GB2356010A

GB2356010A - Mortar board with container type support

Info

Publication number: GB2356010A
Application number: GB0027070A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Valerie Ann Burch; Daniel Matthew Burch; Marcus Daniel Burch; David Burch
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-11-05
Filing date: 2000-11-06
Publication date: 2001-05-09
Also published as: GB0027070D0; GB2356010A8; WO2001033012A1; GB2356009A; GB2356009B; GB2356009A8; GB9926279D0; AU1161701A

Abstract

A mortar board (1), preferably having a textured waterproof carrying surface (2), rests on a support (6) having tapering sides (8) and a container within. The support may be formed with carrying handles (11) and a number of supports may be stacked one inside the other in a nesting fashion. The mortar board and support may be formed from a plastics material such as PTFE or LDPE.

Description

2356010 MORTAR BOARD The invention relates generally to mortar boards.

More specifically, but not exclusively, the invention relates to mortar boards having stands.

In the building trade, it is common for a builder or bricklayer to use any available piece of substantially flat and rigid material to form a mortar board on which to mix or carry cement or mortar. Conventionally, this mortar board is formed from any available piece of board or a suitable piece of timber found on a building site. A builder using such a mortar board will often place the appropriate piece of board or timber on a breezeblock to form a support on which to rest the board.

Such examples can be seen on building sites where the mixing of the mortar is carried out by machine and the mortar board is used to carry the mortar from the mixer to the required location, where the mortar board is used as a base from which to apply the mortar as necessary. However, such devices may also be constructed in the course of do-it-yourself projects where often the mortar board is used as a mixing area as well.

Such mortar boards have a number of disadvantages. Firstly, the board or timber used to form the carrying surface of the mortar board is usually capable of absorbing the water in the wet mortar. This can cause the mortar to be difficult to mix and to dry out prematurely.

Secondly, when constructed from materials available on a building site, the mortar board, when placed on a breezeblock is invariably positioned 2 relatively low compared to the height of the builder or bricklayer. This causes the builder or bricklayer to have to bend repeatedly in order to transfer mortar from the board to the application area. This continuous repetitive movement can result in injury to the builder or bricklayer.

Finally, as on an average building site a large number of bricklayers or builders will be working at any one time, it is necessary for a large number of pieces of board or timber and breezeblocks to be made available to the builders or bricklayers at any one time to form mortar boards. The use of these materials as temporary mortar boards results in a large wastage of material and an increase in the costs to the contractor as the boards and breezeblocks cannot generally be re-used.

It is therefore the aim of the present invention to provide a mortar board and stand which are suitable for use in a building site environment and which overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a mortar board having, on the underside thereof, abutment means for engaging a support so as to prevent substantially horizontal movement of the mortar board relative tot.he support under application of force.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a mortar board having a carrying surface comprising a material substantially impervious to the ingress of liquids.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a mortar board having supporting means which causes the carrying surface of 3 the mortar board to be between 40 and 80cm from the ground when the supporting means is placed on the ground.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a mortar board including a support in which the support has tapered sides and an open base thereby enabling a plurality of supports to be stacked together to form a nest of supports.

With the above arrangement, mortar boards and stands can be easily stored and re-used. Furthermore, the use of materials impervious to the ingress of moisture enables mortar to be mixed on the mortar board without substantial drying out or setting of the mixture. Additionally, the use of a stand prevents unnecessary and repeated bending for the builder or bricklayer.

Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure I is a side view of one form of mortar board; Figure 2 is a plan view of the mortar board of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of one form of stand suitable for supporting the mortar board of Figures I and 2; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the stand of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the mortar board of Figures I and 2 being positioned on the support of Figures 3 and 4; Figure 6 is a detailed perspective view of the comer of the mortar board of Figures I and 2; 4 Figure 7 is a side view of a second, alternative embodiment of mortar board; Figure 8 is a side view of a second, alternative embodiment of stand suitable for supporting the mortar board of Figures 1, 2 and 7; Figure 9 is a plan view of a further form of stand suitable for supporting the mortar board of Figures 1, 2 and 7, incorporating a container portion; Figure 10 is a sectional view taken on the line on A-A of the stand portion of Figure 9, showing the container portion; and Figure I I is a perspective view of the stand portion of Figures 9 and 10.

With reference to Figures I and 2, the mortar board 1 has a generally flat carrying surface 2 which is provided with a series of protrusions 3 to give the carrying surface 2 a textured finish.

The sides 4 of the mortar board taper outwardly from the carrying surface 2. As can be seen from the side view in Figure 1, the sides 4 are also formed with an instep 5. In this way, the sides 4 form legs 13 for the carrying surface 2. The tapering of the sides 4 outwardly from the carrying surface 2, enables a number of mortar boards I to be stacked on top of each other, each mortar board I nesting inside an adjacent mortar board I - Figure 3 shows the stand portion 6 on which the mortar board I may be placed. The stand portion 6 generally comprises a hollow shell 7 having four sides 8. Each side 8 is provided with a substantially vertical portion 9 for engagement with the underside of the mortar board 1. Each side tapers outwardly from the substantially vertical portion 9 to forin a hollow generally frusto pyramidal shape. Additionally, each side 8 is provided with an instep and a cut-out portion 11. The cut-out portion 11 forms a handle for transportation of the stand portion 6. The insteps 10 at the base of each side 8 form legs 12 at each comer of the stand portion 6.

As the stand portion 6 has an open base, the tapering of the sides 8 outwardly from the vertical portion 9 to the legs 12, enables a number of stand portions 6 to be stacked on top of each other, each stand portion 6 nesting inside an adjacent stand portion 6.

The mortar board I and the stand portion 6 are formed from any suitable tough and durable plastics material, for example low density polyethylene (LDPE) or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The carrying surface 2 should be formed from a tough material capable of withstanding the edge of a trowel or other implements used conventionally by a bricklayer. For example, it is common in the practice for old or set mortar to be removed by hitting a mortar board with a hammer. It is therefore necessary for the mortar board in this embodiment to be able to withstand this sort of force on a regular basis. Typically a thickness of 2.5cm of PTFE would withstand this force, but a thickness of 0.6 cm of LDPE has been found sufficient in practice, giving a light but robust board. It will be appreciated that any suitable material other than LDPE or PTFE but having the required properties may be used including reinforced and preferably recycled materials. The mortar board I and stand 6 portion 6 may be formed for example by injection or blow moulding, or most preferably by compression or rotational moulding.

The moulding process may incorporate graphics into the carrying surface 2 or other surfaces of the motor board I and/or the stand portion 6.

The graphics may be a company name or logo, so as to give greater security against theft.

The mortar board I can either be used on its own or in conjunction with the stand portion 6. In use, the builder or bricklayer loads the carrying surface 2 with mortar and can either place the mortar board directly on the ground, the insteps 5 in the sides 4 enabling the mortar board I to be picked up easily. The insteps 5 also enable the mortar board I to be placed on an uneven surface whilst remaining stable.

The stand portion 6 is approximately 40-80cm tall, preferably within the range 50-70cm and most preferably approximately 55cm. tall. This height prevents excessive bending by the user when the mortar board 1 is used in conjunction with the stand portion 6. However, the stand portion 6 need not be exactly this height and any height of stand portion 6 that reduced excessive bending by the user would be suitable.

The preferred size of the motor board I is 70cm. x 70cm, although the moulding process allows any suitable size to be achieved. The preferred size is greater than the traditional size of 60cm x 60cm. achieved by cutting standard size boards, which is less suitable.

7 The protrusions 3 forming the textured surface allow the builder to mix the mortar on the mortar board 1 whilst preventing the mortar from sliding off the carrying surface 2.

As the mortar board I is formed from a plastics material such as LDPE or PTFE, it will not absorb any moisture in the mortar and will prevent the mortar on the carrying surface 2 from drying out prematurely.

Should the builder wish to use the stand portion 6, the mortar board I can be placed directly on the stand portion 6 as indicated in Figure 5. The underside of the tapered sides 4 of the mortar board I engage the vertical portions 9 of the stand portion 6 thereby preventing the mortar board I from sliding off the stand portion 6. This retains the mortar board I in position on the stand portion 6 during use. As the sides 8 of the stand portion 6 taper outwardly towards the base, the stand portion 6 has a greater cross sectional area at its base than adjacent the mortar board 1. Hence, even when loaded with mortar, the mortar board I and stand portion 6 are held in a stable position and will not over-balance.

If the builder must begin work at a different location on the site, either the mortar board I can be removed from the stand portion 6 and carried using the insteps 5, or the stand portion 6 can be carried with the mortar board I in situ by using the cut-out I I in the sides 8 of the stand portion 6.

Figures 9, 10 and I I show an alternative form of stand portion 20. In this embodiment, the generally hollow shell 7 of the stand portion 20 is provided with an integrally formed container portion 21. The side walls 22 of 8 the container portion 21 are integrally formed with the sides 8 of the stand portion 20. The side walls 22 are positioned within the hollow shell 7 of the stand portion 20.

In order to allow a number of stand portions 20 to be stacked together, the side walls 22 of the container portion 21 are preferably tapered inwardly toward the base of the stand portion 20. The container portion 21 is preferably generally frusto-pyramidal, however alternative forms of container portion, such as frusto-conical, may be used.

The container portion 21 advantageously improves the rigidity of the stand portion 20 whilst providing a useful storage area within the stand portion 20.

As with the previous forrns of stand portion 6, the stand portion 20 can be formed from any suitable plastics material, but preferably LDPE or PTFE.

All the other features of the stand portion 6 may be incorporated into the alternative form of stand portion 20.

In the embodiments described above, the mortar board I is held in place on the stand portion 6, 20 by means of an interference fit between the underside of the mortar board I and the uppermost parts of the stand portion 6, 20. However, it will be appreciated that any suitable joining mechanish'i may be used such as a mechanical arrangement, having lips on the underside of the mortar board I and engageable recesses on the vertical portions 9 of the stand portion 6, 20 or vice versa. This arrangement could operate as a push fit mechanism as the material forming the stand has sufficient plasticity to 9 deform on specific application of a force to the mortar board in the region of the lips. Furthermore, any suitable form of fastener may be used.

Furthermore, the protrusions 3 need not take the forin as shown in Figures I and 2. The carrying surface 2 may be roughened during manufacture or be provided with protrusions of an alternative arrangement, for example in concentric circles. Moreover, the carrying surface 2 need not be provided with protrusions but could be provided with grooves arranged in a similar fashion. Any arrangement suitable for allowing movement of the mortar on the carrying surface whilst preventing the mortar from sliding off the edge of the mortar board 1 may be used.

Additionally, the stand portion 6 need not take the shape of a frusto pyramid. Any suitable shape having an open base may be used, preferably a shape that allows stacking of the stand portions 6. For example, the stand portion may be formed as a frusto-cone or may be a shape having more than three sides.

Also, the sides 4 of the mortar board I and the sides 8 of the stand portion 6 need not be provided with insteps 5, 10. The sides 4, 8 could be formed in any shape suitable for standing on the ground, for example a square or rectangular shape as shown in Figures 7 and 8. However, insteps 5, 10 could be provided on two opposing sides of the mortar board 1 or stand portion 6.

It will further be appreciated that all the sides 8 of the stand portion 6 need not be provided with cut-outs 11. Cut-outs I I could be provided on two opposing sides only or could be replaced entirely by any other suitable carrying means.

In the foregoing, mortar is used as a generic term to include all forms of cement or plaster mixtures that may require mixing or carrying in a building site environment.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A mortar board including a support in which the support has tapered sides and a base incorporating a container portion therein.

2. A mortar board according to claim I in which the container portion has tapered sides thereby enabling a plurality of supports to be stacked together to form a nest of supports.

3. A mortar board according to claim I or 2 in which the container portion is integrally formed with the tapered sides of the base thereby improving the rigidity of the support. 4. A mortar board according to claim 1, 2 or 3 having, on the underside 15 thereof, abutment means for engaging a support so as to prevent substantially horizontal movement of the mortar board relative to the support under application of force. 5. A mortar board according to claim 4 in which the abutment means 20 comprise mechanical joining means capable of releasably engaging cooperating means on the support.

12 6. A mortar board according to claim 5 in which the joining means comprises a push fit fastening mechanism.

7. A mortar board according to any preceding claim wherein the mortar board comprises a carrying surface comprising a material substantially impervious to the ingress of liquids.

8. A mortar board according to any preceding claim wherein the support causes the carrying surface of the mortar board to be between 40 and 80cm from the ground.

9. A mortar board according to any preceding claim in which the carrying surface is textured.

10. A mortar board according to claim 9 in which the texturing comprises a series of protrusions or grooves formed in the carrying surface. 11. A mortar board according to any preceding claim wherein the support comprises a hollow, generally frusto-pyramidal stand incorporating a 20 generally frusto-pyramidal container portion.

13 12. A mortar board according to any preceding claim wherein the support has a base formed so as to enable a plurality of supports to be stacked together to form a nest of supports.

13. A mortar board according to any preceding claim wherein the support includes carrying means. 14. A mortar board having a carrying surface comprising a material substantially impervious to the ingress of liquids. 10 15. A mortar board having supporting means which causes the carrying surface of the mortar board to be between 40 and 80cm from the ground when the supporting means is placed on the ground. 15 16. A mortar board including a support in which the support has tapered sides and an open base thereby enabling a plurality of supports to be stacked together to form a nest of supports. 17. A mortar board having, on the underside thereof, abutment means for 20 engaging a support so as to prevent substantially horizontal movement of the mortar board relative to the support under application of force.

14 18. A mortar board according to any preceding claim in which the mortar board is formed from a suitable plastics material.

19. A mortar board according to claim 17 in which the plastics material is PTFE.

20. A mortar board according to claim 17 in which the plastics material is LDPE.

21. A mortar board according to any preceding claim, formed by moulding. 22. Use of a mortar board according to any preceding claim for carrying mortar. 15 23. A mortar board as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures I to6or7and8 oi-9 and 10.