AU2019200081A1

AU2019200081A1 - Improvements to methods and apparatus for constructing walls

Info

Publication number: AU2019200081A1
Application number: AU2019200081A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Richard Van Lieshout
Original assignee: Glass Outlet Ip Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Glass Outlet Ip Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2018-01-10
Filing date: 2019-01-07
Publication date: 2019-07-25

Abstract

A bracket system for constructing walls with panels, such as aerocrete panels, having a predetermined width, the bracket system comprising: a number of tubular steel posts each having at least one pair of opposed sides narrower than the panel width, each of the steel posts formed with a series of holes formed along their length; a plurality of clamping plates each formed with at least one hole therethrough for fastening to the steel posts wherein opposed surfaces of the clamping plates cooperate to frictionally hold ends of the panels; and a set of fasteners for attaching the clamping plates to the tubular steel posts by means of said holes. 3g 3e 1 -~ 55 - t-5 5 3b 3d - -3b - - 5 5 -- 3c 1bb

Description

IMPROVEMENTS TO METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR

CONSTRUCTING WALLS

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention concerns methods and apparatus for the rapid construction of walls.

BACKGROUND

Any references to methods, apparatus or documents of the prior art are not to be taken as constituting any evidence or admission that they formed, or form part of the common general knowledge.

There are a number of approaches that may be taken for the construction of walls such as outdoor garden walls. One approach requires that a concrete footing be laid out with posts or steel reinforcement members extending upwardly therefrom. Courses of besser blocks, i.e. hollow rectangular concrete block used in building construction, are then laid over the footing with the posts extending through them. It will be realised that it is time consuming to construct a wall in this manner. For example according to one procedure, when pouring the footing its base should be two times the width of the wall with the wall placed in the center. Therefore if eight-inch blocks are used then the footing should be 16-inches wide in order to provide a four-inch rim on either side of the block.

Furthermore, in order to build the footing 2x4 boards are used to construct a frame into which concrete for the footing is poured. The boards need to be held in place with wooden stakes driven into the ground every 10 centimetres or so. If the area has drainage problems a line will need to be installed along the outer edge of the form, providing a one-inch drop for every 20-feet of drain line. The drain line will then need to be backfilled with a foot of crushed stone or gravel.

In addition to pouring the footing the steel reinforcement must also be arranged prior and then the blocks must be accurately laid. It will be realised that the operations that have been described are labour intensive and thus costly.

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The Inventors have realized that it would be advantageous to provide a method and apparatus that would assist in the rapid construction of walls that are suitable for outdoor use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a bracket system for constructing walls with panels, such as aerocrete panels, having a predetermined width, the bracket system comprising:

a number of tubular steel posts each having at least one pair of opposed sides narrower than the panel width, each of the steel posts formed with a series of holes formed along their length;

a plurality of clamping plates each formed with at least one hole therethrough for fastening to the steel posts wherein opposed surfaces of the 15 clamping plates cooperate to frictionally hold ends of the panels; and a set of fasteners for attaching the clamping plates to the tubular steel posts by means of the holes.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the plurality of clamping plates 20 includes one or more of a:

1-way plate; 1-way top plate; 2-way plate; 2-way top plate; corner inner plate; comer inner top plate; corner outer plate; corner outer top plate.

The 1 -way plate is intended for attachment to a post at an end of the wall and thus terminates on the post with a clamping region extending from one side 25 of the the post only for clamping a lower corner of a first panel and an upper corner of a second panel immediately below the first panel. The 1 -way top plate is half the height of a 1-way plate and is intended for fastening at the top of the post for clamping a top comer of a first panel. The 2-way plate is intended to be attached to a non-end post and has clamping regions that extend on 30 opposite sides of the post for clamping panel ends on opposite sides of the post. The 2-way top plate is half the height of the 2-way plate. Inner and outer comer plates are also provided which may be either full height, for clamping ends of vertically adjacent panels, or half height for clamping a top comer of an uppermost panel. It is also possible to make the various clamping plates longer

2019200081 07 Jan 2019 so that they can clamp across more than two vertically adjacent panels however it is not necessary to do so and would consume unnecessary material and add more weight to the construction.

Preferably the posts are either square or rectangular in cross section. It is preferred that some of the posts are “T-posts” which have a rectangular cross section with a wide side and a narrow side, the wide side preferably being twice the width of the narrow side. Two series of holes may be formed along the length of the wide sides for attachment of a 1-way plate and an inner comer 10 plate, for example, and one series of holes down the length of the narrow side, for attachment of 2-way plates, for example.

Preferably the one 1-plates include a leading panel clamping portion and a trailing spring tensioning portion with a post fastening portion therebetween.

The trailing spring tensioning portion preferably comprises an angle having a trailing end inset from the post fastening portion for abutment with the post.

The post fastening portion is formed with the hole therethrough. In a preferred 20 embodiment of the invention a transitional portion extends outwardly from the post fastening portion to the panel clamping portion so that the clamp fastening portion is offset from the post.

It is preferred that fasteners be provided for insertion through the holes in the 25 plates and in the posts. Preferably the fasteners are self-tapping alien screws which may be quickly used on site with a suitable electric drill adaptor, though of course other types of fasteners are also possible.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a wall comprising:

a plurality of steel posts each extending from a footing;

a column of panels located between each adjacent pair of the steel posts; and

2019200081 07 Jan 2019 clamping plates attached to the steel posts wherein opposed surfaces of the clamping plates cooperate to frictionally hold ends of the panels.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a 5 method of constructing a wall comprising the steps of:

securing a plurality of posts along a boundary for the wall;

forming columns of wall panels between adjacent pairs of the posts; clamping the wall panels in place by fastening opposed clamping plates to the posts.

The method may further include covering the posts with material having a similar appearance to the panels.

The method may include applying a render or paint to the wall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient 20 information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows:

Figure 1 illustrates a portion of a wall according to an embodiment of the present invention and constructed using a bracket system according to a preferred embodiment of an aspect of the present invention.

Figure 1A is a detail of a region “A” of Figure 1.

Figure 1B shows an end post and 1-way clamping plates according to an 30 embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 shows isometric, end and side views of a first post type for interconnecting two adjacent columns of panels in line.

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Figure 3 shows isometric, end and side views of a second post type being a corner post for constructing a corner of the wall.

Figure 4 shows isometric, end and side views of a third post type being a “T” post for constructing a T-intersection of the wall.

Figures 5 to 10 illustrates side and end views of various clamping plates of the bracket system.

Figure 11 is a top view of a post with covers located about it to hide the post from view.

Figure 12 is a side view of the wall of Figure 11.

Figure 13 shows the wall of Figure 12 with paint applied.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 illustrates a bracket system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprised of tubular steel posts 1a, 1b, 1c and various 15 clamping plates 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e fastened thereto and shown in use retaining number of aerocrete panels 5. Figure 1A is detail view of region “A” of Figure 1.

The preferred panels are “aerocrete” panels 5, which are a composite panel 20 comprised of an inner that is made of explanded polystyrene (EPS) balls mixed with concrete and having cement fibre sheet on both sides.

It will be observed in Figure 1A that the post 1c has a width “w” which is narrower than the width “W” of the panels 5. That is also the case for the other 25 types of posts 1b, 1c that are used in the bracket system. They also each have at least one pair of opposed sides with a width “w” being narrower than the panel width “W”. Figures 2, 3 and 4 illustrate posts 1a, 1b and 1c respectively in detail. It will be observed that each of the steel posts is formed with a series of holes 7a along their length on each of at least one pair of opposed sides. 30 Post 1a has the holes formed along the length of one pair of opposed sides

2019200081 07 Jan 2019 whereas post 1 b, which is intended for use at a corner of the wall has the holes 7a formed through both pairs of opposed sides. Figure 4 illustrates post 1c which has one pair of opposed sides being twice as wide as the other pair. Post 1c is intended for use in forming a “T” intersection for the wall as illustrated in

Figures 1 and 1A. Two columns of holes 7a and 7b are formed along the wider opposed sides whereas one column of holes 7a is formed along the narrower opposed sides.

Returning again to Figure 1a, the various clamping plates 3a,...,3f are each 10 formed with at least one hole therethrough for fastening to the steel posts

1a,..,1c by self-threading Allen screws 9. Of course, other fasteners might also be used in other embodiments of the invention. Opposed clamping surfaces of the clamping plates cooperate to frictionally hold the ends of the panels 5.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the plurality of clamping plates includes one or more of a:

1-way plate 3g (e.g. as shown in Figs 1, 1B, 5); 1-way top plate 3h (e.g. as shown in Figs 1B, 6); 2-way plate 3b (e.g. as shown in Figs 1, 7); 2-way top plate 3a (e.g. as shown in Figs 1, 8); corner inner plate 3i (e.g. as shown in Fig 20 9); corner inner top plate 3f (e.g. as shown in Figs 1A, 10); comer outer plate

3d (e.g. as shown in Fig 1); corner outer top plate 3c (e.g. as shown in Fig 1).

The 1-way plate 3g is intended for attachment to an end post 1a at an end of a wall as shown in Figure 1B and thus terminates on the post 1a with a clamping 25 region 4a extending from one side of the post 1a only for clamping a lower corner of a first panel 5a and an upper corner of a second panel 5b immediately below the first panel 5a. The 1 -way top plate 3h is half the height of 1 -way plate 3g and is intended for fastening at the top of the end post 1a for clamping a top edge portion of top panel 5a.

The 2-way plate 3b is intended, as shown in Figure 1, to be attached to a nonend post such as “T” post 1c or an intermediately located post 1a and has clamping regions 4a, 4b that extend on opposite sides of the post for clamping panel ends on opposite sides of the post. The 2-way top plate 3a is half the

2019200081 07 Jan 2019 height of the 2-way plate. Inner and outer corner plates are also provided which may be either full height, for clamping ends of vertically adjacent panels, or half height for clamping a top corner of an uppermost panel. It is also possible to make the various clamping plates longer so that they can clamp across more 5 than two vertically adjacent panels however it is not necessary to do so and would consume unnecessary material and add more weight to the construction.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the one 1-way plates, 3g, 3h, include a leading panel clamping portion 4a and a trailing spring tensioning portion 6 with a post 10 fastening portion 8 therebetween.

The trailing spring tensioning portion 6 comprises an angle having a trailing end 10 inset from the post fastening portion 8 for abutment with the post 1a.

The post fastening portion 8 is formed with the hole 9 therethrough. A transitional portion 11 extends outwardly from the post fastening portion 8 to the panel clamping portion 4a so that the clamp fastening portion is offset from the post to accommodate the panels which are of greater width than the post.

USE FOR THE INVENTION

In order to construct a wall using the bracket system that has been described, the boundary of the wall is firstly marked out and post footing holes are then dug along the boundary spaced apart by the length of the panels 5 that are 25 intended to be used. The posts 1a, 1b, 1c are located in the footing holes and care is taken to keep them vertical during the pouring and setting of concrete.

A bottom course of panels 5 is then laid between adjacent posts and they are held in place by attachment of the opposed clamping plates 3a,..,3i to the posts 1 by means of the self-tapping Allen screws 9.

As the 1-way plates 3g, 3h are fastened the spring tensioning portion 10 abuts the posts and assists in angling the clamping portion 4a towards the panel 5 so as to firmly grip the panel. Similarly, the other clamping plates are shaped and dimensioned so that when the Allen screws are tightened the clamping regions

2019200081 07 Jan 2019

4a, 4b of the clamping plates tightly hold the slightly overwidth panels 5 between them.

In this manner the panels 5 are held firmly and the Allen screws 9 are kept under tension to avoid inadvertent loosening over time. As illustrated in Figures and 12, covers 13 and a top cap having the same texture as the outside layers of the panels 5 can be placed around and over the posts to hide them from view. A horizontal cover strip 12 is then placed over the top of the uppermost panels 5 to protect the internal layer of the composite aerocrete 10 panels from the weather. The wall can then be painted or rendered. A painted section 20 of wall is shown in Figure 13.

It will therefore be realised that a bracket system according to the present invention is useful in rapidly constructing a wall without need for extensive 15 construction of footings or laying of bricks/blocks with mortar. Instead the bracket system provides for columns of panels to be formed between adjacent posts and held firmly in place by means of the specially shaped clamping plates.

In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language 20 more or less specific to structural or methodical features. The term “comprises” and its variations, such as “comprising” and “comprised of’ is used throughout in an inclusive sense and not to the exclusion of any additional features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of 25 putting the invention into effect.

The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted by those skilled in the art.

The various production dimensions and annotations that are shown in some of the drawings are exemplary and are for purposes of explaining the preferred embodiment of the invention only.

2019200081 07 Jan 2019

Throughout the specification and claims (if present), unless the context requires otherwise, the term substantially or about will be understood to not be limited to the value for the range qualified by the terms.

Any embodiment of the invention is meant to be illustrative only and is not meant to be limiting to the invention.

Therefore, it should be appreciated that various other changes and modifications can be made to any embodiment described without departing 10 from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

2019200081 07 Jan 2019

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A bracket system for constructing walls with panels having a predetermined width, the bracket system comprising:

a number of tubular steel posts each having at least one pair of opposed sides narrower than the panel width, each of the steel posts formed with a series of holes formed along their length;

a plurality of clamping plates each formed with at least one hole therethrough for fastening to the steel posts wherein opposed surfaces of the clamping plates cooperate to frictionally hold ends of the panels; and a set of fasteners for attaching the clamping plates to the tubular steel posts by means of said holes.
2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of clamping plates includes one or more of a:

1-way plate; 1-way top plate; 2-way plate; 2-way top plate; comer inner plate; corner inner top plate; comer outer plate; comer outer top plate.
3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the posts are of either square or rectangular cross section.
4. A system according to claim 3, wherein some of the posts are T-posts for constructing a T-intersection for the wall, said T-posts having a rectangular cross section with a wide side and a narrow side, the wide side preferably being twice the width of the narrow side.
5. A system according to claim 4, wherein two series of holes are formed along the length of the wide sides for attachment of a 1 -way plate and an inner comer plate and one series of holes down the length of the narrow side, for attachment of 2-way plates.
6. A system according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the 1 -way plates include a leading panel clamping portion and a trailing spring tensioning portion with a post fastening portion therebetween.

2019200081 07 Jan 2019
7. A system according to claim 6, wherein the trailing spring tensioning portion comprises an angled portion having a trailing end inset from the post fastening portion for abutment with the post.
8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the post fastening portion is formed with said hole therethrough.
9. A system according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein a transitional portion extends outwardly from the post fastening portion to the panel clamping portion so that the clamp fastening portion is offset from the post to thereby accommodate one of the panels.
10. A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein fasteners are provided for insertion through the holes in the plates and in the posts.
11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the fasteners are self-tapping Allen screws.
12. A wall comprising:

a plurality of steel posts each extending from a footing;

a column of panels, located between each adjacent pair of the steel posts; and clamping plates attached to the steel posts wherein opposed surfaces of the clamping plates cooperate to frictionally hold ends of the panels.
13. A wall according to claim 12, wherein the panels are each comprised of aeroconcrete.

2019200081 07 Jan 2019
14. A method of constructing a wall using a bracket system according to claim 1, the method comprising the steps of:

securing a plurality of posts along a boundary for the wall;

forming columns of wall panels between adjacent pairs of the posts; and clamping the wall panels in place by fastening opposed clamping plates to the posts.
15. The method of claim 14 further including covering the posts with material having a similar appearance to the panels to thereby hide the posts from site.
16. The method of claim 14 or claim 15 including applying a render or paint to the wall.