GB2228520A

GB2228520A - Wall tie

Info

Publication number: GB2228520A
Application number: GB8904472A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mario Halbeisen
Original assignee: MARCRIST IND Ltd
Current assignee: MARCRIST IND Ltd
Priority date: 1989-02-28
Filing date: 1989-02-28
Publication date: 1990-08-29
Also published as: GB8904472D0

Abstract

A wall tie for interconnecting two leaves (42, 44) of a cavity wall comprises a rod (10) and two pairs of spaced flanges (12, 14: 16, 18) arranged serially on the rod, such that when the tie is inserted into a hole in the wall one pair of flanges (12, 14) is disposed in one leaf and the other pair of flanges (16, 18) is disposed in the other leaf. In certain examples, bonding material (20, 24) is retained between each pair of flanges by a rupturable enclosure (22,26) and the two flanges of each pair are drawn together with a manually applied tightening action to rupture the enclosures and thereby release the bonding material which bonds the wall tie in the hole. In these embodiments, the bonding material may cure in contact with the air, or a two-part bonding agent, mixed on rupture, may cure itself. In other examples, the bonding material is injected into the space between the flanges when the tie is in the hole, either through the rod or the flange(s). <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Wall Tie Field of the invention This invention relates to wall ties for interconnecting the two leaves of a cavity wall.

Backqround to the invention Conventional wall ties are prone to corrosion and consequent failure, and the invention aims to provide a wall tie which is particularly suitable as a remedial wall tie for fixing into existing cavity walls where the original ties have failed. The inventive wall ties may also be fitted in newly built cavity walls.

Summary of the invention According to the invention a wall tie for interconnecting two leaves of a wall, comprises a rod and two pairs of spaced flanges arranged serially on the rod such that when the tie is inserted into a hole in the wall one pair of flanges is disposed in one leaf and the other pair of flanges is disposed in the other leaf, each pair of spaced flanges acting to contain bonding material which is present between the flanges or introduced therebetween, the bonding material anchoring the rod in an operative position spanning the two leaves of the wall.

In the tie before use, the bonding material may be retained between each pair of flanges by a rupturable enclosure and tightening means are then provided so that when the tie is placed in position in the hole the tightening means are actuated to effect relative movement between the two flanges of each pair to draw them together and thereby rupture the enclosure to release the bonding material for the purpose of anchoring the tie in the hole.

The bonding material may be any suitable material which, on compression, moulds itself to the wall of the hole and when set or cured firmly anchors the rod in the hole. For example, the bonding material may cure and set when exposed to air from which the material is excluded by the enclosures before the latter are ruptured. Alternatively, the bonding material may be in the form of two components which are kept separate until the enclosures are ruptured, whereupon the components chemically interact to cause the bonding material to set within the hole. To assist this the rod or the flanges may be formed so as to facilitate mixing of the two components when the enclosures rupture.

The enclosures may be in the form of air-tight plastics membranes or films which seal the bonding material so that the tie is clean and easy to handle.

The tightening means preferably rely on screw threads to draw the flanges together.

The flanges are preferably disc-like and act to confine the bonding material, after the enclosures have been ruptured, to the region bounded by the wall of the hole and the two pairs of flanges.

One pair of flanges may be regarded as an inner pair (in the sense that it is innermost in the hole when the tie is inserted therein), and the other pair of flanges may be regarded as an outer pair, the tightening means then being operable from the outer end of the tie. In this case the tightening means are preferably such that the inner pair of flanges can be drawn together independently of the outer pair of flanges. This enables the tie to be anchored in the inner leaf first and for the strength of this attachment to be checked before the tie is anchored in the outer leaf.

In one preferred embodiment an inner end of the rod is threadably received in the inner flange of the inner pair of flanges, the outer flange of the inner pair being rigidly attached to the rod which is rotated from the outer end thereof to cause the two flanges of the inner pair to be drawn together. The inner flange of the outer pair is preferably rigidly secured to the rod with the outer flange of the outer pair being capable of axial sliding movement on the rod, the rod being externally threaded on its outer end and carrying a threaded member such as a wing nut which when tightened urges the outer flange of the outer pair of flanges towards the inner flange of the outer pair.

In another embodiment, the rod is threaded within a surrounding sleeve to which are rigidly attached the outer flange of the inner pair and the inner flange of the outer pair, the sleeve being rotated with respect to the rod to draw the flanges of the inner pair together, and a member threaded on the outside of the sleeve being tightened against the outer of the outer pair of flanges to draw the outer pair of flanges together.

In both of these embodiments, the inner flange of the inner pair is preferably shaped with peripheral serrations to prevent or minimise rotation of this inner flange within the hole.

Instead of making one flange of each pair movable with respect to the rod, the four flanges may be rigidly secured on the rod (eg by welding), and a bonding material may be introduced into the space between the two flanges of each pair after the tie has been placed in the hole in the wall. This introduction of the bonding material may be through a central bore in the rod, which is then provided with openings which extend through the wall of the rod to interconnect the central bore with the space between a pair of flanges, or (in the case of the space between the outer pair of flanges) the bonding material may be introduced through a hole in the outer flange of the outer pair of flanges.

Five embodiments of anchoring device according to the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the first embodiment, Figure 2 is an inner end view of the first embodiment, Figure 3 is a sectional view showing the first embodiment of device anchored in the two leaves of a cavity wall, Figures 4, 5 and 6 correspond to Figures 1, 2 and 3 but show the second embodiment, Figures 7, 8 and 9 show the third embodiment, Figures 10 and 11 show the fourth embodiment, and Figures 12 and 13 show the fifth embodiment.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments Figure 1 shows the first embodiment of tie before use.

The tie comprises a central metal rod 10 carrying a pair of inner metal flanges 12 and 14 and a pair of outer metal flanges 16 and 18. A body of bonding material 20 is located between the flanges 12 and 14 and surrounds the rod 10. The body of bonding material 20 is retained by an enclosure in the form of a thin plastics film 22. A similar body of bonding material 24 is located between the spaced flanges 16 and 18 and is surrounded by a thin plastics film 26.

An inner end of the rod 10 is threaded at 30 and engages with a nut 32 rigidly attached to the inner flange 14.

The flanges 12 and 18 are welded to the rod 10 in the axially spaced positions shown in Figure 1. The flange 16 is axially slidable on the outer end of the rod 10, and this outer end of the rod 10 is threaded at 34. The extremity of the rod 10 carries a wing nut 36 which is rigidly attached to the rod 10. A further wing nut 38 is threaded on the threaded portion 34 of the rod 10. The flange 14 has a serrated outer periphery 40, as indicated in Figure 2, to prevent the flange 14 rotating when the rod 10 is screwed into the flange 14.

Figure 3 shows the tie interconnecting the two leaves 42, 44 of a cavity wall. A hole 46 is drilled (or otherwise fixed) in the wall and the tie is inserted therein. In the first stage of attachment of the tie within the hole, the wing nut 36 is manually rotated, which causes the inner end of the rod 10 to screw through the nut 32 and the flange 14. As a result, the flange 14 is drawn towards the flange 12, and the serrations 40 prevent the flange 14 rotating with the rod 10. As the flange 14 is drawn towards the flange 12, the bonding material 20 is compressed. In consequence, the plastics film 22 is ruptured, to release the bonding material which is sufficiently mouldable to be squeezed against the walls of the hole. The peripheral edge of each flange is chamfered to promote flexing of the flange edges against the surfaces of the inner and outer leaves, as indicated in Figure 3.In consequence the flanges 12 and 14 act to confine the bonding material which is substantially prevented from flowing past the flanges 12 and 14.

The bonding material 20 can be left to set or cure, and the firmness of the attachment to the inner leaf 44 can be checked before the second stage, involving bonding to the outer leaf 42. To achieve this, the wing nut 38 is manually rotated on the threads 34 to push the flange 16 towards the flange 18. This compression ruptures the film 26 causing the bonding material 24 to contact the wall of the hole 46 in the outer leaf 42. The flanges 16 and 18 confine the bonding material and substantially prevent it flowing past the flanges. The bonding material 24 is left to cure or set to complete anchorage of the tie in the two leaves of the wall.

In the second embodiment shown in Figures 4 to 6, parts corresponding to those of Figures 1 to 3 have been given the same reference numerals. The rod 10 does not rotate in the embodiment of Figures 4 to 6. The rod is externally threaded at 50 and engages within an internally threaded sleeve 52. The inner end of the rod is welded to the flange 14, and the flange 12 is welded to the inner end of the sleeve 52. The rod 10 is capable of moving through a central aperture in the flange 12. The flange 18 is welded to the sleeve 52 at an intermediate position therealong, and the sleeve 16 is slidable along the outer end of the sleeve 52 which is externally threaded at 54.

The outer end of the sleeve has a nut 56 rigidly attached thereto, and a nut 58 is threaded onto the threads 54 on the sleeve. The flange again has peripheral serrations 40 (Figure 5) to prevent rotation of the tie whilst it is being secured in the hole 46 in the two leaves 42 and 44 of the wall (Figure 6).

Referring to Figure 6, the tie is inserted in the hole 46 and the first stage of attachment is carried out by rotating the nut 56 to rotate the sleeve 52 and thereby push the flange 12 towards the flange 14. As before, this ruptures the film 22 and releases the bonding material 20 which is squeezed against the wall of the hole in the inner leaf 44. The strength of this attachment can be tested before the tie is anchored in the outer leaf 42, which is achieved by screwing the nut 58 on the threads 54 to cause the flange 16 to approach the flange 18. This ruptures the film 26 and releases the bonding material which is squeezed against the wall of the outer leaf 42.

In both the first and second embodiments, the rod, the two pairs of flanges and the two enclosures of bonding material are inserted into the pre-drilled hole as a unit, and the achorage in the two leaves is then achieved in two stages, in each of which the bonding material is confined by the flanges to the desired bonding region.

Reference will now be made to Figures 7 to 9 which show the third embodiment. Figure 7 shows the third embodiment of wall tie before use. The wall tie comprises a tubular central rod 10, having a central bore 60 which is closed at the inner end 62 of the tie and open at the outer end 64. The four flanges 12, 14, 16 and 18 are welded to the tubular rod 10 at the spaced positions illustrated. The wall of the rod has openings 66 which provide communication between the bore 60 and the space between the flanges 12 and 14, and openings 68 which provide communication between the central bore 60 and the space between the flanges 16 and 18.

The wall tie shown in Figure 7 is placed in position in a hole spanning the two leaves 42 and 44 of a wall, and bonding material is then injected through the bore 60 to the space between the flanges 12 and 14 and also to the space between the flanges 16 and 18. To inject the bonding material into the space between the flanges 12 and 14 a nozzle 70 (Figure 8) is inserted into the open end 64 of the bore 60 so as to extend into the bore 60 beyond the openings 68. Bonding material is then injected through the hollow nozzle 70 whence it reaches the space between the flanges 12 and 14 through the openings 66.

Having filled the space between the flanges 12 and 14, the nozzle 70 is retracted to clear the openings 68 and further bonding material injected. This bonding material reaches the space between the flanges 16 and 18 by means of the openings 68. The situation is then as illustrated in Figure 9, the arrows in that Figure indicating how the bonding material reaches the spaces between the flanges.

As before, the bonding material is allowed to set and acts to anchor the tubular rod 10 between the leaves 42 and 44 of the wall. The flanges are again chamfered around their periphery and closely match the diameter of the hole so that the flanges act to confine the bonding material between the spaced flanges.

Figures 10 and 11 show the fourth embodiment. This is similar to the third embodiment except that the openings 68 are omitted and bonding material is injected into the space between the flanges 16 and 18 through a hole 72 in the flange 16.

In both of the third and fourth embodiments the strength of the attachment of the tie within the inner leaf 44 may be checked before the bonding material is inserted into the spaces between the flanges 16 and 18 in order to bond the tie to the outer leaf 42.

Figures 12 and 13 show the fifth embodiment. Figure 12 shows the fifth embodiment of wall tie before use. In this condition the rod 10 carries two similar expandable assemblies 72, 74. The assembly 72 comprises a flange 16 attached to a tapering collar 76 and a flange 18 attached to a tapering collar 78. The flange 18 is welded to the rod 10, but te flange 16 and tapering collar 76 are threaded on the rod 10. For this purpose the rod has two threaded lengths, respectively engaged by the threads of the two collars 76. A split sleeve 80 surrounds the rod 10 between the collars 76 and 78. The sleeve 80 is split longitudinally and comprises two semi-circular parts which are angled at their ends to cooperate with the collars 76 and 78. The split sleeve 80 is surrounded by a body of bonding material 82 which is retained by a rupturable enclosure in the form of a film 84. The expandable assembly 74 is similar to the assembly 72.

In use, the tie is inserted into a wall and the central rod is rotated, for example by means of a thumb screw.

This causes the collar 76 of each expandable assembly to move towards the collar 78, thereby moving the two halves of the split sleeve 80 radially outwardly by a camming action. This compresses the bonding material 82 against the leaves of the cavity wall, rupturing the plastics film 84. It will be appreciated that rotation of the rod 10 causes simultaneous expansion of the two sleeves of the respective assemblies 72, 74.

In all of the described embodiments, the flanges are of a diameter which ensures that the flanges are a tight fit in the hole on the leaves, thereby ensuring that the flanges confine the bonding material and prevent it squeezing into the cavity and other regions where it is not wanted.

Claims

1. A wall tie for interconnecting two leaves of a wall, comprising a rod and two pairs of spaced flanges arranged serially on the rod such that when the tie is inserted into a hole in the wall one pair of flanges is disposed in one leaf and the other pair of flanges is disposed in the other leaf, each pair of spaced flanges acting to contain bonding material which is present between the flanges or introduced therebetween, the bonding material anchoring the rod in an operative position spanning the two leaves of the wall.

2. A wall tie according to claim 1, wherein the bonding material is retained between each pair of flanges by â rupturable enclosure and thightening means are provided so that when the tie is placed in position in the hole the tightening means are actuated to effect relative movement between the two flanges of each pair to draw them together and thereby rupture the corresponding enclosure to release the bonding material for the purpose of anchoring the tie in the hole.

3. A wall tie according to claim 2, wherein the bonding material cures and sets when exposed to air from which the material is excluded by the enclosures before the latter are ruptured.

4. A wall tie according to claim 2, wherein the bonding material is in the form of two components which are kept seat until the enclosures are ruptured, whereupon the components chemically interact to cause the bonding material to set within the hole.

5. A wall tie according to claim 4, wherein the rod or the flanges are formed so as to facilitate mixing of the two components when the enclosures rupture.

6. A wall tie according to any of claims 2 to 5, wherein the enclosures are in the form of air-tight plastics membranes or films which seal the bonding material so that the tie is clean and easy to handle.

7. A wall tie according to any of claims 2 t 6, wherein the tightening means rely on screw threads to draw the flanges together.

8. A wall tie according to any of claims 2 to 7, wherein the flanges are disc-like and act to confine the bonding material, after the enclosures have been rupture, t the region bounded by the wall of the hole and the two pairs of flanges.

9. A wall tie according to any of claims 2 to 8, wherein one pair of flanges constitute an inner pair, in the sense that it is innermost in the hole when the tie is Inserted therein, and the other pair of flanges constitute an outer pair, the tightening means being operable from the outer end of the tie.

10. A wall t,e according to claim 9, wherein the tightening means are such that the inner pair of flanges can be drawn together independently of the outer pair of flanges, enabling the tie to be anchored in the inner leaf first and for the strength of this attachment to be checked before the tie is anchored in the outer idea;.

11. A wall tie according to claim 10, wherein an inner end of the rod is threadably received in the inner flange of the inner pair of flanges, the outer flange of the inner pair being rigidly attached to the rod which is rotated from the outer end thereof to cause the two flanges of the inner pair to be drawn together, and wherein the inner flange of the outer pair is rigidly secured to the rod with the outer flange of the outer pair being capable of axial sliding movement on the rod, the rod being externally threaded on its outer end and carrying a threaded member such as a wing nut which when tightened urges the outer flange of the outer pair of flanges towards the inner flange of the outer pair.

12. A wall tie according to claim 10, wherein the rod is threaded within a surrounding sleeve to which are rigidly attached the outer flange of the inner pair and the inner flange of the outer pair, the sleeve being rotated with respect to the rod to draw the flanges of the inner pair together, and a member threaded on the outside of the sleeve being tightened against the outer of the outer pair of flanges to draw the outer pair of flanges together.

13. A wall tie according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the inner flange of the inner pair is shaped with peripheral serrations to prevent or minimise rotation of this inner flange within the hole.

14. A wall tie according to claim 1, wherein the four flanges are rigidly secured on the rod and a bonding material is injected into the space between the two flanges of each pair after the tie has been placed in the hole in the wall.

15. A wall tie according to claim 14, wherein the rod has a central bore through which the bonding material is introduced, the rod being provided with openings which extend through the wall of the rod to interconnect the central bore with the space between a pair of flanges.

16. A wall tie according to claim 14, wherein the outer flange of the outer pair of flanges has a hole through which the bonding material is introduced into the space between the outer pair of flanges.

17. A wall tie constructed and arranged substantially as herein particularly described with reference to any one of the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.