AU2006203510C1 - A construction system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

5 A method of constructing a wall. The method includes the steps of erecting an inner wall comprising one or more inner wall panels and erecting an outer wall comprising one or more outer wall panels such that a cavity is defined between the inner and outer wall panels. A bracket is engaged with upper ends of the inner wall and of the outer wall and a tensioning member is located within the cavity. The tensioning member is engaged with 0 the bracket and a lower surface adjacent lower ends of the inner and outer walls and tensioned to provide a downward force on the bracket and thereby on the inner and outer walls. -5 34 r-15 -- 52 --- 28 --28 u0 Figure 1

Description

AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT (Original) APPLICATION NO: LODGED: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION LODGED: ACCEPTED: PUBLISHED: RELATED ART: NAME OF APPLICANT: Bruno Staltari ACTUAL INVENTOR(S): Bruno Staltari ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: LORD AND COMPANY, Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys, of 4 Douro Place, West Perth, Western Australia, 6005, AUSTRALIA. INVENTION TITLE: "A CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM AND METHOD" DETAILS OF ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION NO'S: AUSTRALIAN PROVISIONAL PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 2005904415 FILED ON 16 August 2005 The following Statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me/us: TITLE "A CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM AND METHOD" The present invention relates to a construction system and method for constructing walls 5 of a building structure. It is becoming more commonplace in the building industry to construct buildings and homes from prefabricated panels, rather than laying bricks. The advantages of such systems in terms of the construction time required and the reduced labour are quite significant. 10 There are some areas however in which there is a preference among home owners for the use of double brick walls. That is, a wall constructed of two walls having a cavity between the walls. In general, the use of prefabricated concrete panels in such areas has been limited due to this pre-existing preference. The present invention relates to a construction system which results in a two layered wall 15 structure having properties similar to those that would result from a double brick wall, thereby allowing construction of such structures to utilise the advantages of prefabricated panel construction. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a wall construction system comprising: 20 an inner wall comprising one or more inner wall panels; an outer wall comprising one or more outer wall panels adjacent and parallel to the inner wall such that a cavity is defined therebetween; a bracket arranged to engage with upper ends of the inner wall and of the outer wall; and 2 one or more tensioning members extending through the cavity from the bracket to a lower surface adjacent lower ends of the inner and outer walls; wherein the or each tensioning member engages with the bracket and the lower surface to provide a downward force on the bracket and thereby on the inner and outer walls. 5 In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of constructing a wall comprising the steps of: erecting an inner wall comprising one or more inner wall panels; securing a tensioning member to a lower surface adjacent the inner wall; erecting an outer wall comprising one or more outer wall panels adjacent and parallel to 10 the inner wall such that a cavity is defined therebetween, the tensioning member being within the cavity; engaging a bracket with upper ends of the inner wall and of the outer wall; and engaging the tensioning member with the bracket and tensioning the tensioning member to provide a downward force on the bracket and thereby on the inner and outer walls. 15 The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a wall construction in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a front view of a partially completed wall construction in accordance with the 20 present invention; Figure 3a is a perspective view of a bracket of the wall construction of Figure 1; Figure 3b is an end view of the bracket of Figure 3a; Figure 3c is a top view of the bracket of Figure 3a; Figure 4a is an end view of an interconnecting member of the wall construction of Figure 3 1; and Figure 4b is a perspective view of the interconnecting member of Figure 4a. Referring to the Figures, there is shown a wall construction 10 for constructing a double wall structure comprising an inner wall 12 and an outer wall 14. The inner wall 12 and 5 the outer wall are located parallel to each other such that a cavity 15 is defined therebetween. The inner wall 12 comprises one or more inner wall panels 16. Each inner wall panel 16 extends from a lower end 18 of the inner wall to an upper end 20 of the inner wall such that vertical edges 22 of inner wall panels 16 adjoin vertical edges 22 of adjacent inner 10 wall panels 16. The outer wall 14 comprises one or more outer wall panels 24. Each outer wall panel 24 extends from the lower end 18 of the outer wall to the upper end 20 of the outer wall such that vertical edges 26 of outer wall panels 24 adjoin vertical edges 26 of adjacent outer wall panels 18. 15 The wall construction 10 includes also one or more interconnecting members 28. The interconnecting members 28 secure the inner wall panels 16 to the outer wall panels 24. The interconnecting members 28 each comprises an elongate member installed generally horizontally through the cavity 15. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, two interconnecting members 28 are provided. Each interconnecting member 28 comprises an 20 elongate member of constant longitudinal cross section as shown in Figure 4a. The interconnecting member 28 includes a first surface 30 for securing to the inner wall 12 and a second surface 32 for securing to the outer wall 14 and an interconnecting surface 33 extending, in use, across the cavity 15 between the first and second surfaces 30 and 32. The first and second surfaces 30 and 32 may be secured to the inner and outer walls 4 12 and 14 by any suitable means, such as by known bolts for securing into concrete. The wall construction 10 is provided with a bracket 34 to be engaged with upper ends of the inner and outer walls 12 and 14. The bracket 34 comprises an elongate member of constant cross section to extend along the upper ends of the inner and outer walls 12 and 5 14. As can be seen in Figures 3a and 3b, in longitudinal cross section the bracket 34 includes a first portion 40 to engage with the upper end of the inner wall 12 and a second portion 42 to engage with an upper end of the outer wall 14. Each of the first and second portions 40 and 42 comprise an inverted U-shaped section to receive upper ends of the inner and 10 outer walls 12 and 14. The bracket 14 also includes an interconnecting portion 44 extending between the first and second portions 40 and 42. The interconnecting portion extends generally horizontally in use between the inner and outer walls 12 and 14 at a height below the upper ends of both the inner and outer walls 12 and 14. In the embodiment shown, the upper end of the inner wall 12 is higher than the upper end 15 of the outer wall 14 and therefore the interconnecting portion 44 is generally J-shaped, extending downwardly from the U-shaped first portion 40 until it is at the height of the lower end of the U-shaped second portion 42 before extending across the cavity 15. The upper end of the inner wall 12 is constructed higher by placing the inner wall 16 on the floor pad 70, while the outer wall 18 is constructed on footings 72. 20 The bracket 34 of the embodiment shown includes also an extending portion 46, extending outwardly from the second portion 42. The extending portion 46 may be used for securing the bracket 34 to eaves 48 of the building, as shown in Figure 1. The wall construction 10 also includes a tensioning means. In the embodiment shown in the Figures, the tensioning means comprise a plurality of tie rods 52. The tie rods 52 5 extend throughout the cavity 15 from the bracket 34 to a lower surface 54 at the lower end of the cavity 15. The tie rods 54 are secured to both the lower surface 54 and the bracket 34 and may be tensioned to provide a downward force on the bracket 34 and thereby on the upper ends of the inner and outer walls 12 and 14. 5 The tie rods 52 may be secured to the bracket 34 and the lower surface 54 by any suitable means. In the embodiment shown, the bracket 34 is provided with a plurality of holes 56. The tie rods 52 are inserted downwardly through the holes 56 at appropriate intervals and secured into the lower surface 54. A securing nut 58 is provided to engage with the upper end of each tie rod 52 such that tightening the securing nut 58 engages the securing nut 10 58 with the bracket 34, thereby tensioning the tie rod 52 and pulling the bracket 34 downwardly against the inner and outer walls 12 and 14. The interconnecting members 28 are also provided with a plurality of openings 60 along the length thereof such that the tie rods 52 may pass through the interconnecting members 28. 15 The method of installation of the wall construction will generally comprise constructing the inner wall 12 by securing vertical edges 22 of adjacent inner wall panels 16 to each other. The interconnecting members 28 are then secured along the inner wall 12 by suitable fastening means. The bracket 34 is placed on top of the inner wall 12 and the tie rods 52 are passed 20 downwardly through the holes 56 in the bracket 34 and the openings 60 in the interconnecting members 28. The tie rods 52 are then secured into the lower surface 54 by any suitable means. The outer wall 14 is then constructed as shown in Figure 2 by placing each outer wall panel 26 in place and securing the panel 26 to the interconnecting members 28, for example by drilling through the outer wall panel 26 in appropriate 6 locations and inserting suitable fasteners. On completion of the outer wall 14, tension is applied to the inner and outer walls 12 and 14 by tensioning the tie rods 52 by tightening securing nuts 58. Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to 5 be within the scope of the present invention 7

Claims (17)

1. A wall construction system comprising: an inner wall comprising one or more inner wall panels; an outer wall comprising one or more outer wall panels the outer wall panels spaced apart from and separate to the adjacent and parallel inner wall panels such that a cavity is defined therebetween; a bracket arranged to engage with a respective upper end of the inner wall and of the outer wall; and one or more tensioning members extending through the cavity from the bracket to a lower surface adjacent lower ends of the inner and outer walls; wherein the or each tensioning member engages with the bracket and the lower surface to provide a downward force on the bracket and thereby on the inner and outer walls.

2. A wall construction system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the bracket comprises an elongate member having a first portion to engage with the upper end of the inner wall, a second portion to engage with an upper end of the outer wall and an interconnecting portion extending between the first and second portions, wherein the tensioning member engages with the interconnecting portion.

3. A wall construction system in accordance with claim 2, wherein the first and second portions are each of inverted U-shaped cross section such that the upper ends of the inner and outer walls are received in the first and second portions respectively. 8

4. A wall construction system in accordance with claim 3, wherein the interconnecting portion extends between the first and second portions at a height lower than the upper ends of both the inner and outer walls.

5 5. A wall construction system in accordance with claim 4, wherein the upper end of the inner wall is higher than the upper end of the outer wall and the interconnection portion is generally J-shaped in cross section, extending downwardly from the U-shaped first portion and across the cavity to the lower end of the U-shaped second portion.

) 6. A wall a construction system in accordance with any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the tensioning members each comprise a tie rod.

7. A wall construction system in accordance with claim 6, wherein the interconnection portion of the bracket is provided with a plurality of holes, the upper end 5 of each of the tie rods is received in one of the holes and each tie rod is provided with a securing nut securable to the upper end of the tie rod above the bracket such that tightening the securing nut engages the securing nut with the bracket, thereby tensioning the tie rod. 0

8. A wall constructions system in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein one or more interconnecting members are provided, the interconnecting members securing the inner wall panels to the outer wall panels within the cavity.

9. A wall construction system in accordance with claim 8, wherein each 9 interconnecting member comprises an elongate member provided horizontally within the cavity having a first surface securable to the inner wall, a second surface securable to the outer wall and an interconnecting surface extending across the cavity between the inner and outer walls.

10. A wall construction system in accordance with claim 9, wherein the interconnecting surface includes a plurality of openings through which the tensioning members pass.

11. A wall construction system in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bracket includes an extending portion that extends outwardly from the upper end of the outer wall for securing the bracket to eaves.

12. A method of constructing a wall comprising the steps of: 5 erecting an inner wall comprising one or more inner wall panels; securing a tensioning member to a lower surface adjacent the inner wall; erecting an outer wall comprising one or more outer wall panels the outer wall panels spaced apart from and separate to the adjacent and parallel inner wall panels such that a cavity is defined therebetween, the tensioning member being within the cavity; 0 engaging a bracket with upper ends of the inner wall and of the outer wall; and engaging the tensioning member with the bracket and tensioning the tensioning member to provide a downward force on the bracket and thereby on the inner and outer walls. 10

13. A method of constructing a wall in accordance with claim 12, wherein the bracket comprises an elongate member having a first portion, a second portion and an interconnecting portion extending between the first and second portions, wherein the method includes the step of engaging the first portion with the upper end of the inner wall, engaging the second portion with the upper end of the outer wall and engaging the upper end of the tensioning member with the interconnecting portion.

14. A method of constructing a wall in accordance with claim 12 or 13, wherein the inner wall panels are erected on the floor pad of the building and the outer wall panels are erected on the footings such that the upper end of the inner panels is higher than the upper end of the outer wall panels.

15. A method of constructing a wall in accordance with any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the tensioning members each comprise a tie rod and the bracket is provided with a plurality of holes and the method includes the step of receiving the upper end of each of the tie rods in one of the holes, engaging a securing nut to the upper end of the tie rod above the bracket and tightening the securing nut to engage with the bracket, thereby tensioning the tie rod. 0

16. A method of constructing a wall in accordance with any one of the claims 12 to 15, including the steps of securing one or more interconnecting members to the inner wall panels prior to erecting all of the outer wall panels and securing the or each interconnecting member to the outer wall panels after erection of the outer wall panels. 11

17. A method of constructing a wall in accordance with claim 16, wherein the interconnecting surface includes a plurality of openings and the tensioning members are passed through the openings. DATED THIS 9TH DAY OF AUGUST 2006. Bruno Staltari By his Patent Attorneys LORD AND COMPANY PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 12