AU2004240171A1 - Stake - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION NAME OF APPLICANT(S):: Ian Dennis Hammond AND Gary John Hammond ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys Level 10, 10 Barrack Street,Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 2000 INVENTION TITLE: Stake The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5102 P:\WPDOCS\LNM\Sp\I2507071 AU ompIeA.dc-I6/I2/04 1-

STAKE

Field of the invention The present invention relates generally to stakes which are fastenable via nails or I screws and the like, to concreting formwork boards.

Background to the invention Concrete is generally poured into formwork to provide a mould while the concrete sets. The formwork is generally attached to and held in place by stakes driven into the ground. The formwork may be removed and re-used or, if in an inaccessible location, be left in place indefinitely.

When re-used, the stakes holding the boards have usually only limited life because they are generally made from wood and quickly mushroom at their ends from being repeatedly driven into the ground, and from being struck for driving.

The present invention seeks to ameliorate one or more of the above-mentioned disadvantages.

Summary of the invention According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a stake suitable for use in construction of concreting formwork, the stake including: an elongated main body, the main body having a piercing end, the piercing end being constructed of a material harder than the main body such that the piercing end facilitates the driving into ground of the stake, and the main body facilitates the attachment of fasteners such as nails and screws for connecting the main body to connecting formwork boards.

P:\WPDOCS\LNM\Spc\12507071 AU completedc-16/12/04 S-2- According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a reinforcing means suitable for use with a concreting formwork stake, the stake having a piercing end, the reinforcing means including a generally cone-shaped piercing member, the piercing member further including a hollow cavity for receiving a preferably complementarilyshaped piercing end, the piercing member fitting over the piercing end of the stake until the piercing end mates with an interior surface or surfaces of the hollow cavity.

The main body may take any suitable form and be constructed from suitable material such as plastic, however in a preferred embodiment the main body is square in cross-section, and constructed from wood, these preferred features of cross-sectional material improving the attachability by nails and screws into formwork boards.

The piercing end may be fabricated from a plurality of parts, or be integral with the main body. It may be that the main body and piercing end may be made from a single plastic moulding, wherein the piercing end has a different density from the main body. In a preferred form, however, a piercing member is provided, operatively connected to the piercing end, which makes for simple assembly from inexpensive readily-accessible materials. Tools for effecting the assembly may be a simple jig.

Preferably the piercing member is generally cone-shaped, and/or tapered to aid piercing, the piercing member having a hollow cavity for receiving a preferably complementarily-shaped piercing end, the piercing member fitting over the piercing end of the stake until the piercing end mates with an interior surface or surfaces of the hollow cavity.

Preferably the piercing end is integral with the main body and is a tapering down thereof, so that the hollow-cavity can take the form of a female cone-shaped cavity. The piercing member is in a preferred form, a cone having a wall of constant thickness defining a similarly cone-shaped interior cavity.

P:\WPDOCS\LNM\Spc\l 2507071 AU omplemdxc16/12104 cK, -3- SPreferably the piercing member is constructed from steel.

Preferably the main body includes a bolstered driven end. The bolstered end may be fabricated or integral with the main body, in a similar manner to the piercing end.

In one form, the bolstered end includes a brace, in the form of a band of steel formed around the driven end, to stop "mushrooming" of the driven end, to extend the life C of the driven end.

Preferably the band is a length of square hollow section (SHS) which fits over the driven end of the main body. In one embodiment the main body is provided with a shoulder by building onto one or more external faces of the main body or, preferably, by reducing one or more faces, in order to provide an integral shoulder against which to abut the SHS which has been slipped over the driven end.

Preferably the stake is adapted, generally at the driven end, to be driven by a compressed-air picket post driver, to provide easier and faster piercing of stakes into ground, than would be provided with a hammer.

Description of a preferred embodiment In order to enable a clearer understanding of the invention, a drawing illustrating an example embodiment is attached, and in that drawing: Figure 1 is an isometric view of a stake according to a preferred embodiment of one aspect of the present invention, the Figure also showing a reinforcing element according to a preferred embodiment of another aspect of the present invention.

Referring to the drawing there is shown a stake generally indicated at 10, the stake having an elongated main body 12. The main body 12 has a piercing end 14 and a P:\WPDOCS\LNM\Spe\I2507071 AU omplete.doe-16/12/04 S-4- Sdriven end 16. The piercing end 14 is tapered down from the main body 12 to form a cone shape 18. The main body 12 is constructed from wood, so that the stake may be easily pierced by fasteners such as nails or screws (not shown). The main body 12 is square in cross-section, for the same reason ease of piercing by nails and screws, or ease of adhering surfaces by glue.

The piercing end 14 includes a piercing member 20 operatively connected to the N, piercing end 14. The piercing member 20 is in the form of a steel pressing 22. The pressing 22 is constructed from a sheet of steel which, when pressed or otherwise formed, provides a hollow cavity having a complementary shape to that of the piercing end 14 which in this embodiment is coned and tapered. The piercing member 20 fits over the piercing end 14 until the piercing end abuts with an interior surface or surfaces of the hollow cavity.

The driven end 16 is bolstered by a bolster 26 to prevent mushrooming of the driven end 24. The bolster 26 is in the form of a brace 28 in the form of a band of steel The band of steel 30 is in the form of a length of square hollow section (SHS) 32.

The SHS 32 is slipped or forced over the driven end 16 until it abuts a shoulder 34 formed in the main body 12 by shaving or machining down the driven end 24 of the main body 12.

In operation, the stake is driven into the ground, piercing end 14 first, the driving force being provided by a compressed-air picket post driver (not shown) or by a simple hammer or like device. Advantageously the piercing end 14 and piercing member 20 assist piercing of the ground by being of harder material than the main body 12. The bolstered driven end 24 assists in extending life of the stake 10 by reducing mushrooming tendencies. The reinforced piercing end 14 assists also in extending the life of the stake P:\WPDOCS\LNM\Spm\I2507071 AU .npktdoc-1611204 SThe stake 10 may be fastened to formwork boards in the usual known manner, by nailing or screwing anywhere along the length of the main body because the main body 12 is constructed from material which is softer than that of the piercing member 20. If required, adhesive may also be used between a side wall of the main body 12 and formwork in order to strengthen the fasteners' hold on the formwork.

Finally, it is to be understood that the various alterations, modifications and/or C additions may be incorporated into the various constructions and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention.

Claims (15)

1. A stake suitable for use in construction of concreting formwork, the stake including: an elongated main body, the main body having a piercing end, the piercing end being constructed of a material harder than the main body such that the piercing end facilitates the driving into ground of the stake, and the main body facilitates the attachment of fasteners such as nails and screws for connecting the main body to Sconnecting formwork boards.

2. A stake according to claim 1 wherein the stake is constructed from an integral member of suitable plastic having differing densities between the main body and the piercing end.

3. A stake according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the stake is constructed from an integral member of suitable plastic having differing densities between the main body and the driven end.

4. A stake according to any previous claim wherein the main body is square in cross- section, so that attachability by piercing fasteners such as for example nails and screws through the main body and into formwork boards is facilitated, as well as providing a flat surface area for facilitation of additional adhesion by glues, if required. A stake according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the main body is constructed from suitable timber or manufactured wood products, to facilitate piercing by fasteners such as for example nails and screws.

6. A stake according to any one of claims 1, 4 or 5 wherein the piercing end is fabricated from a plurality of parts so that inexpensive tooling and materials is utilised.

7. A stake according to any previous claim wherein a piercing member is provided, operatively connected to the piercing end for simplicity of assembly using jigs. P:\WPDOCS\LNM\Sp.\I2507071 AU compleW.doc-1612/04 -7-

8. A stake according to claim 7 wherein the piercing end is cone-shaped or tapered to aid piercing, the piercing member having a corresponding hollow cavity for receiving the piercing end. N 9. A stake according to claim 7 or 8 wherein the piercing member is generally cone- shaped and has a wall of constant thickness defining a similarly cone-shaped hollow C cavity.

10. A stake according to any one of claims 7 9 wherein the piercing member is constructed from a formed mild steel plate for increased hardness and durability relative to the main body.

11. A stake according to any previous claim wherein the main body includes a bolstered driven end.

12. A stake according to claim 11 wherein the bolstered end is fabricated or integral with the main body, in a similar manner to the piercing end.

13. A stake according to claim 11 or 12 wherein the bolstered end includes a brace, in the form of a band of steel formed around the driven end, to inhibit "mushrooming" of the driven end.

14. A stake according to any one of claims 11 13 wherein the band is a selected length of square hollow section (SHS) which fits over or is forced over the driven end of the main body. A stake according to any one of claims 13 or 14 wherein the main body is provided with one or more shoulders in order to provide one or more faces against which to abut the brace. P:\WPDOCS\LNM\Spec\I2507071 AU complae.doc-16/1204 -8- U S16. A stake according to any previous claim wherein the stake is adapted, generally at the driven end, to be driven by a compressed-air picket post driver, to provide easier and faster piercing of stakes into ground, than would be provided with a hammer.

17. A reinforcing means suitable for use with a concreting formwork stake, the stake N having a piercing end, the reinforcing means including a generally cone-shaped piercing member, the piercing member further including a hollow cavity for receiving a CN preferably complementarily-shaped piercing end, the piercing member fitting over the piercing end of the stake until the piercing end mates with an interior surface or surfaces of the hollow cavity.

18. A reinforcing means in accordance with claim 18 which includes a bolster at a driven end to inhibit mushrooming of the main body, the bolster in the form of a band of steel to retain the driven end.

19. A stake substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the attached drawing. A reinforcing means substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the attached drawing. DATED this 18 th day of December, 2004 GARY JOHN HAMMOND AND IAN DENNIS HAMMOND By their Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE