PROCESS FOR MAKING CURVED WALLS STARTING WITH A FLAT PREFABRICATED PANEL FORMED FROM THREE-DIMENSIONAL METAL SCREEN WITH FOAMED PLASTIC FILLING

Abstract: A flat prefabricated panel formed from a three-dimensional metal screen (1) and from a reference layer of foamed plastic (2) is converted into a curved panel suitable for the formation of a curved wall by cutting said screen along parallel lines (7) on one face of the panel, utilizing said cut line (7) to incurvate the panel to make the opposite face thereof concave and finally restoring the integrity of the screen on said face of the panel by means of reticular connecting strips (8) applied along said cutting lines (7).

Description: The present invention relates to a process for making curved walls starting from a flat prefabricated panel formed by a three-dimentional metal grid with foamed plastic filling. Prefabricated building panels comprising a three-dimentional metal grid partially filled with an interior layer of foamed plastic material are known (cf US-A-3 879 908). Due to the effect of the abovesaid structure said panels are essentially flat and, at least in appearance, do not lend themselves to making a curved wall. AU-B-16259/76 discloses a process for making curved walls starting from flat panels formed by two sheets of paper and an intermediate filler. The object of the present invention is to provide a process for making curved walls starting from a grid-like panel of the abovesaid type. In accordance with the invention said object is achieved by a process as defined in claim 1. In a very simple and rapid manner an essentially flat panel is thus converted into a curved panel suitable for making curved walls. For better understanding of the invention reference will be made to the annexed drawings wherein: FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a piece of flat prefabricated panel which the process in accordance with the invention converts into a curved panel, FIG. 2 shows a cross section of said panel along the line II-II of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 shows the front elevation of the panel of FIGS. 1 and 2 with one face thereof cut along vertical parallel lines, FIG. 4 shows a top view of the panel in the same condition, FIG. 5 shows an enlarged view of a detail of the panel of FIG. 4, FIG. 6 shows the curved panel with the integrity of the convex face restored by application of reticular connecting strips, and FIG. 7 shows the front elevation of said connecting strips. FIGS. 1 and 2 show a flat prefabricated building panel consisting of a three-dimensional metal screen partially filled with a flat layer 2 of foamed plastic such as, for example, polyurethane foam. The three-dimensional screen 1 is in reality formed from two parallel flat nets with perpendicular rows of wires 3 and 4 joined together by cross-pieces 5 and 6 alternately inclined first in one direction and then in the opposite direction as may be seen in FIG. 2. The structure of this screen and in general of the entire panel is known in itself and will therefore not be explained further. To convert the flat panel shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 into a curved panel suitable for making curved walls the horizontal wires of one of the two parallel nets are cut along parallel vertical lines shown schematically and indicated with reference number 7 in the front elevation of FIG. 3. The same reference number indicates in the top view of FIGS. 4 and 5 the cuts made in the horizontal wires 3. It thus becomes possible to bend the panel in such a manner as to make the face having the cuts 7 convex and the opposite face concave. This is clearly allowed by the cuts made in the flat net in combination with the deformability of the uncut flat net and the filling layer 2. In this manner there is obtained the curved panel shown in FIG. 6, the integrity of the face of which is restored by using over each cut line 7 a reticular connecting strip 8 of the type shown in FIG. 7, i.e. formed of vertical wires 9 connected by oblique cross-pieces 10. The strips 8 are appropriately connected, e.g. by welding, to the perpendicular wires 3 and 4 of the cut net to obtain the finished curved panel shown in FIG. 6.

Claims: Process for making curved walls starting from a prefabricated panel formed by a three-dimentional grid (1) of metal wires (3,4) with a foamed plastic intermediate filling (2), said grid having net-like parallel faces and transverse connecting wire lengths, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: a) cutting the metal wires(3,4) along parallel lines at one face of the grid; b) curving the grid around an axis parallel to the cutting lines to make the opposite face of the grid (1) concave and form gaps (7) said cutting lines of said one face; c) attaching net-like flat connecting strips (8) over said gaps to restore the integrity of the metal wires at said one face. Curved-wall panel comprising a three-dimentional grid (1)of metal wires (3,4)having one face formed by a concave metal wire net, an opposite face formed by a convex metal wire net, oblique metal wire cross-pieces connecting said nets,and a foamed plastic intermediate filling included in said grid characterised in that said convex net is cut so as to provide gaps (7) along lines parallel to the axis of curvature of said convex net and net-like flat connecting strips(8) are attached over said gaps.

Inventors: ROZZI, COSTANTINO
Applicants: R.E.IN. S.P.A.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: E04C2
IPC codes: E04C2, B21F27