication of both horizontal and vertical trim bands. 
     The objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to the reader from the foregoing, the appended claims, and the ensuing detailed description and discussion of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a house with a trim band and exterior siding; the trim band is fabricated in accord with the principles of the present invention: 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the FIG. 1 trim band; 
     FIG. 3 is a section through the trim band and siding of the FIG. 1 house taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a window treatment for the FIG. 1 house; the components are constructed and assembled in accord with the principles of the invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a section through a representative window of the FIG. 1 house taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a section through the window taken along line  6 — 6  of FIG. 1; 
     FIGS. 7-9 are sections through three alternate trim bands also embodying the principles of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective, sectional view of a corner treatment employing the principles of the present invention taken substantially along line  10 — 10  of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 depicts a building  20 —in this case, a single family dwelling. 
     Building  20  has a side wall  24 , a front wall  26 , and a second side wall and rear wall (not shown). First story windows  28  and  30 , a door  32 , and second story windows  36  and  38  are formed in the front wall  26  of building  20 . 
     Building  20  is topped with a conventional gable roof  42 , there being a gable end  44  at the front  26  of building  20  and a corresponding gable end (not shown) at the rear of the building. 
     The external sides of the building&#39;s walls are covered with conventional lap siding  46 . At a level corresponding to the top of the building&#39;s first story  48  are front wall and side wall trim bands  50  and  51 . The front and side wall trim bands are of like construction. Accordingly, only trim band  50  will be described in detail. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3 as well as FIG. 1, trim band  50  spans a gap  52  between two siding members  46   a  and  46   b  located generally at the top of the building&#39;s first floor  48  and the bottom of second story  56 . The trim band is made up of a trim element  58  and spacers  60  and  62  fastened as by nails  64  to trim band element  58 . Trim element  58  overlaps siding members  46   a  and  46   b  (sec. FIGS.  1  and  3 ). 
     Trim band  50  is secured as by nails  65  to sub siding  66 . 
     Moisture is kept from the space  53  between trim band element  58  and sub siding  66  by flashing  68 . This building component has an upper element  70  trapped between lap siding element  46   b  and sub siding  66 , a second, integral element  72  pitched downwardly and extending from element  70  to the exterior of trim element  58 , and a third, also integral lower element  74  extending downwardly over trim element  58 . 
     As is apparent from FIGS. 2 and 3, trim band  50  uses substantially less material then a conventional trim band of the same thickness W (see FIG.  3 ). At the same time, trim band  50  is easier to install and therefore less labor intensive than a conventional trim band. 
     Trim bands embodying the principles of the present invention do not have to be fabricated of multiple members as is trim band  50 . Instead, they can, if desired, be components with integral trim and spacer elements. Thus, FIGS. 7,  8 , and  9  respectively show one-piece trim bands  78 ,  80 , and  82  respectively fabricated from wood, a composite material, and a vinyl or other polymer. Each of the trim bands  78 ,  80 , and  82  has a trim element and integral, vertically separated spacer elements. The trim elements are respectively identified by reference characters  84 ,  86 , and  88 ; the upper spacer elements by reference characters  90  (FIG. 7 ),  92  (FIG. 8 ), and  94  (FIG. 9 ); and the lower spacer elements by reference characters  96 ,  98 , and  100 . 
     Still another trim band embodying the principles of the present invention is illustrated in FIG.  4  and identified by reference character  102 . Like the trim band  50  depicted in FIG. 2, the component  102  shown in FIG. 4 has a trim element (in this case identified by reference character  104 ) but only a single spacer  106 . This spacer is assembled to trim element  104  midway between the lower and upper edges  108  and  110  of the trim element. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1,  5 , and  6 , the principles of the present invention may be applied to window treatments as well as to trim bands. Thus, FIG. 5 shows how the horizontal aspect of a window is treated, and FIG. 6 shows a treatment for the vertical aspect of the window. 
     Specifically, FIG. 5 shows a fragment of window  28  which includes a pane  111  and an angle-type support  112  for the pane. Pane  111  is seated in a recess  114  formed in an outwardly extending leg  116  of the support. A second, integral leg  118  of the support is butted against sub siding  66 , and support  112  is fastened in place as by nails  122 . 
     As is best shown in FIG. 1, window  28  is surrounded by a trim band  124 . This trim band has upper and lower trim band segments  126  and  128  and vertical extending left- and right-hand trim band segments  132  and  134 . 
     Upper trim band segment  126  is made up of a trim element  136  and a spacer  138  located midway between the opposite, upper and lower edge portions  140  and  142  of the trim element. Trim band segment  126  is fastened as by nails  143  to siding substrate  66 . The lower portion  142  of trim band segment  126  is seated against the outwardly directed leg  116  of window support  112  and overlaps that leg. 
     Flashing  144  keeps moisture from penetrating into the gap  146  between trim element  136  and the substrate  66  of front building wall  26 . Flashing  144  has a generally Z-shaped configuration and is made up of three integral legs  154 ,  156 , and  158 . Flashing leg  154  is vertically oriented and trapped between the substrate  66  of wall  26  and siding member  46   c . Flashing leg  158  is also vertically oriented. This leg extends down over the upper edge or margin  140  of trim element  136 . The third outwardly and downwardly inclined segment  156  of flashing  144  extends between the two vertically oriented segments  154  and  158 . 
     The two vertically extending side segments  132  and  134  of trim band  124  are essentially duplicates; accordingly, only segment  134  will be described in detail herein. That segment, in a manner akin to upper trim band segment  126 , is made up of a trim element  162  and a spacer  164 . Trim band segment  134  is fastened as by nails  166  to the substrate  66  of vertical wall  26  with one edge  168  of the trim band element butting against the outwardly extending leg  116  of window pane support  112 . The opposite edge  170  of trim band element  162  overlaps those siding elements embraced by the upper and lower margins  172  and  174  (see FIG. 1) of window  28 . Those siding members butt spacer  164  with the siding member  46   d  shown in FIG. 6 being typical. 
     Lower trim band segment  128  is of the same construction as the other trim band segments  126 ,  132 , and  134 . The trim element  136  of that trim band segment is butted against the outwardly extending leg  116  of window pane support  112  in the same manner as the trim element  136  of trim band segment  126  except that, in the case of trim segment  128 , it is the lower run of flange  116  which the trim band element is butted against. The opposite edge  176  of the lower segment  128  trim band element overlaps horizontally extending siding member  46   e  as shown in FIG.  1 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 10, the principles of the present invention can also be utilized to advantage in trimming the corners of a building; for example, the corner where the side and front walls  24  and  26  of building  20  meet. As best shown in FIG. 10, the corner trim—identified by reference character  184 —is made up of two trim segments  186  and  188 . 
     Segment  186  consists of a trim element  190  and a spacer  192  fastened to trim element  190  midway its opposite edges  196  and  198 . 
     Trim segment  188  is made up of a similarly related trim element  199  and spacer  200 . 
     The segments  186  and  188  of corner trim  184  are fastened in place as by nails (not shown) with the edges  196  of trim band element  190  and  202  of trim band element  199  overlapping siding  46  of building side and front walls  24  and  26 . 
     The invention may be embodied in many forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.