GB2424660A

GB2424660A - Clamp for wall tie

Info

Publication number: GB2424660A
Application number: GB0606433A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Graham Law
Original assignee: Ancon Ltd
Current assignee: Leviat Ltd
Priority date: 2005-04-01
Filing date: 2006-03-31
Publication date: 2006-10-04
Anticipated expiration: 2026-03-31
Also published as: GB0506616D0; GB0606433D0; IE20060239A1; GB2424660B

Abstract

A clamp for a wall tie comprises a clamp portion attachable to an edge 6 of a column and a mounting portion 2 for mounting a wall tie 3. The mounting portion 2 is offset from the clamp portion so that it can be positioned towards the centre of the column to which the clamp is attached. The clamping portion may be U-shaped to clamp around a flange 6 of the column and the mounting portion 2 may comprise an elongate arm extending from the clamping portion. The clamping portion may be a push fit clamp or may have a clamping bolt. The mounting portion 2 may comprise a plurality of mounting slots 8 for a wall tie 3. A column/wall tie assembly comprising the clamp and a wall tie and a method of fabricating a building using a plurality of such clamps and wall ties are also claimed.

Description

1 NON-DRILLING COLUMN SHEAR TIE 3 This invention relates to column ties

for securing 4 an internal wall of brickwork or blockwork to an outer metal frame of a building such as a steel 6 column. The invention also relates to a method of 7 fabricating a building which has internal walls of 8 brickwork or blockwork secured to an outer metal 9 structure.

11 Currently, internal masonry walls are fixed to outer 12 metal structures or metal columns using metal frame 13 cramps. These metal frame cramps are secured by 14 shot fired fixings or a small bolt/setscrew or self- drill/self-tap screw to the metal column.

1 Where shot fired fixings are used, the gun used to 2 secure the fixings is a potentially dangerous piece 3 of equipment and its usage on site can give rise to 4 additional health and safety concerns. If small bolts or setscrews are employed, a hole must be 6 drilled in the column. These types of fixings 7 require the provision of a power supply in proximity 8 to the column. The power supply is usually provided 9 using cable connections to a power source leaving trailing cables loose on the construction site.

11 This can increase safety risks on site. Therefore 12 numerous additional health and safety risks are 13 attributed to the use of these types of fixings.

14 The increased power consumption can also be costly, especially if generators must be provided on the 16 construction site to facilitate shot firing, 17 drilling etc. Furthermore, drilling and shot firing 18 activities are time consuming and can decrease the 19 rate of construction on site. Drilling and shot firing are also not easily reversible processes and 21 therefore the incorrect positioning of metal frame 22 cramps is not readily correctable.

24 According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a clamp attachable to a column for 26 supporting brickwork or blockwork, the clamp 27 comprising a mounting means for a wall tie and 28 clamping means for clamping the clamp to the column, 29 the mounting means being offset with respect to the clamping means to enable positioning of the mounting 31 means toward the centre of the column.

1 Desirably, the clamping means is shaped to partially 2 wrap around a flange of the column.

4 Preferably, the clamping means is substantially U- shaped to enable the clamping means to wrap around 6 the flange of the column.

8 Preferably, the substantially U-shaped clamping 9 means comprises an elongate arm for the offset mounting means.

12 Preferably, the clamping means comprises a push fit 13 mechanism to clamp the clamping means to the column.

Alternatively, the clamping means comprises a 16 clamping bolt to clamp the clamping means to the 17 column.

19 Advantageously, the mounting means comprises a plurality of mountings for a wall tie.

22 Preferably, each mounting comprises a slot to 23 receive a wall tie.

Preferably, the column is a metal column.

27 According to a second aspect of the present 28 invention there is provided a column tie assembly 29 for securing brickwork or blockwork to a column, the column tie assembly comprising a clamp according to 31 the first aspect of the present invention and a wall 1 tie mountable between the clamp and the brickwork or 2 blockwork.

4 Desirably, the clamp and the wall tie are separable.

6 Preferably, the wall tie comprises engaging means 7 for attaching the wall tie to the clamp.

9 According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of fabricating a building 11 with a column and a wall of brickwork or blLockwork, 12 the method comprising the steps of assembling a 13 structure of a building, providing a plurality of 14 clamps according to the first aspect of the present invention, fastening individual clamps to the column 16 at respective selected locations thereon, 17 progressively assembling the wall of brickwork or 18 blockwork adjacent to the columns by successive 19 superimposition of bricks or blocks, and mounting a wall tie between the clamps and the wall.

22 The present invention eliminates the need for 23 drilling and shot firing activities on site when 24 employing column ties. In particular, the prefabricated column tie assembly of the invention 26 is adapted to be secured to a column without 27 drilling or shot firing operations. Therefore, the 28 column tie assemblies may be entirely precision 29 fabricated in a factory. The centralised fabrication within a controlled environment remote from the 31 eventual construction site allows for optimisation 32 of fabrication procedures. Moreover, prefabrication 1 allows for increased rates of construction on site 2 and thus optimises efficiency. The elimination of 3 the requirement for drilling, shot firing etc. 4 following prefabrication further increases the rate of construction. The confinement of the column tie 6 fabrication process entirely to the controlled 7 environment of a factory minimises human error, 8 health and safety risks and enables quality control 9 to be strictly monitored. Furthermore, the means for securing the column tie assembly onto the metal 11 column is also easily adjustable since no additional 12 drilling or shot firing is required on site to 13 secure the column tie assembly in place.

The clamp may be positioned by placing and hammering 16 the clamp to clasp the column and the clamp is 17 fastened by a spring fit mechanism or by tightening 18 a clamping bolt.

The clamps may be fastened to columns prior to 21 commencing assembly of the walls, or fastened to the 22 columns prior to their required incorporation into 23 the walls.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described 26 by way of example only with reference to the 27 accompanying drawings in which: 29 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a column tie assembly of a first embodiment of the present 31 invention comprising a clamp attached to a column 32 and a wall tie mounted on the clamp with an arrow 1 showing the load bearing direction of the column tie 2 assembly; 4 Figure 2 is a plan view from above of the wall tie employed in the column tie assembly in Figure 1; 7 Figure 3 is a plan view from above of 8 the hammer-on column clamp employed in the column 9 tie assembly in Figure 1; 11 Figure 4 is a front view of the hammer-on 12 column clamp of Figure 3 with five slots for 13 accommodating the wall tie, and Figure 5 is a plan view of the clamp- on column 16 clamp of a second embodiment of the present 17 invention comprising a clamping bolt.

19 Referring to Figures 1 to 4, a column tie assembly 1 in accordance with a first embodiment of the present 21 invention comprises a column clamp 2 and a wall tie 22 3 for connecting and securing brickwork or blockwork 23 to a structural member.

The column clamp 2 is shaped to partially engage 26 with a structural member, such as a metal column 7 27 and comprises an anchor end 4 and a wall tie 28 receiving end 5. The anchor end 4 of the column 29 clamp 2 is generally U-shaped when viewed in plan, as illustrated in Figure 3. The U-shape is 31 dimensioned so that a portion of the anchor end 4 is 32 a slightly smaller width than the column 7 to enable 1 the anchor end 4 to be secured to the column 7 using 2 push fit or friction fit mechanisms.

4 The anchor end 4 has a first clamping portion 15 and a second clamping portion 13 which are joined to 6 form the U-shaped profile by a lateral web portion 7 16. The lateral web 16 extends perpendicular to the 8 first clamping portion 15. The second clamping 9 member 13 projects inwardly, at least in part, towards the first clamping member 15 to define the 11 friction fit mechanism.

13 In order to accommodate the head of the wall tie 3 14 when in use, as will be described below, the wall tie receiving end 5 and the first clamping portion 16 15 of the column clamp 2 are offset from one another 17 by way of an offset portion 14 and the elongate arm 18 which is embodied in the wall tie receiving end 5 19 enables the wall tie 3 to be mounted perpendicular to the column 7 and aligned with the centre of the 21 column 7.

23 The wall tie receiving end 5 of the column clamp 2 24 comprises five rectangular shaped slots 8 which, in use, enable the wall tie 3 to be secured in one of 26 the slots 8. The wall tie 3 can engage a selected 27 slot 8 to position the wall tie 3 closer to the 28 centre of the column or an edge of the column, as 29 required. It will be appreciated that the number of slots in column clamp 2 is not restricted to five 31 slots 8. The column clamp 2 must have at least one 32 slot 8 but it may comprise any other number of slots 1 as afforded by the dimensions of the column clamp 2 2 and the slots 8. Furthermore, any other suitable 3 mounting means which affords the requisite 4 properties may be used in place of the slots 8 to receive and engage the wall tie 3.

7 The positioning of the mounting means or slots 8 8 near the centre of the column and remote from the 9 edge of the column 7 gives additional stability and increases the load bearing capabilities of the 11 column tie assembly. It is also advantageous to 12 have a plurality of slots 8 as this will enable the 13 column tie assembly 1 to be used with columns 7 of 14 various different dimensions. Furthermore, it enables the positioning of the wall tie 3 to be 16 varied in accordance with the alignment of the wall 17 20 so that the wall tie 3 is embedded at the centre 18 of the wall 20. The central positioning of the wall 19 tie 3 in the wall 20 further strengthens the stability of the connection.

22 Referring to Figure 5, a clamp-on column clamp 21 in 23 accordance with the invention is shown. The clamp- 24 on column clamp 21 is similar to the hammer-on column clamp 2 described above and like numerals 26 indicate like features. However, in the present 27 embodiment the second clamping portion 13 of the 28 clamp-on column clamp 21 comprises a clamping bolt 29 22.

31 In use, the column clamp 2 of the first embodiment 32 is affixed to the flange 6 of the metal column 7 by 1 hammering the column clamp 2 into place. Firstly, 2 the wall tie receiving end 5 is positioned against 3 the inward facing side of the metal column 7 such 4 that the slots 8 are horizontally aligned against the metal column 7. The anchor end 4 of the column 6 clamp 2 clamps around the flange 6 and is secured in 7 place by a friction fit or push fit mechanism.

9 When the anchor end 4 is clasped around a flange 6 of the metal column 7, the wall tie receiving end 5 11 is aligned substantially parallel to the flange of 12 the column 7. The wall tie receiving end 5 is 13 adapted to receive the wall tie 3.

The wall tie 3 is attached at substantially 90 16 degrees to the column tie. An inner end 23 of the 17 wall tie 3 is adapted to engage the wall tie 18 receiving end 5 of the column clamp 2. The inner 19 end 23 of the wall tie 3 is, for example, dovetailed or side-slotted or mushroom-ended for engaging with 21 a slot 8 in the wall tie receiving end 5 of the 22 column clamp. An outer end 24 of the wall tie 3 is 23 embedded in a mortar course of the brickwork or 24 block work 20.

26 A mortar layer is applied to the upper face of the 27 brickwork 20, and the outer end 24 of the wall tie 3 28 is embedded in the mortar of this layer, whereafter 29 the next brick is laid on top.

31 Significantly, this facilitates securing the wall 32 tie 3 to an adjacent wall of brickwork or blockwork 1 20 at a position substantially aligned with the 2 central portion of the metal column 7 in a direction 3 perpendicular to the flange of the metal column 7.

4 It is to be noted that the wall tie can be aligned with any part of the metal column 7 such that it is 6 offset from the edge of the metal column 7 toward 7 the centre of the flange of the metal column 7.

9 The slots 8 in the column clamp 2 enable the wall tie 3 to be affixed to the column clamp 2. In use, 11 the wall tie 3 is affixed to the column clamp 2 by 12 positioning the wall tie 3 in a vertical position, 13 inserting an engaging means 19 on the inner end 23 14 of the wall tie 3 into one of a series of slots 8 such that the narrow neck of the engaging means 19 16 is in the slot 8. The wall tie 3 is then rotated to 17 a horizontal position to affix the engaging means 19 18 of the wall tie 3 into the slot 8. The distal end 19 of the engaging means 19 is wider than the width of the slot 8 to secure the engaging means 19 in the 21 slot 8.

23 The column clamp 2 which is attached nearest the 24 base of the column 7 may be attached to either of two flanges 6 of the column 7. The load bearing 26 direction of the column assembly 1 is along the 27 longitudinal axis of the column clamp 2 itself and 28 in the direction of orientation of the wall tie 29 receiving end 5 or toward the free flange opposite the flange to which the column tie assembly 1 is 31 attached. The arrow on Figure 1 indicates the load 32 bearing direction of the column tie assembly. The 1 column clamp 2 which is attached to the column 7 at 2 the most adjacent vertical position to the column 3 clamp 2 attached nearest the base must be attached 4 to the opposite flange 6 of the column 7 so that the load bearing direction of the column clamp 2 is in 6 the opposite direction to that of the column clamp 2 7 nearest the base.

9 In the second embodiment described above, a head 25 of the clamping bolt 22 faces outward of the flange 11 6 and the clamping bolt 22 is loosened to enable the 12 column clamp 21 to be anchored onto the flange 6 of 13 the metal column 7. The clamping bolt 22 is then 14 tightened to clamp the column clamp 21 securely onto the metal column 7 as shown in Figure 1. The wall 16 tie 3 is affixed to the column clamp 2 as before.

17 The clamping bolt 22 can be adjusted as necessary to 18 loosen the grasp on the flange 6 and enable 19 adjustment of the position of the column clamp 21 or to adjust the tightness of the clamp.

22 The material or materials from which the components 23 of the wall tie assembly are formed can be stainless 24 steel, or other suitable steel which may be galvanised, phosphated, or coated in a manner to 26 obviate or mitigate corrosion. Other metals or 27 alloys may also be used, particularly if the 28 building frame is of a material other than steel, 29 for example aluminium alloy.

1 The term "steel column" when used in the 2 specification is to be understood to encompass any 3 metal column or structure.

While certain alternative forms of the invention 6 have been described above, the invention is not 7 restricted thereto, and other modifications and 8 variations can be adopted without departing from the 9 scope of the invention.

Claims

1 Claims 3 1. A clamp, attachable to a column for supporting 4 brickwork

or blockwork, comprises: mounting means for a wall tie; and 6 clamping means for clamping the clamp to the 7 column; wherein 8 the mounting means is offset with respect to 9 the clamping means to enable positioning of the mounting means toward the centre of the column.

12

2. A clamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein the 13 clamping means is shaped to partially wrap around a 14 flange of the column.

16

3. A clamp as claimed in claim 2, wherein the 17 clamping means is substantially U-shaped to enable 18 the clamping means to wrap around the flange of the 19 column.

21

4. A clamp as claimed in claim 3, wherein the 22 substantially U-shaped clamping means comprises an 23 elongate arm for the offset mounting means.

5. A clamp as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, 26 wherein the clamping means comprises a push fit 27 mechanism arranged to clamp the clamping means to 28 the column.

6. A clamp as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, 31 wherein the clamping means comprises a clamping bolt 32 arranged to clamp the clamping means to the column.

2 7. A clamp as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, 3 wherein the mounting means comprises a plurality of 4 mountings for a wall tie.

6 8. A clamp as claimed in claim 7, wherein each

7 mounting comprises a slot arranged to receive a wall

8 tie.

9. A clamp as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8, 11 wherein the column is a metal column.

13

10. A column tie assembly for securing brickwork or 14 blockwork to a column, the column tie assembly comprising a clamp as claimed in any of claims 1 to 16 9 and a wall tie mountable between the clamp and the 17 brickwork or blockwork.

19

11. A column tie assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the clamp and the wall tie are separable.

22

12. A column tie assembly as claimed in claim 10 or 23 claim 11 wherein the wall tie comprises engaging 24 means for attaching the wall tie to the clamp.

26

13. A method of fabricating a building with a 27 column and a wall of brickwork or blockwork, the 28 method comprising the steps of: 29 assembling a structure of a building; providing a plurality of clamps as claimed in 31 any of claims 1 to 9; 32 fastening individual clamps to the column at 1 respective selected locations thereon; 2 progressively assembling the wall of brickwork 3 or blockwork adjacent to the columns by successive 4 superimposition of bricks or blocks; and mounting a wall tie between the clamps and the 6 wall.