WO2010023453A1

WO2010023453A1 - A support member

Info

Publication number: WO2010023453A1
Application number: PCT/GB2009/002085
Authority: WO
Inventors: George Owen
Original assignee: George Owen
Priority date: 2008-08-29
Filing date: 2009-08-28
Publication date: 2010-03-04
Also published as: GB2462934A; GB0915118D0

Abstract

A support member (10) for use in placing concrete on a corrugated metal decking floor and for supporting screed rails or the like at an adjustable height to control the level and thickness of the concrete laid on the decking consists of a support plate (14), extending transversely across one of the longitudinally extending corrugations of the decking, having ends (16) shaped to engage in wedging contact with the sides of the corrugation when the support plate (14) is rotated about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the support plate (14).

Description

"A Support Member"

This invention relates to a support member for use in placing concrete and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a support member for use in placing concrete on a corrugated metal decking floor. The support member supports screed rails at an adjustable height to control the level and thickness of the concrete laid on the decking floor.

A known type of support apparatus for supporting screed rails, primarily when placing concrete on the ground, is a support block of the type described in the applicants UK Patent No. 2,372,063. This support block can be used when placing concrete on a corrugated metal decking floor but the known support block only stands on the metal decking floor has to rely on its weight for stability. The object of this invention is to provide a support member having improved stability when used in placing concrete on a corrugated metal decking floor than the known support block.

According to this invention, a support member for use in placing concrete on a corrugated metal decking floor and for supporting screed rails or the like at an adjustable height to control the level and thickness of the concrete laid on the decking comprises a support plate extending transversely across the longitudinally extending corrugations, wherein the ends of the support plate are adapted to engage in contact with the sides of one of the corrugations to secure the support plate to the decking floor.

Preferably, wherein the ends of the support plate are provided with formations shaped to engage in wedging contact with the sides of the corrugation when the support plate is rotated about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the support plate.

Preferably, also, the axis about which the support plate is rotated to engage the ends of the support plate in wedging contact with the sides of the corrugation is at the centre of the support plate .

A support member, wherein the ends of the support plate are, preferably, shaped so that when the plate is rotated the distance between the points of the ends of the support plate in contact with the corrugation increases to provide a wedging action to secure the support plate to the sides of the corrugation.

Preferably, the ends of the support plate are arcuate in shape and the centres of the arcuate shapes of the ends are offset to opposite sides of the longitudinal centre line of the support plate .

Preferably, also, each end of the support plate engages in an associated longitudinal recess formed in the upper sides of the corrugations of one type of corrugated metal decking floor. A support member wherein the support member when it is to be used on corrugated metal decking of the alternative type where the sides of the corrugations diverge outwardly from the open top towards the base of the corrugation, preferably, comprises a bearing member which extends across the open top of the corrugation and rests on the tops of adjacent lands of the corrugated decking.

Preferably, the bearing member is formed as an integral part of the support plate. Preferably, also, the support plate is formed by a base having upwardly extending sides each having formations at their ends to rest on the tops of the adjacent lands of the corrugated decking so as to constitute the bearing member. The tops of the upwardly extending sides of the support plate are, preferably, provided with formations in which reinforcing rods or reinforcing mesh can be located.

Preferably, the bearing member is rotatably mounted on the support plate and is in fixed spaced-apart relationship thereto. Preferably, a support for carrying a screed rail or the like is connected to the support plate and extends upwardly therefrom.

Preferably, also, the support is connected by a screw- threaded connection to the support plate to enable the height of the support and the height of the screed rail or the like supported thereon to be adjusted to control the level and the thickness of the concrete laid on the decking.

The support plate is, preferably, provided with one or more apertures to release gas or air produced from the concrete which is trapped beneath the support plate.

Preferably, the support plate is provided with a strengthening formation.

Alternatively, the support plate, which is adapted to have a screed rail support member connected thereto, extends at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the screed rail support member and the support plate has extension means to extend the length of the support plate to enable it to extend across and engage in recesses formed in the corrugations of the metal decking floor.

Preferably, the extension means comprises at least one extension piece which is mounted on and secured to the support plate to adjustably extend the length thereof.

Preferably, also, the support plate is provided with at least one slot having closed ends to which the associated extension piece is secured in adjusted position to extend the support plate to a desired length. The support plate is, preferably, provided with one slot on each side of the connection point of the screed rail support member thereto and one extension piece is connected to the associated slot by a bolt extending through the slot to clamp the extension piece in adjusted position to the support plate. Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings of which :-

Figure 1 is a plan view of a support plate of a support member, Figure 2 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the support member mounted on one type of corrugated metal decking floor,

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a support member for mounting on an alternative type of corrugated metal decking floor,

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic side elevation of an alternative support member to the support member shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, Figure 5 is a diagrammatic side elevation of another alternative support member to the support member shown in Figure 3 of the drawings;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a further alternative support member to the support member shown in Figure 3 of the drawings; and

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a screed rail support apparatus in a dismantled condition according to other aspects of the invention. Referring now to Figures I and 2 of the drawings, a support member indicated generally at 10 For supporting screed rails or the like (not shown) in adjustable position when placing concrete on one type of corrugated metal decking floor indicated generally at 12 to accurately control the height of the screed rails and the level and thickness of the concrete (not shown) laid on the decking floor 12 comprises a support plate 14 formed of sheet steel having ends 16 which are generally arcuate in shape for inserting in longitudinally extending recesses 18 formed in the upper sides of the corrugations of the decking floor 12. The centres of the arcuate shapes of the ends 16 are offset respectively to opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the support plate 14 so that when the support plate 14 is rotated, the distance between the points of the ends 16 in contact with the recesses 18 increases when the support plate 14 is rotated clockwise above its centre when viewed from above. The end faces of the ends 16 of the support plate 14 are adapted to engage in secure frictional engagement with the recesses 18 by providing the end faces of the ends 16 with projections 20. The projections 20 are each of an arcuate shape of small diameter such as the type of form of the teeth of Novikov gearing. The use of such projections 20 provides a secure frictional engagement type of wedging action to secure the support plate 14 in the recesses 18 to secure the support plate 14 in position extending across an associated one of the corrugations of the decking floor 12.

It will be appreciated the support plate 14 can be removed from the recesses 18 in the decking floor 12 by rotating the support plate 14 anti-clockwise about its centre if it is necessary to reposition the support plate 14 on the decking floor 12.

Although the provision of the above described shape of projections 20 on the end faces of the ends 16 of the support plate 14 is a preferred formation for securing the support plate 14 in the recesses 18 of the decking floor 12 in secure frictional wedging action engagement, alternative uneven surfaces of the end faces of the ends 16 can be used such as a roughened surface, a knurled surface , a serrated surface or a toothed surface of different shape of teeth to the projections 20 described above .

An internally screw-threaded nutsert 22 (Registered Trade Mark) is connected to the centre of the support plate 14 and an externally screw-threaded shaft 24 of a support 26 having a bifurcated upper end 28 in which a screed rail (not shown) is supported, is screwed into the nutsert 22 to adjust the position of the screed rail to accurately control the level and the thickness of the concrete laid on the decking floor 12. A lock nut 30 located on the shaft 24 is tightened onto the upper surface of the support plate 14 to secure the support 26 in adjusted position to allow the concrete to be placed on the decking floor 12 and levelled in conventional manner using the screed rail and a levelling roller or beam apparatus (not shown) .

The support plate 14 is provided with an upwardly extending strengthening formation 32 formed by upwardly bending an edge portion of the plate 14. It will be appreciated the strengthening formation can be provided at each side of the plate 14 and can alternatively be formed by downwardly bending the edge portion or portions of the plate 14. The strengthening formation can also be provided by pressing a ridge (not shown) in the plate 14 or by welding a rib (not shown) onto the upper or lower surface of the plate 14. The plate 14 is also provided with apertures 34 in the shape of stylised letters to release the pressure on the plate 14 created by pockets of air or other gases produced from the concrete during consolidating vibration of the concrete during placement and levelling thereof on the decking floor 12. Referring now to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, where the support member 10 is to be used on an alternative type of corrugated metal decking floor indicated generally at 40 which does not have recesses 18 but which has corrugations 42 whose sides diverge outwardly from the open top towards the base, a bearing plate member 44 is mounted on the support 26. The bearing plate member 44 is freely rotatable on the screw-threaded shaft 24 of the support 26, extends across the open top of the corrugation 42 and rests on the tops of adjacent lands of the decking floor 40. The bearing plate member 44 is secured in fixed spaced-apart relationship above the support plate 14 by a nut 46 mounted on the screw-threaded shaft 24. The ends 16 of the support plate 14 engage in wedging contact with the sides of the corrugation 42 to secure the support plate 14 in position as previously described above in respect of the corrugated metal decking floor 12.

Referring now to Figure 4 of the drawings, in a modification of the support member 10 shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, a support plate 50 basically of similar configuration to the support plate 14 is modified at each of its ends to have an inclined upwardly extending portion52. The upper end of each portion 52 is provided with a bearing surface 54 which rests on the top of adjacent lands of the decking floor 40 to replace the bearing plate member 44 shown in Figure 3. The support plate 50 is secured in position on the decking floor 40 as previously described above with respect to the support member 10 of Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings.

Referring now to Figure 5 of the drawings, in another modification a support member indicated generally at 60 for use on the type of decking floor 40 comprises an upper plate 62 for extending across and resting on the tops of the corrugation 42 and a lower portion 64 having the same dove-tailed cross- sectional shape as said corrugation 42. A nutsert 66 is shown provided on the lower portion 64 for securing the support 26 but it can alternatively be provided on the upper plate 62. A lock nut 68 on the screw-threaded shaft 24 of the support 26 is provided to secure said support 26 in position. The support member 60 is secured in position against rotation when the screed rails are positioned in the bifurcated upper end 28 of the support 26 prior to placing concrete on the decking floor 40. It will be appreciated the support member 60 is inserted in the associated corrugation 42 and is then rotated to secure it in position as previously described with reference to the support member 10 and the modifications thereto.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly but not exclusively to Figure 6 of the drawings, in yet a further modification a further alternative support member indicated generally at 70 for use inter-alia on the type of decking floor 40 shown in Figures 3,4 and 5 of the drawings is of a flat bottomed substantially U-shaped channel shape. The channel shape has sides 72 extending upwardly from its base 74 and can be formed from sheet steel by a bending or fabrication process. Each end of each of the sides 72 has a recess 76 formed therein adjacent to the base 74. The upper edges 78 of the recesses 76 are adapted to engage and bear against the tops of adjacent lands of the decking 40 when the support member 70 is positioned thereon so as to extend across a corrugation of the decking 40 formed between said adjacent lands. The base 74 has ends 80 which are generally arcuate in shape for engaging in contact with the sides of the corrugations 42 of the decking floor 40 of the type where the sides of the corrugations 42 diverge outwardly from the open top to the base thereof. The centres of the arcuate shapes of the ends 80 are, as previously described with reference to inter-alia the support member 10, offset respectively to opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the base 74 of the support member 70 so that when the support^" member 70 is rotated in a clockwise direction, when viewed from above, the ends 80 engage in secure frictional wedging action engagement to the sides of the corrugation 42 in the decking floor 40 and the contact between the upper edges 78 of the recesses 76 enables this to be carried out without downward movement of the support member 70 relative to the decking floor 40. The ends 80 are provided with projections 82 to enhance the frictional engagement. The base 74 is provided with a nutsert 84 as previously described in which the type of support member 26 for supporting screed rails (not shown) and height adjustment thereof can be mounted. The tops of the sides 72 are provided with substantially sinusoidal shaped formations 86 in which reinforcing bars or reinforcing mesh can be located. Although, the support member 70 is particularly suited for use with the decking floor 40, it can be turned over and used in certain applications as a support member in place of the support block which is the subject of the applicant's U.K. Patent No. 2,372,063.

Referring now to Figure 7 of the drawings, in a further aspect of the invention a screed rail support apparatus indicated generally at 90 for supporting screed rails (not shown) at an adjustable height above a meta decking base 98 during placing concrete thereon consists of a screed rail support member 92 having a bifurcated upper portion 94 in which the screed rail is supported and a lower portion 96 of an externally screw-threaded cylindrical shape. The metal decking base 98 has corrugations 100 of a generally trapezoidal shape in cross-section whose sizes are variable according to the particular type or make of metal decking being used. A plate member 102 extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said lower portion 96 has a central internally screw-threaded hole 104 into which said lower portion 96 of the support member 92 is a screw-fit and closed slots 106 extending on each side of said central internally screw-threaded hole 104. Extension pieces 108 having slots 110 which are open at their inward end are secured by bolts (not shown) extending through the slots 106 and 110 to extend the length of the plate member 102 to enable it to extend across one of the corrugations 100 of the metal decking 98 and rest on the base of adjacent corrugations 100 or where they are provided on recesses 112 at the edges of the corrugations 100.

Although the above described support members are particularly- suitable for use in supporting screed rails, it will be appreciated it can also be used in supporting other structures such as tubes for carrying services, steel reinforcing rods or steel mesh without departing from the scope of this invention.

Claims

Claims :

1. A support member for use in placing concrete on a corrugated metal decking floor and for supporting screed rails or the like at an adjustable height to control the level and thickness of the concrete laid on the decking comprising a support plate extending transversely across the longitudinally extending corrugations, wherein the ends of the support plate are adapted to engage in contact with the sides of one of the corrugations to secure the support plate to the decking floor.

2. A support member according to claim 1, wherein the ends of the support plate are provided with formations shaped to engage in wedging contact with the sides of the corrugation when the support, plate is rotated about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the support plate.

3. A support member according to claim 2, wherein the axis about which the support plate is rotated to engage the ends of the support plate in wedging contact with the sides of the corrugation is at the centre of the support plate.

4. A support member according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the ends of the support plate are shaped so that when the plate is rotated the distance between the points of the ends of the support plate in contact with the corrugation increases to provide a wedging action to secure the support plate to the sides of the corrugation.

5. A support member according to claim 4, wherein the ends of the support plate are arcuate in shape and the centres of the arcuate shapes of the ends are offset to opposite sides of the longitudinal centre line of the support plate.

6. A support member according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each end of the support plate engages in an associated longitudinal recess formed in the upper side of the corrugation of one type of corrugated metal decking floor.

7. A support member according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the support member when it is to be used on corrugated metal decking of an alternative type where the sides of the corrugations diverge outwardly from the open top towards the base of the corrugation comprises a bearing member which extends across the open top of the corrugation and rests on the tops of adjacent lands of the corrugated decking.

8. A support member according to claim 7, wherein the bearing member is formed as an integral part of the support plate.

9. A support member according to claim 8, wherein the support plate is formed by a base having upwardly extending sides each having formations at their ends to rest on the tops of the adjacent lands of the corrugated decking so as to constitute the bearing member .

10. A support member according to claim 9, wherein the tops of the upwardly extending sides of the support plate are provided with formations in which reinforcing rods or reinforcing mesh can be located.

11. A support member according to claim I₁ wherein the bearing member is rotatably mounted on the support plate and is in fixed spaced-apart relationship thereto.

12. A support member according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a support for carrying a screed rail or the like is connected to the support plate and extends upwardly therefrom.

13. A support member according to claim 12, wherein the support is connected by a screw-threaded connection to the support plate to enable the height of the support and the height of the screed rail or the like supported thereon to be adjusted to control the level and the thickness of the concrete laid on the decking.

14. A support member according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support plate is provided with one or more apertures to release gas or air, produced from the concrete, trapped beneath the support plate .

15. A support member according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support plate is provided with a strengthening formation.

16. A support member according to claim 1, wherein the support plate, which is adapted to have a screed rail support member connected thereto, extends at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the screed rail support member and the support plate has extension means to extend the length of the support plate to enable it to extend across and engage in recesses formed in the corrugations of the metal decking floor.

17. A support member according to claim 16, wherein the extension means comprises at least one extension piece which is mounted on and secured to the support plate to adjustably extend the length thereof.

18. A support member according to claim 17, wherein the support plate is provided with at least one slot having closed ends to which the or each extension piece is secured in adjusted position to extend the support plate to a desired length.

19. A support member according to claim 18, wherein the support plate is provided with one slot on each side of the connection point of the screed rail support member thereto and one extension piece is connected to the associated slot by a bolt extending through the slot to clamp the extension piece in adjusted position to the support plate.

20. A support member constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the accompanying drawings.