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(11) | EP 0 110 840 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Equipment for plumbing the shim guides for plastering walls, ceilings and the like |
| (57) The present invention relates to an equipment for plumbing or aligning the shim guides
for plastering walls, ceilings and the like, which comprises at least a guiding rod
(1) effective to be movable associated with a wall (6, 7), by expansion fixing means
provided for engaging with the inside surface of the wall (6, 7), shimming means (25,
33) being further provided operating between the guiding rod (1) and the wall (6,
7) in such a way as to perfectly align the guiding rod (1). |
[0001] The present invention relates to an equipment for plumbing or aligning the shim guides as used for plastering walls,ceilings and the like.
[0002] As it is known,outside and inside walls, upon making,are surface leveled by means of a plastering step which is presently carried out by controlling the perpendicularity of the wall itself.After this control,a first reference mark or "stamp" is affixed to the wall,which mark consists of a wood small block which is locked to the wall by cementing.
[0003] Generally the mentioned first mark is affixed at the top portion of the wall, at a given distance both from the ceiling and corner defined by the adjoining wall.Then a lower reference mark is perpendicularly aligned with respect to the upper one,which lower reference mark is also formed by a wood block and affixed by cementing.
[0004] Usually,the mentioned operation is repeated six times,three at the top and three at the bottom of each wall,and it is to be carried out by skilled operators.
[0005] In order to make the guides,the operator uses a wood rod or shaft,the end portions whereof are caused to vertically rest on the two reference marks,in order to carry out a reciprocating vertical movement, to level the cement sprayed on the wall, starting from the lower reference mark and moving towards the top reference mark, in such a way as to obtain a cement guide effective to define the perpendicular plastering level.
[0006] Then the operator may start the plastering operation by smoothing the wall by means of a suitable wood tool caused to horizontally rest at its two end portions between two spaced guides and starts the cement leveling operation from the bottom to the top of the wall.In this step,the operator pushes the wood leveling tool, and the pushing force discharges on the guides; in the meanwhile said operator,in order to facilitate the rising movement of the wood leveling tool,pushes it to the left and right.
[0007] For the mentioned operations,a lot of labour is required, in order to affix the reference marks,and moreover the operator must wait for a long time in order to allow for the cement to set.
[0008] Another drawback consists of the fact that a great friction is developped in the rubbing of the end portions of the wood leveling tool against the cement guides,thereby the plastering operation becomes a very fatiguing and tedious one.
[0009] Accordingly,the task of the present invention is to overcome the thereinabove mentioned drawbacks by providing such an equipment for plumbing the shim guides for plastering walls,ceilings or the like which affords the possibility of making guiding members, for plastering purposes,effective to be quickly and easily applied, which guiding members are not made of cement.
[0010] Within that task,it is a main object of the present invention to provide guiding members effective to facilitate the sliding of the cement leveling wood tool,thereby reducing friction to a minimum and providing a good finishing of the wall in a very reduced time.
[0011] Yet another object of the invention is that of providing an equipment which may be recovered after its use,thereby reducing remarkably the costs of the plastering operation.
[0012] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide guiding members for the leveling wood tool or shaft, which are effective to greatly accelerate the plastering operations.
[0013] According to one aspect of the present invention, the above task and objects, as well as yet other objects which will become more apparent thereinafter, are achieved by an equipment for plumping the shim guides for plastering walls, ceilings and the like, characterized in that it comprises at least a guiding rod effective to be movably associated with a wall, by expansion fixing means, shimming means being moreover provided operating between said at least a guiding rod and said wall for plumbing or aligning said at least a. guiding rod.
[0014] Further characteristics and advanages of the present invenzion will become more apparent thereinafter from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the equipment for levelling the shim guides for plastering walls, ceilings and the like, being illustrating by way of an example and not of limitation in the accompanying drawings, where:
Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section illustrating a partition wall, with the guiding rods applied on the two surfaces or faces thereof;
Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view illustrating a perimetrical wall, the guiding rods being applied on a single face;
Figure 3 is a schematic plan view illustrating the shims for the plumbing operation;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 1;
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view representing the guiding rods with a different shimming system; and
Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a wall thereto has been applied the equipment according to the present invention.
[0015] With reference to the Figures, the equipment for plumbing the shim guides for plastering walls, ceilings and the like according to the present invention comprises guiding rods, indicated at 1, which, preferably, consist of metal guides, or of guides of a like material, which are suitably bent or drawn and pressed, in such a way as to present, preferably, an enlarged-C cross-section.
[0016] More specifically, the mentioned guiding rods are provided, at the end portions thereof, with a top diamond slot, indicated at 2, and a bottom or lower elongated slot, indicated at 30
[0017] At said slots 2 and 3 are affixed, for exam- ple by welding, to the inner face of the rod 1, an upper block 4 and a lower block 5 which are provided with through openings, correspondingly arranged with respect to the slots 2 and 3.
[0018] The guiding rod 1 may be applied to a wall. In the case of a partition wall, indicated at 6 in Figure 1, it is possible to simultaneously carry out the affixing of the rods on both faces of said partition wall.
[0019] In this case there are used fixing means, of the expansion type, consisting of a male element 10 and a female element 11, which may be threadably coupled. More specifically, said male element 10 is provided with a threaded spigot 12, effective to be screwed in a threaded seat 13 defined on the female element 11. The male element 10 is provided with a flanged head 14 having a threaded hole 15 and a diametrical notch 16. Likewise, the female portion 11 is provided with a flanged head 17 having a diametrical notch 18. Between said flanged heads 14 and 17 is restrained a rubber tubular element 19, forming the expansion element.
[0020] In fact, by mutually coupling screwing the male portion 10 and female portion 11, in other words by screwing the threaded spigot 12 in the threaded seat 13, the flanged heads 14 and 17 are caused to axially approach to one another thereby providing an axial compression on the tubular element or sheath which tends to expand.
[0021] If the wall 6 is made from hollow tiles, then the radial expansion of the sheath 19 is sim- metrical with respect to the center rib of the hollow tile forming said wall.
[0022] In the case therein it is not necessary to access the fixing means from both faces of the wall, that is in the case of an outer wall 7, of the type illustrated in Figure 2, the fixing means are substantially equal, with the only difference that the female portion provided for being arranged inside the wall is not provided with any diametral notches, the fixing means having a lower axial length.
[0023] In order to firmly lock the fixing means as used on a wall accessible from the two faces, there is provided a locking dowel 20, which may be inserted into the threaded hole 13 as far as to contact the threaded spigot 12.
[0024] In order to affix the rod 1, there are provided oval headed screws 21, effective to be respectively engaged with the threaded holes 13 and 15 of said fixing means, in the case therein they are accessible from the two faces of the walls, or, possibly, only in the threaded counterbore 15, as the fixing means are accessible from a single face of the wall.
[0025] In order to precisely plumbing the rods, before applying said rods to the wall, shims 25 are coupled to the blocks 4 and 5, said shims having different suitable sizes,in such a way as to provide a precise plumbing, and, advantageously, being formed by magnetic elements for facilitating the adhesion thereof.
[0026] After applying said shims, in order to apply the mentioned guiding rods 1 it will be sufficient to firmly screw on the screws 21.
[0027] According to the embodiment illustrated in Figure 5, the guiding rod, indicated at 1, is bent in such a way as to define a central channel or groove 30 therein there are housed the screws 21.
[0028] The bents provided on the rod are effective to give the latter a great transversal stiffeness.
[0029] In this case, the shim members may be obtained by threaded through holes 31 inserted into the blocks 32, substantially similar to the blocks 4 and 5, which are arranged under the rod 1' adjoining the zone defined by the central channel 30; into said threaded through holes 31 adjusting dowels 33 may be inserted, which are caused to project in the desired degree towards the wall in such a way to provide the desired locating.
[0030] In order to apply the equipment according to the invention, it will be sufficient to provide in the wall made of hollow tiles or other suitable material, a top hole, indicated at 40, which will be a through hole in the case therein the wall is a partition wall as the wall 6, and which will be a counter bore in the case therein the wall is a perimetrical wall, such as the wall 7; then a lower or bottom hole 41 is made, vertically aligned with said hole 40, and in said walls there are inserted said fixing means as hereinabove stated.
[0031] Then, after the plumbing of the rods by using the magnetic shims 25 or shim dowels 33, the rods are affixed to the wall by means of the screws 21, which operation will be facilitated due to the fact that the holes 2 and 3 formed on the bar have an elongated shape thereby they may easily adjust the locating errors of the holes 40 and 41 in the wall.
[0032] Upon having affixed the rods by means of the screw 21, will be obtained guiding members which are precisely aligned.
[0033] Then the plastering operation is carried out, by causing the wood tool or shaft to slide on said guides and completely smoothing the wall.
[0034] At the end of said operation, it will be possible to remove the guiding members, thereby recovering the used equipment.
[0035] From the above it should be noted that the invention fully achieves the intended objects. In particular it is to be pointed out that the application of guiding rods of a metal material, or the like materials, affords the possibility of greatly reducing the operating times, with a sure precise aligning of said rods which may be reused.
1-An eqipment for plumbing the shim guides for plastering walls, ceilings and the
like, characterized in that it comprises at least a guiding rod (1) effective to be
movably associated with a wall (6,7),by expansion fixing means (10,11),shimming means
(25,33) being moreover provided operating between said at least a guiding rod. (1)
and said wall (6,7) for plumbing or aligning said at least a guiding rod.
2- An equipment,according to the preceding claim, characterised in that said guiding
rod (1) is provided, at one end thereof,with a diamond slot (2) and, at the other
end,with an elongated slot (3).
3-An equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims,characterised in that
it comprises, on the not exposed face of said at least a rod (1),at said slots (2
and 3),block members (4 and 5).
4-An equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in
that said expansion fixing means consist of a male portion (10) and a female portion
(11) effective to be coupled to one another,said male portion being provided with
a threaded spigot (12) engaging rotatively with a threaded seat (13) formed on said
female portion (11),said male portion (10) being provided with a flanged head (14)
and said female portion including a further flanged head (17),between said flanged
heads (14,17) a tubular sheat being arranged which is effective to be axially nressed
in order to cause it to radially expand.
5- An equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims,characterized in
that at least said flanged head (14) is provided with a diametrical notch (16) provided
with a threaded counterbore (15).
6- An equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims,characterized in
that said flanged head (17) is provided with a diametrical notch (18).
7- An equipment, according to one or more of the preceding claims,characterized in
that it comprises a stop dowel (20) for insertion into said threaded head (13) in
such a way as to firmly connect said male portion (10) and said female portion (11).
8- An equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims,characterized in
that said shimming means consist of magnetic material plates (25) having different
thickness and effective to be coupled to said block members (4,5) affixed to said
guiding rods (1),on the not exposed surface of the latter.
9- An equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims,characterized in
that said shimming means consist of shimming dowels (33) effective to be screwed in
threaded through holes (32) formed through block members (32) arranged inside said
guiding rod on a side of a central channel or groove. 10- An equipment according to
one or more of the preceding claims,characterized in that said guiding rod (1) as
well as said fixing means and shimming means are recoverable after plastering.