Static molds – Miscellaneous mold adjuncts – In situ construction engineering or building type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-18
2001-11-27
Safavi, Michael (Department: 3635)
Static molds
Miscellaneous mold adjuncts
In situ construction engineering or building type
C249S047000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06322047
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to waler clamp assemblies for temporarily holding concrete wall forms together, and more particularly, to a waler clamp assembly having a waler clamp with a reinforcing leg interconnecting upper and lower plates on the clamp to minimize deflection and twisting of the clamp.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Waler clamp assemblies for holding adjacent panels of a concrete wall form are well known. Generally, in forming concrete walls, the form is characterized by a pair of spaced apart form sides which define the size and shape of the wall and hold the concrete therebetween until it hardens. The form sides consist of a series of rectangular panels positioned edge to edge and attached to, and supported by, a frame. Typically, the panels are plywood, and the frame is made of steel. The waler clamp assemblies are used to temporarily connect to adjacent frames to hold a waler and thereby keep the wall forms aligned during pouring and hardening of the concrete. Some prior waler clamp assemblies are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,964,294; 3,584,827; and 3,655,162.
A simplified variation on some of the earlier waler clamp assemblies shown in these patents is illustrated in FIG.
1
and will be described in more detail herein. This waler clamp assembly uses a two-piece construction including the waler clamp itself and a wedge. The clamp has an upper plate with a hook that engages openings in vertical members of adjacent frames. A lower plate engages the vertical frame members at a location below the openings. The upper and lower plates are integrally formed with an outer end plate interconnecting them. A downwardly extending flange on the lower plate bears against the outer edge of the vertical members to support the clamp assembly.
A waler, generally in the form of a board, such as a 2×4 or 4×4, is positioned on the upper plate of the clamp and/or between the upper and lower plates thereof A wedge is driven substantially vertically through openings in the upper and lower plates to wedge against the waler to hold it firmly in place. The operation of the clamp assemblies and the walers is to provide a rigid support to keep the frames and panels aligned and straight during the pouring of the concrete between the form sides. This prior art waler clamp has been used for a long time, but it has no inherent support between the upper and lower plates at their inner ends adjacent to the vertical members of the frames. Eventually, in most clamps, after many uses, there is undesired downward deflection or twisting of the lower plate as a result of driving the wedge in place. This results in the waler not being adequately clamped in place which can cause misalignment of the wall form sides.
The waler clamp of the present invention solves this problem by providing the improvement of an inner reinforcing or support leg which interconnects the upper and lower plates at a position adjacent to the vertical members of the form side frames without interfering with the engagement of the hook on the upper panel with the openings in the vertical members. This prevents undesired deformation of the lower plate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a waler clamp assembly design for use with a form for concrete wall structures. The clamp assembly is an improvement of a prior art device.
The waler clamp assembly comprises a waler clamp and a wedge. The clamp comprises an upper plate having a hook thereon for engaging the wall form, a lower plate extending parallel and below the upper plate, an end web interconnecting the upper and lower plates adjacent to outer ends thereof, and a reinforcing leg interconnecting the upper and lower plates adjacent to inner ends thereof The upper and lower plates define openings therein. The wedge is disposed through the openings in the upper and lower plates of the waler clamp for wedging against a waler positioned on the upper plate.
The lower plate and the leg of the waler clamp are substantially the same width and intersect at a radiused corner. The radiused corner has a contact line thereon adapted for contacting the wall form when the waler clamp is in an operating position.
The upper plate, lower plate, end web and reinforcing leg of said waler clamp are integrally formed. The leg is fixedly attached to the upper plate. Preferably, the leg has an edge welded or otherwise attached to an underside portion of the upper plate.
The leg extends upwardly from the lower plate and outwardly toward the end web. That is, the leg has an upper edge space outwardly from said hook.
Numerous objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the drawings illustrating such embodiment.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2964294 (1960-12-01), Imonetti
patent: 2967689 (1961-01-01), Jahn
patent: 3030059 (1962-04-01), Jahn
patent: 3216690 (1965-11-01), Jahn
patent: 3462107 (1969-08-01), Buyken
patent: 3550898 (1970-12-01), Ursini
patent: 3584827 (1971-06-01), Shoemaker
patent: 3599929 (1971-08-01), Holley, Sr.
patent: 3655162 (1972-04-01), Shoemaker
patent: 3945602 (1976-03-01), Doubleday et al.
patent: 5562845 (1996-10-01), Miller et al.
Symons Corporation, p. J-25, Mar., 1981.
Symons Corporation, p. J-25A, Aug., 1992.
Symons Corporation, p. J-26, Jun., 1994.
Holmboe Mfg. Co., Inc.
McAfee & Taft
Safavi Michael
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