GB1585257A

GB1585257A - Application of jointing or packing materials such as mortars

Info

Publication number: GB1585257A
Application number: GB25175/76A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: John Laing Services Ltd
Current assignee: John Laing Services Ltd
Priority date: 1977-05-23
Filing date: 1977-05-23
Publication date: 1981-02-25

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATIN G TO THE APPLICATION OF JOINTING OR PACKING MATERIALS SUCH AS MORTARS (71) We, JOHN LAING SERVICES LIMITED, a British Company, of 133-135 Page Street, London NW7 2ER, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to the application of jointing or packing materials such as mortars in building and construction operations. More particularly the invention relates to a method for the dispensing and placing of mortars prior to the laying of building elements, such as bricks or blocks, the building elements hereinafter being referred to for convenience as "bricks" and the operations as "bricklaying".

Hitherto it has proved difficult to provide a flow of mortar for bricklaying operations because of difficulties in pumping and inadequacies in the available spreading and applying devices in such a manner that operatives can spread it quickly and evenly.

The present invention is specifically concerned with a method of interruptibly supplying mortar in conjunction with bricklaying operations whereby to provide operatives with a steady but interruptible supply of mortar for applying to horizontal and vertical beds during bricklaying operations.

Accordingly the present invention provides a method of interruptibly supplying mortar to a bed, in the course of forming a construction by jointing and packing elements with such mortar, from an applicator for dispensing and spreading mortar having one or more outlets and flexibly connected to a container for the mortar by one or more flexible conduits which comprises pumping the mortar from the container by means of a pump associated with the container into a mortar supply conduit in fluid connection with (a) the outlet or outlets of the applicator via a valve for interrupting the flow of mortar to or through the applicator and (b), upstream of the valve, a conduit for returning surplus mortar to the container, whereby when the valve is operated to interrupt the flow of mortar to or through the applicator, mortar is pumped to the mortar return conduit.

In the following description reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows one embodiment of a combined mortar applicator and associated control valve; Figure 2 shows a mortar applicator with independent control valve arrangement; Figure 3 shows an embodiment of an applicator having a wide outlet nozzle and provided with an internal flow divider; Figure 4 shows a bifurcated applicator; Figure 5 shows a simple ring circuit arrangement for supplying mortar, in accordance with the invention, to a plurality of applicators; Figure 6 shows a diverted ring circuit for supplying mortar, in accordance with the invention, to two applicators; Figure 7 shows a multiple return circuit for supplying mortar, in accordance with the invention, to a plurality of applicators;; Figure 8 is a fragmentary view showing an applicator with combined nozzle and associated control valves; Figure 9 is a diagrammatic representation of part of a pneumatic system with associated valving for supplying an applicator; Figure 10 is a diagrammatic representation shown a combined delivery system with associated "pinch" control valves; and Figure 11 is a diagrammatic representation of a positive displacement pump and associated supply hopper and "pinch" control valves.

The applicator used in accordance with the invention suitably comprises a nozzle having a hollow shank portion one end of which is adapted to be coupled to an end of a flexible conduit and a ho]low body por tion which diverges outwardly from said shank portion to form at least one outlet which may be in line with or at an angle to the axis of said shank portion. The shank portion which is preferably of circular crosssection and adapted to be mounted on or to receive therein an end of said conduit, may be fixedly or rotatably coupled to the conduit and a nozzle may be provided with a single outlet or may be bifurcated to provide dual outlets.The nozzle may also be provided with an internal flow divider of suitable configuration and have associated therewith guide devices such, for example, as spring-loaded flaps, adapted to fit over the width of the bricks and operable to facilitate controlled spreading of the mortar over the whole of the bricks.

Referring to Figures 1--4 of the drawings, the applicator generally designated 10 is in the form of a nozzle having a tubular shank portion 12 and a body portion 14 which flares outwardly towards an outlet 16.

The nozzle is adapted to be connected at its shank portion to one end of a conduit, suitably a flexible hose 18, the other end of hose 18 being adapted to be connected to a suitable supply of mortar contained in a suitable container such, for example, as a hopper, and adapted to be delivered therefrom to the nozzle by means of a suitable pump via a conduit system. The nozzle may be formed with integral shank and body portions as shown in Figure 1 or the body portion may be rotatably connected to the shank portion as shown in Figure 2 and a handle 20 may be provided to facilitate gripping and manipulation of the applicator.

A control valve 22 is mounted on or adjacent the applicator and in its simplest form the control valve 22 may be a direct manual control valve. The control valve 22 is preferably, as shown, a manually operable air valve mounted on a bracket 24 upstanding from the upper surface of the body portion 14 and operable over coaxial supply and signal pipes 26 to actuate a further valve located upstream of the nozzle which alternately exhausts and charges other valves.

In a modified embodiment the control valve may be mounted on a sleeve 28 inserted in or mounted on the supply hose 18 upstream of the nozzle in the manner shown in Figure 2.

The nozzle may be of any suitable configuration. Thus, it may be designed with a wide single outlet 30 as shown in Figure 3 or it may be of bifurcated design with dual outlets 34 and 36 as shown in Figure 4, or it may be designed with more than two outlets. For some applications, for example, when working with cavity blocks, the nozzle may be designed with a plurality of separate, preferably spaced-apart, outlets, whereby two or more suitably spaced, separate streams or ribbons of mortar may be dispensed over load-bearing surfaces of the block and not into the cavities therein. The outlet or outlets may be disposed at angles other than in line with the axis of the mortar supply hose 18.Also the nozzle may be provided with guidance devices, not shown, which may suitably be in the form of springloaded flaps, so that the nozzle will fit over the width of the bricks whereby to facilitate spreading over the whole width of the bricks of the mortar discharged from the outlet or outlets. The nozzle may also be provided with an internal flow divider of suitable configuration such as the diamond shaped flow divides 32 shown in Figure 3.

The apparatus to be used in carrying out the method of the invention will generally comprise a container for the mortar; a pump in association with the container for pumping mortar from the container to an applicator; a mortar supply conduit system connecting the pump to the applicator including one or more flexible conduits; a valve in the mortar supply conduit system or in said applicator for interrupting the flow of mortar to or through the applicator; and a mortar return conduit in fluid connector with the mortar supply conduit upstream of the valve for returning surplus mortar to the container.

Embodiments of suitable apparatus are shown in Figures 5-7 of the drawings.

In Figure 5 there is shown a simple ring circuit system for supplying a plurality of applicators 40, wherein the applicators are each connected by a flexible branch line hose 42 via a Y-junction 44 to a main mortar supply and return conduit 46 which is connected at one end to a pump 48 associated with a hopper 50, the conduit 46 communicating at its other end with the hopper 50 for return thereto of surplus mortar. A suitable outlet valve 52 is connected in each branch line hose 42 or may be combined in the associated applicator 40.

A more complex diverted ring system is shown in Figure 6 in which individual mortar supply lines 54 and return lines 56 for each of the applicators 66 are branched off the main mortar supply conduit 58 via "Y" junctions 60 and 62, respectively. The ends of the individual branch supply lines 54 remote from the main supply conduit 58 are connected to Y-iunctions 64 and the return lines 56 extend between the junction of the individual supply lines with the applicators at Y-junctions 64 and Y-junctions 62 connected in the main supply conduit 58. The applicators 66 are each connected to the junctions by a flexible delivery hose 68.A cutoff valve V2 is fitted at a selected point in each delivery hose 68 and another valve V1 is connected in the main supply conduit 58 intermediate each branch supply line 54 and its associated and immediately adjacent return line 56 downstream thereof.

In operation of the system the valves V1 and V2 operate alternately, the demand at each applicator 66 being met by opening V2 and closing V1 thus diverting flow from the main supply ring conduit 58 via branch supply lines 54 to the associated applicator 66, surplus material then being fed to the main supply ring via the return lines 56 and thence back to the hopper 70 from where it is circulated around the main supply conduit 58 by pump 72. It is to be noted that the valve V1 may close fully or, if so desired, may simply function as a throttle.

A multiple return circuit for supplying a plurality of applicators 80 is shown in Figure 7, three such applicators being shown, by way of example, in the system illustrated, each circuit is of the same configuration so that the flow of mortar is equally divided at the pump 82 which pumps mortar from hopper 84 through supply hoses 86 into the circuit. Valves V1 and V2 operate alternately thus diverting flow from selected ones of the return lines 88 to the applicators 80 on demand by opening the associated valves V2 and closing the associated valves V1. The valves V2 may be positioned along the outlet or delivery hose 90 of each applicator 80 as in the previously described embodiment.

In a modified arrangement shown in Figure 8 and applicable to the circuit shown in Figures 6 and 7, the valves V1 and V2 are combined into the nozzle and the supply hoses 86 and return hoses 88 run directly to the applicators constituted by said nozzle and valve combinations.

In preferred embodiments of the invention the valves V1 and V2 are air operated pinch valves as shown, for example, in Figure 9, in which there is provided a manual control valve 92 at the nozzle and operable to actuate an air operated valve 94 over control lines 96, 98, valve 94 in turn being operatively associated with valves V1 and V2 although it is noted that diaphragm or gate valves may be used with other means of operation, for example, hydraulic or mechanical.

Control of the valves in the pneumatic system is by remote, manual or pedal, actuation of a valve at the nozzle end of the system, this operates a further valve which alternately exhausts and charges valves V1 and V2. Independent regulation of the pressure to valve V1 can produce a throttling effect as opposed to a full cut-off.

Remote operation of valves V1 and V2, irrespective of the type of valve employed, may be effected electrically, using a preferably low voltage supply to the manual control located at the nozzle. With this arrangement solenoid operated air valves or contactors could then actuate fluid or electromechanical valves located in the mortar lines.

The pump is preferably a positive displacement pump modified by replacing the normal ball valves with pinch valves which ensure free flow at the inlet and outlet of the valve, or a suitably modified worm-type pump, or a peristaltic pump with discrete chambers in line, various combinations of size and number of valves, along with a sequential control system such as that shown in Figure 10, will determine the characteristics of the pump.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 10 the arrangement includes three valve combinations designated 100, 101, 102; 104, 105, 106; and 108, 109, 110, respectively which serve to control passage of the mortar 112 from the container 114 to the supply conduits 115, 116 and 118, respectively.

In the position shown conduit 115 is in the process of filling, conduit 116 is full and mortar is being pumped from conduit 118 back into the container, in which state valves 100, 101, 105 and 110 are open, 102, 104 and 108 are closed; 106 is about to open and 109 is closing.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 11 there is provided a positive displacement pump designated 120 driven through suitable valve gear 122 and having pinch valves 124, 126 associated therewith and controlling respectively, the inflow of mortar from the hopper 128 and outflow of mortar through the nozzle generally designated 130.

It is also envisaged that other known types of peristaltic pumps which are capable of meeting the pressure and output requirements of the system may be employed.

Irrespective of which type of pump is employed, however, the pump preferably has a variable rate of output and, at least in the case of the worm type, the pump may be reversible.

It is also contemplated that piston pumps as used in concrete placing although generally having outputs which are too high to be suitable may be utilised if the demand in a multiple applicator circuit is great enough in which case a piston pump of a suitably small size could be employed.

For optimum results in practising the method of this invention, the mortars employed should exhibit appropriate characteristics such as to ensure free flow through the motor supply and return circuit, should be readily spreadable over the bricks, should be capable of supporting bricks subsequently placed thereon, and should provide good adhesion to the bricks, low suction rates thixotropy and good strength gain with time.

Mixes which, for example, have been found suitable are conventional 1/6 by volume cement/sand mortar mixes incorporating bentonite with or without a workability aid or 1/1/6 by volume cement/lime/sand mortar mixes with a workability aid. In both cases the sand employed is that classified in Zone 2 or 3 of B.S. 882.

In the mortar mixes found to be success ful in systems according to this invention, the sands employed are preferably Zone 3 sands according to B.S. 882 with no tolerance into Zone 4 but a small tolerance into Zone 2, i.e. in the mixes excess of coarse particles is preferable to excess of fines.

The cements used in these mixes should preferably not be ones prone to flash set but in general any OPC or RHPC is suitable.

It will be appreciated that in the foregoing embodiments of the invention have been described by way of example but that many variations in detail may be envisaged.

Thus, for example, the hopper and pump forming part of the systems used according to the present invention may be fixed in one location but they are preferably mounted on the back of a truck or other vehicle or may be mounted on a wheeled trolley or the like to facilitate movement of the apparatus from one location to another.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A method of interruptibly supplying mortar to a bed, in the course of forming a construction by jointing and packing elements with such mortar, from an applicator for dispensing and spreading mortar having one or more outlets and flexibly connected to a container for the mortar by one or more flexible conduits which comprises pumping the mortar from the container by means of a pump associated with the container into a mortar supply conduit in fluid connection with (a) the outlet or outlets of the applicator via a valve for interrupting the flow of mortar to or through the applicator and (b), upstream of the valve, a conduit for returning surplus mortar to the container, whereby when the valve is operated to interrupt the flow of mortar to or through the applicator, mortar is pumped to the mortar return conduit.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the mortar supply conduit is in fluid connection with the mortar return conduit via a valve for interrupting or hindering the flow of mortar to the return conduit and mortar is supplied to the bed by operating the said valve to interrupt or hinder the flow of mortar to the mortar return conduit and opening the valve serving to control the flow of mortar to or through the applicator.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the applicator is connected to a pump via a mortar supply and return conduit, one end of which is connected to the pump and the other end of which is located to return surplus mortar to the container, and a branch flexible conduit, one end of which is connected to the mortar supply and return conduit and the other end of which is connected to the applicator.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the applicator is connected to the pump via a mortar supply and return conduit, one end of which is connected to the pump and the other end of which is located to return surplus mortar to the container, a flexible mortar supply conduit and a flexible mortar return conduit, one end of each of which is connected to the mortar supply and return conduit and the other end of each of which is connected to a single flexible conduit connected to the applicator.

5. A modification of the method claimed in claim 4 in which the flexible branch mortar supply and mortar return conduits are directly connected to the applicator.

6. A method as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5 in which a valve for interrupting or hindering the flow of mortar in the mortar supply and return conduit is located between the points of connection therewith of the flexible branch mortar supply and mortar return conduits.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the applicator is connected to the pump via a flexible mortar supply conduit one end of which is connected to the pump and the other end of which is connected to the applicator via a single flexible conduit and is also in fluid connection with a flexible mortar return conduit for returning surplus mortar to the container.

8. A modification of the method as claimed in claim 7 in which the flexible mortar supply and mortar return conduits are directly connected to the applicator.

9. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the pump is a positive displacement pump modified by replacing the ball valve elements thereof with pinch valves.

10. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1-8 in which the pump is a modified worm-type pump.

11. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1-8 in which the pump is a peristaltic pump.

12. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1-8 in which the pump is a pistbn pump.

13. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the applicator comprises a nozzle having a hollow shank portion one end of which is connected to the end of a conduit, and a hollow body portion which diverges outwardly from the shank portion to form at least one outlet.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 in

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. volume cement/sand mortar mixes incorporating bentonite with or without a workability aid or 1/1/6 by volume cement/lime/sand mortar mixes with a workability aid. In both cases the sand employed is that classified in Zone 2 or 3 of B.S. 882. In the mortar mixes found to be success ful in systems according to this invention, the sands employed are preferably Zone 3 sands according to B.S. 882 with no tolerance into Zone 4 but a small tolerance into Zone 2, i.e. in the mixes excess of coarse particles is preferable to excess of fines. The cements used in these mixes should preferably not be ones prone to flash set but in general any OPC or RHPC is suitable. It will be appreciated that in the foregoing embodiments of the invention have been described by way of example but that many variations in detail may be envisaged. Thus, for example, the hopper and pump forming part of the systems used according to the present invention may be fixed in one location but they are preferably mounted on the back of a truck or other vehicle or may be mounted on a wheeled trolley or the like to facilitate movement of the apparatus from one location to another. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A method of interruptibly supplying mortar to a bed, in the course of forming a construction by jointing and packing elements with such mortar, from an applicator for dispensing and spreading mortar having one or more outlets and flexibly connected to a container for the mortar by one or more flexible conduits which comprises pumping the mortar from the container by means of a pump associated with the container into a mortar supply conduit in fluid connection with (a) the outlet or outlets of the applicator via a valve for interrupting the flow of mortar to or through the applicator and (b), upstream of the valve, a conduit for returning surplus mortar to the container, whereby when the valve is operated to interrupt the flow of mortar to or through the applicator, mortar is pumped to the mortar return conduit.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 in

which the body portion is formed with a plurality of spaced-apart outlets extending across the width of the nozzle.

15. A method as claimed in claim 13 or claim 14 in which the nozzle is provided with a single outlet.

16. A method as claimed in any one of claims 13-15 in which the nozzle is bifurcated to provide dual outlets.

17. A method as claimed in any one of claims 13-16 in which the nozzle is provided with an internal flow divider associated with the or each outlet.

18. A method as claimed in any one of claims 13-17 in which the applicator includes guide devices associated with the nozzle and operable to facilitate to control spreading of mortar dispense therethrough across the whole width of the building elements to which it is applied.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18 in which the guide devices comprise springloaded flaps mounted on the nozzle and adapted to fit over the width of the building elements to which the mortar is to be applied.

20. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the mortar mix comprises cement and sand in the ratio of 1: 6 by volume and incorporating bentonite.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20 in which the mortar mix also comprises a workability aid.

22. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1-19 in which the mortar mix comprises cement, lime and sand in the ratio 1:1:6 by volume and incorporating a workability aid.

23. A method as claimed in any one of claims 20-22 in which the sand employed is classified in Zone 2 or 3 of BS 882.

24. A method as claimed in any one of claims 2023 in which the cement in the mortar mix is an OPC or an RHPC not prone to flash hardening.

25. A method as claimed in claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described.

26. A method as claimed in claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.