U.S. patent application number 11/774707 was filed with the patent office on 2009-01-15 for method and apparatus for using foam panels as forms for making concrete walls.
Invention is credited to Patrick E. Boeshart.
Application Number | 20090013629 11/774707 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40251972 |
Filed Date | 2009-01-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090013629 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Boeshart; Patrick E. |
January 15, 2009 |
Method and Apparatus for Using Foam Panels As Forms For Making
Concrete Walls
Abstract
A foam panel concrete form is provided for using concrete
reinforcement rods which extend on each side of a joint in the foam
panel concrete form and into complementary shaped openings in ties
which hold two adjacent panels in a spaced and parallel
relationship. The concrete reinforcement rod can pass into the
openings in adjacent ties with little resistance in a first rotary
position of the concrete reinforcement rod. When the concrete
reinforcement rod is rotated to a second rotational position within
the openings the reinforcement rod is in a tight frictional fit in
the openings for helping to hold adjacent ties and the adjacent
foam panels in a fixed relationship with respect to each other
during a time when concrete is poured between the foam panels,
thereby also serving to re-enforce the concrete after the concrete
has cured.
Inventors: |
Boeshart; Patrick E.; (Sioux
City, IA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STURM & FIX LLP
206 SIXTH AVENUE, SUITE 1213
DES MOINES
IA
50309-4076
US
|
Family ID: |
40251972 |
Appl. No.: |
11/774707 |
Filed: |
July 9, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/426 ;
52/309.13; 52/309.17; 52/309.4; 52/742.14 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B 2/8617 20130101;
E04B 2002/867 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/426 ;
52/309.13; 52/309.17; 52/309.4; 52/742.14 |
International
Class: |
E04B 2/10 20060101
E04B002/10; E04B 2/08 20060101 E04B002/08 |
Claims
1. Apparatus comprising: a concrete reinforcement rod having a
longitudinal axis and having a cross sectional shape transverse to
the longitudinal axis, which cross sectional shape includes at
least one diameter thereof which is larger than another diameter
thereof; a first foam panel having at least one side disposed
substantially in a first plane; a second foam panel having at least
one side disposed substantially in a second plane which is
substantially parallel to the first plane; a first tie having one
portion thereof disposed in the first foam panel and a second
portion thereof disposed in the second foam panel; a first opening
disposed in the first tie, said first opening being approximately
the same cross sectional shape as the cross sectional shape of the
concrete reinforcement rod whereby the rod can pass into the first
opening with little resistance in a first rotary position of the
concrete reinforcement rod; a third foam panel having at least one
side disposed substantially in the first plane; a fourth foam panel
having at least one side disposed substantially in the second
plane; a second tie having one portion thereof disposed in the
third foam panel and a second portion thereof disposed in the
fourth foam panel; a second opening disposed in the second tie,
said second opening being approximately the same cross sectional
shape as the cross sectional shape of the concrete reinforcement
rod whereby the rod can pass into the second opening with little
resistance in the first rotary position of the concrete
reinforcement rod; and the concrete reinforcement rod having a
second rotational position within the first and second openings
wherein the reinforcement rod is in a tight frictional fit in the
first and second openings of the first and second ties for helping
to hold the first and second ties and the first, second, third and
fourth panels to be held in a fixed relationship with respect to
each other during a time when concrete is poured between the first
and second and the third and fourth foam panels and thereby serving
to re-enforce the concrete after the concrete has cured.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising: a second concrete
reinforcement rod having a longitudinal axis and having a cross
sectional shape transverse to the longitudinal axis, which cross
sectional shape includes at least one diameter thereof which is
larger than another diameter thereof; a third opening disposed in
the first tie, said third opening being approximately the same
cross sectional shape as the cross sectional shape of the concrete
second reinforcement rod whereby the second reinforcement rod can
pass into the third opening with little resistance in a first
rotary position of the second concrete reinforcement rod; a fourth
opening disposed in the second tie, said fourth opening being
approximately the same cross sectional shape as the cross sectional
shape of the second concrete reinforcement rod whereby the second
concrete reinforcement rod can pass into the fourth opening with
little resistance in the first rotary position of the second
concrete reinforcement rod; and the second concrete reinforcement
rod having a second rotational position within the third and fourth
openings wherein the reinforcement rod is in a tight frictional fit
in the third and fourth openings of the first and second ties for
helping to hold the first and second ties and the first, second,
third and fourth foam panels to be held in a fixed relationship
with respect to each other during the time when concrete is poured
between the first and second and the third and fourth foam panels
and thereby serving to re-enforce the concrete after the concrete
has cured.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 including means on a top portion of the
first and second ties for holding at least one additional concrete
reinforcement rod in alignment between the first and second and
third and fourth foam panels while concrete is being poured and to
serve to re-enforce the concrete after the concrete has cured.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 including at least two spaced apart
members extending upwardly from each one of the first and second
ties and having at least one additional concrete reinforcement rod
disposed between the said at least two spaced apart members on each
of the first and second ties while concrete is being poured and to
serve to re-enforce the concrete after the concrete has cured.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 further having a corner section
comprising: a fifth foam wall having one side in substantially the
same plane as the first plane and being disposed against the first
foam wall; a sixth foam wall having one side in a plane
substantially transverse to the first plane, the sixth foam wall
being disposed against the one side of the fifth foam wall; a third
tie being disposed at least partially in the fifth foam wall and
having a first corner opening therein that is approximately the
same size and shape as the first opening disposed in the first tie;
a fourth tie being disposed at least partially in the sixth foam
wall and having a second corner opening therein that is
approximately the same size and shape as the first opening disposed
in the first tie; a fifth tie being having a third corner opening
in one end thereof and a fourth corner opening in the other end
thereof, both of the third and fourth corner openings being
approximately the same size and shape as the first opening disposed
in the first tie; a first fastener disposed through the first
corner opening in the third tie and the third corner opening in the
fifth tie; and a second fastener disposed through the second corner
opening in the fourth tie and the fourth corner opening in the
fifth tie.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the first, second, third and
fourth corner openings are approximately the same shape as the
cross sectional shape of the a first opening disposed in the first
tie and wherein the first fastener has one portion thereof with a
cross sectional size and shape similar to the cross sectional shape
of the first reinforcement rod, the first fastener having an
intermediate portion that is smaller in an intermediate portion
another portion that will not fit through the openings in the
first, second, third and fourth corner openings and whereby the one
portion of the first fastener is in abutment with one of the third,
fourth and fifth ties when installed through the first, second,
third and fourth corner openings and the another portion of the
first fastener is in abutment with one of one of the third, fourth
and fifth ties when installed through the first, second, third and
fourth corner openings.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 having a fifth foam wall having one
side in substantially the same plane as the first plane and being
disposed against the first foam wall; a sixth foam wall having one
side in a plane substantially transverse to the first plane, the
sixth foam wall being disposed against the one side of the fifth
foam wall; a third tie being disposed at least partially in the
fifth foam wall and having a first corner opening therein that is
approximately the same size and shape as the first opening disposed
in the first tie; a fourth tie being disposed at least partially in
the sixth foam wall and having a second corner opening therein that
is approximately the same size and shape as the first opening
disposed in the first tie; and a first fastener disposed through
the first corner opening in the third tie and the second corner
opening in the fourth tie.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the first and second corner
openings are approximately the same shape as the cross sectional
shape of the a first opening disposed in the first tie and wherein
the first fastener has one portion thereof with a cross sectional
size and shape similar to the cross sectional shape of the first
reinforcement rod, the first fastener having an intermediate
portion that is smaller in an intermediate portion another portion
that will not fit through the openings in the first and second
corner openings and whereby the one portion of the first fastener
is in abutment with one of the third and fourth ties when installed
through the first and second corner openings and the another
portion of the first fastener is in abutment with one of one of the
third and fourth ties when installed through the first and second
corner openings.
9. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising: a sixth tie being
disposed at least partially in the fifth foam wall and having a
fifth corner opening therein that is approximately the same size
and shape as the first opening disposed in the first tie; a seventh
tie being disposed at least partially in the sixth foam wall and
having a sixth corner opening therein that is approximately the
same size and shape as the first opening disposed in the first tie;
and a third fastener disposed through the fifth corner opening in
the sixth tie and the sixth corner opening in the seventh tie.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the fifth and sixth corner
openings are approximately the same shape as the cross sectional
shape of the a first opening disposed in the first tie and wherein
the third fastener has one portion thereof with a cross sectional
size and shape similar to the cross sectional shape of the first
reinforcement rod, the third fastener having an intermediate
portion that is smaller in an intermediate portion another portion
that will not fit through the openings in the fifth and sixth
corner openings and whereby the one portion of the third fastener
is in abutment with one of the sixth and seventh ties when
installed through the fifth and sixth corner openings and the
another portion of the third fastener is in abutment with one of
one of the sixth and seventh ties when installed through the fifth
and sixth corner openings.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a fifth foam panel
having at least one side disposed in a third plane substantially
perpendicular to the first plane and in abutment with the first
foam panel; a sixth foam panel having at least one side disposed in
a fourth plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane and
in abutment with the third foam panel; and wherein the concrete
reinforcement rod extends through the third and fourth planes.
12. A method of constructing a concrete form comprising: placing a
first tie having one portion thereof disposed in a first foam panel
and a second portion thereof disposed in a second foam panel;
placing the first foam panel having at least one side disposed
substantially in a first plane; placing the second foam panel
having at least one side disposed substantially in a second plane
which is substantially parallel to the first plane; providing a
concrete reinforcement rod having a longitudinal axis and having a
cross sectional shape transverse to the longitudinal axis, which
cross sectional shape includes at least one diameter thereof which
is larger than another diameter thereof; placing a first opening
disposed in the first tie, said first opening being approximately
the same cross sectional shape as the cross sectional shape of the
concrete reinforcement rod whereby the rod can pass into the first
opening with little resistance in a first rotary position of the
concrete reinforcement rod; providing a second tie having one
portion thereof disposed in a third foam panel and a second portion
thereof disposed in a fourth foam panel; placing the third foam
panel having at least one side disposed substantially in the first
plane; placing the fourth foam panel having at least one side
disposed substantially in the second plane; arranging to have a
second opening disposed in the second tie, said second opening
being approximately the same cross sectional shape as the cross
sectional shape of the concrete reinforcement rod whereby the rod
can pass into the second opening with little resistance in the
first rotary position of the concrete reinforcement rod; placing
the concrete reinforcement rod into the first and second openings
of the first and second ties respectively in the first rotary
position thereof; and rotating the concrete reinforcement rod to a
second rotational position within the first and second openings
wherein the reinforcement rod is in a tight frictional fit in the
first and second openings of the first and second ties for helping
to hold the first and second ties and the first, second, third and
fourth panels to be held in a fixed relationship with respect to
each other during a time when concrete is poured between the first
and second and the third and fourth foam panels and thereby serving
to re-enforce the concrete after the concrete has cured.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the rotating of the concrete
reinforcement rod from the first to the second position thereof is
done by access from above the first and second foam panels.
14. The method of claim 12 wherein the placing of the concrete
reinforcement rod through the first and second openings is done by
first cutting an access hole cut in the side of one of the foam
panels and inserting the concrete reinforcement rod through the
access hole and placing the concrete reinforcement rod into the
first and second openings.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the rotating of the concrete
reinforcement rod from the first to the second position thereof is
done by accessing the concrete reinforcement rod and then rotating
the concrete reinforcement rod from the first to the second
position thereof.
16. The method of claim 15 including blocking the hole and pouring
concrete between the first, second third and fourth foam
panels.
17. Apparatus comprising: a dowel having a circular cross sectional
shape having a first diameter; a first tie adapted to be disposed
in a first foam panel and a second portion thereof disposed in a
second foam panel; a first opening disposed in the first tie, said
first opening being approximately the same cross sectional shape as
the cross sectional shape of the whereby the dowel can pass into
the first opening with little resistance; a second tie having one
portion thereof adapted to be disposed in a third foam panel and a
second portion thereof adapted to be disposed in a fourth foam
panel; a second opening disposed in the second tie, said second
opening being approximately the same cross sectional shape as the
cross sectional shape of the dowel whereby the dowel can pass into
the second opening with little resistance; a first resilient block
having an opening therein which is of a second diameter which is
smaller than the first diameter of the dowel whereby the dowel can
be disposed in tight frictional contact within the opening in the
first resilient block to hold the first resilient block attached to
one end of the dowel; a second resilient block having an opening
therein which is of the second diameter which is smaller than the
first diameter of the dowel whereby another end of the dowel can be
disposed in tight frictional contact within the opening in the
second resilient block to hold the second resilient block attached
to the other end of the dowel; and whereby the first and second
ties are disposed between the first and second resilient blocks for
shipping purposes.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the first and second resilient
blocks are comprised of rubber.
19. Apparatus comprising: a connector having a longitudinal axis
and having a cross sectional shape transverse to the longitudinal
axis, which cross sectional shape includes at least one cross
sectional dimension thereof which is larger than another cross
sectional dimension thereof; a first foam panel having at least one
side disposed substantially in a first plane; a second foam panel
having at least one side disposed substantially in a second plane
which is substantially parallel to the first plane; a first tie
having one portion thereof disposed in the first foam panel and a
second portion thereof disposed in the second foam panel; a first
opening disposed in the first tie, said first opening being
approximately the same cross sectional shape as the cross sectional
shape of the connector whereby the connector can pass into the
first opening with little resistance in a first rotary position of
the connector; a third foam panel having at least one side disposed
substantially in the first plane; a fourth foam panel having at
least one side disposed substantially in the second plane; a second
tie having one portion thereof disposed in the third foam panel and
a second portion thereof disposed in the fourth foam panel; a
second opening disposed in the second tie, said second opening
being approximately the same cross sectional shape as the cross
sectional shape of the connector whereby the connector can pass
into the second opening with little resistance in the first rotary
position of the connector; and the connector having a second
rotational position within the first and second openings wherein
the connector is in the first and second openings of the first and
second ties for holding the first and second ties and the first,
second, third and fourth panels in a fixed relationship with
respect to each other during a time when concrete is poured between
the first and second and the third and fourth foam panels and
thereby also serving to re-enforce the concrete after the concrete
has cured.
20. A method of constructing a concrete form comprising: placing a
first tie having one portion thereof disposed in a first foam panel
and a second portion thereof disposed in a second foam panel;
placing the first foam panel having at least one side disposed
substantially in a first plane; placing the second foam panel
having at least one side disposed substantially in a second plane
which is substantially parallel to the first plane; providing a
connector having a longitudinal axis and having a cross sectional
shape transverse to the longitudinal axis, which cross sectional
shape includes at least one cross sectional dimension thereof which
is larger than another cross sectional dimension thereof; placing a
first opening disposed in the first tie, said first opening being
large enough whereby the connector can pass into the first opening
with little resistance in a first rotary position of the connector;
providing a second tie having one portion thereof disposed in a
third foam panel and a second portion thereof disposed in a fourth
foam panel; placing the third foam panel having at least one side
disposed substantially in the first plane; placing the fourth foam
panel having at least one side disposed substantially in the second
plane; arranging to have a second opening disposed in the second
tie, said second opening being approximately the same cross
sectional shape as the first opening whereby the connector can pass
into the second opening with little resistance in the first rotary
position of the connector; placing the connector into the first and
second openings of the first and second ties respectively in the
first rotary position thereof; and rotating the connector to a
second rotational position within the first and second openings
wherein the connector is in the first and second openings of the
first and second ties for holding the first and second ties and the
first, second, third and fourth panels to be held in a fixed
relationship with respect to each other during a time when concrete
is poured between the first and second and the third and fourth
foam panels and thereby serving to re-enforce the concrete after
the concrete has cured.
Description
FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY
[0001] The present invention relates generally to ties for concrete
wall forming systems of a type using foam panels; and more
particularly to a special tie utilized to secure adjacent panel
sections together.
BACKGROUND
[0002] While wall forming systems have been in use for many years,
the last two decades has seen considerable development in this
industry in the use of expanded polystyrene panels as forms for
poured concrete walls. After the concrete has hardened, the panels
may be left in place on the walls to serve as permanent insulation,
or they may be stripped off to reveal the exposed concrete.
[0003] Upon introduction of this new wall forming system, it was
found that it was unnecessary to use small "building blocks" to
create the form panels to build a form system for receiving poured
concrete. Rather, larger and larger panels are now being utilized
to create the concrete forms. Developments in this field include
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,765,109 and 4,916,879 to Boeshart, which show how
to make right angle corners and "T" intersections, which patents
are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
[0004] Adjacent sections of foam panels have pre-formed mating
tongue and groove connections that hold them together on the main
portions of the foam panel sections. But sometimes these tongue and
groove portions need to be trimmed off to make a foam panel form
that is shorter than the length of a standard foam panel length.
When this occurs it is necessary to find another way to hold
adjacent foam panels together during the time that the concrete is
being poured and cured. Solving this problem in the industry has
been difficult and labor intensive, with many proposed solutions
being not sufficiently reliable. Accordingly there remains a need
for solving this difficult problem.
SUMMARY
[0005] The present invention relates to a foam panel concrete form
using concrete reinforcement rods which extend on each side of a
joint in the foam panel concrete form and into complementary shaped
openings in ties which hold two adjacent panels in a spaced and
parallel relationship. The concrete reinforcement rod can slide
into the openings in adjacent ties with little resistance in a
first rotary position of the concrete reinforcement rod. When the
concrete reinforcement rod is rotated to a second rotational
position within the openings, the reinforcement rod is in a tight
frictional fit in the openings for helping to hold adjacent ties
and the adjacent foam panels in a fixed relationship with respect
to each other during a time when concrete is poured between the
foam panels, thereby also serving to re-enforce the concrete after
the concrete has cured.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of
the present invention providing a concrete form constructed of foam
panels;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of
FIG. 1 of the present invention showing ties formed in the foam
panels to hold adjacent foam panels in a spaced parallel
relationship and concrete reinforcement rods placed on and in the
ties to hold the form sections together and to reinforce the
concrete after it has cured, with some reinforcement rods being
shown in dashed lines to indicate where they can be placed;
[0008] FIG. 3 is a top view of the structure shown in FIG. 2;
[0009] FIG. 4 is a side view of that portion of a tie in FIG. 3
that is exposed between the two foam panels;
[0010] FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the foam panel
structure shown in FIG. 4, but showing the foam panels in dashed
lines and the ties in solid lines;
[0011] FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of one of the corner tie
structures shown in the lower right portion of FIG. 7;
[0012] FIG. 7 is a top plan view of one of the corner structures of
the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of one of the sections of
a tie used in the lower left and upper right portion of FIG. 7;
[0014] FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing how a fastener is used
to connect the structure of FIG. 8 to the structure of FIGS. 10 and
11;
[0015] FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of one of the sections of
a tie used in the lower left and upper right portion of FIG. 7;
[0016] FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of one of the sections of
a tie used in the lower left and upper right portion of FIG. 7,
this section just being longer than the one shown in FIG. 10, but
otherwise identical;
[0017] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of
FIG. 1 of the present invention showing ties formed in the foam
panels to hold adjacent foam panels in a spaced parallel
relationship and concrete reinforcement rods placed on and one tie
only being illustrated to hold the form sections together and to
reinforce the concrete after it has cured, it being understood that
other reinforcement rods would be placed in the other aligned holes
shown that are of a similar shape;
[0018] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing how a reinforcement
rod is in position to be inserted into an opening in one of the
ties;
[0019] FIG. 14 is a perspective view like FIG. 13 but showing how a
reinforcement rod has been inserted into an opening in one of the
ties in the direction of an arrow;
[0020] FIG. 15 is a perspective view like FIG. 14 but showing how a
reinforcement rod has been rotated in the direction of an arrow in
the opening in one of the ties to frictionally lock the
reinforcement rod against the sliding movement along the line of
the arrow in FIG. 14;
[0021] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of adjoining foam panels
showing the tongue and groove relationship used to lock adjacent
panels together by moving them relatively up or down as shown by
the arrow in FIG. 16;
[0022] FIG. 17 is a perspective view of abutting foam panel forms
wherein the tongue and groove portions are not present, for example
because one of the forms needs to be shorter than a standard length
of form, and also showing the use of a glue gun to seal the
abutting edges together as well as reinforcement rods which are
installed after the abutting edges are glued together;
[0023] FIG. 18 is a top view of a T-joint of the present invention
where one concrete wall to be formed will join with another
concrete wall;
[0024] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a top portion of the
structure of FIG. 18;
[0025] FIG. 20 is a top view of a corner section of the present
invention where one concrete wall to be formed will join with
another concrete wall;
[0026] FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the corner section of FIG.
20, portions of which are also shown in FIGS. 6-11;
[0027] FIG. 22 is a perspective view showing how the ties can be
held together for shipping purposes in a very compact fashion;
[0028] FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a foam panel concrete form
which has been pre-assembled and showing in dashed lines places
where "jack-o-lantern" type holes can be cut the foam wall to
insert reinforcement rods there through;
[0029] FIG. 24 is a perspective view of a foam panel showing
"jack-o-lantern lid" shaped holes being cut in the foam wall to
insert reinforcement rods there through; and
[0030] FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a foam panel showing how a
piece of "jack-o-lantern lid" shaped piece of foam is reinserted in
the one of the holes after the insert reinforcement rods have been
installed, and showing how the a piece of "jack-o-lantern lid"
shaped piece of foam is pinned with nails or the like to hold it in
place while concrete is being poured into the form.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0031] Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference
numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the
several views, FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred
embodiment 10 of the present invention. Foam panels 22 have a
tongue portion 22t on one edge and a groove portion 22g on the
other edge thereof for mating with one another. The top of each
panel 22 has a projection portion 22p. FIG. 12 shows the bottom of
the structure of FIG. 2 and shows recessed portion 22r of panels 22
and FIG. 16 shows how the tongue portion 22t fits into the groove
portion 22g of adjacent panels 22.
[0032] FIG. 5 is an end view for example, from the front of FIG. 2,
but showing the foam panels 22 in dashed lines and ties 11 in solid
lines. These ties 11 are made of a solid plastic material which are
preferably made of the same material as the ties in the two patents
referred to above which are incorporated herein by reference. Each
side of the tie 11 has a portion 12 which is molded inside of the
panel 22, but of course could be the type that slips down into a
groove in panels 22 if desired. Portions 13 have an opening 16
thereof which can be seen in greater detail in FIGS. 13-15, which
will be discussed later. A portion 14 of the tie 11 extends between
the portions 13 and has a plurality of extension tabs 14t thereon
to allow an ultimate user to put a reinforcement rod 21 between
adjacent tabs 14t, for example as shown in the right-most
reinforcement rod 21 shown in solid lines in FIG. 2. This allows
the concrete to be formed between the foam walls 22 and when it
cures the reinforcement rod 21 will be in a proper position to hold
the concrete even if it cracks.
[0033] Hinge portions 19 allow the concrete forms to pivot to a
position wherein the portions 14 and 13 of the tie will be more or
less parallel to the interior walls of the foam panels 22. When the
form is desired to be used on the job site, it can be folded out to
the position shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 12, for example.
[0034] Referring now to FIG. 7, it is noted that a corner portion
is shown. In this top view, portions 112 of the corner structure
are virtually identical to the portions 12 of the ties 11 of FIG.
5. Essentially, the center section 14, including tabs 14t, have
been cut off to make the structure shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.
Additionally, a fastener 121 is used and is shown in detail in FIG.
9. This fastener 121 has tabs 121t and 121b thereon which fit into
the opening 116 and through the top part 116t of opening 116 and
through the bottom 116b of opening 116. Once the portion 121a, 121b
and 121c extend through portions 113, then the handle portion 121h
of the fastener 121 is turned so that the tabs 121b and 121t are
not aligned with the portion of the opening 116b and 116t to
thereby lock the portions 113 together as shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 6
also shows the structure at the lower right portion of FIG. 7
before it has been bent into the position shown in FIG. 7.
[0035] The other braced portion in the corner of FIG. 7 uses
portions 112, 113, hinge 119, etc., similar to that shown in FIGS.
8 and 9, but instead of locking the portions 113 together, a "bow
tie" shaped portion 211 is used as shown in FIGS. 10 and 7. This
bow tie 211 has openings 216 therein with a top portion 216t and a
bottom portion 216b so that the fastener 121 shown in FIG. 9 can be
used in the same way to first extend it through opening 116 of the
tabs 113 and also through the openings 216 in bow tie 211 to secure
the bow tie 211 in place as shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 11 merely shows a
longer bow tie 311 with end sections 313 and openings 316.
[0036] Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 12 which show the top and
bottom, respectively, of a form comprised of two foam panels 22
being held in spaced relationship by a plurality of ties 11 which
are formed therein and extend between the two forms 22, it is
important to note that sometimes these forms 10 need to be trimmed
to be shorter than the standard length because the concrete wall
needs to be shorter than a multiple of the length of such standard
forms 10. When this occurs, the tongue portion 22t and groove
portion 22g, for example as shown in FIGS. 12 and 16, are trimmed
off so that they are like shown in FIG. 17. A glue gun with hot
glue is applied to these planar edges as shown in FIG. 17 and the
adjacent flat edges of foam panels 22 are glued together as
indicated by the arrow shown in FIG. 17. Once that has been done,
there needs to be something more than merely glue to hold this
joint when concrete is introduced. Simply stated, the glue is not
always sufficient to prevent the joint from coming apart when the
heavy concrete and the pressure exerted on the walls 22 occurs due
to the pouring of the concrete. Consequently, once the adhesive or
glued joint is formed, then the reinforcement rod 21 is inserted in
the step-by-step fashion shown in FIGS. 13-15.
[0037] Looking at FIG. 13 for example, the reinforcement rod 21 in
the orientation shown, can be slid through the opening 16 in the
direction of the arrow. It is noted that when this is done, the top
portion 21t of the reinforcement rod 21 extends through the top
portion 16t of the opening 16 in portion 13 of the tie 11.
Similarly, the lower portion 21b of the reinforcement rod 21
extends through the lower portion 16b of the opening 16. It will be
appreciated that the rod can easily pass into and through the
opening 16 in this fashion as shown sequentially from FIG. 13 to
FIG. 14 in the direction of the arrow. After the reinforcement rod
21 has been passed through all of the openings at the joint shown
in FIG. 17 with the joint glued together, then the reinforcement
rod 21 is rotated 90.degree. as shown in FIG. 15. This would
typically be done by grasping the reinforcement rod 21 with pliers
or a vice grip type of tool because there is a considerable amount
of friction involved in rotating the tie 21. Once the tie 21 is so
rotated to the position shown in FIG. 15, this will hold the joint
17 together where it has been glued. In fact, it may not be
necessary to apply the adhesive between the joint. For each of the
openings 16 in the ties, for example as shown in FIGS. 2, 12 and
17, a tie 21 will be inserted in the manner shown sequentially in
FIGS. 13-15. While it may not be necessary that every one of these
openings 16 has a tie 21 therein, the more ties that are installed,
the stronger the joint will be.
[0038] Referring now to FIGS. 18 and 19, a form is shown in a
configuration to pour one wall which is perpendicular to and joined
with another wall. A bracing structure comprised of inner-connected
elements 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409, 410 and 411
hold one course or level of foam of concrete foam walls 22 together
so that additional courses of such elements can be placed above
those that are shown in FIGS. 18 and 19 to form a taller concrete
form. Of course this can be done as many times as necessary to form
a concrete form as tall as desired.
[0039] More importantly to the invention at hand, it is noted that
the ties 11 are in place so that a reinforcement rod 21 can be
utilized to further hold the joint of the form together by
extending the tie 21 through openings 16 sequentially as shown in
FIGS. 13-15. It is also noted that FIGS. 18 and 19 show an
additional tie 21 which extends between two adjacent tabs 14t and
90.degree. to the reinforcement rod 21 which has previously been
installed as noted above. This additional reinforcement rod 21 will
further hold the concrete joint together after the concrete has
cured. More reinforcement rods 21 can be used between the tabs 14t,
and of course, none of these reinforcement rods actually need to be
bent down on the end like the ones shown in FIG. 19.
[0040] Referring now to FIGS. 20 and 21, it is noted that a corner
section like FIG. 7 is shown with a structure 600 thereon which is
similar to the devices shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,765,109 and
4,916,879 to Boeshart, which show how to make right angle corners
and which patents are incorporated herein by reference in their
entirety. Portions 601 and 602 slip over the extreme outside of the
corner and are connected together by braces 603, 604 and 605. Brace
603 extends to member 606 and 607 via members 608 and 609.
[0041] Member 610 is attached at one end to member 603 and at the
other end to member 611. Member 612 connects members 610 and 613
together. Similarly, member 620 is attached at one end to member
603 and at the other end to member 621. Member 622 connects members
620 and 623 together.
[0042] Member 630 is attached at one end to member 631 and at the
other end to member 635. Member 632 connects members 631 and 633
together. And on the other side, similarly, Member 630 is attached
at one end to member 631 and at the other end to member 645. Member
642 connects members 641 and 643 together. Member 646 connects
member 641 to member 603 and member 647 connects member 631 to
member 603. This structure 600 allows for one course of foam panels
22 to be held in place at a corner and further allows an additional
course to be added to the top of the structure 600 shown in FIGS.
20 and 21, and held in place by overlapping members 601, 602, 606,
607, 612, 613, 621, 623, 631, 633, 641 and 643.
[0043] Referring now to FIG. 22, it is noted that a wooden dowel
421 can be utilized to extend through a plurality of ties 11 for
the purpose of holding them together for shipping purposes. This
dowel 421 is essentially the same or slightly less of a diameter as
the opening 16. A hard rubber locking block 450 is frictionally
held on the end of the dowel 421 for holding the end of the dowel
421. A hole in the rubber locking block 450 has a diameter than is
slightly smaller than the diameter of the dowel, so that rubber
locking block 450 can be pushed onto the end of the dowel 421 in
the FIG. 22 configuration to hold all of the ties 11 together for
shipping purposes.
[0044] Referring now to FIGS. 23-25, it is noted that forms 500 and
501 are essentially identical except that it is necessary, due to
the specifications of the wall that the form 501 be shorter in
length than the form 500. When this is necessary, it needs to be
trimmed off, for example as shown in FIG. 17 on the abutting edges
at the joint 502. In FIG. 17, as the courses are added one on top
of another, it is very easy to reach over the top and insert the
reinforcement rods 21 into the opening 16 sequentially as shown in
FIGS. 13-15. When the concrete form made of foam 500 and 501 are
already formed having several courses high, then it becomes
necessary to insert the reinforcement rod 21 in a different
fashion. One such desired way to insert these rods is to cut an
opening 503 as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 23. This is done in
the manner shown in FIG. 24 and it is cut with a saw 504, for
example in the manner that someone would cut a top out of a pumpkin
when making a jack-o-lantern so that the inside of the opening 503i
is larger than the portion of the opening 503o outside. By cutting
the opening in this fashion, the plug 505 will be wedged back into
the opening 503 when the concrete is poured and this will prevent
it from popping out of the opening 503 if the hole 503 had straight
walls instead of tapered walls.
[0045] Once the opening 503 has been cut and the plug 505 pushed
inside the wall, a person would reach through the opening 503 and
insert a concrete reinforcement rod 21 through the openings 16 in
the exact same manner as shown sequentially in FIGS. 13-15. It can
be seen that this can be done at different levels as shown in FIG.
23. After the concrete reinforcement rod 21 has been installed,
then the plug 505 is pulled back and reinserted into the opening
503 and nails 506 are used to hold the plug 505 in place. Of course
when the concrete is poured between the walls of forms 500 and 501,
the force of the poured plastic or liquid concrete pushes outwardly
on the foam walls of the forms 500 and 501. The plug 505 will be
wedged against the inside of the opening 503 and will remain in
place in the position shown in FIG. 25.
[0046] Obviously many modifications and variations of the present
invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is
therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended
claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as
specifically described.
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