The invention relates to a buildi system for mounting facing plates on a side of a wall or facade construction that is to be finished, which construction includes means of attachment and wherein a facing plate is provided on the side facing the wall or facade construction with at least one opening, which is capable of receiving a part of an element which can cooperate with the means of attachment. Such a building system is generally known, it is used for finishing the rough wall or facade construction of an apartment or office building in such a manner that the connection between the facing plates and the construction remains invisible from outside.

Although an aesthetically neat finish of a wall or facade is obtained in this manner, the drawback of the known building system is that the elements which cooperate with the means of attachment are fitted in the opening in the facing plate in such a manner that this leads to the development of undesirable forces and stresses in the material of the facing plate. The influence of varying weather conditions, for example moisture and temperature, as well as the stresses in the material of the facing plate affect the material surrounding the opening and the element, as a result of which the connection between the element and the facing plate will weaken. This reduces the life span of such a building plate and results in a the building system which is unsafe, especially for bystanders.

As an additional factor that reduces the life span it may furthermore be noted that the opening in the facing plate is not completely filled by an element. As a result, dirt and in particular moisture can accumulate in the opening, which may lead to corrosion of the element and possible frost damage on the facing plate. Since the connection of the facing plate to the wall or facade construction is not visible to the naked eye and the condition of this connection is difficult to check, there is a real chance of a facing plate becoming detached from the facade construction, which

may lead to dangerous situations for passers-by.

The object of the invention is to obviate the above drawbacks and to provide a safer building system having a longer life span, wherein the material of the facing plates is not weakened nor affected by the varying weather conditions.

In order to accomplish that objective, the building system according to the invention is characterized in that the element is assembled from two segments which can be joined together, each segment including a base and a cam projecting from said base and having a sloping side, which cams can be fitted into the opening in the facing plate.

Such an assembled element can be fitted into the opening in the facing plate in a simple operation, whereby the material of the facing plate is not loaded in any harmful way. As a result of this, a simple, strong but especially safe construction is obtained for mounting facing plates on a wall or facade construction.

A strongly improved connection of the element in the opening of a facing plate, which will not come loose, can be obtained in that the sloping sides of the cams of the element extend away from each other in joined condition. Mounting can take place more simply and more quickly in that according to the invention the sides of two cams that face towards each other in joined condition are likewise inclined.

In one embodiment of the building system according to the invention, a safe attachment and positioning of the element in the facing plate can be obtained in that the opening in the facing plate diverges in a plane perpendicularly to the plane formed by the facing plate.

According to the invention, a connection between the facing plate and the element which is highly form-retaining and safe and which will not come loose can be obtained in that the side of at least one segment that butts against the other segment in joined condition is provided with a groove which continues into the cam. In joined condition, the grooves of the segments can thereby form a common passage which terminates in the opening in the facing plate. The

form-retaining connection between the element and the facing plate, which will not come loose, is obtained in that after fitting of the cams into the opening in the facing plate, a filler, for example a cement, can be introduced, which filler will press the sloping sides of the cams against the wall of the opening.

In order to position and align the element correctly upon fitting it in the opening in the facing plate, said element may be characterized in one embodiment thereof in that the side of one segment that butts against the other segment in joined condition is provided with a projection, which in joined condition extends into an opening formed in the corresponding side of the other segment.

In addition to that, the building system according to the invention can be characterized in that the base of the segment includes means intended to cooperate with the means of attachment.

Preferably, the two segments which form one element in the joined condition are identical to each other. Such uniform dimensions not only provide a standardised building system, but it also enables cheap mass-production of the segments, for example by means of an injection moulding process.

The invention also relates to an element intended for use in a building system.

The invention furthermore relates to a segment intended for use with an element and in a building system.

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing, which drawing successively shows in: Figure 1 the building system according to the invention; Figures 2a-2c views of parts of a building system according to the invention; Figures 3a-3c an embodiment of a segment according to the invention; Figures 4a-4c another embodiment of a segment according to the invention; and in Figures 5a-5c various embodiments of a building system

according to the invention.

Figure 1 shows the building system according to the invention. When a bald, rough wall or facade construction is to be finished, facing plates are used, for example facing plates of natural stone or a ceramic material. Means of attachment, in this case in the form of profiled strips 2a and 2b, are fixed a predetermined distance apart to the rough wall or facade construction 1 that is to be finished. Said means of attachment cooperate with means (not shown) which are fixed to the side 3a of a facing plate 3 that faces towards the facade construction 1. With the prior art building systems, said means consist of hooks or eyes, which are fitted in openings formed in side 3a of the facing plate.

The complete rough facade construction 1 can be finished in a simple but especially aesthetic manner by means of such a building system, since the connection between the facade construction 1 and the facing plates 3 is not visible from outside.

Figures 2a-2c are detailed views of the building system for mounting the facing plate 3 as shown in Figure 1 on a rough facade construction 1. Figure 2a is a sectional view of a facing plate 3, whose side 3a facing towards the facade construction 1 is provided with an opening 4. An element 5 (see Figure 2b) can be fitted in said opening 4, which element 5 is capable of cooperating with the means of attachment 2a and 2b that are fixed to the rough facade construction 1. Element 5 is assembled from two segments 6a and 6b, which can be joined together. Each segment 6a (6b) possesses a base 7a (7b), from which a cam 8a (8b) projects.

Each cam 8a (8b) has a sloping side 9a (9b) (see Figure 2c), which sides face away from each other in the joined condition. As is also shown in Figure 2c, the facing sides lOa and lOb of cams 8a and 8b are likewise inclined.

As is shown in Figure 2b, the facing sides 10a and lOb of cams 8a and 8b must be moved together in order to fit the element 5 into opening 4 in the facing plate 3 (Figures 2a and 2b). This makes it possible to fit the cams 8a and 8b in

the opening 4 in the facing plate 3. Opening 4 diverges, preferably in a plane perpendicularly to the plane formed by the facing plate 3, so as to obtain a firm connection which will not come loose between the facing plate 3 and the assembled element 5.

Since opening 4 only diverges in one plane perpendicularly to the plane formed by facing plate 3 (and not all around), a correct positioning and alignment of the element 5 is obtained after mounting, since cams 8a and 8b can only position or align themselves in that plane in opening 4. After fitting of cams 8a and 8b in said diverging opening 4, the segments 6a and 6b will be directly and automatically positioned in such a manner that sides 12a and 12b of base 7a and 7b will abut against the side 3a of facing plate 3 (see Figure 2c).

In another embodiment, opening 4 may also be divergent all around in the facing plate. After cams 8a and 8b have been fitted in opening 4, the assembled element 5 can be placed in a random position with respect to the facing plate.

This additional flexibility makes it possible to finish in particular corner and door or window frame constructions without excessive operations and setting work being required.

The sloping, facing sides 10a and 10b of cams 8a and 8b no longer abut against each other now, whilst the sloping sides 9a and 9b abut against the diverging walls of opening 4 after the cams have been fitted in opening 4. As is furthermore shown in Figure 2, each segment 6a and 6b is formed with a projection 11, which, once segments 6a and 6b have been joined from the position shown in Figure 2b to the position shown in Figure 2c, extends into a corresponding opening formed in the other segment. Thus, the desired positioning and fixation of the segments 6a and 6a relative to each other is obtained.

In the embodiment which is shown in Figures 2a-2c, the depth of opening 4 is such that cams 8a and 8b extend completely into opening 4, and sides 12a and 12b of bases 7a and 7b abut against the side 3a of the facing plate. By

forming the opening 4 less deep in facing plate 3, it is possible to obtain an improved positioning of element 5 with respect to facing plate 3. When the opening 4 is less deep, the cams 8a and 8b extend less deeply into the facing plate, and an interspace is formed between side 3a and sides 12a and 12b of bases 7a and 7b. As a result of this arrangement it is possible to set off any unevennesses or skew in side 3a.

Figures 3a-3c and Figures 4a-4c are views of two possible embodiments of a segment according to the invention.

Figures 3a-3c show the segment of Figures 2b and 2c. In these figures, the same reference numerals are used for corresponding parts.

As is shown in the figures, slots 13a and 13b are formed in base 7 of the illustrated segments 6. Said slots 13a and 13b function to cooperate with the means of attachment present on the rough wall or facade construction 1 as shown in Figure 1. The cooperation between slots 13a and 13b and the means of attachment 2a and 2b will be explained in more detail hereafter. The cam 8, which extends at an angle from base 7, is narrowed all around near base 7, as indicated at 16 in this figure. This makes it possible to position an element 5 assembled from two segments accurately in opening 4, since some play is present between the wall of opening 4 and cam 8. It makes it easier to fit segments 6a and 6b into the openings 4 of a facing plate 3.

As already described before, base 7 of each segment 6 includes a projection 11 and an opening 14 (see Figures 3c and 4c). When two segments 6 are joined to form an element 5 as shown in Figures 2b and 2c, each projection 11 of a segment will fit into a corresponding opening 14 in the other segment. This leads to a more perfect union of the two segments to form an element 5.

Also shown in the figures is groove 15, which continues from base 7 into cam 8. After segments 6 have been joined to form an element 5 and said element has been fitted into an opening 4, a filler, for example a cement, can be injected through groove 15, which filler will completely fill the remaining space of opening 4 and which also presses cams 8

against the walls of opening 4. After curing of said filler, element 5 will be fixed in opening 4 and it can no longer become detached after the facing plate has been attached to the wall or facade construction. In addition, this form- retaining connection between element 5 and facing plate 3 does not produce any stresses in the material surrounding opening 4, which stresses might weaken or otherwise affect the material.

This form-retaining connection not only provides a building system which has a long life span, but which furthermore provides more safety. In addition to that, moisture and other impurities cannot accumulate in the opening 4, which is completely filled with the filler. This furthermore prevents damage being caused to the material at that location due to frost or other varying weather conditions, which has a further positive effect on the life span but also on the safety of the building system.

Although the presence of a groove 15 in one of the two segments suffices to enable adequate filling of the opening 4 with a filler, it is preferable to provide both segments with such a groove 15. After the two segments have been joined together, said grooves 15 form a common passage, which makes it easier to introduce the filler into opening 4 through said passage.

Moreover, in this situation the segments, which jointly form an element 5, are identical to each other (Figure 3c).

This makes it possible to produce such a segment of plastic material in very large numbers, using only one mould, for example by means of an injection moulding process. Not only is the cost price of segments of this kind thus low, but in addition they will have uniform dimensions, thus providing in a simple and rather uncomplicated building system comprising a small number of parts.

Figures 4a-4c show a segment having the same characteristics and including the same parts as the segment which is shown in Figures 3a-3c. The cam 8 of this segment is not centred but slightly staggered relative to base 7. The two segments, which form element 5 in joined condition, are

thus no longer identical to each other, but they consist of a right-hand and a left-hand version. Said versions are shown in Figure 4b and Figure 4c.

Figure 5a shows in detail the attachment of a facing plate 3 to the means of attachment 2a fixed to a facade construction 1. Means of attachment 2a is in the form of a profiled strip having upright edges 17a and 17b. Openings 4 are formed at suitable places in sides 3a of a facing plate 3' (and 3"), in which openings elements 5 consisting of two segments as shown in Figures 3a-3c are fitted in the above- described manner. As is shown in the figures, the flanged edge 17b extends into slot 13b and element 5 of facing plate 3'is supported on end piece 17c of means of attachment 2a on either side of the flanged edge 17b. Element 5 is supported on means of attachment in two points thereby, which provides a strong, solid but especially safe attachment. The facing plate 3", which is attached to the facade construction 1 under facing plate 3', hooks behind the flanged edge 17a of means of attachment 2a by means of a corresponding element 5.

Facing plates 3'and 3"are fixed to similar means of attachment 2a in a corresponding manner near their upper side and lower side, respectively.

Each facing plate may for example be provided near its corner points with an opening 4 with an element 5. Plate 3 is supported with its lower elements 5 on a means of attachment 2a and hooks with the upper elements 5 behind a means of attachment 2a', which is fixed to the facade construction 1 some distance above means of attachment 2a.

Joint 19 between adjacent facing plates 3'and 3"can then be filled with a joint filling compound. In order to prevent the facing plates from moving relative to the means of attachment 2a, for example facing plate 3'and 3"moving upward, a clip 20 may be placed in joint 19, which is preferably a spring clip made of plastic material. This spring clip locks the various facing plates 3 in position with respect to the means of attachment 2a and thus prevents facing plates 3 from becoming detached undesirably from facade construction 1. Such a spring clip provides additional

protection and enhances safety for bystanders.

Figure 5b shows another embodiment of a segment 6. In this embodiment, base 7 is not provided with two slots but with four slots 13a-13d. The use of such a segment in mounting facing plates on a facade construction is shown in Figure 5c. Providing several slots in the base 7 of such a segment makes it possible to adjust the distance between the facing plate 3' (3'') and the wall construction 1. The mounting of such facing plates takes place in a corresponding manner, as is shown in Figure 5a and described with reference thereto.

In addition to that, the use of several slots in base 7 in combination with an equilateral means of attachment 2a as shown in Figure 5a offers more possibilities for finishing a rough facade construction. Since it is possible to adjust the distance between the facing plate and the facade construction, facing plates of varying thickness may be used, whereby it is still possible to obtain a smooth finish.

Furthermore it is easier to set off undesirable unevennesses in the rough facade construction or, on the contrary, to provide an aesthetically desirable relief in the finish made up of facing plates.

The use of several slots furthermore provides greater flexibility in finishing the facade construction near corners or near door or window frames.

Possibly, a massive base 7 can be used, after which, depending on the use, one or more slots can be formed in the base with the desired spacing and to the desired depth.

It will be apparent that the invention is not restricted to the illustrated embodiments, and that many variants and combinations of variants are possible within the framework of the invention, which shall all be considered to fall within the scope of the invention.