The present invention relates to a mounting plate, and more particularly to a mounting plate for attaching bricks to a wall structure as defined in the preamble of the independent claim 1.
The present invention further relates to a mounting surface, and more particularly to a mounting surface for attaching bricks to a wall structure as defined in the independent claim 12.
Previously known solutions for fastening bricks to a wall structure are described, for example, in US 2006260251, which discloses a tile wall structure and a tile wall construction method which eliminate the necessity to perform inking for each tile support rail to significantly facilitate an installation operation of tile support rails. A tile supporting portion having upwardly and downwardly projecting portions is formed on a lower side edge of each tile support rail while a tile has upper and lower supporting grooves formed on upper and lower surfaces thereof. The tile support rails are disposed on the skeleton such that adjacent lower and upper portions thereof overlap with each other, and positioning portions thereof are positioned relative to each other at the overlapping portions. Each tile is supported between the tile supporting portions of adjacent upper and lower tile support rails with the upper supporting groove engaged with the downwardly projecting portion of the tile supporting portion of the upper side tile support rail and with the lower supporting groove engaged with the upwardly projecting portion of the tile supporting portion of the lower side tile support rail.
One of the problems associated with the prior art is that the tiles need to have recesses on the side edges of the tiles and the dimensional tolerances of the tiles must be small for the tiles to attach to the supporting grooves.
An object of the present invention is to provide an efficient way of providing a base for attaching bricks to a wall structure so that the bricks are attached evenly spaced and straight. Another object of the present invention is to attach bricks to a base so that the bricks are securely connected and locked to the base.
The objects of the invention are achieved by a mounting plate and a mounting surface which are characterized by what is stated in the independent claims. The preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.
The invention is based on the idea of providing a mounting plate which provides support surfaces to adjacent bricks and locking grippers for providing locking effect to the bricks so that they are securely locked to the mounting plate.
A mounting plate according to the invention for attaching bricks to a wall structure comprises a first mounting area for a first brick; a second mounting area for a second brick; and locking grippers arranged on a gripping area between the first mounting area and the second mounting area at the mounting plate and separating the first mounting area and the second mounting area from each other. The first mounting area comprising a first support surface arranged to support the first brick at the mounting plate, and a hanger arranged to hang the first brick on the mounting plate from a recess behind the first brick. The second mounting area comprising a second support surface arranged to support the second brick at the mounting plate. The locking grippers are arranged to lock the first brick to the mounting plate by providing a restraining structure preventing movement of the first brick along the first support surface.
The first mounting area and the second mounting area are the areas of the same mounting plate where the first brick is placed in the first mounting area and the second brick is placed in the second mounting area. However, the entire brick is not placed entirely on the same mounting plate, but one brick is placed in the area of two mounting plates that are connected. Therefore, the brick placed in the first mounting area of the first mounting plate is still placed in the second mounting area of the adjacent second mounting plate.
The locking grippers arranged between the first mounting area and the second mounting area at the mounting plate are placed between adjacent bricks attached to the mounting plate. The first support surface supporting the first brick at the mounting plate is a surface at the mounting plate on which the first brick rests. The second support surface supporting the second brick at the mounting plate is a surface at the mounting plate on which the second brick rests. The hanger is provided at the mounting plate such that the first brick is attached to the mounting plate by means of the hanger so that the first brick hangs on the hanger while settling on the mounting plate at the first mounting area. The first brick is further locked to the mounting plate through the locking grippers such that the locking grippers prevent movement of the first brick along the first support surface. Thereby the first brick cannot be slipped away from the hanger. The locking grippers also lock mortar applied between the first brick and the second brick at the mounting plate.
According to the invention the locking grippers are arranged to form a restraining structure such that when a brick is arranged to the mounting plate and connected to the hanger, the hanger and the locking gripper fasten the brick tightly to the mounting plate and the locking gripper acts as a compressive member, attaching the brick on the first support surface of the mounting plate. In other words, the locking gripper presses the brick such that it is tightly arranged against the first support surface. According to the invention the mounting plate comprises a rear surface for placing the mounting plate on a surface of the wall structure, and a front surface facing towards the first brick and the second brick. The rear surface forming a mounting plane of the mounting plate to be attached on the surface of the wall structure. The first and second support surfaces form together a support plane which said support plane being at a distance from the front surface and extending parallel with the mounting plane. The hanger is arranged to protrude from the front surface in a direction of the support plane.
The mounting plate is preferably made of a one metal sheet such that the rear surface forming the mounting plane and the first and second support surfaces forming the support plane, which the mounting plane and the support plane are spaced apart from each other, are formed by bending or otherwise treating the metal sheet. In other words, the first and second support surfaces forming the support plane protrude from the mounting plane formed by the rear surface. The hanger is preferably formed by partially detaching and bending the hanger from the metal sheet. The metal sheet is preferably steel sheet having the thickness of 0.5-0.8 and preferably 0.5-0.6 mm.
According to the invention the hanger is arranged to extend from the front surface through the support plane to the other side of the support plane at an angle of less than 90 degrees on the side of the locking grippers. In other words, the hanger extends from the front surface of the mounting plate from the first mounting area in the direction in the mounting plate where the locking grippers and the second mounting area are located. The front surface of the mounting plate is on the opposite side of the mounting plate than the rear surface, while the support surface is at a distance from the front surface.
According to the invention the mounting plate comprises multiple hangers arranged in a row on the mounting plate. The multiple hangers are arranged in a row at the first mounting area so that the hangers are provided adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction of the mounting plate. The longitudinal direction of the mounting plate is the direction of the longest side of the mounting plate.
In other words, the mounting plate can comprise one hanger extending along the longitudinal direction of the mounting plate at the first mounting area or alternatively, the mounting plate can comprise multiple hangers provided adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction of the mounting plate at the first mounting area.
According to the invention the first support surface and the second support surface are arranged to join and to form a support unit such that, the first support surface is arranged to extend from the first mounting area to the second mounting area, forming the second support surface in the second mounting area, and the mounting plate comprises multiple support units.
In other words, the first and second support surfaces may join forming a support unit, meaning that the first support surface extends from the first mounting area through the gripping area to the second mounting area at the support plane. The locking grippers in the gripping area do not overlap with the support unit, but the support units and the locking grippers alternate in the gripping area.
According to the invention the support units are arranged in a row on the mounting plate such that at least one support unit is arranged between adjacent locking grippers. The support units extend in a width direction of the mounting plate which the width direction is the direction of the shortest side of the mounting plate. The support units and the locking grippers alternate in the longitudinal direction of the mounting plate.
According to the invention the locking grippers comprise an elongate gripper arm protruding from the front surface of the mounting plate and extending longitudinally of the mounting plate in the gripping area arranged between the first mounting area and the second mounting area on the mounting plate. Longitudinally of the mounting plate meaning the direction of the mounting plate, which is the direction of the longest side of the mounting plate.
According to the invention the elongate gripper arm comprises an arm portion protruding from the front surface of the mounting plate and extending away from the front surface of the mounting plate, and an end portion extending from the arm portion, which the end portion extending toward the front surface of the mounting plate. Alternatively, the end portion extending parallel with the front surface of the mounting plate. In other words, the elongate gripper arm has a shape of a hook in which the length of the arm portion is greater than the length of the end portion.
According to the invention the gripper arm is arranged to taper towards the end of the gripper arm. The taper may only be at the end portion or alternatively both at the end portion and at the arm portion.
According to the invention the mounting plate having an upper edge and a lower edge such that the first mounting area and the second mounting area are arranged between the upper edge and the lower edge at the mounting plate. The second mounting area extending from the upper edge to the gripping area and the first mounting area extending from the gripping area to the lower edge. The first mounting area having a first connecting structure, and the second mounting area having a second connecting structure arranged between the upper edge and the second support surface, the first connecting structure being arranged to connect to the second connecting structure of adjacent mounting plate to connect the mounting plates together. The first connecting structure is preferably arranged on the other side of the hanger than the first support surface.
The first and second connecting structures are interconnecting structures that fasten the two mounting plates together as a single mounting surface.
The direction between the upper edge and the lower edge is the width direction of the mounting plate. The upper edge and the lower edge extending along the longitudinal direction of the mounting plate.
According to the invention the second connecting structure being a female connector having a vertical support portion and a horizontal support portion, and the first connecting structure being a male connector having a protrusion portion, which the male connector being arranged to engage with the female connector of an adjacent mounting plate such that the lower edge of the mounting plate is placed against the vertical support portion of adjacent mounting plate, and the protrusion portion of the mounting plate and the horizontal support portion of the adjacent mounting plate provide a form-fitting connection.
In other words, the second connecting structure provided between the upper edge and the second support surface is a female connector which is arranged to receive the male connector of an adjacent mounting plate. The lower edge of the adjacent mounting plate is provided on the vertical support portion of the female connector so that the adjacent mounting plate rests on the vertical support portion. In other words, the vertical support portion is arranged to provide vertical support for the adjacent mounting plate. The protrusion portion of the male connector is provided in contact with the horizontal support portions, which prevents the mounting plate inserted in the female connector from moving horizontally.
When attaching the mounting plate to a wall structure the mounting plate is placed such that the second mounting area is above the first mounting area. Therefore, the female connector of the second connecting structure opens toward the upper edge of the mounting plate so that male connector of the first connecting structure of the adjacent mounting plate above is inserted into the female connector when the mounting plates are attached to the wall structure.
A mounting surface for attaching bricks to a wall structure according to the invention comprises one or more mounting plates, a first end plate and a second end plate, which the first end plate is provided at one end of the one or more mounting plates and the second end plate is provided at the other end of the one or more mounting plates for forming the mounting surface. Each mounting plate comprising a first mounting area for a first brick; a second mounting area for a second brick; and locking grippers arranged on a gripping area between the first mounting area and the second mounting area at the mounting plate and separating the first mounting area and the second mounting area from each other. Each mounting plate further comprising an upper edge and a lower edge such that the first mounting area and the second mounting area are arranged between the upper edge and the lower edge. The second mounting area extending from the upper edge to the gripping area and the first mounting area extending from the gripping area to the lower edge. The first mounting area having a first connecting structure, and the second mounting area having a second connecting structure. The first connecting structure is connected to the second connecting structure of adjacent mounting plate such that the mounting plates are connected to each other through the connecting structures. A first end plate having a third connecting structure at a lower edge of the first end plate, a brick connecting structure at an upper edge of the first end plate, and a hanger arranged between the third connecting structure and the brick connecting structure. The third connecting structure of the first end plate is connected to the second connecting structure of a mounting plate. A second end plate having a fourth connecting structure at an upper edge of the second end plate, and a brick support surface at a lower edge of the second end plate. The fourth connecting structure is connected to the first connecting structure of a mounting plate. The mounting surface comprising the first end plate is provided at one end of the one or more mounting plates at the upper end and the second end plate provided at the other end of the one or more mounting plates at the lower end.
The mounting plates are arranged one above the other at the wall structure such that the longitudinal side edge of the mounting plate is preferably arranged horizontally. The longitudinal side edge is the longest side edge of the mounting plate.
According to the invention the third connecting structure of the first end plate corresponds to the first connecting structure of the mounting plate, and the fourth connecting structure of the second end plate corresponds to the second connecting structure of the mounting plate.
The connecting structures at the lower edge of the mounting plate and the lower edge of the first end plate are the same, and the connecting structures of the upper edge of the mounting plate and the upper edge of the second end plate are the same such that the connecting structure of the upper edge is connectable to the connecting structure of the lower edge.
According to the invention the brick connecting structure of the first end plate comprises a third support surface for supporting the brick at the first end plate, and an upper end support arranged to prevent movement of the brick along the third support surface at the first end plate.
In other words, the first end plate comprises the brick connecting structure which prevents the brick from moving away from the mounting surface in the vertical direction of the mounting surface.
According to the invention the one or more mounting plates are according to any of embodiments described above.
An advantage of the invention is that the mounting surface is easy to assemble by fixing the mounting plates to the wall surface and can be easily obtained in the correct position by placing only the first plate horizontally and stacking the subsequent plates on top of the first plate, the first plate being the second end plate.
The invention is described in detail by means of specific embodiments with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which
The locking grippers 34 comprise a gripper arm 31 protruding from the front surface 16 of the mounting plate 1. The gripper arm 31 has an arm portion 32 extending from the front surface 16 of the mounting plate 1 and an end portion 33 extending from the arm portion 32. The arm portion 32 extends from the front surface 16 in a direction away from the front surface 16. The end portion 33 extends from the arm portion 32 in a direction toward the front surface 16, or alternatively parallel with the front surface 16, or still alternatively partly parallel with the front surface 16 and partly in a direction toward the front surface 16.
The mounting plate 1 further comprises a first connecting structure 50 and a second connecting structure 60 which the first connecting structure 50 is connectable to the second connecting structure 60 of an adjacent mounting plate 1 and the second connecting structure 60 is connectable to the first connecting structure 50 of another adjacent mounting plate 1. The second connecting structure 60 is provided between the upper edge 18 of the mounting plate 1 and the second support surface 21 at the second mounting area 20 and comprises a female connector having an opening toward the upper edge 18 of the mounting plate 1. The first connecting structure 50 is provided on the other side of the hanger 12 than the first support surface 11 at the first mounting area 10 and preferably comprises a male connector connectable to the female connector of the second connecting structure 60 of adjacent mounting plate 1. The female connector comprises a vertical support portion 61 providing vertical support for the adjacent mounting plate placed from its lower edge 17 on the vertical support portion 61. The female connector also comprises a horizontal support portion 62 providing horizontal support for the adjacent mounting plate by a connection between a protrusion portion 51 of the male connector and the horizontal support portion 62 of the female connector. The protrusion portion 51 can be a bend or bends in the mounting plate 1, by means of which a connection with the horizontal support portion of the female connector of the second connecting structure 60 is obtained.
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The second end plate 3 is arranged at the lower end of the mounting surface 110 and the first end plate 2 is arranged at the upper end of the mounting surface 110, the mounting plates 1 are arranged between the first end plate 2 and the second end plate 3. As can be seen from
Mounting plates are arranged adjacently such that the longitudinal side edges connect.
The invention has been described above with reference to the examples shown in the figures. However, the invention is in no way restricted to the above examples but may vary within the scope of the claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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20215985 | Sep 2021 | FI | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/FI2022/050622 | 9/19/2022 | WO |