Abstract: A construction system using core blocks having a horizontal front mounting recess in the front surface defining a core detent lip, and face blocks having a horizontal rear mounting recess defining a face detent lip, and connectors for supporting stacked courses of the face blocks suspended on the front surfaces of stacked courses of core blocks, the connectors having a rear hook and a front hook, wherein the face blocks are each supported by their rear surfaces with at least one connector, by engagement of the front hook with the face detent lip and engagement of the rear hook with the core detent lip.

Abstract: A decorative wall system comprises a supporting wall, a thin brick element with a mortice formed therein and a dovetail tenon clip with fastening means for insertion and retention in the mortice whereby the brick element is attached to the supporting wall. The dovetail tenon clip has a longitudinal space to enable the sidewalls to be pressed inwardly to collapse the space.

Abstract: A frame for a panel is constructed from two frame components. One of the frame components has a first wall and a first channel and the second frame component has a second wall and a second channel. The first frame component is mated to the second frame component with the first wall of the first frame component inserted in and making frictional contact with the second channel of the second frame component and the second wall of the second frame component inserted in and making frictional contact with the first channel of the first frame component. Portions of the panel are held between and make contact with the first frame component and the second frame component such that an end of the panel is located within a chamber defined between the first frame component and the second frame component.

Abstract: An artificial stone siding product for use as siding for homes, commercial buildings, and other structures, as well as for hearths, mantles, and other similar indoor structures, is provided. The artificial stone siding product includes a stone body cast of a cement aggregate and having an outer visible surface area shaped and colored to resemble real stone. An integral mounting support extends from at least one edge of the stone body. The mounting support allows the attachment of the artificial stone siding product to a surface of a wall using fasteners inserted through apertures defined by the support. The artificial stone siding product may be used to quickly and easily construct a stone wall by mounting a plurality of the artificial stone siding products to the exterior of a wall in much the same way as standard siding.

Abstract: Natural stone cladding (10) with a plurality of strips (18.1, 18.2) for surface-parallel mounting on a surface to be clad, with a number of natural stone elements (11.1, 11.2) and a number of support holders (30.1, 30.2) and counterholders (20.1, 20.2). Each natural stone element (11.1, 11.2) comprises a visible front side and a rear side with a first machine-made longitudinal recess and a second machine-made longitudinal recess. Pairs of support holders (30.1, 30.2) are fastened to adjacent strips (18.1, 18.2) and one natural stone element (11.1, 11.2) is seated by the first longitudinal recess on these two support holders (30.1, 30.2). One each of the two support holders (30.1, 30.2) is seated a respective counterholder (20.1, 20.2), and each of the two counterholders (20.1, 20.2) engages in the second longitudinal recess (15) in order to secure the natural stone element (11.1, 11.2).

Abstract: A paving assembly comprises a set of artificial paving stones held in position relative to each other by a membrane. The membrane has a set of connecting members extending from one stone to an adjacent stone. The membrane also has a set of protruding members that extend from the connecting members into the stones. The membrane may be a unitary structure with the protruding and connecting members cast of molded together. The connecting members may be located generally within a plane below the stones. To make the assembly, the set of stones may be cast inverted into a mold, the membrane laid across the bottom surface of the stones, and the protruding members pressed into the stones before they cure.

Abstract: A retaining wall is formed of a series of courses of blocks, each of which includes a core. Engagement members are interposed between the blocks in adjacent courses for preventing relative forward movement between the blocks in adjacent courses. Each engagement member is mountable to the rear web of a lower block, and includes an upstanding projecting portion that engages the rear web of an upper block for preventing forward movement of the upper blocks relative to the lower blocks. The upstanding projecting portion engages the rear web of the upper block so that the front face of the upper block is located rearwardly of the front web of the lower block, to expose an upwardly open forward portion of the core of the lower block. The exposed portion of the lower block core may receive planting media, to enable plants to be planted in the exposed core of the lower block.

Abstract: A skirting system for placement around a manufactured or modular home is provided wherein said system comprises a plurality of panels with upper and lower ends wherein the panels abut each other side to side to form a perimeter around the home. A plurality of base pads are provided and placed on the ground for supporting the lower ends of the panels. A plurality of two part channel clips are provided for securing the upper ends of the panels to the home in a manner that allows for vertical movement but provides for substantial support of the panels in a direction transverse to the length of the panels.

Abstract: It is previously known to join construction blocks, which comprise two plane major faces and four edge faces, which construction blocks are joined along an edge face of each block, abutting each other, by means of a profile having a web and flanges, and at least the flanges being made of sheet metal. To improve this technique in order to reduce the number of profiles joining the construction blocks and to obtain higher security of the supporting functions against the combination of longitudinal and lateral forces, one web side (7) of the profile (8) is positioned against one edge face of one construction block (1), and a flange (11), which protrudes perpendicularly from the web (7), is mechanically engaged in the major face of the construction block, and the length of this engagement corresponds to at least a portion of the length of the longitudinal extension of the edge face.

Abstract: A manufactured stone comprised of a manufactured material, such as cement, foam, plastic, or the like, and a fastener affixed to the manufactured material. The fastener is dimensioned for a fastening device to attach the fastener to a surface, thereby attaching the manufactured stone to the surface. A portion of the fastener may be embedded in or bonded to the manufactured material. Installing the manufactured stone on a surface includes attaching the stone to the surface by applying a fastening device to the fastener. The fastening device may be a nail, screw, or the like, that is driven through the fastener into the surface. Alternatively, the fastening device may be a bonding material that bonds the fastener to the surface. The fastener may further include a flange portion that extends outward from the manufactured stone and is inserted behind an adjacent stone previously installed on the surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides a panel with holding frames, in which the panel and the holding frames can be fitted easily and at a high accuracy and there is no problem concerning appearances. The panel with holding frames is formed by fitting the holding frame to each side portion of a square panel. Each holding frame has a leg portion for connecting to a fixation portion for fitting, a support portion fixed to a rear surface of the panel in contact, and a rim portion for catching a periphery of the panel, and the support portion has a relief portion operating to receive the periphery of the panel into the rim portion smoothly. The respective holding frames are temporarily assembled in a frame-shape, and receiving portions for fitting corner blocks are formed at the support portions of the holding frames to make the respective holding frames in a predetermined fixation state after putting the panel into the temporarily assembled frame.

Abstract: A bracket mounted facade structure comprises a girder part, preferably horizontal girder parts (1), which with one girder part, preferably an H section girder part (2) and/or with a U section girder part fit around parts of the facade tiles (3 and 4), more particularly tile flanges (5 and 6) with play. In order to improve such structure technically and economically, the vertical play (7) between the preferably ceramic facade tiles (3) or tile flanges (5) and the center web (8) of the girder part or, respectively, of the U section girder part or, respectively, of the H section girder part (2) is completely or partially filled by components, preferably pins (9). Such pins (9) are secured in position by facade tiles (10) placed thereover or by the flanges (5) thereof to prevent them from falling or being pulled out.

Abstract: A vehicle window panel assembly and a manufacturing method for such assemblies having a gasket made from a melt-processible material and providing a long-term, failure-resistant bond between the gasket and window panel for retaining the window panel assembly in the vehicle. The gasket material provides a bond which resists both short- and long-term dynamic and static loads exerted on attachment members embedded in the gasket to prevent failure or separation between the gasket member and the window panel assembly for prolonged assembly life and substantial saving to vehicle manufacturers and owners. A method for identifying and selecting the melt-processible material for forming the gasket member is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of reinforcing a concrete made construction comprising the steps of provisionally disposing a reinforcement member onto a lower surface of a concrete made construction, forming holes at the lower surface of a concrete made construction, and inserting fixtures into the holes to fixate the reinforcement member onto the lower surface of a concrete made construction so that the fixture imparts tension force to the reinforcement member in a plane of the reinforcement member. For instance, a fixture includes a device for applying tension force to the reinforcement member in a plane thereof by moving at least a part of the fixture in a direction perpendicular to the reinforcement member. The invention ensures fixation of a reinforcement member onto a lower surface of a concrete made construction such as a bridge to which repeated live loads are always applied.

Abstract: Mounting (10) for facing panels, which have several securing bolts (12) projecting on the wall side with panel-parallel securing collars (13), behind which engages at least one wall anchor (15) which is anchored to the wall with anchor bolts (16).In order to fasten the facing panel to the wall with simple means and in a simple way, the mounting is designed so that the securing bolts (12) are suspended with their panel-parallel securing collars (13) in at least one hook-like wall anchor (15), which prior to the mounting of the facing panel (11) to the wall is detachably connected with the securing bolt (12).

Abstract: A concrete form mold unit formed of a lightweight, insulative material defines at least two rows of vertical core spaces, offset from each other. Concrete and reinforcing rods fill the core spaces, defining post structures. The top of the form mold unit is troughed and is filled with horizontal reinforcing rods and concrete, defining beam structures. The form mold units are laid in courses and stacked as required to build walls, with vertical cores and horizontal troughs aligned, producing an efficient utilization of concrete in the posts and beams. Each course is filled with concrete before the next course is added. The form mold unit is retained as an insulative part of the building structure, with a low dead load. Vertical attaching plates are placed on the surface of the wall, with penetrating fasteners passing into an underlying concrete post or beam. Surface finish materials are joined to the attaching plates.

Abstract: The present facade wall consists of superposed courses of tile blocks which rest directly on the underlying tile blocks and which are maintained in front of a building wall with a predetermined gap by different types of clips. The several courses have a shingle lap with each other. The resulting facade is practically weatherproof and is easily erected. Each tile block has a peripheral groove for insertion of the clips and of interconnecting strips. This groove is in a plane parallel to the inside face of the block and nearer the latter than the outside face. The portions of the top and bottom edge faces of the block which are external to the groove constitute rest faces while the portion of the bottom edge face which is internal to the groove is recessed for free passage of the clips which do not support the load of the blocks.

Abstract: Hemispherical dome comprising a plurality of rigid longitudinally extending and radially oriented cells of like size and shape, and arranged in a plurality of circular rows. Each cell is essentially frustopyramidal in shape, having a polygonal cross-sectional shape and tapering slightly in the longitudinal direction from one end to the other. The longitudinal edges of each cell lie along radii of the hemisphere. Each cell is a hollow structure, having side wall means which completely surround an interior air space and which include spaced apart top and bottom walls. It can be formed of a lightweight material, preferably a plastic and especially polycarbonate. The hemispherical dome of this invention provides a lightweight, strong and energy efficient structure which does not require internal supports.

Abstract: A prefabricated concrete module and a composite wall structure comprised of an assembly of modules, where the module comprises a generally rectangular front and rear panel, joined by at least one generally trapezoidal partition means. A cellular wall structure is formed by stacking the modules and aligning the partition means on top of each other, thereby forming bins which contain loose material contributing to the weight of the structure. Provisions can be made for slabs which span longitudinally across partition means of vertically contiguous modules. These slabs, which capture an additional amount of loose material, can also, where desired, transfer lateral forces between superposed partition means. In a version of the module, useful whether or not the trapezoidal partition means are employed, the longitudinal distance from a partition to the edge of the front panel, is less than half the distance between partitions.

Abstract: A panel adapted for mounting on a building, the panel being formed from a plurality of thin panels of a selected stone facing material, such as granite or marble, backed and interconnected by fiberglass-strengthened concrete underlaying the plurality of thin panels and covering and engaging anchor means mounted in the backs of the stone panels. The method of forming the building panel involves placing the granite or marble panels face down in a form, mounting anchor means in the backs thereof, and overlaying both the plurality of thin panels and the anchor means with a fiberglass-strengthened concrete mixture, and curing the mixture both within and without a support form.

Abstract: Prefabricated insulating blocks are formed from ceramic fiber blankets folded into plural folds, with adjacent layers being needled together to intermingle the fibers of adjacent layers to form composite blocks. The blankets are mounted to attachment channels by support beams, mounted within folds in the blankets, and the folds of the blanket surround and enclose the support beams to protect them from heat and corrosive gases in the furnace.