Plastic and nonmetallic article shaping or treating: processes – Forming structural installations in situ – Sequentially molding in situ different portions or layers on...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-28
2003-08-26
Crispino, Richard (Department: 1732)
Plastic and nonmetallic article shaping or treating: processes
Forming structural installations in situ
Sequentially molding in situ different portions or layers on...
C264S139000, C264S256000, C264S333000, C264S341000, C106S737000, C106S738000, C106S763000, C106S764000, C106S816000, C106S817000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06610224
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Methods to incorporate varicolored fragments of material in wall surfaces have been known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 772,476 discloses a method of veneering artificial stone by depositing a layer of cement on the face of a block, sprinkling granular material thereon, tamping the granular material and smoothing the surface by rubbing or grinding the exposed granules.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,361,763 discloses a method of mixing foreign particle with a conventional plastic mixture, which is then applied directly to the surface to be covered.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,504 discloses a method of exposing aggregate in poured concrete panels by pouring wet concrete having a coarse aggregate content into a casting bed, lifting coarse aggregate to the surface with a rotating aggregate lifter and depositing a high concentration of the coarse aggregate in front of a screed roller, and compacting.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,589 produces an aggregate floor by applying a layer of a flexible compound to a concrete slab, applying fiber glass mesh to the flexible compound, applying dry aggregate to the mesh and compacting with a vibrating roller, then applying thereto a compacted composite cement, water and sand in the form of a viscous solution, and then compacting with a roller to force out excess cement and trapped air.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,401 discloses a method of resurfacing existing floors or substrates by cleaning the surface of the substrate and applying a seed material mixed with a cementitious self-leveling topping, then curing, then grinding the exposed cured surface, and then sealing.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,016,635 and 6,033,146 disclose methods for surface seeding or broadcasting particulate over the surfaces of poured concrete mixes while the top surfaces are still plastic.
The above methods either:
1. Do not form monolithic structures, or
2. Disperse the relatively expensive decorative aggregate throughout the entire structure thereby increasing cost, or
3. Require labor intensive hand seeding or broadcasting of the decorative aggregate, or
4. Require a labor intensive and hence costly grinding step.
A method without any of these disadvantages would reduce the cost and/or increase the durability of the structure by making the structure monolithic.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed towards processes for producing durable and attractive decorative aggregate-containing cementitious surfaces that are an integral part of monolithic structures.
This invention is also directed towards processes that:
1. Can produce such surfaces at a much lower cost by not requiring hand seeding or broadcasting of decorative aggregate over the top of such surfaces during their manufacture.
2. Do not required decorative aggregate throughout the entire monolithic structure.
3. Do not require grinding the cured surfaces.
This invention can be used on monolithic structures having any strength desired and suitable for usage ranging from light pedestrian traffic on home patios to heavy vehicular traffic. This invention is intended for new monolithic structures in compliance with the least stringent specifications to the most stringent specifications depending only on the required duty that such monolithic structures are to serve. For example, this invention can produce monolithic structures having strength ratings of 2200 psi, 3000 psi, 4000 psi or higher if desired. Unless otherwise specified all psi strength rating referred herein are concrete compressive strengths at 28 days.
Accordingly, there is provided by the principles of this invention a process for producing a monolithic architectural cementitious structure having a decorative aggregate-containing cementitious surface comprising forming a freshly poured cementitious base. The cementitious base does not contain any decorative aggregate. With reference to
FIG. 1
, a compacted subgrade material
20
is preferably first laid on a rough graded site
21
. Then reinforcing bar or rebar, or wire mesh
22
is set to reinforce the ultimately formed monolithic structure. Next a cementitious base
23
is produced and laid from suitable formulation having the strength properties required. Usually the decorative aggregate-containing cementitious portion of such structure is between 2% and 17% of the total thickness of monolithic architectural cementitious structure while the cementitious base is between 98% and 83% of said total thickness. In one embodiment, the freshly poured cementitious base
23
has a thickness of at least about 3 inches.
By the term “decorative aggregate” as used herein is meant aggregate that is used to produce an attractive or architectural surface. The term “decorative aggregate” as used herein is not meant to include any aggregate used for merely adding strength to the monolithic structure without also enhancing the beauty of the surface. For example, No. 4 aggregate, which is used in many concrete mixes for strength, is not a “decorative aggregate” as that term is used herein. The appearance of decorative aggregate is not the same as the appearance of the aggregate in the cementitious base. Thus the aggregate used for adding strength to the cementitious base not the same as the decorative aggregate used for producing the attractive surfaces of this invention.
Since the decorative aggregate is relatively expensive material there is substantial cost savings in this process since the cementitious base does not contain the relatively expensive decorative aggregate. Furthermore, since the formulation of the decorative aggregate-containing cementitious slurry is relatively more expensive per unit volume than the formulation of the cementitious base per unit volume, the cost of producing the monolithic architectural cementitious structures with the decorative aggregate-containing surfaces is reduced when thickness of the decorative aggregate-containing cementitious layer is reduced. However, said thickness must be effective for securing and locking in the exposed decorative aggregate.
With reference to
FIG. 2
, this invention further comprises preparing a decorative aggregate-containing cementitious slurry
24
having at least decorative aggregate
26
and cementitious matrix composition
28
(also referred to herein as the decorative cementitious matrix blend) operable for forming a monolithic structure when applied to the freshly poured cementitious base and simultaneously cured therewith. In one embodiment of this invention, the cementitious matrix composition
28
comprises water, silica sand and cement. Silica sands can be, for example, blended quartzitic silica. Silica sands and blended quartzitic silica are available in several colors including light or white tones and darker colors. Preferably, when the decorative cementitious matrix blend is not required to be white or light color in tone, the cement is Type V Portland cement or equivalent cement having low permeability. The low permeability is desirable because it is more resistant to sulfates in the soil, salty sea breezes, and other concrete-detrimental salts.
However, when the decorative cementitious matrix blend is required to be white or light color in tone, a white Portland cement is used since Type V Portland cement has a darker appearance. To maintain the light color of the decorative cementitious matrix blend when using white Portland cements, any fly ash present in the formulation should be replaced by an additional amount or percent of white Portland cement. As stated at page 17 of Kosmatka and Panarese, “Design and Control Of Concrete Mixtures”, 13th Edition, Portland Cement Association, 1994, 4th printing, white Portland cement is a true Portland cement that differs from gray cement chiefly in color. It is made to conform to the specifications of ASTM C150, usually Type I or Type III, but the manufacturing process is controlled so that the finished product will be white. White Portland cement is made from selected raw materials containing negligible amounts of iron and magnesium oxides, i.e. the substances that give cement its gray color; see TABLE
Crispino Richard
Logan F. Eugene
Poe Michael I.
Sullivan Concrete Textures
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