In the above type of walls, the replacement of a damaged building element has required that all building elements above the one to be replaced be first dismantled and removed, and only then it has been possible to replace the damaged element. Thereafter, it has been necessary to hoist and remount the dismantled elements. Inconvenience regarding the replacement of an element has increased proportionally to the number of elements above the one to be replaced.

It is an object of the invention to provide a method, whereby the replacement of a building element to be replaced can be implemented quickly and simply without having to completely remove other elements.

According to the invention, this object has been fulfilled as set forth in the characterizing clause of claim 1.

Preferred evolutions of the invention are disclosed in the non-independent claims.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a wall fitted with means for replacing a single building element.

Fig. 2 shows a section along a line II-II in fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a section along a line III-III in fig. 1, the building element to be replaced being removed to its dismantled position.

The wall depicted schematically in the drawings is composed of a number of superimposed building elements A, B, C, D, E secured to a separate frame member 1. The elements are provided with a core section 2 of a thermally insulating material, for example mineral wool, and surface plates 3,4, covering the same on either side and usually made of clad steel plate. The surface plates 3,4 have one edge thereof provided with a male tongue-and- groove 5 and its opposite edge with a female tongue-and-groove 6. The building elements A-E are erected on the wall in such a way that said tongue-and-grooves of superimposed elements face each other. Each building element A-E is secured to the frame member 1 by means of through-element screws 9, such that the upper building elements do not stress the lower ones.

Hence, regarding the above type of wall structure, it is essential that each building element A-E be separately secured to the frame member 1, whereby the removal of a single building element does not affect other building elements.

However, due to the tongue-and-grooves 5,6 present in the building elements A-E, the replacement of a building element without special

arrangements is not possible without dismantling first all those building elements which lie above the one to be replaced.

The inventive method enables the replacement of a single or individual building element from any part of the wall more conveniently then before, and particularly without having to remove or dismantle the building elements lying above the one to be replaced. This is performed as follows.

Masking or covering strips 11, present at the building element C to be replaced and at two building elements A, B thereabove and at two building elements D, E therebelow, are removed.

The building element B, present above the one C to be replaced, is joined for the duration of a replacement with the building element A thereabove in such a way that the elements A, B about to be joined have their surface plates 3 remote from the frame member 1 articulated relative to each other at their junction 7. In practice, this is preferably implemented in such a way that the building element B, present above the one C to be replaced, is joined for the duration of a replacement with the building element A thereabove by connecting said elements A, B to be joined at both ends thereof with each other by means of tabs 10 fastened for example with cornice screws 12 to the surface plates 3 remote from the frame member 1.

The building element D, present below the one C to be replaced, is joined for the duration of a replacement with the building element E therebelow in such a way that the elements D, E about to be joined have their surface plates 3 remote from the frame member 1 articulated relative to each other at their junction 7. In practice, this is preferably implemented in such a way that the building element D, present below the one C to be replaced, is joined for the duration of a replacement with the building element E therebelow by connecting said elements D, E to be joined at both ends thereof with each

other by means of tabs 10 fastened for example with cornice screws 12 to the surface plates 3 remote from the frame member 1.

At least one mechanical limiter 8 is provided for the duration of a replacement, which defines a maximum allowed inclination for the building element D present below the one C to be replaced from its position against the frame member 1. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, this can be implemented in such a way that the mechanical limiter comprises a bar 8, which is secured at its one end to the surface plate 3 of the building element D remote from the frame member 1 for example by means of cornice screws 12 and at its opposite end to the frame member 1 for example by means of element screws 13, or to an adjacent building element for example by means of cornice screws 12. Such bars 8 are mounted, for the duration of a replacement process, on both ends of the building element D, in the upper part of the element.

The building element C to be replaced, as well as the building element B thereabove and the building element D therebelow, are disengaged from the frame member 1.

The building element C to be replaced is moved away from the frame member 1, whereby the building element B above the one C to be replaced and, respectively, the building element D therebelow, decline relative to the frame member 1 until the building element B above the one C to be replaced disengages from the building element C to be replaced and is able to decline back to become co-directional with the frame member 1.

The building element C to be replaced is lifted off the one D therebelow and replaced with a new building element.

The building element B present above the new building element is distanced at its bottom edge away from the frame member 1 until the tongue-and- grooves 6 present at its bottom edge become coincident with the tongue- and-grooves 5 present at the top edge of the new building element.

The new building element, as well as the building element B thereabove and the building element D therebelow, are engaged with the frame member 1 and secured in place.

The masking or covering strips 11 are refitted.