Building apparatus with improvement

Abstract

This invention relates to a building system, primarily for coastal defense structures, but adaptable to various types of construction. The system uses pre-cast units equipped with slots or apertures, allowing them to be assembled onto elongate rods, creating a stable structure resistant to earth and water pressure. The units are further secured using "keystone" elements and may be filled with concrete to enhance stability. This approach is faster, cheaper, and less complex than traditional methods, such as pouring concrete or assembling blocks with pins. The arrangement of units can be optimized for greater stability, and a scaled-down version of the system can be used as a children's toy.

Description

Building apparatus and method

[0001] This invention relates to building apparatus, particularly but not exclusively to building apparatus for use in the construction industry.

[0002] Although the following description refers almost exclusively to building apparatus for use in the construction of sea and river defenses, it will be understood by persons skilled in the art that the building apparatus according to the present invention can be used in many different constructions, such as retaining walls, marine harbors construction, jetty construction, bridge foundations, land reclamation and / or the like. In addition, a scaled down version of the building apparatus can be used to form the elements of a child’s toy.

[0003] There is becoming an increasing public awareness of environmental issues such as global warming. It is believed that the pole glaciers are melting and sea levels are rising and will continue to rise in the future, claiming many coastal land areas and eroding coastal environments. It is therefore important to provide sea defenses to combat rising water levels and prevent flooding during periods of bad weather.

[0004] Conventional forms of sea defence structures include stone laying or concrete pouring in areas vulnerable to flooding or erosion. However, it is difficult to arrange stones in such as way that they form a stable structure and do not let water pass through the same. Problems are associated with pouring concrete onto areas vulnerable to flooding or which are already under water and include transporting the equipment required to make and pour the cement, difficulties associated with cement setting in water to form a stable structure, cost, time required to form adequate defenses and difficulties of molding the cement on site into a desired shape.

[0005] A further example of a known sea defense system is the provision of pre-cast blocks / units which can be arranged together to form a wall construction. These blocks have apertures provided therein and short pins made of fiberglass or metal. Blocks are typically joined together by lowering one block onto another block such that the short pin on one of the blocks locates in the aperture of the other block. This product is complicated and time consuming to assemble due the accuracy of the alignment required for a short pin to locate with a small aperture. This is undesirable, particularly if some of the construction is to take place in or under water. In addition, a single pin is in communication with a single block only and so stability of a construction using these blocks relies on a large number of blocks being used. US-A-4, 651 ,485 discloses an interlocking building block system according to the preamble of appended claim 1.0006] An aim of the present invention is to provide building apparatus which can be used to form constructions both quickly and easily and which is inexpensive to manufacture.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided building apparatus according to appended claim 1.

[0008] Preferably the at least one location member is an elongate rod.

[0009] Preferably the top and base surfaces of each pre-cast unit are planar so that the units can be stacked on top of each other.

[0010] Thus the present invention has the advantage over the prior art in that a plurality of pre-cast units is in contact with any one common elongate rod, thereby creating a more stable structure resistant to earth and fluid pressure.

[0011] The at least one elongate rod is secured in a surface on which the construction is to be built in a predetermined position prior to location of the pre-cast units therewith.

[0012] In one embodiment the location member is secured in the surface at the site on which the construction is to be built. In an alternative embodiment the location member is supported in a pre-determined position, at least in part, by the units locating with the same.

[0013] Preferably the at least one portion of the precast unit is a slot.

[0014] In one embodiment the at least one portion of the pre-cast unit which locates with the location member is an aperture through which the location member passes.

[0015] In one embodiment the precast unit is provided with a single aperture or slot. In an alternative embodiment the pre-cast unit is provided with two or more slots or apertures to locate with two or more location members. In this latter embodiment the slots can be provided on the same side and / or end of the unit.Alternatively, the slots can be provided on opposite sides and / or ends of the unit.

[0016] Once a pre-cast unit has been located with a location member, securing means are provided to further maintain the units in communication with the location member. The securing means are "key stones" which are placed in any remaining gap of the slot or aperture when the unit is located with the location member. The keystones prevent and / or limit unilateral movement. Adhesive means such as concrete can be used to fill any remaining gaps.

[0017] Preferably a series of pre-cast units are placed one on top of the other in either an aligned or non-aligned, overlapping arrangement to form a construction. In either of these arrangements a common location member locates with a stack comprising a plurality of pre-cast units.

[0018] Preferably the slot of a pre-cast unit is placed in an off-set relationship with the units above and below the same, thereby increasing the stability of the construction. The units can be arranged in layers and can be arranged in a jigsaw interlocking type configuration.

[0019] In one embodiment the pre-cast units have interlocking portions on end or side walls which when placed side by side, end to end or side to end with complementary portions of a similar unit interlock, thereby further increasing the stability of the construction.Improvement details to patent EP1328690Application descriptionThe below listed design Improvements, were added to prior patent at a later date and to specifically enhance the performance of the W block and the Square precast designs.The object of these improvements, is simply to accommodate various needed construction applications that the original designs could not meet or provide.The Information provided in this application is each improvement has an identification number ,the reasons as to why these improvements were made, and finally their functions in the construction applications.Further information is also provided as to why the original design did not offer such improvements.All Improvements shown In Fig 6U and 6V, and Fig 9A,9B, 9C,9d,9E, Fig 10A ,10B, can either be considered as new inventions or alternatively, can be considered as improvement to the original designs in prior patent.Improvement No (1)Fig 6U and 6V, and fig 9A, 9B , show a radius shape design change (534b) and (528b) These radii changes were made to the ends and sides of the original W and the square blocks designs.Such improvements are aimed to provide the W block precast, the flexibility to form larger structure radiuses, ie a curvature shape structure during the construction of retaining walls.Curvature wall structures, not only offers extra structural strength to the precast wall structure against turn over forces, they also achieve larger angle of direction change if required.Original chamfers designs numbered (528, 534), shown on Fig 6E and 6C, offered limited radius or curvature options thus restricted changes of structure directions requirements.Photo on page in Fig 8, shows a curved W design retaining wall structureImprovement No (2): -Fig 61) and 6V page 11, shows improvement number 01 a.This improvement consists of adding a lifting hole to the W block precast unit design.This lifting hole is uniformly situated at the centre of the W precast unit design.The main objective of this improvement, is to provide a unique mechanical lifting option for machines and robotic handling, this lifting hole is specifically design for the W and Square shape precast unites, making automated construction of retaining wall structures possible and faster in case emergences such as, floods, sea defence and landslides .Previous W block design shown in fig page 6Eand 6C, did not have this lifting hole options and consequently resulted in using dangerous man lifting or Graber machine.Example of such automated lifting is shown in the U tube link below htps: / / www.voutube.co / watch?y:sHckK8ksuNecM-95sImprovement No (3)Fig 6U and 6V page 11 and Fig 9A ,9B, shows improvement 02aThis improvement consists of adding a U shape design steel bar to the original W and Sq precast unites.The objective of this added improvement, was to provide a reinforcement to the weakest stress points that is located at the top of the slots, in both the W and the Square precast unites.Such improvement prevented both precast units from fracturing during the construction of retaining walls and add extra strength to withstand heavy loads.Previous W and Square block designs as shown in fig 6C and 6E, did not have this U shape steel bar reinforcement, thus resulted in the fractures of the w block during construction.Please see Fig 9d, photo showing example of w block Fracture point.Improvement No (4)Fig 9C, shows a new version of W block design incorporating square shape slots 530a 530 and a new a bely shape pod 536 and a female horizontal cavity (535)Beside on prior patent overlapping and interlocking properties, this improvement provided additional longitudinal interlocking option that previous block design did not have. The mail pod shape (535) fits inside the female cavity (536) ,in order to provide extra internal water tight selling barrier between precast units of flood walls and water tanks.The square shape slots and cavities, were added to accommodate extra filling and new square shape piles.(5) New Zee block designFig 10 A and B, Shows a drawings of the new Zee block design with slots (530) .Fig 11, shows a drawing of plain type Zee block without slots (530) .This Zee block is a newly introduced invention of precast unit design that is mainly used for the construction of both horizonal and vertical structures either individually or integrated together.The plain type Zee block In Fig 11, can interlocks and overlap with the slotted Zee precast unit as shown figl4, such option will enable both ground base foundation and vertical walls structures to integrate together with the help of rod (115) for vertical embankment wall structures.Fig 14, shows a drawing of an integrated horizontal and vertical structures that is secured by a rod or pile (115) . Such a rod or pile, is normally applied through the slots (530) Fig 10A,10B, for penetrating either deep in the ground or deep in to embankments during the construction.Further securing means in the form of internally threaded fixing plate (4) fig 14, is fitted to the end of rod 115, in order to secure the vertical structures to embankment preventing turnover in case of applied loads embankments loads in case of land slide stabilisation .Example of such construction applications are, land slide embankment walls, Swimming pools, Pounds, Artificial lakes, Storage tanks, Canals, Waterways and Stepped terrasses.(6) New four chamfers precast unitFig 16, shows the Introduction of the new 4 chamfer sided precast unit.Such a precast unit will Interlocks at 360 degrees when the construction of top precast unit (1) surface, is turned over upside down to meet bottom identical precast unit (2) surface , during the construction of ground base or retaining wall structures.(7) New tow cha fer precast unitFig 17 shows the introduction of two chamfer sided precast unit, such unit will interlock at 180 degrees when top surface (6) is turned upside down to meet or interlock with identical 2 chamfer sided unit, during the construction of ground base or retaining wall structures.

Claims

Claims l-Prier art to previous patent, building apparatus, said apparatus including a plurality of pre-cast building units(102,104 ) fig 2 page 9, and at least one location member (110) fig 2 page 9, the pre-cast building units having at least one location portion (101,104,108)fig 2 page 10 and wherein the pre-cast building units locate with at least one common location member to form a construction, wherein securing means (112) are provided to secure at least one said pre-cast unit to the location member once said pre-cast unit has been located with said location member, and wherein the location portion is in the form of a slot and / or recess in a side the pre-cast unit, characterised in that the securing means is a key stone (112) fig 2 Page 19 which is shaped for location in said slot (104) and / or recess between said location member (110) and the opening of said slot and / or recess on said side wall.

2. Prior art to previous existing patent, building apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the location member is an elongate rod (110) fig , and (115) fig 14 page .

3. Prior art to previous patent of building apparatus, according to claim 2 wherein the at least one elongate rod (110) fig 2 ,115 fig 14 is supported in a predetermined position by one or more pre-cast units,4- Prior art of previous existing patent, building apparatus according to claim 1, at least one precast unit overlaps and interlocks with another identical precast unit, horizontally with the help of female cavity (535) and mail pod shape (536), Fig (9C), to unable the construction of a retaining wall structure to withstand water seepage.5-Prior art to previous existing patent principle, building apparatus, said apparatus includes a plurality of pre-cast building units (5) (6) fig 14 , with at least one rod location member (115), fig 14 „ that will be used through slots (530) Fig 10 A ,and wherein at least one common location member to interlocks and overlaps together during the construction of vertical and horizontal either integrated or individual structures.6-Prior art to previous patent wherein an extra fixing plates (4) fig 14 , are fitted to the end of elongated rods (115) , to provide a locking meanes for the said pre-cast units and preventing vertical structures from turnover during the construction of embankments vertical retaining walls when or applied loads.7-Four-sided chamfer precast unit (1) or (2) fig 15, whereby the said precast unit interlocking at 360 degrees with identical precast unit ,to form a solid wall and solid ground base structures.8-Two-sided chamfers precast unit (6) or (8) fig 16, where by the said precast unit overlaps and interlocks at 180 degrees and overlap with identical precast unit ,to form a solid wall or solid ground base structures .

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