GB2491933A

GB2491933A - Support device for suspending insulation mounted between joists

Info

Publication number: GB2491933A
Application number: GB201207340A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Johnston Burns
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-04-26
Filing date: 2012-04-27
Publication date: 2012-12-19
Also published as: GB201207340D0; GB201106940D0

Abstract

The device is secured in use between two joists and leaves an air gap between the bottom of the device and the plane level with the bottom of the joists to allow space for recessed lighting. There is also space above the device and the plane level with the top of the joists to suspend, hang or support insulation. The device may be secured to the joists using screws or ends that cut into the joists using a push fit. The device may include upper and lower portions that are affixed together, the lower portion acting as a support for electrical cables or other services conduits such as pipes. In use a number of the devices are used in a row hold the insulation. The device may be used to stiffen, strengthen or reinforce the floor it is located in and eliminates the need for dwangs or noggins/noggins between joists and struts.

Description

IN-BETWEEN JOIST SUPPORT SYSTEM

The original idea was born in December 2010 while working as a joiner and doing a job I have always detested, fitting insulation between joists especially when working overhead There is no simple practical way of doing it and every tradesman has his own makeshift method.lt is even more challenging when working in confined areas like under floors. No one likes working with fibre type insulation as it's extremely irritating on the eyes, skin and lungs.

PROBLEN DESCRIPTION

Until the plasterboard is installed it is very awkward to keep the insulation in place.Then once the insulation is in place it's awkward to run pipes and cables. When fitting recessed lights into ceilings the insulation also tends to rest on light fittings and transformers, this causes both light bulbs and transformers to overheat causing problems with the lighting and shortening the life of the fittings. When fitting insulation under floors at ground level it tends to fall down threw time, losing its effectiveness and drawing in dampness.

This started me thinking about the way we lay pipes,cables and insulation into building old and new and even the methods that we use to build our floor and ceilings systems. We tend to find we have quite a lot of movement in our floors and ceilings resulting in cracked paint,plaster and finished floor coverings not to mention creaky floor boards, this is normally because of a lack of strengthening between the joists. The joists are normally strengthened with dwangs or noggings but these are often not fitted or removed because they obstruct the space between the joists making it difficult to fit pipe and cables. So I set about designing something to address all of these problems in a simple and practical way.

SOLUTIONS NEEDED

SOLUTION (1) Easily support insulation Leave an air gap for recessed lighting SOLUTION (2) Create a support platform for domestic pipe and cables installations SOLUTION (3) Create a structural support system to strengthen joists and floors So I put pen to paper and designed a range of products we shall call the IN-BETWEEN JOIST SUPPORT SYSTEM this is a range of products designed to complement one another while giving solutions (1, 2 & 3) to the problems described in the first three paragraphs on page 1.

BASIC CONSTRUCTION INFORMATION

In most buildings floor joists are structural lengths of timber between 150 and 300mm high and 50mm wide and of varying lengths and usually 400 or 600mm centres apart. The joists are what the floor boards are laid onto and what the ceilings are fixed to and suspended from.as shown in (ficiurel.) Dwangs or noggings are short sections of joist cut to the exact size of the distance between the joists then fixed between the joists at 90° to the joists and at regular intervals.

This helps spread any load across the entire floor and not just on the joists directly below Ifiqu re2.) Insulation between floors and ceilings is generally of a fibre type material like glass wool.

It comes in a roll a bit like a sleeping bag and is unrolled and laid between the joists under the floor boards and on top of the ceiling (ficiure3.) So (figures 1 & 2.) show the basic common building method of wooden joists supporting floors & ceilings. (Figure 3) shows the basic method that we use to insulate our homes when built using the building method shown in (figures 1&2.)

SOLUTION SUMMARY

SOLUTiON (1) So what we need is a simply fixable device, placed at regular intervals, between and fixed to or supported by the joists. That will support the insulation and stop it from resting on the ceiling, thus allowing an air gap for recessed lighting which will help keep bulbs and transformers from overheating. Call This SOLUTION (1) (Figure 4) SOLUTION (2) We also need a simply fixable device placed at regular intervals between and fixed to or supported by the joists that will create a support platform for laying pipe and cable runs. It would support pipes and cables allowing them to be fixed neatly safely and conveniently between the joists keeping them away from the ceiling and the floor avoiding the risk of being cut, nailed or screwed through. It could also perform the function of SOLUTION (1) insulating both the room below and the pipework. Call this SOLUTION (2) (Figure 5) SOLUTION (3) We also need a simply fixable device placed at regular intervals between and fixed to and or supported by the joists that will create stiffer stronger joists (this would replace Dwangs or Noggings shown in(figure 2. ), creating a stronger sub floor structure for laying floor boards onto and affixing ceilings to. This would be done in a manner that does not close of the space between joists, leaving it free for the installation of pipes and cables and allowing air to circulate freely. It could also incorporate the properties of SOLUTIONS (1) & L Call this SOLUTION (3). (Figure 6) Diagrams (Figure 1) Section of joists floorboards and ceiling construction (Figure 2) Section of joists floor and ceiling showing Dwangs or Noggings Iflgure 3) Section of joists floor and ceiling shown fibre insulation fitted (Figure 4) A basic insulation supporting strap bar or rod to perform as described in SOLUTION (1) (a device placed at regular intervals to support insulation between joists leaving an air gap between the ceiling and the insulation) Iflgure 5) A support platform for pipes cables and insulation as described in SOLUTION (2) (a device placed at regular intervals between the joists to support pipes and cables neatly and safely and to support insulation leaving an air gap between the ceiling and the insulation) (Figure 6) A structural support strut to reinforce floor and ceiling joists providing a Platform for fixing and supporting pipes cables and insulation as described in SOLUTION (3) (a device placed at regular intervals to reinforce joists providing a stiffer and stronger sub structure for affixing floors and ceilings to and for providing a platform for supporting pipes, cables and insulation leaving an air gap between the ceiling and the insulation) (Figure 7) Figure 7 gives an indication of what a basic support strap may look like.

I have various designs of this basic support strap and the final design will come down to the production cost but all designs will do the same job. The basic function is to easily support insulation between joists while leaving an air gap between the ceiling and the insulation.

(Figure 8) Figure 8 shows two basic support straps in position between two joists.

(Figure 9) Figure 9 shows a pipe and cable support platform. Again there are various designs of this device and the final design will come down to manufacturing costs but all designs perform the same functions. A platform to safely and neatly support and secure cables, pipes and insulation, while maintaining an air gap between the ceiling and the insulation. It will also be compatible to be used with and part of other products in this range.

(Figure 10) Figure 10 shows two pipe and cable support platforms in position between two joists.

(Figure 11) Shows a structural support strut. Again there are various designs and the final design will come down to manufacturing costs. The strut is made from two parts that click together to form a device that reinforces ceiling and floor joists to give a more rigid and stronger sub structure for affixing floors and ceilings and providing a support platform for securing cables and pipes and for supporting insulation and maintaining an air gap between the ceiling and the insulation. And will be compatible to be used with and part of other products in this range.

(Figure 12) Shows two structural support struts one standard and one large in position between two joists.

(Figure 13) Shows two separate components joined together to form one component the Structural support strut.

(Figure 14) Shows all elements in one drawing

DRAWINGS KEY

1. Floorboards 2. Ceiling 3. Floor & Ceiling Joists 4. Insulation 5. Air Gap 6. Recessed Light Fittings 7. Pipes 8. Cables 9. Basic Support Strap 10. Pipe & Cable Support Platform 11. Lower Half of Strut 12. Structural Support Strut 13. Upper Half of Strut 14. Dwangs or Noggings 15. Ends that will cut into Joists 16. Large Structural Support Strut 17. Top Half & Lower Half of Struts Pushed together to form Structural Support Strut 18. Transformer for Light Fittings I have designed a system of products that are complementary to one another and can be used progressively in a building system.

Starting with the basic support strap (Figure 7.) This is a simply fixable device that when placed at regular intervals, between and fixed to or supported by the ceiling and floor joists(Figure 8,) wilJ support insulation that is laid between floors and ceilings. It will support the insulation leaving an air gap between the ceiling and the insulation as shown in (Figure 4.) This air gap will be beneficial when fitting recessed lighting. The air gap will help prevent light fittings, bulbs and transformers from overheating prolonging the life of the fittings. The device itself will help tradesmen in the actual installation of the insulation, giving installers a simple means of securing the insulation by means of this simple push fit device that will hold the insulation securely in place while other building tasks are taking place and eventually the plasterboard ceilings are fitted.

The next device will be the pipe and cable support platform (Figure 9.) This is more robust and secure than the basic strap and is designed to be fitted at regular intervals between and fixed to or supported by the ceiling and floor joists (Figure 10) and may be used alternately with the basic support strap. It will provide a secure and stable platform for securing cables and pipes as they pass through the house between the joists as seen in (Figure 5.) The pipe and cable support platform will allow pipes and cables to be secured between the floor and ceiling joists midway between the floor and the ceiling keeping them safe from possible damage from screws and nails. It will give installers a predetermined secure location for installation of pipes and cables and also allow more pipes and cables to be installed in this safe zone and not affixed to the side of the joists as is common practice.

It will also provide a platform for supporting insulation, making it easier for all the trades involved in laying these materials.

The pipe and cable support platform (Figure 9) also becomes the lower half of the structural support strut (Figure 11.) The structural support strut will come in various sizes varying from slim line to heavy duty as shown in (Figure 12.) The top half of these support struts will vary in size but the lower half (the pipe and cable support platform) will remain the same. When upper strut and lower strut are clipped together as seen in (Figure 13) we have a structural support strut.

The structural support strut is a simply fixable device placed at regular intervals between and fixed to or supported by the joists that will stiffen and strengthen the floor and ceiling joists to create a stiffer and stronger substructure for affixing floors and ceilings. The structural support strut will also provide a safe and secure platform for securing pipes and cables as they are run throughout the home (Figure 6.) Eliminating the need for dwangs or noggings it will leave the service space between our floors and ceilings free from obstructions that hinder the running of our services (pipes & cables) but at the same time delivering more rigid and secure floor and ceiling installations. The struts will also provide a platform to support insulation products. An easily installed device that will make life easier and safer for the installers who have to install the pipes, cables and insulation in our properties. It will also make ceilings and floors less prone to movement, which means less cracking of plaster, paint and floor finishing's as well as less creaking of floorboards.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A device that will support insulation that is being fitted between floor & ceiling joists.
2. A device as in claim 1 and will also support insulation in a manner that leaves an air gap between the insulation and ceiling forming a void space to accommodate recessed light fittings.
3. A device as in claims I & 2 that will also provide a platform for securing pipes and cables when installed between floor & ceiling joists.
4. A device with all of the properties of claims 1, 2 & 3 that will also create a structural support system that will strengthen and rigidify ceilings, floors and joists.
5. A system of devices as in claimsl,2,3 & 4 that can be used individually or combined together to simply support insulation and provide a secure platform for affixing pipes and cables and provide a simple way to strengthen and rigidify floor and ceiling joists.