Building element

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Filed of the Invention

This invention is directed toward building elements.

2. Description of the Related Art

Many building elements, such as window sills for example, are presently made from stone or concrete. They are heavy, making handling and installation difficult. Also, they do not always match or complement the finished outer surface of the building on which they are installed. In addition, they can be expensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a building element, such as a window sill, that is light in weight and therefore easy to handle and install. It is another purpose of the present invention to provide a building element, such as a window sill, that can be made to have an appearance that matches or complements the finished outer surface of the building on which it is employed, and that is relatively inexpensive to make.

The building element can be a window sill; or a decorative header or top for a window or a door; a cornice; an architrave; a corbel; a hood molding; or the like. The building element of the invention is usually an element which has more of a decorative function than a structural function in the building although the elements are useful and could provide some structural function.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a building element having an outer visible member, defining the shape and appearance of the building element, and an inner support on which the outer member is mounted. The inner support is adapted to be mounted on the building on which the building element is to be used. The inner support and the outer member have cooperating first and second mounting means for easily and quickly locating the outer member in the correct position on the building when it is mounted on the inner support. When the outer member is mounted on the inner support, the inner support is substantially hidden. Both the inner support and outer member are made from thermoplastic material which is molded, extruded or otherwise formed to provide the required shapes. The outer visible surfaces of the inner support and the outer member have a tough, decorative, protective coating. The color of the coating can match or complement the appearance of the outer finished surface of the building. In addition, the outer visible surfaces can textured to provide various surface apearances and can also be formed to imitate stones, bricks or the like.

The invention is particularly directed toward a building element comprising an inner support and an outer visible member, separate from the inner support, defining the shape and appearance of the building element. The inner support has first mounting means thereon. The outer member has second mounting means thereon and a support recess at its lower back portion for receiving the inner support. The first and second mounting means cooperate to mount the outer member on the inner support when the inner support is mounted on a building to locate the outer member against the building, the support substantially hidden by the outer member. The outer member and preferably the inner support are made from formable plastic material and the visible surfaces of the outer member and the inner support, when mounted on the building, are covered with a decorative protective coating.

The invention is also particularly directed toward a building element comprising an outer member defining the shape and appearance of the building element, and an inner support. The inner support is attachable to a building wall and has first mounting means thereon. The inner support has top and bottom surfaces, front and back surfaces and end surfaces. The outer member has a support recess at its bottom, back portion for receiving the inner support, and second mounting means within the recess. The outer member also has top and bottom surfaces, front and back surfaces and end surfaces. The first and second mounting means cooperating to mount the outer member on the inner support when the inner support is mounted on a building wall to locate the inner support within the outer member and the outer member against the building wall, the bottom and back surfaces of the inner support and the outer member aligned.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a building element on a building;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section view of the element taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded, cross-sectional view of the element;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a detail cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an exploded, cross-section view of a window sill;

FIG. 7 is an exploded, cross-section view of a window sill adapted for use with siding;

FIG. 8 is back view of the assembled window sill shown in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a cross-section view similar to FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The building element 1, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 has an inner support 3 and an outer visible member 5 which member defines the shape and appearance of the building element 1. The building element 1 in this embodiment is shown as forming a decorative facing on the top of a window 7 in a building.

The inner support 3 of the element is elongate and has top and bottom surfaces 9, 11, front and back surfaces 13, 15 and end surfaces 17. The top and bottom surfaces 9, 11 are parallel to each other and the front and back surfaces 13. 15 are parallel to each other and normally transverse to the top and bottom surfaces 9, 11. The front surface 13 can have its top portion cut away to provide a front clearance space 19 if needed. The purpose of the clearance space 19 will be explained later.

First mounting means 21 are provided on the top surface 9 of the inner support 3 and can comprise a rib 23 extending up from the top surface 9, the back surface 25 of the rib 23 aligned with the back surface 15 of the inner support 3. A slot 27 can extend into the inner support 3 from the top surface 9, the slot adjacent and in front of the rib 23. The upper surface 29 of the rib 23 can be angled downwardly from its back surface 25 to its front surface 31. The front surface 31 of the rib 23 is aligned with the back surface 33 of the slot 27.

The outer member 5 of the element is an elongated member, slightly longer than the inner support 3, with top and bottom surfaces 34, 35, front and back surfaces 37, 39 and end surfaces 41. The top and bottom surfaces 34, 35 are parallel to each other and the front and back surfaces 37, 39 can be parallel to each other and normally transverse to the top and bottom surfaces 34, 35. A drip channel 43 is preferably provided along the bottom surface 35 near the front surface 37.

A support recess 45 is provided at the back, bottom corner of the member 5 to receive the inner support 3. The support recess 45 is as long as the inner support 3 and slightly shorter than outer member 5, the ends 47 of the recess 45 spaced slightly inwardly from the ends 41 of the outer member 5. The support recess 45 is defined by a front wall 49 and a top wall 51, the front wall 49 spaced outwardly from the back surface 39 and the top wall 51 spaced upwardly from the bottom surface 35.

The outer member 5 has second mounting means 53 in the form of a rib 55 extending downwardly from the top wall 51 of the recess 45 and a rib receiving space 57 adjacent the rib 55 and extending upwardly from the top wall 51. The rib receiving space 57 is adjacent the back surface 39 of the member 5 and is defined by an angled top surface 59 extending forwardly and downwardly from the back surface 39 to a vertical front surface 61 that is aligned with the back surface 63 of the rib 55.

Both the inner support 3 and the outer member 5 are molded from a suitable polystyrene or like material. The bottom surface 11 of the inner support 3 can be provided with a thick coating 67 of reinforced stucco-like material providing a hard, protective, decorative, finish to the bottom of the inner support. Similarly, the top, bottom, front and end surfaces of the outer member 5 can be provided with a thick coating 69 of reinforced stucco-like material, the material being the same as the material in the protective coating 67 on the inner support. The coatings 67, 69 can be made from a settable, cement-plastic material mixture, applied in two layers 71, 73 with a reinforcing mesh 75 laid over the first layer 71 and then covered with the second layer 73 as shown in FIG. 5. The stucco-like material is well known. The coatings 67, 69, when applied, can be grooved to simulate blocks, bricks, stones or the like if desired and their outer surface can be textured or otherwise treated to provide the required surface finish. The coatings can be coloured as required.

The building element 1 is mounted in place by first mounting the inner support 3 on the outer surface of the framing wall 79 of a building. The inner support 3 is mounted just above the window 7, centered with respect to it, with fasteners such as nails 81 driven into the wall 79 through the support 3 from its front surface. The back surface 15 of the support abuts the wall 79 as does the rib 23. The outer member 5 is then placed above the inner support 3, with its back surface 39 abutting the wall 79 and with the inner support 3 aligned with the recess 45, and slide down the wall to locate the inner support 3 within the recess 45 and thus within the outer member 5. When properly mounted, the inner support 3 is fully within the recess 45 with its bottom surface 11 level with the bottom surface 35 of the outer member 5 and closing the recess 45.

Some adhesive can be applied to the slots 27, 57 and to the ribs 23, 55 to interlock the outer member 5 with the inner support 3. The fastener clearance 19 on the front of the inner support 3 provides room for the heads of the fasteners 81 so the heads do not interfere with the assembly of the element. The relatively small, lightweight, inner support 3 is easy to mount in the correct position on the building and once mounted, assembly of the outer member 5 thereon, in the correct position relative to the building, is also easy.

The building element 1 described above is used to provide a decorative facing over a window or a door in a building. The building element can take other forms. For example, the building element can be in the form of a window sill 101 for windows. In this form, the outer member has the shape of a window sill member 105 as shown in FIG. 6, and is mounted on the inner support 3 which is mounted just below a window opening 107 in a building wall 109. The sill member 105 can have a top surface 111 with a horizontal top rear portion 113 and a slightly downwardly extending top front portion 115. the front surface 117 can be angled inwardly in moving upwardly from the bottom surface. The other elements of the sill member 105 are the same as the outer member 5. The shape of the sill member 105, as seen in cross-section, is a squat and wide sill shape as compared to the more narrow, taller facing shown by the outer member 5. The sill member 105 is mounted on the inner support 3 in the same manner as the outer member 5 was mounted, the inner support 3 being fastened to the outer surface of the building wall 109 just below a window opening 107 to locate the sill member 105 in a proper position relative to a window (not shown) in the window opening 107.

If the window sill 101 is used on a building that is to be covered with siding, the window sill 101 can be modified to accommodate the siding. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the bottom inner corner of both the inner support 3′ and the sill member 105′ of the window sill 101′ can be cut away to form a siding recess 121. The siding recess 121 extends across the width of sill member 105′ and comprises a siding recess section 123 extending right across the bottom inner corner of the inner support 3′, and a siding recess section 125 on each side of the support recess 45′ in the sill member 105′ in its bottom inner corner on each side of the recess. The siding recess sections 125 on each side of the support recess 45′ are aligned with the siding recess section 123 on the inner support 3′ and form extensions of it to provide the siding recess 121 that extends right across the width of the assembled window sill 101′. All three recess sections 123, 125 are defined by a vertical front wall 127 and a horizontal top wall 129. The top wall 129 is just slightly wider than the width ‘w’ of a siding member 131.

The siding can be installed first on the wall and the siding member 131 adjacent the window opening 107′ can be cut to fit in the siding recess 121 on the window sill 101′ to present a finished appearance. The window sill 101′ can be installed after the siding member 131 adjacent the bottom of the window is installed, the inner support 3′ nailed to the wall with a top portion 133 of the siding member 131 within the siding recess section 123. The window sill member 105′ is then mounted on the inner support 3′ with its end recess sections 125 also receiving the top portion 133 of the siding member 131.

The window sill member 105′ can be attached to the siding member 131 with fasteners 137 if desired. In this case, the inner support 3′ can be provided with a top clearance space 139 on its top surface 9′. The clearance space 139 is provided using a rib 141 on the top front portion of the top surface 9′. The rib 141 spaces the top wall 51′ of the siding recess 45′ from the top surface 9′ of the inner support to provide clearance for the fastener heads of the fasteners 137 driven through the siding support 3′ into the siding member 131.

One form of mounting means 21, 45 for mounting the outer member on the inner support has been described. The mounting means can take other forms as well. For example, as shown in FIG. 9 the first mounting means 21′ on the inner support 3″ can be in the form of two spaced-apart bottom ribs 151, 153 extending upwardly from the rear portion of the top surface 9″. The back rib 153 has its back surface 155 aligned with the back surface 15″ of the support and has its top surface 157 angled downwardly and forwardly from the back surface 155. A bottom slot 159 is formed between the ribs 151, 153. The second mounting means 45′ on the outer member 5″ can comprise two spaced apart top slots 161, 163 extending up from the top wall 51″ of the support recess 45″ to receive the two bottom ribs 151, 153, the outer slot 163 open on its inner side and having an angled top wall 164 to receive the top 157 of the outer rib 153. The two top slots 161, 163 define a top rib 165 for extending into the bottom slot 159. The additional slot and rib provide a more positive connection between the outer member 5″ and the inner support 3″. Other configurations to mount the outer member on the inner support can be employed. The only criteria is to have the first and second mounting means locate the back surface of both the inner support and the outer member flush against the building wall, and the bottom surface of the outer member aligned with the bottom surface of the inner support.

The building element has being described above as a facing for the top of a window or door or as a window sill. It can be made into any decorative building element used in building construction such as a cornice, a corbel, door and/or window moldings, and the like. The building element is made in two parts, the outer member, which serves a decorative purpose, and the inner support. The inner support, being attached first to the building, serves to locate and mount the outer member in the correct position on a building.

It will be seen that the building element is lightweight, making it easily handled and easily mounted; can be easily decorated to match or complement the rest of the finished building; and is relatively inexpensive being primarily made from moldable plastic material.

It is preferred to manufacture the inner supports 3, 3′ in extended lengths and then cutting sections off to the length needed for the particular application being assembled. It is also preferred to manufacture the outer members 5, 105, 105′ in extended lengths. The outer members are then cut to the size needed by cutting a central section out of the member to leave the two outer parts, when joined together, forming a member of the required length. Both the inner supports and outer members are made off site.

The inner support has been described, in the examples shown, as being from moldable plastic material. In some instances, the inner support can be made from suitable metallic material such as aluminum. The inner support can be formed by cutting a section off a long length of extruded metallic material.