Patent ID: 6969040

Claim:
A removable former which is interlockable with other, similar formers between spaced-apart ribs to form shuttering between the ribs for a reinforced concrete slab, the former comprising: a hollow block which includes a top face, a front face, a rear face, two opposed side faces and an interlocking formation on or below each of the side faces for interlocking the hollow block, side by side, with adjacent, similar hollow blocks, the interlocking formations extending from the side faces so that when the hollow block is interlocked with an adjacent hollow block, a gap is formed between adjacent side faces of the interlocked blocks; and a support member for supporting the hollow block on two of the spaced-apart ribs during casting of the concrete slab, the support member including: a pair of connectors for connecting the support member to the front and rear faces of the hollow block, wherein the connectors define clipping formations for engaging corresponding clipping formations on the front and rear faces of the hollow block, and wherein the connectors are arranged to extend outwardly from the front and rear faces for engaging the two ribs during casting of the concrete slab, at least one restraining member for restraining inward displacement of the connectors and hence the front and rear faces of the block during casting of the concrete slab, wherein the at least one restraining member comprises a plate which is fixed to the connectors, and one or more formations for drawing the connectors off the ribs after the concrete has set.