GB2210079A

GB2210079A - Upright damp proof barrier for sealing the cavity of a cavity wall

Info

Publication number: GB2210079A
Application number: GB8819011A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Louis Shillabeer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-09-18
Filing date: 1988-08-10
Publication date: 1989-06-01
Anticipated expiration: 2008-08-10
Also published as: GB8819011D0; GB2210079B; GB8722043D0

Abstract

A cavity wall closure member 18 comprises a flexible plastic elongate member with preferably a pair of wings 20 connected by a compressible channel portion 22. In use the or each wing 20 lies against a vertical face 16 of the leaves of the wall, with the channel portion compressed and engaged within the wall cavity. The wings 20 are ribbed to prevent ingress of water into the cavity. A wire mesh may be provided which covers the channel portion 22 to accept plastering or rendering thereover (see Fig. 3). There may be a formation on an end of the member to enhance engagement with a second like member. <IMAGE>

Description

UPRIGHT DAMP PROOF BARRIER The present invention relates to a damp proof barrier which, in use, will generally extend substantially vertically to close the cavity between the leaves of a cavity wall, e.g. at a door or window opening.

When a building is being refurbished, it is frequently necessary to establish a correctly positioned vertical damp course, when window frames and door frames are being replaced.

Thus the present invention provides a cavity wall closure member comprising an elongate member which, in transverse section, has a wing portion for overlying the end face of an inner or outer skin of the cavity wall, and a rearwardly projecting portion which in use projects into the cavity. Preferably there are a pair of wing portions at respective sides of the projecting portion lor overlying end faces of both skins. Preferably the closure member is made of flexible plastics material. It can thus be arranged, firstly, that the projecting portion is a pressfit into any of a wide range of cavity sizes; and/or secondly, that the member can be flexed so that the wing portions can still overlie respective leaves even if these are not coplanar. Suitably the projecting portion defines a channel, which may be open forwardly.

Preferably the wings have rib formations. These can contribute to stiffness and, if they confront the leaves, they can discourage ingress of water by capillary action.

It may be desired to trim back the wings after installation, and the grooves may also facilitate this.

The closure members may be plastics extrusions. They can be provided in suitable lengths, and cut as required.

If it is necessary to connect members, this can easily be done by overlapping them slightly, and, if the projecting portions define channels, engaging the channel portion of one in the channel portion of the other. There may be formations to enhance the engagement.

In a second aspect the invention provides a cavity wall assembly including an opening with an upright cavity mouth closed by a cavity closure member as described.

In a third aspect the invention provides a method of closing a cavity as indicated above.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an opening in a cavity wall including a closure member embodying the invention; Fig. 2a,b and c are plan views of wall portions as shown in Fig. 1, showing different configurations of the cavity wall leaves; and Fig. 3 is a plan view like that of Fig. 2a on a larger scale and with the addition of mesh.

The illustrated cavity wall has an inner skin 10 and an outer skin 12, separated by a cavity 14. The illustrated wall portion defines part of an opening, where the wall leaves provide vertical edges 16. The vertical mouth of the cavity 14 is closed by a closure member 18.

This is a plastics extrusion, suitably of polypropylene.

In cross-section, it is symmetrical, having a pair of wings 20 of corrugated form, spaced apart by an almost-O shaped channel portion 22. The nature and thickness of the plastics material are such that the channel portion 22 is compressible, so that it can be introduced into a variety of cavity sizes, suitably from 30mm to 75mm. Thus, as shown, the channel portion 22 has been pushed into the cavity 14, until the wings 20 lie flush against the vertical faces 16 of the leaves. The channel portion is slightly deformed, and is resiliently urged against the sides of the cavity 14. Successive members can be engaged by overlapping, with a short length of the channel portion 22 of one member received in the channel portion 22 owt the next member.

Once the or each member 18 has been fitted, the projecting wings 20 can be trimmed back so as to be flush with a frame installed in the opening. (The trimming can be done after the installation.

Fig. 2 shows how the flexibility of the member allows it to be used even with irregular cavities in which the leaves are relatively offset. Similarly, angled end faces would cause no problem.

Fig. 3 shows the closure member 18 with an associated mesh 30 looped around one wing 20 and extending to the other wing 20 so as to cover the opening of the channel portion 22. This is so that if the frame is positioned somewhat forwardly in the cavity so that the rear wing 20 and even the opening of the channel portion 22 tend to be exposed, the mesh 30 provides keying for rendering or plastering to conceal the closure member 18.

The mesh 30 may be permanently attached, or just applied as required. Other keying material could be used.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A cavity wall closure member comprising an elongate member which, in transverse section, has a wing portion for overlying the end face of an inner or outer skin of the cavity wall, and a rearwardly projecting portion which in use projects into the cavity.

2. A closure member according to claim 1 having a pair of wing portions at respective sides of the projecting portion for overlying end faces of both skins.

3. A closure member according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the rearwardly projecting portion, in cross section, is a forwardly open channel.

4. A closure member according to any preceding claim made of a flexible plastics material.

5. A closure member according to any one of the preceding claims wherein ribs are provided on the or each wing portion.

6. A closure member according to claim 5 wherein the ribs project rearwardly so as to abut the wall in use.

7. A closure member according to any preceding claim wherein the rearwardly projecting portion is compressible so as to be engageable in cavities of a range of widths.

8. A closure member according to claim 7 wherein the rearwardly projecting portion is engageable in cavities of width 30-75mm.

9. A closure member according to any preceding claim having keying material substantially extending across the front of at least one wing portion and the rearwardly projecting portion.

10. A cavity wall closure member substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

11. A cavity wall assembly including an upright opening defined by inner and outer walls of the cavity wall, at least part of the opening being closed by at least one cavity wall closure member according to any one of the preceding claims.

12. A cavity wall assembly according to claim 11 wherein the rearwardly projecting portion, in cross section, is a forwardly open channel, and at least part of the opening is closed by a plurality of said cavity wall closure members, successive members being slightly overlapped with the rearwardly projecting portion of one member engaged within the channel of the rearwardly projecting portion of the next.

13. A cavity wall assembly substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

14. A method of closing a cavity in a cavity wall comprising engaging therewith a cavity closure member according to any one of claims 1 to 10 so that the rearwardly projecting portion extends into the wall cavity and the or each wing portion overlies the end face of a skin.

15. A method according to claim 14 including a step of cutting away exposed portions of a wing portion.

16. A method according to claim 14 wherein the cavity closure member is according to claim 8, and the method includes a step of plastering or rendering over exposed portions of the keying material.

17. A method according to any of claims 14-16 including a step of engaging a plurality of cavity wall closure members to produce an assembly according to claim 10.

18. A method of closing a cavity in a cavity wall substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.