Precast modular building panel and vertically oriented method of manufacturing same

Abstract

A molded composite construction panel formed in a vertically oriented continuous molding procedure included a lightweight cellular core of rigid foam material and a relatively thin skin of fiber reinforced concrete encasing the core. The panel further including at least one integrally formed multi-faceted channel being substantially coextensive with at least one edge of the panel. A method of forming a building panel is also disclosed comprising the steps of providing a mold having a mold cavity, disposed vertically, that defines the mold surface for forming the exposed finish surfaces of a molded wall panel, where the mold cavity bottom and side edge walls define the edge walls of the molded wall panel. A foam insert is positioned and secured in the mold cavity. A slurry of concrete, sand, and fiber strands is formed to produce a homogeneous panel mixture. The mold cavity is filled with the panel mixture. Once cured, the integral assembly of cured panel mixture and foam insert is removed from the mold cavity.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A molded composite construction panel formed in a vertically oriented continuous molding procedure comprising: 
 A lightweight cellular core of rigid foam material;    A relatively thin skin of glass fiber reinforced concrete encasing said core,    Said panel further including at least one integrally formed channel being substantially coextensive with at least one edge of said panel.    
     
     
         2 . A panel as in  claim 1  wherein said channel is at least partially arcuate in cross-section.  
     
     
         3 . A panel as in  claim 1  wherein said channel is multi-faceted in cross-section.  
     
     
         4 . A panel as in  claim 3  wherein said multi-faceted channel is semi-hexagonal in cross-section.  
     
     
         5 . A panel as in  claim 1  wherein said relatively thin skin of glass fiber reinforced concrete has about {fraction (1/16)} to ½ inch thickness.  
     
     
         6 . A panel as in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 Electrical raceway means embedded within said panel during the molding procedure with respective raceways being adapted for interconnection upon securement of said panel to form an internal electrical raceway network.  
 
     
     
         7 . A panel as in  claim 6  wherein said panel is further provided with recess means in communication with said raceway, said recess means being adapted for receiving an electrical junction box.  
     
     
         8 . A panel as in  claim 1  further comprising raceway means embedded within said panel during the molding procedure with the respective raceways being adapted for interconnection upon securement of said panel to form an internal raceway network.  
     
     
         9 . A panel as in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a channel, integrally formed in the side of said panel, being adapted for receiving raceway means therein.  
 
     
     
         10 . A molded composite construction panel formed in a vertically oriented, continuous molding procedure, comprising: 
 a light-weight cellular core of rigid foam material with chamfered corners;    a relatively thin skin of fiber reinforced concrete encasing said core,    said panel further including connection means for securing adjacently placed panels.    
     
     
         11 . A panel as in  claim 10  wherein said connection means comprises: 
 At least one multi-faceted channel integrally formed in and substantially coextensive with at least one edge of said panel.  
 
     
     
         12 . A panel as in  claim 10  wherein said connection means comprises: 
 A multi-faceted channel integrally formed in and substantially coextensive with each side edge of said panel.  
 
     
     
         13 . A panel as in  claim 10  wherein said multi-faceted channel is semi-polygonal in cross-section.  
     
     
         14 . A panel as in  claim 13  wherein said at least one integrally formed multi-faceted channel is semi-hexagonal in cross-section.  
     
     
         15 . A panel as in  claim 10  wherein said relatively thin skin of fiber reinforced concrete has about {fraction (1/16)} to ½ inch thickness.  
     
     
         16 . A panel as in  claim 10  further comprising: 
 Electrical raceway means embedded within said panel during the molding procedure with respective raceways being adapted for interconnection upon securement of said panel to form an internal electrical raceway network.  
 
     
     
         17 . A panel as in  claim 16  wherein said panel is further provided with recess means in communication with said raceway, said recess means being adapted for receiving an electrical junction box.  
     
     
         18 . A panel as in  claim 10  further comprising water conduit means embedded within said panel during the molding procedure with the respective conduits being adapted for interconnection upon securement of said panel to form an internal water conduit network.  
     
     
         19 . A panel as in  claim 10  further comprising: 
 a channel, integrally formed in the side of said panel, being adapted for receiving conduit means therein.  
 
     
     
         20 . A molded composite construction panel formed in a vertically oriented, continuous molding procedure, comprising: 
 a light-weight cellular core of rigid foam material;    a skin of fiber reinforced concrete encasing said core and having a thickness of about {fraction (1/16)} to about ½ of an inch,    said panel further including at least one semi-hexagonal channel integrally formed in, and substantially coextensive with, at least one side of said panel.    
     
     
         21 . A method of forming a building panel, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a mold having a mold cavity, disposed vertically, that defines the mold surface for forming the exposed finish surface of a molded wall panel, where the mold cavity bottom and side edge walls define the edge walls of the molded wall panel;    positioning and securing a foam insert in said mold cavity;    forming a slurry of concrete, sand, and reinforcing fiber strands to produce a homogeneous panel mixture;    filling said mold cavity with said panel mixture and leveling said panel mixture with the mold side edge walls;    effecting the cure of said panel mixture in said mold and the bonding of said mixture to said foam insert; and,    removing the integral assembly of cured panel mixture and foam insert from said mold cavity.    
     
     
         22 . A method of forming a building panel, as in  claim 21 , further comprising the step of: 
 placing a selected detail form contiguous to the surface of said panel mixture exposed at the top of said mold, while said panel mixture remains in said mold cavity, in a position to shape said panel mixture at said exposed top edge so that all four edges of the molded panel are formed into the desired shapes.    
     
     
         23 . A method of forming a building panel, as in  claim 21 , further comprising the step of: 
 inserting bottom and side details in said mold cavity prior to filling said mold cavity with said panel mixture to shape said panel mixture at said bottom and side edges.    
     
     
         24 . A method of forming a building panel, as in  claim 21 , further comprising the step of: 
 spraying said mold cavity with a mold release to facilitate the removal of the integral assembly of cured panel mixture and foam insert from said mold cavity.    
     
     
         25 . A method of forming a building panel, as in  claim 21 , wherein the step of positioning and securing a foam insert in said mold cavity further comprises the step of: 
 inserting, on opposite sides of said foam insert positioned in said mold cavity, spacing fingers intermediate said foam insert and the mold cavity walls for keeping said foam insert centered in said mold cavity and preventing said foam insert from moving and warping as the mold cavity is filled with panel mixture.    
     
     
         26 . A method of forming a building panel, as in  claim 25 , further comprises the step of: 
 withdrawing said spacing fingers from said mold cavity gradually as said panel mixture fills said mold cavity and bonds with said foam insert, allowing the partially set-up panel mixture to hold said foam insert in position.    
     
     
         27 . A method of forming a building panel, as in  claim 21 , wherein the step of positioning and securing a foam insert in said mold cavity further comprises the step of: 
 providing hold-down members, mounted on an upper exposed edge of the foam insert, for holding said foam insert in position and prevent it from moving position while filling said mold cavity with panel mixture.    
     
     
         28 . A method of forming a building panel, as in  claim 27 , further comprises the steps of: 
 removing said hold-down members from said foam insert as said panel mixture fills said mold cavity, sets up and bonds with said foam insert, allowing the panel mixture to hold said foam insert in position;    adding additional mixture to cover said foam insert; and,    inserting an edge detail at the top of the mold to form a channel in the edge of said panel.    
     
     
         29 . A method of forming a building panel, as in  claim 21 , further comprises the step of: 
 mounting a vibrator on said mold for helping to spread uniformly said panel mixture in said mold cavity.    
     
     
         30 . A method of forming a building panel, as in  claim 21 , further comprises the step of: 
 providing a vertical channel in said foam insert to allow rapid and uniform filling of said mold cavity.    
     
     
         31 . A method of forming a building panel, as in  claim 30 , further comprises the step of: 
 cutting at least one vertical channel on at least one side of said foam insert to allow rapid and uniform filling of said mold cavity.    
     
     
         32 . A method of forming a building panel, as in  claim 21 , wherein the step of providing a mold having a mold cavity, disposed vertically, defining the mold surface for forming the exposed finish surface of a molded wall panel, where the mold cavity bottom and side edge walls define three of the edge walls of the molded wall panel, further comprises the step of: 
 providing a mold having two separate, vertically disposed mold cavities having a shared common mold cavity wall for simultaneously producing two molded wall panels.    
     
     
         33 . A method of forming a building panel, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a mold having a mold cavity, disposed vertically, that defines the mold surface for forming the exposed finish surface of a molded wall panel, where the mold cavity bottom and side edge walls define three of the edge walls of the molded wall panel;    positioning and securing a foam insert in said mold cavity;    mixing a liquids component including water;    mixing thoroughly about 14 percent by weight of said liquids component with about 86 percent by weight solids component consisting of cement, sand and strengthening fiber components to produce a homogeneous panel mixture;    filling said mold cavity with said panel mixture and leveling said panel mixture with the mold side edge walls;    effecting the setup and initial cure of said panel mixture in said mold and the bonding of said mixture to said foam insert; and,    removing the integral assembly of partially cured panel mixture and foam insert from said mold cavity.    
     
     
         34 . A method as in  claim 33 , wherein said sand component in said solids component is selected from a group consisting of plaster wash sand, dolomite, perlite, silica, ground quartz and slack.  
     
     
         35 . A method as in  claim 33 , wherein said sand component in said solids component is comprised of a mixture consisting of plaster wash sand and silica.  
     
     
         36 . A method as in  claim 35  wherein said plaster wash sand comprises about 10 to 50 percent of said sand component, and said silica comprises about 90 to 50 percent of said sand component, the percentages being expressed as weight percentages.  
     
     
         37 . A method as in  claim 35  wherein said plaster wash sand comprises about 10 to 90 percent of said sand component, and said silica comprises about 90 to 10 percent of said sand component, the percentages being expressed as weight percentages.  
     
     
         38 . A method as in  claim 33 , wherein said strengthening fiber component in said solids component is selected from a group consisting of strands of glass fiber, polyprophelene, nylon, and carbon or graphite fiber.  
     
     
         39 . A method as in  claim 38  wherein said fiber strands are about ½ to ¾ inch in size.  
     
     
         40 . A method as in  claim 33  wherein the step of mixing a liquids component including water further comprises the step of: 
 adding an acrylic polymer to control the curing time of said panel mixture.  
 
     
     
         41 . A method as in  claim 40  wherein said acrylic polymer is added to the liquids component in an amount of about 5 to 10 percent by weight of said liquid component.  
     
     
         42 . A method as in  claim 33  wherein the step of mixing a liquids component including water further comprises the step of: 
 adding a super plasticizer to control the flowability of said panel mixture.  
 
     
     
         43 . A method as in  claim 42  wherein said super plasticizer is added to the liquids component in an amount of about ½ to 8 ounces per 94 pounds of cement in said solids component.  
     
     
         44 . A method as in  claim 33  wherein the step of mixing a liquids component including water further comprises the step of: 
 adding a concrete extender to control the curing of the panel mixture due to temperature.  
 
     
     
         45 . A method as in  claim 44  wherein said concrete extender is added to the liquids component in an amount of about ½ to 2 ounces per 94 pounds of cement in said solids component.  
     
     
         46 . A method as in  claim 33  wherein the step of mixing a liquids component including water further comprises the step of: 
 adding an anti-foaming agent for controlling the creation of voids in said molded panel.  
 
     
     
         47 . A method as in  claim 46  wherein said anti-foaming agent is added to the liquids component in an amount of about ¼ to ¾ ounces per 94 pounds of cement in said solids component.