GB2552210A

GB2552210A - Supports for sheet materials

Info

Publication number: GB2552210A
Application number: GB1612251.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kershaw Anthony
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-07-14
Filing date: 2016-07-14
Publication date: 2018-01-17
Also published as: GB201612251D0; GB2554152A; GB201711073D0

Abstract

Temporary supports are disclosed for use in mounting sheet materials on ceiling joists. A first embodiment comprises an integral plastics moulding attachable to a joist and preferably has a hinged section 28 engageable with the underside of a sheet to wedge and hold the sheet while fixings are inserted. A tab 25 is provided to support one end of the next sheet while it is fixed in place. The part of the temporary support remaining beneath the sheets is then torn off along a perforation 33 leaving the remainder in place to be plastered over. An alternative support has a pivotable section that can be pivoted in place under the sheet to hold it temporarily while fixings are inserted. The support is then removed for re-use. A still further embodiment relates to a support characterized by a nose portion projecting from the body.

Description

(71) Applicant(s):

Anthony Kershaw

23a Westfield Avenue, North Greetwell, LINCOLN, LN2 4RD, United Kingdom (72) Inventor(s):

Anthony Kershaw (56) Documents Cited:

CA 002070042 A1 US 20130126694 A1 US 20060272258 A1

US 5371994 A US 20090211193 A1 US 20050188646 A1 (58) Field of Search:

INT CL E04F, E04G Other: EPODOC, WPI, TXTE.

(74) Agent and/or Address for Service:

LOVEN Patents & Trademarks Limited

Wragby Road, Sudbrooke, Lincoln, Lincolnshire,

LN2 2QU, United Kingdom (54) Title of the Invention: Supports for sheet materials

Abstract Title: Temporary supports for use in mounting sheet materials on ceiling joists (57) Temporary supports are disclosed for use in mounting sheet materials on ceiling joists. A first embodiment comprises an integral plastics moulding attachable to a joist and preferably has a hinged section 28 engageable with the underside of a sheet to wedge and hold the sheet while fixings are inserted. A tab 25 is provided to support one end of the next sheet while it is fixed in place. The part of the temporary support remaining beneath the sheets is then torn off along a perforation 33 leaving the remainder in place to be plastered over. An alternative support has a pivotable section that can be pivoted in place under the sheet to hold it temporarily while fixings are inserted. The support is then removed for re-use. A still further embodiment relates to a support characterized by a nose portion projecting from the body.

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FIG. 13

- 1 SUPPORTS FOR SHEET MATERIALS Field of the Invention

This invention relates to temporary supports for use in mounting sheet materials on downwardly facing members, for example ceiling joists.

Background to the Invention

The mounting of plasterboard on ceiling joists to form ceilings is a difficult operation, typically requiring a sheet of 2.4m x 1.2m to be accurately positioned and then supported while sufficient screws or other fixings are driven through the sheet to hold the sheet in position and permit the support to be removed while the remaining fixings are driven in to finalise the mounting. Plasterboard sheets of this size can weigh from around 23kg for 12.5mm thick boards to nearly 30kg for 15mm boards. Although props or the like can be used to hold the sheet in place during driving of the fixings, their use is often inconvenient, because positioning the props can be time-consuming, and the props can ob15 struct the working space. Often in practice the sheets will be held in place manually while the fixings are driven in to secure them, and this is potentially damaging to the people holding the sheet in place and can make accurate positioning of the sheet difficult.

Various proposals have been made for devices to assist in temporarily holding sheet materials in position while permanent fixing is carried out with screws or the like. For example, US2008/110107A1 discloses a supporting bracket that can be temporarily attached to a ceiling through an already installed sheet of plasterboard and used to guide and support the next sheet. The bracket has a fixed portion and a hinged portion to which a length of timber can be screwed to assist in pushing the sheet into place. US6364303B1 discloses a simple stepped bracket that can be temporarily fixed in place in different orientations to support a board in different locations. A swivel arrangement allows a portion of the bracket to be moved out of the way to allow the upward introduction of an end of the sheet already supported at its other end. The brackets shown in US2008/053036A1 and US5366329 similarly swivel to enable positioning of the sheet, but are less flexible in their use.

- 2 GB2502810 proposes a combination of simple single J-shaped clips and pairs of these welded together to form an H-shape to be screwed to the ceiling joists to receive plasterboard sheets. The H-shaped clips are located on the free end of the sheet to be screwed in place after lifting. Since the clips remain in place in the ceiling, they need to be a tight fit on the sheets, and this makes the initial positioning on the end J-clips difficult, as well as holding the sheets in place while screws are driven through the H-clips.

W02016/034870A1 discloses supports with opposed channels that are intended to clip on to the sheets in between pairs of joists to guide and hold the next sheet. It is intended that the supports will remain in position in the ceiling and be plastered over. This arrangement requires a special beading arrangement to be installed against the wall so that the first sheet can be positioned.

These prior art devices are all relatively complex, both in manufacture and in use. There is a need for a device that is simple to manufacture and sim15 pie and reliable to use.

Summary of the Invention

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a temporary support for use in mounting sheet materials on ceiling joists, comprising a flat strip having a hole therethrough for the passage of a fixing whereby, in use, the strip may be attached to the underside of a joist, an arm extending normally to the flat strip and having a tab extending normally to the arm at a distance from the flat strip greater than the thickness of the sheet material with which it is used, the tab serving to support an edge of a sheet, in use, and the arm having a region of reduced shear strength provided therein at a distance from the flat strip corresponding to the thickness of the sheet material whereby, when the sheets have been fastened to the joists by fixings, the portion of the support extending beneath the sheet material may be separated from the remainder of the support by applying a shearing force thereto.

Preferably, the support has at the end of the arm remote from the strip a hinged wedging member movable between a first position, wherein the whole of the wedging member lies on one side of the arm, to a second position in wedg-3ing engagement with a sheet located over the flat strip on the opposite side of the arm from the tab.

The support is preferably integrally moulded from a plastics material. According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a tempo5 rary support for use in mounting sheet materials on ceiling joists, comprising a flat strip having a hole therethrough for the passage of a fixing whereby, in use, the strip may be attached to the underside of a joist, an arm extending normally to the flat strip and having at the end thereof remote from the strip a hinged wedging member movable between a first position, wherein the whole of the wedging member lies on one side of the arm, to a second position in wedging engagement with a sheet located over the flat strip on the opposite side of the arm, a tab extending normally to the arm on said one side thereof at a distance from the flat strip greater than the thickness of the sheet material with which it is used, the tab serving to support an edge of a further sheet, in use, and the arm having a region of reduced shear strength provided therein at a distance from the flat strip corresponding to the thickness of the sheet material whereby, when the sheets have been fastened to the joists by fixings, the portion of the support extending beneath the sheet material may be separated from the remainder of the support by applying a shearing force thereto.

The region of reduced shear strength may be a perforated or otherwise weakened region separable by applying a twisting force to the portion of the temporary support exposed beneath the sheets. The support may be integrally moulded in a plastics material, the hinge by which the wedging member is connected to the remainder of the support being formed as a region of increased flexibility, for example of reduced thickness.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In the drawings, which illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a temporary support according to a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a view corresponding to that of Figure 1, but with the second body rotated relative to the first;

-4Figure 3 is a sectional view of the temporary support of Figures 1 and 2 mounted on a ceiling joist;

Figure 4 shows the temporary support of Figure 3 in use;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of an auxiliary support for use with the support of Figures 1 to 4;

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the auxiliary support of Figure 5 in use; Figure 7 is a sectional view of the auxiliary support of Figure 5 in an alternative mode of use;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a temporary support according to an10 other embodiment of the invention, showing alternative positions of the hinged part;

Figure 9 is a sectional view of a ceiling joist with the temporary support of Figure 8 fixed thereto and being used to support one edge of one plasterboard sheet and an edge of the next plasterboard sheet;

Figure 10 is a view corresponding to that of Figure 9, showing the edge of the sheet locked in place pending the application of permanent fixings;

Figure 11 is a view corresponding to that of Figure 10, showing the removal of the portion of the temporary support extending beneath the plasterboards after it has served its purpose;

Figure 12 is a perspective view of a modified version of the temporary support of Figure 8, for use adjacent to a wall; and

Figure 13 is a side view of the support of Figure 12 in use.

Detailed Description of the Illustrated Embodiment

Referring first to Figures 1 to 4, the temporary support comprises first 25 and second plastics moulded bodies 1 and 2 joined together by a pivot pin 3 allowing relative rotation of the bodies. The first body 1 has a generally L-shaped profile offering a planar face 4 which, in use as shown in Figure 3, is secured against the side face of a ceiling joist 5 by means of a screw passed through a bore 6 therethrough. The face 4 may be provided with a mark thereon to assist in the correct positioning so that the underside of the first body is at a distance from the underside of the joist by a distance at least equal to the thickness of the plasterboard or other sheet material with which it is to be used. To accom- 5modate different thicknesses of sheet material, different marks may be provided. The second body 2 has a first portion 2A containing the pivot pin and extending generally normally from the underside of the first body 1 and a support arm 2B extending obliquely therefrom and present an upper supporting surface 7 which lies in the same plane as that of the underside of the first body 1 (or it may be parallel to it).

It will be seen from Figures 2 and 3 that the pivot pin 3 is positioned within the bodies 1 and 2 in such a manner as to ensure that the second body may be rotated to a position, as shown in Figure 2 or Figure 3, in which the second body lies entirely to the side of the plane through the planar face 4 away from the joist, in use. This permits an end of a plasterboard sheet or the like to be lifted into position beneath and against the joist without being obstructed by the support. Temporary supports at the other end of the sheet will receive the sheet first, permitting the end of the sheet 8, as shown in Figure 4, to be lifted into position in a pivoting action. The second body 2 is then rotated into position to hold the edge of the sheet in position against the joist while fixings, typically screws, are driven through the board into the joists to secure it permanently. It will be appreciated that a pair of temporary supports will be needed at each end of the sheet. When the sheet has been fixed in position by sufficient fixings, the temporary supports can be removed.

Figure 5 shows an auxiliary support for use with the temporary support of Figures 1 to 4. The auxiliary support has a planar fixing surface 10, a grip portion 11 extending downwardly therefrom, and a nose portion 12 extending to one side of the grip portion 11 beneath the fixing surface 10. A fixing hole 13 passes through the nose portion and opens through the planar fixing surface

10. The nose portion 12 comprises a first surface 14 extending parallel to the fixing surface 10 and spaced therefrom by a distance at least equal to the thickness of the sheet material with which it is to be used, an oblique surface 15 extending in a plane at 135 degrees to the first surface 14, and a downwardlyfacing surface 16 extending approximately normally to the oblique surface.

The auxiliary support can be used in a number of different ways. Firstly, as illustrated in Figure 6, the auxiliary support can be used during installation of

- 6the next adjacent sheet to that positioned in the manner illustrated in Figure 4. After removal of the temporary supports, a pair of auxiliary supports is used to carry the leading edge of the next sheet to be installed. Each support is mounted on the edge of the already-installed sheet 8, by means of a screw 17 which passes through the sheet 8 and into the joist 5, so that the nose portion 12 projects beyond the end of the sheet 8. The next sheet 18 is located with its leading edge on the oblique surfaces 15 of the pair of auxiliary supports and can then be lifted into place in a pivoting action so that the edge of the sheet rests on the first surfaces 14 of the auxiliary supports. The opposite edge of the sheet will be supported in the manner described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. The rear edge of the sheet 18 shown in Figure 6 is held supported a short distance beneath the joists and needs only to be lifted by that short distance while the fixing screws are put in place.

Secondly, the auxiliary supports can be used when the first sheet is posi15 tioned with its edge against a wall. In this mode, the supports can be screwed temporarily to the wall with the nose portions 12 facing upwardly and spaced from the plane of the downwardly facing surfaces of the joists by a distance just greater than the thickness of the sheet material to be used. The first stage of the sheet material may then be slid up the surfaces 16 of the auxiliary supports and the sheet may then be rotated into position, again as described with reference to Figures 1 to 4.

A third use for the auxiliary support is illustrated in Figure 7, illustrating installation of plasterboard on a sloping ceiling. While the figure illustrates attachment of the plasterboard direct to the joist, in practice insulation material would be fixed over the joists, and then plasterboard located over the insulation material. However, the fixing method is essentially the same, with the auxiliary support being screwed into the joist (through the insulation material if appropriate), the grip portion 11 assisting the user to hold the auxiliary support in position whilst driving the screw 17 through it. The plasterboard sheet 18 can then be lifted into position with the lowermost edge locating in the space between the nose portion 12 of the auxiliary support and the joist or the surface of the insulating material.

-7 Referring now to Figures 8 to 11, an alternative temporary support is shown, which is integrally moulded from a plastics material and has a flat strip 20 with a fixing hole 21 through which a screw 22 or other fixing may be driven into the underside of the joist 23 to hold the support in place. An arm 24 extends normally to the flat strip and has a supporting tab 25 projecting normally therefrom on the face of the arm opposite to the flat strip 20. The supporting tab 25 is spaced from the plane of the flat strip 20 by a distance a few millimetres in excess of the thickness of the sheet material with which it is intended to be used, so that, in use, the edge of the plasterboard sheet may be located onto the tab in an easy sliding motion, rather than as an interference fit. The lowermost end of the arm 24 carries and obliquely-angled portion 26 directed to the same side of the arm as the supporting tab 25, the portion 26 being connected through a plastic hinge 27 to a wedging member 28. The wedging member 28 has a link portion 29 extending from the hinge 27, the length of the link portion 29 being greater than the length of the portion 26 and leading into a second portion 30 which extends at an oblique angle to the link portion 29 directed towards the opposite side of the arm from the supporting tab 25. A wedging section 31 extends substantially at right angles to the second portion 30 on the opposite side thereof from the link portion 29, and a grip portion 32 extends obliquely from the wedging section 31. The length of the second portion 30 is such that, when the wedging member is rotated to a position in which the wedging section 31 is substantially parallel to the flat strip 20, the distance between the wedging section 31 and the flat strip 20 is equal to the thickness of the plasterboard with which it is to be used and the second portion 30 is spaced from the arm 24. The wedging portion 31 engages the plasterboard closely so as to which is in position while the fixings are driven into place. The arm 24 has a line of perforation 33 across it at a distance from the surface of the flat strip 20 equal to or just smaller than (by a millimetre or 2) the plasterboard thickness.

In use, when the temporary support has been screwed to the underside of the joist to 23, the wedging member 28 is rotated downwardly and to the same side of the arm 24 as the supporting tab 25 so as to leave clear access for a plasterboard sheet 34 to be rotated into position against the flat strip, the

- 8other end of the plasterboard sheet 34 having been temporarily supported either with a similar device or with an alternative temporary support. The wedging member can then be rotated into position with the wedging section 31 jammed against the face of the plasterboard so as to lock the edge of the plasterboard into position as shown in Figure 10. Fixing screws can then be driven through the plasterboard sheet 34 to secure it in its correct position. The next plasterboard sheet 35 can then be located on the supporting tabs of 2 or more of the temporary support and rotated into position using the temporary supports on the next appropriate ceiling joist. When the plasterboard sheet 35 has been screwed into position permanently, the wedging member 28 can then be released from engagement with the plasterboard sheet 34. The free part of the arm 24 is then manually gripped and twisted to tear it across the perforation 33, the remainder of the arm 24 being held firmly between 2 adjacent plasterboard sheets 34 and 35, leaving the remainder of the support in position. Since the arm 24 is relatively thin, the gap between adjacent sheets 34 and 35 is small enough to be taped and plastered over in conventional manner. The torn-off part is simply discarded all the plastic material can be recycled.

Referring to Figures 12 and 13, an alternative form of the support of Figures 8 to 11, especially suitable for use in mounting sheets adjacent to a wall is moulded in plastics material and has a flat strip 40 with a mounting hole 41 through which a fixing such as a screw 42 can be driven into a ceiling joist 43 or the like, an arm 44 depending downwards from the flat strip and having at the free end thereof a tab 45 extending normally to the arm 44 for receiving an edge portion of a sheet 46 to be mounted on the ceiling joists (it will be appreciated that only one of a number of regularly spaced ceiling joists is shown, the sheet being fixed to all of the joists against which it rests). The arm has a perforated section 47 across it at a depth from the flat strip 40 equal to or slightly less than the thickness of the sheet material with which it is to be used. In use, one end of the sheet rests on the tabs of at least two spaced supports, the other end of the sheet then being secured in place temporarily using, for example, a support as illustrated in Figures 8 to 11. The distance between the tab 45 and the flat strip 40 is greater than the thickness of the sheet material to facilitate introduc-9tion of the sheet and its rotation into position without the edge of the sheet being gripped. The sheet can then be readily lifted into its final position and held conveniently while sufficient fixings are driven to hold the sheet. The protruding part of the fixing is then torn off across the perforation and discarded.

Claims

1. A temporary support for use in mounting sheet materials on ceiling joists, comprising a flat strip having a hole therethrough for the passage of a fixing whereby, in use, the strip may be attached to the underside of a joist, an arm extending normally to the flat strip and having a tab extending normally to the arm at a distance from the flat strip greater than the thickness of the sheet material with which it is used, the tab serving to support an edge of a sheet, in use, and the arm having a region of reduced shear strength provided therein at a distance from the flat strip corresponding to the thickness of the sheet material whereby, when the sheets have been fastened to the joists by fixings, the portion of the support extending beneath the sheet material may be separated from the remainder of the support by applying a shearing force thereto.

2. A temporary support according to Claim 1, having at the end of the arm remote from the strip a hinged wedging member movable between a first position, wherein the whole of the wedging member lies on one side of the arm, to a second position in wedging engagement with a sheet located over the flat strip on the opposite side of the arm from the tab.

3. A temporary support according to Claim 2, wherein the wedging member is hinged to the arm by a region of reduced thickness.

4. A temporary support according to Claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the region of reduced strength is a perforated region.

5. A temporary support according to any preceding claim, integrally moulded in a plastics material.

6. A temporary support for use in mounting sheet materials on ceiling joists, substantially as described with reference to, and/or as shown in, Figures 9 to 13 of the drawings.

7. A temporary support for use in mounting sheet materials on ceiling joists, comprising a first body having a first planar surface securable by a fixing passing through the body to a side face of a joist, in use, a second surface extending in a plane normal to the first surface and rotatably mounting a second body, the second body having a support surface extending in a plane normal to the first surface, the support surface being rotatable between a first position,

- 11 wherein the support surface lies at least partially beneath the joist in use, and a second position, wherein the second body is all on the opposite side of the plane through said first surface from the joist.

8. A temporary support for use in mounting sheet materials on ceiling 5 joists, substantially as described with reference to, and/or as shown in, Figures

1 to 4 of the drawings.

9. A temporary support for use in mounting sheet materials on ceiling joists, comprising a body having a first planar face, a fixing hole passing through the body and opening in the planar face, and a nose portion projecting from the

10. A temporary support for use in mounting sheet materials on ceiling joists, substantially as described with reference to, and/or as shown in, Figures 5, 6 and 7 of the drawings.

Intellectual

Property

Office

Application No: GB1612251.7 Examiner: Mr Haydn Gupwell

10 body to present a second planar surface spaced from but parallel to the first planar face such that, when the first planar face is secured to the underside of a ceiling joist, the second planar surface is spaced below the first planar face by a distance greater than the thickness of the sheet material, the nose portion also having a further face extending obliquely from the second surface in a direction

15 away from the first planar face.