GB2326654A

GB2326654A - Brick or like wall with zig-zag strip in mortar joint

Info

Publication number: GB2326654A
Application number: GB9714286A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ronald Walker; Robert Ashley Walker
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-06-27
Filing date: 1997-06-27
Publication date: 1998-12-30
Also published as: GB9714286D0

Description

This invention relates to a new method of building walls with flat bedded bricks or stones or concrete units when they are equal in thickness, by using a zig-zagged strip of material which is placed in each horizontal joint.

Walls constructed by traditional methods are built in separate courses, one course on top of the other. When building is taking place bricks, stones or concrete blocks are laid next to each other in a soft bed of mortar, parallel and as close as possible to a tight line without touching it. The line is attached to the ends of the wall by line pins. When each course is completed the line is raised for the next course and more bricks or units are laid. This procedure is repeated until the required height of the wall is reached. This method of erecting walls has been carried on since time immemorial and lends itself to all kinds and qualities of work. Despite the differences in the weather and the difficulties of preventing building materials getting wet, building has often to be carried out in all sorts of weather and this causes bricks or stones or other units to be laid whether they are wet or dry. This causes some latitude to be allowed in the quality ofthe work produced and as it is difficult to keep building units close to the line band because they have a tendency to slip and slide when wet, this often affects the appearance ofthe finished work.

According to the present invention the placing of a narrow strip of zig-zagged material, which is similar in height to the required mortar joint in the wall, when placed centrally and on edge in the mortar, eliminates many of the difficulties tradesmen have when building walls in wet weather. When using such a zig-zagged strip, bricks or other units are pressed on to the extreme edges ofthe corrugations. The use of such a strip removes any tendency for units to move in any kind of weather and because this strip also fixes the depth of the mortar joint between units and causes any surplus mortar to be extruded from each side of it without any undue pressure having to be exerted, its use makes building works so much easier. Because building is less demanding of a tradesman's skill and energy when this strip is used the opportunity to build walls is now available to any able-bodied person.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 shows a cross section of the zig-zagged strip. The position which the strip occupies is that portion which is shown hatched in the mortar joint.

Figure 2 shows a plan view of a strip in a portion of a wall showing the position it occupies and the distance it is from the outer edges of a wall.

Claims

CLAIM 1 A strip or strips of zig-zagged material which are sufficiently strong to support bricks, or stones or concrete blocks when they are placed upon it when the strip is embedded in the mortar joint.

CLAIM 2 A zig-zagged strip or strips of material as in Claim 1, made from material that is so thin that no mortar will remain under it when pressed down by bricks or blocks when they are being laid in a wall.

CLAIM 3 A zig-zagged strip or strips of material as in Claims 1 and 2, that can be made from plastic or any other material or combination of materials that will resist decay and moisture penetration, and is strong enough to keep the same height under the pressure of bricks or stones or other units when they are being used in building a wall.

CLAIM 4 A narrow zig-zagged strip or strips ofmaterial as in Claims 1,2 and 3, which have the same height as the required joint when placed horizontally and upright in the horizontal mortar joint of a wall, CLAIM 5 A narrow zig-zagged strip or strips ofmaterial as in Claims 1,2,3 and 4, of such a width overall that they are buried completely in the horizontal mortar joint between bricks or other units in a wall, and yet wide enough to balance a brick or other units upon the outside edges without difficulty when they are pressed down upon it when being laid in courses on a wall.

CLAIM 6 A narrow zig-zagged strip or strips material as in Claims 1,2,3,4 and 5, which serve to reinforce the wall when laid in the horizontal joints of a wall.

CLAIM 7 A narrow zig-zagged strip or strips ofmaterial as in Claims 1,2,3,4,5 and 6, which when laid in the horizontal joints in a wall causes the brickwork to have a more attractive appearance than walls built in the ordinary manner, because the thickness of the horizontal joints are determined by the zig-zagged strips, which causes them to be more equal in thickness than those of brickwork or blockwork which is built by pressing the individual units into the mortar guided only by hand.

CLAIM 8 A narrow zig-zagged strip or strips of material as in all the previous claims, whose length can be varied to suit the convenience ofthe user in handling it, which when used in the building of walls simplifies the laying of bricks and blocks so that it is possible fo unskilled persons to build walls as easily as tradesmen.