Method And package For Shipping And Curing Manufactured Masonry Panels

Abstract

A method and package for shipping and curing manufactured masonry panels utilizes a package including sets of spaced slotted rails securing groups of masonry panels there between. In use, multiple sets of masonry panels are retained between first and second sets of slotted rails, with pairs of the masonry panels being retained back-to-back, with air flow channels being established between both main body portions and manufactured facial portions of the masonry panels, allowing for further curing of the masonry panels. The masonry panels can be stacked between sets of slotted rails until the desired package size is obtained. Optionally, one or more braces may be attached to the package.

1 . A method of packaging and curing manufactured masonry panels comprising:
 providing a first set of spaced slotted rails, each rail including top, bottom, and opposing side walls and a plurality of spaced, upper slots formed in the top wall;   providing a first set of masonry panels, each of the masonry panels including a respective main body panel including a bottom portion, a top portion and a securing bracket extending from the top portion;   inserting the respective bottom portions of the first set of masonry panels into one of the plurality of respective upper slots of the first set of spaced slotted rails such that the respective main body panels of the first set of masonry panels are retained by said first set of slotted rails in a spaced manner;   providing a second set of spaced slotted rails, each rail including top, bottom, and opposing side walls and a plurality of lower slots formed in the bottom wall; and   inserting the respective securing brackets of the first set of masonry panels into one of the plurality of respective lower slots of the second set of spaced slotted rails such that the respective securing brackets are retained by the second set of slotted rails; wherein the first and second set of spaced slotted rails and the masonry panels are retained as a package.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the masonry panels are only partially cured when packaged and the method further comprises further curing the first and second sets of masonry panels within the package. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the package is a shipping package and the method further comprises shipping the package. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second sets of masonry panels includes a plurality of manufactured facial portions, said method further comprising retaining the first and second sets of masonry panels in the package such that air flow gaps extend between the manufactured facial portions of the first and second sets of masonry panels. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising supporting the package on a pallet. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising attaching a brace to the package to further secure the package for transport. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of lower slots includes at least a first notch portion to aid in the step of inserting the respective securing brackets of the first set of masonry panels into the plurality of lower slots. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each masonry panel further includes a first row of manufactured facial portions extending from the main body panel and defining a bottom portion of the masonry panel, and the method of packaging further comprises inserting the respective bottom portions of the first set of masonry panels into the plurality of upper slots of the first set of spaced slotted rails such that bottom portions of the manufactured facial portions abut the top walls of the first set of spaced slotted rails. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein each masonry panel further includes a second row of manufactured facial portions extending from the main body panel and including a top wall portion, and the method of packaging further comprises inserting the respective securing brackets of the first set of masonry panels into the plurality of lower slots of the second set of spaced slotted rails such that the top wall portions of the second row of manufactured facial portions abut the bottom walls of the second set of spaced slotted rails. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing a second set of masonry panels, each of the second set of masonry panels including a respective main body panel including a bottom portion, a top portion and a securing bracket extending from the top portion;   inserting the bottom portions of the second set of masonry panels into one of a plurality of respective upper slots of the second set of spaced slotted rails such that the main body panels of the second set of masonry panels are retained by said second set of slotted rails in a spaced manner;   providing a third set of spaced slotted rails, each slotted rail including top, bottom, and opposing side walls and having a plurality of lower slots formed in the bottom wall; and   inserting the respective securing brackets of the second set of masonry panels into one of the plurality of respective lower slots of the third set of spaced slotted rails such that the respective securing brackets are retained by the third set of slotted rails; wherein the package if further defined by the third set of spaced slotted rails.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 providing a third set of masonry panels, each of the masonry panels including a respective main body panel including a bottom portion, a top portion and a securing bracket extending from the top portion;   inserting the respective bottom portions of the third set of masonry panels into one of a plurality of respective upper slots formed in the top wall of the third set of spaced slotted rails such that the main body panels of the third set of masonry panels are retained by said third set of slotted rails in a spaced manner;   providing a fourth set of spaced slotted rails, each rail including top, bottom, and opposing side walls and having a plurality of lower slots formed in the bottom wall; and   inserting the respective securing brackets of the third set of masonry panels into one of the plurality of respective lower slots of the fourth set of spaced slotted rails such that the respective securing brackets are retained by the fourth set of slotted rails; wherein the package if further defined by the fourth set of spaced slotted rails,   
     
     
         12 . A curing and shipping package for manufactured masonry panels comprising:
 a first set of spaced slotted rails, each slotted rail including top, bottom, and opposing side walls and a plurality of upper slots formed in the top wall;   a second set of spaced slotted rails, each slotted rail including top, bottom, and opposing side walls and a plurality of lower slots formed in the bottom wall; and   a first set of masonry panels, each of the masonry panels including a respective main body panel having a bottom portion, a top portion, and a securing bracket extending from the top portion, wherein each of the bottom portions is retained within a respective one of the plurality of lower slots of the second set of spaced slotted rails and each of the securing brackets is retained within a respective one of the plurality of upper slots of the first set of spaced slotted rails such that the first set of masonry panels are retained by the first and second sets of spaced slotted rails.   
     
     
         13 . The package of  claim 12 , wherein the first set of masonry panels are retained in a spaced manner such that an air flow gap is defined between the first set of masonry panels. 
     
     
         14 . The package of  claim 12 , wherein each of the first set of masonry panels further includes a first row of manufactured facial portions. 
     
     
         15 . The package of  claim 14 , wherein each of the masonry panels further includes a second row of manufactured facial portions. 
     
     
         16 . The package of  claim 12 , further comprising a brace securing the first set of masonry panels to the first and second sets of spaced slotted rails. 
     
     
         17 . The package of  claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of lower slots includes a notched portion at an opening thereof, said notch portion aiding in the insertion of the securing brackets into the respective plurality of lower slots. 
     
     
         18 . The package of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a second set of masonry panels, each of the second set of masonry panels including a respective main body panel having a bottom portion, a top portion, and a securing bracket extending from the top portion, wherein the bottom portions of the second set of masonry panels are retained within a respective one of the plurality of lower slots of the second set of spaced slotted rails adjacent the first set of masonry panels and the securing brackets of the second set of masonry panels are retained within a respective one of the plurality of upper slots of the first set of spaced slotted rails adjacent the first set of masonry panels such that the first and second sets of masonry panels are retained by the first and second sets of spaced slotted rails in a spaced apart manner.   
     
     
         19 . The package of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a third set of spaced slotted rails, each slotted rail including top, bottom, and opposing side walls and a plurality of lower slots formed in the bottom wall; and   a second set of masonry panels, each of the masonry panels including a respective main body panel having a bottom portion, a top portion, and a securing bracket extending from the top portion, wherein the respective bottom portions are retained within one of a plurality of lower slots formed in the respective bottom walls of the second set of spaced slotted rails, the respective securing brackets are retained within one of the plurality of respective lower slots formed in the bottom wall of the third set of spaced slotted rails, and the second set of masonry panels are retained by the second and third sets of spaced slotted rails.   
     
     
         20 . The package of  claim 12 , wherein the main body panels of the respective first set of masonry panels each include a back face portion and the first set of masonry panels is retained by the first and second sets of spaced slotted rails in a back-to-back fashion such that the respective back face portions are spaced from one another by an air flow gap.