Fastener system and method for attaching manufactured brick or stone to a surface

Abstract

A manufactured stone comprised of a manufactured material, such as cement, foam, plastic, or the like, and a fastener affixed to the manufactured material. The fastener is dimensioned for a fastening device to attach the fastener to a surface, thereby attaching the manufactured stone to the surface. A portion of the fastener may be embedded in or bonded to the manufactured material. Installing the manufactured stone on a surface includes attaching the stone to the surface by applying a fastening device to the fastener. The fastening device may be a nail, screw, or the like, that is driven through the fastener into the surface. Alternatively, the fastening device may be a bonding material that bonds the fastener to the surface. The fastener may further include a flange portion that extends outward from the manufactured stone and is inserted behind an adjacent stone previously installed on the surface.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:  
     
         1 . A manufactured stone, comprising: 
 (a) a manufactured material formed to make the body of the manufactured stone; and    (b) a fastener affixed to the manufactured material, the fastener being dimensioned for a fastening device to attach the fastener to a surface, thereby attaching the manufactured stone to the surface.    
     
     
         2 . The manufactured stone of  claim 1 , in which the fastener is made of metal.  
     
     
         3 . The manufactured stone of  claim 2 , in which the fastener is made of a strip of sheet metal.  
     
     
         4 . The manufactured stone of  claim 1 , in which the fastener is made of plastic.  
     
     
         5 . The manufactured stone of  claim 1 , in which a portion of the fastener is embedded in the manufactured material of the manufactured stone to affix the fastener to the manufactured stone.  
     
     
         6 . The manufactured stone of  claim 1 , in which the fastener is affixed to the manufactured stone by bonding the fastener to the manufactured material of the manufactured stone.  
     
     
         7 . The manufactured stone of  claim 1 , in which the fastener is made for the fastening device to be driven through the fastener into the surface to attach the manufactured stone to the surface.  
     
     
         8 . The manufactured stone of  claim 7 , in which the fastening device is a nail.  
     
     
         9 . The manufactured stone of  claim 7 , in which the fastening device is a screw.  
     
     
         10 . The manufactured stone of  claim 1 , in which the fastening device is a bonding material that bonds the fastener to the surface.  
     
     
         11 . The manufactured stone of  claim 1 , in which the fastener includes a flange portion extending from the manufactured stone, the flange portion being dimensioned to be inserted behind an adjacent stone when attaching the manufactured stone to the surface.  
     
     
         12 . A method of installing manufactured stone on a surface, comprising: 
 (a) providing a manufactured stone formed of a manufactured material and a fastener affixed to the manufactured material, the fastener being dimensioned for a fastening device to attach the fastener to the surface; and    (b) attaching the manufactured stone to the surface by applying the fastening device to the fastener of the manufactured stone.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , in which affixing the fastener to the manufactured material includes embedding a portion of the fastener in the manufactured material.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , in which affixing the fastener to the manufactured material includes bonding a portion of the fastener to the manufactured material.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , in which attaching the manufactured stone to the surface includes driving the fastening device through the fastener into the surface.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , in which a nail is driven through the fastener into the surface.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , in which a screw is driven through the fastener into the surface.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , in which attaching the manufactured stone to the surface includes applying a bonding material to the fastener which bonds the fastener to the surface.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , in which the fastener includes a flange portion extending from the manufactured stone, the method further including inserting the flange portion behind an adjacent previously-installed stone prior to attaching the manufactured stone to the surface.  
     
     
         20 . A fastener for attaching a manufactured stone to a surface, comprising: 
 (a) a first portion that is affixed to the manufactured stone; and    (b) a second portion that is connected to the first portion and dimensioned for a fastening device to attach the second portion to the surface, thereby attaching the manufactured stone to the surface.    
     
     
         21 . The fastener of  claim 20 , in which the first portion of the fastener is embedded in the manufactured stone to affix the fastener to the manufactured stone.  
     
     
         22 . The fastener of  claim 20 , further comprising a tab connected to the first portion that extends outward from the fastener into the manufactured stone.  
     
     
         23 . The fastener of  claim 20 , further comprising a hole in the first portion dimensioned to permit a portion of the manufactured stone to extend therethrough when the manufactured stone is being made.  
     
     
         24 . The fastener of  claim 20 , further comprising a hole in the second portion dimensioned to permit the fastening device to extend therethrough into the surface.  
     
     
         25 . The fastener of  claim 20 , in which the first portion of the fastener is in a different plane than the second portion of the fastener, the second portion being raised from the plane of the first portion.  
     
     
         26 . The fastener of  claim 20 , further comprising a flange portion that extends from the manufactured stone, the flange portion being dimensioned for insertion behind an adjacent stone when attaching the manufactured stone to the surface.