GB2573130A

GB2573130A - Building Tool

Info

Publication number: GB2573130A
Application number: GB1806728.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Jones Stephen
Original assignee: Simple Genius Ltd
Current assignee: Simple Genius Ltd
Priority date: 2018-04-25
Filing date: 2018-04-25
Publication date: 2019-10-30
Also published as: GB201806728D0

Abstract

A brick cutting safety tool 1 comprising a substantially planar base member 2 having a support brace receptacle 3 extending therefrom. The receptacle 3 is formed from a side member 4 extending substantially perpendicularly from the base member, a top member 6 extending substantially perpendicularly from the side member and a lip 8 extending substantially perpendicularly from the top member. The support brace receptacle 3 is placed over a brick 50 to be cut and the substantially planar base member is placed on the floor and is secured thereto, preferably by means of a user's foot.

Description

Building Tool

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a building tool, in particular a tool to allow the safe cutting of bricks.

Background

It is often necessary to cut bricks to size, often using a powerful angle grinder or disc cutter. In many instances, the builder holds the brick in place with his foot and then cuts through the brick using the angle grinder. This is a very risky procedure because the cutter cuts at around 11000 rpm and is in close proximity to the builder’s foot and leg. If the blade grabs/snatches the brick, it can throw the brick sideways and the cutter becomes unbalanced and can result in potential injury to the user. Despite this, the securement of a brick by a user’s foot remains the most common way in which a brick is held during cutting. This is particularly risky when inexperienced users employ these types of cutters.

It is the aim of the present invention to provide a brick cutting safety tool that overcomes, or at least alleviates, the abovementioned problems.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a brick cutting safety tool comprising a substantially planar base member having a support brace receptacle extending therefrom.

The support brace receptacle is placed over a brick to be cut and the substantially planar base member is placed on the floor and is secured thereto, preferably by means of a user’s foot or it may be screwed down if further clearance is required. The base member should be sufficiently long such that the foot of the user is spaced some distance from the receptacle securing the brick. Preferably, the dimensions of the receptacle are such as to fit snugly over the top of a brick.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the brick cutting safety tool comprises the substantially planar base member, a side member extending substantially perpendicularly from the base member, a top member extending substantially perpendicularly from the side member and a lip extending substantially perpendicularly from the top member wherein at least part of the side member, the top member and the lip together form the support brace receptacle.

Preferably, the base member is longer than the side member and the side member is longer than the lip.

Any suitable material may be used to form the brick cutting safety tool but preferably the tool is made from sheet/rolled metal. The dimensions of the different members may be varied depending upon the size of brick to be accommodated and the desired distance between the foot and the secured brick. However, the dimensions should be such as to provide a portable device. For example, for a standard UK size of brick, the base member may be around 210 - 220mm long, the side member 100-104mm long, the inner length of the top member 65- 69mm and the lip around 40 - 70mm long. Ideally, the thickness of the metal for forming the tool is less than 10mm, preferably less than 5mm.

The length of some or all of the members may be adjustable to vary the size of the receptacle and/or base member. For example, at least one member may be slidable with respect to its adjacent member and have fixing means for securement of the member at a desired position with respect to its adjacent member.

In one embodiment, the invention may be provided with at least one hole through the base member to enable its attachment to a surface. Optionally, a base board may be provided for securement of the base member of the device thereto. A further aspect of the present invention provides a method of securing a brick for cutting, the method comprising placing a support brace receptacle of a brick cutting tool according to the first aspect of the invention over the brick and securing the tool to a surface by means of the base member to maintain the brick in the receptacle.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1A shows a side view of a brick cutting safety tool according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 1B is a perspective view of the brick cutting safety tool shown in Figure 1 A;

Figures 2 and 3 illustrate the brick cutting safety tool of Figures 1A and 1B in use;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a brick cutting safety tool according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a brick cutting safety tool according to yet a further embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Figures 1A and 1B of the accompanying drawings illustrate a brick cutting safety tool according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The tool 1 comprises a piece of flat metal formed into four sections, a first base member 2, a second side member 4 extending substantially perpendicularly from the base member 2, a third top member 6 extending substantially perpendicularly from the side member 4 in an opposing direction to the base member, and a lip or flange 8 extending substantially perpendicularly from the top member and being substantially parallel with the side member 4. The base member has the longest length relative to the other parts and the side member 4 is longer than the lip 8, albeit this is not essential to the invention. The side member, top member and lip together form a support brace receptacle 3.

Figures 2 and 3 demonstrate use of the brick cutting safety tool 1 of Figures 1A and 1B. The support brace receptacle 3 is placed over a brick 50 that requires cutting such that the lip 8 abuts one side of the brick, the top member lies across the top of the brick and the side member abuts the opposing side of the brick. The side member is substantially the same length as the height of the brick and the base member 2 extends outwardly from the brick, as shown in Figure 2. In this manner, the user is able to maintain the position of the brick 50 by placing his or her foot 60 on the base member 2 which serves to hold the support brace receptacle 3 in place around the brick while the user cuts the brick using cutting tool 70, as demonstrated in Figure 3. The base member 2 of the safety tool 1 enables the user to place their foot at a safe distance away from the brick while cutting takes place, avoiding the need to hold the brick by placement of the foot on the brick.

It is to be appreciated that the dimensions of the tool 1, in particular the dimensions of the support brace receptacle 3 formed by the side member, top member and lip, should be such that a brick fits snuggly and is held securely within the receptacle. Generally, bricks in the UK are made to a standard size of 215mm long, 102.5mm wide and 65mm high. Suitable dimensions for the different sections of a safety tool of the invention for cutting such a standard brick are, for example, the base member being 215mm long, the side member being 102mm long, the inner length of the top member being 67mm and the lip being 50mm. However, alternative dimensions may be provided and indeed it may be preferable to provide the device in a variety of sizes to fit over different nonstandard brick dimensions.

Any suitable material may be used to form the brick cutting safety tool according to the invention provided it provides the required strength and durability. Preferably, it is made from a single piece of material that can be formed into the different sections without compromising the strength of the tool, such as rolled stainless steel. The steel should not be too thick, for example, in the range 2-3-5mm, preferably 3mm, so as to provide a device that is not too heavy to handle. The brick cutting safety tool of the invention is ideal for frequent use by a builder, being of a size and weight that can be placed in a builder’s tool kit or bag. This will increase the convenience of the device and result in more frequent use of the device, reducing the risk of injury to a builder.

Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention. The brick cutting safety tool 10 is substantially the same as that shown in Figures 1A and 1B but is provided with a number of apertures 12 in the base member. These are used to fasten the device to a base board 80 by suitable fixing means, such as screws or nails, thereby enabling a brick 50 to be held firmly in place without the need to hold the device with the user’s foot, thus further increasing the safety of the user, albeit at a cost to the portability of the device. Such an embodiment is particularly suitable where frequent movement of the device is not required. The holes provided in the base member also enable the device to be hung up for storage purposes. The device may include other optional features, such as graduated measurements being incorporated into one or more parts of the device, such as the base member (not shown) for ease of measuring and cutting the bricks. Ideally, the tool is a bright colour, such as yellow, to signify the colour of safety.

Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 5. The brick cutting safety tool 100 is made up of multiple separate sections, 200, 400, 800 which may be fastened together to provide the assembled article. The support brace receptacle is formed from two L-shaped members 800, 400, one of the members being receivable within the other and each having a slot 102 so that the parts may be slid together (see arrow A) and fastened using threaded screw 104. The slots and screw enable the length of the upper member of the receptacle to be varied by adjusting the overlap between the L-shaped members thereby enabling the device to accommodate bricks of different sizes. Similarly, base section 200 comprises a base member and includes side member which may be slidably received within L-shaped member 400 (see arrow B) and secured at the required position by threaded screw 104, thereby enabling the height of the support brace receptacle to be adjusted as appropriate for the size of brick to be accommodated by the device. It is to be appreciated that the brick cutting safety tool may be provided in less than or more than 3 parts as desired. Furthermore, alternative means may be provided to enable adjustment and fixing of the position of the various sections of tool with respect to each other.

The present invention provides a convenient brick cutting safety tool that may be used by both experienced and inexperienced bricklayers to increase their safety during the cutting of bricks. The device is small and lightweight so that it fits neatly into a bricklayers kit bucket or toolbag to provide a safe and portable stabilising tool to enable safe control of brick cutting during traditional hand held power tool use. The device is also cheap enabling it to be adopted for general use, offering an end to unsafe brick cutting practices that have been carried out for decades. The device may be sold or hired out alongside angle grinders/disc cutters as a recommended safety aid.

Claims

1. A brick cutting safety tool comprising a substantially planar base member having a support brace receptacle extending therefrom.

2. The brick cutting safety tool as claimed in claim 1 comprising the substantially planar base member, a side member extending substantially perpendicularly from the base member, a top member extending substantially perpendicularly from the side member and a lip extending substantially perpendicularly from the top member wherein at least part of the side member, the top member and the lip together form the support brace receptacle.

3. The brick cutting safety tool as claimed in claim 2, wherein the base member is longer than the side member and the side member is longer than the lip.

4. The brick cutting safety tool as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the tool is made from sheet/rolled metal.

5. The brick cutting safety tool as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the base member is 210 - 220mm long, the side member is 100-104mm long, an inner length of the top member is 65- 69mm and the lip is 40 - 70mm long.

6. The brick cutting safety tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the thickness of the base member is less than 10mm, preferably less than 5mm.

7. The brick cutting safety tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the length of at least one of the members is adjustable to vary the size of the receptacle and/or base member.

8. The brick cutting safety tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one hole is provided through the base member to enable its attachment to a surface.

9. The brick cutting safety tool as claimed in claim 8 further comprising a base board for securement of the base member of the device thereto.

10. A method of securing a brick for cutting, the method comprising placing a support brace receptacle of a brick cutting tool according to any one of the preceding claims over the brick and securing the tool to a surface by means of the base member to maintain the brick in the receptacle.