METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING FORMWORK WALLS

Abstract

 A method of building a structure comprising stacking at least first, second and third layers of wall cassettes to form a wall, each said wall cassette comprising a pair of opposing, substantially parallel wall panels (1) having a void (13) therebetween, said wall panels being connected together in spaced apart relation by means of at least one cross tie (2), that extends across said void, omitting or removing a wall panel from a wall cassette of said second layer to leave an opening therein, and connecting a support bracket (5) across said opening between parallel cross ties provided respectively on a wall cassette of said first layer and on the remaining wall panel of said second layer.

Description

[0001] This invention relates generally to building systems, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for the construction of walls, such as insulated walls, from pourable building material, such as concrete, using wall cassettes comprised of two opposed wall panels.

[0002] A known technique for the construction of walls from pourable building material (e.g. pourable concrete), comprises the use of a pair of opposed, usually insulating, wall panels (known as insulated concrete framework or ICF), formed of, for example, a foamed polymeric material, and held together in opposed, spaced-apart relation by a cross-tying system, thereby creating a central void which is filled with ready-mix concrete.

[0003] Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is illustrated a schematic perspective view of a portion of an ICF wall, each wall section comprising two opposing insulated panels 1, connected together, and held in spaced-apart relation, by cross-ties 2 to define a central void 13 for receiving ready-mix concrete during the construction process. In use, in order to build a wall of a required height, wall sections are built up, one on top of the other, with cross-ties between each layer. This may be done on-site or entire walls of a predetermined height may be pre-assembled in this manner and transported, fully assembled for use, to a site.

[0004] In some circumstances, it may be required to remove a single wall panel from a complete structure, prior to concrete pouring. In theory, before concrete has been poured into the void between the panels, it is a fairly straightforward process to remove a panel from the overall structure. In practice, however, the removal of a panel from the structure undermines the strength and stability thereof, as the panels above the removed panels are left unsupported.

[0005] It is therefore desirable to provide a method and device which enables one or more panels to omitted or removed from a modular wall structure, which addresses at least some of the above issues.

[0006] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of building a structure comprising stacking at least first, second and third layers of wall cassettes to form a wall, each said wall cassette comprising a pair of opposing, substantially parallel wall panels having a void therebetween, said wall panels being connected together in spaced apart relation by means of at least one cross tie, that extends across said void, omitting or removing a wall panel from a wall cassette of said second layer to leave an opening therein, and connecting a support bracket across said opening between parallel cross ties provided respectively on a wall cassette of said first layer and on the remaining wall panel of said second layer.

[0007] The cross tie of each of said first and second layers may comprise at least one, substantially orthogonal locking plate, and the support bracket may comprise a plate having spring clips at opposing ends thereof, wherein the method may further comprise the step of wedging the locking plates of said parallel cross ties into longitudinal slots defined by respective spring clips of said support bracket so as to connect said support bracket across said opening.

[0008] Each cross tie may comprise two, substantially orthogonal locking plates, and the method may comprise the step of wedging longitudinally corresponding first locking plates of said parallel cross ties into longitudinal slots defined by respective spring clips of a first support bracket and wedging longitudinally corresponding second locking plates of said parallel cross ties into longitudinal slots defined by respective spring clips of a second support bracket so as to connect said first and second support brackets across said opening.

[0009] A further aspect of the present invention extends to a support bracket for use in the method defined above, said support bracket comprising a plate of length substantially equal to the height of a wall panel, and having spring clips at opposing ends thereof, each of said spring clips defining longitudinal slots configured to receive therein a locking plate of a cross tie.

[0010] The wall cassettes may comprise insulating concrete formwork (ICF) wall cassettes.

[0011] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of examples only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of an ICF wall;

Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of an ICF wall in which a wall section has been removed or omitted;

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a clip for use in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of the ICF wall of Figure 2 illustrating the clip of Figure 3, in use.

[0012] Referring to Figure 2 of the drawings, there is illustrated schematically a portion of an ICF wall, each wall section comprising two opposing insulated panels 1, connected together, and held in spaced-apart relation, by cross-ties 2 to define a central void 13 for receiving ready-mix concrete during the construction process. In use, in order to build a wall of a required height, wall sections are built up, one on top of the other, with cross-ties between each layer. This may be done on-site or entire walls of a predetermined height may be pre-assembled in this manner and transported, fully assembled for use, to a site.

[0013] In the illustrated structure, a panel has been removed or omitted from the upper layer of the two layers shown, leaving an opening between the two parallel cross ties 2. Clearly, simply leaving the opening without support will undermine the strength of the upper layer when further layers are stacked on top of it to complete the wall.

[0014] Thus, referring to Figure 3 of the drawings, a support bracket 5 is provided, which comprises a substantially rectangular plate (although the present invention is in no way intended to be limited by the shaped of the plate), having a pair of spring clips 4 provided at opposing longitudinal ends thereof, the spring clips 4 defining longitudinal slots between the clips and the plate 5.

[0015] Referring to Figure 4 of the drawings, each cross tie 2 comprises an elongate device consisting of a pair of substantially parallel legs 20 spanned by a pair of crossbars 22 to define an opening 24 therein, which opening is located generally centrally within the void 13 between the wall panels 1, in use. The ends of the parallel legs 20 extend over the edges of the wall panels 1, between adjacent pegs 26, and are prevented from latitudinal movement relative thereto by means of substantially orthogonal locking plates 28 provided at the ends of the legs 20. When a further wall panel is placed on top of an existing wall panel, having a cross tie affixed thereto, the wall panel is located on top of the cross tie, over the ends of the parallel legs 20, with the locking plates 28 remaining behind on the outside of the panel. In other words, each panel is slotted into the bracket slot defined between the locking plates of the cross ties.

[0016] In the event that a panel is to be removed or omitted, leaving an opening in the wall, the support bracket 5 illustrated in Figure 3 is attached across the opening between parallel cross ties by wedging the locking plates 28 of the upper and lower cross ties into the slots defined by respective upper and lower spring clips 4 of the support bracket 5, which thereby provide lateral support for the upper layers, and the spring clips holding the structure firm. In the example shown, a support bracket 5 is provided for each of the two locking plate pairs provided by the two parallel cross ties, but the invention is not intended to be limited in this regard.

[0017] It will be appreciated that embodiments of the present invention provide the ability to remove or omit a wall panel from one or both sides of an ICF panel wall and still have a stable wall structure capable of supporting a concrete pour. The wall section where the panel has been replaced by the support bracket(s) will allow concrete to flow through.

[0018] It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that modifications and variations can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed.

Claims

1. A method of building a structure comprising stacking at least first, second and third layers of wall cassettes to form a wall, each said wall cassette comprising a pair of opposing, substantially parallel wall panels having a void therebetween, said wall panels being connected together in spaced apart relation by means of at least one cross tie, that extends across said void, omitting or removing a wall panel from a wall cassette of said second layer to leave an opening therein, and connecting a support bracket across said opening between parallel cross ties provided respectively on a wall cassette of said first layer and on the remaining wall panel of said second layer.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the cross tie of each of said first and second layers comprises at least one, substantially orthogonal locking plate, and the support bracket comprises a plate having spring clips at opposing ends thereof, wherein the method further comprises the step of wedging the locking plates of said parallel cross ties into longitudinal slots defined by respective spring clips of said support bracket so as to connect said support bracket across said opening.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein each cross tie comprises two, substantially orthogonal locking plates, the method comprising the step of wedging longitudinally corresponding first locking plates of said parallel cross ties into longitudinal slots defined by respective spring clips of a first support bracket and wedging longitudinally corresponding second locking plates of said parallel cross ties into longitudinal slots defined by respective spring clips of a second support bracket so as to connect said first and second support brackets across said opening.

4. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the wall cassettes comprise insulating concrete formwork (ICF) wall cassettes.

5. A support bracket for use in a method according to any of claims 1 to 4, said support bracket comprising a plate of length substantially equal to the height of a wall panel, and having spring clips at opposing ends thereof, each of said spring clips defining a longitudinal slot configured to receive therein a locking plate of a cross tie.

6. A method of building a structure substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 2 to 4 of the drawings.

7. A support bracket for use in the method of claim 6, the support bracket being substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 3 of the drawings.

Drawing