GB2071745A - Road forms - Google Patents

Abstract

The height of an angle member (2) providing the upper part of the inner wall of shuttering and the top surface (3) is adjustable relative to a road form (1) by means of a height adjustment member comprising a pair of wedges (5, 6). The angled portion (2) is mounted on one of the wedges (5) by a box section (4) and the wedge (5) is also welded to a plate (10) incorporating a fixing screw (12) which will hold the plate (10) against the road form (1). The plate (10) also incorporates a screw which can be located against the other wedge portion (6) so as to prevent relative movement between the wedge portion (5 and 6) when the desired condition is achieved. The road form (1) may also have one or more brackets (14) secured thereto (Figures 3-5) each bracket having a passageway for receiving a post fixed in the ground, and a pair of adjustable fixing devices (17, 18) which will bear against the post and determine the attitude of the post relative to the road form about a bearing surface on the wedge (20) passing through holes in opposing side walls of the bracket. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to shuttering for concrete This invention is concerned with shuttering used for laying concrete. Where a large area of concrete is to be laid down it is usually important to ensure that the top surface of the shuttering surrounding the area in question should lie horizontal so that a perfectly flat floor will be produced. Indeed in some situations any minor deviations from a level concrete surface cannot be accepted and this places severe requirements on the shuttering.

In general it is quite difficult to arrange for the shuttering to be situated at the same height all around and it is an object of this invention to provide concrete shuttering which will enable the level of the top surface of the shuttering to be adjusted at will.

Accordingly this invention provides, from one aspect, shuttering for concrete comprising a road form providing the lower portion of the inner wall of the shuttering, an angled portion forming the upper portion of the inner wall of the shuttering and the top surface of the shuttering, and one or more height adjustment members incorporating mutually adjustable wedge portions whose angled surfaces run lengthwise of the shuttering and fixing members for securing the wedge portions in a desired relationship.

Where the shuttering is of significant length a number of height adjustment members may be provided so that the height of the top surface of the angled portion can be adjusted accurately at various points along the length of the shuttering.

By this means it can be ensured that the top surface of the shuttering is horizontal along its length (if this is the specific requirement for the shuttering in question).

In the preferred arrangement each height adjustment member comprises a first part providing a mounting for the angled portion on its top surface and having one of the wedge portions attached to its lower surface whilst the other wedge portion is freely movable with respect to the first wedge portion. ideally one or other of the wedge portions will have arms extending to cover at least a part of the sides of the other wedge portion. In this instance the means for securing the wedge portions relative to one another may comprise a screw mounted in a plate secured to the first part or to the first wedge portion, the screw being rotatable to engage against the side wall of the other wedge portion or in a recess formed along the edge thereof.Advantageously there will also be a fixing member for securing the adjustment member to the road form so that the adjustment member cannot be accidentally displaced with respect to the road form. This additional fixing member could again comprise a screw passing through an extension of the plate welded to the fixed part, the screw being positioned for engagement with the road form when rotated.

From another aspect this invention provides shuttering for concrete incorporating a road form having one or more brackets secured thereto, each bracket having a through passageway for receiving a post fixed in the ground, and a pair of adjustable fixing devices which will bear against the post and determine the attitude of the post, relative to the road form, about a bearing surface on the bracket or road form.

This arrangement enables the road form to be adjusted in a direction normal to its length so that if the post fixed in the ground to which it is to be attached is not truly vertical, the road form can still be positioned in a horizontal attitude.

The pair of adjustable fixing devices ideally comprises screws which are screw-threadedly mounted in the bracket and which can therefore be inserted or retracted to desired amounts to enable the road form to be tilted with respect to the post until the required attitude is achieved whereupon the screws will be tightened to maintain that attitude. The bearing surface on which the post will bear, thus forming basically a pivot surface, is advantageously providea by a wedge passing through holes in opposing side walls of the bracket. If this wedge is of tapered form (from one end to the other) its position lengthwise with respect to the bracket may be adjusted so as to modify the final position of the road form with respect to the post when the fixing devices are secured. This therefore allows for a degree of lateral displacement of the road form.

Thus it will be seen that the shuttering of this invention provides for infinite adjustment (within limits) for tilt and lateral positioning of the road form and for the height and slope of the angled portion providing the top surface of the shuttering.

The invention may be performed in various ways and preferred embodiments thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a vertical section through shuttering incorporating height adjustment means of this invention; Figure 2 is a vertical section on line Il-Il of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a vertical section through a road form illustrating a device enabling tilt adjustment of the road form to be achieved in accordance with the invention; Figure 4 is a vertical section through part of the arrangement shown in Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a horizontal cross-section through the arrangement shown in Figure 3.

Figure 1 illustrates shuttering which is basically provided by a road form 1 of U-shaped crosssection and an angled portion 2 which provides the upper part of the inner wall of the shuttering and the top surface 3 to which concrete will be laid. The angled portion 2 is carried by a box section 4 of a height adjustment member which also incorporates a first wedge portion 5 welded to the box section 4 and second, freely mounted wedge portion 6. The wedge portion 5 has downwardly extending side walls 7 which enclose part of the sides of the wedge portion 6 and thus prevent the wedge portion 6 from moving laterally. However, as illustrated in Figure 2, the wedge portion 6 can be moved longitudinally with respect to the wedge portion 5 to adjust the height of the box section 4 and thus of the angled portion 2 at that particular position above the road form 1.When a desired height for the top surface 3 of the angled portion 2 has been achieved the wedge portion 6 will be locked in position by tightening a screw 8 mounted in a nut 9 which is welded to a plate 10 which is in turn welded to the box section 4. The free end of the screw 8 is received in a channel 11 formed in the side wall of the wedge portion 6. This adjustment member can further be fixed with respect to the road form 1 by means of the screw 12 mounted in a nut 13 which is welded to the plate 10. The free end of this screw 12 will close against the inner surface of one of the limbs of the road form 1.

Means for achieving lateral and tilt adjustment of the road form 1 is illustrated in Figures 3 to 5.

At desired positions within the channel section forming the road form 1 brackets 14 are welded as at 1 5. These brackets receive the ends of posts 16 which are driven into the ground or hard core surface above which the concrete is to be laid. The bracket 14 is connected to the post 1 6 by means of a pair of screws 1 7 and 1 8 which are received in nuts 19 welded to the bracket 14. Also the post 16 bears against a wedge member 20 which can move longitudinally through passageways 21 in the two side walls of the bracket 14. It will be seen that the wedge member 20 is of tapered form and its position with respect to the bracket 14 will therefore determine the relative positions of the post 16 and the road form 1 when the post 16 bears against the wedge member 20. This provides for a degree of lateral adjustment of the position of the road form 1 with respect to a post 16. If the post is not absolutely vertical then the tilt angle of the road form 1 with respect to the posts 1 6 can be modified by selective retraction and insertion of the pair of screws 1 7 and 18 as illustrated for example in Figure 4.

Claims (12)

1. Shuttering for concrete comprising a road form providing the lower portion of the inner wall of the shuttering, an angled portion forming the upper portion of the inner wall of the shuttering and the top surface of the shuttering, and one or more height adjustment members incorporating mutually adjustable wedge portions whose angled surfaces run lengthwise of the shuttering, and fixing members for securing the wedge portions in a desired relationship.

2. Shuttering according to claim 1 , wherein a number of height adjustment members are provided along the length of the shuttering.

3. Shuttering according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each height adjustment member comprises a first part providing a mounting for the angled portion on its top surface and having one of the wedge portions attached to its lower surface whilst the other wedge portion is freely movable with respect to the first wedge portion.

4. Shuttering according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein one or other of the wedge portions has arms extending to cover at least a part of the sides of the other wedge portion.

5. Shuttering according to any of claims 1 to 4 including means for securing the wedge portions relative to one another comprising a screw mounted in a plate secured to the first wedge portion, the screw being rotatable to engage against the side wall of the other wedge portion or in a recess formed along the edge thereof.

6. Shuttering according to any one of claims 1 to 5, including a fixing member for securing the adjustment member to the road form so that the adjustment member cannot be accidentally displaced with respect to the road form.

7. Shuttering according to claim 5 and claim 6, wherein the additional fixing member comprises a screw passing through an extension of the plate secured to the first wedge portion, the screw being positioned for engagement with the road form when rotated.

8. Shuttering for concrete incorporating a road form having one or more brackets secured thereto, each bracket having a through passageway for receiving a post fixed in the ground, and a pair of adjustable fixing devices which will bear against the post and determine the attitude of the post, relative to the road form, about a bearing surface on the bracket or road form.

9. Shuttering according to claim 8, wherein the pair of adjustable fixing devices comprises screws which are screw-threadedly mounted in the bracket and which can be inserted or retracted by amounts to enable the road form to be tilted with respect to the post until a required attitude is achieved.

10. Shuttering according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the bearing surface on which the post will bear is provided by a wedge passing through holes in opposing side walls of the bracket.

11. Shuttering according to claim 10, wherein the wedge tapers from one end to the other.

12. Shuttering according to any one of claims 1 to 7 incorporating the features of the shuttering as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 11.

1 3. Shuttering for concrete substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.