BRICK LAYING TOOLS

Abstract: Tools for carrying mortar to a brick wall during construction one tool (10) being used to lay mortar along a course line, the other tool (26) being used to place mortar in the perpend gap (41) between two bricks (39, 40) after they have been laid on the mortar, the first tool has two main parts, a tray with a sliding plate (15) which slides under an open frame surrounding the plate to close a mortar dropping gap formed by the frame while mortar is being carried to a brick wall; the sliding plate (15) slides away from the frame to open the mortar gap and is sleeved upon runners on the frame to enable frame and plate to be moved towards and away from each other by means of a handle on each; the second tool (26) is formed as a hopper designed to straddle a perpend gap between two bricks laid on a wall and has a bottom (30) sloping towards a slot (32) which a user places over the perpend gap (41) and mortar (42) is worked from the hopper down through the slot (32) into the perpend gap (41), the second tool also has two legs (33, 34) which project downwards against the perpend gap and lugs (35, 36) for locating the tool on laid bricks.

Description: BRICK LAYING TOOLS This invention relates generally to brick laying tools and more particularly relates to a brick laying tool or tools which will enable an inexperienced user to lay bricks course upon course, to a professional standard of appearance and structural requirements. In usual brick laying practice, the mortar is manually spread on the top of the existing course with a trowel. .A hand-held brick is buttered on the end and placed on the top of a line of just-thrown mortar. The brick is then aligned by bumping the brick down into the mortar. The mortar is then cleaned off, and the joints finished off as required. This method suffers from the disadvantage that mortar is handled twice, once from the barrow o; the mortar board - and once from the mortar board to the hand-deposited mortar line. The physical effort of holding the loaded mortar board with one hand and depositing of mortar with the other is considerable. Extrusion of mortar causes hi h loss and recycling of mortar and tends to dirty the bricks. Mortar has to be buttered o each brick end before laying. This situat.ion demands that the bricks are in close proximity to mortar storage for application of mortar and mortared bricks are then carried to the mortar line for laying. It is an ob ect of t.hi.s invention to provide a brick wall, mortar course tool. 'Another object of this invention is to provide a brick wall mortar perpend tool . According to the invention, there is provided a tool for carrying mortar and laying mortar joints upon a brick wall course, the tool comprising a body with a tray portion having the bottom thereof formed into an opening fo dispensing mortar therefrom, the lateral dimensions of the opening corresponding substan ially to the dimensions of mortar laid upon a brick in a brick wall course, a slide plate bottom of the tray to open and close the tray opening being connected to, or integrally formed with at least one slide sleeve, the tray portion being connected to, or integrally formed with at least one runner for the at least one side sleeve, whereby inward and outward relative sliding movement of the sleeve and runner closes and opens the tray mortar dispensing opening. Preferably, the slide plate bottom of the tray of the tool has a pair of integrally moulded sleeves there¬ on and the tray frame is integrally moulded with a pair of runners upon which the sleeves are adapted to be slidably reciprocated, the sleeves are interconnected by a handle extending therebetween, the runners are connected by a handle extending between outwardly directed end ' s .thereof and the handles are adapted to be moved towards' and away from each other to open and close the mortar dispensing opening. According to another aspect, the invention resides in a brick wall, mortar perpend tool comprising an open-top hopper adapted to receive and carry mortar and which has a transverse bottom slot adapted to tte "placed over a mortar perpend gap on a brick wall after horizontal brick course has been laid, the mortar being adapted to be rammed into the perpend gap via the slot, while the hopper is in place on a brick wall course. Preferably, a perpend mortar retaining leg depends downwardly from each bottom corner of the hopper, adjacent each end of the ' slot, the legs being adapted to retain mortar in the perpend gap between bricks, while mortar is being placed into the gap. The invention, according to a still further aspect resides in a combination of both of the above tools as a kit to be used together. Some embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view ol " one embodiment of a mortar course, mortar carrying and laying tool according to the invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a mortar perpend tool according to the invention. Figure 3 is a perspective view of a mortar perpend rammer for use with the tool of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a vertical section taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1 and shows the tool in position on a wall course. Figure 5 is a vertical section taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 2 and shows the tool in position on a wall course. Referring to the drawings, there is shown in Figure 1 in closed position, a mortar course tool 10 for carrying and laying a definitive quantity of mortar upon a brick course which comprises a body with a substantially rectangular-shaped tray portion surrounding an open bottom of lateral dimensions substantiall equal to the area of mortar of courses between bricks in a brick wall structure, which tray portion is defined by side walls 11, 12 and end walls 13, 14, formed into a continuous rectangular, open framework adapted to be opened and closed by a sliding bottom plate in the form of a flat plate 15, adapted to be slidably .-.reciprocate laterally across the rectangular bottom opening. The sliding tray bottom 15 is integrally connected to two slide sleeves 16, 17, mounted upon (or integrally moulded with) tray and sleeve movement stop back plate 18 and which are connected thereto by. inner cross pull bar handle 19, the slides are sleeved upon, or adapted to run on runners or rods 20, 21, one or outer end of whic ' is fixedly connected to outer cross bar by rear pull handle 22, screw mounted between the runners. A front handle 23 is provided to assist correct placement of the device on a brick course. Two downwardly dependent locating lugs 24, 25 also assist in locating the device upon a brick course. Referring to Figure 2 of the drawings, there is shown a mortar perpend tool 26, constructed in accordance with the invention and which is designed to be used in conjunction with the mortar course laying tool of Figure 1, the perpend tool functioning as a hopper for mortar and being constructed in the form of an open top box adapted to straddle a brick course line and a front wall 27, rear wall 28, one full height side wall 29 and a sloping bottom 30, the upper edge of which is joined to a side wall 31 of reduced height. The bottom 30 slopes downwardly towards a perpend mortar feeding slot 32, shown in broken outline. A pair of vertical mortar perpend retaining legs 33, 34 are fixed to, or integrally moulded with the hopper portion and as shown in the encircled inset, the inner face of the legs may be convexly curved to mould the mortar perpend. A pair of laid-brick engaging lugs 35, 36 is provided for correctly aligning the hopper on a wall. Referring to Figure 3, there is provided a spatula as a mortar ramming tool 37 for manipulating the mortar within the hopper and ramming the mortar through the slot into a perpend between laid bricks. The vertical section of Figure 4 shows the sliding tray bottom 15 of the mortar course laying tool of Figure 1 in half-open position and in use. The tool sliding tray bottom is moved to fully closed position with a handle 19 fully extended in the direction of arrow C, the tool is the filled with mortar 38 (Fig. 4), preferably using a rectangular-shaped trowel (not shown) , the mortar is levell off and the tool is placed over laid bricks 39 (Fig. 4) of the top course of the brick wall with the two locating lugs 24, 25, engaging one edge of the bricks and the tool held in place by the handle 19 is then pulled in the direction of the arrow B to the end of the stroke and now with tray bottom in fully open position, the mortar wafer drops intact onto the brick course, after which the tool can be withdrawn and repeated for as long as desired. Referring to the mortar perpend-laying tool 26 0 f Figure 5, the tool hopper formed by walls 27, 28, 29, 31 and bottom 30 is filled with mortar mix and then placed over bricks 39, 40 with two locating legs 33, 34 in alignment with mortar, the space 41 between the bricks SUBSTITUTESHEET 39, 40 with the brick-engaging lugs 35, 36, engaging the edges of the brick. The mortar 42 is then manually dispensed into the mortar space 41 by the spatula 37, via the slot 32 at the bottom of the hopper. When the slot is full and compacted, the tool is lifted off vertically, leaving the mortar between the bricks. The perpend tool filling of the vertical spaces (perpends) between bricks is carried out after the bricks are laid and aligned.

Claims: AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 15 September 1988 (15.09.88); original claims 1-12 replaced by amended claims 1-15 (4 pages)] 1. A mortar tool kit comprising: (a) a tool (10) for carrying and laying a definitive quantity of mortar upon a brick course, the tool (10) comprising a body with a substantially rectangular-shaped tray frame portion formed by side walls (11, 12) and end walls (13, 14) surrounding a bottom opening of dimensions substantially equal to the area and thickness of mortar of a course between bricks laid along a brick wall structure, the tray portion being opened and closed by a flat bottom plate (15) which is slidable laterally across under the opening and which is integrally connected to two slide sleeves (16, 17), mounted upon, or integrally moulded with a movement stop back plate (18), the sleeves (16, 17) being connected to each other by an inner cross—bar handle (19) and being mounted on runners (20, 21), the outer end of each runner being joined by an outer cross bar pull handle (22), the flat bottom plates (15) being moved into a fully open position to drop a wafer of mortar intact onto a brick by squeezing the inner cross bar pull handle (19) and outer cross bar pull handle (22) towards each other by using the thumb and fingers of one hand and into a fully closed position by moving the said handles away from each other and (b) a brick wall mortar perpend tool (26) comprising an open-top hopper adapted to receive and carry mortar and a bottom (30) sloping towards a trans¬ verse bottom slot (32), adapted to be placed over a mortar perpend gap (41) on a brick wall after a horizontal mortar course has been laid, the mortar being adapted to be rammed into the perpend gap (41) via the slot (32) while the hopper tool (26) is in place on a brick wall course (39, 40), perpend, mortar-retaining legs (33, 34) depending downwardly from each bottom corner of the hopper adjacent each end of the slot (32), the legs (33, 34) being adapted to retain mortar in the perpend -gap (41) betwen bricks (39, 40) while mortar is being placed into the gap (41). 2. A tool kit according to claim 1, wherein the slidable bottom plate (15) of the tray has a pair of integrally moulded sleeves (16, 17) thereon and the tray frame is integrally mounted with a pair of runners (20, 21) upon which the sleeves are adapted to be slidably reciprocated. 3. A tool kit according to claims 1 or 2, wherein a brick edge locating lug (24, 25) projects downwardly from each outer corner of the tray portion. 4. A tool kit according to any preceding claim wherein a tool positioning handle (23) is provided along the outer edge of the tray portion. 5. A tool kit according to claim 1, wherein the outer cross bar pull handle (22) is removable to enable the sleeves (16, 17) to be removed from the runners (20, 21) and vice-versa for removal and cleaning of the flat bottom plate (15) with sleeves (16, 17) and integral movement stop plate (18) from the runners (20, 21) for cleaning. 6. A tool kit according to any preceding claim wherein the mortar-retaining legs (33, 34) each have inwardly perpend-facing surfaces thereof convexly curved, so as to form a raked finish of external mortar face rammed into the perpend gap between bricks. 7. A tool kit according to claim 1 or claim 6, wherein a locating lug ( 31, 36) depends from each bottom corner of the hopper opposite to the mortar perpend legs (33, 34). 8. A mortar course tool (10) for use in the mortaring tool kit according to claim 1 and for carrying and laying a definitive quantity of mortar upon a brick course, the tool comprising a body with a substantially rectangular- shaped tray- frame portion formed by side walls (11, 12) and end walls (13, 14) surrounding a bottom opening of dimensions substantially equal to the area and thickness of mortar of a course between bricks laid along a brick wall structure, the tray portion being opened and closed 1 0 by a flat bottom plate (15) which is slidable laterally across under the opening and which is integrally connected to two side sleeves (16, 17) mounted upon, or integrally moulded with a movement stop back plate (18), the sleeves (16, 17) being connected to each other by an inner cross¬ bar pull handle (19) and being mounted on runners (20, 21), the outer end of each runner being joined by an outer cross bar pull handle (22), the flat bottom plates (15) being moved into a fully open position to drop a wafer of mortar intact onto a brick by squeezing the inner cross bar pull handle (19) and outer cross bar pull handle (22) towards each other by using the thumb and fingers of one hand and into a fully closed position by moving the said handles away from each other. 9. A tool kit according to claim 8, wherein the slidable bottom plate 15 of the tray has a pair of integrally moulded sleeves (16, 17) thereon and the tray frame is integrally moulded with a pair of runners (20, 21) upon which the sleeves are adapted to be slidably reciprocated. 10. A tool kit according to claim 8 or 9, wherein a brick edge locating lug (24, 25) projects downwardly from each outer corner of the tray portion. 11. A tool kit according to any one of claims 9 to 11. wherein a tool positioning handle (23) is provided along the outer edge of the tray portion. 12. A tool kit according to claim 8, wherein the outer cross bar pull handle (22) is removable to enable the sleeves (16, 17) to be removed from the runners (20, 21) and vice-versa for removal and cleaning of the flat bottom plate (15) with sleeves (16, 17) and integral movement stop plate (18) from the runners (20, 21) for cleaning. 13. A brick wall mortar perpend tool (26) for use in tool kit according to claim 1 comprising an open-top hopper adapted to receive and carry mortar and a bottom (30) sloping towards a transverse bottom slot (32) adapted to be placed over a mortar perpend gap (41) on a brick wall after a horizontal mortar course has been laid, the mortar being adapted to be rammed into the perpend gap (41) via the slot (32) while the hopper tool (26) is in place on a brick wall course(39, 40), perpend, mortar- retaining legs (33, 34) depending downwardly from each bottom corner of the hopper adjacent each end of the slot (32), the legs (33, 34) being adapted to retain mortar in the perpend gap (41) between bricks (39, 40) while the mortar is being placed into the gap (41). 14. A brick wall mortar perpend tool according to claim 13, wherein the mortar-retaining legs (33, 34) each have inwardly perpend-facing surfaces thereof convexly curved, so as to form a raked finish of external mortar face rammed into a perpend gap between bricks. 15. A tool kit according to claim 13 or claim 14, wherein a locating lug (31, 36) depends from each bottom corner of the hopper opposite to the mortar perpend legs (33, 34).

Inventors: LESTER BORISLAV, LESTER, BORISLAV
Applicants: LESTER BORISLAV, LESTER, BORISLAV
Application year: 1988
Main classification: E04G21
IPC codes: E04G21