U.S. patent application number 11/670355 was filed with the patent office on 2007-08-23 for concrete forms.
Invention is credited to Donald G. Huber.
Application Number | 20070193192 11/670355 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38426732 |
Filed Date | 2007-08-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070193192 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Huber; Donald G. |
August 23, 2007 |
CONCRETE FORMS
Abstract
Moisture resistant foundation footing form sections constructed
from corrugated plastic are disclosed. Supports for holding
sections of reinforcing bar, and connecting the side walls of the
form sections are included. The form sections can be secured in
position with stakes, and leveling devices for leveling the form
once it is secured in position are disclosed. The form sections
disclosed herein can be reused, but they do not attract insects and
therefore they do not have to be removed from finished foundation
footings.
Inventors: |
Huber; Donald G.; (Tacoma,
WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GARRISON ASSOCIATES
2001 SIXTH AVENUE, SUITE 3300
SEATTLE
WA
981212522
US
|
Family ID: |
38426732 |
Appl. No.: |
11/670355 |
Filed: |
February 1, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60765243 |
Feb 2, 2006 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/698 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04G 17/02 20130101;
E04G 13/00 20130101; E02D 27/02 20130101; E04G 17/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/698 |
International
Class: |
E04B 1/38 20060101
E04B001/38 |
Claims
1. A form section comprising: a. a plurality of anchoring devices;
b. a plurality of leveling devices, wherein the leveling devices
are movable along the anchoring devices; and c. a pair of
substantially planar side walls, each side wall having a long axis,
a first end, a second end, an interior surface an exterior surface,
a top edge, and a bottom edge. whereby anchoring devices anchor the
side walls in a substrate and the leveling devices are movable
along the anchoring devices to support the side walls at the
desired level.
2. A form section comprising: a. a plurality of stakes; b. a
plurality of leveling discs; and c. a pair of substantially planar
side walls. whereby anchoring devices anchor the side walls in a
substrate and the leveling devices are movable along the anchoring
devices to support the side walls at the desired level.
3. The form section of claim 2, wherein the side walls are made
from corrugated plastic having spaced, integral interconnecting
ribs between two facing sheets of plastic, each side wall having a
long axis, a first end, a second end, an interior surface an
exterior surface, a top edge, and a bottom edge; wherein the side
walls are constructed such that the channels created by the
integral interconnecting ribs are open at the top edge and the
bottom edge of the side walls, whereby the channels are sized to
allow the stakes to be inserted and anchor the sidewalls in a
substrate.
4. The form section of claim 3, wherein the stakes are made from
plastic.
5. The form section of claim 3, wherein the leveling disc is made
from a sheet metal ring with leaves extending towards the center of
the ring to form an aperture, wherein the leaves also extend in a
direction below the plane of the ring whereby the level disc is
adjustable at different positions along the length of the
stake.
6. The form section of claim 3, wherein a plurality of side walls
can be connected end to end by a clip.
7. The clip of claim 6, wherein the is made of plastic.
8. The clip of claim 6, wherein the clip is made of metal.
9. The method for creating a foundation footing form comprising the
steps of: a. preparing a substrate at a location where a foundation
footing is desired such that it comprises at least one roughly
level surface; b. selecting the appropriate number of form
sections, the sections having a pair of substantially planar side
walls made from corrugated plastic having spaced, integral
interconnecting ribs between two facing sheets of plastic, the side
walls being constructed such that the channels created by the
integral interconnecting ribs are open at the top edge and the
bottom edge of the side walls; securing the side walls in a desired
location using stakes inserted through channels in the side walls
whereby the stakes anchor the side walls in the substrate; d.
securing side walls end to end to one another; e. positioning the
side walls to the desired level by resting the side walls on
leveling discs when the leveling discs are attached to stakes; and
f. pouring concrete into the form.
10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the means for ensuring
the form section is level is by attaching leveling discs to the
stakes at the desired height with the leaves of the leveling discs
extending toward the substrate.
11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the means for securing
the side walls end to end to one another is by using clips.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This APPLICATION claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No. 60/765,243 entitled "REUSABLE STAKE FOR CONCRETE
FORMS," filed Feb. 2, 2006.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The disclosure herein relates to an apparatus and method for
forming concrete footings and forms for use in building
construction. In particular, this document describes reusable
anchoring stakes and alignment clips for lightweight and
collapsible form sections, and a method for using the form sections
with the stakes and alignment clips.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In the art of building construction it is common practice to
cast the base or foundation with concrete. A trench or excavation
channel is prepared into which the forms, either made from steel or
wood, are set up adjacent and connected to each other matching the
dimensions of the required foundation (footing). The forms, which
are steel panels or wooden boards or planks, are put into position
on their edges across from each other and parallel to each other
near the side walls of the trench.
[0004] The materials that are commonly used for concrete forms are
easily damaged. If steel forms are dented or bent, they are
essentially useless. Wood forms are difficult if not impossible to
use over and over again. Moreover, wood is a precious resource, and
thus undesirable for use as a disposable form material.
[0005] After being placed into position, the forms are usually
secured by stakes and other devices that are sufficient to prevent
the form from being displaced. As more and more governments update
their respective building codes, the number of locations that
require pier blocks to be reinforced with steel is growing. Steel
reinforcement generally takes the form of reinforcing bars (re-bar)
that is placed in the form in such a manner that the wet concrete
completely covers the reinforcing bar. Horizontally oriented
reinforcing bar is generally held in place by using separate
reinforcing bar mounting stands. Some of the generally available
reinforcing bar stands can be connected to the form after the form
has been constructed, while others are positioned in the form and
the reinforcing bar is placed on the device. Vertically oriented
reinforcing bar is generally secured in the form by devices that
are connected to the form after it is constructed. Placing the
reinforcing bar securing devices in the desired location within the
form requires additional labor and some degree of skill.
[0006] Precise location of the forms in a horizontal attitude has
been a problem due to irregularities in the ground surface on which
the forms are placed. Heretofore, adjustment of the forms at the
precise height and level has been difficult.
[0007] After the forms are completely assembled and the reinforcing
bar has been secured, concrete is poured within the forms and
allowed to set and cure. Typically, when the concrete has hardened,
the form is removed by a process that is labor intensive, and
generally requires as much physical labor and cost as the initial
set up. Additionally, concrete can stick to the forming faces of
wood, steel and other materials to the point where adequate
cleaning is impossible. Release from the concrete once it has set
usually requires the use of a release agent or labor-intensive
scraping which complicates the construction process.
[0008] In addition to the problems noted above, the concrete forms
that are generally used for foundation footings can be difficult to
handle because of their weight and bulk. These heavy bulky forms
generally require at least a medium sized truck to move enough
material to create a form for a single-family dwelling. Once the
foundation has been completed, the truck must be used again to
transport the form to the next job site. The forms must be stored
when they are not used for extensive periods of time, which
requires significant space. These problems and others add time and
costs to foundation construction, which increases the purchase
price paid for a newly constructed building by consumers.
[0009] A number of inventions have attempted to address the
problems associated with conventional foundation footing forms.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,399,050, issued to Jacobus discloses thermoplastic
side walls that can be connected with bars to create a form with
integrated drainage tiles. The form is left in place after the
concrete has cured. The Jacobus patent does disclose a device that
reduces labor costs by leaving it in place after the concrete has
cured, but it still must be assembled on the construction site by
connecting the two side walls together. The Jacobus patent does not
address the fact that the pre-made side walls may be too long in
some instances and may be difficult to cut to the correct size.
Additionally, the Jacobus patent does not address the placement of
vertical and horizontal reinforcing bar in the form, nor does it
provide any means for securing such reinforcing bar in the
form.
[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,950, issued to Palmer, discloses a
lightweight permanent concrete footing form having a horizontal
base with two side walls extending upwardly therefrom. The form
disclosed in the Palmer patent also has ducts for draining water
away from the completed footing. As with the Jacobus Patent, the
disclosure of the Palmer patent does not address how the plastic
form can be cut to size, nor does it address reinforcing bar
placement or securing the reinforcing bar in the form.
Additionally, the devices disclosed in both the Jacobus and Palmer
patents include integral drainage conduits and this could make the
devices bulky such that they would require significant storage
space prior to use and at least a medium sized truck for
transportation to the job site.
[0011] Thus a need exists for forms for concrete foundation
footings that are not made from wood or metal so that these
resources can be preserved. Such forms should be lightweight and
easily installed by a minimum number of laborers. A need also
exists for such forms that would provide integral devices for
placing and securing both vertically and horizontally oriented
reinforcing bar in the form. Such forms that are, collapsible,
easily stored and easily transported would be significant
improvements over the prior art.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0012] Accordingly, it is an object of this disclosure to provide
an easily assembled pre-fabricated form sections for the
construction of concrete foundation footings which are easily
located at the desired height and level.
[0013] Another object of this disclosure is to provide such form
sections that are resistant to the effects of moisture.
[0014] Yet another object of the disclosure is to provide such form
sections that can be easily anchored in their desired position on a
construction site.
[0015] It is also an object of this disclosure to provide form
sections, for constructing concrete footings, that do not need to
be removed from the footings once they have set.
[0016] A yet further object of this disclosure is to provide form
sections that are lightweight, collapsible, easily stored and
easily transported.
[0017] The devices disclosed herein overcome the disadvantages of
the prior art with form sections assembled from side walls that are
pre-fabricated at a remote location and can be quickly installed on
a construction site for considerably less cost than wood side
walls. The plastic side walls disclosed herein are resistant to
moisture so they can be used in a great variety of climates and
they can be assembled in considerably less time by fewer laborers
than conventional sidewalls.
[0018] The side walls disclosed herein are constructed of
corrugated plastic. Corrugated plastic is well known material
having two parallel facing sheets and spaced, integral
interconnecting ribs between the facing sheets. The plastic sheet
material can be easily extruded from a variety of plastic resins
such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and the like. This material is
also referred to as fluted plastic.
[0019] One preferred embodiment of the form sections has a pair of
substantially planar plastic side walls that are connected to each
other using interlocking supports, spaced along the length of the
form. The supports can be placed in the side walls before shipment,
in a form assembly area that is away from the job site, or they can
be placed in the forms at the job site. The pre-assembled form
sections can then be stored in a collapsed configuration until
needed. The supports are used for positioning and can also secure
vertical and horizontal reinforcing bar in the form. In their
collapsed configuration the form sections are easily stored and
transported.
[0020] In use, the side walls are placed end to end in the desired
shape of the foundation footing to create a form section for the
footing. The completed form is secured in position by placing
stakes through the channels of the corrugated plastic and into the
substrate below the form section. The form section is then leveled
by using leveling devices on the stakes.
[0021] The reusable stake is preferably a plastic rod sized to fit
snugly into the channels in the side walls and which have a
leveling disc slidable along the length of the rod which supports
the bottom edge of the side walls at the desired height. Tile
leveling disc may be placed at any location vertically along the
stake to provide the precise height and level desired for the side
walls.
[0022] Reinforcing clips designed to bridge the intersection of two
panels in an end to end relationship are disclosed. The reinforcing
clips keep the panel ends in alignment, thereby avoiding a bulge in
the concrete poured into the forms.
[0023] In another preferred embodiment, the ends of the side walls
have either a tab or a complimentary cut out portion, through which
a stake is placed to hold the form sections together. This
embodiment would be used in place of using clips to hold a two side
walls in an end to end configuration.
[0024] The plastic form sections disclosed herein are
water-resistant, light weight, easily placed in position, and
relatively inexpensive. This application discloses a number of
devices for placing and securing reinforcing bar within the form
sections and a means for leveling the form sections. The form
sections are easily stored, and material sufficient for a single
family dwelling can be easily transported in a standard sized
pickup truck, thereby saving on transportation costs. The form
sections can be set up in a fraction of the time required for forms
made from conventional material, thus significant savings can be
realized on labor costs.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] The present invention, both as to its organization and
manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages,
may best be understood by reference to the following descriptions,
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0026] FIG. 1 is an elevated perspective view of a form section
constructed from the side walls disclosed herein and supported by
the reusable stakes equipped with the leveling discs to establish
the height and level of the side walls. Reinforcing clips are shown
joining the side walls in an end to end configuration.
[0027] FIG. 1A is a top view of a leveling disc.
[0028] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the side walls with
leveling discs shown positioned along the stakes to establish the
height and level of the side walls. Reinforcing clips are shown
joining the side walls in an end to end configuration.
[0029] FIG. 3 is a elevated perspective view of a form section
constructed with a pair of sidewalls.
BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0030] Turning now to the drawings, the form sections and
accessories will be described in preferred embodiments by reference
to the numerals of the drawing figures wherein like numbers
indicate like parts.
[0031] FIG. 1 shows a form section of the type that is disclosed
herein. As seen in FIG. 1, the side walls 10 and 11 of the form
section of the embodiment depicted in the figure, are composed out
of a have a pair of opposed corrugated plastic sheets 2 and 4 with
spaced, integral interconnecting ribs in between corrugated plastic
sheets 2 and 4. The channels or spaces between the interconnecting
ribs are oriented at a right angle to the long axis of the side
walls such that the resulting channels are vertical when the side
wall is placed on the substrate at a job site. FIG. 3 shows a form
section composed of two side walls of the type that is disclosed
herein.
[0032] In one preferred embodiment, the side walls of the form
section are ten feet in length, and the stakes 24 are placed about
every two feet along the side walls. However, other preferred
embodiments have side walls that can be longer or shorter than ten
feet. The corrugated plastic sheets used to construct the side
walls can be any thickness that is sufficient to resist deformation
under the hydrostatic pressure of non-cured concrete in the forms,
and the side walls used in at least one preferred embodiment is
one-half of an inch thick. Reinforcing clips 20 and 21 are shown
joining the side walls 10 and 11 in an end to end configuration.
Reinforcing clips 20 and 21 can be made of plastic, metal or any
other suitable material. In another preferred embodiment, the side
walls can be connected in an end to end configuration by use of
complimentary tabs and notches in side walls 10 and 11. The
complementary tabs and notches are connected such that the vertical
channels of the complementary tabs and notches inside side walls 10
and 11 are capable of receiving stake 24. In this embodiment, stake
24 serves not only as an anchor, but also to keep the side walls 10
and 11 in an end to end configuration.
[0033] After construction of the footing form is complete, the side
walls must be leveled. Measuring the level can be accomplished
using a standard carpenter's level laid on the top edge of the side
walls or it can be performed with surveying instruments or any
other device suitable for checking the level of the side walls. In
one embodiment, to adjust the level of the side walls, the stake is
positioned in the ground and the leveling disc 32 is moved upward
along the stake. Disc 32 is shown in FIG. 1A. This procedure of
leveling is performed for each stake until the entire form section
is level. In this embodiment, leveling disc 32 is made from a sheet
metal ring with leaves 40 extending towards the center of the ring
to form an aperture 44. The leaves also extend in a direction below
the plane of the ring 32. Leveling disc 32 is attached to stake 24
with the leaves extending toward the substrate. Thus, leveling disc
32 can slide along stake 24 in only in the direction opposite of
the substrate. Therefore, leveling disc 32 allows easy
adjustability in one direction, while providing support to the side
walls.
[0034] As is best seen in FIG. 2, the surface 25 of the ground on
which the side walls are assembled may be uneven. Stakes 24 are
configured with the leveling discs 32 positioned at the location
along the stakes so that the panels are positioned at the desired
vertical height and level. Discs 32 maintain their position on
stakes 24 by friction or other suitable means. In the preferred
embodiment, friction is used between a plastic stake 24 and sheet
metal disc 32. In this embodiment, stake 24 should be thin enough
to fit through leveling disc 32, but thick enough that the friction
in between the stake 24 and leveling disc 32 is sufficient to
support the weight of the side walls at the desired level.
[0035] While the stakes used for the forms can be constructed of
any suitable material, three-eighths inch plastic round bar is used
to secure one preferred embodiment of the forms described
herein.
[0036] Adjacent side walls can be secured to each other using
stakes through complimentary tab and notch connectors as described
above. Alternatively, a U-shaped stake (not shown in the figures)
can be used such that one leg of the U-shaped stake is placed in a
channel in the corrugated plastic side wall and the other leg is
placed in a channel of an adjacent side wall. The U-shaped stake
can also be used to position and secure side walls opposite other
side walls. The U-shaped stake can also serve to position and
secure vertical and horizontal reinforcing bars in the form before
the concrete is poured in the form. Additionally, clips configured
for encompassing the edge of two end adjacent side walls are used
to prevent bulging of the ends of the side walls when located away
from the stakes.
[0037] If any part of a side wall is too long for a space in the
form sections, it can be easily trimmed so that it can fit in the
available space. Corners in the foundation footing can be formed
using special corner form sections or using standard side walls not
designed specifically for corners. In one embodiment, this can be
done by creating corner section clips. This can be done with any
suitable material such as plastic or metal. The clips would
resemble clips 20 or 71, but the clip would have a 90 degree angle.
This would allow a corner to be formed by two side walls that are
connected end to end at a 90 degree angle.
[0038] Referring to FIG. 2, in a preferred method, the invention
can be easily set up at a minimum of cost in materials and labor.
First, a substrate 25 such as dirt must be made a roughly level
surface. The appropriate form sections are then selected to form
the desired shape. The form sections are composed of a plurality
offside walls such as side walls 10 and 11. Each side wall has a
plurality of vertical channels. The form sections are then secured
in the desired location by inserting the stakes into the substrate.
Leveling the form sections is then done by adjusting the leveling
discs 32 along the length of the stakes 24. Once leveling discs 32
are in position, the form sections are then supported by the
leveling discs. Concrete can then be poured in the form sections.
In addition, multiple form sections can be connected end to end by
using clips as in FIG. 2 to increase the size of the form
sections.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0039] The invention has applicability in the field of construction
using concrete. In particular the current invention describes a
number of embodiments of form sections and leveling devices for
foundation footing forms. The embodiments of the form sections
disclosed above are light weight, moisture resistant, easily
stacked and easily stored. The form sections of the current
invention can be easily installed in less time by fewer laborers
than forms made from materials that are generally used.
[0040] In compliance with the statute, the invention has been
described in language more or less specific as to structural
features. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is
not limited to the specific features shown, since the means and
construction shown comprise preferred forms of putting the
invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any
of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope
of the appended claims, appropriately interpreted in accordance
with the doctrine of equivalents.
* * * * *