AU612196B2 - Bracket - Google Patents

Description

~1~ 6129 COMMOkLVEALTH OF AUSTRALIA The Patents Act 1952-1969 Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: GARY LANCE MOUNSEY KENILWORTH ROAD, MALENY 4552 QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA GARY LANCE MOUNSEY G.R. CULLEN COMPANY, Patent Tr'ade Mark Attorneys, Dalgety House, 79 Eagle Street, Brisbane, Qid. 4000, Australia.

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.:*4494 COMPLETE SPE."IFICATION FOR THE INVENTION ENTITLED:

BRACKET

The following statement is a full description cf the invention including the best method of perforrning it known to I- WW P 2 THE INVENTION relates to a bracket useful in bricklaying and to a method of employing the bracket in producing a damp course.

The bracket of invention will be described by way of example in relation to bricklaying but it should be appreciated that it may be used for other purposes also.

Typically, where a damp course is required in constructions having a concrete slab foundation it has become the practice to provide for a damp course in one of the following ways. A plurality of courses of bricks are laid terminating at a height less than the eventual level assumed by the concrete slab. An uppermost course of bricks was then

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laid but offset inwardly of the outer vertical face of the *previously laid lower courses. An in,ard offset of about 50 mm was usually chosen. After the uppermost course of bricks had set the concrete slab was then poured.

After the slab had set the uppermost course of I bricks was then removed, a damp course typically of Sbituminous felt or other material was set in the space ,0o provided by the offset laying of the uppermost course once that course was removed and then the uppermost course was relaid but in its proper position in line with the lower courses. The wall was then completed, This technique was tedious in that it required one course of bricks to be laid, removed and relaid. This also sometimes led to the edge of the slab being damaged i, 3 particularly when the course was removed. A clean finish to the edge of the slab was desirable not only from the point of view of aesthetics but also to successfully prevent the ingress of moisture.

It was also previously proposed that timber formwork be positioned between the uppermost course of bricks and the space in which the slab was to be poured. After the slab has been poured the screeding operation and the inherent vibrations caused by this caused the timber formwork to move and lead to damage to the edge of the slab. There was also a tendency for the formwork to be removed when the concrete was still wet and this also tended to lead to damage to the edges of the slab.

Another earlier proposal involved the use of *5 polystyrene foam as a spacer between the uppermost course of bricks and the slab during pouring of the slab. After the slab had set the foam was either burnt away or dissolved with

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a solvent to provide a gap for receiving a damp course. Such foam gives off noxious gases when burnt or dissolved and for this reason alone, was undesirable. This technique was also messy and time consuming.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a bracket and a method of using the bracket to provide a gap for a damp course which at least minimises the difficulties referred to above, According to one aspect the invention provides a I :z r; h, W AN u-w w i; -rII C I 4 a bracket assembly for forming a damp course space in a floor slab, said assembly comprising: an elongate spacer element to form the damp course space, a bracket connected to the elongate spacer element and having an elongate body extending from the spacer element, and a clamping member connected to the elongate body and spaced from the spacer element to clamp a building element between it and the spacer element to hold the spacer element relative to the building element.

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The bracket may have an outwardly directed flange depending therefrom to define a generally L shaped bracket.

Whilst an L shaped bracket is preferred, other shapes may also be used. The clamping means is preferably provided on the flange with the attachment means spaced therefrom.

The attachment means is releasably securable to the spacer element. Preferably, the attachment means is adjustable in its position along the body. In one embodiment, the attachment means is not adjustable. Where the attachment means is adjustable its position along the body may be varied. In one embodiment the attachment means comprises a fastener such as a 9 screw fastener for example locatable in a selected aperture of a plurality of apertures along the body. Alternatively, a slot may be present along the body and the fastener may be positioned along the slot at a dasired location.

Where tb.h attachment means is not adjustable it may be provided by a fastening projection extending from the body. The projection may be a fastening spike for example.

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t i f soa;; ^c^ n i The clamping means may be adjustable rzo that the bracket may function for building elements of a variety of sizes. Preferably the clamping means is an adjuistaLble screw clamp. The clamp may be located on the body or on the outwardly directed flange.

Whilst the bracket may be made from any suitable material it is preferred that it be made of metal. Steel or aluminium iJs prefe-cred.

According to another aspect the invention provides a method of making, a damp course, the method employs a plurality of brackets of the type referred to above and *includes positioning damp course material over a first course of building elements, laying a second course of building elements on the ficst course, securing the brackets to see, '5 selected building elements of the second cours,. securing the brackets to a spacer element to secure the spacer element .to said second course, forming a foundation and thereafter removing said brackets and the spacer element.

The method ir~ty include forming a slab foundation.

Preferably the slab is screeded either manually or mechanically.

goes The securing step preferably includes attaching the spacer element to the brackets.

The damp course material is preferably folded over an upper surface of the second course of building elements and subsequent couises of building elements may then 6 successively be laid on top of the second course to complete a wall of a building or structure.

After the slab has been screeded and It has sufficiently cured the brackets and spacer element may be removed and the remainder of the wall may be constructed.

Particular preferred aspects of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the bracket according to an embodiment of the invention shown secured to a spacer element; Figure 2 shows one aspect of the method employed to make a damp course; Figure 3 shows a subsequent Yt4 in the method; *Figure 4 shows a further step in thu method; and 15 Figure 5 shows a transverse sectional view of what is shown in figure 4.

The bracket 10 has a body portion 11 provided with 00 a series of apertures 12. A fastener 13 is located in a selected aperture to secure the bracket to a timber spacer 0 element 14, The element 14 may be trapezoidal in transverse section to facilitate easy removal after a slab (see figures ,4 and 5) is formed.

Bracket 10 has a flange 15 with a screw threaded aperture for receiving threaded clamp 16. Clamp 16 has a handle 17 which may be grasped by a user and a head 18 for engagement with a building element or brick 19 (see figures 4 L~ I-,*Y-rur-nrurarrrrr*~ -hll*-i* 7 and The method of the invention will now be described with reference to figures 2 to 5. One or more courses 21, 22 of bricks are laid in the usual manner. Damp course material 23 is positioned on course 22 and an uppermost course of bricks 24 is laid on the material 23.

Once course 24 is laid the material is folded over that course and a plurality of brackets 10 (only one of which is shown) is employed to clamp a spacer element 14 to a rear face of course 24.

Slab foundation 26 is laid and screeded. Once *slab 26 has cured the brackets and spacer element may be

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removed and a gap is formed between the rear face of course 24 and the periphery of the slab. To facilitate removal of 5 the spacer element it may be tapered as mentioned above and the brackets may be left secured thereto and detached after O the element has been removed.

0S 5 By forming a space in this way the damp course material can readily be accommodated without resorting to V.,.o0 removing courses of bricks and re-laying them.

The clamp 16 due to its length can readily cater or *o* be used for bricks of a variety of thicknesses. Similarly by selectively positioning the fastener 13 in an appropriate aperture a further measure of adjustment is possible.

Since the element 14 is securely held screeding or vibrating of the slab after pouring should not result in 8 movement of the element or damage to the resultant edge of the slab. The element 14 can readily be removed after the slab has cured by undoing fasteners 13 and then removing the element and the brackets. Alternatively, the clamp may be released and the brackets and element may be removed together. In this way the body 11 may be grasped to facilitate removal of the element.

Once the slab has cured and the brackets and element removed, the remainder of the wall may be constructed.

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Claims (14)

1. A bracket assembly for forming a damp course space in a floor slab, said assembly comprising: an elongate spacer element to form the damp course space, a bracket connected to the elongate spacer element and having an elongate body extending from the spacer element, and a clamping member connected to the elongate body and spaced from the spacer element to clamp a building element between it and the spacer element to hold the spacer element relative to the building element.

2. The bracket assembly of claim 1 wherein the bracket is releasably securable to the elongate spacer element.

3. The bracket of claims I or 2 wherein the elongate body includes a plurality of apertures to accommodate a fastener locatable in a selected one of said apertures to connect the bracket to the elongate spacer element.

4. The bracket of any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said clamping member is adjustable to enable the bracket to function with building elements of a variety of sizes.

The bracket of any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the clamping member is an adjustable screw clamp.

6. The bracket of any one of claime 1 to 5 including an outwardly directed flange depending from the elongate body to define an L shaped configuration for the bracket.

7. The bracket of claim 6 wherein the clamping member is located on the flange. c 4. I

8. A bracket substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.

9. A method of making a damp course, the method employing a plurality oZ bracket assemblies according to any one of claims 1 to 8, said method including positioning damp course material over a first course of building elements laying a second course of building elements on the first course, securing the brackets to selected building elements of the second course, securing the spacer element to said second course, forming a foundation and thereafter removing said bracket assemblies. 00*

10. The method of claim 9 wherein removing the brackets and the spacer element involves unsecuring the brackets from the i spacer element.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein removing the brackets and the spacer element involves unsecuring the brackets from the selected building elements.

12. The method of claims 9, 10 or 11 whoeein securing the a ao spacer element to the second course involves clamping the spacer element to the building elements of the second course.

13. The method of any one of claims 9 to 12 including laying further courses of bailding elements on the second course S after removing the brackets and spacer element.

14. A method according to claim 9 substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings. DATED this Eighth day of April, 1991, GARY LANCE MOUNSEY by his Patent Attorneys CULLEN CO. S% MW:i 1"^ A)'