Patent Publication Number: US-7587871-B2

Title: Simulated hand laid brick and mortar wall covering

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to wall and roof coverings primarily intended for outdoor usage, and more particularly, to wall coverings comprised of relatively large panels which each are molded or otherwise formed with a brick and mortar pattern characteristic of a conventional hand-laid brick wall. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Various synthetic roof and wall coverings are known today, such as those formed of elongated thermoplastic wall panels that are nailed or screwed to a wall or support surface in horizontal courses or rows in partially overlapping relation to each other so as to provide a substantially water resistant, protective layer over the support surface. Such panels, which usually are identically molded, commonly are formed with a plurality of horizontal rows of simulated building elements, such as brick, shake shingles, tile and the like. Since the panels are identically molded, a panel-to-panel identity can be easily noticed if the panels are not carefully installed, which can be tedious and time consuming. 
   Concealing the panel-to-panel identity of panels formed with brick and mortar patterns has been particularly difficult since the exposed faces of the brick of adjacent panels must be substantially in the same plane. Because lower marginal edge region of one panel typically is mounted in partially overlapping relation to the upper marginal edge region of a panel in an underlying row or course, there commonly is a step down in the mortar line from the top panel to the lower panel and to maintain the coplanar relation of the exposed faces of simulated brick, the simulated brick in the top row of the underlying panel has a greater exposed depth from the mortar line, as compared to the bricks of the other rows on the panel. While the additional thickness or depth of the upper row of brick can itself detract from the esthetic appearance of the wall installation, under certain lighting conditions, a dark shadow line also can occur between adjacent rows of brick on the top and bottom panels that does not exist between other rows of brick on the panel, further accentuating the line of demarcation between the panels and detracting from the natural appearance of the simulated brick wall. Temperature expansion and contraction of the panels can further increase the juncture line between the brick and mortar of adjacent top and bottom panels. 
   OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a wall covering comprised of panels formed with simulated hand-laid brick and mortar designs that can be installed with a more esthetic and natural appearance. 
   Another object is to provide a wall covering as characterized above in which the exposed faces of both the simulated brick and the mortar lines of adjacent panels are in substantially coplanar relation to each other, typical of a natural hand-laid brick and mortar wall. 
   A further object is to provide a wall covering of the above kind in which the juncture between the brick and mortar of a bottom row of brick of one panel and the top row of brick of an overlying panel is substantially unnoticeable. 
   Yet another object is to provide a wall covering of the foregoing type in which temperature expansion and contraction of the panels does not materially detract from the esthetic appearance of the juncture between the rows of simulated brick and mortar of one panel and an underlying panel. 
   Still another object is to provide a wall panel for use in a wall covering of the foregoing type which lends itself to efficient insulation. 
   Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings, in which: 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of a wall covering having panels formed with a hand-laid brick and mortar design in accordance with the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective of partially overlapping top and bottom panels in two of the courses of the illustrated wall covering; 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged perspective of the mating horizontal junction between the illustrated panels, taken and the encircled area of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a vertical section of the illustrated wall covering, taken in the plane of line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged fragmentary section of the junction between the partially overlapping panels, taken in the encircled area of  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 5A  is an enlarged fragmentary section, taken in the plane of line  5 A- 5 A in  FIG. 1 , depicting the junction between mortar line of adjacent top and bottom panels; 
       FIGS. 6 and 7  is a depiction of the installation of the panel of an upper row onto the upper marginal edge region of a lower previously installed panel of a lower row; 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective of an underside of the illustrated wall covering; 
       FIG. 9  is a fragmentary section of adjacent panels in the same row or course prior to side-by-side inter-engaging mounting with each other, taken in the plane of line  9 - 9  in  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIG. 10  is a fragmentary section, similar to  FIG. 9 , showing the panels in mounted inter-engaging relation with each other; 
   

   While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, a certain illustrated embodiment thereof has been shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown an illustrative wall covering  10  comprising a plurality of panels  11  in accordance with the invention. The panels  11 , which preferably are molded of thermoplastic material, are formed with a simulated brick and mortar design, typical of hand-laid bricks. Simulated bricks  12  in this case are disposed in a plurality of parallel horizontal rows  12   a - 12   f  with the bricks  12  each being isolated from each other by lines of mortar  14 . The bricks  12  protrude outwardly of the mortar lines  14 , typical of hand-laid brick, with outer exposed faces  15  of the bricks being in substantially the same plane. It will be understood that the panels could be formed with other brick arrangements or with other forms of simulated building elements. 
   Each panel  11  has an upper horizontal marginal edge region  18  having a substantially uniform width extending across the top of the panel immediately above the top row  12   a  of brick  12 , a lower marginal edge region  19  which defines a lower peripheral edge of the panel, a side marginal edge region  20  located to the right-hand side of the last simulated brick  12  in each row  12   a - 12   f , and a left side marginal edge region  21  on the opposite side of the panel  11 . The panels  11  are mounted on a support surface  22 , which may be a wall of a house or other building structure, in horizontal courses with the right-side marginal edge region  20  in underlying relation to the left-side marginal edge region  21  of the panel immediately to the right thereof and with the lower marginal edge region  19  of the panels in each course overlying the upper marginal edge region  18  of the panel in a previously installed course immediately below. 
   To enable mounting of the panels  11  in side-by-side relation with the junctures between adjacent panels less noticeable to the eye, the alternate rows of brick  12  of each panel  11  extend in offset relation to each other so as to define staggered left and right-hand sides of the panel. In the illustrated embodiment, the left side marginal edge region  21  is defined by a flange that is an extension of the mortar  14 , which proceeds in serpentine fashion about the first bricks  12  of each row  12   a - 12   f . The right side marginal edge region  20  is defined by a vertically oriented, elongated flange  24  supported in spaced relation below the protruding bricks  12  of the alternative rows  12   b ,  12   d ,  12   f.    
   The panels  11  typically are mounted beginning with the left-hand panel of the lowermost course to be installed on the wall or roof, as is known in the art. Upon completion of the first course, the second course is installed, immediately above the first course, again starting from the left-hand side. As also is known in the art, the left-hand marginal edge region of the first panel of each row is cut square with the left side starting edge of the support surface. In the following description, when discussing the interaction of panels disposed in vertically displaced courses, the upper panel will be designated with the reference “ 11   b ” and lower or previously mounted panel will be designated with the reference “ 11   a ” ( FIG. 4 ). This convention is employed in order to clarify the relative positions and order of installation of the subject panels. It will be understood, of course, that despite this nomenclature, the individual panels are substantially identical, and the distinguishing nomenclature is used only to designate positional, not structural, differences. 
   For securing the panels  11  to the support surface  22 , the upper marginal edge region  18  of each panel  11  has a mounting flange  31  parallel to the support surface  22  upon which the panel is mounted formed with a row of elongated laterally spaced nailing apertures  25 . In order to provide firm support for the mounting flange  31  on the wall during nailing and for establishing a seal between the rear side of the panel  11  and the support surface  22 , the upper marginal edge region  18  in this instance is formed with a pair of rearwardly extending horizontal sealing flanges  26  which extend substantially the length of the upper marginal edge region  18  on top and bottom sides of the nailing apertures  25  ( FIG. 3 ). 
   For mounting the next panel  11  in the course, the left side marginal edge region  21  of the panel, defined by the serpentine configured flange, is positioned into mounting slots  27  ( FIG. 9 ) defined between the right side marginal edge region flange  24  and the underside of the last bricks  12  of each row. To facilitate predetermined side positioning of the panel  11  into proper interlocking relation with the previously mounted panel, locator pins  28  are provided on the underside of the left marginal edge regions  21  of each panel which abut the right side marginal edge region panel  24 . When properly positioned, the upper marginal edge region  18  is nailed to the mounting surface as described above. 
   In order to positively interlock the overlapping lower marginal edge region  19  of a panel  11   b  with an upper marginal edge region  18  of a previously mounted panel  11   a  when installing the next course of panels, each panel  11  is formed with a plurality of laterally spaced rearwardly and downwardly directed interlock flanges  30  on the underside of the lower marginal edge region  19  of the panel  11  ( FIGS. 5-7 ), which are engageable with the upper marginal edge region mounting flange  31  of the previously mounted panel  11  a supported in elevated parallel relation to the wall surface  22  by the horizontal sealing flanges  26 . For locating the upper panel  11   b  in predetermined overlying relation to the previously mounted panel  11   a  while permitting thermal expansion and contraction of the panels in a vertical direction, frangible locating pins  33  extend rearwardly from the lower marginal edge region  19  which are positionable into abutting relation to the upper perimeter of the upper marginal edge region mounting flange  31 . 
   In accordance with the invention, the mortar lines of adjacent top and bottom panels adjoin each other in coplanar closely adjacent relation such that the simulated brick of each row of the panels has a substantially uniform depth for a more natural and aesthetic appearance. To this end, in the illustrated embodiment, the mounting flange  31  of the upper marginal edge region  18  is disposed in recessed relation to the plane of the mortar lines  14 , being supported by a tapered wall  34  that extends inwardly and upwardly have a horizontal mortar line  14   h  adjacent the top row  12   a  of brick  12  and the mounting flange  31 . The tapered wall  34  in this case extends at an angle of about 45° to the vertical and has an exposed surface that defines an angled seating surface  35  for the lower marginal edge region  19  of the overlying panel  11   b . The mortar line  14   h  adjacent the top row  12   a  of simulated brick  12  has a width “w” corresponding with the width of the mortar lines  14  separating the other bricks of the panel, with the upper peripheral edge thereof being defined by the line of intersection of the angled planes of the seating surface  35  and mortar line  14   h.    
   In carrying out the invention, the lower marginal edge region  19  of the overlying panel  11   b  is formed with a tapered seating surface  38  ( FIG. 7 ) adapted for mating engagement with the tapered seating surface  35  of the upper marginal edge region  18  of the underlying panel  11   a . The lower marginal edge region  19  in this case is defined by the lower edge of the overlying panel, which in turn is defined by the depending sides  39  of the bricks  12  of the bottom row  12   f  of the panel and vertical mortar lines  14   v  between the brick  12  and bottom row  12   f . The tapered seating surface  38  of the lower marginal edge region  19  intersects the sides  39  of the brick  12  and the upper surfaces of the vertical mortar lines  14   v  in a straight line at the base of the brick  12  with the mortar lines  14   h  such that the distance “d” between the line of intersection and outer exposed faces of the brick corresponds to the depth “d” of the other brick of the panel. 
   In further keeping with the invention, as an incident to mounting of the upper panel  11   b  into interlocking relation with the upper marginal edge region  18  of the previously mounted panel  11   a , the tapered seating surface  38  of the lower marginal edge region  19  is positioned into adjacent seated relation with the tapered seating surface  35  of the underlying upper marginal edge region  18 . The interlock flanges  30  and frangible pins  33  of the lower marginal edge region  19  are designed to guide the seating surface  38  of the upper panel  11   b , into seating relation with the tapered seating surface  35  of the underlying panel  11   a , with the vertical mortar lines  14   v  of the overlying panel  11   b  in adjacent parallel relation to the upper horizontal mortar line  14   h  of the underlying panel  11   a . Such positioning automatically locates the mortar lines  14   v  of the upper panel in adjacent coplanar relation with the upper mortar line  14   h  of the underlying panel with no more than a very fine, and substantially unnoticeable line, separating the brick and mortar design of the mating panels. Moreover, since the mortar lines  14   v  and  14   h  of the top and bottom panels  11   b  ,  11   a  are coplanar, the simulated brick  12  of both panels extend substantially the same depth “d” from the mortar, consistent with conventional hand-laid brick walls. Hence, both the mortar lines  14   v  and  14   h  of adjacent panels  11   b ,  11   a  and the outer exposed faces of the protruding brick  12  are disposed in respective common planes, which contributes to the natural and aesthetic appearance of the wall. Since the bricks  12  all protrude a uniform distance from the mortar lines  14 , there is no noticeable line of demarcation between the panels, nor possibility for excessive shadowing at the line of juncture, such as in the prior art. Moreover, since the seating surfaces  35 ,  38  are tapered, the lower marginal edge region  19  of the overlying panel  11   b  can move slightly along the underlying tapered seating surface  35  due to temperature expansion and contraction of the panels, without materially detracting from the aesthetic appearance of the junction. 
   From the foregoing, it can be seen that a wall covering is provided that comprises panels formed with a simulated hand-laid brick and mortar design adapted for installation on a wall with a more aesthetic and natural appearance. Both the exposed faces of the simulated brick and the mortar lines adjacent the brick are in substantially coplanar relation with each other, typical of hand-laid brick and mortar walls. The junction between mating panels is substantially unnoticeable and the uniformity of the brick and mortar design does not incur shadowing between panels, typical of the prior art. The panels, furthermore, lend themselves to efficient installation and permit temperature expansion and contraction without materially detracting from the aesthetic appearance of the wall covering.