Facing unit construction

Abstract

A facing unit construction is adapted for mounting facing units on a structure, such as a roof or a wall. The facing units can comprise various suitable materials, including slate, wood, tile, metal, concrete, ceramic and plastic. Center channel spacers are mounted on the structure and provide outwardly-projecting ribs for positioning the facing units and inwardly-open channels for draining water from underneath the facing units. Clip assemblies are also mounted on the structure and include flanges for capturing the facing unit upper edges and hooks for receiving the facing unit lower edges. The hooks can also extend through receivers in the facing units and can be provided with snow guards. The clip assembly base clips can be configured for automatically aligning nailing equipment. The facing units, spacers and clips form courses on the structure, which overlap for gravity discharge of water.

1 . A facing unit construction for a structure, which includes: 
 a plurality of spacers each having inner and outer faces, opposite side edges and opposite ends;    said spacers being adapted for mounting on said structure; and    each said spacer being adapted for positioning a pair of facing units on said structure.    
   
   
       2 . The construction according to  claim 1 , which includes: 
 each said spacer having a medial rib protruding from said outer face and extending between said opposite ends in spaced relation inwardly from said side edges;    each said spacer being adapted for positioning a pair of facing units on opposite sides of and adjacent to the medial rib thereof;    a plurality of clip assemblies each including a base clip and a hook connected to the base clip and extending therefrom; and    said clip assemblies being adapted for mounting said facing units on said structure by engaging said facing units with said hooks.    
   
   
       3 . The construction according to  claim 2  wherein: 
 each said spacer includes a drain channel open at its inner face and extending between said spacer ends.    
   
   
       4 . The construction according to  claim 3  wherein each said spacer includes: 
 a pair of side ribs projecting outwardly from its outer face on each side of its medial rib and extending between said spacer ends; and    a receiver adapted for receiving a mechanical fastener for attaching said spacer to the structure.    
   
   
       5 . The construction according to  claim 2 , which includes: 
 a plurality of courses extending in generally parallel, overlapping relation along said structure;    each said course including a plurality of said spacers, clip assemblies and facing units;    each said underlayment strip having alignment marking thereon for positioning said spacers and clip assemblies on said structure; and    each said course overlapping the course below and/or being overlapped by the course above.    
   
   
       6 . The construction according to  claim 1  wherein: 
 each said base clip includes a receiver adapted for receiving a fastener for mounting said base clip on said structure;    each said base clip includes top and side flanges with respective notches for alignment with a nailing device;    each said base clip further includes a bottom flange adapted for overlying a respective facing unit upper edge.    
   
   
       7 . The construction according to  claim 6  wherein each said clip assembly includes: 
 said hook having a proximate end;    said base clip having a retainer engaging said hook proximate end and mounting same on said base clip;    said hook having a hook-shaped distal end forming a receiver adapted to receive a facing unit lower edge; and    said hook having a shaft extending over said base clip bottom flange.    
   
   
       8 . The construction according to  claim 1  wherein said facing units comprise a material chosen from among the group consisting of: slate; stone; saturated felt composition; wood; tile; concrete; ceramic; plastic; and metal.  
   
   
       9 . The construction according to  claim 2  wherein each said facing unit includes a receiver adapted for receiving a respective hook distal end.  
   
   
       10 . The construction according to  claim 2  wherein each said hook includes a snow guard mounted on its distal end.  
   
   
       11 . A facing unit construction for a structure, which includes: 
 multiple facing unit courses extending in generally parallel relation on said structure;    each said course including a plurality of facing units each having inner and outer faces, opposite side edges and upper and lower ends;    each said course including a plurality of spacers each having inner and outer faces, opposite side edges, opposite ends and a medial rib protruding from said outer face and extending between said opposite ends in spaced relation inwardly from said side edges;    each said spacer being adapted for mounting on said structure and for positioning a pair of facing units on either side of and adjacent to said medial rib thereof;    each said course including a plurality of clip assemblies each including a base clip and a hook connected to the base clip and extending therefrom; and    said clip assemblies being adapted for mounting facing units on said structure by engaging same with said hooks; and    said courses overlapping on said structure with said facing units being overlapped by the facing units of the course above and/or overlapping the facing units of the course below.    
   
   
       12 . The construction according to  claim 11 , which includes: water-repellent underlayment strips positioned between overlapping courses.  
   
   
       13 . The construction according to  claim 12  wherein each said underlayment strip includes alignment markings corresponding to the locations of respective facing units and indicia for identifying the facing units to be installed thereat.  
   
   
       14 . The construction according to  claim 13 , which includes: 
 said construction comprising a predetermined pattern of different-sized facing units configured to cover a portion of said structure.    
   
   
       15 . The construction according to  claim 11 , which includes: 
 each said base clip having a top flange and opposite side flanges;    each said flange having a notch; and    said flanges and notches being adapted for aligning a power nailing tool head.    
   
   
       16 . The construction according to  claim 15 , which includes: each said base clip having a bottom flange adapted for overlying a respective facing tile upper end; and 
 each said clip assembly having a pair of said hooks extending over said bottom flange and having outwardly-convex prebent configurations adapted for deflecting inwardly upon installation of the next course above.    
   
   
       17 . The construction according to  claim 11 , which includes: 
 each said facing tile including a hook receiver extending between its inner and outer faces; and    each said hook extending inside a respective facing tile inner face below a respective facing tile upper edge and through a respective hook receiver.    
   
   
       18 . A facing unit construction for a structure, which includes: 
 multiple, overlapping facing unit courses extending in generally parallel relation on said structure;    water-repellent underlayment strips positioned between overlapping courses and including alignment markings corresponding to the locations of respective facing units and indicia for identifying the facing units to be installed thereat;    each said course including a plurality of facing units each having inner and outer faces, opposite side edges and upper and lower ends;    each said course including a plurality of spacers each having inner and outer faces, opposite side edges, opposite ends and a medial rib protruding from said outer face and extending between said opposite ends in spaced relation inwardly from said side edges;    each said spacer having a drain channel open at its inner face and extending between.    said spacer ends below said medial rib;    each said spacer having two pairs of side ribs extending between said spacer ends, each pair being located to a respective side of said medial rib and protruding from said spacer outer face;    each said spacer being adapted for mounting on said structure and for positioning a pair of facing units on either side of and adjacent to said medial rib thereof;    each said course including a plurality of clip assemblies each including a base clip and a hook connected to the base clip and extending therefrom; and    said clip assemblies being adapted for mounting facing units on said structure by engaging same with said hooks;    each said base clip having a top flange and opposite side flanges;    each said flange having a notch;    said flanges and notches being adapted for aligning an automatic nailing tool head;    said courses overlapping on said structure with said facing units being overlapped by the facing units of the course above and/or overlapping the facing units of the course below;    each said base clip having a bottom flange adapted for overlying a respective facing tile upper end;    each said clip assembly having a pair of said hooks extending over said bottom flange and having outwardly-convex prebent configurations adapted for deflecting inwardly upon installation of the next course above; and    said construction comprising a predetermined pattern of different-sized facing units configured to cover a portion of said structure.    
   
   
       19 . The construction according to  claim 18  wherein each said hook distal end includes a snow guard comprising a bent-wire loop adapted for engaging a respective facing unit lower end for retaining said facing unit in position, said loop lying in a plane generally perpendicular to said hook and extending above said facing unit upper surface and adapted for restraining snow thereon.  
   
   
       20 . The construction according to  claim 18  wherein each said hook distal end includes: 
 a facing unit hook receiving a respective facing tile lower end; and    a snow guard positioned distally from said facing unit hook and comprising a bent-wire loop lying in a plane generally perpendicular to said hook and extending above said facing unit upper surface and adapted for restraining snow thereon.