Method of fabricating shake panels

• US 7,575,701 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2003
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Tools & Instruments LLC (Kellogg Company)
• Original Assignee: Shear Tech, Inc.
• Inventors: Fladgard, Scott, Fladgard, Lloyd, Waggoner, Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): Tentoni; Leo B
• Application Number:
  US10/357,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20030110729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,388 Days
• Field of Search: 523/13, 523/14, 523/16, 525/54, 525/55, 525/58, 525/59, 527/451.9, 527/481, 527/481.1, 527/452, 162/181.6, 162/181.8, 162/211, 162/212, 162/157.6, 162/163, 162/164.1, 144/363, 264/154, 264/156, 264/157, 264/160, 264/504
• US Class Current: 264/154
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/08 composed of a plurality of similar covering or lining elements, E04F13/072 takes precedence; borders, skirtings E04F19/02; of webs or fabrics E04F13/002; fixing strips E04F19/06; separate provisional spacers between adjacent tiles E04F21/0092; implements or means for setting tiles E04F21/18
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/141 with an outer layer of concrete E04F13/147 takes precedence

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed toward unitary modular shake panels, and methods for making and using such shake panels. In one aspect of the invention, a unitary modular shake panel includes an interconnecting section composed of a siding material and several integral shake sections projecting from the interconnecting section. The panel preferably has a quadrilateral shape with first and second edges along a longitudinal dimension that are separated from each other by a width of the panel along a transverse dimension. Additionally, the shake sections are separated from one another by slots extending from the second edge to an intermediate width in the panel. In a preferred embodiment, the panel is composed of a unitary piece of fiber-cement siding with a simulated wood grain running along the transverse dimension. The interconnecting section is preferably a web portion of the fiber-cement siding piece, and the shake sections are different portions of the same fiber-cement siding piece defined by the slots extending in the transverse dimension from the web portion to the second edge of the panel. Modular shake panels in accordance with the invention may be made using several different processes. In one embodiment, for example, a unitary modular shake panel is manufactured by the cutting planks from a sheet of siding material, and then forming slots in the panel to define the web portion and the shake sections. The planks are preferably cut from the sheet in a direction transverse to a wood grain on the surface of the sheet. The slots are preferably cut in the planks in the direction of the wood grain from a longitudinal edge to an intermediate depth within the plank.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a shake panel, comprising:

providing a cured sheet of fiber-cement material having cement, silica and cellulose fibers;

cutting the sheet of fiber-cement material into a plurality of planks by shearing the sheet using opposing serrated blades to form sheared longitudinal edges along the planks, wherein each of the planks has a top longitudinal edge spaced apart from a bottom longitudinal edge by a width, a first side edge extending transverse to the top and bottom longitudinal edges, and a second side edge spaced apart from the first side edge by a length and extending transverse to the top and bottom longitudinal edges; and

stamping a plurality of slots through individual planks, the slots extending from the bottom longitudinal edge to an intermediate location between the top and bottom longitudinal edges, and the slots being spaced apart from one another along the bottom longitudinal edge.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the opposing serrated blades penetrate into the sheet to form opposing penetration zones and a fracture zone between the penetration zones at each sheared longitudinal edge.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the act of stamping a plurality of slots through each of the planks forms slots having widths from approximately 0.1 inch to approximately 0.3 inch.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the slots stamped in each of the planks are spaced apart from one another along the bottom longitudinal edge to form an interconnecting section in the plank and a plurality of shake or shingle sections integral with and projecting from the interconnecting section.