Wall panels and joint structures

The combination of at least two adjacent panels defining a wall structure, the combination including:

• each of said panels having a foam core having at least two side faces and peripheral edges;
• a cementitious facing at least one of said side faces of each panel;
• two separate parallel grooves extending into at least each of two parallel edges of said foam core for receiving panel connecting tongues therein;
• said grooves being formed in said core such that each groove in each edge is open at said edge and has two opposed faces formed by said foam core and a blind end in said foam core, and wherein each groove is spaced from its nearest facing at least about 1/2 inch;
• said grooves having a width less than the distance between the groove and the nearest foam core side face;
• one interconnecting elongated tongue disposed in cooperating and aligned grooves of each of said adjacent panels, said respective cooperating grooves being aligned and in register with each other for receiving said tongue for coupling said panels together, such that two tongues are aligned respectively in the two separate parallel grooves in each panel edge adjoining another panel edge;
• wherein said cementitious facing comprises a cementitious panel having an aggregate cementitious core and mesh reinforcing material on each side of said aggregate core.

A building panel comprising:

• a foam core having two side faces and peripheral edges;
• a cementitious facing on at least one side of said foam core;
• two separate parallel elongated grooves extending into the core in at least each of two opposite edges of said foam core for receiving respective tongues to interconnect one panel to another;
• said grooves being formed in said core such that each groove in each edge is open at said edge and has two opposed faces formed by said foam core and a blind end in said foam core, and wherein each groove is spaced from its nearest facing at least about 1/2 inch;
• said grooves each having a width smaller than the distance between the grooves and its nearest foam core side face;
• and wherein each groove extends along the entire edge of said panel.

The combination of at least two adjacent panels defining a wall structure, the combination including:

• each of said panels having a foam core having at least two side faces and peripheral edges;
• a cementitious facing at least one of said side faces of each panel;
• two separate parallel grooves extending into at least each of two parallel edges of said foam core for receiving panel connecting tongues therein;
• said grooves being formed in said core such that each groove in each edge is open at said edge and has two opposed faces formed by said foam core and a blind end in said foam core, and wherein each groove is spaced from its nearest facing at least about 1/2 inch;
• each groove being thinner than the thickness of foam core between the groove and its nearest foam core side face;
• one interconnecting elongated tongue disposed in cooperating and aligned grooves of each of said adjacent panels, said respective cooperating grooves being aligned and in register with each other for receiving said tongue for coupling said panels together, such that two tongues are aligned respectively in the two separate parallel grooves in each panel edge adjoining another panel edge.

An enclosure comprising a plurality of structural panels wherein:

• each panel comprises a foam core having two side faces and peripheral edges;
• a cementitious facing on each side of each panel;
• said panels being oriented in abutting edge-to-edge relationship with an adjacent panel;
• said abutting edges each having at least two separate parallel grooves in said foam core extending to the edge of each panel;
• said grooves being formed in said core such that each groove in each edge is open at said edge and has two opposed faces formed by said foam core and a blind end in said foam core, wherein each groove is spaced from its nearest facing at least about 1/2 inch;
• and
• wherein said grooves have a width which is smaller than the distance between the groove and its nearest foam core side face
• the grooves in said edges being aligned and in register with adjacent cooperating grooves in said respective panels;
• an elongated tongue disposed in said adjacent grooves, said tongues extending between two panel edges for securing said panels structurally together;
• and
• fasteners extending through said facings and into said tongues for bolting said tongues and panels together.

A panel and bracket for mounting the panel on an existing wall or sub-wall and comprising:

• a foam core having two side faces and peripheral edges;
• at least one cementitious facing or core of said faces;
• at least one groove extending into said foam core from said peripheral edges, said groove having two opposed groove faces defined in said core and being spaced in said edge from said facings at least about 1/2 inch, wherein said groove faces are spaced apart a distance less than the thickness of foam core between the foam core side face nearest said groove, and said groove;
• and
• a bracket for mounting said panel, said bracket comprising:
• a first leg for extending into said groove in said core;
• and
• a second leg extending away from said panel edge for attachment to a supporting wall.

A building panel comprising:

• a foam core having two side faces and peripheral edges;
• a cementitious facing on at least one side of said foam core;
• two separate parallel elongated grooves extending into the core in at least each of two opposite edges of said foam core for receiving respective tongues to interconnect one panel to another;
• said grooves being formed in said core such that each groove in each edge is open at said edge and has two opposed faces formed by said foam core and a blind end in said foam core, and wherein each groove is spaced from its nearest facing at least about 1/2 inch;
• and
• wherein each groove is narrower in width than the thickness of the foam core between the groove and its nearest foam core side face.