초록 ▼

A thin brick panel assembly having improved water drainage and integral brick retention. A substratum includes horizontal rows of dovetail-shaped projections with interruptions therein. Mortar ties having a flat plate portion, a substratum engagement extension, and mortar engagement extension are fa

A thin brick panel assembly having improved water drainage and integral brick retention. A substratum includes horizontal rows of dovetail-shaped projections with interruptions therein. Mortar ties having a flat plate portion, a substratum engagement extension, and mortar engagement extension are fastened to the substratum such that the mortar engagement extensions align with the interruptions in the projections. Bricks are snap-fit to the substratum over the mortar ties and between the projections. The bricks crush portions of the dovetail-shaped projections and lie flat against the mortar ties. Mortar is applied between the bricks and flows through apertures in the mortar engagement extensions of the mortar ties to interlock the mortar ties, the substratum and the bricks.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A brick panel assembly comprising:a plurality of bricks; a substratum having a front surface for supporting said plurality of bricks thereon, said substratum comprising a plurality of retaining projections spaced apart in a plurality of rows, each of said plurality of retaining projections extend

1. A brick panel assembly comprising:a plurality of bricks; a substratum having a front surface for supporting said plurality of bricks thereon, said substratum comprising a plurality of retaining projections spaced apart in a plurality of rows, each of said plurality of retaining projections extending in a direction away from said front surface defining a plurality of channels therebetween for accepting said plurality of bricks therein, each of said plurality of retaining projections having: a dovetail-shaped transverse cross section prior to acceptance of said plurality of bricks therebetween; and at least one interruption defining a cavity in said front surface of said substratum; said interruptions in each of said plurality of retaining projections arranged in a diagonal array from one row down to the next row of said plurality of rows for optimal migration of water; at least one mortar tie mounted to said front surface of said substratum, said at least one mortar tie having: one end portion extending in a direction towards said substratum such that upon mounting said at least one mortar tie to said front surface said one end portion embeds into said front surface of said substratum; and an opposite end portion extending in a direction away from said front surface, said opposite end portion of said at least one mortar tie disposed substantially aligned with respect to said interruption defining said cavity in said front surface of said substratum between said plurality of bricks, said opposite end portion of said at least one mortar tie having at least one aperture; and mortar disposed between said plurality of bricks and through said at least one aperture of said opposite end portion of said at least one mortar tie whereby upon curing said mortar interlocks with said at least one aperture in said opposite end portion of said at least one mortar tie to permanently hold said plurality of bricks and said substratum together further whereby said diagonal array of interruptions provide a continuous migration path for water from said brick panel assembly. 2. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of bricks has a predetermined height, and further wherein said plurality of retaining projections are generally parallel and spaced apart a distance less than said predetermined height of each of said plurality of bricks, such that said plurality of retaining projections interferingly engage said plurality of bricks in longitudinal engagement to retain said plurality of bricks within said plurality of retaining channels.3. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of retaining projections include a plurality of interruptions defining a plurality of cavities disposed in a diagonal pattern across said substratum for allowing water to drain down between said plurality of retaining projections when said substratum is in a generally vertical orientation such that said plurality of retaining projections are in a generally horizontal orientation.4. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a plurality of mortar ties, wherein each of said plurality of mortar ties is respectively centrally aligned with a respective one of said plurality of cavities defined by said plurality of interruptions, each mortar tie of said plurality of mortar ties further comprising:a flat plate portion interposes between said one end portion and said opposite end portion, said flat plate portion adapted to accept a fastener therethrough; and wherein said opposite end portion of said at least one mortar tie comprises a mortar engagement extension having said aperture therein, said mortar engagement extension extending from said flat plate portion in a direction opposite that of said one end portion, said mortar engagement extension overlaying a respective cavity of said plurality of cavities defined by said plurality of interruptions. 5. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of bricks each comprise a back surface having a plurality of grooves for enabling water drainage, and further comprising an adhesive disposed on said back surface of said plurality of bricks to adhesively attach said brick to said substratum.6. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said substratum further comprises polystyrene foam such that when a brick is inserted in said channel and the width of the brick is wider than the width of said channel a portion of said dovetail-shaped cross-section of said plurality of retaining projections of said substratum yield and partially crush said polystyrene foam during the insertion of said brick to thereby frictionally retain said brick in said channel.7. A brick panel assembly adapted for paneling a building structure, said brick panel assembly comprising:a plurality of thin bricks, wherein each of said plurality of thin bricks has a predetermined height; a substratum having a front surface for supporting said plurality of thin bricks thereon, said substratum comprising at least one retaining channel for accepting said plurality of thin bricks therein, said at least one retaining channel being defined by a pair of retaining projections, each of said pair of retaining projections having a dovetail-shaped transverse cross-section prior to insertion of said plurality of thin bricks therebetween, said pair of retaining projections being generally in horizontal rows and spaced apart a distance less than said predetermined height of said plurality of thin bricks such that said pair of retaining projections interferingly engage said plurality of thin bricks to retain said plurality of thin bricks within said retaining channel, each of said pair of retaining projections having an interruption defining a cavity in said front surface of said substratum, said interruptions in said pair of retaining projections arranged in a diagonal array from one row down to the next row for optimal migration of water; at least one mortar tie mounted to said front surface of said substratum, said at least one mortar tie having one end portion extending in a direction towards said front surface such that upon mounting said at least one mortar tie to said front surface said one end portion embeds into said front surface; and an opposite end portion extending in a direction away from said front surface, said opposite end portion of said at least one mortar tie disposed substantially aligned with said cavity in said front face of said substratum between said plurality of thin bricks, said at least one mortar tie comprising: a flat plate portion; said one end portion inserted into said substratum such that said flat plate portion lies flat aligned with said front surface of said substratum in said retaining channel; and said opposite end portion of said at least one mortar tie comprises a mortar engagement extension disposed within said interruption; said mortar engagement extension comprising at least one aperture; and mortar disposed between said plurality of thin bricks and through said at least one aperture of said opposite end of said at least one mortar tie whereby upon curing said mortar interlocks with said at least one aperture in said opposite end of said at least one mortar tie to permanently hold said plurality of thin bricks and said substratum together and further whereby said diagonal array of cavities provide continuous migration path for water from said brick panel assembly. 8. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 7, further comprising an adhesive disposed between said plurality of thin bricks and said front surface of said substratum.9. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a fastener extending through said flat plate portion of said at least one mortar tie, through said substratum, and into said building structure for fastening said at least one mortar tie and said substratum to said building structure.10. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein said substratum is composed of polystyrene foam.11. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of said plurality of thin bricks comprise a back surface having grooves for enabling water drainage.12. A brick panel assembly adapted for mounting to a building structure, said brick panel assembly comprising:a plurality of thin bricks, said plurality of thin bricks each having a front surface, a back surface opposite said front surface, a top surface, a bottom surface opposite said top surface, and two opposed side surfaces, said plurality of thin bricks each having a width defined between said two opposed side surfaces, a height defined between said top and said bottom surfaces, and a depth defined between said front and said back surfaces; a substratum having a front surface for supporting said plurality of thin bricks thereon, said substratum comprising a plurality of retaining channels for accepting said plurality of thin bricks therein, said plurality of retaining channels defined by a plurality of retaining projections extending in a direction away from said front surface, said plurality of retaining projections having a dovetail-shaped transverse cross-section prior to acceptance of said plurality of thin bricks therebetween, said plurality of retaining projections being disposed in a generally horizontal pattern of rows, said plurality of retaining projections being spaced apart a distance that is less than said height of each of said plurality of thin bricks such that said plurality of retaining projections interferingly engage one of said top and said bottom surfaces of said plurality of thin bricks along the lengths thereof to retain said plurality of thin bricks in said plurality of retaining channels, said plurality of retaining projections having a plurality of interruptions defining a plurality of cavities in said front surface of said substratum, said plurality of cavities being arranged in a diagonal pattern from one row down to the next row of said horizontal pattern of rows for optimal migration of water across said substratum; a plurality of mortar ties disposed between said plurality of thin bricks and said substratum, each one of said plurality of mortar ties being aligned respectively with each one of said plurality of cavities, each one of said plurality of mortar ties comprising: a flat plate portion; a substratum engagement extension terminating one end of said flat plate portion; and a mortar engagement extension terminating an opposite end of said flat plate portion, said mortar engagement extension having at least one aperture therethrough, said mortar engagement extension being aligned within said plurality of interruptions of said plurality of retaining projections whereby said flat plate portion of each one of said plurality of mortar ties is mounted to said substratum in one of said plurality of retaining channels flush with said front surface of said substratum such that said substratum engagement extension imbeds into said substratum and said opposite end extension overlies a respective cavity of said plurality of cavities; and mortar disposed between said plurality of thin bricks and through said at least one aperture of said mortar engagement extension of each one of said plurality of mortar ties to permanently interlock said plurality of thin bricks and said substratum together such that said diagonal pattern of cavities provides a continuous migration path for water to drain from said brick panel assembly. 13. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein said plurality of interruptions are arranged in a vertically-overlapping diagonal pattern to enhance the drainage of water.14. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein said back surface of said plurality of thin bricks comprises at least one groove therein to enhance the drainage of water.15. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein said substratum is composed of polystyrene foam.16. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein at least a portion of each of said plurality of retaining projections yields and crushes upon acceptance of said plurality of thin bricks whereby said interfering engagements is created.17. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 12, further comprising adhesive disposed on said front surface between said plurality of thin bricks and said substratum.18. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a fastener extending through each of said flat plate portions of said plurality of mortar ties to fasten said plurality of mortar ties and said substratum to said building structure.