WO2015178782A1

WO2015178782A1 - A construction system and method

Info

Publication number: WO2015178782A1
Application number: PCT/NZ2015/050063
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paul Innes BOWKER
Original assignee: Pdmm Limited As Trustee Of The Pdmm Trust
Priority date: 2014-05-19
Filing date: 2015-05-18
Publication date: 2015-11-26

Abstract

The invention provides a construction system and method for creating a formwork into which concrete or other suitable material may be poured to form a wall of a structure, such as a building. The system and method allow for interior structures within the wall to be inspected before shuttering is added and the wall is poured.

Description

A CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM AND METHOD

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to construction system and method for creating a formwork for use when building concrete walls.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

To create a concrete wall for a building, it is first necessary to create a formwork, comprising an first formwork wall and a second formwork wall. The first formwork and second formwork walls are typically arranged substantially parallel to each other so that a cavity is formed between the two walls. Concrete is then poured into this cavity and left to set. Once the concrete is set, the first and second walls of the formwork are removed to expose the formed concrete wall, which is as thick as the cavity was wide and as high as the inner and outer walls.

There are a number of ways of erecting the formwork walls. In one form, each wall comprises a series of adjacent panels that have been attached to a series of adjacent frames. For example, Japanese patent publication no. JPH05248017 discloses a system for creating a formwork that provides a plurality of supporting upright members and a plurality of panels that are inserted between the upright members in a sliding arrangement. However, to allow the panels to slide between the upright members, the upright members require U-shaped brackets to be formed on opposing sides. The U-shaped brackets must be designed to fit a certain size of panel, The U-shaped brackets are not designed to hold panels of different thicknesses. Furthermore, the uprights must be positioned precisely so that the U-shaped brackets face each other and are not skewed. Another drawback of this system is that the upright members can be eight feet high, which means that it is difficult to slide the panels into the U-shaped brackets from above the uprights without the use of a crane, scaffolding, or some other way of lifting and lowering the panels into the u-shaped brackets from above.

United States patent no. 6,698,710 also discloses a system for constructing concrete walls. This system includes a base section to which vertical rails are attached to form upright members. Each upright is substantially H-shaped and comprises an inner elongate rail formed from a pair of opposing u-shaped brackets connected to an identical outer elongate rail via a spacer that extends between the rails.

The length of the spacer defines the thickness of the cavity between the inner and outer walls and will therefore define the thickness of the concrete wall, when formed.

To construct the system, the base section is first laid down and panels are fitted within the u-shaped brackets of at least one upright. The upright is then attached to the base section to stand vertically. The process continues until a series of adjacent panels are provided between the uprights to form parallel formwork walls. Concrete is then poured into the cavity between the formwork walls.

A significant drawback of this system is that it is not easy for an inspector to inspect the internal structures, such as reinforcing, plumbing, door and window forms, and the like because the inspection must take place from above, looking down into the cavity between the formwork walls. Inspection cannot occur from the side because the panels are erected at the same time as the uprights. Another drawback is that it is difficult and cumbersome to erect the attached uprights and panels, making the process of construction very slow.

It is therefore an object of the Invention to provide a construction system and method that goes at least some way toward overcoming one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art, or that at least provides a useful alternative to existing systems and methods.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect, the invention provides an elongate upright comprising a body having a front face, an opposing rear face, and a pair of clamping members, each clamping member extending from an opposing side of the front face such that the front face and clamping members are substantially flush. Preferably, at least one of the clamping members is a flange.

In one form, the body of the upright is a substantially hollow box-section beam. At least one attachment aperture may extend between the front face and the rear face of the body of the upright, In a preferred form, a plurality of attachment apertures are provided along the length of the body of the upright.

In one form, at least one end of the body comprises one or more locating members. Preferably, both ends of the body comprise one or more locating members. The locating members may comprise a locator pin or locator hole.

In one form, the upright further comprises a whaler bracket. The whaler bracket may extend from the rear face of the upright.

In a second aspect, the invention provides a cap comprising a body having at least one substantially u-shaped portion and comprising two or more clamping members, each clamping member extending from a distal end of an arm of the U-shaped portion and wherein each arm has at least one clamping member extending therefrom. At least one of the clamping members may be a flange.

The substantially u-shaped portion of the cap may comprise a rear portion and an arm that extends from each side of the rear portion to form a u-shape and wherein at least one attachment aperture is provided in the rear portion.

In one form, the u-shaped portion extends along the length of the cap. In another form, the cap comprises two elongate clamping members and a plurality of spaced apart u- shaped portions connected together via the clamping members. In a third aspect the invention provides a formwork wall comprising: at least a pair of uprights according to the first aspect of the invention, the uprights being spaced apart from each other in a line and orientated in the same direction; and at least a pair of caps according to the second aspect of the invention, wherein each u-shaped portion of each cap is configured to at least partially surround the body of a respective upright so that the body of each upright nests within a cap and the clamping members on each side of each upright lie in parallel with the respective clamping members of the respective cap.

Preferably, a positioning member extends through attachment apertures formed in each upright that align with attachment apertures formed in each respective cap.

Optionally, an alignment member is connected to the top ends of a plurality of uprights and configured to hold the uprights substantially plumb. The alignment members may comprise locating members that engage with corresponding locating members on the uprights.

In a fourth aspect, the invention provides a formwork comprising a pair of first and second formwork walls according to the third aspect of the invention, wherein the two formwork walls lie parallel to each other such that the front face of each upright in the first formwork wall faces toward the front face of an opposing upright in the second formwork wall, and wherein at least one spacer of a preselected length is located between each opposing upright.

Optionally, a positioning member is connected to each opposing pair of uprights. The positioning member extends through aligned attachment apertures in a first upright and respective first cap of the first formwork wall and through aligned apertures in a second upright and respective second cap of the second formwork wall. A fastener is attached to each end of the positioning member. The fastener may be configured to be tightened to press the caps against the respective uprights and to press each upright against an end of the spacer.

Preferably, the positioning member is a threaded bolt and at least one fastener is a nut.

Preferably, each formwork wall comprises at least one alignment member connected to top ends of a plurality of uprights and configured to hold the uprights substantially plumb. The alignment members may comprise locating members that engage with corresponding locating members on the uprights.

The formwork may further comprise at least one shuttering panel located between adjacent uprights of the first formwork wall and at least one shuttering panel located between adjacent uprights of the second formwork wall, wherein each side of each shuttering panel is sandwiched between the clamping members of an upright and respective cap. Preferably, the at least one shuttering panel comprises a front face having a rebated edge at each side, the rebate substantially corresponding to the thickness and shape of the clamping members of the respective uprights such that the front face of the shuttering panel and front faces of the clamping members of the respective uprights are substantially flush.

In a fifth aspect, the invention provides a method of forming a formwork, the method comprising : (a) forming a first skeleton formwork wall by: positioning a plurality of first uprights according to the first aspect of the invention in a line on a base; placing a positioning member within an attachment aperture formed in each upright so that a first end of the positioning member projects from the font face of the upright and a second end of the positioning member projects from a rear face of the upright, and providing a spacer on the positioning member near the first end; (b) forming a second skeleton formwork wall spaced apart from and substantially parallel to the first formwork wall by: positioning a plurality of second uprights according to the first aspect of the invention in a line on a base and in positions opposing the first uprights to form opposing pairs of uprights; placing the first end of each positioning member through an attachment aperture of the respective second upright so that the spacer is located between the opposing uprights; providing a fastener at the free ends of each positioning member and tightening one or both fasteners to push the opposing pairs of uprights against the spacer; (c) inserting interior structures between the first and second skeleton formwork walls; (d) placing at least one shuttering panel between each adjacent pair of uprights in the first skeleton formwork wall and in the second skeleton formwork wall; and (e) positioning a cap according to the second aspect of the invention next to each upright so that the body of the upright nests within the at least one u-shaped portion of the respective cap to form an upright/cap pair and so that free ends of the respective positioning member project through an attachment aperture of the cap; and (f) providing a fastener to each end of the positioning member and tightening the fasteners against the rear of the respective caps to clamp each shuttering panel between clamping members of the uprights and caps.

The method may further comprise the step of connecting at least one alignment member to top ends of a plurality of uprights of at least the first formwork wall to hold the uprights plumb before adding the shuttering panels.

Optionally a whaler may be added to support areas of the first and/or second formwork wall.

Optionally, a diagonal strut may be added to support one or more uprights.

Also disclosed herein is a first formwork wall comprising: a first base frame; two or more uprights, each upright having a bottom end and an opposing top end, and being attached to the first base frame at its bottom end, each upright comprising: a body having a front face, a rear face, and opposing sides; a pair of flanges projecting outwardly from the 3

5 front face of the body; and a positioning member aperture extending between the front and rear face of the body; at least one panel adapted to be positioned between two adjacent uprights, the panel having a front face, a rear face and side edges, wherein the front face of the panel is pressed against adjacent flanges of the two adjacent uprights; and at least two caps, each cap comprising : a body comprising a rear face from which two opposing sides project: a pair of flanges that project outwardly from the body to form a front face of the cap; and a positioning member aperture formed in the rear face of the cap body, each cap partially surrounding the body of an upright so that the positioning member apertures of the cap and respective upright substantially align with each other and the front face of each flange of the cap presses against the rear face of at least one panel .

Preferably, a first alignment member is attached to the top ends of the uprights.

Preferably, at least one upright is supported by a diagonal strut.

Preferably, a second formwork wall is positioned next to the first formwork wall to form a formwork, wherein the second formwork wall comprises: a second base frame spaced apart from the first base frame a predetermined distance; two or more uprights, each upright having a bottom end and an opposing top end, and being attached to the first base frame at its bottom end, each upright comprising : a body having a front face, a rear face, and opposing sides; a pair of flanges projecting outwardly from the front face of the body; and a positioning member aperture extending between the front and rear face of the body; at least one panel adapted to be positioned between two adjacent uprights, the panel having a front face, a rear face and side edges, wherein the front face of the panel is pressed against adjacent flanges of the two adjacent uprights; and at least two caps, each cap comprising: a body comprising a rear face from which two opposing sides project: a pair of flanges that project outwardly from the body to form a front face of the cap; and a positioning member aperture formed in the rear face of the cap body, each cap partially surrounding the body of an upright so that the positioning member apertures of the cap and respective upright substantially align with each other and the front face of each flange of the cap presses against the rear face of at least one panel, and wherein an upright of the first formwork wall is positioned opposite an upright of the second formwork wall so that the front faces of the opposing uprights face toward each other to form a pair of opposing uprights.

Preferably, a second alignment member is attached to the top ends of the uprights of the second formwork wall.

Preferably, at least one upright of the second formwork wall is supported by a diagonal strut.

Preferably, the formwork further comprises at least two positioning members, each positioning member having a first end and a second end, each positioning member extending between the aligned positioning member apertures of a pair of opposing uprights and respective caps, and each positioning member further comprising a spacer that forms a sheath over at least a portion of the positioning member and that is located between the front faces of the respective pair of opposing uprights, wherein a fastener is attached to the first and second ends of each positioning member and at least one fastener can be tightened against the rear face of a respective cap to clamp the caps and at least one respective panel against the respective uprights and to press the front faces of the uprights against the spacer.

Preferably, both fasteners are adapted to be tightened and loosened.

Preferably, the formwork further comprises an end section comprising a rear panel, a pair of opposing sides that extend from the rear panel, each side having an inner face and an outer face, and a pair of flanges that project outwardly from the sides, each flange having a front face and a rear face. Preferably, a cavity is formed between the inner and outer faces of the sides.

Preferably, the rear panel of the end section spans the distance between the first and second formwork wall and the flanges of the end section are clamped between the nearest sides of the respective pair of opposing uprights and the nearest sides of the respective caps to hold the end section to the first and second formwork walls,

Also disclosed herein is a method of creating a formwork for use when building concrete walls for a building, the method comprising :

A. Providing a base for a first formwork wall and a second formwork wall ;

B. Providing at least two uprights for a first formwork wall, each upright having a bottom end and a top end and positioning the bottom ends of the uprights on the base;

C. Providing at least two uprights for the second formwork wall, each upright having a bottom end and a top end and positioning the bottom ends of the two more uprights to the base so that each upright of the first formwork wall substantially opposes an upright of the second formwork wall to provide pairs of opposing uprights;

D. Providing a positioning member having a first end and a second end and comprising a spacer that forms a sheath over the positioning member and that is located between a respective pair of opposing uprights, the positioning member being adapted to extend between aligned attachment apertures formed within each pair of opposing uprights, and providing a fastener on each end of the positioning member and tightening the fasteners against rear faces of the opposing uprights

E. Installing interior structures within the cavity;

F. Placing at least one panel between two adjacent uprights of the first formwork wall ;

G. Providing at least two caps for the first formwork wall and nesting each upright of the first formwork wall within a cap so that the respective positioning member(s) extend(s) through the attachment aperture(s) of the cap; H. Providing at least one panel between two adjacent uprights of the second formwork wall;

I. Providing at least two caps for the second formwork wall and nesting each upright of the second formwork wall within a cap so that the respective positioning member(s) extend(s) through the attachment aperture(s) of the cap;

J. Providing a fastener on each of the first and second ends of each positioning member and tightening the fasteners against a respective cap so that each positioning member is adapted to clamp the panels to the respective uprights.

Preferably, a first alignment member is attached to top ends of at least two uprights of the first formwork wall after step B, Preferably, a second alignment member is attached to top ends of at least two uprights of the second formwork wall after step C.

Optionally, the interior structures may be inspected after step E and before step H, Preferably, the interior structures are inspected after step E and before step F.

Steps F and H may be in reverse order or may occur substantially simultaneously. Steps G and I may also be in reverse order or may occur substantially simultaneously, Similarly, steps B and C may occur substantially simultaneously.

An end section may be attached to a pair of opposing uprights before caps are attached to the uprights.

Also disclosed herein is a method of forming a poured structure wall using the formwork of the second aspect of the invention, the method comprising pouring material within the cavity of the formwork and leaving the material to set.

After the material has set, the formwork can be removed. Preferably, at least a portion of the spacers are also removed from the structure wall and at least some or all remaining holes are filled.

Preferably, the poured structure wall is a concrete wall .

As used in this specification, the term "interior structures" should be interpreted to mean any object or objects that are placed between the inner and outer walls of the formwork and that require inspection and approval before concrete can be poured within the cavity between the walls. For example, interior structures may include reinforcing, plumbing and electrical services, window and door moulds or forms, and voids,

As used in this specification, the words "comprises", "comprised", "comprising", and similar words, are not to be interpreted in an exclusive or exhaustive sense. In other words, they are intended to mean "including, but not limited to".

The term "locator holes" as used in this specification is to be interpreted to include holes or apertures that extend either fully through a material or that extend only partially through a material to form a recess. Any reference to prior art documents in this specification is not to be considered an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in the field. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Preferred forms of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of outer beam for an outer base frame for a formwork wall according to one form of the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of one form of outer base frame using outer beams of the type shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one form of base section having inner and outer base frames according to one form of the invention;

Figure 4a is an end view of one form of upright for a formwork wall according to the invention;

Figure 4b is a close-up perspective view of the upright of Figure 4a;

Figure 4c is another perspective view of the upright of Figure 4a;

Figure 5 is a top view of one form of corner of a formwork showing one form of corner uprights and caps and one form of standard uprights and caps;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a plurality of uprights attached to and resting on a base frame for an outer formwork wall according to one form of the invention;

Figure 7 is a plan view of one form of alignment member according to the invention;

Figure 8a is an end view of one form of positioning member and spacer combination according to one form of the invention;

Figure 8b is a perspective view of the positioning member and spacer of Figure 8a;

Figure 8c is a side view of the positioning member and spacer of Figures 8a and 8b;

Figure 8d is a top view of another form of positioning member and spacer in place between a pair of formwork walls;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a plurality of opposing pairs of first and second uprights attached to and resting on a base for one form of first and second formwork walls;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the formwork shown in Figure 9 and with alignment members attached to the uprights of the first and second formwork walls respectively;

Figure 11a is a front view of one form of first and second formwork walls with interior structures positioned within the cavity formed between the first and second formwork walls;

Figure lib is a front view of the formwork walls and interior structures shown in

Figure 11a;

Figure 12 is a perspective view showing shuttering panels attached to a plurality of uprights of one form of formwork wall; 50063

Figure 13 is an end view of a pair of a formwork having a whaler bracket, whalers, and scaffolding positioned against one of the formwork walls according to one aspect of the invention;

Figure 14 is a perspective view from above of the formwork of Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a perspective view showing shuttering panels attached to a plurality of uprights of first and second formwork walls according to one form of the invention;

Figure 16a is an end view of one form of cap for one form of formwork wall according to the invention;

Figure 16b is a close-up perspective view of the cap of Figure 16a;

Figure 16c is another perspective view of the cap of Figure 16a;

Figure 17 is a perspective view of another form of cap according to the invention;

Figure 18a is a perspective view showing one form of end section attached to first and second formwork walls;

Figure 18b is a perspective view of one form of end section; and

Figure 19 is a perspective view of one form of formwork to be used for making a wall with a blunt end.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention relates to a system and method for creating a formwork 100 comprising a pair of opposing first 110a and second 110b formwork walls between which concrete or similar materials are poured to form a wall of a structure, such as a building. The formwork 100 is created by forming a base 200, such as a floor, and erecting a plurality of uprights 300 on the base. One or more panels 400 are clamped to two or more uprights 300 using caps 500 and positioning members 600 to form a first formwork wall, such as an outer formwork wall . The panels form the shuttering of the formwork wall . This process is replicated to form an opposing second formwork wall, such as an inner formwork wall, which is spaced apart from the first formwork wall by a predetermined distance and is typically substantially parallel to the first formwork wall. Spacers 700 may be used to set the distance between the first and second formwork walls and to optionally keep the walls equidistant along both the height and length of the walls. This distance defines a cavity 800 between the formwork walls. Interior structures, such as door frames, window frames, reinforcing, and services, such as plumbing can be placed within the cavity. The invention provides a system and method by which these interior structures can be put in place and inspected before the shuttering is added. This makes the inspection process easier and also makes it easier to rectify any problems identified during inspection . Once the formwork is complete, concrete or a similar material is poured into the cavity 800 and left to set to form a wall of a structure. In one form, the base 200 of the formwork of the invention comprises an outer base frame 210 and an inner base frame 230. One form of outer base frame comprises a plurality of horizontal outer beams 220 that are positioned and attached together to define the boundaries of a poured floor 850 (such as a concrete floor) for the structure. As shown in Figure 1, each horizontal outer beam 220 comprises a substantially flat bottom panel 221 on which the beam rests in use, a substantially flat top panel 222 to which a plurality of uprights 300 can be attached, and a wall 223 extending in between. Preferably, the wall Is located on one side of the bottom and top panels to form a beam with a U-shaped cross- section lying on its side. Alternatively, the beam may be in the form of an I-beam or the beam may be a solid beam or a box section beam.

The outer beams 220 may comprise a plurality of ground attachment apertures 224 through which the beams can be pegged to the ground, a floor, or to the top of an existing wall with locator pins. In the embodiment, shown in Figure 1, these apertures are provided in the bottom panel 221,

Similarly, the outer beams 220 comprise a plurality of locating members 225 by which a plurality of uprights 300 can be attached to the beams 220. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, these locating members are in the form of locator holes 225 that are provided in the top panel 222. Alternatively, the locating members may be in the form of locator pins or may be a combination of locator pins and locator holes.

After the outer base frame 210 is secured in position, as shown in Figure 2, the floor

850 of the structure is poured and then left to set. Typically, the poured floor will be a concrete floor, although other suitable materials may be used instead. In this form, the outer base frame defines the position of the outer wall of the formwork and also acts as boxing for a poured floor.

When the poured floor is set, an inner base frame 230 is formed by placing a plurality of horizontal inner beams 240 on top of the floor and near the peripheral edges of the floor at a predetermined distance from the outer wall base frame, as shown in Figure 3. The inner beams 240 define the position of the inner wall of the formwork. Each inner beam is preferably in the form of an inverted U-shaped member so that each beam has a top panel 241 spaced away from the floor 850 and a pair of downwardly projecting arms 242a, 242b having free ends that rest on the floor. The top panels 241 of the beams of the inner base frame 230 may comprise a plurality of ground attachment apertures 243 through which the inner base frame can be pinned to the ground, floor, or to the top of an existing wall, as the case may be. The top panels of the inner base frame may also comprise a plurality of locating members 244, such as a locator pins and/or locator holes for attaching uprights to the inner base frame.

In other forms, the outer base frame may be positioned on an existing floor or on top of an existing wall to extend the height of a wall, such as when a second storey to a building is being built. When the outer base frame is attached to the top of one side of a wall, an inner base frame is attached to the opposite side of the top of the wall so that the inner and outer base frames form a base that supports inner and outer formwork walls.

In another form, the base 200 of the formwork is simply a floor of any suitable material, such as concrete floor. The floor may comprise locating members in the form of locator holes or locator pins for engaging with and positioning uprights on the floor.

Once a base has been provided, uprights 300 are positioned on the base 200 to provide a skeleton frame for the first and second walls of the formwork.

Figures 4a to 4c show one form of upright according to the invention. Each upright 300 comprises a substantially elongate body, which forms a vertical post when located in a formwork wall . The body of each upright comprises a front face 310, which may be substantially flat, a rear face 320, and side faces 330a, 330b. In one form, the body of the upright is formed from a box-section beam. In this form, the body of the upright has a substantially rectangular or square lateral cross-section, as shown best in Figure 4a. At least one damping member 340a, 340b extends from each side of the front face of the upright body. In some forms, a plurality of clamping members may extend from each side of the front face of the upright body. Each clamping member is typically in the form of a flange that projects beyond the sides 330 of the upright body, as shown In Figures 4a to 4c. Preferably, the clamping members are located on the upright so that a front face of each clamping member is substantially flush with the front face of the upright body. In one form, the clamping members may be an extension of the sides of the front face of the upright body so that the clamping members and front face are integral with each other. For example, an elongate box-section beam may be welded along the centre of an elongate plate to form an upright in which the width of the plate is greater than the width of the beam so that the plate extends beyond the sides of the beam to form clamping members in the form of flanges. In other forms, the clamping members may be attached to the body of the upright. The upright body and clamping members together provide the upright with a substantially T-shaped lateral cross-section.

At least one attachment aperture 350 may be provided in each upright. The attachment aperture 350 extends between the front 310 and rear 320 faces of the upright body. In one form, a plurality of attachment apertures are provided along the length of the upright body. The attachment apertures 350 may be evenly spaced along a centre line of the upright to form a centrally located vertical line of apertures 350, as shown in Figures 4b and 4c.

One or both ends of the uprights 300 may include one or more locating members 360 in the form of locator pins and/or locator holes and/or any other suitable features for engaging with locating members of the base to position the uprights on the base. In the NZ2015/050063

embodiment shown in Figures 4a to 4c, the upright comprises a pair of locator pins at one or both ends of the upright,

One or more uprights may comprise a whaler bracket 370 for fitting a whaler 1000 thereto, as shown in Figures 12 and 13. Each whaler bracket 370 may be integral with an upright 300 or attached to the upright. The whaler bracket 370 may extend from the rear face 320 of the upright body. The whaler bracket 370 may be substantially perpendicular to the upright 300 and may comprise one or more guides 380 for positioning a whaler 1000 on the whaler bracket 370. The whaler brackets 370 may also be configured to hold scaffolding 1100.

A slightly different form of upright is typically used for the internal and external corners of a formwork wall. One form of corner upright is shown in Figure 5. In this form, the corner upright 300 comprises a front face 310, a rear face 320, and side faces 330a, 330b to form the upright body, as described above. Again, at least one pair of clamping members 340a, 340b extend from each side of the front face 310 of the upright body and may be integral with the front face of the upright or may be attached to the upright body. The clamping members typically form outwardly projecting flanges. However, unlike the standard uprights described above, the front face of the corner uprights is angled to match the angle of the corner to be formed at the point in the formwork where the corner upright is located. For example, the front face of a corner upright to be used at an external corner is formed at a 90° angle. The front face of a corner upright to be used at an internal corner is formed at a 270° angle.

In another form, the external corner uprights comprise an elongate body having an L- shaped front face at a 90° angle. The internal corner uprights comprise an elongate body having an L-shaped front face at a 270° angle. At least one clamping member extends from each side of the front face and is either integral with the front face (to form an extension of the front face) or is attached to the upright body so that each clamping member is substantially flush with the respective area of the front face to which it is attached. Typically, the clamping members are in the form of flanges, as described above. At least one attachment aperture may be formed through the apex of the body. Optionally, a series of substantially aligned attachment apertures are provided along the length of the body at its apex.In one form, a skeleton frame for a first formwork wall is constructed by attaching uprights to a base, which may be the inner or outer base frame, or to the floor itself, or to a plate or the like attached to the floor. In one form, as shown in Figure 6, uprights are attached to the base to form a skeleton frame for an external wall first. In one form, when creating a frame for an external wall, one end of each upright 300 is positioned on the top panel 222 of the outer base frame 210 and rests on the top panel so that the front face 310 of the upright faces toward the floor 850 of the structure. One or more locator pins located at one end of the upright are then placed within the locator holes 225 in the top panel of the beams 220 of the outer base frame and into the bottom end of the attached upright 300. The pins are secured in position to firmly attach each upright to the outer base frame,

In another form, as shown in Figures 4a to 4c, an end of the upright comprises one or more locating members, such as locator pins or locator holes, configured to engage with corresponding locator members, such as locator holes or locator pins, formed in the base. For example, locator holes may be drilled in the floor and locator pins of the upright may be located within the corresponding holes. In one form, the base and uprights may each comprise a combination of locator pins and locator holes. Alternatively, the base may comprise only locator holes and the uprights may comprise only locator pins or vice versa.

Optionally, a template may be used to mark the points on the base at which the holes or recesses should be provided. For example, one form of an alignment member (to be described later) may be temporarily placed on the base in a position where a formwork wall is intended to be constructed. In one form, the alignment member is an elongate plate or beam that comprises locator holes spaced equidistant from each other along the length of the alignment member. The holes are located on the alignment member at areas where the uprights are intended to be located. A pen or the like can be inserted through the holes of the alignment member on the base to mark areas where locator holes and/or pins are to be positioned on the base to align and engage with locating members of the uprights. The alignment member is then removed and the locator holes and/or pins are provided on the base before positioning the uprights on the base.

In one form, as shown in Figure 7, the alignment member 370 comprises pairs of adjacent locator holes 375 evenly spaced along its length and the uprights comprise pairs of locator pins 360 at both ends, as shown in Figure 4b. In this form, one end of each upright is placed over corresponding holes that were formed in the base using the alignment member as a template. The uprights are positioned so that each locator pin at that end of the upright mates with a corresponding locator hole in the base. The locator pins at the other end of the uprights are configured to mate with the locator holes provided in the alignment member. Again, the base may be a floor, base frame or a plate or the like attached to the floor, or any other base suitable for attaching uprights thereto.

It should be appreciated that other suitable methods may be used to attach uprights to the base without departing from the scope of the invention.

One or more outer uprights may also be supported by one or more diagonal struts 360 that extend between the respective upright and the ground or floor, as shown in Figure 15. To attach the diagonal struts to the uprights, strut attachment apertures 331 may be formed in the sides 330a, 330b of the uprights through which an attachment pin, such as a bolt or the like can project to attach a diagonal strut to a respective upright,

Uprights may also be supported using one or more whalers 1000, as shown in Figures 13 and 14, In this form, each whaler 1000 extends along the rear faces 320 of a plurality of NZ2015/050063

14 uprights 300. Each whaler 1000 may be supported by a whaler bracket 370 attached to or integral with one or more uprights 300, as described above. If both diagonal struts and whalers are used, the whalers may be added before or after the struts are attached.

Each attachment aperture 350 formed in the uprights 300 is adapted to receive a positioning member 600 therein. One form of positioning member is shown in Figures 8a to 8c. In this form, the positioning member 600 comprises a threaded elongate rod that extends through an attachment aperture 350 in an upright 300.

In one form, the positioning members may be installed by pushing each positioning member through an attachment aperture in an upright so that a first end of the positioning member 600 projects from the front face 310 of the upright and a second end of the positioning member 600 projects from the rear face 320 of the upright. A fastener is attached at or near the second end of the positioning member and is pushed up against the rear of the upright. The fastener may be a detachable fastener, such as a nut, or it may be a stop that is fixed in place, such as a nut or collar that is fixedly attached to the positioning member, by welding, adhesive or the like or by being integrally formed with the positioning member. In some forms, the positioning member may comprise a rod that is threaded along its entire length. Alternatively, one or more portions of the rod may be threaded. For example, only the ends of the rod may be threaded. In other forms, the positioning member may be of any suitable configuration that allows the positioning member to pass through the attachment members of the uprights and to be secured in position.

A spacer 700 may be inserted between opposing pairs of uprights within first and second formwork walls. Spacers help ensure that the distance between the opposing uprights (i .e. the distance between the first and second formwork walls) is consistent (or is at least at the desired distance if a distance variation is Intended) along the height of the uprights and between adjacent pairs of opposing uprights. In one form, at least one spacer 700 is attached to each positioning member 600, as shown in Figures 8a to 8c. In one form, the spacer 700 comprises one or more spacer tubes that fit over a portion of the positioning member like a sleeve. In one form, as shown in Figures 8a to 8c, the spacer comprises a single tube having a slit 710 along its length, The spacer tube may be slid over the positioning member to form a sheath around the portion of the positioning member that will ultimately be positioned between opposing uprights.

In another form, not shown, the spacer comprises a first and second spacer tube. Both tubes are slid over the free first end of the positioning member, one after the other, until adjacent ends of the spacer tubes abut each other. A slit is provided along the length of at least one spacer tube. The first and second spacer tubes may be substantially the same length or one tube may be shorter than the other.

In yet another form, as shown in Figure 8d, the spacer 700 may comprise a plurality of separate parts placed together to form the spacer. For example, a tube 720 (with or without a slit) may be placed over the positioing member 600 and between a pair of hollow substantially conical guide members 730 that are also placed over the positioning member 600. The substantially conical tip of each of the guide members 730 fits within a respective end of the tube 720. The base of the guide members 730 is conflgued to abut the front face 310 of the opposing first and second uprights 300, After the wall has been poured and has set, the guide members 730 may be removed and the tube 720 may stay In place within the wall.

It should be appreciated that these are just some examples of spacers that may be used with the system of the invention. Any suitable spacer arrangements that space opposing uprights at a predetermined distance from each other may be used without departing from the scope of the invention.After the first formwork wall has been constructed, a second formwork wall is constructed in the same way and is positioned adjacent to the first formwork wall. For example, where the first formwork wall is an outer formwork wall, as described above, the inner uprights are then attached to the base, such as to the inner base frame or floor, as described above to form a second and inner formwork wall. Typically, the first and second formwork walls are substantially parallel to each other.

Each upright 300 of the second formwork wall is positioned on the base so that each second formwork wall upright directly opposes a first fornmwork wall upright to form a pair of opposing uprights. The front faces 310 of each pair of opposing uprights face toward each other, as shown in Figure 9. In this arrangement, the attachment apertures 350 of each pair of opposing uprights substantially align with each other. The uprights of the second formwork wall are located at the desired distance from the first formwork wall to form a cavity between each pair of opposing uprights. Fill, such as concrete, can be poured into the cavity after the formwork walls are complete,

As desribed above, the uprights of the second formwork wall are positioned on the base using locating members by which the uprights engage with the base at predetermined locations. For example, a bottom end of the uprights may comprise locator pins that engage with locator holes in the floor or with the locator holes 244 in the top panel of the inner base frame, as shown in Figure 10. One or more struts and/or whalers can be used to help support the uprights of the second formwork wall, as described above.

The first end of each positioning member 600 that projects from the front face of the uprights of the first formworkk wall may be pushed through the aligned attachment aperture 350 in the opposing upright of the second formwork wall to project from the rear face 320 of that second upright. Each upright of the second formwork wall may be pushed toward the opposing upright of the first formwork wall until the front faces 310 of the opposing uprights abut the spacer on the positioning member. The uprights may then be made plumb and a detachable fastener is attached to the projecting first end of the positioning member and is tightened against the rear face of the respective upright to hold the uprights in position.

In another form, fasteners at each end of the positioning member may be tightened to hold the uprights in position.

The positioning member and spacer together are used to ensure that the opposing uprights are spaced from each other at a predetermined distance. By using a plurality of positioning members and spacers along the height of each pair of opposing uprights, it is possible to ensure that the width of the cavity formed between the first and second formwork walls (i.e. the distance between opposing uprights) is kept constant along the height of the formwork wall. In this way, it is possible to produce a poured wall with a uniform thickness.

Once the uprights 300 are in position, alignment members 370 may be used to hold the uprights 300 plumb, as shown in Figure 10. The alignment members may be of any suitable form to hold the uprights in alignment. For example, each alignment member may be a substantially flat elongate plate, or an interverted U-shaped beam having downwardly projecting arms (comprising the arms of the U) that are spaced apart from each other so that the top ends of the uprights can be positioned between the projecting arms of the alignment member. Each alignment member comprises a plurality of locating members, which may be in the form of locator holes or locator pins. An alignment member may be positioned on the top ends of a plurality of uprights so that the locating members of the uprights engage with the locating members of the alignment member.

In one form of construction, after the uprights are positioned on the base, one upright may be made plumb and then an alignment member may be positioned at the top end of the upright so that the locating members of the upright and alignment member engage. The locating members at the ends of one or more other uprights may then be caused to engage with locating members of the base and the alignment member to automatically make those other uprights plumb also.

In another form of construction, an alignment member is attached to the free ends of two distanced uprights so that the alignment member spans between the uprights, The two uprights may be made plumb and then further uprights can be erected between the two distanced uprights, The bottom ends of the further uprights can be attached to the base and top ends of the further uprights can be attached to the alignment member respectively

Typically, one or more alignment members are used to align uprights along a single formwork wall as shown in Figures 10a and 10b, but in other forms, an alignment member may be used to align each pair of opposing uprights in parallel formwork walls.

Once the uprights of the first and second formwork walls have been erected, interior structures 150 are placed within the cavity 800 between the uprights, as shown in Figures 11a and lib. For example, reinforcing can be placed within the cavity. Any plumbing, electrical or other services required for the structure can be put in place and any frames, moulds or forms to define spaces for door frames and windows can also be put in place. In this way, the uprights provide a skeletal structure for the formwork walls and also allow the interior structures to be readily viewed between the uprights. Consequently, it is possible to erect the uprights to define the the first and second formwork walls, install the interior structures, and to then have the installation inspected (such as by a building inspector) beforepanels are added to form shuttering.

After the interior structures are in place and an inspection has occurred, if necessary, one or more panels 400 are added to the skeletal frame of the inner and outer formwork walls to form shuttering, as shown in Figures 12 to 15.

Each panel 400 is positioned between a pair of adjacent uprights 300 of a first or second formwork wall. The panels may be added between adjacent uprights in any order so that the shuttering for either the first or second formwork wall is provided first, or shuttering is provided for both first and second formwork walls substantially simultaneously.

The panels 400 are typically rectangular or square and comprise a front face 410, an opposing rear face 420, a bottom edge 430, an opposing top edge 440, and side edges 450a, 450b extending between the bottom and top edges.

Each panel 400 is pushed against rear faces of the respective clamping members 340 of the respective adjacent uprights, In one form, each side edge 450a, 450b of the front face of each panel 400 is rebated, as shown in Figures 8d, 12 and 15. The side edges may be rebated to a depth that substantially correponds with the thickness of the clamping members, such as flanges 340a, 340b, projecting from the uprights 300. The width of the rebated sides 450a, 450b of each panel preferably corresponds to the width of the clamping members 340a, 340b of the uprights 300 (i .e. the distance at which the clamping members 340 project from the sides 330 of the uprights). Where a panel comprises rebated side edges, the front face of the panel may lie substantialy flush with the front face of the adjacent uprights by positioning the rebated faces of the panel against the rear face of the respective clamping members 340 of the uprights. It is not essential to rebate the panels to provide a flush finish, but it is preferred to use this arrangement if the structure wall, when poured, is to have a flush surface.

To hold the panels in position, the formwork further comprises a cap to clamp each panel 400 against the clamping members 340 of the respective uprights 300. Each cap 500 is adapted to press against a portion of at least one panel to push the panel against the clamping members of a respective upright.

One form of cap 500, as shown in Figures 16a to 16c, comprises a body 510 that is dimensioned to fit around at least a portion of the body of a corresponding upright. Typically, one or more portions of the cap are adapted to fit over the rear face 320 and sides 330 of an upright. In one form, the body 510 comprises at least one substantially u- shaped portion 530 comprising a rear portion 511 and a pair of arms 512a, 512b, each arm extending from each side of the rear portion 511 to form a u-shape. In this way, at least a portion of each upright may be at least partially surrounded by a respective cap so as to nest within the cap.

The rear portion 511 of each cap 500 may comprise one or more attachment apertures 550 that are adapted to align with attachment apertures 350 formed in the upright to which the cap will be attached. Typically, a plurality of attachment apertures 350 are located equidistant along a longitudinal centre line of the rear portion 511 to form a centrally located line of apertures along the length of the cap, as shown in Figures 16b and 16c.

Each cap 500 also comprises two or more clamping members 540a, 540b. Each clamping member 540 extends from a distal end of the respectve arm 512 of the body 510 so that at least one clamping member extends from each arm. In one form, each clamping member is a flange. The clamping members 540 may extend substantially perpendicularly from the distal ends of the arms 512 of the cap. Each clamping member 540 has a front face 541, which also forms the front face of the cap. In use, the front face of each clamping member 540 will face toward the rear face of each clamping member of the upright nested within the cap. Each cap clamping member also comprises a rear face 542. In one form, each clamping member extends along the length of the cap, as shown in Figures 16a to 16c and 17.

In one form, the u-shaped portion 530 of the cap 500 extends along the length of the cap, as shown in Figures 16a to 16c. One or more clamping members 540 extend from each side of the u-shaped portion 530, as described above. Alternatively, the cap 500 may comprise a pair of elongate clamping members 540 that extend along the length of the cap and may also comprise a plurality of spaced apart u-shaped portions 530 that are connected together via the clamping members, as shown in Figure 16. In this form, when an upright nests within the cap, areas of the upright are exposed between the spaced apart u-shaped portions of the cap, as shown in Figures 14 and 17,

In one form, caps used with corner uprights may be slightly different and are adapted so that the clamping members of the caps are angled from the sides of the cap to correspond with the angle of the clamping members of the respective upright. In this arrangement, when a cap partially surrounds the body of an upright the clamping members of the upright and cap are substantially parallel, as shown in Figures 12 and 15.

To attach a cap to an upright, the cap is positioned adjacent to a respective upright so that the upright is nested within the u-shaped portion(s) of the cap to form an upright/cap pair. For example, where the cap comprises a single u-shaped portion, the rear portion 511 of the cap is positioned behind the rear face 310 of the upright and the arms 512 of the cap are positioned next to the sides 330 of the upright to partially surround the body of the upright. The front face 541 of the cap faces in the same direction as the front face 310 of the upright. As the cap is put in place, the end of the positioning member projecting from the rear of the respective upright is fitted through the corresponding attachment aperture of the cap. A fastener is then attached to the free end of the upright and is tightened against the rear portion 511 of the cap. As the fasteners are tightened against the caps, the caps clamp the panels against the uprights. In this position, the rebated sides on the front face of each panel 400 on either side of an upright are pressed against the rear face of the clamping members 340 of the upright. The front face 541 of each clamping member of the cap is pressed against the rear face 520 of the adjacent panels 400 positioned on each side of the cap so that each panel is sandwiched between clamping members of the upright/cap pairs located at each side of the panel .

In one form, where diagonal struts 360 are used to support one or more uprights, corresponding caps may be formed in two parts, as shown in Figures 14, 17 and 19, to expose the area of the upright that is engaged with the diagonal strut. In one form, the caps may comprise a plurality of u-shaped portions spaced apart along its length, as described above and shown in Figure 17, so that when a cap is positioned against a respective upright, the strut attachment aperture 331 of the upright is located in a space between two adjacent u-shaped portions.

Where a wall of a building will be constructed with a blunt end, as shown in Figure 19, the formwork comprises an end section 900, as shown in Figures 18a and 18b. The end section has a substantially flat central panel 910. The end section also comprises a pair of arms 920a, 920b, one arm extending from each side of the central panel to form a substantially U-shaped body. Each arm 920 may be in the form of a box-section. An inner surface 921 of each arm 920 faces toward the inner surface of the opposing arm 920 and outer surfaces 922 of each arm 920 face away from each other. Where each arm 920 is formed as a box-section, a cavity 930 is provided between the inner 921 and outer 922 surfaces of each arm. The end section also comprises a pair of flanges 940a, 940b that project substantially perpendicularly from the free end of a respective arm 920 and away from the central panel 910 of the end section. Each flange has a front face 941a, 941b that also forms the front face of the end section. Each flange also comprises an opposing rear face 942a, 942b.

To form a blunt end of a wall, a pair of uprights 300 are provided at the point where the structure wall is to terminate. The uprights are positioned to face each other in the form of an opposing upright pair. The end section 900 is positioned at the end of the first and second formwork walls so that the central panel 910 spans across the cavity 800 formed between the formwork walls. The inner face 921 of each arm 920 of the end section abuts the rear face of the nearest clamping member 340 of the respective upright. Caps are then fitted over the uprights at the end of the wall so that the outer face 922 of each arm 920 of the end section abuts the front face 541 of the nearest clamping member 540 of the respective cap. In addition, the outwardly projecting flanges 940a, 940b of the end section 900 are sandwiched between a side 330 of the respective upright and an adajcent side 512 of the respective cap. One or both fasteners of the positioning member are tightened, as described above so that the cap clamps the end section to the respective uprights.

Fill, such as concrete or any similar construction material for forming the walls of a structure is then poured into the cavity 800 that is formed between the first and second formwork walls and left to set.

After the construction material has set to form the structure wall, the formwork is removed by disassembling the first and second formwork walls and removing the base section (where present). The positioning members can be extracted from the structure wall by sliding the positioning members out of the spacers and attachment apertures. After the positioning members are extracted, holes will be visible in the inner and outer surfaces of the structure wall where the positioning members were located. Depending on the types of spacer used, the spacer may be grabbed with a pair of pincers, pliers, or the like and extracted from the wall . Spacers in the form of tubes with a split along the length of the tube can be twisted and extracted. Where the spacer comprises at least two spacer tubes, the spacer tube without the slit can remain in place and will expose a hole in the inner surface of the structure wall, Where the spacer comprises a tube and a pair of substantially conical guide members, the guide members may be removed and the tube may remain in the wall . Holes will be visible in the wall after the spacer, or parts of the spacer, have been removed. These holes can optionally be filled to provide a smooth finish to the structure wall.

The method of assembling the formwork system described above, therefore comprises the following steps:

Step 1. Providing a base, which may be a floor or any other suitable form of base, such as a base section having an outer base frame that defines the position of an outer wall of the formwork and an inner base frame that defines the position of an inner wall of the formwork.

Step 2. Preparing the base to receive a plurality of uprights, such as by providing a plurality of locating members on the base, at the desired location of the uprights. The locating members are selected to engage with corresponding locating members provided on at least one end of the uprights. A template, such as an alignment member, may be used as a guide for positioning the locating members on the base.

Step 3. Providing a plurality of uprights for erecting a first formwork wall and a second formwork wall and positioning the uprights on the base, as appropriate. An upright may be positioned on the base by engaging one or more locating members at one of the upright with corresponding locating members provided on the base. Step 4, Inserting a positioning member within aligned attachment apertures formed in each pair of opposing uprights so that ends of the positioning member project from the rear of the uprights, and fitting a spacer between the opposing uprights. Providing a fastener at each end of the positioning members and tightening one or both fasteners to press front faces of the opposing uprights against the spacer.

Step 5. If necessary, providing a whaler across a plurality of panels and uprights in a formwork wall to further support the formwork wall. If necessary, supporting one or more uprights with a diagonal strut that extends between the upright and the base or a floor or the ground.

Step 6. Making the uprights plumb and optionally attaching an alignment member to the top ends of a plurality of uprights to be aligned with each other. For example, an alignment member may be attached the top ends of two or more uprights of a first formwork wall and another alignment member may be attached to to top ends of two or more uprights of a second formwork wall.

Step 7. Providing a plurality of panels, each panel being sized to fit between an adjacent pair of uprights of a formwork wall, and pressing the sides of each panel against rear faces of the adjacent clamping member(s) of each upright on either side of the panel.

Step 8. If necessary, providing one or more end sections and positioning these end sections across the cavity formed between a pair of opposing inner and outer uprights.

Step 9. Providing a plurality of caps and positioning each cap to partially surround the body of the respective upright so that the upright substantially nests within the cap and the front face of the cap presses against the rear face of the respective panels. If an end section is provided, acap is used to clamp one side of the end section against the respective upright.

Step 10. Attaching a fastener to one or both ends of the positioning member and tightening the fastener(s) until the opposing uprights contact the spacer and the panels are pressed hard against the clamping members of the uprights.

Step 11. Pouring concrete or other similar construction material into the cavity formed between the first and second formwork walls and leaving to set to form a wall structure.

Step 12. Disassembling the formwork walls.

Step 13. Optionally removing at least a portion of the spacer and optionally filling any holes in the outer surface of the wall structure.

Although the invention has been described by way of example, it should be appreciated that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims. Furthermore, where known equivalents exist to specific features, such equivalents are incorporated as if specifically referred in this specification. P T/NZ2015/050063

22

For example, as will be appreciated, it is not essential to the invention that the first and second formwork walls in the order described above. For example, the first and second formwork walls may be formed substantially simultaneously. Of course, it is also possible to randomly erect the first and second uprights in any order and to attach the uprights to the base section, but a more structured approach is generally preferred.

Furthermore, it is possible to assemble each upright/cap pair and to then slide the panels between the clamping members of the respective upright/cap pairs, instead of adding the caps after the panels are positioned against the respective uprights.

In addition, the attachment apertures described above are configured to align with each other so that a substantially straight positioning member can be used to hold opposing upright/cap pairs together. However, in other forms, the attachment apertures may be offset to be used with a positioning member that is not substantially straight.

Claims

An elongate upright comprising a body having a front face, an opposing rear face, and a pair of clamping members, each clamping member extending from an opposing side of the front face such that the front face and clamping members are substantially flush.

The upright according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the clamping members is a flange.

The upright according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the body is a substantially hollow box- section beam.

The upright according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one attachment aperture extends between the front face and the rear face of the body of the upright.

5. The upright according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of attachment apertures are provided along the length of the body of the upright.

The upright according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one end of the body comprises one or more locating members.

The upright according to claim 6, wherein each locating member comprises a locator pin or locator hole.

The upright according to any one of the preceding claims and further comprising a whaler bracket.

9. The upright according to claim 8, wherein the whaler bracket extends from the rear face of the upright.

10. A cap comprising a body having at least one substantially u-shaped portion and comprising two or more clamping members, each clamping member extending from a distal end of an arm of the u-shaped portion and wherein each arm has at least one clamping member extending therefrom.

11. The cap of claim 10, wherein at least one of the clamping members is a flange.

12. The cap of claim 10 or 11, wherein the substantially u-shaped portion comprises a rear portion and an arm that extends from each side of the rear portion to form a u- shape and wherein at least one attachment aperture is provided in the rear portion.

13. The cap of any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the u-shaped portion extends along the length of the cap.

14. The cap of any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the cap comprises two elongate clamping members and a plurality of spaced apart u-shaped portions connected together via the clamping members.

15. A formwork wall comprising :

a, at least a pair of uprights according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the uprights being spaced apart from each other in a line and orientated in the same direction; and

b. at least a pair of caps according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein each u- shaped portion of each cap is configured to at least partially surround the body of a respective upright so that the body of each upright nests within a cap and the clamping members on each side of each upright lie in parallel with the respective clamping members of the respective cap.

16. The formwork wall of claim 15, wherein a positioning member extends through attachment apertures formed in each upright that align with attachment apertures formed in each respective cap,

17. The formwork wall according to claim 15 or 16 and further comprising an alignment member connected to the top ends of a plurality of uprights and configured to hold the uprights substantially plumb.

18. A formwork comprising a pair of first and second formwork walls according to claim 15, wherein the two formwork walls lie parallel to each other such that the front face of each upright in the first formwork wall faces toward the front face of an opposing upright in the second formwork wall, and wherein at least one spacer of a preselected length is located between each opposing upright.

19. The formwork according to claim 18, wherein a positioning member is connected to each opposing pair of uprights, the positioning member extending through aligned attachment apertures in a first upright and respective first cap of the first formwork wall and through aligned attachment apertures in a second upright and respective second cap of the second formwork wall, wherein the positioning member comprises a fastener at each end.

20, The formwork according to claim 19, wherein the positioning member is a threaded bolt and each fastener is a nut

21. The formwork according to any one of claims 18 to 20, wherein each formwork wall comprises at least one alignment member connected to top ends of a plurality of uprights and configured to hold the uprights substantially plumb.

22. The formwork according to claim 21, wherein the alignment members comprise locating members that engage with corresponding locating members on the uprights.

23. The formwork according to any one of claims 18 to 22 and further comprising at least one shuttering panel located between adjacent uprights of the first formwork wall and at last one shuttering panel located between adjacent uprights of the second formwork wall, wherein each side of each shuttering panel is sandwiched between the clamping members of an upright and respective cap.

24. The formwork according to claim 23, wherein the at least one shuttering panel comprises a front face having a rebated edge at each side, the rebate substantially corresponding to the thickness and shape of the clamping members of the respective uprights such that the front face of the shuttering panel and front faces of the clamping members of the respective uprights are substantially flush,

25. A method of forming a formwork, the method comprising :

a. Forming a first skeleton formwork wall by:

i. positioning a plurality of first uprights according to any one of claims 1 to 9 in a line on a base;

ii. placing a positioning member within an attachment aperture formed in each upright so that a first end of the positioning member projects from the font face of the upright and a second end of the positioning member projects from a rear face of the upright, and providing a spacer on the positioning member near the first end;

b. Forming a second skeleton formwork wall spaced apart from and substantially parallel to the first formwork wall by:

i. positioning a plurality of second uprights according to any one of claims 1 to 9 in a line on a base and in positions opposing the first uprights to form opposing pairs of uprights;

ii. placing the first end of each positioning member through an attachment aperture of the respective second upright so that the spacer is located between the opposing uprights;

iii. providing a fastener at the free ends of each positioning member and tightening one or both fasteners to push the opposing pairs of uprights against the spacer;

c. Inserting interior structures between the first and second skeleton formwork walls;

d. Placing at least one shuttering panel between each adjacent pair of uprights in the first skeleton formwork wall and in the second skeleton formwork wall; and e. Positioning a cap according to any one of claims 10 to 14 next to each upright so that the body of the upright nests within the at least one u-shaped portion of the respective cap to form an upright/cap pair and so that free ends of the respective positioning member project through an attachment aperture of the cap;

f. Providing a fastener to each end of the positioning member and tightening the fasteners against the rear of the respective caps to clamp each shuttering panel between clamping members of the uprights and caps.

26, The method of claim 25 and further comprising the step of connecting at least one alignment member to top ends of a plurality of uprights of at least the first formwork wall to hold the uprights plumb before step iv.

27. The method of claim 25 or 26 and further comprising the step of using a whaler to support areas of the first and/or second formwork wall.