NZ194564A - Brick or blocklaying mortar guide:parallel troughs - Google Patents

Description

194564 PATENTS FORM NO. 5 THE PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION After Provisional No . 19 4564 Dated: 5th August. 1980 '"N TITLE; "improvements in or relating to hand tools" xE/WE PHILIP JOHN WOOTTON AND RACHEL BRITTON WOOTTON, trading as WOOTTON PRODUCTS, of NewelIs Road, R.D.3., Hamilton, New Zealand, both British subjects hereby declare the invention for which j£/We pray that a patent may be granted to »&/us, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement; 194564 This invention relates to hand tools and has particular relevance for tools used for block and brick laying.

The laying of blocks and bricks is a skilled job and perhaps with the exception of the most experienced block layers, difficulties are experienced in obtaining an even spread of mortar between the layers and ends of blocks in particular. Subsequently, and to achieve the desired quality of construction and an even spread of mortar between blocks and bricks, it is necessary for the less experienced in this field to take great care.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a hand tool to assist experienced and less experienced block layers to lay bricks and blocks quickly and efficiently.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example.

According to the present invention, there is provided a hand tool comprising at least one cross-member and a pair of underlying mortar trough formers joined by said at least one cross-member wherein each of the mortar trough formers comprise two elongate spaced and parallel side members and the lower edges of the spaced and parallel side members are adapted to rest on the surfaces of blocks or bricks, mortar to a desired thickness can be placed in said mortar troughs, the hand tool removed and subsequent blocks or bricks laid on the mortar.

Aspects of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1: is a perspective view of a hand tool in accordance with one possible embodiment of the present invention, and ■2- 194564 Figure 2; is a perspective view of the hand tool of figure 1 in use, and Figure 3; is a cross-section taken at 111:111 of figure 2.

With reference to the drawings, a hand tool for spreading mortar on blocks or bricks in accordance with the present invention, comprises at least one cross member generally indicated by arrow 1 and an underlying former generally indicated by arrow 2 defining a pair of spaced and parallel mortar troughs 3, the arrangement being such that when the hand tool is placed on blocks or bricks, mortar to a desired thickness can be placed in said mortar troughs 3 defined by the former.

The former 1 for the hand tool can comprise a pair of spaced and parallel members generally indicated by arrow 4, supported by a pair of cross members 7 fixed to the ends of the spaced and parallel members 4, and in the embodiment illustrated the spaced and parallel members 4 can be adjustably fixed to said cross members 7 by pins or clips (not shown), or by bolts 5 such that the distance between the. spaced and parallel members can be adjusted for blocks or bricks of different widths.

Each of the spaced and parallel members 4 can comprise a pair of elongate L-section members 6 joined at their ends to cross-braces which can also be L-section members having one flange.7a ridgidly fixed to the elongate L-section members 6 by welding or by rivets 7b whilst the other flange 7c of each cross-brace 7 is provided with apertures therein such that the bolts 5 can be used to secure the cross-braces 7 to the cross members 1.

As aforesaid, the fixing of the spaced and parallel members 4 to the cross members 1 is adjustable, and whilst in the I 94564 drawings the hand tool is set for the laying of mortar on wide bricks or blocks by detaching the bolts 5 at one end of the cross-members 1 and moving the detached spaced and parallel member 4 towards the other and relocating the bolts 5 in apertures 8 the tool is adjusted and can be used for laying mortar on blocks of lesser width.

The cross members 1 may each be provided with handles 9 formed from hooked ends of each of the cross members and the handles may be provided with hand grips (not shown) in a rubber or plastics material.

A hand tool in accordance with the present invention also assists the user to align rove of blocks to be laid and in this respect a downwardly depending flange 10 at the outside of each pair of the elongate "L"-section members 6 is deeper than its opposite flange 11 such that when the hand tool is placed on a block or brick, the edge of the . deeper flange 10 overlies the top edges 12 of the sides bricks or blocks to be laid.

A hand tool in accordance with the present invention can be used for applying mortar to the surfaces of bricks and blocks in a straight line (not shown) or at the corners of a block construction as is illustrated by figure 2, and to ensure that the tool is useable in this situation a portion 10a of the flanges 10 is rebated at one end of the hand tool so that it can be conveniently laid on and over a corner block of a block or brick wall. In the construction illustrated by figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, conventional block 13 and a corner block 14 have been laid on a foundation 15. The hand tool is shown in figure 2 in position for the laying of mortar on the block wall with reinforcing bars, as may be provided projecting through the hand tool between the spaced and parallel members 4 194564 of the former 2. Once in this position mortar can be laid in the troughs 3 to the top level of the L-section members 6 as is illustrated by figure 3.

In use where a first layer of bricks or blocks have been laid a row of blocks or bricks can then be placed vertically and edge to edge, the tool laid across them, and mortar applied to the ends thereof. Next, the tool can be placed on the top (as illustrated) of the already laid blocks or bricks and mortar applied to these surfaces. The blocks with their ends mortared can then be laid on these blocks and so on.

As will be appreciated a tool in accordance with the present invention can be used to speed the laying of blocks and generally provide means by which less experienced block layers can produce a satisfactory and qulaity block laying job.

The spaced and parallel members 4 can be extruded from a suitable metal such as aluminium, although the present invention is not restricted to the use of this material.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it will be appreciated that modifications and additions thereto may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. 194564

Claims (10)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A hand tool comprising at least one cross-member and a pair of underlying mortar trough formers joined by said at least one cross-member wherein each of the mortar trough formers comprise two elongate spaced and parallel side members and the lower edges of the spaced and parallel side members are adapted to rest on the surfaces of blocks or bricks, the arrangement being such that when the hand tool is placed on blocks or bricks, mortar to a desired thickness can be placed in said mortar troughs, the hand tool removed and subsequent blocks or bricks laid on the mortar.

2. A hand tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spaced and parallel members are adjustably fixed to said at least one cross-member such that the distance between the spaced and parallel side members can be altered.

3. A hand tool as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein each of said spaced and parallel side members comprises a pair of elongate L-section members joined at their ends to a cross-brace.

4. A hand tool as claimed in claim 3 wherein the cross-braces are L-section members having one flange rigidly fixed to said elongate L-section members, whilst the other flange is provided with attachment means, such that the L-section members can be adjustably attached to the overlying said at least one cross-member.

5. A hand tool as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the overlying said at least one cross-member is provided with a handle.

6. A hand tool as claimed in claim 5 wherein the handle is formed from a hooked end of said at least one overlying cross-member. 194564

7. A hand tool as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the spaced and parallel/eree^-members are fixed to said at least one overlying cross-member by bolts.

8. A hand tool as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 7 wherein a downwardly depending flange on the outside of each pair of said elongate L-section members is deeper than its opposite flange, the arrangement being such that when the hand tool is placed on a block or brick, the edge of the deeper flange overlies a top edge of the sides of the blocks or bricks to be laid.

9. A hand tool as claimed in claim 8 wherein a portion of said deeper flange is rebated at one end of the hand tool so that the hand tool can be conveniently laid on and overlie a corner block or brick in a wall construction.

10. A hand tool substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. PHILIP JOHN WOOTTON and RACHEL BRITTON WOOTTON trading as WOOTTON PRODUCTS. BARRY V. JAMES & ASSOCIATES -7-