GB2317012A - Apparatus for use on construction sites - Google Patents
Apparatus for use on construction sites Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2317012A GB2317012A GB9719117A GB9719117A GB2317012A GB 2317012 A GB2317012 A GB 2317012A GB 9719117 A GB9719117 A GB 9719117A GB 9719117 A GB9719117 A GB 9719117A GB 2317012 A GB2317012 A GB 2317012A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- post
- assembly
- cross
- piece
- base
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01C—MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY
- G01C15/00—Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
- G01C15/02—Means for marking measuring points
- G01C15/06—Surveyors' staffs; Movable markers
Abstract
A reusable profile board assembly for use on construction sites comprises a rigid post (101) and a cross-piece (102). The cross-piece (102) can be releasably connected to the post (101) at any desired position. Preferably, the post (101) and the cross-piece (102) are formed as plastics tubes, the cross-piece (102) having a recess into which the post (101) can be pressed.
Description
Title - Apparatus for use on construction sites
This invention relates to apparatus for use on construction sites, and in particular to apparatus for use in the setting of levels on construction sites.
On construction sites levels are measured with reference to a pre-determined datum level. Socalled profile boards are used to mark desired levels, eg along the length of an excavation. These profile boards are generally assembled in situ from timber and comprise a timber stake driven into the ground and a timber cross-piece nailed to the stake at a known distance above the datum.
For example, if the base of a trench is to be, say, 60cm below the datum level, a line of profiles may be fixed along the line of the trench with the cross-pieces 90cm above the datum. Labourers excavating the trench then know that the base must 150cm below the line of cross-pieces.
Sightings are taken between successive profiles and a so-called "traveller" (a free-standing profile with a height, in this case, of 150cm) can be moved along the base of the trench as it is excavated so that, when the depth is correct, the traveller profile is positioned on the line of sight between two successive profiles.
Profile boards of the type described are labour intensive and costly to assemble. Hundreds or even thousands of makeshift profile boards may be used on a construction site and when the job is finished they are simply discarded and often ploughed into the ground.
There has now been devised an improved system of profiles which overcomes or substantially mitigates the above-mentioned drawbacks.
According to the invention, a reusable profile board assembly for use on construction sites comprises a rigid post and a cross-piece adapted for releasable connection to the post at any desired position.
The profile board according to the invention is advantageous primarily in that it is reusable and can be readily erected. The cross-member can be quickly, accurately and reliably positioned at the desired height. Adjustment of the height of the cross-piece can also be carried out quickly and easily.
The releasable connection of the cross-piece to the rail is preferably by means of a clip fitting.
To this end, the cross-piece is preferably formed with a recess into which the post may be pressed, or vice versa.
In some embodiments, the post may be formed with a series of graduations, ie the post may be marked along its length with a graduated scale, eg a series of grooves or ridges at intervals of, for example, 1cam.
The post may be formed from any suitable material, including steel tubing or the like, but is preferably of rigid plastics material, most preferably rigid plastics tubing.
The post may be supported by being mounted on a base which is suitably anchored in the ground.
The base may, for example, comprise a steel plate with a downwardly-depending pin and an upwardly-extending boss within or about which the lower end of the post may be received.
Altematively, the post may be secured by being driven directly into the ground. In such a case, the foot of the post is preferably pointed and is most preferably of a hard material such as steel.
For example, the foot of the post may carry a steel shoe. Similarly, the top of the post may carry a steel cap.
In a further altemative, the base may simply rest on the ground. Such a base may comprise, for example, a flat plate with an upstanding formation to receive the lower end of the post.
Alternatively, the base may comprise a framework of tubular members connected in a similar fashion to the connection of the cross-piece to the post, and the base also being connected to the post in a similar manner.
The cross-piece is preferably also formed in plastics material, a clip formation most preferably being formed integrally in the cross-piece.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the cross-piece takes the form of a plastics tube with a cut-out portion into which the post may be pressed. A reinforcing plastics clip may be pressed into engagement with the assembly of post and cross-piece.
For some applications, it may be desirable for the cross-piece to be capable of being supported by more than one post. To this end, the cross-piece may be formed with more than one clip fitting.
The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of illustration only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is view in elevation of a first form of reusable profile board assembly according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a detailed partial view of a stake forming part of the assembly of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a detailed view of the junction of a cross-piece with the stake of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a view of the junction of Figure 3, from above;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of an excavation showing profile board assemblies of the type shown in Figure 1 in use;
Figure 6 is a side view of a construction site showing profile board assemblies of the type shown in Figure 1 in use;
Figure 7 shows a modified form of profile board assembly for the setting of inclined levels;
Figure 8 shows a further modified form of profile board assembly, for the setting of string lines;
Figure 9 shows, (a) in elevation and (b) in side view, a clip for use with the profile board assembly of Figure 8;
Figure 10 shows a further modified form of profile board assembly;
Figure 11 is a detailed view of part of the profile board assembly of Figure 10;
Figure 12 shows an extended profile board assembly;
Figure 13 shows a second form of reusable profile board assembly according to the invention;
Figure 14 shows a protective shoe used in the installation of the profile board assembly of Figure 13;
Figure 15 shows a modified assembly with a slot for supporting a cross-piece;
Figure 16 shows a clip for use with the modified assembly of Figure 15;
Figure 17 shows a traveller profile compatible with the assembly of Figure 13;
Figure 18 shows a detail of another, presently preferred, embodiment of a reusable profile board assembly according to the invention (a) in perspective view in partially assembled form, (b) in a side view corresponding to (a), (c) in perspective view in filly assembled form, and (d) in side view corresponding to (c);
Figure 19 is a sectional view of a male/female joint used to form a post of increased height;
Figure 20 (a) and (b) shows two embodiments of a fixing spike for use with the assembly of
Figure 18;
Figure 21 shows two methods of connecting a string line to the assembly of Figure 18;
Figure 22 shows a member suitable for jointing posts of the type shown in Figure 18 and connecting the posts to a string line; and
Figure 23 shows a base assembly for supporting an assembly similar to that shown in Figure 18.
Referring first to Figure 1, a reusable profile board assembly for use in setting levels on a construction site comprises a stake 1 formed from rigid and durable plastics material, and a crosspiece 2 which is also moulded in plastics material.
As shown in Figure 2, the stake 1 has an impact-resistant steel cap 3 fitted to its top and a pointed steel shoe 4 at its tip. The stake 1 has graduations in the form of grooves 5 moulded at 10mm centres along its length. The cross-piece 2 is shown in greater detail in Figure 3 and comprises a moulded rail formed at its centre with a clip formation 6 which is dimensioned closely to receive the stake 1. As shown more clearly in Figure 4, the clip formation is a recess of partcircular cross-section into which the stake 1 may be pressed.
In use, the stake 1 is driven into the ground, and the cross-piece 2 then engaged with the stake at the desired height. The stake 1 may be produced in various lengths to suit various applications, eg lengths of between 50cm and 150cm. Similarly, the cross-piece 2 may have a range of widths, eg widths of between 60cm and 120cm.
Figure 5 shows how a plurality of the profile board assemblies can be used in setting the level of an excavation. In the example shown, a pair of profile board assemblies A,B are positioned alongside the deepest part of the excavation, with their cross-pieces set a particular distance above the desired ground level at that point in the excavation, eg lm above the desired level. A free-standing traveller profile C (which is similar to that of Figure 1, except that the post is supported by a flat-bottomed base unit 10 rather than being driven into the ground) can be positioned at any point within the excavation and has a cross-piece positioned the same distance above the ground as the distance between the cross-pieces of the profile assemblies A,B and the desired ground level. Thus, when the traveller profile C is positioned between the profiles A,B, its cross-piece will fall on the line of sight between the cross-pieces of the profiles A,B when the depth of the excavation is at the desired level.
A further pair of profile assemblies D,E is positioned alongside the shallower end of the excavation, with their cross-pieces positioned the same distance above the desired ground level at that point. Once again, positioning of the traveller C between the profiles D,E enables the correct depth of excavation to be made.
Figure 6 shows a method of setting the height of the cross-piece 2 of a profile assembly. An automatic level 20 is used to set a level of, for example, 1.5m above the site datum level which is indicated by a staff21 placed on a datum peg 30. A stake 1 is driven into the ground and the profile fitted at a height determined by a further staff 22. In the example illustrated, the crosspiece is set 50cm below the measured level, ie im above the datum. To set an excavation level lm below the datum, a traveller profile 25 is then set up with its cross-piece 2m above the base.
Figure 7 shows a modified form of profile board assembly in which a cross-piece 40 is formed with a pair of clip fittings at an angle of45" to the cross-piece 40. The cross-piece 40 is clipped to a pair of stakes 41,42 which are identical to that of Figure 2. Provided that the stakes 41,42 are vertical then the cross-piece is aligned at 45" and can be used as a guide for formation of a surface inclined at that angle.
Figure 8 shows an arrangement in which cross-pieces 51,52 are respectively supported by a pair of stakes 53. This arrangement is used to set a straight line. A clip 55 (shown more clearly in
Figure 9) is attached to the top of each cross-piece 51,52 and lined up with the desired line using a theodolite. A string 56 is then passed between the clips 55, and marks the desired line.
A further modification is shown in Figure 10, which depicts a profile assembly in which a crosspiece 61 is formed with a slot 62 (see Figure 11) to receive a second cross-piece 63 at right angles to the first. Such an assembly may be used to sight along two orthogonal directions.
Figure 12 shows an extension piece 71 which can be used with a stake 1 of the form shown in
Figure 2 to increase the height of the assembly. The extension piece 71 carries a fixed profile 72 at its top and a clip formation 73 at its foot, by which it can be attached at any desired level to the stake 1.
Turning now to Figure 13, a second, and currently preferred general form of reusable profile board assembly differs from those of the preceding Figures in that a tubular post 81 is not itself driven into the ground, but rather is mounted on a steel base 82. The base 82 comprises a plate 83 with a downwardly depending pin 84 and an upwardly-projecting tubular boss 85. In use, the pin 84 is driven into the ground (a protective shoe 86 being fitted over the boss 85 - see Figure 14) until the plate 83 is flush with ground level. The post 81 is then positioned on the boss 85.
The upper end of the post 81 is closed by a plastics cap 87 and a cross-piece 88 is fitted to the post by means of a clip fitting substantially the same as that of the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4.
Figure 15 shows an assembly generally similar to that of Figure 13 save that the post is provided with a slot 89 which can be used to support one end of a cross-piece, eg for string line applications as shown in Figure 8. The slot 89 has a restricted portion 89a into which the crosspiece may be pressed for a secure retaining fit. As shown in Figure 16, the cross-piece 88 for use with this form of assembly is planar, and a clip 90 used in a similar fashion to that of Figure 9 has a correspondingly different form.
Figure 17 shows a traveller profile compatible with the assembly of Figure 13. This comprises a flat plastic base 91 with an upstanding threaded boss 92. A plastic lug 93 is engaged with the boss 92 and a post 81 fitted over the lug 93. Figure 17 also illustrates how two or more posts may be connected together end-to-end. The upper end of the first post 81 is closed by a plug 94 with a threaded boss 95 similar to the boss 92. A lug 96 similar to the lug 93 is engaged with the boss 95 and a second post 81a fitted over it.
Referring now to Figure 18, a presently preferred form of profile board assembly comprises a tubular plastics post 101 and a tubular plastics cross-piece 102 of somewhat smaller diameter.
The cross-piece 102 has a central cut-out into which the post 101 is pressed with a snap fit (see
Figures 18 (a) and (b)).
The assembly is completed by means of a moulded plastics reinforcing clip 104 which is pressed onto the assembly of post 101 and cross-piece 102 from the open side of the cut-out in the crosspiece 102. The clip 104 is shaped and dimensioned to fit closely about the post 101 and crosspiece 102, again with a snap fit, thereby assisting in retaining the cross-piece 102 in position.
As shown in Figure 19, a post of extended height may be formed by mounting a post 111 of similar form to the post 101 of Figure 18 on an extension post 112 with an upper end of reduced diameter in a male/female push fit joint.
Figure 20 shows two embodiments of mounting spikes which may be used to support an assembly of the form shown in Figure 18. The first embodiment (see Figure 20(a)) comprises a tapered mild steel spike 121 of X-section with a transverse web 122 to support the bottom end of a post mounted on the upper portion of the spike 121. The second embodiment (Figure 20(b)) also comprises a tapered mild steel spike 131, this time of circular cross-section. The upper portion of the spike 131, which receives the bottom end of a post, is cylindrical and is separated from the tapered lower portion by a circular plate 132.
Figure 21(a) shows a plastic clip 141 which can be mounted on a cross-piece of the type shown in Figure 18 and which has an integrally formed hook 142 to which a string line can be attached in a similar manner to the clip shown in Figure 9. Figure 21(b) shows another way of attaching a string line, this time comprising a clip 151 similar in form to the cross-piece 102 of Figure 18, ie having a cut-out which can be pressed into engagement with a tubular post. The clip 151 is further provided with a slot 152 into which a string line may be introduced and secured.
The jointing member 161 shown in Figure 22 is again formed as a plastics tube, this time having two cut-outs into which two posts may be pressed. The member 161 is further provided with a string line slot 162 similar to that described in connection with Figure 21(b).
Finally, Figure 23 shows a base assembly 171 comprising three tubular plastics components. A central member 172 has three cut-outs similar in shape to those described in connection with
Figures 18,21 and 22. Two of the cut-outs open downwardly (as viewed in the drawing) and the third 173 is opens sideways. A pair oftubular supports 174,175 are pressed into the downwardly opening cut-outs to form a generally H-shaped structure. The tubular supports 174,175 may be fixed in a position, eg by means of adhesive. The lower end of a post may be pressed into the third cut-out 173. Such a base assembly 171 may be particularly useful for the assembly of a traveller profile intended to be moved along a line of sight, rather than being fixed in position.
Claims (17)
1. A reusable profile board assembly for use on construction sites comprising a rigid post and a cross-piece adapted for releasable connection to the post at any desired position.
2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the releasable connection of the cross-piece to the rail is by means of a clip fitting.
3. An assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cross-piece is formed with a recess into which the post may be pressed, or vice versa.
4. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the post is formed with a series of graduations.
5. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the post is of rigid plastics material.
6. An assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the post is of rigid plastics tubing.
7. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the post is supported by being mounted on a base which is anchored in the ground.
8. An assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the base comprises a steel plate with a downwardly-depending pin and an upwardly-extending boss within or about which the lower end of the post may be received.
9. An assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the post is secured by being driven directly into the ground.
10. An assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the foot of the post carries a steel shoe.
11. An assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the base rests on the ground.
12. An assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the base comprises a framework of tubular members connected in a similar fashion to the connection of the cross-piece to the post, and the base also being connected to the post in a similar manner.
13. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the cross-piece is formed in plastics material, a clip formation being formed integrally in the cross-piece.
14. An assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the cross-piece takes the form of a plastics tube with a cut-out portion into which the post may be pressed.
15. An assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein a reinforcing plastics clip is pressed into engagement with the assembly of post and cross-piece to retain the cross-piece in position.
16. A reusable profile board assembly substantially as hereinbefore described, and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4.
17. A reusable profile board assembly substantially as hereinbefore described, and as illustrated in Figures 18 to 23.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBGB9618821.4A GB9618821D0 (en) | 1996-09-10 | 1996-09-10 | Apparatus for use on construction sites |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9719117D0 GB9719117D0 (en) | 1997-11-12 |
| GB2317012A true GB2317012A (en) | 1998-03-11 |
Family
ID=10799657
Family Applications (2)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBGB9618821.4A Pending GB9618821D0 (en) | 1996-09-10 | 1996-09-10 | Apparatus for use on construction sites |
| GB9719117A Withdrawn GB2317012A (en) | 1996-09-10 | 1997-09-10 | Apparatus for use on construction sites |
Family Applications Before (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBGB9618821.4A Pending GB9618821D0 (en) | 1996-09-10 | 1996-09-10 | Apparatus for use on construction sites |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (2) | GB9618821D0 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2344887A (en) * | 1998-12-10 | 2000-06-21 | Crichton Edward Mcgrego Miller | Surveying navigation and astronomy instrument |
Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB353737A (en) * | 1930-08-26 | 1931-07-30 | Frederick George Jones | Improvements in surveyors' ranging poles |
| US4333244A (en) * | 1979-12-10 | 1982-06-08 | Ivan Bailey | Leveling stand |
-
1996
- 1996-09-10 GB GBGB9618821.4A patent/GB9618821D0/en active Pending
-
1997
- 1997-09-10 GB GB9719117A patent/GB2317012A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB353737A (en) * | 1930-08-26 | 1931-07-30 | Frederick George Jones | Improvements in surveyors' ranging poles |
| US4333244A (en) * | 1979-12-10 | 1982-06-08 | Ivan Bailey | Leveling stand |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2344887A (en) * | 1998-12-10 | 2000-06-21 | Crichton Edward Mcgrego Miller | Surveying navigation and astronomy instrument |
| GB2344887B (en) * | 1998-12-10 | 2000-11-01 | Crichton Edward Mcgrego Miller | Surveying navigation and astronomy instrument |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB9719117D0 (en) | 1997-11-12 |
| GB9618821D0 (en) | 1996-10-23 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 732E | Amendments to the register in respect of changes of name or changes affecting rights (sect. 32/1977) | ||
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |