Frame and Frame System for Supporting Masonry Units During Installation on a Substrate

Abstract

A frame for supporting at least one of masonry units during installation of the masonry units on a substrate includes a support panel having a front and back surface, first and second spacer members extending transversely from the front surface of the support panel, and engagement members extending from at least one of the following: the front surface of the support panel, the first spacer members, the second spacer members, or any combination thereof. The front surface of the support panel is configured to abut a first face of each of the masonry units. The engagement members are releasably engageable with a second face of each of the masonry units or the second face and a third face of each of the masonry units.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A frame for supporting at least one of masonry units during installation of the masonry units on a substrate, comprising:
 a support panel having a front surface and a back surface, the front surface of the support panel configured to abut a first face of each of the masonry units;   first spacer members extending transversely from the front surface of the support panel;   second spacer members extending transversely from the front surface of the support panel;   engagement members extending from at least one of the following: the front surface of the support panel, the first spacer members, the second spacer members, or any combination thereof,   wherein the engagement members are releasably engageable with a second face of each of the masonry units or the second face and a third face of each of the masonry units.   
     
     
         2 . The frame for supporting at least one of the masonry units of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement members are manually disengageable with the second face of each of the masonry units or the second face and the third face of each of the masonry units after a fourth face of each of the masonry units is set in a bonding material applied on the substrate, the fourth face of each of the masonry units being opposite from the first face of each of the masonry units. 
     
     
         3 . The frame for supporting at least one of the masonry units of  claim 2 , wherein the engagement members are manually disengageable with the second face of each of the masonry units or the second face and the third face of each of the masonry units by applying a force to the frame in a direction away from the bonding material and the substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The frame for supporting at least one of the masonry units of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement members being releasably engageable with the second face of each of the masonry units or the second face and the third face of each of the masonry units allows removal of the frame from each of the masonry units that is set in a bonding material applied on the substrate. 
     
     
         5 . The frame for supporting at least one of the masonry units of  claim 4 , wherein the support panel defines apertures extending through the support panel from the front surface of the support panel to the back surface of the support panel. 
     
     
         6 . The frame for supporting at least one of the masonry units of  claim 5 , wherein the apertures of the support panel are configured to allow air to pass therethrough upon removal of the frame from each of the masonry units that is set in the bonding material applied on the substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The frame for supporting at least one of the masonry units of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a surface treatment configured to resist bonding to a bonding material applied on the substrate.   
     
     
         8 . The frame for supporting at least one of the masonry units of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the second spacer members meets at least one of the first spacer members at substantially a middle point of a length of the at least one of the first spacer members. 
     
     
         9 . The frame for supporting at least one of the masonry units of  claim 1 , wherein the first face of each of the masonry units is an ornamental face. 
     
     
         10 . The frame for supporting at least one of the masonry units of  claim 1 , wherein the first spacer members, the second spacer members, and the engagement members each extend a distance from the front surface of the support panel, and wherein each of the distance is only a portion of a thickness of each of the second face, the third face, a fifth face, and a sixth face of each of the masonry units. 
     
     
         11 . The frame for supporting at least one of the masonry units of  claim 10 , wherein the first spacer members, the second spacer members, and the engagement members, each extending the distance from the front surface of the support panel that is only a portion of the thickness of each of the second, third, fifth, and sixth face of each of the masonry units, expose a second portion of the thickness of each of the second, third, fifth, and sixth face of each of the of the masonry units and expose the entire surface area of the fourth face of each of the masonry units. 
     
     
         12 . The frame for supporting at least one of the masonry units of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement members are configured to engage the second face and the third face of each of the masonry units, the third face of each of the masonry units being opposite from the second face of each of the masonry units. 
     
     
         13 . The frame for supporting at least one of the masonry units of  claim 1 ,
 wherein two of the first spacer members meet two of the second spacer members to form a recess, and   wherein the recess is configured to receive one of the masonry units.   
     
     
         14 . The frame for supporting at least one of the masonry units of  claim 1 , wherein each of the masonry units comprises a thin brick and the substrate comprises at least one of the following: a wall, a floor, a ceiling, an archway, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The frame for supporting at least one of the masonry units of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first spacer members are longitudinal spacer members, the longitudinal spacer members being substantially parallel or substantially linear with one another, and   wherein the second spacer members are vertical spacer members, the vertical spacer members being substantially parallel or substantially linear with one another and substantially perpendicular with the longitudinal spacer members.   
     
     
         16 . The frame for supporting at least one of the masonry units of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one connector configured to unite the frame to a second frame.   
     
     
         17 . A method for installing masonry units on a substrate using at least one frame for supporting at least one of the masonry units, comprising:
 applying a bonding material on the substrate;   positioning each of the masonry units at least partially within the at least one frame by abutting a first face of each of the masonry units with a surface of a support panel of the at least one frame and by engaging a second face of each of the masonry units or the second face and a third face of each of the masonry units with engagement members of the at least one frame;   setting a fourth face of each of the masonry units in the bonding material by applying a force to the at least one frame in a first direction toward the bonding material and the substrate, the fourth face of each of the masonry units being opposite from the first face of each of the masonry units;   disengaging the engagement members from the second face of each of the masonry units or the second face and the third face of each of the masonry units by applying a force to the at least one frame in a second direction away from the bonding material and the substrate; and   removing the at least one frame from each of the masonry units that is set in the bonding material.   
     
     
         18 . The method for installing the masonry units of  claim 17 ,
 wherein the at least one frame comprises a first frame and a second frame,   the method further comprising uniting the first frame and the second frame.   
     
     
         19 . The method for installing the masonry units of  claim 17 , wherein each of the masonry units comprises a thin brick and the substrate comprises at least one of the following: a wall, a floor, a ceiling, an archway, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The method for installing the masonry units of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 orienting the at least one frame diagonally relative to the substrate when setting the fourth face of each of the masonry units in the bonding material thereby generating a diagonal bond pattern of each of the masonry units on the substrate.   
     
     
         21 . A frame system for supporting masonry units during installation of the masonry units on a substrate, comprising:
 a first frame;   a second frame;   each of the first frame and the second frame comprising:
 a support panel having a front surface and a back surface, the front surface of the support panel configured to abut a first face of each of the masonry units; 
 first spacer members extending transversely from the front surface of the support panel; 
 second spacer members extending transversely from the front surface of the support panel; 
 engagement members extending from at least one of the following: the front surface of the support panel, the first spacer members, the second spacer members, or any combination thereof, 
 wherein the engagement members are releasably engageable with a second face of each of the masonry units or the second face and a third face of each of the masonry units; and 
   at least one connector uniting the first frame and the second frame.