AU2020205300A1

AU2020205300A1 - Component Parts for Supporting and Forming a Raised Hob Formwork Assembly, and a Method of Assembly

Info

Publication number: AU2020205300A1
Application number: AU2020205300A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Filip Pantano
Original assignee: Masterform Systems Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Masterform Systems Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2019-08-01
Filing date: 2020-07-16
Publication date: 2021-02-18

Abstract

During the construction of large concrete buildings a significant part of the process is the initial construction of the formwork that is used to support and shape the concrete when it is initially poured. To help minimise the labour required in this 5 process, the present invention provides a support member for supporting and forming a raised hob formwork assembly. The support member has a base member, a column member and a top member. The column member has a structural connection to both the base member and the top member, and the base member is configured for attachment to a floor of a formwork structure for forming a cast-in 10 situ concrete slab. And the top member has a horizontal section, and a retainer device, and is configured to engage with and to hold a two sided mould for producing a raised hob in the cast-in-situ concrete slab. 19 113 23 17 r45 17 25 33 21 313 35 29 FIGURE 1

Description

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FIGURE 1

Component Parts for Supporting and Forming a Raised Hob Formwork Assembly, and a Method ofAssembly

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to component parts for supporting and forming raised hob formwork assembly, and in particular, but not exclusively to component parts for supporting and forming raised hob formwork assembly for use in the construction of multi-storey commercial buildings.

BACKGROUND

The construction of formwork and moulds that are used to create cast-in-situ slabs, flooring and columns etc., and which are used to create raised hobs', are time consuming to construct and involve the use of a large quantity of construction materials. And for this reason the construction of formwork and moulds forms a significant part of the cost of constructing the main structural elements of a modem concrete building.

In recent times, steel formers that can be assembled to produce formwork or moulds for raised hobs have been available. Such formers often become an integral part of a concrete slab, and not only help to reduce formwork assembly costs, but can also become a part of the integrity of the slab, and at the same time help to reduce time and cost associated with dismantling and disposal of used formwork materials.

However, despite all of the benefits over traditional concrete boxing methods, the assembly of steel formers can be considered fiddly and arduous. The assembly of all of the component parts can be made more difficult as some of the parts may be flexible and prone to buckling prior to full assembly when the components work together to achieve a robust formwork system.

As with many structures made of lightweight materials, the integrity of the structure is not achieved until the component parts are fastened together using mechanical fasteners or welding. And in the case of formwork for raised hobs in cast-in-situ concrete floors, the formwork must be assembled at a height above the formwork for the lower surface of the slab, and often above reinforcing steel. These factors add to the complexity of the job of piecing the component parts of the hob formers together, and of piecing them together without damaging any of the components. Such a process can incur additional cost if too many workers are needed to assemble the formwork and if too much time is taken to do so.

What is needed is an improved design for the components of the hob formwork. A design that provides formwork components that can be assembled quickly and easily, using as few people as possible, and with minimum chance of damaging any of the component parts during the assembly process, would be highly advantageous.

In this specification unless the contrary is expressly stated, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was at the priority date, publicly available, known to the public, part of common general knowledge; or known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which this specification is concerned.

OBJECT

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide component parts for supporting and forming raised hob formwork, and a method of assembly, which will at least go some way towards overcoming one or more of the above mentioned problems, or at least provide the public with a useful choice.

STATEMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, in a first aspect, the invention may broadly be said to consist in a support member for supporting and forming a raised hob formwork assembly, the support member having a base member, a column member and a top member, the column member having a structural connection to both the base member and the top member, the base member being configured for attachment to a floor of a formwork structure for forming a cast-in-situ concrete slab, and the top member having a horizontal section and a retainer device that are configured to engage with and to hold a two sided mould for producing a raised hob in the cast-in-situ concrete slab.

Preferably the horizontal section and the retainer device of the top member are configured to receive and to align both sides of the two sided mould and to hold both sides of the two sided mould securely to the top member.

Preferably the retainer device includes a resiliently movable section.

Preferably the resiliently movable section is in the form of a clip member that is configured to engage with the two sided mould and to hold the mould securely to the top member.

Preferably the clip member includes at least two upstanding sections that are supported by the horizontal section and which are configured to receive and align both sides of the two sided mould relative to the top member and to hold both sides of the two sided mould securely to the top member.

Preferably the horizontal section includes a left hand edge and a right hand edge and a mid point that is situated half way between the left hand edge and the right hand edge, and a first of the two upstanding sections is situated adjacent to the left hand edge, and a second of the two upstanding sections is situated adjacent to the right hand edge.

Preferably the horizontal section and the two upstanding sections of the top member are formed by producing folds in a single piece of a sheet material.

Preferably a left hand end and a right hand end of the horizontal section of the top member is formed by folding the single piece of sheet material back onto itself along the left hand edge and along the right hand edge, respectively.

Preferably each upstanding section includes a first and upper section that is canted away from the vertical and toward the mid-point of the horizontal section, a second section that is canted away from the vertical and away from the mid-point.

Preferably each upstanding section includes a third section that is canted away from the vertical and toward the mid-point of the horizontal section.

Preferably a left upstanding section is formed by folding the sheet material of a left hand end of the top member firstly in an upward direction to produce the third section of the left upstanding section, and then through two more folds to produce the second and first sections of the left upstanding section, and the right upstanding section is similarly formed by folding the sheet material of a right hand end of the top member firstly in an upward direction to produce the third section of the right upstanding section, and then through two more folds to produce the second and first sections of the right upstanding section.

Optionally a left upstanding section is formed by folding the sheet material of a left hand end of the top member firstly in an upward direction to produce the second section of the left upstanding section, and then through another fold to produce the first section of the left upstanding section, and a right upstanding section is similarly formed by folding the sheet material of a right hand end of the top member firstly in an upward direction to produce the second section of the right upstanding section, and then through another fold to produce the first section of the right upstanding section.

Preferably each of the first sections are canted at an angle in the range of ten to thirty five degrees to the vertical.

Preferably each of the second sections are canted at an angle in the range of forty five to seventy degrees to the vertical.

Preferably each of the third sections are canted at an angle in the range of five to thirty degrees to the vertical.

Preferably the horizontal section of the top member is substantially parallel to the base member.

Optionally the top member comprises a first planar member and a second clip shaped member attached to the top of the first planar member, the second clip shaped member having upstanding sections with features similar to those of the one-piece top member described herein.

Preferably the column member is welded to the top member and to the base member.

Preferably the base member, the column member and the top member are all made from a sheet material.

Preferably the sheet material is a sheet metal material.

Optionally the retainer device includes a rotatable member having an axis of rotation.

Preferably rotatable member can be rotated about its axis of rotation after the two sided mould is brought into contact with the horizontal section, such that the rotatable member engages with both sides of the two sided mould to hold the two sided mould relative to the top member.

Preferably the rotatable member has a length and a width in the horizontal plane, the rotatable member being configured such that when the length of the rotatable member is aligned with a length of the two sided mould the two sided mould can be lowered onto the horizontal section, and when the length of the rotatable member has a transverse, or near transverse, orientation relative to the length of the two sided mould both sides of the two sided mould are held securely to the horizontal section by the rotatable member.

Preferably the rotatable member is configured to align both sides of the two sided mould relative to the top member when the rotatable member is rotated to its transverse orientation.

Preferably the column member has a cross sectional profile that includes at least one bend.

Preferably the at least one bend in the cross sectional profile of the column member is a substantially right angled bend.

Preferably the column member has a profile that includes one or more sections that include bends in more than one direction.

Preferably the or each section of the profile of the column member that includes bends in more than one direction is situated adjacent an edge of column member.

In a second aspect, the invention may broadly be said to consist in a spacer component for a raised hob formwork assembly, the spacer component having a body, a base flange and a strengthening lip; the body section, the base flange and the strengthening lip all being formed by producing two folds in a single piece of sheet material; an upper part of the body section having two upper slots each originating at a top edge of the body section and extending in a direction toward the base flange and having a length no greater than a fifth of the height of the body section; and a lower part of the spacer component having two lower slots, each of the lower slots being aligned with one of the two upper slots, the lower slots extending through the base flange and part way up the strengthening lip and a similar distance up the body section.

Preferably the fold between the body section and the base flange is substantially a right angled fold.

Preferably the fold between the base flange and the strengthening lip is a fold through an angle in the range of seventy five to eighty five degrees.

Preferably the spacer component includes one or more fastener holes through the base flange.

Preferably the spacer component includes one or more flow apertures through the body section.

Preferably a height of the body section is similar to, or is slightly less than, a height of an elongate hob moulding member that the spacer component is designed to be used with.

In a third aspect, the invention may broadly be said to consist in a kit of component parts for supporting and forming a raised hob formwork assembly substantially as specified herein when assembled, said kit having;

• a plurality of support members substantially as specified herein,

• a plurality of spacer components substantially as specified herein, and

• a plurality of elongate hob moulding members each having a substantially "C" shaped cross section.

In a fourth aspect, the invention may broadly be said to consist in a method of assembling a raised hob formwork assembly using the kit of component parts substantially as specified herein, the method including the steps of;

• positioning two elongate hob moulding members adjacent one another in such a manner that the open sides of the substantially "C" shaped cross section face one another,

• positioning a plurality of spacer components between the two elongate hob moulding members, and in a spaced apart manner, and with the upper edge of each spacer component upper most,

• rotating each spacer component in such a manner that the upper slots engage an upper lip of the elongate hob moulding members, and the lower slots engage a lower lip of the elongate hob moulding members,

• continuing to rotate each spacer component until the body section of each spacer component is aligned in a substantially vertical manner,

• placing the support members in a spaced apart arrangement and resting on their respective base members, and

• lowering the assembled elongate hob moulding members and spacer components onto the support members and pushing them downwards in such a manner that the clip members of the support members flex and engage with the lower flange and lower lip of the elongate hob moulding members.

Optionally the method involves rotating a rotatable retaining device of the support member to secure the assembled elongate hob moulding members and spacer components to the support members in lieu of the use of the clip members.

Preferably the method further involves welding at least the spacer components to the elongate hob moulding members.

The invention may also broadly be said to consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or indicated in the specification of the application, individually or collectively, and any or all combinations of any two or more of the parts, elements or features, and where specific integers are mentioned herein which have known equivalents, such equivalents are incorporated herein as if they were individually set forth.

DESCRIPTION

Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a small section of a first example of a raised hob formwork assembly according to the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation view of the raised hob formwork assembly shown in Figure 1,

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view AA as defined in Figure 2, and showing a lower part of a support member of the raised hob formwork assembly,

FIGURE 4 is a front elevation view showing an assembled spacer component and two elongate hob moulding members of the first example of a raised hob formwork assembly,

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a small section of the assembled spacer component and two elongate hob moulding members of the first example of a raised hob formwork assembly,

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation view of the spacer component of the first example of a raised hob formwork assembly,

FIGURE 7 is a plane view showing a partial length of the raised hob formwork assembly of the first example of a raised hob formwork assembly, and

FIGURE 8 is a front elevation view of a second example of a raised hob formwork assembly according to the present invention.

FirstExample

With reference to Figures 1 to 7, a kit of component parts for supporting and forming a first example of a raised hob formwork assembly (11) will now be explained. The kit of parts (11) includes a number of support members (13), a number of spacer components (15) and a number of elongate hob moulding members (17). The assembled raised hob formwork (11) is used to produce raised hobs in cast-in-situ concrete floors, and remains an integral part of the concrete floor once poured. The support members (13) are typically attached to a floor (37) of a formwork structure that is used to produce a cast-in-situ concrete floor.

The elongate hob moulding members (17) can be of any length, and the length will determine the number of support members (13) and spacer components (15) required. In a typical installation a spacer component (15) will be used every 500-600 millimetres along the length of the hob moulding members (17), and a support member (13) will be used every 1000-1300 millimetres along the length of the hob moulding members (17), as shown in figure 7.

As shown in figure 1, where a short section of two hob moulding members (17) are illustrated, it can be seen that the hob moulding members (17) have a substantially "C" shaped cross section. The hob moulding members (17) are typically formed by folding or rolling long lengths of galvanised sheet steel material to form two folds along the top and bottom edges of the lengths. A first fold or bend along the length and near the top or bottom edge is used to form an upper flange (19) and a lower flange (21) of the "C" section. And a second fold or bend along the length of each flange produces an upper lip (23) and a lower lip (25) of the "C" section.

The depth of a web (27) of the "C" section determines the height of a raised hob that can formed in a cast-in-situ concrete floor using the hob formwork assembly (11). A typical web height would be in the range of 70 to 150 millimetres, and the flanges are typically 15 to 20 millimetres wide, and the lips have a typical depth of around 15 millimetres.

Each of the support members (13) has a base member (29), a column member (31) and a top member (33). The base member (29), the column member (31) and the top member

(33) are all made from a sheet metal material, for example a galvanised sheet steel material. Each base member (29) has a number of fastener holes (35) (refer figure 3) allowing the support members (13) to be attached or fastened to the formwork floor (37) using suitable fasteners such as screws (39) or nails (refer figure 2).

The top member (33) has a horizontal section (43) and a retainer device (45) that are configured to work together and to engage with and hold a two sided hob mould (47), that is, to hold a pair of opposing hob moulding members (17) as shown in figures 1 and 2. In this first example, the retainer device (45) is in the form of a clip member (48).

The horizontal section (43) is substantially parallel to the base member (29), and the horizontal section (43) and the clip member (48) are configured to receive and to align both sides of the hob mould (47) relative to the top member (33), and then to hold both sides of the hob mould (47) securely to the top member (33).

The clip member (48) includes at least two upstanding sections (49) that are supported by the horizontal section (43) and which are resiliently movable, making the clip member (48) effectively a spring clip. That is, the upstanding sections (49) have a degree of springiness and will tend to spring back to their original shape if deflected slightly. The upstanding sections (49) are configured to receive and align both sides of the hob mould (47) relative to the top member (33) and to hold both sides of the hob mould (47) securely to the top member (33). Whilst receiving both sides of the hob mould (47) the upstanding sections (49) will each be deflected a small amount toward one another, but will then return naturally to engage with the lower lips (25), or lower flanges (21) of the hob mould (47).

The horizontal section (43) includes a left hand edge (51) and a right hand edge (53) and a mid-point (55) that is situated half way between the left hand edge (51) and the right hand edge (53). A first (49a) of the two upstanding sections (49) is situated adjacent to the left hand edge (51), and a second (49b) of the two upstanding sections (49) is situated adjacent to the right hand edge (53).

In this example, the horizontal section (43) and the two upstanding sections (49) are formed by producing folds in a single piece of a sheet metal. A left hand end and a right hand end of the horizontal section (43) is formed by folding the single piece of sheet metal back onto itself along the left hand edge (51) and along the right hand edge (53), respectively.

Each upstanding section (49) includes a first and upper section (57) that is canted away from the vertical and toward the mid-point of the horizontal section. This upper section (57) forms a guide for channelling a two sided hob mould (47) into engagement with the clip member (48). And, each upstanding section (49) also includes a second section (59) that is canted away from the vertical and away from the mid-point. This second section (59) engages with a top edge of the lower lip (25) of the hob moulding members (17), and in conjunction with the horizontal section (43) provides a clamping action to hold the two sided hob mould (47) in engagement with the support member (13) by gripping the lower flange (21) and lower lip (25) as can be seen in figure 2

In this example, each upstanding section (49) includes a third section (61) that is situated between the horizontal section (43) and the second section (59) and which is canted away from the vertical and toward the mid-point (55) of the horizontal section (43). This third section acts as a spacer or a leg to position the second section (59) a suitable distance above the horizontal section (43) so that it can firmly grip the lower lip (25).

The left upstanding section (49a) is formed by folding the sheet metal of a left hand end of the top member (43) firstly in an upward direction to produce its third section (61), and then through two more folds to produce its second section (59) and its first section (57). And the right upstanding section (49b) is similarly formed by folding the sheet material of a right hand end of the top member (43) firstly in an upward direction to produce its third section (61), and then through two more folds to produce its second section (59) and its first section (57).

Each of the first sections (57) should be canted at an angle in the range of fifteen to thirty five degrees from the vertical, and ideally at an angle of approximately twenty eight degrees from the vertical. Each of the second sections (59) should be canted at an angle in the range of forty five to seventy degrees from the vertical, and ideally at an angle of fifty nine degrees from the vertical. And each of the third sections (61) should be canted at an angle in the range of five to thirty degrees from the vertical, and ideally at an angle of approximately twenty two degrees from the vertical.

The column member (31) of each support member (13) has a structural connection to both the base member (29) and to the top member (33), the structural connection typically being in the form of a number of short welds (41) as seen in figures 1 and 2. The column member (31) is designed to carry compression loads and side loads, and for this reason the column member (31) has a cross sectional profile that includes at least one bend - refer to figure 3.

A main bend that runs down a centreline of the column member (31) is a substantially right angled bend, and the profile of the column member (31) also includes bends in more than one direction that are situated adjacent each edge of column member (31).

Each of the spacer components (15) has a body section (65), a base flange (67) and a strengthening lip (69). A height of the body section (65) is similar to, or is slightly less than, a height of an elongate hob moulding member that the spacer component is designed to be used with. The body section (65), the base flange (67) and the strengthening lip (69) are all formed by producing two folds in a single piece of sheet metal. He spacer components are configured to hold a pair of hob moulding members (17) in a spaced apart relationship to form the hob mould (47) as shown in figures 4 and 5, with the mouth of each "C" shaped hob moulding member (17) facing the other.

An upper part (71) of the body section (65) has two upper slots (73), with each originating at a top edge (75) of the body section (65) and extending in a direction toward the base flange (67) and normal to the top edge (75), and having a length no greater than a fifth of the height of the body section (65). In this example the two upper slots (73) have a length of approximately 10 -15 millimetres and the height of the body section (65) is in the range of 70 - 150 millimetres. An upper part of each upper slot (73) has a chamfered lead-in (77) to assist the process of assembling a hob mould (47).

A lower part (79) of the spacer component (15) has two lower slots (81), and each of the lower slots (81) is aligned with one of the two upper slots (73). The lower slots (81) extend through the base flange (67) and part way up the strengthening lip (69) and a similar distance up the body section (65).

The spacer components (15) have a "J" shaped profile when viewed end-on - see figure 6. The fold between the body section (65) and the base flange (67) is substantially a right angled fold, and the fold between the base flange (67) and the strengthening lip (69) is a fold through an angle in the range of sixty five to seventy five degrees, and is ideally a fold through an angle (83) of approximately seventy degrees. Shaped like this it is possible to nest a number of spacer components (15) together which assists with storage and transportation to site.

The spacer component (15) includes one or more fastener holes (85) through the base flange (67) which allows the same spacer component (15) to be used in situations where a hob is being formed on top of an existing floor slab. The spacer component (15) includes a flow aperture (87) in the body section (65) which allows concrete to flow through, and to engage more fully with, the spacer component (15) when the concrete is poured to form the floor with a raised hob.

Method of use

The kit of parts (11) that support members (13), hob moulding members (17) and spacer components (15) allows raised hob formwork assemblies to be constructed relative quickly and easily using a method that includes the following steps;

• positioning two elongate hob moulding members (17) adjacent one another in such a manner that the open sides of the substantially "C" shaped cross section face one another,

• positioning a plurality of spacer components (15) between the two hob moulding members (17), and in a spaced apart manner, and with the upper edge of each spacer component (15) upper most,

* rotating each spacer component (15) in such a manner that the upper slots (73) engage the upper lips (23) of the hob moulding members (17), and the lower slots (81) engage a lower lip (25) of the hob moulding members (17),

• continuing to rotate each spacer component (15) until the body section (65) of each spacer component (15) is aligned in a substantially vertical manner to produce an assembled raised hob formwork (91),

• placing the support members (13) in a spaced apart arrangement and resting on their

respective base members (29), and

• lowering the assembled raised hob formwork (91) onto the support members (13) and pushing it downwards in such a manner that the clip members (45) of the support members (13) flex and engage with the lower flange (21) and lower lip (25) of the hob moulding members (17) of the raised hob formwork (91).

The method will typically further involve welding the spacer components (15) to the hob moulding members (17), and welding the hob moulding members (17) to the clips (45) of the support members (13).

Ideally the length or height of the left and right edges of the spacer components (15) is equal to, or is only slightly less than, the distance between the upper and lower flanges, (19) and (21), of the hob moulding members (17). In such a case, the spacer components (15) will tend to snap into a snug fit as the spacer components (15) are rotated to a vertical orientation, and as the base flange (67) of the spacer components (15) becomes aligned with the lower flange (21). This feature will help to hold the assembled raised hob formwork (91) together prior to welding.

The snap fit of the lower flanges (21) into the clips (45) will similarly hold the assembled spacer components (15) and hob moulding members (17) securely to the support members (13) prior to welding.

Second Example

With reference to Figure 8, a second example of a kit of component parts for supporting and forming a second example of a raised hob formwork assembly (99) will now be explained. The second example of a raised hob formwork assembly (99) is similar to the first example of a raised hob formwork assembly (11) in many respects in that a movable retainer device is used to facilitate rapid assembly of the component parts. The primary difference between the first example (11) and this second example (99) is that in place of the resilient or sprung clip member (48), the design incorporates a rotatable retainer member (101).

The retainer member (101) can be aligned in a first orientation in which a two sided hob mould assembly (103) can be lowered onto a top member or top plate (105) of a support member (107). And the retainer member (101) can then be moved or re-aligned to a second orientation in which the retainer member (101) can fasten the two sided hob mould assembly (103) to the top plate (105).

The retainer member (101) is typically attached to the centre of the top plate (105) using a suitable screw fastener (not shown), for example a hex drive screw. This method of attachment allows the retainer member (101) to rotate about a vertical axis of rotation when the screw fastener is not tightened, and it allows the retainer member (101) to be held fixed when the screw fastener is tightened.

As can be seen in the figure, the rotatable member can be rotated about its axis of rotation after the two sided mould (103) is brought into contact with a horizontal section of the top plate (105), such that the retainer member (101) lies over and engages with a lower flange (109) of each side of the two sided mould (103). In this way, the two sided mould is held securely relative to the top plate (105).

The retainer member (101) has a length and a width in the horizontal plane. The width of the retainer member (101) is less than the width of the gap between the lower flanges (109) of each side of the two sided mould (103), and the length of the retainer member (101) is greater than the width of the gap between the lower flanges (109).

The retainer member (101) is in its first orientation when its length is aligned with a length of the two sided mould (103). And the retainer member (101) is in its second orientation when its length is transverse, or near transverse, to the length of the two sided mould (103).

When the length of the retainer member (101) is equal to the distance between the respective webs (111) of each side of the two sided mould (103), the retainer member (101) is able to align or centralise the two sided mould (103) relative to the top plate (105) member when the retainer member (101) is rotated to its transverse orientation.

VARIATIONS

To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

In the example described herein, the upstanding sections (49) are designed to engage with an upper edge of a lower lip (25) of the hob moulding members (17). It is envisaged that in an alternative arrangement, the hob moulding members (17) may only have top and bottom flanges, but no lips. In such a case the upstanding sections (49) would need to be shorter with the second sections (59) closer to the horizontal section (43) to allow the upstanding sections (49) to grip the bottom flange effectively. In such a case, a left upstanding section would be formed by folding the sheet material of a left hand end of the top member firstly in an upward direction to produce the second section of the left upstanding section, and then through another fold to produce the first section of the left upstanding section, and the right upstanding section would be similarly formed by folding the sheet material of a right hand end of the top member firstly in an upward direction to produce the second section of the right upstanding section, and then through another fold to produce the first section of the right upstanding section.

It is envisaged that in an alternative configuration, the top member (33) of each support member (13) could include a first planar member and a second clip shaped member attached to the top of the first planar member. In such a case the second clip shaped member would have upstanding sections with features similar to those of the one-piece top member (33) described herein.

DEFINITIONS

Throughout this specification the word "comprise" and variations of that word, such as "comprises" and "comprising", are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.

The term "raised hob" used in this specification is intended to mean a raised profile that extends above the surface of a concrete floor, the raised profile being made of concrete also, and the raised profile often being elongate in form and having a rectangular of square cross section.

ADVANTAGES

Thus it can be seen that at least the preferred form of the invention provides a kit of parts for supporting and for forming raised hob formwork that has the following advantages;

• the assembled raised hob formwork can be fitted securely to the support members by lowering assembled raised hob formwork onto the support members in such a manner that the lower lips of the hob formwork engage with the clips situated on top of the support members, and

• the raised hob formwork assembly can be produced simply by positioning the elongate hob moulding members side by side, and then snapping the spacer components into engagement with the upper and lower lips and flanges of the hob moulding members.

Claims

1. A support member for supporting and forming a raised hob formwork assembly, the support member having a base member, a column member and a top member, the column member having a structural connection to both the base member and the top member, the base member being configured for attachment to a floor of a formwork structure for forming a cast-in-situ concrete slab, and the top member having a horizontal section and a retainer device that are configured to engage with and to hold a two sided mould for producing a raised hob in the cast-in-situ concrete slab.

2. A support member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the horizontal section and the retainer device of the top member are configured to receive and to align both sides of the two sided mould and to hold both sides of the two sided mould securely to the top member.

3. A support member as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the retainer device includes a resiliently movable section.

4. A support member as claimed in claim 3, wherein the resiliently movable section is in the form of a clip member that is configured to engage with the two sided mould and to hold the mould securely to the top member.

5. A support member as claimed in claim 4, wherein the clip member includes at least two upstanding sections that are supported by the horizontal section and which are configured to receive and align both sides of the two sided mould relative to the top member and to hold both sides of the two sided mould securely to the top member.

6. A support member as claimed in claim 5, wherein the horizontal section includes a left hand edge and a right hand edge and a mid-point that is situated half way between the left hand edge and the right hand edge, and a first of the two upstanding sections is situated adjacent to the left hand edge, and a second of the two upstanding sections is situated adjacent to the right hand edge.

7. A support member as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the horizontal section and the two upstanding sections of the top member are formed by producing folds in a single piece of a sheet material.

8. A support member as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7, wherein a left hand end and a right hand end of the horizontal section of the top member is formed by folding the single piece of sheet material back onto itself along the left hand edge and along the right hand edge, respectively.

9. A support member as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein each upstanding section includes a first and upper section that is canted away from the vertical and toward the mid-point of the horizontal section, a second section that is canted away from the vertical and away from the mid-point.

10. A support member as claimed in claim 9, wherein each upstanding section includes a third section that is canted away from the vertical and toward the mid-point of the horizontal section.

11. A support member as claimed in claim 10, wherein a left upstanding section of the two upstanding sections is formed by folding the sheet material of a left hand end of the top member firstly in an upward direction to produce the third section of the left upstanding section, and then through two more folds to produce the second and first sections of the left upstanding section, and a right upstanding section of the two upstanding sections is similarly formed by folding the sheet material of a right hand end of the top member firstly in an upward direction to produce the third section of the right upstanding section, and then through two more folds to produce the second and first sections of the right upstanding section.

12. A support member as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein each of the first sections are canted at an angle in the range of ten to thirty five degrees to the vertical.

13. A support member as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein each of the second sections are canted at an angle in the range of forty five to seventy degrees to the vertical.

14. A support member as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein each of the third sections are canted at an angle in the range of five to thirty degrees to the vertical.

15. A support member as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the retainer device includes a rotatable member having an axis of rotation, and the rotatable member can be rotated about its axis of rotation after the two sided mould is brought into contact with the horizontal section, such that the rotatable member engages with both sides of the two sided mould to hold the two sided mould relative to the top member.

16. A support member as claimed in claim 15, wherein the rotatable member has a length and a width in the horizontal plane, the rotatable member being configured such that when the length of the rotatable member is aligned with a length of the two sided mould the two sided mould can be lowered onto the horizontal section, and when the length of the rotatable member has a transverse, or near transverse, orientation relative to the length of the two sided mould both sides of the two sided mould are held securely to the horizontal section by the rotatable member.

17. A support member as claimed in claim 16, wherein the rotatable member is configured to align both sides of the two sided mould relative to the top member when the rotatable member is rotated to its transverse orientation.

18. A support member as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the column member has a cross sectional profile that includes at least one bend.

19. A support member as claimed in claim 18, wherein the at least one bend in the cross sectional profile of the column member is a substantially right angled bend.

20. A support member as claimed in claim 18 or claim 19, wherein the column member has a profile that includes one or more sections that include bends in more than one direction that are situated adjacent an edge of the column member.

19

23 17 2020205300

45

27

17 25 21 33

13

31 35

29

FIGURE 1

23

49a 49b 27 2020205300

57 43 59 25 21 61

53 51 41 33 31 55

39 41 29 37

FIGURE 2

35 31

29 2020205300

41

75 FIGURE 3 77

71

73 17 17 87

65

69

81

67 FIGURE 4

73 47

15 2020205300

23 17 65

17 81 25 69

FIGURE 5 83 79

67 FIGURE 6 11 13 49 85 17 91 69

15 15 15 17 FIGURE 7

103 2020205300

111 111 101

109 105

107

FIGURE 8