Veneers for walls, retaining walls and the like

• US 20050252144A1
• Filed: 04/28/2005
• Published: 11/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Keystone Retaining Wall Systems Incorporated (THE QUIKRETE Cos. LLC)
• Original Assignee: Keystone Retaining Wall Systems Incorporated (THE QUIKRETE Cos. LLC)
• Inventors: MacDonald, Robert A., Dawson, William B.
• Application Number:
  US11/117,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20050252144A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/598
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 67/243 for making articles of definite length
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 29/02 Retaining or protecting walls piers or quay walls E02B3/06
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 29/0225 comprising retention means in the backfill
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 29/0241 the retention means being reinforced earth elements
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 29/0266 made up of preformed elements
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/0808 adjustable in several directions one of which is perpendicular to the wall
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/0873 the visible surface imitating natural stone, brick work, tiled surface or the like E04F13/105, E04F13/123, E04F13/147, E04F13/165, E04F13/185 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/123 with an outer layer imitating natural stone, brick work, tiled surface or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/148 with an outer layer of asbestos cement or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/185 with an outer layer imitating natural stone, brick work, tiled surface or the like

Abstract

A veneer panel system is used with a wall or a retaining wall to provide a natural stone appearance and/or to improve the appearance of an existing wall. Panels can be interlocked to form a stable veneer structure. The structure is attached to a wall by various attachment means.

Claims

1. A wall system comprising:

wall components for constructing a retaining wall;

a plurality of rectangular panels, each panel having a front surface and an opposed back surface defining a panel thickness, a set of opposed top and bottom edges and a set of opposed first and second side edges, the front surface comprising a mineral aggregate embedded in a resin; and

means for connecting the plurality of panels to the retaining wall formed from the wall components.

2. The wall system of claim 1, wherein the wall components are selected from natural stone, poured concrete, precast panels, masonry, landscape timbers, railroad ties, wall blocks, and combinations thereof.

3. The wall system of claim 1, wherein the wall components are wall blocks.

4. The wall system of claim 1, wherein the mineral aggregate is natural stone aggregate.

5. The wall system of claim 1, wherein the resin contains fiberglass.

6. The wall system of claim 1, wherein the means for connecting the plurality of panels to the retaining wall are selected from screws and bolts, hooks, brackets, connection joints, connection channels, and combinations thereof.

7. The wall system of claim 1, wherein each set of opposed panel edges has mating tongue and groove attachments, respectively, so that a respective tongue attachment and groove attachment of adjacent panels connect the adjacent panels.

8. The wall system of claim 1, wherein the means for connecting the plurality of panels to the retaining wall is molded into the back surface of the panel.

9. The wall system of claim 1, wherein the means for connecting the plurality of panels to the retaining wall include a first interlocking component on the wall that mates with a second interlocking component molded into the back surface of the panel.

10. The wall system of claim 1, wherein the first interlocking component is a rail.

11. The wall system of claim 10, wherein second interlocking component is a bracket that attaches to the rail.

12. The wall system of claim 11, wherein the rail is a longitudinal body with a T-shaped cross-section.

13. The wall system of claim 12, wherein the longitudinal body has slots to which the bracket attaches.

14. The wall system of claim 13, wherein the bracket has a channel that matingly fits over the T-shaped cross-section.

15. The wall system of claim 10, wherein the rail has a hanging bracket formed thereon and the second interlocking component has a hanging element molded to an edge of a panel.

16. A method of making a retaining wall including a plurality of wall blocks and geogrid comprising:

stacking wall blocks in one or more courses to form a first portion of the retaining wall, the first portion having a front wall surface and an upper course of blocks which forms an upper surface of the first portion;

placing the geogrid over the first portion of the retaining wall such that a first section of the geogrid extends behind the retaining wall and a second section of the geogrid extends in front of the retaining wall;

stacking wall blocks in one or more additional courses over the first portion of the retaining wall to form a second portion of the retaining wall, the geogrid extending between the upper surface of the first portion and a lower surface of the second portion of the retaining wall, the second wall portion having a front wall surface and an upper course of blocks which forms an upper surface of the second portion;

folding the geogrid back over the front and upper surfaces of the second portion so that the second section of the geogrid extends behind the retaining wall; and

stacking wall blocks in one or more additional courses over the second portion of the retaining wall to form a third portion of the retaining wall, the geogrid extending between the upper surface of the second portion and a lower surface of the third portion of the retaining wall, the third wall portion having a front wall surface and an upper course of blocks which forms an upper surface of the third portion.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

providing a plurality of panels; and

connecting the panels to the front surface of the retaining wall.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the panels are formed of a mineral aggregate in fiberglass.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein one of adjacent first and second panels have tongue attachment means and another of adjacent first and second panels have mating tongue and groove attachment means, respectively.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the tongue and groove attachment means are on opposing panel sides of adjacent first and second panels, respectively.

21. The method of claim 20, including interconnecting a tongue attachment means on a first panel with a groove attachment means on a second panel.

22. The method of claim 16, including placing a protective layer between the geogrid and an adjacent block.