AU620453B2

AU620453B2 - Bricklaying aid and system

Info

Publication number: AU620453B2
Application number: AU42640/89A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Gerald Egan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-10-07
Filing date: 1989-10-06
Publication date: 1992-02-20
Anticipated expiration: 2009-10-06
Also published as: AU4264089A

Description

lo: The Commissioner of Palents AUSTRA L I A PATENTS ACT COMPLETE SPECIFICATION 2 0 4 OR I G I NAL (FOR OFFICE USE) Class Int Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: {J Accepted: Published: Priority: Related Art: Name of Applicant(s): ALD EGAN Address of Appl icant(s): Alb.ert Steet?. St Just.'s Po.int I o r .5 5 0 Actual Inventor(s) AS ABOVE I. i Address for Service: PATENT ATTORNEY SERVICES 26 Ellingworth Parade, Box Hill, Victoria 3128 Complete specification for the invention entitled: BRICKLAYING AID SYSTEM The followi;-ci satement is a full description of this invention, including the 'fest method of performing it known to .me 1.

1 t BRICKLAYING AID AND SYSTEM This invention relates to a bricklaying aid for use in the erection of a brick wall comprising a number of courses of bricks.

The term "bricks" is to be understood as including other building blocks.

The accurate laying of bricks in horizontal courses traditionally requires substantial skill. Bricklayers generallyv rely upon string lines and plumb bobs to guide .nd test courses being laid to maintain horizontal and vertical directions. There is, however, a need for a bricklaying aid to assist speedy and effective laying of bricks so that walls are composed of horizontal courses, successive tcourses are accurately vertical and the bricks are evenly spaced.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an aid S."which enables a speedy and effective and accurate laying of brick courses.

It is a further and preferred object of the present invention to provide a bricklaying aid which can be made at a. reasonable cost and be relatively straightforward to use.

According to the present invention there is provided a 20 2. bricklaying aid comprising two upright support means which are in use S, ispaced apart along the length of a wall to be constructed of brick j *courses, each of the support means comprising a plurality of locating a. means along at least part of the height thereof. an elongated guide extending in use between the support means and to provide a guide for I laying of courses of bricks, the guide including engagement means at each longitudinal end thereof, the engagemrnt means being co-operable with the locating means to locate the giide at a selected height, the engagement means and locating means being arranged to permit rotary movement of the guide about a longitudinal rotary axis displaced from Ii 30 30 a longitudinal symmetry axis of the guide so that rotation of the guide about the rotary axis causes raising of the symmetry axis of the guide so that the engagement and locating means can be re-engaged to locate the guide at a higher level for a subsequent brick course to be laid.

Preferably the engagement and locating means comprise co-operating male and female members enabling relative rotational movement when the male and female members are in engagement. The male and female members may comprise respectively a projection and a recess, the projection being relatively retractable to be disengaged from the associated recess, the projection and recess being biased into engagement so as to normally maintain that engagement.

The guide preferably includes two engagement means at each end -thereof which are co-operable with two locating means, the arrangement being such that a first one of the engagement means at each end of the guide can be disengaged from its associated locating means allowing rotary movement of the guide about the second one of the two engagement means to raise the guide for laying of a second course, and after laying of the second course of bricks, the second engagement means can be disengaged and the guide rotated about the first engagement means and associated locating means to raise the guide for laying of a third course.

S 15 The guide in the preferred embodiment rotated through 180° between each successive operation of laying a brick course.

The guide may include level marking projections extending from I the guide ti. mark a level for a course of bricks, the projections extending from both sides of the guide so that while the projections at one side of the guide are in an operative position marking a level c for a course of bricks being laid, the other projections projecting away from the opposite side of the guide from where the course is being laid, whereby upon rotation of the guide, the first projections retract away from their operative positions and the second projections are advanced into an operative position for marking the level for the next course of bricks. Also at least one spacing marker may be mounted by the guide, the spacing narker providing an indication for the desired spacing of bricks in the course.

Furthermore, lateral locating means may project from the guide, the lateral locating means being located so as to be contacted by bricks being laid in the course to determine the lateral position of the bricks.

The bricklaying aid may be for use in erection of bricks extending around a right angle, the aid including a corner support means arranged in use at the corner of the wall, two guides extending from the corner support means at right angles thereto and each guide extending to a further support means spaced from the corner support :I c -i means so that bricks can be laid along the two guides and meet at the corner at right angles.

The corner support means may be located internally of the corner of the wall, the aid further including corner guide means slideable along the upright corner support means and being selectively locatable at desired heights along the corner support means, the corner guide means including level marking projections extending from the corner guide means so as to mark the level for bricks extending beyond the end of the associated guide adjacent to the corner support means and to the corner of the wall.

Possible and preferred features of the present invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. However it is to be understood that the features S° illustrated in and described with reference to the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the scope of the invention. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bricklaying system utilising a bricklaying aid according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of a b.rLcklaying guide, Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross section of the guide and a fragmentary cross section of two support posts, a [t Fig. 4a is an end view of the guide, Fig. 4b is an end view of the guide partially rotated upwardly, t Fig. 4c is an end view of the guide, rotated through 180° with 25 respect to the position shown in Fig, 4a, Fig. 5 is a view of a hand clamp for use with the bricklaying system, Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a ram in engagement with the inner surfaces of a brick pier, Fig. 7 is a top plan view of an internal corner formed by two brick walls meeting at right angles with two guides and a support post located internally of the corner, and Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of an alternative embodiment of bricklaying aid.

In Fig. 1 the bricklaying system 1 comprises four upright support means shown as support posts 2 arranged at the corners of a square so as to be usable in building a brick pier. A ground contact 3 i--i i stand 3 compiises four base members 4 extending between the posts 2.

Levelling means shown as adjustable feet 5 are provided at each corner of the square.

The guide 6 extends between two support posts 2 and is rranged to guide the laying of a course of bricks 7. Diagonal truts 8 extend between the tops of the support posts 2. A centre plie 9 is located at the intersection of struts 8. A pulley means (not shown) may be attached to plate 9 to raise or lower ram 10 (shown in Fig.

6).

The guide 6 is shown as being rectangular in cross section having a front face 11, a rear face 12, a top face 13, a bottom face 14 and ends 15, 16. Brick level marking means 17 shown as discs extend outwardly from the lower edge of the front face 11 mark the level for laying of the bricks. Marking means 17a are also located i 15 at the upper edge of the rear face 12 as shown in Fig. 2. The projections 17, 17a extend from both faces 11, 12 of the guide 6 so that while the projections at one side of the guide are in an operative position marking a level for a course of bricks the other projections projecting away from the other side of the guide 0 20 from where the course is being laid, upon rotation of the guide 6 (as will be described below), the first projections retract away from their opposite positions and the second projections are advanced into an operative position for marking the level for the next course of bricks.

25 A plurality of spacing markers 18 mounted by the guide 6 provide an indication for the desired spacing of the bricks in the course 7. The markers 18 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 extend from the front and rear faces 11, 12 and are arranged to fit between adjacent bricks in a course to determine their longitudinal position in the course. In Fig. 8 there is shown an alternative arrangement of spacing marker 78 which comprises a simple clip provided with a notch 79 which indicates the position for the ends of the brick 77. The clip 78 is provided on the guide 6 at the side at which the brick course is being laid.

The bricklaying aid also includes lateral locating means shown in Fig. 1 as rollers 19 which project from the guide 6. The rollers are located so as to be contacted by bricks being laid in the course I to determine the lateral position of the bricks. The rollers 19 are provided at the front and rear faces 11, 12 so that bricks being laid on either side of the guide contact the rollers. The rollers 19 as seen in Fig. 2 are rotatable on spindles 24 and are centred by means of springs 25 at opposite ends of the roller. In Fig. 8, the lateral locating means 80 comprise upper and lower projections which are arranged to be contacted by the brick 77 to determine its lateral position.

In Fig. 2 the spacing markers 18 can be adjusted by means of handle 20 which is accessible from the front face 11. The handle is connected to transverse rod 21 through universal joint 22. A connector 23 is located inside the guide 6 so that a number of markers 18 are ganged together to be movable in unison.

S; The support posts 2 are provided %ith locating means along the height thereof shown as female members, particularly holes 29. The guide 6 includes engagement means 26 shown as male members or projections with co-operate with the locating holes 29 to locate the guide 6 at the selected height. The projections 26 and locating holes 29 permit rotary movement of the guide 6 about a longitudinal rotary axis displaced from the longitudinal symmetry axis 31 of the guide 6 (Fig. 4) so that rotation of the guide 6 about the rotary axis 30 causes raising of the symmetry axis 31 of the guide so that the projections 26 and locating holes 29 can be re-engaged to locate the guide 6 at the high level (Fig. 4c) for a subse ient brick course 25 7a to be laid. The projections 26 are retractabie to enable disengagement from the associated holes 29 and the projections are biased into engagement with the holes 29 so as to normally maintain that engagement.

Referring particularly to Figs. 3 and 4, the guide 6 includes 30 two engagement projections 26a, 26b and associated holes 29a, 29b in the post 2 at one end of the guide 6 and projections 26c, 26d and associated holes 29c, 29d at the spaced post. Crarks 27a, 27b are arranged to respectively retract projections 26a, 26c or 26b, 26d by means of links 28a, 28b which are biased by compression springs acting to urge the projections 26 into their associated holes 29. By operating crank 27b as shown in Fig. 3, the projections 26b and 26d are retracted from their associated holes 29b, 29d so that as shown in Figs. 4a to 4c, the guide 6 can be rotated about axis (corresponding to the line from hole 29a to hole 29c) so that the symmetry axis 31 of the guide is rotated as shown in Fig. 4b in direction of arrow through 180° to adopt the position as shown in Fig. 4c. Release of the crank 27b in this position enables the projections 26b, 26d to engage in holes 29 in the post at higher level, effectively raising the guide 6 for laying of a further bric< course 7a. This process can be repeated continuing up the height 'if the posts 2.

In Fig. 8 the co-operating engagement projections 26 are arranged along the top and bottom of the guide 6 and are operated by cranks 27, one of which is shown on the top of the guide 6. In Fig.

8, the rotary axes 30, 30a are spaced above and below the top surface and the bottom surface of thF guide 6 so that the rotary movement of P 15 the guide 6 about the symmetry axis 31 effectively cleanly withdraws the marking projections 85 from beneath the course of bricks 77 that V have just been laid without the projections 85 disturbing the bricks.

Fig. 5 shows a hand clamp 33 having a spring loaded retractable prong 34. The clamp has a pistol grip handle 35 and a trigger 36 coupled to the prong 34. The prong 34 has a downwardly portion 37 to fit around a brick or into a hole in the brick. The prong is biased to be drawn towards the downwardly extending reaction member 38 which has a head 39 at its lower end which engages the face 11 of the guide 6. This clamp is used as shown in Fig. 5 to releasably clamp a brick against the guide 6.

In Fig. 6 there is shown. a brick pier 40 having walls 41a, 41b, 41c, 41d which is engaged internally by a ram 10. The ram elements 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d engage the pier walls 41a, 41b, 41c, 41d respectively. The pressure transfer means 43 are located on each ram element 41 to transfer pressure to the bricks in a course so as to Sfirmly press the bricks against guides 6 around the circumference of the pier. The pressure means 43 are shown as spring loaded projections which may be capable of moving in a horizontal as well as a vertical direction with respect to the inner faces of bricks forming a course.

In Fig. 7 two courses of bricks 50, 51 are arranged at a right angle. The corner support post 54 has two guides 52, 53 extending 6 r *00 0 *000 0000 00 00000 S0 0 0 0 *0 00 *00 *00 00000 00000 00 S0 0 *0 00 00 *0 00 0000 0 0000 0 0 0 0 00 00 0 therefrom to further support posts (not shown) spaced from the corner support post 54 so that bricks can be laid along the two guides 52, 53 to meet at the corner at right angles. A corner locator comprises a threaded rod passing horizontally and diagonally through the support post 54, the locator 55 having a right angled contact foot 56 which contacts both walls 50, 51 at the corner. The position of the locator 55 with respect of the corner may be adjustable by means of nuts 57, 58 threaded on the rod. Projections 59, 60 at the ends of the guides 52, 53 engaging in respective holes 61, 62 in the post 54 and these are arranged to enable rotation of the guides to raise the guides as previously described.

Resistance means 63 shown as a rod pivoted at point 63is arranged within the guide 52. The rod 63 is limited in travel by means of adjustment screws 64, 65 passing through respective holes in 15 one face of the guide 52. Guide 53 is similarly provided with pivoted rod 66 pivoted at point 67 and adjustment screws 68, 69. As shown the resistance means 63, 66 bear against one corner of the post 54 so that the guides 52, 53 can resist any side thrust towards any respective rows of bricks when t ie guides a rolled upwardly. The 20 pivot points 6 3c 67 may be located on the main symmnetry axis 31 (Fig.

4) and the pivot points may be provided for example on transverse webs (not shown) in the respective guides 52, 53.

In the Fig. 7 embodiment, the lateral locating means are shown in the form of studs 70 instead of the rollers in earlier figures.

25 These studs may be spring loaded projections to enable movement in horizontal and vertical directions with respect to the corresponding adjacent brick faces. It will be se-.n that in Fig. 7, the corner assembly can be used for guiding the laying of bricks around an external right angle corner with the bricklaying aid located internally. It will be seen that the corner arrangement shown in Fig. 7 does not interfere with laying of bricks internally of the bricklaying aid as illustrated in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 8 there is shown an alternative arrangement of a corner support means 90 for location internally of a corner of the wall.

The corner guide means 91 is slideable along the upright corner post 54 and is selectively locatable at desired heights in any convenient manner. In Fig. 8 there is shown an adjustable stop 92 which bears m I C against an upper face of the guide 6 to locate the corner guide means 91 at the desired height. Level marking projections 93 extend olw-'- so as to mark the level for bricks extending beyond the brick 77, i.e. beyond the associated guide 6 adjacent to the corner support means 90. The projections 93 are shown as projecting feet and these perform a similar function to the projections 85 in locating the bottom edge of a brick being laid up to the corner of the wall. As shown in broken line, the corner support means and particularly the feet 93 are retractable by pivoting about pivot axis 94 so that the projecting feet 93 can be retracted when the corner guide means 91 is to be raised to a higher level for the next course of bricks.

It will be seen that the bricklaying aid according to the present invention enables lateral and longitudinal position of bricks being laid in a course to be easily and accurately determined. The true horizontal and vertical lines desired for a brick wall will be oi automatically achieved once the posts 2, 54 have been erected and their levels checked. Also it will be seen that the bricklaying aid herein described and illustrated can be relatively simple to operate, in particular by simply retracting the lower projections and rotating the guide away from the brick course just laid and upwardly to relocate the guide automatically in position for laying of the next o ,brick course.

It is to be understood that various alterations, modifications 25 and/or additions may be made to the features of the possible and Gott preferred embodiment(s) of the invention as herein described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

8

Claims

2. A bricklaying aid as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the engagement and locating means comprise co-operating male and female members enabling relative rotational movement when the male and female members are in engagement.
3. A bricklaying aid as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the male and female members comprise respectively a projection and a recess, the projection being relatively retractable to be I i t 25 disengaged from the associated recess, the projection and recess being biased into engagement so as to normally maintain that engagement.
4. A bricklaying aid as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein -the guide includes two engagement means at each end thereof which are co-operable with two locating means, the arrangement being such that a first one of the engagement means at each end of the guide can be disengaged from its associated locating means allowing rotary movement of the guide about the second one of the two engagement means to raise the guide for laying of a second course, and after laying of the second course of bricks, the second engagement means can be disengaged and the guide rotated about the first engagement means and associated 9 FW_ locating means to raise the guide for laying of a third course. Abricklaying aid as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the guide is teat -\through 180° between each successive operation of laying a brick course.
6. A bricklaying aid as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the guide includes level marking projections extending from the guide to mark a level for a course of bricks, the projections extending from both sides of the guide so that while the projections at one side of the guide are in an operative position marking a level for a course of bricks being laid, the other projections projecting away from the opposite side of the guide from where the course is being laid, whereby upon rotation of the guide, the first projections retract away from their operative positions and the second projections are 15 advanced into an operative position for marking the level for the next course of bricks.
7. A bricklaying aid as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and further including at least one spacing marker mounted by the guide, the spacing marker providing an indication for the desired spacing of bricks in the course.
8. A bricklaying aid as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and further including lateral locating means projecting from the guide, the lateral locating means being located so as to be contacced by bricks being laid in the course to determine the lateral position of the bricks.
9. A bricklaying aid as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and for use in erection of bricks extending around a right angle, the aid including a corner support means arranged in use at the corner of the wall, two guides extending from the corner support means at right angles thereto and each guide extending to a further support means spaced from the corner support means so that bricks can be laid along the two guides and meet at the corner at right angles. A bricklaying aid as claimed in Claim 9 wherein the corner support means is located internally of the corner of the wall, the aid further including corner guide means slideable along the upright corner support means and being selectively locatable at desired heights along the corner support means, the corner guide means including level marking projections extending from the corner guide means so as to mark the level for bricks extending beyond the end of the associated guide adjacent to the corner support means and to the corner of the wall.
11. A bricklaying aid substantially as here:nbefore described with particular reference to the accompanying dra\ i:xs. Dated this 6th day of October, 1989 r PATENT ATTORNEY SERVICES Attorneys for I GERALD EGAN t t I t I i t 1 I