Composite Cladding

Abstract

The panel 1 comprises a steel skin or backing tray ( 2 ) and an external steel skin ( 3 ) with a layer of foam insulation material ( 4 ) such as a phenolic or polyurethane based foam material therebetween. One of the skins, in this case the external skin 3 has a plurality of mountings for fixing cladding elements such as tiles ( 5 ) to the panel to form a cladding. The mountings comprise rails ( 10 ) and fasteners ( 12 ) for fastening the rails ( 10 ) to the external skin ( 3 ). Each fastener ( 12 ) comprises an internal clamping sleeve ( 15 ) and a bolt ( 16 ). A hole is first drilled through the skin ( 3 ) and the sleeve ( 15 ) is inserted. On tightening of the bolt ( 16 ), the sleeve ( 15 ) splays and is clamped against the inside surface of the external skin ( 3 ), and the rails ( 10 ) are fixed to the panels. To enhance the peel strength of the composite panel a layer ( 30 ) of an adhesive is applied to the internal face of the external skin ( 3 ). The adhesive layer ( 30 ) is a pre-lay-down adhesive which is compatible with the material of the insulting core ( 4 ). The use of such an adhesive greatly enhances the peel strength of the panel and enables the panel to carry the additional load of the cladding tiles.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
   
   
       17 . A composite cladding panel comprising an internal skin and an external skin with insulation material therebetween, one of the skins having a plurality of mountings for fixing tiles or the like to the panel to form a cladding. 
   
   
       18 . The panel as claimed in  claim 17  wherein the mountings comprise a rail and a plurality of fasteners for fastening the rail to the panel. 
   
   
       19 . The panel as claimed in  claim 18  wherein the fastener comprises a clamping fastener. 
   
   
       20 . The panel as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the clamping fastener comprises an internal sleeve and a bolt, the sleeve clamping to the inside of the external skin on tightening of the bolt. 
   
   
       21 . The panel as claimed in  claim 18  wherein the rails comprise receivers for receiving cladding elements such as bricks. 
   
   
       22 . The panel as claimed in  claim 17  wherein the external skin of the panel has an adhesive on the inner face thereof. 
   
   
       23 . The panel as claimed in  claim 22  wherein the adhesive is applied to the inner face of the external skin prior to lay-down of liquid insulating foam reactants. 
   
   
       24 . A method for manufacturing a composite cladding panel comprising the steps of:
 manufacturing a composite insulating panel comprising an internal skin, an external skin with insulation material therebetween;   aligning mounting rails along at least portion of the external face of a skin; and   fastening the rails to the skin.   
   
   
       25 . The method as claimed in  claim 24  comprising the steps of drilling holes in the skin, inserting internal sleeves into the holes, and tightening bolts in the sleeves to clamp to the inside of the skin. 
   
   
       26 . The method as claimed in  claim 25  comprising the step of fixing the rail to the panel using the bolts. 
   
   
       27 . The method as claimed in  claim 24  comprising the steps of laying the external skin down with the outer side lowermost, applying an adhesive to the inner face of the external skin, applying liquid foam reactants over the adhesive, applying an internal skin over the liquid form reactants and heating the sandwich thus formed in an oven to form the composite insulating panel. 
   
   
       28 . The panel when manufactured by a method as claimed in  claim 24 . 
   
   
       29 . The composite cladding panels when manufactured by a method as claimed in  claim 24 .