Static molds – Having inflatable element
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-06
2001-02-27
Mackey, James P. (Department: 1722)
Static molds
Having inflatable element
C249S177000, C249S178000, C249S183000, C264S334000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06193209
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention generally concerns the forming of voids in poured concrete, and in particular provides a device and a method for forming such voids.
BACKGROUND ART
The art of embedding an object in poured concrete by first forming a void in the concrete for receiving the object, and then securing the object in the void by some means, is old and well established. These voids are formed in a few different ways, such as by drilling a hole into concrete after the concrete has hardened, or by placing an insert of some kind into the concrete foundation before the concrete is poured and then removing the insert from the concrete once the concrete has hardened, thus leaving a void in the concrete. This art has applicability in several kinds of construction projects, from anchoring heavy machinery to a concrete foundation to building fencing.
Considering particularly the application of anchoring heavy machinery to a concrete foundation, it is customary in the art to form what are known as grout pits, a term meaning the filling of a void with grout, a concrete-like composition. After ascertaining the number and location of the voids that must be formed in order to properly anchor the machine in question, a number of inserts of some kind are placed into the desired positions and the concrete for forming the foundation is then poured. Once the concrete has hardened, the inserts are removed, thus forming voids in the concrete foundation. The machine is then secured by placing an anchor bolt from the machine into a void and then filling the void with grout, thus securing the anchor bolt in the proper location. Any other parts of the machine that need to be secured to the foundation are then secured in a similar manner.
Because a heavy machine creates a great deal of vibrational energy due to the relative motions of its respective parts, it is of the utmost importance that the machine be as securely anchored as possible. Experience has shown that, in order to produce an effective anchor, the grout pits must have a tapered shape, such that the bottom of the pit is wider than the top of the pit. Otherwise, the bond between the grout and the concrete foundation tends to deteriorate, and the quality of the product produced by the machine in question worsens, until eventually the machine may actually break away from the foundation, potentially causing injuries to the workers nearby as well as damage to both the machine itself and the building in which the machine is located.
At present, the inserts being used to form voids in concrete foundations are devices usually built by hand from conventional building materials, such as plywood. Such inserts are unsatisfactory for several reasons. Initially, there is the amount of time spent in constructing such inserts to the proper dimensions. Then there is the difficulty of removing such an insert from a void. This requires the use of hammers and other tools, and the stresses resulting from the removal of the devices may cause damage to the concrete foundation itself, which, to insure a proper installation, would require repeating the entire process. This, however is not usually done due to the time, labor and costs involved, the results being a poor installation of the machine due to an insecure mounting, and a resulting possibility of uncontrolled chatter or vibration marks in the finished parts. In addition, when it is desired to form grout pits along a line or at specified distances from one another, it is difficult to place these inserts in the proper locations, causing time delays and often causing slight errors in the placement of the inserts, thus weakening the effectiveness of the grout pits in anchoring the machine.
There are other types of devices at use in the art. An example of such a device is found in the Auciello et al. Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,271. This patent shows a tubular insert device with an internal line of scoring, allowing the separation of an upper and lower closure element by use of a holder tab. After a void in a concrete foundation is made, the device is removed by pulling on the holder tab, which lifts up the upper closure element and allows removal of the device. To facilitate packing and storing the devices, they are tapered such that the bottom of the device is wider than the top. In addition,
FIG. 8
of the Auciello Patent shows the edges of the holder tabs serving as a measuring point to insure proper placement of the devices.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an insert device for forming voids in concrete that comes in the proper shape for forming a void, thus requiring no construction work on the part of a user of the container.
It is another object of the invention to provide an insert device that can be easily removed from a void in concrete once it is formed.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide an insert device having a reliable and known strength in keeping its shape when subjected to the weight of poured concrete.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method of using an insert device to form voids in concrete.
These objects are met by providing an insert device made from a semi-rigid material which can be filled with a fluid, typically water, and then used to form a void in poured concrete. This insert device, which will hereafter be referred to as a container, can then be removed from the hardened concrete by removing the fluid from the container and pulling the container from the concrete, leaving the void.
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Blackwood Jim
Mackey James P.
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