Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Processes – Barrier construction
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-23
2001-02-06
Purol, David M. (Department: 3634)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Processes
Barrier construction
C264S297900
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182416
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to building construction procedures and equipment, and more particularly to a method and form blocks for constructing tilt-up concrete wall panels.
2. Description of Related Art
Tilt-up concrete wall panels facilitate building construction. Workers fabricate them at the building site and then tilt them up into position to form the walls. Doing so greatly simplifies construction. It also introduces some unique problems that need to be overcome.
Consider a typical tilt-up wall panel measuring about 35 feet by 24 feet by 8 inches thick. Workers fabricate it at the building site after the concrete floor slab has been poured by building it atop the floor slab. First, they place a suitable bond breaker release agent on the slab. Next, they build forms on the slab and set rebar or other reinforcing. Then, they pour concrete. After the concrete has cured, they break off the forms and tilt the wall panel up into position where it is suitably secured.
One major problem concerns the forms. In building the forms, workers nail (or screw) the individual form members to the concrete floor slab. In the case of nails, they drill quarter-inch holes in the concrete floor slab at spaced apart intervals and then drive two sixteen-penny nails through the forms into each hole. That holds the forms in place, but an array of nail holes results in the concrete floor slab. Although workers usually patch the holes, the hole locations are still visible and very undesirable to many developers and building specification writers. So, construction workers need a way to overcome this concern.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention addresses the concern outlined above by providing stick-on form reinforcing blocks (i.e., form blocks) for holding the form members in position on the concrete floor slab. Workers stick the form blocks to the concrete floor slab at desired spaced apart positions and then nail them to the form members. That means no nail holes in the concrete floor slab . . . no holes to drill and no holes to patch.
To paraphrase some of the more precise claim language subsequently presented, a method for fabricating a concrete wall panel atop a concrete slab includes the steps of providing a form atop the concrete slab, providing a plurality of blocks adapted to reinforce the form, securing the blocks to the concrete slab in reinforcing positions adjacent the form, pouring concrete in the form, and allowing the concrete to cure to thereby produce the concrete wall panel. The construction crew then tilts the concrete wall panel upwardly from the concrete slab into a desired position and removes the blocks from the concrete slab.
According to a major aspect of the invention the step of providing a plurality of blocks includes providing at least one block that is adapted to be secured to the concrete slab adhesively, preferably with an adhesive that comes already attached to the block. In line with the foregoing, a block for reinforcing a form member atop a concrete slab includes a body of material having an overall height no greater than the predetermined thickness specified for the concrete wall panel. The body of material has an upstanding flange portion for placement alongside the form member and a base portion for placement atop the concrete slab. Adhesive means are provided for securing the base portion to the concrete slab adhesively.
One common form block for reinforcing a common form member includes injection molded first and second upstanding flange portions that define a channel adapted to receive the common form member. One edge form block for reinforcing an edge form member has a triangular shape. The following illustrative drawings and detailed description make the foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention more apparent.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4042205 (1977-08-01), Herrell
patent: 4104356 (1978-08-01), Deutsch et al.
patent: 4393568 (1983-07-01), Navarro
patent: 4542613 (1985-09-01), Leyte-Vidal
patent: 4659057 (1987-04-01), Felter
patent: 5096155 (1992-03-01), Fitzgerald
patent: 5489468 (1996-02-01), Davidson
patent: 5656194 (1997-08-01), Zimmerman
Hanson Loyal McKinley
Purol David M.
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