GB2236350A

GB2236350A - Re-useable former for building work

Info

Publication number: GB2236350A
Application number: GB8922091A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Copson
Original assignee: EPSICON Ltd
Current assignee: EPSICON Ltd
Priority date: 1989-09-30
Filing date: 1989-09-30
Publication date: 1991-04-03
Also published as: GB8922091D0

Abstract

A former to define the shape of an opening around which a wall is erected comprises an adjustable-size metal frame. Four elongate components (12) are connected by their respective parts, to four corner elements (11) by said end parts being inserted into the respective tubular or channel portions of the corner elements, said end parts being thereafter firmly clamped by means of clamping devices each comprising a movable plate, a nut and a rotatable bolt. In this way, the overall dimensions of the former (10) can be adjusted to suit the job. The former may be provided with a separate stay which can be easily secured both to the ground and to the former (10) to hold the former upright whilst building work progresses. <IMAGE>

Description

RE-USEABLE FORMER This invention relates to a re-useable former for creating an opening in a building which is being erected.

At present, in the building trade, openings such as windows and doors in buildings which are being made of building blocks and/or bricks are created by placing formers in position and buildingup the necessary block work or brickwork around the former. These formers are normally made of rough wood which is sawn into pieces which are nailed or otherwise fixed to one another in rectangular formation to make the former. These formers are then removed from the built-up blockwork and/or brickwork when the concrete has hardened and they are often then destroyed either deliberately or accidentally. This is not only expensive from the builder's point of view but also wasteful of good materials.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a re-useable former for builders.

Accordingly, the present invention consists in a re-useable former for an opening in a building which is being erected, said former being made of metal and comprising constituent elements which are in movable engagement with one another and which are fixable in any desired setting, whereby the size of the opening to be made can be quickly altered to suit different requirements.

In one embodiment of the former described in the preceding paragraph, fastening members may be provided which can be loosened to enable some of said constituent elements to be slid relatively to other constituent elements, whereupon the members can be tightened again to fix the new setting.

In said one embodiment described in the preceding paragraph, the former is preferably a rectangular frame and may comprise at least two identical or similar corner elements each of which includes tubular or channel portions which are arranged at a right angle to one another, said portions extending into or around the end parts of elongate components, the cross-sectional shape of each said component being complementary to that of said portions.

In the embodiment described in the preceding paragraph, said portions and said components may be of channel section with the end parts of the components fitting snugly and slidably within said portions, each of said portions carrying a clamping device by means of which the respective portion and a respective end part of said component can be securely clamped together in order to inhibit sliding movement of one relatively to the other.

The former described in any of the four preceding paragraphs may include provision for the attachment to the former of one end of a support stay whose other end can engage the ground directly or indirectly.

The present invention further consists in a re-useable former for an opening in a building which is being erected, said former being constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which : Figure 1 illustrates the former in plan and diagrammatically; Figure 2 illustrates part of a tubular or channel portion of a corner element and its clamping device; Figure 3 is a cross section on the line III-III in Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows; Figure 4 shows a corner element in some detail; and Figure 5 illustrates a support stay.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, there is illustrated a re-useable former 10 which consists of four identical corner elements 11 which are interconnected by four elongate components 12. Each corner element includes tubular or channel portions 13 which are arranged at a right angle with respect to one another (see Figure 4). Each of these tubular or channel portions 13 consists of a bottom wall 14, opposite side walls 15 and 16 and inturned flanges 17 and 18 which are integral with the side walls 15, 16; these flanges are such that there is a space between the free edges of the flanges.

The elongate component 12 is of a construction similar to that of the portion 13 but of a slightly smaller size so that the opposite end parts of the component 12 fit into respective channel portions of corner elements snugly and as a slide-fit.

It will be appreciated that the elongate component has flanges similar to the flanges 17,18 and that these flanges are disposed underneath said flanges 17, 18. A plate 20 is welded to the outer surface of the flanges 17, 18 and is apertured and provided with a nut 21 which encircles the aperture.

A threaded bolt 22 extends through and engages the nut 21 and also extends through a second apertured plate 23. The aperture in the plate 23 is such that the bolt 22 is free to move along and to rotate in said aperture. On the underside of the plate 23 and in register with the aperture therein, there is welded a small washer or apertured plate24 and the distal or free end 25 of the bolt is deformed for a purpose which will become apparent.

Assuming that the spacing between the two plates 20, 23 is such that the opposite ends of the elongate component 12 can be moved freely in the respective tubular or channel portions 13, once the desired setting of the component 12 relative to the corner elements has been obtained, the bolt is appropriately rotated in the nut 21 to ensure that the plate 23 is pulled upwardly in order to clamp the flanges of the elongate component 12 between the plate 23 and the flanges 17, 18 which have been welded to the plate 20 (see Figure 3). The deformed end 25 of the bolt engages the washer or plate 24 and is unable to be drawn through the aperture in the plate 23; moreover, the washer or plate 24 provides a reinforcement of the material from which the plate 23 is made.

The bolt 22 may have a wing-nut top on it (as shown in Figure 2) or may be provided with a solid right-cylindrical drum top (see Figure 3) whose curved circumferential surface could be knurled.

Referring to Figure 5, there is illustrated a stay 30 which will preferably consist of two portions 31, 32 of which one is slidable in the other (as already described above in relation to the components 12/portions 13) and which are fixable in a desired setting by a bolt-operated clamping device 33 which is like the ones provided on the corner elements 11.

The upper end of the stay 30 can be connected in any suitable manner (e.g. by a peg 34 extending through a plate 35 and also extending into an elongate component 12. This stay 30 would be used when a door opening in a wall was to be created.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A re-useable former for an opening in a building which is being erected, said former being made of metal and comprising constituent elements which are in movable engagement with one another and which are fixable in any desired setting, whereby the size of the opening to be made can be quickly altered to suit different requirements.

2. A re-useable former as claimed in Claim 1, wherein fastening members are provided which can be loosened to enable some of said constituent elements to be slid relatively to other constituent elements in order to position them in altered settings, whereupon the members can be tightened again to fix the new setting.

3. A re-useable former as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the former is a rectangular frame and comprises at least two identical or similar corner elements each of which includes tubular or channel portions which are arranged at a right angle to one another, said portions extending into or around the end parts of elongate components, the corss-sectional shape of each said component being complementary to that of said portions.

4. A re-useable former as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said portions and said components are of channel section with the end parts of the components fitting snugly and slidably within said portions, each of said portions carrying a clamping device by means of which the respective portion and a respective end part of said component can be securely clamped together in order to inhibit sliding movement of one relatively .to the other.

5. A re-useable former as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein there is provision for the attachment to the former of one end of a support stay whose other end can engage the ground directly or indirectly.

6. A re-useable former for an opening in a building which is being erected, said former being constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. Any features of novelty, taken singly or in combination, of the embodiments of the invention hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.