Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Facers; e.g. – modules – mutually bonded by internal settable... – Laterally related modules; e.g. – back-to-back
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-23
2001-09-25
Barfield, Anthony D. (Department: 3636)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Facers; e.g., modules, mutually bonded by internal settable...
Laterally related modules; e.g., back-to-back
C052S565000, C052S562000, C249S047000, C249S194000, C249S216000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293068
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to prefabricated forming elements for construction of reinforced concrete building walls with foam faces, and methods of wall construction employing those elements.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Conventional forming for reinforced concrete walls uses heavy plywood panels clamped and nailed in place with tie rods between parallel panels to prevent their spreading apart from hydraulic force. Reinforcing bars are wired in place and concrete poured into the cavity. The panels are then stripped away. Insulation may be fastened to the concrete and wall finishes such as stucco exterior and gypsum lathe interior applied as desired. Rigid foam panels have been shown to be strong enough to substitute for plywood panel in concrete forms. They have the distinct advantage in that they may remain in place to provide sealed permanent insulation layers.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,040,344; and 4,936,540 disclose foam panel concrete forming systems. U.S. Pat. No. 5,809,726 issued Sep. 22, 1998 to Spude teaches vertically oriented I beams with flanges that insert into slots cut in spaced apart vertical foam panels to provide concrete receiving wall forms with foam faces for receiving wall finishes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,401 issued Jul. 22, 1997 to Harrington, Jr. teaches a prefabricated wall forming system for reinforced concrete wall construction employing uncut foam panels that are interlocked into two impervious walls by insertion into connectors having two parallel I beam channels that are spaced apart by tie elements. The outer faces of the connectors are not easily adherent to plaster or stucco. Furthermore, no provision is made for insertion of elongate items such as pipes and wires in the finished wall.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improved foam panel reinforced concrete forming system that is inexpensive to produce, requires little skill and labor, and produces a superior finished wall, and that requires no special treatment of the foam panels. It is another object that the system hold the entire edges of adjacent panels together so that the integrity of the form assembly is not compromised by unsupported edges. It is yet another object that means be provided for enhanced support of horizontal and vertical reinforcing rods. It is yet another object to provide sturdy exposed surfaces for the enhanced attachment of finish wall surfaces such as gypsum drywall, plaster, and stucco. It is yet another object that the system optionally provide longitudinal channels or raceways within the form walls for installation of elongate elements such as pipes and wires.
The forming system of the invention comprises I beam channels for sealingly receiving and holding in position adjacent horizontal edges of foam panels along their entire edges. A pair of the I beams are held parallel to one another and spaced apart by a plurality of rigid tie elements having a length equal to the thickness of the concrete wall to be poured. The tie elements are arcuate in shape for enhanced rigidity and ease of construction. The tie elements are provided with means for holding reinforcing rods both horizontally and vertically that greatly reduce labor costs and ensure proper construction. The web of at least one of the I beams may be formed of two spaced apart strips to define therebetween an elongate channel or raceway for installation of wires and pipes within the wall. The raceway may be optionally provided with a removable closure or a sealed outer face continuous with the balance of the outer flange of the I beam.
A method of construction of the connector by extrusion involves providing an extrusion die in which the tie elements are formed during the extrusion process by intermittent opening and closing of a passage connecting the I beam portions of the die and moving the position of that passage up and down during the extrusion process to create a plurality of arcuate elements for enhanced rigidity.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4936540 (1990-06-01), Boeshart
patent: 5038541 (1991-08-01), Gibbar, Jr.
patent: 5040344 (1991-08-01), Durand
patent: 5649401 (1997-07-01), Harrington
patent: 5809726 (1998-09-01), Spude
patent: 5819489 (1998-10-01), McKinney
patent: 5992114 (1999-11-01), Zelinsky et al.
Barfield Anthony D.
Blum Alvin S.
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