Wall shield

Abstract

A protective shield for a wall includes a flexible, moisture-proof protective sheet. The sheet has an array of mounting holes formed in its upper edge. The protective sheet is placed against a wall and secured thereto by tapered anchor pins driven through the mounting holes and into weep holes formed in the wall.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A wall shield, comprising: 
 a plurality of tapered anchor pins for being inserted into a wall having an array of spaced-apart weep openings formed therein; and    a protective sheet of flexible, water-resistant material for being positioned against said wall, said protective sheet including a plurality of spaced-apart mounting holes formed in an upper edge thereof for receiving said anchor pins, said mounting holes corresponding to said weep openings.    
     
     
         2 . The wall shield of  claim 1 , wherein said protective sheet includes at least one weight attached to a lower edge thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The wall shield of  claim 1 , wherein said anchor pins comprise plastic.  
     
     
         4 . The wall shield of  claim 1 , wherein said each of said anchor pins comprises an enlarged head and a tip disposed at opposite ends of a tapered shaft, the diameter of said shaft increasing from said tip to said head.  
     
     
         5 . The wall shield of  claim 1 , wherein said protective sheet comprises plastic.  
     
     
         6 . The wall shield of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of horizontally elongated nail slots formed in said upper edge.  
     
     
         7 . A method of protecting a wall, comprising: 
 forming an array of spaced-apart weep openings in said wall;    positioning a protective sheet of flexible, water-resistant material against said wall, said protective material including an array of mounting holes corresponding to said weep openings in said wall; and    driving a plurality of tapered anchor pins through said mounting holes and into said weep openings, whereby said sheet is secured to said wall.    
     
     
         8 . The method of protecting a wall of  claim 7 , wherein the step of forming said weep openings comprises drilling holes through said wall.  
     
     
         9 . The method of protecting a wall of  claim 7 , wherein said wall comprises a plurality of bricks bonded together by mortar, and said step of forming said weep openings comprises setting said bricks into said mortar so as to leave spaces between selected laterally-adjacent ones of said bricks, said spaces defining said weep openings.  
     
     
         10 . The method of protecting a wall of  claim 7 , wherein said wall comprises a plurality of bricks bonded together by mortar, and said step of forming said weep openings comprises: 
 placing a plurality of spacers defining the shape of said weep openings into the wet mortar as said wall is laid up;    allowing said mortar to cure; and    removing said spacers after said mortar has cured, whereby said weep openings are left in said wall.    
     
     
         11 . The method of protecting a wall of  claim 10  wherein said spacers comprise a brittle material, and said step of removing said spacers comprises breaking or knocking said spacers out of said weep openings.  
     
     
         12 . The method of protecting a wall of  claim 10  wherein said anchor pins are used for said spacers, and said step of removing said spacers comprises pulling said anchor pins out of said weep openings, such that said anchor pins may be subsequently used to secure said protective sheet to said wall.  
     
     
         13 . A protective shield for a brick wall, comprising: 
 a plurality of tapered anchor pins for being inserted into a wall comprising a plurality of courses of bricks bonded together with mortar, said wall having an array of spaced-apart weep openings formed therethrough; and    a protective sheet of flexible, water-resistant material for being positioned against said wall, said protective sheet including a plurality of spaced-apart mounting holes formed in an upper edge thereof for receiving said anchor pins, said mounting holes corresponding to said weep openings.    
     
     
         14 . The wall shield of  claim 13 , wherein said protective sheet includes at least one weight attached to a lower edge thereof.  
     
     
         15 . The wall shield of  claim 13 , wherein said anchor pins comprise plastic.  
     
     
         16 . The wall shield of  claim 13 , wherein said each of said anchor pins comprises an enlarged head and a tip disposed at opposite ends of a tapered shaft, the diameter of said shaft increasing from said tip to said head.  
     
     
         17 . The wall shield of  claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of horizontally elongated nail slots formed in said upper edge.  
     
     
         18 . A protective shield for a wall, comprising a protective sheet of flexible, water-resistant material for being positioned against said wall, said protective sheet including a plurality of spaced-apart, nail slots formed in an upper edge thereof for receiving a plurality of fasteners therethrough, said nail slots having a vertical dimension selected to receive a nail of a preselected diameter therethrough with minimal vertical play and an elongated horizontal dimension substantially greater than said vertical dimension.  
     
     
         19 . The protective shield of  claim 18  further comprising a plurality of spaced-apart mounting holes formed in an upper edge thereof