Formwork

Abstract

A moulding apparatus is used to form building blocks. The apparatus includes a plurality of vertical formboards in a pair of opposed rows, each formboard being connected to an adjacent formboard by clamps and spaced apart from opposed formboard by one of a plurality of partitions, each partition being attached to both the opposed rows thereby spacing the opposed rows apart and forming a mould between a pair of adjacent partitions and a pair of opposed formboards. The partitioning apparatus is useable to cast blocks in a course by filling the moulds with a hardenable material, the partitioning apparatus being positionable above the previously moulded course of blocks, with the lower edges of the formboards overhanging the previously moulded course of blocks, wherein apparatus further includes an insulation insert which is adapted to be formed into said blocks in a course such that a wall formed by the multiple courses of blocks is continuous.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/AU2004/000981, filed Jul. 23, 2004, which was published in the English language on Feb. 3, 2005, under International Publication No. WO 2005/010290 A1, and the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to form work partitioning systems for making bricks or blocks in situ, and in particular, to an improved form work partitioning system which combines the advantages of conventionally laid blocks and the advantages of cast walls.

In the construction industry, the cost and availability of kiln-fired bricks for construction purposes has often necessitated the use of other building materials such as sandstone blocks, wood, fibrous-cement panelling, metal panelling and so on. One form of building material which is both inexpensive and readily available is mud bricks. Another form is cement stabilized earth walls and rammed earth walls.

One method of forming a mould for forming a wall portion has been described in WO/88/02802 by the present applicant. This arrangement has a formwork with two opposed walls and partitions with the partitions which define a wider space in the middle than adjacent the formwork walls. This arrangement has the advantages that the combination of the features ensures that the formboards are linked together for correct horizontal and vertical alignment and as the partition rests on the top of the lower course it holds the moulds at the correct heights for the next course. As the partitioning system has oversized formboards the formboards are held firmly to the lower course to ensure correct vertical alignment. The system combines the advantages of conventionally laid blocks and the advantages of cast walls by confining the shrinkage cracks normally found in cast walls to mortar joints thereby enhancing the appearance of the wall. Shrinkage cracks usually found in cast walls are minimized by virtue of the fact that most of the shrinkage has taken place before the mortar is set.

It is believed that further enhancements and improvements to the arrangement are desirable to provide ease of construction and possibility of improved structures.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved form work partitioning system for use in the construction industry which provides advantages to known type arrangements. At the very least, the object is to provide is an alternative to known methods and devices.

It is another object to provide an improved form work partitioning system for use in the construction industry which provides enhanced insulation in a constructed wall.

Another object is to provide an improved form work partitioning system which allows for pours of monolithic masonry walls.

Another object is to provide an improved form work partitioning system which allows for curved masonry walls.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a moulding apparatus including a plurality of vertical formboards in a pair of opposed rows, each said formboard being connected to an adjacent said formboard by clamping means and spaced apart from opposed said formboard by one of a plurality of partitions, each said partition being attached to both said opposed rows thereby spacing the opposed rows apart and forming a mould between a pair of adjacent partitions and a pair of opposed formboards, said partitioning apparatus being useable to cast blocks in a course by filling the moulds with a hardenable material, said partitioning apparatus being positionable above the previously moulded course of blocks, with the lower edges of said formboards overhanging the previously moulded course of blocks, wherein apparatus further includes an insulation insert which is adapted to be formed into said blocks in a course such that a wall formed by said multiple courses of blocks is continuous.

Preferably, the insulation insert is formed from a sheet of insulation material with a protruding stem which is adapted to fit into space vacated by partition when the partition is removed. Preferably, the partitions include a partition body which is substantially wider in the center than at the either of the vertical edges and is slightly wider at the upper edge than the lower edge with curved outer surfaces. Preferably, the surfaces of the insulation insert including the sheet and the stem thereof have surfaces adapted to correspond to the curved surfaces of the partition. In the preferred form, the partitions are tapered, i.e. wider at the top than the lower edge, and therefore, the insulation insert has corresponding tapered surfaces.

In a preferred form, brick tie means are adapted to be associated with the insulation insert.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is disclosed a moulding apparatus including a plurality of vertical formboards in a pair of opposed rows, each said formboard being connected to an adjacent said formboard by clamping means and spaced apart from opposed said formboard by one of a plurality of partitions, each said partition being attached to both said opposed rows thereby spacing the opposed rows apart and forming a mould between a pair of adjacent partitions and a pair of opposed formboards, said partitioning apparatus being useable to cast blocks in a course by filling the moulds with a hardenable material, said partitioning apparatus being positionable above the previously moulded course of blocks, with the lower edges of said formboards overhanging the previously moulded course of blocks, wherein the clamping means is disposed such as to clamp the vertical edges of two adjacent formboards with one of the vertical edges of the partition body, with the adjacent formboards being substantially end to end and said partition at substantially right angles line of said formboards, wherein said formboards have recesses adjacent said internal edges where an internal portion of clamp means is adapted to be received.

Preferably, the external portion of the clamp means has protrusions which are adapted to be received within slots on outside of the formboards.

In a preferred form, the width of the internal portion of the clamp means is increased such as to change the orientation of the outer formboard line to thereby form a curved surface for the wall.

In another preferred form, the clamping means is adapted to join adjacent formboards together without the use of a partition, to provide a larger block size using modular sized formboards.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is disclosed a moulding apparatus including a plurality of vertical formboards in a pair of opposed rows, each said formboard being connected to an adjacent said formboard by clamping means and spaced apart from opposed said formboard by at least one space means, each said spacer means being attached to both said opposed rows thereby spacing the opposed rows apart and forming a formwork for a monolithic wall, wherein the clamping means is disposed such as to clamp the vertical edges of two adjacent formboards being substantially end to end and, wherein said formboards have recesses adjacent said internal edges where an internal portion of clamp means is adapted to be received.

Preferably, an external portion of the clamping means is adapted to overlap the upper and lower rows of formboards.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a partitioning system of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an insulation insert used in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the partitioning system of FIG. 1 being adapted to form curved walls,

FIG. 4 is a side and rear view of a connecting clamp for use with the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cutaway plan view of the connecting clamp shown in use;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the formwork arrangement of FIG. 1 including a connecting clamp of FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 7 is a cutaway perspective view of formwork adapted to form a monolithic concrete wall according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a cutaway plan view of the formwork of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a outside view of formwork setup ready for a monolithic concrete pour.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As seen in the drawings, the formwork system is use to construct walls or like structures by forming blocks or monolithic walls of hardenable material in situ. In the case of block forming, a foundation is laid onto which the construction is to be positioned and a first course of blocks is formed by setting up the formwork system onto the foundation. The formwork system is then filled with the hardenable material which is allowed to set inside the formwork. Once the material has set to a certain extent the formwork is removed thus allowing the material to dry and harden into the first course of blocks. After the blocks have hardened the formwork is then placed on top of the blocks ready for use to form the next course. The material of the next course of blocks is preferably allowed to form in the gaps left by the removal of the partitions thus increasing tensile strength of the wall. This process is continued until the wall is completed by the use and construction of blocks in situ in the manner described in WO/88/02802.

One example of a formwork system which is used to construct the wall is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3. The system 10 making up the formwork includes a number of formboards 11 which are formed in two opposing rows 12 and 13. The rows 12 and 13 are spaced apart by a partition 14 which also connects adjacent formboards 11 in the same row 12 or 13 together. The partition 14 consists of a body 15 having a pair of projecting bolts 16 at each of its ends. A pair of clamps 17 each having a corresponding pair of holes 21 for fitting over the bolts 16 are used together with wing nuts 18 to clamp the system 10 together. As illustrated in the drawings, a pair of adjacent formboards 11 having a rebate 19 at each end on the internal side 20 of the formboards 11 are adapted to receive an inner portion 21 of the clamps 17, while rounded slots 22 on the external side 23 are adapted to receive corresponding rounded beads 24 formed on the outer portion 25 of the clamps 17. The wing nuts 18 are used to clamp the partition 14 and the adjacent formboards 11 together.

As seen in FIG. 1, edges 26 of the partitions 14 are narrow and the fact that the internal portion 21 of the clamps 17 are rebated into the surface of the formboards 11, the joint between each block formed in the formwork system 10 narrow in a similar manner to those of stone walls. This is an improvement over the existing formwork systems.

The narrow joint also has the advantage that when using thin mixes of sand and cement as the material for the blocks, the tendency for the mixture to escape out between wider joints is virtually eliminated. The improved clamping arrangement on either sides 20 and 23 of the formboards 11 also ensures straight true walls.

As seen in FIG. 3, curved walls are able to be constructed using the formwork system of the present invention as the outer portions 25 of the clamps 17 can be reversed and the width of the inner portion 21 can be increased thus allowing one of the rows 13 is curved. The other row 12 is preferably the same arrangement as described above.

As seen in FIG. 2, a preferred feature is the use of insulating inserts 27 made from foam insulating material. The inserts 27 are preferably about 50 mm thick and are adapted to form a continuous sheet of insulating material within the wall. The inserts 27 are preferably inserted in the middle portion of the wall but can be insert closer to either outer side of the wall if so desired.

The inserts 27 are preferably the full width and height of the blocks formed within the formwork system 10 with a stem 28 being adapted to fit into the gap left by the partition of the lower course of blocks. The stem is preferably tapered and convex as required to fit into the gap left by the convex and tapered partition 14. The V-shape of the stem 28 assists in it being wedged into position.

The inserts 27 are also tapered with a concave surface so as to fit against the surface of the partition 14. This taper is opposite to the taper of the stem 28. Brick ties are preferably adapted to be embedded in the inserts 27 in such a way to be able to easily straighten to extend outwardly from the inserts 27. Alternatively slots 29 can be formed in the inserts to receive brick ties.

Connecting clamps 30 are illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 6. These clamps 30 are used when it is desirable to join two or more formboards 11 together and to avoid joints or bolt holes. The clamps 30 are similar to the aforedescribed clamps 17 without the bolts associated with the partitions 14. The connecting clamps 30 include an inner portion 31 and an outer portion 32 connected by bolts 33. The formboards 11 are adapted to be received between the two portions 31 and 32 with wingnuts 34 being used to tighten the clamp 30. As seen in FIG. 6, the clamps 30 are space from the lower edge of the formboards 11 as they are to rest on the lower course of blocks and the formboards are adapted to overlap the lower course of blocks in a similar manner to the system described in WO/88/02802.

Formwork for constructing monolithic walls is illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 9. The formwork system 40 includes formboards 41, clamps 42 and conduits 43. The formboards 41 and clamps 42 are similar to those already described with reference to the other embodiments with the difference that the partitions are replaced by conduits 43 in which the bolts are located. The conduits will remain in the wall once the formwork has been removed. The inner portions 44 of the clamps 42 correspond in height to the height of the formboards 41 while the height of the outer portions 45 of the clamps 42 is greater as the outer portions are adapted to overlap and engage with the outer side of the formboards 41 as seen in FIG. 9. It is noted that the bead is not present at the overlapping parts of the outer portion 45 of the clamps 42 as there are not slots to engage.

It is noted that the monolithic wall can be curved in a similar manner to the wall formed of blocks by using the same technique of reversing the outer portion 45 of the clamp 42.

All parts of the partitioning systems are made of hard durable water resistant materials. For example, the main material to be envisaged is wooden form work.

The foregoing describes only some embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A moulding apparatus including a plurality of vertical formboards in a pair of opposed rows, each said formboard being connected to an adjacent said formboard by clamping means and spaced apart from opposed said formboard by one of a plurality of partitions, each said partition being attached to both said opposed rows thereby spacing the opposed rows apart and forming a mould between a pair of adjacent partitions and a pair of opposed formboards, said partitioning apparatus being useable to cast blocks in a course by filling the moulds with a hardenable material, said partitioning apparatus being positionable above the previously moulded course of blocks, with the lower edges of said formboards overhanging the previously moulded course of blocks, wherein apparatus further includes a preformed insulation insert which is adapted to be located into said blocks in a course during forming of the course, such that a wall formed by said multiple courses of blocks is continuous.

2. A moulding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the insulation insert is formed from a sheet of insulation material with a protruding stem which is adapted to fit into space vacated by partition when the partition is removed.

3. A moulding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the partitions include a partition body which is substantially wider in the center than at the either of the vertical edges and is slightly wider at the upper edge than the lower edge with curved outer surfaces.

4. A moulding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein surfaces of the insulation insert including the sheet and the stem thereof are adapted to correspond to the curved surfaces of the partition.

5. A moulding apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the partitions are tapered, and therefore, the insulation insert has corresponding tapered surfaces.

6. A moulding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein brick tie means are adapted to be associated with the insulation insert.

7. A moulding apparatus including a plurality of vertical formboards in a pair of opposed rows, each said formboard being connected to an adjacent said formboard by clamping means and spaced apart from opposed said formboard by one of a plurality of partitions, each said partition being attached to both said opposed rows thereby spacing the opposed rows apart and forming a mould between a pair of adjacent partitions and a pair of opposed formboards, said partitioning apparatus being useable to cast blocks in a course by filling the moulds with a hardenable material, said partitioning apparatus being positionable above the previously moulded course of blocks, with the lower edges of said formboards overhanging the previously moulded course of blocks, wherein the clamping means is disposed such as to clamp the vertical edges of two adjacent formboards with one of the vertical edges of the partition body, with the adjacent formboards being substantially end to end and said partition at substantially right angles line of said formboards, wherein said formboards have recesses adjacent said internal edges where an internal portion of clamp means is adapted to be received.

8. A moulding apparatus according to claim 7, wherein external portion of the clamp means has protrusions which are adapted to be received within slots on outside of the formboards.

9. A moulding apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the width of the internal portion of the clamp means is increased such as to change the orientation of the outer formboard line to thereby form a curved surface for the wall.

10. A moulding apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the clamping means is adapted to join adjacent formboards together without the use of a partition, to provide a larger block size using modular sized formboards.

11. A moulding apparatus including a plurality of vertical formboards in a pair of opposed rows, each said formboard being connected to an adjacent said formboard by clamping means and spaced apart from opposed said formboard by at least one space means, each said spacer means being attached to both said opposed rows thereby spacing the opposed rows apart and forming a formwork for a monolithic wall, wherein the clamping means is disposed such as to clamp the vertical edges of two adjacent formboards being substantially end to end and, wherein said formboards have recesses adjacent said internal edges where an internal portion of clamp means is adapted to be received.

12. A moulding apparatus according to claim 11, wherein an external portion of the clamping means is adapted to overlap the upper and lower rows of formboards.