GB2305194A

GB2305194A - Extension plate for masonry support

Info

Publication number: GB2305194A
Application number: GB9619124A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Graham Law
Original assignee: Ancon Clark Ltd
Current assignee: Ancon Clark Ltd
Priority date: 1995-09-13
Filing date: 1996-09-13
Publication date: 1997-04-02
Anticipated expiration: 2016-09-13
Also published as: GB2305194B; GB9619124D0; GB9518740D0

Abstract

An extension plate 12 attaches to a masonry support bracket 10, whereby the horizontal surface of the bracket available to support brickwork 15, for example, is extended by the plate. The plate 12 can clip temporarily on to the bracket, e.g. by struck-out tongues, or can be permanently attached thereto. e.g. by welding or bolting: it may also be a generally planar plate or a U - section spring plate.

Description

support Assemblv" This invention relates to a support assembly, in particular for use in supporting masonry.

Masonry support systems are well known in the art. One known system comprises an L-shaped plate or "angle" optionally attached by its vertical leg to a bracket which in turn is fixed to a supporting wall. When the system is attached to the supporting wall the angle provides a horizontal surface for supporting brickwork and the load of the brickwork on the horizontal surface is transferred back through the bracket onto the supporting wall.

Masonry support systems often need to accommodate tolerances in a structure, and in use of the above system, shims or spacers are often placed between the bracket and the supporting wall to distance the horizontal surface from it and thereby allow the supported masonry to be spaced away from the wall. An excessive amount of shims (more than around 12mm) can result, in use, in unacceptable movement and deflection of the support system and bending of the fixings used to attach the bracket to the wall.

UK building regulations require at least 213 of the width of masonry to be supported, although a horizontal loadbearing surface directly beneath the rear half of the row of supported masonry bears most of the load from the row. It has been found by the inventors that the portion of the horizontal load-bearing surface extending beyond the central long axis of the row of masonry in fact bears negligible load.

According to the present invention there is provided a support assembly for use in supporting a construction element such as a brick, the assembly comprising a load-bearing member having a surface which, in use of the assembly, is disposed generally horizontally and supports the construction element, the load-bearing member being adapted to attach to a supporting structure such as a wall such that when attached the load of the construction element is transferred onto the wall, the load-bearing member also having an extension plate extending therefrom so as to extend the generally horizontally disposed surface available to support the construction element.

The invention also provides an extension plate for use with a support assembly as defined above, the extension plate comprising a plate (preferably flat) for supporting a brick and means to attach the extension plate to a load-bearing member.

The extensions plate and/or the load-bearing member can be of suitable ferrous metal, such as steel (preferably stainless steel), or some other environmentally resistant metal. Preferably the metals of the loadbearing member and the extension plate are the same.

The extension plate can be permanently attached to the load-bearing member eg by welding or by gluing it thereto. In one example, the extension plate is simply attached to the surface of the load-bearing member by welding or gluing. Alternatively, the extension plate can be adapted to attach to the load-bearing member eg by having apertures to receive fixings such as bolts etc which bolt the extension plate to the load-bearing member. In other embodiments the extension plate can comprise clip means (integral, glued or welded thereto) which fastens permanently or temporarily to the loadbearing member. In one such embodiment a U-shaped clip is formed by a first (upper) leg of the extension plate and a second (lower) leg of the clip. The first and second legs are biassed together by spring force, and the clip grips the load-bearing member between the two legs.The masonry is disposed on the upper surface of the first leg. The extension plate can be fitted to standard masonry support systems.

Embodiments of the extension plate can, where necessary, be fixed to different thicknesses of loadbearing member eg 4-10mm thickness. Clip means, where present, can be adjustable so as to clamp a wide range of thicknesses of load-bearing member. A screw-down clamp on the extension plate can typically comprise the clip means so as to lock the extension plate firmly to the load-bearing surface.

The extension plate preferably extends 10-20mm or more beyond the edge of the load-bearing member. The portion of the extension plate extending beyond the edge of the load-bearing member does not, in use, need to bear significant loads of masonry provided that the masonry is supported at least along half of its width by the load-bearing member itself. The extension plate thus acts as a balancing arm for the masonry. Thus, the placing of shims between a support assembly and a wall can be minimized, since the width of the horizontal load-bearing member can be extended by about 20mm. It is possible to provide extension plates extending more than 20mm beyond the edge of the loadbearing member and for an extension plate to accept greater proportions of the load.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; Fig. 1 is a side view of a support assembly in use; Fig. 2 is a plan view of an extension plate; Fig. 3 is a side view of the extension plate of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a second support assembly; Fig. 5 is a plan view of a third support assembly; Fig. 6a is a side view of a fourth and a fifth support assembly; Fig. 6b is a side view of the fifth support assembly; Fig. 6c is a side view of an extension plate therefore; and Fig. 7 is a side view of a sixth support assembly.

Referring now to the drawings, a support assembly comprises a bracket 5 having a fixing such as a bolt (not shown) to attach to a wall 7, an L-shaped angle 8 having a vertical leg 9 and a horizontal leg 10, and an extension plate 12 clipped to the horizontal leg 10.

The horizontal leg 10 provides a generally horizontal load-bearing surface for a row of bricks 15. The bricks 15 are disposed on the horizontal leg 10 with the rear halves 15a of the bricks nearest the wall 7 directly above the horizontal leg 10. The outer face 10a of the horizontal leg 10 is aligned with the midline 15c of the bricks 15. In this arrangement, most of the load of the bricks 15 is borne by the horizontal leg 10.

The extension plate 12 comprises a generally flat plate 20 which has been slotted in four locations 21 to define two legs 24. The legs 24 are bent out of the plane of the flat plate 20 so that the plate 20 and legs 24 together form a clip which can abut the horizontal leg 10 on opposing faces, the clip having an apex 24a on each of the legs 24 which holds the horizontal leg 10 against a face (eg face 20a) of the plate 20.

The extension plate 12 is clipped onto the free edge 10a of the horizontal leg 10 by passing the edge 10a between the plate 20 and the legs 24. The plate 20 is disposed on the upper face of the horizontal leg 10 between the horizontal leg 10 and the bricks 15.

The plate 20 has a portion 20b which, when the extension plate 12 is clipped to the horizontal leg 10, extends beyond the face 10a of the horizontal leg 10.

The plate 20 typically extends beyond the face 10a by a predetermined amount which can be between 10 and 20mm, eg 15mm. The predetermined amount is chosen in conjunction with the width of the bricks 15 to be supported in order to extend the horizontal surface from the edge 10a for a distance of around 1/6th the width of the brick 15.

With reference to Fig. 4, a second embodiment of a support assembly has an identical bracket 5 and L shaped angle 8 but a modified extension plate 25. The modified extension plate 25 comprises a plate 30 having legs (shown as 34 in outline) welded, bolted, screwed glued or otherwise attached to one face of the plate 30. The legs 34 co-operate with the plate 30 in the same way as the plate 20 and legs 24 to grip the horizontal leg 10 of the angle.

In an alternative embodiment (not shown) the plate 30 is slotted and the legs 34 have formations thereon to engage the slots and fix to the plate 30 without other forms of fixing.

A simpler form of extension plate 35 is shown in Fig.

5. The extension plate 35 comprises a simple flat plate 40 which is fixed to the horizontal leg 10 by screws, bolts or similar fixings received in apertures 42 in the plate 40.

Fig. 6a shows two different variants of extension plate. In the first Fig. 6 variant, the extension plate 45 comprises a plate 50 which, in use, extends between the horizontal leg 10 and the brick 15 beyond the face 10a of the leg 10. The flat plate 50 then bends to form a square end 51 and a leg 54 which, with the plate 50, clips the horizontal leg 10. The second variant is similar but has a rounded end 52.

Fig. 6b shows the rounded-end variant in more detail with a view of the assembly and Fig. 6c shows the extension plate 45. Figs. 6b and c give exemplary and non-limiting details of sizes which work well for certain embodiments of the invention. Table 1 below shows further exemplary (non-limiting) detail of angles and sizes a, b and c shown in Fig 6c. This detail gives measurements applicable to any embodiment of the invention.

Table 1 Anale Thickness a+l b+0 c -o -1 4mm 5 3 5 Smm 6 4 6 6mm 7 5 6 8mm 9 7 8 10mm 11 9 10 The rounded end variant may have advantages over other designs.

Fig. 7 shows a further variant of extension plate 55 having a flat plate 60 of sufficient length to extend from the wall 7 to a position around 21i the width of the bricks 15 to be supported. A leg 64 provides a clip for the horizontal leg 10 as previously described. In use, the extension plate 55 clips onto the horizontal leg 10 with the plate 60 on the lower surface of the horizontal leg and abutting the wall at one end of the plate 60, and the leg 64 on the upper surface of the leg 10 and under the brick 15. The extension plate 55 thus also functions as a closer for concealing the bracket 5 and angle 8 from below.

Modifications and improvements may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

Claims:

1 A support assembly for use in supporting a construction element, the assembly comprising a loadbearing member having a surface which, in use of the assembly, is disposed generally horizontally and supports the construction element, the load-bearing member being adapted to attach to a supporting structure, the load-bearing member also having an extension plate extending therefrom so as to extend the generally horizontally disposed surface available to support the construction element.

2 An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extension plate is permanently attached to the loadbearing member.

3 An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plate is attached to the load-bearing member by gluing, welding, or by bolts.

4 An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extension plate comprises clip means which can fasten permanently or temporarily to the load-bearing member.

5 An assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the clip means are adjustable so as to clamp a wide range of thicknesses of load-bearing member.

6 An assembly as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the clip means comprises a screw-operated clamp.

7 An assembly as claimed in claim 4, 5 or 6, wherein the clip means forms an integral part of the extension plate.

8 An assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the clip means comprises first and second legs biassed together by a spring force.

9 An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the extension plate extends 10-20mm or more beyond the edge of the load-bearing member.

10 An extension plate for use with a support assembly as defined in any preceding claim, the extension plate comprising a plate for supporting a brick and means to attach the extension plate to a load-bearing member.

11 An assembly as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, any one of the accompanying drawings.

12 An extension plate as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, any one of the accompanying drawings.