GB2263973A - Level monitoring of building components - Google Patents

Abstract

In the laying of bricks or blocks to form a course in the construction of walls, a laser device (25) is used to emit a horizontal beam used as a reference datum level (30). A support (2) is placed upon each laid component (8) in turn to enable orientation of the component in a level plane by means of "spirit levels" (4). A graduated scale (18) is adjustably mounted on the support means (2). A detector device (26) is fixed at a graduated mark on the scale (18) and the scale adjusted in an aperture of the support means (2) so that the device (26) is in register with the laser beam (30). Spacer means (38, 42, 44) may be provided which project laterally when a second skin of bricks is being laid so as to form a cavity wall. <IMAGE>

Description

LEVEL MONITORING MEANS The invention relates to level monitoring means, particularly but not exclusively for use in the building construction industry, which may be found suitable for use in the laying of bricks, blocks or other building components to a very high degree of accuracy.

The invention provides a level monitoring device comprising at least one level-sensing means adapted to indicate a level orientation of a surface in a first horizontal plane, support means for said level-sensing means, said support means being adapted for movement along an upper surface of a row or course of construction components, the device further comprising a measuring member adapted to extend heightwise with respect to the support means and provided with a graduated scale capable of indicating a pre-determined distance between said first horizontal plane and a second horizontal plane, there being mounted upon the measuring member for heightwise adjustment with respect thereof, a reference device adapted to indicate a heightwise position in register with a fixed, horizontal, datum plane.

Preferably, said reference device may be capable of receiving an external reference signal, conveniently an optical signal. A level monitoring device according to the invention may therefore conveniently be used in association with an optical level-finder or a source of light, which in an example to be described below may be laser light.

Conveniently, the support means may comprise a block or plate adapted to be placed upon the upper surface of the top course of a wall during its construction from components such as bricks or shaped concrete blocks, and to be moved along the course as construction progresses.

If preferred, the block or plate may be provided with roller means or slides adapted to facilitate linear movement along the wall.

If required, downwardly extending guide means may optionally be provided to enable the support means to straddle each wall component in turn as required.

Conveniently, the guide means may be adjustably mounted with respect to the first mentioned guide means to accommodate wall components of a range of widths.

Advantageously, at least one spacer means may be mounted so as to project from the monitoring means in a lateral direction transversely of the coure of bricks.

The distance by which the spacer means project may be adjustable to a predetermined distance appropriate to the width of a cavity to be formed in a double-skinned wall.

The invention further provides, in another of its several aspects, a method of monitoring accurate positioning, with respect to a fixed horizontal datum plane, of components to be positioned in a construction comprising superposed rows or courses of said components, comprising laying a partial row or course in a first horizontal plane and adjustably mounting a graduated scale member upon a support means associated with the last laid component in said partial row or course so that one of a plurality of graduations on said scale member lies in said datum plane, said graduations being vertically spaced apart by a distance equal to the overall depth of each row or course, completing said row or course while maintaining said graduation in said datum plane, adjusting the mounting of said scale member so that the next lower graduation of the scale lies in said datum plane and repeating the steps of the method until the construction reaches a desired stage of completion.

There will now be described an example of a device according to the invention. It will be understood that the description is given by way of example only and not by way of limitation.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is an isometric view of a device according to the invention in use upon a partly-constructed wall; Figure 2 and 3 are side and top plan views of the device of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows the device in use with a laser light emitting arrangement; Figure 5 illustrates a wall construction produced while using the device according to the invention; and Figure 6 is an isometric view of the device provided with a cavity spacing means.

The device shown in Figures 1 to 3 by way of example comprises a block 2 of tough moulded nylon material and having two elongate level-sensing devices 4, in the form of so-called spirit (bubble) levels, set at a right angle to each other and adjusted to a perfectly level plane during manufacture.

For the sake of convenience in the present example the block 2 is arranged to have a length equal to that of a standard brick plus a fillet of mortar, e.g. 225 mm by 100 mm wide, the thickness of a brick. Although wheels may be provided to facilitate the panel moving along the upper course of a wall being construction of standard construction blocks or bricks 8, there is a likelihood that the wheels may become, in use, obstructed by mortar or the like. Therefore in the present example, the block 2 is provided with four legs 10 to contact the wall components.A portion 12 of the panel 2 is arranged to overhang the brick courses and is provided with a rectangular aperture 14 adjacent to a centre-line 16, through which aperture passes a rectangular cross-sectional measuring member 18, a vertical side surface 20 of which (Figure 3) indicated a half-way position on a brick 8, enabling the off-set arrangement of the courses to be readily checked for accuracy. The member 18 is firmly secured by two clamping bolts 22.

Adjustably mounted on the member 18 by means of a clamping screw 24 is a radiation sensitive indicator device 26 which in the present example is sensitive to laser light.

Laser light may be emitted from a source 28, see Figure 4, which is placed within an area to be provided with surrounding walls in the construction of a building.

The source 28 will emit an accurately level beam of light 30 in the shape of a disc of which the source is at the centre preferably at an elevation above the final course, but within range of the member 18. A laser-light sensitive detection device 26 within the field of the beam will respond by emitting an audible note or 'bleep" at a varying rate according to how far from accurate alignment is the device 26 with the plane of the beam 30. A steady note indicates accurate alignment. Thus the beam acts as a reference level or datum plane for each course of all the walls, and a high degree of accuracy of construction of the building is achieved. It will be understood that the device may be used with any type of construction block and a suitably calibrated measuring member selected, according to the height of the individual courses.

The operation of the device will now be described: A first brick 8 is laid upon mortar bed on a concrete base in a foundation trench. The device as shown in Figures 1 to 3 is placed upon the brick 8 so that the brick is received in the angle (900) between the block and the member 18, and the block is levelled according to the two spirit levels 4, so that its upper surface lies in a first horizontal plane. The member 18 is already clamped in the aperture 14 of the block 2 and comprises a box-section tube graduated at 32 in measurements corresponding to the depth of the courses being laid, i.e.

the difference between first and second horizontal planes. The detection device 26 is then positioned and clamped at a graduation mark nearest to the laser beam.

The rod 18 may then be adjusted and re-clamped in the aperture 14 in a position at which-the device 26 is in exact alignment with the laser beam which is emitted in the datum plane, thereby indicating the heightwise distance between the datum plane and the first plane. The bolts 22 are tightened and the next brick is laid end-to-end with the first brick. The device is moved along the wall and any corrections to the orientation of the second brick are made with the aid of the spirit levels 4 and by re-checking the laser detection device 26. The process is continued until the course is completed. The laying of the second course is commenced when the position of the laser detection device is reduced by one graduation i.e. the height of one course by adjustment of the screw 24. Each course is then laid in a similar manner.The member 18 remains undisturbed in the aperture 14 of the block 2.

Should the height of the wall reach'that at which the laser beam is emitted the laser beam may be raised to a new, higher level, or, the member 18 which extends downwardly from the block 2 may be re-secured in place as shown on the right hand side of Figure 4. The detection device 26 is re-secured to the member 18 at a graduation mark 32 nearest the laser beam, the bolts 22 are slackened and the member is moved vertically until the detector device 26 is aligned with the laser beam 30. The bolts 22 are re-tightened and the construction of the wall is then continued.

Thus, the use of this device enables a level check to be made on each block as it is laid to ensure each block is accurately laid level with its neighbouring blocks and in courses which are accurately spaced heightwise of one another. Thus, the need for corrective re-building of entire stretches of a course is avoided. The ease with which desired accuracy can be obtained is particularly well illustrated in the construction of so-called "dwarf" walls which as may be seen from Figure 5 serve to support joists 34 laid across them. Where dwarf walls, 36, are constructed in a less than accurate manner, it will be found that the joists will "span" a wall that is too short, leaving a gap into which packing needs to be inserted to give the necessary support. Packing and/or trimming will be time-consuming and labour-intensive.

However, such corrective operations are rendered almost always unnecessary in use of the device of the invention.

In Figure 6, the device is shown provided with a distance piece 38 clamped to the member 18 by bolts 40.

Projecting from the spacer 38 is an adjustable threaded spacer bolt 42. Two further threaded spacer bolts 44 project from the block 2. The distance D by which the spacer bolts project may be adjusted according to the desired width of a cavity to be formed between the wall being constructed and a previously built wall 46, the two walls being arranged to provide two skins of a cavity wall arrangement including wall ties 48 (Figure 4). It will be understood that the previously built wall may be of blocks or brick-work or may be of timber-framed construction.

Various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims (14)

1. A level monitoring means comprising at least one level-sensing means adapted to indicate a level orientation of a surface in a first horizontal plane, support means for said level-sensing means, said support means being adapted for movement along an upper surface of a row or course of construction components, the device further comprising a measuring member adapted to extend heightwise with respect to the support means and provided with a graduated scale capable of indicating a pre-determined distance between said first horizontal plane and a second horizontal plane, there being mounted upon the measuring member for heightwise adjustment with respect thereof, a reference device adapted to indicate a heightwise position in register with a fixed, horizontal, datum plane.

2. Monitoring means as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reference device is capable of receiving an external reference signal.

3. Monitoring means as claimed in claim 2, wherein the signal is an optical level-finder.

4. Mounting means as claimed in claim 2, wherein the signal is a source of light.

5. Monitoring means as claimed in claim 4, wherein the signal is a source of laser light.

6. Monitoring means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support means comprises a block or plate adapted to be placed upon an upper surface of a component of a wall to be built of courses of said components and to be moved along said course of components being laid.

7. Monitoring means as claimed in claim 6, wherein the support means is caused to slide along the row or course of components.

8. Monitoring means as claimed in claim 6, wherein the support means is provided with roller means to facilitate linear movement along the wall.

9. Monitoring means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein guide means are provided for the support means as it is moved along the row or course.

10. Monitoring means as claimed in claim 6, wherein said block or plate has an aperture into which said measuring member is firmly securable.

11. Monitoring means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one spacer means is mounted so as to project laterally by a predetermined distance appropriate to the width of a cavity in a double-skinned wall.

12. A method of monitoring accurate positioning with respect to a fixed horizontal datum plane of components to be positioned in a construction comprising superposed rows or courses of said components, comprising laying a partial row or course in a first horizontal plane and adjustably mounting a graduated scale member upon a support means associated with the last laid component in said partial row or course so that one of a plurality of graduations on said scale member lies in said datum plane, said graduations being vertically spaced apart by a distance equal to the overall depth of each row or course, completing said row or course while maintaining said graduation in said datum plane, adjusting the mounting of said scale member so that the next lower graduation of the scale lies in said datum plane and repeating the steps of the method until the construction reaches a desired stage of completion.

13. A level monitoring means constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the drawings.

14. A method of monitoring the accurate positioning of components with respect to a fixed datum plane, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.