Apparatus for laying decking

Abstract

An apparatus for laying decking comprises a longitudinally extending base member ( 10 ) attachable to, or integrally formed with, the upper surface ( 51 ) of a decking joist ( 50 ) and a plurality of spacers ( 20 ). The base member ( 10 ) has a plate portion ( 11 ) with a longitudinally extending slot ( 12 ) extending therethrough for engagement with the spacers ( 20 ). Each spacer ( 20 ) has a wall ( 21 ) upstanding from the plate portion ( 11 ) in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the base member ( 10 ) when the spacer ( 20 ) is engaged with the plate portion ( 11 ).

1 . Apparatus for laying decking comprising: 
 a longitudinally extending base member attachable to, or integrally formed with, the upper surface of a decking joist, said base member having a plate portion with a longitudinally extending slot extending therethrough, and    a plurality of spacers engageable with said plate portion by means of said slot, each said spacer having a wall adapted to upstand from said plate portion in a plane substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said base member when said spacer is engaged with said plate portion.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said longitudinally extending base member is adapted to be placed over a decking joist and attached thereto.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said base member is formed from sheet material.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said base member is formed as an inverted channel, comprising said plate portion and opposing side portions adapted to extend downwardly over the side surfaces of a decking joist.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said plate portion is provided with a plurality of said longitudinally extending slots positioned end to end, longitudinally adjacent slots each being separated by a web therebetween.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said webs have a width less than that of the lengths of decking to be laid, with the centres of longitudinally adjacent said webs being spaced a distance substantially equal to an exact multiple of the combined width of a length of decking and thickness of a said spacer wall.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said wall of each of at least some of said spacers is provided with at least one spike upstanding from at least one face of said wall for engaging the side of a length of decking.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said wall of each of at least some of said spacers is provided with at least one said spike upstanding from each opposing face thereof.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein each said spike is located toward the top of the respective said wall.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each said spacer is provided with a flange extending generally perpendicularly to said wall, with a laterally extending slot being formed at each lateral end of said wall immediately above said flange, said spacer slots and said flange being adapted to engage said plate portion of said base member on opposing sides of said base member slot.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each said spacer is formed from sheet material.  
     
     
         12 . A method of laying decking comprising the steps of: 
 attaching longitudinally extending base members to the upper surface of each of a plurality of parallel decking joists, each said base member having a plate portion with a longitudinally extending slot extending therethrough;    laying a first length of decking on said base member plate portions generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of each of said base members;    engaging a plurality of spacers with said plate portion of at least some of said base members by means of the respective said slot, with a wall of each said spacer upstanding from said plate portion in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the respective said base member,    abutting a face of each said spacer wall with a side of said first length of decking,    laying a second length of decking on said base member plate portions adjacent said first length of decking on the opposing face of each of said spacer walls, and    abutting said second length of decking against said opposing face of each of said spacer walls.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein, during said abutting steps a spike upstanding from the respective face of each said wall engages the side of the respective said length of decking.