GB2328240A

GB2328240A - Apparatus for application of building materials

Info

Publication number: GB2328240A
Application number: GB9815624A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Barry Vic Oliver; Trevor Andrew Dix
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-07-24
Filing date: 1998-07-20
Publication date: 1999-02-17
Anticipated expiration: 2018-07-20
Also published as: GB2328240B; GB9815624D0; GB9715506D0

Abstract

Apparatus for applying fluid building material and an associated method is provided. The apparatus comprises a hollow elongate body (10) including an inlet and an outlet nozzle (14), a plunger (16) removably located therein and slidable relative thereto to force fluid material ahead of the piston (16) through the nozzle (14). The piston (16) is manually operable.

Description

Title: Application of Buildings Materials Field of the invention This invention relates to a method of applying flowable building materials, such as mortar and also plaster whilst in a flowable condition, to brickwork or other surfaces and to apparatus for use in such a method. The invention is of particular use to pointing and repointing brickwork.

Background to the invention The application of flowable building materials, such as mortar and plaster for pointing and repair and the like, is conventionally by means of a trowel. The building material is conveyed to a working area in a bucket or on a flat board and successive small amounts of building material are applied, for example, to the brickwork by the trowel. The application of mortar using a trowel is time consuming, and requires a certain level of skill to achieve a uniform finish.

Summary of the invention According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of applying a flowable building material comprising the steps of: at least in part filling a hollow elongate body having an inlet and an outlet with the said building material, inserting a piston means into the hollow interior of the body, placing the outlet proximate a region into which the material is to be injected, and urging the piston means progressively into the body, thereby to force the said material through the outlet and into the said region.

The fluid building material is preferably at least partially viscous, for example as with mortar and plaster, but with an ability to flow.

In use, the method is typically repeated until all the region has been filled with the material.

The invention also includes a method of filling a vertical gap between bricks with mortar, comprising: filling with mortar a cylindrical container having a nozzle discharge end, inserting a piston into the container behind the mortar, positioning the nozzle discharge end in alignment with the vertical joint to be filled, and forcing the piston forwards so as to expel mortar through the nozzle into the gap until it is full.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of pointing a horizontal joint in existing brick work with mortar comprising the steps of: filling with mortar a cylindrical container having a nozzle discharge end, inserting a piston into the container behind the mortar, positioning the nozzle at one end of a mortar joint between bricks containing residual mortar which is to be repaired, and forcing the piston forwards so as to expel mortar into the joint to fill the joint in front of the residual mortar and simultaneously moving the container in line with the joint so as to introduce relative movement between the nozzle and the brickwork along the line of the joint, so that mortar being extruded from the nozzle enters the joint and fills the space therein in front of the residual mortar, wherein the force applied to the piston and the speed of movement along the joint are selected so that the extruding mortar fully fills the space ahead of the residual mortar and smooth even mortar surface is left between the bricks.

Preferably the piston means is partially pressed into the hollow elongate body before the outlet is positioned proximate to a region to be filled. This allows the material to be partially pressurised so as to remove air bubbles from the material and also to ensure the hollow elongate body ahead of the piston is completely filled with the material. The movement should be sufficient to slightly pressurise the fluid material more so that it just appears at the outlet.

The method and apparatus is particularly applicable for pointing or re-pointing of brickwork. To this end the outlet is inserted into a groove between bricks and as the piston means is advanced the body is moved along the length of the groove so that the fluid material leaving the outlet is forced into and fills the groove. This ensures that the gaps between bricks are fully filled with mortar, which is forced into the cavity until it comes up against the internal surface of mortar and then proceeds to fill the groove towards the front.

The method and apparatus is also applicable to the application of mortar between floor tiles and paving slabs. The repairing of plaster and rendering can also be assisted with this apparatus and method.

The invention is particularly advantageous in that it provides for speed and ease of application of a fluid building material.

The invention also lies in apparatus for extruding fluid building material as aforesaid, and in accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a hollow elongate body including an inlet and an outlet, piston means removably located therein and slidable relative thereto to force fluid material ahead of the piston through the outlet, wherein the latter is in the form of a narrow rectangular aperture, the length of which equals the height of a standard building brick and the width of which is not more than the width of a typical mortar joint.

The hollow elongate body may be formed from plastics material so that the apparatus is as light as possible, even when loaded with building material. The piston means is preferably removable to leave an opening to the interior of the body is preferably of sufficient size to accept mortar from a trowel, and may be provided with a flared entrance or funnel to ensure ease of filling.

The apparatus is particularly advantageous for use up ladders when the area to be worked on is too small to justify scaffolding. Thus where a ladder is used to reach a surface, the apparatus provides an advantageous way of both carrying the mortar to where it is required as well as applying it. Thus the necessity of supporting a bucket carrying mortar on a ladder is avoided. In use, the apparatus also allows for speed of application of the material as discussed above.

Preferably the outlet is in the form of a nozzle, this allows for direct positioning of extruded material in a cavity between bricks when the apparatus is used in accordance with the above method. Preferably the nozzle is detachable for ease of cleaning and nozzles of different cross-sectional areas and size may be provided depending on the use to which the apparatus is put.

The provision of nozzles with different cross-sectional dimensions ensures that when, for example, applying material between different spaced bricks, a suitable nozzle can be selected to ensure that it can be pushed into a cavity between bricks, so as to enable the cavity to be filled with mortar from the back to the front.

The invention thus also lies in a nozzle for use with the above apparatus.

Desirably the piston means is manually operable so that the apparatus is self contained. However drive means may be provided to force the piston means in a forward material expelling direction. In addition a material feed line may be provided for supply fluid material to the body to replenish the material as it is expelled. This may be arranged to occur after the piston means is retracted to a fully rearward position or may be arranged to occur once the body is empty.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus in accordance with the invention, including a filling funnel and a nozzle; Figure 2 is a vertical section through the apparatus when the filling funnel is removed; Figure 3 is a side elevation of the nozzle; Figure 4 is a view along line IV of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a side elevation of the funnel; and Figure 6 is a view along line VI of Figure 5.

Referring to Figure 1, an apparatus in accordance with the invention comprises a hollow elongate body 10 to which is attached a filling funnel 12 and a nozzle 14. The hollow elongate body 10 typically has a square cross section, although a hollow body of any dimensions, for example a cylinder could be used. The body 10 and funnel 12 are typically made from plastics materials such as polyvinyl chloride or polypropylene.

The body typically has a thickness of 2mm to ensure sufficient strength for containing a fluid building material such as mortar, without being too heavy. The nozzle 14 is typically made of metal, for example stainless steel, so as to provide better resistance to abrasion during use.

Figure 2 shows a section through the apparatus of Figure 1 when the filler funnel 12 is detached. A piston means, or plunger, 16 comprising a head 18 and handle 20 is placed within the body 10. In Figure 2, the plunger 16 is shown in its fully depressed position, i.e. when no building material is contained within body 10. The cross section of head 18 corresponds with that of the interior of hollow body 10 and is typically made of plastics material such as polyvinyl chloride or polypropylene. The handle 20 is typically made from a metal, such as steel, to remain rigid on application of a force.

Figures 3 and 4 show the nozzle 14 in detail. The nozzle 14 comprises a mating portion 22 and a nozzle portion 24. Mating portion 22 is a hollow body sealed at one end by a wall 26, the wall 26 tapering to join to the nozzle portion 24. Thus nozzle 14 has a portion 22 with a corresponding cross section to body 10 so as to engage and seal with body 10, whilst allowing an outlet channel 28 of reduced cross-sectional area through nozzle portion 24. The nozzle portion 24 is tapered slightly so as to increase the outlet pressure of material which is forced through it.

Figures 5 and 6 show the filler funnel 12 which comprises a mating portion 30 of corresponding cross section to the body 10 and a funnel portion 32 comprising four tapered walls 34, 36, 38 and 40.

The funnel 12 and the nozzle 14 may be fixed to body 10, or alternatively may be detachable. A detachable funnel allows for ease of access to plunger handle 20. Detachable nozzles 14 allow nozzle replacement when abrasion has distorted the nozzle and rendered it less efficient, and also allow nozzles of varying cross-sectional areas to be used with the apparatus when this is appropriate for different applications.

In use, the apparatus is assembled as in Figure 1, attaching the nozzle 14 to one end of body 10 and the funnel 12 to the other end of body 10. A fluid building material, such as mortar or plaster, is then placed into funnel 12 and allowed to flow into the cavity provided by body 10. The plunger 16 is used to lightly press the mortar to ensure that the body is completely filled with mortar and that no air gaps exist. At this stage, the depression of the plunger is not sufficient to cause a substantial quantity, if any, of mortar to leave nozzle element 24.

Once the body 10 is filled with mortar, the funnel 12 may be detached to allow for ease of handling of the apparatus. The apparatus is then taken to the area where the building material is to be applied and, for re-pointing, the nozzle portion 24 placed between gaps, or cavities, in brickwork. The plunger 16 is then depressed with sufficient force to slide in the body 10 and urge the mortar to flow through the passageway 28, out of the nozzle portion 24 and into the cavity. By use of the nozzle 14, the mortar is supplied to the back of the cavity first and then flows towards the front of the cavity. Thus each cavity is filled from the back of the wall towards the front. The apparatus is moved laterally and vertically until mortar fills all the gaps in the brickwork and is visible at the front surface of the wall. The mortar on the front surface of the wall is then pointed using a trowel.

In this way, mortar and other building materials can be rapidly applied to a building surface. Further cavities within brickwork which are difficult to access and fill completely using conventional means, can be reached and filled easily.

Once the mortar is positioned within the cavity, it is then a simple matter to point the mortar. It is thus envisaged that conventional pointing can be separated into two jobs if required, one requiring application of mortar into gaps in brickwork by an unskilled labourer and then a second stage of surface pointing by a skilled labourer.

The preferred embodiment has been discussed in relation to detachable nozzles and funnels. It would be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art that the nozzle 14 and funnel 12 could be permanently attached to the elongate body 10.

Claims

1. Apparatus for extruding fluid building material comprising a hollow elongate body including an inlet and an outlet, piston means removably located therein and slidable relative thereto to force fluid material ahead of the piston through the outlet, wherein the outlet is in the form of a narrow rectangular aperture, the length of which equals the height of a standard building brick and the width of which is not more than the width of a typical mortar joint in conventional brickwork.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hollow elongate body is formed from plastics material.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the piston means is removable to leave a opening to the interior of the body which is of sufficient size to accept mortar from a trowel, and is provided with a flared entrance or funnel to ensure ease of filling.

4. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the outlet is in the form of a nozzle to allow extruded material to be fed directly into a cavity between bricks which when in use.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the nozzle is detachable for ease of cleaning.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the cross-sectional dimensions of the nozzle are selected to ensure that it can be pushed into a cavity between bricks, so as to enable the cavity to be filled with mortar from the back to the front.

7. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the piston means is manually operable.

8. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein drive means is provided to force the piston means in a forward material expelling direction.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a material feed line is provided to supply fluid material to the body to replenish the material as it is expelled.

10. A method of applying a flowable building material comprising the steps of: at least in part filling a hollow elongate body having an inlet and an outlet with the said building material, inserting a piston means into the hollow interior of the body, placing the outlet proximate a region into which the material is to be injected, and urging the piston means progressively into the body, thereby to force the said material through the outlet and into the said region.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the piston means is partially pressed into the hollow elongate body before the outlet is positioned proximate to the region to be filled.

12. A method of filling a vertical gap between bricks with mortar, comprising: filling with mortar a cylindrical container having a nozzle discharge end, inserting a piston into the container behind the mortar, positioning the nozzle discharge end in alignment with the vertical joint to be filled, and forcing the piston forwards so as to expel mortar through the nozzle into the gap until it is full.

13. A method of pointing a horizontal joint in existing brick work with mortar comprising the steps of: filling with mortar a cylindrical container having a nozzle discharge end, inserting a piston into the container behind the mortar positioning the nozzle at one end of a mortar joint between bricks containing residual mortar which is to be repaired, and forcing the piston forwards so as to expel mortar into the joint to fill the joint in front of the residual mortar and simultaneously moving the container in line with the joint so as to introduce relative movement between the nozzle and the brickwork along the line of the joint, so that mortar being extruded from the nozzle enters the joint and fills the space therein in front of the residual mortar, wherein the force applied to the piston and the speed of movement along the joint are selected so that the extruding mortar fully fills the space ahead of the residual mortar and smooth even mortar surface is left between the bricks.

14. Apparatus substantially as herein particularly described with reference to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.