U.S. patent application number 09/738835 was filed with the patent office on 2002-08-15 for wall and roof drainage apparatus, method, and tool.
Invention is credited to Clayton, Stephen J..
Application Number | 20020108333 09/738835 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 24969690 |
Filed Date | 2002-08-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020108333 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Clayton, Stephen J. |
August 15, 2002 |
Wall and roof drainage apparatus, method, and tool
Abstract
An inexpensive system and method of dwelling wall construction
allows water to drain from the wall instead of being absorbed into
the wood. A tool creates a moisture-reduction system within an
existing wall.
Inventors: |
Clayton, Stephen J.;
(Brunswick, GA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RIGDON PATENTS & ENGINEERING
1306 GLOUCESTER STREET
BRUNSWICK
GA
31520-7056
US
|
Family ID: |
24969690 |
Appl. No.: |
09/738835 |
Filed: |
December 16, 2000 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/302.1 ;
52/169.5; 52/443 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B 1/70 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/302.1 ;
52/169.5; 52/443 |
International
Class: |
E04B 001/70 |
Claims
1] A shredded hydrophobic moisture drainage panel comprising, at
least: a layer of thin, preferably water-resistant, material, and a
layer of shredded hydrophobic material.
2] The panel of claim 1 in which said layers are bonded by heat
fusion.
3] The panel of claim 1 in which said layers are bonded by adhesive
interposed between them.
4] The panel of claim 1 in which said hydrophobic material is
substantially rubber.
5] A sheet moisture drainage panel comprising: a sheet of expanded
polymeric foam having two parallel faces, a top edge, a bottom edge
and two side edges, and wherein at least one face contains parallel
vertical grooves.
6] The sheet moisture drainage panel of claim 5 further comprising:
parallel bottom grooves across said bottom edge which join said
vertical grooves so as to form a continuous L-shaped groove.
7] A method of moisture-draining exterior surface construction
comprising the steps of: a) fastening a plurality of wood panels to
the outward-facing sides of wooden structural members; b) fastening
a plurality of moisture drainage panels, taken from the group of i)
shredded hydrophobic moisture drainage panels and ii) sheet
moisture drainage panels, to the outward-facing sides of the wood
panels; c) fastening a lath to the outward-facing sides of the
moisture drainage panels; and d) applying a surface composition to
the lath.
8] The method of claim 7 wherein: said fastening of said wood
panels to said structural members is accomplished by driving nails
through said wood panels into said structural members; said
fastening of said moisture drainage panels to said wood panels is
accomplished by application of adhesive between said drainage
panels and said wood panels; and said fastening of said lath to
said moisture drainage panels is accomplished by application of
adhesive between said lath and said drainage panels.
9] A structure exterior drainage tool, comprising: An elongated
flexible tube having a first tube end and a second tube end; An
elongated hardened flexible wire having a first wire end and a
second wire end, the wire rotatably held within the tube, the first
and second wire ends extending outwardly beyond the first and
second tube ends, respectively; A square drive capable of receiving
a chuck being fixedly attached to the first wire end; A shaped bit
being fixedly attached to the second wire end so that when the
chuck is rotated, the wire turns within the tube the bit rotates
relative to the tube; and A bit steering assembly being fixedly
attached to the second tube end.
10] The tool of claim 9 in which said bit steering assembly further
comprises: An anchoring collar fixed to said second tube end; A
wire guide surrounding said second wire end between the collar and
said bit, the collar and the guide flexibly connected by a strut,
the strut being substantially collinear to said wire; A plurality
of steering cables connected to the wire guide at equally-spaced
intervals around the guide, the cables capable of being pulled so
as to bias said second wire end and said bit in the direction of
pulling.
11] The tool of claim 10 in which said cables are comprised of wire
that shortens when a voltage is applied to it, and said tube
supports electrical leads for transmission of voltage to the
cables.
12] The tool of claim 11 in which said shaped bit comprises
hardened wire formed into a helix being coaxial to said second wire
end.
13] The tool of claim 12 in which said helix extends coaxially away
from said second tube end and has a decreasing radius in that
direction.
14] The tool of claim 9 in which said first tube end is affixed to
a vacuum chamber capable of having a vacuum applied to it, so that
the annular space between said wire and said tube communicates with
the space within the vacuum chamber, and so that air in the
vicinity of said bit will be pulled through the annular space into
the vacuum chamber.
15] The tool of claim 14 in which said vacuum chamber is equipped
with a level indicator to indicate the level of water accumulated
in the chamber.
16] The tool of claim 9 wherein a moisture detecting probe, capable
of producing an electrical signal responsive to the water vapor
content of the air next to it, is attached to said second tube end,
and the signal is transmitted via electrical conductors to a
readout mounted near said first tube end.
Description
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0001] A common problem in wood frame structures is the
accumulation of moisture within exterior walls and roofs due to
migration of ambient moisture through the surface composition
(e.g., stucco or shingles) or from inside the structure by
condensation from interior air, where it can be absorbed by wooden
structural members and other construction elements. The absorbed
moisture can then lead to degradation of wall strength, odors
inside the structure, and organism infestation that may be very
expensive to correct. The present invention provides an inexpensive
system and method of exterior wall construction that allows water
to drain from the wall or roof before it is absorbed into the wood.
It also provides a tool and method for providing drainage and
drying means within a wall or under a roof.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0002] An object of the present invention is to provide an
inexpensive system and method of wall construction that allows
water to drain from inside a wall or from under a roof instead of
being absorbed into the wood. Another object of the invention is to
provide a tool and method for providing drainage and drying means
in these locations.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0003] FIG. 1 depicts a perspective cutaway view of a typical
current system of exterior wall construction.
[0004] FIG. 2 is a perspective cutaway view of the preferred
embodiment of the invention.
[0005] FIG. 3 is a perspective cutaway view of a typical insulated
system of exterior wall construction.
[0006] FIG. 4 is an enlargement of the bottom of the wall in FIG.
2, showing a first means of preventing water from staining the
exterior surface of the wall.
[0007] FIG. 5 is an enlargement of the bottom of the wall in FIG.
2, showing a second means of preventing water from staining the
exterior surface of the wall.
[0008] FIG. 6 is a perspective cutaway view of a second embodiment
of the invention.
[0009] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the inner face and bottom
edge of a portion of an insulating board shaped in accordance with
the second embodiment of the invention.
[0010] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a tool to be used to create
a drainage layer in accordance with a third embodiment of the
invention.
[0011] FIG. 9 is a perspective close-up view of the bit end of the
tool of FIG. 8.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] There are structural similarities between roofs and exterior
walls in conventional wood frame dwellings. In walls, as explained
below, the construction outward from the studs typically consists
at least of wood (chip board or plywood) panels overlain with tar
paper, which in turn is overlain with a surface composition such as
lath-supported stucco. Roofs in their simplest form differ from
this only in that they are not vertical, studs are called rafters,
and the surface composition is shingles. For simplicity's sake, the
descriptions that follow should be construed as applicable to roofs
as well as walls in accordance with the above-noted similarities.
The invention herein described is therefore not limited to walls.
Referring now to the Figures, in which like numerals are used to
depict like elements in all drawings, the present invention is
described as follows:
[0013] FIG. 1 depicts a side cutaway view of a typical current
system of exterior stucco wall construction. It comprises a layer
of typically vertical and horizontal load bearing members
represented in this figure by a vertical wooden stud 1 having an
inner face 2 and an outer face 3. Inward of face 2 of the stud, and
typically affixed thereto, are panels of gypsum wallboard 4.
Affixed to face 3 is a panel 5, typically of chip board or plywood,
covered by a sheet of felt paper 6. (Plastic "house wrap" sheeting
is often substituted for the felt paper.) Affixed to the paper 6,
in turn, by an fastening means 7, is a mortar support lath 8,
typically made of expanded metal or plastic grid having holes 9.
Applied in turn to the support lath 8 and into the holes 9 is a
layer of stucco 10. Because the stucco and felt paper layers are
never airtight, and because the stucco is typically exposed to the
elements, moisture may collect between the panel 5 and the felt
paper 6. Also, because of seams in the wallboard 4, the air inside
the structure comes in contact with the wooden studs 1 and panels
5. During cold weather, these wooden parts may often be at a
temperature below the dew point of the air inside the structure and
thus may condense moisture from inside the structure onto their
surfaces. Once inside the wall in liquid form, air circulation
within the wall is so slight as to prevent the water from
re-evaporating.
[0014] FIG. 2 depicts a side cutaway view of the preferred
embodiment of the wall drainage system of the present invention as
applied in stucco construction. It is comprises all the features of
FIG. 1, and additionally comprises a substantially rigid and
hydrophobic drainage layer 20 interposed between the paper 6 and
the lath 8, a baffle 21 at the bottom of the wall, and weep holes
22 communicating between the layer 20 and the outside air. In the
preferred embodiment, the layer 20 is comprised of shredded or
chipped recycled tires. Any water 10 that penetrates the stucco
will flow downward through the layer 20 under the influence of
gravity until it reaches the baffle 21, where is it diverted to the
outside through the weep holes 22.
[0015] FIG. 3 depicts a side cutaway view of a second typical
current system of exterior stucco wall construction incorporating a
layer of insulation. It comprises the typical layers represented,
as in FIG. 1, by a vertical wooden stud 1, a chip board panel 5,
and a sheet of felt paper 6. However in the insulated case, affixed
to the paper 6, by fastening means 7, is an insulating board 30,
typically polyisocyanurate foam. Attached to the insulating board
30 by a second fastening means 31, in turn, is the mortar support
lath 8 having grid holes 9. Applied in turn to the support lath 8
and into the holes 9 is the stucco layer 10. With the insulating
board 30 present, moisture is somewhat less likely to collect on
the studs and panels from inside the structure than in the
un-insulated case. This is because the insulating board prevents
the studs and panels from getting quite as cold in winter and
therefore they will not as often be below the dew point of the
interior air. Nevertheless, appreciable moisture can get in over
time. In addition, moisture is just as likely as in the
un-insulated case to migrate to the outer surface of the insulating
board through cracks in the stucco, and some of the moisture will
inevitably find its way through seams in the insulation to the
wooden parts. The insulation layer makes it even more difficult for
collected water to re-evaporate and leave the wall.
[0016] FIG. 4 is an enlargement of the bottom of the wall in FIG.
2, showing a first means of preventing water from staining the
exterior surface of the wall; the weep holes 22 may optionally be
lined with non-porous tubes 40 that extend beyond the external face
of the stucco 10 so as to isolate the water from the materials of
the wall if desired and keep it from flowing down the face and
staining it.
[0017] FIG. 5 is an enlargement of the bottom of the wall in FIG.
2, showing a second means of preventing water from staining the
exterior surface of the wall; the baffle 21 may optionally be
extended through the bottom of the weep holes 22 so as to form a
lip 50 for the purpose of keeping water from flowing down the face
and staining it.
[0018] FIG. 6 is a side cutaway view of a second embodiment of the
present invention, similar to that shown in FIG. 2, in which
hydrophobic layer 20 comprises insulating board having a notched
face 60 and a notched bottom edge 61. The face 60 faces the outer
surface of panel 5. The board would be typically sheets of
dosed-cell expanded polymeric foam in which vertical notches and
horizontal notches (see FIG. 7) are formed into face 60 and edge 61
respectively. This embodiment of the invention combines the water
removal capabilities of the first embodiment with insulating
properties.
[0019] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the inner face and bottom
edge of a portion of a hydrophobic layer 20 comprising insulating
board shaped in accordance with the second embodiment of the
invention. The vertical notches 62 provide the hydrophobic path for
condensed water to flow under the influence of gravity to the
baffle (not shown) and the horizontal notches 63 create weep holes
22 through this layer as described in FIG. 2.
[0020] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a tool to be used to create
a drainage layer between the panel and lath of the wall depicted in
FIGS. 1 and 3 in accordance with a third embodiment of the
invention. It comprises a flexible hollow snake 70 with a hand grip
71. Through the snake runs a tough wire 72 sized to rotate freely
within the snake 70. At a first end 76 of the wire 72 a drive 73 is
rigidly attached for insertion into the chuck of a suitable driver
(not shown). At the second end 74 of the wire 72 is rigidly
attached a shaped bit 75. A vacuum chamber 77 surrounds the wire 72
and pulls air in from second end 74 through annular passage 90. Any
solids and liquids removed by bit 75 move through passage 90 into
vacuum chamber 77 where they are filtered out of the air stream,
which exits through outlet 78. A flexible boot 79 surrounds wire 72
near drive 73 to limit air in-leakage at that point. A cable 80 is
attached to and runs the length of snake 70 carrying actuating
cables for the steering mechanism and/or conductors for the
moisture probe (both shown in the next figure). Other items (not
shown) may be added to the side or top of the chamber 77 such as a
sight glass to show the operator whether a significant amount of
condensed water has been collected; a moisture probe readout;
and/or control knobs for the steering mechanism.
[0021] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the second end 74 of the
tool of FIG. 8 while in use. With the driver attached to the first
end (not shown) of wire 72 and running clockwise as viewed from the
first end, bit 75 is rotating in the direction indicated by arrow
C. The bit 75 is inserted through a pre-drilled diagonal hole
between the stucco layer (not shown) and the panel 5. Due to the
shape of the bit 75 and the direction of insertion into the wall,
the bit preferentially seeks less resistive paths such as through
the felt paper 6 in the interstice between the panel 5 and board 30
of FIG. 3. Due to its helical shape and due to manual pressure into
the wall, the bit 75 will move forward and establish a drainage
channel 81. Aiming of the bit 75 is accomplished by moving steering
collar 86 on flexible struts 100 which are fixedly connected to
both the collar 86 and the end of snake 70. This may be effected by
the electronic or mechanical differential shortening of steering
wires 82 and 83. By way of example and not limitation, if steering
wire 82 comprises an electromechanical muscle wire that is
shortened by the application of voltage, and voltage is applied to
it, steering collar 86 will be pulled in the direction indicated by
arrow I (into the page). Similarly, if steering wire 83 is
shortened, steering collar 86 will be pulled in the direction
indicated by arrow O (out of the page). The second end 74 may also
comprise a moisture sensing probe 84 connected by cable 85
containing steering wire conductors 93 and 94 and moisture sensor
conductors (not shown) to an operator's readout mounted near the
first end of the tool (e.g., on the side of the vacuum chamber, not
shown) to aid in directing the bit 75 toward high-moisture areas
within the wall.
[0022] As the bit rotates and advances, it dislodges particles 91.
The vacuum applied through annulus 90 by the vacuum chamber (not
shown) pulls air into the wall along channel 81, where it picks up
particles 91 and draws them into annulus 90 where they are removed
from the wall. The relatively dry air entering the wall will also
pick up moisture from the wall, so the vacuum may be left running
for as long as necessary to dry the wall to a satisfactory level as
detected by probe 84.
* * * * *