Source: http://www.patentgenius.com/patent/8257525.html
Timestamp: 2018-09-19 17:01:37
Document Index: 382873586

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 03804657', 'Application No. 2004128450', 'art 116', 'art 116', 'art 116', 'art 117', 'art 117', 'art 116', 'Application No. 482']

Production method for hydraulic binder-based, tapered-edge boards - Patent # 8257525 - PatentGenius
8257525 Production method for hydraulic binder-based, tapered-edge boards
Inventor: Jallon, et al.
Application: 12/538,996
Inventors: Jallon; Paul (Bordeaux, FR)
Laurent; Jean-Louis (Bayas, FR)
Peronnet; Frederic (Montussan, FR)
Arese; Roger (L'Isle sur la Sorgue, FR)
Zbinden; Lionel (L'Isle sur la Sorgue, FR)
Vial; Emmanuel (Nimes, FR)
Martin; Loic (Le Thor, FR)
Assignee: Lafarge Platres (Avignon Cedex, FR)
U.S. Class: 156/39; 156/220; 156/510
Field Of Search: 156/39; 156/220; 156/510
International Class: B29C 65/00; B32B 13/00; B32B 37/00; B32B 38/04; B32B 38/10; B44C 3/08; B44C 5/04
Foreign Patent Documents: 1 204 279; 2147118; 1804-98; 872 025; 2 325 158; 36 34 533; 42 09 594; 0 482 810; 1 143 084; 1 338 393; 1 361 030; 2 448 422; 429084; 429379; 429380; 451389; 2 050 917; 2 221 181; 53-51227; 2000-288979; 285113; 787173; 1476505; WO 94/27001; WO 02/068197; WO 03/072326; WO 03/084724; WO 03/092976; WO 2004/007162; WO 2004/009309; WO 2004/030879
Other References: Form PCT/ISA/210 (International Search Report) of PCT/FR2004/001265 dated Mar. 14, 2005 (with English translation of category of citeddocuments). cited by other.
Form PCT/ISA/237 (International Preliminary Report of the Searching Authority) of PCT/FR2004/001265 dated Mar. 14, 2005. cited by other.
Translation of the International Preliminary Report on Patentability, PCT/FR2004/001265, May 15, 2006. cited by other.
Chinese Office Action (English translation only) of Application No. 03804657.1, Mar. 26, 2007. cited by other.
European Search Report of EP 04 02 7078 dated Dec. 5, 2006 (with English translation of category of cited documents). cited by other.
Russian Federation Office Action of Application No. 2004128450 dated Feb. 25, 2003 (English translation only). cited by other.
Abstract: The subject of the invention is a novel plasterboard and its manufacturing processes. The novel board comprises, on one side, two first parallel feathered edges and, on the other side, two other, second, parallel feathered edges that are perpendicular to the first ones; or, on one side, two first parallel feathered edges and, either on the same side or on the other side, two second parallel feathered edges that are perpendicular to the first ones, the said other parallel feathered edges having a width of between 100 and 200 mm; or, on one side, two first parallel feathered edges and, either on the same side or on the other side, two second parallel feathered edges that are perpendicular to the first ones, the said second parallel feathered edges having a width such that the ratio of the width of the said second parallel feathered edges to the width of the said first parallel feathered edges is between 1.5 and 5.
1. A process for manufacturing a hydraulic-binder-based board from a preform intended to be cut, comprising: 1) a hydraulic binder composition is poured onto a facingmaterial supported by a conveyor belt, which comprises at least two forming tapes fitted with longitudinal tapes, the composition being covered with a second facing material so as to obtain a preform, and then an impression is made in the preform beforethe first forming tape; 2) the hydraulic binder composition is left to partly set on at least one forming tape; 3) a lath is introduced under the partially-set preform opposite the point or at the point where the impression has been made; and 4) thepreform is cut at the impression created by the lath.
2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the setting in step 2, corresponds to between 5 and 30% hydration.
3. A process according to claim 1, wherein the lath is introduced after the first forming tape.
4. A process according to claim 1, wherein the impression is made in an upper part of the preform and the lath is introduced opposite the point where the impression has been made, so as to form transverse edges on the same side as thelongitudinal edges formed by the longitudinal tapes.
5. A process according to claim 1, wherein the lath is removed after complete hydraulic setting.
6. A process according to claim 1, wherein the lath is removed before complete hydraulic setting.
7. A process according to claim 6, wherein the lath is introduced during a period corresponding to 0.5 to 5% hydration.
8. The process according to claim 1, wherein the hydraulic binder comprises gypsum plaster.
The present application is a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/358,028, filed Feb. 22, 2006, which is a continuation-in-part of PCT/FR04/001265, filed May 21, 2004, the contents of which are incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,558 describes an apparatus intended for manufacturing plasterboards with recesses. It therefore proposes the forming, on a preform intended to be cut in order to give plasterboards, of recesses by means of a drum 34 havingbosses 36 (see especially FIG. 1 of that patent). The depth of the recesses is therefore determined by the size of the bosses. Thus, to change the depth and/or the shape of these recesses, it would be necessary to replace the drum 34 with another drumhaving bosses of different size and/or shape. That document is particularly intended for the production of a particular surface finish of the plasterboards; it does not mention the particular application of producing an impression in the form of afeathering, transversely with respect to the axis of the board, on the back of the latter (namely in this case the upper side).
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,991,824, impressions 51A, 51B are made in a preform that is intended to be cut to give plasterboards, by means (see especially FIG. 1 and column 3, lines 29 to 43 of that patent) of a band 20 rotating about two rollers 21and having a protuberance 25. The preform is then cut in the middle of the impressions so as to produce boards with feathered ends or transverse feathered edges.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,246,987, impressions are made in a preform that is intended to be cut in order to give plasterboards, by means (see especially FIGS. 1 and 7) of a band 20 having a plurality of protuberances 23, 38. In one embodiment,impressions are made on both sides of the board at the same time.
The object of the invention is also to solve the problem of making impressions in a preform using a process generally of the type of that described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,991,824, allowing the production of feathered ends or transverse featherededges in a satisfactory manner.
The invention therefore provides a novel board made of a hydraulic binder with a facing on each of its sides, having, on one side, two first parallel feathered edges (10) and, on the other side, two other parallel transverse feathered ends orfeathered edges (25a) that are perpendicular to the first ones.
The invention also provides a novel board made of a hydraulic binder with a facing on each of its sides, having, on one side, two first parallel feathered edges (10) and, either on the same side or on the other side, two second parallelfeathered edges (25a) that are perpendicular to the first ones, the said other parallel feathered edges (25a) having a width of between 100 and 200 mm.
The invention also provides a novel board made of a hydraulic binder with a facing on each of its sides, having, on one side, two first parallel feathered edges (10) and, either on the same side or on the other side, two second parallelfeathered edges (25a) that are perpendicular to the first ones, the said second parallel feathered edges (25a) having a width such that the ratio of the width of the said second parallel feathered edges (25a) to the width of the said first parallelfeathered edges (10) is between 1.5 and 5.
More specifically, the invention uses in particular a device for producing an impression or pocket in a preform based on a hydraulic binder. This apparatus therefore comprises at least: a frame; two first pulleys supported at a first end of theframe and two second pulleys at a second end of the frame; the first pulleys and second pulleys being in parallel planes; the pulleys facing each other being identical; two transmission belts wrapped respectively around the first pulleys and the secondpulleys; and at least one wire fixed removably to the belts and extending between these belts, in such a way that its longitudinal axis is parallel to the axis of rotation of the pulleys.
The subject of the invention is also a process for manufacturing a hydraulic-binder-based board from a preform intended to be cut up, this process including a step during which an impression is made in the preform by means of an apparatusaccording to the invention.
Finally, the subject of the invention is also a line for producing hydraulic-binder-based boards from a preform comprising a facing material covered with a hydraulic binder composition and supported by a conveyor belt (or forming belt). Thisproduction line also has the advantage of allowing boards with feathered edges to be produced.
Other features and advantages of the invention will now be described in detail in the description that follows, this being given with reference to the figures in which: (Xbis and Xter in the drawings mean Xa and Xb in the specification cf FIG.6, 8, 10, 15 . . . )
FIGS. 23A and 23B show a diagram of the "reversal" of the feathered edges of a board according to a first embodiment;
Apparatus According to Embodiments of the Invention
Thus, when one of the pulleys, for example the pulley 102, turns, it drives the transmission belt 108 which itself drives the other pulley lying in the same plane as it (the pulley 103) and the means of elongate shape 110. The latter thereforemoves along the path defined, on the one hand, by the loop consisting of the belt 108 and, on the other hand, as it is connected to the second belt 109, also by the loop consisting of the latter.
The wire gripper pin 114 is shown in detail in FIG. 3. It comprises, in order: a threaded end 115, a generally cylindrical and plain part 116 able to be introduced into the roller of the chain link 112 to replace the roller bearing pinconventionally used, a plain part also generally cylindrical and plain 117, of a diameter generally greater than that of the part 116 and able to be introduced into the hole 118 in the support piece 113 (see FIGS. 4 and 5), a head 119, and a central bore120 machined generally from the head 119, able to extend as far as the part 116 and intended to house the wire 111.
It comprises the hole 118 able to cooperate with the corresponding part 117 of the wire gripper pin 114 and a bore 121 opening into the hole 118. This bore 121 is threaded so that a pressure screw 122 can be screwed into it in order to compressthe wire 111 present inside the hole 118 with a view to holding it firmly (see FIG. 2).
Thus, to fix a wire 111 to the chain link 112, the set-up of FIG. 2 is achieved. To do that, all that is required is for the part 117 of the wire gripper pin 114 to be introduced into the support piece 113, for the normal roller bearing pin ofthe link 112 to be removed, for the part 116 of the wire gripper pin 114 to be introduced along the axis of the roller, and for the assembly to be tightened by screwing a nut 123 onto the end 115 of the wire gripper pin 114, for the wire 111 to beintroduced into the central bore 120 of the wire gripper pin 114 and for it to be held there firmly by screwing the pressure screw 122 into the threaded bore 121 until it effectively compresses the wire 111.
The support piece 113 preferably comprises two pairs (hole 118, threaded bore 121), the spacing between the axes of the holes 118 corresponding to the normal spacing between the axes of the rollers of a chain link 112, so that two wires 111 canbe held on the same link 112, as can be deduced from FIGS. 4 and 5.
Such a process is illustrated by FIGS. 6 to 10. It comprises the following steps: 1) a hydraulic binder composition (2) is poured onto a facing material (1) supported by a conveyor belt (7) so as to obtain a preform (5), then a lath (6, 23),the length of which is at least approximately equal to the width of the preform (5), is introduced under the preform (5); 2) the hydraulic binder composition (2) is left to set and the said lath (6, 23) is removed; 3) the preform (5) is cut at thefeathering (8) created by the lath (6, 23).
FIG. 6 shows a line for the production of boards produced by pouring a hydraulic binder composition 2 onto a facing material 1, which boards are generally covered with a second facing material 3. The passage of the assembly beneath the formingplate 4 gives a preform 5.
After the preform 5 emerges from under the forming plate 4 or from under the equivalent device used in the production line (for example, a forming roll also known as a master roll), a lath 6 is introduced between the preform 5 and the start ofthe conveyor belt 7. The distance between the forming plate 4 and the start of the conveyor belt 7 is such that the preform 5 has not yet had time to harden appreciably and is still very plastic. Introduction is performed in such a way that thelongitudinal axis of the lath 6 is substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt 7.
Thus, after a certain time, to which there corresponds a distance covered by the preform 5 on the conveyor belt 7 that the person skilled in the art knows how to determine as a function of the speed of travel of the conveyor belt 7 and of thetime taken for the gypsum plaster composition 2 to set, the hardness of the preform 5 is sufficient that the lath 6 can be removed without deforming the preform 5 and without the gypsum plaster composition 2 filling the space or feathering 8 (FIG. 7)left by the removal of the lath 6.
The lath 6 can be removed in any appropriate way. For example, when the length of the lath 6 exceeds the width of the preform 5, the lath 6 projects from the preform 5, and it can then be removed quickly in a direction substantiallyperpendicular to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt 7, and away from the latter. This removal action is illustrated by the arrow B in FIG. 6.
The lath 6 may also be removed by causing this lath 6 to drop into the space between two constitutive rollers of the conveyor belt system which, in general, is not continuous along the entire length of the production line but is made up ofseveral belts driven by rollers between which there are gaps.
As may be seen in FIG. 7, when the feathering 8 comes level with the cutting device, generally consisting of a roller fitted with a knife 9, this is operated and cuts the preform 5. What is thus obtained is a board 9a, which can be seen in FIG.8, the length of which is defined by the distance travelled by the conveyor belt between two cutting operations, that is to say, according to the invention, by the distance travelled by the conveyor belt between two consecutive featherings 8. This board9a therefore has two feathered transverse edges 10.
The size of each feathering 8 depends on the size of the lath 6. The latter is generally a parallelepiped generally of between 0.5 and 4 mm and preferably between 1.5 and 4 mm thick. Its width is generally between 5 and 20 cm and its length isat least approximately equal to the width of the preform 5 (possibly reduced by the width of the longitudinal bands (tapes) that might be present), but generally greater so that it can be grasped for removal from under the preform 5. Furthermore, it isdesirable for the lath 6 to be longer than the width of the preform 5, so that it projects with respect to the latter, which may make it easier to remove.
The material of which the laths 6 are made is of little importance, provided that it allows these laths to withstand the weight of the thickness of the preform 5 lying on top of each lath 6. It may therefore be made of a plastic, wood, metal,etc., with good resistance to wear and good stability over time.
As a preference, the method which has just been described supplements a known method for manufacturing plasterboards having two feathered longitudinal edges. The latter method generally anticipates the placement of a band, generally made ofplastic, and generally known as a tape, along each longitudinal side of the conveyor belt 7. Such a method is described for example in European Patent Application No. 482 810.
Thus, according to the invention and as is apparent from FIG. 10, before the lath 6 is introduced, an impression 12 is made by means of an apparatus according to the invention in the preform 5 opposite the place where it is intended to insertthe lath 6, or an impression 12a at the place where it is intended to introduce this lath 6.
A smoother 4a of conventional type (which can be seen in FIG. 6) may also be provided downstream of the place where the lath 6 is introduced.
According to one embodiment, the impression is not used with regard to the introduction of a lath. In such a case, the device for making the impression is used alone in the manufacturing line. The impression made in the preform will result,after the hydraulic binder has set, to a shape having conventional longitudinal feathered edges, and a depression corresponding to the impression. Depending on whether it is the impression 12 or 12a involved, this depression is located on the oppositeface to that bearing the conventional longitudinal feathered edges, or on the same face. According to the first embodiment, this will preferably be the impression 12, and therefore on the opposite face to that bearing the conventional longitudinalfeathered edges. The advantages will be described below in relation to the method of constructing an interior structure according to the invention.
In order for the apparatus according to the invention to be able to be used optimally on the line for producing hydraulic-binder-based boards, the distance between the conveyor belts of this apparatus is at least equal to the width of thepreform 5. Thus, these belts and the pulleys are located on each longitudinal side of the preform.
Of course, it would be possible to provide two (or more) apparatuses according to the invention, one being located above the preform and the other beneath it, so as to create, respectively, an impression 12 in the top side of the preform 5 andan impression 12a in the underside of the preform 5 (see FIG. 10), the underside of the preform 5 being that side of the preform 5 that rests on the conveyor belt 7.
If the situation is one in which an impression 12a is made in the underside of the preform, the cutting device may be set to cut the preform opposite the place where this impression 12a has been made.
Preferably, the line for producing hydraulic-binder-based boards is a line for producing boards with feathered edges. Such a line will now be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 6 to 15. The way in which the apparatus according to theinvention is used in this line will then be described afterwards.
It may therefore be seen that there is a laths magazine 20 formed from a horizontal rectangular surface 21 from the corners of which there rise, vertically and in parallel, four bracket-shaped angular pieces 22 facing towards each other, so asto flank a stack of laths 23.
At the first lath 23, that is to say the one at the very bottom of the stack, there are, arranged in parallel, two rams 26 which are oriented in such a way as to extract the first lath 23 from the stack by pushing it and causing it to slidetowards an inclined plane 27 consisting of a downwardly inclined surface 28 and of a rim 29 at its lower part to retain the lath which has just been extracted and guide it later.
On the transverse side 30 of the inclined plane 27, that is to say on the opposite side to the conveyor belt 7, a ram 31 is arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the inclined plane 27 so that actuation of this ram 31 can give an impulseto the lath which has just been extracted from the lath magazine 20. The lath thus propelled can therefore move, sliding parallel to the longitudinal axis of the inclined plane 27, the rim 29 of which guides it, towards a second inclined plane 32 in thecontinuation of the first inclined plane 27, on the opposite transverse side to the side 30. This second inclined plane 32 also consists of an inclined surface 33 equipped with a rim 34 at its bottom. It further comprises a stop 35 on its opposite endto the ram 31, this stop generally consisting of a pneumatic damper and being intended to end the movement of the lath propelled by the ram 31.
According to an alternative form which can be seen in FIG. 14, a flat surface 40 is provided parallel to the surface 23, between this surface and the first inclined plane 27, to horizontally support a lath extracted from the lath magazine 20before it descends along the inclined surface 28 of the first inclined plane 27.
In general: the longitudinal axis of the rim 34 of the second inclined plane 32 is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the conveyor belt; the means 32, 33, 34, 35 for supporting the displaced lath lie facing the start of the conveyor belt7; and the inclined surface 33 of the second inclined plane 32 is adjacent to the conveyor belt 7.
Thus, as can be understood by referring to FIG. 10, when the rams 37 are actuated, the lath on the second inclined plane 32 is pushed up towards the top of the inclined surface 33, that is to say towards the conveyor belt 7 and the preform 5,and finds itself wedged between these and driven along by them.
These electronic means may make provision that, after a lath has been introduced under the preform by actuation of the rams 27, the ram 31 is actuated to introduce another lath onto the second inclined plane 32, then the rams 26 are actuated tointroduce another lath onto the first inclined plane 27, and so on. The electronic means may vary the frequency of these operations in order to reduce or increase the length of the plasterboards produced with feathered edges.
This apparatus, which can be seen in profile in FIG. 16, comprises four first sprockets 201, 202, 203, 204 supported by a frame 205 and with, wrapped around them, a chain 206 made up of links of which some, the links 207, each support two wires,in the way indicated in conjunction with FIG. 2.
This apparatus is symmetrical with respect to a vertical plane aligned with the direction of travel of the preform 5. Thus, the wires held by the links 207 extend transversely with respect to the preform 5 as far as a second chain, identical tothe chain 206, and wrapped around second sprockets identical to the first sprockets 201, 202, 203, 204.
The apparatus is equipped with an electric motor 209 driving the rotation, via a belt 211, of the shaft 210 on which the sprocket 203 and its symmetrical sprocket are mounted. The turning of these sprockets drives the rotation of the chain 206in the direction indicated by the arrow D.
This preform 5 is obtained in a known way by introducing hydraulic binder slurry in the direction of the arrow E between the first facing material 2 and the second facing material 3 and passing the entity between the upper 214 and lower 215forming plates of the apparatus.
The apparatus according to the invention is fixed at an appropriate height so that when the production line is operating, the movement of the chain 206 driving the movement of the wires connected to the links 207, these wires pass through theforming plate, that is to say between the plates 214 and 215, and project downwards with respect to the upper plate 214. The space occupied by these wires between the upper plate 214 and the second facing material 3 therefore results at this point in afeathering of the thickness of the preform 5.
It goes without saying that the operation of the motor is adjusted in such a way that the chain 206 moves at the same speed as the preform 5 when the wires pass between the plates 214 and 215. The wires therefore accompany the preform 5 over afew centimetres and, when they separate from it to return, rotating about the sprocket 204, they leave an impression in the upper part of the preform 5.
The frame 205 of the apparatus according to the invention may, as is clear from FIG. 16, be fastened to the plates 214 and 215. It follows that the apparatus according to the invention may be used instead of a forming plate or a master roll, asused conventionally.
This embodiment corresponds to the case in which the lath is introduced no longer before the first forming tape, but between the first and second forming tapes (or possibly between the second and third forming tapes, as the case may be). Itwill be recalled here that the conveyor belt 7 is generally divided into several elements called forming tapes. The forming tape 1 is that at the front. A conventional conveyor belt comprises in general two or three, or even four, forming tapes. Theseforming tapes, as indicated above, comprise tapes so as to form the longitudinal feathered edges.
The other elements remain the same (impressions 12 or 12a, depending on the case), except that the lath is introduced at a place on the line at the point where the hydration of the hydraulic binder has commenced (see below in the sectionregarding the third embodiment). The other constituent elements are shifted correspondingly, (for example the smoother 4a is shifted to or after the first roller for driving the second forming tape; in this case, the smoother takes the form of a rollerhaving a peripheral speed approximately identical to that of the conveyor belt 7). By injecting the lath (6, 23) at this point, it is possible to have an ideal preform consistency at the moment of this secondary forming operation.
This embodiment is shown in FIG. 17. In this figure, the impression 12 made, in particular by the device according to the invention, is "pushed-in" upwards by a device 300 located beneath the preform. This system is in fact the reverse of thatforming the subject-matter of U.S. Pat. No. 2,991,824. Furthermore, compared with that patent, the system serving to push-in the impression is located downstream of the forming device. Advantageously, this inversion device is located between thetapes 1 and 2 (but it is also possible to place it between the tapes 2 and 3, if appropriate). This device is placed at a point on the line at which the hydration of the hydraulic binder has commenced. Preferably, this device is located at a pointcorresponding to 5% to 30% hydration and/or at a place located between 40 and 110 m along the length of the conveyor belt 7 (for example for a line with a speed of about 70 m/min).
This device 300 is placed between the tapes 1 and 2, referenced 301 and 302 respectively. These tapes are driven by rollers 303 and 304 respectively. The device 300 comprises, on the one hand, a secondary forming device 300a. This comprises,on a frame (not shown), a belt 305 rotating at a linear speed equal to the speed of the tapes 301 and 302. Thus any slippage of the facing is prevented. Fixed to this belt 305 are one or more forming laths 306. In the description that follows,reference will be made to only a single lath, but, depending on the dimensions of the devices, the desired boards, etc., it is possible to use several laths. This belt is mounted on rollers 307 and 308, at least one of which is preferably driven. Aflat sliding plate 309, for example made of marble, is placed between the preform and the belt 305 so that these are in contact over a flat surface. Facing this part is a "backing device" 300c. This comprises, on a frame (not shown), a belt 310rotating at a linear speed equal to the speed of the tapes 301 and 302, this belt 310 being mounted on rollers 311 and 312, at least one of which is preferably driven. A flat sliding plate 313, for example made of marble, is placed so as to be facingbetween the preform and the belt 310, in a similar arrangement to that of the plate 309 and the belt 305.
In operation, the forming lath 306 comes opposite the upper impression 12 in the preform. Having done this, when the lath 306 passes at the same time as the preform between the two plates 309 and 313, the impression is "chased" on the otherside of the preform. What is therefore obtained is a preform arriving on the forming tape 302 that has a recess corresponding to a transverse feathered edge (on the same side of the board as the longitudinal feathered edges).
Thus, the preform passes between the two belts 305 and 310, which are preferably driven at the run speed of the preform. The preform is therefore in contact only with moving elements, so that the preform/belt relative movement is zero. Thereis therefore no friction.
Synchronization means (not shown) are preferably provided so that the secondary forming lath 306 is substantially opposite the impression 12. It is possible to use a cutting system composed of a wheel placed over the top of the preform androtated by the movement of the latter. The wheel is graduated and coupled to a counter, which actuates the desired devices. It is also possible to use a system comprising a step of marking the facing of the preform (for example a point), and thedetection of this mark and the consequential actuation of the devices. Among these devices actuated by the detection of the mark, mention may be made of those for making the impression 12 or 12a, or introducing the lath (6, 23) or for rotating the belt305 carrying the lath 306, for cutting the preform after the forming step, etc.
Another embodiment is shown in FIG. 18 (the same references as in FIG. 17 are not used). In this embodiment, the device 300 furthermore includes a calibrating device 300c. The lath 306 is retracted when the belt 305 turns around the roller308; the preform then enters the calibrating device 300c. This comprises, on a frame (not shown), a belt 314 rotating with a linear speed equal to the speed of the tapes 301 and 302, this belt 314 being mounted on rollers 315 and 316, at least one ofwhich is preferably driven. A flat sliding plate 317, for example made of marble, is placed between the preform and the belt 314 in a similar arrangement to that of the plate 309 and the belt 305.
This embodiment corresponds to the case in which the device of FIG. 17 or FIG. 18 is reversed, that is to say the forming lath 306 is placed not for embossing the impression and forming the transverse feathered edges on the same side as thelongitudinal feathered edges, but on the contrary to "consolidate" the impression and the shaped recess. According to this embodiment, by applying the forming lath at a stage when the hydraulic binder has commenced its hydration it is possible to have,as above, ideal preform consistency at the moment of the secondary forming operation. As in the case of the third embodiment, what is obtained is a board with four feathered edges, the longitudinal and transverse edges being on both sides of the board. The advantages will be described below in relation to the method of constructing an interior structure according to the invention.
In the embodiments above, the length of the lath 306 is approximately equal to the width of the preform. Moreover, the lath used in the invention, and especially the lath 306, may be a parallelepipedal section, but also a section in the form ofa triangle, in general an isosceles triangle, the base of which is parallel to the belt 7.
It will also be possible to have modified third and sixth embodiments. It will be recalled that the third and sixth embodiments have in common the fact that the impression 12, alternatively 12a, is "pushed-in" by a device beneath the preform,or alternatively above the preform. In the third and sixth embodiments, the impression is "pushed-in" in its entirety, that is to say the facing paper is substantially flat once the impression has been "pushed-in". Provision may be made for the actionconsisting in pushing-in the impression to be only partial, that is to say a depression remains on each side of the board, one being more pronounced than the other. For example, it is possible to adjust the device 300 so that the ratio of the depths ofthe depressions on each side is between 1 and 10, preferably between 2 and 5. For example, for a standard BA13 board with a thickness of 12.5 mm, the depth of the depression on the "pushed-in" side may be 4 mm, while the depression on the original sidemay be 1.5 mm.
According to another aspect, the subject of the invention is a method of constructing an interior structure using boards with four feathered edges, two feathered edges of which are on one side, while the other two are on the other side of theboard. Such boards may be obtained by the first embodiment (with the impression 12), the fourth embodiment and the fifth embodiment, and also the modified third and sixth embodiments. Such a board is shown schematically in FIG. 19. It may be seen inthis figure that the featherings are arranged opposingly on each side of the board (the edge featherings are on the side with the cream facing (10), whereas the end featherings are on the other side, on the "grey" side (25a)). The dimensions of thefeatherings 25a are in general of the same order of magnitude as those of the featherings 25 (these corresponding to the dimensions of the lath in the case of the fourth or fifth embodiment or of the elongate means 110 comprising the wires 111 in thecase of the first embodiment for example). The feathering 25a may therefore have a depth of between 0.5 and 4 mm, preferably between 1.5 and 4 mm. The width of the feathering may be between 2 and 15 cm, preferably between 5 and 10 cm. The longitudinalfeatherings have the standard dimensions in the art, such as those conventionally given by the tapes.
The method of constructing an interior structure (a partition, which may be vertical, inclined or horizontal, or a false ceiling) according to the invention comprises the following steps (and which will be described in greater detail below): a)the boards according to the invention (for example such as that shown in FIG. 19) are placed on a support, the boards being butted together along the feathered edges; b) the boards are fixed to the support along the feathered edges; c) the boards arejoined together with at least one joint cement; and, optionally, d) the joints are finished off with a complementary finish plaster.
During step b), the transverse feathered edges, which are on that side of the board not visible to the fitter, are "turned up" owing to the effect of the fastening by screws, nails or the like, as this region of the board is clamped onto thesupport. Having done this, they then reveal a feathering on the same side of the board as the longitudinal feathered edges (or edge featherings). Thus, feathered edges are therefore obtained at each joint between the boards.
According to one embodiment, the transverse feathered edges (25a), namely those that are on the grey facing side, are identified by the specific marking on the cream facing side in such a way that the user (the plasterer who is fitting thepartition) knows that there are feathered edges on the grey facing side. When pairing boards, the user will therefore know that there are such featherings and therefore he will be able to treat the joints accordingly. The marking of these featheringsmay take any appropriate form, such as a repeated pattern. The presence of this marking offers an advantage when two boards according to the invention are butted together along the transverse featherings; this is because, when the transverse featherededge is butted, for example, against a wall, the marking on the cream facing indicating the presence of this feathering on the grey facing has no appreciable influence on the fitting operation nor on the way in which the joints are treated.
This marking is in particular identified in FIG. 20 by the symbols 26a, 26b, 26c and 26d near the feathered edges (25a). This marking is present on the cream side and identifies the transverse feathered edge intended to be paired with atransverse edge of the same type of a second board according to the invention.
This marking furthermore makes it possible to identify the width of the transverse feathering (25a) and to adapt the joint treatment accordingly, especially by using a tool or spatula of suitable size. For example, the plasterer may simplyapply plaster, in particular the top coat, only at the marks and be guided by them.
Furthermore, the marking may comprise repeated marks. If the valley formed by the feathered edges (25a) is obtained by "inversion" during step b), it is preferable to use a sufficient number of screws to ensure that this inversion operation canbe carried out easily. For example, it is possible to use three, preferably five, screws, as is conventionally done, but it is preferred to use from six to ten, advantageously seven, repeated marks. The number of marks will therefore correspond to thenumber of screws to be used.
The boards with the marking are manufactured as described above, except that the face paper is printed before receiving the plaster. This may be printed in situ, or else a reel of already printed paper may be used. The production line thenincludes suitable printing means.
Plasterboards are known and in general such boards comprise two longitudinal feathered edges. When the boards are butted together along the transverse edges, an additional thickness is necessarily formed along the joint. A first techniqueconsists in offsetting the rail of the framework by about 2 mm so as to create the equivalent of a feathering. However, this technique is difficult to implement owing to the discrepancies that necessarily arise.
Another technique that has been proposed consists in using boards with four feathered edges. Many documents have described their preparation. These boards have in common four, longitudinal and transverse, feathered edges so that joints using ajoint cement may be made along the four sides. At the present time, all the boards have approximately similar feathered edges in terms of dimensions, the width and depth of the featherings being approximately the same for the four edges. Although theuse of four feathered edges has certain advantages, it still has drawbacks. This is because a feathered edge has a width in general between 40 and 80 mm, typically 60 mm; these values are imposed by the standards in force and by current practice. However, the tool used to apply the tape bonding cement (when one is used) and the joint cement generally has a width of greater than 120 mm, thereby necessarily creating overthicknesses at the intersection of the joints during application of the cementto the transverse joints, thus reducing the attraction of boards with four feathered edges, which are already penalized by their higher cost.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,123 discloses a board according to two embodiments. According to the first embodiment, the board ends comprise a removable portion, which, after it has been removed, gives an edge in the form of a notch. This notch, oncein place, is "inverted" in order to form a valley intended to receive the plaster. This solution is technically very complicated; no industrial manufacturing process is described. According to a second embodiment, the board disclosed has a featheringalong the grey side of the board, the width of this feathering being 12 inches, i.e. more than 30 cm. Again, there is no description of any process allowing this second embodiment to be obtained.
FIG. 19 shows a board according to a first embodiment. The board conventionally comprises a hydraulic binder, in general gypsum plaster, between two facings. The facing materials may consist of sheets of paper or card, glass mats or mats ofany material known to those skilled in the art as being able to be used as facing material.
The board has, on one side, two first parallel feathered edges (10) and, on the other side, two other, second, parallel feathered edges (25a) that are perpendicular to the first ones. The featherings are opposingly arranged on each side of theboard (the edge featherings are on the cream facing side (10), while the end featherings are on the other side, i.e. the "grey" side (25a). The depth of the feathering is in general between 0.5 and 4 mm, preferably between 0.5 and 3 mm, more preferablybetween 0.6 and 2.5 mm, or even between 0.6 and 1.8 mm and advantageously between 0.8 and 1.8 mm or 0.5 and 1.5 mm. The width of the second featherings (25a) here is specific in the embodiment of the invention and is in general between 100 and 200 mm,preferably between 120 and 180 mm or between 150 and 200 mm or between 100 and 150 mm. The first longitudinal featherings have a depth of approximately the same magnitude, whereas their width is appreciably smaller, for example between 40 and 80 mm. Inparticular, the ratio of the widths of the second transverse featherings to the first longitudinal featherings is in general between 1.5 and 5, preferably between 2 and 4.
FIG. 21 shows a board according to a second embodiment, in top view. In this case, the board has the four feathered edges on the same side of the board. The dimensions given with reference to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and the otherembodiments also presented in relation to this FIG. 19 apply here mutatis mutandis.
FIG. 22 shows a sectional view of a specific feathered edge according to the invention. In this embodiment, the feathering is present on both sides of the board. In this case, the board furthermore includes two third feathered edges (25b) thatare parallel to the second feathered edges (25a), on the other side of the board. The dimensions are given again here, namely: X, the thickness of the board, conventionally between 6 and 25 mm; Y, the width of the feathering, between 100 and 200 mm,preferably between 120 and 180 mm or between 150 and 200 mm, as above; Z' (for example the depth of the second featherings 25a) and Z'' (for example the depth of the third featherings 25b) such that Z'+Z'' is between 0.5 and 4 mm, preferably between 0.5and 3 mm, more preferably between 0.6 and 2.5 mm, or even between 0.6 and 1.8 mm, advantageously between 0.8 and 1.8 mm or 0.5 and 1.5 mm. The ratio of the values of Z' and Z'', or Z'/Z'', is for example between 1 and 10, preferably between 2 and 5.
The presence of these featherings along each side offers an additional advantage. When the feathered edges (25a) are present along the side opposite the feathered edges (10), during the fitting operation they are "inverted", as indicated above. Bending therefore occurs, with a relatively large radius of curvature. The presence of the feathered edges (25b) allows better delimitation of the final valley formed by the inversion of the feathered edges (25a). A true valley of the type of thoseformed by conventional featherings (namely those with approximately the shape of an isosceles triangle) is obtained. This allows optimum treatment of the joint without excessive consumption of cement and with perfect flatness.
The boards with four feathered edges may be prepared using various processes. In the case of the board with four feathered edges on the same side, the processes are known. For example, it is possible to use the processes described for examplein U.S. Pat. No. 2,991,824 or U.S. Pat. No. 2,246,987 or in the applications in the name of the Applicant, for example PCT/FR03/01373; PCT/FR03/02281, PCT/FR03/00118, PCT/FR03/12880 and PCT/FR03/00606. In the case of the board with the second(transverse) feathered edges on the side opposite that bearing the first (longitudinal) feathered edges, it is possible to use: the process described above with reference to the previous figures; a variant of the process according to U.S. Pat. No.4,781,558, in which the drum is modified so as to bear at least one rib or protuberance along the axis of the drum; a process making use of the forming tape according to U.S. Pat. No. 2,991,824 combined with upper rollers forming the longitudinalfeatherings according to U.S. Pat. No. 1,676,318 or U.S. Pat. No. 2,246,987; a process in which a board is pressed, for example in the wet state, in a suitable mould; and a process in which the transverse feathered edge is obtained by resawing intothe thickness and rebonding.
The method of constructing an interior structure (a partition, which may be vertical, inclined or horizontal, or a false ceiling) according to the invention comprises the following steps: a) the boards according to the invention (for example asshown in FIG. 19 or 21) are placed on a support, the boards being butted together along the feathered edges; a) the boards on the support are fixed along the feathered edges; b) the boards are joined together with at least one joint cement; and,optionally, c) the joints are finished with a complementary finish plaster.
In the case of the board with transverse feathered edges on the opposite side to that bearing the longitudinal feathered edges, during step b) the transverse feathered edges, which are on that side of the board not visible to the fitter, are"turned up" owing to the effect of the fixing by screws, nails or the like, since this region of the board is clamped onto the support. Having done this, they then reveal a feathering on the same side of the board as the longitudinal feathered edges (oredge featherings). Feathered edges at each junction of the boards are therefore obtained. This is illustrated in FIGS. 23A and 23B in which the support 430 receives the transverse feathered edges 25a, which are "turned up" owing to the effect of thefixing by screws, nails or the like (these being identified in the figures by the reference 431).
FIGS. 24A, 24B and 24C show a diagram of how conventional boards with four feathered edges fit together. FIG. 24A shows the boards butted together. FIG. 24B shows the boards with one joint (after tape has been placed in both joints) that istreated with a layer of joint cement. The hatched region represents the region in which the cement has been applied. Conventionally, there is an overthickness along the sides of this application region (on the boards bordering the feathering). FIG.24C shows the boards, of which the second has a joint treated with a layer of joint cement. The hatched region again represents the region in which the cement is applied. Conventionally, there is an overthickness along the sides of this applicationregion (on the boards bordering the feathering). However, a large overthickness also occurs at the point where the joints cross, this being identified by the reference 411 in the figure. This is because the first overthickness obtained in the stepsshown in FIG. 24B adds to the overthickness obtained in the steps shown in FIG. 24C.
FIGS. 25A, 25B and 25C show diagrams of the way the boards with four feathered edges according to the invention fit together. FIG. 25A shows the boards butted together with, as the case may be, the edges turned up. Once the boards according tothe invention have been fitted together, they present featherings on the visible side, as was explained above. FIG. 25B shows the boards with one joint (after tape has been fitted in both joints) treated with a layer of joint cement. The hatched regionshows the region in which the cement is applied. Conventionally, there is also an overthickness along the sides of this application region (on the boards bordering the feathering).
FIG. 25C shows the boards in the which the second joint is treated with a layer of joint cement. The hatched region again shows the region in which the cement is applied. This time, the tool having smaller dimensions compared with the size ofthe feathered edges, the cement is localized in the valley formed by the large feathered edges. Thus, at the point where the joints cross, there is no longer an overthickness that adds to the first overthickness obtained in the step shown in FIG. 25B. Thus, a joint intersection with no overthickness is obtained and therefore the surface is consequently perfectly flat.
It will be preferable to use a tool whose width is more than twice the width of the said first parallel feathered edges (10) and less than or equal to twice the width of the said other parallel feathered edges (25a).
The invention provides yet another advantage. During the operation of fitting the boards to the suspended metal supports, there is often an abutment of two boards along a rail. When this rail is offset, following a deficient fitting, thisoffset is visible with the conventional boards. Thanks to the boards according to the invention, since the feathering is of relatively large dimensions, this offset is no longer visible to the eye.
The invention offers yet another advantage. If the first, second or both feathered edges are of larger size, it is possible to use larger amounts of plaster (for a greater thickness), especially joint cement. Thus, during any rubbing-down,there is less risk of the tape becoming visible (by the presence of fluff or by its visible spectrum through the plaster).
As above, marking may be used. The marking may also be inserted in the case of a board in which the broad feathered edge is on the same side as the other feathered edges, especially when the depth is small and it makes identification of thesaid feathered edge difficult.
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