Shuttering Apparatus

This invention concerns shuttering apparatus, and also a method of shuttering around a pipe or other elongate member extending through an opening in flooring.

During construction, holes are often required through floors such as concrete floors, to accept waste or vent pipes. Following installation of the flooring and pipes, it is necessary to provide concrete around the pipes, and therefore the opening through which the pipe extends must be shuttered. Conventionally this has been achieved by cutting appropriate shape pieces of wood and nailing, screwing or retaining these in position by other means. Such arrangements often do not prove particularly satisfactory and can be time consuming in preparing appropriate shape wooden shuttering.

According to the present invention there is provided shuttering apparatus, the apparatus including two components which are selectively connectable together to define a substantially planar surface with a hole therethrough, with parts of the hole being defined respectively by each of the components, the apparatus being configured to be beatable immediately below an opening with an elongate member which extends through the opening passing through the hole, whereby settable material can be poured onto the apparatus to fill the opening around the elongate member.

The apparatus may include an engagement formation which surrounds the hole and is engageable with an elongate member extending through the hole to permit the apparatus to be slidably moved therealong. The engagement formation may include a plurality of resilient fingers engageable with the elongate member, and the fingers may be inclined relative to the radial direction of the hole.

A plurality of retention formations may be provided on the apparatus to permit the apparatus to be retained in position, and the retention formations may be holes.

Markings may be provided on the apparatus to indicate where the apparatus can be trimmed in size if required.

Lines of weakness may be provided on the apparatus to enable the apparatus to be trimmed in size if required.

The two components may be identical to each other. One or more of the components may include a joining formation selectively engageable with the other component. The joining formation may be a finger, and alignable holes may be provided on the joining formation and the other component to permit connection together of the components.

Connection formations may be provided on the apparatus to permit connection to other shuttering apparatus.

The apparatus may be made of plastics material, and may be made of polypropylene.

The invention also provides a method of shuttering around a pipe or other elongate member extending through an opening in flooring, the method including connecting together the two components of apparatus according to any of the preceding eight paragraphs, around the elongate member beneath the flooring, sliding the apparatus up the elongate member to engage against the underside of the flooring, and pouring settable material into the opening around the elongate member.

The apparatus may be retained in position beneath the flooring, and one or more line means may be provided extending through the opening to engage with the apparatus. The line means may be in the form of cable ties.

5 An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of apparatus according to the invention; and I O

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic cross sectional view illustrating the apparatus of Fig. 1 in use.

The drawings show shuttering apparatus 10 for shuttering around an 15 elongate member such as a waste pipe or vent pipe 12 extending through an opening 14 in a floor 16.

The apparatus comprises two identical components 18 which together define a substantially square sheet with a central circular hole 20 surrounded 0 by a gripping formation 22. The formation 22 comprises a plurality of resilient fingers 24 inclined relative to the radial direction of the hole 20.

An interconnecting finger 26 is provided on each component 18 on one side of the hole 20, which finger 26 is beatable in a corresponding recess 28 5 in the underside of the other component 18. Aligned holes 30 are provided in the fingers 26 and through the corresponding recess 28. Pins 27 are extendable through the holes 30 to retaining the components 18 connected together.

0 A plurality of other holes 32 are provided in the components 18 for retaining the apparatus 10 in position and/or connecting to other apparatus. Three parallel grooves 34 are provided in each of the components 18 on one

side of the hole 20. The grooves 34 provide guide lines for trimming the components 18 for use for instance in restricted spaces, and it may be that the grooves 34 permit respective strips of the components 18 to be snapped off. The components 18 are integrally formed of polypropylene. 5

Fig. 2 shows the apparatus 10 in use in shuttering around a waste pipe

12 extending through a concrete floor 16. The two components 18 will be held together by the pins 27 extending through the respective holes 30. The apparatus 10 can then be slid up the pipe 12 to engage against the underside

I O of the floor 16. The formation 22 provides a friction grip on the pipe 12.

. Two bars 36 are provided extending across the top of the opening 14, and the components 18 are each connected to a respective bar 36 by a cable tie 38 which can be pulled tight to retain the apparatus 10 in position. 15 Concrete can now be poured into the opening 14 around the pipe 12. Once the concrete has set the cable ties can be cut or broken to permit removal of the apparatus 10 for reuse elsewhere.

There is thus described apparatus which readily permits shuttering to 0 be carried out around waste or ventilation pipes and the like. It is to be realised that such pipes are often of a standard size, and the apparatus can be dimensioned accordingly. If required the components 18 can be trimmed to size using the guide grooves 34. As the apparatus 10 can readily be removed following setting of the concrete, the apparatus 10 can be reused a 5 large number of times.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For instance, the apparatus may be made of a different material and/or may be a different shape. It may be that the two components 0 are not identical, though the advantage of this feature is that only a single mould is required during manufacture. The various holes 32 permit the

apparatus to be connected to other similar apparatus or perhaps shuttering without a through hole, as conditions require.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.