GB2314101A

GB2314101A - Cavity closer

Info

Publication number: GB2314101A
Application number: GB9707009A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Louis Shillabeer
Original assignee: Cavity Trays Ltd
Current assignee: Cavity Trays Ltd
Priority date: 1996-06-10
Filing date: 1997-04-07
Publication date: 1997-12-17
Anticipated expiration: 2017-04-07
Also published as: GB2314101B; GB9707009D0; GB9612048D0

Abstract

A cavity closer (10) has a face plate (12) for abutting the ends of the skins of a cavity wall and a deformable cavity-entering portion (14) which is attached to the rear face of the plate. In its initial configuration (to which it preferably tends to return by elastic memory) it extends along the plate, on both sides of its region of connection (15). It can be deformed to extend into a narrower cavity and/or around obstructions such as slab insulation. It may be a body of deformable material or a bag containing deformable or fluent material. The rear face of the plate may also have formations (18,20) for connecting anchoring ties.

Description

CAVITY CLOSER The present invention relates to a cavity closer for use in closing a cavity vertically or horizontally.

A cavity closer allows an opening in a cavity wall, for example where the wall meets a door or window frame, to be closed in a uniform and standard manner. The labour intensive necessity of cutting blocks and returning masonry to form the reveal is eliminated.

It would be useful to provide a single cavity closure which is capable of fitting various sizes and/or forms of cavity.

Therefore, in a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a cavity closer comprising a face plate having a rear face for extending across the opening of a cavity and overlying at least part of the end face of at least one (and preferably both) of the leaves of the wall which are located at respective sides of the cavity; and a cavity entering member which is connected to said rear face and is substantially deformable so that its width in the direction parallel to the rear face of the face plate is variable. Thus the member may be connected to a region of the rear face and be deformable from a first configuration in which it lies adjacent the rear face not only at its region of connection but also at an adjacent region of the rear face (and preferably at adjacent regions on both sides of the region of connection), to a second configuration in which it projects away from the region of connection, so as to provide a deeper and narrower cavity - entering portion. Preferably the member has a tendency to return to the first configuration. Thus it may comprise a material having 'elastic memory'. Preferably it is substantially deformable so that it can be moulded to different shapes An ability to urge towards its rest shape is a preferable property of the deformable member. If such a member is deformed to extend into a cavity, the member will press firmly against the inside of the leaves of the cavity wall as it tries to return to its rest shape.

It is preferred that the cavity closer further includes means for connecting one or or more anchoring ties which extend from the faceplate for insertion into the masonry of one or both leaves of the cavity wall for making firmer the engagement of the cavity closer and the wall. Thus the rear face may have tie-engaging channels.

A closer may be supplied together with one or more ties.

The faceplate may also have a stop provided on its front face for abutment of a frame to be installed in the opening.

It is preferred that the deformable member comprises an insulating material. This may conveniently be achieved by manufacturing the entire deformable member from an insulating material or materials. Thus such members may be bodies, e.g. of closed-cell foam, or bags of particulate or other deformable or fluent material, e.g.

fibreglass. The deformable member may be hollow but preferably is solid.

A cavity closer of the present invention has the advantage that the deformable member, preferably made of insulating material, can fit securely into varying sizes of cavity due to its ability to deform. Therefore, a cavity closer can be manufactured having a deformable member which will fit a wide range of sizes of cavity.

Further, the deformable member can deform to fit around objects, e.g. slab insulation, which may be within the cavity wall. It may serve to fill a gap left at the end of cavity insulation.

In a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of closing a cavity using the cavity closure according to the first aspect comprising deforming the deformable member and inserting it into the wall cavity, and abutting the faceplate against both leaves of the cavity wall.

In a third aspect the invention provides a building construction comprising a cavity wall having an opening, and a cavity closer according to the first aspect closing the cavity at the opening; and wherein the deformable member is a member with a said tendency to return to said first configuration, and it is deformed from said first configuration, so that said returning tendency causes it to be urged against the sides of the cavity.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the cavity closer of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the cavity closer of Fig. 1 showing anchoring ties being attached; Figs. 3 (a), (b) and (c) are horizontal sections through opening regions of three cavity walls, with the cavity closer of Fig. 2 in place at the opening; and Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through an opening region of a cavity wall having slab insulation in its cavity, with the cavity closer of Fig 2 in place at the opening.

Referring to both Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the cavity closer 10 has a planar faceplate 12 having a rear face to which is attached a solid deformable member 14 over a fixing region 15. The front face may have a stop 13 for abutment of a door or window frame. This is indicated in Fig. 2. It may be provided at any position along the length of the plate.

The deformable member naturally adopts the configuration shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in which it is laterally elongate, overlying the faceplate not only in the attachment region 15 but also in adjacent regions on both sides. The lateral extent L in this configuration is about 125mm or slightly more (in the case of a closer adapted for use with cavities of widths up to 125mm).

The faceplate 12 has vanes 16 on its front face.

These are for anticapillary action (to resist water tracking between a frame and the cavity closer 10) and can also aid in adhesion when projecting on the inside of a building reveal. Two engagement points 18, 20 in the form of shallow dovetail-form channels are provided in the rear of the faceplate 12 for receiving anchoring ties 22, 24. These anchoring ties extend substantially at right angles from the faceplate 12 and have mortar channels 26 to further secure the cavity closer 10 into the masonry of a cavity wall.

Fig 3a shows a cavity wall 30 having an outer leaf 32, an inner leaf 34 and a cavity 36 between the two leaves 32, 34. The wall 30 and cavity 36 are exposed at a wall opening, eg for fitting a door or a window. To close off the cavity 36 at the end of the wall 30, a cavity closer 10 is provided. The cavity is of the maximum width for which this closer is designed.

In Fig. 3a the deformable member 14 has a resting shape, the width of which is equal to the distance between the outer leaf 32 and the inner leaf 34. The deformable member 14 therefore fits snugly into the cavity 36, with little or no deformation, thereby closing the cavity opening.

Fig. 3b shows the same cavity closer as Fig 3a but positioned in a cavity 38 (defined by an inner leaf 40 and an outer leaf 42) which is smaller than that of Fig.

3a. The deformable member 14 has therefore been deformed to fit it into the cavity. As a result it extends further into the cavity 38. Its tendency to return to its original shape causes it to be urged against the sides of the leaves 40,42.

Fig. 3c again shows the same cavity closer as described above but installed in a still narrower cavity 46. In this case the cavity is of the same width as the attachment region 15 (e.g. SOmm). This is therefore the minimum width of cavity for which this closer is intended.

Referring to Fig. 4, there is a cavity wall 52 having an outer leaf 54, an inner leaf 56 and a cavity 58 between the two leaves 54, 56. In between the two leaves 52, 56 there is slab insulation 60, lying against the inside edge of the inner leaf 56, but stopping short of the cavity opening. The cavity 58 is closed using a cavity closer 10 as described above. The deformable member 14 deforms to extend into the cavity 58 and to fit around the slab 60.

Claims

1. A cavity closer comprising a face plate having a rear face for extending across the opening of a cavity and overlying at least part of the end face of at least one of the leaves of the wall which are located at respective sides of the cavity; and a cavity entering member which is connected to said rear face and is substantially deformable so that its width in the direction parallel to the rear face of the face plate is variable.

2. A cavity closer according to claim 1 wherein there are face plate portions extending on each lateral side of the cavity entering member for overlying at least part of the end face of each leaf.

3. A cavity closer according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the cavity entering member is connected to a region of the rear face of the face plate and is deformable from a first configuration in which it lies adjacent the rear face not only at its region of connection but also at an adjacent region of the rear face to a second configuration in which it projects away from the region of connection, so as to provide a deeper and narrower cavity - entering portion.

4. A cavity closer according to claim 3 wherein in said first configuration said member lies adjacent said rear face on both sides of the region of connection.

5. A cavity closer according to any preceding claim which includes means for connecting one or more anchoring ties which extend from the faceplate for insertion into the masonry of one or both leaves of the cavity wall.

6. A cavity closer according to claim 5 wherein said connecting means are tie-engaging channels provided on the rear face.

7. A cavity closer according to any preceding claim wherein the face plate has a stop provided on its front face for abutment of a frame to be installed in an opening in a cavity wall.

8. A cavity closer according to any preceding claim wherein the deformable member is a body of deformable material.

9. A cavity closer according to claim 8 wherein the deformable member is a body of closed-cell foam.

10. A cavity closer according to any of claims 1-7 wherein the deformable member comprises a bag of particulate or other deformable or fluent material.

11. A cavity closer according to any preceding claim wherein the member comprises a material having "elastic memory" so that it has a tendency to return to the first configuration.

12. A cavity closer substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

13. A method of closing a cavity of a cavity wall using a cavity closer comprising a face plate and a deformable cavity entering member connected to the rear of the face plate, comprising deforming the deformable member and inserting it into the cavity and abutting the face plate against both leaves of the cavity wall.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the cavity closer is according to any of claims 1-12.

15. A building construction comprising a cavity wall having an opening, and a cavity closer according to claim 11 closing the cavity at the opening; and wherein the deformable cavity entering member is deformed from said first configuration, so that said returning tendency causes it to be urged against the sides of the cavity.

16. A building construction comprising a cavity wall having an opening; slab insulation located in the cavity adjacent one leaf thereof, spaced from the other leaf and from the opening; and a cavity closer according to any of claims 1-12 which closes the cavity of the opening; wherein the cavity entering member is deformed to fit around the slab insulation.