Abstract: An improved skirting assembly for mobile homes or other elevated buildings is provided which has specialized connectors between the skirt and building permitting up and down travel of the skirt, and an upper covering channel completely free of connection to the building so as to accommodate any degree of skirt movement. In preferred forms, the skirt includes a plurality of endwise interlocked panels operably connected to the building by means of connection structure such as a bracket matingly and slidingly receiving one of the interlocking flanges of a panel; the corresponding flange on the adjacent panel overlies and slidingly receives the bracket so as to conceal the latter while achieving the desirable sliding connection. In other forms, a slotted clip (or a slot provided in the skirt panels themselves) is employed to obtain the sliding connection without the need to affix the upper covering channel to the building.

Abstract: A continuous skirt for surrounding an elevated building to close the space therebeneath is provided with a series of releasably interconnected panels wherein the interlocks therebetween are, in turn, provided with elongated, upstanding stays capable of rendering the interconnections rigid. The stays operate to present guides or tracks for restraining the panels to vertical reciprocation as the result of changes in the contour of the ground arising from expansion and contraction and also to resist lateral movement of the panels under blowing wind conditions. In each of the embodiments, structure is provided for precluding the panels from gouging into the side of the building and thereby failing to rise properly as needed, all of the improvements being directed toward avoidance of cracking, breakage or other damage to the skirt.

Abstract: A method for creating random shadow patterns in formed vinyl sheet to be used as siding material for buildings. The method includes the step of extruding a flat, hot web of vinyl material having a predetermined thickness and a predetermined distance between the edges thereof, then embossing a graining pattern on one face of the web, cooling the web after it has been embossed and then gathering the web toward the center thereof whereby to reduce the distance between the edges thereof, the web then being preformed, by folding the same along longitudinally extending lines. The sheet is finally formed while restraining the edges of the web whereby to create peaks and valleys cross-sectionally of the web to thereby present the random shadow pattern which is found attractive in finished vinyl siding.