Description of the request for the patent of an industrial invention The present invention has to do with the procedure for the making of panels for covering and paving in porphyry or any other natural stone, fit for the use of material of a non uniform thickness, permitting 1'automation of the work, an important economy with regard to the predisposition of the porphyry elements or other stony material as well as to the placing of the panels shaped in this way, reducing at the same time the weight of those.

It is well known that the covering of a surface with stony material, such as porphyry in cubes or blocks asks for a series of difficult operations, the use of selected material of a uniform thickness and specialized workers for the laying (layers), as the covering results from laying, one by one, on a predisposed surface, a series of moulded blocks, putting them together in such a way that a regular and flat surface, with or without design is obtained, according to the necessities.

This involves the realisation of a covering, for example in porphyry, on an area such as a lane, a place, a courtyard or other, that requires much time and high costs ; costs that often lead to the choise of another type of covering, easier to lay and cheaper.

There are also prefabricated panels, thought for covering in porphyry or other stony material with a substitute technology to the laying of single blocks : these panels result however costy and too heavy for the need of mortar, in order to create a surface on which the selected blocks can united. In this way, these panels aren't economically convenient and aren't handy when laying a pavement or covering a surface.

The principal aim of this invention is to obviate these inconvenients, allowing to realize, at low costs, panels for covering and paving in porphyry or other stony material relatively light, which can be prepared far away from the place of laying.

Another aim of the invention is to reduce significantly the costs of realisation of covering and paving with porphyry or other stony material, in the same time reducing the costs for the preparation of the surface on which the laying has to take place.

Last but not least, another aim is the reduction of the duration for laying the covering and paving in porphyry or other, riducing to a minimum the necessity to dispose of qualified workers.

Another aim of this invention is to make available to the final consumer a covering or

pavement in porphyry or other stony material that can be used in temporary situations and can, in some cases be completely recovered if necessary.

These and other aims, as will be explained later, are realized proceeding in the shaping of panels for covering and paving, in accordance with this invention, including the following operations : - the laying with the plane face on the surface, of a right quantity of blocks of porphyry or other stony material, with various shapes, thickness and measures, suitably separated in order to form a predetermined design whatsoever, inside a pattern (mould) to contain it, a flat bottom area and eventually a flat superior face which can be taken away (counter-mould) ; - Placing a wire netting or netting of another material, with equal caracteristics of rigidity and resistance, over the blocks of porphyry in de mould ; - distribution of a gluing mixture on each block, in order to connect the underlaying blocks with the netting ; - eventually a counter-mould can be put over the blocks, the netting and the gluing mixture that contains the netting which can be seen on top of it ; - the application of a proper pressure on the counter-mould, if used, and afterwards on the whole formed by blocks, the netting and the gluing mixture, in order to level the said mixture parallel to the bottom level of the mould ; - natural o artificial drying of the gluing mixture ; - extraction of the finished panel from the mould and laying or storing for future use.

An example for the procedure according to the invention is summerized in the attached drawings, in which : <BR> <BR> <BR> FIG. 1 is a cross-section of a mould in which the blocks, the netting and the distributed gluing mixture can be seen ; FIG. 2, 3, 4 illustrate some examples of how square panels can be made ; FIG. 5 shows the bottom of the panel in FIG. 4 ; FIG. 6 shows from above 3/4 of a finished panel with the"peacock-tail"pattern.

The execution of the procedure according to this invention takes place in the following manner.

Within a pattern or nr. 4 FIG. 1 of any shape, on a flat bench nr. 5 FIG. 1, shall be placed, with the finished face down in contact with the mould or pattern nr. 4 FIG. 1,

the porphyry nr. 3 FIG. 1 in blocks of various shapes, thickness, measures, forming whatever design ; placing a wire netting, preferably but not necessarily a galvanised. metal netting nr. 1 FIG. 1, over the porphyry elements which were put down at a proper distance ; the distance between the pophyry elements (blocks) being equal to the joint, that during the laying shall be filled with mortar, earth, sand or any other material.

A gluing mixture nr. 2 FIG. 1 shall fix the metal netting nr 1 FIG. 1 to the porphyry elements nr 3 FIG. 1, maintaining the shape and the design and allowing these during the laying to adapt to different shapes and positions.

The panels, which can be also produced with automized procedures, make it possible to use porphyry material otherwise waste material ; furthermore the weight of these panels is reduced by 60% with regard to the panels actually on the market and realized with the use of mortar. The reduced weight of each panel gives the layer the possibility to move it and put it on its place without any difficulty, with all due respect for the law in force.

The fixing of the porphyry elements nr 3 FIG. 1 (blocks) to the netting allows the above mentioned panels to adapt to surfaces in whatever shape, eliminating whenever desired, a un nummer of components (with glue attached blocks) using simple shears or inserting vertical elements as tubes for illumination, manhole covers or other, always using the same technique.

The work presents an excellent result, better than the professional laying adopted up till now.

The panels can be used on reinforced concrete for high loads as well as on a sandy flat basis with some cement added or only sand when for pedestrian use, places and lanes with reduced loads only ; they make a temporary use possible with the complete recovering of the panels for any future use. The quick laying reduces in a considerable way the discomfort for the consumer.

The simplicity of the assembling does not require skilled workers and for certain uses and small surfaces the panels can be bought and than transported in a utility car.

The phases for the assembling of the panels with regard to the drawing FIG. 1 : put the porphyry nr 3 FIG. 1 of selected shapes and thickness in the mould or pattern nr 4 FIG. 1 on the assembling bench, with the finished face down on the mould or pattern nr 4 FIG. 1, put the netting nr 1 FIG. 1 parallel to the surface, put the gluing mixture nr 2 FIG. 1, natural or artificial drying, take away the panels for packing, transport and storage.