AU688449B2 - Improved heavy duty brick tie - Google Patents

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

0 TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT e* Name of Applicant: ABEY AUSTRALIA PTY. LTD.

Actual Inventor(s): GEOFFREY ANDERSON; ROLAND MAIDER Address for Service: CALLINAN LAWRIE, 278 High Street, Kew, 3101, Victoria, Australia Invention Title:' "'IMR.OVED HEAVY DUTY BRICK TIE" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- -1i -e 'i The present invention relates, in general terms, to an improved form of brick tie. More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to an improved form of cavity brick tie to Lo employed for purposes of interconnecting, in a building sense, adjacent walls of a cavity brick structure. Indeed, throughout the ensuing description reference will be m-de to an especially preferred embodiment of the invention, to bc employed in just such a context. It should be realised, however, that the invention is not to be considered restricted in any way to such a usage, with the tie in accordance with the present invention being suited for connecting or interconnecting any two adjacent wall structures of a 0 cementitious or the like material.

Cavity brick ties are required, in accordance with the relevant Building S* Codes, to be employed between adjacent walls of a cavity brick wall in order to protect against the possibility of relative movement therebetween, or rather more correctly provide a form of reinforcement to minimise the consequences of such relative movement.

In accordance with known practices cavity brick ties generally in use can be described as being of the light duty, medium duty, heavy duty or extra heavy duty type, with the type of tie being employed in any given building context being dependent upon the required load bearing capability for the building under construction. In a practical sense the required load bearing capability of a wall structure, in terms of both tension and compression, dictates which type of tie is employed.

in the past, ties of this general type have been graded lightweight or light duty, heavy duty or extra heavy duty dependent upon a rating achieved or ascribed in accordance with the Australian Building Standards. The Australian -2- 22/3/95S7638.SPE,2 Standards subjected sample ties to testing as follows. A tie of any given type was in fact installed (within the mortar) of a cavity brick wall and the mortar was allowed to set or cure for a period of up to two weeks. The walls (brick courses) were then moved through a maximum of 10 millimetres in a horizontal and/or vertical direction and the ties, in that condition, were subjected to additional tensile and compressive loading. Dependent upon the results of such tests, the ties could then be rated as suitable for light duty, heavy duty or extra heavy duty use. To all intents and purposes, however, the only real difference between differently rated ties was in the amount of material from which they were constructed. However, and again in a practical vein, it has been found that heavier duty type ties were so stiff and rigid as to themselves be responsible for damaging the mortar between overlying courses of bricks. In other words, whilst the tie itself might have been capable of withstanding stresses induced or likely to be encountered, the very integrity of the overall wall was found to be damaged "15 by such a tie.

The present invention seeks to avoid the problems and disadvantages associated with the prior art by providing an improved form of cavity brick tie which is capable of withstanding the stresses induced by movement in a lateral and/or vertical direction of the associated walls, yet does not in itself give rise to destruction of those walls, and more particularly the mortar used therein.

n accordance with tho invntion, i therer,-thcro is provido-ncdcr brick tie, said tie being in the form of a substantially elo member having opposed end sections and an interc ing intermediate section, each end section being ad in use, to be disposed within the mortar between adjacent izousezo bf,,s -a "vity brik wal, "whrein ai includes-,at or in the 3- 2213/95S7638.SPB,3

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In accordance with the present invention, therefore, there is provided proposed an improved brick tie, said tie being in the form of a substantially elongate member having opposed end portions, of substantially the same width dimension, and an interconnecting intermediate portion having a width dimension less than that of each said end portion, each said end portion being adapted, in use, to be disposed within mortar between adjacent courses of bricks of a cavity brick wall, wherein said tie includes, at or in the vicinity of the junction of each end portion with said intermediate portion, at least one discontinuity on at least one side thereof, wherein said intermediate portion is of a substantially arcuate shape when viewed in cross-section, wherein each :0 said end portion is substantially planar in cross-section and includes a plurality of spaced-apart surface projections or corrugations extending laterally thereof S across the width thelof and along at least a part of the longitudinal dimension thereof, and wherein said at least one discontinuity is in the form of at least one notch at or in the vicinity of the junction of each of said end portions with S. said intermediate portion.

to o l o• o•'i 19112/IV97JS763.3A,3 s I I Ia eerdanec with tHh-prEfient -,ventlez, therefore, there is O-pViUte-afr-__ improved brick tie, said tie being in the form of a substantially elongat member having opposed end sections, of substantially the sa width dimension, and an interconnecting intermediate sec i having a width dimension less than each said end section ch said end section being adapted, in use, to be disposed w n mortar between adjacent courses of bricks of a cavity brick wherein said tie includes, at or in the vicinity of the junction of end section with said intermediate section, at least one discot uity on at least one side thereof and wherein said intermediate In order that the present invention may be more clearly understood and S put into practical effect there shall now be described in detail a preferred S. embodiment of a cavity brick tie in accordance with the invention. The ensuing description is given by way of non-limitative example only and is a reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cavity brick tie in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the arrangement of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the arrangement of Fig. 1; and 0:*20 Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a cavity brick wall having at least one brick tie in accordance with the present invention interposed therebetween.

As illustrated a cavity brick tie in accordance with the present invention, generally designated includes opposed, spaced-apart end portions and and a central portion interposed therebetween. The arrangement is such that, in use, the opposed end portions and are intended to be disposed within the motar located between adjacent courses of brick-work of opposed brick walls, as illustrated for example in Fig. 4.

Preferably the opposed end portions and will exhibit a corrugated or saw-tooth profile when viewed in side elevation, as for example in Fig. 1 a d Fig. 3. Such a shape enhances affixture of the tie within the mortar.

17/11/97VSAP7638.SPB,4 -L I More specifically, each end section, and of the tie includes a plurality of surface projections, corrugations or serrations extending substantially laterally thereof and over at least a part of the length dimension thereof. These **oo *$o e s

C.

to* U 1 17/11/97VSAP7638.SPB,5 bL d corrugations assist in "keying in" of the tie itself to the mortar.

In the pr, -red embodiment illustrated the central portion exhibits a substantially arcuate or semi-circular shape when viewed in cross-section. Such a shape serves to minimise the possibility of retention of moisture on or by that central portion which could ultimately lead to unwanted rusting and degradation thereof.

With particular reference now to Figs. 2 and 3, at or in the vicinity of the juncture of each end portion with the central portion there is provided, preferably on each side of the overall tie a discontinuity preferably in the form of a notch of any given shape.

4th, o In the especially preferred embodiment of Fig. 2 such a discontinuity (6) in each case takes the form of a substantially semi-circular notch or cut-out from the end portion This discontinuity serves to allow for flexure of the exposed portion of such a cavity tie in the instance of movement of the P'.fj adjacent walls without assisting or encouraging corresponding movement of S the end portions within their associated walls The end result is that, since the exposed portion of the overall cavity tie can flex to compensate for movement of the associated walls then no unwanted destruction of the mortar disposed within tnose walls (10) will be evident. The practical ramifications of such a result, in terms of maintenance of intogrity of erected brick walls, should be evident.

Preferably a brick tie in accordance with the present invention will be constructed from a metallic material. However, it should be realised that the actual material of construction is not of the essence of the invention and that materials other than metal may equally well be employed.

22/3195S7638.SPI6,5 L~ I rr I Finally it is to be understood that the aforegoing description refers merely to preferred embodiments of the invention, and that variations and modifications will be possible thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the ambit of which is to be determined from the following claims.

o* 0 22/3195GS7638.SPE,6 C I mah I Il

Claims (9)

1. An improved brick tie, said tie being in the form of a substantially elongate member having opposed end portions, of substantially the same width dimension, and an interconnecting intermediate portion having a width dimension less than that of each said end portion, each said end portion being adapted, in use, to be disposed within mortar between adjacent courses of bricks of a cavity brick wall, wherein said tie includes, at or in the vicinity of the junction of each end portion with said intermediate portion, at least one discontinuity on at least one side thereof, wherein said intermediate portion is of a substantially arcuate shape when viewed in cross-section, wherein each said end portion is substantially planar in cross-section and includes a plurality of spaced-apart surface projections or corrugations extending laterally thereof 0' across the width thereof and along at least a part of the longitudinal dimension thereof, and wherein said at least one discontinuity is in the form of at least *b one notch at or in the vicinity of the junction of each of said end portions with said intermediate portion.

2. The brick tie as claimed in Claim 1, including at least one discontinuity on each side of each end portion at or in the vicinity of the junction thereof with said intermediate portion. 0 f

3. The brick tie as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, constructed substantially of metal or a metallic alloy.

4. The brick tie as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein all free edges thereof are rounded.

An improved brick tie, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

6. A method of constructing a cavity brick structure, said method including: disposing a plurality of brick ties as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims within mortar courses of opposed first and second walls of a cavity brick structure. 19/1297JS7638.7,7 i i i i 8

7. A method of constructing a cavity brick structure, as claimed in Claim 6, substantially described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DATED this 22nd day of December, 1 997 ABEY AUSTRALIA PlY. LTD. By their Patent Attorneys: CALLINAN LAWRIE

9." ~9 9S 9~. S S 4. .9 6 9 .9 .6 S S 6S S 6 9* S d 94 9 *S *5 *6 9 19/12197iS7638.7,8 ABSTRACT A brick tie, for use in the construction of a cavity brick wall, including an elongate member having opposed end portions and and an intermediate portion the arrangement including at least one discontinuity preferably in the form of a slot, at or in the vicinity of the junction of each end portion and with the intermediate portion *t o i. S 22/3/950S7638.SPB,9 I I ss 8