AU634950B1

AU634950B1 -

Info

Publication number: AU634950B1
Application number: AU2614892A
Authority: AU
Priority date: 1992-10-01
Filing date: 1992-10-01
Publication date: 1993-03-04
Anticipated expiration: 1998-10-01

Description

634950 AUSTRALIA P/00/012 Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION PETTY PATENT Invention Title: "Improvements in Foundation Construction" The following statement is a full description of the invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: THIS INVENTION relates to the construction of foundations and in particular to the construction of concrete foundations for buildings.

It is known to form foundations for buildings by providing outer perimeter formwork, defining the area which is to form the foundation, and thereafter locating within the area a plurality of elements, which are spaced apart one from the other so as to form a plurality of slots or channels. The elements are known to be spaced one from the other by spacers, many of which are located at or adjacent (and often abutting) corners of the elements. The spacers also allow for location of reinforcing material which extends within the channels between the elements. Spacers are also provided between the elements and inner surfaces of the formwork defining the area within which the foundation is to be formed. It is known to then place reinforcing mesh over upper surfaces of the spaced elements and to pour concrete over the elements and into the channels therebetween, so as to form a reinforced concrete foundation.

It is well known to use spaced apart hollow cardboard boxes as elements within the formwork.

Known methods and arrangements such as those referred to above are described and claimed in Australian patent specifications Nos 562334, 584769 and 591816.

It has been found that the arrangements and methods known and used up until this time are time consuming and costly.

It is an object of this invention to go at least some way towards overcoming or minimising the problems and disadvantages associated with known arrangements and methods for use in forming foundations.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description.

According to one aspect of this invention, there is provided a spacer for location between spaced apart blocks and/or spaced apart blocks and perimeter formwork, in concrete foundation construction, including a body portion with elongate stabilising arms extending outwardly from opposing sides, at or adjacent at least opposing lower end corners thereof.

This invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a site prepared for the formation of a concrete foundation, Fig. 2 is a partial diagrammatic plan view of a site prepared for the formation of a concrete foundation, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a spacer according to one form of the present invention, and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a spacer according to a further form of the present invention.

The present invention sets out to provide a straightforward and efficient apparatus and method for use in preparing concrete foundations, such as for buildings.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, in a preferred form of the invention the foundation site is prepared using outer formwork 2 which defines an area within which the foundation is to be poured. Any appropriate or known formwork can be used. Within the area defined by the formwork 2, a plurality of spaced elements 3 are provided.

These elements are spaced one from the other within the area defined by the formwork 2 so as to form and define a plurality of channels therebetween. As will be appreciated (especially from the following description), when concrete is poured into the area defined by the formwork 2, the concrete will be poured into the channels between the elements 3 and over the elements. As indicated however, this will be described further hereinafter.

As referred to hereinbefore, it is known to utilise elements in the form of hollow cardboard boxes. However, in the present invention it is preferred to use blocks of foam plastics material which have been found to be more effective.

The invention does however have application to methods of construction using other elements, such as hollow elements (for example hollow cardboard elements).

In a preferred form of the invention the area within the formwork 2 is covered by an appropriate sheet material 4 such as a plastic sheet material and the elements 3 such as foam plastic elements are then placed on the sheet material 4, spaced apart one from the other, so as to define channels therebetween. In this regard we refer to Figures 2 and 2a of the accompanying drawings.

In known arrangements and methods mesh such as steel mesh has been placed over the elements (such as hollow cardboard elements) immediately before the pouring of the concrete to assist in reinforcing. As will be appreciated from the following description, in a preferred form of the invention no such mesh is utilised. When mesh is used in known arrangements, not only has it served the purpose of reinforcing the concrete foundation, but it has served the purpose of holding down the hollow cardboard elements immediately prior to the pouring of the foundation. It will be appreciated that due to elements such as wind and the like, such elements can often be blown about.

In the present invention which, in the preferred form, utilises foam plastic elements 3, the foam plastic elements 3 are in the first instance glued to the sheet material such as by an appropriate glue or bonding agent 5 so that they are held in their spaced apart positions and will not be moved or blown about such as by the wind or knocked during location of spacers, elongate reinforcing material or during the pouring of concrete.

This has been found to be a substantial advance in so far as time and expense are concerned.

Referring further to Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, it will be appreciated that spacers 8 are provided within the channels formed between spaced apart elements 3 and between opposing sides thereof, but away from the corners. Further, spacers 8 are provided between outer surfaces of the elements 3 and adjacent surfaces of the formwork 2, the spacers 8 serving to space the elements 3 one from the other and from the formwork 2 so as to form channels into which concrete can be poured, and so as to provide supports for elongate reinforcing material, such as elongate metal reinfotc'ng rods, which will extend through the channels to reinforce the concrete.

Referring to Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings, one form of spacer 8 is shown which includes a body portion 9 formed of an appropriate material such as for example a moulded plastic material. This is however by way of example only. The body 9 is substantially elongate in formation and at least partially hollow so that concrete can pass therethrough and securely bind and engage therewith. The upper surface 11 of the spacer is preferably provided with a recess 12 into which one or more lengths of reinforcing material can be located. In use, a plurality of such elements 8 are spaced apart one from the other so that elongate metal reinforcing material and the like will pass through and be supported by the recesses 12 in substantially aligned and spaced apart building elements 8.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings, the spacer 8 is provided with stabilising supports 10. The stabilising supports 10 take the form of outwardly extending arms 10, provided at or adjacent the top and bottom of opposing sides, at each end of the spacer 8. The arms 10, in the preferred form of the invention, extend outwardly from the body 9 of the spacer 8, substantially transverse relative to the longitudinal axis of the body 9 of the spacer. Preferably the arms 10 extend out from at least the base of the spacer 8. In use the spacer 8 is inserted into a channel between opposing sides of elements 3 (such as shown by way of example only in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings). The arms 10 forming the stabilising supports thereby abut against adjacent but spaced sides of the opposing elements 3. Further, the stabilising arms 10 at least on the base sit on the surface within the formwork 2 or on the sheet material 4 and thus support and stabilise the spacer 8. It should be appreciated that when concrete is poured, such as within the channels and over the spacer(s) 8, it is possible for the spacers 8 to be knocked over or to become dislodged, this detracting from the efficient pouring of the material and detracting from the secure location of the spacer(s) 8 and any reinforcing material held in position thereby.

Thus, the reinforcing support arms 10 at least on the base at each end of the spacer 8 hold the spacer in position. While the spacer arms 10 are described by way of example, as being located at each end of the body 9, they could be positioned or provided intermediate the ends if desired.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings, support arms 10 also extend cutwardly from upper ends of opposing sides at each end of the spacer 8. These are not essential but are preferred in that they allow for the concrete to bind about the spacer to a further extent and also allow for the spacer to be secured in position against opposing sides of the elements 3, between which the spacer 8 is located.

The use of the stabilising support arms 10 has been found to contribute substantially to the efficiency of the present invention.

Referring now to Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings, this also shows a spacer element 8 which is substantially elongate in formation and is provided with a plurality of recesses 12 in an upper surface 11 thereof and a plurality of recesses on a lower surface 14 thereof. In one form of the invention, this spacer 8 is used in the channels between the inner surfaces of the formwork 2 and the outer surfaces of the elements 3 as shown by way of example only in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings. In the preferred form of the invention the upper surface 11 is provided with two laterally spaced apart recesses 12 to locate and house elongate reinforcing material, while the lower surface 14 is provided with three laterally spaced apart recesses 15. Ends of the spacer are also provided with upper and lower outwardly extending support arms 10, such as described with reference to Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.

The body of the spacers is provided with substantially hollow voids 16 to enable concrete to pass therethrough.

When the spacer 8 shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings is used in a form with the two laterally spaced apart recesses 12 uppermost, it is able to locate two lengths of elongate reinforcing material. In such a position the tl.ree laterally spaced apart recesses 15 are adjacent the base surface within the formwork 2 or on the sheet material 4, On concrete being poured, concrete will pass through these recesses. If however it is desired to have a greater number of recesses on an upper surface of the spacer, such as to locate a greater number of lengths of reinforcing material, the spacer shown in Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings can be turned over so that for example the three spaced apart recesses 15 uppermost and the two spaced apart recesses 12 on the base.

The invention is described by way of example only with reference to one surface having two spaced apart recesses and the other surface having three spaced apart recesses. These numbers can vary. For example one surface could have one recess and another surface two or three recesses. The variations are infinite.

The outwardly extending stabilising arms 10 at each end allow for the spacer 8 to be securely held against the inner sides of the form work 2 and the outer surfaces of the elements 3.

Further, the outwardly extending stabilising arms 10 at both ends act to stabilise the base of the spacer 8 when the concrete is being poured, such as described with reference to Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.

It will be appreciated that in the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings there are substantial advantages in having the stabilising arms extending outwardly from each side at both the top and bottom, at opposing ends of the spacer 8 in that depending upon the number of reinforcing elements to be located, the top and bottom of the element may be interchanged.

In use it will be appreciated that a plurality of spacers as shown in Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings may be spaced one from the other so that reinforcing elements can extend therebetween and so that the spacers 8 will form a space between adjacent elements 3 and/or the inner surface of formwork 2 and the outer surface of adjacent elements 3, in the manner shown by way of example only in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings.

It has been found In use that the spacers 8 of the present invention provide substantial advantages over those that have been previously known and used.

In a preferred form of the invention the concrete used in the formation of the foundation is a fibre-reinforced concrete, whi has been found to be particularly advantageous in having inherent properties of strength. It has been found that the use of fibre-reinforced concrete avoids the need for reinforcing mesh which has often been placed across the top of the elements prior to pouring. It is for this reason that there are advantages in glueing or bonding the foam plastic elements 3 to the base sheet material 4. If it is desired to insert further reinforcing rods towards the top of the channels between the foam elements, then additional spacers/reinforcing support means can extend between upper surfaces of the spaced foam plastic elements 3. These will be lozated below the upper surface of the formwork but above the upper surfaces of the foam plastic elements 3. Such a spacer/reinforcing support is described and claimed in our co-pending patent application.

It should be appreciated that improvements and modifications may be made to this invention without departing from the scope or spirit thereof as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

2. A spacer as claimed in claim i, including a body portion with upper and/or lower surfaces formed or provided with one or more recesses to locate and support elongate reinforcing material, upper and lower elongate stabilising arms extending outwardly from opposing sides of said body portion, at or adjacent opposing end corners thereof.
3. A spacer as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said body portion is substantially elongate; said stabilising arms extending outwardly therefrom, substantially transverse relative to the longitudinal axis of said body portion. Dated this llth day of January 1993 FIBERSLAB PTY LIMITED 003 767 137) by: Its Patent ABSTRACT A spacer is provided for location between spaced apart blocks and/or spaced apart blocks and perimeter formwork in the formation of concrete foundations, such as for buildings. The spacer includes a body portion which is provided with elongate stabilising support arms which extend outwardly from opposing sides, at or adjacent at least opposing lower end corners thereof.