GB2340514A

GB2340514A - A reinforced brick or block lintel

Info

Publication number: GB2340514A
Application number: GB9917202A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter James
Original assignee: INT INTEC TRADING; International Intec Trading
Current assignee: INT INTEC TRADING; International Intec Trading
Priority date: 1998-07-25
Filing date: 1999-07-23
Publication date: 2000-02-23
Anticipated expiration: 2019-07-23
Also published as: GB2340514B; GB9816153D0; GB9917202D0

Abstract

A brick lintel is constructed by laying bricks (1) in a jig and reinforcing the array by inserting a rod (3) into a longitudinal tunnel through the bricks and expanding a fabric sleeve (4) enveloping the rod, against the tunnel wall, by injecting grout. The bricks (1) may be mortared first and the tunnel drilled, either through the bricks and mortar or just through the mortar using pre-apertured bricks. Alternatively, the reinforcement may be fixed first and mortar applied subsequently.

Description

-I - 1 1 234051.4 Improvements relating to Lintels This invention relates

to lintels. The term lintel is used in this specification to refer to any structural beam which has to span a gap, not necessarily for a door or window although that is likely to be the most common application.

Reference will also be made throughout the specification to bricks and brickwork, but it will be understood that this is convenient shorthand for any type of block used in 10 building construction such as cut stone.

!I Lintels for doors and windows are generally reinforced concrete beams or metal beams, usually of box section, with a ledge on which facing bricks can be laid. Concrete beams are satisfactory if the wall is to be rendered, but if left is exposed they are unsightly and do not blend well with the surrounding brickwork. Metal beams largely answer the aesthetic problem since they can be faced by bricks, but the underside of the ledge is necessarily exposed, and there is always the threat of eventual corrosion. 20 It is the aim of this invention to provide a lintel without these drawbacks, and which presents a strong beams as a row of bricks without obvious means of support. According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a lintel comprising a row of laid bricks having at least one longitudinal tunnel which receives a reinforcing rod encased in a sleeve with grout expanding the sleeve against the tunnel wall.

Preferably the sleeve is permeable fabric and some of 2 the grout can seep through it and bond to the tunnel wall.

The rod may project beyond the row of bricks and be threaded at least at those ends to receive screw means to put the lintel under axial compression. obviously that 5 will be done only when the mortar has set.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of making a lintel, wherein the bricks are laid in a jig with mortar between them, the row of bricks is drilled longitudinally when the mortar has set, the or each reinforcing rod with its sleeve is inserted in the associated drilling, and grout is injected to expand the sleeve against the drilling wall.

Conveniently, bricks with preformed holes are used, whereby longitudinal drilling through the aligned holes only has to remove the set mortar.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of making such a lintel, wherein bricks with preformed holes are laid in a jig with an elongate member of uniform exterior cross-section extending through at least one array of aligned holes, mortar is inserted between the bricks, the or each elongate member is withdrawn when the mortar has set, a reinforcing rod with its sleeve is inserted in its place, and grout is injected to expand the sleeve against the tunnel wall created by the 25 elongate member and the preformed holes.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of making such a lintel, wherein the bricks are laid in a j ig and held spaced apart 3 in a row, a reinforcing rod with its sleeve is inserted longitudinally of the row through at least one array of aligned holes in the bricks, and grout is injected to expand the sleeve against the walls of the holes and to bulge the 5 sleeve out between the bricks.

The sleeve can be constructed so that the bulges substantially fill the spaces between the bricks, leaving just pointing to be done. But if this is not the case mortar can be inserted between the bricks while they are still in the jig, after injection of the grout.

In the method where the bricks have pre-formed holes and only the mortar has to be removed and in the two methods where no longitudinal drilling is required the jig can be curved to form an arched lintel, the reinforcing rod being is correspondingly curved.

A lintel can be made by any of the methods outlined above to be considerably longer than is generally necessary and subsequently cut into two or more shorter lintels.

For a better understanding of the invention one embodiment will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a horizontal longitudinal section of a reinforced brick lintel, Figure 2 is a section on the line II-II of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the lintel in place.

The lintel comprises a row of bricks 1 spaced by gaps 4 2 corresponding in width to the thickness of a conventional mortar layer. Conveniently this is done by laying them in a jig which ensures correct alignment and spacing. The bricks may be pre-drilled or manufactured with holes, so that when lined up there are two longitudinal tunnels, one above the other. Each is penetrated by a stainless steel reinforcing rod 3 of substantially less diameter than the tunnel and encased in a sleeve 4, preferably of knitted fabric with some elasticity. This sleeve is initially empty. When in place, grout 5 is injected into each sleeve 4, expanding it and forcing it against the tunnel wall. Between the bricks 1, the sleeve expands further into the gaps 2. Some grout will seep through the fabric and bond to the tunnel walls. When the grout has set (which may be only a matter of minutes) the row of bricks becomes a unit and can serve as a lintel, as shown in Figure 3.

The gaps 2 may be f illed with mortar and pointed on site, so that the finish matches the surrounding brickwork.

Alternatively, mortar may be applied as soon as the rods are secure, perhaps being left recessed to be pointed later.

It would also be possible to lay the bricks with mortar in between and when that has set to drill out the mortar (if the bricks are preapertured), or drill the bricks and mortar.

Another technique is to lay apertured bricks in a j ig with a smooth rod or tube through each aligned array of apertures, the rod or tube being a fairly close fit therein, fill the gaps with mortar, and when that has set to withdraw the or each rod or tube. A reinforcing rod and sleeve as described above is inserted in the or each tunnel so formed and grout is injected to complete the lintel.

with this method, or when pre-apertured bricks are used and mortar is applied after fitting the reinforcement, it is possible to reinforce arched lintels in a similar way.

Although they may not require reinforcements to such a degree as a straight lintel, nevertheless it may be sen- 10' sible, particularly when the arch is shallow. It would also be possible with pre-drilled bricks mortared together, where a short drill bit on a flexible transmission could follow the aligned apertures in the bricks and work only on the mortar in between.

The jig is of course curved to the appropriate constant radius and the or each reinforcing rod is correspondingly curved, as is the smooth rod or tube if that is employed.

While two reinforcing rods are shown in the Figures, it may be appropriate in some circumstances to have more than two, or even to reduce to one. A single rod may suffice for an arch, for example.

6

Claims

1 A lintel comprising a row of laid bricks having at least one longitudinal tunnel which receives a reinforcing rod encased in a sleeve with grout expanding the sleeve against the tunnel wall.

2. A lintel as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the sleeve is permeable fabric so that some of the grout seeps through it and bonds to the tunnel wall.

3. A lintel as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the rod 10 projects beyond the row of bricks and is threaded at least at those ends to receive screw means to put the lintel under axial compression.

4. A method of making a lintel as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the bricks are laid in a jig with mortar between them, the row of bricks is drilled longitudinally when the mortar has set, the or each reinforcing rod with its sleeve is inserted in the associated drilling, and grout is injected to expand the sleeve against the drilling wall.

5. A method as claimed in Claim 4, wherein bricks with 20 preformed holes are used, whereby longitudinal drilling through the aligned holes only has to remove the set mortar.

6. A method of making a lintel as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein bricks with preformed holes are laid in a jig with an elongate member of uniform exterior cross-section extending through at least one array of aligned holes, mortar is inserted between the bricks, the or each elongate 7 member is withdrawn when the mortar has set, a reinforcing rod with its sleeve is inserted in its place, and grout is injected to expand the sleeve against the tunnel wall created by the elongate member and the preformed holes.

7. A method of making a lintel as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the bricks are laid in a j ig and held spaced apart in a row, a reinforcing rod with its sleeve is inserted longitudinally of the row through at least one array of aligned holes in the bricks, and grout is injected to expand the sleeve against the walls of the holes and to bulge the sleeve out between the bricks.

8. A method as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the sleeve is constructed so that the bulges substantially f ill the spaces between the bricks, leaving just pointing to be done.

is

9. A method as claimed in Claim 7, wherein mortar is inserted between the bricks while they are still in the jig, after injection of the grout.

10. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 5 to 9, wherein the jig is curved to form an arched lintel, the reinforcing rod being correspondingly curved.

11. A method of making a lintel, wherein a lintel is made by a method as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 10, and is subsequently cut into two or more shorter lintels.