Construction element and joining member

Abstract

The invention provides a construction element ( 10 ) including a resiliently deformable shell portion ( 12 ) and a set settable composition ( 14 ) within the shell. The invention further provides a construction element joining member ( 30 ) is provided for joining two or more construction elements ( 10 ) together in the construction of a structure ( 18 ), the joining member ( 30 ) having a body ( 32 ) which has a resiliently deformable portion ( 34 ) and securing means ( 36 ) for securing the joining member ( 30 ) to one or more construction elements ( 10 ) thereby to join the construction elements ( 10 ) while permitting for resilient deformation thereof. The invention extends to a construction system using the elements ( 10 ) and the joining member ( 30 ).

1 . A construction element which permits a structure constructed using said element to deform in sympathy with weather and other natural forces and to recover to substantially to its original state, said element including: 
 a resiliently deformable shell portion; and    a set settable composition within the shell, said composition having a higher compressive strength than the shell while the shell has a higher tensile strength than said composition.    
     
     
         2 . A construction element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the resiliently deformable shell portion is made of an elastomeric material so that said element is capable of deformation and elastic recovery.  
     
     
         3 . A construction element as claimed in  claim 1  or  claim 2 , wherein the resiliently deformable shell portion is manufactured to high dimensional accuracy levels so that when a plurality of said elements are used together in the construction of a structure the accumulated error in dimensions is minimal and does not affect the aesthetic or structural integrity of the structure.  
     
     
         4 . A construction element as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the resiliently deformable shell portion is manufactured to a 0.05% linear accuracy.  
     
     
         5 . A construction element as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the resiliently deformable shell portion is in the form of a plastics container into which the settable composition is cast and permitted to set to form said element.  
     
     
         6 . A construction element as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the container forms a barrier to the ingress of water into the container where it affects the set settable composition.  
     
     
         7 . A construction element as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the container is manufactured by a moulding process selected from injection moulding, injection blow moulding, and injection stretch blow moulding.  
     
     
         8 . A construction element as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the wall thickness of the container thus moulded is several hundred microns.  
     
     
         9 . A construction element as claimed in any one of  claims 5  to  8 , wherein the container is moulded to have desired surface features which are either aesthetic or functional or both.  
     
     
         10 . A construction element as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the container is moulded to have formations which permit accurate location of said element relative to other similar elements.  
     
     
         11 . A construction element as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the container is moulded to have certain aesthetic features, such as a log like appearance, a brick wall like appearance, or other desired aesthetic qualities.  
     
     
         12 . A construction element as claimed in any one of  claims 7  to  11 , wherein the container is moulded from a plastics material selected from PVC, PP, HDPE, PET, and ABS.  
     
     
         13 . A construction element as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein he settable composition is a cementitious settable composition.  
     
     
         14 . A construction element as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the cementitious settable composition is a concrete.  
     
     
         15 . A construction element as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the cementitiious settable composition is a Portland cement.  
     
     
         16 . A construction element as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the cementitious settable composition is a Sorel cement.  
     
     
         17 . A construction element joining member for joining two or more construction elements together in the construction of a structure, the joining member having a body which has a resiliently deformable portion and securing means for securing the joining member to one or more construction elements thereby to join the construction elements while permitting for resilient deformation of the structure at the joints.  
     
     
         18 . A construction element joining member as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the body is made from a high-density thermoplastic polymer.  
     
     
         19 . A construction element joining member as claimed in  claim 17  or  claim 18 , wherein the body is injection moulded or extruded with the resiliently deformable portion being co-moulded or co-extruded with the remainder of the body.  
     
     
         20 . A construction element joining member as claimed in any one of  claims 17  to  19 , the resiliently deformable portion is in the form of a zone of resiliently deformable material from which the securing means extend to together define the body.  
     
     
         21 . A construction element joining member as claimed in any one of  claims 17  to  20 , wherein the securing means is in the form of male dovetailed portion with thermoplastic elastomer padded faces configured for engagement with female dovetailed grooves provided in the construction elements to be joined.  
     
     
         22 . A construction element joining member as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the male dovetailed portion and the female dovetailed groove are complementarily knurled to permit locking of the male potion to the female groove thereby to effect securing of the construction elements to each other.  
     
     
         23 . A construction element joining member as claimed in any one of  claims 17  to  20 , wherein the securing means is in the form of a pair of knurled arms separated by an opening into which a wedge member is receivable for urging the arms apart, wherein in use the arms are urged apart by the wedge member located in a groove defined in the construction elements thereby to retain the arms in the root or base of the groove and to secure the construction elements together.  
     
     
         24 . A construction element joining member as claimed in any one of  claims 17  to  20 , wherein the securing means is in the form of a knurled tapered portion which is sized and dimensioned complementarily to a tapered knurled groove such that in use when the knurled tapered portion is urged into the groove the joining member is secured to the construction elements thereby securing the construction elements together.  
     
     
         25 . A construction element joining member as claimed in any one of  claims 17  to  20 , wherein the securing means is in the form of a pair of arms which are inserted into a complementary groove in the construction element to engage the base or root of the groove, and one or more hooks directed away from the free ends of the arms, the hooks being configured for engagement with an inverted hook of the same type thereby to secure construction elements provided with the joining member together.  
     
     
         26 . A construction system using the construction elements as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  16  and joining members as claimed in any one  claims 17  to  25  to secure the construction elements together.  
     
     
         27 . A construction element substantially as herein described and illustrated.  
     
     
         28 . A joining member substantially as herein described and illustrated.  
     
     
         29 . A construction system substantially as herein described and illustrated.  
     
     
         30 . A new construction element, a new joining member, or a new construction system substantially as herein described.