Method for the production of cladding elements

Abstract: For the production of roofing tiles or outside wall cladding elements a hardenable plastic mass is fed into a continous row of moulds (8), during which the material feed (9-12), and the row of moulds (8) move continuously or badge-wise relative to each other, viewed in the lengthwise direction of the row. The mass lying in and on the moulds is leveled off in such a way that the upper face of the mass is an extrusion face and the elements are hardened. In order to be able to form a watertight clad surface by the elements without visible overlapping shoulders the shape of the bottom of the elements to be formed is determined by the extrusion face while in the bottom face an overlap wing for the transverse overlap of the elements if formed, and the top face (1) of the ready cladding elements to be formed is formed in such a way on the bottom face of the moulds (8) that in the top face a first shoulder (6) forming the division between the visible face (1) of the elements and an overlap (2) for the lengthwise overlap of the elements is produced, and a second shoulder forming the division between the visible face (1) and an overlap wing (3) for the transverse overlap of the elements is produced.

Description: The invention relates to a method for the production of cladding elements, in particular roofing tiles or outside wall cladding elements, made from a hardenable plastic mass, comprising: feeding the plastic mass into a continuous row of moulds, during which the material feed and the row of moulds move continuously or batchwise relative to each other, viewed in the lengthwise direction of the row; levelling off the mass lying in and on the moulds in such a way that the upper face of the mass is an extrusion face; and hardening the elements. Such a method is disclosed in US-A-2531574. The advantage of it is that with relatively great production capacity a large stream of cladding elements can be produced. The bottom face of the elements in the known method is formed by the bottom of the moulds and the top face of the elements is an extrusion face. The ready elements will overlap each other on a sloping roof or on an outside wall in such a way that a shoulder is visible at the position of the overlap. In the building trade a need has become apparent for tiles and outside wall cladding elements which can form a watertight clad surface by means of overlap wings without said overlapping shoulders being visible. In particular, in the case of roofs formed from tiles with a flat visible face, the absence of overlapping shoulders produces an aesthetic advantage. The object of the invention is to provide a method of the type mentioned in the preamble by means of which cladding elements which can form a watertight clad surface without visible overlapping shoulders are produced. According to the invention, the method is characterized in that the bottom face of the ready cladding elements to be formed is determined as said extrusion face, while in said bottom face an overlap wing for the transverse overlap of the elements is formed; the top face of the ready cladding elements to be formed is formed in such a way on the bottom face of the moulds that in said top face a first shoulder forming the division between the visible face of the elements and an overlap wing for the lengthwise overlap of the elements is produced, and a second shoulder forming the division between the visible face and an overlap wing for the transverse overlap of the elements is produced. Apart from a large production capacity of the elements which can form a shoulderless external surface, the method has the advantage that the visible face of the elements can be made of any conceivable shape, a flat face often being preferable. As the upper face of the elements is determined by the moulds, the invention gives the possibility to cover the bottom of each mould by a plate of plastics material, stainless steel or ceramic material before the plastic mass is fed into the mould, said plate becoming attached to said mass. An other possiblity is that the bottom face of each mould is provided with a pattern of ribs and/or grooves. The invention will now be explained in greater detail with reference to the figures. Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the top side of the cladding elements obtained by the method according to the invention. Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the bottom side of the element according to Figure 1. Figure 3 shows a cross-section through two cladding elements connecting to each other. Figure 4 shows a cross-section through a part of a sloping roof clad with roofing tiles according to the invention. Figure 5 shows a schematic view of the production process in cross-section. Figure 6 shows a number of possible top views of the cladding elements according to the invention. The cladding elements shown in Figures 1 to 4 for a roof or outside wall have at the top side (see Figure 1) a visible face 1 (which is the face remaining visible after fitting of the elements), an overlap wing 2 for the lengthwise overlap and an overlap wing 3 for the transverse overlap. At the bottom side (see Figure 2) an overlap wing 5 adjoins the bottom face 4 for the transverse overlap. Figure 3 shows how two elements overlap each other in the lengthwise direction: the bottom edge 1a of the next element rests on the overlap wing 2, the thickness (p) of said bottom edge 1a corresponding essentially to the height (q) of a shoulder 6 forming the division between the visible face 1 and the overlap wing 2. The thickness (s) of an element at the position of the shoulder 6 is greater than the thickness (p) of the bottom edge. As can be seen from Figures 3 and 4, the visible faces of the elements lying one above the other can form a shoulderless flat face. A wing 3 of the elements following one another in the transverse direction always rests in such a way on a wing 5 that said flat face is not interrupted by a shoulder or projection. Figure 5 shows that a plastic mass is placed on a row of moulds 8, moving continuously or batchwise in the direction of the arrow, by a feed device which is known per se, and which comprises a supply tank 9, a rotary distribution and pressure impeller wheel 10, a scraper 11, and a rotary shut-off roller 12 placed between the scraper 11 and the tank 9. It is essential for the invention that the top face of the ready elements, which is the face shown in Figure 1, is formed on the bottom of the moulds 8, while the bottom face of the ready elements shown in Figure 2 is an extrusion face determined by the shape of the edge of the scraper 11. The mass deposited on the row of moulds is divided into pieces by knives 15, the length of which pieces corresponds to that of the moulds 8. Finally, the elements formed are given the opportunity to set. If the plastic material is made of concrete material, the setting takes place by itself. In the case of a ceramic mass the elements will be dried and baked in an oven. A hardenable plastic material is also one of the possibilities. A fixing hole 13 can be provided in the elements. The overlap wings 2, 3 and 5 can be provided with channels 14 or corrugations which can improve the drainage of any leaking water. It is important that the visible face of the cladding elements can be made of any desired shape and that, despite that, the elements can be produced in a continuous process with great production capacity. By making the height (q) of the shoulder 6 approximately equal to the thickness (p) of the bottom edge of the elements, it is possible to obtain a roofing or outside wall cladding without visible overlapping edges. It is possible to dispense with the use of battens and tile laths on the roof boarding of a sloping roof. Various variants of the shape of the cladding elements and of the production are possible within the scope of the main claim. To give the upper face of the tiles or cladding elements a special appearance, the bottom of each mould could be covered by a plate of plastics material, stainless steel or ceramic material before the plastic mass is fed into the mould. The plate will adhere to or becomes attached to the mass. To give the upper face of the elements an attractive appearance it could also be possible to provide the bottom face of each mould with a pattern of ribs and/or grooves.

Claims: Method for the production of cladding elements, in particular roofing tiles or outside wall cladding elements, made from a hardenable plastic mass, comprising: feeding the plastic mass into a continuous row of moulds (8), during which the material feed (9 to 12) and the row of moulds (8) move continuously or batchwise relative to each other, viewed in the lengthwise direction of the row; levelling off the mass lying in and on the moulds in such a way that the upper face of the mass is an extrusion face; and hardening the elements, characterized in that the shape of the bottom face (4) of the ready cladding elements to be formed is determined by said extrusion face, while in said bottom face an overlap wing (5) for the transverse overlap of the elements is formed; and in that the top face (1) of the ready cladding elements to be formed is formed in such a way on the bottom face of the moulds (8) that in said top face a first shoulder (6) forming the division between the visible face (1) of the elements and an overlap (2) for the lengthwise overlap of the elements is produced, and a second shoulder forming the division between the visible face (1) and an overlap wing (3) for the transverse overlap of the elements is produced. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the above-mentioned first shoulder (6) is of a height (p) corresponding essentially to the thickness (q) of the edge (1a) of the elements lying opposite said shoulder - viewed over the visible face, in that the thickness (s) of the elements at the position of said first shoulder (6) is greater than the thickness (q) of the elements at the above-mentioned edge (1a) of the elements lying opposite the shoulder, and in that, viewed from the top, the shape of the above-mentioned first shoulder (6) corresponds essentially to the shape of the above-mentioned edge (1a) of the elements lying opposite said shoulder. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the bottom of each mould is covered by a plate of plastics material, stainless steel or ceramic material before the plastic masss is fed into the moulds, said plate becoming attached to said mass. Method according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the bottom face of each mould is provided with a pattern of ribs and/or grooves.

Inventors: MONOD DE FROIDEVILLE JEAN ADRI, SORBER ARNEST CHRISTIAAN DESIR, VAN DEN BERG JAN LAURENS, MONOD DE FROIDEVILLE, JEAN ADRIEN, SORBER, ARNEST CHRISTIAAN DESIRE, VAN DEN BERG, JAN LAURENS, Sorber, Arnest Christiaan Desiré
Applicants: RBB DAKPANNEN BV, RBB DAKPANNEN B.V.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: B28B1
IPC codes: B28B1, B28B19, B28B5