Prefabricated masonry covered structural wall panel

Abstract

A prefabricated masonry covered structural wall panel is disclosed, comprising a plurality of framing members extending in a parallel relationship to each other and to which are secured metallic skeletal supports. A perforated metallic cladding, attached to the metallic skeletal supports, is covered with a plurality of thin bricks. The prefabricated panel can be used as an integral structural part of a building structure or in a curtain wall.

1 . A prefabricated masonry covered structural wall panel, comprising: 
 a plurality of structural framing members extending in a substantially parallel relationship to each other, each of said framing members having an interior side opposed to an exterior side;    at least one metallic skeletal support having an interior side and an exterior side, the interior side of said at least one metallic skeletal support being secured to the exterior side of the framing members;    a perforated metallic cladding attached to the exterior side of the at least one metallic skeletal support, said perforated metallic cladding having an interior side and an exterior side; and    a plurality of thin bricks being secured to the exterior side of the cladding, and covering said exterior side of the cladding in a predetermined pattern.    
   
   
       2 . The prefabricated wall panel according to  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of said metallic skeletal supports each including a vertical bar having a generally Z-shaped cross section.  
   
   
       3 . The prefabricated wall panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one metallic skeletal support comprises a corrugated metallic sheet.  
   
   
       4 . The prefabricated wall panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the interior side of the at least one metallic skeletal support is secured to the exterior side of the framing members by means of mechanical fasteners selected from the group consisting of screws and nuts.  
   
   
       5 . The prefabricated wall panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of thin bricks is secured to said cladding by means of a glue layer laid on the exterior side of the cladding.  
   
   
       6 . The prefabricated wall panel according to  claim 5 , wherein the glue layer fills at least a portion of the perforations of said cladding and forms protuberances that project on the interior side of the cladding, thereby opposing a mechanical resistance to a detachment of the glue layer.  
   
   
       7 . The prefabricated wall panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the cladding is attached to the exterior side of the at least one metallic skeletal support by means of mechanical fasteners selected from the group consisting of screws and nuts.  
   
   
       8 . The prefabricated wall panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the perforated metallic cladding has a thickness of about 20 ga.  
   
   
       9 . The prefabricated wall panel according to  claim 1 , further comprising a water resistant layer extending between the exterior side of the framing members and the interior side of the at least one metallic skeletal support.  
   
   
       10 . The prefabricated wall panel according to  claim 9 , further comprising a rigid insulating layer extending between the water resistant layer and the perforated metallic cladding.  
   
   
       11 . A method for manufacturing a prefabricated masonry covered structural wall panel including the steps of: 
 a) providing a plurality of structural framing members extending in a substantially parallel relationship to each other, each of said framing members having an interior side opposed to an exterior side;    b) providing at least one metallic skeletal support having an interior side and an exterior side, and securing the interior side of the at least one metallic skeletal support to the exterior side of the framing members;    c) securing a perforated metallic cladding to the exterior side of the at least one metallic skeletal support, said perforated metallic cladding having an interior side and an exterior side; and    d) securing a plurality of thin bricks to the exterior side of said cladding for covering the exterior side of the cladding with said bricks in a predetermined pattern.    
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 11 , comprising the step of securing the interior side of the at least one metallic skeletal support to the exterior side of the framing members by means of mechanical fasteners selected from the group consisting of screws and nuts.  
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 12 , comprising the step of securing the plurality of thin bricks to said cladding by laying a glue layer on the exterior side of the cladding.  
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 13 , comprising the step of filling at least a portion of the perforations of said cladding and forming protuberances that project on the interior side of the cladding, thereby opposing a mechanical resistance to a detachment of the glue layer.  
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 11 , comprising the step of extending a water resistant layer between the exterior side of the framing members and the interior side of the at least one metallic skeletal support.  
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15 , comprising the step of extending a rigid insulating layer between the water resistant layer and the perforated metallic cladding.