Helifix Limited

Brian Alan Breeze

Robert Ian Paterson

The present invention relates to a wall reinforcement system, in particular for tying a veneer wall () to a back up wall (). The system can protect a building against adverse seismic or wind loading conditions. A helical wall tie () is driven into a back-up wall () using a percussion tool. A connector () is then placed over the end of the wall tie, the connector engaging with the helical fins to prevent its removal without unscrewing the connector (). A reinforcement wire (), which preferably extends around a building, is then threaded through a hole in the connector to lock the rotation of the connector (). The reinforcement wire is used to link a series of connectors together. The wire is then encased in mortar () within the bed joint between two courses of bricks. In preferred embodiments, more than two reinforcement wires extend in parallel along the bed joint.

Wall reinforcement system

A cavity wall which is usually made with a hollow concrete block as the inner wythe and brick as the outer wythe is disclosed. A special purpose insertion tool is fitted to a standard hammer tool. A center pin is provided in the insertion tool made with an indent to match the pointed end of the tie. The pin is then pressed into the SDS fitting which is the connection into the drill. The tie end is supported by a short sleeve which, when it contacts the face of the wall, retracts against a spring until the tie driving is completed. A modified embodiment of the adapter recognizes that the tie when activated by the hammer invariably rotates clockwise. Accordingly, if the spring is wound clockwise, the bottom tail end will dig into its seat. On the other hand, if it is wound counterclockwise, it rotates in a &ldquo;tail skid&rdquo; relationship to the seat.

Method of securing multiple walls

A helical wedge tie, anywhere from 2&frac12; inches to 4 inches in length, (which is approximately the width of a standard brick), can be utilized to wedgingly engage the mortar in a wall after a helical main tie has been passed all the way through the mortar and secured in the concrete. The wedge tie may have the same helical pitch as that of the main tie, or it may be a pitch somewhat tighter or shorter to not only fill the space between the host tie and the mortar, but wedgingly engage the same. The auxiliary wedge pin may be pointed at both ends, pointed at one end, or even blunt at both ends. Successful fixes have been made where one end is sheared, and has a relatively chisel-like end. The method of the invention is directed to the reinforcing of a tie in a wall reinforcing environment, where the outer portion of the tie passes through a softer material, and a subsequent reinforcement of the tie portion in the soft material becomes desirable.

Method of securing walls with a tie

A cavity wall which is usually made with a hollow concrete block as the inner wythe and brick as the outer wythe is disclosed. A special purpose insertion tool is fitted to a standard hammer tool. A center pin is provided in the insertion tool made with an indent to match the pointed end of the tie. The pin is then pressed into the SDS fitting which is the connection into the drill. The tie end is supported by a short sleeve which, when it contacts the face of the wall, retracts against a spring until the tie driving is completed. A modified embodiment of the adapter recognizes that the tie when activated by the hammer invariably rotates clockwise. Accordingly, if the spring is wound clockwise, the bottom tail end will dig into its seat. On the other hand, if it is wound counterclockwise, it rotates in a 'tail skid' relationship to the seat.

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Wallsend, United Kingdom

Brian Alan Breeze