GB1604655A

GB1604655A - Damp proof courses

Info

Publication number: GB1604655A
Application number: GB2397677A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: MENELAOU X
Current assignee: MENELAOU X
Priority date: 1978-05-31
Filing date: 1978-05-31
Publication date: 1981-12-16

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO DAMP PROOF COURSES (71) I, XANTHOS MENELAOU, a British citizen of 40 Hampden Road, London N.8, England do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be per formed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to a damp proof course bar or barrier to prevent water seeping past the damp proof course in openings in buildings, and to a damp proof course housing bar which provides suitable surface to which door or window frames or the like may be abutted.

At present mastic is often used as a sealant.

This presents certain disadvantages as the size of joint must comply with the optimum size at which mastic can be used externally to provide effective cohesion between window frames and the structural surfaces to which they are attached. This restricts flexibility with regard to the size of joint and therefore tolerances required to accommodate thermal or moisture expansion as well as inaccuracies in the component structure which cannot be allowed for accurately. Mastic can also fail under the effect of ultraviolet light and other weather punishments with resultant damage and increased maintenance costs on a building.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a wall having an opening therein, a damp proof course lying in and extending from the material of the wall into the opening and a housing bar secured to the material of the wall in the opening, the housing bar comprising an elongate channel, the channel housing the damp proof course.

The present invention also provides a method of sealing a damp proof course extending from an opening in a wall, which method comprises the steps of positioning a damp proof course housing bar comprising an elongate channel such that the damp proof course is received within the channel, and attaching the housing bar to the wall. Preferably, a sealant material is provided either side of the damp proof course between the housing bar and the opening e.g.

jambs, head or seal.

The purpose of the damp proof course housing bar is threefold. First of all it houses the damp proofcourse and protects it. Secondly, the bar hides the sealant to prevent the effects of atmosphere upon it. Finally, the damp proof housing bar can be positioned to take up tolerance in the opening of the building or in the frame of the window, door or the like to be positioned within the opening.

The damp proof course housing bar may comprise an elongated channel which in cross section takes the form of a T or an L forming the channel to receive the damp proof course.

The arm of the housing bar which corresponds to the upright of the T or L may have sealing means, for example a gasket, attached thereto such that a door frame or window frame can be abutted against the damp proof course housing bar and an effective seal is formed between the two. The gasket may be of for example a rubber neoprene or brush type material which when compressed provides the seal.

The damp proof course housing bar is preferably made of aluminium, plastics material or of galvanised steel. If it is made of aluminium or plastics material it of course can be extruded such that a suitable shape is formed. Such extrusion allows further channels or grooves to be extruded onto the surface of the housing bar to retain gasket materials or to provide attachment points for fixing lugs or ties or metal or plastics clips.

With the channel which receives the damp proof course a weather seal e.g. neoprene may be contained or other water proofing material can be applied or injected by means of injection apparatus through holes in the channel. Thus a mastic rubber or neoprene material, for example silicone rubber, can be injected which is subsequently curable. The depth of the channel can be varied accordingly to the particular application such that more or less of the damp proof course can be received within the channel and so that space between any particular opening and a specific size of components e.g.

the door frame, can be closed and sealed to take up any tolerances.

Extruded rubber material can be used to provide a front guard flashing. This rubber material can be attached on the outer surface of the housing bar. The flashing may be attached by inserting it into grooves attached to the housing bar or to the frame or merely by adhesive to either of the housing bar or the frame.

The depth of the channel can vary from 5 millimetres to any desirable dimension to suit a particular application. For ease of manufacture the damp proof housing bar can be constructed with channels having standard depths for example 5, 10, 15 mm etc in 5 mm increments.

The width of the channel will depend on the thickness of the damp proof course. Ovciously, the width must be greater than the width of the damp proof course but not so great that sufficient sealing material cannot be injected within the channel.

The damp proof course housing bar can be fixed to the structural opening by the use of screws or bolts or ties attaching it to the surface of the opening so that it bridges and seals the damp proof coursing around the particular opening. In one embodiment, the damp proof course housing bar can be made in one piece and fixed in position after the damp proof coursing and thejambs have been built by sliding the material in from above and placing the lintel on top afterwards. The damp proof housing bar can also be assembled during the building process.

In another embodiment, the damp proof course housing bar can be assembled on site affixing the channel to each side of a particular opening. Holes may be provided in the channel for injection of waterproofing material such as SYNTHAPRUFE (RTM), bitumen or cement.

The present invention will be further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows one form of the basic damp proof course housing bar in cross section, Figure 2 shows the damp proof course housing bar in perspective use together with the damp proof course, Figure 3 shows a modification of the perspective view of Figure 2, Figure 4 shows a cross sectional view of the channel having a sealant attached thereto, Figure 5 shows a modification of Figure 4 in which the sealant is a neoprene strip contained within the channel, Figure 6 shows an embodiment of the damp proof course housing bar having an external rubber front guard flashing, Figure 7 shows alternative mounting positions in cross-section of the damp proof course housing bar, Figure 8 shows a modification of the arrangement shown in Figure 5 in cross-section, Figure 9 shows a cross-sectional view of the damp proof course housing bar in corss-section, abutting a sealing strip mounted on a door jamb, Figure 10 shows a damp proof course housing bar in cross-section having only one flange, Figure 11 shows a cross sectional view of a further embodiment of the damp proof course housing bar having compressible material contained within grooves on each flange, Figure 12 shows in cross-section an embodiment of the damp proof course housing bar attached to a wall using ties, Figure 13 shows a further embodiment of the damp proof course housing bar in crosssection, and Figure 14 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the damp proof course housing bar which can be adjusted for different tolerances of frame etc.

Referring to Figure 1, the basic shape of the damp proof course housing bar 1 in cross-section is a channel having two outwardly extending flanges in the form of a T-shaped with the part of the housing bar corresponding to the upright of the T being hollow such that the damp proof course can be received in the channel. Referring to Figure 2, the damp proof course housing bar 1 is attached to a wall 2, by means not shown, with a damp proof course 3 within the channel 4. The damp proof course is sealed within the channel by means of waterproofng 5 with such materials as SYNTHAPRUFE (RTM). In Figure 3 an alternative embodiment is shown whereby the damp proof course housing bar 1 has two flanges 6 and 7, a channel 8 extends by means of arms 9 and 10 into the cavity containing a damp proof course membrane 11. The damp proof course membrane 11 extends into the channel 8 and is sealed within by means of waterproofing material 12.

Figure 4 shows in cross section an alternative embodiment whereby the channel 40 corresponds to the upright arm of a T shape the channel being capable of receiving a damp proof course membrane (not shown). A sealant 41 is contained within an extruded groove 42 attached to the channel 40. The sealband 41 can be abuutted against a frame such as a door or window providing a waterproof seal whilst also providing a seal around the damp proof course membrane extending between the cavity of a wall. Figure 5 shows a further alternative whereby a sealing strip 50 is contained within a groove 51, which may be extruded with the channel 52 of the damp proof course housing bar 53. In the alternative, this sealing strip may be a gasket (not shown).

Figure 6 shows another embodiment using both a sealant 60 and a front guard flashing 61 with the damp proof course housing bar 62. In this embodiment, the channel 63 is again formed in the shape of a T such that the portion corresponding to the upright of the T forms the channel 63 receiving the damp proof course membrane 64 within a sealing material 65. The damp proof course membrane 64 extends between the cavity wall 66 formed by two, for example, brick walls 67 and 68. The sealant can abut to a further extruded aluminium piece which is a door frame or window frame to be permanently mounted in an opening. The rubber front guard flashing can be positioned such that it is attached to either the aluminium extrusion 69 (as shown) or to the damp proof course housing bar 62 (not shown). The sealant may be made of rubber, foam strip or any other material which is compressible and which in conjunction with another solid material would form an adequate seal.

Figure 7 shows an embodiment whereby the damp proof course housing bar need not actually straddle the cavity of a wall in which it is supposed to provide a suitable seal. The damp proof course membrane can be tumed along the surface of a window or door opening and subsequently inserted in a channel 70 of a damp proof course housing bar 71. This embodiment may be used inside the cavity wall or outside of the cavity wall in the alternative positions shown. Otherwise, the embodiment is very similar to the arrangement shown in Figures 1, 2, 4, 5 or 6. All these embodiments may be offset from the cavity of the wall.

Figure 8 shows a damp proof course bar in conjunction with the timber frame of, for example, a window or door. Once again the timber frame would be positioned around the damp proof course housing bar in a way similar to the previous embodiments discussed. The damp proof course bar 80 in the shape of a T is attached to wall 81 and has a channel 82 extending away from the wall 81 which receives the damp proof course membrane 83. The damp proof course membrane 83 extends from the jambs, head and seals of openings in the fabric of a building. The damp proof course bar can be attached to the wall by nailing or similar means and the damp proof course membrane 83 is sealed with a waterproof material 84. A gasket 85 made up of, for example, a neoprene sealing material is attached to the channel 82 by means of a groove and abuts an aluminium or plastics lining 86 attached to the timber frame 87. The timber frame is then attached to the inside surrounds of the opening in the normal accepted manner, for example by nailing or by the use of tie bars. The damp proof course housing bar 80 prevents water from entering the cavity of the wall whilst the sealing strip 86 prevents the water from passing around the outside of the damp proof course housing bar.

Figure 9 shows an alternative to the embodiment shown in Figure 8. A similar damp proof course housing bar is described. However, the sealing material 91 is attached to the aluminium or plastics lining attached in tum to the timber frame of the door or window jamb.

The sealing strip 91 abuts against the channel 92 containing the damp proof course membrane 93 within a sealing material 94.

Figure 10 shows an alternative embodiment of the damp proof course housing bar which only has one flange extending from the channel.

In Figure 10 a channel 100 has attached thereto a flange 101. Both the channel 100 and 101 have grooves in which ties can be attached and linked in the wall. As with the other embodiment, the damp proof course membrane 102 extends into the channel 100 and is sealed therein by means of a sealing material 103. This type of damp proof course bar is useful when there is a wall rebate around the opening. As in all the embodiments the damp proof course bar extends around the opening, both on the horizontal and vertical surfaces of the opening to provide a sealing for the damp proof course membrane.

Figure 11 shows an embodiment where the damp proof course bar 110 has on its extending flanges 111 and 112 grooves 113 and 114 containing compressible material such as foam rubber, rubber etc. for sealing against a wall and to accommodate for expansion etc. when the damp proof course bar 110 is fixed in position within the internal surround of a door or window opening.

Figure 12 shows an embodiment of the damp proof course bar in position showing the cavity 120 between walls 121 and 122.

A damp proof course membrane 123 extends along the cavity and is contained by the channel 124 within the damp proof course housing bar 125. The extending flanges 126 and 127 contain grooves to which ties 128 and 129 can be attached. The ties lie in the wall between bricks with the outer edges providing fixing means, to mate with the grooves 126 and 127.

A timber frame 130 is attached to the opening in conventional manner and abuts the damp proof course bar 125 such that a sealing strip 131 prevents the passage of water around the timber frame.

Figure 13 shows the simplest form of the damp proof course housing bar. A simple U shape channel 132 (in cross section) with a squared bottom 133 has the damp proof course 134 inserted therein and sealed with sealant 134 therein. The channel 132 may be of extruded aluminium and have various grooves in the extrusion for attachment of ties 135 and 136 to be attached in turn to the fabric of the building e.g. the brick work 137. The ties mate with grooves 138 and 139. The channel is positioned so that it projects into the opening such that a frame (not shown) can abut the inner surface of the damp proof course housing bar 133. Further grooves 140 may be part of the extrusion to contain a gasket material e.g.

rubber or neoprene on the inner side of the housing bar 132. The frame can then be sealingly abutted against the gasket material.

Figure 14 shows an arrangement wherein the extruded pieces of the damp proof course housing bar can be lapped to allow tolerance for the varying sizes of the frames or openings inherent in buildings. The damp proof housing bar 141 can be in the form of a T-shaped channel (as previously described) with corner pieces 142 having offset flanges 143 to provide an overlap with the horizontal or vertical damp proof housing bar, 141 or 144 respectively. The overlap or adjusting area can be glued together with any suitable waterproof adhesive. As in previous embodiments, waterproof injection holes 145 can be provided to allow for the injection of waterproof materials.

WHAT I CLAIM IS:- 1. A wall having an opening therein, a damp proof course lying in and extending from the material of the wall into the opening and a housing bar secured to the material of the wall in the opening, the housing bar comprising an elongate channel, the channel housing the damp proof course.

2. A wall as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the housing bar has an elongate flange extending from one or each side of the channel.

3. A wall as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the housing bar is T-shaped in crosssection the arm corresponding to the upright of the T forming the elongate channel.

4. A wall as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the housing bar has sealing means attached to the arm corresponding to the upright of the T for providing a seal with a jamb, seal or head of a door or a window frame or the like.

5. A wall as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the sealing means comprises a gasket.

6. A wall as claimed in Claim 3, Claim 4 or Claim 5 wherein the horizontal arm of the T has resilient means attached thereto on the surface corresponding to the upper surface to allow for expansion or irregularities of the opening.

7. A wall as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the housing bar is L-shaped in crosssection, the arm corresponding to the upright of the L forming the channel to receive the damp proof course.

8. A wall as claimed in Claim 7 wherein the housing bar has sealing means attached to the arm corresponding to the upright of L for providing a seal with a jamb, seal or head of a door or a window frame or the like.

9. A wall as claimed in Claim 8 wherein the sealing means comprises a gasket.

10. A damp proof course as claimed in Claim 7, Claim 8 or Claim 9 wherein the horizontal arm of the L has resilient means attached thereto on the surface corresponding to the lower surface thereof to allow for expansion or irregularities of the opening.

11. A wall as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the channel has sealant material contained therein.

12. A wall as claimed in Claim 11 wherein the sealant material is a mastics, rubber or neoprene material.

13. A wall as claimed in any preceding claim comprising a front flashing of elastomeric material secured to the housing bar.

14. A wall as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the housing bar is attached to the material of the building by clip means.

15. A wall as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 13 wherein the housing bar is attached to the material of the wall by tie means.

16. A wall as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the housing bar is made from aluminium 17. A wall as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 15 wherein the housing bar is of plastics material.

18. A wall as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 15 wherein the housing bar is of galvanised steel.

19. A wall substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in any one of the accompanying drawings.

20. A method of sealing a damp proof course extending from an opening in a wall, which method comprises the steps of positioning a damp proof course housing bar comprising an elongate channel such that the channel, and attaching the housing bar to the wall.

21. A method as claimed in Claim 20 comprising the further step of inserting a sealant material in the channel on either side of the damp proof course between the housing bar and the opening.

22. A method of sealing a damp proof course substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in any one of the accompanying drawings.

23. A wall having an opening, a damp proof course lying in and extending from the material of the wall into the opening and sealed by a method as claimed in any one of Claims 20, 21 or 22.

24. A wall as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 19, and 23 further comprising a frame of a window or door or cladding compartment inserted into the opening and sealed against the housing bar.

25. A building comprising a wall as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 19, 23, and 24.

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. pieces 142 having offset flanges 143 to provide an overlap with the horizontal or vertical damp proof housing bar, 141 or 144 respectively. The overlap or adjusting area can be glued together with any suitable waterproof adhesive. As in previous embodiments, waterproof injection holes 145 can be provided to allow for the injection of waterproof materials. WHAT I CLAIM IS:-

1. A wall having an opening therein, a damp proof course lying in and extending from the material of the wall into the opening and a housing bar secured to the material of the wall in the opening, the housing bar comprising an elongate channel, the channel housing the damp proof course.

5. A wall as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the sealing means comprises a gasket.

9. A wall as claimed in Claim 8 wherein the sealing means comprises a gasket.

16. A wall as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the housing bar is made from aluminium

17. A wall as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 15 wherein the housing bar is of plastics material.