U.S. patent number 3,632,078 [Application Number 04/814,978] was granted by the patent office on 1972-01-04 for concrete form.
This patent grant is currently assigned to West Coast Industries, Inc.. Invention is credited to Stephen S. Dashew.
United States Patent |
3,632,078 |
Dashew |
January 4, 1972 |
CONCRETE FORM
Abstract
A pan-shaped structural concrete form wherein the top and each
side of the pan is internally braced by a framework of metal tubes,
some of which serve as hand holds for removal of the pan. In pans
with flanges, the flanges are of flexible construction and are
molded with a definite angle from the horizontal, so they become
horizontal when the pan is turned upside down and pressed down by
the weight of concrete. Other pans without flanges employ a
locked-in rubber strip at the bottom to form a seal with the
construction deck on which the pans are laid.
Inventors: |
Dashew; Stephen S. (Los
Angeles, CA) |
Assignee: |
West Coast Industries, Inc.
(Los Angeles, CA)
|
Family
ID: |
25216519 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/814,978 |
Filed: |
April 10, 1969 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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751307 |
Aug 8, 1968 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
249/183; 249/32;
249/176; 249/63 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B28B
7/34 (20130101); B28B 7/0038 (20130101); E04G
11/46 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B28B
7/34 (20060101); B28B 7/00 (20060101); E04G
11/00 (20060101); E04G 11/46 (20060101); B29r
001/12 (); B28b 007/30 (); B28b 007/34 () |
Field of
Search: |
;249/18,19,13,28,31,32,35,63,64,65,66,29,145,83,175,176,177,183,184,185,186
;25/121,128.1,131CP,131P,131.5A,131.5C,DIG.24 ;18/19F |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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106,228 |
|
1938 |
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AU |
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107,756 |
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1939 |
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AU |
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782,513 |
|
Mar 1935 |
|
FR |
|
928,601 |
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Jun 1963 |
|
GB |
|
782,513 |
|
Mar 1935 |
|
FR |
|
Other References
Advertisement from The Builder magazine, July 27, 1962..
|
Primary Examiner: Flint, Jr.; J. Howard
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No.
751,307 by Steven S. Dashew filed Aug. 8, 1968.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Apparatus for disposal against a generally horizontal deck to
form concrete or the like comprising:
a body having a top portion and sides depending therefrom, in a
substantially downward direction, said sides having lower end
portions with bottom edges;
sealing strip means including a base portion disposed against said
bottom edges of said sides, said base portion having an outer
surface which is substantially flush with said lower end portion of
said body sides when said base portion is in a substantially
undeformed state, and a leg portion extending in a generally upward
direction from said base portion, said leg portion having inner and
outer sides; and
means on said body forming substantially vertical grooves with
sides closely engaging both said inner and outer sides of said leg
portion of said sealing strip means, whereby to resist removal of
the strip when shifted in any direction on the deck.
2. The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein:
said body is formed of resin-impregnated material with said lower
end portions thicker than portions of said sides above them;
and
said means forming substantially vertical grooves comprises walls
forming slots in said bottom edges.
3. The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein:
said lower end portions of said sides are of a variable width
between their inner and outer surfaces and
said means forming substantially vertical grooves comprises walls
forming grooves in said bottom edges at a substantially constant
distance from the outer surfaces of said lower end portions.
4. The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein:
said sealing strip means comprises elastomeric material of
substantially L cross section forming said base and leg portions,
when said sealing strip means is in an undeformed state.
5. Apparatus for forming concrete over a deck type of support
comprising:
a pan-shaped body with an upper face and side faces depending
therefrom for disposal of their lower ends on said support, said
faces forming an inner hollow and said side faces angled from the
vertical to spread outwardly;
frameworks of elongated structural members disposed in facewise
adjacency to a plurality of said faces to leave the narrowest width
of said inner hollow at the lower portion thereof greater than the
external width of the top of the body, so that the upper portion of
one body can be received in the lower portion of another body for
stacking; and
at least two narrow elongated members fixed rigidly in place and
extending at a substantially constant distance from said upper face
within said inner hollow, said members having portions spaced from
said side faces, whereby to facilitate stacking and to provide
handholds for removal from set concrete.
6. The apparatus defined in claim 5 wherein:
said elongated members extend diagonally between positions on
adjacent faces of said body which are spaced from the intersection
of said adjacent faces.
7. Apparatus for forming concrete over a deck type of support
comprising:
a body constructed of resin-impregnated material having an upper
face, and having side faces depending from said upper face for
disposal of their lower ends on said support;
frameworks of elongated structural members disposed in facewise
adjacency to a plurality of said faces, said structural members
including outwardly directed flanges disposed against said faces;
and including
holding strips of resin impregnated material extending over said
flanges and adjacent areas of said faces, with the resin in said
strips merging into the resin in said body, to hold said members in
place.
8. Apparatus for forming concrete comprising:
a pan-shaped form having an upper face and side faces depending
therefrom;
a bracing framework of elongated members in facewise adjacency to
said upper face; and
means defining a hole in said upper face, at a position thereon
spaced from said elongated members thereon by a plurality of
diameters of said hole, and a downwardly extending nipple about
said hole for communicating with an air pipe, whereby to facilitate
flexing of the portion of said upper face about said hole.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to concrete forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Structural concrete is often formed as a floor with integral beams
thereunder. This is often accomplished by building a wooden deck
and placing numerous pans upside down on the deck. Concrete poured
on the forms to a height above the top of the pans provides the
concrete floor, with the concrete between the sides of adjacent
pans forming the supporting beams. After the concrete sets, the
wooden deck is disassembled and the pan-shaped forms are removed
from beneath the floor for reuse.
The pan-shaped forms are generally constructed with a fiber glass
foundation material or base of mat construction with binders which
are of a polyester resin system that is thermosetting to enable
low-cost production. The mat construction of the base allows it to
absorb a high percentage of resin, resulting in high stiffness.
Most polyester resin systems suitable for high production undergoes
high shrinkage during curing. The shrinkage is not uniform, and
generally results in warped flanges so that at least portions of
the flanges are not horizontal when the pan is laid on a horizontal
deck. If the flange is not horizontal, it will not line up with the
flange of the pan laid adjacent to it on the deck. As a result, the
bottom of the formed concrete beam will have two levels on opposite
sides of the line where the flanges meet. In exposed architectural
concrete, appreciably different concrete levels are not acceptable,
the accepted difference generally being substantially less than
one-sixteenth inch. In addition, two different levels of the
flanges may allow concrete to seep in between the flanges.
The warping of flanges can be held substantially constant by using
a very slow cure cycle and close controls on the amount of catalyst
and fiber glass used. In this case, the forming die can be
counterwarped so that the resulting flange is flat and horizontal.
However, close controls on the material and slow cycling greatly
increases the manufacturing costs. A low-cost method for producing
pan-shaped concrete forms with flanges that accurately abut one
another would substantially facilitate architectural concrete
formation.
While forms with accurately produced flanges would be useful, even
lower cost construction sometimes would be possible if flangeless
pans could be used. The beams then would be formed by the space
between the pans. However, the flanges serve the function of
stiffening the sidewalls and it has been difficult to provide
rigidity without flanges. It has been proposed to construct pans
with the flanges turned in, and with rubber strips glued to the
bottom of the inturned flanges to support them on the deck.
However, the rubber strips would be readily torn off in use. Means
for providing rugged flangeless pans with stiff sidewalls would be
of great use in concrete construction.
The pan-shaped forms are generally internally braced by a plywood
frame. Typically, the brace has five sheets of plywood, one lying
against each of the four sides and against the top. In addition, a
plywood cross extends between opposite sides, the edge of the cross
lying against the top face. The plywood brace is heavy, being on
the order of 50 pounds for a pan which is approximately 1 1/2 feet
high and 4 feet long on each side. In addition, the plywood is
expensive and tends to rot, and in many instances the cross portion
has a large depth which limits stackability. An improved internal
brace for a pan form would also contribute to low-cost concrete
construction.
After the concrete which has been poured on the pans is set and the
plywood or other flooring is removed, the pans must be pulled down
from the concrete floor. The pans generally tend to stick to the
concrete, and this bond is broken by forcing air between the
concrete and the pan. Normally, this is accomplished by providing a
small hole through the top of the pan, which is plugged up when
concrete is poured on the pan. To remove the pan, the tape or other
plug is removed and a hose coupled to an air compressor is held
against the hole. Air rushing through the hole deflects the top of
the pan downwardly and shoves down the pan about an inch. The pan
is then pulled out by hand. In this method of removal, it is found
that much of the air leaks out around the pipe rather than passing
through the hole, preventing pan removal in difficult cases. In
addition, the hole is found to quickly wear to an enlarged diameter
which can prevent even moderate sealing of it to the air hose.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention is to provide a form for
architectural concrete, which can be more economically
produced.
Another object is to provide a form for architectural concrete
which is easy to remove from the set concrete.
In accordance with the present invention, a pan-shaped form for
architectural concrete is provided which can be produced at low
cost. The pan utilizes internal bracing which comprises a flat or
two-dimensional framework of tubes or other beam members disposed
against each internal face. The framework provides strong and light
bracing for each face of the pan to guard against damage. The
bracing framework also includes diagonal members which extend
across the hollow inside of the pan at a height which is close to
the face of the pan. These diagonal members serve as hand holds for
removing the pans, and as means for preventing the pans from
locking into each other when they are stacked for storage or
shipment.
In one embodiment of the invention which utilizes a pan with
flanges, the pan is formed so that when it is used, the flanges
extend at a downward angle. When the pan is laid on the plywood or
other construction deck, the pan rests on the perimeter of its
flange. However, when concrete is poured thereon, the weight of the
concrete combined with that of the pan, pushes down the pan so that
the flanges are forced to a horizontal position in engagement with
the plywood decking and the perimeter of the flanges of adjacent
pans abut one another.
In order for the flanges to bend to the horizontal, they must have
a certain degree of flexibility. The flexibility is realized by
utilizing a high ratio of fiber glass to resin in the flange
portion of the pan. Thus, a type of fiber glass base is used for
the flange which has a relatively small proportion of open space,
such as 55 to 65 percent. As a result, the resin which fills up
this open space constitutes a relatively small percentage of the
flange volume, and the flexibility of the flange is substantially
enhanced. In addition, a more flexible type of resin may be used in
the flange portion.
In another embodiment of the invention, a flangeless pan is
provided. The pan employs a rubber strip positioned along the
bottom edge of the sidewalls to provide a good seal between the pan
and the deck on which it rests. In order to hold the rubber strip
in place, one form of flangeless pan includes a tube which runs
along the inside of the sidewall just above the bottom. A holding
strip is fastened to the tube to form a receiving slot between the
strip and pan. A portion of the rubber strip is received in this
slot to lock into place and prevent its accidental removal. The
tube which runs along the bottom of the pan serves to brace the
sidewall of the pan and eliminates the need for a flange. In
another form of flangeless pans, the lower edge of the sidewalls
are thickened, and a slot is cut in the thickened edge to receive a
rubber strip upon which the pan is supported.
In order to facilitate removal of the pans, a short pipe or nipple
is molded into the top face of the pan, the nipple being directed
down into the inside of the pan. The nipple receives an airhose to
facilitate its proper placement and to aid in establishing a seal
around the hole. This results in higher air pressures being
established between the pan and the set concrete. The nipple also
guards against enlargement of the hole and therefore prolongs the
life of the pan.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of pan-shaped concrete forms with
flanges, showing their manner of use;
FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of a form of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of the pan of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of the nipple assembly of the
pan of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of a pan constructed in
accordance with another embodiment of the invention, which utilizes
a different bracing bar;
FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of a pan constructed in
accordance with still another embodiment of the invention, which
utilizes a different bracing framework configuration;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of flangeless pans, showing their
manner of use;
FIG. 8 is a partial sectional elevation view of the pans of FIG.
7;
FIG. 9 is a partial sectional elevation view of a pan of FIG.
7;
FIG. 10 is a partial sectional elevation view of a flangeless pan
constructed in accordance with yet another embodiment of the
invention;
FIG. 11 is a more detailed view of area 11--11 of FIG. 10; and
FIG. 12 is a more detailed view of area 12--12 of FIG. 10.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 illustrates a pair of pan-shaped concrete forms 10 and 12 in
position on a deck 14, the forms being of the type which has
outwardly directed flanges. In the construction of a concrete floor
with a waffle underside, a large number of such pans are utilized.
After a plywood construction deck 14 is built, a large number of
the forms are placed on the deck with the flanges such as flanges
16 and 18 abutting one another. Concrete is then poured on the
forms until it completely fills the area between adjacent forms and
is at a height above the top faces 20 of the forms. After the
concrete has set, the deck 14 is removed. The forms are then
removed by pulling them down from beneath the concrete floor.
In the placement of the forms on the deck, it is important that the
flanges accurately abut one another, with the outer edges of the
flanges lying against the deck 14. If one of the flanges is angled
upwardly, the bottom of the resulting concrete beam will display
two levels, which is often unacceptable. In fact, if one of the
flanges is warped too high, concrete can seep beneath it and form
concrete protrusion from the bottom of the beams. In accordance
with the present invention, the form is constructed to assure that
the outer ends or perimeter of the flanges lie against the deck 14,
rather than above it.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pan has a body comprising a top or
upper face 20 and four sides 22, 24, 26, and 28 extending in a
substantially or generally downward direction from the top, that
is, with a greater vertical directional component than a horizontal
directional component. The flange 16 extends around the perimeter
of the body. The body is constructed of a mat fiber glass material
impregnated with resin. The mat material includes fiber glass
strands which are not oriented in particular directions. Thus, the
strands lie in an irregular manner, resulting in a high proportion
of empty space between fibers. Such material can absorb a high
proportion of resin, resulting in a rigid construction. The flange
16 also has a mat fiber glass construction at an inner layer 30
thereof, the mat generally being a continuation of the fiber glass
mat within the body. However, reinforcing layers 32 and 34 which
lie on either side of the inner layer do not have a usual mat base.
Instead, they have a fiber glass base of woven roving, so that the
strands are oriented in particular directions, generally two
perpendicular directions.
The reinforcing layers 32 and 34 comprise fiber glass strands in
the form of a woven cloth, the cloth being impregnated with resin
in the same manner as the inner layer 30. The woven roving of the
reinforcing layers results in a small proportion of empty space,
and therefore a smaller proportion of resin in the finished
product. The higher fiber glass to resin ratio results in a
substantially more flexible material. As a result, the flange 16
has a high flexibility. The layers 32 and 34 preferably comprise at
least 35 percent fiber glass by volume, (and generally less than 45
percent) so that they contain less than 65 percent resin after
impregnation. This may be compared with the inner layer 30 and the
body, which have a base of mat fiber glass which typically occupies
a volume ranging from 20 to 25 percent of the layer, with the rest
of the volume occupied by resin.
In accordance with the present invention, the form 10 is
constructed so that after curing (i.e., after the warping occurring
during the curing cycle) the flange 16 is oriented at an average
predetermined angle A from the horizontal. The flange generally
will have a waviness, and the angle A is chosen to locate the
flange perimeter a height H from the level of the perimeter 36 of
the body. The height H is chosen so that it exceeds the maximum
amplitude of waviness to be expected. For example, the flange
portion at 38 has a waviness which brings it close to the level 36
of the body perimeter. Thus, the warping downwardly (downward with
respect to the position of use) of the flange assures that all of
the flange positions will lie below the level of the pan perimeter
36.
When the pan is used in the manner shown in FIG. 1, it rests on the
perimeter of the flange. However, when concrete is poured on the
form, the weight of concrete on the upper face 20 and sides of the
body pushes the body down so that its perimeter, which has the
level shown at 36, tends to move down until it touches the deck 14.
Due to the relatively high flexibility of the flange 16, resulting
from the woven roving used in the reinforcing layers, the perimeter
layer 36 can readily reach the deck and the flange achieves a flat
horizontal configuration. In particular, all portions of the outer
perimeter of the flange, including those with high waviness, are
assured of lying against the deck. The resulting concrete floor is
assured of having beams which appear uniform and without defects as
seen from below.
The pan-shaped form 10 has an internal bracing comprising a
framework of metal tubes 40 which lie in facewise adjacency against
each of the four sides and against the upper face of the form. The
tubular framework comprises a pair of tubes 42 and 44 which extend
along the side 24, across the face 20, and across the opposite side
28. Another pair of tubes 46 and 48 extend in a similar manner from
the side 26 across the face 20 and across the opposite side 22. A
horizontal tube 50 extends horizontally along the four sides. At
the points where the tubes cross one another, one of the tubes is
continuous while the other tube is cut and its end welded to the
first tube. The resulting tubular framework strengthens the form to
prevent breakage, yet is relatively light in weight.
In order to brace the sides against each other, four diagonal
braces 52, 54, 56, and 58 are provided. Each brace extends between
the tubular framework which is adjacent sides of the form, and is
tied to the sides at points spaced from the corner where the sides
intersect. The diagonal braces, which extend diagonally across the
inner hollow within the form brace the sides against each other.
The use of the diagonal braces strengthens the form with a
relatively small additional weight. The entire tubular bracing
system is substantially lighter than the plywood sheets used in
prior art forms wherein a sheet was laid against each side and face
and as a cross to brace the sides.
The diagonal braces 52 through 58 are positioned away from the top
face 20 a distance of about one-third the height of the form. When
the forms are to be transported, they can be stacked, one upon the
other, in an efficient manner and without the likelihood of binding
into one another. The diagonal braces limit the depth within which
one form can enter the hollow part of another, to assure that
binding does not occur and the forms are therefore not difficult to
separate. However, approximately two-thirds of the height of each
form can be filled by another form, so that many forms may be
stacked in a relatively low height, for ease in storage and
shipment.
The diagonal bracing members 52 through 58 provide another
important advantage in that they facilitate removal of the forms
after the concrete is set. Even after the bond is broken between
the forms and the set concrete, the forms are often still difficult
to remove. The cross braces provide handholds for workmen to grasp
in pulling down on the forms. This greatly facilitates the
application of downward force by the workmen, and the carrying of
the form thereafter. Generally, only two of the bracing members are
required to provide for handholds.
The removal of the form from set concrete is accomplished by first
blowing air through the hole 60 at the center of the upper face 20
which is more clearly shown in FIG. 4. The air breaks the bond
between the surface of the concrete and the fiber glass form and
shoves down to form about an inch. The form is then pulled down by
hand. In order to facilitate the blowing of air through the hole
60, a nipple 62 is provided which has a flange portion 64 that lies
about the hole 60 and is bonded to the upper face 20 of the form. A
rubber washer 66 is positioned on the side of the flange opposite
the top face 20. The nipple 62 serves as a homing device for
receiving an airhose that carries the pressured air which passes
through the hole 60. The rubber washer 66 provides an air seal
between the end of the hose and the hole 60 to prevent leakage of
air.
Generally, relatively high pressure such as 200 pounds per square
inch are applied, by means of a flexible hose that ends in a metal
tube or wand shown at 68. The nipple 62 receives the end of the
wand while the washer 66 provides a substantially airtight seal to
prevent the leakage of air about the end of the wand. This enables
the application of high pressures through the hole 60 because of
the prevention of leakage. The flange 64 also serves to strengthen
the walls of the hole 60 to prevent its enlargement, thereby
extending the lifetime of use of the pan. It may be noted that a
long cylindrical plug is generally inserted through the nipple 62
to plug up the hole 60 and prevent the seepage of concrete therein.
The plug is removed from the nipple prior to the blowing of air
through the nipple. When air is blown through the hole 60, the
center portion of the upper face, which is free of the tubular
bracing, can deflect downward, and thereby facilitate the entrance
of air to break the bond.
Tubular framework which braces the inside of the form can be
constructed in a number of ways. FIG. 5 illustrates another
embodiment of the invention wherein a U-shaped brace 70 is provided
instead of a diagonal brace. The U-shaped brace provides a member
for grasping by the hand to pull out the form from the set
concrete, and also aids in stacking of the forms for storage.
However, it does not provide the bracing action of the diagonal
braces shown in FIG. 2, and is useful only where the form is
otherwise noted that the form is of greater height than those
described above, and therefore two horizontal tubes 72 and 74 are
provided for internal bracing.
FIG. 6 illustrates still another embodiment of the invention
wherein each of the four sides of the pan, such as the side 81, are
braced by a tube 80 which extends substantially vertically, and by
four angled tubes 82, 84, 86, and 88 which extend between positions
along the tube 80 and the bottom of the sidewall. The face 90 is
reinforced by four parallel tubes 92, 94, 96, and 98. The reason
for the four parallel tubes is to provide a minimum unsupported
space on the face, to reduce the chance of puncture by workmen who
walk on the face of the pan after the pans are laid but before the
concrete is poured thereon. Diagonal bracing members 100 and 102
are shown which extend between bracing members on the face 90 and
the almost vertical members on the sidewalls 81 and 83. Additional
diagonal bracing members are utilized in the same manner to brace
the other two sidewalls which are not shown in the figure. The
diagonal members 100 and 102 serve as handholds and as means that
prevent binding of the pans into one another when they are
stacked.
FIG. 7 illustrates the use of flangeless pans 110 and 112 in
forming a floor with concrete beams. The bottom of the beams are
formed by the plywood construction deck 114 at the area between the
pans. This provides an important advantage in concrete work, of
eliminating the need for smoothing out the mold line formed by
abutting flanges, which is necessary in many cases where the beams
are exposed. It may be noted that even if such mold lines are
eliminated by grinding, the ground-away concrete areas have a
different texture than the molded areas and the results are not
entirely pleasing.
The flangeless pan 110, shown in greater detail in FIGS. 8 and 9,
is constructed with a tubular reinforcing network along the sides
in the same manner of the pans described above. However, it
includes an additional tube 116 which runs along the inside of the
sidewall 115 a short distance above the bottom edge 118 of the pan.
A sealing strip 120 of rubber or the like of L-shaped cross section
has a seal portion that runs along the bottom edge 118 of the
sidewalls. The sealing portion has a width W along the base 117 of
the L cross section that is substantially equal to the thickness of
the sidewall 115. The sealing strip has a locking portion 119 that
extends upwardly along the inside of the sidewall. A rectangular
strip 122 of metal or other stiff material is attached to the tube
116 and overhangs the locking portion of the sealing strip 120. The
sealing strip is therefore locked in place between the sidewall and
the retaining strip 122. The sealing strip 120 is provided with
serrations on the sides 124 and 126 of the locking portion, which
lies adjacent to the sidewall and retaining strip respectively. The
serrations further help to lock in the rubber strip.
The tube 116 serves to firmly brace the bottom of the sidewall,
eliminating the need for a flange to brace it. In addition, the
tube provides a place for fastening the retaining strip 122. The
sealing strip 120 is firmly locked in place and is unlikely to be
pulled off even in the usual rough handling accorded to the
concrete forming pans. The retaining strip is fastened to the tube
by two rows of rivets 128 and 130.
The use of the locked-in rubber sealing strip with a flangeless pan
is preferably employed with a reinforcing structure for the
sidewalls 115 of elongated metal members such as the tubes shown in
the figures. If a wood sheet were used, the bottom of the wood
sheet generally must be impregnated with resin to prevent splitting
of the end. The impregnating generally leaves an uneven bottom
surface which prevents firm seating of the sealing strip 120.
FIGS. 10, 11, and 12 illustrate another embodiment of the invention
in which the form 140 employs a gasket or sealing strip 142 which
is easy to install and replace, and which employs a bracing
structure 144 using structural members of hat-shaped cross section.
The bottom portion 146 of the sidewall 148 is built up to provide
it with an extra thickness so it is generally more than twice as
thick as the portions of the sidewall immediately above it, and a
deep groove 150 is cut in it for receiving the sealing strip. The
sealing strip, which is constructed of elastomeric material,
includes a base portion 152 which is substantially as wide as the
bottom portion of the sidewall and which rests against the lower
edge 154 thereof. It also includes a leg portion 156 extending
upwardly from about the middle of the base into the groove 150, the
leg portion being about as wide as the groove. Serrations 158 are
formed in the strip on each side of the leg to help retain it in
the groove, and on the bottom of the base to resist movement of the
base on the construction deck 160.
The bottom portion 146 is formed by adding fiber glass or other
material to the inner side of the form to build it up, the form
then being allowed to set. Then the form is removed from the mold
and the groove 150 is formed therein with a routing tool. The
router is guided from the outer surface of the side 148, so it is
moved while it is maintained at a predetermined spacing from the
outer surface 146S of the bottom portion. Although the thickness of
the bottom portion 146 generally will vary, the outer surface 146S
is regular since it contacts the mold in which the fiber glass form
is molded. The sealing strip 142 is then installed in the groove,
glue sometimes being used to further secure it in place.
The foregoing manner of construction assures accurate placement of
the sealing strip so the outer side 152S is aligned with the outer
surface 146S of the bottom portion 146 of the form. It also assures
secure retention of the strip, since the width of the groove 150
and of the sealing strip leg 156 can be closely controlled with
ease. Close control is possible because the width of a routing tool
is accurately known, and the sealing strip can be formed by
extrusion through a die. Neither the form nor the strip have to be
reworked to provide a proper fit. This is helpful in factory
production, and even more so for field repairs when the sealing
strip wears out and has to be replaced. The thickness of the bottom
portion 146 does not have to be closely controlled, which makes
production much easier, and the relative simplicity of the
apparatus increases its reliability.
The bracing structure 144, which is shown in detail in FIG. 12, is
constructed with hat-shaped members having a top 162, sides 164,
166, and flanges 168 extending sidewardly away from each other from
the bottom of the member sides. The members are attached to the
fiber glass sides by holding layers 170 of resin-impregnated fiber
glass that cover only the flanges and the immediately adjacent
portions of the fiber glass form sides. This assures firm
attachment of the structural members to the fiber glass sides
without requiring fiber glass to be placed over the entire member,
as is often required in the case of flangeless structural members
such as tubes, although fiber glass can be placed over the entire
hat-shaped members if desired. This design and manner of fastening
saves on the amount of fiber glass required, is easier and more
quickly performed, and results in thinner walls at the structural
members which increases the stackability of the forms. In
constructing the forms with a built-up bottom portion 146, the
bracing framework 144 is generally installed prior to building up
the bottom portion 146, so it can pass more easily into the
form.
FIG. 13 illustrates still another embodiment of the invention
wherein an overhanging retaining member 180 is included to better
hold a sealing strip 182 to the form side 184. The sealing strip
has a recessed inner portion 186, and the retainer member has a
portion 188 attached by fasteners 190 to the form body and an
overhanging portion 192 received in the sealing strip recess.
Although particular embodiments of the invention have been
described and illustrated herein, it is recognized that
modifications and variations may readily occur to those skilled in
the art, and, consequently it is intended that the claims be
interpreted to cover such modifications and equivalents.
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