Apparatus and method of installation of a composite building panel

A new and useful anchor for use in the installation of a composite building panel. The anchor comprises a vertically upstanding wall mounting face and a spacer extending normal to the wall mounting face. Spaced outwardly from the wall mounting face by the spacer there is provided a first longitudinally extending flange-receiving groove opening in a first vertical direction. Adjacently deposed to the first flange-receiving groove with a common middle wall there is provided a second longitudinally extending flange-receiving groove opening in an opposite vertical direction. Fasteners mount the anchor means to the wall.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This application relates to an apparatus and method for use in the 
installation of composite building panels. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Builders and home owners are frequently looking for just the right exterior 
surface for their buildings. Currently, however, the choice of finishing 
systems available is fairly restrictive. Two of the more popular choices 
in terms of appearance are brick and stone. However, natural stone is 
simply too expensive for use on anything other than a small number of 
applications where the market can bear the cost. Even brick has become too 
expensive for the low and middle class housing market. As such, builders 
typically look to cheaper vinyl and aluminum siding as the alternative. 
However, those materials are rarely considered as pleasing exterior 
finishes. Therefore, there exists a demand for an affordable alternative 
product, one which is aesthetically pleasing, requires little maintenance 
and, most of all, is easy to install, either during the building stage or 
as a renovation project. 
In its co-pending Canadian Patent Application Serial No. 2,107,847, 
applicant describes a composite building panel which meets this demand. 
The present invention is related to an anchor for use in the installation 
of a composite building panel such as that described in applicant's 
co-pending Canadian patent application and to a method of using that 
anchor in the installation of such a panel. 
The prior art describes apparatus and methods of installing a variety of 
sheet wall panelling, building tiles and concrete slabs using discrete 
clips and adhesives. Reference is made for example to U.S. Pat. No. 
2,120,195, of Valenti, issued Jun. 7, 1938, Canadian Patent No. 90,924of 
Fisher issued Jan. 12, 1905, Canadian Patent No. 686,819 of Medow, issued 
May 19, 1964, Canadian Patent No. 462,686 of Wardle, issued Apr. 19, 1939 
and Canadian laid-open Patent Application Serial No. 2,022,601 of Francis, 
filed, Aug. 2, 1990. However, none of these references is directed towards 
an apparatus and method capable of use in the installation of a composite 
building panel similar to that of applicant's co-pending Canadian patent 
application. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In one aspect of the invention there is provided an anchor for use in the 
installation of a composite building panel. The anchor comprises a 
vertically upstanding wall mounting face and a spacer secured to and 
extending outwardly from the wall mounting face. Spaced remote from the 
wall mounting face by the spacer there is provided a first longitudinally 
extending flange-receiving groove opening in a first vertical direction 
and adjacently deposed to the first flange-receiving groove with a common 
middle wall there is provided a second longitudinally extending 
flange-receiving groove opening in an opposite vertical direction. 
Fasteners mount the anchor means to the wall. 
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided at least one pair of 
clips secured within the panel. Each of the clips comprise three strips 
secured together in step-like fashion. A first of the strips is oriented 
to be completely embedded within a panel, a second of the strips is partly 
embedded within said panel and extends beyond a back face of said panel 
and a third of the strips being an anchor-engaging strip sits outside the 
panel, an end of the third strip constructed so as to engage within the 
first or second groove of the anchor. 
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided at least one first 
clip secured within a lower portion of the panel such that the 
anchor-engaging strip of the first clip projects beyond a bottom edge of 
the back face for mating relation with the first flange-receiving groove 
of an anchor. There is also provided at least one second clip secured 
within an upper portion of the panel such that the anchor-engaging strip 
of the second clip projects beyond a top edge of the back face for mating 
relation with the second flange-receiving groove of an anchor.

While the invention will be described in conjunction with illustrated 
embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the 
invention to such embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover 
all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within 
the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
In the following description, similar features in the drawings have been 
given similar reference numerals. 
Turning to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates an anchor 2 for use in the 
installation of a composite building panel 10, such as mounting to an 
existing wall 12. The panel 10 is preferably of the type described in 
applicant's co-pending Canadian Patent Application Serial No. 2,107,847. 
The anchor 2 is of one-piece construction and comprises a vertically 
upstanding wall mounting face 16 which is presented to the wall 12 in use. 
Secured to and extending outwardly and substantially normal from the wall 
mounting face 16 there is spacer 18. As shown in FIG. 2, the spacer 18 
preferably comprises a pair of vertically spaced parallel faces 20 and 22 
extending normal from the wall mounting face 16 and joined by longitudinal 
face 24. There is thus created a box structure which provides added 
strength and stability to the spacer 18 in use. 
The spacer 18 spaces a first longitudinally extending flange-receiving 
groove 26 remote from the wall mounting face 16, which groove 26 opens in 
a first vertical direction and is substantially parallel to the wall 
mounting face 16. Adjacent the first flange-receiving groove 26 there is a 
second, longitudinally extending flange-receiving groove 28 which opens in 
an opposite vertical direction from the first flange-receiving groove 26. 
The second flange-receiving groove 28 is adjacently deposed to the first 
flange-receiving groove 26 with a common middle wall 30. 
In an aspect of the invention, the wall mounting face 16 includes at least 
one laterally extending rib 32 which provides additional stiffness to the 
wall mounting face 16 in operation. Further, there may also be provided a 
laterally extending groove 34 within the wall mounting face 16. The groove 
34 may be used as a drill guide to assist in orienting a drill bit or 
self-drilling fastener tips (not illustrated) during installation of the 
wall mounting face 16 to the wall 12. 
In another aspect of the invention, at least one clip 36 is secured or 
embedded within the panel 10 for mating engagement with the anchor 2. As 
most clearly illustrated in FIG. 3, the clip 36 comprises three strips 
secured together in a step-like fashion. A first 38 of the strips is 
oriented to be completely embedded within the panel 10, a second 40 of the 
strips is oriented to be partly embedded within the panel 10 is 
perpendicular to the first strip 38 with an extremity 42 extending beyond 
the panel 10. A third 44 of the strips being an anchor-engaging strip is 
perpendicular to the second strip 40 and sits outside the panel 10 with an 
end 45 constructed so as to engage within the first or second groove in 
the anchor. The clip 36 preferably also comprises an upper lip 46 located 
at a top portion 48 of the first strip 38 to provide increased holding 
strength of and stability of the clip 36 within the panel 10. 
With reference to FIG. 4, when embedded within the panel 10, the 
anchor-engaging strip 44 is preferably adjacent with a back face 50 of 
panel 10. The remainder of the clip 36 is preferably embedded within the 
foam 52 of panel 10. 
In another embodiment of the invention, as best illustrated in FIG. 4, 
there is at least one first clip 54 secured or embedded within the panel 
10 at a lower portion 56 thereof. In that configuration, the projection 58 
of anchor-engaging strip 44 of the first clip 54 projects beyond a bottom 
edge 60 of the back face 50 of panel 10. Within an upper portion 62 of 
panel 10, there is secured or embedded at least one second clip 64 such 
that the projection 66 of anchor-engaging strip 44 of the second clip 64 
projects beyond a top edge 68 of the back face 50 of panel 10. 
As most clearly illustrated in FIG. 5, the projection 58 of anchor-engaging 
strip 44 of first clip 54 secured within panel 70 is in mating relation 
with the first flange-receiving groove 26 of anchor 2, as shown at 72. The 
projection 66 of anchor-engaging strip 44 of second clip 64 secured within 
panel 74 is in mating relation with the second flange-receiving groove 28 
of anchor 2, as shown at 76. 
In use, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the anchor 2 creates a vertical spacing 
78 between panel 70 and panel 74. The vertical spacing 78 is typically 
about 0.5 inches in height. It may be filled with a foam rope 80 and/or 
mortar 82 or any other insulating material that provides the necessary 
insulation and water barrier properties. 
The design of the anchor 2 also produces a horizontal spacing 84 between 
the panel 10 and the wall 12. This spacing 84 allows for the necessary 
breathing space between the panel 10 and the wall 12 as well as water 
evacuation and condensation control as required by building codes and 
regulations. 
The method of using anchors 2 to install a plurality of panels 10 is to 
fasten a first anchor 2 at a first position along the wall 12 with a 
plurality of fasteners 86 spaced evenly along the length of the anchor 2. 
A plurality of panels 74 may then be secured to the first anchor means and 
installed in side-by-side relation by placing the first projection 58 of 
anchor-engaging strip 44 in mating relation with the first 
flange-receiving groove 26 of the anchor 2. There is thus created a first 
row of panels. A second anchor 2 is then fastened to the wall 12 by a 
plurality of fasteners 86 such that the second projection 66 of 
anchor-engaging strips 44 of panels 70 of the first row is in mating 
relation with the second flange-receiving groove 28 of the second anchor 
2. A plurality of panels 74 may then be secured to the second anchor 2 and 
secured in place by placing the first projection 58 of anchor-engaging 
strip 44 of panel 74 in mating relation with the first flange-receiving 
groove 26 of the second anchor 2. There is thus created a second row of 
panels. This process is then repeated as required to completely cover the 
building exterior, as desired by the user. Once complete, the vertical 
spacings 78 between the rows of panels may be filled in with the desired 
material. 
Thus, it is apparent that there has been provided in accordance with the 
invention an apparatus and method for use in the installation of a 
composite building panel that fully satisfies the objects, aims and 
advantages set forth above. While the invention has been described in 
conjunction with example embodiments thereof, it is evident that many 
alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those 
skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it 
is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations 
as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the invention.