Wall tie device

Abstract

 A tying device comprises a bracket (1) fixed to an existing wall and one or more ties (20), which are to be interposed between courses of the new wall, engageable in slots (9) in the bracket, the slots allowing each tie once engaged to be slid down onto the top of the most recent course.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a wall tie device comprising a wall bracket and connecting tie for the purpose of tying a brick or block structure to an existing structure.

[0002] In the past, the construction of a partitioning wall or new external wall necessitated interleaving of the new bricks with the old to establish a solid structure. However, this was a time consuming and skilled operation where old bricks had to be gouged out so that the new bricks could be interleaved between them. To simplify this process, interengaging brackets and ties have been proposed which firmly tie the new structure to the existing one without the use of interleaving brickwork. The present invention relates to improved forms of tie device comprising a wall bracket and tie and to a wall bracket for such a device.

[0003] According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a tie device for tying a brick or block structure to an existing structure comprising a bracket having a back plate with means for securing it to the existing structure, and at least one tie to be interposed between courses of new bricks or blocks and having a pair of limbs, the back plate of the bracket having at least one socket in which the tie is engageable by pushing the tie perpendicularly or approximately perpendicularly towards the back plate of the bracket to link the tie with the bracket, the tie, once engaged in said socket being slidable lengthwise of the bracket, the or each socket being constituted by at least one aperture in the back plate.

[0004] This aspect of the invention further provides a bracket for use with a wall tie having a pair of resilient limbs, for tying a brack or block structure to an existing structure, the bracket having a back plate with means for securing the bracket to the existing structure and the back plate having at least one socket for receiving the free ends of the resilient limbs of the tie, the or each socket being constituted by at least one aperture in the backplate and being adapted to receive the limbs of the tie when the tie is pushed perpendicularly or approximately perpendicularly towards the backplate to link the tie with the bracket.

[0005] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a tie device for tying a brick or block structure to an existing structure comprising a bracket having a back plate with means for securing it to the existing structure, and at least one tie to be interposed between courses of new bricks or blocks and having a pair of limbs, the back plate of the bracket having at least one socket in which the tie is engageable to link the tie with the bracket, the tie, once engaged in said socket being slidable in at least one direction lengthwise of the bracket, so as to provide vertical adjustability of the tie relative to the bracket, while remaining engaged with the bracket, the or each socket being constituted by at least one aperture in the back plate.

[0006] This aspect of the invention also provides a bracket for use with a wall tie having a pair of resilient limbs, for trying a brick or block structure to an existing structure, the bracket having a back plate with means for securing the bracket to the existing structure and the back plate having at least one socket for receiving and engaging the tie, the or each socket being constituted by at least one aperture in the back plate and being adapted to engage the tie in a manner enabling vertical sliding adjustment of the position of the tie relative to the bracket.

[0007] Both aspects of the invention can thus avoid the problem of having to manufacture a range of brick size-dependent brackets by permitting the tie to slide lengthwise of the bracket to accommodate different brick sizes. Further, with the first aspect of the invention, since the tie can be engaged with the bracket by pushing it perpendicularly towards the backplate of the bracket, there is no need for either end of the bracket to be accessible (as in certain prior tie devices) in order to be able to insert the tie. Preferably, in either aspect, the range of adjustability is at least lcm, more preferably at least 2cm. plate for receiving the free end of the tie limb and a portion extending longitudinally of the back plate for allowing the tie to slide longitudinally of the back plate. In one construction each socket may comprise a pair of apertures symmetrically disposed about the longitudinal centre line of the back plate. Alternatively each socket may comprise an aperture having portions adapted to enable both free ends of the tie to be inserted therein. These two sorts of socket could if desired to be used in the same embodiment.

[0008] Suitably each socket is generally symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of the back plate.

[0009] The means for securing the bracket to the wall may comprise a row of securing means along the back plate of the bracket and the sockets are preferably arranged to permit vertical adjustability of the ties in the space between respective adjacent securing means. Thsecuring means may be a series of fixing holes disposed along a line extending lengthwise of the bracket. Preferably the apertures of each pair of apertures are disposed to opposite sides of this row of fixing holes. Also the or each aperture may have side edges shaped to provide one or more longitudinally spaced detent positions at which the tie will be restrained from further sliding movement.

[0010] By making the various features of the brackets symmetrically about the longitudinal centre of the bracket, the bracket does not require to be installed one particular way up.

[0011] The invention will be further described by way of non-limitative example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1A shows a portion a bracket for use in an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 1B shows a portion of the bracket of Figure 1A viewed from the side;

Figure 2 shows one form of tie for use with the bracket of Figures 1A and B; and

Figure 3 shows an embodiment of the tie device in use.

[0012] The bracket of which one end portion is shown in Figures lA, 1B is stamped and folded out of sheet metal and comprises a back plate 1 having a surface 2 which faces the new brickwork and a reverse surface 3 which faces the existing structure. The bracket may be suitably coated, or be of a suitable material, to be highly resistant to corrosion.

[0013] The bracket is provided with two side flanges 4 formed by folding the material or the bracket at right angles to the back plate 1, these flanges being provided with a row of keying holes 5 for mortar, plaster or rendering. Disposed along the longitudinal centre line of the back plate is a series of fixing holes 6 of rounded oblong or oval shape (to provide a degree of lateral adjustability of the bracket when fixed to the wall) and disposed to each side of this row of holes are a row of sockets each formed of a pair of apertures 7 which are arranged to opposite sides of the centre line of the back plate. Each aperture 7 is in the form of a "[" and comprises an elongate centre portion 8 and, at each end of this centre portion, a recess 9 which allows the entry of feet 22 of a tie 20 (to be described below). As shown the recesses 9 extend outwardly from the centre portion 8 but they need not in other constructions.

[0014] The bracket is provided with a number of "feet" 10 which are provided to maintain the back plate 1 in parallel spaced relation to the existing wall so as to provide space for the "feet" 12 of the tie and so that the rear surface 3 is stood off from the surface of the existing wall. This provides a space into which mortar from between the new courses of bricks can enter via a number of keying holes 11 in the back plate 1 and thus help bond the new wall to the existing one (provided there is no excessive relative vertical movement of the two walls). The holes 11 are located vertically between the two recesses 9, of a cut out 7 since it is at this level that the mortar between courses of the new wall will be located.

[0015] Only the end portion of the bracket is shown in Figures lA and lB. As can be seen in Figure 1B, the side - flanges 4 stop short of the end of the bracket and have a rounded corner, at 10. The other end of the bracket can be of corresponding layout, with the centre part comprising as many repeats as are necessary to achieve the desired length, of the section A-B in Figure lA.

[0016] Referring now to Figure 2, the tie 20 is shown to be generally of "U" shaped and is made of metal wire or rod material and has two side by side resilient limbs 21 having which initially converge, moving away from the web of the "U" and then, about halfway along diverge. At their free ends they have outwardly directed "feet" 22. (They might equally well be inturned with the recesses 9 being similarly inturned to correspond).

[0017] When a new wall is to be built and tied to an existing structure, the one or more brackets such as one in Figure 1 are fixed to the old wall along the vertical line from which the new wall will extend. There may be a continuous or intermittent arrangement of these brackets along this line. Alternatively one continuous bracket may be used.

[0018] The bracket may be fixed to the existing structure by any suitable means such as nails, screws or bolts so as to fix the bracket 1 firmly to the wall. Every so often a tie must be fixed to the bracket and be placed on top of the top course of bricks so far laid so that in the laying of the next course of bricks the tie is firmly interposed between them and strongly holds these new bricks to the bracket. This is done by squeezing the legs 21 of the tie together and inserting them in the upper recesses 9 by pushing the tie perpendicularly, or at least approximately perpendicularly to the back plate 1. Once the feet 22 of the tie are inserted in the apertures 7, the legs of the tie can be released so that they spring outwards so as to engage with the laterally outer edges of the apertures and the tie can then be slid downwardly until it rests on the uppermost course of bricks. This lengthwise sliding of the tie, of course, makes it possible to place it at whichever position is necessary to interpose it between two courses of new bricks.

[0019] As one alternative, each socket into which the feet 22 of a tie 20 is slotted can be formed of a single aperture in the shape of an "I" with the upright of the "I" located along the centreline for the back plate; the upper and lower transverse limbs allow sufficient space for outwardly directed tie feet to be inserted. Further squeezing of the tie limbs close together will allow the tie to slide along the length of the longitudinal limb to the requried position.

Claims

1. A tie device for tying a brick or block structure to an existing structure comprising a bracket having a back plate with means for securing it to the existing structure, and at least one tie to be interposed between courses of new bricks or blocks and having a pair of limbs, the back plate of the bracket having at least one socket in which the tie is engageable by pushing the tie perpendicularly or approximately perpendicularly towards the back plate of the bracket to link the tie with the bracket, the tie, once engaged in said socket being slidable lengthwise of the bracket, the or each socket being constituted by at least one aperture in the back plate.

2. A tie device according to claim 1 wherein the tie has limbs movable resiliently towards one another.

3. A tie device according to claim 1 or 2 wherein at least one widened portion of the or each aperture provides a detent for the positioning of the tie lengthwise of the bracket.

4. A tie device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the or each aperture is substantially symmetrical about its longitudinal centre.

5. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one socket comprises a pair of apertures symmetrically disposed about the longitudinal centre line of the back plate.

6. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein at least one socket is formed by an aperture having portions adapted to enable both free ends of the tie to be inserted therein.

7. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one such aperture has a portion extending laterally of the axis of the back plate for receiving the free ends of the tie limb and a portion extending longitudinally of the back plate for allowing the tie to slide longitudinally of the back plate.

8. A tie device for tying a brick or block structure to an existing structure comprising a bracket having a back plate with means for securing it to the existing structure, and at least one tie to be interposed between courses of new bricks or blocks the back plate of the bracket having at least one socket in which the tie is engageable to link the tie with the bracket, the tie, once engaged in said socket being slidable in at least one direction lengthwise of the bracket, so as to provide vertical adjustability of the tie relative to the bracket, while remaining engaged with the bracket, the or each socket being constituted by at least one aperture in the back plate.

9. A tie device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the bracket has along one or both longitudinal edges of the back plate a flange to overlie a brick or block of the new structure.

10. A tie device according to claim 9 wherein the back plate and/or at least one such flange is provided with keying holes for plaster or mortar.

11. A tie device according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the means for securing the bracket to the existing structure comprises a number of fixing holes arranged in a row longitudinally of the bracket.

12. A tie device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said bracket has protrusions for maintaining the portion thereof in which the or each aperture is/are formed in spaced relation to the existing structure to accommodate the free ends of the tie limbs.

13. A bracket for use with a wall tie having a pair of resilient limbs, for tying a brick or block structure to an existing structure, the bracket having a back plate with means for securing the bracket to the existing structure and the back plate having at least one socket for receiving the free ends of the resilient limbs of the tie, the or each socket being constituted by at least one aperture in the back plate and being adapted to receive the limbs of the tie when the tie is pushed perpendicularly or approximately perpendicularly towards the back plate to link the tie with the bracket.

14. A bracket for use with a wall tie for trying a brick or block structure to an existing structure, the bracking having a back plate with means for securing the bracket to the existing structure and the back plate having at least one socket for receiving and engaging the tie, the or each socket being constituted by at least one aperture in the back plate and being adapted to engage the tie in a manner enabling vertial sliding adjustment of the position of the tie relative to the bracket.

15. A tie device according to any one of claims 1 to 12 or a bracket according to claim 13 or 14, wherein there is a row of securing means along the back plate of the bracket and the sockets permit vertical adjustability of the ties in the space between respective adjacent securing means.

16. A tie device or bracket according to claim 15 wherein the range of vertical adjustment of the tie while remaining engaged is at least one cm.

17. A tie device or bracket according to claim 16, wherein said range is at least 2 cm.

Drawing