The invention to which this application relates is an apparatus for the use of bracing a structure and a method of use thereof and, in particular, a bracing apparatus for temporarily bracing a wall structure.

The collapse of walls in the construction industry is a well-documented issue. Walls have a small base relative to the erected surface area and are supported by adjacent perpendicular walls and a roof framework. However, during construction walls are free-standing and only resist the force of winds through a combination of the adhesion of mortar between the base of the wall and a foundation level, and the inertia of the wall. For large walls even a relatively small wind force applied is enough to overcome these forces and collapse the wall.

Typically, construction workers assemble basic lean-to support structures, often with spare or waste construction materials to brace walls under construction. This often results in loss of the material used for these braces and can be time-consuming to construct. Furthermore, said constructed braces are often flimsy and susceptible to collapse due to a lack of retaining means, and fail to meet safety standards.

It is known to provide wall bracing assemblies to brace walls under construction, in particular masonry walls. These known assemblies often include a lean-to support strut to brace the wall, and a plurality of auxiliary struts connected between the support strut and the wall. The contact locations between the wall and strut are often anchored points on the wall to prevent movement with respect to the same. However, these anchor points significantly reduce the adjustability of the brace. This lack of adjustability is impracticable when the height of the wall is increased during construction, as the newly and higher constructed portion will no longer be supported by the permanently mounted brace. Furthermore, these anchor points become permanent features in the wall, or otherwise be removed, leaving a bore which must be filled by the workers on completion of construction, significantly increase the time required to relocate a brace.

Further still, the angle at which the support strut is applying force to the wall is unable to be adjusted with the said fixed anchor locations. This fixes the profile of the bracing apparatus, limiting the operating area around the same while in use to brace the wall. This can prevent construction or other tasks being carried out in an area encompassed by the support strut.

An aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a means to brace a wall structure at varying heights to reduce the risk of collapse of the same during construction.

A further aim of the invention is to provide a bracing apparatus that is removable from a structure to be supported, such that the structure is largely unaffected by the presence or removal of the apparatus.

A yet further aim of the invention is to provide a bracing apparatus with an adjustable profile while in use to vary the area that is encompassed by the said apparatus.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an adjustable bracing apparatus, said bracing apparatus including a bracing means, said bracing means connected to a support strut with a base plate and at least one auxiliary strut connected to the said support strut and the said bracing means, wherein the said connections between the bracing means and the support strut are selectively linearly and pivotably movable.

In one embodiment, the bracing means is a member with a base plate to rest on a foundation. In one embodiment the bracing member is located against a surface of a wall during use to brace the same.

In one embodiment, the bracing apparatus is bracing a wall of a thickness erected from a wall foundation perpendicular to the same. Typically, the bracing member is abutting the wall such that a bracing force is applied to the wall to prevent collapse of the same.

In one embodiment the bracing member base plate rests on the wall foundation and abuts the said wall. In a further embodiment of the invention the bracing member base plate rests on the wall foundation and passes into an aperture in the wall. Typically the said base plate extends a distance through the said aperture at least the thickness of the said wall.

In a yet further embodiment of the invention the bracing member base plate rests on the bracing member base plate of a second bracing apparatus located thereon an opposite side of a wall that is extended through the said wall.

In one embodiment the support strut is connected by connecting means to the bracing member at a location distal to the bracing member base plate, and by connecting means to a support strut base plate located on a support foundation distal to the bracing member base plate.

In one embodiment the said connecting means is pivotable such that the angle between the said support strut and the bracing means and/ or support foundation is selectively variable.

In one embodiment the said support strut connecting means is selectively linearly moveable with respect to the said bracing means along guide means, such that the contact location of the support strut and the bracing means is selectively variable.

Thus, the support strut may be located when assembling the apparatus to a required position with respect to the bracing means by linearly moving the same, and then be retained in that position by retaining means to support the bracing means against the wall.

Typically said moveable contacting means is mechanical engagement between a contacting member and a guide rail means.

In one embodiment the support foundation is substantially coplanar with the wall foundation.

In a further embodiment of the invention the plane of the support foundation is offset from the plane of the wall foundation. Typically the support foundation is substantially parallel to the wall foundation.

In one embodiment the support strut is substantially rigid with respect to compression force, such that the reaction force required to prevent movement of the wall towards the bracing member does not cause buckling of the said support strut.

In one embodiment at least one auxiliary strut is connected by connecting means to the said bracing member and the said support strut, such that the said auxiliary strut is in tension when a compression force is applied to the said support strut.

In one embodiment the auxiliary strut connecting means is pivotable such that the angle between the support strut and/ or bracing means is selectively variable.

In one embodiment the auxiliary strut connecting means is moveable with respect to the support strut and/ or the bracing member such that the contact location of the auxiliary strut and the support strut and/ or bracing member is selectively variable.

In one embodiment the said auxiliary strut is connected to the said support strut and the said bracing means by connecting means, said connecting means movable with respect to the support strut and/ or the bracing means such that the contact location of the auxiliary strut and the support strut and/ or bracing means is selectively variable.

In one embodiment the auxiliary strut is resistant to tensile stress, such that the said strut will retain the support strut in location when the compression forces are applied to the same.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the auxiliary strut is perpendicular to the bracing member when the bracing apparatus is in use.

In one embodiment the bracing member and support strut are resistant to bending such that the tension force through the auxiliary strut when compression force is applied to the said support strut does not cause buckling of the said support strut and bracing member.

In one embodiment the bracing means includes at least one aperture for the location of a tie rod member therethrough. Said tie rod members pass through an aperture through the thickness of the wall and include removable anchor means to locate the same, locating the bracing member to abut the wall.

In one embodiment the tie rod members pass through an aperture of a bracing member of a second bracing apparatus located on an opposite side of the wall to a first bracing apparatus such that the tension force through the tie rod locate the said apparatus with respect to the other.

Preferably a plurality of tie rod apertures are located along the length of the bracing member.

Preferably the said tie rod anchoring members are removable by hand.

In one embodiment the bracing means base plate and/ or the support strut base plate include retaining means for retaining the apparatus to a support surface during use.

In one embodiment, retaining means are included in the base plate of the brace member to locate the same to the wall foundation and/ or support strut base plate to locate the same to the support foundation.

In one embodiment said retaining means are spikes to pass through the said base plate and a depth into the foundation to prevent lateral movement of the base plate with respect to the same. In another embodiment said retaining means are a bolt passing through the base plate and engaging with a threaded bore within the surface of the foundation. A person skilled in the art will appreciate a variety of suitable engagement means may be incorporated to ensure engagement between the said base plate and the said foundation.

Preferably said bracing member base plate and support strut base plate material is a dense material of a mass suitable to locate the centre of mass of the apparatus proximal the wall foundation and/ or the support foundation of the apparatus to prevent toppling.

In one embodiment the connecting means are detachable such that the support strut, brace means and auxiliary strut are detachably connected to each other.

Preferably said connecting means between the said bracing member, support strut and/ or auxiliary struts are detachable, such that the bracing apparatus is collapsible for transportation, storage and/ or the like.

In one embodiment the connecting means including locking means, such that the connecting means are pivotably and/ or linearly fixed.

Preferably said connecting means including locking means to prevent adjustment of the angle at which the same is pivoted when force is applied to the said struts.

Preferably said connecting means include further locking means to prevent movement of the same with respect to the contact location.

Preferably said connecting means include damping means to reduce the effect of sudden impact forces on the same.

Preferably said bracing member base plate is detachably attached to the said brace member.

Preferably said support stut and/ or auxiliary support strut include indication means. Said indication means indicating the tension and/ or compression forces experienced by said strut. Typically said indication means is a strain gauge.

In one embodiment said support strut, bracing member and/or auxiliary strut is connected by connecting means to attachments. In one embodiment attachments include lateral support struts to prevent movement of the bracing member across the surface of the said wall. In a further embodiment, attachments include bracing members for use with windowpanes, perpendicular wall surfaces, overhang walls and/ or the like.

Preferably the said bracing apparatus is adjustable by hand whilst the said bracing member is located abutting the said wall.

Preferably the said location of the connecting means between the support strut and bracing member is adjusted with respect to the bracing member such that the compression force from the said support strut is applied to the required location on the wall as the same is erected.

In one embodiment the support strut and/ or auxiliary strut and/ or bracing means are extendable by telescopic extension means.

Preferably the said support strut, bracing member and/ or auxiliary strut is selectively extendable by extending means. Typically extending means includes telescopic extension.

In another embodiment of the invention, the bracing means comprises a vertical member including a base plate, and an extending arm member extending from the vertical member, said base plate to be located on a support surface during use and said extending arm member to be located so as to receive a portion of a wall in use.

In one embodiment, the extending arm member is linearly moveable with respect to the vertical member, such that the height of the extending arm member is selectively variable. Typically, the extending arm member includes a recess for the reception of a wall portion therein.

In one embodiment, the extending arm member includes a clamping means such that the wall portion may be retained within the recess of the arm member in use.

Preferably the support strut, bracing means and auxiliary stmt are made of aluminium or an aluminium alloy. Preferably the bracing member base plate and/ or the support strut base plate include reinforcing fins.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a wall and bracing assembly comprising: a wall located on a foundation; and at least one adjustable bracing apparatus, comprising: a bracing means; a support strut including a base plate located on a support surface; and at least one auxiliary strut connected to the said bracing means and to the support strut; wherein said support strut is connected to the said bracing means by a connecting means, said connecting means selectively linearly and pivotably movable with respect to the bracing means, and wherein said bracing means is located with the wall to brace the same.

In one embodiment the bracing means comprises a member and a base plate, said base plate located on a support surface and said member located against a first surface of the wall to brace the same.

In one embodiment at least one tie rod passes through an aperture through the bracing member of the at least one bracing apparatus and through the said wall, wherein said tie rod includes anchor means to locate the tie rod with respect to the bracing apparatus and the wall, such that the bracing apparatus is located against the said wall.

In one embodiment the base plate of the bracing means extends through the thickness of the said wall.

Preferably, a second bracing apparatus is located against a second, opposing surface of the wall. Typically, the second bracing apparatus bracing means includes a base plate.

Preferably, the said base plate of the second bracing apparatus is located on a base plate of the first bracing apparatus extending through the thickness of the wall.

Preferably at least one tie rod passes through an aperture through the bracing member of the first bracing apparatus, the thickness of the wall, and an aperture through the bracing member of the second bracing apparatus, wherein said tie rod includes anchor means to locate the tie rod with respect to the first and second bracing apparatus and the wall, such that the first and second bracing apparatus are located against the first and second surfaces of the said wall.

In a further embodiment the bracing means comprises a vertical member including a base plate, and an extending arm member extending from the vertical member, said base plate located on a support surface and said extending arm member located so as to receive a portion of the wall in use.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of bracing a wall structure, said method comprising the steps of: locating a bracing means against a wall; connecting a support strut by connecting means to the said bracing means, said connecting means linearly and pivotably movable with respect to the bracing means; connecting an auxiliary strut by connecting means to the bracing means and the support strut, said connecting means linearly and pivotably movable with respect to the bracing means and the support strut; adjusting the location of the support strut with respect to the said bracing means; and retaining the position of the support strut with respect to the bracing means by engaging locking means of the connection means.

In one embodiment the method includes the steps of: constructing a bracing apparatus by placing a bracing means against a surface of the wall, connecting a support strut in compression to the said bracing means and placing the same on a foundation surface, connecting an auxiliary strut in tension between the said bracing means and the said support strut and wherein the connections between at least the bracing means and support strut are linearly and pivotably moveable so as to allow adjustment of the position of the bracing means with respect to the said wall surface whilst the bracing apparatus is in situ.

Typically the adjustment is to allow the position of the bracing means to be raised to take into account the increase in height of the wall as its is constructed and to provide support therefore.

Typically, once the wall has been formed and bound to and other wall or structure the bracing apparatus is removed. In one embodiment of the invention, the apparatus is adjusted by linear movement of the said auxiliary strut.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the apparatus is adjusted by angular movement of the said auxiliary strut.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the following figures, wherein:

Figures la-b illustrate schematically an adjustable bracing assembly according to one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 illustrates schematically a connecting means in detail according to one aspect of the invention.

Figure 3a illustrates schematically a brace member base plate in detail according to one aspect of the invention.

Figure 3b illustrates schematically a first brace member located with a base plate of a second brace member according to one aspect of the invention.

Figures 4a-c illustrate schematically an adjustable bracing assembly according to a second embodiment of the invention.

Figures 5a-b illustrate schematically an adjustable bracing assembly according to a further embodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 illustrates schematically an adjustable bracing assembly with extendable members according to a third embodiment of the invention.

Figure 7 illustrates a bracing member extending arm according to a further embodiment of the invention.

Figure 8 illustrates a bracing assembly including the extending arm of Figure 7 according to a further embodiment of the invention. Figures 9a-d illustrates another embodiment of the bracing assembly in accordance with the invention.

Figures lOa-b illustrate detail drawings of connecting means members.

Referring firstly to Figures la-b there is illustrated an adjustable bracing apparatus 2 bracing a masonry wall 4. Said bracing apparatus 2 includes a bracing member 6 with a base plate 10, a support strut 12 with a base plate 8 and an auxiliary strut 14. Said bracing member 6, support strut 12, and auxiliary strut 14 are connected by connecting means 16.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure lb, the wall bracing apparatus 2 is connected in tension through a tie-rod 18 to a second wall brace apparatus of identical configuration.

In the illustrated configuration, the masonry wall 4 is prevented from collapsing in a direction towards the bracing apparatus 2 indicated by arrow 20 due to a reaction force provided by compression of the support strut 12 between the wall 4 and support strut base plate 8 indicated by arrow 22. An auxiliary strut 14 located between and connected to the support strut 12 and brace member 6 is in tension during compression of the said support strut and prevents slipping of the support strut base plate 8. This slipping may further be prevented through the use of engagement means such as spikes or stakes through the support strut base plate 8 and foundation on which the same is located.

The brace member brace plate 10 is positioned to abut the wall 4 to and rests on a foundation coplanar to that which the support strut base 12 is located.

Figure 2 illustrates connecting means 16 between the support strut 14 and brace member 6 according to one embodiment of the invention. The connecting means 16 includes a mechanical clasp 24 pivotably connected by a hinge joint 26 to an end of the support strut 12. The mechanical clasp 24 is engaged with a guide rail 28 on the brace member 6, allowing selective linear translation of the same as indicated by the arrow 30. As such, the angle and location at which the support strut 12 connects with the bracing member 6 is selectively adjustable by a user. Locking means may be included on the hinge joint 26 and/ or mechanical clasp 24 to prevent movement of each. In this way, the support strut 12 may be located at a required location on the bracing means 6 when the locking means of the hinge joint 26 and/ or mechanical clasp 24 are disengaged. When located, a user may then engage the locking means to retain the position of the support strut 12 with respect to the bracing means 6. Similar locking means may be included with the connecting means 16 of the auxiliary strut for selective movability of the same.

The brace member 6 includes a plurality of apertures 32 for the location of tie rods 18. Said tie rods 18 pass through an aperture 19 of the brace member 6 and through a pre-drilled bore through the wall 4. The tie rods are typically threaded and secured with a wing nut 34, such that they may be removed by a user by hand. The tie rods 18 are placed in tension to maintain the bracing member 6 to abut the wall 4.

Figure 3a illustrates a second embodiment of the brace member base plate 10. Said base plate 10 includes a receiving housing 36 for the reception of the brace member 6 mounted on a base plate 38, which extends underneath the wall 4 through a prefabricated aperture 40 through the entire thickness of the same.

Figures 3b and 4a-c illustrate an embodiment of the invention implementing a brace member base plate 10 passing through a prefabricated aperture 40 of a wall 4 located proximal a step 42 such that the brace member base plate 10 acts as the foundation for a second wall brace apparatus brace member 6.

In this embodiment, two identical bracing apparatus 2 brace a wall 4 from two offset foundation planes 44, 46 due to the moveability of the connecting means 16 between the support strut 12, auxiliary strut 14 and wall brace member 6.

Figures 5a-b illustrate a method of use of the invention. The support strut 12 is adjusted such that the support strut base plate 8 is translated towards the brace member 6, indicated by arrow 48 reducing the profile of the apparatus. The resulting contact location between the support strut 12 and the brace member has been raised as indicated by arrow 50, providing a reaction force at an adjustable height. To accommodate the auxiliary support strut 14, the contact location between the same and the brace member 6 is lowered, as indicated by arrow 52. The connecting means 16 are pivotable and translatable such that the angle of the support strut 12 and auxiliary strut 14 are selectively adjustable. Locking means prevent variation of the angle of the connecting means 16 once the support strut base plate 8 has been located, such that tension is maintained in the auxiliary strut 14 locating the support strut 12.

Figure 6 illustrates an adjustable bracing apparatus with extendable members. The bracing member 6 is bracing a wall 4 of significant height. To brace the wall to a 4 greater height, the bracing member 6 includes an extending portion 54, extendable between an extended position and reduced position. In the reduced position, the extending portion 54 is housed in the outer sleeve 56 formed within or by the bracing member 6. The extending portion 54 is selectively retained in either the extended position or the reduced position by a retaining means 58 operable by a user. The retaining means 58 in this instance is a grub screw located within a threaded hole of the outer sleeve 56, said grub screw including a handle to be rotated by a user.

In order to provide greater stability of the bracing apparatus at an extended height, the base plate 8 support strut 12 must be located at a greater distance from the wall 4. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6, the support strut 12 includes an extending member 60 housed within an outer sleeve 62 formed by or within the support strut 12. The support strut extending member 60 is retained in an extended or reduced position by a retaining means 63. Similarly, an auxiliary strut 14 includes an extendable member 64 housed within a sleeve 66 and retained in an extended or reduced position by a retaining means 68.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate an extending arm member 70 for bracing a wall portion 72. The arm member 70 includes a sleeve 74 for the reception of a vertical member 76 of the bracing means 6, and an extending strut 78 extending from the sleeve 74. Reinforcing fins 80 are fabricated with the member 70 to preventing bending of the extending strut 78. The strut 78 includes a recess 82 for the reception therein of a wall portion 72. The wall portion may be a window frame or other portion that is set back from the edge of the wall 4 in which it is located. The extending strut 78 includes a threaded hole 84 that passes through to the recess 82 for the location of a grub screw 86. The grub screw 86 clamps the wall portion 72 and retains the same within the recess 82. The height of the extending arm member 70 is selectively variable and retained by a pin 88 selectively located in one of a plurality of locating apertures of the vertical member 76 of the bracing means 6.

The base plates of the wall bracing apparatus may be adapted such that the apparatus may be located with a scaffolding system 90 as illustrated in Figure 9a or located on temporary or loose flooring 92 such as gravel or sand as illustrated in Figures 9b-9d.

Figures lOa-b illustrate one embodiment of a connecting means member 16. The member includes a channel 94 for the reception of a bracing member 6 therein. A part of a support strut 12 or an auxiliary strut 14 may be pivotably located within a hole 96 passing through two fins 98 which may include strengthening ridges 100.