GB2296028A

GB2296028A - Wall support fitting

Info

Publication number: GB2296028A
Application number: GB9525117A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Carl Dennis Compton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-12-13
Filing date: 1995-12-08
Publication date: 1996-06-19
Anticipated expiration: 2015-12-08
Also published as: GB9525117D0; GB9426485D0; GB2296028B

Abstract

A wall support fitting for mounting on an adjustable prop 7 comprises a wall support member 9 which has a generally planar support surface; a back stop 1 associated with the support member 9, to limit the distance to which the support member can be inserted in the wall 5; at least one of the wall support member 9 and the back stop 1 being provided with means 3 for engaging with the side of the prop 7; and a mounting member 10 connected directly or indirectly to the support member 3, for mounting the fitting on the prop, characterised in that when the fitting is mounted on a vertical prop the mounting member 10 is substantially higher than the support member 9. The fitting when mounted on a prop can support masonry in a wall and resists the resultant turning forces. No removal of bricks is necessary prior to insertion of the wall support in the wall. <IMAGE>

Description

WALL SUPPORT FITTING The present invention relates to a wall support fitting for mounting on an adjustable prop, for example a prop of the type known as an "acro".

Adjustable props are commonly used in the building trade, for propping up masonry whilst repair or other work is carried out below the masonry which is being propped up.

The use of some form of prop is particularly important where structural brickwork or the like is removed, for example during the installation of a window in an existing wall. The insertion of an effective prop is extremely difficult without removing most or all of the underlying masonry or brickwork, whereas the need for an effective prop may arise as soon as even a partial opening has been made in the wall.

If a double skinned wall is to be excavated the problems are increased, because it is necessary to prop up both walls, necessitating a prop on either side of the wall.

One attempt which has been proposed to remedy the above problems is described in British Patent Application 2 246 157. This involves the use of a masonry support fitting which is mounted on an acro, or similar adjustable prop. The fitting has a planar support surface which has attached to its underside a perpendicular support web.

One edge of the support web carries prop engagement means.

In use, the prop abuts the underside of the support surface at that end of the support surface which overhangs the prop engagement means. A rim may be provided around the area of engagement of the prop and the underside of the support surface, for helping to secure the prop. The fitting is provided with a back stop to limit the distance to which the support surface can be inserted in a wall.

When the fitting is mounted on an acro, a wall may be supported by the support surface without having to remove all of the bricks or masonry underneath the support point.

A problem with this fitting is that the support web takes up space underneath the support surface. This necessitates the partial excavation of the wall beneath the support point to accommodate the support web, if the support member is to be fully inserted in a wall. This partial excavation takes considerable time and increases the cost of doing the job. If the support surface is not fully inserted in a wall, it is necessary to pack out the space between the wall and the end stop with bricks or blocks to reduce the turning moment about the support web caused by the weight of the wall which is being supported.

Moreover, the support web hinders the insertion of a decorative lintel or the like into the space beneath the supported part of the wall.

It is an object of the present invention to reduce at least some of the above problems.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a wall support fitting for mounting on an adjustable prop, the fitting comprising: a. a wall support member which has a generally planar support surface; b. a back stop associated with the support member, to limit the distance to which the support member can be inserted in the wall; c. at least one of the wall support member and the back stop being provided with means for engaging with the side of the prop; and d. a mounting member connected directly or indirectly to the wall support member, for mounting the fitting on the prop; characterised in that when the fitting is mounted on a vertical prop the mounting member is substantially higher than the support member.

When the fitting is in use, the arrangement of the mounting member, back stop, and support member enables the fitting to resist turning forces caused by the weight of masonry which is being supported.

A support web is not required underneath the support member, which can therefore be fully inserted into the masonry or brickwork of a wall until the wall abuts the back stop. It is therefore not necessary to shore up the fitting by wedging bricks or the like between the back stop and the wall. Similarly, because there is no support web it is not necessary to remove bricks singly from the region of the wall beneath the point which is to be supported. All that is required is the removal of sufficient mortar to allow insertion of the wall support member, which is preferably thin enough to be inserted between adjacent tiers of bricks.

The term "masonry" is used herein to refer to stone, brickwork, or other materials from which a wall of a building is constructed.

The fitting may be fabricated from any suitable structural materials. Preferably it is fabricated from metal, notably steel or aluminium. The fitting may assembled from a plurality of metal plates or other metal parts which may be welded together and reinforced with brackets or the like for structural stability.

The support member may be of different horizontal length depending on the job for which it is to be used. For example a length of around 90 to 110 mm may be sufficient to support a wall comprising a single stack of bricks, whereas for a double skin wall construction a length of around 250 to 300 mm may be required. The required length for a particular job will readily be apparent to the skilled person.

The means for engaging the wall support member and/or the back stop with the side of the prop may simply comprise the back surface of the support member or the back stop, if the prop is adjacent to these when the mounting member is mounted on the prop. In a preferred embodiment however, the engagement means comprise a cradle, groove, or bracket which is adapted to receive the prop. A suitable bracket may be formed from a single metal plate, or it may be assembled from a plurality of components, for example a pair of metal tubes which are welded to a curved metal plate for receiving the side of the prop.

The engagement means may optionally include means for clamping the fitting around the prop to prevent accidental horizontal movement of the prop relative to the wall support member when the fitting is mounted on the prop.

It is preferred that the mounting member is provided with a downwardly depending rim within which the top of the prop may be retained when the fitting is mounted on the prop, so as to reduce the ability of the prop to move horizontally relative to the fitting. Alternatively or additionally, the mounting member may be provided with an adjustable bracket for receiving the top of the prop, and which can be adjusted to provide a close fit for different diameters and shapes of prop.

The back stop is preferably mounted on the support member by welding or other suitable means, so as to provide a wall engaging surface which is generally normal to the plane of the support surface of the wall support member.

However it would also be possible for the back stop to depend from the mounting member instead of being directly connected to the wall support member.

In a preferred embodiment the mounting member is connected to the support member via the back stop. The back stop may therefore act as a vertical spacer between the mounting member and the support member. However it would also be possible to connect the mounting member to the support member via a connecting member which is separate from the back stop and which has a vertical component so that the mounting member lies above the support member when in use. Similarly the prop engagement means could be indirectly connected to the wall support member via such a connecting member between the wall support member and the mounting member.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the following drawing in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a wall support fitting in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a front view of the wall support fitting of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a bottom view of the wall support fitting of Figure 1; Figures 4 and 5 show the wall support fitting of Figure 1 from two different perspectives; Figures 4a and 5a are views from a similar perspective to Figures 4 and 5, of an alternative embodiment of a wall support fitting in accordance with the present invention; Figure 6 is a front view of a pair of fittings in use holding up brickwork in a wall; and Figure 7 is a side view of one of the fittings shown in Figure 6.

The fitting shown in Figures 1 to 4 comprises a wall support member 9 which is welded to a steel plate 1 which functions as a back stop. Te back stop 1 has welded to it means for engaging with the side of a prop, comprising a metal bracket 3 which is shaped to receive the prop. A mounting member, in the form of a mounting plate 10, is welded to the top of the back stop 1, and reinforcing brackets 4 add to the rigidity of the fitting. The brackets 4 may comprise triangular pieces of metal as shown here, or they could each comprise a piece of metal pipe, for example, which spans between the back stop 1 and mounting plate 10.

The mounting plate 10 is provided with a rim 2 on its lower surface, for engaging the square plate at the top of an acro or other adjustable prop. The rim 2 could be replaced by two or more engagement members moveable with respect to one another, for example an adjustable bracket, for engaging the mounting plate securely with the tops of different sizes or shapes of prop.

The fitting may be made to any suitable size for use in a particular type of job. The wall support member 9 may be about 90 mm long, for supporting a single layer of bricks in a wall. In the alternative embodiment shown in Figures 4a and 5a, the wall support member 9a is about 290 mm long, for use in supporting both walls of a double skin brickwork structure.

In use, the fitting is pushed onto the prop 7 so that the bracket 3 abuts the side of the prop 7, and the top of the prop is located between the bracket 3 and the mounting plate 10. The fitting is then pushed down the prop 7 until the square top of the prop 7 abuts the underside of the mounting plate 10, and is a close fit for the rim 2.

When mounted on top of the prop 7, the mounting member 10 is substantially higher than the wall support member 9.

When the wall support member 9 is fully inserted in a wall so that the back stop 1 abuts the surface of the wall, the fitting resists rotational forces caused by the weight of the masonry acting on the support member 9.

Figures 6 and 7 show how a fitting mounted on an acro is used to support masonry in a wall. Where a single skin wall 5 is to be supported, the operator typically cuts horizontally into the mortar between adjacent bricks or stones so as to form a flat channel through the wall of sufficient dimensions to admit the wall support member 9.

A disc cutter other the like may conveniently be used in the cutting operation. The fitting is mounted on an acro as previously described, and the height of the acro is adjusted to bring the wall support member 9 into registration with the channel in the wall 5. The acro is brought towards the wall so that the wall support member 9 comes into partial and then full engagement with the wall. Insertion of the wall support member into the channel in the wall may be facilitated if necessary by hammering the fitting or the acro.

Once the wall support member 9 is fully inserted in the wall 5 underlying masonry can be excavated. In Figure 6 a pair of wall support fittings, each mounted on an acro are used to support a wall 5. The area of masonry shown in hatched lines can then be removed, for example for repair, or for the fitting of a door, window, or the like.

Where both skins of a double skinned wall such as the one shown in Figure 7 are to be supported, the procedure is typically as follows. The operator goes to the inside wall 8 and finds the mortar between adjacent blocks 6 where the wall is to be supported. This mortar is then cut through with a disc cutter or the like, and a note is made of the height of the cut. The operator then measures up the external wall 5 to the height of the inner cut location. This height should correspond to a location between adjacent bricks in the wall 5, if each block has a height which is a multiple of the height of each brick.

Here for example three bricks are the same height as one block 6.

The operator then cuts right through the external mortar to produce a channel in the external wall 5 which is in registration with the channel in the internal wall 8. The wall support member 9a, for example as shown in Figures 4a and 4b is then fully inserted through the external wall 5 and through the internal wall 8, with hammering if necessary. Both walls are therefore supported by a single fitting located on an acro by the outside wall. It is not necessary to provide a separate acro by the inner wall.

Nor is it necessary to excavate bricks singly from a space below the channel to allow access of a support web beneath the wall support member 9. For a similar reason, new bricks, lintels, or the like may readily be inserted beneath the wall support member 9.

After completion of the excavation and other work, the wall support member 9 is removed and the remaining thin channel is filled in with mortar or other suitable material.

The invention therefore provides a simple wall support fitting for an adjustable prop which is easy to use, and which does not require the removal of bricks before it can be inserted in a wall.

Claims

1. A wall support fitting for mounting on an adjustable prop, the fitting comprising: a. a wall support member which has a generally planar support surface; b. a back stop associated with the support member, to limit the distance to which the support member can be inserted in the wall; c. at least one of the wall support member and the back stop being provided with means for engaging with the side of the prop; and d. a mounting member connected directly or indirectly to the wall support member, for mounting the fitting on the prop; characterised in that when the fitting is mounted on a vertical prop the mounting member is substantially higher than the support member.

2. A wall support fitting as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the mounting member is connected to the support member via the back stop.

3. A wall support fitting as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the mounting member is provided with an adjustable bracket for securing the mounting member to the top of the prop.

4. A wall support fitting as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the wall support member is in the range 90 to 300 mm long.

5. A wall support fitting as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the wall support member is in the range 90 to 110 mm long.

6. A wall support fitting as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the wall support member is in the range 250 to 300 mm long.

7. A wall support fitting as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which has no part that is disposed in the space vertically below the wall support member when the wall support member is disposed horizontally.

8. A wall support fitting as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which is provided with means for clamping the prop to the prop engagement means.

9. A wall support fitting substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in any one of the Figures of the drawing.