Method of retrofitting a concrete form

Details Method of retrofitting a concrete form Method of retrofitting a concrete form

1997-09-23

2001-02-06

Safavi, Michael (Department: 3635)

Metal working

Method of mechanical manufacture

Converting

Reexamination Certificate

active

06182346

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to modular concrete forms of the type used to form cavities into which concrete may be poured.
A conventional concrete form is composed of a frame having two pairs of parallel outer steel rails, one pair of rails being perpendicular to the other pair of rails so as to form a rectangular frame. The frame may have a number of parallel inner rails which are connected to the outer-rails to form a number of rectangular bays within the frame. A concrete-forming plate, which may be plywood for example, is secured to the frame.
A number of such conventional concrete forms are typically positioned adjacent each other, and sometimes on top of each other, to form cavities of various shapes and sizes into which wet concrete may be poured. When so positioned, the concrete forms are securely fastened together, such as by bolts or wedges which pass through holes or slots formed in the outer rails of adjacent concrete forms, so that the pressure of the wet concrete does not alter the position of the concrete forms. When the concrete dries, the concrete forms are removed and may be reused.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a concrete form with one or more internal support members connected between adjacent inner rails and to a method of retrofitting a preexisting concrete form with one or more of such support members.
A concrete form in accordance with the invention may have an outer frame with a first pair of outer frame members and a second pair of outer frame members, the first pair of outer frame members being disposed perpendicular to the second pair of outer frame members so that the first and second pairs of outer frame members define a rectangular shape. The concrete form has at least two inner frame members connected between two of the outer frame members to define a rectangular bay area, and a flat concrete-forming member is fixed to the outer frame. The concrete form may have a support member with a pair of end portions and a middle portion disposed between the end portions, and the support member may be nonlinear and connected to the inner frame members so that one of the end portions is spaced from the concrete-forming member by a first distance and so that the middle portion of the nonlinear support member is spaced from the concrete-forming member by a second distance greater than the first distance.
The nonlinear support member may be provided in the form of a rod having two semi-circular ends. The semi-circular ends may each define a plane substantially parallel to the plane defined by the concrete-forming member, and they may also each pass through one of the inner frame members twice. Alternatively, the nonlinear support member could have one or more linear threaded ends instead of curved ends.
A concrete form in accordance with the invention may have a frame formed of outer and inner frame members which form a number of rectangular bays within the frame, including a pair of outer bays which have three sides defined by the outer frame members and a fourth side defined by one of the inner frame members and a plurality of inner bays which have two sides defined by the outer frame members and two sides defined by a pair of the inner frame members. The concrete form has a plurality of support members connected to the inner frame members such that the bays include a plurality of bays which are unobstructed by the support members and a plurality of safety bays across which one of the support members is disposed. The unobstructed and safety bays are positioned so that each of the safety bays is separated from another of the safety bays by at least one of the unobstructed bays.
The invention is also directed to a method of retrofitting a support member to a preexisting concrete form, which includes the steps of forming a hole in a first inner frame member of the preexisting concrete form, forming a hole in a second inner frame member of the preexisting concrete form, placing a support member so that the first end of the support member passes through the hole in the first inner frame member and so that the second end of the support member passes through the hole in the second inner frame member, and securing the support member to the first and second inner frame members to maintain the position of the support member.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the detailed description of the preferred embodiment, which is made with reference to the drawings, a brief description of which is provided below.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2574274 (1951-11-01), McMullan
Economy Forms Corporation, “EFCO Plate Girder Building Forms” Engineering Data, 1 page—prior art.
Symons Corporation, Max-A-Form, p. B-1, 1 page—prior art.
Slaughter Industries, Inc. Mini-Max Panel System drawing, Panel-Tie Details, 1 sheet—prior art.
Symons Corporation, 24″ Steel-Ply Panel, Drawing No. SA-50 (1981).
Symons Corporation, Max-A-Form Concrete Forming System, 8 pages (1993).
Symons Corporation, “Versiform Concrete Forming System”, 24 pages (1986).
Economy Forms Corporation, “Super Stud System”, 28 pages (Mar. 1991).
RMD Companies, RMD Construction Equipment, 44 pages (Jul. 1982).

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