AID FOR REINFORCED CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION

Abstract: A method of using a device, and device for use in the construction industry comprising, a continuous casing unit (8) with at least two spaced kicker units embedded therein. Each of the kicker units are selectively manoeuvrable with respect to the casing unit (8), so that, in a first position said kicker units are parallel to the surface of the casing unit (8) and in use, are manipulated so as to be perpendicular to the casing unit (8) surface. The kicker unit comprises a base portion (7) and associated therewith a defining means which can be adjusted in length so as to define the boundary width of a wall cavity.

Description: AID FOR REINFORCED CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION The invention of the present application relates to a method and device for use in the construction industry, and particularly but not exclusively, for use in the construction of structures which include reinforced concrete walls, floor slabs, stairwells, slip forms, gutters, balcony parapets, pile caps, strip foundation, bricks support ledges, corbels, haunches, troughs and the like. It is known from the prior art in the instance of constructing a wall, to provide floor slabs with a plurality of starter bars embedded therein. The starter bars project a suitable distance upwardly and away from an upper surface of the slab surface, and function not only as base reinforcement but additionally provide a point of reference about which a kicker unit can be placed. A kicker unit is a term commonly used in the construction industry for a device which can be set in fresh concrete to a shutter line and provides the defining limits for shuttering and against which shuttering is positioned in a flush manner. At the beginning of the wall construction process, after the slabs have been laid, the kicker unit is positioned so as to rest upon the slab surface and to surround the base of the projecting starter bars. The kicker unit thus effectively forms a bridge between either side of the starter bars, the outermost portions of the kicker unit act to define the desired wall width. Wall shuttering is then erected to a specified height tight against the kicker, encasing the kicker itself. The kicker provides defined boundaries of a cavity into which liquid concrete can subsequently be poured. Thus it will be apparent from the above that wall to slab construction is both time consuming and requires the use of a separate kicker unit. Additionally it is known from the prior art to provide a mechanical kicker unit which typically comprises a one piece T member. The T member is provided with an upper rod member which is adjustable along its length and is capped at either end with cone members, whereby manipulation of the rod and cone members allow selection of overall width of the kicker unit. The kicker unit width is essential in defining the cavity boundaries and is commensurate with a shutter line, thus it will be appreciated that a kicker unit is of vital importance in providing a reference point so as to construct a formwork of even width and hence ultimately a wall of even width. Conventional reinforced concrete construction of a wall is typically a minimum three day process, as will be apparent from the three stage process depicted in the accompanying drawings (Figures 1-3), moreover for at least a part of the period of the pour schedule vertical starter bars are exposed and project from the slab surface in readiness for tying into the wall reinforcement cage. This period is consequently hazardous to site personnel/construction workers in terms of presenting sharp projections against which individuals can fall and around which individuals are required to negotiate in the course of other site work. Additionally the exposed bars are themselves vulnerable to damage and/or weathering during this period. Thus a device which could simplify formworks, reduce the number of components required in wall construction, accelerate the time of a pour schedule, avoid formwork and/or starter bar damage, improve access about the site and reduce the risk of injury to site workers and keep starter bars protected and clean would provide an immediate advantage to the industry. The device of the present application has elegantly overcome many of the problems associated with conventional techniques by providing a unique combined kicker and casing unit, which is optionally provided with starter bars, wherein the device does not present any projecting bars when in a storage position, and can be manipulated to a second position in use and thus reduce the period of exposing vertical bars in addition to providing improvements to effective and rapid setting out of the wall and bracing/anchor points for the wall formwork to be fitted against. It is therefore a first object of the invention to provide an aid for the construction industry for use in reinforced concrete construction that is simple and easy to use. It is a further object of the invention to provide an aid for the construction industry that improves site safety. It is a yet further object of the invention to provide an aid for the construction industry that reduces the duration of a pour schedule. According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a device for use in the construction industry comprising, a continuous casing unit and embedded therein there is provided at least two kicker units suitably spaced therapar each of said kicker units being selectively manoeuvrable with respect to the casing unit, wherein. in a first position said kicker units are parallel to the surface of said casing unit and in use. are manipulated so as to be perpendicular to said casing unit surface, said kicker unit comprising a base means and associated therewith a defining means which is optionally selectively adjustable in length and defines the boundary width of a wall cavity. Thus, it will be appreciated that the kicker unit comprises a base means, one end of which is embedded in a casing unit and at another end is provided with an engaging means so as to engage a defining means, ideally at a central position therewith. The defining means comprises a rod and optionally adjustable cone ends. The cones can be adjustable by means of a fine thread adjustment along the length of the defining means so to be lined up with single or double sided shutters. Optionally the base means and defining means can be provided integrally or alternatively the base means can be pulled up telescopically in a non-return fashion or indeed may be provided with articulated non-returnable joints. It will be appreciated that the exact configuration of the base and/or defining means is not intended to limit the scope of the application but merely to exemplify that the kicker unit can be adapted for selected use but that, at least the base portion of the unit is provided integral and embedded with the casing unit and that the kicker unit is selectively manoeuvrable. In a preferred embodiment of the invention said casing unit comprises a plurality of reinforcement means embedded therein. In a further preferred embodiment of the invention said casing unit is provided with a lid so as to prevent ingress of liquid concrete during laying of said device in addition to providing protection for same during transportation and storage, ideally said lid is suitably sized and shaped so as to fit flush against at least a part of said casing unit. According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided the method for installing a device as herein before described comprising :- (i) applying a suitable amount of pressure to said kicker unit so as to move said base portion of said kicker unit from a first position which is parallel to the surface of a casing unit to a second position which is perpendicular to said casing unit and straightening said reinforcement means in the instance where the device is provided with reinforcement means and, (ii) in the instance of said defining means being supplied separately from said base portion, attaching said defining means to said base means so as to construct a kicker unit, and (iii) optionally adjusting ends of the defining means to the desired width of the wall and, (iv) constructing an appropriate formwork as defined by said ends of said defining means of said kicker unit. The invention will be described now by way of example only, with reference to the following figures, wherein; Figure 1 represents a front cross-sectional view of a conventional slab to wall junction; Figure 2 represents a front cross-sectional view of progression in a pouring schedule of Figure 1 including a kicker formwork; Figure 3 represents a front cross-sectional view of progression in a pouring schedule of Figures 1 and 2 including a completed wall formwork; Figure 4 represents a front cross-sectional view of a combined casing unit and kicker unit in accordance with the invention, in a storage position; Figure 5 represents a front cross-sectional view of progression in a pouring schedule of Figure 4 including a wall formwork; Figure 6 represents a front perspective view of a combined casing unit and kicker unit in accordance with the invention; and Figure 7 represents an alternative embodiment of the invention as depicted in Figure 6. With reference to Figure 1 there is shown a slab 1 and embedded therein are starter bars 2 projecting upwardly from slab surface 3, this is typically how a slab to wall junction begins construction as step one of a pouring schedule. With reference to Figure 2 there is shown a progression from Figure 1 which would be typical for the second step of a pouring schedule and shows the start of kicker formwork 4 placed about starter bars 2 in a position defined by kicker 5. At the third step, as depicted in Figure 3, formwork 4 is of a selected and specified height and defines a cavity of width X into which liquid concrete is poured, subsequently the concrete sets and shuttering 4 is removed so as to reveal a wall with a reinforced slab to wall junction. With reference to Figure 4 there is shown the combined casing unit and kicker unit of the invention, wherein the lower portion of reinforcement bars 6 are shown in L shape, but it will be appreciated that any type of configuration is possible the configuration being determined by the purpose of the junction. As will be apparent from the figure, casing unit 8 is in a closed position and embedded in slab 1. Additionally, there is shown base portion 7 of the kicker unit, typically there are a minimum of two kicker units incorporated into a casing unit, the casing unit being typically, but not by way of limitation, in the region of 1200 mm in length. Moreover, the kicker units are evenly spaced apart at approximately 300 mm from each end and 600 mm apart from one another. It will be appreciated that there is no limitation to the number of kicker unit placed in relation to the casing unit however it is recommended that kicker units are placed approximately 600 mm apart from one another, however these distances are not intended to limit the scope of the application. It is of note that the casing unit in practice is U shaped and may optionally be provided with a inverted U lid which protects the device during storage and transportation and additionally prevents ingress of liquid concrete during the step of positioning the device in a slab surface. The inverted U lid fits inside the bottom U portion, moreover the two Us can be held together by means of a thin polythene straps for transportation purposes. During installation the bottom half of the strap can remain in the concrete and be embedded therein. With reference to Figure 5 there is shown the combined casing unit and kicker unit of the invention in use, wherein reinforcement bars 2 have been extended by application of a tube or the like to bend them upwardly, in addition to bending up portion 11 of the kicker unit. Defining means 8 are attached to base portion 7 of the kicker unit at a point 9, and it will be appreciated that in this particular instance the two portions (7 and 8) are screw-threaded together, moreover cones 10 are optionally threadedly adjustable along defining means 8 so as to define the distance X which is commensurate with the width of the cavity created by shuttering 4. Liquid concrete can then be poured in direction of arrow A into the cavity to form a wall. With reference to Figure 6 there is shown a first embodiment of the combined casing unit and kicker unit of the invention, comprising casing unit 8 and at end B, there is shown a part of an inverted U shaped lid 12 which is removable. In this instance, as depicted at end B. portion 11 of the kicker unit is in a first position, being parallel to the surface of the casing unit whereas at end A, portion 11 is in an extended position, that being perpendicular to the casing unit 8. Portion 11 is provided with engaging means 13 into which threaded portion 14 of the defining means 8 can be securely inserted. Cones 10 are optionally adjustable in distance from point 9 by means of Ml 2 thread fine adjustment and it will be appreciated that the distance between cone tips 15 and 16 define the limitations for shuttering. With reference to Figure 7 there is shown an alternative embodiment of the invention from that depicted in Figure 6 wherein the device is additionally provided with a plurality of reinforcing bars 17 and 18 which when in a storage position are bent flat ie against casing unit 8 and inwardly towards the centre of casing unit 8 (as shown by bars 18), and in use are straightened upwardly so as to be perpendicular to casing unit 8 (as shown with bar 17). Bars 17 and 18 are provided in this instance with U shaped portions 19 which are embedded into a concrete slab so as to provide additional strengthening and reinforcement for a wall. Thus it will be appreciated that the device and method of the present invention represents a significant advantage over the prior art by providing a combined casing unit and kicker unit thus reducing pour schedule time and increasing overall efficiency concomitantly improving site safety.

Claims: Claims 1. A device for use in the construction industry comprising, a continuous casing unit and embedded therein there is provided at least two kicker units suitably spaced thereapart, each of said kicker units being selectively manoeuvrable with respect to the casing unit, wherein, in a first position said kicker units are parallel to the surface of said casing unit and in use, are manipulated so as to be perpendicular to said casing unit surface, said kicker unit comprising a base means and associated therewith a defining means which is optionally selectively adjustable in length and defines the boundary width of a wall cavity. 2. A device according to Claim 1 wherein one end of the base means is embedded in a casing unit and the other end is provided with an engaging means so as to engage a defining means. 3. A device according to either preceding claim wherein the defining means is centrally positioned with respect to the kicker unit. 4. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the defining means comprises a rod and optionally adjustable cone ends. 5. A device according to Claim 4 wherein the cones are adjustable by means of fine thread adjustment along the length of the defining means so to be lined up with single or double sided shutters. 6. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the base means and defirhng means are integral with the kicker unit. 7. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the base means is pulled up telescopically in a non-return fashion or is provided with articulated non- returnable joints. 8. A device according to any preceding claim comprising a plurality of reinforcement means embedded therein. 9. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the casing unit is provided with a lid which fits flush against at least a part of the casing unit. 10. According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided the method of installing a device for use in the construction industry comprising :- (i) applying a suitable amount of pressure to a kicker unit so as to move a base portion of said kicker unit from a first position which is parallel to the surface of a casing unit to a second position which is perpendicular to said casing unit and straightening reinforcement means in the instance where the device is provided with reinforcement means and, (ii) in the instance of a defining means being supplied separately from the base portion, attaching the defining means to the said base means so as to construct a kicker unit, and (iii) optionally adjusting ends of the defining means to the desired width of the wall and, (iv) constructing an appropriate formwork as defined by said ends of said defining means of said kicker unit. 11. A method of Claim 10 further including any of the preferred features of Claims 2-9.

Inventors: BROWN DEREK, HUGHES STEVEN, BROWN, DEREK, HUGHES, STEVEN
Applicants: BROWN DEREK, FORSITE MANUFACTURING LIMITED, HUGHES STEVEN, BROWN, DEREK, HUGHES, STEVEN
Application year: 1999
Main classification: E04G21
IPC codes: E04G17, E04G21