Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Footing or foundation type – Concrete type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-25
2001-11-13
Canfield, Robert (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Footing or foundation type
Concrete type
C052S293100, C052S299000, C052S741130, C052S169100, C052S169900, C405S229000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06314693
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention concerns foundations for buildings, such as houses, warehouses and other medium to small sized structures. In particular, the invention concerns a method and components for a below-ground building foundation.
A typical residential structure is supported on a foundation buried below the frost line. In most cases, poured concrete is the material of choice for these foundations. A typical foundation for a residential home is depicted in
FIGS. 1 and 2
. The foundation
10
is formed around the perimeter of the home layout. In a typical procedure, a trench is dug into the ground G below the frost line, typically to a depth of three feet. A excavator is used to excavate and dig the trench around the foundation perimeter. In the next step, concrete ready-mix trucks deliver concrete to the building site. This concrete is poured into the prepared trenches to form the footing
11
. The concrete footing is usually poured to a height of two feet around the entire perimeter of the foundation. The poured concrete is then given a day to cure before subsequent steps are undertaken.
Once the concrete footing
11
has cured, concrete block and cement is again delivered to the building site along with mortar sand. A block mason then installs the concrete or line block
12
on the footing
11
. This line block
12
is usually provided in 16-inch lengths. Consequently, several such blocks must be laid by the block mason around the perimeter of the foundation. As shown in
FIG. 2
, the line blocks
12
are generally centrally situated over the footing
11
. Then, additional concrete blocks
13
are installed by the block mason. These blocks
13
typically form the brick ledge, providing about a 4″×4″ ledge for orienting subsequent layers of brick for the exterior of the home. As with the line blocks
12
, the brick ledge blocks
13
are provided in 16-inch lengths.
Typically, the mortar joints between the concrete blocks are allowed to cure for about one day. Laying of the line and brick ledge blocks is very time consuming, even for a skilled brick mason, often taking two days to complete for a modest residential foundation. Moreover, mortar joints are created along the entire foundation perimeter between the footing
11
and the line blocks
12
, between each of the line blocks, between the line blocks and the brick ledge blocks
13
, and between adjacent ledge blocks. Statistically, some of the many mortar joints will erode, which may eventually lead to problems with the foundation.
Once the line blocks
12
and brick ledge blocks
13
are laid, the mortar joints are allowed to cure for about a day. Afterwards, an excavator backfills the outer perimeter of the foundation to grade. Loose base material, such as sand or gravel
14
, is used to fill the interior of the foundation to provide a base for the floor slab
15
. Typically, the slab
15
is also poured concrete. The sand
14
also fills the open portion of the trench behind the blocks
12
and
13
. After these steps are completed, the excess sand, block material, cement bags and block skids are cleaned up.
For a typical residential home the process of preparing the foundation can take four to five days. In addition, up to seven different laborers or contractors can be involved to operate the excavator and backfill excavator, deliver the ready-mix, concrete block and mortar, pour the concrete, lay the masonry block and perform various clean up tasks.
Another difficulty arises in the use of poured concrete. In some instances, it is difficult to control the depth, width and height of the poured media. Irregularities in the concrete footing
11
can often be corrected by the block mason when laying the concrete line
12
and brick ledge
13
; however, the mortar joints themselves can be subject to irregularities. The make up of the soil itself can pose some difficulties to a poured concrete foundation. For some soils, a rigid form must be placed within the trench to provide a viable channel into which the concrete is poured. Weather also plays a part in the construction of poured concrete foundations. Moisture and temperature can affect the curing time for the concrete and mortar joints. Excessive rain or below-freezing temperatures can delay pouring concrete.
There is always a need for components and methods that streamline the process of preparing a building foundation. A quicker process can lead to significant savings in labor charges, particularly if the number of subcontractors can be reduced. Decreasing the time for building a foundation can also avoid weather-related problems that may delay various steps of the traditional process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The difficulties with prior art poured foundations are overcome by the present invention which contemplates a foundation for a building in which the foundation occupies a perimeter defined by a plurality of contiguous sides. The inventive foundation is directed to foundation elements buried within a trench dug along the perimeter at a depth below the frost line. In particular, a plurality of pre-cast concrete panels are provided, one each for each of the plurality of contiguous sides and each having a length approximately equal to the length of the corresponding contiguous side. Each of the pre-cast panels has substantially equal widths and heights from a base to a top side thereof.
In one aspect, the foundation can further include a plurality of pre-cast concrete footing pads each having a width greater than the width of the pre-cast panels, a length substantially less than the length of the panels, and a height that is substantially less than the height of the panels. The combined height of the panels and pads are sized so that when a panel is disposed on a footing pad within the trench the top side of the pre-cast panels is situated adjacent ground level.
In a further feature, a bonding compound is introduced between adjacent ones of the pre-cast panels to form a sealed joint therebetween. Preferably, the bonding compound is an epoxy that is pre-applied or pressure-injected into the minimal spaces between the panels. The bonding compound can also be introduced between the base of each panel and the footing pads; however, it is preferable that the panels simply rest on the pads. Since the panels are as long as a side of the building foundation, the mass of the panels alone is sufficient to maintain solid contact with the footing pads.
In one aspect of the invention, a number of the pre-cast panels defines an integral brick ledge at the top side thereof. The brick ledge can be of a standard configuration to form a ledge upon which exterior brick finishing can be laid. In one specific embodiment, the brick ledge has a depth of about four inches to accommodate a standard brick. Where the foundation includes pre-cast concrete panels having the integral brick ledge, the combined height of the footing pad and foundation panel is sized such that the brick ledge is above ground level when the panel and footing pads are within the foundation trench. The foundation panels can include several anchor bolts projecting from the top side that can be used to anchor framing components for the building.
The present invention contemplates a number of different configurations of pre-cast foundation panels that can be combined in a variety of arrangements depending upon the foundation plan. All of the panels have a length approximately equal to the length of a corresponding side or leg of the foundation perimeter, and substantially equal widths and heights. One group of panels includes an integral brick ledge extending along the entire length of the panel. A second group of panels includes the brick ledge along the length and also extending around one end of the panel. In a third group, the brick ledge is formed at both ends and along the panel length. These groups of pre-cast foundation panels can be laid end-to-end in a manner that ensures continuity of the brick ledge around the comers of the foundation.
In a further aspect of the i
Baker & Daniels
Canfield Robert
Sanders Pre-Cast Concrete Systems.
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