GB2628814A

GB2628814A - Shuttering system

Info

Publication number: GB2628814A
Application number: GB2305096.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Holgate David; Cooper Joshua
Original assignee: Glasdon UK Ltd
Current assignee: Glasdon UK Ltd
Priority date: 2023-04-05
Filing date: 2023-04-05
Publication date: 2024-10-09
Also published as: GB202305096D0

Abstract

A shuttering system 9 comprises first and second planks 1, 1’, wherein one of the first plank and the second plank includes one or more male engagement members 2 including at least one sloped face and the other of the first plank and the second plank includes one or more corresponding female receiving elements 5 including a corresponding sloped face configured to engage one of the one or more male engagement members to reversibly engage the first and second planks. Also provided is a plank for a shuttering system, the plank comprising one or both of a male engagement member including at least one sloped face and a corresponding female receiving element configured to engage with the at least one sloped face of the male engagement member. A formwork comprising the shuttering system or plank is also described, as well as a method of forming a casting and the use of such apparatus or method in forming a casting.

Description

Shuttering System

Field of invention

The present disclosure relates to a shuttering system, a plank for a shuttering system, a formwork formed from said shuttering system or said plank, a method of forming a casting, as well as the use of the shuttering system, plank, or formwork. The present disclosure has particular, but not exclusive application, to shuttering systems, planks, and frameworks used in the manufacture of castings for the built environment, such as foundations, street furniture supports, grids, manholes covers and any other constructions which require a settable material, such as cement or concrete.

Background

Settable materials, such as concrete and cement, have been used in construction around the world for thousands of years, with the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome being over 2000 years old. Today, many billions of tonnes of cement are used each year around the world. Settable materials, such as cement and concrete, are particularly useful since they can be poured when liquid and allowed to harden over time. One difficulty which arises is due to the initial liquid state since it is necessary to support the liquid concrete or cement in the desired final shape whilst it hardens sufficiently to be able to hold its shape once the support is removed.

When pouring concrete or cement for the manufacture of built environment structures, shuttering or formwork is commonly used. The shuttering or formwork acts as a mould which retains liquid settable material in a desired shape until the material sets sufficiently to support its own weight in the desired shape. In the main, shuttering is formed from lengths of cheap wood, such as plywood, that are screwed or nailed together to form the desired shape of the formwork. Cement or concrete is then poured into the formwork formed of the shuttering and the cement or concrete is allowed to cure and harden. The formwork is then pulled off with a crowbar or by using a wooden wedge placed between an interior face of the shuttering and the cast structure leaving the hardened cement or concrete in the shape of the formwork. The formwork may include supports, such as metal rods driven into the ground in contact with an outside face of the shuttering to prevent bowing or deformation of the shuttering. Setting up formwork is time-consuming as it requires that the wooden pieces are connected together with nails or screws and it is also time consuming to dismantle the formwork for the same reason. In addition, the casting can be damaged when removing the formwork as, although the settable material, such as cement or concrete, may have hardened sufficiently to hold its form without support, it takes much longer to achieve its full strength.

For larger structures, reusable metal plates are used as shuttering in formwork and these are bolted together via outwardly directed flanges provided on the shuttering plates. The flanges of adjacent shuttering plates abut one another and are then supported by bolts via holes provided in the flanges. Even though bolts may be quicker and easier to install and remove than nails, there is still considerable time spent on the installation and removal of the shuttering. In addition, the metal plates are susceptible to environmental damage as well as damage from coming into contact with the cement, which can attack metals like aluminium. As such, the metal plates tend to be made from ferrous metals, which can be heavy and are susceptible to corrosion.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate one or more disadvantages of the current systems, whether identified herein or otherwise.

Summary of the invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a shuttering system comprising first and second planks, wherein one of the first plank and the second plank includes one or more male engagement members including at least one sloped face and the other of the first plank and the second plank includes one or more corresponding female receiving elements including a corresponding sloped face configured to engage one of the one or more male engagement members to reversibly engage the first and second planks.

The one or more male engagement members may be in the form of one or more tapered pegs. The one or more female receiving elements may include one or more tapered recesses which correspond to the one or more tapered pegs. In this way, the one or more tapered pegs may be received into corresponding tapered recesses to reversibly engage the first and second planks.

By providing male engagement members and complementary female receiving elements, optionally in the form of a tapered peg and a corresponding tapered recess, it is possible to rapidly connect planks of the shuttering system to form a formwork. No time-consuming nailing, screwing or bolting is required when setting up or when taking down the shuttering. In addition, the presence of the sloped face on one plank and corresponding sloped face on the other plank allows the two planks to be engaged with one another readily, which speeds up the setting up of the formwork. In addition, this also allows the planks to be fitted together when gloves are being used. Furthermore, the sloped faces allow the planks to be progressively tilted away from the casting once it is sufficiently set and hardened. This allows easier removal of the shuttering planks and reduces the risk of damage to the casting which has not yet reached maximum strength.

The first and second planks are elongate. The first and second planks have a longitudinal axis. The longitudinal axis extends along the length of the planks. The one or more male engagement members may be elongate and extend in the same direction as the longitudinal axis. The one or more female receiving elements may be elongate and extend in the same direction as the longitudinal axis.

At least one of the one or more male engagement members may include a second sloped face. The second sloped face may be located opposite the at least one sloped face. At least one of the one or more female receiving elements may include a corresponding second sloped faced. By having two sloped faces, it is easier and quicker to engage two planks together and any misalignment is accommodated as the planks can be deflected into engagement by the corresponding sloped faces.

The first and second planks have an upper face and an opposing lower face. The upper face and/or the opposing lower face includes at least one portion which is stepped up or stepped down from the upper face or the opposing lower face. In other words, the upper and/or opposing lower face define respective planes, and the upper and/or opposing lower faces include portions which are stepped apart from the plane such that they extend above or below the plane of the respective face. Preferably the distance by which one portion is stepped apart from the plane is the same whether it is stepped up or stepped down such that when the two portions are brought into engagement, they fit together to provide an area which is the same depth as the rest of the planks. In this way, it is possible to engage corresponding planks to form a continuous and level layer within a formwork.

A stepped down portion of a plank may include a male engagement member or a female receiving element. A stepped up portion of a plank may include a female receiving element or a male engagement member. It will be appreciated that the exact configuration of male and female elements can be selected such that the planks are able to be engaged with one another by coupling such elements together.

The stepped up and/or stepped down portions may be located at at least one end of the first or second planks. The planks may include any number of stepped up or stepped down portions along the length of the planks.

The upper face of a plank may include one or more male engagement members and/or one or more female receiving elements. The lower face of a plank may include one or more male engagement members and/or one or more female receiving elements. By providing male engagement members and corresponding female receiving members along the top and/or bottom faces of the planks, when the planks are placed on top of one another in a formwork, the male and females elements engage with one another. In this way, the connection between planks is strengthened, which serves to resist bowing of the planks due to the weight of the settable material pushing outwards. In cases where a plank is not connected to the plank above, the weight of settable material may deform a plank causing it to bow outwards. Linking planks together decreases the flexibility of the formwork formed from the planks and can thereby avoid or reduce the need for external supports to be provided.

At least one of the one or more of the male engagement members may be in the form of a tapered peg. The tapered peg may be in the shape of a truncated cone. The tapered peg has a larger diameter at the base (proximal to the plank) compared to the top (distal to the plank). In cross section, a tapered peg in the shape of a truncated cone will have a trapezoidal shape with front and rear sloped faces, albeit the faces being part of a single continuous face.

The peg may have a linear taper in the direction from the base to the top. The peg may have a non-linear or a curved taper in the direction from the base to the top. The peg may have a non-tapered section at the base leading to a tapered section. The taper may be continuous, that is the angle of the taper or the radius of the curve of the taper is the same along the entirety of the tapered section of the peg, or may be non-continuous, that is the angle of the taper or the radius of the curve of the taper alters along the tapered section of the peg.

The female receiving element may be in the shape of a corresponding tapered recess.

The shape of the recess configured to receive the tapered peg complements the shape of the peg, and so the internal shape of the recess corresponds to the external shape of the peg.

The tapered peg and/or tapered recess may be located at one or both ends of the first and/or second plank. For example, a plank may include a tapered peg at one end or at both ends. A plank may include a tapered recess at one end or at both ends. A plank may include a peg at one end and a recess at the other end.

A plank may include a plurality of tapered pegs and/or tapered recesses spaced therealong. By having a plurality of tapered pegs and/or tapered recesses, it is possible to adjust the size of the formwork formed from the shuttering system by engaging the desired tapered peg/recess on the plank. The first and/or second planks may include reversibly removable caps for the one or more tapered pegs, or indeed for the one or more male engagement members or female receiving elemnts. The reversibly removal caps are configured to prevent any settable materials, such as cement or concrete from spilling out before it has cured and hardened. A reversibly removable plug may be provided for the one or more tapered recesses or female receiving elements in order to prevent foreign material entering the recess and thereby preventing a proper connection between the male and female elements, such as a recess and a peg.

The one or more male engagement members and the one or more female receiving elements, such as the tapered pegs and the one or more tapered recesses, may be spaced apart from an end of the first and/or second plank such that when the first and second planks are engaged, there is an overhang. The planks may be configured to form a right angle connection, or indeed any other desired angle, and the ends of adjacent planks may overlap such that there is an overhang which can be used to assist with removal of the shuttering planks if required. The overhang thereby provides a lip onto which a tool can be engaged to apply force to the planks to separate them.

The overhang does not necessarily have to extend beyond a perimeter of a formwork, but instead could be inboard of a perimeter of a formwork. In such cases, the overhang is provided by a portion of one of the planks being recessed to provide a cutout when the planks are formed into a formwork which allows a tool, such as a crowbar, a pry bar or a hammer to be inserted and separate planks from one another and/or the casting.

The one or more male engagement members, such as the tapered pegs, may be integral with the first and/or second plank. By forming the one or more male engagement members integrally, they cannot be misplaced and can be manufactured readily. Alternatively, the one or more male engagement members may be separately formed from the planks. In such a case, they may be attached to the planks by any suitable means, such as via fixings like a nail, screw or rivet, or could be attached via interlocking feature on the member and the plank.

The first and/or second planks may be formed from plastic, wood, or metal. Preferably, the planks are formed of recycled plastic. Plastic is resistant to corrosion and rotting, which can affect metal and wooden shuttering planks. Plastic is resistant to the corrosive chemicals used in cement and concrete. Furthermore, plastic does not splinter like wood or become delaminated like plywood, which is commonly used in shuttering.

According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a plank comprising one or both of a male engagement member including at least one sloped face and a corresponding female receiving element configured to engage with the at least one sloped face of the male engagement member. The male engagement member may comprise a tapered page. The female receiving element may be a tapered recess configured to receive a tapered peg.

The plank may be configured to have an overhang when engaged with a corresponding plank in order to provide a surface to which force may be applied to separate the planks. The planks may be separated from one another in this way, and/or from any casting in this way.

There may be provided a kit of parts comprising complementary planks according to the second aspect of the present disclosure. The kit of parts can then be formed into a formwork.

According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a formwork formed from the shuttering system according to the first aspect of the present disclosure or plank or kit of parts according to the second aspect of the present disclosure.

According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of forming a casting including the steps of: forming a formwork comprising the shuttering system according to the first aspect of the present disclosure in the desired shape of the casting, providing a settable material into the formwork, allowing the settable material to at least partially set, and removing the formwork by pivoting the planks away from the at least partially set settable material.

Due to the presence of the sloped face. it is possible to readily remove the formwork from the casting when the settable material has set sufficiently to be able to hold its shape when the formwork is removed.

According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided the use of a shuttering system, plank, kit of parts, or formwork according to the first to fourth aspects of the present disclosure in forming a casting. The casting may be a manhole cover surround, an access opening surround in a pavement or road, a foundation, a ducting chamber, a support system for street furniture, a grid or manhole surround or a reinforcement structure.

It will be appreciated that any features of any aspect of the present disclosure may be combined with features described in respect of any other aspect of the present disclosure unless technically incompatible and all such combinations are expressly considered and disclosed.

Brief Description of Figures

Aspects of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which: Figures la to c schematically depict a plank according to one aspect of the present disclosure; Figures 2a to 2c schematically depict another plank according to one aspect of the present disclosure; -Figures 3a and b depict planks engaged on top of one another; - Figure 4 depicts a cross-section through two planks as they are being connected/disconnected; and Figures 5a to b depict an exploded view of a formwork as well as a completed formwork.

The features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings and graphs.

Detailed Description

Figure la depicts a plank 1 in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. The plank 1 includes a plurality of male engagement members 2 positioned on an upper face 3 of the plank 1. Whilst there are three male engagement members 2 depicted, it will be appreciated that some embodiments may include more or fewer of such members and the present disclosure is not particularly limited by the exact number of such members. Indeed, in some embodiments, no male engagement members on the upper face 3 are provided, other than at the stepped down portions 4, 4'. The upper face 3 of plank 1 defines a plane depicted by the dashed lines A-A. The plank 1 includes two stepped down portions 4 and 4'. Stepped down portions 4 and 4' are at the two ends of the plank 1, although in some embodiments, there may be stepped down portions at other places along the plank 1. Such other stepped down portions may be positioned at regular intervals along the plank 1. These other stepped down portions allow different sizes of formwork to be formed from a single plank 1.

Shown in dashed lines are female receiving elements 5. It will be appreciated that the female receiving elements 5 could be provided in the upper face 3 and corresponding male engaging members provided on the lower face 6. It will also be appreciated that in some embodiments, only the male engagement members 2 located in the stepped down portions 4, 4' of the plank 1 are provided. Figure lb depicts a perspective view of the plank 1 according to Figure la. Figure lc depicts a top view of the plank 1 according to Figure la and lb. Figures 2a to 2c are similar to Figures la to lc, albeit with stepped up portions 7, 7' stepped up from the lower face 6 of the plank 1. Similar to Figure 1, the lower face 6 defines a plane B-B and there is a portion of the plank which is stepped up from this plane. As depicted the stepped up portions include female receiving elements 5 in the form of tapered recesses. In use, corresponding male engagement members are received in the tapered recesses to engage the two planks together. The plank 1 also includes female receiving elements 5 provided in the lower face 6, although in other embodiments, male engagement members could be provided in addition or alternatively to the female receiving elements 5. It will be appreciated that the planks depicted in the figures may be rotated by 180° such that the respective stepped up and stepped down portions are facing downwardly or upwardly, but the important feature is that there are portions which are stepped apart from a respective top or bottom surface to allow planks to engage with one another.

Figures 3a depicts a cross-section of two planks 1, 1' in engagement. In particular, plank 1' is engaged with plank 1. The male engagement member 2 of plank 1, which in the depicted embodiment is a tapered peg, is engaged with a corresponding female receiving element 5, which is in the form of a tapered recess. The depicted engagement shows the planks 1, 1' engaged at right angles to one another and including an overhang 8. The overhang 8 allows a tool to be used to separate the two planks 1, 1' from one another and from a casting. In the depicted embodiment, the male engagement members are provided on the upper plank 1 and the female receiving elements are provided on the lower plank 1'. It will be appreciated that the reverse configuration is possible, whereby the lower plank 1' includes the male engagement member and the upper plank 1 includes the female receiving member.

Figure 3b depicts a plurality of slats 1, stacked on top of one another. As depicted, the male engagement members and the female receiving elements of adjacent planks engage with one another to provide a formwork which is resistant to bowing.

Figure 4 depicts two planks 1, 1' being separated from one another. The male engagement member 2 of the lower plank 1 has a sloped face 9 as well as an opposing sloped face 10, although the opposing sloped face 10 is optional. As depicted the male engagement member 2 is formed separately from the plank and attached via a screw. It will be appreciated that the present disclosure is not limited to separately formed male engagement members attached via a screw.

Figures 5a and 5b depicts a formwork formed from planks 1, 1' which have been engaged together. As depicted, the planks 1, 1' are linear, but it will be appreciated that in embodiments, the planks can be curved or include angles, such as right angles in order to form different shapes. Furthermore, there may be stepped up or stepped down sections along the length of the planks to allow different sized formworks to be provided.

In use, planks are connected together by way of the corresponding male and female engagement members/receiving elements, which include at least one sloped surface to allow the planks to be fitted together readily and also to allow the planks to be separated from one another easily. Once the formwork has been created from the planks, a settable material, such as cement or concrete is added and allowed to set. Once the settable material has set sufficiently that it can support its own weight without the formwork, the formwork may be removed and reused.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A shuttering system comprising first and second planks, wherein one of the first plank and the second plank includes one or more male engagement members including at least one sloped face and the other of the first plank and the second plank includes one or more corresponding female receiving elements including a corresponding sloped face configured to engage one of the one or more male engagement members to reversibly engage the first and second planks.
2. The shuttering system according to claim 1, the first and second planks have a longitudinal axis, wherein the one or more male engagement members and/or one or more female receiving element are elongate and optionally extend in the same direction as the longitudinal axis.
3. The shuttering system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a least one of the one or more male engagement members includes a second sloped face, preferably opposing the at least one sloped face.
4. The shuttering system according to any preceding claim, the first and second planks having an upper face and an opposing lower face, wherein the upper face or the opposing lower face includes at least one portion which is stepped up or stepped down from the upper face or the opposing lower face, preferably wherein the stepped down portion includes one or more male engagement members and/or wherein the stepped up portion includes one or more female receiving element.
5. The shuttering system according to claim 4, wherein the stepped up and/or stepped down portions are located at at least one end of the first and/or second planks.
6. The shuttering system according to any preceding claim, the first and second planks having an upper face and an opposing lower face, wherein the upper face includes one or more male engagement members and/or one or more female receiving elements.
7. The shuttering system according to any preceding claim, the first and second planks having an upper face and an opposing lower face, wherein the lower face includes one or more male engagement members and/or one or more female receiving elements.
8. The shuttering system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more male engagement members is in the form of a tapered peg, optionally, wherein the tapered peg is the shape of a truncated cone, and/or wherein at least one of the one or more female receiving element is in the form of a tapered hole configured to receive a tapered peg.
9. The shuttering system according to claim 8, wherein the tapered peg and/or tapered recess are located at one or both ends of the first and/or second plank.
10. The shuttering system according to any preceding claim, wherein there is a plurality of tapered pegs and/or tapered recesses spaced along the first and/or second plank.
11. The shuttering system according to claim 10, wherein the first and/or second plank includes reversibly removable caps for the one or more tapered pegs.
12. The shuttering system according to any of claims 8 to 11, wherein the one or more tapered pegs and the one or more tapered recesses are spaced apart from an end of the first and/or second plank such that when the first and second planks are engaged, there is an overhang.
13. The shuttering system according to any preceding claim, wherein the one or more male engagement members is integral with the first and/or second plank, or wherein the one or more male engagement members is separately formed from the first and/or second plank.
14. The shuttering system according to any preceding claim, wherein the one or more male engagement members and/or female receiving elements has a linear or nonlinear slope or taper.
15. The shuttering system according to any preceding claim, wherein the planks are formed from plastic, wood, or metal.
16. A plank for a shuttering system, the plank comprising one or both of a male engagement member including at least one sloped face and a corresponding female receiving element configured to engage with the at least one sloped face of the male engagement member.
17. The plank according to claim 16, wherein the plank is configured to have an overhang when engaged with a corresponding plank in order to provide a surface to which force may be applied to separate the planks.
18. A formwork formed from the shuttering system according to any of claims 1 to 15, or a plank according to claim 16 or claim 17.
19. A method of forming a casting including the steps of forming a formwork comprising the shuttering system according to claims 1 to 15 in the desired shape of the casting, providing a settable material into the formwork, allowing the settable material to at least partially set, and removing the formwork by pivoting the planks away from the at least partially set settable material.
20. The use of the shuttering system, plank or formwork according to claims 1 to 18 in forming a casting.
21. The use according to claim 20, wherein the casting is a manhole cover surround, an access opening surround in a pavement or road, a foundation, a ducting chamber, a support system for street furniture, a grid or manhole surround or a reinforcement structure.