WO1997028324A1

WO1997028324A1 - Improvements in or relating to a building element and/or a building element kit and/or a structure and/or a method of building

Info

Publication number: WO1997028324A1
Application number: PCT/NZ1997/000008
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christopher Vivian Whitta; Murray Neil Pilcher; Duncan Thomas Kirkman
Original assignee: Christopher Vivian Whitta; Murray Neil Pilcher; Duncan Thomas Kirkman
Priority date: 1996-01-30
Filing date: 1997-01-29
Publication date: 1997-08-07
Also published as: AU1458397A

Abstract

The building element comprises a pair of spaced apart side walls (1) interconnected by a pair of spaced apart end walls (2). Each end wall having at least first part engagement means (25) and second part engagement means (27) so that in use, when two building elements are positioned in an end abutting relationship, the first part engagement means (25) on each building element interconnects the second part engagement means (27) on the other building element, the first part engagement means (25) and the second part engegement means (27) being constructionally different. The angle between a side panel (1) and an end panel (2) connected thereto are able to be varied between a position wherein the end panels (2) are substantially normal to the side panels (1) and the position wherein the horizontal cross-sectional area of the building element is substantially reduced.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO A BUILDING ELEMENT AND/OR A BUILDING ELEMENT KIT AND/OR A STRUCTURE AND/OR A METHOD OF BUILDING

This invention relates to a building element and/or a building element kit and/or a structure and/or a method of building.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENΗON

When building with flowable curable material such as cementitious material such as concrete it is necessary to build a form work to constrain the flowable material until such time as it has set or cured. This has traditionally been done by building a structure often known as boxing to constrain the flow of the material. This is disadvantageous in particular in that substantial labour must be utilised to build the boxing and the timber or other material from which the boxing is constructed has little opportunity for re-use once the boxing has been dismantled subsequent to the setting or curing of the cementitious material. Of course also further labour must be utilised in dismantling the boxing which is frequently constructed of rough cut or otherwise unsightly timbers.

Attempts have been made to overcome this difficulty by providing formwork in the form of a casing so that a plurality of the casings can be stacked, for example, in the manner of a brick or block wall and so that the cementitious material can be poured downwardly through the hollow casings and allowed to set. In such constructions usually the casing is left in place and becomes embedded in the structure.

Such casings or building elements also have been disadvantageous in that they are usually manufactured away from the building site and accordingly must be transported and/or stored. Because of the nature of the building elements substantial space is required to store or transport the building elements. Also where a reinforced structure is required there has been no facility to enable reinforcing materials to be erected other than substantially vertically, and occasionally horizontally.

It is also necessary to accurately align the building elements. Thus there remains a requirement for building elements which can be readily erected in a reliably positioned manner.

OBJECT

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a building element and/or a building element kit and/or a structure and/or a method of building which will obviate or minimise the foregoing disadvantages and/or go at least some way towards meeting the foregoing requirements in a simple yet effective manner or which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly in one aspect the invention consists in a building element comprising a pair of spaced apart side walls interconnected by a pair of spaced apart end walls, each end wall having at least first part engagement means and second part engagement means so that in use, when two building elements are positioned in an end abutting relationship the first part engagement means on each building element interconnect the second part engagement means on the other building element, the first part engagement means and the second part engagement means being constructionally different.

Preferably the first part engagement means comprises one or more hooks and the second part engagement means comprises one or more slots. Preferably each end panel is substantially identical, having side edges engaging said side panels, a top edge and a bottom edge, the slots being in the top or bottom edge and the hooks being respectively in the bottom or top edge, the two end panels being connected to the side panels in opposite orientation.

Preferably cut outs are provided on the upper and lower edges of the end members, one cut out carrying the hooks and the other cut out carrying the slots.

Preferably each side panel is hingedly affixed to an adjacent end panel so that the building element can be moved between one position where the end panel is substantially normal to the side panel and another position where the cross-sectional area of the building element is substantially reduced.

Preferably the outwardly facing face of one or each side panel is recessed to enable positioning.

Preferably each side panel carries part vertical engagement means to enable the building elements to be substantially vertically stacked in an interconnected manner.

In a further aspect the invention consists in a building element comprising a pair of spaced apart side panels and a pair of spaced apart end panels connected between said side panels, the angle between a side panel and an end panel connected thereto being able to be varied between a position wherein the end panels are substantially normal to the side panels and the position wherein the horizontal cross-sectional area of the building element is substantially reduced.

In a still further aspect the invention consists in a kit for construction of a building element comprising end walls and side walls connectable to form a building element according to any one of the preceding paragraphs.

In a still further aspect the invention consists in a structure comprising an interconnected plurality of building elements according to any one of the preceding paragraphs.

In a still further aspect the invention may broadly be said to consist in a method of building comprising the steps of providing a plurality of building elements according to any one of the preceding paragraphs and interconnecting said building elements.

To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

One preferred form of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which,

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 comprises an exploded view of a building element according to one preferred form of the invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a side panel for use in the building element of Fig

1 looking at the outwardly facing face,

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view on A-A in figure 1 ,

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view on B-B in figure 1,

Figure 5 is an elevation of an end panel for use in a building element according to one preferred form of the invention looking from the exterior face of the end panel,

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a building element according to one preferred form of the invention in a "collapsed" form,

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a plurality building element according to a preferred form of the invention showing a part of a wall formed of the building elements,

Figure 8 is a front elevation of an alternative end plate, and

Figure 9 is a rear elevation of the end plate of figure 8.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings a building element is made from a pair of side panels 1 and a pair of end panels 2.

The side panels 1 are spaced apart and are interconnected by the spaced apart end panels 2.

The side panels 1 comprise a substantially planar sheet 3 which may be strengthened or reinforced with ribs 4 which in the construction shown in figure 1, which is the exterior face of a side panel 1, are formed to a grid pattern on the outer face. Each side panel is substantially identical one to the other. So that vertically adjacent panels or building elements can be stacked in the erected form part vertical engagement means may be provided between the side panels. In the preferred form the part engagement means comprise a plurality of upstanding tongues 5 each of which include a bulbous head 6 providing an undercut ledge 7. The tongues 5 may be supported by a rib 8 therebetween. Formed on the lower edge 9 of the side panel 1 is a rib 10 which provides a ledge 1 1. The ribs 8 and 10 preferably provide mating faces to provide a degree of sealing. The tongues 5 have some flexibility so that a tongue 5 on a lower building element can be snapped over the bulbous rib 10 so that the ledge faces 7 and 11 are positioned in contiguous manner to substantially hold the vertically adjacent building elements in position. The tongues 5 may be positioned one adjacent each end of the building element and one or a pair spaced apart about the mid point of the building element. This will allow the building elements to be positioned one above the other or in a staggered formation such as provided when brick work is provided. The ribs 8 and 10 and tongues 5 are provided towards the outer edges of the building element.

Each side panel 1 has on its inner face a recess 12 into which can be positioned a slab member 13 such as slate, tile, stone, polystyrene panels, flat rocks or the like. A retaining device as will be described further hereafter is provided to retain the slab in the recess. Such a slab member can be provided in each side panel 1 or in single side panel 1 as desired.

A pair of end panels 2 are provided and the end panels 2 each provide a first part engagement means and a second part engagement means. The engagement means, ie the first and second part engagement means, are differently constructed one from the other. In one preferred form both the upper and lower edge of the end panels 2 are provided with cut outs therebeing a cut out 21 in the upper edge and a cut out 22 in the lower edge. The terms upper and lower refer to the ends as shown in the end panel 2 in figure 5 but as will be described later the panel is used in both orientations.

The first part engagement means in the embodiment described comprise a series of hooks 25a - 25c spaced about the periphery of the cut out 21. The hooks are outwardly extending with respect to the building element. The cut out 21 may be defined by a rib 26 and the hooks 25a - 25c completed by tongues extending from the rib 26.

The second part engagement means comprises the slots 27 in the member 28 defining the cut out 22. The end members 2 may also be provided with further cut outs 29 arranged in any desired pattern and these are provided in part to reduce material usage and in part to allow flow of cementious material between adjacent building elements. It will be apparent that the cut outs 21 and 22 also allow material flow between adjacent building elements in use.

If desired insulation can be provided within the building elements, for example, on the inner faces of side panels 1. Alternatively a central panel of insulation material may be inserted in the block. To this end a channel 32 may be provided on the inward facing face of each end panel 2 to receive the insulation material. The cut outs 21 and 22 can be replaced by a straight across end piece in such a construction as shown in figures 8 and 9. Slots such as 27 are provided in lower cross rib 34 and the hooks 25 are provided from an outwardly top cross rib 35. Supporting cross ribs 36, 37 and 38 may be provided..

The side and end elements are hingedly affixed one to the other so that the end elements 2 may be moved between positions where they are substantially normal or at right angles to the side panels 1 and a position wherein the cross-sectional area of the building element is substantially reduced as shown in figure 6. In the preferred form the end panels 2 would lie in a substantially parallel plane to the side panels 1 when the building element is in the collapsed form. To allow this to happen a hinge is formed by providing a plurality of hinge members, for example, hinge members 40 at each end of the side panels 1 and corresponding hinge members 41 on the end panels 2. The hinge members 40 and 41 each have an aperture 43 theredownthrough. The hinge members 40 are displaced inwardly from the outer face of the side panel 1 , for example, by being positioned on the members defining the ends of recess 12. The hinge members 40 and 41 interleave and a hinge pin or hinge pins are placed through aligned apertures 43 to hold the hinge members in position. In a preferred form two substantially right angled hinge pins 45 are provided at each connection between a side panel 1 and an end panel. The pins 45 may be interconnected or connectable by a spring 46. The side panels 1 are slotted at 47 so that pins 45 can be inserted and withdrawn from the outwardly facing surface of the side panels 1. Thus the apertures 43 are aligned and the pins 45 inserted. A small gap 50 between the hinge is provided to receive the end of a locating member 51 to retain the slab members 13. The members 51 have a fixing element such as loop 52 at each end which is positioned in the gap 50 and fixed by pins 45. The pins 45 desirably have a brace 47 at the bend therein. A slot 48 is provided in the hinge members so that once the block is "squared up" the pins 45 will move further apart so that the braces 47 pass into slots 48 and assist in maintaining the block in the "squared up" position. The member 51 is of sufficient length to be able to be positioned with an inward bend as seen in figure 3 in use. A joggle 54 is provided to enable the length of the member 51 to be shortened while inserting or removing the member 51 from the recess 12. If smaller stones are to be held in position a mesh can be held in place by the member 51 or be attached to those members.

The size of the cut outs 21, 22 and 29 is such that having regard to the length and height of the block reinforcing material such as reinforcing steel can be positioned at an angle of substantially 45° at least to the horizontal in an erected structure of building elements. That is to say reinforcing can be any of vertical, horizontal and diagonal. Thus by way of example for a building element having a height of about 150mm, a length of 300mm and a width of 104mm from the centres of the hinge apertures, the cut out 21 may have a radius of curvature of 43mm, the distal ends of the hooks 25 a radius of curvature of 48mm, and the cut out 22 a radius of curvature of 45mm.

The use of the invention is as follows.

In use a pair of side elements 1 and a pair of end panels 2 are positioned by engaging the appropriate hinge members and placing a hinge elements as above described through the aligned apertures. In the construction one end panel 2 is placed with the cut out 21 uppermost and the other end panel with the cut out 22 uppermost that is to say in the opposite orientation. For transport and storage the building element may be oved to a minimum cross-sectional area that is to say with the end panels 2 as close to the side panels 1 as the construction will allow. This reduces the volume of the building element needed for transportation and storage. A slab member 13 is positioned in one or both depressions 12 and held by members 51 as above described. This protects the slab member 13 while in storage or transit.

On site the building element is opened to a position wherein the end panels 2 are substantially at right angles to the plane of the side panels 1. The end panels are placed in an end abutting engaged formation by engaging the hooks 25 on one end panel with the edge 27 on the adjacent building element. That is to say adjacent pairs of end panels are in the opposite orientation which will allow the hooks 25 on one panel to engage the edge 27 on the other panel and vice versa. This enables an easily made connection between the end abutting building elements but also provides substantial stability.

When the next course of building elements is made these are connected end to end in the same manner but in a vertical direction the bulbous elements 5 of one building element are pushed over the bulbous ribs 10 of the other to cause an engagement as above described.

Suitable reinforcing material if desired can be placed within the building elements so formed and cementious material such as a cement mix poured into the building element so constructed and allowed to set or cure. The cementious material will pass downwardly through the aligned building elements and also horizontally through the end apertures or cut outs 21 and 22 and apertures 29. Once set and cured the interior and exterior faces of the walls so formed may be finished in any desired manner such as, for example, by plastering or affixing a cladding thereto. Where a slab member 13 has been included the pins 45 are withdrawn. The side panels 1 can then be removed leaving the slab members 13 adhered to the cemetitious material. The side panels 1 and pins 45 can be reused. It will be apparent that specialised blocks can also be provided such as half blocks to finish end courses and if desired T and L shaped blocks could be provided but in general corners and internal wall connections can be made from the construction as above described. Where a building element terminates a row of such elements an unapertured panel can replace the usual end panel.

Thus it can be seen that at least in the preferred form of the invention a building element is provided which has the advantage that it can be erected from a relatively small number of pieces which can be transported and stored in a minimum volume occupying configuration. On site the building element is easily "squared up" to the desired configuration and interconnection both in a horizontal and vertical plane between the building elements can be readily effected. The ability to use diagonal, vertical and horizontal reinforcing is also an advantage. Also a "finished" wall providing slab members such as slate can be made from building elements according to the invention which have been charged with the slab members off site for delivery and then use. Thus a solid stone wall or the like can be simulated requiring only the addition of pointing between the stones.

Claims

1. A building element comprising a pair of spaced apart side walls interconnected by a pair of spaced apart end walls, each end wall having at least first part engagement means and second part engagement means so that in use, when two building elements are positioned in an end abutting relationship the first part engagement means on each building element interconnect the second part engagement means on the other building element, the first part engagement means and the second part engagement means being constructionally different.

2. The building element of claim 1 wherein the first part engagement means comprises one or more hooks and the second part engagement means comprises one or more slots.

3. A building element as claimed in claim 2 wherein each end panel is substantially identical, having side edges engaging said side panels, a top edge and a bottom edge the slots being in the top or bottom edge and the hooks being respectively in the bottom or top edge, the two end panels being connected to the side panels in opposite orientation.

4. A building element as claimed in either one of claims 2 and 3 wherein cut outs are provided on the upper and lower edges of the end members, one cut out carrying the hooks and the other cut out carrying the slots.

5. A building element as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein each side panel is hingedly affixed to an adjacent end panel so that the building element can be moved between one position where the end panel is substantially normal to the side panel and another position where the cross-sectional area of the building element is substantially reduced.

6. A building element as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the outwardly facing face of one or each side panel is recessed to enable positioning of a slab element therein, retaining means being provided to retain the slab element within the recess.

7. A building element as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein each side panel carries part vertical engagement means to enable the building elements to be substantially vertically stacked in an inter-connected manner.

8. A building element comprising a pair of spaced apart side panels and a pair of spaced apart end panels connected between said side panels, the angle between a side panel and an end panel connected thereto being able to be varied between a position wherein the end panels are substantially normal to the side panels and the position wherein the horizontal cross-sectional area of the building element is substantially reduced.

9. A kit for construction of a building element comprising end walls and side walls connectable to form a building element according to any one of the preceding claims.

10. A structure comprising an interconnected plurality of building elements according to any one of claims 1-8.

1 1. A method of building comprising the steps of providing a plurality of building elements according to any one of claims 1-8 and interconnecting said building elements.