AU2016200822B2 - Improvements in or in relation to spacers for use in concrete - Google Patents

Abstract

Reinforcing bars are supported by a spacer 13. The spacer has no right way up so it may be inverted making it easier to use. The spacer is strengthened due to a rounded central body and optimal bracing. The spacer is cross shaped or cruciform having radiating arms 35, 36, 37 and 38 comprising parallel spaced walls 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 and 46. The walls are braced by diagonal braces 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53 and 54. All the braces and the body 20 have strengthening ribs. The tapered walls 30, 31, 32 and 33 are tapered to provide a lead-in guide for the reinforcing bars 18 to automatically locate them in position. The walls of the arms 39 through 46 have lead-ins formed by tapered cut out sections 55 through 62 and each pair of these such as 55 and 56 automatically align the outer one to the bars 19 in operative position while the bar 19 will be automatically positioned atop the centre point 34 and again be automatically aligned in that position as well. The spacer at each of the arms 35, 36, 37 and 38 includes an outer flange being an abutment flange 63. The spacer is longer in one direction. C\Jl r~

Description

2016200822 08 Sep 2017 1

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR IN RELATION TO SPACERS FOR USE IN CONCRETE TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] THIS SPECIFICATION relates to improvements in or in relation to spacers for use in concrete and in particular to a spacer suitable for but not limited to positioning waffle pods in concrete flooring and at the same time positioning reinforcing steel.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Spacers are used in concrete. These are sometimes called chairs. It is known to provide spaced polystyrene blocks in a grid formation as lost formwork in concrete flooring. These polystyrene blocks are commonly known as “waffle pods” because they are hollow with a “waffle” like internal bracing. It will be appreciated that the expression “waffle pod” or “pod” in this specification refers to any body or block made from any suitable material.

[0003] A basic rectangular floor is made using a peripheral formwork used to define an outer periphery of the floor. Pods are then placed inside the formwork at a defined distance from the peripheral formwork to form an outer trench between the pods and the form. Further pods are then placed in a grid in fixed spaced relation to each other, effectively so that gaps of defined depth and width are formed around the grid of spaced of pods. The outer formwork is generally deeper than the pod depth so that as concrete is poured it extends around into the gaps between the pods but also covers the pods. Thus concrete is poured over and around the pods, flows into the spaces between the pods and into the outer trench. The flooring is usually reinforced using a single bar between the pods crossing at the intersection of the gaps between the pods and three 2016200822 08 Sep 2017 2 or more parallel spaced bars are used in the outer trench. Sheets of mesh are also applied over the top of the pods.

[0004] It is also well known to use cross shaped plastic spacers at the intersection of the gaps between the pods. These spacers also support the reinforcing bars that run in the gaps. It is also known to use long narrow chairs which space and extend across the outer trench at spaced intervals to support the bars in the outer trench.

[0005] The cross shaped spacer and the trench chair referred to above represent a solution to pod placement and steel reinforcement that has been used for many years.

[0006] Therefore the art of spacers in concrete is a “mature” art, and consequently according to the applicant, there was no real problem extant at the priority date of the present application in need of solution.

[0007] Applicant has for the first time recognised problems that were not previously unrecognised in relation to spacers for use in concrete. Applicant’s specification is directed to a number of improvements and these are set out below both independently and in combination. Applicant reserves the right to divide the application and/or claim the improvements in combination subject to the outcome of any official search and examination.

[0008] This means the inventor was the first to recognise the need for the present invention as an alternative to what went before. Therefore, the present invention is not considered deterministic in any way but rather originating with the inventor both in terms of recognition of a need, and the inventor’s provision, rather than to any “notional” problem as may be perceived ex-post facto during patent examination. 2016200822 08 Sep 2017 3

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0009] With this in mind the present invention does not solve any particular problem associated with the products used in the past, as these work quite well, but rather applicant has provided an alternative direction of product development both in use and concept and to this end in one broad form there is provided a spacer for use in concrete, the spacer having bar supports, a central body portion and arms extending from the body portion so that the body and arms sit flat on a horizontal surface such that the spacer has and presents the bar supports to support horizontally extending reinforcing steel, the spacer being relatively narrow in the vertical direction and relatively wide in the horizontal direction and being reversible so that it may be inverted and either way up presents said bar supports to support reinforcing steel.

[0010] These independent aspects clearly have a potential working interrelationship for example, one improvement involves the application to pod spacing in a floor being a new combination brought about by the elimination of the trench chair from the inventory. Of course while the embodiment described herein refers to use in relation to pod spacing, the present improvements may be applied to any spacer and may have other uses so it is understood that it is not limited to this application.

[0011] The working interrelationship between the improvements will be readily apparent for the following description.

[0012] In one improvement there is provided a spacer for use in concrete, the spacer having a central body portion with extending arms, the central body having an arcuate surface defining a main wall surrounding the central body and supporting the arms. 2016200822 08 Sep 2017 4 [0013] In another improvement a spacer for use in concrete has a central body and arms and is reversible, typically it is cross shaped and reversible meaning that it does not have a right side up, this means the user does not have to worry about orientation as there is no right way up so even if it is inverted it still supports the steel in proper orientation. Thus there is provided spacer for use in concrete, the spacer having bar supports, a central body portion and arms extending from the body portion so that the body and arms sit flat on a surface such that the spacer has and presents the bar supports to support reinforcing steel, characterised in that, the spacer is reversible so that it may be inverted and either way up presents said bar supports to support reinforcing steel.

[0014] In a further improvement the overall length of the and spacer differs in two directions so that the user has two options for placement, for example, it caters for two trench widths in each of two possible orientations of the spacer, thus its length in one direction is slightly longer than in the other direction. This variation in use is accomplished via a 90° rotation about a vertical axis in the case of a cross shaped spacer. The spacer at each end includes an abutment for the situation where the spacer is utilised in outer trench.

[0015] In still another improvement there is provided a spacer, typically a pod spacer which is formed with a central body portion with radiating arms. In the case of a cross shaped spacer there are four arms radiating at right angles with opposite arms sharing a common axial line. In one preferred form, the central body has an arcuate surface defining a main wall supporting the arms. Typically, each arm has diagonal bracing depending from the central body portion. Typically, the central body portion is a hollow central body portion around central cross bracing. Preferably, the central body has a generally roundish wall in plan which is more preferably generally circular or a polygon. Preferably, each arm has parallel axially extending spaced walls. Typically, the parallel 2016200822 08 Sep 2017 5 axially extending spaced walls are braced. Preferably, each wall of each arm has a bracing. The bracing of each wall of each arm is preferably a triangular brace depending from the wall of the central body portion. The triangular braces typically all occupy a substantially common horizontal plane throughout the spacer. In the case of a cross shaped spacer there are typically eight triangular braces of this kind. The spacer at each of the arms includes an outer flange or other abutment for the situation where the spacer is utilised in the outer trench. The flange in this embodiment is set at right angles to the axial line of the arms.

[0016] Preferably, the wail of the central body is cross braced. The cross brace is preferably in the form of a cross shaped wall axially and radially extending and set diagonally across the line of the axial line of the arms.

[0017] In still another improvement there is proved a spacer with arms which includes bar lead-in guides to bias a reinforcing bar to a predetermined position seated atop the spacer. The lead-in guides are typically tapered lead-ins formed in the walls of the spacer. Preferably, the lead-ins are provided in cross brace walls and in each of the walls of each of the arms. Preferably, each brace has at least one strengthening rib. Preferably each brace is a triangular brace and has at least one horizontally extending strengthening rib.

[0018] In a prefered embodiment there is provided a spacer for use in concrete, the spacer having a central body portion with extending arms, the central body having an arcuate surface defining a main wall surrounding the central body and supporting the arms, the spacer having bar supports, the spacer being reversible so that it may be inverted and either way up presents said bar supports to support reinforcing steel and is substantially symmetrical about a central plane through the spacer. 2016200822 08 Sep 2017 6 [0019] In another preferred embodiment there is provided a spacer for use in concrete, the spacer having a central body portion with extending arms, the central body having an arcuate surface defining a main wall surrounding the central body and supporting the arms, the spacer having bar supports, the spacer being reversible so that it may be inverted and either way up presents said bar supports to support reinforcing steel, the bar supports including bar lead-in guides to bias a reinforcing bar to a predetermined position seated atop the spacer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In order that the present invention may be more readily understood and be put into practical effect reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings and wherein:-

Figure 1 is a schematic drawing illustrating a flooring formwork and pod layout with spacers in place and bars shown in phantom and in cut away for clarity purposes;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a typical spacer;

Figure 3 is a side view of the spacer of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is the same view as Figure 2 but showing four pod corners and the spacer and steel in place;

Figure 5 is the same view as Figure 3 but showing the spacer in place in the outer trench;

Figures 6 and 7 are perspective views from above and below respectively demonstrating that the spacer is symmetrical about a central plane and is reversible. 2016200822 08 Sep 2017 7

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Referring to the drawings and initially to Figure 1 there is a schematic drawing showing a formwork layout 10 comprising an outer form 11 cut away to effectively illustrate a corner of a flooring prior to concrete being poured. There are five polystyrene pods 12 shown in full and five shown in part. There are seventeen dual purpose pod spacers 13 shown in operative position either in the outer trench 14 or at positions 15 or 16 spacing waffle pods 12 from each other. When used at position 17 in the outer trench the waffle pod spacer serves to space the outer ones of the polystyrene blocks from the outer form 11.

[0022] In the case of occupying the position 16 reinforcing bars 18 intersect and are supported by the spacer 13 and as can also be seen in the outer trench reinforcing bars 19 are supported by the same spacer located in the operative position at 17 along the trench.

[0023] It can also be seen that when in the operative position 15 also in the trench that the spacer alignment and dimension is so chosen and arranged that two of the bars 19 are supported by this pod spacer as well. This specific support of reinforced steel will be more clearly illustrated in relation to Figures 4 and 5 to be described below.

However, first referring to Figures 2 and 3 it is also useful at this stage to also refer to Figures 6 or 7 in terms of the three dimensional aspects of the various bar lead-ins. Spacer 13 may be made from any material, fabricated or moulded but is preferably moulded in a suitable plastic and comprises a generally circular body or frame which in this case is a polygon approximating a circle in plan view. It has four narrow sections 21, 22, 23 and 24 and four enlargements 25, 26, 27 and 28. These enlargements are braced by cross bracing walls 30, 31, 32 and 33 which narrow to a central point at 34. 2016200822 08 Sep 2017 8 [0024] The spacer is cross shaped or cruciform having radiating arms 35, 36, 37 and 38 comprising parallel spaced walls 39, 40, 41,42, 43, 44, 45 and 46. The walls are braced by diagonal braces 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53 and 54. All the braces and the body 20 have strengthening ribs.

[0025] The tapered walls 30, 31,32 and 33 are tapered to provide a lead-in guide for the reinforcing bars 18 to automatically locate them in position. Thus any centrally positioned bar will automatically be located in position by reason of this lead-in. The walls of the arms 39 through 46 have lead-ins formed by tapered cut out sections 55 through 62 and each pair of these such as 55 and 56 automatically align the outer one to the bars 19 in operative position while the bar 19 will be automatically positioned atop the centre point 34 and again be automatically aligned in that position as well. As can be seen in Figure 6 the spacer at each of the arms 35, 36, 37 and 38 includes an outer flange being an abutment flange 63 for the situation where the spacer is utilised in the outer trench 14.

[0026] In this regard in Figure 2 the dimensions X and the dimensions Z are slightly different so that the spacer may be utilised in trenches of slightly different width. The lead-ins or locators for the reinforcing steel have a lower platform section at 64 and in the centre 34 at 65 and this may be made slightly wider than the actual steel so that there is provision for some tolerance in terms of the variation in steel diameter or steel spacing width depending on the circumstances. For example, if the outer bars are already welded together in fixed spaced relationship by a bridging connector as illustrated in Figure 5 then this variation may be taken into account by making the platform 64 slightly wider.

[0027] Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, the pod spacer 13 is shown in close up in its operative position with views similar to Figures 2 and 3 respectively and single bars 18 2016200822 08 Sep 2017 g are shown in operative position these simply cross over at the intersection as shown at 34 while the arms 35 through 38 hold the polystyrene blocks 12 in operative position and against movement. In Figure 5 the outer blocks 12 are positioned relative to the form 11 and bars 19 automatically located in position as shown. In this case the bars 19 are welded in fixed spaced relationship by a connecting wire 66. These connecting wires are located at spaced intervals along the set of bars 19. As can be seen the spacer is disposed against the timber form 11 and against the waffle pod 12 and even though the small spacer is illustrated in Figure 5, the main purpose of the spacer is to limit any undesirable movement of the block 12 as concrete is being poured and finished. There would be some limited movement of the block 12 within limitations as imposed by use of the spacer 13 in the trench.

[0028] Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example many variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the broad ambit and scope of the invention as set out in the appended claims. In particular expressions such as “comprised”, “comprising”, “including:, and the like expressions as used in the claims and in the description are used in the non-exhaustive sense, for example in claim 1 although a step of placing mesh above the pods is not mentioned, it would be usual to do so, so adding extra steps to those claimed would not take the method outside the claim. Similarly for the apparatus claims adding extra features to the claimed features would not take the apparatus outside the claims.

Claims (14)

1. A spacer for use in concrete, the spacer having bar supports, a central body portion and arms extending from the body portion so that the body and arms sit flat on a horizontal surface such that the spacer has and presents the bar supports to support horizontally extending reinforcing steel, the spacer being relatively narrow in the vertical direction and relatively wide in the horizontal direction and being reversible so that it may be inverted and either way up presents said bar supports to support reinforcing steel.

2. A spacer according to claim 1 wherein the spacer is cross shaped defined by the extending arms, with opposite arms sharing a common axial line, the central body portion having an arcuate surface defining a roundish main wall supporting the arms, each arm having parallel axially extending spaced walls.

3. A spacer according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each arm has diagonal bracing depending from the central body portion.

4. A spacer according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the central body portion comprises a hollow central body portion around cross bracing.

5. A spacer according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the spacer includes bar lead-in guides to bias a reinforcing bar to a predetermined position seated atop the spacer.

6. A spacer according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the spacer includes bar lead-in guides to bias a reinforcing bar to a predetermined position seated atop the spacer, the lead-in guides comprising tapered lead-ins formed in walls of the spacer and aligned with the bars supports.

7. A spacer according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the arms include an abutment at the ends of the arms.

8. A spacer according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the arms include an abutment flange at the ends of the arms.

9. A spacer according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the spacer has a central body portion with extending arms, the central body portion having an arcuate surface defining a main wall surrounding the central body and supporting the arms.

10. A spacer according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the overall length of the spacer differs in two directions.

11. A spacer according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the bar supports support reinforcing steel in two directions where the overall length of the spacer differs in the two directions, the spacer having central bar lead-in guides and outer bar lead-in guides spaced from the central lead in guides.

12. A spacer according to anyone of the preceding claims when used as a pod spacer in concrete.

13. A spacer according to claim 12 having four arms.

14. A spacer according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the spacer is substantially symmetrical about a central plane through the spacer.