U.S. patent application number 13/079695 was filed with the patent office on 2012-10-04 for welded wire lath.
This patent application is currently assigned to Tree Island Industries Ltd.. Invention is credited to Stephen F. Ogden.
Application Number | 20120247047 13/079695 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46925405 |
Filed Date | 2012-10-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120247047 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ogden; Stephen F. |
October 4, 2012 |
Welded Wire Lath
Abstract
A welded wire mesh for use in securing stucco, plaster or other
exterior finishing material to a building wall or other structure
wherein the mesh comprises a matrix of longitudinally and
transversely extending wires. The wires define intersections where
the transversely extending wires are welded to the transversely
extending wires and a plurality of deformations are formed in at
least a portion of the wires between the intersections. The
deformations cooperate with the stucco, plaster or other exterior
finishing material to define a mechanical locking keys
therebetween. The mesh can be disposed adjacent a flexible backing
for providing a water vapor barrier, fire retardant or other
desired property to the lath.
Inventors: |
Ogden; Stephen F.;
(Richmond, CA) |
Assignee: |
Tree Island Industries Ltd.
Richmond
CA
|
Family ID: |
46925405 |
Appl. No.: |
13/079695 |
Filed: |
April 4, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/454 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04F 13/047
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/454 |
International
Class: |
E04F 13/04 20060101
E04F013/04 |
Claims
1. A welded wire mesh for use in securing an exterior finishing
material to a building wall or other structure as the material
dries about and bonds to the wire mesh, said mesh comprising a
matrix of longitudinally and transversely extending wires, said
wires defining intersections, said longitudinally extending wires
being welded to said transversely extending wires at said
intersections, and a plurality of spaced surface deformations
formed in at least a portion of said longitudinally and/or
transversely extending wires between said intersections, said
surface deformations defining variations in the cross-sectional
configuration of said wires between said intersections and
cooperating with the exterior finishing material to define a
plurality of mechanical locking keys therebetween.
2. The wire mesh of claim 1 wherein said longitudinally and
transversely extending wires are cylindrical in cross-section and
said deformations define intermittent flattened surfaces in said
wire between cylindrical portions of said wire and wherein the
juncture of said flattened and cylindrical portions of said wire
comprise said mechanical locking keys with the finishing
material.
3. A welded wire lath structure for use in securing an exterior
finishing materials to a building wall or other structure as the
material dries about and bonds to the wire mesh, said lath
structure comprising a backing and a matrix of longitudinally and
transversely extending wires secured to said backing, said wires
comprising a matrix of longitudinally and transversely extending
wires, said wires defining intersections, said longitudinally
extending wires being welded to said transversely extending wires
at said intersections, and a plurality of spaced surface
deformations formed in at least a portion of said longitudinally
and/or transversely extending wires between said intersections,
said surface deformations defining variations in the
cross-sectional configuration of said wires between said
intersections and cooperating with the exterior finishing material
to define a plurality of mechanical locking keys therebetween.
4. The lath of claim 3 wherein said longitudinally and transversely
extending wires are cylindrical in cross-section and said
deformations define intermittent flattened surfaces in said wire
between cylindrical portions of said wire and wherein the juncture
of said flattened and cylindrical portions of said wire comprise
said mechanical locking keys with the finishing material.
5. The lath of claim 4 wherein said sheet of backing material
defines a water vapor barrier for said lath.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to an improvement in welded
metal wire mesh for enabling stucco, plaster or other exterior
finishing materials to bond to the surface of building walls or
other structures. Welded wire mesh provides a strong mechanical
securement key for the stucco, plaster or other exterior material
that would not otherwise be provided by the wall surface. The use
of welded wire mesh or lath for such purposes is well known.
Typically, such products are formed of a matrix of smooth,
longitudinal and transverse wires defining a plurality of squares
or rectangles. The wires are welded together at the intersections
of the horizontal and transverse wires to provide a strong, durable
mesh that can be used as a stand alone product secured to the
surface to which the stucco, plaster or other material is to be
applied or, more commonly, with a moisture barrier backing sheet.
In the latter configuration, the wire mesh can be secured to the
backing in a variety of ways, including the use of a mechanical
locking system in which the backing is comprised of a sheet of
uncoated haft paper and a sheet of building paper or other material
providing the moisture barrier that is bonded to the kraft paper.
During fabrication, the longitudinal or horizontal wires of the
mesh are sandwiched between the two backing sheets. The vertical
wires that traverse the horizontal wires are disposed in front of
the haft paper. Elongated perforations are provided in the haft
paper to expose portions of the horizontal wires so that the
vertical wires can be welded to the horizontal wires at their
points of intersection to mechanically couple the paper/rectangular
wire lath composite. The present invention is directed to improving
the mechanical keying of the stucco or other building material to
the welded wire mesh or lath and thereby enhancing the securement
of stucco or other material to the building wall without
significantly impacting the cost of the lath or its ease of
use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Briefly, the present invention comprises an improved welded
wire mesh for use in a wire mesh lath for enhancing the securement
of stucco, plaster and other exterior finishing materials to a
building wall or other surface. The enhanced securement is obtained
by providing deformations in the wire comprising the mesh, thereby
creating a mechanical interference fit between the wire mesh and
the stucco, plaster or other material adjacent each deformation in
the mesh as the material hardens about the wire mesh. The
deformations in the wire, can be formed by flattening
longitudinally spaced portions along the otherwise smooth
cylindrical wire, preferably, but not necessarily, on opposed sides
of each wire. The deformations can be preformed in the wire or
imparted to the wire during the construction of the lath,
preferably prior to the welding together of the intersecting wires.
The mesh can be disposed adjacent to a flexible backing for
providing a water vapor barrier, fire retardant and/or other
desired property to the lath.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] FIG. 1 is a frontal plan view of a welded wire mesh lath
comprising the present invention.
[0004] FIG. 2 is a frontal plan view of paper-backed welded wire
mesh lath embodying the present invention.
[0005] FIG. 3A is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of a
wire employed in the mesh of the present invention illustrating an
example of deformations therein in accordance with the present
invention formed therein.
[0006] FIG. 3B is an enlarged side view of a portion of a wire
employed in the mesh of the present invention illustrating an
example of deformations therein in accordance with the present
invention formed therein.
[0007] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in
FIG. 3A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0008] Referring now in detail to the drawings, an example of
welded wire mesh lath employing the present invention is
illustrated in FIG. 1. The lath 10 illustrated therein comprises a
plurality of vertically spaced horizontally extending wires 12 and
a plurality of laterally spaced vertically extending wires 14
traversing wires 12 at intersections 16. Defoe nations 18 in the
form of flattened surfaces are provided in a spaced disposition
along wires 12 and 14. Wires 12 and 14 are welded together at
intersections 16 to define the welded wire reinforcing mesh or lath
10. So configured, the lath 10 can be readily secured to a building
wall or other structure, slightly proud of the outer surface
thereof, to provide an enhanced mechanical keying of the wire,
adjacent the deformations 18 therein, with the stucco, plaster or
other exterior surface material as the material hardens about the
wire mesh. The mesh is typically positioned such that it is about
half way through the thickness of the stucco or other material.
This is accomplished by the use of furring nails or in some cases a
portion of the wire is bent to form a "stand off." The enhanced
keying effect results from the irregularities in the wire surfaces
at the transitions 20 between the smooth outer surfaces and
deformed areas in the wire that abut the hardened stucco or other
material. As a result of this enhanced keying, a more secure
coverage of the building wall or other structure is obtained.
[0009] In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1
and 2, self-furred, zinc coated 0.51 in. nominal diameter wire,
cylindrical in cross-section, is employed for both wires 12 and 14
at 1.5 inch vertical and horizontal spacings. The wires 12 and 14,
however, can be formed of any desired ferrous or non-metallic
material including, bright, galvanized, plated or coated iron,
carbon or alloyed steel or from aluminum, stainless steel or brass
and the spacing between the wires can be varied. Also, both the
horizontal and vertical wires 12 and 14 are provided with spaced
deformations 18 on opposed sides thereof to define interference
fits between the mesh 10 and the stucco or other building material
(not shown). It is to be understood, however, that, if desired, the
deformations could be formed in only the horizontal wires 12 or
only in vertical wires 14 and/or at different locations along the
wire. Also, while longitudinally spaced deformations in the form of
flattened areas are preferably provided along the wires, other
deformity configurations could be provided in the wires to provide
the desired interference fits with the stucco, plaster or other
building material. Further, the deformations could be pre-formed in
the wire or formed therein during or after the formation of the
wires 12 and 14 into the desired matrix pattern, but preferably,
prior to the welding together of the vertical and horizontal
wires.
[0010] A second embodiment of welded metal wire mesh or lath 100 is
illustrated in FIG. 2. This embodiment differs from the prior
embodiment in that it employs a conventional backing 115 disposed
about the plurality of welded horizontal wires 120 and vertical
wires 140. In this embodiment, the mesh 100 can be identical to
mesh 10 of the prior embodiment. The backing 115 can be of a
composite configuration comprised of, for example, a rearwardly
disposed water vapor permeable sheet 160 made of, for example,
asphalt paper, known as black paper, and a front sheet 165 of
separator paper, such as kraft paper, having a plurality of rows of
elongated perforations 170 formed therein. The wire mesh 100 can be
sandwiched between the rear and forward sheets 165 and 170 which
can be secured together by a suitable adhesive (not shown) such
that the intersections 116 of the horizontal and vertical wires 120
and 140 are disposed within perforations 170 to provide access to
the intersections for the welding together of the wires, thereby
securing together the wire mesh 100 and the composite backing 115
to form the lath 100. In this second embodiment, the horizontal
wires 120 and vertical wires 140 can be formed of the same
materials as wires 12 and 14 of the prior embodiment and can be
spaced apart distances ranging from about one to two inches. In the
embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, the deformations 180 are preferably
preformed in the wires to facilitate construction but could be
formed during construction, as with the stand alone mesh 10 of the
prior embodiment. The deformations 180 in the wires 120 and 140
also could vary in size, shape and location as in the prior
embodiment. Different backings 115 could be employed to add
additional or different properties to the lath, such as a sheet of
a fire retardant material.
[0011] Various changes and modifications can be made in carrying
out the present invention without departing from the spirit and
scope thereof. Insofar as these changes and modifications are
within the purview of the appended claims, they are to be
considered as part of the present invention.
* * * * *