AU6063473A - Floor construction method - Google Patents

Description

COMMONWEALTH OF AT'

Patents Act 1 9C S 0LL s T R RT OLLAS ioRM 4 GULA Ol'AT OFFICE

CONVENTION APPLICATION FOR A PATENT

We, MONSANTO CHEMICALS LIMITED, of Monsanto House,

10-18, Victoria Street, London, England, her'by

2. apply for the grant of a Patent for an invention antitled:

FLOOR CONSTRUCTION METHOD

which is the accompanying complete specificFtioi described in a Convention Application This application is/max~edxf axxdcxusxo#loaxx No: 44857/72 r roStaaFrixk$Jx and is based on an application/for a

Patent or similar protection made in Great Britain on

28th September, 1972 by Monsanto Chemicals Limited.

Our address for service is care of EDWTIL F. WLLIN Gi( Patent Attorney, 457, St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, 3004, in

the State of Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia.

Dated this 21st day of September 1973

For and on behalf of

MONSANTO CHEMICALS LIMITED EDWIN F. WELJNGTON

Patent Attorney for Applicant Company

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1952-1969

FORM 7 REGULATION 11 (2)

DECLARATION IN SUPPORT OF A CONVENTION APPLICATION FOR A PATENT OR PATENT OF ADDITION

In support of the Convention Application made by MONSANTO CHEMICALS LIMITED for a Patent/Pee&m-nf-4ddte!m for an invention entitled: FLOOR CONSTRUCTION METHOD I, MURRAY FREDERICK CLARKE, Director, Patents Europe, Monsanto Patent Department, of Monsanto House, 10-18, Victoria Street, London, England, do solemnly and sincerely declare as follows:

1. I am authorised by MONSANTO CHEMIZALS LIMITED, the applicant for the Patent/Pa*-ent-e4-A4d-1*i&-& to make this declaration on its behalf.

2. The basic application/-as defined by Section 141 of the Act was/wea-. made at the British Patent Office in London, England, on the 28th day of September 1972 by MONSANTO CHEMICALS LIMITED.

3. WILLIAM ROBERT OLIVER, of 54 Finches Gardens, Linafield, Sussex, England, Great Britain

is/aa=e the actual inventor/s of the invention and the facts upon which MONSANTO CHEMICALS LIMITED is entitled to make the applica- tion are as follows:

The Company is the assignee of the actual inventor/-.

4. The basic application/s-referred to in paragraph 2 S of this Declaration was/woo, the first application/a made in a Convention country in respect of the invention the subject of the application.

Declared at London, England.

This 15th day of August 19

MURRAY FREDERICK CLARKE

F7~ CASE R-710-A

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1952-1969

FORM

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (Original)

Application Number: oo&3-3'7.3 Class Nlki4SS Lodged: 2 .9 73 R/

Complete Specification Lodged:aq. 9 7; APubl c-i q 7c Published:^ 7. 7S Priority: 2-.Pc 76& 44 7/7,a Related Art:

,F4 A '7~z L~)4Lfj'

Name of Applicant: MONSANTO CHEMICALS LIMITED

Address cf Applicant: 10-18 Victoria Street, London. SW1H ONQ. England.

Actual Inventor/a WILLIAM ROBERT OLIVER.

Address for Service: E.F. WELLINGTON. 457 St.Kilda Road, Melbourne. Vic. 3004. Complete Specification for the invention entitled:

00

"FLOOR CONSTRUCTION METHOD"

The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me/us: S/4/76

I This invention relates to a method of constructing

floors and particularly to a construction method involving

the use of foamed resin void-forming members.

The use of concrete in traditional reinforced concrete

construction rethods has often been wasteful since it is

frequently the case that only a portion of a reinforced

concrete structure is subject to any tensile, shear or

compressive forces. This means that the portions of a concrete

structure not subject to such forces can be omitted without

weakening the whole structure and at the same time obtaiping

a considerable saving in terms of the weight ana the cost of

the coi:ncrete.

One way in which such unnecessary concrete can be

eliminated is by casting the structure around a foamed resin

void-forming member which can optionally be removed when the

concrete has set. Very often however the void-forming member

is left in place especially where it is desirable to reduce

the rate of heat transfer through the structure.

While this technique is applicable to a wide range

of building processes it has been particularly useful in

the construction of floors, especially those in high-rise

buildings where weight saving coupled with increased

insulation are particularly desirable features. Floors

of this type frequently have a ribbed underside, and are

conventionally formed by erecting a suitable soffit shuttering

and laying the void-forming members on the shuittering between

pre-formed reinforced concrete beams that will form the ribs

of the finished floor. Alternatively, appropriate steel

reinforcement can be positioned between the void-forming

members such that when the concrete is poured the reinforcing

concrete beams will be produced in situ,

Patent Attorney for Applicant Company

It is found however that it is difficult to

prevent the void-forming members from moving during the

construction of the floor under the influence of hydrostatic

uplift arising from the wet concrete, as a result of lateral

pressure from uneven concrete pouring, or from general site

hazards.

The construction method of the invention is one

lor forming a concrete floor using foamed resin void-forming

members which comprises providing a suitable soffit shuttering.

positioning a foamed resin void-forming member thereon, fixing

the member to the shuttering by means of a brace adapted to

hold the member in a fixed position relative to the shuttering,

and then pouring concrete to form the floor.

The invention also comprises a method of fixing a

suspended ceiling below a concrete floor constructed as

described above which comprises arranging that a portion

of the brace projects substantially vertically downwards

from the underside of the concrete floor and is provided

with attachment means, and fixing units comprising the

suspended ceiling to the attachment means.

The brace can have a number of suitable forms such

as for example a rod, a flat plate or an angled bracket,

and of these the preferred form is an angled bracket.

Where the brace takes the form of an angled bracket

this generally has an L-shape with one arm adapted to be

fixed to the void-forming member and the other adapted

to be fixed to the soffit shuttering.

The bracket generally has an L-shape but the angle

between the arms can be greater or less than 900 if desired.

This could somet.'.mes be advantageous if for example the

void-forming member were not rectangular in cross-section.

MURRAY FREDERICK CLARKE

In preferred cases however the angle is not more than 450

greater or less than 900 and most frequently the angle is

in fact a right angle even when the members are not rectangular

in cross-section, since it often is an advantage to have the

bracket partly embedded in the concrete of the finished floor.

The arm of the bracket can be adapted to be fixed

to the expanded resin void-forming member in any suitable

manner such as for example by provision of a cating

projection adapted to penetrate the member or a series of

holes through which securing pins can be driven. It is however

preferred that the arm of the bracket is adapted for attachment

to the member by provision of a sharpened locating projection

that can be driven into the side of the member to a depth that

ensures a firm grip, for example to a depth of from to 4

inches or more and preferably 2 to 3 inches. The locating

projection can optionally be barbed to resist withdrawal of

the locating projection once it has been inserted into the

member. The locating projection can be at right angles to the

arm of th' bracket but it is sometimes preferred that it is

angled slightly downwards such that they are better able to

secure the member against upward movement after it has been

fixed by means of the bracket to the soffit shuttering. More

than one locating projection can of course be provided if

necessary.

The opposed arm of the bracket is adapted to be

fixed to the soffit shuttering. This adaptation can comprise

a series of projections, optionally integral with the brace,

on the arm of the bracket opposed to that to be fixed to the

void-forming member, which can be driven into the shutterinL.

but more often the adaptation comprises the provision of

holes in that arm through which pins or screws can be driven into the shuttering.

The bracket can also be provided, on the faces of

the arms opposed to those to be attached in use to the void-

forming member or the shuttering, with one or more anchoring

projections that, when the floor has been formed, extend into

the concrete ribs. These anchoring p:ojections can be

anything from I to 2 inches or more in length but more usually

they are from I to l inches long. Where the material of the

bracket is a metal that permits it, it is usually preferred

that the anchoring projections are provided by tangs pressed

out of the metal of the bracket either at the side or on

the full face of the arm, though they could of course take

the form of nails or plugs driven through holes in the arm

and projecting into the space to be filled with concrete

when the floor is formed.

The anchoring projections are of greatest utility

when they are on the arm of the bracket adapted to be fixed

to the void-forming member.

When the shuttering is removed one arm of the

bracket is visible on the underside of the floor structure.

This arm can be left in place and covered where appropriate

with the ceiling material. If however it is intended to

fit a suspended ceiling and the metal of the bracket permits

it, then the arm of the bracket can be bent to project

vertically downwards. This downwardly projecting arm can

then form an anchorage point for the suspended ceiling.

In such cases it is advantageous to provide the arm with

a hole large enough to take a bolt or other fastening.

Alternatively the arm can be provided with an internally

threaded socket in the arm and at right angles to it, the

socket being capped on the end that, in use, is in contact with the concrete so that an externally threaded rod can be screwed into the socket at the open end and so provide a support member for a suspended ceiling. In this case of course the arm would remain in place and not be bent downwards.

The arms of the bracket can have any suitable length

depending on the size of the member to be located but in

general the arm adapted to be fixed to the void-forming member

can be from 2 to 12 inches in length and preferably from 3

to 6 inches. The arm attached to the shuttering is usually

but not essentially shorter and most frequently has a length

of from 1 to 6 inches and especially from 1 to 4 inches.

Clearly where a suspended ceiling is to be constructed and

the arm is to be bent downwards, the length chosen must be

consistent with this end.

The brace can also take the form of a flat plate

as indicated above. In this case the plate is adapted to

pass through the soffit shuttering in a substantially vertical

direction. One end of the plate is provided with a locating

projection for fixing the plate to the void-forming member

and these may take any of the forms described above in

relation to the angled bracket.

After passing through the shuttering the plate can

be bent over so that it presses against the underside of

the shuttering but alternatively and preferably, especially

where it is intended to fit a suspended ceiling after

formation of the floor, the plate is provided with a

longitudinal slot so located that a portion is exposed below

the shuttering when in place. The plate is then fixed in

position by driving a suitably shaped wedge into the exposed

portion of the slot such that the action of driving in the

wedge pulls the plate, and hence the member attached thereto, downwards and'holds it in place relative to the shuttering.

In such an embodiment it is preferred that the exposed end

of the plate, i.e. that projecting below the shuttering, be

provided with mezns for anchoring a suspended ceiling similar

to those described in relation to the angled bracket embodiment.

A brace in the form of such a plate can of course

with advantage be provided with the anchoring projections

described above. The length of the plate can be anything

from 2 to 12 inches or more,/*frequently it is from 4 to 9

inches in length. */but more

Besides the plate and angled bracket described

above the brace can have other less preferred forms for

example that of a rod bent over at one end and sharpened

so that it can be inserted into the void-iorming member

and bent over at the other end so that it can be fixed

by any suitable means to the underside or top side of

the soffit shuttering.

The material of the brace can be anything that is

sufficiently rigid to withstand the forces tending to

move the void-forming members. Such materials include

metals and certain rigid, tough plastics. The preferred

matprial is howevvr a metal such as iron or brass but it

is most conveniently steel. In many cases it is preferred

that the steel be resistant to rusting so that stainless,

zinc plated and galvanised steels are particularly

preferred materials for the construction of the braces.

Where the brace is intended to have also the

secondary function of supporting a suspended eiling it is

advisable that it should have the optional features of

anchoring projections and construction from a corrosion-

resistant metal described above.

The braces -,an be used at any suitable frequency

along the void-forming member consistent with the achievement

of the objective of preventing motion of the member during

formation of the floor. In practice it is usually preferred

that braces are provided on both of the longer sides of a

conventional rectangular-plan void-forming member, at a

separation of three feet between centres though greater or

smaller separations are suitable in some cases. With some

floor designs it is often advantageous to place braces along

the shorter ends'of the member also.

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying

Drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a general view of a brace in the form

of an L-shaped bracket useful in the process of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the bracket

shown in Fig. 1 in position when forming a floor; and

Fig. 3 is the same view as in Fig. 2 with the

shuttering removed and the bracket bent and adapted to

support and anchor a suspended ceiling.

Fig. 4 is a general view of an alternative form

of brace in the shape of a flat plate.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the first

plate of Fig. 4 in use.

In Figures 1 3 an L-shaped bracket 1, pressed out

of a flat steel strip is provided at the extremity of one

arm with sharp locating projections 2, at right angles to

the plane of the arm and extending in a direction opposed

to that of the second arm of the bracket. A sharp tang,

is pressed out of the same arm to form an anchoring projection

that extends in a direction opposed to that of the locating

projections 2.

In the second arm of the bracket the provided locating holes, 3, through which pins or scre,, -an be driven. A larger hole, 4, is also provided to accommodate a nut and

bolt, 10, (in Figure 3) by which a suspended ceiling can be

anchored and supported.

Figure 2 shows the bracket in use with the locating

projections, 2, driven into a foamed resin void-forming

member, 6, and the anchoring projections embedded in the

concrete 9. The other arm of the bracket is fixed by pins,

8, to soffit shuttering 7.

In Figure 3 the soffit shuttering has been removed

and the exposed arm of the bracket bent down and fitted

with a nut and bolt, 10, to receive the anchorage points of

a suspended ceiling, (not shown).

In Figures 4 and 5 a flat plate, 11, is provided

with a locating projection, 12, at one extremity, anchoring

priojections, 5, pressed from the plate and a slot, 13, along part of the length of the plate. A hole, 14, is provided at

the extremity remote from that bearing the locating projection.

In use, the locating projection, 12, is embedded in

the void-forming member, 6, and the body of the plate passes

through the shuttering, 7, exposing part of the slot, 13.

A wedge, 15, is driven into the slot to hold the plate in

position. The hole, 14, may then be f"tted with a nut and bolt or other suitable device to form an anchorage point

for a suspended ceiling.

The foamed resin void-forming members can be made

out of any material that will form a lightweight and

reasonably rigid foam such as a polyvinyl aromatic resin, a polyurethane, polyvinylchloride or a polyolefin. The

prefereed resin however is a polyvinylaromatic resin and particularly polystyrene since this combines the virtues of cheapness, rigidity, and lightness, with excellent insulating properties.

The soffit shuttering can be of any suitable material

and is most frequently of wood. It can be continuous but

for the purposes of the invention it is only necessary that

it be present in the areas underlying the edges of the void-

forming members along which the angled brackets are located.

It is of course understood that the floor as a

whole is reinforced with suitable steelwork, as indicated

earlier either by use of pre-cast reinforced concrete beams

or by in effect forming such beams in situ through provision

of steel reinforcement between the areas of appropriately

positioned void-formers. If desired steel mesh can in general

be incor .ated towards the upper surface of the floor to

minimise superficial cracking.

The description above has been set out in terms

of floor construction but it is understood that the term

"floor" as used herein relates to a horizontal or substantially

2r horizontal structure in a building whether it separates one

part of the building from another part immediately above

or represents the roof over the whole building or part of

the building.

The matter contained in each of the following

claims is to be read as part of the general description of

the present invention.

Claims (1)

1. I The claims defining the invention are as follows:

   1. A method of forming a concrete floor using foamed resin

   void-forming members which comprises providing a suitable

   soffit shuttering, positioning a foamed resin void-forming

   member thereon, fixing the member to the shuttering by means

   of a brace adapted to hold the member in a fixed position

   relative to the shuttering, and then pouring concrete to

   form the floor.

   2. A method according to Claim 1 in which the brace

   comprises an L-spaped bracket with one arm adapted to be

   fixed to the void-forming member and the other adapted to

   be fixed to the soffit shuttering.

   3. A method according to Claim 2 in which the arm of

   the bracket adapted to be fixed to the void-forming member

   is provided with a locating projection which penetrates the

   void-forming member.

   4. A method according to Casim 3 in which the locating

   projection is barbed.

   A method according to any of Claims 2 to 4 in which

   the arm of the L-shaped bracket opposed to that bearing

   the locating projection is fixed to the soffit shuttering

   by means of one or more projections d.'iven into the shiittering

   when the bracket is placed in position.

   6. A method according to any of Claims 2 to 4 in which

   the arm of the L-shaped bracket opposed to that bearing the

   locating projection is provided with a hole and the bracket

   is fixed to the soffit shuttering by means of a pin or screw

   driven through the hole and into the shuttering.

   7. A method according to Claim 1 in which the brace

   comprises a flat plate provided with at one extremity, a

   locating means by which it can be fixed to the voia-forming

   member, the brace being adapted to extend downwards through

   the soffit shuttering.

   8. A method according to Claim 7 in which the brace is fixed I with respect to the soffit shuttering by being bent over such

   that it presses against the underside of the shuttering.

   9. A method according to Claim 7 in which the brace is

   fixed with respect to t' soffit shuttering by providing in

   the brace a longitudinal slot so located that a portion is

   exposed below the shuttering when the brace is in place :.nd

   driving a wedge-shaped member into the exposed portion of

   the slot such that the action of driving in the wedge pu.ls

   the brace downwards and holds it in place relative to the

   shuttering.

   A method according to any of Claims 7 to 9 in which

   the brace has any of the features described in either of

   Claims 3 and 4.

   11. A method according to any of Claims 1 to 10 in which

   the brace bears an anchoring projection that extends into

   the concrete when the floor has been formed.

   12. A method according to any of Claims 1 to 11 in which

   the brace is formed from a metal strip.

   13. A method according to Claim 12 in which projections

   designed to anchor the brace to the void-foriiing member, the

   concrete and/or the soffit shuttering are punched out of the

   metal strip.

   14. A method for forming a concrete floor substantially as

   described above with reference to Figures 2 and 5 of the

   accompanying Drawings.

   A concrete floor formed by a method according to any

   of Claims 1 to 14.

   16. A method of fixing a suspended ceiling below a concrete

   floor according to Claim 15 which comprises arranging that a

   portion of the brace projects substantially vertically

   downwards from the underside of the concrete floor and is provided with attachment means, and fixing units comprising

   L the suspended ceiling to the attachment means. 12 -J

   -C

   17. A method according to Claim 16 in which the attachment

   means comprises a hole in the brace and a co-operating nut and bolt.

   18. A method according to Claim 16 in which the attachment

   means comprises a threaded socket in the brace and a co-operating

   bolt.

   19. A suspended ceiling fixed by the method described in any

   one of Claims 16 to 18.

   Everything new disclosed herein.

   Dated this 21st day of September 1973

   MONSANTO CHEMICALS LIMITED By its Patent Attorney:

   EDWIN F. fLELLINGTON.

   Fellow of the Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia