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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Filed of the Invention  
         [0002]     This invention is directed toward building elements.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Many building elements, such as window sills for example, are presently made from stone or concrete. They are heavy, making handling and installation difficult. Also, they do not always match or complement the finished outer surface of the building on which they are installed. In addition, they can be expensive.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a building element, such as a window sill, that is light in weight and therefore easy to handle and install. It is another purpose of the present invention to provide a building element, such as a window sill, that can be made to have an appearance that matches or complements the finished outer surface of the building on which it is employed, and that is relatively inexpensive to make.  
         [0006]     The building element can be a window sill; or a decorative header or top for a window or a door; a cornice; an architrave; a corbel; a hood molding; or the like. The building element of the invention is usually an element which has more of a decorative function than a structural function in the building although the elements are useful and could provide some structural function.  
         [0007]     In accordance with the present invention there is provided a building element having an outer visible member, defining the shape and appearance of the building element, and an inner support on which the outer member is mounted. The inner support is adapted to be mounted on the building on which the building element is to be used. The inner support and the outer member have cooperating first and second mounting means for easily and quickly locating the outer member in the correct position on the building when it is mounted on the inner support. When the outer member is mounted on the inner support, the inner support is substantially hidden. Both the inner support and outer member are made from thermoplastic material which is molded, extruded or otherwise formed to provide the required shapes. The outer visible surfaces of the inner support and the outer member have a tough, decorative, protective coating. The color of the coating can match or complement the appearance of the outer finished surface of the building. In addition, the outer visible surfaces can textured to provide various surface apearances and can also be formed to imitate stones, bricks or the like.  
         [0008]     The invention is particularly directed toward a building element comprising an inner support and an outer visible member, separate from the inner support, defining the shape and appearance of the building element. The inner support has first mounting means thereon. The outer member has second mounting means thereon and a support recess at its lower back portion for receiving the inner support. The first and second mounting means cooperate to mount the outer member on the inner support when the inner support is mounted on a building to locate the outer member against the building, the support substantially hidden by the outer member. The outer member and preferably the inner support are made from formable plastic material and the visible surfaces of the outer member and the inner support, when mounted on the building, are covered with a decorative protective coating.  
         [0009]     The invention is also particularly directed toward a building element comprising an outer member defining the shape and appearance of the building element, and an inner support. The inner support is attachable to a building wall and has first mounting means thereon. The inner support has top and bottom surfaces, front and back surfaces and end surfaces. The outer member has a support recess at its bottom, back portion for receiving the inner support, and second mounting means within the recess. The outer member also has top and bottom surfaces, front and back surfaces and end surfaces. The first and second mounting means cooperating to mount the outer member on the inner support when the inner support is mounted on a building wall to locate the inner support within the outer member and the outer member against the building wall, the bottom and back surfaces of the inner support and the outer member aligned. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a building element on a building;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a cross-section view of the element taken along line  2 - 2  in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is an exploded, cross-sectional view of the element;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a detail cross-sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is an exploded, cross-section view of a window sill;  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is an exploded, cross-section view of a window sill adapted for use with siding;  
         [0017]      FIG. 8  is back view of the assembled window sill shown in  FIG. 7 ; and  
         [0018]      FIG. 9  is a cross-section view similar to  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0019]     The building element  1 , as shown in FIGS.  1  to  4  has an inner support  3  and an outer visible member  5  which member defines the shape and appearance of the building element  1 . The building element  1  in this embodiment is shown as forming a decorative facing on the top of a window  7  in a building.  
         [0020]     The inner support  3  of the element is elongate and has top and bottom surfaces  9 ,  11 , front and back surfaces  13 ,  15  and end surfaces  17 . The top and bottom surfaces  9 ,  11  are parallel to each other and the front and back surfaces  13 .  15  are parallel to each other and normally transverse to the top and bottom surfaces  9 ,  11 . The front surface  13  can have its top portion cut away to provide a front clearance space  19  if needed. The purpose of the clearance space  19  will be explained later.  
         [0021]     First mounting means  21  are provided on the top surface  9  of the inner support  3  and can comprise a rib  23  extending up from the top surface  9 , the back surface  25  of the rib  23  aligned with the back surface  15  of the inner support  3 . A slot  27  can extend into the inner support  3  from the top surface  9 , the slot adjacent and in front of the rib  23 . The upper surface  29  of the rib  23  can be angled downwardly from its back surface  25  to its front surface  31 . The front surface  31  of the rib  23  is aligned with the back surface  33  of the slot  27 .  
         [0022]     The outer member  5  of the element is an elongated member, slightly longer than the inner support  3 , with top and bottom surfaces  34 ,  35 , front and back surfaces  37 ,  39  and end surfaces  41 . The top and bottom surfaces  34 ,  35  are parallel to each other and the front and back surfaces  37 ,  39  can be parallel to each other and normally transverse to the top and bottom surfaces  34 ,  35 . A drip channel  43  is preferably provided along the bottom surface  35  near the front surface  37 .  
         [0023]     A support recess  45  is provided at the back, bottom corner of the member  5  to receive the inner support  3 . The support recess  45  is as long as the inner support  3  and slightly shorter than outer member  5 , the ends  47  of the recess  45  spaced slightly inwardly from the ends  41  of the outer member  5 . The support recess  45  is defined by a front wall  49  and a top wall  51 , the front wall  49  spaced outwardly from the back surface  39  and the top wall  51  spaced upwardly from the bottom surface  35 .  
         [0024]     The outer member  5  has second mounting means  53  in the form of a rib  55  extending downwardly from the top wall  51  of the recess  45  and a rib receiving space  57  adjacent the rib  55  and extending upwardly from the top wall  51 . The rib receiving space  57  is adjacent the back surface  39  of the member  5  and is defined by an angled top surface  59  extending forwardly and downwardly from the back surface  39  to a vertical front surface  61  that is aligned with the back surface  63  of the rib  55 .  
         [0025]     Both the inner support  3  and the outer member  5  are molded from a suitable polystyrene or like material. The bottom surface  11  of the inner support  3  can be provided with a thick coating  67  of reinforced stucco-like material providing a hard, protective, decorative, finish to the bottom of the inner support. Similarly, the top, bottom, front and end surfaces of the outer member  5  can be provided with a thick coating  69  of reinforced stucco-like material, the material being the same as the material in the protective coating  67  on the inner support. The coatings  67 ,  69  can be made from a settable, cement-plastic material mixture, applied in two layers  71 ,  73  with a reinforcing mesh  75  laid over the first layer  71  and then covered with the second layer  73  as shown in  FIG. 5 . The stucco-like material is well known. The coatings  67 ,  69 , when applied, can be grooved to simulate blocks, bricks, stones or the like if desired and their outer surface can be textured or otherwise treated to provide the required surface finish. The coatings can be coloured as required.  
         [0026]     The building element  1  is mounted in place by first mounting the inner support  3  on the outer surface of the framing wall  79  of a building. The inner support  3  is mounted just above the window  7 , centered with respect to it, with fasteners such as nails  81  driven into the wall  79  through the support  3  from its front surface. The back surface  15  of the support abuts the wall  79  as does the rib  23 . The outer member  5  is then placed above the inner support  3 , with its back surface  39  abutting the wall  79  and with the inner support  3  aligned with the recess  45 , and slide down the wall to locate the inner support  3  within the recess  45  and thus within the outer member  5 . When properly mounted, the inner support  3  is fully within the recess  45  with its bottom surface  11  level with the bottom surface  35  of the outer member  5  and closing the recess  45 .  
         [0027]     Some adhesive can be applied to the slots  27 ,  57  and to the ribs  23 ,  55  to interlock the outer member  5  with the inner support  3 . The fastener clearance  19  on the front of the inner support  3  provides room for the heads of the fasteners  81  so the heads do not interfere with the assembly of the element. The relatively small, lightweight, inner support  3  is easy to mount in the correct position on the building and once mounted, assembly of the outer member  5  thereon, in the correct position relative to the building, is also easy.  
         [0028]     The building element  1  described above is used to provide a decorative facing over a window or a door in a building. The building element can take other forms. For example, the building element can be in the form of a window sill  101  for windows. In this form, the outer member has the shape of a window sill member  105  as shown in  FIG. 6 , and is mounted on the inner support  3  which is mounted just below a window opening  107  in a building wall  109 . The sill member  105  can have a top surface  111  with a horizontal top rear portion  113  and a slightly downwardly extending top front portion  115 . the front surface  117  can be angled inwardly in moving upwardly from the bottom surface. The other elements of the sill member  105  are the same as the outer member  5 . The shape of the sill member  105 , as seen in cross-section, is a squat and wide sill shape as compared to the more narrow, taller facing shown by the outer member  5 . The sill member  105  is mounted on the inner support  3  in the same manner as the outer member  5  was mounted, the inner support  3  being fastened to the outer surface of the building wall  109  just below a window opening  107  to locate the sill member  105  in a proper position relative to a window (not shown) in the window opening  107 .  
         [0029]     If the window sill  101  is used on a building that is to be covered with siding, the window sill  101  can be modified to accommodate the siding. As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the bottom inner corner of both the inner support  3 ′ and the sill member  105 ′ of the window sill  101 ′ can be cut away to form a siding recess  121 . The siding recess  121  extends across the width of sill member  105 ′ and comprises a siding recess section  123  extending right across the bottom inner corner of the inner support  3 ′, and a siding recess section  125  on each side of the support recess  45 ′ in the sill member  105 ′ in its bottom inner corner on each side of the recess. The siding recess sections  125  on each side of the support recess  45 ′ are aligned with the siding recess section  123  on the inner support  3 ′ and form extensions of it to provide the siding recess  121  that extends right across the width of the assembled window sill  101 ′. All three recess sections  123 ,  125  are defined by a vertical front wall  127  and a horizontal top wall  129 . The top wall  129  is just slightly wider than the width ‘w’ of a siding member  131 .  
         [0030]     The siding can be installed first on the wall and the siding member  131  adjacent the window opening  107 ′ can be cut to fit in the siding recess  121  on the window sill  101 ′ to present a finished appearance. The window sill  101 ′ can be installed after the siding member  131  adjacent the bottom of the window is installed, the inner support  3 ′ nailed to the wall with a top portion  133  of the siding member  131  within the siding recess section  123 . The window sill member  105 ′ is then mounted on the inner support  3 ′ with its end recess sections  125  also receiving the top portion  133  of the siding member  131 .  
         [0031]     The window sill member  105 ′ can be attached to the siding member  131  with fasteners  137  if desired. In this case, the inner support  3 ′ can be provided with a top clearance space  139  on its top surface  9 ′. The clearance space  139  is provided using a rib  141  on the top front portion of the top surface  9 ′. The rib  141  spaces the top wall  51 ′ of the siding recess  45 ′ from the top surface  9 ′ of the inner support to provide clearance for the fastener heads of the fasteners  137  driven through the siding support  3 ′ into the siding member  131 .  
         [0032]     One form of mounting means  21 ,  45  for mounting the outer member on the inner support has been described. The mounting means can take other forms as well. For example, as shown in  FIG. 9  the first mounting means  21 ′ on the inner support  3 ″ can be in the form of two spaced-apart bottom ribs  151 ,  153  extending upwardly from the rear portion of the top surface  9 ″. The back rib  153  has its back surface  155  aligned with the back surface  15 ″ of the support and has its top surface  157  angled downwardly and forwardly from the back surface  155 . A bottom slot  159  is formed between the ribs  151 ,  153 . The second mounting means  45 ′ on the outer member  5 ″ can comprise two spaced apart top slots  161 ,  163  extending up from the top wall  51 ″ of the support recess  45 ″ to receive the two bottom ribs  151 ,  153 , the outer slot  163  open on its inner side and having an angled top wall  164  to receive the top  157  of the outer rib  153 . The two top slots  161 ,  163  define a top rib  165  for extending into the bottom slot  159 . The additional slot and rib provide a more positive connection between the outer member  5 ″ and the inner support  3 ″. Other configurations to mount the outer member on the inner support can be employed. The only criteria is to have the first and second mounting means locate the back surface of both the inner support and the outer member flush against the building wall, and the bottom surface of the outer member aligned with the bottom surface of the inner support.  
         [0033]     The building element has being described above as a facing for the top of a window or door or as a window sill. It can be made into any decorative building element used in building construction such as a cornice, a corbel, door and/or window moldings, and the like. The building element is made in two parts, the outer member, which serves a decorative purpose, and the inner support. The inner support, being attached first to the building, serves to locate and mount the outer member in the correct position on a building.  
         [0034]     It will be seen that the building element is lightweight, making it easily handled and easily mounted; can be easily decorated to match or complement the rest of the finished building; and is relatively inexpensive being primarily made from moldable plastic material.  
         [0035]     It is preferred to manufacture the inner supports  3 ,  3 ′ in extended lengths and then cutting sections off to the length needed for the particular application being assembled. It is also preferred to manufacture the outer members  5 ,  105 ,  105 ′ in extended lengths. The outer members are then cut to the size needed by cutting a central section out of the member to leave the two outer parts, when joined together, forming a member of the required length. Both the inner supports and outer members are made off site.  
         [0036]     The inner support has been described, in the examples shown, as being from moldable plastic material. In some instances, the inner support can be made from suitable metallic material such as aluminum. The inner support can be formed by cutting a section off a long length of extruded metallic material.

Summary:
A building element for attachment to a building to provide a mainly decorative effect. The building element has an outer member defining the shape and appearance of the building element and a separate inner support. The inner support is attachable to a building wall and has first mounts thereon. The outer member has a support recess at its bottom, back portion for receiving the inner support, and second mounts within the recess. The first and second mounts cooperating to mount the outer member on the inner support when the inner support is mounted on a building wall to locate the outer member against the building wall.