Method and apparatus for making thin brick wall facing

• US 20030213212A1
• Filed: 05/20/2002
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James Kenneth Passeno
• Original Assignee: James Kenneth Passeno
• Inventors: Passeno, James Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 6,951,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/745.19
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/0862 composed of a number of elements which are identical or not, e.g. carried by a common web, support plate or grid

Abstract

A thin brick panel assembly having improved water drainage and integral brick retention. A substratum includes horizontal rows of dovetail-shaped projections with interruptions therein. Mortar ties having a flat plate portion, a substratum engagement extension, and mortar engagement extension are fastened to the substratum such that the mortar engagement extensions align with the interruptions in the projections. Bricks are snap-fit to the substratum over the mortar ties and between the projections. The bricks crush portions of the dovetail-shaped projections and lie flat against the mortar ties. Mortar is applied between the bricks and flows through apertures in the mortar engagement extensions of the mortar ties to interlock the mortar ties, the substratum and the bricks.

Claims

1. A brick panel assembly comprising:

a plurality of bricks;

a substratum for supporting said plurality of bricks thereon, said substratum comprising a plurality of retaining projections spaced apart in a plurality of rows, said plurality of retaining projections defining a plurality of channels therebetween for accepting said plurality of bricks therein, each of said plurality of projections having a dovetail-shaped transverse cross section prior to acceptance of said plurality of bricks therebetween;

a mortar tie disposed between said plurality of bricks and said substratum, said mortar engagement tie comprising an aperture; and

mortar disposed between said plurality of bricks and through said aperture of said mortar tie to permanently hold said plurality of bricks and said substratum together.

2. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of bricks has a predetermined height, and further wherein said plurality of retaining projections are generally parallel and spaced apart a distance less than said predetermined height of each of said plurality of bricks, such that said plurality of retaining projections interferingly engage said plurality of bricks in longitudinal engagement to retain said plurality of bricks within said plurality of retaining channels.

3. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of retaining projections include a plurality of interruptions disposed in a diagonal pattern across said substratum for allowing water to drain down between said plurality of retaining projections when said substratum is in a generally vertical orientation such that said plurality of retaining projections are in a generally horizontal orientation.

4. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein said mortar tie is respectively aligned with one of said plurality of interruptions, each said mortar tie further comprising:

a flat plate portion adapted to accept a fastener therethrough;

a substratum engagement extension extending in one direction from said flat plate portion; and

a mortar engagement extension comprising said aperture, said mortar engagement extension extending from said flat plate portion in a direction opposite that of said substratum engagement extension, said mortar engagement extension being disposed within a respective interruption of said plurality of interruptions.

5. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of bricks each comprise a back surface having a plurality of grooves for enabling water drainage, and said back surface of said plurality of bricks is adhesively attached to said substratum.

6. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said substratum further comprises polystyrene foam such that a portion of said plurality of retaining projections of said substratum yield and partially crush during the insertion of said plurality of bricks to thereby frictionally retain said plurality of bricks.

7. A brick panel assembly adapted for paneling a building structure, said brick panel assembly comprising:

a plurality of thin bricks, wherein each of said plurality of thin bricks has a predetermined height;

a substratum for supporting said plurality of thin bricks thereon, said substratum comprising a retaining channel for accepting said plurality of thin bricks therein, said retaining channel being defined by a pair of retaining projections, each of said pair of retaining projections having a dovetail-shaped transverse cross section prior to insertion of said plurality of thin bricks therebetween, said pair of retaining projections being generally parallel and spaced apart a distance less than said predetermined height of said plurality of thin bricks such that said pair of retaining projections interferingly engage said plurality of thin bricks to retain said plurality of thin bricks within said retaining channel, at least one of said pair of retaining projections having an interruption;

a mortar tie disposed between said plurality of thin bricks and said substratum, said mortar tie being aligned with said interruption, said mortar tie comprising;

a flat plate portion;

a substratum engagement extension inserted into said substratum such that said flat plate portion lies flat against said substratum in said retaining channel; and

a mortar engagement extension disposed within said interruption;

said mortar engagement extension comprising an aperture; and

mortar disposed between said plurality of thin bricks and through said aperture of said mortar tie to permanently hold said plurality of thin bricks and said substratum together.

8. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 7, further comprising adhesive disposed between said plurality of thin bricks and said substratum.

9. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a fastener extending through said flat plate portion of said mortar tie, through said substratum, and into said building structure for fastening said mortar tie and said substratum to said building structure.

10. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein said substratum is composed of polystyrene foam.

11. The brick panel assembly as claimed in 7, wherein each of said plurality of thin bricks comprise a back surface having grooves for enabling water drainage.

12. A brick panel assembly adapted for mounting to a building structure, said brick panel assembly comprising:

a plurality of thin bricks, said plurality of thin bricks each having a front surface, a back surface opposite said front surface, a top surface, a bottom surface opposite said top surface, and two opposed side surfaces, said plurality of thin bricks each having a width defined between said two opposed side surfaces, a height defined between said top and said bottom surfaces, and a depth defined between said front and said back surfaces;

a substratum for supporting said plurality of thin bricks thereon, said substratum comprising a plurality of retaining channels for accepting said plurality of thin bricks therein, said plurality of retaining channels being defined by a plurality of retaining projections, said plurality of retaining projections having a dovetail-shaped transverse cross section prior to acceptance of said plurality of thin bricks therebetween, said plurality of retaining projections being disposed in a generally parallel pattern of rows, said plurality of retaining projections being spaced apart a distance that is less than said height of each of said plurality of thin bricks such that said plurality of retaining projections interferingly engage said top and said bottom surfaces of said plurality of thin bricks along the lengths thereof to retain said plurality of thin bricks in said plurality of retaining channels, said plurality of retaining projections having a plurality of interruptions, said plurality of interruptions being arranged in a diagonal pattern across said substratum;

a plurality of mortar ties disposed between said plurality of thin bricks and said substratum, said plurality of mortar ties being respectively aligned with said plurality of interruptions, said plurality of mortar ties each comprising;

a flat plate portion;

a substratum engagement extension terminating one end of said flat plate portion; and

a mortar engagement extension terminating another end of said flat plate portion, said mortar engagement extension having at least one aperture therethrough, said mortar engagement extension being disposed within said plurality of interruptions of said plurality of retaining projections such that said flat plate portion lies flat against said substratum in one of said plurality of retaining channels and such that said substratum engagement extension extends into said substratum; and

mortar disposed between said plurality of thin bricks and through said at least one aperture of said mortar engagement extension of said plurality of mortar ties to permanently hold said plurality of thin bricks together and to said substratum.

13. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein said plurality of interruptions are arranged in a vertically-overlapping diagonal pattern to enhance the drainage of water.

14. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein said back surface of said plurality of thin bricks comprises at least one groove therein to enhance the drainage of water.

15. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein said substratum is composed of polystyrene foam.

16. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein at least a portion of each of said plurality of retaining projections yields and crushes upon acceptance of said plurality of thin bricks.

17. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 12, further comprising adhesive disposed between said plurality of thin bricks and said substratum.

18. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a fastener extending through each of said flat plate portions of said plurality of mortar ties to fasten said plurality of mortar ties and said substratum to said building structure.

19. A method of installing thin brick veneer to a building, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a substratum having a plurality of spaced apart projections disposed in vertically spaced apart rows, said plurality of spaced apart projections defining a plurality of retaining channels therebetween, each of said plurality of spaced apart projections having a dovetail-shaped transverse cross section, said plurality of spaced apart projections having a plurality of interruptions defining a diagonal pattern of interruptions;

applying a mortar tie to said substratum such that a mortar engagement portion of said mortar tie is disposed in a corresponding interruption of said plurality of interruptions;

driving a fastener through said mortar tie and said substratum and into a portion of said building;

snap fitting a plurality of thin bricks into said plurality of retaining channels between vertically adjacent pairs of projections of said plurality of spaced apart projections, such that each thin brick of said plurality of thin bricks deforms corresponding portions of said plurality of spaced apart projections to retain said plurality of thin bricks in frictional interference between said plurality of spaced apart projections; and

applying mortar between said plurality of thin bricks.

20. The method of installing thin brick veneer to a building as claimed in claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

applying adhesive between said building and said substratum; and

applying adhesive between said plurality of thin bricks and said plurality of retaining channels.