GB2256208A

GB2256208A - Cill former.

Info

Publication number: GB2256208A
Application number: GB9111577A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Marchant
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-05-30
Filing date: 1991-05-30
Publication date: 1992-12-02
Anticipated expiration: 2011-05-30
Also published as: GB9111577D0; GB2256208B

Abstract

A former for use in forming a cill for a window or door, comprises a first portion (11, 12) for engaging the top of a wall (26) on which the cill is to be formed, and a second portion (14) for supporting one or more bricks, tiles or other elements (20) at an angle inclined to the horizontal. The former also includes a support (15), preferably including a thermal break (17), for resting against the inner skin (27) of a cavity wall. <IMAGE>

Description

Cill Former This invention relates to a cill former.

Traditional brick built houses have external window cills made from wood. However owing to the increasing popularity of brickwork, and the problems associated with traditional wooden cills rotting, window cills are commonly being formed from bricks.

The aperture for a window in a wall has its lower edge formed with a course of bricks which are inclined outwardly to form a cill. These bricks are laid along a wedge of cement which adheres the cill to the top course of bricks.

If the cement is laid unevenly, or sags, the cill will have to be re-laid.

We have now devised a cill former which holds the bricks in position as the cement cures.

In accordance with this invention there is provided a cill former having a first portion for engaging the top of a wall on which a cill is to be formed, and a second portion for supporting a cill element at an angle inclined from the horizontal.

Preferably the cill former is elongate and can be cut to length for laying along the wall for supporting a plurality of cill elements (typically bricks or tiles) which are bonded side by side.

In use the cill former is fitted to the wall, and a bonding material is applied to the wall, a cill element (e.g.

brick or tile) is placed on the bonding material such that it is supported by the cill former. The cill element preferably also rests on the outer edge of the wall.

A back plate may be provided, which abuts the inside edge of the cill element (e.g. brick or tile) so that the outer edge of the cill can be formed straight. The plane of the back plate preferably lies parallel to the plane of the wall.

The cill former is preferably provided with a support element which rests against the inner skin of a double skin cavity wall. To prevent heat transfer between the inner and outer cavity walls, the support element preferably comprises material which provides a thermal break.

The support element may comprise one or more webs which extend rearwardly from the back plate, alternatively a foamed plastics backing member e.g. polystyrene may be adhered to the back plate. The backing member serving as a support for the back plate.

The upper edge of the back plate may be formed with a substantially horizontal portion for supporting the frame of a window or door which is being fitted.

The first portion of the cill former preferably comprises an L-shaped member for engaging the inner top corner of the wall. The second portion preferably comprises an inclined support member for supporting the under side of the cill elements e.g. bricks or tiles.

Cill formers may be made from sheet metal, alternatively they may be formed by extruding a plastics material.

Embodiments of this invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a cill former in accordance with this invention and; FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of an alternative embodiment of cill former when installed.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings there is shown a cill former 10 comprising an elongate vertical back plate 15.

The upper edge of the back plate is formed with a horizontal support member 16 which extends both forwardly and rearwardly of the back plate 15.

The rear face of the horizontal support member 15 is adhered to a foamed plastics backing member 17.

The lower edge of the back plate 15 is formed with an inclined support member 14 which extends downwardly and forwardly at an angle a to the horizontal.

A second back plate 13 is formed on the front edge of the inclined support member 14, and extends downwards in a substantially vertical direction. The lower edge of the second back plate 13 is turned horizontally inwards and then vertically downwards to form an L-shaped section comprising elements 12 and 11.

A conventional cavity wall comprises an inner skin 27 and an outer skin 28 as shown in Figure 2. Typically the inner skin 27 comprises compressed minerals blocks e.g. 26, the outer skin 28 being formed from conventional bricks e.g. 20. When forming an opening for a window, the outer skin 28 is left two courses of bricks lower than the inner skin. The distance is shown in the drawings as distance H.

In use, the cill former is as herein before described is placed on the surface of the upper brick 20 such that its L-shaped portion engages the inside corner of the upper brick 20. The foamed plastics backing member 27 rests against the inner skin of the cavity, thereby keeping the backing plate 15 in a vertical position. An elongate wedge portion of bonding material e.g. cement 22 is applied to the surface of the upper brick 20 such that its surface lies on the same place as that of the inclined support member 14.

A plurality of conventional house bricks e.g. 20 which have a wedge cut out of one of their ends are laid side by side ontop of the layer of cement 22. The cut ends of the house bricks abut the front face of the back plate 15, and are supported by the inclined support member 14. Thus the cement 22 adheres the row of inclined bricks e.g. 20 to the outer skin 28. The cement 22 will not sag and flow away under the presence of the bricks e.g. 20 owing to their weight being entirely born by both the cill former 10 and the outer corner of the top brick 20.

A window frame 24 and window cill 25 can be fitted to the building such that the lower edge of the window frame rests on the horizontal support member 16. To prevent rain etc entering the cavity wall, a sealant 23 is applied beneath the window frame to seal the frame to the cill.

The foamed plastics backing member 17 provides a thermal break between the inner and outer skins 27, 28.

Alternatively the cill former may be provided with webs or supports which span the cavity to support the back plate 15.

Whilst a window cill former has been described, a cill former in accordance with this invention may be used to form the threshold of a door or a ledge for an air vent etc.

Claims

1. A cill former having a first portion for engaging the top of a wall on which a cill is to be formed, and a second portion for supporting one or more cill elements at an angle inclined to the horizontal.

2. A cill former as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a back plate for the inside edge of the or each cell element to abut.

3. A cill former as claimed in claim 2, in which the top edge of the back plate is formed with a horizontal portion for supporting a window or door frame.

4. A cill former as claimed in any preceding claim, including a support element which, in use, rests against the inner skin of a cavity wall.

5. A cill former as claimed in claim 4, in which the support element is such as to form a thermal break between the inner and outer skins of the cavity wall.

6. A cill former as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said first portion comprises an L-shaped section for resting on said wall top at its rear edge.

7. A cill former substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A method of forming a cill, comprising the steps of fitting a cill former as claimed in claim 1 so that its said first portion engages the top of a wall, then applying one or more cill elements so as to be supported by the cill former at an incline to the horizontal.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, in which the or each cill element is applied so that it also rests on the outer edge of said wall.

10. A method as claimed in claim 8 or 9, in which the cill former is fitted so that a support element thereof rests against the inner skin of a cavity wall.

11. A method of forming a cill, the method being as claimed in claim 8 and substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 2 of the drawings.