US2230823A - Decorative metal panel sheet - Google Patents

Description

Feb' 4, 1941 c. EA'rcHELLx-:R 2,230,823

' DECORATIVE METAL PANEL SHEET Filed Jan. 27, 1937 E ay ,4 7" TQANEY Patented Feb. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DECORATIVE METAL PANEL SHEET Application January 27, 1937, Serial No. 122,572

2 Claims.

My invention relates to. a novel decorative y sheathing panel having a hard, stone-like core or backing formed from initially plastic material and which is surfaced upon one or both sides with thin gauge metal sheets having ornamental designs embossed or impressed therein which extend into the core or backing. 'Ihe impressed portions may be either colored or plain. It also lo relates to the method of fabricating such a panel. One of the objects of my invention is to provide a panel board of light weight which is reasonably fire resistant and which has an exposed surface of thin metal bearing impressed decorative effects either plain, or lhaving coloring material inlaid therein. Another object is to provide a simple, cheap and eflicient method of procedure whereby such panels may be fabricated, and particularly whereby theornamental design is simultaneously impressed in both the facing and backing.

My invention, therefore, includes the novel elements and the combinations thereof described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawing,

and also the method of procedure hereinafter.v

described.

In the drawingl Fig. 1 is a plan view of a specimen panel; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross section of Fig. 1 in 4the plane 2 2, drawn to an enlarged scale and 3a showing a colored design;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross section similar to Fig. 2 but showing a plain, uncolored design;

Fig. 4 is a cross section similar to Figs. 2 and 3 showing a modifled type of panel having metal on Fig. 5 is a cross section showing an assembly of the elements making up my panel before the design is impressed therein;

Fig. 6 is a cross section of a panel showing the lelements thereof separated after the design is impressed; and

Fig. 7 is a cross section of a finished panel.

Referring to the drawing, my panel comprises a facing sheet I which may be of brass, aluminum, copper, annealed steel or any other metal which is sufficiently soft and ductile in thin gauge sheets to be deformed as hereinafter described.

e Since the structural stability of the panel is provided principally by the backing or core element,

su and for the reason that the metal facing must be fairly easily deformed, the thickness of the metal used in the facing is preferably kept between 0.00 andV 0.018".

While I may employ metals of different colors 5 and of the general character described above, I

prefer to employ a corrosion-resistant alloy steel because of its high resistance to the attack of various gaseous and liquid media so that the exposed panel surface formed thereby is of a substantially permanent character. Such alloy steels contain chromium, usually in quantities of 8% or more and with or without other elements which enhance the corrosion-resisting characteristics of the composition; one of the most Widely` used alloy steels being commonly known as 18 and 5 8, and which contains 18% of chromium and 8% of nickel. These steels generally may be cold rolled to very thin gauges, and sheets or strips so produced have a highly lustrous surface finish. While such alloys generally work harden in the rolling process, they may be rendered soft and easy to work by wellknown annealing processes without destroying the lustrous finish. For use in my panel it is desirable to have the metal in a 15 soft annealed condition.

The backing for my product comprises largely fibrous material and a hydraulic cement with which is intermixed minor quantities of bentonite. As a hydraulic cement, I prefer to useeither 2 A or both Portland cement and calcined magnesite.

A composition of this character when combined with a water-miscible asphalt dispersion in quantities hereinafter pointed out is particularly suited for use in molding my backing because of its very unusual properties. A typical formula, without 25 the asphalt, is as follows:

Short asbestos fibers (waste pounds 200 fibers) Calclned magnesite (200 mesh) do 30 Bentonlte (200 mesh) do 12 Water to plasticize, about gallons-- 20 Another typical formula, without the asphalt dispersion, is as follows:

Grams 35 Cellulose (waste pulp ber) 750 Portland cement '150 Magnesite 300 Bentonite .400 Diatomaceous earth 300 40 Wasteasbestos C fibers 400 craling even when heated to tempe atures of the order of i300 F. and plunged into water.

The quantities of asbestos fiber and calcined magnesite may be varied to some considerable degree depending upon the character cf the product desired. The bentonite is an important essential ingredient but also may be varied somewhat although the quantity, by weight, will o I generally be well under of the weight of the total solids and preferably less than 5% thereof. Ihe calcined magnesite may be replaced in whole or in part by Portland cement.

In forming my product I prefer to proceed as follows, and in connection with/the description it will be assumed that the facing I of the panel is to be formed of a thin gauge sheet of corrosion-resistant alloy steel.

A suitable backing paper 2, for example, a 12- pound high rag-content, asphalt-saturated, sheathing felt, is first applied to the metal surface by means of a film of hot 'asphalt 3 between the metal and the paper. Such application may be effected upon the usual coating machines appropriately modified for the purpose. The metal facing with the paper backing thereon is then cut to approximately the desired size of the finished panels.

The backing 4 or the core element 5 is then formed by molding or rolling the plastic material aforesaid into sheets of the approximate (somewhat greater) thickness desired in the iinished product.

In order to secure a strong bond between the backing or core element and the paper-backed metal facing sheets I incorporate in the plastic 'composition aforesaid a water miscibie asphalt dispersion preferably in such quantities as to provide an asphalt content in the composition of at least 10% to 15% of the total dry weight of the other solid constituents, and I may also apply a film of asphalt emulsion to the surface of the paper backing of the metal face. Where the metal facing is to be applied to one side only of the panel, the plastic backing sheet, supported on a steel plate, is placed in an appropriate press and the paper-backed facing is placed thereon with the paper side resting on .fthe plastic backing. Where the facing sheet of metal is not to be embossed or otherwiseV decorated, a smooth upper press plate is placed thereon and the unit is subjected to a pressure of from 100 to 500 lbs. per square inch. This pressure compresses the plastic backing into a hard, dense mass and effects a very satisfactory bond of the paperbacked facing element thereto.

Where a decorative impression or` intaglio is to be made in the thin metal facing sheet, I place thereon a specially prepared steel die or press plate carrying upon its surface .fthe raised or depressed pattern desired and subject the whole to pressure. In the initial pressing opera- 1 tion the plastic core or backing element contains most of its plasticizing water and acts as a completely satisfactory cushion for the metal facing sheet above it which is under deformative pressure. The pressure should be applied gradually until the plastic core or backing has had much of its water content squeezed therefrom. Thereafter, it offers sufficient resistance due to its increased density to permit the specially prepared press plate to effect clear cut impressions 6 as deep as 1% or even M3" in the metal facing.

Owing to the facility with which the metal facing may be deep stamped simultaneously with its application and bonding to fthe core or backing, the product thus prepared lends itself very readily to a new and novel color decoration. After the product has been deep stamped and the core or backing element has hardened, the depressions in the metal may be filled with any of the suitable resin thermoplastic powders, colored or plain. The product is then introduced into a hot press plate and heated to about 275 F. for a sufiicient time for the resin powder to melt and smoothly fill the depressions in themetal facing, as shown at Il in Fig. 2. Upon cooling it is simply necessary to subject the sheet product to a light polishing operation -to produce a clean cut inlaid pattern of great beauty.

Instead of proceeding in the manner aforesaid, I may prepare the backing or core element 5 by rolling or molding the plastic material to the approximate size and thickness of the finished 1 product, as shown at 8 in Fig. 5. A film or sheet of thermo-plastic, resinous material 9, such as a Tego or Vinylite sheet or film, is then placed on the plastic backing, and the metal facing sheet l0 is laid thereover. (not shown) is then laid over the facing sheet and the assembly is subjected to pressure, as above described, until the design on the die is impressed into the metal and plastic backing, and the plastic backing is compressed into a dense mass, as shown in Fig. 7.

It is to be understood that there is no substantial adhesion between the thermo-plastic film and the metal and backing, and that while the elements are formed so that they interfit, they may be readily separated, as shown in Fig. 6.

After separation the metal and film are dried and the plastic backing is cured to form a hard, stone-like sheet. Thereafter, the elements are reassembled with the die plate thereon and the assembly is subjected to sufficient pressure and heat in a hot press to melt or soften the thermoplastic film and cause it to adhere both to the facing and backing and thus secure them together. 'I'he pressure should be maintained during the cooling and setting of the plastic.

I believe that the successful fabrication of composite panels in the manner described above is largely due to the facility with which my plastic composition lends itself to deformation under the pressure-forming step and which is attributable to the presence of the bentonite there- What I claim is:

'1. A composite panel boardhaving a substantially smooth, flat facing comprising a sheet of thin stainless steel, a hard, stone-like backing formed principally of fibrous material and hydraulic cement, and also containing bentonite in quantities less than about 10% by weight, and an intermediate layer of paper; said facing,

backing and intermediate layer being adhesively secured together to form a unitary structure; said facing having depressed zones thereof embedded in ysaid backing and forming an ornamental intaglio'design in the face of said panel,

and said zones being substantially lled with a thermoplastic material o f distinctive color.

2. A composite panel board having a substantially smoothflat facing comprising a sheet of thin stainless steel, .and a hard, stone-like backing formed principally of fibrous material and hydraulic cement, and also containing bentonite in quantities less than Aabout 10% by weight; said facing and backing being adhesively secured together to form a unitary structure; said facing having depressedzones thereof embedded in said backing and forming an ornamental intaglio design in the face of said panel, and said zones being substantially filled with a thermoplastic material of distinctive color.

CLEMENTS BATCHELLER.

A suitable die plate

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