Cladding member and/or a cladding system and/or a method of cladding

Abstract

The invention comprises a cladding member formed by a member of insulating material having front and rear faces and top, bottom faces and side faces. The front face has a plurality of substantially parallel channels formed there. The cladding members can be associated with base blocks. The base blocks have a moisture receiving means to receive moisture from the channels of the cladding members, and discharge means to allow such moisture to be discharged from the receiving means. Flashings and fixing devices are also described.

1 . A cladding member comprising a member of insulating material having front and rear faces and top, bottom faces and side faces, the front face having a plurality of substantially parallel channels formed therein.  
     
     
         2 . A cladding member as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the channels extend between the top and bottom faces.  
     
     
         3 . A cladding member as claimed in either  claim 1  or  claim 2  wherein the channels are provided to increase impact resistance of the front face when used in conjunction with an EIFS reinforced plaster-finishing system.  
     
     
         4 . A cladding member as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the insulating material comprises expanded polystyrene.  
     
     
         5 . A cladding member as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the channels are substantially 20 mm to 50 mm wide and substantially 5 mm to 30 mm in depth.  
     
     
         6 . A cladding member as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the channels are formed by forming the front face of the member of insulating material to a shape that in transverse cross section is substantially sinusoidal.  
     
     
         7 . A cladding member as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the cladding member further includes channels formed in the rear face, the channels extending between the top and bottom ends.  
     
     
         8 . A cladding member as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the further channels are substantially 20 mm to 50 mm wide and substantially 5 mm to 30 mm deep.  
     
     
         9 . A cladding member as claimed in  claim 7  or  claim 8  wherein the channels are formed by forming the rear face of the member of insulating material to a shape that in transverse cross section is substantially sinusoidal.  
     
     
         10 . A cladding system comprising a plurality of cladding members according to any one of the preceding claims and a plurality of base blocks, the base blocks having a moisture receiving means to receive moisture from the channels of the cladding members, and discharge means to allow such moisture to be discharged from the receiving means.  
     
     
         11 . A cladding system as claimed in claims  10  wherein the base blocks have front, rear, top and bottom faces, the receiving means comprising a rebate at the intersection of the rear face and the top face of the base block.  
     
     
         12 . A cladding system as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the rebate has higher and lower parts in use.  
     
     
         13 . A cladding system as claimed in either one of claims  11  and  12  wherein the base of the rebate drains to the discharge means.  
     
     
         14 . A cladding system as claimed in any one of  claims 10  to  13  wherein the discharge means comprises a plurality of passageways from the rebate to the front face of the base block.  
     
     
         15 . A cladding system as claimed in  claim 14  wherein the passageways extend from lower parts of the receiving rebate of the base block.  
     
     
         16 . A cladding method comprising attaching a plurality of cladding members according to any one of the preceding claims to a structure with the channels in the front face of the cladding member facing away from the structure.  
     
     
         17 . A cladding method as claimed in  claim 16  wherein a plurality of base blocks are provided below the cladding members so positioned that moisture can move from the channels in the cladding members to the moisture receiving means in the base block.  
     
     
         18 . A cladding system including a member of insulating material having front and rear faces and top and bottom ends, the rear face abutting a structure in use, the rear face having a plurality of substantially parallel channels formed therein, the channels extending between the top and bottom ends, and a framework which is in connection with the member of insulating material and provides passageways through which the channels are in communication with the exterior of the cladding system.  
     
     
         19 . A cladding system as claimed in claims  18  wherein the framework comprises a horizontal platform and a slanting floor.  
     
     
         20 . A cladding system as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the framework also comprises a vertical face at the outer face of the insulating material joining the horizontal platform and the slanting floor.  
     
     
         21 . A cladding system as claimed in either one of claims  19  and  20  wherein a plurality of openings are provided in the horizontal platform.  
     
     
         22 . A cladding system as claimed in claims  21  wherein the openings are aligned with the channels respectively.  
     
     
         23 . A cladding system as claimed in any one of the  claims 19  to  22  wherein an elongate cavity which runs along the length of the cladding system is provided within the framework.  
     
     
         24 . A cladding system as claimed in  claim 23  wherein the elongate cavity is in communication with the channels through the openings.  
     
     
         25 . A cladding system as claimed in either one of  claim 23  and  24  wherein the elongate cavity is in communication with the outer face through apertures through the substantially vertical face of the elongate cavity and the exterior plaster system.  
     
     
         26 . Using the cladding members according to any one of  claims 1  to  9  and/or using the cladding system of any one of  claims 10  to  15  and/or using a cladding method according to either one of claims  16  and  17  and/or using a cladding system according to any one of  claims 18  to  25   
     
     
         27 . A sealing washer having front and rear faces the rear face having at least one rib running thereacross.  
     
     
         28 . A sealing washer as claimed in claims  27  wherein more than one rib is provided, the ribs being substantially parallel.  
     
     
         29 . A sealing washer as clai9med in either one of claims  27  and  28  wherein the washer has a central aperture comprising a key-hole aperture.  
     
     
         30 . Flashing, the flashing being adapted to be associated in use with a cladding member according to any one of  claims 1  to  9  and having drainage means for moisture.  
     
     
         31 . Flashing as claimed in  claim 30  wherein the drainage means comprises one or more apertures in the flashing.  
     
     
         32 . Flashing as claimed in  claim 31  wherein the drainage means comprises one or more channels formed in the flashing.  
     
     
         33 . A fixing element having a head and a shaft, one or more circumferential ribs being formed about the shaft.  
     
     
         34 . A fixing element as claimed in  claim 33  wherein the shaft has one or more circumferential grooves therein.  
     
     
         35 . A cladding member as claimed in  claim 1  and substantially as herein described with references to the accompanying drawings.  
     
     
         36 . A cladding system as claimed in  claim 10  and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
     
     
         37 . A cladding method as claimed in  claim 16  and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
     
     
         38 . A cladding system as claimed in  claim 18  and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
     
     
         39 . A sealing washer as claimed in  claim 27  and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
     
     
         40 . Flashing as claimed in  claim 30  and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
     
     
         41 . A fixing element as claimed in  claim 33  and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.