AU2008227061A1

AU2008227061A1 - Wall Fixing Method and Apparatus

Info

Publication number: AU2008227061A1
Application number: AU2008227061A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Len Hawkes
Original assignee: STRUCTURAL GYPSUM WALLING Pty Ltd
Current assignee: STRUCTURAL GYPSUM WALLING Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2007-09-26
Filing date: 2008-09-25
Publication date: 2009-04-09

Description

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ORIGINAL

Complete Specification Applicant: Structural Gypsum Walling Pty Ltd Wall Fixing Method and Apparatus Title: Address for Service: LESICAR PERRIN, 49 Wright Street, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to melus: 00 O O 0Wall Fixing Method and Apparatus FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improved means and method of connecting o together hollow building panels made from reinforced plaster for use in the erection of domestic or industrial type buildings.

00 o BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 0 N Moulded, pre-cast fibreglass reinforced building panels for use in the construction of the walls, floors and ceilings of single or multi-storey buildings are known. Panels of this type and the methods for their production are described in Australian Patent 673,446 and in patent applications WO 2004/001160 and WO 2005/124059. These documents describe the manufacture of building panels, normally rectangular in configuration, having two spaced apart opposing walls interconnected by a plurality of formations of webs. A void is left between adjacent formations to form a generally hollow building panel. In this way, the building panels are lighter and therefore easier and cheaper to transport and erect. Materials used in the construction of these building panels typically include plaster or fibreglass reinforced plaster. In addition, concrete may be poured into the voids once the building panels are erected so as to strengthen the final structure.

Building panels constructed in this manner provide a number of technical advantages.

The fast setting properties of plaster is combined with an efficient vertical casting system. A series of air operated expanding plugs is used to form light weight, hollow, pre-finished walls and partitions. Construction times are minimized and the addition of fibre to the plaster mixture imparts integrity to the partitions and load bearing properties to the walls. Typically, hollow walls up to three metres high by twelve (12) metres long are produced in thicknesses from 120mm tol50mm. The site addition of concrete to the hollow wall creates full structural load bearing walls up to twelve (12) stories high. Additionally, panels may be pre-treated in the manufacturing process to make them water absorption proof.

00 o It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the manufacture of precast building 0 c, panels off site in a controlled manufacturing environment is convenient and certainly a cost effective alternative to traditional construction techniques. However, it will also be appreciated that even with precast panels there is a need for considerable on site work. One aspect of the onsite work concerns the formation of intersections, T junctions and corners between adjoining wall panels. Currently, in order to form T junctions a three sided channel member is inserted into the void of a wall panel on one owall, and secured to the adjoining wall with Tek screws, or the like, at intervals along the length of the wall. A second steel channel member is also inserted into the second 10 wall panel and, in turn, secured by screws to the first wall panel. The entire process is 00

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o expensive and time consuming. Furthermore, although perhaps not immediately 0 Cl apparent, the process tends to promote unsafe working practises in the factory.

Where the panel is being cut from an elevated position this can present a danger to workers. During the attachment process it is frequently necessary to cut ribs out of the wall panel using heavy powered cutting equipment to be able to fit the joining channels.

The present invention is directed to an alternative method of fixing adjacent wall panels and presents the public with a useful alternative to known fixing methods.

It is an object of the present invention to allow for computer cut saw profiles to be cut to size thereby avoiding manual cutting processes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore according to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a wall panel fixing spike having an elongate body with a first end, being an insertion point, said insertion point having a sharpened edge and a web adapted to engage with on side of a wall panel, and a second end being a fixing end, said fixing end being adapted to secure on a second side of a wall panel.

Preferably, the web is adapted to engage an internal web of a prefabricated wall panel. By engaging an internal web the fixing spike of the invention is thereby able to be encased in a void and ultimately secures in concrete used to fill the void. The spike is retained in the structure embedded in the concrete thereby providing additional structural support.

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0Preferably, the insertion end of the spike includes a planar web, either a single triangular shaped head, or an arrow shaped head.

f 5 Preferably, the insertion end of the spike includes a sharpened edge to facilitate the insertion of the spike through a wall.

o Preferably, the fixing end of the spike is adapted to have a fixing means attached 0 thereto. In one form of the invention the fixing end includes a threaded section 10 adapted to receive a threaded screw secured by a nut therein.

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00 N DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: Figure 1 illustrates in plan view a wall panel junction incorporating a prior art fastening technique; and Figure 2 illustrates in plan view a wall panel fixing spike in accordance with one aspect of the present invention; Figure 3 illustrates in plan view a wall panel fixing spike in accordance with a second aspect of the present invention; and Figure 4 illustrates the spike of figures 2 and 3 in elevation view.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings. Although the description includes exemplary embodiments, other embodiments are possible, and changes may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same and like parts.

Shown in figures 2 and 3 are wall panel fixing spikes 10, 20 respectively, each in accordance with the present invention.

00 o Shown in figure 1 are two intersecting walls12, 14, each wall 12,14 being formed of a 0 Ci number of interconnecting panels 16. The wall panels 16 are rectangular in configuration, having two spaced apart opposing walls interconnected by a plurality of O webs 18. A void 22 is left between adjacent webs 18 to form a generally hollow panel.

In finished formation the panels 16 have a concrete fill 24.

The panels 16 are interconnected in figure 1 as previously described using channel omembers 26 and screws 28.

00 10 The present invention, by contrast uses spikes, 10 and/or 20 as a method of securing othe panels 16 together. Each spike 10,20 includes an elongate body 30, with a first ci end 32, being an insertion point, said insertion point having a sharpened edge 34 and a web 36 adapted to engage with one side of a wall panel, 16 and a second end being a fixing end 38, said fixing end 38 being adapted to secure on a second side of a wall panel. 16.

The insertion end 32 of the spike 10,20 includes a generally planar web 36. In the case of the spike 10, the web 36 serves to create an arrow shaped head. In the case of the spike 20, a single triangular shaped head is created.

The fixing end of the 38 spike 10,20 is adapted to have a fixing means attached thereto. In one form of the invention the fixing end includes a threaded section 44 adapted to receive a threaded screw secured by a nut therein.

Thus, in use a wall panel 16 is joined to an adjacent wall panel 16 by means hammering and inserting the insertion end 32 of the spike 10,20 therein. Rotation of the spike through 900 ensures that the web may be held firmly against an inner surface web of the wall panel and a washer or nut may be retained on an outside of the wall by a screw in the threaded section 44 to thereby secure the wall panels temporarily together awaiting concrete filling of the nominated voids, thus avoiding the need for additional channel members to secure the walls together and the manual removal of panel webs to fit same.

Further advantages and improvements may very well be made to the present invention without deviating from its scope. Although the invention has been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope 14083 comp doc 00 0 and spirit of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but C is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent Sdevices and apparatus.

In any claims that follow and in the summary of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprising m is used in the sense of "including", i.e. the features specified may o be associated with further features in various embodiments of the invention.

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Claims

1. A wall panel fixing spike having an elongate body with a first end, being an r insertion point, said insertion point having a sharpened edge and a web '4 5 adapted to engage with on side of a wall panel, and a second end being a fixing end, said fixing end being adapted to secure on a second side of a wall panel. INO 0

2. A wall panel fixing spike according to claim 1, in which the web is adapted to S 10 engage an internal web of a prefabricated wall panel. 00 S3. A wall panel fixing spike according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which, the insertion end of the spike includes a planar web, either a single triangular shaped head, or an arrow shaped head.

4. A wall panel fixing spike according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the insertion end of the spike includes a sharpened edge to facilitate the insertion of the spike through a wall.

5. A wall panel fixing spike according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the fixing end of the spike is adapted to have a fixing means attached thereto. In one form of the invention the fixing end includes a threaded section adapted to receive a threaded screw secured by a nut therein.

6. A wall panel fixing spike substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in figures 2 and 3. Dated: 25109/2008 Structural Gypsum Walling Pty Ltd By their Patent Attorneys Lesicar Perrin