GB2292570A

GB2292570A - Cavity wall closure

Info

Publication number: GB2292570A
Application number: GB9503280A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lewis Russell Jackson; David Arthur Jaina; Kenneth Hazleton Dabell
Original assignee: T D I
Current assignee: T D I
Priority date: 1994-08-25
Filing date: 1995-02-20
Publication date: 1996-02-28
Anticipated expiration: 2015-02-20
Also published as: GB9417147D0; GB9503280D0; GB2292570B

Abstract

For closing a wall cavity and providing for damp-proofing and insulation, a closure 10 has a rigid core 12 surrounded on three sides by a compressible, thermally insulating material layer 14. A layer of pressure resistant material 24 with damp-proofing properties is wrapped around the core 12 and the layer 14, with an overlapping section 25 adapted to overlie the junction between the closure 10 and an inner wall defining the cavity. The closure 10 can be secured in the cavity by wall ties on which the closure 10 is retained by the use of a ribbon strip 26. <IMAGE>

Description

Cavity Closures This invention relates to apparatus for closing a wall cavity of a structure.

Various type of cavity closures are already available, including closures defined by rigid plastics mouldings or extrusions having recesses therein which can be filled with a rigid foamed plastics, whereby the closure provides both integral damp-proofing and insulation. The building of cavity walls is however inevitably subject to inaccuracies, whereby the cavity spacing can vary in dimension. A result is that either the walls are built around such rigid cavity closures, or the closures have to be forced into position after the walls are built, which can often lead to damage of the closures and thereby possible reduction in the damp-proofing and insulation properties thereof.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for closing a wall cavity of a structure, the apparatus comprising support means formed of a substantially rigid material, a layer of a compressible material on at least one side of the support means, and a layer of a water impermeable material at least partially enclosing the support means and the compressible material, whereby to form a closure which is compressible to accommodate variations in the spacing between the cavity walls.

Preferably the compressible material has thermal insulating properties, and may be a foamed plastics material, formed, for example, of either expanded polystyrene foam or extruded polystyrene foam. The compressible material may also be provided on opposed sides of the support means, and preferably is provided around three sides of the latter.

The water impermeable material may extend outwardly from the compressible material layer on said one side of the support means, whereby to overlie an end face of a respective wall in use. The water impermeable material may be in the form of a pressure resistant material having damp-proofing properties and may be of polyethylene or polyurethane.

Preferably also the support means may be formed of a material capable of retaining fixing devices, for example wood.

The apparatus may further include means for connecting the closure to a locator for locating the closure in the cavity, the locator being adapted to extend across the cavity between the walls.

The connecting means may comprise an elongate strip secured at intervals along its length to that side of the closure which is innermost in use, whereby the locator can be positioned between the strip and the closure between adjacent securing locations, and thereby position the closure in the cavity. The strip may be secured by staples which extend into the support means.

The strip may be in the form of a ribbon.

An. embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: rig. 1 is a perspective view of a cavity closure according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing the closure with locators for positioning the closure in a cavity; and Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view showing a closure according to the invention in use.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, a cavity closure 10 has a support or core 12 formed of a substantially rigid material, for example wood. The core 12 is of rectangular cross-section and of any desired length as hereinafter described. The core 12 is surrounded on three sides thereof by a layer 14 of a compressible material which has thermal insulating properties, for example a foamed plastics material such as expanded or extruded polystyrene foam. The foam layer 14, on one side 16 of the core 12 has a section 18 of fixed width, whereas, at the opposed side 20 of the core 12, a section 22 of the layer 14 may be formed to have a width necessary to form an overall width for the closure equivalent to the width of the cavity in which the closure is to be used.

A layer 24 of a pressure resistant material having damp-proofing properties is wrapped around the exposed sides of the core 12 and the layer 14, the flexible damp -proofing layer 24 preferably being formed of polyethylene or polyurethane. The layer 24 is wrapped upon itself along the exposed side 26 of the core 12, and the overlapping section 25 of the layer 24 extends outwardly from the section 22 of the layer 14 for a purpose hereinafter described. The damp-proofing layer 24 is bonded to the outer surfaces of the core 12 and the layer 14 by any suitable adhesive. Alternatively, the layer 24 may be fixed by other suitable means, such as staples.

The closure 10 has an elongate configuration and can be cut to lengths desired for respective applications.

To assist in locating the closure 10 in the wall cavity, an elongate strip 26 of a material, such as ribbon, extends along the length of the closure 10 on the outer face of that side 28 thereof which is innermost in use. The strip 26 is secured at intervals along its length to the closure by means of staples 30 which extend through the layer 24 and the foamed plastics material into the core 12. Locators in the form of wall ties 32 each have a locating leg 34 which can be positioned between the strip 26 and the closure 10 between a respective pair of adjacent staples 30, whereby to retain the closure 10 in position in the cavity when the ties 32 locate between outer and inner walls 36, 38 respectively to extend across the cavity.

Building variations resulting in a cavity of inaccurate width can be accommodated by the compressibility of the closure 10 due to the flexible layer 24 surrounding the compressible foamed plastics layer 14. Therefore the closure 10 can easily be inserted into the cavity without damage, can easily be located in its correct position, and can then be easily retained in that correct position. A window frame can then be positioned in a conventional manner to overlie the junction between the closure 10 and the outer cavity wall 36, with the layer section 25 overlying the junction between the closure 10 and the inner wall 38.

The use of the rigid core 12, particularly when the latter is formed of wood, enables easy fastening to the closure 10 of any relevant type of internal finish, or the fastening thereto of a mesh for use in plastering.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the invention. For example the closure may be formed of other suitable materials and it may be that the foam plastics material need not locate around three sides of the core, provided there is sufficient compressibility. The locator and connector may be formed of other materials and may be of other configurations.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing Specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

Claims:

1. Apparatus for closing a wall cavity of a structure, the apparatus comprising support means formed of a substantially rigid material, a layer of a compressible material on at least one side of the support means, and a layer of a water impermeable material at least partially enclosing the support means and the compressible material, whereby to form a closure which is compressible to accommodate variations in the spacing between the cavity walls.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the compressible material has thermal insulating properties.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the compressible material a foamed plastics material.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein the plastics material is expanded polystyrene foam.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein the plastics material is extruded polystyrene foam.

6. Apparatus according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the compressible material is also provided on opposed sides of the support means,

7. Apparatus according to any of the preceding Calims, wherein the compressible material is provided around three sides of the support means.

8. Apparatus according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein water impermeable material extends outwardly from the compressible material layer on said one side of the support means, whereby to overlie an end face of a respective wall in use.

9. Apparatus according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein water impermeable material is in the form of a pressure resistant material having damp-proofing properties.

10. Apparatus according to Claim 9, wherein the water impermeable material is polyethylene.

11. Apparatus according to Claim 9, wherein the water impermeable material is polyurethane.

12. Apparatus according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the support means is formed of a material capable of retaining fixing devices.

13. Apparatus according to Claim 12, wherein the material is wood.

14. Apparatus according to any of the preceding Claims, including means for connecting the closure to a locator fot locating the closure in the cavity, the locator being adapted to extend across the cavity between the walls.

15. Apparatus according to Claim 14, wherein the connecting means comprises an elongate strip secured at intervals along its length to that side of the closure which is innermost in use, whereby the locator can be positioned between the strip and the closure between adjacent securing locations, and thereby position the closure in the cavity.

16. Apparatus according to Claim 15, wherein the strip is secured by staples which extend into the support means.

17. Apparatus according to Claim 14 or 15, wherein the strip may be in the form of a ribbon.

18. Apparatus according to a wall cavity of a structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

19. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding Claims.