AU713335B2

AU713335B2 - Weep hole former

Info

Publication number: AU713335B2
Application number: AU10035/97A
Authority: AU
Inventors: John Noel Flint
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-01-12
Filing date: 1997-01-06
Publication date: 1999-12-02
Anticipated expiration: 2017-01-06
Also published as: AU1003597A

Description

P/00/01I Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 *4 9 0 .9 *0 0 4

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9 4 49 4 .44.

000* 4 0*4*

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: "WEEP HOLE FORMER" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 2 THIS INVENTION relates to a weep hole former.

Weep holes are provided in brick walls to allow any moisture in the cavity (between the outer brick wall and the inner brick wall or timber/plasterboard inner wall) to drain away (and vent the cavity). Often, the intended weep holes are, or become, blocked by waste cement or other rubbish between the bricks adjacent the weep holes.

Our co-pending Patent Application No. 17617/95 :discloses various embodiments of weep hole formers which may be 00 10 laid with the bricks to form a weep hole, or which may be fitted oo retrospectively after the bricks are laid, where the bricks may be of different widths. Throughout the specification, the term "bricks" shall include blocks.

Building regulations in many areas require that the weep 15 holes be vermin, insect and/or fire proof (or at least fire resistant).

It is an object of the present invention to provide a means of excluding vermin, insects and/or fire brands from entering through weep holes in existing buildings.

It is a preferred object to provide such a means where air and water can move freely.

It is a further preferred object of the present invention to provide a weep hole former provided with a vermin, insect and/or fireproof barrier.

3 It is a still further preferred object of the present invention to provide such a former where the vermin, insect and/or fire-proof barrier is removable or replaceable.

It is a still further preferred object of the present invention to provide a weep hole former which can be inserted into weep holes of different widths.

It is a still further preferred object of the present invention to provide such a former where the vermin proof barrier is flexible or hinged to adapt to different widths.

It is a still further preferred object of the present invention to provide a weep hole former which may be anchored in position by the external application of suitable glue or adhesive.

a It is a still further preferred object to provide a former where a chemical insecticide or insect deterrent may be injected into 15 the space between the former and the adjacent brick(s).

Other preferred objects of the present invention will ooo become apparent from the following description.

In one aspect, the present invention resides in a means for excluding vermin, insects and/or firebrands from entry into the weep hole of a building including: a body mountable in or on a weep hole; a surround member on the body; screen means receivable in the surround member; and 4 fixing means to secure the screen means in the surround member, so that: the screen means prevent the entry of vermin, insects and/or firebrands into the weep hole while allowing the flow of air and/or water through the weep hole.

A pair of screen means may be provided. The first screen means may be, eg., of plastic, and have holes dimensioned to prevent the entry of vermin and/or insects, while the second screen may be of metal and have holes dimensioned to prevent the entry of firebrands or o" 10 sparks. The screens may be in face-to-face contact or may be spaced logo apart.

In one embodiment, the present invention resides in a weep hole former, for a wall of bricks or blocks including: a hollow body, rectangular or square in end view, having 15 a top wall and bottom wall interconnected by side walls, and open at each end; flange means at the inner end of the hollow body adapted to engage the bricks or blocks, to locate the body relative to the bricks or blocks; a cavity formed at the outer end of the body; and vermin, insect and/or fire resistant means received in the cavity to prevent the passage of vermin, insect and/or fire to the hollow body.

The vermin, insect and/or fire resistant means may include wire mesh, punched sheet metal or like material. The means may be surrounded by, eg., a plastic peripheral rim or flange releasably engageable in the cavity.

Alternatively, the means may be releasably secured in the cavity by a slotted plate.

In a second embodiment, the present invention resides in a weep hole former, for a wall of bricks including: ~a hollow body, rectangular or square in end view, having ".010 a top wall and bottom wall interconnected by side walls and open at °oo° each end; and 9 vermin, insect and/or fire-resistant means on, or engageable with, the outer end of the body to prevent the passage of vermin, insects and/or fire to the hollow body; wherein: s15 the top wall, the bottom wall and the vermin resistant means incorporate hinged means and/or are flexible to enable the o odistance between the side walls to be varied for insertion into weep holes of different widths between the adjacent bricks.

The resistant means may be releasably mounted on the body, eg., by clips or engaged with supporting rods or mounting means on the body, or may be integrally hingedly connected thereto.

The vermin resistant means may incorporate one or more filler pieces, preferably of triangular shape, at or adjacent its upper

I

6 and/or lower ends to block the ingress of any vermin between the vermin resistant means and the top and/or bottom walls of the body.

Spacer means may be provided within the body to urge the side walls outwardly, into engagement with the adjacent bricks, to lock the body in the weep hole.

Alternatively, the body may be constructed of plastics material with integral springs or a memory characteristic such that the body engages the weep hole unaided.

In a third embodiment, the present invention resides in a weep hole former, for a wall of bricks or blocks, including: a hollow body, rectangular or square in end view, having a top wall and bottom wall interconnected by side walls, and open at each end; at least one substantially vertical groove on the outer face ogol of each side wall; an internal wall or rib interconnecting the side walls at or adjacent the outer end of the hollow body; and passage means extending through the internal wall or rib from the outer end thereof and interconnected to the grooves in the side walls; so arranged that glue or adhesive injected into the outer end of the passage will flow to the slots to secure the side walls to the adjacent bricks or blocks.

_I 7 In a modified embodiment, a chemical insecticide or deterrent is injected between the side walls and the adjacent bricks.

To enable the invention to be fully understood, preferred embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment; FIG 2 is a similar view of a second embodiment; FIG 3 is a similar view of a third embodiment; FIG 4 is a similar view of a fourth embodiment; and FIG 5 is a similar view of a fifth embodiment.

FIGS 6 and 7 are respective side and end elevations of the body of the sixth embodiment; FIG 8 is a front elevation of the vermin barrier of the sixth embodiment; FIG 9 is a front end elevation of a seventh embodiment of the former; FIGS 10, 11 and 11a are respective front elevational views of the body of eighth to tenth embodiments of the former; FIG 12 is a front elevational view of the body of an eleventh embodiment; FIGS 13 and 14 are respective side elevation and top plan views of the vermin barrier for the eleventh embodiment; FIGS 15, 16 and 17 are top plan views showing the ~_L__II____IIIC__YIi 8 former of the eleventh embodiment inserted in weep holes of different widths; and FIG 18 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG 16.

Referring to FIG 1, the weep hole former 10 is moulded in plastic and has a top wall 11, bottom wall 12, side walls 13, 14 and internal ribs 15, 16 and both ends of the former 10 are open to allow the interior of the cavity wall to be vented.

A rectangular cavity 19 is provided at the outer end of the former A panel 20 of fine steel wire mesh is received in the ooo• cavity and is secured by a slotted outer panel 21 to prevent the passage of vermin and/or fire into, and through, the weep hole former In the embodiment of FIG 2, the wire mesh panel 20 of FIG 1 is substituted by punched sheet metal panel 120.

In the embodiments of FIGS 3 and 4, the wire mesh panel

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220 and the punched sheet metal panel 320, respectively, are secured in the cavity 19 by a peripheral flange 221, 321 of plastic material, respectively.

It will be readily apparent to the skilled addressee that the panels 20, 120, 220, 320, provide vermin and/or fire barriers against external entry into the weep hole former 10. In addition, in the embodiments of FIGS 1 and 2, the panel 21 provides a further barrier, _IIII~ELYLi~~~Yii-ii~C;I .LII)I-_i-i/T~I especially to larger vermin.

Referring now to FIG 5, the former 410 is of similar construction to the former 10, except that it is provided with a single internal rib 415 intermediate the height of the side walls 413, 414 and terminating its outer end at the cavity 419.

Substantially vertical grooves 433 and 434 are provided on the outer faces of the side walls 413, 414, respectively.

A passage 435 through the internal rib 415, and open at ""its outer end, is connected to a pair of ports 436, 437, connected to 9 9999910 the grooves 433, 434, respectively.

9**9 o 9 9999 In use, after the former 410 has been located in the wall, glue or adhesive may be pumped through the passage 435 and the 9..

•9 ports 436, 437, to the grooves 433, 437 to key or lock the weep hole former 410 to the adjacent bricks or blocks.

It will be readily apparent to the skilled addressee that the passage 435 and ports 436, 437 can be used to inject chemical 9 insecticide or deterrent into the space between the body of the former and the adjacent bricks to prevent the entry of insects into the weep hole around the former.

The former 410 may be fitted with the panels 20, 120, 220, 320 as hereinbefore described.

Referring to FIGS 6 and 7, the body 1111 of the weep hole former 1110 of the sixth embodiment has a pair of side walls iCiii~~--~i-X1_ 1112, 1113 interconnected by the top wall 1114 and a bottom wall 1115 moulded with integral hinge lines H enabling spaces between the side walls 1112, 1113 to be varied to fit weep holes of different widths.

Referring to FIG 8, the vermin resistant grate 1116 is moulded with an integral hinge line H to enable the grate to be deformed into a substantially V-shape to accommodate different widths of the hollow body 1111. The side edges of the grate 1116 *are releasably engaged within grooves (not shown) in the inner faces

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10 of the side walls 1112, 1113 of the hollow body.

oo In the seventh embodiment (see FIG the vermin resistant grate 1216 is moulded integrally with the hollow body 1211, being interconnected by a hinge member 1220.

In the eighth embodiment, shown in FIG 10, screwthreaded blocks 1332, 1333 are moulded integrally on the inner faces of the side walls 1312, 1313 and are engageable by a screw 1340 99 (inserted from the outer end of the hollow body 1311), the shank of the screw 1340 being operable to move the blocks 1332, 1333 apart to force the side walls 1312, 1313 into engagement with the adjacent bricks to prevent movement of the former 1310.

Similarly, with the former 1410 of FIG 11, wedge means 1440 operable to move apart blocks 1432, 1433 to urge the side walls 1412, 1413 of the former 1410 to lock the former in place.

11 In the tenth embodiment of FIG 11 a, the former 141 0a has the side walls 1412a, 1413a of the hollow body 1411a interconnected by leaf springs 1414a or flexible walls 1415a (with spring-like properties) keep the side walls 1412a, 1413a apart. The leaf springs 1414a may be hingedly connected to the side walls 1412a, 1413a or have their ends connected thereto.

In this embodiment, the vermin/insect resistant grate could be similar leaf springs or flexible walls either moulded integrally Si.

to one, or both, side walls, or bev removable as in FIG 1.

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10 Referring now to FIGS 12 to 18, weep hole former 1510 r o has a hollow body 1511 where the top and bottom side walls 1514, 1515 have a stepped configuration and the vermin resistant grate 1516 has a respective pair of triangular filler pieces 1517, 1518 at the upper and lower ends thereof.

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ii As shown in FIGS 15 to 17, as the width between the side walls 1512, 1513 is reduced to accommodate reduce in width of •O.the available weep hole 1550, the vermin resistant grate 1516 is deformed outwardly and the filler pieces 1517, 1518 fill the space between the grate 1516 and the front edge of the bricks 1560.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS 15 to 18, the forward edge of the top wall 1514 has been shown to be terminated a short distance rearwardly of the front end of the body 1511.

In a modified embodiment (not shown) one half of the top 12 wall 1514 may extend to the front of the hollow body 1511, the outer half being recessed to accommodate, eg., the filler pieces 1517.

It will be noted that in FIGS 15 to 18, the vermin resistant grate 1516 is shown moulded integrally with the side wall 1513 and having a bead engageable in an elongate socket in the side wall 1512.

If preferred, a bead of sealant may be provided around the body of the former to provide a seal between the side walls, top wall and bottom wall of the former to the bricks.

In an embodiment (not shown), an insect deterrent such as fine granite, stones, may be contained in a cradle or gate in the body this will still allow the passage of air and/or water.

Various changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments described and illustrated without departing from the present invention.

Claims

1. A weep hole former, for a wall of bricks including: a hollow body, rectangular or square in end view, having a top wall and bottom wall interconnected by side walls and open at each end; and vermin, insect and/or fire-resistant means on, or engageable with, the outer end of the body to prevent the passage of vermin, insects and/or fire to the hollow body; wherein: the top wall, the bottom wall and the resistant means incorporate hinged *o 10 means and/or are flexible to enable the distance between the side walls to be varied for insertion into weep holes of different widths between the adjacent bricks.

2. A former as claimed in Claim 1 wherein: the resistant means is releasably mounted on the body by clips, or engaged with supporting rods or mounting means on the body, or integrally hingedly connected thereto.

3. A former as claimed in any on of Claims 1 2 wherein: spacer means are provided within the body to urge the side walls outwardly, into engagement with the adjacent bricks, to lock the body in the weephole.

4. A method of preventing tthe entry of vermin, insects and/or fire substantially as herein before described with reference to the means or former of any one of Claims 1 to 3. X 1