GB2539371A

GB2539371A - Railway shuttering apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2539371A
Application number: GB1506126.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: White Tony
Original assignee: FAST-FORM SYSTEMS Ltd
Current assignee: FAST-FORM SYSTEMS Ltd
Priority date: 2015-04-10
Filing date: 2015-04-10
Publication date: 2016-12-21
Also published as: GB201506126D0

Abstract

An adjustable support 10 for use in shuttering formwork comprises a support member 20 supported by and between two rails of a railway track 50a, 50b. The support may be used in tunnels where headroom is limited. First and second shuttering contact members 30a, 30b are pivotally suspended from the support member and first and second bracing members 40a, 40b are engaged with the contact members and the support member. The first and second bracing members are mounted inwardly of the shuttering contact members. The bracing members may be pivotally or slidingly engaged with the support and contact members, and may be adjustable in length. Consecutive supports may be coupled together by mounting a plurality of connectors between them. The support member may be collapsible and may further comprise a guard rail or platform. The support member may comprise a pair of wheel assemblies for mounting on the rails of the track.

Description

AN ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an adjustable support for use in shuttering formwork, in particular to an adjustable support which is supported by and between two rails of a railway track.

Background to the Invention

Shuttering and formwork used within the construction industry conventionally requires the construction of bespoke timber supports and strutting to hold shuttering board in place. Concrete is then poured against the board to form a wall, column, pillar or the like. Unfortunately, timber supports cannot readily be transferred between construction projects as the required dimensions and sizes of the walls to be constructed and the space available for the supports vary. Timber supports are also time consuming to construct and dismantle.

More extensive prefabricated metal shuttering systems are in use cur-rently but these are complex to erect and are both heavy and expensive. They often require cranes to handle the formwork into position, and therefore they are not suitable where headroom is limited, or where the structures being built are very complex.

Particularly when working with railway tracks, the availability of space to build a conventional formwork is often limited, and this presents a problem to engineers, which makes bespoke timber and preformed steel shuttering unsuitable. Also when rail tracks are laid in tunnels it is common to find that the track is laid first on ballast material. This is only a temporary solution, and in tunnels the build-up of water in the bottom of the tunnel section can destabilise the track bed. Then when a more permanent rail track is required the ballast is removed and concrete is poured underneath the rails to fix the rails in position. Because it is common to require a services channel between the two rails of the track, shuttering is required to be positioned between the rails. Using timber formwork is cumbersome and time consuming to fashion and preformed metal formwork is not adaptable enough for the task in hand.

There has now been developed an adjustable support for use in shuttering formwork which overcomes or substantially mitigates the above-mentioned and/or other disadvantages associated with the prior art.

Summary of the Invention

In one aspect of the invention there is provided an adjustable support for use in shuttering formwork comprising, a support member supported by and between two rails of a railway track, io a first and second shuttering contact member each being pivotally sus-pended from the support member, and a first and second bracing member engaged with the first and second shuttering contact members, respectively and the support member.

wherein the first and second bracing members are mounted inwardly of the shuttering contact members.

The adjustable support according to the invention is advantageous principally because it allows a formwork to be introduced between and underneath the rails of a railway track, quickly, simply and easily. The weight of the formwork is supported by the rails of the track which means that concrete can be poured around the formwork (i.e. underneath it and to the sides) so that the rails can be solidly embedded onto a base (such as a tunnel surface). The adjustable support according to the invention is also advantageous because it means a channel can be built within the concrete base between the two rails of the track. Due to the shuttering contact members being pivotally suspended from the sup-port member the angles of the walls of the channel can be varied to allow for changes in track cant, for example. The support is therefore particularly useful for moulding concrete or the like with both angular and vertical edge portions. Preferably the first and second bracing members are engaged pivotally with the support member and the first and second shuttering contact members, respectively. This means that the shuttering contact members can move freely before being fixed into position.

Preferably the first and second bracing members are engaged slidingly with the first and second shuttering contact members, respectively, and/or the support member. This makes assembly of the support quick and easy. It also allows the angle of the shuttering contact members with respect to the support 5 members to be adjusted accurately. In order to do this the support member and/or the shuttering contact members preferably comprise a longitudinal channel or slot into which a pin or bolt or the like on the bracing member engages. The rotation of the shuttering contact member about the base is effected by sliding the pin or bolt or the like on bracing member within the channel on the shut-to tering contact member and/or the support member.

Preferably the first and second bracing members are adjustable in length. This also makes assembly of the support quick and easy. It also allows the angle of the shuttering contact members with respect to the support members to be adjusted accurately. The bracing member may therefore comprise a telescopic portion, a hydraulic portion, a pneumatic portion, a bar extendable within a tubular surround, or a screw jack or the like. Operation of any of the above will cause a change in length of the bracing member, and therefore a change in the angle between the support member and the shuttering contact member.

It is possible for the support according to the invention to function without the first and second bracing members being engaged slidingly with the first and second shuttering contact members, or the first and second bracing members being adjustable in length. In such an embodiment, the support member, bracing members and shuttering support members engage with each other using normal bolt and hole arrangements. The shuttering contact member and/or the support member may be provided with a series of holes which holes at the ends of the bracing member engages with. By selecting and lining up different sets of holes, the angle of the shuttering support member with respect to the support member can be altered.

Preferably the connections between the support member, the respective shuttering contact member and the respective bracing member are securable. This means that once the support has been assembled into position it can be fixed in order to form a rigid supporting structure against which shuttering can be attached and subsequent concrete poured. The securable engagement also enables the spacial orientation of the members and braces to be fixed substantially with one another. Examples of suitable engagements include a threaded bolt and nut assembly or a locking pin assembly or the like. The engagements can also preferably be completely disassembled allowing disassociation of each of the members and braces from one another, for example for the purposes of transport.

Preferably consecutive adjustable supports are coupled together by mounting a plurality of connectors between neighbouring adjustable supports.

This means that the support can be assembled into longitudinal structures so that large areas of concrete can be poured at any one time. It also makes the structure more mechanically sound.

Preferably the adjustable support is collapsible. In other words, the sup-port member, shuttering contact member and the bracing member are all or partly dissociated from one another to enable rotation of the members about one another. In this way the support is capable of forming a substantially flat object. This means that the support can be flat packed, which makes it easy to transport to and from a site.

Preferably the adjustable support further comprises a guard rail and/or a platform attached to the support member or the first and/or second shuttering contact members. The means that anyone working with the support can stand inside the support once it is assembled. It also means that worker can work within modern health and safety regulations. The guard rail preferably compris-es a hand rail or the like. Examples of suitable hand rails include rails made from scaffolding tubes or timber or the like. The platform preferably comprises substantially a flat surface or the like. The platform preferably forms an access platform to allow human passageway around the support. Examples of suitable platforms include those made from sheet boarding and/or steel supports.

The support member may comprise a pair of wheel assemblies one at each end of the support member, the adjustable support being suspended from the wheel assemblies which are mountable on the rails of a railway track in use.

This means that the support is moveable along the rails of the railway track. This makes it possible to pour concrete around the support in one position, then when it has set, advance the support along the tracks to a new position and pour again, and then continue the process all along the track without having to disassemble the support. The support member may alternatively comprise a pair of clamping devices one at each end of the support member. The clamps are mountable on the rails of a railway track in use. This means that the adjustable support can be held rigidly in place by the rails of the railway track.

A guard rail as described above may also be attached to the wheel as-to semblies.

Preferably shuttering is attached to the outwardly exposed face of each of the first and second shuttering support members. This means that the support forms a sort of basket cage, suspended from the rails of the railway track. The shuttering is placed against the shuttering support members and stops any concrete which is poured around the basket from entering the basket. In so do-ing a shaped well or recess is formed between and underneath the rails of the track when the support is moved. If sequential shaped recesses are formed then a channel is formed, which can accommodate services or the like for the railway track.

The shuttering contact members and/or the support member may be formed with openings to allow screws, nails or bolts to be used in attachment of the shuttering and/or connectors. The shuttering contact members and/or the base member can also be formed within a flat outer face. This allows the abutment of the shuttering in a seamless manner. The shuttering contact members and/or the support member can also attach to shuttering and/or connectors via slot and hook arrangements. The shuttering contact members and/or the support member can also attach to shuttering and/or connectors by adhesion using adhesive.

Preferably the shuttering is a formed as a sheet of material. More prefer-ably the material comprises wood, plastics, composite and/or metal. Examples of suitable materials include ply wood sheets, weather board sheets or scaffold boards.

The support member, shuttering contact members, and bracing members may be formed into channel section, angle section, tubular section, or solid section material. Preferably the support member, shuttering contact members, and bracing members are made of metal.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of illustration, with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a section view of an embodiment of the adjustable support showing the support clamped to the rails.

io Figure 2 is a section view of an embodiment of the adjustable support showing the alternative wheel assembly arrangements for supporting the adjustable support on the rails of the train track.

Figure 3 is a section view of an embodiment of the adjustable support showing the alternative wheel assembly arrangements for supporting the ad- justable support on the rails of the train track with the optional guard rail at-tached to the wheel assemblies.

Figure 4 is a plan view from above of an embodiment of the adjustable support as shown in Figure 3 on a straight section of railway track.

Figure 5 is a plan view from above of an embodiment of the adjustable support as shown in Figure 3 on a curved section of railway track.

Figure 6 is a sectional view through section B-B and C-C on figure 4. Figure 7 is a sectional view through section D-D and E-E on figure 5.

Detailed Description of the Illustrated Embodiment

Figure 1 shows an adjustable support according to the invention general- ly designated 10. The support 10 comprises a support member 20, a first shut-tering support member 30a, a second shuttering support member 30b, a first bracing member 40a and a second bracing member 40b. The support member 20 has clamps 22 at each end of the support member which are used to clamp the support member 20 to a pair of rails 50a and 50b which form a railway track.

In the example shown in Figure 1, the railway track is positioned within a tunnel.

The rails are initially laid on ballast material. The support member 20 is thus supported by the rails 50a and 50b.

The shuttering support members 30a and 30b are bolted to the support member 20 so that they hang downwards from the support member. For this a hole at the end of each of the shuttering support members 30a and 30b is aligned with a slot 24 in the support member 20. A bolt is inserted through the hole and the slot and the two members are held solidly together by tightening a nut on the other end of the bolt. Thus there is presented a secured slidable hinge arrangement.

One end of each of the bracing members 40a and 40b is connected in a similar fashion to a similar slot in the support member 20 as shown in the diagram. The opposite end of the bracing member 40a and 40b is connected in a similar fashion to a slot in the respective shuttering support member. The shuttering support members are thereby suspended downwardly from the support member and braced laterally. Each member 20, 30a, 30b is made of steel and has a channel section profile. The bracing members 40a and 40b are length adjustable jack props, similar to Acrow® props.

Shuttering board 60 is attached to the shuttering contact members 30. In this example the board is a plywood board and the fixture is by screwing. The bracing members 40a and 40b can be adjusted in length to cause the rotation of the shuttering support member 30a and 30b respectively, about the support member 20. For this the nuts and bolts holding all the parts together must be initially loose, but later tightened once the exact angle and position is settled upon. It will be appreciated that multiple angles can be achieved but in this ex- ample the bracing member is moved to achieve a vertical plumb line for shutter-ing.

An extra shuttering support member may be attached between the free ends of the shuttering support members 30a and 30b at the bottom of the support 10. This increases the rigidity of the support 10 and allows for a shuttering board 50 to be attached to the bottom face of the support 10.

In use, the support 10 described above is constructed after a large proportion of the ballast surrounding the rails is removed. The rails are otherwise maintained in position by sleepers (not shown). Concrete is then poured around the support 10 (with the shuttering board attached). Once the concrete is set the support and boarding is removed to leave a recess/channel between the two rails.

In Figure 2, there is shown alternative embodiment of the invention, wherein wheel assemblies 70a and 70b are attached via an angle bracket to each end of the support member 20. The wheel assemblies may be extra to the clamps. The wheel assemblies 70a and 70b engage with the rails and lift the support member 20 sufficiently away from the base of the rails, so that the sup-port 10 can be rolled up and down the railway track.

In Figure 3, there is shown alternative embodiment of the invention, wherein guard rails 72a and 72b are attached to the wheel assembly brackets. The guard rails improve the health and safety of works working within the confines of the support 10. Decking 74 is attached to the top surface of the support member 20. This decking acts as a working platform and can be kept from the edges to allow for concreting.

Figure 4 shows a plan view of an embodiment of the support according to the invention. In the example shown three supports are joined together using connectors 80 attached between adjacent shutting contact members along the sides of the support (not shown), and attached between adjacent support members 20 along the top surface of the support 10. The decking 74 is applied to this top surface, but has been omitted for the purposes of the drawing. The guard rails 72a and 72b, and wheel assemblies 70a and 70b are also present as described above. The rails of the railway track are labelled 5.

In figure 5 there is shown a plan view of an embodiment of the invention wherein the rails of the railway track are curved, for example when the track is bending. The joining braces are omitted.

Figure 6 shows a sectional view of the side of the support 10 in figure 4. Section B-B is taken from the perspective of inside the support looking out-wards, whereas section C-C is taken from the perspective of outside the support looking inwards. Adjacent supports 10 are connected together using connectors 80 (called ties on the image). This is done by attaching the ends of the connectors 80 to the shuttering support members 30 using fixing bolts. The connectors 80 are aligned parallel with each other to provide optimum strength and prevent twisting. Shuttering board 50 is applied to the outwardly facing side of the shutting support members 30 and connectors 80.

Figure 7 shows a sectional view of the side of the support 10 in figure 5.

Section D-D is taken from the perspective of inside the support looking outwards, whereas section E-E is taken from the perspective of outside the support looking inwards. Adjacent supports 10 are connected together using the shuttering board 50. Alternatively adjacent supports 10 may be connected together us-ing connectors as described above.

After use the nut and bolt assemblies holding the members together are released and the support 10 is collapsed and flat packed.